Dressing table for small rooms

What do you do when there is not enough space? You get creative!

When George and I moved in the apartment I wanted a dressing table in the bedroom. However even though the room is quite big we had to put a king size bed since George takes a lot of space ;) In doing that there was little space for a dressing table so we tried to figure out a solution.

After some thinking and some ideas that we turned down we finally decided to use a wall shelf with a mirror on top. The idea was that the shelf would be at 75 cm height so that I can use it both while I am standing and while I am seated.

Here is the result:

Here is how it is if I wanna sit down and do my hair:

And here is how it is every day (fits my laundry baskets perfectly!)

The shelf is 107 cm long and just 33 cm wide making it ideal for my room since it leaves me space to move.

I was so excited and pleased with the result that when one of my customers whose bedroom was even smaller than mine asked me what to do I already knew the answer! So here is another version of the same idea:

And it even has storage space!

Hope you like it!

Tips to make washing the dishes easier and faster

Washing the dishes is a much debated job. Some hate it, some just do it because it needs to be done and some (I suspect few of us) find it relaxing. Whatever the case there are steps you can follow to make this job much easier and faster. Here are a few that are part of my daily routine and have helped me immensely:

Step 1.

Keep your sink in order. No matter how small or big it is when the things are in order they are much better to handle than a chaotic situation that will make you feel desperate. Stack the dishes according to their size keeping the larger ones underneath. If there is not much space in the sink leave some items out like the glasses.

Step 2.

Use kitchen paper to remove any leftovers. The paper will take most of them and be thrown in the dustbin with them instead of them making your life harder while trying to wash them down.

Step 3.

Soak them. As soon as the dish/glass/pan gets in the sink pour water on or in it. Water will keep it from drying and thus will be easier to remove whatever the paper couldn't.

Step 4.

Use a good sponge and a concentrated liquid which will last for a long time.

Step 5.

Do them regularly! Don't let them pile up!

These may seem simple and common sense but following them will make washing the dishes look like a game!


Extra tip:

Sometimes when you use a pan to fry it will leave fat residue. And I must admit that I really don't like the idea of me rubbing a pan filled with fat. (gross!) So this is what I do:

Fill your kettle with water and boil it. Put some lemon juice and some dish-washing liquid in the pan and pour over it the boiling water. Let it rest for 10-15 minutes and voila! The fat gathers at the top of the pan so you can pour it down the sink!

Chicken fajitas - healthy and light Greek-style!

Chicken is a very easy meat to cook and is also a very healthy one. But depending on what you cook it with you can either make it an ally to your diet or an enemy! So the other night as I was craving for some fajitas I though to myself how can I make them healthier? The answer is the following recipe to which you can add any vegetables of your choice to make it tastier. The most important thing though is to have a non stick pan or pot. Having one will reduce the amount of oil or any other fat you use thus will help you cut down calories and money!

So here is the recipe:

Ingredients (makes 8 fajitas)

2 chicken breasts about 900 grams
1/2 spoon of olive oil
Greek yogurt non fat (about 300 grams)
Dry spearmint leaves
8 tortillas (choose the ones with the fewer calories!)

How to:

1. Wash and cut the chicken in stripes. Remove any fat. The stripes should be about 2-3 cm width. Don't worry too much about that though.

2. In the non stick pan add the oil and move it around so it covers a big part of the bottom of the pan and bring to a boil. Once heated add the chicken stripes and cook them until they are golden brown on all sides. Don't cook them all at once. Few at a time so that you can check them and turn them easily.

3. Once you are done put them in a platter. If you want to add any onions or peppers this it the time to. Use the same pan and cook them until they are softened. I didn't use any because George isn't a fan of them but they won't add any significant amount of calories to the food.

4. Once you are done prepare the sour cream substitute: Mix the yogurt and the dry spearmint leaves. Rub the leaves between your fingers so they release their fragrance.

5. Take one tortilla and spread one spoon of the yogurt mixture. Place some chicken on one end of the tortilla and wrap it.

Enjoy!

