Cedar Valley Home and Garden - Fall 2010

cv.hg.com FALL 2010 1

elementsFallingforfall

Kitchen-aids

ColorpaletteSavory season for spices

VintageHalloween

New&nextTotally cool cork

featuresLoftlivingVintage apartment transformed

SignaturespaceTraditional style weds contemporary

KitchensthatcookGatheringplaceKitchen is the heart of the home

TopdrawerStylish and functional cabinetry

Makeasplash

GraniterocksIn kitchens, stone is tops

Counter-intuitiveQuartz, concrete, laminate

DiningoutOutdoor kitchens

FallissueresourcesParadeofhomesAnnual parade Sept. 15-19

CraftsmanTime-honored mud set process

LivingcolorForecaster determines colors

garden GardengallerySculptures bloom amidst flowers

CuttingsWhat’s hot now

entertaining CookingwithbeerHearty flavors of fall

Tastings

house planCountrycharmer

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fall2010 Cover imageBrandon Pollock

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43CONTACTS

EDITORMelody [email protected]

PROJECT MANAGERSheila [email protected]

GRAPHIC DESIGNERCourtney [email protected]

CONTRIBUTORSAmie Steffen, writerRick Chase, photographerBrandon Pollock, photographer

All rights reserved. Reproduction or use of editorial or graphic content without permission is prohibited.Published quarterly by Courier Communications

Congratulations! Hannah Kline of Anamosa was selected winner of the online exclusive “WIN THIS! giveaway. She

receives a collection of three books on knitting.

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fall2010 Cover imageBrandon Pollock

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“A tangerine and russet cascade of kaleidoscopic leaves creates a tapestry of autumn magic upon the emerald carpet of fading summer.” Judith A. Lindberg, “Shades of Autumn”

The crisp scent of fall is in the air, and as the leaves turn, we turn inward to our homes. We’re celebrat-ing the return of fall by tracking down great finds to transform your home. Plus, we’ve got some great ideas to update your decor. Read on!

fALLing forfall

Trays are handy for serving and dis-playing objects. These metal ones

are from Vintage iron, $42 and $52.

Make a statement with tabletop torchieres in a tortoise shell-like motif,

$1,369 each, interior Perfection.

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Decorate in Heartland style with warm pieces that give a nod to their country roots. With its streamlined design, this pie safe is perfectly at home in transition-al settings. Use it to store table linens, DVDs or CD collections. Little Red Schoolhouse, $725.

Hanging drapery panels or valances from decorative drapery medallions is an exciting way to update window treatments. Add more drama by stenciling or hand-painting designs in and around the medallions.

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The Voluspa Truffle White Cocoa candles ($15 to $29, interior Perfection) smell good enough to eat!

This leather martini chair stirs up imag-es of 1950s cocktail parties but with modern vibe, Home interiors, $1,980.

What’s fun and plush at the same time? A pencil rug, available in 10 colors, various sizes, made from easy-care polyester, prices vary, focal Point interiors.

Mustard-glazed pottery can be decorative or practical, prices

from $29.95, Basket of Daisies

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The glass-topped Chelsea end table, $325, Distinctions, works in transitional, contemporary or even Art Deco-style decors.

Earthy colors bring autumn indoors. Curl up with a java throw, $84.95

and a couple of toss pillows, $19.95 each, Distinctions.

Create a fall tableau with contemporary artwork (Short Stories no. 3, $39.95, Dis-tinctions) displayed with an organic wire basket filled with orbs. You could use solid or striped pool balls.

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Accent with a few of the season’s trendy colors — black, ash violet and silver. The ash violet pillow sports a glittery border, $28.95, and the other has a rose motif, $23.95, tossed on a hip, square-backed Carlton chair, $660, Distinctions.

Sophisticated and utterly cool, the black and silver striped buffet would look great in a dining room or bed-room, $1,654; companion hexagon mirror, $528, Focal Point Interiors.

They’re called “wizard” chairs — low-slung with tall backs in black-and-silver

patterned upholstery, $2,453, Focal Point Interiors. The fuzzy Tibetan lamb pillow is

in a color called “gray frost,” $131.

Lamps are as much jewelry for the home as a necklace displayed against a dress is. From Simpson Furniture, brushed steel, $99.

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kitchen aidsGear, GadGets and Gizmos

Days Ago fridge timers prevent food spoilage. Stick the tim-ers by magnet or suction cup to containers like milk and set the timers to count off days or hours. They’re battery-run and reusable. Two in a pack, in orange, lime or black, for $7.99, ThinkGeek.com

Cassis, a deep eggplant purple, is the latest color from Le Creuset, the cast-iron cookware company. The five-quart French oven goes from stove top and oven to table, $299.

Need help determining wine tempera-ture? Jakob Wagner’s wine thermometer attaches like a belt around the bottle. Within minutes, you can read the temp on the digital display, $38.

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The Mini Donut Fac-tory, $19.99, from ThinkGeek, bakes up a half-dozen minis in under 5 minutes. There’s no deep frying involved, and you con-trol how much sugar goes on top once they’re baked, Think-Geek.com

The commercial-style Dual-Fuel range from Kitchenaid features a steam assist convection capability, double ovens and powerful burners to provide a professional cooking experience, $9,549.

For an easy update, change your kitchen faucet to a flexible pull-out, pot-filler faucet, A.Y. McDonald Supply.

Got the time? It’s half past a spatula or a quar-ter ’til the slotted spoon with this cool clock from Distinctions.

your kitchen faucet to a flexible

warm & spicywhen the trees are ablaze with fall’s glory, our thoughts turn to hearth and home and introduc-ing the complex shades of autumn into our decor. cinnamon, spice, tawny orange, russet, rich apricot and similar hues turn up the heat to cre-ate cozy, appealing spaces They create a sense of opulence, luxury and intensity that is inviting — and skin flattering! • Use spicy colors in small areas or spaces that receive little natural light for warmth.• Harvest shades play nicely with other warm colors.• paler, sun-kissed peach and apricot colors are flattering to most skin types. • Deep colors can make accessories, artwork and fixtures pop.

color palettesavory season for spices

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Elegant salmon charger with jewel base, $249, interior perfection.

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Terra cotta suede upholstered parson’s chair, $89, Distinctions.

spiced pumpkin

(Dutch Boy)

OrangeBrick

(Dutch Boy)

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Valspar’s cinnamon cake and chocolate cherry are mouthwatering paint colors that will bring warmth into living spaces. The colors are saturated and pungent, but also bring radiance into a room.

Tortoise shell hurricanes, $15 and $8, and tea light holder, $3.95, pier 1 imports.

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annie Hein gets into the Halloween spirit. The waterloo resident began collecting vintage Halloween memo-rabilia years ago and has amassed a collection that is a Fright Night delight.

Prized Possessions: 1930s papier mache pumpkins made in Ger-many; a Halloween candy horn dated 1921, manufactured in Boston; rare witch and black cat die-cuts made by the Beistle co. of shippensburg, pa.; tin Halloween noisemakers (crickets, rattles and ratchets), vintage Hallow-een-themed paper dolls and post-cards from the 1910s.

also papier mache candy containers from the 1930s, ’40s and ’50s, Gurley candles, masks, pumpkin lanterns and 1950s cookie cutters in the original box and a complete Department 56 Halloween village with a haunted man-sion, fortune tellers and a witch on a broomstick flying over the scene.

FAvorites: a vintage book,“The Goblins will Get you Ef you Don’t watch Out” featuring Little “Orphant” annie in read-aloud stories told in a rhyming slang.

History: Halloween objects from the 1920s, ’30s and ’40s were meant to be frightening, not cute. in the 1920s, Halloween parties were for adults and jack-o’-lanterns, black cats, ghosts, skeletons, witches, bats and devils were commonplace imagery. Trick-or-treating came into vogue in the 1950s.

vintAGe HALLoWeen

Yield: 4 dozen cookies1/2 cup butter, softened1/2 cup sugar1/2 cup molasses1 egg1 1/2 teaspoons vinegar2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour1 teaspoon baking soda1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon1/2 teaspoon ground ginger1/4 teaspoon ground nutmegFrosting:4 cups powdered sugar1/2 cup butter, softened2 teaspoons vanilla3 to 4 tablespoons milkDecorator sugars

Combine butter, sugar, molasses egg and vinegar in large bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy. Reduce speed to low; add all remaining ingredients. Beat, scraping bowl often, until well mixed. Divide dough into thirds; wrap in plastic food wrap. Refrigerate until firm (2 hours or overnight).

Heat oven to 350 F. Roll out dough on surface lightly covered with equal mixture of flour and sugar, one portion at a time (keeping remaining dough refrigerated), to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut with assorted 2 to 3-inch cookie cutters. Place 1 inch apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until no indention remains when touched. Let stand 1 minute. Cool completely.

