G.E. HELPS YOU FIND YOUR DREAM KITCHEN

As a kitchen designer and writer,  my inbox is always filled with news of all the latest products, websites and all manner of things to do with our favorite room, the kitchen.  G.E. has always been known as the bread- and- butter of the appliance world.  Not only have they been around forever but they have evolved with the times.  Today they still offer the basic affordable options as well as higher end appliance packages under the names G.E. Profile,  Monogram and the new Cafe' Series. These offer a wider variety of functions and integrated modern styling.

Another thing that really makes them a 21st century contender is their state of the art website.  There is a wealth of information here whether you aim to use their products or not.  Of course they hope you'll be seduced once you have entered their "web", so to speak.

One of my favorite features on the site is the kitchen design function.  Simply choose a kitchen which is similar to your own space.  Then simply click on the various color choices.  It's a lot of fun and a great way to start to narrow your choices and make the big decisions like dark vs. white cabinets, black vs. stainless appliances.  You get the picture (literally).  You'll also find lighting ideas, safety tips and even recipes.  Oh, and the "must have' G.E. product in my book is the Advantium Microwave Oven. My clients love it.  You can use it as a regular oven or as a microwave, so it's like two ovens in one!

GREAT KITCHEN GIFTS UNDER $10

Indulge me.  I ‘m still in that “gifting state of mind”.  Enjoy.  I’m doing all the work for you.  Today I'm pondering,  is it even possible to get a kitchen-related gift that is original, creative and maybe even handmade (but not cheesy) for $10 or less?  The answer is YES and these gems are from one of my favorite online shops, Etsy.com   These goodies are great for just a lil sumthin- sumthin hostess gift or as stocking stuffers.  Ok, so hopefully this gift giving thing is now out of my system and we can get back to biz as usual!

Dell Cove Spice

Franticmeerkat

Tallulah's Soaps

Oh Little Rabbit

Blackmountaincandle

FAVORITE KITCHEN GIFTS

The turkey has left the building and now as we enter that gift giving time of year, we look once again to the age old question of what to get for the ones we love.  Make no mistake, gentlemen, diamonds are still a girl's best friend and I don't want to be the one to blame when your beloved opens the crockpot you gifted her with, no matter how nice.  That said, there are those of us who love kitchens and all the goodies that go along with them.  This year there are an abundance of kitchen gifts that make our life easier, more comfotable and even maybe a little adventurous.  Here are my fave picks for 2010 and where you can score them.

1.  Babycakes Cupcake Maker-  Think George Foreman Grill for cupcakes!  I found out about this nifty gift from my 15 year old daughter who is begging for one this year.  It's like an Easy Bake Oven for big girls.  It comes with a recipe book that shows you how to make cute cupcakes, muffins and more in about 5 minutes.  You can get one for $28.88 from J.C. Penney.  It comes in pink and yellow but IMO pink is the way to go.

2. Keurig Single Cup Coffee Maker-  This is nothing new but it is really hot this year.  This is the perfect gift for the coffee lover in your life.  I love ours!  You can make a single cup of coffee in the flavor of your choice with no mess or hassle.  Just pop in the pre-measured Kcup of coffee, press the button and you're good to go.  The coffee is delicious and there are now 150 varieties of coffee, tea and hot chocolate available.  I have found Bed Bath & Beyond to be the best place to replenish your Kcup stash.  Don't worry if you run out though,  it comes with a reuseable cup that allows you to brew your own coffee too.  To be fair, on the downside, you pay a little more for a cup of coffee, the machine's a little noisy while brewing and so far, the Kcups are not recyclable. Check out this video Keurig Single Cup Coffee Brewer from The Coffee Detective for a great demo.  Pricing varies depending on model.  The B60, shown here, goes for $129.99 and you can get it at amazon.com with options for free shipping.

3. The Aroma AEW 306 5 Quart Electric Wok is a great gift for the adventurous chef in the family.  It's great for whipping up a healthy stir fry, or any variety of Asian culinary experimentation.  I even use my wok to make Indian food.  The advantage of an electric wok is it's portable,  perfect for braising, tempura, steaming, and more. This sleek, cast metal wok has a non-stick coating, heats up quickly and retains heat, for professional results every time. Includes everything you need to make all your favorite modern and traditional foods, and the large glass dome lid with adjustable steam vent allows for maximum control. The entire unit easily detaches from the base and is dishwasher safe for easy cleanup and even easier storage. Includes long cooking chopsticks, steam rack and tempura rack.  At only $35.42 from amazon.com you can probably even throw in a cook book!

