Post by Mark T. Locker.

Okay, so this may not be available for watching in bed quite yet, unless there is some kind of Bedroom Theater in your neighborhood, like the Living Room Theaters but with comfy daybeds instead of sofas. And this would be a great movie to watch just before falling asleep as it is full of beautiful, magical imagery and is the kind of movie you walk out of feeling good about the world.

Hugo is Martin Scorsese’s lovingly created adaptation of the Caldecott-winning novel The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick. Don’t forget, I was waxing poetic about this book before it was a major motion picture! I was skeptical of anyone’s ability to turn such an incredible story mixed with an homage to early filmmaker Georges Méliès into a good movie. I was horribly, happily wrong.

Hugo is a boy who lives in the walls of a Paris train station, quietly keeping the clocks running since his uncle disappeared. His only possession is a highly complex automaton, a wind-up figure seated at a desk, pen in hand. When he is caught stealing parts from the toy vendor at the train station, he becomes entangled in a ever-mounting number of mysteries involving the toy vendor, his daughter, and his enigmatic automaton.

Tags: bed, bedroom, Charles P. Rogers, Hugo, Movies, Reviews

We at Charles P. Rogers are dedicated to creating and maintaining beds that go on to be the gorgeous focal points of our customer’s living areas. We love it when we get feedback from our customers about how much they love their CPR beds, and nothing pleases us more than actually getting to see the ways in which our customers have decorated their rooms around our beds. We actually have a whole section of our website dedicated to pictures we’ve received from our customers. When you get the chance, you ought to check out our website’s customer image gallery to get a better idea of what we’re talking about.

Poking around the net this week we discovered the website of a customer of ours who did a blog post showing off her Charles P. Rogers furnished bedroom. The blog is called Cedar Hill Ranch, and it’s run by Anita from Texas, a homeowner who is dedicated to imbuing her house with a classic Southern vibe with a French twist. She recently posted a gallery of photos of what she has called the Red Bedroom (we’ll give you one guess as to the origin of the name!), and if you take a close look, you’ll see one of our Charleston iron and brass beds chewing the scenery next to the armoire. Thanks to Anita at Cedar Hill Ranch for showing off her lovely bedroom and allowing Charles P. Rogers to be a part of it. Take care, and happy holidays.

Tags: bed, bedroom, Charles P. Rogers, Design, furniture

Post by Alison Hein.

Cleaning out the basement of an old house recently, I found an old rosette iron that had belonged to my grandmother. It was very exciting, and timely, because the fried dough “nothings” produced from this cooking tool were childhood holiday treats. One bite of airy crunch with the faintest lingering sweetness…

You may know “nothings” by a different name. Countries from Sweden to Italy and beyond claim their origin. Names range from Struvor to Kormolas. My grandmother was Polish, so we sometimes called them chruściki (probably inaccurate according to Internet research), mostly called them “nothings,” and were always elated to eat them.

My heartbeat quickened as I saw the yellowed recipe tucked alongside the ancient iron. Couldn’t wait to close my eyes and bite into a delicate “nothing.” Sadly, my first attempt was less than successful. A rosette iron has a long metal rod and decorative shapes that attach to one end. My recently discovered iron (estimated to be between 75 and 85 years old) had a stripped thread – the designs would stay on just long enough for me to dip into the batter, then splash off dangerously into the hot, bubbling oil. I fried a few butterfly “nothings” before I gave up. But I learned. Wear an apron, stand back from the stove, and above all, be patient.

Determined to pass on this holiday tradition, I searched for a new rosette iron. Fortunately, many are available through Internet sources for less than $20. I selected one with the same three designs as my grandmother’s – a star, a butterfly, and of course, a rosette. This time, success… and the airiest, crunchiest breakfast in bed I have enjoyed in a long, long time.

Ingredients
2 eggs
1 tablespoon sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1 cup sifted flour
Oil for frying
Powdered sugar

Equipment
Rosette iron
Deep-fry or candy thermometer

Preparation
Beat eggs with sugar and salt. Add milk and flour and beat until smooth. Chill batter up to 2 hours. Pour oil at least 2 inches deep into a small, heavy pan. Heat over medium heat to approximately 375°. Place rosette iron in the oil and heat until very hot, about five minutes. Dip hot iron into batter about ¾ of the way up on the side of the design to form a thin layer on bottom and sides of rosette. Don’t let batter go over the top of the design or you will not be able to remove the “nothing” from the rosette after cooking.

