Red, White and New – Celebrate America
July 11, 2014The Old is New Again!
StarMark Cabinetry recently named OLD WORLD appeal as a major trend in kitchens and baths. To create this look in your home, incorporate muted hues into your cabinet color. If you aren’t feeling quite brave enough, try a kitchen chair or desk in your room with a splash of rusty red color.
Modern Supply is proud to feature StarMark Cabinetry in the 
showroom.
Nip That Drip!
March 18, 2013Drip. Drip. Drip. Did you know the average American household wastes more than 10,000 gallons of water each year from water leaks? Gee whiz! That’s enough water to wash nearly ten months of laundry according to the super smart folks at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Clean water is our most important resource. Without it, we would all bite the dust! To promote water awareness, the EPA has designated March 18-24, 2013 as Fix a Leak Week. It’s time to replace those drippy faucets and runny toilets with EPA WaterSense labeled products. Good for the environment and your bank account.
Here are some mind blowin’ facts from the EPA:
· 70% of the earth’s surface is water; less than 1% is suitable for human use
· Each American uses an average of 100 gallons of water a day
· Toilets account for 30% of indoor residential water use
· Over your lifetime, you’ll likely flush the toilet nearly 140,000 times
· A leaky toilet can waste about 200 gallons of water a day
· You can use up to 8 gallons of water while brushing your teeth
· Approximately 5-10% of American homes have leaks that drip away 90 gallons a day or more
· WaterSense products use 20-30% percent less water
Even though WaterSense products— toilets, faucets and showerheads—use less water, you don’t sacrifice quality or water pressure. Manufacturers like Delta and American Standard have gone all techie and created products that use less water more efficiently. You won’t have to flush several times or be left with soapy hair!
Nip that drip ‘cause every drop counts! Come on in to one of Modern Supply’s seven locations and see WaterSense fixtures that can save you money and water!
Spring Cleaning Tips
March 11, 2013
It’s that time of year when I’m soooo over winter and thinkin’ spring!! Can’t wait to open my windows and feel a warm breeze comin’ through those grimy windows. ☺ This year, I’m goin’ greener with cleaning products and using fewer nasty chemicals.
Magical household cleaning products include vinegar, baking soda, hydrogen peroxide & Dawn dish washing liquid—the blue kind. Vinegar and hydrogen peroxide kills tons of bacteria, molds and viruses. Peroxide works much like bleach without harmful effects.
Do not mix vinegar and peroxide in the same bottle! It creates a chemical that is NOT GOOD. However, for super-duper cleaning you can mist one and then the other. Just don’t mix ‘em! Beware, vinegar can damage marble or other polished stone; use peroxide.
Go green with natural cleaning products!
Baking soda is scrubbing power! Sprinkle on nasty tub grunge, mist with vinegar and watch it bubble away soap scum!
Use these two cleaning concoctions as guides and adjust to your level of yuck!
• Pour equal parts of Dawn and vinegar into a spray bottle and gently shake. Heat the vinegar in the microwave for extra POW!
• One part Dawn & two parts peroxide— remember peroxide has a whitening effect so careful with color!
More miracles!
• Water Rings disappear by rubbing a bit of non-gel toothpaste on it and buffing with a cloth.
• Kill germs on doorknobs with full-strength vinegar OR peroxide and wipe dry.
• Brighten a load of white laundry by adding a cup of peroxide.
• Disinfect kids’ toys by spraying with peroxide.
• Zap pesky fruit flies by setting out a dish of undiluted vinegar.
• Keep the kitty off of a surface by misting with vinegar. They hate the smell.
• Kill grass between patio bricks by spreading salt between them; then sprinkle with water.
• Cut a lemon in half, dip in salt and rub on copper or brass to remove stains (not brass plated).
• Use Vinegar & water for window cleaner and wipe with coffee filters. They’re lint free!
Get your sparkle on! Save money & the environment. Shoot me an email if you have a terrific tip to share! millie@modernsupplyco.com
Chillin’ with Your Home Beverage Center
February 8, 2013Sodas, bottled water, vino and brew can use up a lot of space in the kitchen fridge. If you chill a lot of drinks, a beverage center is the answer. There are oodles of sizes and styles to chill your fav drinks…even for kitchens!
Design your own beverage bar with Armstrong Cabinets.
GE cooler with wine extension racks.
First, there are small refrigerators available with drawers or doors with full extension shelves. These are suitable for food or bevs and can be stacked if you need more than one. These are ideal for man caves and home theater rooms. Larger sizes even have freezers in case you need to stash some ice cream too!
Beverage centers are designed with shelving to accommodate soft drinks and wine. Larger units may have two sides; a fridge and beverage section with individual temp controls.
