Author Archives: FultonHomes

Stylish Ceiling Fans

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Legacy Models 080Ceiling fans have always been a source of frustration to the design community. While they’re a practical alternative to standard lighting, often the look detracts from the final design of a space. This has changed recently as lighting designers have started creating ceiling fans that are unique and inviting. Let’s take a look at a couple, featured in the Legacy community models.

Most people assume that the standard ceiling fan profile of five fan blades is the only option, but this fan shows that even two blades can make an effective fan while demonstrating a unique and intriguing contemporary industrial look.

The sleek lines and hand-crafted appearance combine to make a ceiling fan that is almost a piece of sculpture hanging from the ceiling. This look would work equally well with contemporary, industrial or even rustic décor.

ceiling fans 1 croppedThe fans to the right are completely different in style, yet have a retro feel that makes them stand out. One Fulton Facebook fan suggested that they would fit well in a New York loft, and indeed they are easy to imagine in that setting.

The old-style fans in black make this an option that would also work well in a more traditional setting – adding a touch of whimsy and personality to any room. And like the fan above, this non-standard approach still functions effectively.

So before you dismiss ceiling fans as useful items that provide practicality rather than style, you may want to browse some of the newer offerings, because some of today’s ceiling fans will surprise you.

 

Closet Organizing to Start 2015 off Right

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Master closet from the Fulton Homes Legacy Community.

Master closet from the Fulton Homes Legacy Community.

Are your closets organized, making it easy to find what you want when you want it? For most of us, the answer is of course not. Why not start 2015 off by making your master closet a source of pleasure rather than frustration. Here are a few suggestions for organizing this space.

Clear the floor. Closets look worse and are harder to handle if the floor is covered with shoes and other clothing or non-clothing items. So start with your floor. If you want to have your shoes on the floor, look for a shoe-organizing unit or a small set of shelves. Tackling the rest of the clutter will seem les overwhelming once you can actually see the floor.

Get the right hangars. Often closets end up untidy because clothes slip off hangars or end up hanging by one sleeve. The new slim-line hangars hold onto clothes and take up less space in your closet. They are available in many household supply and warehouse stores as well as online. You may find you gain as much as 20 percent of your closet through using this type of hangar.

Keep your main closet area for current clothes. If you are fortunate enough to have a closet the size of this one, set up separate areas for current and out-of-season clothing. Or sort by work and casual clothes. Determine the best sorting process for your lifestyle and use that.

Take baby steps. If you don’t have the energy or time for a full closet overhaul, consider doing just one thing a week to make your closet more accessible and easier to use. Before you know it your closet can be an inviting place rather than a reminder of everything you want to accomplish.

 

Start the New Year off Right

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Two Young Women in Front of the Computer TalkingWhile it’s tempting to use the start of a new year to make lots of plans and resolutions, this approach is often doomed to disappointment. By February you are no longer going to the gym once a week, let alone three times, and those healthful meals you planned have given way to fast food at least once a week. So what can you do to celebrate 2015 that you can actually accomplish? Here are a few suggestions.

Take care of the little things. Do you find yourself frustrated because you can’t find anything in your kitchen junk drawer or you are tired of tripping over the boxes of giveaway items you haven’t taken the time to bring to your favorite charity? Those small unfinished projects can bother you several times a day but hardly seem worth the time to complete. However over time getting those projects off your to-do list frees up time and space and reduces stress. Plan to finish one lingering little project a week. You may find you have more time and energy for the more important things.

Change one thing for the better. Maybe it’s eating an apple a day, or walking up the stairs instead of taking the elevator one day a week. You might consider switching sodas for water or serving your family fruit for dessert several times a week. You may want to make major changes, but one simple change is easier to make a part of your life. You can always add other changes later.

Speak with kindness. Like someone’s hair or blouse? Tell them. Say thank you for unexpected consideration from others. Write Thank-you notes. It’s easy to get caught up in your day, ignoring the thoughtful gestures of other people. Pay attention. Did your daughter clean her room, or your son take out the garbage without being prompted? Recognize these small efforts with a compliment or some acknowledgement.

