 So the first weekend of Artists' Open House has been and gone! Only one more weekend left to make the most of the seeing some wonderful work in our workshop and showroom. This is our first year taking part in the Dulwich Festival and we are very pleased to showcase artwork from several artists. Starting in the workshop there is an extensive display of ceramics from Daniel Reynolds, prints from Floppy Toast a graphics designer (who usually work from the wonderful Parkhall Business Centre in West Dulwich) and finally Davide Rest a sculptor and painter and also one of our skilled cabinet makers at Ian Dunn Woodwork and Design. Upstairs in our showroom there is a varied selection of 2d work, fantastic paintings from the artist Jane Langley one of the founders of Blue Patch, which we are members of. You can see our profile here. There is also work from local artist Amy Rose - Holland and landscape painter Charlotte Miller.
0 Comments
As we prepare for Easter Weekend, no doubt you will be getting inspiration from the wonderful Mary Berry on the BBC, her special programme Mary Berry’s Easter Feast shows a wide range of recipes from different Christian traditions… And a feast we shall have! This Saturday I have set myself a task to make a Simnel Cake, news to me that marzipan is actually baked in the middle of the cake! Sounds yummy.. so baking day on Saturday here we come...... only thing I am missing is visitors to share it with! 
6. When the cake is cool, warm the apricot jam in a small saucepan. Brush the top of the cake with a little of the jam and roll out half of the remaining marzipan to fit the top of the cake. Press firmly on the top and crimp the edges to decorate. Mark a criss-cross pattern on the marzipan with a sharp knife. Form the remaining marzipan into 11 balls. 7. Brush the marzipan with beaten egg and arrange the marzipan balls around the edge of the cake. Brush the tops of the balls with beaten egg, too, and then place the cake under a hot grill to turn the marzipan golden-brown. 8.To crystallise the primroses, whisk the egg white in a bowl until frothy. Snip the long stalks off the primroses, then, using a paint brush, carefully paint the petals of each primrose with a little frothy egg white, then turn the flower over and paint the underside of the petals and the little stalk. 9. Cover the flowers in caster sugar until all the egg white is evenly coated, and leave to dry completely. You can either just lie them carefully on non-stick parchment, or, to help keep the flowers’ shape, you can stretch non-stick paper over a plastic box or bowl, securing it in place with string or a rubber band, and then pierce several holes in the paper using a skewer. Place the stems of the crystallised flowers through the holes, allowing the paper to hold and support the flowers in a more natural position as they dry and harden. You will need to make the crystallised flowers at least a day in advance. 10.Decorate the cake by arranging the crystallised primroses on top and tying a ribbon around the middle.
 Of course this months chosen recipe wouldn’t be the right without featuring a delightfully romantic meal for two to share. We like to look for alternative dishes and to literally spice things up a bit our recipe of the month is an Asian steamed Sea bass.. Yum..Yum.. Picked from the trust worthy recipe of chef Jamie Oliver … (Just a small mention.........spotted him once across the road… very pleased with that!) To add the ingredients to your shopping list for Sunday’s romantic meal, see what you need below. You can also see the recipe here.
Image and recipe Copyright: Jamie Oliver
Image copyright: Miele Miele appliance information copyright: Miele 1. Maximising storage space Make sure you consider all the space available. For example if you have tall ceiling heights, utilise the width and vertical height of the area and allow the cabinets to extent to the ceiling. Adding a cupboard on top of the wardrobe space would be an ideal option to store things you don’t need on a daily basis.  2. Height of the clothing rail Are you a person with lots of long dresses or business suits? When we design internal dimensions we consider how to best use the internal space of the wardrobe. For long hanging, we generally allow 1.7m from the rail to the bottom of the wardrobe to allow for items such as coats and dresses.  3. How many drawers? Dovetail drawers are incredibly strong and well constructed and are undoubtedly the best way to store smaller items of clothing.
4. Handles, handeless or touch latches? The finishing touch to your wardrobe, which is the most essential, is how you are going to open them. Handles whether brass, brushed chrome or wood can add an extra feature to the front elevation. If you want a seamless design, a handleless door can be achieved by various designs. For example you could have small cut outs for your hand to slip into or a J profile handle, which essentially is a ridge on the inside of the door frame which runs the whole length of the door. Just to spice up you options once more, touch latches are another system, which would enable you to have a truly seamless wardrobe, there are no handles in sight!
5. Extras for fashion trend setters Adding mirrors to the front of your wardrobe doors can be a great way to add detail to the design whilst also making a smaller bedroom space feel larger. If you have a shallow space for the wardrobe to fit, consider using alternative hanging rails that extend laterally rather than horizontally. Have lots of precious shoes? Internal drawers can be fit with gadgets and mechanisms to make it easier to store awkward items.
