March
2010

The Design Diva Dishes!
Design Trends and Lifestyle Tips

by Article Author

Dear ,

Here we are welcoming March and wondering if spring will ever return. Thankfully, we have survived the coldest, wettest winter in over 30 years! This issue will be a harbinger of spring and will inspire you to spruce up your home so the inside can look as beautiful as the emerging spring outside.

We will provide ideas to give your decor a taste of spring, and find out what trends are hot this season. The Color of the Month is yellow and our Green Report will introduce you to options for spring cleaning with healthy products. For those who like to entertain, our Recipe of the Month is great for casual entertaining with friends.

Have an awesome month, and please feel free to call me at 704.987.0277 or email me at sensiblychic4u@aol.com with any questions or comments.

Best,

Barbara Green

Decorating for Spring

by Article Author

Spring is the time of new birth, so why not put some new life into your interiors? You don't have to redecorate your whole house. After all, who could afford to do that every season? What you should do is think about the best aspects of spring: warmer weather (hallelujah!), new bursts of color in the landscape, and the entertaining opportunities of St. Patrick's Day, Passover, and Easter. Think about how you can incorporate these favorites into your decor and your home will be rejuvenated.

Warmer Weather

How many of you had family members sick this winter? Now that the weather is warmer, open your windows and let the fresh air in. Try to have cross-ventilation so you can blow those airborn germs back outside where they belong. Take your heavy window treatments down, wash the windows and let all the glorious sunshine illuminate your home. If you need privacy, opt for a sheer curtain (cotton or linen are perfect) that will filter the light while still affording you some privacy. It is enchanting to watch the sheer fabric billow softly in the breeze.

Color

Spring is a great time to make a colorful statement in your home, and it doesn't have to cost a lot to make a major change. Choose your favorite colors and play with them. Yellow and orange are really popular this year, so that might be a good starting point. Plain white canvases from the craft store are easy to paint, and they add a burst of color in place of standard artwork. Bouquets of blooms from the garden or florist look devine in simple vases on the mantle. Brightly colored pillows add life to your sofas and chairs, along with accessories on the table. Remember, when adding color it should flow evenly throughout the room. This gives the room a cohesive look, rather than a random shot of color. Add fresh green plants as the finishing touch for your springtime transformation.

Spring Entertaining

What good is breathing new life into your home if you aren't going to share it? Remember to spruce up the dining room and kitchen before entertaining. Add color to your table with placemats, a table runner, or even ribbons as shown below. Layer with fun-colored plates and serving bowls. Marshalls, Target, and Walmart are great sources for seasonal decor affordably priced. For the kitchen, purchase some new spring-themed dish towels and potholders for a quick and easy update. Fill a tall, clear glass vase with water, add sliced limes and yellow tulips and you have a little bit of sunshine gleaming in your kitchen!

Trend Report

by Article Author

Every year I look forward to the Maison & Object Home Furnishing Show in Paris. So much of what goes on in our industry is determined by what they forecast for the future. The three trends I will share this month are : cohabitation, contemporary classics, and creative verve. Trends usually occur as reactions to events that have occured in the world.

One example of this is Cohabitation. Due to the decline of the economy, people worldwide are moving in together to save money. Rather than the "Me myself" of the 2000's, we are focusing on "Me, Ourselves" now. These days, young adults are living together, multiple generations are cohabitating, and even divorced couples are still sharing homes because they can't afford to maintain separate households. In response to this phenomenon, Electrolux has designed a unique refrigerator with four sections so every person in the home can have their own unit.

The next trend of Contemporary Classics is for those who are reminiscent for the classics, but want a modern clarity to them. This trend incorporates high quality materials and top quality workmanship with timeless design and understated luxury. Notice how the room below is very contemporary, but it takes a nod to the 50's and 60's with the reproduction Saarinen chair and thick shag rug. Further interest is created by the bold use of color, emphasizing architectural details of the room.

The final trend we will address is Creative Verve. Creative Verve is a fun, adventurous style that allows you to tap into your creative side and express your individuality. Generous use of color creates a light-hearted, improvisational style. Creative ideas, hand-made features and favorite art pieces encompass a wide spectrum of styles and offers the greatest opportunity for reflecting the homeowner's personality.

Color of the Month

by Article Author

What better color to feature for spring than yellow? From daffodils to forsythia to tulips, this color is everywhere. It is a very versatile color for decorating. Soft yellow walls serve as a neutral background for a host of other colors. I will warn you though, it is a challenging color for the average homeowner to choose. I have received many a frantic call from DIY homeowners whose room looks more like a school bus than the warm, inviting room they desired. So if you don't want to have to paint the room twice, you might want to call a certified color expert (me!).

Yellow looks great on its own,

or can be paired with blue for a traditional look,

gray for a modern look,

or red for a transitional look.

As I always tell you, if you don't want to engulf your room in the Color of the Month, add pillows, accessories, or a small piece of furniture in that color.

Green Design

by Article Author

My mom should have been named the "Queen of Clean." She loved cleaning so much that Spring Cleaning was a national holiday in our house! Our home was spotless all year long, but once spring rolled around the really detailed cleaning began. I got relegated to the bathrooms with a toothbrush and chemicals to scrub every line of grout on the walls and floor while I gasped for breath among the toxic fumes. Fortunately, we are now more informed about the dangers these chemicals pose. Below is information on three companies that provide healthier cleaning options. Hopefully you will find a healthy option that suits your needs.