4. The Tetsubin Cast Iron Japanese Teapot by Teavana is on the top of my wish list this year.  I love tea, all kinds, but I also love beautiful art and craftsmanship.  This elegant teapot has all that plus function.  This is the best way to brew tea, since the cast iron distributes the heat evenly inside the pot to better extract the flavors and benefits of the tea. These Japanese teapots are handmade in Japan of solid cast iron with a fully enameled inside and a stainless steel basket for your tea leaves. Cast Iron teapots will keep your tea hot for close to an hour. They also sell cast iron stands that will hold your pot over a tea candle to keep tea warm for several hours!  Each pot is engraved with symbolism such as dragon flies which stand for new beginnings or dragons which stand for power and good fortune.  These teapots start at $69.95 and are available on line or at your local Teavana retailer.

5. Last but not least, do you have a whole family to shop for without the budget for individual gifts?  This is a great opportunity for a gift basket.  They come in all kinds of themes including wine, chocolate, coffee, pasta and more.  I love winecountrygiftbaskets.com.  They offer variety, value, dependable delivery, free shipping and prices starting at $25.  If you've got the time you can also make your own gift basket.  This is a great way to make a very personal gift at an even better price!

FLORIDA KITCHEN CHARM

Thank you  for the out pouring of love and concern for our family.  No matter what happens the sun always rises again and we begin another day.

As you guys up in the northern regions are beginning to crank up the heat,  I thought I'd share a little warmth from down here in sunny Florida.  If you love warm tropical beaches, even when there's snow (instead of sand) on the ground, here's how you can bring this ambiance to your "anywhere" kitchen.

Blue & White will give you an instant feel of sun and surf.  White cabinets are hot!  Blue calls  to mind the ocean and may be added to your backsplash, walls or even used as  accent color for an island or hutch cabinet.

A sea view is a must and you can have one even if you don't live by the sea.  Think art!  That way you can choose the sea view of your choice.  It can be a painting, a photograph or even something more abstract like a mixed media work of art.

Gifts from the Sea are fun ways to add a beachy feel.  Shells, starfish or even bits of beach glass are great accents.  Try using a shiny glass tile backsplash for a watery feel or tiles with more of a honed finish look like glass that has been eroded by the sand over time.

Burled Beach Corian countertop by Dupont

Throw some sand into the mix with solid surface counter tops in colors like Dijon from the Elements collection by Denova or Burled Beach by Dupont's Corian.

The nice thing is you can add a little or you can pull out all the stops.  If you have "Floridified" your kitchen sent me pix.  I would love to show and tell.  Oh, and by the way, it's nice to be back!

REST IN PEACE DEAR GREG

I have been away from Kitchens for Living for a couple days as I am dealing with the unexpected death of the father of my two beautiful children and the man I was married to for 17 years.  Believe me he loved a good kitchen and I was able to create one for him when we were married.  He also loved the ocean and walking on Lake Worth Beach. We divorced 7 years ago.  I moved on with my life but we were always friends and I never lost the love in my heart for him.  I think today I can accept he is in a better place.  I will be back soon. 

SPELL IT OUT IN THE KITCHEN

Lately I've been reading a lot about something called TYPOGRAPHY which is  the art and technique of arranging type, type design and generally playing around with letters, numbers and symbols.  It's bold and exciting and can define your kitchen in a new way.  You can buy unfinished letters which can be painted  and creatively arranged to add a little intrigue to the heart of you home. Here are just a few ways you can bring typography into the mix for minimal investment.

Fun with food!  There's nothing like a giant letter garnish to start a dinner conversation.

Just a few BIG letters strategically placed on a shelf or hung on the wall may be all you need.

How about an art print featuring your lucky number or favorite phrase?

Use a good old fashioned black board if you want to write your own text.  This allows you to change it up.  Invite the family to contribute.  Heck, it could even be your grocery list.  The point is that the writing is the decorative element.  Make your own blackboard with chalkboard paint by Benjamin Moore.

Drop me a line and let me know your decorating type! (Sorry)