Displaying posts labeled "Support"

If a trip to Germany to witness the launch of Miele’s Dialog oven wasn’t enough of a sweet deal, then a brand new vacuum soon to be launched in Canada is the icing on the cake! As an owner of many shedding cats, vacuums are essential items in my life that help maintain my sanity, so getting my hands on Miele‘s first ever bagless vacuum was very exciting! The Blizzard CX1 is launching in Canada in a couple of days (the first country in North America) so I thought I would share a little sneak peek with you.

That’s Felix enjoying it in the box before I unpackaged it. Already the cats approve. 

The black model is the Hardfloor model, which is what I received. There is a red model that is Cat & Dog, which unfortunately I did not receive (given the amount of cats I have) but the Hardfloor is also perfect for me in that I have hardwood throughout my house. Then there’s a blue model that is the TotalCare. 

This is a good looking vacuum, as far as vacuums go. 

This is where the magic happens. Super handy that the nozzle attachments are right there underneath where the container is so they’re not in the way. (The one on the left is for crevices and the one on the right is for upholstery. I’ll use that one A LOT).
Some fun facts about this vacuum:
It is very quiet compared to most vacuums thanks to its Vortex technology (a single, large cyclone). My cats appreciate this. 
It has a three-stage filtration system, ensuring the user doesn’t come into contact with dirt when emptying the container or cleaning the filter. Coarse particles are separated from fine dust, and the dust ends up in the dust filter (which is easily removed and cleaned once or twice a year). Then there’s a HEPA filter that collects the smallest particles and allergens.
It has 4 power settings so you can tell it whether you are dusting off your curtains or cleaning hardwood or a rug. 

You all have seen a vacuum in action so I didn’t put together a video of me vacumming, plus, I would have had to make myself look presentable, so instead I thought I would show you my reality.  

This is the typical state of my gorgeous Moooi rug. I have 2 jobs and alot of cats so this is my reality. Plus, I wanted to give this vacuum a run for its money so I let this go longer than normal. And after cleaning this rug, I have to say that I am soooo stoked to use this vacuum on a regular basis throughout my house. Check out the after…

BOOM! It worked so well 3 days later as I write this post the rug still looks spotless. 

The proof is in the container. This is from ONE RUG. Dear gawd. It’s no wonder I don’t wear black around the house. 

See that little yellow thing on the container? You push that release mechanism over your garbage can and POOF the dirt is all gone. This vacuum is my new best friend. I think it needs a name. Maybe Vivian. Thank you Miele so much for this gift. I will surely treasure it for the next 20 years. 

I had a blast in Germany recently (my first visit there!) thanks to the folks of Miele Canada and Maverick PR firm who invited me to participate in the international launch of the revolutionary new creation – the Dialog Oven. We had no idea what was being launched before the trip so it was really exciting to finally learn what the hype surrounding this event was all about. Myself and a handful of other Canadian bloggers, food writers and magazine editors flew into Berlin and had a great afternoon and evening doing a bit of sight seeing and enjoyed a fantastic dinner where we spent most of the evening trying to guess what product Miele was launching (LOL). You can check out more photos from Berlin here on my page. At the airport this big red Miele bus was waiting to take us to our hotel:

The following day the bus dropped us off at Bolle Festsäle, a stunning industrial building that was completely revamped for this event. It was VERY impressive, and the “show” they put on blew me away at each stage.

We were greeted with champagne and hors d’oeuvres and photos were taken of each of us and our faces then flashed on the wall of the initial space that was decked out with a history of Miele products. 

Introductions were done by Dr. Reihnard Zinkann (executive director & co-proprietor) and Dr. Markus Miele (executive director & co-proprietor). Interesting bit of history of Miele: since its inception in 1899, the company has been in the ownership of the Miele and Zinkann families. All of the 80 or so family stakeholders are direct successors of one of the two company founders, Carl Miele and Reinhard Zinkann.

Following introductions we began to learn about this new Dialog Oven with a 4 course meal cooked by superstar chefs. And this is where the voodoo, the magic, the mind-blowing technology started to emerge. This oven cooks food in a way you have never seen before. It uses electromagnetic waves, and “communicates” with the food it is cooking. The oven has 2 antennas on the ceiling in the interior that is able to calculate how much energy it has sent out and the food has absorbed. This is not like a microwave, and the proof of that was when during the demonstration, a frozen German cream cake was put in a Miele microwave, and another was put in the Dialog Oven. The microwaved cake became a soupy mess. The cake in the oven came out perfectly thawed and ready to serve. 

