The Official Martha Stewart Blog

September 24, 2016

Moving My Steinway Grand Piano

My grandchildren, Jude and Truman, are learning how to play the piano.

Studying music is a wonderful way for children to develop hand-eye coordination, and discipline. Learning how to play an instrument is also lots of fun, and now that the children are four and five years old, my daughter, Alexis, thought it was the perfect time to start lessons. I decided it would be great for them to learn on my Steinway piano. It's not used nearly as much as I would like - mostly during the holidays when I host gatherings at my Bedford, New York home - having Jude and Truman play it would be so special.

Earlier this month, the piano was moved to my daughter's apartment in New York City. Pianos are one of the harder items in a household to move, considering their size, awkward shape, and bulkiness. When moving a piano, it's a good idea to enlist the help of a professional moving company. I used A. N. Piano Moving LLC. in Wayne, New Jersey. The company has been moving pianos and organs for many years. Here are some photos.

: This is my Summer House. I use it mostly for entertaining, especially during the holidays. It is also where I keep my Steinway Grand piano.

: Before moving the piano, we lined the entire hallway with towels to protect the hardwood floors.

: This piano is nearly seven-feet long, and about five-feet wide. It also weighs more than 750-pounds, so it was crucial to have it moved professionally.

: This is called a piano skid board – a must for moving pianos safely and efficiently. It’s a solid piece of hardwood finished with a padded covering to help protect delicate piano surfaces.

: Brian has been moving pianos for about 30-years. On this day, mine was the first of several Brian and Sean would move.

: Once the piano lid is lowered and locked, Brian holds the piano while Sean removes the left front leg.

: They then placed a moving blanket under the pedals to cushion it and to help balance the piano.

: The piano is tilted and gently lowered onto the piano skid board.

: Once the piano is resting on the board, the right front leg is removed. Pianos should never be rolled on their metal casters. The casters are decorative and not very functional, and when used, they could easily gouge hardwood floors. Grand pianos are spaced on the three corners, so all of the weight is centered between them.

: All the legs are placed into a moving blanket.

: Brian is especially careful when removing the pedals, pushrods and lyre. The pedal box, which may also be called the lyre box, is the wooden housing for the three pedals on the piano. The portion of the pedals that stick out of the pedal box are called the pedal feet.

: After Brian removes the pedal system, they are carefully wrapped in a moving blanket.

: With the piano on its long side and all the legs and pedals removed, Brian and Sean begin to wrap and strap the piano securely.

: Several moving blankets are placed over and around the piano to give it as much cushioning as possible.

: Heavy duty straps are used to secure the blankets so they don’t slip during the move.

: Brian secures the piano to the piano board by bringing the ends of the straps together and fastening them. Every edge of the piano is covered for protection.

: Brian carries the legs and the pedals out to the truck.

: The piano is ready to be placed onto a dolly and wheeled out of the house.

: A moving dolly is carefully placed under the skid board and piano. At first glance it doesn’t look like this piano is exactly centered but its weight is centered, which is most important. The left part of the piano with the keyboard has very little weight compared to the cast iron harp within the rest of the piano’s kidney shape. Most of the piano’s weight is from just a little left of the leg brackets to the back of the piano.

: Slowly, the piano is wheeled through the room and down the hall.

: Brian watches that the piano rolls evenly and slowly. He also makes sure none of the walls or the ceiling are touched along the way.

: Luckily, Brian and Sean use a lift-gate truck, so the piano can just be loaded onto the lift and raised to the truck bed.

: When moving a piano, at least two people are needed so one can control the light side and another can manage the heavy side.

: The piano is taken off of its dolly and, while still on the skid board, placed with the top of the piano facing the truck’s wall.

: The piano bench is also wrapped securely in a fresh, clean moving blanket.

: Sean and Brian secure multiple belts around the piano and to the truck’s wall to secure it for driving.

: Brian and Sean completed the move in about 40-minutes. It was done so smoothly and professionally.

: Later that afternoon, the piano arrived safely at my daughter’s home, and carefully re-assembled. Always consider the size of the room when thinking of getting a piano. If the walls are too close, the piano won’t be able to project and resonate like it would in a larger space. This piano fits perfectly in this spacious living room.

: Look how beautiful it is located in the corner with all the windows. I can’t wait to start listening to the children play!

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September 23, 2016

Kitchen Week at The Home Depot - Design Solutions and Inspirations

Kitchen Week at The Home Depot is a great time to upgrade your kitchen - I hope this week inspired you.

Since a family's kitchen is among the most important spaces in the home, it’s important to ensure any remodeling job provides a well-designed space - one where the family can comfortably gather together for meals, and plan the day’s activities. A kitchen remodel is usually a significant expense for most homeowners, but it's one that will last for years to come and can increase the overall value of the home. If you're planning to redo your kitchen, consider your family and your lifestyle and plan your kitchen accordingly. Make sure to choose your gadgets first. It's easier to choose cabinets and countertops to fit appliances like your refrigerator and dishwasher, rather than the other way around. Think of color, flooring, hardware, and how it all fits together.

