D2S Editor Favs: Week of December 31, 2007

   Favorite HAPPY NEW YEAR Recipe

Cupcake Recipes is a guilty pleasure blogsite from the UK, and these double-depth Lemon Cupcakes are perfect for decorating (they spell out Happy New Year) and can be filled with great fruit or cream fillings. Start out the new year on a splurgy note!

  Favorite Crying-Shame House

It's a crying shame that this 95-acre Starwood Ranch property in Aspen, CO belonging to Prince Bandar Bin Sultan Bin Abdul Aziz isn't more stunning architecturally. The staggering $135 million price tag should have purchased beautiful design, but it only managed to channel a supersized Motel 6. We think the 56,000-square-foot McMansion was not money well spent -- except, of course, for the snowmelt driveway.

  Old Favorite

You haven't lived until you've tried Booty's Brownies, a Traditional Southern Recipe. Unfortunately, they are no longer being made commercially, so we apologize for the tease! Happy New Year and many thanks to Atlanta's finest, Mr. Booty Long, for sending our Design2Share team some of the most delicious brownies ever. We have fallen in love with their fudgy goodness and are thoroughly addicted. 

  Favorite New Year's Day Bowl Game Equipment

How can you spend over $100,000 to get mind-blowing big-screen projection with top-of-the-line audiophile sound? Men's Journal has that package and other more economical recommendations for home theaters.

  Favorite World's Biggest Chair

There are other claims to world's largest chair, believe it or not, but we thought this Italian chair took the cake. The blogger claims this was not a photoshop job, and is homage to a local chairmaking operation.

  Favorite Expensive Appliance

The Victoria Arduino Venus Century Espresso Machine, limited edition for the company's 100th anniversary, runs just south of $20,000. The Pope was presented with the first one off the assembly line, and only 100 of these beauties were made.

   Favorite Redecorating Ideas

Go to Green Living Ideas for some of the best home remodeling tips, product recommendations, and alternatives to help you live greener and more environmently friendly. We loved their brilliant  Green Remodeling with Eco-Friendly Paint suggestions. This is the best way to redecorate in the New Year.

  Favorite Rug

We love the reissue of the Blue Marine rug that Eileen Gray originally made for her home on the sea in the south of France. Divine.