Kitchen Case Study: Tips and Products that Can Bring Your Design to the Next Level

Designing a kitchen is a bit like solving a puzzle, eventually all the pieces come together and it all makes sense from both a visual as well as a functional perspective.  This new kitchen design in Wellington Florida is a great example of that. Today I'd like to share with you an inside peek at the process and how we got from drab to amazing in ten million easy steps.

I jest, it was really only eight million.  Here's where we began.  Check out these before images.  As you can see the old kitchen was outdated and just didn't work from a layout point of view.  The challenge we faced was to create something light, modern and very user friendly for my client who loves to cook for her family.

Befores

First Things First: Layout Challenges

Kitchens generally work a lot better without too many angles so although we were stuck with the exterior angled walls, we could straighten out that peninsula.  Then there was the island in the center.  All the angles were affecting the usable storage inside so I wanted to square that up too.  Next up was that oppressive soffit at the top!  It was like a heavy weight pushing down on the kitchen.  Removing it would allow taller cabinets and a much more open feeling.  The refrigerator was crowded next to the stove so I really wanted to relocate it if possible.  Last but not least, where the fridge used to be is our new focal point,  a modern hood and beautiful reflective glass tile.

The above plan shows how it all panned out.  We accomplished all of our objectives.  The soffit was removed, peninsula reshaped with the addition of a beverage center, the island became a baking center with no angles and storage for a mixer lift.  We extended the pantry wall and created the perfect home for a new refrigerator and combination wall and microwave ovens with convenient counter space in between.

Star Elements & The Power of Collaboration

I always say the best projects are great collaborations and that is exactly what we had here.  My client didn't think she knew what she wanted but she really did.  She gave me lots of feedback and clues as to what is most important to her and her family.  The result was an appliance package by Bosch including an induction cooktop, all wood white Shaker style cabinets by Holiday Kitchens and Brendan Donovan Furniture & Cabinet Co., an undermount Silgranit kitchen sink by Blanco and the Beale Touchless Kitchen Faucet by American Standard.  This was the first kitchen I've done using this particular faucet.  In exchange for the faucet, American Standard offered me the opportunity to participate in a really fun project called Style My Faucet.  Designers all over the country played too.  We had fun staging the Beale and got some great shots.  Flowers and veggies had already been beautifully featured so we did pasta! 

"The best advice I can give my clients is to invest in a quality faucet."

The Beale Touchless Kitchen Faucet was very easy to install,  the battery for the  Selectronic hands-free sensor is conveniently located below in the cabinet.  You can opt to leave it on manual mode too if you prefer.  Just slide the sensor door on the front and you can operate with a wave of your hand.  This is so nice to have when you're preparing things like raw chicken, right? I was also impressed with the Dock-Tite spray head docking system.  It feels really nice and secure.  I've seen faucets that dangle when they're not supposed too.  Yuck.  The best advice I can give to my clients is to invest in a quality faucet.  I will definitely be specifying the Beale again because I am impressed with not only the quality but also the sleek  styling that works so well with contemporary and transitional designs, just like this one.

There you have it.  It's a wrap.  Drop me a line  at artfulkitchensbyglo@gmail.com and let's get started on your kitchen!

 This is a sponsored blog post.  All editorial content is entirely my own opinions and perspectives.

Reinventing White Shaker Cabinets

There's a reason why white Shaker  cabinets are so hot; it's because they are so versatile, just like pasta, the final result depends on what you put with it.  Not only can you get this style in any price point but you can make it work with your own unique design style. Today I thought we'd take a look at some very different successful results all using garden- variety white Shaker cabinets.

First of all, in case you've been off somewhere living in a cave, Shaker cabinets feature what we call flat panel doors. There's a flat panel in the center surrounded by a frame.  That frame is typically 2 1/4" wide which will give you a traditional look or 3" wide which is a bit more contemporary.  A word of caution, if your kitchen will have small doors (less than 15" wide) and you're going to be using glass in the center, go with the 2 1/4" or the glass section will be too small.