Some of the most popular questions I hear when it comes to kitchen renovations include: how to get the most organization out of a small space, how to select the best style option or color for the kitchen, and how to make the kitchen more family friendly. Our designers work hard to incorporate pieces and features that work best in any kitchen. Below are some of our solutions and tips.

We're always seeking new kitchen inspiration. Share your kitchen remodeling stories and favorite features in the comments. Plus, from now through September 30th, check with The Home Depot in your area for special offers with our Martha Stewart Living™ Kitchens.

: I like color palettes and designs that look and feel like natural wood, but are very durable and easy to clean – plus, it won’t expand or contract with changing conditions. My Textured PureStyle cabinets are an incredibly durable laminate that resists heat, mositure and stains.

: Beauty, quality, and affordability have made Textured PureStyle our most popular finish!

: I also like mixing materials throughout the kitchen. One idea is to use two or more different kinds of finishes. Tipton, from the Martha Stewart Living™ Kitchens at The Home Depot, features a Shaker-style door design with a clean interior bevel and a chic gray-brown finish of textured PureStyle™.

: Every kitchen can be beautiful and functional no matter what the size. To make the most of your kitchen space, use every inch. Choose cabinets and storage solutions that have a specific use, such as this Toe Kick drawer for holding larger sized platters.

: Selecting cabinets can be daunting. Our Martha Stewart Living™ Kitchens door styles include recommended embellishments that are perfectly paired. There is also a complete collection of Martha Stewart Corian and Quartz countertops as well as hardware, that are designed to work beautifully together.

: Make your kitchen work harder for you. Organizing features for every need and use in the kitchen, such as this pull-out spice rack can help keep clutter off the countertops.

: I am very proud of the features we have included in our Martha Stewart Living™ Kitchens. This decorative accent allows one to show off – use these cabinet doors with windows to display favorite dinnerware pieces.

: Use open shelves with corbels for displaying decorative and large dishes and bowls. The bottom, under the sink, is a toekick valance – a sink base with a toekick valance is both decorative and functional, allowing you to stand closer to the sink.

: A nice way to personalize a kitchen is to use stand alone pieces using our cabinetry. The furniture can be used to fit specific needs in the kitchen, and to hold both decorative and functional items.

: You can personalize space in other rooms of the house with our cabinetry too. This mud room is outfitted with storage room for every member of the family.

: One of the most popular questions I get is “how can you make a kitchen more family friendly?” Our Martha Stewart Living™ Kitchens were designed with families in mind. Purestyle Cabinetry and Quartz Countertops are easy to clean and maintain through every day messes and clean ups.

: Create a message center for your family to stay on track and organized. This Martha Stewart Living Message Center cabinet is almost like a hidden door – it’s the perfect place to hold keys or other odds and ends.

: Create organization stations based on use, such as this section for baking sheets, breakfast trays and muffin tins.

: Use smaller containers in drawers to keep loose items organized and close at hand.

: Always have the right wine ready for unexpected guests with these thoughtfully-designed cubbies. Plus, the small box drawers hold accessories and are extraordinarily useful storage spaces.

: Keep utility closets tidy to avoid letting your brooms, mops, and dustpans from taking over. Wall hangers go a long way to help keep these items in place.

: This pull-out stores often-used cleaning supplies, and is located near the sink for easy reach.

: Angled drawer dividers make it easy to store longer utensils, like rolling pins, and free up valuable countertop space.

: I love the color gray, and use gray in a lot of my own personal decorating. Use cool colors, like whites and grays, to open up a space, and make it feel clean and inviting.

: Identify dry goods quickly and easily without having to rummage through cluttered or cramped cabinets. Putting uniform labels on containers makes them look neat, tidy and legible.

: Additional drawer dividers designed in tiers will increase kitchen storage efficiency. If you are planning to renovate a kitchen, include these layered drawer features early.

: The Lazy Susan is still a wonderful way to store items in a corner cabinet. It’s an effective storage solution that can make reaching items much easier.

: Creating a banquet seating area is a smarter use of space than a formal dining area when space is limited.

: When planning your remodel, remember your kitchen’s busiest areas: the sink, stove, and refrigerator. Many designers refer to this as the kitchen “work triangle”. And, always create the most counter space possible.

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September 22, 2016

An End of Summer Garden Tour

Another enjoyable garden tour at Cantitoe Corners!

Yesterday, on the year’s last official day of summer, I opened my gardens for a private showing to The Garden Club of America. The tour was part of their annual Shirley Meneice Horticulture Conference. The conference was held at New York City's Brooklyn Botanic Garden, and ended with visits to several other botanical institutions and gardens in the area, including mine. It was a great honor - nearly 60-guests from various states across the country attended. Every now and then, I agree to these special guided walks to show visitors what is blooming at the time and to share how we care for all the many plantings at the farm. Unfortunately, I was traveling abroad and could not join the group, but I did call-in and wish them a most enjoyable visit and tour.

Here are some pictures of what they saw - enjoy them. And, happy autumn!

: This garden tour was for the Garden Club of America. Ryan reviewed the map of the farm and indicated where the group had started their tour and where they were headed next.

