Bye Bye Winter...Helloooo Spring!...Urbane Edge Article with one Half of our Design Team....Sell, Sell, Sell...More Exclusive Charcoal Project Peeks...Sweet Treats...Anatoly, The Rug Guru...Best Dukkah Recipe In The World...Dukkah Encrusted Lamb and Kiwi Cocktails..What More Could You Want on a Friday?..enjoy xx

Its almost official....

Spring is nearly here!

Whilst some of you may be dreading the warmer weather being just on our doorstep, we are all pretty happy about the change of season.

Spring brings with it the smell of Jasmine, BBQ's on a Sunday, Sundresses, Picnics and the obligatory...for some..Spring Clean.  We love everything about Spring, and look forward to introducing you to some absolutely amazing new pieces that we will be bringing in to the showroom.  We simply cant wait!  Plus, there will be a fresh new menu of gloriously healthy and tasty dishes to please the palate...and with all that seasonal fruit coming in, we have finished test driving some excellent new Cocktail Friday recipes...just part of the job criteria...someone's got to make sure they are delicious!

Urbane Edge

This week, our Cathie Venardos...One half of the design team here at Charcoal, was interviewed by the Big and Glossy Brisbane News.  Cathie gave an insight on her design style, art and furniture pieces purchased during her travels.  For those of you who don't live in Brisbane, and haven't seen the article, here's a peek for you....click on the pic and it will enlarge if you are finding it hard to decipher.

Our Sale is Still Going Strong

With so many amazing discounts on selected stock, you are sure to find something perfect for your home.

Pop in over the weekend and step into a world of inspiration!

Serving Up More Inspiration...

Next week, we showcase our latest Exclusive Charcoal Interiors design project...here's a sneak peek.  This home was completely reduced to a shell and has been transformed and updated into a beautiful space.  We look forward to sharing the Before and After images with you over the coming weeks...wait until you see the bathroom!

Lounge Living...more Photos next week.

Golden Day

Sometimes you just have one of those days, that are just 'Golden', because we had two wonderful surprises in one day this week.  The first was a delivery of Organic Belgian White Chocolate and Fresh Coffee from a client that we had helped style his apartment for sale....Then, mere minutes later, 3 bunches of beautiful Spring blooms were delivered for us....a thank you for all the girls hard work from an appreciative client and all-round great lady.  We felt just so spoilt and it was a fabulous day indeed.  

Here we are looking very chuffed with ourselves....

Cathie..Colette and Jen

Every Stylish Home Needs at Least One....

This week, as promised we bring to you our Host with the Most..Anatoly Frusin!  Anatoly is our Rug consultant here at Charcoal Interiors, and brings with him a wealth of knowledge on the beautiful handwoven rugs that we stock here in the showroom.  

Please click on the link below which will take you to a short video presentation by Anatoly, with a brief outline of some of the rugs we have instore.....enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8QpEUa7UbY&feature=channel

'Drool-worthy Delights'

Fancy something tasty and super healthy for dinner or lunch? 

We feel we have excelled ourselves with this weeks recipe...braggers...

We do love a good Dukkah...there's nothing nicer than dipping some really fresh Turkish Bread into a quality Cold Pressed Olive Oil, and then dunking into a great Dukkah Mix.

With Egyptian origins, Dukkah is a spice blend of toasted nuts and seeds, and has become a international favorite over the past few years, thanks to its popularity first in Australian restaurants and then among home cooks and food blogs. The warm, aromatic mixture is addictive when served as a dip with bread and olive oil. We've also been sprinkling it on everything else lately – roasted vegetables, pasta, feta cheese, and even peaches, not to mention the wonderful crust it makes for meat and fish....speaking of which, heres a fab recipe for Dukkah Encrusted Lamb Chops.  You can use this recipe and method for any meat...fish, chicken, or you can roll a vegetable like cauliflower into the mix and bake in the oven...now that's delicious too.  Dukkah is very versatile and so healthy too.  Dazzle your friends with the recipe below...they will think you have had lessons!

Dukkah Encrusted Lamb Chops

Dukkah is available in many stores nowadays.  Its not just a gourmet item anymore and you can find it by the packet on jar in most supermarkets.  Making your own is easy.  Pistachios are a lovely addition to a Dukkah mix and they give a pleasant sweetness.  Here are some ideas for your Dukkah mix below.  Grind up in a processor, or get into the traditional way with a Mortar and Pestle...really get your elbow into it, and then be sure to stop...take a rest...sip the Cocktail from the recipe below...pace yourself now...and begin again....