Combine all frosting ingredients except milk and decorator sugars in small bowl. Beat at low speed, scraping bowl often and gradually adding enough milk for desired spreading con-sistency. Decorate cooled cookies with frosting and decorator sugars, as desired.source: Land o’Lakes

Halloween MolassesCut-outs

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Text | Kim CookImages | Associated Press

Crafting websites have hundreds of clever ideas for repurposing wine corks, from turning them into picture frames to making ornaments to using them as knife cleaners or storage receptacles. And the professional design world has discovered cork as well. There are beautiful examples to be found in furniture and home accessories. Cork is the outer bark of the cork oak tree, found in the Mediterranean and, in particular, Portugal, where more than half the world’s cork comes from. The trees are a remarkable renewable resource; the bark can be harvest-ed every nine or 10 years for the life of the tree — most live to about 200. A tree in its prime, at 80 years old, can yield 440 pounds of cork. That’s enough raw material to produce about 25,000 natural wine corks. Cork is durable, lightweight, naturally insu-lating, fire and rot resistant, and has a soft, pliable quality. It can be shaved thin enough to be used as a fabric for anything from hand-bags to upholstery. In thicker forms, or layered over other materials, cork makes great furni-ture and building materials. Philadelphia-based designer Michael Ian-none uses the material artistically in a collec-tion of striking sideboards. Geometric and nature motifs are coaxed out of differently colored and textured cork. Vitra’s smart stools appear at first glance to be wine corks for enormous bottles. They’re light and portable and would complement any decor. In home renovation, we’re seeing more cork flooring. Warm, quiet and comfortable underfoot, cork floor tiles are available in many patterns and colors at a modest cost. Their resiliency makes them a popular choice for kitchens, bathrooms and family rooms.

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ToTally cool corkRenewable resource appears in beautiful objects, building materials

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Cork flooring, such as Ecohaus Capri cork flooring, is quiet, warm and comfortable. Ferm Living’s cork

ball trivet will keep hot dishes off the table.

A cork bath mat from Target puts the renewable resource underfoot.

From Simple Forms Design, the studio of Portuguese

designers Alzira Peixoto and Carlos Mendonca, a cork

soap dish and washbasin.


Michael Iannone’s deer-printed mosaic sideboard. Geometric and nature motifs are coaxed out of differently colored and textured cork.

Use ferm LIVING’s cork din-ner mats to set the table and breathe new life into your dishes. These cork dinner mats can be wiped.

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Branch Home shows Bambu’s collection of

cork trays.

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cv-hg.com FALL 2010 13

Cabinet Creations, Inc.801 62nd Street Marion, Iowa 52302 (319) 377-3787 www.cabinetcreationsiowa.com

PICTURESQUE PERFECTIONExceptional hand built custom cabinetry design and installation.

Let our superior craftsmen assist you in creating perfection from the ground up.

Vintage apartments transformed

into cool, hip loft

Text | Melody ParkerImages | Brandon Pollock

The loft feels like a penthouse with its dramatic view of the Cedar River, but it has all the cool and hip sensibilities of a cosmopolitan, urban

apartment. Transforming two old apartments above Vintage Iron,

Julie Shimek’s trendy home decor store in Cedar Falls, into a single loft had been a dream for Julie and her blacksmith/artisan husband Andy for nearly 12 years. Several years ago, they began swinging sledgehammers and carved out the shell of their new place. Demolition done, Julie laid out the floor plan using 2- by 4s on the floor to mark out rooms, then role-played the function of each space.

“Everyone told us to put the bedroom on the back of the space so we wouldn’t hear traffic noises. We wanted an open kitchen and living room, and a view of the river from the living room, not the bedroom, so the bedroom went to the front of the loft. I wanted the washer and dryer in the large walk-in closet and the master bathroom is between the hallway and our bedroom. I didn’t want

Vintage apartments transformed

into cool, hip loft

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The master bath is an earthy combi-nation of rich, dramatic hues and strik-

ing design. In the master bedroom, the color scheme cools to gray, silver

and black for a restful, chic retreat.

people walking through the bedroom to reach the bathroom,” Julie explained.

The result is a contemporary space where design and color express both Shimeks’ playful and artistic natures. Black and soft gray and silver create a soothing color scheme, and the ventless fireplace adds romance to the master bedroom retreat. Striking shades of terra cotta and curving walls set the stage for the real drama in the master bath — a solid slab of Mozambique wood supported by artistically twisted metal created by Andy Shimek.

In the kitchen, a mix of wood species and cabinet shapes, designed by Julie and built by Wood Grain Specialities, creates a sense of kinetic energy anchored by a granite-topped cooking island. A step down from the kitchen is the living area, where the furnishings are organic and comfortable. A funky, industrial alternating-tread staircase crafted from metal and concrete offers access to the rooftop patio.

Color bisects the various areas. A green shade called kiwi was used on the kitchen ceiling, while bog green dresses the living room ceil-ing. Earthy shades of brown, burnt umber and orange tie it all together.

“We both have strong opinions, and Andy’s never said no to my crazy colors,” Julie said, smiling. “It’s only paint, the color is easy to change and it adds personality. We pick and choose the accessories and things we want in the space because we don’t want it to look crowded. I work in clutter in the store, so I don’t want to live in clutter.” •


Curving walls and mirror heighten the unique style

of the Shimeks’ loft. Andy Shimek, a blacksmith/artist,

created the twisted metal pedestal to support a heavy slab of Mozambique wood as the master bath’s vanity.


You’ve probably heard the word “transitional” or seen it in print, describing a particular style of home interior design.

But what does it mean? And what does it look like?Transitional is a style that mixes together traditional

and contemporary styles. The best results achieve an elegant, clean balance that perfectly suits today’s modern lifestyle.

It’s the look one eastern Iowa couple wanted to achieve

when they decided to revamp the traditional home they’d just purchased. The Cedar Rapids home is a grand-look-ing, two-story house on a wooded lot that also boasts an in-ground sports pool and pool house. Rooms are tradi-tionally divided with the exception of an open-concept, eat-in kitchen with a sitting area and fireplace. Structur-ally, there was little need for change, but the interior style was clearly dated.

“In our previous home, I’d come to realize I had far too much color in all the wrong places. I wanted a neutral color scheme, and I didn’t want anything too traditional in style. We wanted something transitional and a little

signaturetraditional style wedscontemporary for casual living

space



Clean lines, understated ele-gance and subtle use of color create a transitional style in a

traditional home.

more modern that would be comfortable for our casual lifestyle,” said the homeowner.

The overall design style is very “today,” but not mired in trendy interpretations that look tired in a few years. “Clean and classic. It’s a contemporary feeling and a blending of spaces. That’s the look we wanted to achieve,” said Larry Roberts, owner of Larry Roberts Interiors.

Far from boring, the neutral palette is both crisp and soothing. There is a modern aes-thetic to Roberts’ use of such earthy colors as chocolate brown, sable, taupe, toffee and ivory. Rich metallics are used with restraint.

All of the furnishings have simple, spare lines. Upholstered furnishings are a mix of sumptuous texture and utilitarian practicality. Furniture, such as the living room’s classic camel-back sofa, are more streamlined than their traditional counterparts.

Surprisingly subtle, a textured vinyl wall-covering with a soft metallic coating offers a hint of iridescence in the living room. In the sophisticated formal dining room, a delectable glazed dark chocolate drenches the walls, lightened by a coppery metallic glow. The high-gloss table and chairs by designer Bill Sofield for Baker Furniture gleam beneath

a simple chandelier. There also is an inlaid walnut buffet and a black lacquered cabinet burnished in gold.

In the kitchen, cabinetry is glazed in soft tof-fee, a nice bridge between the old — cabinets — and the new, black granite countertops. A new fireplace surround to match the counter-tops is a welcome update to the sitting area’s fireplace and ties it together with the kitchen.

The luxurious master suite incorporates the home’s overall color scheme, with pops of gold and orange for a bright note. •


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321 Decorating ideas and inspiration for every

room of the house. Plus, photo galleries, inspiring color ideas and home trends.

Find great tips on easy entertaining, recipes, beer and wine, how-to videos and more.

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Unfussy furnishings, earthtones and simple accessories create a stress-free master bedroom. Crisp white cabinetry in the master bath is a classic detail.

kitchensthat cook cv-hg.com FALL 2010 23

NEW OR REMODELED, THE KITCHEN IS THE HEART OF THE HOME

Text | Melody ParkerImages | Brandon Pollock, Rick Chase

The kitchen is the new family gathering place. We’re entertaining at home more often than we go

out, cook and prepare meals inspired by TV chefs and try to sit down together for a meal as a family at least once or twice a week.

