Interior design is a form of art in itself. Plenty of thought and care go into creating a warm and inviting room that will be a reflection of the homeowner and their personal taste. The American Style as we know it, is a beautiful one. It’s suited to a fast-paced life that Americans seem to lead day in, day out. However, did you know that the inspiration for that beautiful living room you are now lounging in while reading this, came from a completely different part of the world?
In the past, we have relied heavily on the style of the Old Continent. In fact, the European and Nordic design still influences American style as we know it today. Whether you are contemplating improving your home or simply interested in learning more about design, paying attention to what’s listed below could come in handy before you know it!
How does European and Nordic design still influences American style?
Have you ever visited the Nordic regions? If you have, then you know that life here can get very harsh. Just imagine how it must have been for the people of by-gone times, who were still creating the region we know today. They had to come up with different ways to survive the harsh Nordic climate, and it all began with the creation of their homes. The functional and minimalistic style the Americans love today came from the Nordic region in Europe. To best see how this style has affected the American one, just take a look around your home, and pay attention to the following details.
How does European and Nordic design still influence American style?
The day in Scandinavia is rather short. People wanted to make the best use of those few hours of daylight they get, as well as brighten their environments when the sun goes down for the day. That’s when they turned to bright colors. When you look around yourself, you will inevitably see pastel colors and light. This type of environment is elegant, clean, enticing, and inviting. If you want to introduce the Nordic style into your American home, all you have to do is change the color of a few key elements. Or add another coat of paint to your walls. It’s a good way to improve the look of your house, stay on the budget, and bring in some elements of one of the most popular interior design styles today – the Nordic style!
The Nordic style is dedicated to using the natural sunlight to the max.
Those who have recently bought homes know that the open-plan concept is not only trendy but highly desirable. It allows for greater freedom to decorate and it improves the functionality of a household. Not to mention that it gives a beautiful look, especially when designed according to the latest trends. Whether the open-plan concept would arrive to the US were it not for the Scandinavia is a mystery. It was the practicality of the Nordic design that made it possible for us to enjoy a beautiful, clean, and clutter-free house today.
If you are moving to a new place and buying a house, consider it best to buy a house with an open-plan concept. And if moving to a state as sunny as Florida, it’s precisely when you should abide by the Nordic trends. They will allow you to reap the benefits of living in a sunny state to the max. If and when relocating to South Florida with ease, or planning to do it, just pay attention to the property you settle in. It will be of great importance for the overall quality of your life.
The open-plan concept is not just beautiful – it’s also practical!
Aren’t the simple things always the sweetest ones? Wouldn’t you prefer to be able to do all the things in life without too much hassle? If you were relocating to another state, wouldn’t it be better to find a quality moving company like Moving Kings Van Lines FL right away, without having to spend days searching for it? Wouldn’t it be nice to pack up your items without wasting weeks spent worrying about it? Likewise, how amazing would it be to live in a simple yet sophisticated home? To answer your question – it would be incredible.
Luckily, all you have to do is follow the European and Nordic style. Simple forms are a recognizable feature of the aforementioned style. That can probably be best seen through the invention of the famous egg chair. This piece of furniture can today be found in all American homes, as well as trendy coffee shops. And what is it if not a simple and beautifully made piece? It’s also not made from any rare nor expensive materials. That’s something all Americans crave – a beautifully furnished house that didn’t cost a lot.
The European and Nordic style is eternal
If there is one thing that can be said for sure is that the European and Nordic style isn’t likely to go out of style any time soon. It’s a design that is based on functionality, minimalism, as well as beauty, and those can never get boring. When you take into account that it’s also budget-friendly, you can easily see why Mommy Ramblings is so in love with it!
That European and Nordic design still influences American style is no secret. What is the burning question is whether or not you’ll decide to incorporate it in your home. The answer is a tough one. If you are a practical person that is enamored with the clean look, you will most certainly opt for this design. On the other hand, if you love bright colors and warmth, the Nordic style might not be suited to your taste. But, you can’t know until you try, so don’t be afraid to give it a go.
This is a collaborative guest post. The ideas and views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of Mommy Ramblings.
You can imagine my surprise when, after giving up on finding cream, and picking everything in white, I found out I could get it all in a royal cream color. Shopping for tile is very confusing. So, now I am going with cream. I mean, I think I am going with the cream, lol.
I like a 3″ by 6″ subway tile that is beveled, and glossy.
I don’t need much bullnose or trim pieces in my kitchen. I only need two small pieces where the tile comes up on the sides of the sink on either side of the window. I plan to top it with this piece of crown trim.
