| April
2009 November 2008 |
The Design Diva Dishes!
Design Trends and Lifestyle Tips |
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Greetings!
It is probably safe to say that most people associate April with taxes. Hopefully all of you have already filed, and are happy with your returns. It is important to stay organized throughout the year in order to accurately account for deductions and get everything back that you deserve. Additionally, according to a Dieringer Research Group study, 65% of American households have at least one computer at home, and 45.1 million people telecommute. For those reasons, I have chosen the home office for this month's theme.
I will share tips on what is needed for an organized and efficient home office. Our trend report will share what's new in home office decor. The color of the month is Black, in hopes of us all being in the black, and not the red! Our green report focuses on ways to go green in the office. Since Easter and Passover fall in this month, our recipe of the month will be a spring dessert that will tempt your guests no matter which holiday they celebrate. Please feel free to email me at sensiblychic4u@aol.com if you have any questions or comments.
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Home Office Organizing |
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If your home has a separate office or spare bedroom, great. If not, you can still create one in unusual spaces. I've designed functional offices in closets, under staircases, and even in a backyard shed! Your office can simply be a table in the corner of your living room. Just don't set it up on your kitchen or dining room table because you will have the disruption of moving it every time you eat.
The bare minimum for a home office is a desk or table, a comfortable chair, good lighting, a computer, and electrical outlets with a surge protector. Great additions would be a file cabinet and bookshelves. To be efficient, you want everything you need to be within arm's reach. For instance, my desk always has a dictionary and a thesaurus because I do a lot of writing. I keep my current clients' files on the desk so I can refer to them in an instant. I always have a cup full of pens, pencils, rulers, and markers for drawing out design plans and a calculator for figuring out costs.
Think about what your specific needs are and find the tools to keep them neat and tidy. There are beautiful and functional products such as letter trays, pencil holders, boxes and desk organizers available in local stores and on the internet. One of my favorite sources for unique office supplies is seejanework.com.
 
Once you've found your location and furnished it, commit to keeping it organized. The paper monster can take over your office if you aren't careful. The best system for taming it is to act only once on each piece of paper that comes into the house. Junk mail should go directly into a recycling bin, bills that need to be paid should go into a file or tray, and receipts and tax documents should go into a separate file for tax preparations. Make sure you have a shredder for credit card offers and other items that might put you at risk for identity theft.
 
Next add a vertical surface, preferably a corkboard or a fabric covered memo board. Use this to post lists of things you need to do, people you need to call, and any odd bits of information you come upon during the day that you need to keep close at hand. This way your work surface is clear of stray pieces of paper, yet they are right there when you need them. I also like to have a "Vision Board" of things that I am striving for as a daily incentive to motivate me. Remember, you will be happier and get more accomplished if you can find what you need when you need it.
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Trend Report |
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The National Home Builder's Association 2009 consumer survey reveals that 71% of all home buyers desire a home office. Ideally the space is designated solely for work, but as the attic office below illustrates, sometimes it might double as a guest room for the occassional visitor.
Just as in the rest of the home's decor, the style of the home office should reflect the personality of the person utilizing it. You want to design your home office to inspire creativity, create excitement, and motivate you to complete the work at hand.
Color is important throughout your home, and in a home office it can be used to stimulate your imagination or inspire you to achieve your goals. The office below was designed for someone just beginning the journey into entrepreneurship and featured colors that psychologically help you believe in your potential. Notice the lack of clutter to distract from work. All extra supplies are kept organized in a nearby closet.
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Color of the Month |
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This month's color is black, in hopes that all my faithful readers' finances are in the black rather than in the red. Many of you already know that black is not really a color, but is actually the absence of all color. The color guru, Dewey Sadka, says that without color you are forced to look deep within to rediscover your true self. As for decorating, there is an old adage that says every room should have a bit of black in it. The theory is that black "grounds" the room and keeps it from visually floating away. Without black accents, the room below would be dull and boring.
Black creates a mysterious ambiance and evokes attention grabbing intimacy. Who knew all those single guys filling their bachelor pads with black leather were actually subconciously preparing their lair for seduction without even knowing it?
Those going bold with black show they are more self-assured than the those who might shy away from it. They tend to be more dominant, forceful, and have strong organizational skills. They have a great ability to convey spontaneous original ideas. Those personality traits can be easily imagined of the owner of the condo below.
