I think all of you know I'm a nut about art. Some of you may know that my particular passion of late is encaustic art. This particular type of painting is hot, literally. It's painting with beeswax, resin and pigments and you can get the full scoop here. Last year I had the pleasure of attending the 7th International Encaustic Conference in Provincetown Mass. You will find pics from that trip here scroll down to "Encaustic Boy".
Anyway, I digress. What I really wanted to show you is this cool table that Pat in the shop at Brendan Donovan Furniture & Cabinet Co. made for me. I gave him the exact height I needed to work standing up. It has a shelf below for storage and casters so I can move it where I want it. He made it out of leftover bamboo and I didn't even finish it as I figured it would just end up covered in paint anyway. I realize not every one has "a Pat" so let me tell you about a website I just discovered through the tech whiz Eric Schimelpfenig of SketchThis.net . It's called Open Desk and it allows you to create your own furniture or have someone make it for you. Apparently there are lots of Pats all over the world who can make you your own art table, or whatever. You could even take a stab at it yourself! 
Pretty cool, huh? 
Oh and this is what the encaustic set up looks like. Soon it will get too hot to work in my garage. 
Can't leave without a "shout out" to Baby Girl who has successfully concluded her high school career. Onward and upward. I'm so proud. Next post we will get back to business, after my long weekend birthday celebration in the Keys where I will be doing this. 
The New Brass
As you can probably imagine, I see my fair share of stainless steel and brushed nickel finishes in plumbing fixtures and cabinet hardware. It's pretty much been the "go to" finish for ages. Some clients will go for shiny chrome, which I happen to love as it enhances any contemporary design very nicely, thank-you-very-much. It's also usually less expensive. However today I would love to invite you to consider another option that has captured my attention of late.
It's what I call "the new brass". There is just something about the look that appeals. Perhaps it's because it's such a complete departure from stainless? New brass looks like old brass which is its charm and it's definitely more at home in traditional types of design. Classic design can be fresh new and yes, even modern. The Elan Vital faucet, by Watermark Designs, shown above, features their New Age Brass finish and you can customize it however you wish, sort of like a Tinker Toy! It's also available in 38 other finishes.
There is just something about this little ensemble that I love. It's greater than the sum of its parts. You can find out all the deets here.A word of advice, if you're loving this look too and considering brass, make sure to specify "un-lacquered brass". This finish will change over time developing a patina. If you're not up for that, you can get lacquered brass which has a protective coating and keeps the finish stable.The following pic, courtesy of Houzz.com is what I mean about traditional design crossing over into modern territory. The marble, brass and even the artwork are all traditional elements arranged in a lean simplicity that screams (ok perhaps it whispers) modern.
Transitional Powder Room by Chicago Interior Designers & Decorators Buckingham Interiors + Design LLC
Note the door hardware is chrome and that's ok! There is a perfect balance of brass.
Short Hair and Stilettos
One trend I was delighted to spy in Milan was short hair. I saw a lot of it and who could blame them? It's so stylish and easy too! Another thing I saw was stilettos, very high ones. I'm now old enough not to have to wear or care about stilettos BUT it doesn't stop me from looking back with nostalgia.
Today, as I was perusing my beloved NY Times, I discovered someone who will definitely be pinned to my Super Cool Peeps Pinterest board immediately! She's got the short "do" and the heels down to a fine art. Meet Garance Dore'. She is FUN. She blogs about fashion and life in her own totally unique French way. I love her video about high heels. Ms. Dore' set out to spend a whole day sporting spikes and exploring the phenomena. I don't know about you but it's all leaving me feeling inspired, adventurous and ready to pour it all into my art and design. How about you? What do you think about short hair and heels? What makes you hot to create?Click here for a peek at all my Milan photos!
Last but not Least, il Bagno
We're finally coming to the end of my coverage of Design Week Milan as a part of the Blanco Design Council. I still have a couple other experiences to relate and will surprise you when you least expect it. For now let me tell you about the Salone Internazionale del Bagno, also known as the International Bath Show, a part of the bigger show held in Milan last month. I can't believe it's actually been nearly a month!
For the most part, I noticed lots of bathroom drama. Luxury was the order of the day and although much of it probably won't end up in your bathroom, it was fun to consider. Bathroom vanities were few and far between. The ones I did see were of the floating variety with vessel sinks. There were a lot of pedestal sinks too. The overall trend in the bath continues to be the creation of a spa-like atmosphere. This is done by constructing a totally sensory experience including lighting, sound and creative, invigorating options for the shower and tub. It's all about relaxation and having a place to escape the stress of our increasingly crazy lives. Conscious water use and conservation also continue to be at the forefront and I think it's always destined to remain so. Here are just a few sights that piqued my interest. If you'd like to view all the loveliness I captured in Milan you can find all the pics here. 
