How to Decorate With a Butcher’s Block

Posted on by

A butcher’s block is much more than just a slat of wood. It is a decorative and sometimes valuable object that can tell people who you are.

For one thing they come in all kinds of different types of wood. Some of the nicest ones are made of large Vermont Maple or Walnut.

If you want a really nice cutting board be prepared to spend some cash. Remember that you are not looking for just any old plastic cutting board from Ikea. Some of the cheaper cutting boards that are made of wood are barely worth the investment because they harbor so many bacteria in their seams and cracks.

Here are six things you should look for when investing in a high-end quality cutting board –
1. Make sure you like the way it looks. If you don’t like beige colored woods then don’t get a cutting board that is made of beech or birch or some other type of light colored wood. If you don’t like dark woods then stay away from walnut or mahogany cutting boards. Each type of wood has a character and it should be friendly to your tastes as it will be yours for a very long time.
2. Make sure it matches your kitchen. It is a good idea to try and match the wood of your cutting board with the wood or wood veneer in your kitchen. If there is no wood in your kitchen make sure the color of the wood matches the paint job in your kitchen. If you are planning to redecorate again and again then go for the butcher’s block that is the plainest looking.
3. Look for a board that has been treated with mineral oil before it leaves the shop. This will keep it sealed, moisturized and resilient to scratches with sharp knives and butcher blades.
4. Make sure the board is made out of solid wood and not somehow glued together from two pieces of wood. Not only can wood cutting boards boast seams that trap bacteria but they can split when they get wet. The kinds of industrial glues that are used to put together wood like this are also not very healthy for humans. Furthermore one hard whack with a knife at the wrong angle could cause the board to split and cause the board to split.
5. Look for an unvarnished cutting board. Cutting boards with varnish can leach poisons into your food.
6. Look for a high quality butcher’s block or cutting board that has rubber feet. This prevents your countertops and table tops from being marred. Without these feet you can leave dents or marks due to the blunt force of chopping motions applied to the block.

As you can see there is a lot more to consider when decorating with a butcher’s block then you probably originally contemplated!

How to Decorate With Seashell Art

Posted on by

One of the nicest ways to decorate your summer home or cottage is with seashell art. Seashell art has a rustic, natural serenity that compliments other types of décor as well including contemporary, Swedish and retro fifties, sixties and seventies designs.

One of the most interesting one-of-a-kind wall hangings to come along late is the Starfish embedded in copper tablet. Starfish have a beautiful natural copper bronze color that naturally compliments copper that has a green patina. The patina color comes from the oxidization of the copper.

You can also get beautiful scallop shells that have been embedded into copper in the same way. The scallop has a very elegant shape that is reminiscent of an open woman’s fan.

This type of art looks great outside, as a plaque in just about any room and as unique décor for a bathroom. They would look quite enchanting in a grouping on a tile wall around a pool, pond or hot tub. You don’t have to worry about this type of copper being around water as it is coated with a special sealant to preserve its color.

Starfish and scallops come in all shapes and sizes so you will find that these come in all shapes and sizes as well. A twenty-two square inch example makes a wonderful centerpiece in any home whether it is on the coffee table or hanging on the wall.

Driftwood and sea glass art objects have a pretty, weathered quality that looks great anywhere in most cottages. It is very common to find picture frames and mirror frames made of this material. Some mirrors are dressed up with panels made up of assorted sea glass stones and seashells.

A popular item is the Ocean in a Box which is a “beach scribble” written in sand on a beach and then handcrafted. Words like “Welcome”, “Faith” and “Time” are scribbled in the sand. You can also get symbols like Peace Signs and Hearts. These pieces are handcrafted by Maine artists so you can also get them customized.

There are also many artists who create unique abstracts out of objects from the beach if you like your collectibles to be a little less New Age or kitsch in look.