DWS baby!

The DWS team welcomed a new baby last week! Naomi Amelia was born on Friday 20th September and all at DWS are delighted with her arrival.

Rain, rain, don't go away

With the recent weather forecasts of gale force winds and heavy rain, the following statement may start to become more and more familiar as September continues..."Mum, it's raining outside again and I've nothing to do. I'm bored.”

Bad weather can put a damper on anyone’s plans, especially kids, but on the bright side, rainy days provide children with the opportunity to discover new skills and get creative. Here are some fun and interactive rainy day activities for kids, courtesy of Asda magazine, designed to inspire learning and discovery.

1. For the Designer: Decorate an apron 

Cooking in the kitchen can be messy. It doesn't have to be though, with a custom-designed apron intended to not only keep children’s clothes clean, but also to keep them stirring in style. They can sketch out their own pattern using their favourite colours.

2. For the Artist: Make a placemat 

Kids can create their own personalised placemats from a variety of household items such as paper, magazines, recipes and pictures of their favourite foods. Encourage kids to write their names, draw pictures or customise their creations however they like. Afterwards, these original pieces can be laminated to serve as the perfect place settings.

3. For the Writer: Construct a menu 

Thinking of ideas for wholesome meals no longer has to feel like a chore. If your children are picky eaters, why not let them decide what to eat for dinner? In addition to compiling a list of great mains and side dishes, kids can make it even more fun by adding colours and drawing pictures of the food on the menu. 

4. For the Budding Chef: Create new recipes 

Children are adventurous by nature. Let their creative side show in the kitchen with new recipe ideas that will expand their horizons. Thinking of new flavour combinations, pairings and innovative dishes not only serves as a great learning experience, but is a great chance to socialise and interact with other children.

Selling Houses

I love 'Sarah Beeny's Selling Houses' which gives tips on how best to show off your house for selling.  

Sarah Beeny describes the programme on her Channel 4 Scrapbook page..."I'm helping homeowners battle it out to sell their properties, by giving them the unique chance to look around each other's homes for inspiration. They then have a week and £1000 to make changes and attract a buyer." 

What I have noticed through catching up on the programme on 4oD is that kitchens are so important to buyers today and it's becoming more of a lifestyle must to have the right kitchen.  A popular demand is the dining kitchen which suits today's modern family/social life. What is a true necessity though is that buyers can see that a kitchen is well finished and they won't have to do a lot to it to bring it up to standard on moving in to a new property. 

A really common way to spruce up a kitchen without spending a fortune is to replace worktops and  perhaps cupboard doors to give the room a whole new style or colour scheme. Providing the layout of the kitchen works well, you don't need to buy a new kitchen as the existing carcases are the perfect blank canvas for these additions. 

Add to this a paint job and some quick styling and you've just given your once tired and 'lived-in' kitchen a new lease of life, for a fraction of the cost of a new one.

As Sarah always says, it may seem silly spending money on a property you're moving out of but a small budget can go a long way to increasing your house or flat's saleability.

All the leaves are brown (soon!!)

Autumn is just around the corner and there's definitely that distinctive nip in the air.  Who can complain though with the amazing summer we had!?  I actually quite like Autumn with it's bright, crisp, chilly days and getting the cosy clothes out.

I've selected three yummy Autumn recipes which will make the coming season all the better.

Cheesy autumn mushrooms

Ingredients
• 4 large field mushrooms
• 100g gorgonzola or other blue cheese, crumbled
• 25g walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped
• 4 thyme sprigs
• knob butter, cut into small pieces
• rocket leaves, to serve
Method
1. Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Arrange the mushrooms on a baking tray. Scatter over the cheese, walnuts, thyme sprigs and butter. You can do up to this stage a day in advance.
2. Pop in the oven and cook for 10 mins until the cheese is melted and the mushrooms are softened. Arrange some rocket leaves on plates and place the mushrooms on top.


Autumn vegetable soup with cheesy toasts

Ingredients
• 1 leek, chopped quite small
• 2 carrots, chopped quite small
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 1 potato, chopped quite small
• 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh rosemary
• ½ tsp sugar
• 410g can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 3 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• 2 x 400g cans chopped Italian tomatoes
• 425ml/¾ pint vegetable stock
For the toasts
• 8 slices of baguette, cut on the diagonal
• 1 garlic clove, cut in half
• 50g edam, finely grated
Method
1. Put the vegetables into a large saucepan with the garlic, rosemary, stock and sugar. Season well, stir, bring to a simmer and cover. Cook gently for 15 minutes or until the vegetables are just tender.
2. Preheat the grill to high. Whizz the tomatoes in a food processor or blender until smooth, then tip into the vegetables with the chickpeas and parsley. Gently heat through, stirring now and then.
3. For the toasts: rub both sides of the bread with the garlic. Grill on one side until golden, turn the bread over, cover with edam and grill until it’s bubbling. Serve at once with the piping hot soup.


Plum & almond crumble slice

Ingredients
• 250g pack butter (this must be very cold)
• 225g caster sugar
• 300g ground almonds
• 140g plain flour, plus 25g/1oz
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp baking powder
• approx 6 plums, stoned and cut into sixths
• 50g flaked almonds
Method
1. Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Butter and line a 20 x 30cm baking tin with baking paper. Put the butter, sugar and ground almonds into a food processor, then pulse until the mixture resembles very rough breadcrumbs. Spoon out half the mix into a bowl and set aside.
2. Add 140g flour into the mix in the processor and whizz until it just forms a dough. Tip into the tin and press down with the back of a spoon. Bake for 15-20 mins until golden. Leave to cool for 10 mins.
3. To make the filling, put the remaining butter and the sugar and almond mix back into the processor, saving a few tbsp for the topping. Add the eggs, the 25g flour, cinnamon and baking powder and whizz to a soft batter. Spread over the base.
4. Top with the plum pieces and a little extra caster sugar and cinnamon. Bake for 20 mins, then sprinkle with the remaining crumble mix and flaked almonds. Cook for another 20 mins or until golden. Leave to cool in the tin before slicing.

