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May 12, 2015
2015 Dwell on Design
Dwell on Design LA coming soon The industry's largest design show is arriving in Los Angeles in just two weeks. We've written about this upcoming event before, but now is the time for you to purchase tickets while you can still get the advance purchase prices (see discount code below).What is Dwell on Design?Dwell on Design Los AngelesMay 29-31, 2015Los Angeles Convention CenterDwell on Design Los Angeles, curated by the editors of Dwell magazine, returns to the Los Angeles Convention Center May 29-31, 2015. With three full days of dynamic exhibitions, unparalleled educational opportunities, cutting-edge technologies, 90 onstage programs, 250+ speakers, and more than 2,000 innovative modern furnishings and products, Dwell on Design Los Angeles is America’s largest design event.Click here to read our previous blogs detailing the many events at the show. Update on Dwell on DesignDwell on Design 2015Many of the brands available at Universal Appliance and Kitchen Center will be featured at Dwell on Design. Here are some of them: Best Brizo Dacor Duravit Hansgrohe KitchenAid LG Studio Miele Monogram Sub-Zero and Wolf True Residential Victoria + Albert Viking RangesHere are Dwell on Design's Top 10 Reasons to Attend: See thousands of this year's best modern home and garden products Hear hundreds of design industry experts Experience living landscapes and prefab homes in Dwell Outdoor Connect in person with hundreds of brands on the show floor Explore stunning modern homes with three Los Angeles Dwell Home Tours Learn with a breadth of Continuing Education Units (CEUs) Meet, network, -
May 11, 2015
Locating Your Microwave
Find the right place for your microwave Creative Design in the Kitchen One of a design professional's enduring issues with microwave ovens is where to locate them. Many designers fight the idea of locating the microwave over a range or in an upper cabinet. They argue (correctly in my mind), that it is not ergonomically sound for most homemakers because it is too high, and it's certainly not ADA compliant in an over the range location. One solution is an oven microwave combination. It's certainly doable, but it does require a 24" deep cabinet top to bottom instead of the more common 12" upper cabinet over the counter. However, a microwave above the oven is also likely to put the microwave controls a bit too high, and certainly not ADA compliant or universal design. An option we've discussed before is an under counter installation. The main disadvantage of installing a microwave under the counter is that the microwave oven is too low. Manufacturers have worked to overcome this with a slide out drawer and/or controls that are rotated upward. That's a great solution. Here is another possibility that builders or designers could work into their plan. I really like this one. Nearly any brand or model of countertop or even drawer microwave oven will fit in this location. This particular Jenn-Air is designed as a built-in microwave, and is available in either a 30" or 27" width. The raised granite breakfast bar is also super convenient. Of course this design -
May 02, 2015
Well-Equipped Robern Medicine Cabinets
Robern M Series Bathroom Cabinets Architizer 2015 Award Winner It was no surprise to find out that the Robern M Series cabinets received the Architizer 2015 A+ Grand Prize in the Bath - Cabinetry category. The M Series was selected by a jury of more than 300 architecture and interior design industry professionals. Here's how Robern describes this product line: Robern’s premier line of modular medicine cabinets, M Series combines style and functionality with integrated lighting, magnetic storage, built-in electrical and USB outlets and mirror defoggers. While we've written about Robern here before (Robern Vanities), the M Series is deserving of special note. The stylish design is accompanied by the functionality of Robern's integrated lighting. Personally, I love the magnet to hold nail clippers or other magnetic tools. And who wouldn't want electrical outlets, and a USB charger for their iPhone? Robern even offers an optional electronic mirror defogger. But, the ultimate mirror comes complete with a TV screen built right into the lower corner. Keep up with the news while you're getting ready in the morning. It seems that the folks from Robern haven't left anything out. They've even included an integrated and programmable night light. Universal Appliance and Kitchen Center has a complete selection of Robern bath cabinets, vanities, lighting, and accessories. Call or visit UAKC today for the lowest prices and best availability on plumbing fixtures and appliances. -
April 28, 2015
Spring Cleaning for Your Refrigerator
