Our Deck the Halls Contest Winner is…

Congratulations to Becky Wiseman Todd of Kansas City, Missouri.  She is our lucky winner of our Deck the Halls contest!

We can’t wait to decorate her home for the holidays and share it with you online so stay tuned for the before and after photos.
Thank you to all of our fans and participants in the contest.  It was a lot of fun to do and we look forward to doing more contests like these with you just as our way of saying thanks for interacting with us and taking an interest in what we do!  Seasons Greetings everyone

 

Deck the Halls with Design Connection

Thankfully Simple and Elegant Centerpieces (and a fabulous sweet potato recipe)

We love the things in life that are easy to do, so we wanted to share some great ideas for holiday centerpieces to dress your Thanksgiving table without the stress!

Think simple.  Whether your approach is casual or sophisticated, sometimes less is more. When you’re out getting your staples for dinner, why not pick up some small to medium sized pumpkins or gourds for your table? The fall colors look fabulous and you can group them together or spread them out along the length of the table and alternate them with some small votive candles on a beautiful table runner. Not into the less is more look? If you want to get creative, consider hollowing out a couple small pumpkins to hold candles or a combination of beautiful fall flowers and leaves. Minimal effort for maximum impact!

Or how about a little fun with your food? You like a little whimsy so why not make the centerpiece something fun AND edible?

Gobble Gobble me up!

With some skewers, fruit, cheese and veggies you can make a fantastic and edible centerpiece that is sure to make both kids and grown-ups smile.

You could also do an arrangement of candles and leaves or flowers on a beautiful platter or that gorgeous cake stand you haven’t used in ages.  We love the holidays and along with the feast for the eyes on your table, we also think having a feast for the senses can do wonders for the overall mood of the holidays in your home.  The smell of freshly baking bread of that delicious turkey are the things that welcome your guests the moment they step up to the front door.  In celebration of the senses, particularly taste and smell, we want to share with you this fabulous recipe for Sweet Potatoes that is sure to knock your socks off.  It’s worth the effort and is something you’ll find on our Thanksgiving table every year in abundance.  It’s our way of saying Thanks for reading our blog and interacting with us in person and online this year!  We would love to hear what you’re doing for your table this Thanksgiving, come say hello to the Design Connection Team on Twitter or Facebook!

Glazed Sweet Potatoes with Brown Sugar and Almonds

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 pounds red-skinned sweet potatoes (yams), peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2/3 cup packed golden brown sugar
• 5 tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• Pinch of ground ginger
• 2-3 cups miniature marshmallows (omit if you wish to make the dish less sweet)
• 3/4 to 1 cup almonds – sliced
• NOTE: I love this dish and often double the glaze for the potatoes- it makes it good enough for dessert and a fabulous sweet compliment to savory stuffing and turkey.

Preheat oven to 375°F. In a 13 x 9 x 2-inch glass baking dish, place the potatoes. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar, butter, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg and ginger and boil until the sugar dissolves. Pour mixture over the potatoes and lightly toss to coat. (if the potatoes are cool, don’t be alarmed if the glaze mixture starts to solidify again- just toss as best as you can then put it in the oven, it will become liquid again with the heat where you will be able to baste the potatoes with the mixture to make sure they are coated) Cover the dish tightly with foil.

Bake potatoes 50 minutes. Remove foil and stir potatoes or baste to make sure they are coated with syrup. Bake until the potatoes are tender (use a fork, if you can easily slice through one, they should be done) about 20-30 minutes. Increase oven temperature to 500°F. Top potatoes with marshmallows and almonds. Return to oven; bake until marshmallows begin to melt and nuts begin to brown, about 3 minutes.  NOTE:  Sometimes I will speed this up and set the oven to broil to give the marshmallows and almonds a nice browning.  ENJOY!

Thinking Green Design – Flooring Series vol 1. Cork Floors

Renewable resources are a hot topic in design these days which is why we are dedicating a series of articles to exploring options in green design.  Our first installation is on flooring.  One of the most dramatic ways to affect a room’s design is with flooring. In recent years flooring options have changed from the standards of wood, carpet and tile to include a variety of materials including cork. Now, most people think of cork as something they see on their bulletin board or perhaps with their favorite bottle of wine but the truth is that it’s a wonderful and versatile choice in flooring as well.

The Benefits:

Beauty: Cork floors come in a variety of colors shapes and patterns from dramatic to subtle to compliment any style

Health: The natural properties of cork make it resistant to insects, fire and mold resistant AND for all of you allergy sufferers out there, it’s naturally anti-allergenic. Cork is a great choice for flooring that is friendly for pets and babies!
Comfort: It’s soft. Because it’s structure is cellular and spongy, cork is very comfortable to walk and stand on. Think of it as a floor with shock absorbers. We were talking about floors on Twitter and someone shared that they put cork floors in their kitchen and loved it because it was so soft and comfortable to walk on!  Another benefit is that cork helps to reduce noise and if you drop something on it, it’s less likely to shatter or break as it would on traditional hardwoods or tile flooring.
Environmentally Friendly: Unlike hardwood flooring, the cork tree is not cut down then replanted when the cork is harvested. There are strict regulations regarding cork harvesting and the health of the trees. The trees must be 25 years old and in good health and the bark that is harvested is gathered by hand and in cycles of once every 9 years.  It is a flooring choice you can definitely feel good about with regard to how it will impact the environment. Expanko has a great video you can watch that shows how cork is harvested, CLICK HERE to view.

