Home Design Chat with Nancy

If you don’t cook with steam or know nothing about how to use it, you have to listen to this podcast.  Janne Mahan, a chef and product trainer for Bosch, Thermador and Gaggenau, is Nancy’s guest this week.

Did you know that when steam is added in various amounts to convection cooking, food is prepared faster, with greater nutrient retention, and favorite recipes can be used without change in temperature in less time AND with no preheating?

Janne also explains:

This podcast sponsored by Premier Lighting

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Nancy and Jem Funk, Interior and Lighting Design with Premier Lighting, is Nancy's guest.  The subject of their conversation was about some of the suggestions designers make for residential interiors.  We agree that you people shouldn't do whatever the designer says if it's not your lifestyle.  Nancy and Jem gave their viewpoint on the following design trends:

Did they agree or disagree?

This podcast sponsored by Premier Lighting

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Tired of same the old colors for your kitchen?  Now you have 1,000 colors to pick from when you purchase your new range, hood, refrigerator and dishwasher.  Nancy's guest is JC Abbey, regional sales manager with BlueStar Appliance.  JC talked about BlueStar's ability to customize their appliances to enhance your kitchen.  In addition to all those colors they also do custom plating to match your hardware. JC also explained what duel fuel is, convection with gas and open burners.

BlueStar appliances are made in a factory in Reading, PA, where Prizer-Painter Stove Works Inc. has made ranges since 1880. Family-owned BlueStar has stayed true to its focus on specialty cooking products with a line of ranges, ovens, and cooktops that are still hand built.

Listen to this podcast and learn more about these amazing products.

This podcast sponsored by Premier Lighting

Many of us are staying home creating things to do to keep busy.  Many of us already have a business and we certainly don't want to keep it a secret.  We all know that social media drives business but where do we start?  Having a website is one of the most important things for every business to have, no matter the size of the business.

Nancy chatted with Chris Diamond, owner of Hogfish Web Studios, to explain 5 things to think about regarding your website:

What do you want your website to do for you?

Chris also suggested what to look for in a web designer, and what questions you should ask before you contract with them.

Learn more about why you should have a website and where you start by listening to this podcast.

This week Lisa Rane with Berkshire Hathaway talked with Nancy about the Phoenix housing market and how the pandemic has affected sales. Also, they discussed the new home builds, mortgage rates, the resale inventory, and why Phoenix is still experiencing immense growth.

If you are buying or selling a home, you'll want to know what the market changes are and what buyers & sellers are looking for.  Are those photos of your home really that important?  Can virtual tours take the place of open houses?  These are some of the questions Lisa answers. Don't miss this podcast.

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Have you ever wondered who prints those beautiful scenes on buses and trains?  Who prints those huge signs at arenas? Nancy's guest is Lisa Perkins, Art Consultant & Sales Representative with Image Craft and Viapagi, who does it all.  Image Craft has large format printing capabilities, and in-house services to make your project turnkey. They have award winning designs to bring your inspiration to reality. They will print banners, wrap fleets, fine art reproduction, and have the latest fabric prints.

Viapagi is a separate division open to the trade.  Lisa explains how this division of the company started and what their expertise is.  They offer high quality prints on various substrates, embellishments, giclee and framing. Lisa along with your designer will create the perfect artwork for your home. Listen to this podcast to learn more about art and how you can complete your home they way you want.

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Nancy's guest this week is Vince Cavale, National Sales Manager with QDI Surfaces.  Summer is here and everyone is working on their backyard so this is the perfect time to learn about pavers, which can be porcelain, concrete or stone. Learn about the benefits of using pavers, their characteristics, how they are installed and how to maintain them.

You'll want to listen to this podcast to learn about pavers and other products available at QDI Surfaces.

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Nancy’s guest is Steve Ertle, Merchandising Representative for B/S/H appliances.  Steve explained how the new crystal dry works on the Bosch dishwashers and why the in-line water heater is a plus instead of a heating element.  We also chatted about ProRanges with Titanium door and glass, side swing wall ovens and the Freedom induction cooktops.

If you are remodeling your kitchen or just need to replace the existing ones, you really can’t afford to miss this podcast.

This podcast sponsored by Premier Lighting

Nancy chatted with Jem Funk, lighting expert with Premier Lighting, about how to get the right lighting to change the mood of your home without contracting an electrician.

Lighting can make or break the mood in a room and today we covered several ways to accomplish this. Listen and learn about unifying your bulbs, picking out the right LEDs, using layers of lights, diffusing your lights, dimming your lights without hard-wired dimmers, and more.

This podcast sponsored by Premier Lighting

Nancy's guest this week is Dan Hugo, a computer engineer with years of experience.  The subject was the Internet of Things and just how safe it really is. The more functionalities (apps) you add to your smartphone, the more information you store in the device. This could make smartphones and anything connected to them vulnerable to many different types of attacks.

Don't be naive and think you have nothing to worry about. Listen to this podcast. As mentioned on the podcast here are 9 security measures you can take to help secure your devices:

1. Install reputable internet security software on your computers, tablets, and smartphones. For instance, Norton Security Deluxe can provide real-time protection against existing and emerging malware, including ransomware and viruses.

2. Use strong and unique passwords for device accounts, Wi-Fi networks, and connected devices. Don’t use common words or passwords that are easy to guess, such as “password” or “123456.”

3. Be aware when it comes to apps. Always make sure you read the privacy policy of the apps you use to see how they plan on using your information and more.

4. Do your research before you buy. Devices become smart because they collect a lot of personal data. While collecting data isn’t necessarily a bad thing, you should know about what types of data these devices collect, how it’s stored and protected, if it is shared with third parties, and the policies or protections regarding data breaches.

5. Know what data the device or app wants to access on your phone. If it seems unnecessary for the app’s functionality or too risky, deny permission.

6. Use a VPN, like Norton Secure VPN, which helps to secure the data transmitted on your home or public Wi-Fi.

7. Check the device manufacturer’s website regularly for firmware updates.

8. Use caution when using social sharing features with these apps. Social sharing features can expose information like your location and let people know when you’re not at home. Cybercriminals can use this to track your movements. That could lead to a potential cyberstalking issue or other real-world dangers.

9. Never leave your smartphone unattended if you’re using it in a public space. In crowded spaces, you should also consider turning off Wi-Fi or Bluetooth access if you don’t need them. Some smartphone brands allow automatic sharing with other users in close proximity.

This podcast sponsored by Premier Lighting