Tips on Keeping your Refrigerator Clean and Sanitary Spring is a time of renewal. Maybe that's why the habit of Spring Cleaning exists. While it's great to clean the closets and scrub the floors, let's not ignore our appliances. They need periodic cleaning as well. Cleaning the Outside. Clean the outside of your refrigerator thoroughly. Soap and water is good to start with. Non-abrasive liquid household cleaners are generally fine, but check the contents since some cream type cleaners have a type of grit in them. Elbow grease will help with most that is stuck on, but for tougher smudges try first soaking to soften-up and then carefully use a plastic scraper with a smooth edge to avoid scratching. Remove the shelves or racks, and clean them thoroughly with soap and water. Use an antibacterial soap or cleanser if you have one. Empty the crispers and any other drawers or compartments, and remove them if you can. Clean the crispers thoroughly, just as you did the shelves. While the shelves are still out of the refrigerator wipe down the interior walls of the refrigerator. Deep Cleaning Pull your refrigerator away from the wall. Refrigerators have wheels, but they may be inoperable when the leveling legs are lowered after installation. Look for the turnscrews and use them to raise the leveling legs so that you can roll out the refrigerator without damaging your floor. Clean the floor behing the unit, and if necessary, the wall behind the refrigerator. If there are -
April 20, 2015
Making an old Kitchen New
Kitchen Remodel Before and After Photos by Ever and Anon Photography Here's a before and after kitchen that caught my eye. It was recently featured in Country Living Magazine. The home owner, Kaylor Little has a furniture repair/refinishing business Fisherman's Wife Furniture, and manufactures some pieces herself. Ms. Little conceived this new kitchen and did much of the work herself. I'd call the kitchen Basic Builder Standard -1990's. It's a simple, compact U-shaped kitchen with builder grade everything. It really caught my eye in the before/after photos that the owner appeared to have changed out everything, but left the layout untouched. However, the original cabinets were not changed out, but were painted white. The accent color, a robin egg blue, is carried from the kitchen's blue subway tile backsplash to the adjacent room. Very simple, very nice, and a very needed touch of color. Countertops were replaced from a standard builder laminate to DIY made butcher block. Photos by Ever and Anon Photography Light fixtures were updated to a retro diner look, and all appliances were upgraded from white to stainless steel. The range was upgraded to a double oven range, and the new refrigerator is a counter-depth French Door model with ice and water dispenser through the door. This DIY owner rightfully gives herself a big pat on the back for choosing a counter-depth refrigerator for more aisle space in the kitchen. She also enclosed the refrigerator to give it a built-in look, added some crown moulding, and replaced -
April 18, 2015
Save Water When Washing
Tips to help reduce your water usage when washing clothes.Since over 20% of the average family's water use comes from doing laundry, reducing water usage in the laundry room can have a big impact on your total household water consumption. Here are a couple of tips to save water and save money in the laundry room.Wash full loads.Whenever possible washing a full load is far more efficient and saves water over partial loads. It will also save electricity or gas when drying clothes.Wash less frequently.Nobody's suggesting that we should wear dirty clothes, but really how often do we need to wash those denims when we only wear them for light day to day use? Remember Grandma talking about Monday laundry day, and that was the only day laundry got done? The next time we're loading the washer, let's take a good look at the clothes. If a high percentage of the laundry looks like it might be just fine to use another day or two, then seriously think about saving the time, the work, the energy, and water usage by laundering less frequently.Use Energy-Saving WashersSuprisingly, there is not much else we can do to save water in clothes washing except to use a high-efficiency front-load or top-load washer. Basically, that means if we're really concerned about saving water we should not be using a traditional top-load washer with an agitator post in the middle. Agitator type top-load machines will use up to 3X the amount of water that a high-efficiency -
April 17, 2015
3 Water-Saving Dishwashing Tips