BBC GoodFood magazine

Introducing...

DWS are very pleased to be adding another product to the website this week.  Maia is a beautiful solid surface worktop that is designed to be fitted by customers, kitchen fitters, builders etc. In other words, it's one of our 'DIY' products that comes in prefabricated sizes.

Check out the benefits of this stylish range below and you can see swatches of the contemporary colours available at this link http://www.maiaworksurfaces.co.uk/colours/

"Maia Worksurfaces is a stylish and durable range of solid surface kithchen worktops supplied by DWS. Seamless joins and a silky smooth finish make Maia’s designer worksurfaces a luxurious addition to your home.

Maia Care

Maia solid surface kitchen worktops come with a ten-year guarantee*, and are supported by the FIRA Gold Award for product excellence – this is testimony to the fact we only use the most superior materials, and our products are constantly tested to ensure they are manufactured to the highest possible standards.
*Guarantee covers manufacturing, not installation.

Maia solid surface worktops have been developed to be used in the domestic environment – particularly the kitchen. Although no ‘special’ maintenance is needed we recommend the following is adhered to, as prevention is always better than cure.

Routine Cleaning

Maia solid surface kitchen worktops do not require any specialist cleaning regimes – most dirt and light residue will easily wipe away with a damp cloth and soapy water. The worksurface should then be rinsed with clean water and wiped dry. Persistent marks can be removed by using a mild-abrasive cleaner, but harsh scouring powders should be avoided. If in doubt, consult our care and maintenance guide.

Heat

Maia solid surface kitchen worktop surfaces will withstand heat better than many alternative surface materials. However, all hot pots, pans and other heat generating devices should always be placed upon a trivet or worktop protector rods, to prevent extreme heat having prolonged and direct contact with the surface. Boiling water and cooking splashes do not harm the surface

Staining

Maia solid surface kitchen worktops, unlike marble and granite, will resist most household chemicals including alcohol and cosmetics however, some chemicals and strong dyes can cause damage and discolouration. If spillage occurs wipe off immediately and rinse area thoroughly.

Minor Scratching

Kitchen utensils and crockery (particularly the unglazed bases) can sometimes cause scratches that will be particularly evident on darker colours. The surface can be damaged by scratching or cutting with knives, so the use of a cutting board is essential. Don’t worry though, any minor scratches can easily be removed using a red abrasive pad and other items from the care kit, please refer to the care and maintenance guide.

Maia Care Kit

To help maintain your Maia solid surface kitchen worktop, a Care Kit is available from DWS. This kit contains all that you need to make minor repairs to the surface and a special polish that helps to maintain, protect and build up a lustre particularly on darker colours.

Our commitment to customer service

When you choose Maia solid surface kitchen worktops you can feel safe in the knowledge that you are getting a proven, reliable product; a product that is truly at the forefront of worksurface technology.

Please do not use any polish other than that included in the Maia care kit on the the Maia worksurface as this will affect the appearance and may invalidate your warranty".

Information taken from http://www.maiaworksurfaces.co.uk/

Please contact us on 0845 600 5512 or email us direct at info@dws-uk.com for more details or to purchase Maia solid surface kitchen worktops at discounted prices.

All things vintage

Decor Ideas and Photos

The UK's love of all things vintage continues, from shabby chic furniture to wedding decor.  See the article below taken from http://www.kitchen-design-ideas.org/vintage-kitchen-cabinets.html on how to add that vintage look to your kitchen.

Vintage kitchen cabinets are made to be authentic restorations or reproductions of earlier styles. Purists appreciate the historical accuracy of vintage kitchens, as opposed to retro kitchens which are more nostalgic than historical.

For the aficionado, every detail must be in place: Vintage appliances, old-fashioned telephones, and period decor come together to accurately restore the kitchen designs of the past.

Older Is Better: Let's face it: Most old things were built to last. Vintage kitchen cabinets, for example, can survive a surprisingly long time. My grandparents' kitchen cabinets are original to the 1949 postwar house, and they show no signs of giving out even after decades of abuse by children, grandchildren, and now great grandchildren. Compare that to the cheap imported cabinets some folks buy that last less than 20 years, and you will see why newer is not always better.

Vintage Appliances: Many savvy homeowners go searching for authentic appliance relics that still run. Some manufacturers are reviving the past by re-creating large and small vintage kitchen appliances with modern features. Authentic-looking vintage refrigerators, blenders, toasters, ovens, and dishwashers have interesting designs that make today's modern appliances seem somewhat dull by comparison. Even vintage kitchen faucets are staging a comeback as homeowners fine-tune every detail toward reviving the times of yore.

Vintage Kitchen Decor: Go searching for collectibles and memorabilia of the past to dress up your vintage kitchen design. Hang an old fashioned telephone or classic clock on the wall, and if you have the space, be sure to look for vintage kitchen tables with polished chrome trim and bar stools. Old School can often be really cool.

Special Offers

70% OFF ON SELECTED KITCHEN WORKTOPS

Apollo® Magna, Apollo® Quartz, Siletone® & Zodiaq Quartz

* While Stocks Last
* Call us now on 0845 600 5512 or email info@dws-uk.com
* Nationwide Installation Service
* Nationwide Delivery Service