Siemens steam oven

Posted by: Andrew Brunelle in Gardening Direction No Comments »

This compact 60cm wide Siemens steam oven, the HB25D5L2 is a quite visually appealing built-in oven, made of shiny black glass and stainless steel. An innovative operating concept with direct selection mode, beautifully laid out controls, black and white display, and a blue confirmation indicators project design sophistication and high level of technology.

Similar to the HMT85DL53 Bosch steam oven, the 22-litre Siemens steam oven comes with 0.9 litre water tank, LED light and integral cooling fan. It is operated with the help of electronic retractable rotary knob and push buttons.

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| Tags: Oven, Siemens Steam, Siemens Steam Oven, Steam Oven

Finding Frost

Posted by: Dorothy Hall in Gardening Online No Comments »

When we go out into the garden to take pictures, we dont always find what we expect.  So dont get locked into seeing what you want to see.  See what is.

Pre-dawn in winter is cold, even in Northern California.  Now, I say cold advisedly.  I know we have readers in New England, the upper Midwest, even into Canada where the 30 degree morning I am calling cold would be called balmy.  But when I rose in the pre-dawn morning of the shoot it was also foggy, a very cold fog.  It became a very hard frost by dawn when I arrived at Lynmar.

At first I was completely disappointed.  The garden was a frozen wilt; no life, no color, crunchy underfoot.  I couldnt take pictures of  what I expected, I was only finding frost.  Work wi

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It’s finally happened. The green building movement now has a retailer to call its own, Treehouse.

Treehouse opened last week in Austin, TX and is the country’s first home improvement center that will sell only sustainable and healthy-living products.

TreeHouse will carry a wide range of carefully selected merchandise including paint, floor and wall coverings, kitchen and bathroom fixtures, cleaning supplies,storage and organization options, solar power products plus a wide range of smart-home technology solutions that will allow customers to run their houses or businesses more efficiently.

Every product sold at TreeHouse undergoes a stringent screening process. Products are scored in the categories of health, performance, corporate responsibility and sustainability.

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| Tags: Center, Home Improvement, Home Improvement Center, Improvement Center

The GPOD’s 2nd birthday!

Posted by: Andrew Brunelle in Gardening Direction No Comments »

2 WAYS TO ENLARGE!Click directly on the photo to enlarge in a pop-up, or click HERE to see this image, larger, in a new browser window.

 

Happy birthday to us!! The GPOD was “born” exactly two years ago today, on January 4th, 2010. Whew–that’s more than 500 posts! I kinda need a nap… Take a minute to go back to the beginning. It’s interesting to see how much we’ve changed! We started with one, maybe two photos per day, without a lot of detailed information. Today I think the blog is a lot richer, with multiple photos a day (not always), lots more info, and most exciting, lots and lots of reader submissions. I’d love to continue the trend, and feature more of your gardens. Send me some pics, whydontcha? Email me (be sure to introduce yourself and tell me a bit about your garden and the photos) at .

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| Tags: Birthday

“Green living.” It’s a popular movement these days in design circles. And depending on whom you’re talking to, it has multiple connotations. Whether the context is furnishings or flooring, windows or water features, everyone in residential or commercial design has had to define and interpret how that phrase plays out in their little slice of it. Design Guide expert Richard Lentz, of Lentz Landscape Lighting, elaborates on the lighting trend in landscape design through Victoria Larroca- Lentz Landscape Lighting’s copywriter.

Landscapes are no exception. On one level, “green living” can simply refer to enjoying your own personal great outdoors. Others translate it as the re-creation of interior living spaces in the outdoors using furniture, appliances, décor and mood lighting. Lentz Landsc

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| Tags: Green, Green Light

Beige has been a staple in home decorating for decades; while you may think this color is too plain for homes today, it’s anything but boring!  Beige is a color that is neutral, relaxing, warm and easily transformed for any look or home decor theme you prefer.  If you cannot picture a beige room being appealing and filled with character, the ideas below will help change your mind.

Shades of beige from pale to rich

There are many different shades of beige you can incorporate in your home.  From a rich caramel beige to light shades of sand and bisque, beige shades can be the basis for all of the other excitement you throw in a the room.

Beige is a perfect backdrop for everything else, because you can easily switch out accents and other elements of the room when you are ready for a change, without redesigning the entire room.

Metallic’s and texture bring beige to life

Think of all of the metallic elements that lend personality to a beige room.  Copper, bronze and gold in wall art, statues and other whatnots bring a vibrant contrast that makes the room pop.

Texture is another essential element in any room, whether it is beige or some other color.  It’s important to incorporate nubby textures with smooth surfaces; doing so adds depth to the room and gives it a rich look.  Think shiny glass table tops, richly textured throw pillows and nubby carpets or accent rugs.

Pattern makes it all pop!

Patterns are an essential element in a beige decorating scheme.  Pattern not only provides a splash of color, but an undercurrent of energy.  Throw pillows incorporating colorful geometric, floral, striped or checked patterns placed against a beige sofa make it come to life.

Vibrant patterns on the wall make a beige background almost seem as if it were the “mat” for pictures and prints.  Use pictures and artwork that offer movement, such as boldly painted prints with flowing patterns.  The floor can also be important when adding pattern through throw rugs or even intricate tile designs.

Incorporating color

As interesting as it sounds, a beige room will make the other colors you use even more important or pronounced.  Depending on the look you want, anything from soft peach and sage green to shades of blue and black and red can be used – everything goes with beige!

A soothing look can be achieved by using soft pastel colors.  If you want an exciting, dramatic look, consider red and black.  Those who enjoy a country or western theme can easily incorporate those colors found in nature, for example burnt orange, rich rusty reds, butter yellow and blue or green shades.

As you can see, beige is not dead!  In fact, this basic color is one of the best for decorating in any type of decor.  Use your imagination, and remember that adding rich patterns, texture and bold splashes of color make a beige room come to life with personality and character.


| Tags: Boring, Home Decorating