Kitchen Case Study: Old Florida, New Vision

One hundred years ago Addison Mizner brought Spanish style to Florida.  Incidentally, the state's written history begins with the arrival of Spanish explorer Ponce de Leon in 1513. Functionally, the tall open arches, windows and loggias typical to that architecture invite sea breezes within and were the perfect antidote to our hot steamy summers prior to air conditioning.

The range hood picks up rich wood tones of the new floor. Counter tops are quartz by Silestone. Photo by Shanna Morgaine

Mizner subtly adapted his designs to suit Florida and its warm climate. Although inspired by the art of Spain and Italy, his structures bear his own stamp and are a defining feature of what we think of today as Palm Beach style.

Addison Mizner’s design for the Cloister Inn, now the Boca Raton Resort & Club, relied on his signature Mediterranean Revival style.

Photo courtesy of the Boca Raton Historical Society

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Mediterranean Revival style lives on reminding us of Mizner and his contribution to the Palm Beach landscape.

Addison Mizner with his pet monkey, Johnnie Brown 

Courtesy of the Historical Society of Palm Beach County

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I was recently delighted to be a part of a kitchen remodel in one such home located in Boca Raton.  The homeowners were looking for an updated and functional kitchen for their family.  At the same time, they treasure and acknowledge the history of their hundred-year-old home.

Setting the Scene

See a new kitchen I designed in a hundred-year-old Addison Mizner home in Boca Raton. It's a bit of Florida history + updated style! For more about this interesting project visit my blog at ArtfulKitchens.net I would love to help you with your project too!

Design wise I saw my biggest challenge as taking the existing kitchen space plus a butler’s pantry area and making them into one decent sized unified kitchen full of function. At the same time, it had to feel fresh yet look like it belonged in the house.

Challenges of an Older Home

The previous main sink location before we combined the two rooms

Denali Construction Corp, with architect Adriana Finnvold, expertly addressed issues with the foundation which were discovered during demo.  They also were able to remove the wall separating the existing kitchen and butler’s pantry. Since we were removing a hallmark arch we added one on the entry to the dining room as well as one in the hallway.

Design Thoughts

The existing wood floor was in poor shape so it was replaced with a similar but darker wood with slightly wider, more updated planks. We picked up the rich finish with a matching range hood hood, traditional but clean lined.  Floating shelves in the same wood material tied it all together and added a modern touch.

Floating shelves add a touch of modern. Photo by Shanna Morgaine

Function & Flow

In order to really integrate the old butler’s pantry, I decided to locate the main sink and clean up work area there below an existing window looking out on a courtyard garden.

New main sink and clean-up work zone in former butler’s pantry area

The relocated main sink and clean-up zone with a new arch to the dining room. The apron style sink is the iconic IKON Silgranit sink by Blanco. Photo by Shanna Morgaine.

The old kitchen sink became a prep sink, closer to the refrigerator allowing the two separate functions of food prep and clean up to happen simultaneously.  Voilá we now had a two cook kitchen.

We also added some glass doors and took the cabinets up to the ceiling for maximum storage. A peninsula provides additional seating for the breakfast area. Bernier Cabinetry by Devine Design Kitchens & More brought this design to life with their careful planning and expert installation. I always say the best projects are great collaborations.

Some Final Words from a Happy Client

My client dishes on exactly what she loves about her new kitchen! Gloria@artfulkitchens.net 561-254-7736

See more photos of this kitchen here in my portfolio.

The Big Move Part VI Collateral Damage

I am excited to be nominated once again for an  Amara Interior Design Blog Award in the category of Best Design Inspiration Blog.  I would be deeply appreciative if you would vote for me!  Here's the link   Wish me luck! 

We're back! Time for part VI.  It's been a long hard haul but it's really happening.  We're in deep.  This episode shows how stress can make you lose your sense of perspective, I certainly did.  Wait till you see.  Oy.  Anyway we are currently vacating the house and the next time you see me we'll be all in, without a kitchen, a sofa or a bed but we'll be all in.  So grab your favorite beverage and enjoy Part VI featuring my meltdown ;)

So there you have it!  Can't wait to see what Part VII has in store for us.  We still have the completed Master Bathroom, the Kitchen and the final walk-through to come. Thank you again for all your comments and encouragement.  Please subscribe to my blog (upper right-hand corner) so you don't miss a thing and do drop me a line below and let me know your thoughts, questions and recommendations.  xoxoGlo

Here are some of the stars of Part VI

The Big Move- Part IV The Vision Takes Shape

Yes, it's been two weeks since Part III!! I can hardly believe how the time is flying and how S-L-O-W things are moving at the condo.  Nevertheless, we soldier on and today's episode is extra extra since I owe you.  If you need to catch up, here are Parts I & II and Part III.