How to choose curtains: Size, Thickness, Colors

Curtains are always a big part of a house for so many reasons. Choosing the right color, thickness and size will make a tremendous difference on the outcome. So let's take things one by one to help you reach the right decision:

1. A thick curtain or a thin one?

 



That depends on a few things.

Ask yourself the following question:

Is there anything to block the sunlight?

Too much sunlight during the day can over heat the house or cause damage to the furniture. If the answer is no then definitely a thick curtain. Look for the ones which have a lining of a sun blocking fabric. If the answer is no then either thick or thin will work. If you have a rolling blind it would look nice to have a thin one with some design on so it will contrast the blinds behind it.

2. Size.

Width!

A. Measure your windows properly. This will help the sales person give you a better estimate on the cost of your curtains. Measure the height and width of the window/door including the frame. If you already have a rod or a rail from where it will be hanged include that as well and clarify it to the sales person.

B. If you are deciding on your own about the size then here is how it goes:

If for example the width of your window is 1.40 m you add extra 40 cm which will cover for the rods which are always wider. Therefore your total width is 1.80 m.

For a thick curtain you multiply by 1.5. We do this because we want the curtain to cover the width of the window and have some pleats. Too many will make it look over the top. Therefore you will need 2.70 meters.

For a thinner curtain you will multiply be 2.5. Thinner curtains need more pleats to look rich and full. Hence you will need 4.5 meters.

Height!

You will also need to be careful when looking for the height of the curtain. There are fabrics whose height is 1.40 meters. If you want a taller curtain then inevitably the seamstress will have to saw 2 pieces together and that doesn't always work out nice.  So, look for fabrics that are 2.80 or 3.00 m or more to cover not only the window's height but also the extra 5-10 cm needed for the hem at the bottom.

3. Color!

 There are so many fabrics to choose from that it can be confusing. Depending on your style  there are fabrics with classic designs or with none at all. So remember a few basic guidelines:

Firstly think of the other items in the space. Is the sofa / bed loaded with color and texture? If so then go for something simpler. The same goes if the other items are minimal or plain. Dare to do something extraordinary in the curtains. Also take into consideration if you want a more "heavy" classic design, a simple minimal or a bright monochrome.

Hope I helped!

How we renovated the Living Room

Oh the living room! There is hardly a place in my flat where I spend more time relaxing with the exception of the bedroom of course! I am mostly pleased on how we made it from a narrow and miserable place to an open and spacious one.

This is how we found it...

This is what the people would look at as soon as they entered the house. The tv was under the a/c and there was a 2 seater and a 1 seater squeezed.

What we did before we went out looking for a sofa was to ask the cable guy if the TV could be connected to the wall on the left of the photo, opposite from the balcony. His reply was that as long as there was a plug there would be no problem. Therefore we put the TV and the TV stand on the other wall....

The TV is 113 cm in length so we chose a 120 cm tv stand. Since the wall is long  (it goes on to become a corridor) we thought that a wall unit might make it look more full. So instead of buying a wall unit we customized one. We chose the 2 vertical cabinets which have a shelf so we can store various items. We also chose a green shelf to go in between them to give some color and make it look more complete. On top we put gifts from friends which include a cow, a photo frame, a butterfly and a silver carriage and bike.

Next there is the sofa. Our space although bigger than before was not suitable for a 3 seater and a 2 seater since we only have 2.5 meters on one side where the wall is and 2.5 meters on the other side where the balcony door is. Since the door is double there is no problem in blocking half of it so our sofa is relatively small but can surprisingly fit 7 people at once! We tried it!

For decoration I have 2 grey-black cushions one with Audrey Hepburn and the other one with Grace Kelly. On top to give some color is a glass painting of the bridge of San Francisco. On the right side a black and green blanket/throw since it gets cold at nights in front of the TV.

Our coffee table is a pleasant surprise for all of our guests who arrive. It is a pine coffee table by British furniture company Ducal from which we used to import a lot. This particular one must be at least 15 years old but it is so practical that everyone is jealous of us!

The reason is because the top pf the table lifts so you can use it while you eat, drink a coffee or even write a post on your blog like I am doing right now!

Not only that but there is enough space underneath for controls, magazines and anything else you might want to hide if you have unexpected guests to make everything look tidy in only 5 seconds!

