G.E. HELPS YOU FIND YOUR DREAM KITCHEN

As a kitchen designer and writer,  my inbox is always filled with news of all the latest products, websites and all manner of things to do with our favorite room, the kitchen.  G.E. has always been known as the bread- and- butter of the appliance world.  Not only have they been around forever but they have evolved with the times.  Today they still offer the basic affordable options as well as higher end appliance packages under the names G.E. Profile,  Monogram and the new Cafe' Series. These offer a wider variety of functions and integrated modern styling.

Another thing that really makes them a 21st century contender is their state of the art website.  There is a wealth of information here whether you aim to use their products or not.  Of course they hope you'll be seduced once you have entered their "web", so to speak.

One of my favorite features on the site is the kitchen design function.  Simply choose a kitchen which is similar to your own space.  Then simply click on the various color choices.  It's a lot of fun and a great way to start to narrow your choices and make the big decisions like dark vs. white cabinets, black vs. stainless appliances.  You get the picture (literally).  You'll also find lighting ideas, safety tips and even recipes.  Oh, and the "must have' G.E. product in my book is the Advantium Microwave Oven. My clients love it.  You can use it as a regular oven or as a microwave, so it's like two ovens in one!

FLORIDA KITCHEN CHARM

Thank you  for the out pouring of love and concern for our family.  No matter what happens the sun always rises again and we begin another day.

As you guys up in the northern regions are beginning to crank up the heat,  I thought I'd share a little warmth from down here in sunny Florida.  If you love warm tropical beaches, even when there's snow (instead of sand) on the ground, here's how you can bring this ambiance to your "anywhere" kitchen.

Blue & White will give you an instant feel of sun and surf.  White cabinets are hot!  Blue calls  to mind the ocean and may be added to your backsplash, walls or even used as  accent color for an island or hutch cabinet.

A sea view is a must and you can have one even if you don't live by the sea.  Think art!  That way you can choose the sea view of your choice.  It can be a painting, a photograph or even something more abstract like a mixed media work of art.

Gifts from the Sea are fun ways to add a beachy feel.  Shells, starfish or even bits of beach glass are great accents.  Try using a shiny glass tile backsplash for a watery feel or tiles with more of a honed finish look like glass that has been eroded by the sand over time.

Burled Beach Corian countertop by Dupont

Throw some sand into the mix with solid surface counter tops in colors like Dijon from the Elements collection by Denova or Burled Beach by Dupont's Corian.

The nice thing is you can add a little or you can pull out all the stops.  If you have "Floridified" your kitchen sent me pix.  I would love to show and tell.  Oh, and by the way, it's nice to be back!

TAP INTO YOUR CREATIVE ZONE

I live in a hectic family household  but Sundays are sacred.  Joe is off at work and kids sleep late, sometimes really late.  That is when I am blessedly alone.  That is when my spirit flies.  I catch up with all the blogs I haven’t been able to read during the busy week, maybe I do a little art and I dream.  Despite all my financial responsibilities,  my parenting realities and my work I get into a place where, for a moment,  I think just because I’m alive I can do ANYTHING.  Here are some things I become capable of on Sunday morning:

1. Going back to India to take up where I left off.

2. Buy and decorate a hip Mid-Century modern apartment in Miami

3.Become a full time artist exploring and developing my many ideas and musings at my leisure. This is one of my collages.  If you want to see more visit www.papermoongoddess.blogspot.com

4. Go back to California to study more art

Ok, you get the picture.  When you want to create or remodel your own kitchen or design a kitchen for a client this is a very good space to be in.  Get in the mood and the ideas will come.  This is truly the first step in the Intuitive Kitchen process. When you have returned to earth you can edit.  Trust me it works.  Now tell me, don't be shy (that's counter intuitive). How do you get in the zone?

HEART OF YOUR KITCHEN

No matter the size or style of your kitchen, sink selection will be one of the most important decisions you make as you plan a new kitchen or update your existing one.

With an abundance of new technology and materials the choices can be overwhelming!   To the average homeowner – a sink may look like – well – just a sink. But there’s a lot to consider.  While the kitchen is the heart of the home, it is probably safe to say the kitchen sink is the heart of the kitchen.  Unless you have a separate prep sink, your sink will serve in both the clean up and food preparation roles.  With this in mind, here’s what I look for as a kitchen designer:

1.       Quality- The adage “you get what you pay for” has never been as true as in this case.  Your kitchen sink is heavily used on a daily basis so good quality will certainly pay off.  Some choices include cast iron, natural stone and, the most popular, stainless steel.  If opting for a stainless steel finish the gauge, or thickness, of the steel is the most important consideration.  The lower the number the thicker the steel and the better the quality.  This means it will not ding or spot as easily as a lesser quality product.  If you opt for one of the other materials make sure to do your homework.  Speak to a professional and research the wealth of information available on the internet.  Always get the highest quality your budget will allow.

2.       Design- Next you will have to decide if you want a drop-in or undermount design.  The advantage of having your sink mounted underneath the countertop is that you can simply wipe your crumbs away without the lip of the sink being in the way.  This option can be used if you have a granite or solid surface countertop and will add a little to the price of your countertop and installation. Drop in sinks on the other hand are easier to install and replace. Blanco has just introduced what they’re calling MicroEdge technology. MicroEdge represents the first breakthrough in stainless steel sink design since the introduction of the undermount sink more than 10 years ago. MicroEdge (shown above) is a sleek drop-in overmount sink technology that creates the illusion of an expensive flush undermount installation. Achieve the flush look for less time and money as MicroEdge can be installed over virtually any counter material.  For more information, visit www.blancoamerica.com

3.       Configuration- The large single bowl sink is becoming more and more popular.  It is the most versatile when it comes to accommodating large pots and platters.  If you are washing dishes by hand however you’ll probably still prefer the double bowl variety.  Really think about how you use your sink and don’t be afraid to make a change to something that better suits your lifestyle.

            This is just a beginning but good enough to get you started and    thinking in the right direction. 
Next   post: Secret to a Dream Kitchen...               

WHAT'S IN THE SHOP?

Today the guys are assembling a new kitchen from River Run Cabinetry.  My client originally approached me requesting a reface of the existing cabinets.  Cabinet refacing involves replacing all the doors and drawer fronts.  Sometimes it's just the face lift you need especially when you have expensive countertops that you DON'T want to replace.  In this case the counter tops needed replacing as well.  After exploring the price options we found that for just a little more I could offer my client these all wood cabinets from River Run. In addition, new cabinets offered us the opportunity to tweak the existing layout into something more efficient for the customer's needs. If you are looking for quality and great value these are the cabinets you're looking for.  You can even assemble them yourself if you prefer the "I did it myself" approach.  Just click on the "Assemble Your Own Cabinets Link" to the right.  My clients selected a birch wood door with applied moulding.  It has a warm stain and a dark glaze.  New black appliances will fit right into the color scheme.  These are being installed next month.  Stay tuned for before and after photos.  Next Post:  What is the heart of the heart of the home?