Attention, parents! It’s finally December, and that means Elf on the Shelf is back in town!

The Elf has fast become a wonderful tradition for children. For parents, however, it can become quite the chore.

If this isn’t your first Elf rodeo, you know it gets tough to come up with new and exciting ideas every day. Since you’re not allowed to touch the Elf (in the presence of your child, at least), it needs to be placed somewhere that doesn’t get in the way of everyday life. And although you want to come up with imaginative hiding places, you’re also probably tired by the time everyone’s asleep.

That’s what makes the kitchen the perfect room for Elf on the Shelf. It’s an area of the home that’s away from sleeping children and has plenty of appliances and space to work with. Here are a few easy ideas that utilize your kitchen for Elf scenes and hiding places!

1. Refrigerator

Your fridge can be a fun place to create scenes with your Elf! There’s plenty of room in there to pose the Elf without getting in anyone’s way (if you’re short on space, it’s probably time for a refrigerator purge.)

Christmaself_2018 – https://www.instagram.com/p/Bcz3YzzldU9/

If you’re running short on time, wrap the Elf in a small dishtowel or rag and pop it on a shelf in the fridge. It’s a cute idea that the Elf is appropriately wrapped up for the cold – maybe a little taste of the climate back home at the North Pole.

Another easy idea is to add googly eyes to all the sauces, drinks, and other items inside the fridge, with the Elf in the center. It’s like your fridge has come to life thanks to the Elf and its magic!

2. Microwave

It’s a well-known tradition to string popcorn and wrap it all around the Christmas tree – so, what Elf wouldn’t love popcorn?

If you’re okay to let your microwave to have a day off, pop your Elf in the microwave with an open bag of popcorn. This is a cute, quick Elf idea that gives you an excuse to munch on a few popcorn pieces at the end of the night!

3. Blender

No smoothies for a day? No problem.

Nbab21 – https://www.instagram.com/p/BqPhMallgNy/

It takes one second to pop your Elf on top of or hanging off your personal blender. Add some candy around or a note that jokes, “this doesn’t seem like the comfiest seat, but it’ll work!” You’re set!

4. Freezer

Your freezer is another great tool for this hiding game.

All you need is a baking sheet or a small Tupperware that fits in your freezer. Fill it with water, put the Elf on the edge with candy canes as skatesand you’re set! Looks like the Elf is ready to skate in your own freezer!

If you’re willing to wake up early in the morning, freeze your Elf in a cup of water overnight. In the morning, take the new Elf ice cube out of the cup and set it on the freezer rack or door shelf. You have no mess and a fun ice-themed set up for the day!

5. Counter Space

Have flour or sprinkles in your pantry? Both can be ingredients for a fantastic yet easy Elf idea. Have your Elf make a snow angel in the edible ‘snow’ of your choice on a counter away from your regular cooking space. Easy peasy!

Christmaself_2018 – https://www.instagram.com/p/Bp-qHMoljc8

To get extra creative, you can bundle your baking utensils with a quick note saying, “cookies?” Later, if you’ve got the time, bake some delicious cookies and add googly eyes to your utensils and baking ingredients to make it seem like a team effort!

There are endless possibilities if you have extra counter space to work with!

Happy Hiding!

Your kitchen is a treasure trove of appliances and space to utilize for this little Elf. Take advantage of these hiding places when you’re in a pinch!

In the end, enjoy creating a little piece of magic and happiness for your children for 25 days. They’ll remember these moments growing up and you’ll both have fun memories from this little Elf on the Shelf.

Merry Christmas and happy hiding!

It’s the most wonderful time of the year—delicious recipes, cozy and inviting spaces, and heart-warming visits from friends and family. If you’re looking for fresh home entertaining ideas to get into the holiday spirit, here are some of my favorite ways to celebrate that will sweep you and your guests away.

Designed by Lisa Mende and Gwyn Duggan

A Pop of Personalization 
From luxury appliances to kitchen design, personalization is a top trend that is here to stay. And when it comes to holiday entertaining, this sentiment rings even more true. One way I like to make holiday guests feel right at home is to greet them with a welcome sign or customized dinner menu during the holiday party. For a more elegant look, I pen my greeting on glass, a mirror, or another translucent surface. Freshening up my tablescape is another way I give my home a special touch. Add a bold statement centerpiece or a custom table runner with a pop of color. These details hardly ever go unnoticed by my visitors. In keeping with this theme, my Thermador Under-Counter Double Drawer Refrigerator is the ultimate holiday party companion. It shines in every environment—seamlessly creating a cohesive feel in my kitchen, while keeping my holiday desserts precisely the temperature I want.

