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?    

Creative Pitstop, Kitchens for Living on the Road and Encaustic Painting

We interupt our regularly scheduled programing  to tell you about my latest great adventure.  On an endless pursuit of creative motivation, I just returned from an amazing and inspiring visit to Provincetown and Boston.  I was in P-Town for the 7th International Encaustic Conference and in Boston to visit my sweet cousin, her hubs and their brand new (6 months) old baby boy.     In Boston I also got to visit the MFA (Museum of Fine Art) and the ICA (Institute of Contemporary Art)  I had a great time.  Saw some fantastic art and will be posting all the pics on Flickr so stay tuned!  Tomorrow we will be back to business with this Kitchen designer's Tip #2:  New Cabinets, All or Nothing?  

My Favorite Under Cabinet Lighting

It's been whirlwind of activity since my great NOLA adventure!  Installations are underway, new designs are being created and the busy summer season is ramping up!  I'm meeting so many new prospective kitchen clients and although they are all unique, many of them have the same questions.  Based on the very real inquiries of my clientele, I will be dishing out my answers and perspectives on five biggies that will give you a head start if you're beginning to plan your own dream kitchen. 

Traditional Kitchen Lighting And Cabinet Lighting by San Diego Lighting EnvironmentalLights.com

1) What kind of lights should I use for under cabinet lighting? I love to use strip, or rope, lighting to illuminate the area between upper cabinets and counter tops. This type of LED lighting casts an even glow without the need to worry about placement of individual lights. Because they are LED, you do have to locate a transformer inside or above the cabinets. They are energy efficient and long lasting allowing you to see what you're doing on the counter or simply providing ambient, or mood, lighting. I like to place them under the front of the upper cabinet either tucked behind the face frame or perhaps concealed with molding.  This position will cast light on the center of your counter top. As you can see in the photo above, they are also a perfect option for illuminating the toekick area between cabinet and floor. Not only does this look very stylish but doing this is also a great option for safety and aging in place design. There are many brands on the market with some easier to install than others.  I like the Loox line by Hafele.  In addition to the rope lights they offer all kinds of stylish, functional and efficient options for lighting the inner recesses of your kitchen. 

Contemporary Kitchen by Birmingham General Contractor Structures, Inc.

Some of the newest ways to use rope lighting is to illuminate the interiors of cabinets.  Seems so logical!Up next:2) Some of my cabinets are still really good, can I save money and just get more to match?

Blanco Makes a Splash!

For the last few years I have been honored to be a member of the Blanco Design Council.  This means I’m on the main line when it comes to inside information about their products. BLANCO, of course, is the German manufacturer of finely crafted sinks and faucets.  Their SILGRANIT II sinks are a particular favorite of mine and you should definitely know about them if you’re considering a kitchen remodel.  If you don’t know about SILGRANIT II, see my previous post here.   As a kick off to KBIS2013,  I got to see the newest BLANCO happenings  in New Orleans with a Cajun-styled experience called The Kitchen Unmasked.  This joint venture featuring Blanco, Poggenpohl and Silestone was held at the beautiful Nordic Kitchens showroom and was one of our stops on the Modenus Blog Tour.

The latest SILGRANIT II color, Cinder, is all the rage.  It’s a stormy striking combo of dark gray with some black and rich brown thrown into the mix.  I think it’s the perfect color to go with all the new luscious shades of gray we’re seeing.  It’s on trend yet neutral at the same time. The new SILGRANIT II series of sinks also includes HYGIENIC+PLUS^™ a patented formula that acts as a shield against dirt and bacteria. Independent laboratory tests confirm that the unique built-in hygiene protection reduces bacterial growth by an average of 98%.My favorite addition to the SILGRANIT II collection is the Modex sink (at top).  The next kitchen I design for myself (hoping) will have this sink.  I love it.  It adds a bit of architecture to the kitchen!  Modex features a unique 3” profile that sits on the counter and includes a large integrated cutting board.  It’s not just a sink, but a workstation.Speaking of work, did you know your faucet is the most abused item in your kitchen?  BLANCO's well known German engineering ensures that you have a product that will stand up to the test.  BLANCO also launched a new line of water saving faucets including Grace II, Alta, Highland and Napa. “Our latest collection of faucets offer livable style,” stated Tim Maicher, Director of Marketing for BLANCO. “When we say livable style, we are referencing style that leads trends while integrating into any kitchen design. At the same time, we are talking about the faucets’ functionality. We engineer BLANCO faucets to last, to use less water, to provide unmatched cleaning and to be as easy to use as they are to maintain.” I’ve had a blast telling you about all the products I learned about on the Modenus Blog Tour.  A big thank you to Veronika Miller and her team at Modenus as well as all the fabulous sponsors including Blanco, Poggenpohl, Cosentino, National Kitchen & Bath Association, Kitchen & Bath Industry Show 2013, Mr. Steam, TOTO and Du Verre Hardware.   It truly was a most memorable and enjoyable experience to see New Orleans in this way.  To me, the best part of all was the people, both meeting the sweet good- natured, perservering locals as well as enjoying the community of those who I’m honored to call my peers.  I hope you’ve enjoyed following along and have learned a thing or two in the process that will help you know what to look for when shopping for kitchen and bath products. Click here to see ALL my photos and commentary from Blog Tour NOLA!     

