Is butcher block in the kitchen a good idea?

Is butcher block in the kitchen a good idea? A lot of people would be concerned that wood is high maintenance. Others would argue that wood bring warmth into the kitchen.  They would both be right. Yes, it is true that wood does require maintenance, but you can seal with a oils. Just be aware that not all oils are food safe, so make sure you get one that is.

I'm not a big fan of using butcher block on all my kitchen counters, but I am a big fan of using butcher block on an island. They gives you the best of both worlds. The warmth of wood, but in a smaller area, where it's easier to maintain.

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How about using just a portion of your counter top as a butcher block? What a great idea. Easier to clean and maintain a small area.

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Butcher block are beautiful, and they do bring warmth into a kitchen. Especially in today kitchen where there is so much cold stone, (granite or quartz) being used. As far as maintenance goes, you can use oil, (like tung oil or raw linseed oil) to maintain it, and you should have no problems. In the event that you do have stubborn stains that won't come out, you can simply sand it down, bringing back the beauty of the wood!!

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Color in the Kitchen!

Color in the kitchen? Why yes please!! Todays kitchen have a lot more color, then they have in the past few years. Do you remember the 50's when colored appliance were all the rage? Since then, color in the kitchen have all but phased out. But I'm starting to see the return of color in the kitchen.

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Don't want to invest in major (color appliance) purchase? Afraid it may be outdated in a few years? Then how about using smaller appliances? 

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There is so much to choose from!! Anyone of these appliances can add so much color into your kitchen, without making a huge commitment. Tired of the color? Switch it out to another color. Yes, it's true, it will be an expense to switch out your coffee pot, toaster, or blender,  but hey it's a lot less expensive then switching out your stove!! 

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Pendant Lighting

Pendant lighting is trending these day. It serves dual purpose, offering light in a much needed area, and changing the design look of the space. Pendant lights come in all sort of colors, finishes, styles, and lengths.

As an Interior Decorator, I often get asked these two questions; how many will I need? And how big should they be? Good questions!! As with anything in design, there are guidelines. 

How big requires a little bit of math:
Generally speaking you want 12"-16" from the end of the island. Most common is 12". Lets say you have a kitchen island that is 120" and you want 4 lights. With 4 pendants, you will have 5 open spaces, one on each end, and 3 in the middle (one between each pendant). Using 12" x 5 (open spaces) = 60".  Subtract that from 120" and you are left with 60". Divide 60" by the number of pendants (4 pendants) and you are left with 15". This will be the diameter for you fixture. Can you figure out what the diameter would be if you were using 3 pendants? (Hint 24")

How many?
The Rule of 3. In the design world, odd numbers seem to work the best. That being said, rules are made to be broken. In the example I gave above, I use 4 pendants. Why? Because the island is very long, and can handle 4 pendants. Just keep this in mind, if you're going with less, use slightly larger pendants. If you're using more, use slightly smaller pendants. Above all, scale matters!!

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Last but not lest, what height should I hang my pendants? They should hang 36" to 48" from the top of the counter. Be considerate of sight lines. You don't want the pendant to obstruct anyone views, nor do you want them to hit their heads!!

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Creating unique table settings for Thanksgiving!!

Creating unique table setting for Thanksgiving isn't that difficult to do. There are so many great little nuggets of decor that you can use, it's easy!! All you have to do is, get creative!! 

 For example, take this setting. What a great idea. Write something you are grateful about. After all, isn't that what Thanksgiving is all about?

You can get the kids involved in this one. Write their names on paper, and then cut out construction paper to use as a mat. You can use store brought, or fresh pinecones as stands.

This one can be a very aromatic setting. Use cinnamon sticks and a sprig of evergreen!! Smells wonderful!!

Want to be more creative? Sew those cute little burlap pouches and insert your utensils!!

Spray paint maple leaf, and let dry. Then write your name in marker. Can't get any easier then that!!

So which one do you like? Which one will you try? Why not try more then one? I know I am! I'm going to use the gold leaf, pinecone place card, and the aromatic utensil setting. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!

