Zen Vanity for the Powder Room

This gracefully elegant vanity is the epitome of simplicity and minimalism.

 

 

This natural sculptural vanity features the "live" edge of a tree bark.  It comes with a unique natural artfulness which can read rugged yet delicate at the same time.  It is available in two heights.  The butterfly joints ensure stability.  The lovely delicate bronze Zen Vessel sink is a perfect partner and has been hand crafted using traditional sand and casting techniques.  What do you think? I think it could be lovely in just the right situation, perhaps like this one inspired by the kimono.

 

 

 

Design Tips Inspired by The French Chef

Julia Child was a pioneer in the world of haute cuisine at a time when celebrity "chefdom" was a decidedly manly occupation.  She didn’t care.  The kitchen was her natural habitat and she had her own ways of making it work for her whether she was whipping up a soufflé or flaming a creme brûlée.    Child is credited with bringing French cuisine to America in the 1960s and was host of The French Chef on PBS which aired from 1963-1973.   Interestingly, she did not learn to cook until she met her husband Paul Child, an American diplomat with a refined palate. Julia also worked for the government during WWII as a research assistant in the Secret Intelligence division of the OSS (Office of Strategic Services). It was in this capacity that she created her first recipe which was for shark repellent! It worked and is still in use today.  After the war the couple settled in Paris where Paul worked for the US Foreign Service and Julia attended the renowned Le Cordon Bleu cooking school.  She had fallen in love with French cuisine.  Julia stood 6’2”, never had any children and left this world in 2004, two days shy of her 92nd birthday.  She was quoted as saying, “with enough butter, anything is good”.  Apparently her health was none the worse for it.  Julia’s real life kitchen was donated, moved and reassembled in the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History in 2001. The layout was devised by Julia and her husband and customized to her cooking needs, including higher counter tops to accommodate her height. Pots and cooking utensils are all placed exactly as they were in her home.   Today Julia would be utterly amazed at the advancements in appliances, materials and new storage options. Although her kitchen goes back 50 years she had ideas and practices that are very relevant today.  Here is what I think today’s kitchen would look like through the eyes of The French Chef.  Organization and Easy AccessJulia was known for her handy and efficient peg board system.  Companies like Rev-A-Shelf have taken this concept and expanded it so that it doesn’t have to be on the wall.  Moving pegs allow these inserts to be customized.  This is especially handy for dish storage in new kitchens that feature fewer upper cabinets.  A "Julia kitchen" includes a place for everything and everything in it’s place. To Make the Cut You Must Have Great KnivesA self-proclaimed knife freak, Julia collected them all her life and never met one that was sharp enough for her! Check out this delightful anecdote from the New England Historical Society and you'll see what I mean.  I agree that there is nothing more frustrating in the kitchen than dull knife. The winner in my book is J.A. Henckels International 8" Classic Chef's Knife in terms of quality and value for the money.Having a great knife is half of the equation, now we have to store them.  Julia preferred to house them on a magnet attached to the wall.  Today she would love this railing system by Clever Storage that allows you to take advantage of the space between upper and lower cabinets.  It's safe, attractive and accessible.  Win!  The Mother Ship of RangesJulia used a 1950s six burner used commercial gas range by Garland.  This company is still in business so you can get a modern version today but I’m betting Julia would fall for the TriFuel range by Tecnogas Superiore for its state of the art versatility.  In fact, it was just announced Product Innovator Award winner for 2016 by Kitchen & Bath Business Magazine.  It features dual gas burners plus four induction zones and an electric griddle. Below are dual gas ovens equipped with two convection fans and a broiler.  The Beauty of Butcher BlockThe French Chef was fond of her extra high maple counter tops for food preparation.  You may not want an entire kitchen with wood tops but, if you can, it's great to have a section of it for food prep.  Wood butcher block counters are a natural eco-friendly choice, absorb noise, are gentle on dishes and can be refinished.  In addition to this, wood has inherent antibacterial qualities and can add a beautiful warmth to your kitchen. If you're going to use your counter for food prep it should have an oiled finish which does need to be maintained.   Last but not least never enter the kitchen without a sense of humor and adventure Child was never without it!  She said, “in cooking you’ve got to have a what-the-hell attitude!”-If you'd like to experience cooking like a French chef  you can stay at what was once Julia and Paul's part-time residence in Provence, France courtesy of Airbnb.

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... 

My New Favorite Flooring Find

Flooring is the basis for every room in your house, ground zero if you will.  We want it to be a flattering backdrop for our decor, cabinetry and rugs BUT it's also got to be durable and easy to take care of.  Wood flooring is all the rage and, to be sure, nothing equals the warmth and richness of a real wood floor. 

Traditional Wood Flooring by Monroe Township Carpet & Flooring Burroughs Hardwoods Inc.

If you love the look of real wood but don't want to worry about finish, maintenance or potential water damage (leaks happen), this may be the product for you.  Meet Crossville, Inc.  Not only is it possible to get that "real wood" look in porcelain tile, but now you can even get that "weathered barn" look with SpeakEasy, their latest porcelain tile collection.  Sometimes my clients are afraid to use real wood in the kitchen or bath so this is a great alternative.  I also like the fact that the weathered finish is not slippery like polished marble.  I love pairing the distressed look with super modern design as in the photo above.  Then again this look always blends with traditional or rustic design.The collection features five colors that mimic stained wood.  There's even a color called Sweet Georgia Brown!  Planks are 36" long and you can choose from 6", 8" or 12" widths.SpeakEasy is Green Squared certified and contains a minimum of 4% recycled pre-consumer content.  For more info  about this collection and all the other offerings over at Crossville visit crossvilleinc.com.

