Kitchen: Utensil Storage Options

Welcome! Since my last post (excluding Spiritual & Inspirational Sunday) addressed options for storing flatware, I thought I would stay in the kitchen and follow that up with options for storing kitchen utensils.

 

^I like a wide drawer with dividers. It not only makes the items visible but keeps the utensils organized.

Source unknown. If you know the source, please contact me so I can note it.

^If your kitchen cabinet space does not allow for a wide drawer, consider using several narrower drawers.  I love the neatness of the drawer in the photo above.

Source unknown. If you know the source, please contact me so I can note it.

 

^This is a super wide drawer conveniently located at the stove.

Source: Taunton’s Home Storage Idea Book by Joanne Kellar Bouknight

^Storing utensils vertically is an interesting option. I have never used one of these. Do the utensils fall off or get jammed when you pull out or push in the cabinet? 

Source unknown. If you know the source, please contact me so I can note it.

^Another example of a drawer with generous width and dividers.

Source unknown. If you know the source, please contact me so I can note it.

 

^Realizing custom made drawers are expensive and some kitchens are tight on space, you an always store utensils in simple can such as the stainless steel one shown above.

Source: Personal photo file

^Or you might opt to use a decorative urn as shown above. I really like this!

Source: Great Kitchen Ideas

 

^Yet another option is to hang utensils from utensils holders mounted on the wall.

Source: Great Kitchen Ideas

Please tell me which option you prefer!  I will be following up with a Mistakes to Avoid post in a few days. Please check back!  Blessings. …Susan

Spiritual & Inspirational Sunday, August 16, 2009

Welcome to my Spiritual & Inspirational Sunday post and part three, the final post of my Tidbits of Wisdom series.  These tidbits, which I have named Tidbits of Wisdom, came to me in an email forward which noted the source to have been a 90 year old woman named Regina Brett. I learned in a comment that Regina Brett is a 53 year old columnist for The Plain Dealer, Cleveland, OH.  She was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Commentary in 2008 and 2009.  She has a book coming out in April 2010 based on her 50 Life Lessons.  To read past columns, you can go to www.cleveland.com/brett. To read the first part of my post, click here. To read the second part, click here.  Blessings.  …susan

Tidbits of Wisdom

31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

32. Don’t take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

33. Believe in miracles.

34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn’t do.

35. Don’t audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.

36. Growing old beats the alternative—dying young.

37. Your children get only one childhood.

38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.

39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.

40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else’s, we’d grab ours back.

41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

42. The best is yet to come.

43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

44. Yield

45. Life isn’t tied with a bow, but it’s still a gift.

Kitchen: Flatware Storage Options

Welcome! Although most of us have stored our flatware (knives, spoons, forks) the traditional way, I want to share with you other options for flatware storage. These could be used in the kitchen cabinets or in the butler’s pantry. 

I am joining Julia’s Hooked on Friday blog party, so click here to check it out.

In the photo above, I like having three drawers in one because it allows for more pieces of flatware and it is easier to see.  Here in the South it is not unusual to have place settings for twenty-four. 

Below is the same concept except these pull out drawers/shelves are behind cabinet doors. I do not like having pull-out drawers or shelves behind cabinet doors because the cabinet door  has to be fully open in order to pull out the drawer or shelf.  I much prefer the option in the photo above.

^The above photo and below shows storing flatware vertically instead of horizontally in a drawer. You could customize the size of each storage compartment.

^Source: Southern Accents Sept.-Oct, 2008

In the photo below, is yet another option. I like having the dividers lined in silver cloth or other soft material. 

 

 

^Above, I like the width of each compartment for the flatware but here is another pull-out located behind a cabinet door.  I wish these compartments were silver cloth lined.

^Source:  Dream Kitchens magazine

^I like the shallow depth and the extra wide width of this drawer as well as the layout of the compartments.  It also appears to be a single drawer.  I just wish it was lined with silver  cloth. 