At Abella Home Staging & Redesign, we believe any home can be beautifully transformed. We believe in delivering a custom-made look, but without the custom-made price tag!! Call us and let's get started today.

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Creating Thanksgiving Centerpieces

Creating Thanksgiving centerpieces can be a lot of fun! You don't have to make it complicated. Using simple decoration items, you can make beautiful centerpiece.

Use plastic pumpkins as centerpieces. Spray painted it gold, or any color to match your table setting. Cut out the center, and place flowers. Finish  setting by using ribbons around utensils.

Here is another example of painting pumpkins.

              

I love this one. Use fresh vegetables to create beautiful and organic center piece.

Very simple centerpiece. Fresh pumpkin and sprigs of leaves.

Create a centerpiece using a box and fill it with all you favorite items.

As you can see, you are only limited by your imagination. Think outside the box. You'll be surprise what you can create.

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At Abella Home Staging & Redesign, we believe any home can be beautifully transformed. We believe in delivering a custom-made look, but without the custom-made price tag!! Call us and let's get started today.

My new slate walkway!!

My new slate walkway is finally done!! So proud of myself. This is my first attempt, and I must say, not too shabby! It was hard work, but worth the effort. Now, I have a great place to store some of my outdoor items, and I don't have to worry about mud or weeds.

When I had my new shed built, there was dirt between the new shed, and the old shed. There was also a height difference, as well as step where the brick ended. This was going to make retrieving the snowblower, a bit difficult.

There was some storage area behind the two sheds. I thought this would be a great place to store some items. 

But it was unkept, and I knew it would get muddy at times. Making this area some what unusable.

I decided to use the slate that I had scattered around my yard. I had original wanted to get rid of it, then thought why not recycle it instead.

I used most of it behind the old shed. But ran out of it before I could get to the other side.

Since I didn't have enough for the area behind the new shed,  I decided to get creative, and use turf grass. This way, it gave me a nice clean area, and it would prevent weeds from coming through. I had some left over brick from a previous job, so I used it along the borders to make it look appealing.  Can't help it, that's the interior decorating coming out of me!!

 I used sand to level out the slate. Leaving it kind of thick, so it can settle on its own time.

And it finally did settle in nicely. Granted, it's not all leveled, since some of the slate is thicker then others, but it's good enough for behind the shed!!

Here is what it looks like, all together. Not bad!!

You can see how I was able to utilize the space. I hung up my ladders, as well as my hoses.

It is now a great area to store my outdoors items. Nice and neat!!

I decided to have cement poured between the shed. This would make getting the snow blower out of the shed easier. Which is important in the winter!!

In the end, I was very happy the way it turned out. Now I have to get the rest of my yard in better shape then what it is now, but that is another project altogether!!

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Vinyl Flooring, hot new trend!!

Vinyl flooring is the hot new trend!  With all the different styles and colors, it's easy to see why. But that is not the only reason, it can be completely water proof or water resistance!!

Gone are the days when vinyl flooring was something you would find in grandma's house. Todays vinyl flooring comes in planks that look like wood. They are beautiful, long lasting, and best of all, water proof/resistance. 

There are three different types of vinyl flooring:

1. Vinyl planks click and lock. Simply click it and lock in place. Water resistance. Easy to install.

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2. Self-stick Plank flooring. Self-stick edge tabs adhere to one another. Water resistance. Easy to install.

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3. Loose lay vinyl plank flooring. Simply lay next to one another. No glueing, no clicking. no adhesive!! Very easy to install. Best of all, water proof!!

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Vinyl flooring have come a long way since we saw it on grandma floors. Today vinyl flooring are so realistic, they can pass for real wood!! They are easy to install, making it easy for anyone to install. They are ideal for basement, where moisture can reside. And they can go be installed over most existing floors!!

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At Abella Home Staging & Redesign, we believe any home can be beautifully transformed. We believe in delivering a custom-made look, but without the custom-made price tag! Call us and let's get started today!