Home Tour with Liz from @Desert Decor

If you’re like us, you LOVE to see what’s going on in other people’s homes…especially when it comes to décor and design. We are so excited to share that Liz of @DesertDecor recently welcomed us to her Arizona home!

Liz’s home tour has everything you want—beautiful spaces, the secrets to her kitchen renovation, and advice on how to get started creating an inspiring space in your own home. The video captures the calm beauty of her French farmhouse style, a sunny oasis in the desert. From unexpected details (hello, seed bag detail on the couch!) to her sparkling new Sinkology Fireclay Farmhouse kitchen sink, we loved everything about Liz’s recent renovation.

Liz sat down with our Sinkology team to give us all of the background details about her kitchen renovation, including one major setback and how she handled it. Let’s just say this: you’re definitely going to want to read her upcoming Q&A!

Get all of the details about who she follows to find inspiration, what her number one piece of advice is for your own remodeling project, and how she’s enjoying her new kitchen. Stay tuned for the full interview—only on the Sinkology blog! Launching next Tuesday so come back and check it out!

The post Home Tour with Liz from @Desert Decor appeared first on Sinkology.

source http://www.sinkology.com/blog/home-tour-desertdecor/

Frozen Hot Chocolate Ice Cream Sandwiches

Sinkology is proud to present Emily Schuermann, our food-loving guest blogger who runs Food for a Year. Emily is here to share some recipes she has created exclusively for the Sinkology blog that reflect her view of a copper sink: simple, timeless, affordable, and beautifully rustic.

---

Cooking and August are two things that don’t exactly go together, at least in my kitchen. This time of year, I’m always looking for ways to cook without really cooking. For instance, for lunches and dinners, we’re eating a lot of salads with freshly picked veggies and cut up supermarket rotisserie chicken or a simple sandwich. Pretty boring, I know! But with temperatures peaking at 114°, August in Oklahoma is all about surviving.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• heavy whipping cream
• powdered sugar
• sea salt
• cream cheese
• powdered hot chocolate
• mini marshmallows 
• mini chocolate chips
• large, thin store-bought cookies

To prepare the frozen hot chocolate ice cream, combine heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar and sea salt using a hand-mixer. Once soft peaks that hold their shape form, add cream cheese and powdered hot chocolate.

Continue mixing on high speed, occasionally scraping sides and bottom, until evenly incorporated. 

Fold in marshmallows. 

Using a 2 oz scoop, place 1 scoop of hot chocolate ice cream in the center of 1 cookie. Place another cookie on the top of the ice cream and gently press to a thickness of 1″.

Repeat until all sandwiches (6) are formed.

Wrap each sandwich with parchment paper and place side up in a glass, freezer safe container. Freeze 2 hours up to over night.

*sprinkle with mini chocolate chips before placing in the freezer.

These ice cream sandwiches are just what the doctor ordered! Cool, chocolatey and so quick to assemble. That first bite of marshmallow laden frozen hot chocolate flavored ice cream is so satisfying. I think it’s just enough to get me to September! 

 

If you have any additional questions during your search for the perfect copper sink, farmhouse fireclay sink or granite sink, our Sinkologists are here to help. Contact us or follow us on Facebook, Houzz, Pinterest, or Instagram for more helpful tips and design ideas.

 

Frozen Hot Chocolate Ice Cream Sandwiches

2018-07-23 15:09:10

Yields 6

Write a review

Save Recipe

Print

Prep Time

15 min

Total Time

2 hr 15 min

Prep Time

15 min

Total Time

2 hr 15 min

Ingredients

1. 6 oz heavy whipping cream
2. 3 T powdered sugar
3. pinch of sea salt
4. 4 oz cream cheese (room temperature)
5. ½ c powdered hot chocolate
6. ½ c mini marshmallows
7. ¼ c mini chocolate chips* (optional, for garnish)
8. 12 large thin cookies**

Instructions

1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine cream, powdered sugar and sea salt using a hand-mixer. Once soft peaks that hold their shape form, add cream cheese and powdered hot chocolate.
2. Continue mixing on high speed, occasionally scraping sides and bottom, until evenly incorporated.
3. Fold in marshmallows.
4. Using a 2 oz scoop, place 1 scoop of hot chocolate ice cream in the center of 1 cookie. Place another cookie on the top of the ice cream and gently press to a thickness of 1".
5. Repeat until all sandwiches (6) are formed.
6. Wrap each sandwich with parchment paper and place side up in a glass, freezer safe container. Freeze 2 hours up to over night.
7. Makes 6.

Notes

1. *sprinkle with mini chocolate chips before placing in the freezer.
2. **for this recipe, I used Trader Joes Butter Waffle Cookies but any cookie with a diameter of approximately 3" will work nicely.