The modern Shaker style gets its name from the original Shaker furniture.  "Shaker furniture is a distinctive style of furniture developed by the United Society of Believers in Christ's Second Appearing, commonly known as Shakers, a religious sect that had guiding principles of simplicity, utility and honesty. Their beliefs were reflected in the well-made furniture of minimalist designs.- Wikipedia  American Shaker furniture originated in the 1700s and has changed little since then. Original Shaker doors typically had natural wood finishes but today white is all the rage.  Fast forward to the twenty-first century where all that white simplicity can get a bit  boring and generic.  With the big movement towards personalization and custom design you can rock that Shaker look and make it your own.  Here are just a few examples:

                                                                                                                                              

                                                                                                                                                  Photo by Margot Hartford Photography - Discover kitchen design ideas -Houzz

 

                                                                                                                                              

                                                                                                                                                    Photo by Margot Hartford Photography - Browse kitchen ideas - Houzz

21st Century Victorian

The kitchen above is situated in an 1892 Queen Anne Victorian home in California and features a totally different take on white Shaker.  Accents include a luscious blue color for the peninsula and gorgeous Mamounia tile from  the Martyn Lawrence Bullard Collection for Ann Sacks. I love the mixture of natural wood, white, the pattern of the tile and that perfect shade of blue.

                                                                                                                                           

                                                                                                                                                                        Photo by Margot Hartford Photography - More kitchen ideas - Houzz

Since white Shaker cabinets are pretty much a blank canvas, they offer a great opportunity to showcase bold colorful art!  This painting installed in the kitchen/dining area is by Gordon Hopkins.

Mad for Mid-Century Mod

This new white Shaker kitchen is in a 1950's Mid-Century home in South Florida.  The homeowners wanted to retain certain elements such as this original planter and room divider to retain the fifties feel.  I always love to honor that concept when choosing finishing touches for the kitchen.  These handles complement the room divider perfectly and the Cambria quartz top emulates the original refurbished terrazzo floor in the main part of the home.   You don't have to retain all the original details but it can be very striking to tie a few elements together like we did here.

   

Cool Contemporary

If you have embraced the clean crisp appeal of contemporary design,  you can also have that with white Shaker cabinets.  The example below from Houzz shows achieves a chic contemporary effect through long sleek bar pulls on the cabinets, the clean look of no upper cabinets and stainless steel accents.  The rich wood floor lends warmth to the space.  

                                                                                                                       

                                                                                                                                              Photo by Rockwood Cabinetry - Browse transitional kitchen ideas- Houzz

There you have it! I would love to help you "shake things up" with your own white Shaker cabinets. Email me at artfulkitchensbyglo@gmail.com  If you would like to have Artful Kitchen blog posts conveniently delivered to your inbox, please subscribe by entering your email in the sidebar.

                                                                                                      

                                                                                                                                                          

Kitchen Design 2017- What's Next?

Fashion is a fickle phenomena.  What's in today quickly morphs into the the next new sensation.  It doesn't matter if it's clothes or cabinets.  Granted, interior trends are slower to transition but it works the same way.

Lately I've been giving a lot of thought to the huge love affair with contemporary design.  The pendulum is deep into the greys, floating shelves, waterfall counters, clean lines, simplicity, slab style cabinet doors or wide stile and rail shaker fronts. Don't get me wrong, I love it and I think it's going to be many years before these looks  become "outdated." If you've followed my advice in the past, you know I believe in designing to the structure.  If you follow the styling and architecture of your home when designing your cabinetry your kitchen will never be dated.  Then, of course, you have to have what you LOVE!  That is numero uno.

