About a year ago, we tore out the bar in our downstairs den. It was the size of a Volkswagen Beetle and looked like it was straight out of Starsky and Hutch.  I had a plan and never imagined that we would still have a blank spot with plumbing pipes exposed. As seems to be my luck lately, the contractor disappeared, and before I could find a new one, my husband has proclaimed it a do-it-yourself project. Now that football season is drawing near, I'm afraid it will be a while before we embark. In the meantime, here are some ideas I'm thinking about.

DRAWERS INSTEAD OF CABINETS

I like the streamlined look of drawers. Plus they come in handy for storing platters and napkins and such. 

designed by Brewer Design Group, Charleston, SC. photograph by Erik Kvalsvik

Atlanta designer Patricia Paulk of Patricia Paulk Interiors had her drawers outfitted with peg board and removable pegs so she can customize them to fit her dishes. Love that idea. photo courtesy of Patricia Paulk

This one designated for knives was designed by architect Mark Maresca.

DISPLAY SPACE

Silver and glass stand out in the same custom piece designed by Mark Maresca.

The red painted shelves add a little drama. photographs by Erik Kvalsvik

JUST THE ESSENTIALS

Maybe a beautifully outfitted amoire is the way to go. The side shelves hold glasses, leaving the back free to hang a painting. photograph by Tria Giovan

PRETTY ACCESSORIES

Silver hunt cups look pretty, even when not filled with mint juleps. 

Southern Cocktails by Denise Gee (Chronicle Books, 2007). This is a fun little book to have on hand and to give as hostess gifts. Along with the great libations, Denise tells some entertaining tales about growing up in Natchez.

photographs by Robert M. Peacock

I love wine, though I am by no means a connoisseur. I'm obsessed with typography and packaging, though I'm definitely not an art director (I'm sure our art department wishes I would quit trying to be one). Last week, at girls' supper club at my house, one of my friends brought this bottle of white wine (Blanc 2007) from a small vineyard in Provence:

Dawn may not keep a flask in her desk drawer (at least that's what she claims in her last post) and I don't either.  But it has been a long week...and I need a drink...and it isn't going to be the kind you sip from a glass that looks like a plastic water bottle. One of my favorite spots in Birmingham is Highlands Bar & Grill, owned by chef Frank Stitt.  I go there for his stone-ground grits that melt in your mouth (the ultimate comfort food and better than any you've ever tasted), but a close second is the "Orange Thing," a drink that has become synonymous with the restaurant's bar and is just the antidote for the winter blahs.  Our market editor, Amanda Smith, went straight to the source to find out how to make it, so if you can't join me for a cocktail in Alabama tonight, I'm sending one over to you.  Happy weekend!