9 Useful and Lovely Alessi Girotondo Household Items
For those who don’t speak Italian, “Girotondo” is the word for a simple children’s game. You’ve no doubt seen the little paper cutouts that children have been making for generations. Designers with a delightful sense of humor adapted the design. The result? An entire series of household items that combine cheer and practicality like never before. Alessi Girotondo at its most basic.
In its simplicity, the Girotondo Keyring (AKK44) provides a perfect example. The section holding the keys forms a loop that resembles a child’s jump rope. The portion you hold with your hand looks like that little person. The result? Humor and that little shock of recognition. You see a familiar icon in an entirely new setting. Alessi Girotondo at its most basic.
Check out the Girotondo Magnet Set (AKK43). The little person stretches out to embrace all your important notes. Buy two and let them hold hands. Buy three and have a game of Girotondo. Buy six and imagine they’re a parachute team. There is no limit to the uses for this concept.
Now retire to the library with a good book. Take along your Girotondo Bookmark (AKK53). Yes, it will keep your place in a novel just fine. But it will also remind you to laugh a little every day.
Take Girotondo into the kitchen with you. Let it deliver the same joy and ease of a child in summer. The humble Breadstick Holder (AKK09) shows you how. Mirror-polished stainless steel pierced with that iconic shape is easy to clean. At the same time this item offers beauty and a sense of delight.
Extend the joy with a Fruit Holder (AKK05). The bowl is large enough to hold several apples, peaches or oranges but its functional value is only a small part of the package. Made of the same mirror-polished stainless steel as the Breadstick Holder, it creates synergy on your table.
Complete the design with a Girotondo Pepper Mill (KK48). The mill section is stainless steel polished to a high sheen. The rotor is in PA. Lovely. Simple. Top off the container with a Girotondo in blue or green and you have a work of art that does double duty as a spice dispenser.
Now relax in your home office after a fine meal. Girotondo follows you there, too. The Pencil Holder (AKK41) will bring a smile to your lips as you see it sitting on your desk. Look left and see your Girotondo Photo Frame (AKK22), with its little icons dancing around the border, just as your little one does in the photo. Use the Envelope Holder (AKK40) for all your correspondence and turn a dreary chore into a cheerful task, thanks to the row of Girotondo figures.
As you can see, there is no end to the uses to which this innovative design may be used. Let your imagination run wild and incorporate Alessi Girotondo products into your home decorating plans.
Alessi Kettles – Works of Art and Utility
Alessi offers a range of kettles that are works of art and utility. Combining both into a seamless blend of function and beauty isn’t easy. The company’s catalog offers a number of Alessi tea kettles that will convince anyone.
The Alessi 9091 kettle is a good example. A truly fine design can look contemporary, even though it might have been created in 1983. From the ergonomically designed black handle to the half-dome container to the superb brass spout, the 9091 is a work of functional art.
It was the first of Alessi’s designer kettles and they chose well for their debut, because even now this model is an outstanding pot. The polished stainless steel exterior holds a brass whistle that sings two notes – mi and si – when the water is boiling.
With a similar model number, but completely different design, the Alessi 9093 kettle is another superb example. First introduced in 1985, it has remained in the Alessi catalog because it continues to provide a contemporary style that never ages. Years from now it will look as up to date as the unimaginable designs of the future.
Designed by famed designer Michael Graves, the Alessi 9093 offers a magnetic stainless steel bottom for the ultimate in stability and perfect diffusing. You’ll get plenty of use, too, from its spacious 200 cl (2 liters). Yet, with its powder blue handle and volcano-shaped pot, it lends true style to the kitchen. That style is topped by a humorous touch, thanks to the little bird whistle at the spout.
For the ultimate in style, consider the magnificent Alessi Il Conico kettle (# 90017). It seems impossible that it should have joined the Alessi family so far back as 1986. The sharp cone-shaped pot made of mirror polished stainless steel seems to have emerged only yesterday from the designer Aldo Rossi’s drawing pad.
