Welcome to Kitchen Design Notes. Whether in the middle of a kitchen or bath remodel, planning one or just dreaming, stop in and browse. Follow one Kitchen Designer's journey though trends, hot topics and remodeling advice. This blog is your remodeling source for the latest news in cabinetry, kitchen and bath fixtures, appliances, tile, lighting and more.
Specs. Size: 70.85" x 42.15" x 26.60" Material: Marble Design By: Architect Carla Baratelli for Salvinistile Country: Italy This is more than just design in marble. As shown from their web site, click the photos to link back to more photos from House 8, this is European designed "concept living". Shapes influenced by nature is a trend we are seeing more of in sinks and tubs.
Great design if you are Michael Phelps, limber enough to move in and out of water like a fish. For those of us who are aging less than gracefully, planning a design with safety factors in mind is critical.
Grab Bars: Plan grab bars to facilitate access to and maneuvering within the tub and shower areas.
Tub and shower walls should be prepared (reinforced) at time of construction to allow for installation of grab bars to support a static load of 250 lbs.
Grab bars should be placed at least 33” – 36” above the floor.
Grab bars must be 11⁄4” to 2” in diameter and extend 11⁄2” from the wall.
Access Standard
Recommended: Walls throughout the bathroom should be prepared (reinforced) at time of construction to allow for installation of grab bars to support a minimum of 250 lbs. of pressure.
Grab bars should be placed according to the needs and height of the user, particularly near the tub/shower and the toilet.
Code Reference:
Grab bars should be installed at the tub, shower, and toilet according to the following:
Bathtubs with permanent seats: Two horizontal grab bars (a1) should be provided on the back wall, one between 33” and 36” above the floor and the other 9” above the rim of the bathtub (a2). Each grab bar should be no more than 15” from the head end wall or 12” from the foot end wall. A grab bar 24” long should be provided on the foot end wall at the front edge of the bathtub. (ANSI 607.4.1)
Bathtubs without permanent seats: Two horizontal grab bars should be provided on the back wall, one between 33” and 36” above the floor and the other 9” above the rim of the bathtub (a3). Each grab bar should be at least 24” long and no more than 24” from the head end wall or 12” from the foot end wall. A grab bar 24” long should be provided on the foot end wall at the front edge of the bathtub. A grab bar 12” long should be provided on the head end wall at the front edge of the bathtub (a4). (ANSI 607.4.2)
The Kitchen Designer: Hello, this is Laurie. How may I help you?
Client: Oh Hello, before you come out to my house to take measurements, I have one other request for my kitchen design. At our first meeting you asked us if there was one primary cook or two and if we had any special needs we want you to take into consideration.
The Kitchen Designer: Yes?
Client: Well, yes, we thought about your question and realize we do have a family member that uses the kitchen quite frequently and we think we need to take his special needs into consideration.
The Kitchen Designer: Oh?
Client: Yes, you see we have a cat that won't drink from his bowl. He drinks from the kitchen faucet. Actually, our cat is very fond of water. The only problem we have with this is that he can't turn the faucet off when he's finished. We need you to help us with this. Can you specify a sensor into the faucet that will turn off when there is no motion?
The Kitchen Designer: Well... sensor faucets are on the market and they are becoming more popular...I would have to check specs to see how we could make this work...I suppose...can I get back to you with an answer?
Client: Sure, that would be fine. Here is a video we took of our cat, perhaps it would be easier if we could just show you what we mean. If you can just review this, and maybe if you can also show this around to your vendors to get the best deal, we want the faucet to be triggered by a sensor...our water bill is getting pretty high with the faucet on all day. Can you show us all the best possible options to help us out?
This is a hypothetical story, of course, using a very funny cat video submitted on line by Kim Tasky at You Tube. (She is neither a client nor the person in the above scenario.) I use this very amusing cat story to make a "tongue in cheek" point about a universal problem regarding the client-designer relationship.