Basic Ingredients
• Nuts – hazelnuts, almonds, pistachios, cashews, pine nuts, macadamia nuts
• Sesame seeds
• Coriander
• Cumin

Optional Additions
• Dried chickpeas
• Dried herbs – marjoram, mint, thyme
• Dried lemon zest
• Hot pepper – red pepper flakes, chili powder
• Pepper – freshly ground or whole peppercorns
• Salt
• Seeds – caraway, fennel, nigella
• Spices – cinnamon, clove, turmeric
• Sugar

Dukkah (Basic Recipe)
Makes 2 1/4 cups

1 cup nuts
1/2 cup sesame seeds
1/2 cup coriander seeds
1/4 cup cumin seeds
1 teaspoon sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Toast nuts and seeds in separate batches. Let cool completely.

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and pulse. The mixture may fine or coarse, depending on personal preference, but be sure it is dry and crumbly. Over-mixing will turn it into a paste. (Can also use a mortar and pestle or spice grinder.)

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. 

Once you have your mix to your satisfaction and taste, drizzle a good quality olive oil over your lamb chops...rub in a quality rock salt and then coat in the Dukkah mix.  Heat your pan with oil and sear the chops on both sides for 2 - 3 minutes each.  Place the chops onto aluminium foil and seal for 15 minutes to rest the meat.

In the meantime...take your time here now...another sip of your drink...soo nice and relaxing isnt it?...and I do like that music in the background...bit of Angus and Julia Stone perhaps?...or a Katie Noonan track or two...blissful...now, where were we?  Oh yes, the salad.  Now, whilst waiting on the resting of the meat, throw together a nice green salad...pop a side of plain yoghurt on your plate...shake up some lemon juice with a bit of salt, pepper, balsamic and olive oil and drizzle this over the salad.  Arrange the meat and salad on the plate with your chops...and Voila!...its a meal fit for the MasterChef judges.  Enjoy!

Happiness Comes in Many Forms...Puppies, Shoe Shopping, Sass and Bide and.....Cocktails!

Happy Friday to all.  Hope you have had a great one...Let's Celebrate with a...

Kiwi Fruit Cocktail...Fresh...Sparky...and oh, so delicious!..and guess what?..you deserve one...

The Friday Kiwi Cocktail

Its as Easy as Mix, Shake and Pour

Mix

2 shots of Gin
0.25 shots of Lemon Juice
0.5 shots of Sugar Syrup
1 whole peeled Kiwi

Shake

Peel and quarter the Kiwi, muddle with the Gin in the mixing tin, add the other ingredients, add lots of ice, shake and fine strain.

Pour

Serve in a Martini glass and garnish with a kiwi slice.

Thank you to all our wonderful customers and blog readers, facebook followers etc..for another amazing week here at Charcoal Interiors.  We just love being part of The Valley precinct and hope to see you in this part of the world one day soon.  Grab a coffee, and stroll the streets of James, Wandoo and Doggett and be sure to pop into the showroom at 18 Doggett St, Fortitude Valley...we would love to see you.  Mention the blog and we will give you an even bigger smile!...til next week...we are off to collect more goodies for you on Monday...another shopping excursion just for you.  Cant wait to share all our treasures.  Have a great weekend.

Cathie...Colette..and Jen..The Charcoal Girls xxx

Hamilton Apartment...The Final Unveil with Before & After pics, plus video...Get in Quick for our Sale!...We Shop in Melbourne for You!...Maiocchi Fashion Shoot - A Sneek Peak into the new range....Scrumptious Chicken Recipe and the Deeeelightfully light..Capiroska!

Hello and Happy Friday one and all.  We have had a great week, with a trip to Melbourne for the day...and all for you!  More info on that a bit further down the blog...but first..as promised...

The Exclusive Unveiling of our latest Design Project at Hamilton!

Well, last week we showcased the Sunroom of this amazing Art Deco residence in Hamilton, Brisbane.  This week we have video of Cathie showing us through the fully completed apartment, plus 'Before...and After' pictures, so you can really gauge just how much thought and effort has gone into completely transforming this space.

First up...here's Cathie with her tour.....excuse my very amateurish production..oh..and the Chandelier is not on fire!..just looks that way due to the strobing :-)

Just Click On The Video Link Below

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlYGQf_KtJM

Some before pics of the space.....

....and the finished work...

Beautiful artwork...gorgeous lighting..a sumptuous mixture of textures, antique and modern pieces now give this apartment a luxurious environ, reminiscent of the Manhattan Style our client loves so much.

