What do you want your eating counter to look like?

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what-do-you-want-your-eating-counter-to-look-likewWhen you’re planning your kitchen, take some time to determine whether you want to include an eating counter like this one. There are some decisions to make if you decide a counter is for you, so let’s take a look at the things you may want to consider.

Counter depth: Your Fulton design-center designer can show you examples of standard counter depths. Don’t short-change your counter. You may find that this space becomes more than a snack area. It may be the choice location for your kids to do their homework or your prime appetizer spot when you have people over for dinner.

Counter edge: If you will have people leaning over the counter, make sure the edge will be comfortable. Some of the edges are fun and interesting, but not as easy on the stomach over time as your kids bend over it while munching on breakfast or a snack.

Stool height: Counters and stools come in all sorts of heights. Make sure you know how high your counter will be so that you select stools that will fit your counter well. Too high or too low and your guests will not be comfortable.

Design features: This under-counter area coordinates with the cabinetry. Other islands may have tile under the counter. Think about whether you will have kicking kids sitting at the counter or more well-behaved adults when choosing your materials. This counter also adds a bit of splash with two columns, giving a bit of extra personality to the kitchen. Check with your designer to see all of your column and other kitchen counter options.

Holiday Shopping Plans

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pixabay giftMaybe you’re one of those organized people who already have all of your gifts bought, wrapped, labeled and ready to put under the tree that will be going up this weekend. If you are, great; this blog is not for you. But if you’re still trying to figure out how you’re going to get everything done this holiday season, here are some suggestions for making your gift-giving easier.

Make a list: Every organized person talks about how a list is essential, but when it comes to gift giving, they’re absolutely right. It can seem overwhelming to figure out whom you want to buy what for, but a list helps you keep things straight. It also provides a handy check-off system to make sure you didn’t forget anyone.

Make a budget: Every year people get in trouble by spending more than they can afford for the holidays. Take the time now before you start buying to make a financial plan to hit January in a good place. Budget for each person with the understanding that you may move the number up or down slightly if needed. And remember when tempted to go over, it really is the thought that counts.

Think outside the store: Maybe this is the year that you give your niece that heirloom necklace you inherited from your grandmother or your book-loving nephew a couple of special first-editions from your personal library. Are there other family or personal treasures that you would like to share with the next generation, or even a friend who would appreciate them? These can make great holiday gifts.

Shop online for out-of-town gift giving: Don’t waste your time with packages at the post office. Instead order your gifts online and let them ship for you. Many vendors offer free or low-cost shipping and will even gift-wrap and add a note.

With just a little planning, you can make this holiday season productive and fun without creating the stress and worry gift buying can produce. And that will give you more energy to enjoy this time of year!

Lovely Thanksgiving Plans

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morgue thanksgiving tableEveryone wants to have a lovely Thanksgiving, but too often the reality doesn’t measure up to our dreams. Here are a few simple tips to help you make the day special without making your life miserable in the process.

Let go of perfection: The Norman Rockwell Thanksgiving paintings are just that – paintings. Probably even his Thanksgiving celebrations had their share of spilled gravy and mashed potato food fights. Focus on the things that are important to you – having your family there, good food, laughter, friends dropping in, and let the rest go.

Pick one special touch for you: Maybe you love having fresh flowers on the table using your mother’s china. Or you dream of making napkin rings using real fall leaves. Let yourself have one indulgent touch, even if the rest of your family doesn’t understand it. And if you don’t have time for that special element this year, let it go. There’s always next year.

Let others help: It’s easy to get caught up in taking charge of everything so that you end up exhausted at the end of the day. Instead, ask others to help out. This can range from having guests bring a favorite side dish to assigning table setting, clearing and clean-up duties ahead of time. That way you can enjoy the holiday too.

Take the time to give thanks: With all the planning, cooking and cleaning, it’s easy to forget the reason for the holiday. But take a minute and think about all the things you have to be thankful for. We tend to take our lives for granted. But this is one day that encourages us not to do that. So be thankful.

Fostering Gratitude

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place-setting-1058984_640Thanksgiving is a time of coming together with family, enjoying a traditional meal, and giving thanks together. But how can you encourage your children to think beyond the food to the meaning behind the celebration? Here are some suggestions to help encourage an “attitude of gratitude.”