The other area I need a trim piece is on the side near my french sliding doors. I am not sure which trim piece to go with there, but there are a variety of trim pieces available. I will check with the installers, on what they think would look best. Here are some of the choices beyond the piece above. I know the colors don’t all look the same, but that is not accurate, they are all the same brand and same color.
Okay, at least there is an abundance of trim, the only thing they do not have, is the double bullnose corner piece. It is however available if I go with the white. I am not sure that it is necessary, but if it is, that will be my sign to go with the white, lol.
So now for the special accent behind the cooktop. I was inspired by this photo I found online on Pinterest or Google Images, I cannot even remember, I have looked at so many.
So, this brand also has a 4.5″ by 4.5″ tile that I could use in this design.
I would use the crown trim for the frame.
The part I am stuck on is what color to use for the mosaics for the border and for the deco between the square tiles. Some that I think would be good are:
My countertops are Cambria Quartz in Nevern.
My cabinets are Wood Mode in Vintage Bright White.
Ugh, as I am writing this, I am not thinking maybe I should go with the white. The cream is not a beige but really a bone that my kitchen designer said would look good. I am so conflicted. lol Here is the white:
And a close up of it:
And now the Royal Cream close up:
My cabinets are not a bright white they have a glaze that makes them vintage, and more of a creamy white.
So, what are your thoughts on this? I really would love to hear, this has been the hardest decision of the entire kitchen project.
It is called FotoJet and it is free to use. To make things really easy, their site puts a massive amount of templates and resources at your fingertips. Tired of trying to navigate graphic design software that is so complicated all you get is frustrated? Then you will love FotoJet, because with just a few clicks you can get professional results even if you have no experience. That is because everything is user-friendly and effortless. You can try it for free for yourself right now. There is no registration or downloading required.
I was checking out the site recently and was playing around with some of their templates. I made these Save The Date examples to show you how easy it is to start with one of their designs and change it up to fit your style or the style of a client.
Both of those designs above were made using one of FotoJet’s templates. I just switched out backgrounds, fonts, colors, graphics etc. It was a lot of fun and I could easily undo anything I did not like.
Here are some graphics I made recently made to go with some of my blog articles.
Both of the above images started with a free stock image and I added overlays, frames, texts and other effects to dress them up.
Best of all, the free version gives you many options to create the graphics, flyers, collages, headers and more you need. You will be amazed at just how quickly you can create beautiful Hero Images that will make your posts pop and get shared and pinned all over social media. That means your blog traffic will increase and isn’t that what we are all looking for?
Add text and overlays to your photos or stock images, make graphics for your YouTube videos, create channel art and so much more for free with FotoJet. Check out their tutorials and resources to get your creativity flowing. If you want to do even more, they do have a membership that is less than $3 a month when paid annually. Or pay just $4.99 a month.
We have great news because FotoJet is sponsoring a giveaway on Mommy Ramblings. One lucky blog reader will win a One Year Premium FotoJet Membership! Thank you FotoJet for my complimentary premium membership and for sponsoring this amazing giveaway on Mommy Ramblings. Open to US residents.
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Most of us have a vision of what we would imagine to be the perfect home. Whether you want it to be modern, have amazing landscaping, or have a spectacular pool, customizing your home is one of the many rewards of home ownership.
If you need help in sparking your creative side, here are 10 amazing ideas to help make your home awesome.
At first glance, these pools may seem like some kind of home protection strategy, but the fact is they provide a great look and can be quite popular in the right situation. If the idea of a moat pool surrounding your home conjures up images of Medieval castles and drop-down bridges, take a look at modern moat pools and see how far they have come.
Here is a trend that has been popping up lately. Suspend your bed from the ceiling and swing yourself to sleep. The bed can be made from wood, concrete, or plastic, but you’ll definitely want strong beams and a professional installation.
There are few things more convenient than being able to hit a button and have all of your window shades go up or down. Motorized blinds and shades allow you to manage the ambience, privacy, and sun level of each room quickly without the fuss of cords and pulleys.
If you are a fan of cats, then you already know that they like to live in a world of their own. The cat transit system allows them to travel the house in the privacy of their own little tunnels.
How about a glass floor in one of your rooms? It can make some people a bit nervous standing on one, but having a glass floor adds a coolness factor to most homes. Instead of glass you can also have smooth concrete floors with tile or glass features combining the best of both worlds.
Imagine having a few guests over for dinner and all of a sudden, a full-sized pool table appears from out of the wall. That is high-speed to say the least.
There is a company called “Concrete Crib” that can make custom concrete furniture like tables, benches, pools, and counters. Any of their unique creations would be certain to add that special wow factor to any home. Concrete products are popular because not only are they unique, they are easy to clean and durable as well.