There’s the obvious luxury of a spanking new kitchen in a newly built home, but remodeling an existing kitchen is part of what’s driving business in this economy, said Mike Flan-scha, designer at Interior Source.

“We’re tearing down the walls that separate the kitchen from the dining room or other areas to create open-concept, family-oriented, multi-purpose spaces,” he explained.

Melissa McKean of Classic Kitchen and Bath agreed. “People are staying put and updating their kitchen. They’re doing a little or a lot, and they want to put their own stamp on their kitchen.”

Kitchen designs reflect today’s less formal lifestyles, and one current trend is toward downsizing. “The kitchen is the center of a home, but it doesn’t have to be massive. We do a

PlaCegathering


Three kitchens, three different looks: at left, urban sophistication in a downtown apartment, designed by Clas-sic Kitchen and Bath. Center, oak cabinetry and solid-surface coun-tertops by designer/contractor Craig Fairbanks for Craig Fairbanks Homes. Bot-tom, Omega cabinetry and granite in a kitchen designed by Moeller & Walter; contractor Klun-der Homes, Inc.

lot of L-shapes with large islands and seating at the island because that’s where people like to gather,” said Jill Petersen of Moeller and Walter in Reinbeck.

Flexible work zones, particularly islands, are popular for food prepara-tion, serving and eating and using the family laptop, as well as providing visual separation and some structure in open spaces, said Kathy Flack of Flack Interior Design Associates, a division of Simpson Furniture.

“Cabinetry is being made to look more like furniture pieces. You can get exactly the design you want with custom cabinetry, and it’s also pos-sible to customize other cabinetry, too,” she explained.

We’re also filling our kitchens with granite countertops and high-end appliances, decorative range hoods, artistic backsplashes with tile and glass and fireplaces, but beauty should be more than skin deep. Hom-eowners also are watching their bottom line and sticking close to bud-gets, perhaps splurging on granite countertops and settling for mid-range appliances.

“No matter the size, a kitchen has to fit your lifestyle and function like you want it to, whether you cook everyday, see yourself as a gourmet cook or simply want a gorgeous kitchen for aesthetics,” said Kenley Ellis, kitchen/bath designer for Benton Building.

Scott Staebell at Town & Country Home Improvement Center said con-sumers are looking for low- or maintenance-free products, such as quartz countertops that don’t require sealing, which is the case with granite. “Wilsonart High Definition stone-look laminate countertops are also a good option to granite and quartz for people on a tighter budget. It has a textured finish and good depth to the product, and people are fooled until they touch it.”

GE has introduced a new 29.1-cubic-foot side-by-side refrigerator, described as the “largest free-standing refrigerator in America.”

New KitchenAid double oven ranges — dual fuel, gas and electric — offer a gas rangetop with two electric ovens. At 6.7 cubic feet, the ovens on the dual-fuel model provide the largest oven capacity available. Plus all models feature a convection system in the lower oven.

Whirlpool’s newest Resource Saver side-by-side refrigerator comes with the most shelf space and largest crisper among leading side-by-side refrigerators, plus MicroEtch spill control shelves. It’s also billed as the most efficient side-by-side fridge ever, exceeding federal minimum standards by more than 30 percent.

A recent Associated Press poll showed that 60 percent of families sat down with the family for dinner at least five nights per week. That means plenty of time spent in the kitchen, prepping and serving meals and cleaning up.

Whether it’s time to replace the fridge or dishwasher or install a new appliance suite into a new or remodeled kitchen, consumers want energy-efficient appliances wrapped in a terrific-looking package.

“Energy efficiency is at the forefront of everyone’s thought process. People want to save money on operating appliances,” said Mark Skyles of Smitty’s Tire and Appliance. “Most people are replacing appliances as they break or get too old to work or repair. The lifespan of an appliance can be 10 1/2 to 11 years, so people want to buy the best quality they can afford.”

When shopping for appliances, remember size matters, said Fred Morris of People’s Appliance. For example, today’s refrigerators contain more foam in the back to up energy efficiency, making that new fridge 31 1/2 inches from the wall to the front of the fridge. “They used to be in the 27- to 28-inch range, so people replacing old appliances need to take that into account. We’re also seeing a trend toward taller refrigerators —67 inches was tall for older fridges, now 68 5/8 inches is nearly standard.”

The hottest trend in refrigerators is French door styling. “It’s our number-one selling refrigerator. It’s very easy to load and to find your food in. They have a great appearance as well as function,” said Tom Ridder, co-owner of Direct Appliance & TV.

Drawer-style dishwashers also are gaining converts, although Ridder points out the style is more expensive and “when it comes to loadability, really big plates and serving pieces are harder to fit. You have to think about not only does it look cool, but is it usable for your lifestyle.”

Often consumers remodeling a kitchen or building new will purchase appli-ances as suites — all pieces in the same finish.Stainless steel is de rigueur in nearly every HGTV show, and Ridder said it’s his best seller.

“But I don’t know if we’re as enamored of the commercial look as they are in the city. A lot of that look is driven by designers. White is still our primary color, then black and stainless steel. Bisque and almond are colors that have faded away,” said Skyles.

One complaint is that stainless steel shows fingerprints and requires more cleaning. However, new textured stainless steel finishes are said to reduce that problem. “Consumers want appliances that are easier to clean,” said Morris.

It’s still a good idea, especially for the kitchen’s appeal, not to mix finishes.

FOR ApplIANCEs, bIggER IS bETTER


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There’s plenty of room for family-style dining and entertaining on this granite

island; Kitchencraft cabinetry; designed by Classic Kitchen and Bath and built by

Dizdarevic Construction. Finish details count in a kitchen designed by Mike

Flanscha of Interior Source and built by Magee Construction with Deb Waterman

as project coordinator/designer.

Work zones provide space for computers, baking centers, built-in espresso machines, wine storage and chillers. There’s a trend toward “wireless” homes for tech-savvy families, as well as wall-mounted TVs and a contrasting return to old-fashioned walk-in pantries. Color is finding its way back into the kitchen after a decade of soft (and some-times boring) neutrals. “Colors have taken a turn toward a brilliant, natural palette and more saturated for crisp, clean impact,” said Kennon Springer, designer/owner of Interior Perfection.

And don’t overlook the power of wood floors and molding. Crown molding can frame out a kitchen and give it polish,said Ben Fisher. His company, Fishsticks, spe-cializes in wood floors and moldings. Hickory and maple are among his custom-ers’ favorite wood species, and it’s becom-ing more popular to install wood flooring throughout a home’s main level, including the kitchen. “I base everything off the cabinets and tie everything together,” he said. •


A room with a view and plenty of work space, above, designed by Mike Flanscha of Inte-rior Source and built by Harting and Hunemuller Construction. At left, the curving breakfast bar conceals the cooktop, but the suspended vent is a dramatic touch. Wayne Magee Construction and Matt Freet designed/built the project; materials from Benton Building Supply.

stylish and functional cabinetry sets tone in kitchen

topdrawerText | Melody ParkerImages | Bertch Cabinets, Brandon Pollock, Rick Chase

Countertops, flooring, backsplashes, sink and fixtures, hardware, appliances, paint — it all adds up to a pretty penny, but cabi-nets are probably the single biggest investment you’ll make in a kitchen remodel or new build.

Cabinetry is the most noticeable feature in a kitchen. The style, wood, finish and design set the tone for the rest of the kitchen and if your home is designed for open-concept living, the cabinets will be on full display 24/7. And no matter the style, you want your kitchen to be warm and welcoming.

There are three types of cabinetry: stock, semi-custom and custom-made. Basically, stock cabinetry is off-the-shelf from home improvement centers or cabinet manufacturers, comes in specific sizes with few options for cus-tomization. Semi-custom cabinets are pre-manufactured, but offer more details and options than stock.

Custom-designed cabinetry is the most expensive option, but the cabinets are made according to specifications to fit your kitchen layout.

There’s a wider range of choices in material and finishes in custom cabinetry, including unusual and special features, colors, wood species and veneers, as well as specialized storage options, said Mike Pitzen of Cabinet Studios.

What to look for— Quality construction: run your hands over the finish. if your nails get “caught” in the grain, the protective finish won’t hold up.— are the boxes plywood or particle board? More expensive cabinets feel solid and look solidly constructed.— ask the load rating on drawer glides. check to see if drawers fully extend and are undermounted for strength.— check shelf adjustability and thickness of shelving.