: The first stop was the Japanese Maple Grove. Because Japanese maples prefer sun-dappled, part shade, I planted many of them beneath larger trees.

: We’ve picked many of the vegetables from the garden, but it continues to thrive. I am glad our crops had a good summer season despite the erratic and dry weather here in the Northeast.

: Adjacent to the main vegetable garden is this garden with more plantings. Salt hay lines the footpaths to prevent them from becoming excessively muddy and compacted. It also enriches the soil.

: The group came on a perfect weather morning, when it wasn’t too warm or too humid.

: Some guests used their Shirley Meneice Horticulture Conference totes.

: Here is my first Linden Tree Allee. I love this allee, and only wish it was longer. The Linden is one of three English names for the tree genus Tilia – it’s also known as lime and basswood. Beneath the lindens, we planted a ground cover that includes leatherwood ferns.

: This is the new peafowl “palace” where three peahens and two peacocks now reside.

: This peacock is a Black Shoulder Pied. He is the dominant male at the farm.

: This is my Black Shoulder Silver Pied male. Both males have bright coloring that works in their favor as they seek out mates.

: The next stop was my stable, where Sarah and four of my five Friesian horses were ready to greet our guests.

: Here is my handsome Ramon – he loves saying hello to anyone who stops by his stall.

: The Boxwood Allee always grabs everyone’s attention.

: Throughout the walking tour, this enthusiastic group asked many interesting questions, and took many garden photos.

: The group stopped to see the expansive paddock with my home and carport in the distance.

: This is old Canadian white spruce fencing I imported. It surrounds all the paddocks where the horses, donkeys and pony graze.

: The group walked past the great white pine trees. Pinus Strobus is a large pine native to eastern North America. Some white pines can live more than 400-years.

: Here is another view in between the paddocks. Look closely and you can see Clive, one of my three Sicilian donkeys.

: Every group touring the farm loves the winding road into the woodlands. During this time of year, the foliage creates such a lovely canopy of shade.

: The tour loved seeing all the different specimens in my pinetum. I started planting the pinetum about 10-years ago. The pinetum is tucked between my equipment shed and my weeping willow grove.

: The group saw the Pin Oak Allee, Quercus palustris, with its distinguishable lower, middle and upper branches forming a most interesting growth habit.

: Ryan told the group these trees were among our best growers – and so easy to maintain. I love the shade these trees produce in the allee.

: Guests had the opportunity to walk through the cutting garden. Every group experiences a different tour when they visit the farm depending on what is blooming at the time.

: Everyone asked about these – Gomphocarpus physocarpus. Its common, more memorable name is hairy balls. It’s a large plant, which can grow to six feet tall. And, in late summer, it is covered in two-inch, golden-green, hairy seedpods – definitely a conversation piece, but they add a unique touch to any bouquet.

: There are several tall, round arbors covered with morning glory vines, which are flourishing.

: Morning glories, Ipomoea purpurea, come in a variety of colors. The flowers bloom from early summer to the first frost. Their big, fragrant flowers attract butterflies and hummingbirds. ‘Heavenly Blue’ is the classic morning glory with the rich azure flower and white throat.

: Heather stopped to take a photo of some of the pink and white blooms that caught her eye.

: Bald cypress, or Taxodium distichum, is a deciduous conifer. It is a large tree with gray-brown to red-brown bark. It is popular as an ornamental tree because of its light, feathery foliage.

: Earlier this summer, I decided to fill the area behind the bald cypress with beautiful Stewartia trees and lush, green shade-loving plants – this garden is doing so well.

: Across the way is my winding clematis pergola. Most species are known as clematis, but it has also been called traveller’s joy, virgin’s bower, old man’s beard, leather flower, or vase vine.

: Beyond the pergola in the back is a row of weeping hornbeams, Carpinus betulus ‘Pendula’ – the branches of these trees gracefully weep creating an umbrella of foliage that reaches the ground.

: Do you remember what this structure houses? It’s my basket house – filled with dozens and dozens of baskets.

: Here are the dwarf espalier apple trees. We don’t have nearly as many apples this year as we did last year, which means less cider and my favorite pink apple sauce.

: Across the carriage road, I also have six Gravenstein apple espalier trees, Malus ‘Gravenstein’. This antique variety is well known for cooking, sauce, cider and eating out of hand. The fruit is large, with crisp white flesh and a distinct, juicy flavor.

: For every tour, my housekeepers set-up some refreshments on the lower terrace parterre outside my kitchen. Laura also picks flowers and makes pretty arrangements for the table.

: For this group – an assortment of homemade cookies and biscotti! They were a big hit.

: Our pomegranate drink is served with slices of lemon and lime. The pomegranate juice is a concentrate from our friends at Pom Wonderful. http://www.pomwonderful.com/.

: Here is a lovely view looking down the length of the southeast paddock to the chicken coops in the distance.

: The garden behind my Summer House is always a favorite stop on the tour. The boxwood look very lush and green. The path is lined with white caladium. The all white variety is only a few years old. Caladium is a genus of flowering plants in the family Araceae. With their large heart-shaped leaves, they are big landscape favorites.