A Center for Entertainment
 The holidays are just around the corner. We are all gearing up for the yearly celebrations that bring together family and friends for fun, food and precious memories. As you plan your parties and special get-togethers, whether large or small, think about how you entertain at home. Quite often home entertainment takes place in an extended area that includes kitchen and family room or great room. Imagine how terrific that space can become when you don’t limit yourself to conventional space planning ideas.
For example, you’ve been dreaming about having an entertainment center in your home. Perhaps you have considered purchasing a
ready-made freestanding furniture unit in which to house a big screen TV and surround sound speakers. However, for most of us, entertainment includes much more than simply the audio-visual aspects. It is a total experience involving relaxation and refreshment, excitement and laughter. What other entertainment opportunities might you want to offer your guests?
 Here you will see the advantages of using custom cabinetry. It lets you redefine the concept of home entertainment according to your individual lifestyle. With custom cabinetry you can create a distinctive environment that is uniquely yours, where architecture, furnishings, cabinetry, appliances, electronics and lighting all work together. This center for entertainment may include a wet bar with a built-in ice maker and a computer station with built-in wiring, as well as a complete audio-visual system with big screen TV. The cabinetry integrates it all.
You don’t have to hope that somehow everything will fit. When using custom cabinetry, all is specified according to your particular needs: the cabinet height, width, depth, number of drawers or shelves and their configuration and size, etc. Your cabinetry style and finish options are virtually unlimited. Some of the state-of-the-art features are TV swivel trays, hide-a-way doors, and decorative column pull-outs that store cassettes, CDs and DVDs, laser discs and videotapes.
So, if you are thinking about an entertainment center for your home, don’t just rush out to a furniture store. You can have a special center for entertainment designed just for you.
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We're Making Progress
by Stephanie Witt, CKD, CBD
 On May 30th we broke ground on our new Home Studio. By July 31st the first roof trusses went up. Drywall was begun in late-September. When December 31st rolls around we should be settling into our new Home Studio and planning the last minute details…details that will assure you of a pleasant home environment in which to plan your next kitchen or bath project.
This is an exciting time for us. Sort of a return to our roots. When my daughter Kyle was a teenager we operated out of our Home Studio in Petoskey, Michigan. The atmosphere was one of friendly comfort and met the needs of our growing clientele as well as the needs of family obligations. The real advantage to you— the ones involved in so many decisions— is the ability to see our many product offerings in use. Our potting area off the garage will be ready for the green thumb in the family. The gift wrap center will be busy as the holiday season arrives in December. The home theater will store videos ready for viewing in an
environment with comfortable chairs. Great aromas may well waft from the kitchen as bread is baking in the large Dacor ovens. Our home will become your home as you make plans for your building or remodeling project. It should be a fun time, filled with relaxing uninterrupted, pre-scheduled meetings.
 In many ways nothing will have changed from our current mode of operating. The subtle move to appointment-based meetings will allow us the needed planning time to serve you better. We will be available for appointments six days a week, as well as evenings, if necessary. Just give us a call at 942-9922 to schedule an appointment.
Many of you are currently in the midst of building or remodeling your homes with the help of Kitchens by Stephanie’s professional staff. You personally know the benefits of the uninterrupted, quality time we are able to commit to your projects. Our new setup will only enhance that commitment.
 The pictures you see here tell the story of our progress. What may not be so visible is the intriguing concept of the energy efficient, engineered, R-Control panels being used in the construction of the foundation as well as the wall system in the home. The advantage of this construction method, in addition to superior protection from the elements, is the reduction of unwanted noises from outside the home. The neighbor’s lawn mower, the ever-increasing air traffic from the constantly growing Gerald R. Ford Airport and of course the sounds of sirens, horns and barking dogs can all be distracting elements during a session where concentration is required. It is our aim to create the best possible environment in which to plan and dream the dreams that will make your home everything you want it to be.
