Top Interior Designers, Two Winter Capsules & More
Happy Sunday! Let’s join Mary Ann and Annie and chat about Top Interior Designers, Two Winter Capsules & More!
Country Top 100 Designers
I have a confession: for years, I didn’t give Country Living much thought, but they’ve really stepped up to the plate lately. Their newly released list of Designers and Tastemakers for 2026 is fantastic. It features several of my favorite creators alongside some brand-new names that I am super excited about.
Meredith Ellis Interiors
Texas Hill Country designer Meredith Ellis is new to me thanks to the above article, and I can’t get enough of her layered collected interiors. You can follow Meredith on Instagram here, her website here, and find her beautiful textile line here.
This pretty living space is a blue lovers dream.
Love the playful mix of patterns in this charming nook.
Love the beautiful blue green on the walls of this vignette.
Rotten Kid on Audible
I first introduced you to local author Brigit Binn’s wonderful book back in 2024 here. If you’re a fan of audiobooks and haven’t checked this out, you have to hit play. Brigit’s narration is wonderful. Honestly, I preferred it to reading the book! I listened to it again this past Tuesday to get ready for my book club and was totally mesmerized. For those of you who have already fallen in love with it, I have some great news… a sequel is officially in the works!” I also interviewed Brigit and Casey for Ageless Style here. They are such a cool local Paso couple who now call Italy their part time home.
Delicious White Chili
Steve and I agree our simple adaptation of the NY times recipe for white chile is one of our all time faves. I served it at my book club last week and everyone loved it.
White Chili
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion chopped
- 1 large jalapeño pepper seeded and, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic about 5 cloves
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspon of cayenne pepper or to taste
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste (such as Diamond Crystal)
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 15-ounce cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
- 2 4-ounce cans diced green chiles
- 2½ to 3 cups cooked shredded chicken from 1 roast chicken or rotisserie chicken
- Half a lime plus lime wedges for serving
- Shredded Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese pickled jalapeño slices, diced avocado, sour cream, chopped fresh cilantro and crushed tortilla chips, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Step 1
- In a large Dutch oven or pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and jalapeño and cook, stirring often, until the onions are tender, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic, oregano, cumin, paprika, cayenne, salt and a few grinds of black pepper, and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant.
- Step 2
- Add the chicken broth, cannellini beans and diced green chiles with their liquid; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Lower the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the broth has reduced by about half, 18 to 20 minutes. Off the heat, use a wooden spoon to mash some of the beans against the side of the pot. Continue mashing the beans until the broth is noticeably thicker.
- Step 3
- Return the pot to medium, stir in the chicken and corn, and cook until heated through, about 3 minutes. Juice the lime half over the pot, then taste for seasonings and add more salt, black pepper, and cayenne, if desired.
- Step 4
- Serve the chili in bowls topped as you like with a lime wedge, shredded cheese, pickled jalapeños, diced avocado, sour cream, chopped fresh cilantro, and/or crushed tortilla chips.
Winter Capsule Wardrobes
It is no secret that I love olive green, but I realize it isn’t a color everyone loves!
I had fun building a capsule wardrobe around the beautiful (major splurge) ALC jacket (2 jackets in one) with many items I already have in my closet.
Shop Olive Capsule
This capsule features pops of red for all of you red lovers!
SHOP RED CAPSULE
That’s it from my desk this Sunday. Thank you for reading Top Interior Designers, Two Winter Capsules & More. I will be back on Tuesday with a home you will love. Now let’s pop over and visit Mary Ann and Annie.
Just made this tonight and it’s fabulous! Easy to make, delightful to eat. This will go in my menu plan quite often. Thank you!
Hi Cindy,
Your white chili recipe looks scrumptious, I will definitely add it to my menu this week.
Happy New Year 🥳 looking forward to another fabulous year of receiving your inspirational posts filled with food ideas, fashion tips, home decor ideas, your positive outlook and motivation for better living is greatly appreciated xx 🫶🏻
Hi Simone
Thank you so much!!
Cindy! Where has Meredith Ellis been all my life? Swoon. I was a Country Living subscriber for years … it’s time to give it another look. Thanks for the book rec … I love a well narrated audio book. Also love your capsules, especially the olive. xo
Hi Cindy! I’m so excited to hear Brigitte Binns is working on sequel. That book was one of my faves last year! What a life!
By the way, I love your Cindy’s Picks feature. Happy New Year!
Cindy— I love all the color and mixed patterns!
And that chili looks so good!
Xx
Hello Cindy,
Love your chilli recipe and the capsule wardrobes thanks for sharing. I have a green Sezane suede jacket which I adore and you have inspired me to wear it more. And that museum patchwork scarf is calling me! Happy week!
Cindy, I love both capsule wardrobes… Olive and scarlet are two of my favourite colours. Great ideas for combinations. Fabulously sunny here finally, after too much rain on Vancouver Island, so may try out your ideas for walks along the water side and through the forests.
I am still taking down Christmas…not a fan of hurrying obviously! It’s not that there’s a lot, it’s a small space, but I enjoy the reds and greens of nature -inspired cushions and cheery throws, along with the green bower and wreath over the mantel which includes fruit ,moss , and pinecones. I enjoy these touches during such short dark days, since it doesn’t scream Christmas, just winter . Will be looking towards adding tulips and primulas for mossy baskets indoors soon enough … spring is not far off. Hope your year has begun with much hope and happiness.
Hi Cindy,
Looking forward to making the chili. However, in the instructions, step 6 it mentions stirring in the chicken and the corn. But, no corn is mentioned in the ingredients list. So, I’m wondering about the amount of corn. I thank you in advance.
Great post, Cindy!
A wealth of inspiration for the new week while
sipping my Sunday morning coffee!
Meredith is amazing . . .
Your feature of her has my mind whirling with ideas of styling some inherited quilt fragments of my mother.
Have a best blessed week, my friend! 👊🏼😘
Great post!! I want to make the chili today…its still dark and rainy outside.
LOVE you capsule wardrobes…so much work to do and you make it seem effortless.
Hi Cindy:
Thanks for a great post. Just wondering how much corn is in the chili?
Appreciate the great design styles!
Anne
Hi Anne
Sorry I did not add the corn!!