Tip 2: New Cabinets, All or Nothing?

Contemporary Dining Room by San Francisco Interior Designers & Decorators Artistic Designs for Living, Tineke Triggs When mixing, a total contrast works best.

 Anyway where were we??  Ah yes, I was sharing with you five big questions I get from clients.  The first post in the series was about under cabinet lighting and here is number 2:2) Some of my cabinets are still really good, can I save money and just get more to match? While at first thought this may seem like a great way to save money, usually it's not.  Even if your cabinet doors are simple, chances are you've had them a long time so the color may have changed.  Also, each cabinet manufacturer makes their products slightly different so unless you can locate the original cabinet maker matching will be a challenge.  Styles also get discontinued.  If you're going to use a custom cabinet maker to replicate what you have you might as well just get new cabinets (unless he's a very very good friend).  If you work within standard sizing parameters you can get some very good quality cabinets in today's competitive market.  That said, there are some situations in which you can have the best of both worlds.  Two toned kitchens are very popular.  If you are replacing some cabinets, consider getting something totally different but complimentary to what you already have.  Every situation is unique and it's worth investing in a little consultation with a kitchen design professional to see what can work for your case. The design solution below works because the lighter maple of the upper cabinets is picked up in the flooring.  Usually I  prefer to see a darker finish on the bottom rather than on the top.  Darker colors are visually "weightier" so there is a "grounding" effect when you use them on the bottom. The operative word is "usually".  Never say never as shown in the photo above.  I love it. It works beautifully in this design. Lesson is don't be rigid.  Think outside the box, pardon the pun! 

Contemporary Kitchen by Chicago Interior Designer Claudia Martin, ASID

A word about refacing- Refacing your cabinets means you will be replacing your drawer fronts and doors.  The cabinet boxes themselves will remain including the drawer boxes.  The thing to consider is that most of the cost of a cabinet is in the doors and drawer fronts.  Along with that all exposed surfaces such as the ends and the frame around the front will have to be veneered or laminated to match the new doors.  Depending on your existing cabinets, this could be a very labor intensive process resulting in less savings than you would have thought.  One situation where I would recommend reface instead of replace is if you have already have great countertops which you now have a vested interest in saving. Then perhaps it would be worth it.  Also, bear in mind, a reface doesn't allow you to improve your layout or add drawers. Whether new cabinets or just new doors and drawer fronts, remember that a clean simple flat slab style door is always the easiest on the wallet.Next up:  #3: Where can I save money and what items are worth the splurge?    

Poggenpohl, Ultimate Form and Function

Whether your in the market for a new kitchen or you're in the business of selling kitchens one of the first questions that comes up is, “what’s your style?” Are you traditional, transitional or contemporary?  If the answer is contemporary, the elements to look for include seamless integration, totally efficient function and clean sleek lines.  These happen to be the standards at Poggenpohl, founded over 120 years ago as the first German kitchen brand and now  the best known kitchen brand in the world – present in more than 70 countries around the globe.  Poggenpohl can show you what true European contemporary design is all about.Today they continue to think outside the box (pun intended) to offer some of the   most cutting edge cabinetry in the industry.          

Behind the scenes storage is also a Poggenpohl hallmark.  A wide range of  available drawer inserts can be customized to your needs.  These kitchens are not designed, they’re engineered!  This includes not only cabinets but thin counter tops, offered in glass or stone, and even integrated glass front cooking appliances!  One can be sure that their kitchens are as pleasurable to look at as they are to work in.  I also love that although the elements are integrated they seem to also stand alone as individual sculptural statements.  (Spoken like a true kitchen designer channeling her inner artist.)A modern European kitchen utilizes the easy to reach back splash area under the upper cabinets.  Other elements to notice include horizontal graining, mid-height cabinetry and a mix of texture and materials. I enjoyed learning about Poggenpohl and their design philosophy as a part of the Modenus Blog Tour New Orleans.Next up:  We’re gonna get steamy at KFL!  Adding luxury and health benefits to your bathing experience with Mr. Steam

Trend Spotting at KBIS 2013

The last two days of my exciting visit to New Orleans with the Modenus Blog Tour centered around the Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS).  This annual trade show is produced by the National Kitchen & Bath Association which is celebrating 50 years as the industry leader (more on that later).  I love to attend the show as it allows me to see the trends emerging in the American market and keeps me up to date with products and technology.  This year I had an additional behind-the-scenes perspective as a member of the Tour.  We were there for opening day, Friday April 19th and enjoyed a whirlwind tour of products followed by time for solo exploration and networking on Saturday.  Every year has a theme and this year I thought it was particularly appropriate. The show as all about the concept of "evolution".  This is really a common theme across the board as it applies to everything from design and products and how we are evolving the way we do business in 2013.  Here are some of my discoveries:Let there be lightLighting always plays a crucial role in kitchen and bath design but this year it was all about the light within.  Why didn't we think of this before?   LED lights inside cabinetry, particularly closets is a great idea!   The look of leatherLeathery textures made a big appearance.  Silestone by Cosentino debuted  their new Suede line of quartz counter tops.  Gator Mills ( a very local Louisiana company)  showed leather (and leather look ) vanities and Richelieu is offering recycled, reconstituted leather veneer.   Sliding doorsCabinet doors no longer have to swing out due to new hinging technologies that allow doors to slide.  Hafele calls theirs FrontinoGlaminates take the stageIt's not your grandma's laminate anymore!  Taking a cue from our friends across the pond, American laminate manufacturer Wilsonart has upped their game introducing two new seamless edge details and increased durability and sustainability. Blingy to sculptural When it comes to handles you can go for the bling or the sculptural.  Cabinet hardware manufacturer  Duverre  is all about very artful sculptural shapes and while I saw a lot of matte finishes, very shiny made an appearance too.     Look, no hands!Hands free faucet technology has quickly become the norm across the industry and was shown by not only the original, Brizo but also  Rohl, Kohler and Moen and Delta Faucets.This year's best in show award went to Toto for their awesome Neorest 550H toilet.  Believe me when I tell you it can just about do anything but drive you to work!  Stay tuned for an entire post about Toto and the Neorest 550In a nutshell KBIS2013 was largely about technology and texture.  Cabinet manufacturers are touting what's inside more than ever as they maximize the ease of living in the kitchen.  White cabinets, cleaner lines and pops of natural and engineered wood veneers are strong trends.Next up:  Poggenpohl, the cutting edge in kitchen cabinet design, inside and out  