For the first course, the chefs at each table had ice boxes and in each box they placed a piece of fish. These boxes went into the oven on a tray, and 8 minutes later it was ready….the fish inside the ice was cooked and the ice did not melt! The oven is smart enough to know to only cook the fish, and the energy is only put into the fish. And to note: the chef pulled the tray out with his bare hands. There is no wasted energy heating up the entire oven cavity. 

Our second course appetizer was salmon cooked 2 ways. Pieces of salmon were placed on a tray with half of each piece covered in foil. The chefs programmed the oven to not cook the part of the fish that was covered in foil. And sure enough the pieces of salmon came out with each side under the foil raw. This is epic folks! How many of you have a significant other who likes their meat cooked differently than you do? You can put a roast in this oven and tell it to cook one side medium well for yourself and rare on the other side for your husband. This oven even saves marriages! LOL!! The next course was veal wrapped in beeswax. The veal was cooked to perfection of course, without melting the beeswax. WUT?! For dessert we had raspberry souffles, again, cooked perfectly, because the Dialog oven knows exactly how long to cook them. This really is mind-blowing technology my dear readers. This oven is totally dummy proof. You tell it how you want your food cooked and it knows exactly how to do so, and it does not matter what you put in the oven at the same time. You can put a roast on one side of the pan and some scallops on the other and the oven will cook both at the same time and each they will come out together cooked perfectly. You will never undercook or overcook anything again. You will never forget anything in the oven and have it burn to a crisp. You never have to worry about forgetting to thaw something that was in the freezer. Oh – and it will cook your food 70% faster than a conventional oven. I am told it will do pulled pork in about 2 hours. It’s voodoo I tell ya. Unfortunately voodoo comes at a cost, but if you’re eating at home a lot and want to eat really good food, then this oven is for you. It’s not launching in Canada until about 2019 but boy do I ever want to get my hands on a Dialog oven. I can’t tell you how exciting it was to witness this unbelievable technology that is going to change the culinary world. Kudos to Miele for this epic discovery. 

After the event we hopped on a train to Gütersloh, where the Miele headquarters, the Miele museum and factory that produces washers and dryers are. I was not allowed to take photos in the factory but let me tell you, I now want to own only Miele appliances. I was blown away at how caring this company is towards their employees, how much care is taken to produce each appliance, and how durable they are. The going joke at Miele is you’re still a newbie if you’ve been there under 10 years – everyone who works for Miele is a lifer. At one station an employee wrapped his hand in a nylon stocking and ran it around the drum of the washer looking for anything that would snag. We saw a graphic of how the perforations of the drum are much smaller than the average drum, ensuring your clothes come out less “pilled”. You can put silks and any delicate fabrics in a Miele washer and they come out as if taken to the dry cleaners (told to me by someone who owns them and swears by them). Our tour guide took a coin and bashed it on a washer door – it showed no marks at all. The company’s principle is IMMER BESSER = always better and that was what Carl wanted to do from the beginning was improve on the products he used that did not work as efficiently as they could have. Which is why when you buy Miele, you know you are paying for quality and efficiency. So I thought I would share some photos from the museum tour. And I have a post up on my page of some photos I took around this gorgeous town.

The Canadian crew that was left after the oven launch that travelled to Gütersloh for the tour (that’s me second from left).

It started with cream separators and butter churners and then washing machines, dishwashers, vacuums, bikes, even a very short production cycle for cars to the empire it is today. 

A Miele employee happened to own an original Miele kitchen so when they renovated they donated the kitchen to the museum.

The bicycles and motor bikes were soooo cool. Would love to own one of these. 

I also have some photos I took in Frankfurt where I had to catch a flight back home – check them out here. 

#revolutionaryexcellence #miele #dialogoven

Good morning dear readers! I wanted to send out a quick post to let you in on a little excitement going on over the next several days. A couple of months back I was sent an email asking me to be a part of something super exciting, and it is finally happening! Tomorrow night I am flying to Berlin with some other Canadian media folks/bloggers to take part with representatives from 46 other countries in an event that has been very secretive. The only info I have been provided is that Miele, the world’s premium German appliance manufacturer, is about to transform the way we taste and prepare food. Hands-down a revolutionary moment in technology in the kitchen. Yes, we are talking some #revolutionaryexcellence. I cannot wait to find out what this is all about!!!

I will be in Berlin, then Gütersloh and then Frankfurt and will head home Wednesday morning. I will be sharing moments here and there on Instagram @kim_dti, our Facebook page, and Twitter so keep an eye out if I have piqued your curiosity!! It seems I may have a bit of free time Sunday afternoon in Berlin and Tuesday afternoon/evening in Frankfurt if anyone wants to meet up (email me @ kim[at]desiretoinspire[dot]net). 