The handle – a sturdy L-shape seamlessly integrated into the cone – provides both easy lifting and a delicate touch that never detracts from the design. That makes the Il Conico something you’ll want to feature on the stove at all times. It will never be hidden away into the cabinet to be used only at preparation time.
Reach for the ultimate fashion statement with architect Frank Gehry’s Pito kettle. Characteristic of this architect’s unique work, the mirror-polished pot is asymmetric. This piece of art will generate many interesting conversations around the stove as you wait for the water to heat. It remains a highly useful kitchen tool, all the same.
With unique mahogany wood handles designed on a sea life motif, one whale forms the handle while the other provides a spout with a truly distinctive whistle. The Alessi catalog contains many distinctive designs, but the Alessi Pito kettle stands out even in that collection.
No one purchases a kettle based on an artist’s name alone, of course. But that name is recognized because of the many stylish and innovative products that hail from their imaginations. Alessi electric kettles demonstrate that with ease, even to the most severe critic.
Home electrical wiring for beginners
April 11, 2009 by Larry Angell
Filed under Bathroom
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I often get visitors at my site asking about electrical home wiring and different wiring methods and projects. Their main concern is to attempt to do the electrical project or hire it out to professionals.
Because of the housing crash and financial market meltdown, Im observing that many people cant get construction loans to hire contractors to do the home construction for them. I see many people doing the work for themselves out of necessity and not only to save money.
Most homeowners dont have a problem with things like outdoor siding and putting in doors and windows, but they are often doubtful about electrical home wiring.
First of all, the most important thing is safety. If any electrical work is done, you need to make sure that youre not working on energized circuits. The next point is that all home wiring jobs need to be inspected whether its done by you or a professional. This helps assuage the fears that homeowners have wondering if their home wiring projects are going to be a fire hazard to them.
Theres no need to have a complete knowledge of electrical theory to do your own wiring. The most important thing is to know the electrical codes in your neighborhood because they will be the mandatory regulations the electrical inspectors will follow. Looking at electrical diagrams and formulas really helps to understand how to run the electrical circuits.
If you can look at a drawing, photo, or other illustration, you can get a good understanding how the cable is run. There are a few types of cable that are used in home construction. Non-metallic sheathed cable or more commonly called, Romex cable is often used for home electrical wiring.
Romex has different types, sizes and quantity of wires per cable according to the needs of the wiring circuit. Its standard to use 12-2 and 12-3 cable for light switches and outlets. This means that the cable size is a 12-gauge thickness with either 2 or 3 wires in each cable. These types of indoor cables are used on 120-volt circuits which means only one of the wires is a hot conductor.
Certain appliances in the home need extra voltage and so these will have thicker wire and usually two hot conductors. These are 240-volt circuits. Water heaters, clothes dryers, air-conditioners and heating systems will typically use 10-2 or 10-3 cable. This always depends on local electrical codes though.
The big, high-wattage, circuits that use a special cable are ovens and ranges or most common, the oven/range together. These appliances require a lot of electricity and they use a heavy cable called, range cable which is usually two 6-gauge cables as hot wires and one 8-gauge cable as a neutral wire.
The low-voltage systems in home wiring include phone wiring, computer network wiring, and home security systems. These are usually wired with Cat5 cable which is an 8-wire cable designed for communications systems.
Its wise to plan out circuit runs in your home using graph paper or grid paper so you can keep everything to scale. Youll need a good floor plan of your house for drawing each electrical circuit. Youll probably want to make several copies of these plans because youll have many different circuits in your home.
When you have an idea of where to put the electrical circuits, you can plan out the breaker panel box needs. A standard size of breaker panel is a 200-amp panel with a minimum of 40 breaker slots. All the circuits will start at the breaker box with a breaker or fuse.
There will be some dedicated circuits which means only one fixture or appliance can be wired on the circuit. This is always according to the local electrical codes and regulations.
All home wiring electrical circuits will be have to be inspected at different intervals during the home construction process. The electrical inspector has to make sure all codes have been followed. This is a good thing because it helps us feel safe knowing we did the wiring correctly and were not going to catch fire in our sleep at night.
