Kitchens and Baths in Hotel Residences

More on the lawsuit of the ugly kitchen: I must tell you that I am intrigued. Since I cannot bring you photos (yet) of the Ikea Kitchen that has become the center of a lawsuit at the Gramercy Park Hotel, whereby an Icelandic couple is being sued for putting IKEA kitchen cabinets in their swank co-op located at 50 Gramercy Park North I decided to take you on a photo tour of hotel bathrooms that were voted best hotel bathrooms by Oyster Hotel Reviews.  Tacky or Tasteful: You decide.

The Loft Room at the Gramercy Park Hotel, New York City

The bathroom vanity area, decorated in black marble, dark wood and retro 70's accent lighting. An ode to Studio 54 perhaps? Careful with that first step into the shower. I think I may get a headache looking at those lamps. Rates: $389.00 per night

Gramercy Park Hotel

Did somebody say luxury? I don't care how luxurious the toiletries are with their ginger infused soy milk shampoo and shea rice-milk conditioner. Note to traveler, bring flip flops to use in shower. I would not want to put my bare feet on this shower floor. 

Affinia Shelburne Hotel

There is nothing really spectacular here other than the vanity looking clean and updated. Good lighting. If it weren't for the backlit round mirror and magnifying mirror, this bathroom ranks as an average updated bath. 

Rates: $256.00 per night

Bathroom at The Deluxe Room, The Peninsula,  Beverly Hills

Better. An older suite, classic lines. Lighting is good. But wait...is that a mirror in the shower??? Good heavens, ugly bodies need not book this room unless you don't mind being confronted with your own nakedness in the mirror while showering.
Rates: $506.00 per night. 

Good to see they have a separate room for the loo. But wait...is that a phone right above the TP holder? If ever you want to call me from the loo, I will put you on hold. Indefinitely.

Clean shower. Flip flops not required. 

Rate: $506 per night. 

Note: Oyster.com has to say that the Peninsula is "One of the best hotels -- if not the best hotel -- in the entire L.A. area, much less Beverly Hills, the Peninsula bills itself, accurately, as an "exclusive oasis."

 

Bathroom in the Deluxe Double Room at the Mandarin Oriental, New York

This is a jazzy bathroom space. Flat screen tv. Big walk in shower with multiple shower heads. Rain head, body jets, hand-held shower. A little small, but young, fresh & swanky.

Bathroom in the Deluxe Double Room at the Mandarin Oriental, New York

Rates: $710.00 per night

 

The Plaza  Midtown East, New York City

The Plaza's bathrooms have enough space for twin 24-karat-gold-plated sinks and a partitioned-off toilet with its own window.

 A full-size soaking tub and shower have intricate mosaic walls, and the thick Mascioni Turkish cotton towels and robes (available in both adult's and children's sizes) don't disappoint. Do you feel pretty? 
Rates: $677 per night.

Bryant Park Hotel  Midtown West, New York City

This bathroom has the edge. Outfitted in a combination of white and tan marble, with a minimalist rectangular sink, a large soaking tub, and a wonderful rainfall showerhead.
Rates: $300 per night. 

Trump International Hotel And Tower  Upper West Side, New York City

Red marble and gold fixtures. Tasteless. This is when less would have been more.   Rates: $556.00 per night

 

The Alex Hotel  Midtown East, New York City

Jail Cell or Bathroom. If it wasn't for the LCD TV, I wouldn't have known the difference. 

The Standard New York  West Village, New York City

Oh no you didn't...separate the tub/shower with a clear pane glass window from the seating area.

A voyeurs delight. Rates: $322 per night.     

The Standard New York  West Village, New York City

Freestanding tub in the middle of the room. The views of the Hudson are the thing. 

Rates: $322 per night.  

Photo below from 101 hotel, a boutique hotel, situated in the heart of Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland.  The owners of the hotel,  Designer Ingibjörg S. Pálmadottir and Jon Asgeir Johannesson are the same couple who are at the center of the lawsuit for installing an “ugly” IKEA kitchen in their Gramercy Park apartment..

Double Room, 101 Hotel, Reykjavik  

Eclectic mix of materials. Claw foot tub and Modern furnishings.  A little cluttered and lived in looking for a hotel room.

Standard Room. 101 Hotel, Reykjavik, Iceland.  

 This room is bright and has warmth to it. Good mix of materials. 

101 Hotel, Reykjavik, Iceland.  

Nordic coolness. Modern, light, fresh. 

Young. Daring. Fun. 

What's wrong with this? Is there any Ikea in here?

 

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More Shower Power

Think “going green” always means sacrificing comfort? Think again. JACLO’s exclusive line of low-flow showerheads and handshowers save water and energy without compromising performance. Their secret? An innovative low-flow regulator, as opposed to restrictors, that keeps the pressure and flow of the water strong. The technology lowers the average rate of gallons-per-minute from 2.5 down to an impressive 1.75 – nothing to sneeze at when you consider the average household uses over 22,000 gallons of water per year in showers.

And if you don’t want to sacrifice aesthetics for ecology, JACLO’s low-flow technology is available in over 30 showerhead and handshower models in styles ranging from traditional to contemporary. The regulator also works with all available shower sprays and strengths – full rain, massage, full rain massage, Nebulizing mist^®, and Nebulizing mist full rain. Turns out less really is more.