Finally, we brought in a recliner armchair that is comfortable but doesn't take much space.

With this we can fit 8 people in our living room while at the same time make it look larger that the way it was when we first found it.

Hope you like it!

How to plan a dinner party

Last night I had some friends over for dinner and drinks. The night went excellent, my new apartment proved practical and I am now looking forward to repeating it!

But planning the evening was not an easy task since I am a person with a limited free time. So, I made sure that all was as organized as possible. I therefore give you my guide to planning a party based on my experience!

First of all I took a piece of paper and made a few lists:

A. What I will Cook.

B. Shopping list: Ingredients + extras

C. In what order I would do those things.

List A was not difficult to do.

There would be 7 people eating so I decided to offer 2 main dishes with meat, 1 salad, grilled vegetables, bread and mashed potatoes.

But because I was working until 2 that day I chose easy recipes that would take as little time as possible:

Chicken in the oven

Beef with wine - a Thermomix recipe

Mixed salad (which I bought in a bag cut and washed) with sweet corn and raisins and dressing

Mashed potatoes with cream cheese and parmesan cheese

Bread with cheese and peppers

And finally my dad who is also a kitchen enthusiast offered to make the vegetables with halloumi cheese in his kitchen and send them to me.

On to List B. I wrote all the ingredients I needed to cook. I also checked my drinks. I needed a red wine and some sodas so I added those as well. Ideally you can shop all the items you need the day before so that you have more time on the day of the event. I wasn't able to do so therefore I moved on to List C.

For this list I wrote all the things I needed to do. And I mean ALL of them. How long would it take me to make each food, at which time I would clean and cut the vegetables, tidy the house, cut the bread etc etc...

I begun by peeling and cutting the carrots. I put them in food bags so when the time came to use them they would be ready. I did the same with the beef. Since I was going to cook two dosages of the thermomix food my ingredients were in their bags clean and weighted. 

I then prepared the chicken. I washed and cut it, put it in the roasting dish, add the seasoning, the onions and some olive oil and covered it. I then put it in the fridge until the time I would cook it.

Following was getting the house in order and washing any dishes I had in the sink. 

2 hours before my guests arrived I begun cooking my beef. In the meantime I begun peeling the potatoes which would take me some time. Once the first dosage was cooked I put it in a pan with a lid to keep it warm and started the second. At that time I also put the chicken in the oven since it would take it an hour to cook. I then continued with the potatoes. I cut them in small pieces and cooked them so that I would mash them easily. 

As soon as my guests started coming I made the salad and the cheesy bread since they needed the least time but needed to be as fresh as possible.

Fortunately all went according to plan and the night was a success!

But here are the general tips you should always take into consideration!

1. Make your lists.

2. Make sure you have enough food according to the people who are coming.

3. Try to cook it as late as possible so that it is warm when they arrive.

4. Make sure you have enough drinks.

5. Whatever you can prepare early on do it. However small it is it will save you time.

6. Use food bags. They preserve the vegetables and the meat. (Note that different ingredients last different time)

7. Know which food is served in 

8. Enjoy your evening and if something doesn't turn out the way you planned it don't worry. Chances are that your friends will be having so much fun they won't even notice!

Simple Scramble eggs with shrimps

Cooking is simple math:

Ingredients + Effort + Creativity = Food.

I was hungry but did not have many ingredients or time so I got creative. I opened the fridge and found the following ingredients:

1 Egg

1 Mushroom which I cut in slices

Sweet corn

Some shrimps

3 La Vache qui rit cheese

I therefore got a pan and added some oil because all good stories start with frying!

Once the oil was boiled I added the mushroom and left it to cook for a few minutes.

Once cooked I added the sweet corn and the shrimps. Since the shrimps are pre-cooked and frozen I only had to wait for 3-4 minutes for them to soften. I then added the cheese.

I stirred and once the cheese melted and came to a boil I added the egg beaten.

I stirred until the egg was cooked and served with some mayo.

And voila! Comfort food easy and simple.

PS: Instead of shrimps you can also use any type of meat like ham, sausage or bacon!