What’s the difference— stock cabinets — Widths begin at 9 inches and increase in 3-inch increments to 48 inches. Preconstructed; many style options.— semi-custom cabinets — size modifica-tions possible; many style options.— custom cabinets — constructed to fit any space or desire; unlimited possibilities.

fyi


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Exotic woods and veneers, such as teak and sapele, are gaining converts. “A custom-cabinetmaker can create something that’s unique and different for their home. That’s what many people are looking for,” said Jim Moeller of Cabinet Creations Inc.

Although he does his share of beaded inset doors, his company “special-izes in Euro or frameless cabinetry that’s very sleek and has about 1/3 more storage than cabinets with face frames. Custom cabinets are functional and practical. We do a lot of remodeling projects with clients who want to make the most of their space and create a beautiful kitchen. We make every inch of cabinet space work without fillers or spacers.”

Moeller’s customers prefer medium to dark finishes, as well as glazing and distressing wood. “They want warmth in their kitchens, a feeling that it isn’t brand new without a scratch on it.”

When selecting cabinetry, know your budget, said Randy Herman of Randy Herman’s Kitchen and Bath. “Most people selling cabinetry can sell to whatever price point you have. Let the cabinetry person know your price point, a general range. We don’t want to try to sell you a Cadillac if you’re wanting a Yugo.”

Regardless of budget, clients are concerned about craftsmanship and qual-ity. “That’s not just the upper market. It’s anyone who is doing a remodel,” Pitzen said.

Traditional cabinet styles are the top sellers, but variations in wood and finishes can make give the homeowner more flexibility in choosing an over-all kitchen look.

“Woods are moving toward cherry and maple and with some of the new glazes and treatments, it’s more appropriate to have less grain. Oak is out. Alder is very soft and that scares people, but it’s a great-looking wood. Paint-ed finishes are always going to be a percentage of the market,” said Herman.

tipWant to update your kitchen without buying new cabinets? Give your cabinets a facelift with a new paint or stain color and different hardware.


Previous page, kitchen by Bertch Cabinetry. Top, design by Jill Petersen and Moeller & Walter; con-struction by Klunder Homes, Inc. Above, kitchen by Dave Bartlett Construction.

Cherry leads other wood species for Cabinets Galore, too. “It’s rich looking, and the resale is good. It’s a rich-looking cabinet you can make dressy or contemporary because it changes with the stain,” said Niki Clements and Kathie Kane, designers for Cabinets Galore.

Quarter-sawn white oak still has its place, particu-larly in Arts & Crafts and Mission-style designs, said designer Mike Flanscha from Interior Source.

Stains are trending darker, but that often depends on existing woodwork in a home, Herman pointed out.

Cabinet facing styles are practically endless, it seems, but many homeowners are opting for a medi-um amount of detail, said Melissa McKean of Classic Kitchen and Bath. “It’s the flat panel with molding, a recessed panel with detailing around the edge, raised beading along the perimeter.”

Customization includes self-closing and motorized drawers, appliance lifts, adjustable roll-outs for draw-ers, drawer dividers, varying heights in cabinetry to increase a kitchen’s functionality and furniture-like styling and finishes.

“Customers are asking for furniture styling, not just standard cabinetry. The trend is toward dressier-look-ing cabinetry because the kitchen is exposed to the rest of the living area, the great room or can be seen from the front door,” said Clements and Kane. •


Furniture styling is popular in today’s kitchens. Above, kitchen design by Mike Flanscha of Interior Source; Wayne Magee Construc-tion with Deb Waterman, project coordinator. Hardware, left, makes a statement in this kitchen built by Harting and Hunemuller Contrac-tors from a Flanscha design.

2811 Center, Cedar Falls319-277-9409

www.bentonbuildingcenter.com

Make your vision a reality.

DESIGNERKenley Ellis

Text | Amie SteffenImages | Matthew Putney

When you think of your dream kitchen, what do you picture as the focal point? Why not a backsplash? “Your backsplash can be an accessory,” said Nancy Mei-nders, owner of Home Interiors. More than that, a well-done backsplash will have people stopping and staring, transfixed by the wall of your kitchen, said Kathy Flack, an interior designer at Flack Interior Design Associ-ates, a division of Simpson Furniture. To do that, you need to get the right materials, the right pat-terns and the right lighting — and that last part is especially key, said Meinders. “It’s the same thing as putting light on a piece of art. The light on the backsplash under your counter just adds to the beauty.” Design elements in a backsplash can include mosaic tile, metals or colored glass, depending on your taste and budget. Stone is still the traditional way to do a backsplash, said Flack. And granite — that material that everyone’s raving about these days — is also a big backsplash player, said Meinders. Flack said there’s also something to be said for colored glass. “It gives you pops of color that are just pristine because of the shine of the glass. It’s a sleeker look.”

MAKe A SPlASH


A well-done back-splash brings fashion into the kitchen and will attract attention. Above, a design by Kathy Flack Interior Design Associates. At left, a backsplash designed by Jamie Fouts of Fouts Construction.


IN NeW or reMoDeleD KITcHeNS, stone IS ToPS For countertops

GraniterulesText | Amie SteffenImages | Rick Tibbott

To understand why granite has become the hottest mate-rial for kitchen countertops, one simply needs to follow someone like Marc Schweer outside of his showroom.

There, behind Cambrian Granite and Stone, you’ll find huge slabs of the mined rock propped up like murals in storage. No 1-foot by 1-foot square samples here, says Schweer, and that’s the way his customers like it.

“If you bought this off a little piece, you’d have no idea what to expect,” Schweer, the president and co-owner (with his brother, Brent Schweer) of Cambrian, said. “You really want to pick out your actual slab.”

That’s because granite — unlike other countertop materials like quartz, corian or marble — isn’t uniform. It has natural patterns and color combinations that make each piece essen-tially unique.

Mined from mountains in Italy, Brazil, China and even northern Minnesota, granite slabs are literally slabs of stone. It isn’t a material that is ground up and glued or pieced back together to form countertop-ready slabs.

But even the engineered granite is popular, said Teresa Egli, co-owner (with her husband, Tom) of Granite Transforma-

tions. BK Tile confirmed their granite tile also sells well.“I think (granite is) just the ‘in’ thing to do,” Egli said. “It is

beautiful.”Why it’s popular

If Google confers popularity, “quartz countertops” as a phrase has less than 950,000 hits. “Laminate countertops” generates even fewer, at 551,000. But “granite countertops” generates more than 4 million.

“Once you get (from) mid-range to upscale homes, they’re going to tell you to help sell your house you need to have granite countertops,” said Egli. “It’s kind of become, in new construc-tion, the standard expectation.”

Jamie Harrison, an interior designer with BK Tile, said that’s probably because of granite’s strength. While not as hard as porcelain, another tile BK sells, it’s still more durable that other alternatives.

“Granite itself is a little bit stronger than other materials, and doesn’t stain as easy,” Harrison said. “It has a little bit differ-ent composition. It’s stronger than marble, and more scratch resistant.”What’s the price?

Depending on what form you receive your material — be it slab, engineered stone or tile — and exactly which kind of gran-ite it is (popular or rare colors, like blue, are more expensive), prices will vary widely.

>>

Customers in the market for a granite

countertop can walk the line at Cambrian

Granite and Stone and select their slab.

Each slab has its own natural patterns and

color combinations for a unique look.

But it’s a safe bet that granite, on average, is going to be more expensive than other countertop materials. For instance, at BK Tile, granite tile runs from $10 to $15 per square foot. Compare that to their porcelain offering, which comes in at around $3 to $5.

Nevertheless, just because a slab is more expensive than another slab doesn’t mean it’s of higher quality and vice versa, said Schweer. Maybe a slab has an odd pattern that some customers find unattractive, but another will find perfect for their kitchen.

“Price is not a function of quality and durability. It’s more of a function of supply and demand,” he said.

SlabS vS. non-SlabSGranite sellers say their products really need to be seen in their

entirety, because of the variance of colors and patterns in one stone. But that’s true for slabs of both natural and engineered stones as well as tiles.

Egli said engineered stone is more heat- and scratch-resistant because it’s been sealed, which isn’t always the case with natural slabs.

“The benefits of polymer make the product non-porous, which is the big differentiator from slab granite,” she said. “If (slab gran-ite) is not sealed on a consistent basis, it can get bacteria in it.”

Harrison said the tile also has more of a “glossy” look to it.No matter what form your granite comes in, it’s likely to remain

popular in mid- to high-end markets.“It’s a great material in that you can be as creative as you want,”

said Schweer. •


This apron-front or farmhouse sink

and countertop are made entirely out of granite, an option offered at

Cambrian Granite and Stone.

“What’s gaining the most popularity right now has been hard-surface quartz. They are more consistent than granite, and many use sustainable or recycled materials in them. And there’s generally no off-gassing.”

