2016 Fall News from Kat Nelson Designs

Interior Design . Renovations . Construction.

Furniture . Lighting . Art . Window Coverings . Floor Coverings .

In This Issue:

Inspirations

Just Saying

It's Personal

What's Hot/ What's Not?

Need to Know

Featured Project

Inspirations

Just Saying

It's Personal

Autumn Bean and Bacon Soup

My favorite soup growing up

was Campbell's bean and bacon

soup. Add ½ can of milk not water.

Crumble saltine crackers and that's what I

call comfort food! Here's a grown

up version....just in time for this

nip in the air.....

Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

1 hour 15 mins

Total time

1 hour 30 mins

Ingredients

8 oz. Smoked Bacon, diced

1 cup diced yellow onions

1 cup diced carrots

1 cup diced celery

2 cloves garlic, minced

4 cups chicken broth

3 cans (15 oz each) Great

Northern beans, drained and

rinsed

salt and pepper

1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce

Instructions:

Cook the bacon in a soup pot or

Dutch oven until crisp. Remove

with a slotted spoon to a paper

towel lined plate. Discard all but

about 2 tablespoons of the

bacon grease.

To the hot bacon grease, add the

onions, carrots and celery. Cook

over medium heat until they start

to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the

garlic and cook an additional

minute. Stir in the chicken broth

and beans. Season to taste with

salt and pepper. Bring to a bubble

then reduce the heat to low and let

the soup simmer for 1 hour.

Remove half of the soup to a

blender or food processor. Process

until smooth. Return the puree to

the soup po t and stir into the

remaining soup. Add the tomato

sauce and ¾ of the reserved

bacon and stir to combine.

Taste and season to taste with salt

and pepper. Le t the soup simmer

until it is heated through, about

5 minutes.

Serve topped with the remaining

bacon.

Warm Apple Cider and Rum

Can't wait to try!

Ingredients:

1 apple

2 teaspoons whole cloves

1 orange, thinly sliced

2 quarts apple cider

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1 teaspoon allspice

Pinch grated nutmeg

1 cup dark rum

Cinnamon sticks, garnish

Stud the apple with the cloves. In

a medium pot, combine the

studded apple and remaining

ingredients except the rum. Slowly

bring to a simmer over low heat.

Simmer for 10 minutes. Remove

from the heat and add the rum.

Discard the apple. Ladle into mugs

and garnish each with a cinnamon

stick. Serve immediately.

Recipe courtesy of Emeril Lagasse, 2002

Have you read?...

The Gifts of Imperfection

by Brene Brown

In this book, the author addresses how to find deep personal worth while living in a world that is constantly bombarded by messages of who, what, and how we should be. From the book:

" Owning our story can be hard but not nearly as difficult as spending our lives running from it. Embracing our vulnerabilities is risky but not nearly as dangerous as giving up on love and belonging and joy-the experiences that make us the most vulnerable. Only when we are brave enough to explore the darkness will we discover the infinite power of our light."

All professional photography for Kat Nelson Designs by Lisa Konz Photography.

www.lisakonz.com

There's something about Autumn that wakes our senses and reminds us to live.....

We hope the cooler Autumn weather has put you in

the mood to try that new crock pot recipe, cozy up your home for the upcoming holiday season and get outside and enjoy all the beauty that this time of year offers.

As a designer, this is an exciting time of the year, High

Point Furniture Market has just ended and we are brimming with ideas of how to implement the design trends that were showcased. Furniture and accessory lines have unveiled their new products and the air is

ripe with excitement.

With the additions of television channels like HGTV

and websites like Houzz, today's design c lient is much more informed than in times past. We receive more

and more inquiries related to pictures and articles that our clients have seen on Houzz. It used to be that Pinterest was the homeowners go-to for finding design styles and direction in home design. However, Houzz has evolved into the Pinterest for home owners.

Trust me, I love them both and don't have a favorite. But if you aren't familiar with Houzz, research the

w ealth of infor mation and resources available just a

click away. You can create idea books based on areas

of your home that interest you and save the photos

that best represent your goals and preferences. Local resources for projects in which you need assistance are at your your fingertips and just a click away.

