Cool Appeal

I apologise for my lack of posts over the past few weeks it has been crazy between me expanding the business & taking over the showroom & an incredible busy work load of late. I am also trying to get my head around a new computer aided design package Articad which is slowing up my design work quite a bit while learn how to use it. But over to another design tool here is a kitchen moodboard I put together over on Olioboard to get you inspired.

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Kitchen Inspiration

 

 

Kitchen Moodboard  

 

Get inspired with sleek white gloss handless kitchen doors & brick effect wall tiles. Add in splashes of colour in accessories like china wear or even with bright coloured appliances for a real statment

 

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kitchen tour

I thought we would end the week with a tour around this stunning traditional oak kitchen. I love the beautiful paint colour on the island.  A stunning open plan space with plenty of light but keeping a real rustic charm.

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My Big Big News

Ok so I have kept you in the dark long enough now, I can finally spill the beans on my top secret news......(drum roll please)......

 

Well for the last 8 years I have worked as a kitchen designer for Premier Interiors Kitchens and for the last 2 1/2 years I have also shared the showroom with them doing the bathroom & bedroom side of things. But as of July 1st I will be fully taking over the showroom taking on the kitchen side of things as Premier Interiors closes its doors and business owner Tony retires from the kitchen industry.

Its an exciting time for me at Finishing Touch Interiors & a natural progression with the business. An exciting 6 months of the year so far, I wonder what the rest has to offer me.

 

 

 

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Guest post

Sorry the blog has been a little quiet this week but work has been completely manic, I am still itching to tell you so much news (I know I am a tease arent I). It has been a crazy few weeks & I am a little shattered but I am off for a well deserved weekend away with the family at Camber Sands so I am going to leave you with a very special guest today, talented interior designer & bathroom specialist Helen Davies from hdbathroomdesigner here she spills the beans on her top tips for purchasing a new bathroom

Keeping your bathroom suite looking like new

A new bathroom suite can be quite a hefty investment. And once you’ve scrimped and saved, and planned and waited, you don’t want your new suite’s looks to fade too fast. How, then, do you keep your new bathroom suite looking like new?

Buying a good quality bathroom suite in the first place is key to the longevity of your new bathroom. While greater cost isn’t necessarily an indicator of higher quality, cost does give you something to go by when you’re comparing bathroom suites. Check how robust a set of sanitaryware feels and check its specifications; compare your observations on different suites and choose the most robust you can afford. If you need some assistance companies such as Finish Touch Interiors will be more than happy to assist you in your search.

When things are allowed to get dirty they start to perform less effectively. Whether that’s dirt in the runners making your shower door open less smoothly than it once did or clogged drains making your basin and bath drain slowly, a build up of dust and dirt can cause problems. So assuming that you’ve bought good quality products that are designed to be used in a bathroom (no unfinished wooden furniture, for example), then once everything’s in situ, proper bathroom maintenance is mainly a question of cleaning.

And regular cleaning is more important than deep cleaning. Sure, you need to give the whole room a really thorough clean reasonably often - once a week is ideal, but we’re all busy and maybe once a fortnight or even once a month is more realistic - but spending a few minutes every day wiping down all your bathroom surfaces will make this ‘big’ clean a much easier task, and keep the place looking great all the time.  

When it comes to cleaning materials you’ll find that, again, cost isn’t necessarily an indicator of quality. Try out a few products and get one that works for you. Some people use bleach and cream cleaner on everything. Others swear by cleaning simply with lemon juice and white vinegar. Yet more people simply use an all purpose spray cleaner all around the home. The main thing is to avoid using anything abrasive on your shiny new surfaces, as even a mild abrasive will cause them to dull over time. Regular cleaning will mean that you can shine up your surfaces without having to scrub.

Finally, minimise everyday wear and tear by using a proper step stool rather than standing on your bathroom surfaces (when you need to change a lightbulb, for example); don’t rest heavy or rough objects against or on top of your bathroom suite; shade your bathroom suite from direct sunlight to prevent yellowing and fading. And check your bathroom over regularly. Minor damage is best repaired before it gets worse - there’s no point in putting off the inevitable.

This post was written by Helen Davies who is a keen blogger,Pinterest addict and currently works as a freelance writer. Photossourced from Better Bathrooms

 

 

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Lazy Like Sunday Morning

My Sunday morning run is definatley off the agenda today. I have been feeling a little out of sorts this week so I am taking today as a proper rest day to enjoy a little sunshine & get my mojo back for what is to be a very busy week ahead. (oh I am itching to tell you all about my exciting news but a few more days yet until I can reveal all.) So here I am sitting out on my NEW patio after enjoying a scrumptious french toast breakfast, (recipe below) putting together my 'House Clinic' Column for the July issue of  Velvet Magazine. I am very excited to be featuring as a regular design expert to answer readers interior dilemas. If you have any troublesome questions you need answering please feel free to Email me & they could get featured. They are a fabulous bunch over at Velvet & I cant wait to work with them. Look out for an upcoming competition I will be running with them soon. But Velvet isnt the only lifestyle mag I will be featuing in from July. The lovely Rachel Ducker from 'Bounce Magazine' has also asked me to write a monthly column. I love to write my blog so being involved writing for these fantastic magazines is truely a dream come true for me. I have a feeling this is going to be a very good year for me, it certainly has been so far....

Here is my scrumptious  Banana, strawberry & blueberry French Toast recipe


This yummy recipe is from 'Jamie's Red Nose Recipes' its a great breakfast treat recipe & can also be used as a dessert.
Ingredients
* 2 slices of medium cut white bread
* butter
* a handful of mixed berries
* runny honey (or caster sugar) honeys a healthier option
* 1/2 mashed banana (optional)
* 2 large free range eggs
* a splash of milk
* icing sugar (for dusting)
* creme fraiche to serve

Method

1. Butter your slices of bread thinly on both sides. Toss your berries in a little honey (or sugar) just to sweeten them a bit. A little mashed banana holds it all together.

2. Beat eggs together in a bowl with a couple of tablespoons of caster sugar & a splash of milk, then dip both slices of bread in the sweet egg mixture so its egged on both sides. Let the excess drip off, then smear the fruit mixture on one slice, leaving a slight space at the edges of the bread. Put the other slice on top & press down. The egg will help the fruit to stick.

3. Fry in a little butter on both sides pushing down gently so that the fruit is pushed into the bread. Once the bread is golden & slightly crips dust with a little icing sugar & serve.


you can find this recipe with many others over on my other cookery blog
http://sarahjosephscookerycorner.blogspot.com/

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