Page 6 - August 2019 Alamitos Heights

kitchen and laundry
IN THE HOME

by Kathryn Weber

oing out to eat is
always a treat. And
G the tables most often
requested? Booths.
Booths and banquettes
are often favored for their
intimacy. In addition to
the cozy charm, a booth is
also simply comfortable.
Surrounded by the cushy
padding, the booth seems
secluded and gives off a
romantic feel when you’re
dining out. For families, the
appeal of a booth is that it
provides togetherness and
a relaxed feel to dining,
something that can be
we spend together eating as BOOTH DINING AT HOME
recreated easily at home.
DINING WITH LEISURE
Experts say that the time

a family is important, and
booths are a great way to easily. If you have a wall in (www.roomstogo.com). If it’s the traditional two- turquoise and white blend with
encourage that. Hard chairs, your breakfast room, you can Paired up with a dining table seater booth you want, look at a classic white laminate top
trendy benches and stiff create a booth for your home. in the middle, you’ll have an the single upholstered booths for a cool, classy and vintage
seats hardly lend themselves Some homeowners prefer to intimate dining set. that can be positioned across vibe. The whole set up can be
to eating, much less lengthy create a bench-type banquette from each other. Simply add purchased for less than $2,000
table conversations. One of with long cushions, which is GO RETRO a table, and you’ll have your (www.retrooutlet.com).
the side benefits of booth
dining is how the comfort it easy to put together. But, if you want to take own diner experience that’s The cushy comfort of
Booths can be placed it a step further and recreate surprisingly affordable at
provides encourages you to a booth is hard to beat.
spend more time dining and against a small spot and don’t that smooth, plush and about $250 per booth seat Whether you sit in the
talking. This makes booths a have to be tucked into walls. leather-like booth experience (www.seatingmasters.com). dining room or breakfast
great fit for both couples and For something custom, your at a restaurant, it’s only a Old-style kitchen room for the majority
families, and urges extra time local upholsterer can help you click away. Search for appliances and furnishings of your meals, a booth
spent at the table catching up create padding to apply to online resources that offer have made their way back makes a soft and appealing
on conversation. the walls for a full booth feel a full booth, such as the into fashion again as well. alternative both formal and
that blends with your home Three Quarter Circle Booth Some styles are simply iconic, informal dining. n
BOOTH OR BANQUETTE decor. Need something more (www.webrestaurantstore.com) and that includes diner-style
No matter what you call quickly and less expensive? that’s ready for your family booths. Look for those styles ©2019 Kathryn Weber
it, a home dining booth or Opt for a booth dining set to slide in and gather around in bright red with an art-deco Distributed by Tribune Content
while others dread it and put HOW TO CHOOSE THE
V-insert in white, or try a
Agency, LLC.
banquette can be recreated like the Adie banquette seat for a meal.
by Kathryn Weber
ome people love laundry,

S it off until the last possible
moment. But no matter whether RIGHT WASHER
you love the joy of sorting, folding
and stain-treating or not, laundry
simply has to be done. One way
to get those clothes clean and your
family looking good is to match
your type of washer with your
particular laundry style.

DAILY DOSE
In many families, laundry is a
daily chore. No matter what, there’s
something being washed and dried.
For other families, laundry builds
up into an unruly mass of smelly
clothes. These two categories of FOR YOUR
washing styles are one way to select
the right washer for you.
For frequent washing, or if you
prefer small loads, a front-loading LAUNDRY ROOM
washer is a good fit. They use less
water and can turn out a load of
clean clothes relatively quickly.
However, if you like to wait to do
your laundry, or do a big load, a top- Because they don’t empty as economical with water and space. might seem like a trivial difference, after drying or for garments that
loading washer with a large capacity efficiently as a top-load washer, However, if you like to frequently for someone with back problems, can’t go into the dryer.
tub will be your best option. some of them can develop a musty wash pillows, comforters and this slight variation can be the Make sure the washer and dryer
odor. Keeping the front door ajar blankets, the large capacity of a top- difference between a back pain and are pulled out from the wall about
CONSIDERATIONS will help curb those musty smells loading machine might be a better getting the laundry done. four or five inches so you can access
Space is another concern. For and help prevent mold. Even so, fit for your family. hoses. Do ensure you follow good
compact size, it’s hard to beat there are specialty washing machine Last is the comfort factor. Top- SMART WASH safety and clean the dryer lint trap
a front-load washer. Many can cleaners you can use to freshen your loading machines require bending To make the most out of your each time you dry clothes, and
fit underneath a counter, leaving washer, and some washers have a over to put items into the machine laundry room, make sure it suits regularly inspect and clean the
valuable space available for folding washer sanitizing cycle. and take them out. Front-load you and your wash and space dryer vent hose and exterior vent to
and sorting. They’re also stingy Cost can also run higher for washers require bending down, needs. Create a shelf to store prevent lint build-up. n
with water, which can help with the front-load washers. Standard unless you have your machine detergent, softeners, stain treaters
utility bills. top-load washers are typically on a stand. You’ll appreciate the and other laundry cleaners. A wire ©2019 Kathryn Weber.
The drawback of a front-load less expensive than front-loading difference, because although shelf with a hanging bar makes Distributed by Tribune Content
washer can sometimes be smell. machines, and they’re not as bending down and bending over a perfect spot for hanging items Agency, LLC.
6