Kat Nelson Designs has been honored to receive

many Houzz awards and is a "Recommended Pro" on their site....lucky us! We are currently in the running

for an award titled Best of Alpharetta! We are beyond excited and hope that while you are looking through this informative and fun website, you follow us and save any of our pictures to your personal idea books. By doing

this you can help us win this coveted award.

As we welcome this change of seasons, we are once again reminded how blessed we are to be doing something that we love!

Forever Grateful

Kat Nelson and team

What's Hot?

serene and tranquil master bedrooms

What's Not??

messy, chaotic masters

Need to Know

Bring More Balance to Your Garden With Symmetry

Well-designed gardens often use symmetry in a variety of ways to create a sense of harmony. While symmetry is perhaps best illustrated by formal gardens, it's a design principle that can be used to create balance in any style of garden, from classical to modern. From the nearly perfect symmetry of two potted boxwoods placed on either side of a gate to a more approximate symmetry of loosely mirrored perennial beds, here are 10 ways to add symmetry to your garden.

Create a welcoming entryway. Symmetry in the front yard in the form of two trees flanking the front walk or a pair of pots by the door is a great way to increase curb appeal. The front garden of this beachside bungalow in Southern California strikes a balance between formal and carefree with symmetrical plantings made up of a mix of clipped shrubs and informal, billowing grasses.

D efine a central axis. For a classic formal look, set out an axis of symmetry along a sightline of the garden and mirror the planting beds on either side. Not every element of the garden needs to be perfectly symmetrical. Here, a curved rock wall with a built-in bench on the right side of the fountain creates a seating area for taking in the view. The overall effect is cool, calm and serene.

Plant a tree allée. Traditionally, a tree "avenue" consists of a single type of tree planted at regular intervals on either side of a straight path. This classic French style creates structure and can be an opportunity to use symmetry.

For the rest of the article follow this link to Houzz.

http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/74641494/list/bring-more-balance-to-your-garden-with-symmetry

Featured Projects

by Kat Nelson Designs

Master Bedrooms

The master bedroom is often the most overlooked room in the house. Family rooms, kitchens and even the kids room get more attention than the master bedroom in many homes. Due to the misconception that because no one "sees it" it isn't as important as the rest of the house, i t's usually left until the last to decorate.

It's often cluttered with unfolded laundry, too many accessories, papers from work...and so on. The very place that is intended to be our "own" space in our home, our sanctuary, our retreat is often times anything but. The master bedroom should be a place to relax, rest and recharge.

When considering choosing a color palette for the master, ask yourself these questions. Does this color make you happy? feel calm? serene? If this step has you stalled this is a great point to get on Houzz and browse the photos of master bedrooms and begin that lookbook that we mentioned above. I encourage my design clients to come to meetings with pictures and ideas so that we can best come up with a plan for incorporating things

they love, they need and they want .

It is imperative to invest in the best linens that you can afford. If the average person sleeps one third of their life, then it only makes sense to be in comfortable sheets and bedding. Good pillows, soft blankets and thick towels for your master bath are a must have as well.

Adding black out drapery for a good night's rest is important. (Black out drapery is not just for teenagers!) Add an air purifier or air purifying house plants to keep the allergens at bay. We usually recommend that the lighting in a master bedroom be a combination of mood lighting and task lighting. We often install overhead canned lighting above the headboard with a switch close by the bed for reading. Table and floor lamps bathed in soft white light helps to create a calm and serene environment. Don't forget that no master is complete without a candle or two by the bed?

Then...... clean the clutter, all of it!

Make sure personal or work papers have a spot designated out of view. Laundry goes from the laundry room to the closet or chest of drawers. Books have a place on either shelves or in drawers beside the bed.

Don't forget your guests need all of this attention in the guest room. Not the leftovers. Fluffy towels, great smelling soaps, closet and drawer space and hooks to hang towels or clothing are all important in making your house guests feel at home in your home.