Festive Foods  
My favorite part about hosting holiday guests is the opportunity to serve my most cherished dishes. I like to start the evening with a beautiful cheese board and a savory selection: an aged cheese, a firm cheese, a soft cheese, and a blue cheese. Next, I add fresh fruit, olives, cured meats, crackers, and nuts. For an entrée, I like treating my guests with a rich pasta carbonara. My Thermador Freedom® Induction Cooktop keeps prep time calm, as it can heat up to 6 pots or pans simultaneously—perfect for holiday cooking. I can boil my favorite pasta dish and curate several delicious sides at the same time. For dessert, I once again turn to my Freedom® Induction cooktop to make my famous pecan-peppermint fudge. This delectable sweet always captures the attention of my guests.

Let Glassware Sparkle
It isn’t a successful holiday party without holiday drinks—and I love giving my guests plenty of options. Whether they gravitate toward an oaky merlot, a sparkling cider, a specialty cocktail, or craft beer, I always make sure to have a standout selection of sips on hand – and with my  Glass Care Center from Thermador, I’m always prepared. It’s specifically designed to accommodate glassware of various shapes and sizes, and holds my beer steins, cocktail glasses, champagne flutes, and even features the largest wine glass capacity of up to 26 large wine glasses. Whether my guests choose a hoppy beer or a sweet champagne, I’ll always have sparkling clean glassware ready for the next pour.

How do you prepare your home for the holidays? Share your thoughts with us in the comments or on our social channels: www.facebook.com/thermador, @ThermadorHome and @Thermador.

It’s that season again! Learn how to care for your down jacket at home using Electrolux laundry appliances.

Meet Edit Kasza (left) of Edit Design, with her ecstatic client Ann from Ayr, Ontario. Edit was born, raised and worked as an economist in Hungary. She lived in the Netherlands for 18 months before emigrating to Canada in 1990. There, she decided to go back to school to pursue her life long dream of interior design. Edit obtained her degree at Niagara College then moved to Cambridge, Ontario- Where she established Edit Design.

Edit has been grateful to have the chance to work with builders in a fast-pace environment, as well as high-end custom kitchen cabinet companies to achieve an immense amount of experience before she opened the studio in Galt. Edit’s years of experience, natural creative abilities and problem-solving skills help individuals and professionals achieve a gratified design experience from beginning to end.

Edit’s favorite style of design is Midcentury Modern. Our designer likes a clean look, using unique design elements and keen attention to client’s needs and details. Her design featured substantial amounts of cabinetry, while incorporating built-in appliances to utilize space.

Cabinets by Muskoka Cabinet Company, Ottawa
Door Style: Terus Graphite
Color: Graphite
The project in Ayr was a large open concept ranch-style house. We created a “hard working kitchen” incorporating modern high-tech appliance, exposed wood and mixed rustic elements and lots of practical storages. Edit’s favorite part of the design was the “baking station” designed for the husband to make his delish homemade pasta and baked goods.

The project incorporated beautiful built-in Miele appliances. The built-in application is becoming more popular and for good reason. The panel-ready refrigeration matching seamlessly with the cabinetry, to the induction cooktop and built-in steam oven and wall oven combination are not only space saving, but modern, sleek and efficient.

“There is no better time to eliminate mistakes than before they happen, therefore I believe that the well-planned design solution is the foundation for a successful project. Clients are reassured that they are receiving independent unbiased advice from an expert designer. Clients who choose our project management service enjoy the ultimate convenience of having an independent industry professional working directly for them, ensuring that standards are high and value is achieved. “ –Edit Kasza

Counter Tops: Stonex – Caesar Stone White Attica
Floor: Refinished by Len Koebel Flooring

We asked Edit what her biggest challenge was, she responded “the biggest challenge was to update the kitchen to compliment the beautiful existing interior while keeping the integrity of the house.” Edit partnered with her TA Appliance Specialist Emilie Bailey to ensure end to end designer experience, and selected the best product fit for the clients. You can contact Edit Design Inc (519) 240-9242 or online editdesign.ca

Edit partnered with TA’s Sales Professional Emilie Bailey. Emilie enjoys working with designers to meet the needs and dreams of clients. She has over 15 years in the appliance industry, with extensive knowledge in built-ins and a uniquely comprehensive knowledge of what is both possible and available to customers. Emilie is able to work with clients to optimize both the product’s function and footprint for their kitchen design. To contact Emilie, you may can email- ebailey@taappliance.com or call 519-578-0300 ext.3221

The 2020 Design Inspiration Awards for Interior Designers 2018 saw many beautiful entries in several categories including Kitchens and a category specifically dedicated to Elmira Stove Works.