We love cork floors and invite you to participate and share with us your experience with cork floors and pictures too! If you’re looking to explore the world of flooring and are interested in cork, let us know.  We’d love to help you make that Design Connection and have a floor that is not only beautiful but one you can enjoy and appreciate for years to come!

Bathtubs, Bubbles and Bliss

Stylish soaks that are sure to inspire your bathroom decor.

Last week’s blog about the high number of clients requesting to replace their traditional bathtubs with showers brought on plenty of discussion and input from people who love a good old-fashioned soak in the tub.  So we decided to dedicate this week’s blog to continuing our thoughts on ideas for bathroom remodels and to focus on bathtubs.

For some, there’s nothing better than a steaming hot bath, a good book and a glass of wine at the end of the day to ease away their stress from a hectic workday. The bathtub has a history of being rather mundane but fear not, you can still have your bubbles and bliss with some of the very inspiring and, dare we say, good looking bathtub models being offered today!

OPTIONS OPTIONS OPTIONS

Often bathtubs are an afterthought and most people don’t realize that you have more options than choosing a plain white recessed, corner or freestanding tub. Modern technology has made it possible for you to not only have choices but very innovative options depending on your personal preferences and needs. There is a wide array of colors and materials to choose from.  One of the latest trends we’ve seen at Design Connection is the desire for a deep soaking tub.  The kind where you can sink in up to your chin and just unwind either in a reclined or upright position.

Asian influenced japanese whirlpool bath from Diamond Spas

Taking a page from traditional japanese soaking tubs, there are now several options with a modern twist incorporating beautiful elements such as copper or stainless steel with comforts such as whirlpool jets or stunning ceiling mounted water fixtures. If you are considering incorporating more of an eastern flair, you should definnitely consider an upright soaking tub especially if space is an issue.  They take up less horizontal space than a traditional bathtub but still give you the beauty and comfort of a good deep soak.

Sleek stainless steel soaker from Diamond Spas

Of course if you prefer to recline there are plenty of options there and exciting new offerings from some of the well known manufacturers we often use in our designs.

If you love the look of a freestanding tub but want something other than the traditional claw foot, ivory bath we have definitely got some eye popping tubs for you that are so stunning you’ll definitely want to make one the centerpiece of your bathroom retreat.

The handcrafted bases and color choices make these freestanding baths by Jetta absolutely stunning

Jetta is a company that is probably most recognized for their innovations in whirlpool and jetted tubs. With their WaterDance Bath

series you’ll be pleasantly surprised to know that they have ventured into the realm of artistic and freestanding soaking tubs with plenty of style.

Imagine soaking your stress away in what can only be considered a piece of art. We think you’ll agree that these tubs are just simply stunning with the handcrafted metal bases and designs to suit contemporary to traditional tastes. Freestanding tubs will never be the same!

While soaking is great for many, there are still those of you who love the idea of jets and bubbles to give you that personal spa experience. If that’s your thing, you’ll definitely want to check out the sōk® Overflowing bath from Kohler. They have a great video that shows how the tub works and it’s definitely worth watching. CLICK HERE to watch!

The sōk® bath has a combination of unique options that are becoming popular with bath aficionados. Chromatherapy and Air Bath technology. The Chromatherapy features are based on the idea that light and color can affect bio-rhythms and life balance. Including this with the soothing bath waters, you can get a true spa experience at home with a Chromatherapy tub and even if the color doesn’t affect your mood, the ambiance and the waters will definitely leave you feeling relaxed. They have a great blog about Chromatherapy and how it can affect your mood at the Kohler site that we’d recommend you read if you want more information about the concept.

Immerse youself in water, Chromatherapy and Champagne-like Bubbles in a Sok bath from Kohler

Last but not least, we want to talk about bubbles and Air Baths. The idea is to move away from blasting jets and toward a more tranquil experience with thousands of tiny champagne-like bubbles caressing you as you bathe. There are several companies who offer Air Baths including well known brands Jetta, Kohler and Jacuzzi and options definitely abound. With the various features on some where you can control zones and even have your bathtub clean itself it is almost too good to be true.  We have heard some funny stories from clients whom we have installed Air Baths for who have said sometimes when they self clean it sounds like the bathtub is burping! While it makes us chuckle, what makes us smile is the thought  of the bathtub cleaning itself. Now if it would only do dishes and run the vacuum that would be perfect but we’ll take what we can get.

Jacuzzi's Pure Air® Bellavista Bath

There are countless options out there if you are considering a bathroom remodel, but we think there is a perfect fit for everyone whether you are a fan of showers or baths.  We love both and would invite you to contact us if you want to get even more inspiration and help with planning your home bath retreat to suit you. One thing is for sure, with a bathroom remodel or new bathroom design from Design Connection you’ll probably be so relaxed you’ll never want to leave your bathroom!