Full beverage center from Perlick
For the vino connoisseur, some wine reserve models have shelving that prevents shifting and slippage of the stored bottles and glass doors that protect varietals from ultraviolet light. Ooo la la!
A must-have for a full-blown beverage area is an ice maker. Brands like Perlick can make up to 50 pounds of ice per day. That can accommodate a big shindig and a lot of umbrella drinks!
Don’t forget the beer dispensers. After all, it’s always sports time in Tennessee! Available with one or two taps to serve-up two different brews—chilled to a perfect 33-39 degrees.
Perlick beer dispenser
Let there be accessories! If there are kids in the house, you can lock-down the adult brews with optional lock features. One of my fav accessories is the martini glass chiller racks. Nothing like a Moderntini in a perfectly chilled glass! There are also drawer dividers, shelving choices, and door options in glass or stainless.
If you’re like me and just adore entertaining, a beverage center makes it sooo much easier. My Modern Supply design peeps can create an entire refreshment center with complete with cabinetry, appliances and all the trimmings. Give ‘em a shout at 865.966.4567. Cheers!
Perlick Ice Maker
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Tags: beer dispensers, home beverage center, ice maker, modern supply, Modern's Millie, Perlick, small refrigerators, wine coolers
Power to the Baby Boomers!
January 16, 2013Baby boomers are the folks born from 1946 to 1964 and are 81+ million strong in the U.S. They account for 28 percent of the U.S population but more than half of the nation’s purchasing power according to a recent study by the Research Institute for Cooking & Kitchen Intelligence (RICKI).
Many boomers are choosing to remain in their current homes as they age. Aging in Place means the ability to live in your own home comfortably and safely for as long as possible. As people remodel their homes, they’re including Universal Design products—a design concept that meets the needs of people with varied abilities. It considers people with age-related problems, people who are tall or short, as well as those with various physical or mental impairments. It also acknowledges that abilities change over time.
A low threshold shower with bench from American Standard.
What Aging in Place DOES NOT mean is that your home renovations have to look institutional! Kitchen and bathrooms typically require the most alternations. Here are some practical, but stylish suggestions to keep that cozy feel.
Bathroom manufacturers are offering comfortable walk-in tubs, roomy seated showers, stylish easy-to-use faucets and higher toilets to create a beautiful, safer and more comfortable bathroom.
American Standard walk-in tub.
• Walk-in tubs come as soaking units with built-in chair height benches and grab bars. Options include hydrotherapy features such as air and whirlpool or pumps for faster draining.
• Walk-in showers are available in several sizes with low to zero thresholds for easy access. There are choices of benches, seats, shelves and grab bars. Most install easily for retro-fit remodels.
Aquatic’s accessible shower with hand-held shower head with slider bar.
• Plumbing fixtures such touch-free faucets and adjustable hand-held shower heads are both available with temperature controls to prevent scalding.
• Toilets heights at 16-17” are taller and safer. Adding a raised toilet seat will add more height.
Delta’s Touch technology turns on/off easily.
Delta’s Touch technology saves water, too!
Universal Design options are plentiful for creating a user-friendly kitchen. Evaluate how your kitchen flows. Eliminate tight spaces and obstructions that may, at some time, become a safety issue.
A pull-out shelf is convenient under a GE built-in oven.
Cabinets have a lot of flexibility. For easier access, wall cabinets may be installed lower and base cabinets higher. Include pull-out, roll-out or lift shelving for less bending. Soft close door hinges and drawer glides simplify opening and closing. Deep toe kicks on cabinets will accommodate wheel chairs.
This raised GE dishwasher eliminates extra bending.
Appliances can be installed based on height requirements. Raise a dishwasher or lower microwaves, cooktops and built-in ovens to accommodate your need. Again, cabinets can be adjusted.
Don’t forget lighting! Our eyes change as we age; less light reaches the retina and the sensitivity to glare increases. Uniform ambient (primary source) lighting and good task lighting is essential. Install dimmer switches for easy adjustments.
Easy to access kitchen storage from StarMark Cabinetry.
Baby boomers are the flower children of yesterday who transformed into movers and shakers of change. They continue to influence change and companies are listening to their needs.
Come by Modern Supply’s kitchen, bath & lighting showroom and incorporate Universal Design products in your home. Design your home for today with the future in mind. 865-966-4567
Power to the Baby Boomers!
Tags: Aging in Place, Baby Boomers, Delta, grab bars, modern supply, Modern Supply kitchen bath showroom, Raised cabinets, remodel, StarMark Cabinetry, Touch faucets, Universal Design, walk-in showers, walk-in tubs
