16 — Friday, October 21, 1994 — North Shore News PR CDRWE EE S. CRUE ED Me’ Wake up to a spec THESE DAYS, as formal dining rooms are transformed into media centres and shrinking families gather around the kitchen island for meals, the idea of a breakfast room may seem absurdly lavish. By Dale Koppel Contributing Writer Breakfast rooms ;robably had their beginnings in England's larg- er homes, where they helped to telieve the pressure on the much- used dining room, as well as pro- vidiny a pleasant setting for the substantial English breakfast. The breakfast room, according to a turn-of-the-century architec- tural dictionary, was “usually, but not always, adjoining the chief dining room and, in northern cli- mates, often specifically arranged with an eastern exposure to catch the moming sun.” But people who have created these wonderful spaces in their homes say there’s nothing elitist about the breakfast room today. Indeed, they find that they eat every meal they can in them, and sometimes wander in even when it’s not time to eat. “There are really no rules,” said architect Nancy Pope. A breakfast room doesn't even have to be located off the kitchen. One home has a breakfast room off the living room — three rooms away from the kitchen — and you have to walk down three steps to get to it. An interior decorator points out METAR that not everyone can have a breakfast room, but everyone can have a breakfast area or nook. All you have to do is symbolically separate one part of the room off from the rest. It could be the kitchen or dining room, or even a bedroom. Creating a breakfast area in a kitchen is a brilliant way to detract from the hard look of most kitchens. In an apartment, home- owners can create a breakfast nook in the dining room. The separation needs only to be identified by change of color. change of decor, or even by the way it’s lit. Another designer recommends installing doors between the two areas, even though it may cut down on some of the space. This is vthere French doors can do magic. Experts say the most effective colors for a breakfast room or area are pastels, and the best type of furnishings are the airy, outdoor kind. One breakfast room table, the regency table, is 48 inches round, has a glass top and a wrought-iron base with a place for a plant in its centre, But if you don’t have enough space, you should consider some- thing smaller, even something that folds down if you're really in a bind. A round tilt-top table is one solution for a breakfast area that only needs to accommodate one or two people and may have to disap- pear at times. Or create the best of two worlds Pots make flowers easier to move From page 15 especially for interior use, the best ones to work with are hyacinths. Using one bulb in a four-inch pot or three in a six-inch pot, follow the same procedure as with daffodils. When you lift the hyacinth in late January or early February (at least 12 to 15 weeks after planting) set the pot in a bright but cool win- dow or enclosed porch area for a week or two before bringing it into the warm house. Placing it back out in a cool and frost-free area each night will pro- long the life of the flower. The benefit of having bulbs in pots is that after they finish flower- ing and necd time to mature you can take them to the back of your garden and let them rebuild their strength without having them look messy in the annual beds. They will benefit from being given a weak, low nitrogen, liquid fertilizer every second or third week. They also need to be watered if the weather is dry. When the tops have turned yel- low or dried up, store the pots in a cool dry place for the summer and then repeat the procedure next fall. Potting up bulbs is a little more work, but it brings the spring color closer to the house and frees up the annual beds. interior Plants all af special reduced prices LIEU TE yi ER ALLIS with a breakfast room. Make it part of the kitchen, but give it a focus, such as an outdoor garden or atri- um. What appears to be a glass wall could actually be panels that slide away to open up the area. It would feel as though you're eating on a patio. This room can be the most important space in the house. This is the place to start the day off right. If the breakfast area is not shut off from the kitchen, pay special attention to how it is furnished. The table could match the kitchen cabinets, for example. To have a breakfast room with a view is ideal, say the experts, so whenever you have the chance, put your table right near a window. But often there's no window. Up until recent years, the tendency would have been to do something faux, but some designers say faux has been over done. All it takes is creating the aura of a beautiful view using furnishings and acces- sories. If your breakfast room or area is not close to the kitchen, it makes sense to keep essentials in the area itself, and figure out ways to make carrying from and back to the kitchen as easy as possible. A rolling cart is one obvious solution, A mug warmer is another idea. Since it’s not necessary to get a full service of dishes, or enough to Se LEA ABR aE LA IRA ENR PE ECE ROOE BIE IE TL serve 12, people don't have to feel as though they‘re going over bud- get. Some people say that if they are only going to buy two cereal bowls and two coffee mugs, they can splurge. When people are lucky enough to have plenty of space in their breakfast room, designers usually encourage them to fulfill their Habis. ial breakfast room wildest dreams. Hf you love to stretch out and tead while you drink your morning coffee, but find it uncomfortable sitting in a straight-back chair, don't hunt for a more comfortable chair. Buy a love seat and set it along one of the walls. Distributed by the Los Angeles Times syndicate. Save 15% to 40% On selected floor sampies,including cocktail and dining tables, dining chairs and occasional furniture URNITORE Manufacturers Since 1972 g Custom Manufacture of Fine Furniture est. 1972 NEW DIRECT FROM MEXIC 1370 Marine Drive North Vancouver (across from Mercedes-Benz) fi 988-3443 | Terra Cotta, jm Pumpkins $ No muss, no fuss — never carve y anocher pi:mpkin again. 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