Everyone loves going to the drive-in and enjoying a giant movie screen outdoors, but they really don’t compare to having one in your backyard. You can invite friends and family over to see the latest and greatest movies without having to drive anywhere.
This might appeal more to the younger generation but how about a room with built-in skateboard ramps? How many times have you seen something like that? If you want to impress your friends, add one of these to your contemporary house.
You don’t have to be a huge fan of wine to appreciate the beauty of a spiral wine cellar. Your guests will be impressed at this amazing feature in your home.
Regardless of which route you take in personalizing your home, it’s always exciting to seek out fun and new things that you can add. Whether it’s a small bowling alley, or a rooftop tennis court, the options are practically limitless.
I believe, I shared our choice of Wood-Mode Custom Cabinetry for our kitchen. We are going with their Brookhaven line and our door style is Winter Haven Raised.
The first time I went into the kitchen design center and started working with Regina, our kitchen designer, I was sure I was going with Antique White. Yesterday, when my husband and I were there together making final decisions, I changed my color choice. I am going with Vintage Lace.
Wood-Mode’s Vintage Opaque is a distinctive glaze applied over the base color which in our case is Lace and adds a brushed appearance to the surface while highlighting the details of the door style and architectural elements.
It is funny because the first time I was there, I was sure I did not want that look and yet, the second time, I was sold on it. I feel that is why it is so important to meet with your kitchen designer multiple times in the planning stages of your project. So far, we have been to the kitchen showroom 2 times and Regina has been out to our house once to take measurements.
Now, that we are getting closer to putting the order in, she will come out again to make sure everything is correct. It is so nice to work with a kitchen designer who has experience and guides you along through the process. Yesterday, I remember clearly saying to myself, “Wow, I am so glad she thought of that!”
The other thing is, they can give you great advice that can save you money and headaches. For instance, since my cooktop is mounted against an outside wall, she advised me not to go with a pot filler. I was not sold on one either, you may remember my earlier post.
The reason is, living in upstate New York, there is a danger of the pipes freezing which would cause extensive damage to our kitchen. Dealing with the damage from a leak is something we are familiar with and do not wish to deal with again if we can help it.
I know you can mount them on deck but I don’t want that sticking out of the counter top. Truthfully, the more I read about them, the more I am glad to have that reason for not putting one in. You still need to carry the water back to your sink. We decided to add an island prep sink which is behind the stove area. This will allow us to fill pots even if someone is at the kitchen sink. I am good with that.
I am really excited about how I was able to utilize a lot of what I considered dead space in my old kitchen. My kitchen did have a lot of bells and whistles but there were some things I wanted to change. We have so many baking trays, cookie sheets, cutting boards, cooling racks etc. In my old kitchen, I did have a tray cabinet but it was not large enough for everything we had.
It is not a matter of getting rid of some of it because we cook and bake all the time and use it all. So we added more slotted storage to our kitchen. The cabinet above the refrigerator is one that we hardly used. It contained some light bulbs and a container of glue. We added tray storage up there and I think it is going to be great.
We also have a bottom tray cabinet next to the stove as we did before and over the ovens we put more slotted storage. We have an oven drawer under the double ovens as we did before to handle frequently used pans and sheets.
Something else I am super excited about, are the great pull out cabinets we put on the other side of our cooktop. If you think our tray situation was excessive, our collection of spatulas, ladles, cooking spoons and other cooking tools rivals it. Currently, we had two large utensil drawers and 2 large crocks on the counter. I wanted to find a more useful and out-of-sight way to store what we needed.
Browsing Pinterest, I found these great pull out cabinets with crocks built-in. I showed them to my kitchen designer who incorporated them into the design. The insert is made by a company called Rev-a-Shelf, and they have so many creative ways to get the most out of your kitchen.
We have another pull out cabinet like that but with a different insert that can handle our cooking oils, sprays etc. In an upper cabinet to the right of the cooktop we have our spice cabinet.
Being tall, I hate having to stoop down to see all the way to the back of lower cabinets. In my current kitchen, there are only three cabinets I had to do that. The rest all had roll outs or were drawer units. In this kitchen we made sure that there are no cabinets that would cause me to lay on the floor or crawl into to see what is in the back.
I eliminated the desk area and glass door cabinet that was above it from my current kitchen. We did not use the desk and it was a catch-all for everything as were the glass door cabinets. In its place we added some more pull out pantry storage which I am crazy about.