In this episode, I talk about my flooring choice, the living plan, paint colors and some changes we had to make in the kitchen.  There are LOTS of tips and pointers that you can use yourself.  In addition to that, Joe edited this one so you'll be able to enjoy his pithy commentary on screen, as I talk, as well as more of his NEW original music. Leave a comment and let me know what you would like to know about in upcoming videos.  We've got a long road ahead before we're pulling up with the furniture!

Another cameo appearance by Joe since he was such a sensation in Part III!!!

It's a wrap! Should we continue to let Joe edit?  Next up: The Bedroom, Master Bath Insanity and MORE changes for the kitchen, Oyyy!! I'm so glad you're making this journey with me.  See you on the flip side. xox Glo

Bowled Over by Bolon

When did I visit Milan again? Oh yeah, April 2014.  Time flies.  You see the thing is, when you go to these sensory overloading mind boggling trade shows you bring it all home with you in the form of dvds, thumb drives, brochures, samples etc. The problem is when you get home it’s so busy all these bits end up sitting in a "some day" drawer.  Well guess what? Today’s the day.Back to Milan. I was there as a member of the Blanco Design Council (a fact that I am most proud of and grateful for) to attend the Salone di Mobile, the premiere European interior design and furniture trade show.  Fast forward to today when I decided to fire up a thumb drive called Bolon.  Let me tell you about it.Bolon is a Swedish flooring manufacturer but there is so much more to it!  The concept of fashion has a way of elevating even the most mundane of objects.  That’s what’s so intriguing about Bolon, started in Stockholm in 1949 by Nils-Erik Eklund.  He became a pioneer of the “green” movement when he decided he would make woven rag rug flooring  from the waste product of other flooring manufacturers.    The business succeeded, was passed on and has been run by his granddaughters Annica and Marie Eklund since 2003. That’s when fashion entered the picture.  The term “floored by fashion” was coined and fashion icon  Giorgio Armani decided he loved the product enough to use it in his shops, his home and on his yacht.  Savvy marketing by this latest generation of Eklands seals the deal.  You must admit this video, introducing their Silence line,  is intriguing enough to make you want to know what this product is all about!It’s an original type of flooring that I would describe as woven vinyl with a backing.  It can look natural or not, doesn’t seem particularly comfy on the bare foot but does appear to be bullet-proof, a definite plus for commercial spaces which is the main application.Today the focus is on global expansion and achieving a totally green product. Bolon’s list of clients includes not only Armani but also Google, Mercedes, Adidas, Reebok and Sheraton as well as leading architects and designers.  All design and production happens in Ulricehamn, Sweden. Today the focus is on global expansion and achieving a totally green product. Bolon’s list of clients includes not only Armani but also Google, Mercedes, Adidas, Reebok and Sheraton as well as leading architects and designers.  All design and production happens in Ulricehamn, Sweden.Bolon is available in rolls or tiles.  You can vacuum it or for deep cleaning it can be scrubbed with a brush and an all purpose cleaner (there are machines that can do this too).  Lastly vacuum again with a wet vac. If you want to delve into the specifics you can do that here. Interesting diversion, yes? Who knows what I'll unearth next! Stay tuned... 

