Healthy, tasty and energizing, fresh salads make the perfect lunch on a warm spring day. Even if you are not the greatest cook, salads are easy to make, all you need is the right ingredients.  I recommend picking up your herbs, veggies and fruits from a local farmers market if you have one nearby. The produce is usually fresher and cheaper than a grocery supermarket. Some people find it easier to just grab a salad to go but if you make your own, you can save money and also add that touch of love and attention that makes a meal absolutely delicious! Below are 3 very basic scrumptious salads you can make quickly and easily:

Green Salad with Strawberries and Goat Cheese:

Start with your foundation of baby spinach greens. Add in some thinly sliced strawberries, fresh chives, crumbled goat cheese and chopped pecans. You can even top it off with some grilled chicken if you want to add a little extra protein to the mix.

Mixed Green Simple Salad:

Combining a variety of different greens can have stellar results! Frisée, radicchio and arugula are slightly bitter greens that can be mixed with mellow-flavored greens such as red leaf lettuce, romaine, and baby spinach. Add a few cherry tomatoes, thinly sliced red onions or cashews for an extra kick. Top it off with any dressing of your choice – I recommend a basic vinaigrette or citronette dressing for both a fit and tasty choice.

Traditional Greek Salad:

Use a head of romaine lettuce as the base ingredient. Tear it up into bite-size pieces. Coarsely chop 3 large plum tomatoes. Peel and coarsely chop 1 English cucumber. Cut 1 medium red onion into thin rings – make sure to soak them in a small bowl of ice water for 10 minutes to make them less sharp. Cut 1 small green pepper into thin rings. Add ¾ cup of kalamata olives and ¾ cup of crumbled feta cheese. Mix them all together.  To make a delicious dressing to go with your Traditional Greek Salad, use 6 tbsps of olive oil, 1 ½ tbsps of fresh lemon juice, 1 tbsp of red wine vinegar, mince 2 garlic cloves and 1 tsp of dried oregano. Whisk all of the dressing ingredients together. Finally, mix both the salad and dressing for one exceptional salad!

For some of us, reading can be a daily reprieve from the stresses of everyday life. What better way to display your treasured literature and items than to store and display them in an elegant bookshelf that looks like a house of worship. The Commonhouse Cathedral Etagere is a shelving unit with twin peaks that resemble the steeples on a 19^th century church. With 5 shelves of varying sizes, you can fit a multitude of items in its spacious interior.  Constructed using solid wood in your choice of white oak, cherry, maple, ebonized oak or walnut, there are endless possibilities to where this shelving unit can find its home.

Winter isn’t the only time to decorate with gorgeous wreaths. Greet your guests with spring cheer by adding a lovely flower wreath to the front door of your home. Unlike winter wreaths, which are typically made from holly and pine – spring wreaths offer so many color, flower and ornamental combinations to choose from when deciding which one fits your personal style.

As much as I love Industrial design, I sometimes find that many of the colors used are a tad dreary. I wouldn’t like my interior space to be completely saturated in dark shades. While woods, warm metals and natural tones give that beloved rugged and vintage look, it always nice to see a splash of color somewhere in the mix. This is why I absolutely adore The Vidal Console Table by Zuo Modern. It is vintage-inspired but modernized with colorful detailing on the drawers. The striped multi-colored pattern truly stands out against the distressed black frame.  It is made from poplar and plywood making it sturdy and durable. It has a narrow design but with plenty of storage space including two drawers and a lower shelf. This is a stylish and functional piece perfect for hallways and foyers!

The elegant Jupiter Bistro Table by Zuo Modern has a simplistic yet artistic design. It looks like a drop of wet paint floating through mid-air with its interesting arched base. The base is made from plastic and the rounded top is made from clear, tempered glass. It can be used as a side table, end table or as a bistro table to share some snacks and drinks with friends. This is the type of piece that would add a touch of contemporary chic to your interior space.

On this rainy Friday afternoon, I would love to lay back and relax on this amazing chaise lounge chair. The Dream Chaise by Whiteline has a shape that would fit the contours of any sleepy body perfectly, plus it has a really interesting design.  It almost looks like it is in the form of a person lounging with their arms folded behind their head. You could lay your weary head down upon its plush and removable cushion.  It’s metal, arched legs provide a sturdy stance so there is no fear about tipping over while you’re snoozing. Upholstered in a smooth and supple leatherette, this would be the perfect furnishing to take a little cat nap and re-energize for the fun night ahead!