Jackie Tufford is a beautiful young woman with her own style. She also has a distinctly vintage air about her, a Mid-Century yet very modern woman adorned with strands of pearls replete with stockings and high heeled, patent leather pumps. I had the pleasure of hearing her speak recently at the Armory Art Center in West Palm Beach. She was the guest speaker at the monthly Art, Women & Culture Art Salon.Jackie's artwork, to quote her website, " balances delicate grace and antiquated feminine styles with suggestions of awkwardness, sexual vulnerability and domesticity to suggest sculptural narratives about the possible unspoken expected social roles of women." I could leave you to decipher the meaning in those words but better yet I'd rather show you a couple of her creations that speak to the heart of a woman as she relates to the heart of the home. I sometimes refer to the intangible elements that are associated with the kitchen. When we remodel we strive to replicate the positive feelings and associations that are attached to our experiences of the kitchen. Today, perhaps more than ever, we use our kitchens for multiple tasks and interactions. Historically the kitchen has been the domain of the woman of the house. Although that is frequently no longer the case residue lingers.
This piece of installation art was created in Jackie's own kitchen. She is making a statement about being overwhelmed, a woman overwhelmed in her kitchen. I get that. However there is more. To understand this piece is to know that it is also about something called Celiac disease. Celiac disease is a condition that damages the lining of the small intestine and prevents it from absorbing parts of food that are important for staying healthy. The damage is due to a reaction to eating gluten, which is found in wheat, barley, rye, and possibly oats. The installation was created using domestic items such as bed sheets, buttons and thread as well as packaging from gluten free products and rice. The latter two items are a reference to Celiac. 
This second piece definitely elicited a response from this viewer. Art is supposed to do that, no? It is entitled "Dinner is Served". It is all about a very specific kind of kitchen anxiety, that which comes with entertaining! Ever get "entertaining anxiety"? I do and you know what? This made me feel connected to all the other souls out there (probably women) who get it too! Here I thought I was the only one. It's made out of plastic plates, utensils table cloths etc.Jackie also has created an amazing collection of dresses made of Romex Wire (another domestic reference) and an intriguing video short called Metanoia which is all about transformation. You can check it all out at her website here.
Furniture Islands Lend Style & Function to the Kitchen
If you've always wanted the convenience and look of a kitchen island within your budget, today may be your lucky day-after-St. Patrick's Day! One of the perks of writing a design blog is all the press releases that come my way. I'm always being informed on where to go to find the latest for greatest function, design and value. Furniture kitchen islands by Jeffrey Alexander found their way into my inbox and caught my eye. Here are a couple of my favorites.
Cabinet hardware and accessory maker Hardware Resources, debuts the Jeffrey Alexander Loft Island. I love it because it packs a whole lot of function and storage into such a small foot print! It's 36" wide by 24" deep. The furniture look easily blends into an existing kitchen and no plumbing or wiring are required! It comes in Aged Black or sophisticated French White Designed to perfection, the island gives extra space for storage while increasing counter work area for cooking prep. The butcher block top is optional. 
- If contemporary is more your cup of tea. Jeffrey Alexander also makes this island called, of course, The Contemporary. This one is a bit larger at 54" by 34" and features 6 working drawers, 3 on each side. The butcher block top is optional. Click here to view the many other furniture island options.
Palm Beach Fine Craft Show
Last weekend I had the pleasure of attending the last big show of our season at the Palm Beach County Convention Center. The Palm Beach Fine Craft Show, along with Art Palm Beach are my favorites. The Fine Craft show has nothing to do with crayons and paste (not that there's anything wrong with that!) but is a juried show featuring the work of fine artisans from all corners of the United States. Their art is beautiful and functional. A hundred years ago, or so, textile designer, writer and artist William Morris said, "“Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.” Morris is credited with pioneering the Arts and Crafts Movement at the turn of the 20th century. The exploding industrial revolution resulted in mass production of everyday items. As it turned out, this was a double edged sword. Now the masses were able to afford clothes and household items, but at a price. Quality was often sacrificed, labor exploited and disposable goods were born. The proponents of the Arts and Crafts Movement sought to preserve the beauty and art of an object made by the hand. There was a belief that the artisan left a little soul in each creation. Such objects were treasured and kept. They contained a story. I'm happy to say the tradition lives on. The irony is that the time, love and effort that goes into these creations can never be accurately accounted for and even still the prices are out of range for the average individual. Still we can dream. The show gave me a chance to connect with these exceptional artisans. Christine Davis took these amazing photos for me to share with you .