Seventh Generation

Seventh Generation products are sold in your local grocery and "big box" stores. They include household and personal care products that are safe and effective for the air, surfaces, fabrics, pets, and people living in your home. Their products are plant based and eco-friendly. They work to ensure their line has a "circular lifecycle," meaning natural resources are being used at a rate that is always below their rate of depletion. The products clean as well as those made with toxic chemicals and are packaged more responsibly. For more information you can go to

seventhgeneration.com .

Melalueca

Melaleuca is the largest manufacturer of wellness products in the world and has been manufacturing green products for 25 years, when green was thought of as just a color.The product line consists of over 350 products that you would use in your home everyday when you take a shower, brush your teeth, clean your home, do your laundry, and much more. Melaleuca exemplefies the best combination of nature and science to provide effective products that actually work without using harmful chemicals. To learn more about Melaleuca's 6x concentrated, biodegradable products and how they can make a difference in your home and environment while saving you money, go to www.treasuryofwellness.com or contact Terry Hess at 704.841.8453.

Shaklee

Shaklee was founded 50 years ago offering nutritional supplements. During the '60s they made one of the first biodgradable cleaners. They were the first company in the world to receive "Climate Neutral Certification," meaning they totally offset their CO2 emissions, resulting in net zero impact on the environment. Now the international company provides safe, effective, and healthy products for nutrition, weight control, beauty, and home care. A recent independant study showed their cleaning products were more effective and less expensive that other "green" cleaners available at your local retail store. With the olympics just finishing, it is interesting to note that 54 gold medalists are powered by Shaklee. For more information, go to mimi.myshaklee.com or email mimivollum@bellsouth.net.

Unfortunately, my mom has been hospitalized and bedridden for six months and can't clean anymore. While most people look forward to being able to get out and play tennis, or golf, or travel when they recover, my Mom anxiously awaits the time when she can get back to doing her own cleaning again! Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers so her fantasies of scrub brushes and mops can come true!

Quote of the Month

by Article Author

Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things. ~Robert Brault

Recipe of the Month

by Article Author

Back when my girls were young (oh how I long for those days!), we used to have a family pizza night. We would all gather around the kitchen island and prepare home-made pizzas. The girls loved kneading the dough, waiting for it to rise (not so much), and rolling it out into imperfect circles. Back then the typical toppings were tomato sauce, pepperoni and mozzarella cheese. This recipe is a bit more sophisticated, and makes a great meal for casual entertaining with friends. All you have to do is add a salad, and your dinner party is complete



White Pizza
makes 6 individual pizzas

Dough:
1 1/4 cups warm water (110 degrees)
2 packages dry yeast
1 T honey
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
4 cups all-purpose flour (more for kneading)
Kosher salt
4 cloves garlic, sliced
5 sprigs fresh thyme
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes Topping:
3 cups grated fontina cheese
1 1/2 cups grated fresh mozzarella
11 oz. creamy goat cheese, such as Montrachet, crumbled DIrections: Combine the water, yeast, honey and 3 tablespoons of olive oil in the bowl of a food processor (my favorite method) or an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook. When the yeast is dissolved, add 3 cups of flour, then 2 teaspoons salt, and mix on medium-low speed. While mixing, add up to 1 more cup of flour, or just enough to make a soft dough. Knead the dough for about 10 minutes until smooth, sprinkling it with the flour as necessary to keep it from sticking to the bowl. When the dough is ready, turn it out onto a floured board and knead it by hand a dozen times. It should be smooth and elastic.

Place the dough in a well-oiled bowl and turn it to cover it lightly with oil. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and allow the dough to rise at room temperature for 30 minutes.

While dough is rising, place 1/2 cup of olive oil, the garlic, thyme and red pepper flakes in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over low heat. Cook for 10 minutes, making sure the garlic doesn't burn. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees.

Dump the dough onto a board and divide it into 6 equal pieces. Place the doughs on sheet pans lined with parchment paper and cover them with a damp towel. Allow the dough to rest for 10 minutes. Press and stretch each ball into an 8-inch circle and place 2 circles on each sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Brush the pizzas with the garlic oil, and sprinkle each one liberally with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the pizzas evenly with fontina, mozzarella and goat cheese. Drizzle each pizza with 1 tablespoon more of the garlic oil and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until the crusts are crisp and the cheeses begin to brown.

Community Outreach

by Article Author

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.

Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina

Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina strives to eliminate hunger by the solicitation and distribution of food. They provide a regional distribution warehouse and branches that supply food and grocery items to charitable agencies that assist people in need. They also provide training, consultation, technical assistance, and hunger education to their agencies. Over six million pounds of food is distributed annually to agencies that operate emergency services, soup kitchens, shelters, day cares, rehabilitation centers, seniors and youth programs. Please go to their website secondharvestmetrolina.org to learn more about their programs or to make a donation.

Save 15%	Spring Color Sale! Save 15% on a paint color consultation for your home. Mention Code DDD0310 when you call 704.987.0277 for an appointment. Feel free to share this offer with friends, family, or associates.
Offer Expires: 3/31/10 Not Valid for Orders Placed Before 3/1/10

Thank you for reading "The Design Diva Dishes." I hope you enjoyed this issue and will forward it to your family, friends, and co-workers using the "forward email" link below. Have a great month, and I'll see you again April 1st.

Please call me at 704.987.0277 or email me atsensiblychic4u@aol.com with any questions or comments.