All posts filed under: Blog

brazilian-limeade-recipe

Brazilian Limeade Recipe

Brazilian Limeade Recipe: Quench summer thirst with a twist on a hot day beverage favorite. In our Outdoor Dining Tips post, we introduced readers to the perfect outdoor menu. Featured in the menu is a twist on a summer beverage classic. This Brazilian limeade recipe will cool and satisfy during the warm summer months ahead. […]

watermelon salad

Watermelon, Tomato and Mint Salad Recipe

Spring is right around the corner and we’re ready to bring one of our favorite seasons into the kitchen. If you’re in a hotter state, this salad recipe will transition easily into summer, as ice cold watermelon always satisfies with its juicy bite. By gathering a few simple ingredients, you can create a simple and mouthwatering salad. […]

Kitchen-main

The Spring Dining Room

Spring is fast approaching, and that means breathing life into your dining room by bringing in fresh flowers and opening the windows. The Bellaire dining table is rustic and refined at the same time. With two chair styles— Parsons and Bellaire Arm Chair, this solid ash table is veneered with wire brushed elm. This durable […]

trail mix bars

Homemade Trail Mix Bars

Homemade goodies such as trail mix bars, make perfect afternoon snacks in the Spring. Head to the park with a tin box of these, or take them to the movies (shh.. we wont tell). Ingredients: ⅔ cup almonds ⅔ cup cashews 1½ cups old-fashioned oats ⅓ cup ground flaxseed ⅓ cup mini chocolate chips ⅓ […]

cozy-white-living-room

Cozy Up Your Living Room

I love winter because it’s the season in which we enjoy the simple cozy things: curling up to read a great book by the evening fire, relishing the comforts of a warm home with family and friends or savoring a steaming bowl of homemade goodness. Making your home cozy doesn’t have to be daunting. Making […]

Furniture Row Global Pursuits

Make a global-inspired statement with unique artisan products from around the world with the Lost and Found collection from Furniture Row. Product list top to bottom, left to right: Raja End Table // Scallops, finials and style – The Raja End Table brings intricately carved style to your space. With scalloped detailing, elegantly sculpted finials, and […]

DIY: Mason Jar Lantern

Bright Idea: The Mason Jar Lantern DIY from Furniture Row experts. Here’s a fun and inexpensive way to brighten up the exterior of your home for the holidays. Materials: • Mason or other quart-size glass jars • Wire — about the thickness of uncooked spaghetti, about 3′-long • Wire Cutters • Needle-Nose Pliers • Hanging Hooks […]

winter-lighting-home

Complete Winter Lighting Guide

It’s a mistake interior designers see all too often: A nicely appointed room bathed in soft, warm incandescent light. Attractive? Yes. Stimulating? No. Depressing? Quite Possibly. The notion of drab light dampening spirits is nothing new. In worst cases, lack of light can cause seasonal-affective disorder, or SAD, explains psychologist Melodie Schaefer, executive director of […]

roasted-chicken-recipe

Roasted Chicken and Vegetables Recipe

Dinner all comes together easily with this delicious roasted chicken dish. Placing a lemon inside the cavity while roasting gives the bird a nice citrus flavor. So simple, this meal will soon be your go-to favorite. Roasted Chicken and Vegetables Recipe (Serves 4 to 5) Ingredients: 1 Approximately 3-pound chicken, preferably free-range, organic 2 medium onions […]

apple bacon grilled cheese

Recipe: Grilled Cheese with apple, bacon, and cheddar

Gooey cheddar, crisp bacon and tangy green apples combine to create this grilled cheesy goodness. For a tasty twist, try these combinations: pear, ham and ricotta; caramelized onions and Swiss; raspberry jam and cream cheese; or pesto, ham and mozzarella. Grilled cheese stuffed with apple, bacon, and cheddar recipe (Serves 4): Ingredients: 8 ¾” slices country-style […]