The new refrigerator is being set into cabinets to give it a built-in look. On the side of my fridge in my other kitchen, I had decorative raised panels that matched the cabinets. In our new kitchen design we added some useful storage. We are putting in a functioning cabinet that will have lower storage for our broom, dust pan etc and upper storage for cleaning supplies, garbage bags etc. Something similar to this design I saw on Pinterest.
In the new kitchen we have extended all our upper cabinets to 42″. This extra cabinet space will give us the room we need to store appliances that we don’t use every day. We are removing the extended sofits to make room for the taller cabinets. On top of the cabinets we will add a very nice crown molding.
We are in the process of picking out our new quartz counters. In my old kitchen I had quartz counters and I love them. However, I want a little more movement in the new ones. I think I have found my countertop but not 100% sure.
Regina had me bring home my door sample and a large sample of the counter to look at it in the kitchen to make it easier for me to decide.
We are putting in a Farmhouse sink from Nantucket sinks and it has a really nice drain that we also chose from their website that never lets your hands touch the mess in the drain. Really cool and that is not all!
The sink has two front sides so you can choose what design you want. The smooth front of the Hyannis or the decorative side of the Chatham. I still have to pick the faucet. Oh, all the decisions!
We love the built-in butcher block we have in our old kitchen and so we went with one in this design also. It will be built into the side of the island to the right of the prep sink. We placed the pull out waste and recycling underneath so you can peel and chop and then just shove scraps right into the trash. To the side of the cutting board we put a large drawer to store our knives, and next to that, we put our utensil storage.
Another big change we are making is using two of the large island drawers to hold our dishes with a peg drawer inserts. This will make it easier to set the table and for the kids to get dishes themselves without having to climb up to reach them in upper cabinets. We added about 12 inches to the length of our island and this allowed us to put a 12 inch cabinet on the end with doors to store serving pieces, dishes and glasses.
Over the cooktop we have an English Country Elliptical Range Hood that matches the cabinets. I am not certain we are going with this style but I am leaning toward it.
The microwave will be hung over the counter next to the double ovens.
All of the cabinet doors and drawers are soft close and the doors are the full overlay style. We picked out our hardware too and I really like the way it looks and feels. The drawer pulls are nice and large and can accommodate hands of all sizes.
We have a large storage pantry in the same spot we did before but instead of having those wooden racks that pull and slide out to hold cans, we have added slide out shelf pull outs that our designer tells me I will find much more useful.
We are using commercial style appliances and I will update you on those in another post. For the flooring we are going to do a wood look porcelain tile. It is someone like the one I have but darker which I think will make the cabinets pop!
I think this is a long enough update for now. We have some exciting things to share regarding lighting with you soon. Let me know what you think of what we have picked out so far.
Water has a weight of about 8 pounds per gallon. If you are filling up a large stock pot with water at the sink it can put a strain on your back as you carry it. However I don’t sit my pot in my sink and fill it, I usually set it up at counter height and fill it with my extended spray arm. If you are setting a large pot down in a deep sink and then hoisting it up and out, that could strain your back, especially if you have issues. However, most people have been doing this for years and are just fine.
The other point that is made to the advantage of a pot filler is that it saves time. I like to save time and work more efficiently but really, I doubt I am saving that much time to really make a difference. It is true you can turn it on and fill your pot on the stove and then go back to your sink to wash veggies or prep other foods. That could save you a few minutes, as long as you remember to keep watching the pot and run over and turn the water off before it overflows. I can see the advantage that you can easily be sauteing or cooking another part of the meal while you have a pot filling up on the stove. Not sure if this really is enough of a reason to convince people they need a pot filler.
I think this is the biggest reason you see them in more new kitchens today. It adds a touch of style and sophistication to your kitchen. I think many would say it adds a certain status to your project. I was speaking with a woman a couple of weeks ago and she was telling me about her son and how well he was doing. She went on to describe his house and said, “You know he even has one of those pot fillers in his kitchen.”
The facts remain that you need to carry that pot of water back to the stove which can strain your back as can hoisting it and pouring over a colander to drain pasta or other foods. That kind of negates the first reason. Sure, it may save a few seconds to minutes but does that truly justify the additional cost and of course potential source of a problem like a leak? I think the reason people put them in is based heavily on the third reason. Pot fillers look nice and they add a wow factor to your kitchen.
Some other cons are that they collect grease from cooking and it is another thing to clean. Cleaning the pot filler is something you would not have to do if you did not have one. Cleaning the pot filler will actually take longer than the time you saved in filling the pots on the stove. For those that like clean lines, having a pot filler extending from the backsplash may be an eyesore. There are deck mounted pot fillers as well but that is another permanent fixture protruding from your counter top.