So let go of the big resolutions and plans for 2015. Instead, commit to gradual and easy changes that you can accomplish. And have a lovely new year.

 

Food for a Good New Year

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Bowl of Noodles with ChopsticksAlmost every country and culture focuses on special foods to bring good luck as the New Year starts. In the United States, a favorite southern staple is black-eyed peas due to their abundance, made into a dish known as Hoppin’ John.

Long noodles are a common choice in Asian countries and cultures, representing a long life. It is important not to cut or break the noodles to ensure the longest life possible.

MP900405246Fish is a popular choice in China since the Chinese word for fish resembles the word for abundance. Note that the fish should be served whole – head and tail included – to make sure the year is a good one from beginning to end.

Leafy greens such as kale, mustard and collard greens are consumed in Europe because they resemble paper money. The story is the more you eat the more cash will come to be in the next year. Lentils are eaten in Italy and Hungary because their shape and green color resembles money. They also get plumper when you add water, signifying growing wealthier.

MP900382807In Turkey, pomegranates are consumed for good luck. Prosperity comes from the many round seeds, the red color stands for life and they also represent good health.

Other round fruits such as oranges or grapes are often eaten at the start of the new year, with the tradition of consuming either twelve of them for the twelve months of the year. In the Philippines you need to eat thirteen fruits for good luck. Cakes – particularly those that are round or shaped like rings are also a common good luck food – sometimes with a coin baked into the cake to give luck to one recipient during the coming year.

Whatever tradition you follow, here at Fulton Homes we hope you have a happy and healthy 2015!

 

Specializing in Leftovers

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DSC_0132Holidays are all about abundance – particularly with food. But often having more than enough means days of leftovers after the event is over. What can you do to distract the family from one more turkey sandwich? Here are a few suggestions to make leftovers part of the celebration rather than a burden to get through.

Freeze for later: Although your family may currently be sated on holiday fare, a few months from now an encore meal or variation of the original may be welcomed. Consider freezing some of the turkey sliced, along with a couple of scoops of dressing and a side of cranberry sauce. Later you can turn these three items into scrumptious sandwiches. Use sturdy bread such as a crusty roll or a French baguette. Lightly spread both sides with mayonnaise and layer the turkey and about a half-inch of dressing on the bottom half, topping with a light layer of cranberry sauce. This sandwich is an award-winning combination for a national sandwich shop that you can recreate for a cold-weather treat.

Reinvent a tradition: Turn that extra turkey, vegetables and mashed potatoes into a variation of shepherd’s pie. Mix chopped turkey, any leftover veggies – adding some if needed – and top with the leftover mashed potatoes in an open casserole. Bake to warm and broil the last few minutes to brown the top. Serve it with the leftover gravy.

Treat your guests: Pre-plan to share your leftovers with visitors. If you purchase a selection of different sizes of disposable plastic containers, you can mix up an additional holiday meal for your guests who don’t tend to cook at home. Walking away with another meal ready to heat and eat can be a real blessing to those with limited time, resources or inclination to cook for themselves. And for you and your immediate family, the leftovers will be gone by the end of the day.

If you think of leftovers as an opportunity to be creative and try new approaches, you can turn something that’s a challenge into a bonus that benefits everyone after the holidays are over.

 

Traditional Holiday Foods

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002Every family has its holiday favorites. Some go for traditional turkey and dressing, or choose fancy with a standing rib roast or honey baked ham. But whether you always serve that infamous green bean casserole or change side dishes every year, food is an important part of every holiday.

Even more important, the preparation and serving of holiday family dinners may contain traditions you are less aware of, but which are just as important for everyone. It pays to look at those unspoken traditions to make sure that they serve your family well.

How are you passing your traditions along to the next generation? Now everyone loves Aunt Francis’s dinner rolls and Uncle Bob’s turkey gravy, but are the kids getting a chance to help bake and make these family favorites? By including some of the younger members of the family in the preparations, you help ensure that future generations will enjoy the same tastes that delight them now long after the instigators are gone.

