Advertorial #9 13x21

2/24/03

9:45 AM

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Kitchen Personal furniture for the kitchen
Making kitchens more personal -- with tailored architectural highlights, a relaxed, "unfitted" look and free-standing furniture -- is in. With this kind of freedom, each kitchen can be designed to fit your unique or eclectic tastes. In one case, for example, a French armoire was created to house a 54-inch refrigerator and freezer, complete with hand-carved door and wispy curves, for a couple who collect French antiques for their home. Skilled designers are able to combine kitchen architecture and furniture in any numberr of ways to either blend with or serve as a counterpoint to the rest of the home. And you can find these kitchen design specialists at Klaff's in South Norwalk.

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Decorative Hardware Charming turn-of-the-century English doorbell is here
Ready to replace that broken doorbell? Now would be a good time since a doorbell that has been adorning the flats and houses of Britain for nearly 100 years is finally available to homeowners here. The solid brass Butlers Bell and accompanying Brass Pull by Byron Bells -still made from the original 1904 molds -- offer an historic, aesthetically unusual, and easy-to-install doorbell option for the American home. And you don't need an electrician! With a ring that sounds like the bell of a Good Humor ice cream truck, the tried-and-true mechanical technology works like a charm. A decorative hanging hand-pull greets guests at the door, while a simple coil and hanging bell device alerts homeowners from the foyer that guests have arrived. You'll find this touch of old-world ingenuity and easy elegance at Klaff's in Danbury and South Norwalk.

Tiles Coming around to color again Lighting From sleek and contemporary to Country French
The word from the recent big lighting shows is that consumer trends are changing. A lot of sleek "classic" contemporary lighting, which can work well with any interior even antiques is being made these days to meet the burgeoning demand. For people with more casual tastes, Country French is also coming into its own, as evidenced by some uncommon designs, including wrought iron island lights made with double-faced clocks and wrought iron candelabras. Country French helps create an "elegant casual" look that also fits with traditional or contemporary styles. Whatever your tastes, it makes sense to work with knowledgeable lighting professionals and designers who are certified by the American Lighting Association and the American Association of Interior Designers (ASID). You can find these professionals, and the most comprehensive lighting selection in the country, at Klaff's in South Norwalk and Westport. People are coming around to color again after a 10-year period where beige, white and muted tiles were in fashion. Today, the desire is to make more of a personal statement, whether your "thing" is old-world warm or cool and contemporary. And just about any color tile can be created to match or contrast with a fabric or wall color. What's more, custom color tiles aren't necessarily more expensive than selecting from "off the shelf." Suppliers charge only a nominal fee to make samples, to make sure the glaze recipe is exactly right. Besides red, which is tough to recreate in ceramic, you can make any color tiles you want for adding your personal touch to your bathroom, kitchen backsplash or entrance way. Learn more about custom color tiles at Klaff's Tile & Stone Showroom in South Norwalk.

Bath Vessel sinks: a unique design twist in the bathroom

Reminiscent of charming, old-world wash basins, yet with fresh, contemporary shapes and finishes that can accommodate any bathroom design, vessel sinks are enjoying a surge in popularity these days. Available in just about any surface -- including marble, steel, pewter, stone, and weathered copper and brass -vessel basins fit nicely on a counter to replace an old sink, or they can sit separately on their own stands to fit the specific contours of a redesigned bathroom space. Hand-made glass vessels are also particularly popular because they can be mottled, tinted or colored, to suit any design scheme. Klaff's in South Norwalk and Danbury offer a complete selection of vessel sinks.

The Art of Porcelain Tile

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The Art of Home Design

Klaffs Main Showroom: 28 Washington St. So. Norwalk, CT 866-1603 Klaffs Bath & Decorative Hardware of Danbury: 11 Newtown Rd 792-3903 Klaffs Lighting of Westport: 14 Post Road East Westport, CT 227-9024