In late spring or early summer we will be planning several “At Home” gatherings for friends and family, our extended Kitchens by Stephanie family. Be looking for your invitation in the Spring Edition of the Sideboard Sentinel. Until December 24th we are still here at 2880 Thornhills and look forward to seeing you soon.
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When Is A Drawer Not A Drawer?
Spend time in an upscale kitchen these days and you may at first have trouble finding the cutlery drawer. Open this drawer, open that—you will be surprised at the contents. Consumer demand for convenience and luxury in the kitchen has spawned a multitude of innovative, versatile appliances. And in addition, many of them are so cleverly integrated with the rest of the kitchen, concealed behind stylish front drawer panels, that you won’t even suspect them.
When is a drawer not a drawer?
When it’s a refrigerator…
 In today’s spacious kitchens, wouldn’t you enjoy the flexibility of having your
refrigerated vegetables located right next to the counter area where they are rinsed and prepared? Well, take hold of that graceful pewter handle beside you, and there in the drawer you discover a refrigerator!
Sub-Zero’s 700 series includes a refrigerator unit consisting of two drawers set one on top of the other with a combined capacity of 4.9 cu.ft. A microprocessor gives you the capability of setting the optimum temperature for the food in each drawer. Bring the refrigerator to you, instead of you going to the refrigerator.
When it’s a warming drawer…
 How do you make certain your holiday turkey is roasted to perfection, and at the same time heat the dinner rolls? What if your guests are late and you need to keep the food at serving temperature?
Check out the drawer below your wall oven! It is actually a warming drawer from the Monogram® series by GE. It gently heats foods during the period between cooking and serving, or it can also be used to warm leftovers and carry-out foods.
Controls inside the drawer switch the unit on or off and regulate the heat as well as the humidity. An exterior light glows when the heating element is on.
When it’s a dishwasher…
 After that elegant dinner party, when you are faced with a pile of dirty dishes, you’ll be happy to know that the drawer alongside your sink is actually a dishwasher!
The DishDrawer™ by Fisher & Paykel consists of two totally separate, independently operated wash drawers, which allow you to handle delicate crystal and heavily soiled baking dishes all at the same time. Each drawer has a large, 12 dinner plate capacity, but uses as little as 1.8 gallons of water.
Therefore, if you only have a small load, using only a single drawer will minimize water, energy and detergent use, costing less to run than a standard dishwasher.
Who would have ever thought all this would be inside a kitchen drawer!
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Brick, Stone, and Manufactured Stone
 Brick and stone are derived from the earth itself, and their natural beauty is as colorful and variable as the ground from which they came. As home exterior wall coverings they tend to connote solidity and permanence in our minds. A brick home, or one finished with stone, has that refined, prestigious look which typically gives it great curb appeal and generous resale value.
But more than just a pretty face, brick and stone have inherent characteristics that make this type of exterior finish a smart buy, despite the generally higher cost. One is energy efficiency. It just naturally takes longer for heat to travel through walls that are heavy and dense. Brick or stone walls, especially when combined with insulation, keep out the heat on warm days and retain heat on cooler ones. A second factor is sound insulation. The thickness and density of brick or stone walls will deaden noise transmission and deflect noise from streets and neighboring homes. Third is fire resistance. Brick and stone don’t burn. Fourth is lasting beauty. With brick and stone you eliminate the problems associated with rotting, denting, warping, rusting, splitting, peeling or fading. Finally, ease of maintenance. Basically, brick and stone don’t need continual maintenance. However, it is always wise to inspect any masonry on a yearly basis.
An attractive alternative to natural stone is manufactured stone veneer, which is made from natural ingredients, including Portland cement, lightweight aggregates and iron oxide pigments. These manufactured stones look and feel authentic because individual pieces are cast in molds taken from selected natural stones. The advantages to this product are that it is lightweight and needs no additional footings, as with natural stone. It may be applied to any structurally sound wall surface and is less expensive than natural stone. Also, it is often difficult to find the right color or texture when you are using quarried stone. With manufactured stone you can choose from a wide range of shapes and colors that are readily available.
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