By Emily Schuermann

Sinkology http://www.sinkology.com/

 

The post Frozen Hot Chocolate Ice Cream Sandwiches appeared first on Sinkology.

source http://www.sinkology.com/blog/frozen-hot-chocolate-ice-cream-sandwiches/

Budget Farmhouse Kitchen Makeover Reveal

Sinkology is proud to present Ashley Carpenter, a homebody, decor obsessed, DIYer that loves fitness, happy people and wants nothing more than to be on the lake soaking up the sun with good people and good music. Ashley runs the blog Joyfully Growing and is here to share a few tips, tricks and DIY projects that perfectly fit her farmhouse style. 

---

Eeeek! I am so incredibly excited to share our budget kitchen makeover reveal with you today!

I’ve never been more excited in all my life to cook and do the dishes. 

Ever since moving into this house, I’ve been looking forward to giving our kitchen a little face-lift. And while I’d love to give it a complete overhaul and pick out the fanciest of finishes to make my Pinterest dream kitchen come to life, that just isn’t in the budget right now. So instead, we selectively chose a few updates that we knew would give us the most bang for our buck! And I couldn’t be happier with the end result. Note: the complete budget breakdown is listed at the bottom of the post!

But what’s a good reveal without a quick look back at what it looked like before?

Here’s what the kitchen looked like on the day we moved in:

 

It had a weird greenish-greige paint color, an awkwardly sized refrigerator, and a whoooole lotta wood cabinets & wood trim. Add in the fact that there aren’t any windows, and it’s basically the perfect combination to create a dark and gloomy space. Ewww…

But, it’s come a long way since then and today I’m spilling all the details that went into this budget kitchen makeover. Ready to see how it all turned out?

I present to you….*drumroll*…. our kitchen makeover reveal!

 

OUR WOOD AND WHITE KITCHEN REVEAL

A huge thanks to Sinkology for providing products for this space! This post contains affiliate links, please see my disclosure here for more information.

Come on in and let me give you a little tour and share about each of the changes we added to this space.

SOLID SURFACE COUNTERTOPS

When I shared our plans for this kitchen makeover, I mentioned that we were going with LG Hi-Macs Solid Surface countertops in Arctic White. We chose solid surface over the many natural stone options in order to keep costs down. But not only are solid surface countertops an affordable option, they are also low maintenance and extremely durable.

These countertops will stand up to everyday scratches and wear with similar durability to that of natural stone, but with a price tag that won’t break the budget. This was really important to us when deciding on a countertop material.

What really sold me on these countertops, though, was the fact that they are extremely low maintenance. Not only do they have a high resistance to stains, chemicals and heat, but I love that this material is non-porous. Read: easy to keep clean!  Because, I’m not gonna lie… I am terrible when it comes to re-applying sealants and waxes!

No need for any of that with these beauties!

 

FARMHOUSE SINK

Speaking of beauty, let me introduce you to my favorite part about our kitchen makeover: our new farmhouse sink!

Pretty much since the day I discovered Pinterest, I’ve been dreaming of one day owning a farmhouse sink. And let me just tell you, this sink has lived up to those dreams and more!

This all-in-one sink kit was generously provided by Sinkology. The all-in-one kit includes a fireclay apron front sink, a Pfister pull down faucet, and a couple of sink accessories like a metal grid for the bottom of the sink and a matching drain stopper.

Not only is it gorgeous, but I absolutely love the functionality it provides. The giant, single basin sink really is so easy to use and dare I say that it makes washing dishes actually enjoyable?!

I love that the fireclay sinks by Sinkology are tough, durable and easy to maintain. All it takes is a little soap and hot water to keep this thing looking spotless!

Pretty flowers help too.

The sleek pull down Pfister faucet creates the perfect blend of modern and traditional for the space. It’s easy to use and the pull down faucet makes rinsing out the sink so easy.

We are loving it!

 

SUBWAY TILE BACKSPLASH

You may have caught a glimpse of our new backsplash behind the sink – subway tile! I decided to go with white subway tile to pull in more light finishes to help brighten up the kitchen. And since the countertops were a solid white, we went with a medium grey grout to give it some contrast.

Subway tile is such a classic style that I feel will look good in this space for years to come. Mike and I did the whole installation ourselves (ok, mostly Mike – but I provided moral support  ).

It was no easy task, but in the end I think it turned out wonderfully!

 

The post Budget Farmhouse Kitchen Makeover Reveal appeared first on Sinkology.

source http://www.sinkology.com/blog/budget-farmhouse-kitchen-makeover-reveal/

Sinkology is proud to present Ashley Carpenter, a homebody, decor obsessed, DIYer that loves fitness, happy people and wants nothing more than to be on the lake soaking up the sun with good people and good music. Ashley runs the blog Joyfully Growing and is here to share a few tips, tricks and DIY projects that perfectly fit her farmhouse style. 

---

Even though our Pinterest feeds are about to be taken over by pumpkin spice everrrrythang, most of us still have another few weeks of sizzlin summer heat. So to cool you down with a little extra kick, I want to share my go-to summer cocktail recipe.