Blanco Makes a Splash!

For the last few years I have been honored to be a member of the Blanco Design Council.  This means I’m on the main line when it comes to inside information about their products. BLANCO, of course, is the German manufacturer of finely crafted sinks and faucets.  Their SILGRANIT II sinks are a particular favorite of mine and you should definitely know about them if you’re considering a kitchen remodel.  If you don’t know about SILGRANIT II, see my previous post here.   As a kick off to KBIS2013,  I got to see the newest BLANCO happenings  in New Orleans with a Cajun-styled experience called The Kitchen Unmasked.  This joint venture featuring Blanco, Poggenpohl and Silestone was held at the beautiful Nordic Kitchens showroom and was one of our stops on the Modenus Blog Tour.

The latest SILGRANIT II color, Cinder, is all the rage.  It’s a stormy striking combo of dark gray with some black and rich brown thrown into the mix.  I think it’s the perfect color to go with all the new luscious shades of gray we’re seeing.  It’s on trend yet neutral at the same time. The new SILGRANIT II series of sinks also includes HYGIENIC+PLUS^™ a patented formula that acts as a shield against dirt and bacteria. Independent laboratory tests confirm that the unique built-in hygiene protection reduces bacterial growth by an average of 98%.My favorite addition to the SILGRANIT II collection is the Modex sink (at top).  The next kitchen I design for myself (hoping) will have this sink.  I love it.  It adds a bit of architecture to the kitchen!  Modex features a unique 3” profile that sits on the counter and includes a large integrated cutting board.  It’s not just a sink, but a workstation.Speaking of work, did you know your faucet is the most abused item in your kitchen?  BLANCO's well known German engineering ensures that you have a product that will stand up to the test.  BLANCO also launched a new line of water saving faucets including Grace II, Alta, Highland and Napa. “Our latest collection of faucets offer livable style,” stated Tim Maicher, Director of Marketing for BLANCO. “When we say livable style, we are referencing style that leads trends while integrating into any kitchen design. At the same time, we are talking about the faucets’ functionality. We engineer BLANCO faucets to last, to use less water, to provide unmatched cleaning and to be as easy to use as they are to maintain.” I’ve had a blast telling you about all the products I learned about on the Modenus Blog Tour.  A big thank you to Veronika Miller and her team at Modenus as well as all the fabulous sponsors including Blanco, Poggenpohl, Cosentino, National Kitchen & Bath Association, Kitchen & Bath Industry Show 2013, Mr. Steam, TOTO and Du Verre Hardware.   It truly was a most memorable and enjoyable experience to see New Orleans in this way.  To me, the best part of all was the people, both meeting the sweet good- natured, perservering locals as well as enjoying the community of those who I’m honored to call my peers.  I hope you’ve enjoyed following along and have learned a thing or two in the process that will help you know what to look for when shopping for kitchen and bath products. Click here to see ALL my photos and commentary from Blog Tour NOLA!     

Cosentino: Leading Innovator of Quartz Surfacing

 As a kitchen designer, quartz has been my long time favorite choice for kitchen counter tops.  The reasons include durability, ease of maintenance and all the available choices for color and visual texture.  Cosentino, maker of Silestone as well as other new counter top products, is the world’s largest manufacturer of natural quartz.  I love the fact that Silestone is nonporous- so it doesn’t require sealers.  It’s also incredibly hard and stronger than granite.  This makes it naturally scratch, stain and scorch resistant.  One thing that really sets Silestone apart from their competitors is their use of Microban.   Since 2005, Silestone® has incorporated Microban® antibacterial technology to give extra hygiene protection and they are the first quartz kitchen worktop in the world to use it.Silestone also boasts the largest color selection (70+) in natural quartz.  My term “visual texture” refers to the different looks you can get varying from large particles, reminiscent of granite, to totally solid blocks of color which are perfect for more contemporary applications.   Thickness varies from 1.2cm to 3cm with 15 edge detail choices.  "Suede"  is a new matte finish that is smooth to the touch, giving the surface a softer, velvety appearance with little reflection, like honed marble without the upkeep.Silestone comes with a 15 year transferable warranty so if you buy a house with Silestone tops already installed, you’re covered.  One interesting bit of trivia I learned is that Silestone is used in such places at The Tower of London and the Bellagio in Las Vegas!

Cosentino isn’t just about Silestone, they are also the makers of ECO. We spent a great day with the folks from Cosentino as a part of the Modenus Blog Tour.  We traveled to the, Katrina devastated,  Lower Ninth Ward and saw ECO, on site, as a part of the "Make It Right" project.   Cosentino has partnered with the "Make It Right" foundation which is dedicated to building 150 affordable green, storm resistant homes to enable families to return to the area.  Click here to read my post about the "Make It Right" project.ECO is a green counter top choice made of recycled and natural materials including glass, mirror, porcelain, industrial furnace residuals, quartz, stone scrap and corn oil- quite the recipe!  It has much the same properties as Silestone, as far as non-porousness and durability, and is available in 14 colors. (Photo at the top of this post is ECO in a color called Grey Moss)Cosentino also had a lot to offer at KBIS2013 where we were able to preview new colors, featuring the movement and graining of natural stone, coming out later this yearThey also presented the highly anticipated new ultra-compact surface Dekton for the first time in North America.  This is an entirely new product which can be used for interior as well as exterior applications.  It's UV resistant and will come in extra large and extra thin slabs.  Cosentino products are produced in Almeria, Spain and distributed globally.Next up:  We're heading back to the bath for a peek at what's new at Toto!