Tag Archives: Charles P. Rogers

Bedroom Design: Making Space for a Home Office in a Bedroom

Post by Tracy Kaler.

Some experts believe that the bedroom should only be reserved for sleeping, but it’s not uncommon to make a home office in the same space. A multi-purpose room is often created because the home is short on square footage, and it’s easy enough to place a desk in a corner.

Regardless of the reason, the quiet, tranquil atmosphere of a bedroom can make it an appropriate choice for a home office. Have a look at these five for some at-home workplace ideas.

You have to love the openness of this bedroom, and who wouldn’t want to work and fall asleep with this view? A built-in tabletop provides an ideal surface to work for at least two people. The room gets plenty of natural light, which is always high on my list of essential workspace ingredients.


Modern Home Office
by Asheville Design-Build Firms Carlton Architecture

I have a similar setup in my bedroom –– my desk doubles as a bedside table. Placing a writing desk at a window is a good idea, and, in this case, the height is perfect. A more ergonomic chair might be needed here if someone plans to work at the desk on a regular basis.


Tropical Bedroom
by Jupiter Interior Designers & Decorators JMA INTERIOR DESIGN

This Melbourne bedroom is large enough to introduce a separate space for a home office. Built-in storage and well-organized shelving complete the uncluttered design.


Contemporary Home Office
by Melbourne Building Designers and Drafters Vibe Design Group

This simple modern bedroom provides a work nook in the corner that’s separate from the sleeping space. The owner found the vintage desk on the street in Toronto.


Midcentury Home Office
by Toronto Photographers Andrew Snow Photography

Another contemporary bedroom design, this long, narrow room in a San Francisco home lends itself to a desk that spans the length of the space. I can’t take my eyes off the chandelier, which makes the room feel a little less serious.


Contemporary Bedroom
by San Francisco Kitchen & Bath Designers

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Breakfast in Bed – Scrambled Eggs with Thyme Two Ways

Scrambled Eggs with Thyme 8

Post by Alison Hein.

Sometimes I write articles for the Skylands Visitor Magazine, an online and print publication with wonderful stories about the history, geography, and cultural activities in the five most Northwest counties of New Jersey – Morris, Somerset, Hunterdon, Warren, and Sussex. If you feel like taking a scenic drive, want to pick strawberries, are looking for a great new hike, or are interested in learning about new recipes, Skylands Visitor Magazine is a great resource.

Scrambled Eggs with Thyme 3

I’ve been interviewing farmers, growers, and restaurateurs in the Skylands region, then begging for, preparing, and photographing their original recipes. Most recently, we decided to do a story on edible flowers. I quickly learned that I don’t know much about blooming edibles.

You may often cook with fresh herbs, but did you ever eat a thyme flower? Or sage, oregano, or chive flower? Herbal blooms have the taste of their parents, but with a concentrated, piquant flair. These tiny delicacies are available only when plants are in bloom, so use them. They are fragile and fleeting, uncommon and unique, luscious and lovely.

Scrambled Eggs with Thyme 4

In this easy recipe, I chose to incorporate a touch of fresh thyme and chives into a fluff of creamy scrambled eggs, then seasoned the eggs simply with only salt, ground pepper, and tiny pink thyme flowers – an uncommon, flowery breakfast in bed.

Ingredients

2 teaspoons butter
2 eggs
1 teaspoon cream or milk
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1 teaspoon chopped fresh chives
1 teaspoon fresh thyme flowers, for garnish
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Scrambled Eggs with Thyme 1

Preparation

Heat butter in small, heavy pan over medium low heat. Break eggs into small bowl and whisk well with cream or milk. Stir in chopped thyme and chives. Add egg mixture to heated pan and allow to cook slowly and gently. Stir and lift frequently with wooden spoon to avoid sticking.

Spoon eggs out onto plate. Garnish with thyme flowers and season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately with thick, buttered toast.

Makes 1 serving.

Scrambled Eggs with Thyme 10

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Tips and Tricks: 5 Ways to Relax Before Bedtime

Post by Tracy Kaler.

You’re not alone if you have trouble relaxing before bedtime. Many people struggle with turning life off to catch a good night’s sleep. With all of the stressors in today’s world, clearing your head so you can snooze for 7-8 hours each night is easier said than done. You can, however, give these relaxation techniques a try the next time you find yourself wide awake late at night while your body and mind are yearning for sleep.

Give meditation a try.
Become hyper-aware of your body and feelings. Tune into those feelings, paying special attention to where you feel relaxed and comfortable, and where you feel uptight and not at ease. Think back on your day from beginning to end as if your thoughts were a movie or television program. Try and recall as may details as you can while you play back the last 12-18 hours.

Try switching off your toes one by one, and then eventually your limbs, as you move up the body and relax from head to toe. Let your mind wander until you fall asleep.

