I Love Lamp

Yep, I'm quoting Anchorman, but seriously I do love lamps. Lamps are so multi-functional - not only do they provide a room with light, but they tend to add a sense of warmth and coziness to a space. Today, lamps are not only being utilized beside a bed or couch, interestingly, they have made their way into the kitchen.

Lighting is so important in any room but especially the kitchen. A lot goes on in a kitchen - you need good task lighting for working and of course good ambient lighting for atmosphere.  For some time pendant lights have been the "go to" for decorative kitchen lighting. Typically pendants are seen hung over the island and provide ambient lighting in a fashionable way. Because pendants come in a slew of different shapes, sizes and finishes and they can be used in varying quantities, they are a popular choice. I love a beautiful pendant and believe they can really add style and flare to a space, however as of late, I've noticed a shift in kitchen designs where it seems that pendant lights may not always be the lighting answer...

Most kitchens have at least one focal wall, in some cases this wall has a decorative hood, while other times a window is on display. Depending on the orientation of the island, the pendant lighting can hang down and block or interfere with the view of the focal wall. This has actually been a topic I have dealt with in two of my recent kitchen designs. In both kitchens a beautiful focal wall was created around the hood. Each kitchen's island was oriented differently but the idea of hanging pendants over the island was kind of ho hum because we knew any pendant we chose would be semi-blocking the view of the focal wall. In both cases, the solution was to sit lamps on either side of the island as opposed to hanging the lighting from the ceiling.

Like pendants, lamps come in a variety of different styles, finishes and sizes making them an easy choice for kitchen lighting. Of course lamps will not be the answer for all kitchens - some islands are not big enough to support the lamp idea. If the addition of lamps will decrease valuable working space, then skip the lamps and stay with ceiling fixtures.

Below are some examples of kitchens that went the lamp route, each choosing to utilize this trend in different ways.

In this kitchen the island is centered on the hood which appears to be the focal wall. I love how these lamps really add some flare to the space without taking away from the beauty and balance of the focal wall.

I'm drawn to the fun pop of color these green glass lamp bases bring to this kitchen. The furniture style island + the lamps make for a cozy feel.

These lamps add an unexpected pop to this kitchen. The focal wall in this space is the large window and these lamps just feel right in the space. Not only would pendant lighting be blocking the view of the window but pendants in addition to the flanking columns would have made the space feel crowded.

One common question people have about the lamps is, "where do you hide the cords?" Easy - you just have your countertop fabricator core a small hole in the countertop for the cord to go down into. The lamp can cover up the hole and you're left with a seamless look. Regardless of the type of lighting you choose to use, lighting in general provides an opportunity to add a layer of personality to a space. So, take advantage and do your research to figure out what lighting style best suits you and your space.

Photos are from Houzz & Pinterest.

Details are a Rooms Best Friend

I've got a lot of projects rockin' and rollin' right now. It's been a busy summer and it doesn't look like it will be slowing down anytime soon. The jobs I'm working on at any given time can range from new construction projects where we are doing cabinetry for an entire house, to remodels where we may be working on a powder room vanity. Regardless of the type of project, those projects with heart and consideration ALWAYS turn out the best. Earlier in the summer I talked about the importance of details and with every project I start and finish I'm reminded of what a difference the details can make.

We recently completed a fun laundry/mud room project that takes functional to a whole new level. The project consists of new laundry room cabinets and the addition of a mud bench right outside the laundry room. The space is not very big, but the homeowner is SUPER SAVVY and was determined to get as much functionality out of this space as humanly possible. Every square inch of these spaces was considered. Countless items such as the ironing board, iron, laundry detergent, spray bottles and baskets have been measured and re-measured to ensure they will fit in their designated areas. We have literally squeeeeeeeezed every last drop of usable space out of this room and it turned out great.

Is this not THE cutest little mudroom/bench area? In order to create this space the contractor, Chris Pfahl of Dreamweaver Properties, had to modify the wall to the right of the door by pushing the wall into the garage to create this niche'.  This space is just big enough to house the little backpacks and jackets on decorative hooks. Additional storage space was captured in the drawers under the wooden seat and the open shelving at the top of the unit is the perfect place to house baskets. 

What you see above may seem like a pretty, updated shot of a laundry room, but it's oh so much more....

This wall of cabinetry literally explodes with storage! As I mentioned above, every inch of this space was considered to ensure that as much storage was captured as possible. We installed a partition in the far left tall cabinet to house the ironing board. Adjustable shelves were installed to the right of the partition. The partition as well as the shelving sit back 4" from the front of the door so the broom, mop and other items hung on the back of the door have a place to land when the door is shut.

 
 
The tall cabinet to the right houses three adjustable rollouts, adjustable shelves and a pullout trash can. As you can see the homeowner is utilizing baskets both in the mudroom/bench area as well as on the adjustable shelves. It's a great way to store miscellaneous items in a drawer like setting without having to actually have the drawer or rollout. Also, the adjustable shelving lends itself to a lot of flexibility in that the shelves can be moved or removed to accommodate stored items in various shapes and sizes.

A countertop was placed over the washer and dryer which creates a nice uninterrupted folding area.

 Wall cabinets & a hanging rod were installed above the washer and dryer. This addition offers plenty of drip-dry hanging space and even more storage.

 The washer and dryer take up most of the space on this wall, but it should come as no surprise that leaving valuable storage space on the table just wasn't an option. The homeowner gets 100% credit for thinking up this smart little cabinet sandwiched in between the washer and dryer. This cabinet serves as the perfect space to house laundry detergent, dryer sheets, fabric softener, etc...

The adorable shirt/short hardware was another customer find and really adds another layer of personality to the space.