Get inspired by some of the entries in the Elmira Stove Works category.

Shop Elmira Stove Works at TA Appliances. 

Brittany Hutt

Aviva Waxman

Erin Jenkins 

Chelsea  Butler

Vicki Schneller 

Karla Reck

 

Since 1916, Thermador has been synonymous with exceptional. We introduced America to the cooktop, rolled out steam and convection ovens and opened the door to personalization with column refrigeration. Now, Thermador is transforming the culinary experience even further with the introduction of highly innovative new cooking appliances, spanning two distinct, newly designed collections: Masterpiece®and Professional. Breaking the boundaries of innovation, design and technology, the statement-making new appliances elevate the ultimate entertainer’s experience, building a personal connection in a way like never-before.

Freedom® Induction Cooktop

Exclusive to the Masterpiece® Collection, the revolutionary Freedom® Induction Cooktop boasts the largest fully usable cooking surface on the market within its class. With 30-inch and 36-inch models, the entire surface of the cooktop can be used as one large cooking area – with the 36-inch model allowing for up to six pots or pans to be heated simultaneously in any position and controlled using an enhanced full color touch screen with clear, vibrant displays.

For the exceptional cook who enjoys unparalleled freedom of movement, the Freedom® Induction Cooktop sees to it that there is no need to manually adjust settings – the cooktop automatically detects the presence of cookware on the surface and transfers all programmed settings to the next location whenever it is shifted, offering more responsiveness and flexibility – ideal for the ultimate entertainer who’s juggling multiple dishes for the dinner party.

The cooktop also boasts a bevy of smart, intuitive features that elevate the luxury cooking experience. When paired with the Home Connect™ app, the Cooktop Hood Sync feature allows cooks to enjoy synchronization between the cooktop and matching hood for task lighting and ventilation for select models. Additional features such as Freedom Sapphire Glow™ provide visual feedback when a pot is moved or heated, further enhancing your culinary adventure, while Freedom MyZone™ allows you to change a preset power level simply by moving a pot or pan on the cooktop – ideal for bold recipes that require frequent temperature changes. Transcending culinary limits, the Freedom® Induction Cooktop pulls out all the stops.

 

Convection, Steam and Speed Ovens

With the newly designed convection, steam and speed ovens, Thermador introduces a collection of cooking appliances that cater to a variety of culinary endeavors – with exceptional innovation baked right in. Spanning two distinct styles – Masterpiece® and Professional – the luxury ovens serve as the perfect sous chefs for exceptional cooks. All-new convection ovens boast a multitude of preset modes, allowing ultimate entertainers to perfect even the most adventurous recipes – while the groundbreaking new steam ovens feature a large steam capacity of 2.5 cubic feet with 30” width and multiple racks. A multi-faceted appliance, the all-new speed ovens combine convection baking, broiling and microwaving into one powerful unit. No matter your culinary preference, your Thermador oven is sure to stand out – empowering you to express yourself through your culinary creations.

For exceptional cooks who prefer a modern, sleek and refined look, the Masterpiece® Collection boasts an elegant aesthetic – complete with stunning metallic gray glass, vibrant color displays and sleek, contemporary handles crafted with high-quality stainless steel. For a look that makes a grand statement, the Professional Collection exudes bold features and bright color displays, striking metallic gray glass and distinct handles crafted with high-quality stainless steel. Equally jaw-dropping, both Collections offer complete design flexibility, with the option for flush or standard installation – so you can seamlessly integrate your oven into the way you live.

The Thermador Connected Experience by Home Connect

Because enhancing the luxury experience is always top of mind, Thermador is building a personal connection with you in a way like never-before, with the ultra-innovative Thermador Connected Experience by Home Connect. The Thermador Connected Experience takes consumers on an exceptional culinary journey by connecting them to exclusive content, unique partnerships and customized product guidance. With features such as Remote Start and mobile notifications, you can cook smarter from the Home Connect™ app and know when your culinary creation is hot and ready to enjoy. The app will also give you access to a world of culinary inspiration, including exclusive recipes, control from your mobile devices and remote diagnostics for the ultimate user experience.

With the statement-making new cooking appliances, Thermador delivers a one-of-a-kind culinary experience that truly embodies luxury living.