Click here for a peek at all my Milan photos!
FTK: Latest in Appliances on Show at EuroCucina
Let’s see. Where were we? Ah, yes. I was going to tell you about FTK at iSaloni. If you don’t know about my trip to Milan with the Blanco Design Council during Design Week, you’ve got some catching up to do! Anyway, FTK, or Technology for the Kitchen, is a showcase for innovation in the category of domestic appliances. 
The focus is on the seamless integration of cooking and refrigeration technology in the kitchen. It is a world event so I saw names I am familiar with such as Miele, Electrolux and for the first time at this show, Subzero Wolf (above). I also saw many unfamiliar brands such as Turkey’s Arcelik (Beko) Group which was also making its debut at EuroCucina 2014. 
In Europe we Americans have a reputation for embracing BIG! This includes cars, portions and, yes, refrigerators. Did you know what we call a standard refrigerator is referred to as an “American Refrigerator” in Europe? This is a misconception as there are many NYC apartment owners who I'm sure would warmly embrace their kitchen luxury a bit scaled down! Am I right? Compact sizing was a popular offering along with ease of operation and low energy consumption. 
I saw new color choices for appliances such as the return of black and white for high end appliances, as featured at Miele.
Ventilation was perhaps the “design star” at FTK with all kinds of sculptural sexy hood choices on show. All the appliances were design oriented as well as efficient, offering consumers products that meet technical demands while holding their own in the “looks department”. This means appliances for the home have taken on new shapes, colors and materials in addition to being light, compact, ergonomic and extremely appealing. 
Steam and induction cooking continue to take the industry by force. They’re not going away peeps! 
Contemporary lifestyles and increasingly open floor plans require versatile, multi-purpose solutions. In some areas of the globe, not only is fresh water a precious commodity, but so is fresh air. Check out these interesting air purifiers. 
Next up: What's going on in the bathroom? Salone Internazionale del Bagno. If you'd like to see all my photos from Design Week Milan, I've got you covered. Just click here.
Kitchen Love, Italian Style at Acheo and Poggenpohl
Ok so you got me, Poggenpohl is not Italian. They are German, except when they're in Milan, then they're Italian. Good enough? I can hardly believe I’ve been home for over a week! Images and impressions are still swirling around in my head from the wonderful time I spent with Blanco and some fellow members of the Blanco Design Council in Milan. Design Week was not limited to the extensive exhibition at the Rho Fairgrounds but also included events all over town. We visited two memorable and cutting edge showrooms on our visit. 
The first was Acheo (pronounced AH-kee-oh), located in the Brera district. Brera is also known today as the design district. It is also one of the few really old areas of Milan which saw 80% destruction during WWII. Acheo opened it’s showroom there in 2010. Today they are a showcase of quintessential contemporary Italian design for the kitchen.
They put on an impressive pre-dinner spread for us and the peeps from Modenus Blogtour Milan.
All through our trip we saw many products not available here in the US. Some will become available, perhaps in other versions. One such item is this Durinox work top and sink (below) which is a part of the Blanco Steel Art collection. Think stainless steel on steroids!! Seriously, it is made with a finishing process used in the auto and aerospace industries so it is super scratch resistant and more than twice as hard as stainless steel. It is available, as shown, in Europe from Blanco in Germany. The sinks only will be available for undermount installation here in the US.
We found that in Milan you could miss half the experience if you failed to look up! Look at these cool light fixtures at Acheo!
The other showroom we had the pleasure of visiting during our visit was Poggenpohl. I think you could argue that they set the bar when it comes to innovation in contemporary cabinet design. As I mentioned, Poggenpohl is a German company and they claim to be the oldest kitchen brand in the world! 
Some years ago Poggenpohl teamed up with the Porsche Design Studio to develop the P'7340 line of cabinets. Both companies focus their concentration on the overall line as well as providing unsurpassed quality of product. Above is a Porsche Design Kitchen P'7340 by Poggenpohl. It's hallmark is the aluminum frame which surrounds each box. Originally designed with men in mind, it has evolved into a brand appealing to discerning contemporary design devotees of either sex. Chief Poggenpohl designer Manfred Junker was on hand to explain the intricacies of design detail that go into the product including their trademark, no handle, fronts. In fact, he claims, they are the first to offer touch control on the refrigerator and dishwasher. Here's what they have to say about that on their website: "Handleless fronts emphasize the clean, uncompromised lines of the kitchen furniture."
Poggenpohl took care of our tummies too. After all, design spotting can work up one hell of an appetite!
This newest version of P'7340 (see below) features a contrasting counter top inset made of solid New Zealand pine with a wire brushed finish.
Next up: FTK (Technology for the Kitchen) This was the section of iSaloni featuring the latest trends and products in kitchen appliances.Click here for a peek at all my Milan photos!own and automatically completes the closing cycle