Jillian O'Neill's Atelier at Home

Fabulous Fridays - Happy hour and inspiration

Well, here it is.  Our first post.  

We thought we would begin with something lighthearted and fun because that is what we aspire to create with this site.  

Last month I was eating a lovely dinner outside at Tommy Bahama restaurant to celebrate my son’s 6th birthday.  It was 98 degrees and the air was full of Houston humidity.  

A waiter walked by with the most lovely cocktail I have ever laid eyes on.  Why does a drink recipe deserves to make it on to a “design blog”?  All of my clients know that my favorite color is lavender.  How can you not love lavender (I don’t always subject them to this obsession, but most are game for trying it in doses) I ask?  It is elegant, beautiful and diverse.  Add a little gray and it makes a great neutral.  Add warmth and it is sublimely romantic.  Add red and you get my next favorite color, fuchsia.  

So...getting to the fun part.  This particular martini was called “Bye Bye Blues” from Tommy Bahama.   

Bye Bye Blues

Mix in a cocktail shaker and strain over ice:

Van Gogh Acai Vodka

Scratch lemonade

Muddled mint

Seriously gorgeous.  And delicious.   See, everyone??  Inspiration everywhere!

For those of you who absolutely will not order a lavender cocktail, let alone use purple in your decor....here is a nice neutral cocktail for you using coconut.  Just as appealing. 

Coconut Cloud Martini

1 part Tommy Bahama White Sand® Rum

1½ parts vanilla vodka

1½ parts coconut rum

½ part Coco Lopez® 

Shake in a cocktail shaker and strain. Garnish with toasted coconut.  

While we are discussing lavender...here are a few of my favorite paint colors...give them a try??

Farrow and Ball Blackened is a wonderful neutral with a lavender undertone.

I used Blackened at the Lake Forest Showhouse and Gardens, shown below.  

 I recently used Behr's Feather Gray in my own master bathroom.  It is a pinky gray.

Farrow and Ball's Calluna is seriously lavender, a la French Countryside.

Here we are ("I'm melting...I'm melting...") at dinner.