After much Christmas indulgence its feels good to be kind on our bodies, anyone taking part in Veganary or having a dry january? Our chosen recipe of the month is from Honestly Healthy; their ethos is one that has always been of interest, eating healthy and focusing on alkaline foods. ( I.e. eating food with a higher Ph, encouraging better energy levels and digestion. Read more about Alkaline eating on the 70:30 lifestyle post) This recipe Millet Rainbow Salad, uses fresh ingredients and can be made in only 35 minutes! Ideal for a quick school night dinner.  Serves: 2 | Prep time: 10 minutes | Cooking time: 25 minutes | Cooking Skills: Moderate
Ingredients 2 red bell peppers 1 tbsp sunflower oil 170g green beans 90g millet 60g frozen garden peas 150g frozen podded edamame ½ lemon & zest 1 tbsp olive oil Pink salt 10g parsley 10g dill 1 tsp brown rice vinegar 1tsp sesame seeds for garnish Method: Pre-heat oven 170 deg De-seed the peppers and cut into quarters and put onto a baking tray with sunflower oil and a pinch of pink salt. Cook for 25 minutes or until soft. Cook the millet in 3 times the amount of water for 20 minutes. Drain the water through a sieve and then wash through with cold water until the millet cools down. Leave to strain the cold water and put into a bowl. Bring a pan of water with 2 tbsp salt to the boil and drop the edamame beans and peas in for 1 minute – sieve out (do not throw the water out) bring to the boil again and then drop the green beans in for 2-3 minutes. Drain and run under cold water. (this way of cooking them makes them super green and nutritious) In a blender put half of the peas and edamame beans and half the parsley and dill with lemon juice, pinch salt, brown rice vinegar and olive oil. Blend until a chucky texture. Take out the blender and mix in the rest of the peas, edamame beans, dill and parsley. Assemble the salad by mixing the millet through the pea and edamame mixture and mix in the roasted red peppers and green beans. Serve with a sprinkle of sesame seeds over the top. Image and recipe credit: Honestly Healthy Food One of the delights I have tasted recently was one warming bowl of Celeriac soup, which was much needed after a brisk stroll though the Sydenham woodland! Courtesy of our local The Wood House pub, it was sooo yummy I decided to have a go at making it myself! 
 Simply blended to smooth liquid.… add a splash of plain yogurt and away you go! So very healthy, warming and Moorish ! To have a go at making it yourself find the recipe here!
 Choosing your ideal tableware for dinning can be a delicate decision. Keen to ditch the Ikea ‘it will do for now’ type plates and replace them with something more long lasting, demure and stylish is tough… So many options and styles, here are few designs we have chosen to share with you.  Thomas Goode Pure elegance; established and ‘recognised as the home of the world’s finest china’. The designs at Thomas Goode are pure luxury. The company has been under our radar since reading about their pieces in The World of Interiors. The Meissen Blue Onion is a classic design; Meissen is one of the most famous porcelain manufactures and has been established since 1710.  Highland Stoneware Entirely handmade in Scotland this rustic tableware is one of our favourites and would fit perfectly with one of our past projects in Fisherman’s Cottage. The design shared with you is Pebble the effect is achieved by applying the coloured glazes onto the surface, which produces a lot of variation. Meaning every plate is unique, which is the brilliance of hand produced ceramics.  Anthropologie A wonderful store with a delicious mix of home and fashion, a regular stop on Regent Street. For a floral splash of colour we have chosen the Sissinghurst Castle design. Suited to homes that don’t wish to loose hold of the summer feeling and keep it going all year round, this endearing pattern is eye catching with its painterly impression.  Denby
Established since 1809 and as their motto aptly says ‘Beautiful. British. And built to last.' That’s why as a British company, we are including the wonderfully traditional Denby Imperial Blue range. Very popular and a beautifully simple design to suit any dinning table. Many of our clients need to maximize storage space in their London family homes. We build bespoke furniture, which enables us to design various ways of incorporating this into kitchens and rooms alike. We have put together a few suggestions of how storage can be included into a space without loosing out on the desired design and style.  The hidden draw Under a hob the cabinet door panel hides the top and bottom draw. The base draw is large enough to fit pans so they are within easy reach and the top draw is slim enough to store spatulas and ladles. These kitchen drawers are built in solid beech, dovetailed and fitted with a hand sprayed door finished in Farrow and Ball Elephants breath.  Larder Unit Every kitchen must is a larder unit, tall and an excellent room feature. This double cabinet is veered in American White Oak. The spice rack is ideal for stowing small items and the deep shelving and drawers provide ample storage space for larger items. Occasionally clients request electrical sockets at the back of a larder so you can use the shelving space as a breakfast bar to stow away kettles and toasters. The drawers are built in timber and dovetailed to deal with large internal weights.  Sliding Doors This large built-in cabinet has two large sliding doors, allowing you to access all three cabinet areas as storage whilst also displaying cherished items on the deep shelf. The internal cabinet lights emphasize the veneer and wine racking as a structural feature. These sliding doors are flush with the cabinet frame; cut out handle detail with a hand sprayed finish.  Alcove storage Making use of optimum space is shown in this archway shelving; the ornate columns, wood panelling and dado moulding compliment the period property and traditional design of the kitchen. The open shelving is ideal for storing items needed for two different rooms i.e. a kitchen and dinning room. Exceptionally functional and chic!  Glass Cabinets
These wall-mounted cabinets are an example of how to display glassware and crockery in an attractive way. Rather than have the wall units boxed in by solid wood and spray finished. The garden seen through the large window is reflected in the glass doors and mirrors on the side of the cabinet, making the cabinet recede into the wall space thus making the room feel bigger. As the rain sets in this season some of us might be having summer holiday blues and craving the delights of something continental. A huge fan of Nigel Slater our Recipe of the month evokes those memories of Italian evenings; the ever popular and satisfying Spaghetti Bolognese will warm many bellies in the wintry evenings ahead! Click here for the recipe.  In this recipe you need to first use a roasting tin on the hob, the Miele gas hobs have a quick start function to get the gas going quickly and your pan sizzling nicely. The compact oven from Miele is ideal for roasting food and the flexi clip runners allow it to be easier to safely transfer hot pans in and out of the oven without getting burned. To find out more information click here
|
AuthorA bit of input from everyone at the Ian Dunn design team Categories
All
|
RSS Feed