Save water when washing dishes We've previously written about ways to save water in your home during this drought. Click on the link below: Saving Water In Your Home Now, we'd like to specifically call your attention to saving water with your dishwasher. Here are three simple ways to save water when washing dishes. 1. Use your dishwasher. Research has shown a surprising number of households who have dishwashers do not use them. Sometimes residents believe that by hand washing they'll get their dishes cleaner, that it's more sanitary, and they'll use less water. Of course, none of this is true. Hand washing dishes uses far more water, is likely to not do as good a job getting dishes clean, and is definitely less sanitary than using a dishwasher. 2. Don't pre-wash dishes. For decades dishwasher manufacturers have been imploring homemakers to forego pre-washing dishes before they put them in the dishwasher. There are two important reasons that we should not pre-wash dishes. First, it's a huge waste of water. You're bound to use as much water pre-washing the dishes as your dishwasher uses for the entire cycle. Also, pre-washing your dishes can actually cause your dishes to come out of the dishwasher dirty, and in some cases it may even damage your dishes (especially glassware). Dishwasher detergent removes dirt molecules from the dishes and suspends them in the water where they get flushed out of the dishwasher. When the dishes are pre-washed, the dishwasher is unable to capture dirt -
April 15, 2015
Saving Water in Your Home
Water Saving Tips Mark Twain is usually credited with saying, "Everybody talks about the weather, but nobody does anything about it." Today, we might say the same thing about the drought. There's lots of talk about saving water, but as individuals we could be doing a lot more. Here is some data from the EPA about our water usage Each American uses an average of 100 gallons of water a day at home. We can all use 30 percent less water by installing water-efficient fixtures and appliances. The average household spends as much as $500 per year on their water and sewer bill and can save about $170 per year by installing water-efficient fixtures and appliances. Here are a few things you and I could do today to save water today inside our homes. Easy Ways to Save Water at Home Install low-flow water faucetsThe average person loses 10 gallons each day to household leaks (14% of indoor water usage). Installing new low-flow aerators is the best single thing that can be done to save water inside the house, and it requires no behavior change. At a minimum, we should at least repair leaky faucets and toilets. Take showers rather than bathsFilling a bathtub will take 20 gallons of water or more, but taking a 5 minute shower using a low-flow shower head will use about half the water of the bath. Don't leave the water runningWhen standing at the sink engaged in grooming, shaving, washing hands,or brushing teeth turn -
April 08, 2015
Get more from a new kitchen island
Four Kitchen Island Ideas It seems hard to imagine a kitchen these days without either a peninsula or island of some type. With today's open kitchen designs, the extra workspace comes in very handy. Here are a few kitchen island ideas for kitchens of various sizes and shapes. 1. Wheel-In Kitchen Island Belmont White Kitchen Island This roll about cart from Crate&Barrel can serve as a work table or as convenient roll-in seating for a small kitchen. Roll it out of the way if you need the space to maneuver around the kitchen 2. Basic Kitchen Island Credit: Trackmeetsonline If you have room to add a permanent kitchen island, here's one that fits basic needs of an island with workspace, and seating for two. It's great for food prep or for your morning coffee and roll: the French call that morning cuppa with croissant a petit dejuener. 3. Kitchen Appliance Island I'm kind of an appliance guy, so I have to point out that a kitchen island can be a great place for appliances. Get that microwave off the counter and into the island. The microwave pictured above works well, but I really like the convenience of the microwave drawer for an under counter unit. The wall oven shown in the above picture is particularly useful for an accessible kitchen. If plumbing is available, another favorite use on a kitchen island is for a sink. Either a main sink or a small prep sink can make the island even more -
April 03, 2015
Got Extra Lemons?
3 New Ways to use LemonsI'm new to my house and I'm happy that some citrus trees came with it. Here is a photo of my lemon tree - dripping with lemons. We picked them all, kept a few and gave away the rest. Next year we'll have lots more, and we'll get some better uses for them. Here are just a few ideas I've found, beyond the obvious food uses that we all know about. Use the comments section to add your own favorite lemon "aids".Refresh your food disposer.Lemons, even just lemon peels will help freshen up your disposer. Cut an overripe lemon (works with a good lemon also) in quarters. Push all of them in the disposer, run some water and just turn on the disposer for a couple of seconds, repeat a few times, as if pulsing the disposer on and off. Just enough to grind the peels and break it down a bit, but not enough to flush it out of the disposer. I leave it there for an hour and then finish the job, grinding and getting rid of the remaining lemon. This will not only remove the nasty smells that a disposer can emit, it actually kills bacteria and helps sanitize your disposer. Get rid of Raid - Use lemon water and lemon peel to keep bugs away.Cut up some lemon peels (fresh pungent lemon peels work best) and place them on window sills, in corners, or any other place where spiders might be
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