Everything You Wanted to Know About Tile: An Interview with Ryan Fasan

Before we get too crazy with the art here (I'm so sure we will!) I wanted to share some solid info about tile from the man who knows it best, Ryan Fasan.  I had the pleasure of meeting "THE tile man" on my recent trip to the trade show Cevisama with Tile of Spain. Ryan is a professional consultant for all things tile related and also spoke this past week at the trade show Coverings in Orlando. Explaining and sharing his vision and understanding of ceramic tile is what he does best and he has graciously agreed to dish his knowledge here with us at Artful Kitchens. Take it away, Ryan! (For your viewing pleasure I am including some photos from some of the Spanish tile brands seen at Cevisama15)AK: What’s the difference between porcelain and ceramic tile? Ryan:  Porcelain (who’s technical term is impervious tile) is a classification of ceramic tile. There are four types of tile, each classified by its water absorption capabilities. Impervious or porcelain tile happens to be the densest with a porosity of 0.5% or less. It is important to note that densest does not mean “best” in every application. The industry makes four types of tile for a reason and each type has an optimal area of use. When selected and installed properly any type of tile can last for decades if not centuries.AK: Is it true that porcelain tile is the same color all the way through?Ryan: Well there is "through-body" porcelain and colored body porcelain which is probably what you're referring to. Through-body is a heavy duty commercial product that is unglazed and extremely durable with very low water absorpbtion, usually around 0.01%In residential design you're more likely to encounter colored body porcelain which has some type of glaze. The body of the tile is then colored to match the glaze but the wear layer is still just in the glaze, so no, it's not "the same" all the way through.AK: Do I have to use grout?Ryan: Even though this is often the wording used, the real question is do I have to leave a joint or can I just put the tile tightly together (called a butt-joint)? The answer is yes, you do have to have a joint. Our buildings are not as solid or perfect as we often think they are. Joints allow for natural expansion and contraction.AK: I know that all tile is made of white or red clay. Is one better than the other?Ryan: Absolutely not! A good factory will make quality tile from any color of clay. Often the most cost-effective and environmentally responsible decision is to use whatever color of clay is locally available and modify it as required. Price is most likely dictated by the proximity of the clay source.AK: What benefits are there to “rectified” tile?Ryan: Rectification is the cutting grinding of all 4 sides of the fired tile to ensure that all sides are square and the entire surface area is flat. By removing the sides, we get rid of the characteristic “pillow” in a ceramic which makes for much more realistic stone or wood reproductions. This can allow for a joint as small as 1/16"! However remember to ask if a tile is mono-calibre before specifying that small of a joint.Wow! Just think how knowledgeable you are going to be next time you go tile shopping! Thanks again to Ryan for taking the time to answer my probing tile questions.Continue the conversation on FaceBook.  Is there something more you'd like to know about tile or a fact that you'd like to share?

Tile Tuesday: Beauty & Knowledge

Welcome the the third installment of Tile Tuesday.  If you missed the last two you can catch them here and here.The second half of my adventure with Tile of Spain took us to Valencia, the location of Cevisama, annual trade show held to showcase the latest innovations introduced by the Spanish tile industry. Attending Cevisama  was an introduction to a whole world of possibilities!  If you’ve been following Tile Tuesday, you already know that ceramic tile is a part of the Spanish culture dating back to Roman and Moorish times. Tile is nothing new but the uses and innovations in the ceramic industry certainly are! In the coming weeks we’ll talk about some of the big trends I saw that you can incorporate into your own kitchen.Before we do that let’s cover some good to know, sometimes misunderstood, facts about tile.  For your viewing pleasure I have inserted a little eye candy to keep you on your toes!WHAT IS IT?Ceramic tile is a perfect balance of the classical elements of earth (clay), air, water and fire. All are involved in its creation. All tile is made of either red or white clay. CERAMIC, PORCELAIN OR BOTH?One big question I get regards porcelain vs. ceramic. Guess what? Porcelain tiles ARE ceramic tiles. There is only one technical difference. A tile must have a water absorbtion rate of .05 to be classified as porcelain. Typically porcelain tiles are denser, less porous and as a result more durable than other ceramics. You can also get them “rectified” which means crisp sharp perfectly squared edges that mean a tight fit with minimal grout lines.IS PORCELAIN THE SAME COLOR ALL THE WAY THROUGH?In the past I believed that a porcelain tile was the same color all the way through so that a small chip would be no big deal but I learned that is not always true. You CAN get something called “through-body porcelain” which means that if the tile is not glazed, the color and texture are consistent all the way through the tile. However porcelain tiles can also have surface glazes and textures that are not “through-body”. WHERE DOES IT GO?Tiles used for exterior applications are porcelain but not all porcelain tiles are recommended to be used outside. Generally you can put just about any type of tile on the wall but you’re much better off with porcelain on the floor for durability. Remember, although beautiful, glossy finishes are always more slippery than honed, or matte finishes.  Got it? Good.  Since you made it all the way to the end, I have a special treat for you. Next Tile Tuesday: Uncovering Valencia with Tile of Spain, perhaps another video slideshow??