cheddar biscuits

Parmesan and Cheddar Cheese Biscuits Recipe

We continue our cheese voyage with the parmesan and cheddar cheese biscuits recipe. Take biscuits to the next level with these cheesy, flavorful delights. Serve them with a bowl of hearty soup on a cold winter day. Parmesan and Cheddar Cheese Biscuits (Makes about 8 biscuits)  INGREDIENTS: 2 cups + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour Dash of […]

potato-gratin

Fall Recipe: Mushroom and Gruyère Potato Gratin

Mushroom + Gruyére Potato Gratin Comfort food meets gourmet taste for this potato gratin dish. Perfect served as a side dish for your next family gathering. Next is our Fall Recipe series, we’re cooking up the ultimate comfort foods for any evening including Thanksgiving. (Makes 8–10 servings)  INGREDIENTS: 1/4 ¾cup olive oil 4 cups finely chopped leeks (about […]

Floor Care from the Ground Up

What’s always underfoot and in need of attention? Your floors. Floors take a beating from dirt, pets’ paws and debris carried in from the outside on shoes. Entryways, kitchens and hallways get an especially tough workout. Floor care is usually at the end of your list. “The Healthy Housekeeper” Laura Dellutri, author of several home-care books, […]

french toast

Last Minute Brunch Recipes

Last week we discussed Greg Utsinger’s Weekend Brunch Tips. We’re capping off this week with some last minute brunch recipes for anyone looking to make a last minute ‘wow’ with their guests. Candied Bacon – Makes 10 Slices (via Epicurious) Ingredients: 1/2 pound bacon slices (10 slices) 1/2 cup Demerara sugar Special equipment: brown paper […]

How to Host Weekend Brunch

An invitation to a weekend brunch signals relaxation, celebration, indulgent food — and a good time ahead. A bonus? Brunch rarely absorbs an entire day. The host can “chill out” after the goodbyes or finish a project before Monday. Brunch is more relaxed than most parties because much of the work is done ahead, maintains […]

Natural-Cleaning

Natural Products: A fresh start to cleaning

Home, sweet, home? Not always. Sometimes, it goes sour. Our busy lives leave little time to clean thoroughly. Still, any freshening does wonders for the eye and mind. “Freshening up,” delivers a sense of calm and order to homes, says Elizabeth Goldsmith, professor of family resource management at Florida State University and author of Green Cleaning […]

spinach-benedicts

Recipe: Spinach Benedicts

Spinach Benedicts Recipe (Serves 6) INGREDIENTS: 6 1/2″ thick slices of Brioche 6 slices turkey breast 6 slices swiss cheese 6 roasted red onion slices (instructions below) 2 cups fresh spinach leaves 6 eggs, scrambled 1 1/2 to 3 cups Hollandise Sauce (see recipe below) 1 tomato PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS: Preheat the broiler. Place the brioche slices on […]

Before and After: Home Office

Before and After: Back in business with the home office. Once used for a little ironing, light fitness workouts, and occasional paperwork, this spare bedroom has been transformed into an inviting home office space. From cluttered catch-all to warm and workable. That’s the transformation we accomplished in converting a spare bedroom into a home office. First, we […]

Home Decor: Kid Art in the Home

Earlier this week we posted a guide to decorating your walls with artwork. This week we are going to focus on the artists you have living in your home right now. Children love to explore their creativity with arts and crafts. In this guide, we’re giving tips for preserving and displaying your child’s masterpieces throughout […]

art_and_decor

How to Tips: Art and Decor

The possibilities are limitless when we begin buying art. We are potentially embarking on a lifelong journey of exploration and sharing— sharing with ourselves and our friends an artist’s message that we, too embrace and bring into our homes and offices. Many people often perceive art as a commodity reserved for the cold, white walls of […]

exterior-house-log

Decorating a Log Home

When Lori and James Proctor couldn’t find their dream home in Colorado, they quickly devised a Plan B: They bought a 20-acre parcel just outside Golden and had their dream log home built for them.   James and Lori Proctor’s 5,400– square-foot log home, located just outside Golden, Colorado, faces south, the better to capture stunning views […]