Pricing can vary, and depending on the quality, quartz can be more expensive than granite. But they also won’t be as heavy atop your existing cabinetry.

Decorative concreteTrying to match a granite slab to your kitchen’s design

scheme takes time. It doesn’t have to, said Jason Grimm, owner of The Concrete Gallery.

“Give us the colors and design, instead of running around to do a bunch of shopping.”

And don’t think your countertops are going to match your sidewalk.

“It’s typically way smoother. In most cases it has a high-gloss finish and is very rich and detailed.”

His product is comparable in price to “lower grades of gran-ite,” he said, and styles keep getting better.

recycleD glaSSRecycled glass is put into other materials like quartz and

concrete, but it’s also a countertop material in its own right, said McKean.


counter- intuitive

>>


So, you know about granite. How it’s the hottest material out there. There are drawbacks to granite, of course. It off-gasses radon, experts say, and it’s expensive.

There are good reasons to check out products like decorative concrete, quartz, laminate, Corian and recycled glass.

“You have to look at what style the house is and what the customer’s tastes are and try to blend those in with the product you’re selling,” said Melissa McKean of Classic Kitchen and Bath. “In a tiny, tiny house, you probably wouldn’t encour-age a customer to go with granite, obviously because of their budget and it’s out of character to have granite in a home with that price range. ”

Here’s a look at some of the popular materials that might fit your own style:

QuartzAlthough she carries granite, McKean says quartz is actually

her most popular product. Some quartz products fake the look of granite.

“It’s nonporous and also never has to be sealed,” she said. Kathy Flack of Flack Interior Design Associates, a division

of Simpson Furniture, agreed.

Quartz, concrete, even laminate canmake kitchen counters pop

Corian solid-sur-face material is more realistic-look-ing than before. Below, quartz has gained converts who like its con-sistent qualities. Shown at Classic Kitchen and Bath.

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“People (who) are conservationists tend to lean toward those products,” she said, although it is “not a huge market.”

Nevertheless, those looking to “go green” find granite out of the question.

“They don’t want a chemical emitted,” McKean said, referring to radon. “They want an organic product.”

Even at a business with “granite” in their name, Teresa Egli, co-owner of Granite Transformations, said she sees customers who see recycled beer and liquor bottles and want that for their countertops.

“We probably sell a little bit more of the recycled glass (than regular glass),” Egli said.

CorianCorian’s reputation suffered from a look too consistent

for a countertop. Now that’s all changed, said McKean. “Those particulates in the Corian looked phony, and now Corian’s come out with neat patterns that look more like marble. Those are coming back as a stronger position in the market.”

Corian is one of the few materials that allow for an integrated sink, meaning there’s no unsightly lip between countertop and sink.

And it’s also nice for the decor, said Flack. “Corian is the only (material) you can fuse without having a seam show.”

Laminates, etC.Although she wouldn’t recommend stainless steel (“it scratch-

es very easily and is hard to maintain”), McKean said those who like the look of the material can find it in laminates.

“I’ve found there are some laminates that look like stainless steel that are very attractive,” she said. “You can also get them in bronzes and coppers.”

No matter what you’re looking for, give all materials a fair shot.

In fact, said Flack, that might be what can really make your kitchen redesign pop. “Using different styles in a mixture can really be an answer to that ‘jewelry look’ you’re looking for.” •

Text | Melody ParkerImages | Rick Chase

If you can’t stand the heat, move the kitchen outdoors.

It’s become one of the hottest new trends in home improvement as more homeowners look toward expanding their living spaces.

Even in a climate like ours that doesn’t lend itself to year-round outdoor entertaining, an outdoor kitchen can stretch the season. Men, in particular, like the idea of grilling out regard-less of the weather.

But it takes more than a grill and a place to eat to call it an outdoor kitchen. These are complete cooking and entertaining centers fea-turing a full complement of weather-resistant appliances and amenities: grills fired by gas, wood, charcoal or hybrid grills which can be

switched from among all three, microwaves, warming drawers, pizza ovens, refrigeration, wine chillers, counters and islands for food prep and serving, cabinets, prep sinks, outdoor TV sets, sound systems, fire pits, hot tubs and more.

Wayne Magee’s outdoor kitchen and deck easily accommodates 50 or more people.

“We use our outdoor kitchen for nine months out of the year — we just use it differently in the winter. The roof structure brings the grill under cover so I can grill year-round,” he said.

The gabled roof features retractable sky-lights that automatically close at the touch of a raindrop. Concrete counters are black, and Honduran mahogany is an earthy touch on the island’s base. The heated floor is concrete with a limestone pattern overlay.

Open grillwork is in keeping architecturally

If an outdoor kitchen sounds appealing, here are some factors to consider:

1. What’s the logical location?

2. Think about your lifestyle and how the space will be used.

3. Plan and use space to its best advantage.

4. Think about traffic pat-terns — where to locate appliances, how people cir-culate in the space, etc.

5. Is the look of the home going to change? Is the expansion of outdoor liv-ing space driving other changes?

diningout fIre uP your aPPeTITe In an outdoor kitChen

>>


Honduran mahogany island, con-crete for counters and underfoot, plus

retractable skylights make for low maintenance and comfortable enter-

taining in the Magee outdoor kitchen.

with the home’s contemporary look for visual continuity.

Magee’s firm, Magee Construction, has custom-designed and built several outdoor kitchens in eastern Iowa.

“We love the outdoors, we love family gatherings and we love to entertain. Our outdoor kitchen allows us to accomplish all those things,” said one homeowner.

His sprawling but well-designed space encompasses the kitchen that boasts a massive grill, serving counter and L-shaped bar and appliances, as well as a nearby hot tub, burbling pond, swimming pool and pool house, extensive landscap-ing and a ring of Adirondack chairs encir-cling a fire pit.

From the first warm-weather spring day until the frost is in the air, the out-door space is host to numerous parties, impromptu gatherings and Sunday morn-ing alfresco brunches.

“Coming home each day is like going on vacation. The environment is designed for relaxation. It’s our Iowa oasis,” added the homeowner. •

— Install low-maintenance, weather-resistant appliances.— Cabinetry and storage should be easy to clean and remain dry inside during bad weather.— Install ceiling fans for good air circulation, if possible, and don’t forget lighting.— Choose countertop material and flooring that resists staining and is easy to maintain.

ConsIder thIs ...


FALL IssUe resoUrCes


ElEmEnts, pagEs 6-12A.Y. Mcdonald supply, Waterloo, (319) 234-6854Basket of daisies, Cedar Falls, (319) 277-3286, www.basketofdaisies.comdistinctions, Independence, (319) 332-0273, www.shopdis-tinctions.comFocal Point Interiors, hiawatha/Cedar rapids (319) 395-0921home Interiors, Cedar Falls/Aplington, (319) 266-1501 or (866) 345-2452, www.homeinteriorsinc.comInterior Perfection, hiawatha/Cedar rapids (319) 395-7804, www.interiorperfection.comLittle red schoolhouse, Independence, (319) 334-7199simpson Furniture/Kathy Flack Interior design Associates, Cedar Falls, (319) 266-3537, www.FlackInteriors.comVintage Iron, Cedar Falls, ((319) 268-1484

KitchEns that cooK, pagEs 23-35Benton Building Center, Cedar Falls, (319) 266-2609Bertch Cabinet Manufacturing, Waterloo, (319) 296-2987BK tile Inc., Cedar Falls, (319) 553-3933Cabinet Creations, Marion, (319) 377-3787, www.cabinet-creationsiowa.comCabinets Galore, Cedar Falls, (319) 266-6654, www.cabi-netsgalore.comCambrian Granite and stone, Cedar Falls, (319) 266-7160, www.cambriangranite.comClassic Kitchen and Bath, Waterloo (319) 233-8878, www.classickitcheniowa.comCraig Fairbanks homes, Waterloo, (319) 553-1457dave Bartlett Construction, Cedar Falls, (319) 268-9501, www.daveBartlettConstruction.comFishsticks Millwork, Janesville, (319) 987-3091, www.fishsticks.bizFouts Construction, Cedar Falls ( 319) 239-3608, www.foutscustomhomes.comGranite transformations, hiawatha/Cedar rapids, (319) 378-4000, www.granitetransformations.comharting & hunemuller Contractors LLC, Cedar Falls (319) 277-0627herman’s Kitchen and Bath, denver, (319) 984-5262Interior source, Cedar Falls, (319) 553-0353, www.interior-source.comMagee Construction Co., Cedar Falls (319) 277-0100, www.MageeConstruction.comMoeller & Walter, reinbeck, (319) 788-6459, www.Moelle-randWalter.comomega Cabinetry, Waterloo (319) 235-5700rock shop, hiawatha/Cedar rapids (319) 393-3847the Concrete Gallery, Waterloo/Cedar Falls, (319) 277-8600town & Country home Improvement Center, Waterloo, (319) 235-9565, www.tchomeimprovement.com

todd BlocK, pagEs 40-41BlockWork Kitchen & Bath Concepts, (319) 830-3478, www.blockwork.net

FYIFor more kitchens visit www.cv-hg.com.