I have been an admirer of modern furniture brand BoConcept for as long as I can remember. They are masters at creating modern functional furniture that at the same time is timeless and works in every style of home. I also love the Danish vibe of their collections. Comfort and clean lines with a stylish simplicity that is so appealing. And they carry everything from sofas and chairs to dining tables, storage units, beds and all the accessories you need to add some pizzazz to your space. Very cool – I just found out they offer interior design services too. Genius! They’ll tell you what to purchase and how to arrange it too! Oh – and as a bonus – Mads Mikkelsen is featured in their 2017 catalogue. *SWOON* Here is just a taste of some stand-out pieces they carry….

Copenhagen Wall Unit

Flexibility is the key with the Copenhagen wall unit by BoConcept. Show what you want, and hide everything else through open and closed shelving units that can be customised to your specific taste. As functional and flexible as it is beautiful, the Copenhagen wall unit can be transformed into a bookcase, a TV unit, or even a sideboard. Choose from either a black or white soft finish for a lavish display in your home. 

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Osaka Sofa

The Osaka sofa by BoConcept features a light look and slim proportions. It ideal for small living spaces, but works equally well in larger rooms. The pure lines on the Osaka are softened with beautifully crafted details such as the elegant seams on the edges and optional tufting on the seat cushions. It is fully customisable to suit your taste and style, with a choice of over 120 different seating units, premium leather and fabrics, exciting colours, and elegant leg designs. You also have the choice between a classic straight armrest or one that curves slightly. You can’t go wrong with this stunning Scandinavian sofa.

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Milano Dining Table

The Milano dining table by BoConcept features a unique appearance with clean lines that will surely lift the style of any dining room. It also has a built-in extendable function that caters for extra seating for up to 12 guests. This modern dining table can be customised according to your wishes. Choose from varied sizes, tabletops and leg designs, to coordinate a striking setting for your home dining area.

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Looking for more designer furniture to furnish your beautiful home?

Visit www.boconcept.com/en-au

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This post is brought to you in partnership with BoConcept

Summer is upon us, and day by day we’ll all notice our moods gradually improving as we feel the sun on our faces. But sometimes as the beautiful sunshine pours through our windows, the air inside our houses can start to feel a little stuffy. We totally get it – on a hot summer’s day, you want to plop down with a good beach read and not move a muscle. But you still want the air inside your house to be moving!

That’s where ceiling fans come in. The wind chill sensation that these genius light fixtures create on our skin means that we can turn the thermostat up a few degrees in the summer (or off completely) while remaining comfortable. Fans take much less energy than running an air conditioner, which is good for us and for our utility bill. Plus, it’s the closest thing you can get to a sea breeze if you’re landlocked on a balmy day!

But here’s the real question: Are ceiling fans a chic design move? If you’re anything like us, the image in your mind’s eye is the outdated (and slightly gaudy) fixtures most of us grew up with. Thankfully, modern ceiling fans have changed a lot since then. With their sleek metallic tones, gorgeous natural woods and interesting blade shapes, there’s a fan that fits every room. Seriously!

The Bedroom
Lighting the bedroom can be tricky. Sometimes you want something more ornamental than a simple flushmount fixture but something less grandiose than a chandelier. A ceiling fan is perfect, as it’s fluid in motion but not overpowering. 

We love how this airy, simple bedroom in New England looks with its neutral tones and hints of gilding. Thanks to high ceilings and a polished palette, the simple ceiling fan is unobtrusive and sophisticated hanging above.

Photo: Architectural Digest

The Living Room
This is the room where your family and friends congregate, aka where you need the most airflow to keep everyone comfy. As this homey living room demonstrates, you can’t go wrong with three rounded blades in striking wooden tones.

Photo: Lumens

The Porch
What if you want to sit out on the porch and sip some sweet tea on a steamy day? Hanging a fan (or two or three) overhead will have cool air wafting over you as you watch the world go by. 

We love how this Tennessee porch establishes continuity with its bright ceiling and fan; the designer matched their white shades instead of creating startling contrast.

Photo: Southern Living

Rules of Thumb
Wondering how to fit a fan to your space? Here are a few handy guidelines to follow as you’re picking out the perfect fixture:
-A 36-inch fan fits a room up to 100 square feet
-A 42-inch fan fits a room up to 200 square feet
-A 52-inch fan suits a room up to 400 square feet
-Rooms larger than 400 square feet may call for one large fan or multiple 52- or 56-inch fans
-Maintain at least an 18-inch clearance between a fan and the walls

Depending on where you live, you’ve still got a few weeks before the temperatures soar. You’ll thank yourself later for getting a ceiling fan now. Happy hunting, we hope a cool breeze is soon headed your way!