Try deep breathing exercises.
Breathe in and breathe out at least five times. Imagine all of the day’s thoughts exiting while you exhale, and any tension from the day melting away.

Write down what’s on your mind.
If you have unfinished business from the workday, jot a few notes down on a pad, keeping it beside you on your bedside table. If you wake in the middle of the night or too early in the morning, write down any thoughts, so you can fall back asleep.

Do Yoga.
Try practicing some basic yoga poses and stretches before retiring. Any exercise should be gentle and relaxing, so you remain calm and ready for sleep.

Read a great book.
There’s nothing like an amazing read at any time, but books in bed tend to direct any anxious thoughts toward the story so you can put your worries to bed for the night. Aim to read a chapter if you’re super tired, and two chapters if you get into bed a little earlier than usual. Set a higher goal than what you think you can finish, and you’ll probably drift off to sleep in no time.

Angel Sleeps

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Breakfast in Bed – Cheesecake

Cheesecake 9

Post by Alison Hein.

From the depths of my ancient recipe box, buried beneath layers of tattered newspaper clippings and scribbled notes, I found the remnants of an old family favorite – cheesecake! Trouble was, this recipe was jotted down in an abbreviated fashion – omitting minor details such as oven temperature settings, baking time, and order of mixing ingredients.

Trial, tribulation, and a faint stirring of memories finally resulted in a successful product. I altered it a bit, increasing the amount of fresh lemon juice, and topping with fresh cherries instead of additional graham cracker crumbs.

Cheesecake 1

It takes time to bake this cake, and some babysitting during the process. The top may crack a little, and a natural depression will form after cooling. Never fear – this is the perfect spot for piling on a bunch of ruby ripe fruit. Add a spot of whipped cream, if you like, and cherish the details of this family favorite breakfast in bed.

Ingredients

Cake

1 tablespoon butter
2 to 4 ounces graham crackers
2 pounds cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
4 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
½ teaspoon salt

Cheesecake 2

Topping

2 cups sour cream
¼ cup sugar
1 egg
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 dry pint fresh fruit, such as cherries or strawberries, for topping
Whipped cream, for garnish (optional)

Special Equipment

Spring-form pan

Cheesecake 4

Preparation

Preheat oven to 325°. Place graham crackers in a sealable plastic bag. Break into crumbs using a tool (rolling pin, pan, etc.) to crush crackers. Generously grease a large spring-form pan with the tablespoon of butter. Cover butter with graham cracker crumbs and set aside.

To make cake, add cream cheese, sugar, eggs, sour cream, lemon juice and salt to a food processor. Cream together until smooth and light. Slowly pour cake batter into prepared pan. Use a spatula to smooth top. Place in the oven and bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until cake is still slightly wobbly, but set.

Cheesecake 6

To make topping, mix together remaining sour cream, sugar, egg and lemon juice until smooth. Remove cake from oven and pour topping over cake. Bake for an additional 25 to 30 minutes until cake and topping are set. Remove from oven, let cool, then refrigerate at least 12 hours before serving. Top with fresh fruit, and garnish with whipped cream, if you like.

Makes 1 large cake, about 10 to 12 slices

Cheesecake 11

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Bedtime Stories: Teen Victorian Magic

LibbabraybeautyPost by Mark T. Locker.

Gemma Doyle is a typical teenage girl in some respects. Frustrated at the lack of personal control over her life, irritated with her mother over minor things, annoyed she has to remain in Bombay while her brother and father are in exciting Victorian London. But while out on her sixteenth birthday, her mother is relayed a mysterious message about someone named Circe and sends Gemma home. Next thing she knows, Gemma is having a vision of her mother committing suicide, which, though unlikely, turns out to be true. Gemma is flung into a strange new world of visions, magic, and grief. When she returns to London, she learns she is to attend Spence Academy for Young Ladies, a finishing school near London. In grief, Gemma’s father has turned to laudanum and cannot care for Gemma.

At the Academy, which her mother had also attended, Gemma begins to learn more about her mother and about herself. Her mother was apparently a priestess in The Order, an ancient group dedicated to preserving the order of magic in the world. Along with her new friends Felicity Worthington, Pippa Cross and Ann Bradshaw, Gemma learns that she has her own unique powers, such as the ability to travel into The Realms, a magical land between life and death. It is a beautiful and dangerous place where your dreams may be realized but your nightmares can too.

Not an easy book to summarize! This is just the tip of the iceberg. Printz Award-winning author Libba Bray has done a fantastic job writing in a proper Victorian young lady’s voice, with all the snarky little asides one might expect from a teenager trying, not always successfully, to be a proper young lady. There are three books in the series so if you like magic, intrigue, and historical fiction, this will keep you entertained for a while.

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