The barrier-free, all-accessible house features the latest in technology and equipment to enable physically challenged idividuals or those who wish to age in place to remain

independent in their homes.

This is a joint project of Rooff Development, VGM Group, Inc’s Accessible Home Improvement of America and All American Homes

of Dyersville.

One of the area’s largest real estate events takes place Sept. 15-19.The 2010 Cedar Valley Parade of Homes attracts thousands of potential

home buyers each year. This year 12 custom-designed, model, new and remodeled homes in Waterloo and Cedar Falls will be showcased for the public.

Sponsors are the Home Builders Association of Northeast Iowa and Courier Communications.

Potential home buyers and people interested in building their own home or remod-eling an existing home can view what is available in the market, explore possibilities for remodeling or additions, as well as the quality workmanship of contractors and subcontractors in the Cedar Valley, said Bruce Radue, HBANEI director.

“The parade promotes the builders and makes the public aware of the workman-ship of individual builders and introduces new products that have been incorporated into the house or remodeling project,” he said.

The event is from 6 to 8 p.m. Sept. 15 and Sept. 17 and 1 to 5 p.m. Sept. 18 and Sept. 19. There is an admission fee that includes all homes on the parade.

Featured new homes are: Craig Fairbanks homes, 1815 Greenhill Drive and 319 Spruce Hills Drive; Iowa Select Homes, 1523 Brookside Drive; Inspired Homes, 1327 Ashworth Drive; 4570 Whispering Pines Circle;, Klunder Homes Inc.; Kugler Construction, 4127 Mary Hill Drive; LGC Homes, 1117 Eagle Ridge Road; Runyan Custom Homes, 3019 Apollo Drive; Skogman Homes, 2723 Pendleton Drive, all Cedar Falls.

Remodeled homes are: Dizdarevic Construction, 1722 Pinehurst Lane, Waterloo; Harting & Hunemuller Contractors, L.C., 2520 Cottage Row and 608 Birdsall Drive, Cedar Falls.

Proceeds from the parade are used to fund scholarships for local students to pursue a career in a construction-related field. •

Parade homesAnnuAl pArAdesept. 15-19

of



Todd Block has the most expensive and time-consuming process of laying tile in the Cedar Valley.

He takes great pride in those facts.That’s because Block knows his “mud set” process in a bathroom shower will make

it so durable that it won’t crack, won’t warp and will even resist being demolished even if the rest of the house falls.

“With this technique, you get showers that are 80 years old still holding up,” he said, standing in a recently renovated bathroom he did in Dunkerton.

Mud set is an old process of pouring concrete on a wall for a sturdier surface than the typical cement board that is used today. Not many contractors bother with the technique, and Block says nobody does it in the Cedar Valley but him.

“It’s kind of a niche thing for me,” he said. “People (who) want quality will call me.”

That’s exactly what Dave and Lynne Stout did. The Dunkerton couple heard about Block through word of mouth and decided they wanted him to be the one to update.

“It was an original bathroom from 1963,” Dave Stout said. “It was time to

craftsmanSPECIALIZES IN TIME-HONORED MUD SET PROCESS IN SHOWERS


Todd Block’s mud set process for installing

tile is an old-fashioned method that ensures

long-lasting luxury and better quality construc-

tion in the bath.

change.”The couple got a walk-in shower par-

tially enclosed in glass block and tiled in marble stone on the walls and floor. It accompanied new, more modern fix-tures, including cabinets and a vessel bowl sink, complete with a chiseled edge granite countertop.

Dave doesn’t know how it feels to shower in there — the renovated bath-room is only for “the girls” of the house — but he likes the look.

“Todd does nice work,” Stout said.The man behind BlockWork Kitchen

and Bath Concepts is passionate about the mud set process. Normally, build-ers only used mud set up until about the 1980s, when cement board became more popular because it was cheaper and easier for a crew to set up, and it took far less time.

That’s what Block did for a while, but he got frustrated with the way the cement board seemed to be an inferior product. When he moved to Arizona after his wife got a new job, he learned a new technique — in the old style.

“I didn’t want to work with just any tile company, I wanted to do custom homes,” Block said.

He found Sunset Tile and Bath, a company originally from the East Coast, and they taught him the process.

Since moving back to Northeast Iowa in October with his wife, he’s been doing a brisk business — mostly in remodels, and mostly dealing with bathrooms — and hired a part-timer.

But it’s still tough getting home build-ers to understand his passion for mud set.

“Some of the older guys know what I’m talking about,” Block said. “They just can’t believe someone’s still doing it.”

A typical three-wall tile shower done in the mud set way will cost around $2,000 to $3,000, depending on the tile. The bathroom in the Stouts’ home was begun in March and finished in April.

It’ll take a bit longer to get your shower finished. But Block insisted it’s worth it.

“If people are going to spend three, four or $500,000, or over $1 million on a house, they deserve a mud set shower,” he said. “It’s a better-quality luxury product.” •


CHRISTIE DOOR COMPANY 1905 STATE ST. CEDAR FALLS 50613www.christiegaragedoor.com 319-266-1627

“Where being a specialist doesn’t make us more

expensive, just better.”

FOR ALL OF YOUR GARAGE DOOR NEEDS

Q. How are your color forecasts for home interiors determined?

A. We don’t sit in a room and throw darts at paint chips on the wall. (Laughs.) Lifestyles, economy, environment, fashion, culture and entertainment. That’s huge — what people see in films and on TV has an effect. We look at what’s happening in the world, evolving trends, what has staying power. People are more thoughtful and hanging on to what they’re buying and want to make it look fresh. We follow how trends intermingle or react with each other. Color forecasting is meant to give consumers some incentive to try something a little different.

Q. What colors resonate with consumers today?

A. There’s no real definitive palette for 2011. It’s more about a collection of colors that fits different lifestyles. You can’t play to just one group and say ‘this is it.’ We did eight color palettes and a separate grouping for neutrals. There’s truly not a big difference in coloration; the difference lies in the ways they’re combined. For example, the Cottage Industry palette has classic colors with a sophisticated feel-ing. We captured the warm feeling of country colors — warm golden yellow, light blue, a green that goes to the pistachio side, a praline color, a pink lilac color and rosewood, a brownish red. We’re taking familiar colors and juxtapositioning to give them a fresh look.

Q. Do certain colors become more prevalent depending on the country’s eco-nomic mood? Or the good or bad memories we have associated with certain colors?

A. Absolutely. Look at avocado green. It was everywhere when a certain genera-tion was growing up, and they’ll say please don’t show me anything with avocado. Younger generations don’t have that recollection. In the marketplace, it’s out in a

Text | Melody ParkerImages | Courtesy

Color speaks volumes.What does it say about you? What does it reveal

to others? What feelings do you want color to convey?

There’s no better place to start the conversation than at home, says Leatrice Eiseman. “It’s the least expensive thing you can change. Color creates magic and mood. I think we’re becoming braver about taking risks with color because there are so many options.”

Eiseman is executive director of Pantone Color Institute, the company that tracks color trend directions in textiles, home furnishings and fashion. Their forecasts set the tone for colors consumers see in everything from upholstery fabrics to floor coverings. •

new color combination, pairing it with plum, amethyst purple or other reddish shade and suddenly we say, ‘wow, I can use avocado in a new way.’ Interesting, talented young designers are able to take a color that is tired and add a new spark to it to give a whole new feeling.

Q. Choosing colors for your home sounds simple, but it’s the most important piece of the puzzle. That may be one reason people are afraid to make mistakes with color.

A. Baby steps. Usually you can’t come in and make drastic changes. It may work for some people, but for most people, it’s easier to bring color in as accents and accessories. They’ll look at it, study it for a while and realize they really like the color and need to do something else with it. Then that color gets integrated into fabric, we put it on the wall, in an area rug or even fun, new plates for the kitchen. You do a little bit at a time and you’re hooked and ready for a big change.

It’s your house, you live there, so don’t be fearful of what people will say about your color choices. You have to steel yourself that everyone has an opinion about your color, but that’s their opinion. You have to be able to say to yourself, ‘It’s my home, it’s comfortable and I like it.’ Not everyone is going to like it, so empower yourself.