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Green Design |
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It gets easier every day to "Go Green" in your home office. I hope you have already switched your lighting to CFLs or LEDs, are recycling your printer's ink cartridges, and printing on both sides of your paper. Simple steps like those add up to big improvements. Here are some other tips for green living in the office:
1. Turn off all computers, components, and the surge protector when you are done in the office. Idle computers waste $1 billion worth of electricity a year.
2. Buy paper with a high percentage of post-consumer recycled content. If you aren't printing on the back, us the back of printed sheets as scrap paper before sending them off for recycling.
3. Go paperless whenever possible. Contact all the companies that send out monthly bills and sign up for paperless billing via your email. Not only do you save paper, you avoid the risk of your private information getting in the wrong hands.
4. Make it a habit to recycle everything your office collects. Just about any kind of paper you would encounter, including fax paper, envelopes, and junk mail, can be recycled. So can your old cell phone, PDA, or pager.
5. Make sure your office is a healthy environment. Adding plants will absorb indoor pollution. Buy furniture, carpeting, and paint that are free of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and won't off-gas toxic chemicals.
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Quote of the Month |
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The taxpayer - that's someone who works for the federal government but doesn't have to take the civil service examination. ~ Ronald Reagan |
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Recipe of the Month |
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Families will gather together this month to celebrate Easter or Passover. There are strict dietary rules for observing Passover, and desserts are particularly challenging because flour and baking soda are prohibited. The following recipe for Almond Cake with Fresh Fruit is a great option because it complies with the rules of Passover and is still fresh and springy for those who are celebrating Easter. Because it doesn't have the leavening agents, it is more dense than a traditional cake. It is very easy to prepare, very pretty to serve, and very delicious to eat!
INGREDIENTS
1 cup blanched almonds
1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 stick unsalted butter
Pinch salt
1/4 cup seedless raspberry preserves
2 cups sliced fruit, bananas, strawberries, raspberries, kiwi or peaches
1/4 cup apple jelly
DIRECTIONS
1.Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Butter and line a 9-inch cake pan with parchment paper.
2. Chop almonds in a food processor. Add the sugar and eggs and process 1-minute. Add the butter and salt and process 1 minute more.
3. Spread the mixture in the prepared pan and bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Cool on a wire rack in pan. When cool, carefully unmold.
4. Melt raspberry preserves in microwave and spread over cake. Slice fruit and arrange over cake. Melt apple jelly in microwave and drizzle over fruit.
ENJOY!!!! |
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Community Outreach |
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Most people say there are only two things guaranteed in life: death and taxes. Well I would like to submit to you a third guarantee: No matter how bad your life is, there is always someone worse off than you. I believe that it is more important to give than to receive. Additionally, it has been my personal experience that when I give generously, whether it be of time or money, the rewards I get are exponentially greater than anything I might have given. In this spirit, I am going to share with you each month opportunities available for us all to give back, for we are all greatly blessed, even in these times of struggle.
Big Day at the Lake 5
This event is a joint effort between Big Brothers Big Sisters of Charlotte and the Big Day at the Lake committee, headed by Dave Yochum, publisher of Business Today and Cornelius Today. Last year, over 130 little brothers and sisters were able to enjoy a day of fun at the lake. Many of these children were experiencing Lake Norman for the very first time. This year's goal is to have 150 children participate in the magic of this event. Currently needed are: Corporate Sponsors, Cash Donations, Auction Donations, and Boat Owners. Please email me at sensiblychic4u@aol.com if you would like to be a sponsor or make a donation. Boat owners can register at www.BigDayAtTheLake.com For more information you can call Dave Yochum at 704-895-1335.
Relay for Life
Relay For Life is a fun-filled overnight event designed to celebrate survivorship and raise money for research and programs of the American Cancer Society. During the event, teams of people gather at schools, fairgrounds, or parks and take turns walking or running laps. Each team tries to keep at least one team member on the track at all times. There are 21 events scheduled within a 40 mile radius of Cornelius during May and June. Please go to www.relayforlife.org to get more information on events in your area and register your team. I will be attending as a cancer survivor, but my father was not so lucky, having passed away from lung cancer at the age of 54. My youngest brother is under hospice care at the age of 48. We need to stop this illness before it steals the life from any more loved ones. |
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| Save 15% |
Home Office Sale!
Save 15% on any items purchased for your home office.
Mention Promo Code: DDDAO915 at time of scheduling.
Share with friends and family so that they can benefit, too!
*offer not applicable on orders placed before 4/1/09 |
| Offer Expires: April 30, 2009 | | |
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Thank you for reading "The Design Diva Dishes." See you next month!
Sensibly Chic Interior Design
Phone: (704) 987-0277
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