Getting Dressed

Coordinating collections of trim and interior doors

Funny how things fall into place. Certainly when I was thinking of this post and doing a bit more research on the trend of adding decorative trims to ones space. Just a few years ago it was mostly considered and afterthought to most designers and home builders, as the budget was primarily used for the structure itself and its furnishings. Beautiful as these add-ons were, cost effectiveness and usually involved custom millwork and were out of reach to many.

A few days ago I had received an email about this very subject from Mr. Dale Robbins. He feels design is changing because of the use Technology and is directly reflected in our homes.  Trims and decoration have become more affordable to manufacture, have become pliable and more people are now looking for ideas to achieve their personal style. Just as one would with ones wardrobe, our homes have become a reflection of ourselves.

Google shows trends that ceiling Ideas are becoming more popular among users:

Which brings me to the company Metrie. I had the pleasure of visiting with them during last months trip to the Kitchen and Bath Show in Orlando Florida, while traveling with BlogtourKBIS. Along with Metrie, I was privy to a variety of vendors that attended the show.

Metrie’s showroom was just one of the highlights of the show not only for the interactive displays, but the way they promoted their wares. As you may be able to tell from the photos I was able to capture, they are a designer and builders dream go to, when adding trims along with coordinating doors to a new or existing project. The selection of items were well thought out and took the guess work out of ordering and installing, some of which were prepped saving time and monies in the long run. 

As I mentioned earlier, there are so many inspirations available this year. I have enclosed a link to a few beautiful ideas to enhance any home. Provided by Mr. Robins web post, in which he gathered from a wide variety of sources. ( http://alexmoulding.com/ceiling-design-ideas/ ) I’ll be looking forward to studying and implementing similar interiors as well as hearing about your own interior inspirations for the home.

Heart of the Home

It could have been my favorite meal. Breakfast cooked over a campfire on a chilly morning along the Platte River in Colorado by my father. A simple breakfast. Bacon, eggs, biscuits with sausage gravy and a fresh pot of percolating coffee. To this day, I remember the smells wafting into our tent at 5 in the morning. He was an early riser and the catch of the day wasn’t going to wait.

MY dream Kitchen with a multitude of preparation options

Around the same time, my mother introduced me to Chef James Beards’ writings of roasted beef and his description of tasting perfectly browned peppered layer of fat atop. All the while watching Julia Child and Jacques Pepin splash a bit of wine or another dollop of butter in recipes found on our local PBS station.

The lesson still relevant: use of the freshest ingredients possible, as well as having the right tools in the kitchen for the task at hand. Chef Thomas Keller and host/author Ina Garten also practice this ideal in every aspect in their culinary endeavors.  While hungrily awaiting for the next episode, my eyes often tend to wander towards the details—a baking sheet here, a stovetop there, which I’m sure would make any meal just that much better.

This brings me to my dream kitchen and perhaps yours. Recently, I was fortunate enough to visit with the folks at Thermador. They have been around improving kitchens for quite awhile and I must admit, off my radar. After spending the day at the KBIS2017 presentations in Orlando and during a wonderful lunch, I learned of all the advances in “Culinary Preservation and Preparation” (the wording got me to at first…it was lunch after all). But what I learned was invaluable as a designer and as a Weekend Culinary Entertainer* Coining that phrase for personal future use, watch out Food Network!

Refrigeration in a variety of styles and a sense of purpose: Three zone wine coolers, cooling doors, easy clean and removable storage. Making life easier. 

Here I was reminded of the lesson that my parents taught me years prior, that the true test of an oven and a stovetop was even distribution of heat. In refrigeration, keeping things fresh for as long as possible. Most of us have made a batch of sugar cookies when one section of the oven cooks faster than the other, or retrieving ingredients from the fridge only to find then half frozen or not chilled at all. Frustrating indeed.

Thermador has designed a group of products that addresses all of these problems in a stylish and innovative way.  I encourage you to take advantage and learn more about this company, and perhaps enjoy more of your time in the kitchen. Links and more information are available by clicking the highlighted text or a few of the pictures throughout this post.

Patented Star® Burners offer 56% more coverage with superior flame spread and a reduced cold spot for faster and more even heating across any size pan.

In the meantime, let’s make a few sugar cookies, have a glass of perfectly chilled wine, and think how we can improve, enjoy and simplify our lives starting in the most important room of the home, the kitchen.

Click through for an easy cookie recipe from Martha Stewart