But what's next?  As sure as the sun rises the pendulum will eventually swing the other way and when it does it's going to be in a completely new direction.  I just can't see us going back to the traditional looks of the past with glazes, heavy molding etc.  Will the pendulum swing back to Traditional territory and what will the new Traditional look like? What's next on the horizon? “We are all familiar with consumers’ constant desire to see something new, yet they still want, in many cases, to have somewhat of a familiar comfort level,” said  Leatrice (Lee) Eiseman – executive director of the Pantone Color Institute. I think she's right.  We want fresh and new but we want to feel a connection to qualities we've enjoyed in the past. This kitchen by Rutt HandCrafted Cabinetry has got me thinking about what a "new Traditional" would look like.

 

Clean lines continue but now soft elegant detail makes an appearance

Darryl Minch, manufacturer's rep with the Baronet Group International, Inc., says "I'm seeing less extreme contrasts of color in the kitchen, think softer palettes , white and off -whites used in the same space".  My own prediction is that we will see a big resurgence of natural wood finishes.  I see hints of this all over.  For quite a while white painted finishes and dark espresso stains have ruled.  Neither shows the beauty of wood grain.  Textured laminates round out the top choices at the moment but how about the real deal?

Take your paneling in a different direction.  If you have an island in your plan, chances are you're going to need some paneling to tie it all together.  Take the traditional vertical beadboard and turn it for a "new traditional" effect. I'm loving this option for a coastal look as it's reminiscent of ship lap.  I started to use this design detail in my projects and now I'm seeing it more and more.

If you're a design lover or savvy pro I'd love to hear your predictions for kitchen and bath design 2017.

Artisan Shares Creative Vision with Mosaics

"Mosaic is the art of creating images with an assemblage of small pieces of colored glass, stone, or other materials." -Wikipedia  At the intersection of "skilled artisan" and mosaic art" you will find Ariel Shoemaker.  Actually this talented artist found me.  She makes original art in a traditional or contemporary style utilizing the ancient technique of mosaic.  This tile style art, which dates back 4,000 years, is accessible today through her beautiful work.  She recreates the mosaic craft with a fresh new spin to make unique works that perfectly reflect her clients.   Ariel has a thriving business which she runs out of her home studio outside of Boston, MA.    It is my pleasure to introduce her to you so, without further ado, here is my interview with Ariel and some very artful kitchens featuring lovely examples of her work. Artful Kitchens:    What is your background? How did you get into creating with mosaic art?

 Ariel:  I earned my BFA in Writing Literature & Publishing from Emerson College in 2000, and my M.Ed in Arts in Education from Harvard’s Graduate School of Education in 2004.  From the moment I began tinkering with bits of glass in March of 2002, I was hooked.  It was satisfying to create and also a nice relaxing diversion from the monotony of the everyday.  Constructing art pieces from tiny pieces of broken glass and “found” objects 14 years ago, as a hobby, was also a way to distract me from the haunting memories of 9/11 and  the seriousness of the world.  I never in a million years thought that it would become a career, then friends, family and a small co-op gallery in Cambridge began to notice my work--and after years of marketing, developing a “brand”, a “signature style”, making connections and making work that truly comes from my heart, I can say I have a career as a Mosaic Artist.

Artful Kitchens: What has been your favorite project and why?Ariel: I actually don’t have a favorite, but I think that might be fairly typical for someone who LOVES what they do.  Each project is unique, and I love that about my work.

Artful Kitchens:  What do you do when you're not beautifying homes with your work?Ariel: I work nearly full time during the week while my children are in school and daycare (our boys, Simon & Max are 9 and 7 years old, respectively, and our daughter, Josie, is nearly 2 years old). And then there are many nights and weekends that I work to make deadlines, meet with prospective and current clients amd complete administrative tasks.  Fortunately, my husband is an incredible dad, and his working hours as an eighth grade math teacher gives him flexibility after school to be with the kids when I need to work.  We’ve developed a balanced partnership parenting our kids--and over the years, we’ve managed to work out most of the kinks.  Having three kids and a career is truly a balancing act.  I meditate every day and do yoga often.  Both keep me a saner, calmer, and more focused mommy/artist/creative entrepreneur.Artful Kitchens:  How do you come up with your ideas? What is the source of your inspiration?

