4 years ago, I began designing, manufacturing and marketing a line of raised plaster stencils and ornamental molds. My focus was to introduce the art of raised stenciling to the general consumer, creating a new market for common stencils, which I did quite successfully.The typical slow down in winter due to harsher building conditions (and now the recent downturn in the housing industry) commonly left a gaping hole in revenues for businesses of this nature.Plaster stenciling simply involves smearing common wall mud (joint compound) over the stencil openings, removing the stencil and allowing the design to dry which creates an ornate raised design on walls and ceilings.Various mold designs are combined in artistic ways to create ornate ceiling medallions, ceiling corners, wall border designs, wall and ceiling frames and to turn plain fireplaces in to ornate beauties.Professional creation and installation of an ornate plaster ceiling design can produce as much as $50,000.00 from the high end client and can be scaled down to the simplest frame around a light fixture for lower end consumers or builders.Dont forget that areas such as above doorways, windows and exterior doorways also benefit from the beauty of this easy treatment, along with fireplace designs. Victoria Larsen 2006

What part of your home do you and your family spend the most time? In many households the gravitational pull of the kitchen area brings family members together at some point in the day for basic nourishment needs and communication updates.

Whether your meal times include snacks on the run or elaborate multi course settings, there are simple ways to transform your familys hub space into an inviting and comfortable refuge.

Unless youve designed your kitchen space to suit your own specific needs, the placement of built in cabinets and appliances are immoveable without major renovations.

Start with what you have as far as the cabinets finish and the flooring and make the kitchen space your own with personalized decorating choices.

For efficient food preparation, lighting is important. A single overhead light fixture in the ceiling is normally all that is provided in the kitchen. Adequate for raiding the fridge at night, but this minimal lighting is apt to create shadows as you work at the countertop. Remedy this dim situation by installing low profile task lights under the upper cabinets. This lighting solution uses minimal electricity, is unobtrusive, and provides bright, directed light where you need it on the work surface.

Now that you can more easily see your kitchen space, notice how unremarkable those tired kitchen cabinets are looking. Refinishing wood doors or painting them is a big job, but may be worth the effort if the finish is seriously marred. A simpler solution is to re-accessorize your cabinet doors and drawers with new handles or knobs. Just as you change your own jewelry, or add an accent scarf, the new cabinet hardware may be just what your kitchen cabinets need for a revitalized look.

Countertop clutter in a busy household can make your kitchen seem small and unusable.

Start by removing any small appliances, canisters or containers that are rarely used. That time saving gadget you had to have is costing you productive minutes if its taking up counter space you could be using for meal preparation. Give yourself some elbow room by storing unused items in a cabinet, closet or even another room. Better still, pass the indispensible gadget on to someone else- with more counter space.

Horizontal surfaces throughout the house, and especially in the kitchen, frequently become catch alls. Toss your keys, newspaper, the daily mail and other easily dropped items into a useful countertop basket. A divided basket with a space for each family member is ideal. Make this practice a household rule and youll never have to search for misplaced items again. And, you wont have to clear a space to begin meal preparations.

Increase the cozy factor of your kitchen space by adding an area rug over your hard surface flooring. The rug will cushion the cooks stance while it adds a dash of color. A printed area rug breaks up the mostly solid colored cabinet, countertop and flooring surfaces of the kitchen. Select a small rug for where you stand the most or a room sized rug to visually expand your space. The colors and design of the area rug will set the tone. Are you looking for a country kitchen, a modern dcor, or traditional mode? Youll find a delightfully appropriate area rug that describes the look you want.

Carry the colors and designs from your area rug up onto the walls by adding a coordinating wallpaper border above your upper cabinets or in the space between your cabinets and countertops. For a more artistic look, try out a do-it-yourself stencil kit to create your own, one of a kind, decorative touch.

The center of your home, the hub of numerous family activities, can be designed as an efficient and attractive gathering space. Try these simple updates create comfort and livability in your kitchen space.