LivingcolorForecAster determines which colors will influence our moods, adorn our homes


color


Artist Claude Monet’s famous Giverny gardens in France are living landscapes. His impressionistic borders are composed with a painterly eye for flowers, foliage and color.

A different kind of art holds sway in Jean and Jerry Cowger’s sprawling eastern Iowa garden. Metal sculptures of varying sizes are scattered like seeds throughout the five-acre property, rising out of a series of informal but well-maintained country gardens and masses of wildflowers.

Visitors are welcomed through the home’s front gate by a bulbous spider suspended in the center of a large metal web. Twisting and curving vines bloom in metal to form an arbor across a garden path. The butterfly bench is a perfect place to perch and drink in the sur-roundings, including a serene lake and metal-roofed gazebo. There’s humor, too, such as the bird bath with a metal crocodile — “It’s a croc” is Jerry’s name for the unusual piece.

Most of the artwork was created by Jerry, while the garden is Jean’s domain.

“I always say his sculptures wouldn’t look as good without my gar-dens and my gardens wouldn’t look as good without his sculptures,” said Jean, laughing. “We both love art, and we love nature. We wanted to keep the gardens as natural as possible, more landscape than gar-dens, really. My principal goal is not to have lots of flowers. I like

gallery metal sculptures bloom Amidst Flowers and foliage

garden


>>

Jean and Jerry cowger pose on a colorful butterfly bench created by Jerry, a metal artist. Jean says his work complements her garden which is designed around texture and foliage.


texture and foliage and color. Jerry’s sculptures bloom in the garden.” A favorite gathering place is the barn-like gazebo that is topped with a cupo-

la and cow weathervane. It’s an affectionate nod to Jean’s farm roots. “One of the best times is when a light rain is falling and we sit out here and listen to it rain on the tin roof. There’s nothing more soothing to the soul.”

And she loves to greet the morning by stepping onto her back porch, coffee mug in hand, and watch sunlight glint off Jerry’s sculptures, including a small tree piece the couple made together.

The Cowgers, who are retired, purchased the property 20 years ago. Jerry noticed it from the air while flying his ultra-light airplane, took Jean for a ride to see it and they signed on the dotted line. They restored the crumbling 1914 house built from native oak, and Jean set to work to carve out gardens in sandy soil that once grew strawberries and watermelons for the previous owners.

“Moles had ravaged the ground. I’ve fought them for 20 years and I’m determined. Jerry always tells me, ‘girl, you just can’t leave things alone.’ And he’s right.”

She has planted dozens of trees and evergreens on the property and fills her gardens with sedums, groundcovers, hostas, daylilies, lilies, hollyhocks, ornamental grasses, coral bells and her favorite, blue oat grass. There’s also a hillside garden that trails down to the lake. “I strive for balance, scale and composition. My soil is not terribly fertile, so when I plant something I expect it to make it because I don’t have the time or interest to babysit plants. My style is to make my garden fit the space. You can’t be sentimental, and you’ve got to be flexible.”

Her husband’s ever-changing artwork means the garden is never static. Permanent pads were installed in Jean’s gardens where the sculptures are

temporarily “stored” before being sent to permanent homes or exhibitions. •

Offer expires 11/23/2010

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The Girlyflage Collection from Womanswork includes gar-den gloves and hats made with a stylish girlyflage print in

black, taupe and white. Gloves have sturdy micro suede synthetic palms and longer cuffs for better protection. Girly-flage hats are fully lined for greater sun protection (UPF 40 for the hat with wide brim). All are washable. Gloves, $16,

and bucket hat, $12. Call 800-639-2709.

❮

“Northern Accents” shrub roses offer long-lasting color, easy care and are supposed to be as hardy as their Norwegian name-sakes. “Ole,” “Sven” and “Lena” were developed by Kathy Zuzek at the University of Minnesota for zone-challenged gardeners. You betcha!

“Lena” produces masses of frilly blooms in white and pink on shrubby, everblooming growth. “Ole” blooms prolifically and is a compact, disease-resistant rose, and “Sven” is sturdy and compact with a color spectrum from mauve to violet to pink. All are hardy to Zone 4.

Beekeeping is a hot hobby trend. “The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Beekeeping” ($14.95) has all of the information a beginner beekeeper needs to know to start a hive and keep it buzzing.

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Cut Energy Costs Sooner, Not LaterMidAmerican Energy’s EnergyAdvantage® Financing program assists Iowa residential customers in purchasing energy-efficient equipment and windows so you can enjoy lower energy bills sooner, not later. MidAmerican’s EnergyAdvantage Financing program, in partnership with First American Bank, is designed to provide customers access to competitive, fixed interest rates or six months same-as-cash when they meet First American Bank’s credit qualification requirements, and purchase and install qualifying equipment.

For more information on EnergyAdvantage Financing, including what equipment and windows may qualify, or to apply, call MidAmerican at 800-894-9599.

cuttings

Transform them into cool lanterns for outdoor fall entertain-ing. This idea is from Kelley Wilkinson, a craft designer and journalist. Use muslin, patterned fabric, old sheets or pillowcases. You can decorate with appliques, if desired. There’s a little handstitching to finish the lanterns, and once you put a battery-operated votive candle or white light string inside, all eyes will be on the glow.You’ll need: Standard size tomato cage; strong wire cutters or hacksaw; 1 yard fabric; 10 to 12 clothespins, water-soluble fabric pen, fabric scissors, needle and thread; battery-oper-ated votive candle or light string.1. Turn the tomato cage upside down, with its largest ring at the bottom. Wearing safety glasses, carefully use wire cutters or a hacksaw to trim the upright prongs from the cage just above the smallest ring.2. Working with the wider end of the cage on a table, hang the fabric around the top ring of the cage, with at least 1 inch folded over to the inside. Secure in place with clothespins. Let any excess fabric hang. You will trim it after fitting all of the fabric to the cage.3. Pull the fabric taut to the bottom ring and secure in place with clothespins. Continue this around the bottom of the cage.4. Trace along the top and bottom openings with the fabric pen. Next, trace along an upright support at a point where the seam should be. Then cut the fabric 1 inch beyond the marked line. Place clothespins at the top and bottom of the fabric to secure. As if you’re closing curtains, pull the fabric from the other direction to overlap beyond the fabric you just cut. Pin in place and trace along the same upright support on the unmarked end of the fabric. Also mark where you want appliques to be attached if using.5. Remove clothespins and lay fabric on a flat surface. Cut 1 inch beyond your markings. 6. Re-drape fabric onto the cage, folding it over the top and bottom rings. Re-secure with clothespins.7. Use a double-thread needle and thread, starting on the inside of the top of the cage, sew the fabric in place with a running stitch: Pass the needle through both layers of folded fabric to the front. Bring the needle back to the inside of the cage, about 1/4 to 1/2 inch along the fabric. Repeat all the way around. Do the same along the bottom, pulling the fabric taut as you sew.8. There are a few options for finishing the side seam. If your fabric is pulled taut, you may not need to sew it closed because it will lie flat. To sew it closed, fold the overlapping edge 1/4 to 1/2 inch to the inside and stitch closed, placing your arm and hand inside the cage to steady the area you’re sewing.9. Place the battery-operated candle inside the lantern to light.


Don’t put away those tomato cages!

DIy

entertaining

ENJOY THE RICH, HEARTY FLaVoRs oF FaLL IN FAVORITE DISHES

Helpful tipstext | staffimages | NBWA

Evenings are cool and crisp, and there’s a hint of autumn in the air.Thoughts turn to golden harvests, windfall apples, pumpkin patches and scarlet and

butterscotch trees that become “flaming torches that light the way to winter.” It’s the season we begin to enjoy the hearty, rich flavors of fall, including beer.

There’s a wide variety of beer flavors that make it a favorite ingredient for cooking. Beer adds a unique flavor that makes each dish special, such as tasty hors d’oeurves, elegant main entrees, even brownies.

