Good morning to all my design-enthusiast friends!!  With the Houston building boom, we are working on so many new construction projects —  with so many unique and fun ideas!

Make new doors look reclaimed!

From the full wall of tile above the stove, to the decorative style of the back, right cabinets, to the custom-made pocket doors — which Segreto finished to look reclaimed — this kitchen, designed by Trisha McGaw, has winning bones.

Stencil over plaster

There is nothing prettier than painting a stencil over plaster.  In this powder room, designed by Maria Tracy of Tracy Design Studio, a soft blue/gray/green plaster was applied and then layered with a champagne metallic stencil.

Bird stencil over paint.

Whitney Janke of Nest and Cot Interiors wanted a whimsical powder room with a contemporary flair. I love her choice of this bird design that Segreto stenciled.

Plastered powder bath

With floors and a counter as cool as these, plaster was the perfect choice to set off the elements of this powder room.  I can’t wait to see how Trisha McGaw completes the space with a mirror and sconces.

Hand-painted mural

So, is this wallpaper or paint?  Answer: This dining room wall mural is hand-painted by one of our Segreto artists; it combines the owners’ favorite trees, flowers, birds and butterflies. (There are even some small bees flying around!)  Typically, painting comes in a a fraction of the cost of hand-screened wall papers.

Stenciled ceiling

This homeowner was inspired by my blog’s organizational challenge to completely rework her pantry. Once done, she was looking for a “little pop” in there. I think Segreto’s stenciling did just the trick! What about you?

Stenciled bulletin board

So happy with the pantry stencil outcome, this same homeowner asked Segreto to stencil a large, framed bulletin board in her kids’ desk space. Her daughters agreed on this rose pattern and I think it is a great option to covering the cork in fabric!

Many times at Segreto, our job is not to make things stand out but to make them disappear!!! Like this unsightly speaker: now you see it…

Paint vents to make them disappear!!

now you don’t!!!!!

And the outlets on this beautiful hand-painted tile back splash…

Paint plugs to make them disappear!

Where did they go??

Paint your light plates to blend into your marble back splash!

You’ve got the hang of it! What is Segreto masking here? Now, for the real “cooking” part of What’s Cook’n at Segreto!!

What’s Cook’n in my kitchen?

Strawberry Avocado Couscous Salad with Lime Vinaigrette: summer in a bowl!

Strawberry Avocado Couscous Salad with Lime Vinaigrette

Source

• 1 cup couscous
• 1 avocado, halved, seeded, peeled and diced
• 1/2 cup corn kernels
• 1/2 cup strawberries, quartered
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
• 2 tablespoons pine nuts

Lime Vinaigrette:

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• Zest of 1 lime
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
• 2 teaspoons sugar, or more to taste

Instructions:

• To make the vinaigrette, whisk together olive oil, apple cider vinegar, lime zest and juice, and sugar in a small bowl; set aside.
• In a medium saucepan, cook couscous according to package instructions.
• In a large bowl, combine couscous, avocado, corn, strawberries, cilantro and pine nuts. Stir in lime vinaigrette.
• Serve immediately.
  

And just in case you’d like a glass of wine with that salad, our Segreto Boutique has glassware, gallery trays, bar tools, wine stoppers, and ice buckets! Cheers!!

I hope you all have a wonderful week! I so appreciate you visiting my blog!! Til next week!!