http://vimeo.com/64400893Last month I told you about the continuing recovery efforts eight years after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. This is what's transpired since my post. Modenus, has launched a campaign to get the word out. We'll be having a live Twitter chat tomorrow, Thursday, May 9 from 4-5pm EST. Please join, get involved, donate and help these people out. #blogtourNOLA will get you to the right place on Twitter. Funds raised during the Twitter chat will be dedicated exclusively to Joe and the St Paul’s Homecoming Center. Below is an excerpt of the story. Above is a video taken on the day of our visit to the Gentilly neighborhood of Joe and Gloria Robert. You can find more on the Modenus website here.Joe and Gloria Robert of New Orleans were newlyweds looking forward to a bright future together when Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast in August 2005.Residing in their new house for just one month before Katrina slammed the city, the couple lost everything when the levee behind their house was destroyed - one of 53 levees in the city breached by the storm surge – and canal water swallowed the home. The Roberts evacuated the city, staying with various friends and relatives. When the flood waters receded weeks later, Joe and Gloria moved into a pop-up camper in their driveway for a while, but they’ve also been staying with Joe’s daughter from a previous marriage.Nearly eight years later, Joe and Gloria’s house is still uninhabitable. While a new house has been framed out, the building lacks essentials including electrical, drywall, flooring and plumbing. Because Joe is a contractor by trade, he has the skills to work on his house, but he has generously donated much of his free time to volunteering with St. Paul’s Homecoming Center helping to rebuild other people’s houses.Joe works on his home little by little, but is often derailed by setbacks such as having his house broken into and his tools stolen. Even though Joe was forced to save up until he could replenish his tool supply, he has not lost his faith in humanity.Fortunately, Joe and Gloria received some good news recently when Storehouse of World Vision selected the couple and their house for a rehab project. A few weeks ago Storehouse joined forces with the National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA) and St. Paul’s Homecoming Center to help rehab kitchens and baths in three houses as a lead-in to NKBA’s Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS) held April 19-21 in New Orleans.While Storehouse and NKBA partners have donated materials, appliances and labor for a new kitchen and bath in the Robert’s house, the rest of the unfinished home still needs lots of TLC.PLEASE GIVE NOWAbout Storehouse of World VisionWorld Vision’s Storehouse network is comprised of six warehouses across the U.S. that receive corporate donations of new, top-quality goods made available to local community partners for distribution. Goods that are distributed include building materials, school supplies, personal care items, and clothing to over 2.2 million people in low-income communities annually. About the National Kitchen & Bath AssociationNow celebrating its 50th Anniversary, the National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) is a not-for-profit trade association that owns the Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS®). With nearly 60,000 members, the NKBA has educated and led the kitchen and bath industry since the association’s founding in 1963. The mission of the NKBA is to enhance member success and excellence, promote professionalism and ethical business practices, and provide leadership and direction for the kitchen and bath industry worldwide. For more information, visit the NKBA Press Room orcall 1-800-THE-NKBA (843-6522). KBIS and NKBA are registered trademarks of the National Kitchen and Bath Association.
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!
Feel Good with Mr. Steam
Comfortably seated, eyes closed, the music washes over you as you feel your every cell opening, releasing toxins and cleansing away all signs of stress and tension. The fragrant scent of lavender envelopes you and you are truly relaxed…Sound good? This is what Mr. Steam is all about. A little history...Steam bathing has been around for centuries, as far back as ancient Rome and Greece. The history of the Roman bath actually began during the height of the Roman Empire. Ancient Roman baths served many community and social functions. Everyone used Roman public baths, regardless of status. Eventually the home spa system was introduced transforming the experience from one of community into an intimate restorative experience customized to your needs.And then came Arthur...Arthur Sussman founded Automatic Steam Corporation in 1917. In the early days, steam technology was used for ironing garments and even for creating steam boilers used in US Navy frigates. This company evolved into Mr. Steam, maker of the world's most luxurious steam showers and steam baths for the home and for the spa. 
The Mr. Steam experience encompasses the therapeutic benefits of Chromasteam (colored lights), Aromasteam (aroma therapy) and Audiosteam (music). It’s all digitally controlled. If you’re in the kitchen and just starting to think about having a steam you can make that thought a reality with the touch of a button on the iGenie remote control!The guiding principle in all things Mr. Steam is “Feel Good” and you have to love a company with a sense of humor to boot! Check out this brilliant commercial! Not only does it feel good but I was amazed to learn how much “steaming” can benefit your health! We know that steam is great for muscles, sinuses, asthma and skin hydration but did you know that, on average you can burn up to 150 calories in a 15 minute session at 114 degrees Fahrenheit?We had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Steam Vice President Martha Orellana on the Modenus Blog Tour and I think you can say she is a testament to the benefits of steaming. She steams everyday and just look at that complexion! Can you believe she’s 87? (just kidding, I don’t know how old she is but she looks great)
I know you’re thinking, “how can I have this magic in my bathroom?” You can integrate a steam generator in an existing shower stall. Smaller units that fit inside your bathroom vanity are available. You can pick and choose the sensory features you want as well as a wall mounted folding teak seat and a variety of towel warmers. Mr. Steam's products are American made and they continue to operate from their original factory in Queens New York. If you'd like to know more click here to find a distributor in your area.
Top Pins of the Week
Happy weekend! It's always so interesting to see the results of popular opinion. At times, it seems like there's no rhyme or reason. Sometimes I'm in sync and sometimes something I think is beautiful or compelling goes unnoticed! In this case I concur 100% with this weeks most popular pins on Pinterest ! No surprise that they are all about NOLA.
Click here to see all my Pinterest treasures.
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
Brizo Does Memphis!
I haven’t even finished telling you about all the great products I learned about in New Orleans and it’s time to announce the next great event! If you’ve been a follower of Kitchens for Living for a while, you’ll remember my visit to fashion week in September of 2010 courtesy of Brizo Faucets. They continue to host a select group of design bloggers (known collectively as The Blogger 19) each season, on a trip to the Big Apple. They get to preview what’s in the pipeline for Brizo products AND to attend fashion designer Jason Wu’s runway show. I love fashion, in fact my first career was in fashion merchandising. I find a strong connection between fashion and design and Jason Wu really gets that. He has collaborated with Brizo for many years in a very mutually beneficial relationship. The next great event will be a reunion of Blogger 19 alumni July 16-18 in Memphis. We’ll be taking and exclusive, behind-the-scenes tour of both the Brizo factory and St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital. I'm really looking forward to both. If you’re bored at work and you want to get your inspiration vibe on, check out this video featuring Jason’s latest collection as well as his take on his relationship with Brizo Faucets.