You may also find that the standard recipes no longer serve your family as well. Old-style heavier meals may be too much for today’s diet and nutrition goals. While the holidays are certainly a time to indulge a bit, how about adding some lighter fare so that people can balance their enjoyment with some attention to good eating habits. For example, you could replace the cheese and cracker appetizers with vegetables and a tasty yogurt dip, letting people fill up while leaving the calorie-intense foods for dessert.

Holiday food traditions are for enjoying and sharing with others. Remember to plan ways to pass those traditions along with each generation, along with making changes that suit your family’s needs and the overall shifts in how we’re eating now. And above all, enjoy the process of preparing and indulging in your family’s traditional holiday feasts.

 

The Best Sugar Cookies and the Best of Neighbors

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MP900216155Many years ago, when the baby boomers who are now starting to collect social security were toddlers, there was a community of young families in Ohio. The homes were well-built, just like Fulton Homes are built today, and a neighborhood grew where there had been nothing but wheat and corn fields just a few years before.

One neighbor, Ruth Chrisman, was a favorite of everyone. You could count on her to watch your kids while you ran to the store, and sickness and grief was solaced by her support and one of her tasty casseroles. She was also a pleasure just to talk to, and her two boys were always available to mow lawns or run errands.

One year, she baked the tastiest sugar cookies anyone on her street had ever tasted. And because generosity was part of her nature, she shared the recipe with everyone who asked, and for the next year, and the next, and the next, those sugar cookies were a staple in the neighborhood every holiday.

So now, decades later, Ruth’s sugar cookie recipe is here for your benefit too. But even more, it’s here to acknowledge that the everyday kindness and pleasure that a neighbor can give should live long after the neighbor is gone and the original community of families has grown up and moved away.

The homes, and the neighborhood, are still there 50 years later because, like Fulton Homes, these people built houses and communities designed to last. And here at Fulton Homes as we head toward 2015, we hope you too are fortunate enough to be part of a warm and friendly community and have a neighbor in your life as wonderful as Ruth.

Ruth Chrisman’s Special Sugar Cookies

 Ingredients:

1 cup butter (softened)

2 cups sugar (granulated)

2 eggs, beaten

5 cups flour (unbleached white)

1 tsp salt

1 tsp soda

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

1 cup sour cream (light (low-fat) sour cream works best)

Mix the flour, salt and soda together and set aside. Cream the butter and sugar together until smooth. Add the 2 eggs and vanilla and blend. Add the dry ingredients alternately with the sour cream in two or three sections. Put plastic over the bowl and chill in the refrigerator a few hours to overnight.

Taking small segments of the dough and leaving the rest in the refrigerator, roll the dough to ¼ inch thick on a floured board, thinner if you want crisper cookies. Be generous with the flour so that the cookies don’t stick to the board. Cut with the cookie cutters of your choice and lay on a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper. Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes, until cookies are just a bit brown around the edges. Cool for 5 minutes then move to cooling rack. Ice and decorate to your preference.

 Butter-cream Icing

Blend in a bowl: 3 cups sifted powdered sugar, 1/3 cup softened or melted butter, ½ teaspoon vanilla and about 3 tablespoons of milk, using more or less to get the consistency you want. Color in smaller batches with food coloring if desired. This is enough frosting to handle all the cookies if they are rolled to ¼ inch thick.

Setting up a Holiday Tablescape

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Legacy Models 068How would you decorate this dining space for the holidays? Here are a few suggestions.

Choose one or two colors, a neutral, and one metallic hue: In this room, silver seems like a natural choice thanks to the chandeliers and grey tones. Silver can link everything together. For the same reason, white or ivory would complement the space. From there you could do the traditional red and green colors, or jump into something more daring like purple or even hot pink and lime green. This room can handle the brighter colors, so take advantage of that to add drama to your tablescape.

Don’t stop at the table: In this room, the trees by the wall would benefit from some mini-lights and small ornaments. Think about adding some special touches to the chandeliers. (For more ideas on that, see our last blog.) The buffet could be a source for additional decorations that complement whatever you choose to do to the table. You could even change out the throw pillows on the two sofas for some that suit your holiday look. Once again the grey palette opens up a world of possibilities.