In addition there was exciting and original jewelry and clothing on display. If you're ever in Palm Beach in March take a break from the beach and check out this show. You will leave inspired and something might even come home with you ;)
Welcome to Kitchens for Living 3.0!
Back when I began this blogging adventure three years ago it was uncharted territory, every post a learning experience. I've progressed from Blogger to bona fide website and Wordpress (Kitchens for Living 2.0). It's time for another change. The landscape of the blogosphere is constantly evolving with hundreds if not thousands of bloggers reporting on kitchens and design. Many have more time to invest in it and many do it much better and more completely than I ever could. SO, I say to myself, what does Kitchens for Living mean to me and how do I want to evolve the brand? Kitchens for Living is my own unique perspective and how I bring my life to my design work. First of all I love the kitchen, the design of it, the function, the memories it evokes, the emotional connections and the potential. Just think how kitchens have evolved in the past 50 years! On my first post I said, at times, we’d be venturing out of the kitchen and from now on we’re going to do that even more. You’re going to get to know me, what inspires me and the unique thought process that I bring to my work and life as a kitchen designer. I want to give you my perspective on culture so you’ll hear about books, movies, TV, travels (ok you already get that), cooking and everything devoted to pursuing an artful life from my perspective in South Florida. We’re gonna mix it up ! In addition I hope you enjoy the “new look”. I’m hoping you’ll find it crisp, clean, current and easy to navigate. A big grateful THANK YOU to my Web Mistress Vicki Perez who is responsible for the new look and has interpreted my vision perfectly. We’ll continue to tweak as we evolve. I invite you to become a part of Kitchens for Living with your comments, questions and suggestions. Spread the word.
Lake Worth Chalks It Up To Art
As our season quickly winds down two more of our big events are over but the inspiration lives on. A couple weeks ago the little town of Lake Worth put on its biggest happening of the year, The Street Painting Festival. Street artists (literally) gather from near and far to either reproduce the masters or create their own original art on Lake and Lucerne Avenues. 
The tradition of adorning the street with art is traced back to 16th century Italy where starving artists would use their chalks to transform pavement into makeshift canvases. Street painting has retained its appeal through the centuries. As in ages past, crowds still gather to watch as fine works of art emerge. The "paintings" last only until the next rain, but the lively spirit and accessibility of the exhibition captivates new audiences each year and inspires lasting memories. (paraphrased from the SPF website.) Best of all it's still free!
Watch out for next year as we celebrate the 20th anniversary of this fun event. I took some pics for you but you can find more photos by Christine Davis. She certainly captured "the big picture!"
Chalk is a fun medium, unique because of its impermanence. As a designer, I look to create spaces that will not feel dated. When in doubt the best advice is to look at your home. What is the design of your house? It is Mediterranean, Mid-Century Modern or Coastal? Match the house and you're good to go. The details such as accessories and paint can always be tweaked according to mood or season. One final word about "chalk". Did you know you can purchase chalk board paint in case you want to include your own temporary work of art (or shopping list) in your kitchen?
Next up The Fine Crafts Show where I found some real kitchen art!
Keep it Out of Sight in an Appliance Garage
A couple of posts back I showed you a nifty little kitchen phenomenon called an "appliance garage". One of you peeps said "we want more!" Since I only live to make you happy (not), here you go. An appliance garage is precisely what the name implies, a place to park things like toasters, coffee makers, juicers etc. If you have the room, they are certainly great to hide the visual clutter but they also will take a minimum of four square feet of counter space. An appliance garage utilizes the area between your upper cabinets and the counter top.
A corner is the best location for this option and if you have to give up some counter space the area deep in the corner is not actually "working space" anyway.
Originally appliance garages featured something called a tambour door. The best thing about those is that they don't get in the way or stick out, although they might stick. The best thing about the types that stick out is that they look much nicer. Here are some of your choices if you're considering adding this to your kitchen bucket list.
So there you have it. There are many choices for they type of space and style of your kitchen from Traditional to Contemporary. Oh and don't forget to include an electrical outlet inside. This could even be a great place for a charging station, but that's another blog post!PS Some excitement brewing at Kitchens for Living, a new direction and a new design all leading up to Blog Tour New Orleans with Modenus. Please stay tuned and don't be bashful about spreading the word about Kitchens for Living!