The point is this: There are some clients working under the impression that Kitchen Designers should spend time on your project researching, sourcing, evaluating, planning the best possible options to incorporate a client's every last desire on the wish list before paying for services. There are no professions that work for free. So why do people expect to be dazzled with a design before paying for it? You can call a plumber for a service call and he will charge you $75.00 just for the trip charge before he pulls out his plumber's wrench.
You wouldn't call your attorney and ask him to review your lease agreement
without expecting a bill would you?
And you wouldn't tell your attorney "I want to see what ideas you can come up with first and then I will let you know if I will hire you."
Perry Mason
Kitchen Designers receive a myriad of special requests for a remodel project. Some details more complex then the next to specify and execute. And most every time, the client is on a deadline because they did not budget the time to allow for the design details to be fleshed out. All projects, no matter the size, require thought and research before recommendations can be made. Here in lies the problem. How do you value your designer's time?
How much free design do you think you are owed before paying a retainer?
Solving Design Problems: What is this service worth to you? There is a perception problem about what a design is worth to the client. Here is the issue Designers are continually facing: a prospective client has a design problem they want their Kitchen Designer to solve for them. Designers expect a prospective client to interview with two or three designers before making a final selection. Qualified designers expect to be interviewed and are able and ready to prove their qualifications to prospective clients. But ask a Designer to pull out the "dog and pony show" for you and you may get a polite response declining your request. Internally the dialogue going through that Designer's head may be something to the effect of "I have been doing this for 30 years, I don't need any more practice to prove I can design."
Ask a Kitchen Designer their opinion about "HGTV" type shows where three designers are trotted out for the client to compare three fully detailed designs and you will get very opinionated answers.
"Ideas are free but designs must be paid for." Laurie Burke
Home improvement shows have done a disservice to the design community and have built up unrealistic expectations for clients. You would be surprised to know that a majority of potential clients expect that several design options be presented in detail before paying a retainer to contract for design services. It happens at all ends of the spectrum from the high end client to the budget minded client.
A fully detailed dimensioned design plan with elevations and renderings, before a retainer is paid is just not a workable business model for designers as it involves time without money, and giving ideas away with the ‘hope’ of getting the business is just bad business.
Charles Schulz
Hiring your Kitchen Designer should be based on several factors, creativity being one if them. Secondly, the ability to complete projects in a timely manner and within budget. Third, the ability to communicate with you, your architect, your engineer, your GC or subs throughout the job as needed. Fourth, the ability to manage obstacles as they arise, and lastly the ability to see a project to it's completion.
Getting ready to remodel? I will point my readers in the direction of a "MUST READ" article posted by my friend Paul Anater of Kitchen and Residential Design about renovation expectations. I too have received the phone calls from clients who are in a state of panic over the tile going up, the color of the cabinets, the floor, the paint and so forth. Paul has made sane points, so with no further ado, I point you to Ready To Renovate? Take A Moment And Breathe First.
I highly recommend you print out these "10 Points of Reason " when you feel like you are going to loose your mind. Print it, post it where you can see it, your bathroom mirror, outside the plastic wall of your remodel zone, your check book.
Remind yourself that long after the remodel is over with, the dust and muss is gone, what remains is a beautiful space. And above all else, remind yourself to breathe! Thanks Paul!
So you have a small kitchen. Now what? What to do when expanding is not an option? Take a look at these two kitchens and look at the solutions these owners came up with. The first picture shows a small kitchen remodel without knocking down a wall.
Upper wall cabinets are gone. Open shelving to the left. Drama in the hood, wall pot rack accents stainless steel counters, warmth and appeal provided by the Boos Chopping Block, red stools and Black and White floor. Full length subway tile running bond behind the stove. Busy? Never. Charming? Of course!
This second kitchen below knocked down the partition wall. Brought to you via Funky Junk Interiors
Before: A typical isolated kitchen with dated details.
And the after... The partition wall was non load bearing and came down. The typical single kitchen window was replaced with three single hung windows providing a flood of light and making the space appear larger. Read all the details at Funky Junk Interiors. Here is a great use of unconventional materials: metal top on the island and laminate tops on the perimeter. Check out more photos at Funky Junk. Amazing transformation. Great job, on a small budget!