We have had a terrific week, with a successful expedition to the Melbourne Trade Show. We also dropped in on a few of our wonderful suppliers whilst down South and picked out some stunning pieces...Gosh, we are so excited!  Cant wait for it all to be delivered!  Stay tuned for our new arrivals...boy did we have fun shopping for you!

Trade Show Shopping...Decisions..Decisions??....

Strolling along the Yarra...on a gorgeous winters day...more decisions to make..like, which restaurant to choose??

More self sacrifice....lunch at 'Brasserie' restaurant on the Yarra.

Check out our Cocktail Friday recipe...with pics below

Charcoal Interiors...is having ....a...

 That's right!....Sale starts this Saturday.  After our buying trip on Monday, we need to make room for the new arrivals.  So, that means that we have considerable savings to be had on Sofas, Tables, Urns, Accessories, Dining and Occasional Chairs and so much more! 

Maiocchi Fashion Shoot

On Sunday morning we hosted another Fashion Shoot for Dee Maiocchi and her gorgeous range of clothing.  Here is a little sneek peak, and we will have the formal pics for you shortly.  Dee loves to use our stunning showroom as the backdrop for her creations.  

Thanks again to Mark Turner Photography http://markturnerphotography.com/...from high fashion to sophisticated Interior Design shoots...he really does know his stuff.

Friday Recipe

Feeling a little overwhelmed after such a big week, our bellies were looking for something light, flavoursome and healthy...so this week, we tried this super simple recipe that is fresh and delicious.  

This recipe is super simple and serves 4

Mint and Garlic Chicken with Crunchy Salad

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 4 small (about 170g each) chicken breast fillets, each cut into 2 thin fillets
• 2 tbs roughly chopped mint leaves
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tsp dried chilli flakes
• 1 1/2 tbs olive oil
• 1 baby cos, leaves separated, finely shredded
• 1/2 punnet (about 80g) snow pea sprouts, roughly chopped
• 2 spring onions, finely chopped
• 1 tbs white wine vinegar

Method

1. Place the chicken, mint, chilli and 1/2 tbs of oil in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper and toss to coat chicken.
2. Place a large non-stick frypan over high heat. When hot, add the chicken in batches. Cook for 2 minutes on one side and 1 minute on the other or until cooked through.
3. Meanwhile: toss the shredded lettuce, snow pea sprouts, and spring onion in a large bowl with the vinegar, remianing tbs of oil, salt and pepper. 
4. 
   
   
   Divide the salad and chicken among plates and serve immediately.
   
   
   It's That Time Again....Cocktail Friday!!
   
   
   
   

 Ahhhh...Yes...Cocktails really DO equal Paradise according to us!  We have a super simple Cocktail recipe for you this Friday, but its just packed with flavour...you'll love it!

We imbibed in a few of these on our Melbourne trip...Cath has the recipe below...

The Lime Capiroska!

A great way to end an exhausting day of Power Shopping!

We are off to Cru Bar this afternoon to celebrate our 1000th Blog view!

Thank you to everyone for their support.  We have had a great response to the Blog.  A lot of love goes into bringing it to you every Friday and its a collaborative effort from us all.

Wishing you a great weekend...love...The Charcoal Girls...

Cathie, Colette and Jen....with Charlie....xx

Before & After Pics of Our Latest Design Project...Words of Wisdom from the Best...Sand Crab Ravioli and our Cocktail Friday Offering...

Our Latest Design Project

Over the next few weeks, we will be showcasing our latest Design Project before and after pics with you.

I spoke with Colette Venardos...half of the Charcoal Design team, about this particular project, the clients, their vision, and how she and Cathie made it happen!

Colette, explain a bit about the history of this home, and the clients vision:

"Well, this was a beautiful old Queenslander dating back to the 1800's.  Just a magnificent home that really was in need of a bit of TLC.  Cathie and my first impression of the home interior, was 'Aussie Country' which was quite outdated, and definitely in need of a freshen up.  The interior just wasnt conducive with the magnificence of this beautiful home.  We consulted with the clients over many weeks, and their main instructions were to create a relaxed atmosphere with a touch of French sophistication. Being a busy family of 4, they wanted to feel like this was their home and a place where they could still kick off the shoes and feel welcomed.

Colette, can you give us a brief outline of the transformation process?:

"We started with a neutral palette, and built around that the custom made table in Reclaimed French Oak.  The chairs too, were custom made with removable off-white covers in a beautiful linen fabric.  A beautiful Vintage mirror sits above the Old Chinese Altar Table, perfect for displaying the family treasures.  The true feature of the whole room is the amazing Dean Reilly original painting 'Chyrsallid'.  It is a stunning addition to the room and complements the drapery, which has a lovely pearlised finish in cream, dusky pink and moss green.  We also had the curtain rods custom made for this room.  They are truly elegant and draw the eye out to the newly transformed courtyard.  We replaced the old fence and repainted the feature wall in a Porters Paints Limewash.  New pots were added and plants added to create a hedge effect.  Our clients love the ambient mood of candles, so we had some wall candelabras mounted.

