The American Traditional kitchen is the most popular style in the USA today. A cozy, modern kitchen decorated in traditional design will never look outdated with its warm and welcoming design. It’s a blend between casual, classic, and ornate making it elegant and highly structured. A traditional kitchen design often features detailed molding, rich wood cabinetry, and period styling.

By keeping your color palate basic using warm whites, creams, taupe, pale grays and soft greens you will bring warmth into the room. For wall colors, think of an understated color that brightens the room, perhaps a crème or light white, or even a light blue which make the room seem inviting and clean Look for rich-textured floral,  or a mix of solids  and stripes when it comes to window coverings to bring color into the room. Warm colors and simple patterns work best for this décor.

Traditional Cabinetry has a high detailing element. Door and drawer fronts are paneled and the door and drawer hardware large and ornate. Making the cabinetry look like furniture by the use of decorative feet in the toe kick area and a large crown around the top of the cabinets will help add detail to the cabinetry.  Traditional kitchen islands are often designed to resemble antique furniture to convey a sense of history in the room. It can be a different color or type of wood, its countertop may be a different color and material, such as marble or granite.

Accessories in a traditional kitchen should be kept to a minimum and may include recipe books, antique pieces like a lidded soup tureen, or a decorative bowl of fruit. All small appliances, like can opener and mixer, are out of sight.

Traditional kitchen décor rarely goes out of fashion it will never look outdated with its warm and welcoming design. So no matter what your preference is for traditional décor just keep in mind that attention to detail  is what sets it apart from other decorating styles.

Image by: the Kitchen Designer. org

There are so many different types of wall clocks won the market today that it becomes difficult to know which one will fit your needs the best. You need to pick a clock that is functional, fashionable, and fits the decor of the room and your overall style.  There’s a wide range of different choices in wall clocks size, shape, color, theme, and design.

The pendulum type wall clock is one type of wall clock that can be quite elegantly made, with wood cases, accents and elaborate pendulums behind glass. The clock case is available in a wide range of styles, such as octagonal faces, plain or carved tops, and with and without closures for the pendulums. Pendulum clocks also come in a broad range of sizes, depending on needs or desires.

Metal Wall Clocks come in various metals including wrought iron, brushed nickel and brass.  Besides being stylish and contemporary metal clocks work with almost any décor.  Metal wall clocks are available in a variety of styles such as round, English and pendulum clocks among others.  They instantly add charm to any living, dining or bedroom.

Decorative wall clocks are used to complement the existing décor of a room.  Functionality or specific styles don’t really matter. From brushed steel to stained wood, these clocks are built to please the eye and are a popular choice. Some decorative wall clocks feature elaborate designs on the face, with mechanisms visibly churning away and fancy melodies played on the hour.

Contemporary clocks in a variety of sizes and even shapes and are the most commonly purchased wall Clock.  They come in square; round, oval, triangular, or you can even find custom shapes like flowers and letters. Some contemporary styled clocks use actual numbers a majority will just have the small and big hand without any actual numbers printed on the clock face. Along with sizes and shapes, you can also find your clocks with a variety of colors.

Many manufactures have a large assortment of wall clocks to choose from so don’t be discouraged by all of the different styles, design or color, just pick a clock that is functional, fashionable and fits the décor of your room.

Cuckoo clocks are a passion and do not need a lot of regular care, but is necessary to maintain and clean them. With proper care a cuckoo clock should run for many years without a problem.  However most manufacturers recommend the clocks be cleaned and oiled regularly. If you are unsure about how to clean a Cuckoo Clock take it to a professional, clocks that are cleaned by improper methods can shift, break, or become damaged so that the clock will fail to keep the proper time or stop working completely .

When it comes time to clean you cuckoo clock, keep in mind that the clocks is basically made up of two separate parts – the exterior case which is usually made of solid wood and the interior working parts of the clock. Polish the outside of the clock with a product containing natural oils or wipe with a dry dust cloth. Be careful not to use a product that will damage the painted or decorative areas. Don’t use furniture polish or wax they can leave a film or buildup that will hinder the beauty of the wood.

For the working parts of the clock the first thing to do is use a can of compressed air (like you use on your computer) to blow off the loose dirt and dust.  Be very gentle with this as there are many delicate parts. Then you can clean the parts with a simple Q-tip and soapy water, using a gentle touch to swab the piece instead of a scrubbing motion. After you are done cleaning you may want to replace the lubricant. A dry powder lubricant such as graphite could be used or better yet go to your Cuckoo Clock supplier to see what else is available.

Every three to five years take the clock to a professional clockmaker for a thorough cleaning and checkup. They can perform tasks such as checking for missing screws, ultrasonically cleaning and lubricating the movement and deconstructing the clock to clean individual pieces. This is necessary because over time, dust can build up in the mechanisms and become a paste that wears them down.

A cuckoo clock is a great piece to add character and beauty to your home. If you are looking to keep the clock as an heirloom piece for future generations it is important to keep the clock clean and in good working order.

Anniversary clocks are not necessarily gifts you give an individual to mark a special anniversary, but are actually a specific make and style of clock. When it comes to selecting the right one for her or him, there are two important things that you need to consider. First you should decide what specific anniversary clock design complements the recipient’s home style and décor. Anniversary clocks have specific characteristics and designs that correspond to various themes so give this careful consideration.  Second is to purchase from a reputable and trusted anniversary clock company such as Loricron. Purchasing a good quality clock may cost a little more, but a good anniversary clock may be passed on for generations.