All cabinetry for this project was Bell Custom Cabinetry and was constructed in Paint Maple. The Mudroom/Bench area was painted in Benjamin Moore's Frostline AF-5 and the wooden seat was stained to match the floors. The laundry room cabinets were painted in Benjamin Moore's Metropolitan AF-690.

There is no doubt about it - this client had done her research, she had talked to friends, surfed the web and utilized sites like pinterst and Houzz to find inspiration photos of what it was she was looking for. She gathered all of this ammunition and then set out to make her space work for her and her family. All of her hard work paid off because she has a truly functional and aesthetically beautiful space that others will be pinning and adding to their idea books for years to come!

All photos in this post are my own.

2012 HouseBeautiful Kitchen of the Year

Each year HouseBeautiful selects a designer to design the "Kitchen of the Year," which is on display in Rockefeller Plaza in New York City. I'm not sure how to get to the top of the list of applicants for this opportunity, but I need to find out :). Talk about publicity!

Past designers include Christopher Peacock and Jeff Lewis (from E!'s Flipping Out) to name a few. This year, Mick De Giuilio was the lucky designer. I actually had the opportunity to meet Mick last year in Atlanta. He was speaking at ADAC, Atlanta's Decorative Arts Center. I really enjoyed hearing him speak and meeting with him, and I was very excited when I won an autopgraphed copy of his book - Kitchen Centric.

I'm a little behind the ball on this post, seeing as how this event occurred earlier in July. But, I figured we could all save the money on airfare and explore this Kitchen through photos instead of packing our bags and heading to NYC to see it in person. You're welcome.

Kitchen.

Another ...white... kitchen. I don't mean this negatively at all, but right now everyone is loving the classic white kitchen. Going in this direction was a gutsy move on De Giulio's part. The pressure was really on to create something unique and Kitchen-of-the-Year worthy. This shot doesn't knock my socks off, but I feel like the space is light and elegant. I like how the beams add dimension to the space while the mixture of textures add depth.

I really love this wall. The polished stainless steel open shelving creates an industrial meets elegant vibe. Also, notice the blue sink, it's kind of hard to see from this shot, but I think it was a smart and unexpected addition that gives the wall another layer of interest.

Speaking of blue...............................................

Butler's Pantry.

How beautiful! This is by far my favorite room/space/shot. De Giulio described this room as "a jewel box" and I couldn't agree more. The space was only 100 square feet but the use of light colored cabinetry mixed with glass fronts really makes the space look light and airy. He went as far as lining the interiors of the glass cabinety with a mirrored finish to give the space an even more open look. I also love the contrasting blue ceiling with the gilded iron fixtures - so chic'.

This is an interesting piece. Essentially the pots and pans are being displayed, which is pretty for a show home, but I'm not sure how functional this would be for a I-cook-in-this-kitchen-kind-of-kitchen. I do love the mixture of the walnut wood with the stainless steel and glass.

Dining Area.

This is my least favorite shot. It's a little boring to me and I really don't get the mismatched chairs. In my opinion, the best part of this space is the detailing in the ceiling and the light fixture.

Living Space off Kitchen.

This space sits off the Kitchen and is a place for guests to gather and visit while still being in the Kitchen/heart of the home area. I really like the asymmetrical vibe of the fireplace wall with certain items being off-centered.

Mick De Giulio did a nice job on this project. He definitely played off current trends, but also added some flare here and there that was unique and unexpected. As a kitchen & bath designer it's always an honor when you're work is seen and appreciated. Whether it's in a magazine, winning an award or being added to an idea book on Houzz or being pinned on Pinterest, publicity is publicity. Opportunities like this one through HouseBeautiful not only benefit the featured designer, but homeowners as well. Love it or hate it, it's a good way to get ideas and see the latest trends. 

All photos are from google search.

Cabinetry 2.0

Whether you're in the market to update the cabinets in your house or your just gathering ideas for future projects, I'm here to tell ya, cabinets have come a long long way. Today, cabinetry is so much more than a series of boxes lined up side by side. There are countless add- ons and modifications that can make your cabinetry, and ultimately your life, so much more organized and functional.

Here's the deal, if you're going to do a project, do it right. Doing it right has more to do with the consideration behind the decisions that are made than it does the dollar sign after them. Things don't have to be expensive to be awesome. At the end of the day you're paying to have a project done. You're paying for new cabinetry, so why not make the space work for you in every way possible? Slow down, look at the options you have, and really think about you and your family, and the way you live within your own space.

Below are some examples of cabinetry add-ons that show there is definitely an overall customization movement that puts as much emphasis on function as it does on form.



How handy is this? This space is usually left as a false drawer front because of the plumbing, but this add on is a genius way to make the most of this space. 

What a great way to store miscellaneous kitchen essentials in such a small space. 

We sell the heck out of these "crock pullouts" It's a great place to store your most used kitchen utensils and gets them off the counter top!

Pantry pullouts like this can add so much more storage space to a cabinet. Essentially you're laying the storage as opposed to having an open cave, where stored items cover each other up.

Cool way to get your paper towels off the counter!

I've been incorporating this laundry basket cubbie concept into a lot of my laundry room designs.  Great way to keep various clothes organized, every basket has a place. 

Incorporating an ironing board pull out is a great way to store your ironing board. Super accessible and easily concealed.

HOLY ORGANIZATION! Please keep in mind you would need some depth in your space to achieve this, but what a great concept. Many times we forget to consider where we would store brooms, mops, swiffers, cleaning supplies, etc...A piece like this keeps all things "cleaning" in one area.

I don't care who you are or how laid back you may be, an organized space is a happy space. For some, organizing is a must, and the lack of organization can literally cause them to com bust (Mom....:) ). To other's it's some thing they aspire to achieve, a work in progress if you will. Regardless, the tools are out there....go get them!

All photos are from Pinterest & Houzz.