Oil Rubbed Bronze Faucet Trends Explained
March 8, 2009 by Marta Steinkensky
Filed under Bathroom
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Are you looking to jazz up your bathroom? Are you looking to give it that certain look? That touch of elegance, that rustic look, maybe you are looking to add just a little ambiance to your bath. Then something you might want to consider is an oil rubbed bronze faucet. An oil rubbed bronze faucet can add that little touch of style that can transform your ordinary looking bathroom into something a bathroom with some personality. Turn your bathroom into a place that has a rustic almost mysterious aura about it.
A bathroom doesnt have to be a boring place, it can be one of your more interesting rooms. Your bathroom can be transformed into a place that has that classic feel about it, a place you will enjoy going to relax and get away from the stress of life. Oil rubbed bronze faucets can help you achieve the kind of look that you are looking to give your bathroom. For a new bath or a remodeling job, oil rubbed bronze faucets are a nice addition to your bath room to give it that certain look that you may be looking for.
Not only are they good to add that special something to your bath, why not add them to your kitchen as well? Why not give your kitchen that rustic look? You could really add to the looks of your kitchen by using an oil rubbed bronze faucet. Instead of having a shiny stainless steel sterile looking kitchen that is, well, in my opinion, boring. Why not add some personality to your kitchen and go with a darker bronze look. You can start with the faucets. Why not have a kitchen that is really a neat looking, and different?
You can get oil rubbed bronze faucets in all shapes and sizes, and also there is a broad price range. With a wide variety for you to choose from you shouldnt have a problem finding that you like. It pretty much depends upon your need, personal taste, and the amount of money that you want to spend . The point is that there is a lot to choose from and you shouldnt have a problem finding an oil rubbed bronze faucet that will meet your particular need.
Oil rubbed bronze faucets seem to be in vogue these days. Maybe oil rubbed bronze will become the next stainless steel, who knows. Anyways it can be a nice addition to your kitchen or bath.
What To Avoid When Buying Rustic Furniture
February 14, 2009 by Don Plawson
Filed under Bedroom
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When you are buying country furniture, you need to be smart about it. This is something a lot of people dive into without much knowledge and it comes back to bite them. What most people don’t stop to think about is that there are a lot of little things you need to know when you are looking at this type of furniture and unless you have that knowledge, you could be walking away someone elses problem.
Country furniture is composed mostly of wood. That being the case, unless you are educated on wear and other related conditions of wood, you better not go shopping alone. Bring someone with you or do some serious reading and research on the topic to make sure you have an idea as to what to look for.
Make sure your furniture has extensive corner blocking. This is something basic but very critical for wood furniture. This blocking is simply a couple of pieces of wood pieced together that add extra support and strength to your furniture joints.
Something that you are going to want to immediately check is the rear construction of the furniture. Quality items will feature screws and nails in the back that make the backing an integral part of your furniture. If the item is put together with staples, forget about it and move onto the next item.
The finish on your piece should be a multi-step process resulting in an elegant appearance. This is another easy short cut for people that are just cranking out inferior product and is something that should immediately send up warning signs.
You should always check the alignment of the drawers to make sure they are flush and smooth rolling. This can lead to several problems down the road the least of which is damaging your clothing. There is nothing worse than having a drawer stick to an article of clothing only to have you playing tug of war with the drawer and then eventually destroying whatever piece it was that got jammed in there because it was misaligned.
For all intents and purposes, furniture is constructed square. While it may not always be the shape it is more a term of craftsmanship and balance. However, where the furniture goes does not have that luxury. Houses are sometimes built on angles or have settled over the years creating the same result. That being the case, you want to make sure you have quality levelers on the bottom of each support to ensure that if need be, you can adjust your piece to fit the room that it is placed in.
Browsing for rustic furniture is obviously not something that you should take lightly. Educate yourself or bring a friend that knows the business and make it a successful journey that leads to you bringing home a beautiful piece that you will be proud to show off.