The rosette iron should be hot enough so that batter sets immediately. Dip batter-coated iron into hot oil and cook 10 to 20 seconds until golden. Carefully remove “nothing” from iron with fork. Drain on paper towels. Heat iron in oil for 5 seconds after making each “nothing”. Monitor oil with candy thermometer to maintain stable temperature.

Cool and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Best when eaten immediately, but can be stored in an airtight container for 1 to 2 days.

Tags: Breakfast, Breakfast in Bed, Breakfast Recipe, Charles P. Rogers Beds, family, nothings

Post by Laura Cheng.

I love the sleek and clean look of my hardwood floors, but in the wintertime, the thought of stepping onto a cold wood floor first thing in the morning is not the way I would like to start my day. Radiant heating would be so wonderful, but it’s not in my budget. Thus, began my research to find the perfect rug to compliment my bedroom.

A few weeks ago, as I was delving into my Sunday edition of the Wall Street Journal, I came across an article that offered some great tips on rug selection and rug placement from rug connoisseur, Ben Solemeini. Mr. Solemeini is currently spear heading Restoration Hardware’s new rug collection. Here is what he had to say:

When shopping for a rug, look for something one-of-a-kind. When it’s unique, it’s an investment and that’s when it appreciates. Even if you have to pay a lot more, you should buy it from the person who really has the knowledge—who knew what they were buying before they sold it to you. They should know about the wools used, the dyes, the quality of the weave, how rare that type of rug is for the region it was made in and how rare the colors

The biggest rug-related mistake people make is buying ones that are on sale. Good rugs are not something you have a sale on.

The right size for a rug depends on the room. In a dining room, it has to make sense with the table. In a living room it depends on the aesthetic. If you’re doing a more contemporary style, it can be smaller, just under the furniture. If you have the opportunity to do a massive rug, I love that. One beautiful big rug can add so much importance to a room.

Furniture off or on the rug? It depends on your aesthetic. With traditional rugs, all the furniture should definitely be on the rug. Some of the more contemporary rugs can be used more like an art piece, so the furniture could be on or off.

A modern floral rug anchors the beautiful wooden canopy bed.Photo from Country Homes & Interiors, Sept. 2008.

All of Solemeini’s rugs are truly works of art that I would love to have spread across my bedroom floor. I am especially partial to his Vintage collection. One of my favorites is the “Balzane”. I’m entrapped by the subtle and stark colors, and the warmth that the hues elicit.

Balzane rug. Photo from: http://tinyurl.com/7wage4l

Tags: bed, bedroom, Charles P. Rogers, Design, Rug

Post by Mark T. Locker.

The Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor.

Here’s another book to add to your must-read list. Or your must-read-before-the-movie list. There has been a lot of buzz about this book by Portland teen author Laini Taylor. Rumored to be shortlisted for the Printz Award (which is like the Newbery Medal for young adults) and reportedly already in the works for a screenplay, The Daughter of Smoke and Bone is a lovely, exciting, and haunting story of a mysterious teenage art student in Prague named Karou. Raised in a secret workshop run by a horned beast named Brimstone, and reared by other human/animal hybrids, Karou has spent her life trying to find balance between her life as a human on Earth (accessed by magic portals hidden throughout the world) and the child of and errand runner for a magician who deals in teeth and wishes.

When she meets a mysterious person named Akiva on an errand in Marrakesh and discovers black hand prints burned into all of her portals which have sealed her out of her home, Karou begins to discover clues to the mysteries of who she really is and what she was meant for.

I got nothing else to say. It’s well-written, the story is compelling, and the little hints to Karou’s life peppered throughout the book keep the story moving along briskly. It’s good. Read it.

Tags: bed, bedroom, Charles P. Rogers, Daughter of Smoke and Bone, Laini Taylor, Reviews, Teen Books