Style Notes on a Budget:
Paint Cabinets and remove the doors.
Use white tile. It is less expensive without adding deco inserts and liners. Subway tiles add authentic classic look.
Order cabinets with Recessed 1/4" panel doors to keep the cost down.
Order cabinets in Hickory, Oak or Alder to keep cost down.
If you have a small kitchen you are familiar with a big problem.
Lack of cabinet space.
Lack of counter space.
Lack of drawer space.
Spices are the odd men out in small kitchens and shoved around from here to there to make way for more storage. You've moved the spices to the drawer to gain glass or plate storage. You moved the spices out of the drawer and shoved them in the pantry to gain storage space for the utensils. Then you wind up with a spice spinner that takes up valuable real estate on the counter. Here is a great little solution for spices that frees up precious storage space needed for other kitchen essentials.
Try this set of 24 magnetic spice jars to fit on your fridge. Hexagonal shape fits together creating a spice-colored honeycomb pattern on your fridge. Strong neodymium magnets will keep jars from sliding. Caps are die stamped with spice names. Gold plastisol lids form an airtight lock, keeping spices fresh.
1.5 oz. jars accommodate more than enough spices. However, when you buy spices from the grocery store--they are often more than 1.5 oz, so be sure to buy the smaller containers or buy from a bulk store and save packaging! (Or, purchase the 4 oz. jars). Smaller amounts of spices stay fresher as they are replaced more often.
Buy just enough and never buy spices in "Restaurant Size" unless you are cooking in restaurant size quantities. Nothing ruins a meal quicker than old, stale spices.
Design Solutions: Don't want to clutter your refrigerator? Do you have wooden panels on your refrigerator with no magnetic space for attaching? Or are you just a die hard cook that would not dream of storing spices in natural light? Buy a magnetic/dry erase board that fits the inside of a wall cabinet door or pantry. Arrange the spices so they do not interfere with the fixed shelves in the cabinet or if your shelves adjust, raise or lower a shelf so that the spices clear when closing the door.
Ventura County, CA (October 18, 2009)- While the weather is "hot, hot, hot" in September, mark your calendars in October when balmy temperatures return that make living here in Southern California so desirable. A perfect time to attend the 4th Annual Tour of Kitchens to be held on Sunday, October 18, 2009- 10 am to 5 pm, organized by the local chapter of the National Kitchen and Bath Association. The Tour of Kitchens will be twice as fun in 2009 because we're going to double our territory. This year will be TWO tours- One in Santa Clarita Valley and the other in Ventura County.
So how does one experience a home tour? Ronni Fryman, Chairperson of this year’s tour advises, “I always like to gather my favorite pals into a carpool to make a day of it. We start at one house and work our way through each and every one – stopping for a nice lunch in the middle. We always have a vote at the end of the day for which home was our favorite, which one we could move right into and which had the most innovative features.” Other people may enjoy meeting the designers, artists and contractors who planned and built the projects. “I guarantee everyone will walk away with several new ideas that they will want to incorporate into their own homes.” Unlike reading a magazine for ideas, the best part about attending our tour is you will see architectural styles that are likely to be similar to your home.
The Tour of Kitchens’ projects may be reviewed on the NKBA-ccv website and tickets for the event may also be ordered online. Tickets are $20 for advance sales and $25 on the day of the tour. For more information, please go to www.NKBAccv.org.
About the National Kitchen & Bath Association The National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) is a non-profit trade association that has educated and led the kitchen and bath industry for more than 45 years. With over 40,000 members and growing, the NKBA owns the Kitchen/Bath Industry Show & Conference (K/BIS®). 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. For more information, visit www.NKBA.org
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Specs.
Great design if you are Michael Phelps, limber enough to move in and out of water like a fish. For those of us who are aging less than gracefully, planning a design with safety factors in mind is critical.