10 Etsy Treasures For Your Kitchen

In case you enjoyed a fabulous holiday weekend and are finding the Monday grind somewhat anticlimactic, I thought we'd have a little fun today.Recently I wrote about the value of “the handmade” and the Arts and Crafts Movement of the turn of the last century.  (If you missed it, it's right here.)  It must be a part of our American cultural DNA, we like to make stuff and we like to have stuff people made.  Think of the wedding quilt made by your great grandma or even the home cooked meal.  Anything made with love is imbibed with soulfulness.   The website phenomenon etsy.com is evidence of this love affair with hand crafting.  I’ll be the first to admit you have to wade through a lot of “kitsch” to find the treasures but they can be found.  SO just for you, my peeps, I have uncovered ten treasures for your kitchen.  The Holidays are but a distant memory.  Maybe it’s time to treat yourself or a loved one with something beautiful, original and handmade just "because".  What are your Etsy favorites ?   PS  Unfortunately I have been in no way compensated or influenced by any of these shops.  I just give them my "cool" stamp of approval.  I have however, in the past, been a customer of Pats Pottery and probably will be again in the future, just in case you're wondering. 

Elements Converge In Dream Kitchen

Another year is winding down.  We have been blessed  again with many interesting projects.  As we are in “finishing up mode” I thought I’d share with you one of the best of 2011.  This project was a true collaboration.  Our clients, a couple of sweet snowbirds from Chicago, were very hands on which made it fun to see this kitchen take shape.  The existing space was on the small side, the cabinets a little dated. Our assignment was to add a whole range of  state-of-the-art appliances and a clean unique contemporary feel that would flow into the existing family room.  Naturally storage and function were also of the utmost importance but the real challenge was in fitting it all in!!They chose a rich coffee bean stain for the cabinets to match existing cabinetry in the family room.  The cabinet fronts were not ordinary doors, no way.  Together, with our clients, we designed the Soldono and the Soldono Pacifica Doors just for this job.  The Soldono custom door features a cherry frame around a horizontal grained oak center panel all stained in a rich espresso color.  The center panel is beveled on one end with stainless steel grip strip inset on the frame.  No hardware sticking out in this kitchen! A select few of the upper cabinets sport the Soldono Pacifica custom door which received center panels in olive ash burl veneer for a huge shot of “unique”. Stainless steel serves as an accent finish and is found in the appliances and in the monster-multi-functional Hafele appliance garage.  Refrigerators are Subzero, ovens are by Gaggenau, cooktop is by Miele and the dishwasher drawers are by Fisher Paykel.  Thank you to Linda Roberts at House of Appliances for her guidance.   Counter tops are Caesarstone quartz by Stone Palace and the backsplash is painted glass by Florida Shower Door & Mirror, Inc. Clearly they do much more that shower doors!  Perhaps the "piece de resistance" however is the glass tile behind the hood.   It truly looks like water cascading down the wall behind the hood!  The sink is a Precision by Blanco and the glass theme is picked up again with the glass table.  You can find a listing of all the trades on the Local Resources page here at Kitchens for Living.

   

NAUTICAL ZEN KITCHEN

Ta daaaaa!  Another beautiful kitchen is complete, and yes it’s white with Shaker doors.  Surprise!  Not.  There were two main challenges about working in this home.  First of all the architecture is very unique and is an integral part of the space.  It’s comprised of posts and beams, angles and open lofts which remind me of a ship.  The second challenge was a lack of unity with way too much going on visually.  The existing kitchen had three different types of counter tops, two different types of cabinets and more stuff than space.  In addition, hinges and drawer slides were failing and paint was chipping.The homeowners came equipped with the most valuable of traits, an open mind.  They were willing to see their kitchen and laundry area in a new way.  Every step of the design process we would ask ourselves “does this unify and simplify”?  Think “nautical zen”!First off I decided to make peace with the posts and beams.  The layout remained the same and we didn’t even change the door style or color!  What we did was improve the fit and function.  Using all white counters unified the space and allowed the blue granite back splash to be the star of the show.  Here are some “before” pix and “after” solutions which will pave the way for smooth sailing in this new kitchen.