I am still deciding if I am going to put one in my new kitchen. What do you think? I would love to hear your thoughts.
So whether you are serving ice cream or any other frozen delicacy, you need something to serve it with. Let’s talk about ice cream scoops for a minute. How about something functional and fabulous. A scoop with unparalleled style and performance. One that is attractively boxed and presented, you just might say it’s the whole package.
The Belle-V Kitchen Ice Cream Scoop is a work of art! A weighted sculpted handle that is balanced to feel perfect in your hand along with an angled head that works with the natural rolling action of your wrist. This team work between your wrist and the angled head gives you the leverage you need to cut through the hardest ice cream like a hot knife through butter. The spade shaped head lets you get right into those hard-to-reach corners of ice cream containers.
Built to last this scoop is crafted from stainless steel for strength and durability. Each Belle-V Kitchen ice cream scoop is unique because they are hand polished. Storage pouch and box are included with each scoop. To keep your scoop looking great all you need to do is hand wash with nice, warm, soapy water and dry with a soft cloth.
We love this scoop and it has become our go-to ice cream scoop. My husband and kids don’t go a night without ice cream. They are active and fit so it is their dessert of choice in the evening. Needless to say our scoop gets its own evening workout and rises to the challenge again and again. This scoop goes the extra gallon and never lets us down. They even have a left-handed scoop too and I think we need it with 3 left-handers in our family of 7!
Belle-V Kitchen is sponsoring a giveaway on Mommy Ramblings! One lucky blog reader will win a Right Handed Belle-V Kitchen Ice Cream Scoop. Thank you to Belle-V Kitchen for the review product and for sponsoring this fantastic giveaway on Mommy Ramblings!!! Open to US residents.
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Today however, while browsing through Houzz I found inspiration even though the other 999 times I didn’t. We have now made a decision on what will be on top. Well I should say we narrowed it down. We also made a small change to the vanity. The center drawer we were keeping at the same level but we decided to drop it down like the pictures below.
Well, I heard from our tile store that they’re just waiting on our tile to clear customs as it shipped right from Italy! So, it looks like it will be full speed ahead on our master bath very soon. We are still finalizing the vanity. I can’t tell you how much stress it’s creating for me. I have the bottom the way I want it, but cannot find what I want on top. The company I am working with is fabulous, but the renderings never match what I have in my head and keeps sending us back to the drawing board. I have to finalize today or tomorrow or we will have a big set back.
Good news is the toilet we decided on will be arriving tomorrow. I went with American Standard since they are the brand I have right now for all of the toilets and sinks in our bathrooms. We knew we had to have certain features. We needed a 1.6 gallon per flush, elongated bowl, had to have a trap size of 2-3/8 in, but the most important thing is the flushing power. I wanted one of those toilets that you see them dumping everything down and it just flushes without a problem, I am talking ping-pong balls, dog food etc.
So working with the good folks at American Standard they recommended the Champion Series. I was very impressed at what I saw. There were fewer choices with the 1.6 gallon that we needed, but we found a one piece with everything we wanted and even had the soft close toilet seat with quick release hinges as an available option. The only thing I could not get was the concealed trap area. It’s not such an issue since it’s our master and our little ones usually use the other bathrooms. The Champion 4 Right Height Elongated One-Piece 1.6 gpf Toilet we choose also comes with the EverClean Surface, Power Wash Rim that cleans the bowl with each flush and it’s a chair height which they call right height.
We chose the flush lever in the brushed nickel to match our faucets, shower panel, and sinks. The reviews we read on the model we chose were excellent and that made us feel really good with our choice. I had to laugh when I read a review about the right height feature, one guy said it was so comfortable he could sit there all day, lol!!! So, we’ll let you know more when we receive it and get to the installation in the next couple of weeks. It’s getting exciting but now I must run and finalize the vanity.
I love photography and I’m always looking for great ways to display favorite shots. Keka offers protection for your iPad, smart phone or Kindle with a fabulous case you design yourself. I designed my iPad 2 case with lots of favorite family photos. It was so neat to see when it arrived and my husband and I nearly had to arm wrestle for it because once he saw it, he wanted it! The case is so easy to put the iPad into, it just snaps securely in and still allows full use of all the features like the camera and the cover wakes your iPad every time you open it. Best of all no one will have a case like yours and what a beautiful gift idea for moms, dads and grandparents!
Keka is sponsoring a giveaway on Mommy Ramblings. One lucky blog winner will win their choice of case (subject to availability). Thank you Keka for the review case and for sponsoring this awesome giveaway on Mommy Ramblings!!! Open to US residents.
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