Ariel: I am inspired by nature, music and other artist's work.  I root myself In the colors I choose before setting out to design a piece, or to develop organically formed patterns that become the mosaic work. The results are unique, complex works that endlessly change with the light and one’s vantage point. Some evoke images of Gustav Klimt’s and Georgia O'keefe's more luminous works of art.

Artful Kitchens:  Please include anything else you would like peeps to know about you and all the info we need to get in touch.

 Ariel: In a nutshell, I create the highest quality customized mosaic art pieces and backsplashes for the residential, hospitality or corporate environment.  I love working with interior designers, architects and home owners.  We collaborate to devise a piece that will bring them the most joy.  Please check out my testimonials on Houzz

To find out more about the process and the price to commission a custom mosaic piece of your own contact me via cell: 617-905-6629 or email: ariel@mosaicsbyariel.com

The Best of KBIS 2016

Bam!  Another show is in the books and although it's been a busy week "back at the ranch", I've been dying to share my finds with you right here on Artful Kitchens.Las Vegas was host to three days of networking and education for the best of the Kitchen & Bath industry.  As a member of the Kitchen & Bath Business Magazine's Advisory Board,  I had the pleasure of appearing on the KBIS Next stage as a part of the panel discussion entitled Trials & Tribulations-Solutions to Your Biggest Kitchen & Bath Challenges. It was an exciting exchange of ideas between both the pros on the panel as well as a savvy and engaged audience. I also had the opportunity to spend some time in the Las Vegas I like best, off the strip! I hiked in the Red Rock Canyon and visited my friends at Retro Vegas on Main Street. My digs for this trip were with my dear pals Karen, Barry & Wink.  They live in a midcentury modern gem that, rumor has it, was briefly home to Lucille Ball!  They are avid Airbnb'ers and wonderful hosts.  Check it out if you find yourself in Vegas. This location is so convenient to the Convention center I could walk, which I did, once.  Mostly I Ubered. Enough walking happens on the show floor!  So without further ado, here's my recap of the biggest and most notable trends and products that caught my eye at KBIS2016. ColorWhite still reigns.  In fact paint giants Benjamin Moore and Sherwin Williams have both selected shades of white as their color of the year.  You know I am a huge white fan. It is always the best backdrop for art and design. It also continues to be the favorite cabinet color in my area.  Remember white is not just white, there are an infinite number of varieties you can have fun with.  If you need more punch in your kitchen you could find some great options at the big show.  I saw bright saturated colors in several appliance brands including Bertonazzi, Viking and BlueStar which offers 750 colors!  Grey has not left the stage.  The newest versions are warm, venturing into taupe territory. Textured wood grains such as cerused oak are really popular. Wood-Mode showed both traditional and contemporary versions of ribbon Mahogany. The Perfect TouchTouch latch technology was EVERYWHERE!  If you prefer a sleek, uninterrupted look for your cabinets and appliances this is for you, a gentle nudge will open your cabinets. This is nothing new but it's taken off.  I also loved the button that allows you to close this cabinet when you're done without resorting to dangerous acrobatics (I'm short).Feeling BrassyActually brass, copper, bronze and myriad versions are hot for plumbing fixtures and hardware.  My favorites were the new BauHaus inspired Litze collection by Brizo Faucets. and Kallista's Vir Stil collection.Not Your Grandma's CorianIf you're like me Corian has been dead to you since about 1998.  That sentiment has now ended in my book.  I saw a 2"thick sleek contemporary version of Corian that was perfectly at home in The New American Home.  The other exciting thing I saw in counter tops was this quartz by Silestone.  Yes, it's GOLD!  I just wish the photo could capture it's sparkly beauty.Thrills from ThermadorAppliance brand Thermador held a press conference on the show floor to introduce a couple of impressive new products, the 60" pro range available with steam and a double oven featuring steam and convection.  These are firsts in the industry.Organize ItJust when I thought we had it all the category of organization it goes to the next level. There was a great representation of brands ranging from Hafele to Rev-A-Shelf to Hardware Resources but Glideware is taking the market by storm.  If you've got a mess lurking somewhere I guarantee there's a way to make it neat and accessibleTile StyleMy two tile favorites were Michael Berman's Collection from Walker Zanger and, of course, Ann Sacks who are featuring a new line by L.A. design maven Kelly Wearstler. Love!I can IKONIf you read my blog you know I love me my Silgranit sinks, meet IKON the apron front version which easily works in any style kitchen from Traditional to Contemporary. Their Artona  faucet perfectly complements the Silgranit sink.Stikwood Rocks!