Keep your centerpiece low or set between chairs: You want to make sure everyone at the table can see everyone else, so plan a centerpiece that allows that. This long rectangular table gives you the opportunity to create a landscape of flowers, greens, ornaments, candles and other accessories. By using the buffet to hold serving dishes you have more room for decorations on the table itself.

Consider the chairs: These contemporary chairs with neutral grey upholstery provide the perfect space for a final holiday touch. It’s easy to tie some wide ribbon around the chair backs with a nice bow at the back of each one. Costco offers great prices on wire-edged holiday ribbon in two and three-inch widths. Choose one that works well for your holiday plan, and you will have plenty to use throughout your home.

Your final touch? Add the food – tables always look better with something to eat nearby!

 

Decorating lighting fixtures for the Holidays

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Legacy Models 069With lush lighting fixtures such as these two from the O’Connor model at Legacy, it’s tempting to make them part of the season by adding a holiday touch. Here are a few suggestions to make these lights reflect the holidays.

Holiday greens: Look for a garland that matches the style of your holiday decorations. You could choose real greens such as the red cedar garland available at Trader Joe’s this time of year, or just pick up some of their two-color holly. Use fishing line or ribbons to attach it under the lights of the chandeliers above.  For the photo below, drape the greens along the cross-beams above the lights.

Legacy Models 073Ribbons: You could tie some lovely red, green, gold or blue ribbons around the shades on the chandelier above to create an understated but festive touch. To contribute a bit more drama, tie a few to the loops under the lights and let them hang down to the table, maybe even puddling on the table itself or stopping just above your centerpiece to connect your lighting to your holiday tablescape. Ribbon loops could run across the crosspieces of the more contemporary light fixture below also.

LED lights. Add lights to your lighting with some of the new battery-powered LED lights in white, colors or even multicolored options. Hide the battery pack within some greenery and let the mini-lights swirl and drape around the structure of each chandelier.

Ornaments: One simple but effective approach would be to choose some favorite ornaments and hang them from the supports of each chandelier. Once again this addition is understated but would pull your lighting into the season. Why not bring the holiday to your home’s lighting, allowing it to shine with the rest of your home.

Decorating your Home for the Holidays: Living and Family Rooms

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   DSC_0139When you have a generously-sized living room and a large family room such as in this home, the O’Connor model from Legacy, how do you bring in the holiday spirit without looking skimpy or overwhelming your home with cheer? Here are a few approaches for decorating both rooms while maintaining the style of your home.

Choose one room as holiday central for your home. This involves the tree you will be unwrapping presents under, the location for family holiday meals and any other traditions that suit the season. You can still decorate other rooms in your home but this gives you the flexibility to be understated in all but one area.

Replace current accessories with holiday elements rather than just adding them in. If you keep your home’s current décor in place while adding holiday pieces, your home can look too cluttered to be festive. Instead, pack away some or all of your everyday vases and other accessories to leave room for holiday items.

Add greenery. This is particularly effective in more formal contemporary spaces such as the living room above. Many stores sell fresh greens at this time of year. You can combine several types of greenery to make a splash For example, this living room could stay as-is and still feel like the holidays simply by adding pine and two-color holly around the silver candleholders on the coffee table and on the side tables. Add a few holiday ornaments to the tree on the right and this room is finished in an elegant and effective way. You might want to take advantage of the new battery-powered LED lights to add a spark to the greens.

Models 085This family room can support a large tree. You might one consider 8-9 feet in height to take advantage of the ceiling. The area to the right of the television provides a natural spot for a tree. Remember that you want to provide plenty of seating nearby. Don’t hesitate to rearrange the furniture to make the space work better with a tree. For example, you could move the checked chair on the right closer to the sofa and move the entire seating arrangement a bit to the right which would allow the tree to become the focal point of the room for the holiday season.

Whatever you decide, have fun with your decorations and they will help you set the stage for a lovely holiday.