red-living-room

Using Color at Home

Most everyone over the age of 10 remembers that moment in The Wizard of Oz when Dorothy steps from the black-and-white world of Kansas into the kaleidoscope of color that is Oz. Dorothy’s eyes widen at the site of the sparkling sky, the radiant green trees and, of course, the Yellow Brick Road. No other movie could make a stronger point […]

emily-zambia

World Vision Gives Loans of Hope

Loans of Hope: World Vision’s microfinance program aids communities around the world. Imagine breaking the cycle of poverty in an entire community through small, sustainable change. World Vision’s microfinance program is doing just that. Through small-business loans, thousands of lives are being revolutionized, offering hope and a sustainable future. World Vision, a Christian humanitarian organization, has […]

Camping

How to Pack for Camping

Summer is coming to an end, and some of us are checking off those summer bucket list items like camping. Earlier we gave tips on How to Pack for the Road. Now we’re giving you an easy list of items to always bring when camping. To ensure the best camping experience possible, plan ahead and […]

mud-room

Back to School Organization Tips

We all collect things over time. But the key to getting — and staying — organized is to simply have less stuff to manage. Utilize storage bins and label them for a specific person or purpose.  Enlist the help of the whole family in keeping your home organized. By creating designated bins to store items, […]

diy-garden-stones

DIY Stepping Stones

Add inspiration to your walkway or home garden by creating your own personalized DIY stepping stones. DIY Stepping Stones Instructions: 1. Gather your materials — You’ll need a bag of stepping stone concrete, safety glasses, gloves, a pen, colored stones and plastic molds, all of which can be purchased from your local craft store. Pie […]

farm-to-table

The Farm to Table Dinner

Everything tastes better when it’s fresh. And the latest trend for fresh food lovers is indulging in farm to table dinners. Extending beyond visiting local, farm-to-table restaurants, diners are now traveling directly to the farm to enjoy mouthwatering meals served family style at harvest tables surrounded by nature’s bounty. Swallowtail Farm in Alachua, Florida is […]

Chocolate-espresso-semifreddo-feature

Chocolate Espresso Semifreddo Recipe

This Italian-inspired indulgence is a coffee, (and chocolate) lovers’ dream. The perfect sophisticated dessert for your next adult dinner party is the Chocolate Espresso Semifreddo. Chocolate Espresso Semifreddo Recipe: (Serves 8) INGREDIENTS: Crust: 1 3/4 cups chocolate cookie crumbs 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for brushing the pan Filling: 4 large eggs, yolks and […]

Top 10 Ways to Relax at Home

It may sound silly, but relaxing at home can really turn into a chore. There are so many distractions in the home. Preparing meals, organizing clutter, checking the mail, watering the garden, and walking the dog can all turn a relaxing evening at home, into a continued work shift. The Bedroom Expressions team has gathered […]

Top 10 Summer Backyard Games

Get out, get moving, and enjoy the great outdoors with our favorite new – and retro – games for the whole family. Reclaim your backyard with the new Outdoor Collection from Oak Express. Top 10 Summer Backyard Games: 1. Cornhole: Played with bean bags and a raised platform. 2. Bocce Ball: The Italian version of […]

Summer Recipe: Frozen Fruit Pops

Summer is the perfect season for turning the fresh fruits and berries you find at your local market into icy indulgences. Whether you’re wild for strawberries, or it’s blueberries that tickle your taste buds, mix-and-match your favorite berries to create your own signature frozen fruit pops. Enjoy these frozen treats with Oak Express’ new Outdoor […]

Top Tips for Spring Cleaning

Whether you do it at the beginning of spring or, like most of us, somewhat later, the annual ritual of spring cleaning is all about the heavy lifting that gets rid of dirt and debris, especially in places unseen. Tackling them signals a breath of fresh air in any season. Before the soap/water/vacuum detail of cleaning, confront your stuff and discard or reorganize. De-clutter […]