Stikwood’s line of lightweight, real-wood planking offers designers and DIYers a peel-and-stick solution to achieve that perfect, sought-after blend of rustic and modern. It can be used on walls and ceilings and comes in tons of colors, even prints! I'm thinking this could be great on the back of a kitchen island.

Believe me, all this is just the tip of the proverbial iceberg.  There was so much more to see and learn about at KBIS 2016.  Check out this year's winners of Best of KBIS for more info and of course if you'd like any more info on what you see here email me at artfulkitchensbyglo@gmail.com

Kitchen Inspired At Art Basel

Where has the time gone? 2016 is off to a great start.  I'll soon be heading to the annual Kitchen & Bath Industry Show in Las Vegas (KBIS) to immerse myself in everything new the industry has to offer.  Today I'll finish up my pondering of events during Art Week in Miami by segueing back into the kitchen realm.If you read my previous post you know that last month we experienced THE major annual South Florida art happening, known as Miami Art & Design Week.  Art Basel Miami is the main event but  it's actually much more than that.  It's fairs, performances and gallery openings all over Miami.  I promised to share with you my finds from Context and Art Basel Miami Beach but today I thought I'd make a pit stop in the kitchen because, after all, that's what I do!  It's not surprising that elements of the kitchen can inspired artistic expression.Cooking implements, cabinetry etc. are symbolic representations of our past, childhood memories, emotional connections and especially the heritage of women. The above sculptural installation by Spanish artist Asier Mendizabal features a beautiful Zenish looking pattern, on closer inspection it is a garden variety laminate top with the surface stripped off in spots to create this effect. I bet you never thought of doing this to an old counter top, but how beautiful! Mendizabal is noted for his use of a wide variety of materials from fabric to wood to metal and, yes, laminate.I immediately recognized this work by Korean artist Do Ho Suh to be cabinet pulls! I, of course, am loving the repetition and the lovely color palette but what's it all about?  Contemporary art publication Daily Serving explains the Rubbing/Loving series perfectly, "the work records the artist’s former New York apartment through a series of painstakingly executed rubbings. By covering every surface of his apartment with sheets of tracing paper and rubbing it with blue colored pencil, Suh and his team meticulously documented the various textures and patterns of the floors, walls, and built-in appliances. The entire process is chronicled in a short film on the series, also on display in the gallery." In this case he used pastels instead of colored pencil.Janine Antoni's sculpture, to quench, come under the category of feminist art in my opinion.  A graceful breast over seeing the kitchen and also a lovely balance of rectangular form and soft curves.  Doesn't it also make you wonder what is in the cabinet?Ok so this is straight up conceptual art but art that you love can be a big element of the artful kitchen.  I would like to invite you to add that artistic element to your own kitchen. What better place than the heart of the home to locate something you love to gaze upon! Are you game?If so I'd love to help you, kitchens and art are my passions. Whether it's the ideal spot for a beloved painting or a sculpture gracing a perfectly placed opening we can do it and we can make it totally you.  Take a peek at my "Kitchen Art" Pinterest board for some creative inspiration. Whether you already have the artwork or are looking for the perfect piece it would be my pleasure to work with you. Let's connect and create!  Email me at ArtfulKitchensbyGlo@gmail.com