| May 2009 |
The Design Diva Dishes!
Design Trends and Lifestyle Tips |
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Dear ,
I want to thank my readers for the great feedback I received after my debut on the Jon Robinson Morning Show. Beginnning May 8th I will be switching to Friday mornings since Jon thinks that is a better fit for homeowners planning projects for the weekend. Please mark your calendars to tune in to K104.7 and call (704) 570-1047 with your design dilemmas between 7 and 8 am Friday mornings. If you are out of the Charlotte area you can listen online at k1047.com.
Along with beautiful weather, May ushers in Mother's Day and the unofficial start to summer, Memorial Day. This month's issue will focus on the kitchen, since that is where Moms are usually found. I will share ideas for decorating the kitchen and the latest trend in kitchen design. The color of the month is blue, and the green design section will focus on an awesome way to have the look of a new kitchen reusing your existing cabinets. The recipe of the month is an easy pasta dish that children (and Dad) can make for Mom on Mother's Day.
Barbara Green | |
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Kitchen Decorating |
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Today's kitchen is so much more than a place to cook. It is the gathering place of all who enter the home. Of course you want your kitchen to function, but you also want it to be a warm and inviting space that is welcoming to family and friends alike. How can you make a room that is full of hard surfaces feel comfortable? The answer is in the use of color, fabrics, furniture and lighting.
Be bold when you choose your paint for the kitchen. There is very little wall space in a kitchen, so whatever you choose will be tempered by all of the other surfaces in the room. Below is my own kitchen, and you can see how the white cabinets and stainless steel counters balance out the strong red on the walls.
Include fabric in the kitchen to add pattern and texture, and absorb some of the sound. Valances over the windows and seat cushions on the chairs add both comfort and style in the eating area below.
Loveseats and easy chairs are finding their way from the family room into the kitchen. If you have the space, consider adding upholstered pieces to your floorplan. If space is short, you can get the same effect from a banquet. You can build a banquet into a bay window, against a wall, or backing up to kitchen cabinets as shown below:
Kitchens, as in other rooms, need three kinds of light: ambient (overall light coming from windows and ceiling fixtures), task (focused light in your work zones), and accent (focusing attention to a piece of art, a plant, or accessory). The kitchen below is a perfect example, as it uses recessed cans for ambient lighting, pendants for task lighting, and puck lights for accenting inside the cabinets.
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Trend Report |
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I am very thorough each month when researching trends. Up until now, I have approved of the trends I report, but not this month. Every magazine I looked at had a kitchen with counters fabricated from White Carrera Marble. Kitchen and Bath Ideas, Kitchen Trends, Beautiful Kitchens, Architectural Digest, Traditional Home, Southern Living, even HGTV's Top 10 Kitchens program featured White Carrera Marble counters. Granted, the kitchens are beautiful to look at, but those counters make sense ONLY if your favorite thing to make for dinner is reservations.
Why am I so opposed to Carrera Marble in the kitchen? First of all, it is very porous and stains easily. Second, it is quite brittle, and will chip or crack if you drop something heavy on it. The surface will scratch and get marred by daily use. Spill something acidic on it and the surface is ruined forever. I love the beauty of this countertop, but when choosing a surface, you must choose function over form.
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Color of the Month |
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The color of the month for May is blue. I am inspired by the clear blue skies that follow the rainy days of April and the Patriotic Blue of our flag as we honor all the men and women who sacrificed their lives so that we may enjoy the freedom and priviledge of living in this great country.
Blue is the most popular color in the United States for both clothing and decorating. Color guru Dewey Sadka teaches that blue gives you the focus to visualize what is important to you. Those who like blue expand their mind by concentrating on their future. It is the color of dreamers.
Different shades of blue will evoke different feelings for your room. The light blue bedroom pictured below has an airey feel, perfect for drifting off into dreamland.
The blue accent wall, draperies, and chair in the family room below were inspired by the deep blue sea, and reinforces the nautical theme requested by the family.
Charleston, South Carolina has the distinction of being the most haunted city in America. However, homeowners there believe that if they paint the ceiling of their porch blue it will ward off the ghosts and evil spirits that are lurking around. Elsewhere around the country, blue porch ceilings are popular, too. It seems that the blue ceiling causes confusion in spiders and wasps and keeps them from moving in and building their nests on your porch.
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Green Design |
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Are you unhappy with the current look of your kitchen cabinets? Do you want to remodel your kitchen, but are afraid of the cost, the inconvenience to your family, and the effect it will have on the environment? I highly recommend looking into the services of Cabinet ReVisions of Lake Norman.
The kitchen below had a functional layout, but the homeowner was tired of its dated, white vinyl-coated cabinets.
Cabinet Revisions of Lake Norman was able to transform it (see below) into the look of old world cabinetry using all "Greenguard Certified" eco-friendly products that have little or no VOCs. This means that they are safe for use inside the home, and will not produce toxic offgasing or indoor air pollution.
Notice that the island and wall cabinets now have different, yet coordinating finishes. Be assured, this is not like having a painter come in and paint your cabinets. The doors and frames are treated to a 10 to 16 step process (depending on which finish you choose) creating a durable, factory finish that will last for years to come. Also, since they are using the existing cabinetry, no trees had to be cut down and nothing ended up in the landfill. The final bonus is that you are able to continue using your kitchen during the 10 day renovation process.
This is the best solution I have found for environmentally friendly, cost-conscious kitchen renovations. If you would like to see more amazing transformations, please go to CabinetReVisions.com |
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Quote of the Month |
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God could not be everywhere, and therefore he made mothers ~ Jewish Proverb |
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Recipe of the Month |
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I don't know about you, but I don't enjoy the restaurant crowds on Mother's Day. This year, why not ask your children to prepare this recipe for you instead of going out? Make sure Dad or another responsible adult takes care of the knife work, along with cleaning up afterwards! The whole recipe can be prepared in under 30 minutes, and is sure to be a hit with everyone in the family. As a bonus, it is only 427 calories per serving! Enjoy!!
Pasta Alla Schiappa
1 lb. Thin Spaghetti
1 T Olive Oil
1/2 lb Sliced Mushrooms
1 Cup Chopped Onion
1/2 lb. Prosciutto, diced
1/2 tsp. Italian Seasoning
1 Cup Fresh or Frozen Peas
1/2 Cup Marinated Sun-Dried Tomatoes (Drained and diced)
3 Cloves Garlic
Dash Black Pepper
1/4 Cup Parmesan Cheese, grated
1. Boil water. Cook pasta according to package instructions.
2. In a large frying pan, combine all sauce ingredients except Parmesan Cheese and saute over medium high heat 5 to 10 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.
3. Drain pasta, and place in large pasta bowl. Add sauce and parmesan cheese and blend thoroughly. Serve immediately. |
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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 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 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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Kitchen Decorating Sale!
Save 15% on window treatments, furniture, or accessories for your kitchen when you mention code DDD0509.
Call (704)987-0277 to schedule your consultation.
Feel free to share this coupon with friends, relatives, neighbors, or associates.
*Not applicable to orders placed before 5/1/09 |
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| Offer Expires: 5/31/09 | |
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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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