^Sorry about the poor quality of the photo above, it did not scan clearly but I am hopeful you can see enough to understand the storage idea.  I am assuming there are three shallow drawers with cabinets located below which is similar to the photo below. Each drawer operates independently of the other.  The top one and the third one appear to hold flatware and the middle one holds napkins. I am a big fan of shallow drawers for such uses.  Additional shallow drawers could hold napkin rings, place cards, flatware serving pieces, and other related items.

^A very functional built in used in a bulter’s pantry. Four shallow drawers that operate independently and cabinets below which can hold various  entertaining pieces.  I could see one cabinet having vertical dividers for tray storage. Or adjustable shelves to hold serving pieces. 

Let me know in a comment what you think of these storage options. Blessings. …susan

Most of the photos used in this post were torn out of magazines over the years and I do not know the source. If you know the source, please contact me and I will gladly give credit.

Mountain Homes-Patios & Porches

Welcome to part six and the last of my Carolina Mountain Homes post. These are presold homes built in The Cliffs Communities in the mountains of North and South Carolina in the Asheville and Greenville area. My son-in-law, Ray Foral, was the builder. His company is Ridgeline Construction Group, Inc. out of Greenville, SC. 

To see the first post of the series click here, second here, third here, fourth here, and fifth here or just scroll through my blog.  Enjoy!

^In the photo above, Phantom screens were used so the homeowner could make this area a screened in porch or raise the screen and enjoy an open air porch. The home sits up on a ridge overlooking the golf course. Isn’t this a great place to gather by the outdoor fireplace with family and friends while using the built in grill. 

 

^The photo above and below are of the same home in the first photo but taken at a different angle. The photo below has the Phantom screens raised.

In the  photo above, the windows to the far left are the master bedroom. In the middle are the Nano doors that open into the living room. The glass doors to the far right leading into the home from the porch take you into the dining room and just beyond it is the kitchen. 

^What a beautiful view of the golf course and mountains. This photo makes this porch area appear a bit squatty but the ceilings are tall and gorgeous and the porch area is expansive. To the left of the fireplace is a screen door that leads to a small patio area. If you look at the far left of this photo you can see vertical tracks for the phantom screen which gives you the ability to screen in the porch if the bugs are out.

^The location of this fire pit provides great views of the golf course as well as sunsets. Unless the wind is blowing towards the home, this fire pit is located far enough away to avoid the smoke becoming an issue in the home.

^Wouldn’t you like to be sitting in this infinity pool/hot tub watching the sun set? That a lake with an island below.

^Because of the beautiful views that can be seen from this home, there are plenty of exterior gathering places so those views can be enjoyed.

Notice the Nano pocket door peaking out just to the right of the fireplace which when each Nano door is open, allows this patio area to flow into the home

Below are photos of my son-in-law, the home builder, with my daughter and their two children!

Spiritual & Inspirational Sunday August 9, 2009

Welcome to my Spiritual & Inspirational Sunday post and part two of my Tidbits of Wisdom series.  These tidbits which I named Tidbits of Wisdom came to me in an email forward which noted the source to have been a 90 year old woman named Regina Brett. These appeared in a column in The Plain Dealer, Cleveland, OH.  There are forty-five tidbits. I am sharing them in three parts. 

My hope is that my Spiritual & Inspirational Sunday post will touch you in a way that makes you pause and reflect. Perhaps you will share what you read with a friend who is in need of reading the very thing that I wrote in the post. Blessings!  …susan 

Tidbits of Wisdom

13. Don’t compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn’t be in it.

15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don’t worry, God never blinks.

16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.

17. Get rid of anything that isn’t useful, beautiful, or joyful.

18. Whatever doesn’t kill you really does make you stronger.

19. It’s never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you.

20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don’t take no for an answer.

21. Burn the candles use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don’t save it for a special occasion. Today is special.

22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.

23. Be eccentric now. Don’t wait for old age to wear purple.

24. The most important sex organ is the brain.

25. No one is in chare of your happiness but you.

26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words “in five years, will this matter?”

27. Always choose life.

28. Forgive everyone of everything.

29. What other people think is none of  your business.

30. Time heals almost everything. Give it time.

Leave me a comment and tell me which one of these resonated with you and why!  My next post is my final one in the Carolina Mountain home series. I will be showing patios and porches.  Come back and check it out.

