It's Puppy Love

Maybe Paul will forgive me for getting WAY off topic! I'm glad I have a spot to brag and show off our pooches.

Those are our babies. They certainly don't look loved or well fed do they? Spoiled and rotten are usually the best way to describe those two. Dolly is on the right and she's 2 and a half years old. We acquired her from a breeder we stumbled upon in North Alabama when we decided it was time to have a new member in the family. We really didn't do our research with the breeder as we should have and when we met her she was the last of the litter. It really was love at first sight. She was the cutest thing you've ever seen, and personality to boot. She fit with us from the get go, and we were so happy to take her home.

A couple months ago we decided it was time to add to our brood and started the process of searching out the right place to get another Boston Terrier. They have been in our family for years back so it was hardly an issue of which breed we preferred.

The wonders of the Internet aren't easily measured. Just browsing around, I could not believe the vast amounts of purebred dogs that were being abandoned and abused. After thinking about it, I know that my naivety had gotten the best of me and not all dog owners give the care to their animals that we do. Seeing the sad little faces broke my heart. We knew upfront that a rescued Boston would be a world of different situation compared to the brand-new puppy training we had with Dolly.

We found Quincy(in the picture, on the left) through Rockin' P Rescue outside of Atlanta. They folks there were great to work with and I certainly admire people that deal with what some people consider 'unwanted' pets. After meeting a skinny but perky Quincy we decided, with Dolly's approval, that he needed to be part of our family.

I would be telling a fib if I said it has been all giggles and roses. He came home with us at 9 months old with not a stitch of training outside the training his gracious foster-parent had offered. He wasn't accustomed to being inside and had evidently been left outside most if not all the time.

This will be our first Christmas with Quincy. Dolly loves him and they play constantly, always thinking the toy the other has is the one to have. They have created all emotions imaginable, from funny to heart-warming. We really couldn't imagine life without them.

Dolly comes to work with me a lot and Quincy will too as soon as he grows up some and can sit still for a little while. You wouldn't believe the people that come by the showroom just to say hi to the dogs.

I realize that puppies aren't for everyone and they can be a handful for sure. If you're considering a pet for someone this holiday or anytime, please remember that there are so, so many out there that need a good home. There are plenty of upstanding breeders out there, but for every good one there are untold numbers of puppy mills.

There are rescues all around you, I promise.

If you need a charity for this holiday season, these guys could sure use your help. Not all charity is money! Food, beds, toys, etc. are always welcome at most any rescue or humane society.

http://www.rockinprescue.org/

http://www.aspca.org/

http://www.btrescue.org/

Thanks again to Paul for letting me say my bit. Talk to you all soon, I hope!

Not just for June Cleaver!

I vividly remember my mother dreading the return of certain things worn during the time she was growing up in the 1970's. Of course, she explained that everything that was old will be new again. For a couple of years there, if you picked up an Anthropologie or Urban Outfitters catalog and showed it to Mom, she would recall the days of yore and call the poor girls on those pages "homely".

Kitchen design is the exact same way. Granted, those of us in the industry try to suppress some of the less than perfect times of the past. The good however, is coming back with a vengeance. I am so proud of Gen X'ers and Y'ers that are remodeling older homes in suburbs and small towns around the South. Smart homeowners are updating these gems and adding their own spin, as they should.

A few appliance companies have towed a great line and are producing awesome design results that are fitting in to this 'retro' market.

One of my favorites is Big Chill. They have a great back story and it's worth you checking it out sometime. They make extremely cool refrigerators, dishwashers and now stoves that look half a decade ago with modern capabilities. Of all the retro choices out there, I've found that Big Chill is the most cost conscience.

Of course there are other colors besides orange, but who needs those. Being a rabid Tennessee Volunteers fan, these would go perfect at my place.

Northstar has a retro line that rivals Big Chill quite nicely. Very similar styling and usage of modern capabilities.

The third and final contestant in today's show is Heartland Classic. This 3015 model Refrigerator might be my favorite design. The level of craftsmanship is second-to-none.

These next two stoves don't totally fit the 1950's and 60's era appliances that I have mainly shown, but they couldn't be ignored. If you are looking to finish a period decor in a earlier 1900's home, this is how you should be cooking.

Everything has it's place in our industry. These appliances don't fit in every one's dream kitchen but they do have make it in to many period homes. If you're looking for something outside the norm, outside the side-by-side stainless steel, this is a great alternative.

And whether you'll want it to be or not, you're new appliances just became a permanent conversation piece in your home.

Where to find these appliances:

http://www.bigchillfridge.com/

http://www.heartlandapp.com/

I didn't really introduce myself yesterday when I had my glorious urinal episode. Usually I have no issues with talking about myself but today I'm feeling shy. HA!

