A fall treat..for the eyes and the stomach

The crisp smell of Fall weather certainly is here.

I thought I would post a picture of a "Medallion" kitchen that I can practically smell the apple pie baking from to inspire everyone to start thinking, "is my kitchen ready for the holidays?"

See if you find yourself happy with your current kitchen layout..or if there is room to improve.
Designing great spaces for the everyday family is what we do!

Enjoy the picture and a great fall recipe too, below:



PUMPKIN BUTTER:

2-1/2 cups cooked pumpkin; homemade pureed or canned
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup apple cider
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Combine all ingredients in a heavy 4-quart saucepan. (To make homemade pureed pumpkin, wash a medium sized sugar pumpkin and slice it, removing seeds, and pith, bake at 300 F skin-side up in a roasting pan filled with 1/4 cup water for 1 hour, or until tender. Remove, cool, peel and puree the meat.)
Stirring frequently to avoid burning, bring mixture to a boil over medium heat, then reduce heat and simmer until thick, 15-20 minutes. (Thickening time will be reduced if using canned pumpkin.)
Recipe yields about 2 cups of pumpkin butter; leftovers may be frozen in airtight container for up to six months.

(recipe from Traverse magazine Nov 2008)

Enjoy on some biscuits, toast or pancakes!

Design going to the dogs? I hope so!

I consider my client's home entrances, whether it be a side door, or front entrance, to be one the most important functions of their home.

It is where you welcome loved ones into your home, and kiss them goodbye with memories of a good time.

It is where the organization in the home starts, by entering in you now have a beautiful place for your purse, briefcase, shoes and other everyday necessities.

Now, for anyone who owns a dog..who wouldn't want a custom tiled in dog wash to gently clean off those muddy paws of your best friend? Wouldn't this eliminate time spent on washing your floors with the paw prints we so commonly see. This entrance comes right off the back yard.

When first walking into your home, it is essential to find a space to breathe, hang up your keys, toss your purse, kick off your shoes, hang up your coat, and set down the bags of groceries. Shown here is a custom cherry locker/bench system that I designed for my client's side entrance. Under the bench section are two large deep drawers for extra storage.

Now, not all side entrances have this much space but in this case, we utilized this room to also function as a laundry room that is pretty enough to dually function as a butler's pantry. Behind the cherry wood cabinetry is the everyday Costco goods every family needs. From extra food storage, to cleaning products, to kitchen linens, this room is a true work horse of the home.

What does your entrance do for you?