Don’t wait until Thanksgiving dinner: Start talking about Thanksgiving’s meaning earlier in the week. Ask your children what they’re thankful for at breakfast before school or at the dinner table.

Remind them of the first Thanksgiving: Tell them the story of the pilgrims barely making it through those first tough years, or, better yet, let them tell you what they know about the story. Talk about a time when people couldn’t drive down the street and pick up the food you needed at your neighborhood grocery store and how hard it was to survive in the New World.

Create a thank-you tree: Put a branch in a pot or hang one on the wall. Have your children help you cut out leaves from paper in fall colors and have everyone in the family write down things they’re thankful for on each leaf. Tie the leaves to the branch for a festive reminder of why we celebrate Thanksgiving each year.

Set a good example: Be sure to tell your children all the things you’re thankful for, including them! Give them examples of the good things in their lives and yours. Explain that there are things to appreciate every day and it’s up to us to notice and be grateful for them.

Thanksgiving is a good opportunity to step back and take a look at all of the good things we have, but an attitude of gratitude serves us well all year round.

Urban Industrial Features Sharpen Kitchen’s Look

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urban-industrial-touches-sharpen-kitchen's-lookwIf you want a kitchen with traditional styling but would like to add a bit of an edge, consider including a few urban industrial touches. This kitchen ups its look with just a couple of smart additions that fit the profile of today’s urban look. Let’s see what choices give this kitchen the flair of a city loft.

Subway tile: This is always as sophisticated option. Subway tile has a smart yet retro look that creates the mood of another time while standing out front in terms of style. This soft subtle cream-toned glaze doesn’t take over the space yet certainly adds life to the look of this kitchen.

Oversize pendants: You could imagine these pendants hanging over an old-style factory or shop in New York or Chicago at the turn of the Century – the one before this last one. The dark trim and speckled glass combine with the industrial shape and size to stretch the boundaries of this kitchen’s look. They add just the right touch of yesterday to the kitchen’s design.

Sleek stainless vent hood: The clean lines of this hood would work in a commercial kitchen and they add a touch of industrial style to this one. Sitting atop the subway tiles, the look would be believable in a restaurant hideaway in lower Manhattan, but it’s in your kitchen instead. Nice.

When you plan your kitchen, why not step just a bit away from the traditional? Add a few urban industrial elements and make your kitchen’s design just that much more daring and unique.

Smart Lighting for Smart-Looking Kitchen

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smart-lighting-for-smart-looking-kitchenwIf you want to add just one touch to make your kitchen stand out from the ordinary, consider unique pendant lighting. Positioned over the island that separates the kitchen from the eating area or family room, an island quickly becomes a focal point in your home. Selecting pendant lights like these makes your island capture attention.

The brushed nickel finish works well with the stainless appliances and sink, and the nickel faucet fits too. The kitchen’s fixtures, appliances and other stainless elements are a nice mix of straight and curvy lines. Notice how the appliance handles have soft curves along with the faucet, but the sink itself is a sharp rectangle.

These pendants almost look retro with the fin design, yet the finish and the light itself definitely put it in this century. In addition to the interesting shape and characteristics, it’s also a good source of light, covering the island well and evenly.

This kitchen has several nice light sources including can lights distributed across the ceiling. There is also task lighting set under the cabinets – handy when doing close work on the countertop. But there’s no denying that what catches the eye are the pendants.

Would you like to check this lighting out – along with this kitchen – in person? How about visiting our newest community, Seaboard at Cooley Station? We look forward to seeing you there.

Add Modern Luxury to Master Bedroom

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Master-BedroomwWhat can you do to make your master bedroom feel special and luxurious while still keeping a contemporary look? Here are a few suggestions to do just that, from this master in one of the Seaboard models at Cooley Station.

Dark colors: The rich dark brown wall behind the bed creates an immediate feeling of luxury. Darker colors are richer colors, and this tone strikes a feeling of bronze. The dark wood nightstands and pot as well as the lamp bases continue the dark tones.

Luxury bedding: With the European shams, two-color duvet cover with shams in a reverse color mix, and a generous number of pillows, the bedding says luxury. Making your bed look like someplace you want to land at the end of a long day is a great way to add a feeling of spoiling yourself to your bedroom.