Here is my bio from our blog/website http://www.cupboardsonline.com/:

Hi I'm Nick. Welcome to Cupboards small corner of the web! I spent most of my childhood constructing monster forts from the best materials in the world! Who knew the cardboard semi-custom cabinetry boxes that Dad brought home would be the beginnings of a long commitment to the kitchen and bath industry? Being a second generation cabinet guy has allowed me to develop my personal style at a young age and now I get the best job of all. Our customers realize the kitchens and bathrooms of their dreams, and we get to be there!

So there you have it... a small-town Alabama boy with kitchens on the brain. Neat, huh?

Follow me on twitter. I'm cool, for sure. www.twitter.com/cupboardsonline

Standing Room Only - Running back to the Urinal

So many times when we take on a new client it's a woman that sets the tone and style for a new or new-to-an-existing-home kitchen or bathroom.

Unfortunately ladies, today is not one of those days.

I have always considered myself a man's man; I like football, beer and motorcycles. The average guy will usually hire away someone that will fit their home with great kitchens and bathrooms. Problem is, most guys don't like/need the final product. Sadly, the driving force behind many designs done for guys is resale value.

With the large amounts of men building and buying homes that will be just for them, it's about time that one particular bathroom fixture makes a welcome resurgence, the urinal.

Before you hit the x up there in the corner hold on... this isn't the urinal at the frat house, nor is it the "trough" at your old college football stadium. Elite and luxury plumbing designers have provided kitchen and bath industry pros with cutting edge design and state-of-the-art function. In all reality, urinals are definitely not new in home design. The reason urinals are so less prevalent in everyday life is merely because most men see them everyday and yes ladies, most of them are gross. The perception, from most women, is that men are nasty and so are their bathrooms. Ladies who catch a glimpse of the urinal at an airport or fast-food restaurant have every reason to be grossed out.

I promise, these are not the urinals at the local pub. Here are three that I would use today!

One of my favorite places to buy kitchen sinks is Whitehaus. I have always been enamored by their copper farm and Farmhaus Fireclay sinks. From faucets to decorative hardware, I have always been impressed. As I was browsing the other day, I stumbled on this round stainless steel urinal. Perfect for an application with subway tile(as shown in the picture). It's only a matter of time before I spec this in a customer's home.

If sleek and modern is your thing, this SiChuan Metals urinal will do the trick. The high gloss finish and bold lines make a strong, yet subtle statement in a bathroom.

For years I have struggled with expensive taste. It's a personal curse, but my clients have always reaped the benefits! If a urinal were going in to my bathroom at home, it would be one of these two. While both are on the pricier end of the spectrum, each offers a striking design and would cause said homeowner to become the envy of 'all the guys'.

Neo-Metro is a commercial line for the most part... We put commercial appliances in our kitchens, why not in the bathroom? (I know, that image of a urinal cake in a cold, used-to-be-white urinal with a broken handle makes me do that blech noise too.)

So there you have it, a urinal for the men's room at home.

Ladies, the holidays are upon us. What better gift could you get yourself than never having to yell at your man for leaving the toilet seat up?

It's the perfect potty-present.

Thanks again to Paul for having me as a guest on this great blog!

You can contact me at our website or on Twitter.

http://www.cupboardsonline.com/

www.twitter.com/cupboardsonline

Watering Can Wisdom

I am back again for another post today as a guest writer on Kitchen and Residential Design; if you missed the announcement of the Little Bert Chair Giveaway at GrassrootsModern earlier today, please check it out!

As "green" "organic" and "natural" become such promiscuous advertising buzz words you want to throw up your locally grown lunch in the 100% post-consumer recycled paper bag it came in, I hesitate to propose any ideas on conservation. This simple suggestion is so easy though, and anyone with plants can appreciate it.

About two years ago, a friend of mine who I affectionately call an "old hippie" let me know that the watering can in her bathroom was not just there for decorative effect. In fact, she collected the water from her tub faucet as it warmed up before showering. She then used the collected water for her extensive plant collection. A simple idea indeed and I tried it at home immediately. I reported back to her that I now follow her example and thanked her for the idea. She laughed and told me that she had heard it a long time ago, and had been doing it for many years.

Since she shared the idea with me, I have shared it with two friends who now collect their pre-shower water. I know not everyone's water takes as long as mine to warm up, but for those of us who have to wait, this simple idea saves some water. Hopefully, other readers will try it too, and pass it on.

Little Bert Chair Giveaway at GrassrootsModern

Hello everyone! This is David Nolan and I have a giveaway to announce that is happening Christmas Day at one of my favorite blogs - GrassrootsModern. Personally, I have no use for a Little Bertoia Chair but it would make a great gift. You can enter the contest twice, once if you comment on the post and one more time if you retweet the contest. Definitely check out the rest of GrassrootsModern while you are there, it is filled with good taste and condensed writing. They do use the dreaded "we" in this post, with good reason I believe, but the second person plural may send Paul into another Apartment Therapy-esque rant which "we" wouldn't want. Generally, it is only I's for GrassrootsModern.