For added elegance, pay special attention to the glassware used in serving the beer. As a general rule, use tall, fluted glasses for serving light colored beers like lambics, pilsners and pale ales. The tall shape of these glasses helps trap the aroma and provides a strong aromatic sensation. Shorter, round steins, mugs or pint glasses are traditionally used to serve darker beers, like porters or stouts. Wheat beer glasses, those with tall stems and wider-mouth tops, will maintain a thick head on a poured beer. •

— Use beer to replace liquid in recipes for every-thing from brownies and crab boils to dumplings, waffles, stews, hearty soups and braised meats. — Beer is good for baking. It adds moisture and flavor, even in cakes. Use it to replace water in a cake recipe such as a cherry chocolate cake. It will be moist and flavorful, but it won’t taste like beer.— A good rule of thumb: The lighter the beer, the less flavor it will yield. The darker the beer, the more flavor. — Among Chef William’s favorite uses for beer: Sauerkraut and rye bread stuffing and sausages, red cabbage and apples cooked in beer. — Serve a different beer, wine or champagne with beer-based foods to cleanse the palate.Chef William Gerstenberger, Crossroads Hy-Vee

Beer-Caramelized Onion and Eggplant Crostini

Makes 26 to 30 pieces4 tablespoons olive oil, divided1 medium yellow onion, sliced thin3 cups eggplant, peeled and coarsely

chopped1 teaspoon salt1 teaspoon black pepper2 cloves garlic, minced½ cup lager beer1 loaf French baguette, cut diagonally into 26

– 30 slices, about ½ inch each3 tablespoon olive oil1/3 cup hummus (store-bought)¾ cup feta cheese, crumbled1 tablespoon basil, finely chopped1 tablespoon oregano, finely chopped

In large skillet over medium heat, warm two tablespoons olive oil. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 8 minutes. Add remaining two table-spoons olive oil and eggplant, salt and pepper. Cook 5 minutes, until eggplant softens. Stir in garlic and lager beer; cook an additional 8 minutes. Remove pan from heat.

Preheat oven broiler. Place bread slices on baking sheet and brush with three table-spoons olive oil. Place pan on lowest rack in oven and broil until bread is golden brown and toasty, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove pan from oven. Spread hummus equally on top of each bread slice. Sprinkle feta cheese equally on top of each bread slice. Spoon caramelized onion-eggplant mixture on top of feta cheese. Sprinkle basil and oregano equally over each bread slice. Place bread slices on lowest rack in oven and broil for 5 minutes, or until feta cheese and bread begin to brown. Remove from oven and serve crostini warm.


Don’t put away those tomato cages!

cooking with

Makes 24 browniesCream Cheese Filling:1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened1/3 cup sugar½ teaspoon vanilla extract1 egg, brought to room temperatureBrownies:1 cup all-purpose flour¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder¼ teaspoon salt6 tablespoons butter, cut into cubes and brought to room

temperature8 ounces dark bittersweet chocolate, chopped¾ cup white chocolate chips4 eggs, brought to room temperature1 cup sugar1 ¼ cup stout beer, brought to room temperature1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 F. Line a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper, or grease and flour pan. In medium mixing bowl with electric mixer on medium speed, prepare cream cheese filling by beating

cream cheese until smooth. Gradually beat in sugar. Beat in vanilla and one egg until just blended. Set aside.

In medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder and salt until well-combined. Set aside. In top of double boiler over very low heat, melt butter, bittersweet chocolate and white chocolate chips, stirring constantly until melted. Remove chocolate from heat.

In large mixing bowl, beat four eggs and one cup sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add melted chocolate mixture, beating until combined. Beat reserved flour mixture into melted chocolate mixture. Whisk in stout beer. (The batter will seem a bit thin.) Drop semi-sweet chocolate chips evenly on top of batter, allowing some to sink into batter. Pour entire mixture into prepared pan.

Pour cream cheese mixture over brownie batter in pan. Cut through mixture several times with knife to create a marbled design. Place in oven and bake 30 minutes on center rack until top is browned and tooth-pick inserted in center comes out almost clean. Remove brownies from oven and let cool, uncovered, until they reach room temperature. Cut into 24 brownies and serve.

Helpful tips

— All beers can be used in cooking. Lighter beers work well with light dishes, salad dress-ings, seafood; darker beers and stouts work well with heavier dishes such as slow-cooker stews, etc. — It’s fun to match up flavored beers with complementary dishes. For example, a beer with pronounced orange flavor makes a good viniagrette when mixed with olive oil, orange zest juice and a little balsamic vinegar. Use to toss a mandarin orange salad with red onions, romaine

lettuce and toasted almonds.— Use beer to flavor marinades or make reduc-tions. Or add the beer near the end of making a sauce to carry through the effervescence of the hops and maintain the beer’s full-bodied flavor.— Reduce or substitute beer for water in recipes. — Beer will caramelize when grilling or roasting for a more intense flavor.

Chef Jim Nadeau, College Square Hy-Vee


Celebrate eating local — food grown by local growers — and make the most of the season’s fresh produce

with “Eating Local: The Cookbook Inspired by America’s Farmers.”

The new cookbook by culinary trendsetter Sur La Table and author Janet Fletcher features recipes for

incorporating local, fresh ingredients into dishes, as well as profiles of family farms across the nation. Carrot zuc-

chini bread with candied ginger, grilled country pork chops with bourbon-based grilled peaches, Sicilian stuffed

artichokes, grilled flank steak with old-fashioned creamed spinach are a few of the home-style favorites featured in

the cookbook. To win a copy of “Eating Local: The Cookbook In-

spired by America’s Farmers,” register at www.cv-hg.com.

WIN THIS

Chocolate-Cream Cheese Stout Beer Brownies

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TASTIngS

TIP:Fill all your entertaining needs at Hy-Vee Food Stores and Hy-Vee Wine & Spirits.

SATISFy CrAvIngSWhat do you drink when the calendar says fall but the tempera-ture is still talking summer? When the nights are cool, but the days still cruel with sunburn and mosquitoes?

I’m beginning to crave a darker beer on those cooler evenings. Dunkelweizen (dunkel means dark in German) is closely related to hefeweizen and retains the classic clove/banana/bubblegum flavors, using darker roasted malts to achieve its beautiful, dark, hazy copper coloration and an additional rich layer of nutty com-plexity. Alcohol content is generally in the same low to moderate range as its lighter colored sibling, keeping it equally quaffable on warm days and cool nights.Though the style is almost non-existent among domestic craft brewers, there are enough top-notch German examples widely available, including two favorites, to carry me through the seasonal transition.

Ayinger Ur-Weisse Dunkel: This beautiful dark honey colored beer is my gold standard. Deep layers of sweet ripe banana, clove, raisin, toasted nuts and caramel with the barest hop bitterness make for a softly rounded, utterly comforting and delicious brew.

Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier Dunkel: One might expect the oldest brewery in the world to produce a fine dunkelweiss and this one does not disappoint. The softly roasty malt body delivers flavors of nutty banana bread, brown sugar and clove. Crisply carbonated and slightly hoppier, it finishes noticeably dryer than the Ayinger.Prost! — Brandon Pollock

HArvEST wInES Desserts turn fruity and intense in the fall — think baked apples, apple pie, pecan pie. These desserts need a light dessert wine to rest easy on the palate, such as the popular Moscato d’Asti. “They’re light and sweet and low in alcohol, a perfect dessert wine. Some have a little carbonation. White wines don’t age well, and Moscato d’Astis are meant to be turned in two or three yars. It’s not something that lays down and gets better with age. Drink them now,” said Dwight Dehl, manager at Hy-Vee Wine & Spirits at Kimball Avenue in Waterloo.Try these:Luccio Moscato d’Asti: Tasters describe it as lavishly fruity with hints of figs, honey and apricot, sweet and a little fizzy.Risata Moscato d’Asti: Sweet and well-balanced, Risata boasts honey, citrus and ripe fruit flavors.Torlasco Moscato d’Asti: Crisp, sparkling wine that is lightly sweet and works well with more delicate desserts.


home plan

captilizes on outdoor space

countrycharmer

Text |The Associated Press

This sprawling country rambler, Plan HMA-FAPW00004 from Homeplans.com, is just wait-ing for the perfect lot to capitalize on its outdoor

spaces and abundance of windows. The home has 2,456 square feet of living space.

The central great room features a cathedral ceiling, and opens to the breakfast room and island kitchen. A formal dining room off the main entry is the perfect setting for a holiday meal.

This home’s living spaces separate the owner’s sleeping quarters from the guest bedroom, which sits behind the garage and includes a private full bath. The master bed-room also has a cathedral ceiling, and includes an adjoin-ing office area and access to the back patio. Two front-facing secondary bedrooms complete the plan. •

HMaFapW00004detaILs:

• Bedrooms: 3+• Baths: 3• Main floor: 2,456 sq. ft.• Total Living Area: 2,456 sq. ft.• Standard Basement: 2,456 sq. ft.• Garage: 748 sq. ft.• Exterior Wall Framing: 2x4• Foundation Options: standard basement crawlspace slab A downloadable study plan of this house, including general in-formation on building costs and financing is available at www.houseoftheweek.com. To order: Call (866) 722-1013, or mail to House of the Week, P.O. Box 75488, St. Paul, MN 55175-0488.

For a guide to housing developments in the Cedar

Valley and surrounding communities, visit http://www.cv-hg.com/map/

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captilizes on outdoor space

Cedar Valley Home and Garden - Fall 2010

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