Author Connie Wilson with two of her most recent releases, Hellfire & Damnation and Ghostly Tales of Route 66

We are proud to announce that celebrated author Connie (Corcoran) Wilson will be signing six of her most recent books at Drury Design from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. on Saturday, June 19th as part of the first Glen Ellyn Bookfest 2010. Connie is an award-winning writer of both nonfiction and fiction with a career that spans more than five decades. She has published eight books across many genres in as many years, working with six small independent publishers.

When not working on future book projects, Connie writes for several blogs. She was named Content Producer of the Year by Yahoo’s top blog site, Associated Content, for her political coverage during the 2008 presidential campaign. She also has her own blog, WeeklyWilson.com. Additionally, she continues to review film and television for GetYourGoodNews.com, an online newspaper in the Quad Cities.

Wilson’s most recent release is the final volume in a trilogy of true ghost stories set along Route 66, entitled Ghostly Tales of Route 66. The books include pictures taken by the author during a 2,800 mile journey along Route 66 in November of 2008 on the Oklahoma Fort El Reno Ghost Tour.

On May 27th, Connie was at BookExpo America signing copies of her short story collection Hellfire & Damnation, a collection of short stories inspired by Dante’s Inferno. With an introduction by William F. Nolan, the 15-story collection has been widely praised and is nominated for this year’s Bram Stoker Award by the Horror Writers’ Association.

Stop by our studio and get a signed copy of Connie’s books. Purchase the Ghostly Tales of Route 66 trilogy as a set and receive a $5 discount off the individual price of $9.95 per book.

You can find more information about the author at ConnieCWilson.com.

The McAninch Arts Center and 90.9fm WDCB Listener-Supported Public Radio, in partnership with Karnes Pricket Design, the Glen Ellyn Chamber of Commerce and the Village of Glen Ellyn, present JazzFest Glen Ellyn from 3 to 10 p.m. Saturday, July 10, in downtown Glen Ellyn, IL.

The free event, which draws a crowd of more than 3,000 jazz fans each year, transforms Main Street from Crescent Boulevard to Pennsylvania into a jazz oasis. Drury Design is once again a proud presenting sponsor of this community event to promote the central business district of Glen Ellyn.

“Every year we look forward to the challenge of transforming Main Street from a vehicular thoroughfare to a lush, green jazz garden,” owner Bob Hursthouse said. “Last year we added a water feature to the design along with a collection of over 25,000 perennial flowers, grasses, shrubs and trees. In less than eight hours, we literally transform the street into a distinctive garden, uniquely landscaped for people of all ages to enjoy.”

Admission is free and fest goers also are encouraged to bring their own chairs, as seating is limited for this popular event.

“It all happens here in the center of downtown Glen Ellyn,” said Village Manger Steve Jones. “Amid a backdrop of local shops and specialty boutiques, Glen Ellyn and Chicago area residents can expect to hear a great line-up of Chicagoland musicians, experience the amazing Hursthouse Jazz Garden and enjoy delicious food, beverages and other refreshments.”

The lineup this year features an impressive list of respected jazz musicians including the Jo Ann Daugherty Trio, the Andreas Kapsalis & Goran Ivanovic Guitar Duo, the Ava Logan Quartet featuring Bruce Oscar, Darwin Noguera’s Evolution Sextet and Richie Cole Alto Madness featuring Henry Johnson.

Additionally, Glen Ellyn’s own Tap House Grill will return as the festival’s food sponsor and Two Brother Brewing Company has been added this year to make available their hand crafted beers during the event. 

For more information on the festival as well as sponsorship opportunities, visit: www.JazzFestGlenEllyn.org

Viking Demo Kitchen in Bensenville, IL

The event is designed to give you the opportunity to observe and learn advanced culinary techniques. The Chef will answer your cooking questions, as an incredible meal is prepared in a live demonstration in LakeView’s kitchen in Bensenville.

Seating is limited. Please make a reservation for you and a friend by June 11th by calling us at 630.469.4980 or by emailing Jim Drury at jim@drurydesigns.com.

About Viking
Viking Range Corporation is an ultra-premium major appliance manufacturer and culinary lifestyle company that originated commercial-type appliances for the home. Viking is the creator of the “Professional” category of major appliances and is headquartered in Greenwood, Mississippi. Viking major appliances are sold through a network of premium appliance distributors and dealers worldwide, and Viking culinary products are sold through a network of premium gourmet retailers.

For more information about Viking, please visit www.vikingrange.com.

“My kitchen is so easy to work in yet so gracious for entertaining; the space functions like a small kitchen inside a large one.”

Hot on the heels of her recognition at the 2008 / 2009 Wolf Sub-Zero Kitchen Design Contest in February, Drury Design’s Tina Muller was honored with an award at the 2010 NKBA (National Kitchen and Bath Association) 2010 Design Competion for her striking traditional kitchen design for a very delighted client.

Held at Center Stage in the NKBA’s Design Center at the 2010 NKBA Design Competition Awards Ceremony April 16th in Chicago during the 2010 Kitchen & Bath Industry Show in Chicago, Tina’s award winning kitchen design was given third place in the large kitchen category.

Art of the Industry 2010 NKBA Design Competition Finalist in NKBA Profiles Magazine

Open only to NKBA members, the NKBA Design Competition recognizes the talent of kitchen and bath designers to plan functional and beautiful spaces. For 2010, the NKBA received 550 entries in ten categories. Each entry is judged based on visual appeal and creativity, as well as basic principles of design, presentation, safety and ergonomics using the NKBA Kitchen and Bath Planning Guidelines.

“The National Kitchen & Bath Association is pleased to showcase the best kitchen and bathrooms created by NKBA designs over the past year,” said 2010 NKBA President and Certified Master Kitchen & Bath Designer Mark L. Karas CMKBS. “These spaces are the epitome of expert form and function.”

“What I love about the kitchen- its fresh, elegant and timeless offering everything for today’s busy lifestyle” says Tina.“My client said it perfectly, ‘My kitchen is so easy to work in yet so gracious for entertaining; the space functions like a small kitchen inside a large one.’”

Designer Tina Muller

Hats off to our client, Tina Muller and the Drury Design team that helped bring this project to life. To learn more about our client-focused design approach, drop us a line at jim@drurydesigns.com or post a comment below.

The showpiece for many homes is the media room. These rooms can be dedicated home theaters in a basement area or multi-purpose theaters in areas such as a play room, family room, or even a bedroom. The goal of each is to provide a large flat panel video display with surround sound speakers that can provide an exhilarating movie watching or video gaming playing experience in a way that matches the décor and use of the room.

The Great Room

Sometimes, the best media room is already the center of the home – the Family Room. Particularly above fireplaces, the stately décor and ambiance of the room can best be maintained through motorized artwork that conceals the flat panel television. High definition screen prints of your family, custom artwork or custom frames are all available. You can even replace the artwork over time as your family grows. The audio system can also be centered beautifully behind the artwork or you can use Visual Performance or Architectural speakers for increasing levels of audio performance and aesthetic beauty.

Home Theater

Home theaters are best defined as spaces in which light can be controlled and the enclosed wall structure provides for optimum surround sound. In these rooms projects can be used with ultra-large screens to provide an experience like a professional movie theater.

Items to consider when developing a theater – sound proofing, arranging the seating for optimal viewing angles, sound optimization within the room, and the use of the projector (movies, sports, gaming, etc.). New LED projectors run cool, with long-life bulbs and 3-D models are on the way.