The Anniversary clock makes a great gift idea for a Wedding, or memorable occasion.  If it’s a 25^th anniversary a silver finish clock is perfect, or it it’s a golden anniversary give a gold finish clock.  An Anniversary Clock is the perfect anniversary or wedding gift which will last a lifetime and provide a daily reminder of a couple’s anniversary.

A few day’s ago I received a newsletter from Bob Tascione from Tascione Clock and Watch which I thought was very interesting and wanted to share. Here is a copy of the news letter, click on the image or the link at the bottom of the page to view some of the clocks he is talking about.

If you love clocks, pocket or wrist watches this
newsletter has something for you.Take a look at some beautiful timepieces being produced today and the people who make them.
I think you’re going to enjoy this.

There’s a common misconception that quality handcrafted clocks and watches are only products from our past. It’s certainly true that the movements found in most of todays timepieces are mass produced and machine assembled. Should we expect differently in a world of economy where Toyota, Walmart and plastic clothing affords the middle classes comforts and experiences the elite couldn’t have imagined a century ago?

This newsletter will take you to some of those people and companies who are today continuing the tradition of making super high quality, hand crafted timepieces. Some of the following web sites range from one man shops to old, large watch companies with $100,000 and up price tags. These prices are elevated not by jewels or diamonds that the cases may tout but because of the beautifully handcrafted and usually complicated movements. Sadly, there are many more independent watch and clock makers who are producing absolutely beautiful timepieces but as of yet haven’t set up web sites, or at least I haven’t been able to locate them up on the internet. If you know of some good ones, especially one or two person shops that I’ve missed please let me know. I love that stuff.

Whether you’re interested in clocks, wristwatches or pocket watches I’m sure that the links at the bottom of this page will be interesting to you. Please take the time and check them out.

Long ago horologists crafted beautiful timepieces with much effort and time going into movement and case decorations. The clockmaker had a choice of two markets to target; an enormous lower class ranging from scraping dirt poor to a little better than dirt poor or a far smaller lower upper class to stinking rich uppity upper class ie; royalty, anything in between was nearly non-existant. The difference in income from lower to upper class was incredible.

So hmmm…here I am a 17th. century watch/clock maker whose work is beginning to get noticed as beyond the ordinary, just itching to make that ticking masterpiece, I just need to get commissioned by someone. Let’s see now…my neighbor the boot maker in the hut next door has made a pretty attractive offer of one bushel of turnips, a months supply of pickled rutabagas, one pair of mud repelling boots, a season pass to the weekly ox cart pull and a case of Bud, which all together should help me sustain my lowly lifestyle or… I could take the offer that the Kings’ brother Ted made of a full purse of gold and silver coins, enough to kick me a few notches above that upper lower class into that nearly uninhabited realm of “Middle Class”. If I take Bootmans offer I’ll need to knock out something functional but with no frills or twirly doodads if I plan on eating next month but if I go with Ted I can afford to take the time to be that creative artistic genius I was meant to be. I’ll design a more accurate, new type of escapement, make it ring a gong and play a Jethro Tull tune every hour. I’ll pierce, engrave and polish every possible part and by the time I’ve completed this thing of beauty I’ll still have a nearly full purse. My timepiece will become the talk of the kingdom. Veal, fine wine, champagne, I’ll become watch and clock maker to the King!!!
If the bootmaker hadn’t thrown in the ox cart pull and case of Bud the choice would have been easy!

The truth is that watch and clock makers were highly respected by both the poor and elite. Back in the 1600′s only the well-to-do could afford a watch or clock. Many timepieces from those years were nothing short of magnificent because the clientele expected such ornate perfection and were willing to pay for it. As time passed the role of the watch/clock maker made drastic changes. Small organizations or cottage industries of skilled craftsmen began forming in the late 1600′s. Each craftsmen would specialize in making one or a few parts of a clock or watch. There were spring makers, wheel makers, fusee makers, fusee chain makers, case makers etc. Many watch makers became watch finishers, purchasing nearly complete movements referred to as movements “in the gray” which would then be engraved, timed out, polished and cased. Some would add calendars, repeating mechanisms etc. to the movements, engrave their name and out it went. By the 1700′s many watch/clock makers made use of cottage industry output and, or employed people who specialized in making certain parts of a timepiece, which in turn increased production and lowered prices. Around 1760 Le Pine began making the first French ebauche watch movements lowering prices further. About 10 years later Frederic Japy, another biggie, started making production type bar movements and by 1860 was knocking out around 1/2 million movements a year. Although the dates and numbers varied, clockmaking ran a similar course. Production clockmaking techniques in Europe and America rendered unique, ultra high quality handmade timepiece production nearly obsolete. America jumped on the band wagon developing precise production techniques and the birth of movements with interchangeable parts in the 1800s. Timepieces by the millions flooded the world markets. Watches and clocks finally became affordable to a now well established middle class. But nearly obsolete is not obsolete. There were still those that continued to develop new innovative designs, one of a kind complications and unique commissioned timepieces from the time the first clock was made right up to today.

Here is a link to Bob’s newsletter http://www.tascione.com/NEWSLETTERmakers4a.htm