As you can see by the 'After' pics, the girls have completely transformed this dining room into a stylish space in collaboration with the clients.  A combination of their wishes and vision and an experienced eye via our Design Team.

Stay tuned over the coming weeks for more images of this gorgeous home...the girls have worked their magic once again!

Words of Wisdom from one of the Most Qualified

Audrey Hepburn really was the quintessential Hollywood actress and epitomised everything that a true lady should be....stylish, graceful, a devout humanitarian with her work for UNICEF and most of all kind.  We just love this quote...one of our favourites and a true doctrine to live by.

For beautiful eyes, look for the good in others; for beautiful lips, speak only words of kindness; and for poise, walk with the knowledge that you are never alone.
.....Audrey Hepburn

Winter Looks we Love!

  Rustic Vintage chair found at a Garage Sale teamed with a sumptuously textured cushion and snuggly throw.  The perfect spot to sit and while away the hours on a cold winter day. 

Sand Crab Ravioli in a Creamy Dill Sauce 

For those of you who are clever enough to make your Ravioli from scratch...I say, snaps to you and a big pat on the back.  I am then also spared having to include the recipe on how to make the pasta and then the crab filling and blah...blah...  Girls like us here at Charcoal who just dont have the time and by the time we did...it would be midnight!...say, buy the ravioli from a good gourmet shop or market and then add the rest as below...Takes about 10 minutes!

Method

Put your water on the boil.

Once boiled.  Add your ravioli.  Cook until Al Dente....in the meantime make your sauce..it takes just a few minutes.

Add to a pan a dollop of butter and a bit of salt...heat until aromatic.  Once that divine smell kicks in...add a small container of cream...this recipe is for 2 people, however if its for 4, just double the quantities.  Add a couple of teaspoons of parmesan and gently simmer.  I like to throw in a few chilli flakes and some freshly chopped dill.  Simmer away until the sauce starts to thicken.

Drain the Ravioli.  I like to toss very gently in a quality olive oil so they stay nice and slippery.  Divide up onto your plate and then spoon your delicious cream sauce over the top....finish off with some freshly chopped dill and cracked pepper.  I like to serve up with a little bowl of steamed vegies.

Voila!....enjoy...its completely delicious and so very easy for all those busy girls out there.

Speaking of busy girls....pop your uggies up on the sofa...take a nice deep breath...be thankful for reaching another Friday...and CELEBRATE...with our Cocktail Friday...the fixer of all things broken...the mood lifter like none other!

This week, we introduce the Italian Lemon Drop...packed with zing and using Lemons which are in season at the moment, so they are at their best flavour-wise.  Plus!  Its fruit...so that means this particular cocktail nutritionally is good for you right? If we are all in agreeance, lets raise our glasses to the wonders of Friday, Lemons..bless their little tarty hearts...and the Cocktail.  Cheers everyone!

The Italian Lemon Drop

 

1 oz Stolichnaya

1 oz Limoncello

¾ oz Cointreau

1 ¼ oz Sweet and Sour

Combine ingredients and shake well.

Serve in a martini glass.

Garnish with a lemon wedge.

Thank you to everyone for your feedback with the blog.  We are so happy that you are enjoying the read.  Hopefully its giving you a bit of inspiration and a smile.

Until next week....Cheers from the Charcoal Girls...Colette, Cathie and Jen xxx

If a table could talk.....??

Our dining table is the nucleus of the family home. We make a point of eating together as a family every night without the television. The family gather around and its a great way to catch up on the days news, not to mention the various dinner parties we have hosted, christmas gatherings...the sharing of good food and wine..the discussion site of triumphs, tragedies, landmark decisions the homework (or feigning of...!).

A table that is able to last through the years has aesthetic appeal and balance plus the sturdiness and quality of structure to be able to withstand decades of family festivities and memories.

Today we are sharing with you one of our latest completed projects for a large Brisbane family. They absolutely fell in love with this dining table (pictured), which worked in perfectly with the French Classic Interior Design space that we created for them.

At Charcoal Interiors we feel that the dining table is probably one of the most important pieces of furniture that you can buy. We are proud to stock superbly hand crafted tables, designed to last a lifetime of memories.........