Large-scale artwork: By positioning the large ocean-scape over the bed, it substitutes for a headboard. The blue tones work well with the dark brown wall to build almost a gallery feeling. This simple approach to art brings in a sense of luxury.

Unique ceiling fan: Investing in a ceiling fan that stands out from the norm turns a typical piece into a more sculptural light element. It makes a statement in the room.

Square shades on the table lamps: Once again, a non-standard choice makes the lamps stand out, giving them a decorator feel.

These elements turn a simple bedroom into something special – a hideaway designed for you to escape, relax, and prepare to face another day awake and refreshed from your moment of luxury.

Shower Luxuries

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shower-luxurieswMost of us don’t have the time to take a luxurious bath anymore. Getting ready for the day generally involves a quick hop in the shower. But what if your shower could give you the same luxurious feeling that you used to get in a tub? This shower comes close. Let’s take a look at what it has to offer.

First, let’s just consider how it looks. With oil-rubbed bronze bath hardware and luxury tile walls, it’s hard to believe that you’re not in a spa or high-end resort. Notice the metallic tile trim along the bottom third of the shower – unusual and intriguing – not your standard bathroom fare.

Next, take a look at the size of this shower. It’s definitely big enough for two if you want to share, or if you need to share if you both need to get ready for work at the same time. Although even by yourself  it’s nice to have plenty of space and both wall-mounted and hand-held shower-heads. You won’t find yourself bumping into walls getting through a shower here.

Having a step-in shower is particularly nice also. This works well for aging in place. As you get older it’s great not to have to step high to get into a shower/tub combo. And the extra space just outside the enclosure is the perfect spot to grab your towel and dry off.

Lots of natural light also gives this bathroom a spa-like feel. With the windows set high, you get both light and privacy.

How would you like to have this luxurious shower for your own, to step into every morning? Check it out in person at Cooley Station.

Outdoor Kitchen a Cook’s Alternative

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outdoor-kitchen-cooks-alternativewEven the greatest kitchen can get tiring when you’re cooking dinner in it every day. So while the weather is nice, how about making dinner outside for a change? A simple gas grill is a great start, but if you really want to spoil yourself, how about an outdoor kitchen like this one?

This outdoor set-up, at one of the model homes in the Cooley Station community, has pretty much everything you need. The gas grill is built in, making it easy to set your food up both before and after cooking. Guests can chat with the chef while sitting at the comfy outdoor bar. All you need to add are a few barstools to set up for outdoor living.

There’s plenty of room for prepping food with the generous countertop to the left of the grill. How about adding a cooler along the wall so that everyone can help themselves to sodas and drinks?

Everything tastes just a little better when it’s cooked outside, and spouses who are hopeless in the kitchen suddenly find themselves amazingly skilled with dealing with an open flame. Even if it’s just burgers or hotdogs, cooking it outside still makes dinner special.

And there’s a perfect place for everyone to sit and eat – a nice table with comfy chairs – upholstery that can handle the elements. If it starts getting a bit warm, just turn on the ceiling fan to make it a bit cooler.

An outdoor kitchen – what a nice dinner alternative.

Metallic Backsplash Adds Style

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metallic-backsplash-adds-stylewBathrooms are by their very nature small. This can make them somewhat of a throwaway room when it comes to both design and decorating. But if you’re smart, a bathroom is the best place to splurge since it doesn’t take much square footage, or dollars, to make a big splash. Let’s take a close look at this bath vanity and see how smart design and décor makes a difference.

Oil-rubbed bronze fixtures: There’s something about oil-rubbed bronze that draws the eye. Maybe because we all grew up with classic chrome, seeing this look captures attention. It feels old-style without being too traditional. It also works well with granite like the choice shown here. The brown and gold really suits the soft dark tones of the bronze fixture.

Granite with personality: When you have a limited amount of counter space, choosing granite with a lot of contrast and veining really works. In this bathroom, the countertop adds drama and suits the simple white sink.

Metallic tile backsplash: This metallic is not the same finish as the faucet, but the dark tones help them set each other off when seen together. When the space is limited, choosing a tile with this much texture and a metallic finish means that it won’t be ignored by guests.

Framed mirror: The ultimate finishing touch is a framed mirror. Instead of a simple mounted wall mirror, the frame creates the feeling of completion that makes this bathroom something special.