This cucumber watermelon moscow mule recipe is super easy to whip up on a whim, because let’s face it – when it comes to sippin’ on a refreshing drink on a hot day, ain’t nobody got time for complicated!

 

 

Cucumber Watermelon Moscow Mule Recipe

Ingredients:

• ½ cup of fresh cut watermelon
• 1 lime, juiced
• 4 ounces of watermelon flavored vodka
• Ginger beer to top off cocktail (about 4oz per mug)
• ½ medium cucumber, sliced
• Watermelon wedges, for garnish
• Mint, for garnish
• Sliced cucumber, for garnish
• Ice

 

Instructions:

1. Fill two copper mugs with ice. Set aside.

2. Add the watermelon and lime juice to a mason jar and break down with a wooden muddler or spoon until it looks like pulp.

 

3. Add crushed ice to the jar, cover tightly with lid and shake vigorously. Strain into the prepared copper mugs, dividing between the two.

4. Add 2 ounces of vodka to each mug and top off each with ginger beer and cucumber slices. Stir to combine.

5. Garnish with watermelon wedge, cucumber slice, and mint.

6. Serve immediately.

 

Cheers!

 

The post Cucumber Watermelon Moscow Mule Recipe appeared first on Sinkology.

source http://www.sinkology.com/blog/cucumber-watermelon-moscow-mule-recipe/

Designing with Natural Elements

Sinkology is proud to present Kristan Allen, our design expert and guest blogger who runs the @FarmhouseRedefined Instagram. Kristan is here to share some design ideas and inspiration around designing your home around your copper sink.

---

Designing with Natural Elements

Big news in the kitchen sink world!  Just this month, Sinkology launched its Journey Collection of granite sinks.  Yes, granite!  This collection includes a single and double-bowl option in several granite finishes.  The matte surfaces have metallic flecks throughout, which gives them an understated elegance.  But don’t let that elegance fool you…these sinks are made to work, too.  They harness the durability of granite in an easy-to-clean, stylish format.  So basically, you get the stylish look of a custom stone sink without the custom price tag.  Win-win!

 

To celebrate this new launch, I thought it might be cool to round up some of my favorite ways to incorporate natural elements in your home.  A granite sink is obviously one great way to do this…and Sinkology makes it easy with its affordable price point and variety of options.  There’s something for every kitchen!  But what are some other ways to bring the beauty of nature into your home?  Take a look below at some “au naturale” things that are on my wish list!

 

A Stone’s Throw to Style

I love the natural look of stone.  Whether it’s marble, granite or another type of stone, I think the variations in color and texture make for instant visual interest in a room.  This French Kitchen Marble Fruit Bowl from Crate and Barrel is the perfect study in natural simplicity.  The cool marble would complement any type of cabinetry or style.  While this piece would look great in the kitchen holding fruit, I’m planning to use it in my guest bathroom to hold fun soaps and toiletries!

 

The Warmth of Wood

Give me allllll the aged, chunky wood please!  The variations in different types of wood grain are so stunningly beautiful, which is a huge reason why natural wood is having a big style moment right now.  It’s everywhere and with good reason — a pop of natural wood can be an easy way to add texture and warmth to a room.  Plus, it’s easy to maintain…usually just by dusting with a dry cloth.  Restoration Hardware just launched its new Aspen collection and I’m in love with everything, especially this console table.  It’s such a cool mix of rustic wood with modern, minimalist lines.  This piece is definitely on the pricier end, but man, what a way to make a statement.  Definitely asking begging Santa for this one come December!

 

Green Up Your Space

I don’t know about you, but I think a touch of green is an instant pick-me-up!  Whether it’s a deep forest green or a sunny and bright spring green, there’s something about that hue that is fresh and invigorating…probably because it reminds me of being outside!  I’m a sucker for nature-inspired art and some of my favorite finds are on Etsy!  I routinely search “nature printables” just to see what’s new.  Print-your-own artwork is great because it’s affordable and you can print it in any size you’d like to fit your space, whether it’s a small shelf or a giant wall!  I love this trio of forest photos by Miramar Art and this cute little succulent watercolor by The Pattern Journal.  

 

Real plants are also a great way to bring nature indoors (earth-shattering observation, I know).  One of my favorite things about decorating with plants is picking out planters.  This antiqued, galvanized option from World Market is perfect for larger plants — it’s nearly 18″ in diameter!  And if you’re looking for a refined and fun option, how about this terra cotta bust planter by Ballard Designs? I have about 8 shelves I’d love to add this little lady to…how can you say no to fern hair?

How do you like to bring nature indoors through your decorating?  Let us know by tagging @Sinkology on Instagram and using the hashtag #SinkologyatHome.  

 

---

If you have any additional questions during your quest for farmhouse fireclay kitchen sinks or decor, our Sinkologists are here to help. Contact us or follow us on Facebook, Houzz, Pinterest, or Instagram for more helpful tips and design ideas.

The post Designing with Natural Elements appeared first on Sinkology.

source http://www.sinkology.com/blog/designing-with-natural-elements/