TOTO, Total Luxury with a Conscience

There's nothing more luxurious than a TOTO toilet.  There, I said it.  Even the "design civilians" know about the TOTO toilet with tush cleaning features but since learning about this amazing company, in depth, I have begun to notice that TOTO toilets are literally everywhere!  When you visit restaurants, airports, hotels and any number of commercial locations, check the toilet.  It's probably TOTO.  There's a good reason for that.  Their products start with really listening to people and discovering what they need.  They call it "People First Innovation".TOTO is the world’s largest plumbing products manufacturer offering a complete line of commercial and residential decorative plumbing fixtures including, not only toilets but showers, faucets, lavatories and more. They're at the top because they achieve a seamless integration of performance, conservation, technology and innovation.  No small order and they've been doing it for over 90 years.  TOTO was founded in Japan in 1917 and continues to be a global company with TOTO USA headquarters and state-of-art plant located in Morrow Georgia.We both know a TOTO product is an investment so let me tell you what you're paying for.  Countless layers and hours of research and development are spent which results in superb performance and products that are environmentally responsible.  Quality and worry-free fixtures  translate into money savings and, even better, peace of mind.  I'm not joking when I say research.  While on the Modenus Blog Tour, I spoke with Lenora Campos, TOTO PR guru, who explained that TOTO studies, in depth, every possible type of matter that is likely to end up in the bowl.  They are intrepid.   TOTO's Dual-Max® flushing system, found on several of their most popular High Efficiency Toilets, offers the option of a 1.6 gallon flush or 0.9 gallon flush based upon need.  I've heard consumers complain about the inefficiency of the one gallon flush.  My answer to that is that quality varies in all products.  The one gallon flush is not going away and I can tell you with TOTO it's a win-win concept.  Even the materials used help conserve your time and water.  SanaGloss® ceramic glaze - prevents debris, mold from sticking to ceramic surfaces, leading to fewer chemicals and less water in cleaning.In addition to the famous NEOREST toilet, TOTO also makes what they call a Washlet toilet seat which offers the  same personal cleaning system that uses warm, aerated water to clean (similar to a bidet) and can fit right onto your existing bowl.  All you need is an electrical outlet in the vicinity.  Still not sure?  You can actually try one out for yourself at a number of establishments.  Click here to see where they are.I was able to view many of the TOTO products at the recent Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS) last month.  The product selection extends beyond their famous toilets.  I loved the Rain Showerheads.  Not only are they lovely to look at but somehow they are able to make less water feel like more! The Wyeth Collection  also embodies TOTO's People First Innovation philosophy.  A part of that is it's extreme "environmentally friendliness".  It consumes only 1.5 gallons of water per minute without sacrificing an ounce of performance.  The transitional design is also the product of consumer research.  This look will be at home in a variety of decors.   Wyeth tub and shower faucets are also available. Click here to visit TOTO's comprehensive website where you can see the many features and technologies they incorporate into their products.           

Du Verre, The Hardware Co., Sustainably Beautiful

As a designer I'm always on the look out for products that will make my kitchens one of a kind.  Sometimes the necessary functionality of cabinet boxes can be redundant.  As much as I tell clients "less is more", I can't fight the fact that most of us have lots of stuff and we need our storage, dammit!  One way to add a little artfulness is with cabinet hardware.  Du Verre The Hardware Co. is one of the companies I discovered on the Modenus Blog Tour New Orleans.  Then, you know how you learn about something and then all of a sudden it seems to pop up everywhere?  That's what happened to me and Du Verre.  Whilst writing about the NKBA design winning kitchen below I discovered that the hardware used was none other than the Forged 3 Collection by, you guessed it, Du Verre!

Traditional Kitchen by Manchester Kitchen And Bath New England Design Works

sports Forged 3 handles by Du Verre in satin nickel finish.  Photo by Evan White

Du Verre Hardware is a design leader for original, contemporary hardware.  Made from recycled aluminum, Du Verre is environmentally friendly.

Co-Founder, CEO and Creative Director Gina Lubin teams up with innovative designers such as Clodagh to create truly unique and artful collections that can be considered sculpture with a function. Clodagh, who worked on the Primitive, Stacked and Tribal collections, is known for intelligent use of materials and natural elements.  One hallmark of contemporary design is minimalism yet there has to be enough.  "Clutter can undermine serenity, but minimalism should not be self denying", says Clodagh.

 

Available die cast finishes include Satin Nickel, Oil Rubbed Bronze polished chrome and more.  Each collection varies. I love that these are all as pleasurable to look at as they are to touch.  If you'd like to experience Du Verre in person, click here to find a distributor in your area.