Mountain Homes-Bedrooms

Welcome to part five of my Carolina mountain home series which features five beautiful bedrooms. These are presold homes built by my son-in-law, Ray Foral of Ridgeline Construction Group, Inc in The Cliffs Communities located in the Asheville, NC and Greenville, SC area.  To see the first post, click here. Second post, click here,  third post, click here, and fourth post, click here.

Isn’t this bedroom warm and inviting?  I love the green walls and the large window seat with the storage drawers below. I am a fan of large bedside tables with drawers especially in the master bedroom.

This is my favorite of the bedrooms shown in this post though the previous bedroom is a close second. I am especially fond of the large window panes in this bedroom. The black and white toile fabric with the touches of yellow in the pillows and bench and the natural light give this room a bright and happy feel. 

When I look at this photo I see two’s; two lamps, two bedside tables, two benches at the foot of the bed, a pair of pictures on the wall, two pairs of pillows on the bed, and two pairs of windows. It is a good example of why odd numbers are important.  I do like the ceiling, especially the large timber. I could see myself working on my blog sitting in the chair with my laptop in my lap, my feet on the ottoman and a wonderful window view. 

Wouldn’t you like to stay in this lovely guest bedroom. I like the wall color and the fabrics. Personally, I am not a fan of matching bedroom furniture but it seems to work well in this room. . Instead of both sets of wall art being pairs of prints, I would have preferred in one of the areas a larger single piece. A mirror over the dresser might have been a good choice with only one mirror.  

This amoire and chair are in one of the bedrooms.  Warm mountain colors accent this bedroom.

I am not sure if this is a powder room or the bathroom for a guest bedroom.  I like the sink and faucets being a rustic mountain look.

From the functional side of me, I am a big fan of drawers under bunk beds. I like them large and deep enough to hold a piece of luggage. It helps keep a room tidy. I like that each bed has a sconce on the wall for reading. There appears to be a tv built into the wall at the foot of each bed. How lucky for the grandchildren!  I like the shelf at the head of the bed which provides a place for an alarm clock, a book, tv remote control, etc. 

I hope you enjoyed this post. One more to go in this series which will feature patios and porches. Blessings.  …susan

Mountain Homes-Family Rooms

Welcome to part four of my Carolina mountain series post which features four family rooms. Click here to see part one, here to see part two, and here to see part three of the series. 

These are homes built in The Cliff’s Communities by my son-in-law, Ray Foral of Ridgeline Construction Group, Inc. of Greenville, SC.

^Isn’t this family room inviting, especially on a winter night!  I like the size of the fireplace, mantle, and hearth.  Also, I like the stone design of the fireplace opening surround.  The timbers used as headers over the door and hallway are a nice detail.  The four club chair seating with the fabric covered coffee table create a warm area to gather around the fireplace. Wouldn’t you like to curl up in one of those chairs with a good book? At the top of the stairs is the front door and side windows which cast some natural light to this basement area. 

^Another delightful place for family and friends to gather is in the basement in the photo above. At the far end is a card table along with a generous sized counter with cabinets above and below.  I can see multiple uses for this counter area. It could be used as a bar, kitchen bar, and if someone in the household is working on a volunteer or school project, this would be a great area to spread out.

The views off the back of this home are spectacular and with the four panels of Nano doors, this homeowner gets maximum use of the views. The windows above the Nano doors bring in natural sunlight as well as give you an upward view. I am not sure what is on the other side of the windows to the left of the fireplace, but I wish that wall had vertical windows so that a person sitting on the sofa could see out.

^This photo was taken from the patio looking inward into the home. This living room and dining room were previously shown from a different angle in part two of this series that featured dining rooms.  The black rails in the top of the photo are part of the Nano glass doors and Nano screen doors.  The lens of this photo make them appear more prominent than they are in person.

Which of these family rooms do you see you and your family or you and your friends gathering? Come back to see part five and six of this series. Blessings.  …susan