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An Easy Spring Appetizer You Can Whip Up in a Flash

May 4, 2023

Crudité Board with Green Goddess Dip

For spring and summer dinners, we love to create meals out of yummy, snack-filled platters. We try to make it casual and relaxed, where everyone can help themselves. Read below to see how to create a delicious and beautiful appetizer: a crudité platter with the easiest green goddess dressing (ok, I cheated a little).

Sometimes during the spring and summer months, Derrick and I will just whip up something like this crudité board to graze on. Accompany it with a crusty baguette and a cheese board and voilà, you have yourselves a dinner!

Photography: Zee Wendell

I’ve followed Annie Campbell, an LA-based party planner and event designer (she’s actually from Oregon!) for a while now. I love to see all the beautiful parties she organizes! They’re always gorgeous, colorful, and of course — the food looks delicious. So, when I saw this post on Pinterest, I read her tips and tricks on how to create a pretty board like this, and loved how it was different from your typical vegetable platter!

The Secret to a Beautiful Appetizer

The secret is to gather healthy, organic vegetables such as golden cauliflower. I’ve never tried this before, but its soooo good! It  tastes similar to your tried-and-true white cauliflower, just prettier 😉. Choose your favorite greens, and add other pretty veggies like radishes, pea pods and mini carrots. Then just slice and arrange in “layers” starting with one veggie, then layering slices of another veggie on top, and so forth.

As Annie says, “The platter matters”… it’s all about the presentation!” She often uses wood boards to display her goodies, and I just love this idea. A cool, vintage wood board is so versatile — we use ours ALLLLL the time for various things like cheese, small desserts or cookies, or sliced bread and butter. I definitely recommend one.

CLOUZ HOUZ TIP: Buy vegetables with the stems still attached. I found mini carrots with the stems, and then I just cut off the green part almost all the way, but left some on for a really organic and pretty touch.

Green Goddess Dressing

A green goddess dip/dressing is one of my faves for this appetizer meal. I cheated a bit and bought a green goddess dressing from Whole Foods. I added it to sour cream with chopped fresh dill, and it was deeeelish. Not everything has to be homemade to taste good! So, wherever and whenever I can cut corners, I will. It makes our lives easier.

Photography: Zee Wendell

Give this a try and graze till your heart’s content. Pour yourself a glass of Rosé, or mix up the Chill Pill. Then, sit outside to enjoy your evening knowing dinner is ready!

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After designing and remodeling so many kitchens, here are 5 mistakes I’II never make again:

1. Not taking cabinetry to the ceiling.
That awkward gap collects dust and instantly makes a kitchen feel builder-grade. Full-height cabinetry feels intentional and custom.
2. Forgetting landing space.
Every appliance needs a place to land. No counter next to the fridge or range = daily frustration.
3. Using the same cabinet hardware knobs and pulls throughout. Mix styles for interest (I can’t wait to share what I’ve picked for our new kitchen)
4. Underestimating drawer storage.
Drawers > lower cabinets. Always. Deep drawers for pots, pans, and dishes change everything. I hate digging through cabinet shelving!
5. Relying on one overhead light.
Layered lighting (pendants, cabinet lighting, sconces) is what makes a kitchen feel warm and personal.

If you’re planning a remodel, save this for later🤍 Sharing cabinet and counter details soon!

93 8
Open
After designing and remodeling so many kitchens, here are 5 mistakes I’II never make again: 1. Not taking cabinetry to the ceiling. That awkward gap collects dust and instantly makes a kitchen feel builder-grade. Full-height cabinetry feels intentional and custom. 2. Forgetting landing space. Every appliance needs a place to land. No counter next to the fridge or range = daily frustration. 3. Using the same cabinet hardware knobs and pulls throughout. Mix styles for interest (I can’t wait to share what I’ve picked for our new kitchen) 4. Underestimating drawer storage. Drawers > lower cabinets. Always. Deep drawers for pots, pans, and dishes change everything. I hate digging through cabinet shelving! 5. Relying on one overhead light. Layered lighting (pendants, cabinet lighting, sconces) is what makes a kitchen feel warm and personal. If you’re planning a remodel, save this for later🤍 Sharing cabinet and counter details soon!

We painted our dining room pink... and I’d do it again in a heartbeat.

This is Setting Plaster by @farrowandball, and it completely transformed our dining room at the Sixth Street Bungalow in Columbia, Tennessee. It’s not bubblegum.

It’s not trendy. Joa Studholme, one of color curators at F & B created this beautiful hue when she discovered the beauty in her home with freshly plastered walls. And I just love it!

Depending on the light, it shifts from soft blush to a muted clay tone, which makes the room feel romantic and cozy without feeling overly sweet. I love how it warms up the wood floors. As Joa explains, it feels like a big hug!

If you’ve been nervous to step away from white, this is your sign.

Save this for your paint list and share it with someone who would absolutely love this color.

39 7
Open
We painted our dining room pink... and I’d do it again in a heartbeat. This is Setting Plaster by @farrowandball, and it completely transformed our dining room at the Sixth Street Bungalow in Columbia, Tennessee. It’s not bubblegum. It’s not trendy. Joa Studholme, one of color curators at F & B created this beautiful hue when she discovered the beauty in her home with freshly plastered walls. And I just love it! Depending on the light, it shifts from soft blush to a muted clay tone, which makes the room feel romantic and cozy without feeling overly sweet. I love how it warms up the wood floors. As Joa explains, it feels like a big hug! If you’ve been nervous to step away from white, this is your sign. Save this for your paint list and share it with someone who would absolutely love this color.

Share with someone who needs to hear this!!

I didn’t fully understand this early in my career. I thought good design was 90% about pulling together beautiful finishes and getting the palette right.

But over time (and after walking through many homes), here’s what I noticed:
The homes that felt the best weren’t always the most expensive. Or the most styled. They were the ones where everything worked together in a way that supported the people living there. And the homeowners? They weren’t constantly tweaking or second-guessing. They were living.

That’s when I realized design is about creating a space that quietly holds you.

When a home feels right, you can’t always explain why. But you feel it immediately. And once you feel it, you can’t un-feel it.

23 1
Open
Share with someone who needs to hear this!! I didn’t fully understand this early in my career. I thought good design was 90% about pulling together beautiful finishes and getting the palette right. But over time (and after walking through many homes), here’s what I noticed: The homes that felt the best weren’t always the most expensive. Or the most styled. They were the ones where everything worked together in a way that supported the people living there. And the homeowners? They weren’t constantly tweaking or second-guessing. They were living. That’s when I realized design is about creating a space that quietly holds you. When a home feels right, you can’t always explain why. But you feel it immediately. And once you feel it, you can’t un-feel it.
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