JACLO^®, an industry leader since 1961, is the leading manufacturer of decorative plumbing products and advanced shower solutions. They continue to inundate the market with highly-stylized shower systems, faucets and decorative accessories that marry steadfast durability with seamless style. Available at over 2,500 dealers nationwide, JACLO’s products create luxurious fully-coordinated bath suites that exude the finishing touch. Implemented in numerous high-end hotels and residences across the country, their product lines provide a superior experience that enhances daily rituals and defines elegant living. Given their wide range of product and dedication to detail, the company is well-equipped to meet the needs and growing demands of its customers with unparalleled efficiency.
Visit JACLO on the web at www.jaclo.com.

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I have a new found appreciation for Plumbers and the rates they charge.

I hope everyone had a lovely Thanksgiving weekend! Long weekends are so wonderful, it's like getting a little mini vacation.

Today, I helped my brother ( I read the instructions) install a new Pilar Touch 2O kitchen faucet by Delta. I'll blog more about this week with tips and comments. Bottom line: We love it! It's terrific. Look ma, no more chicken hands on the faucet.

We got it in and it works great, but I certainly see why plumbers get paid the big bucks. It's not just the process of installing a new item, it's dealing with cruddy old parts, rusted angle stops and other detritus that they are prepared to deal with that a novice is not. So anyhow, it's a beautiful thing to complete a project from start to finish even though it took us all day while a plumber would have done it within a couple of hours.

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Lead times: How soon do you need it?

There are times when I scratch my head in disbelief when do-it yourself remodeling types do not plan out the project details. Here is my "fly-on-the-wall" experience with a moral at the end of the story.

This weekend I was in a plumbing store with a client, helping with her plumbing selections for an upcoming project. What happened next placed me in a suspended state of disbelief.

A lovely woman walked into the store and explained she needed a lavatory sink and faucet and another faucet for the kitchen. Nothing too unusual about that.
The sales person proceeded to ask the customer the usual questions:
S: Are you looking for a self-rimming sink or under-mount?
C: Self-rimming.

S: Ok. Do you have a preference for wide-spread faucet or single faucet mounted on the deck of the sink or on the counter?" Do you know what your new counter surface will be yet?

C: New granite top. White self-rimming sink. Single hole faucet style mounted on the sink

S: Ok, great we have several options we can look at."

S: Next, is this for new cabinetry or are you replacing an existing sink and counter and keeping the cabinets?

C: Existing.

S: Alright, do you know what are the existing sink dimensions?

S: "'What's that? your existing cabinet is 15 1/2" front to back?" What's that? Oh, It's for your boat?
Oh, I see. Hmm, would you mind if I made a suggestion for an undermount with the single faucet mounted on the rear left or right and not centered. Or we could look at some stainless steel bar sinks that could work. Self rimming sinks with a faucet mounted on the porcelain are just not made that small. We can check the catalogs, but I am pretty sure it is a tall order to fill, I can think of two or three small sinks that may work.

C: No, no, we have that style now, and I really don't like it at all. I really want to change the style.

S: "How soon do you need it?"

C: "I am running out of time, I have the granite fabricator coming this Monday and need to get this done today."

When the customer said she needed it by Monday, the salesperson could have been a deer struck in headlights. That was Saturday with a customer looking for a specialty item she could take with her or have by Monday.


There was a line of people needing help and this customer insisted on going through all the catalogs to prove to herself that the salesperson indeed did not have a sink in stock that met her requirements.

Ideally, when planning a remodel, the cardinal rule is to plan in advance to have all the components on site or in stock ready to ship to you.

Lead times: Not all plumbing stores stock inventory. The specialty plumbing stores carry thousands of models from the plumbing manufacturers they buy from and most will have a lead time from as short as two weeks and as long as 6 weeks for special order items. Chances are, unless you walk into a big box store with product on the shelf ready to buy, there is little chance you will be able to walk away with it the same day.

Check ahead: Not all competing stores carry the same stock. One store may stock Kohler and another down the street may stock Grohe. Call in advance, save yourself the aggravation and wasting gas and time driving all over town. Ask the store manager or head of the dept. what brands they stock or that you can get within the week. Sales people should be able to help you over the phone with these basic questions. Check with your plumber where he buys from. Industry insiders are the best people to ask.

Getting the best service: Don't abuse a salesperson's time on the phone. Yes, that's right. To get the best service and best price keep your questions over the phone, simple and direct. Most will not be able to quote prices, but will be able to take care of your general questions. Ask your salesperson what's the best time to come in. They want your business, but if you need more handholding in product selection and need to look at every catalog and get a price on multiple styles, showing up during prime time hours means they have to hustle to take care of several customers and cannot focus on you alone. Most salespeople are knowledgeable and want to help. If you find yourself in a busy showroom, write down model #'s. Tell the salesperson you are working on a large project and have several things you need to order. Ask if they can fax or email a quote back to you. If you are willing to be flexible, you can get a lot more in the way of service and probably a better price.

Unfortunately, waiting till the final hour before the plumber arrives, can lead to some very unhappy compromises in your selections.

Better idea yet, if your request is for the unusual and your taste is very selective, your best value is hiring a designer to begin with. A designer has the capability of sourcing out custom features and will be able to recommend the best showrooms to find product. In addition, a designer may be able to recommend a much more efficient floor plan, so that you are not at the mercy of unusual dimensions.

There was more delays in her selection process. Most all the faucets had a red and blue dot indicating hot and cold and she needed one that did not have that. A few more customers came and went, not able to stick it out waiting for service. While the salesperson, (poor chap- he did the best he could in the limited amount of time he had), went off to assist another customer, I felt a little sorry for this lady's predicament. I whispered quietly to the lady looking for the unusual sink, "that is a very uncommon sink, have you tried a specialty plumbing supplier that carries sinks for marine and rv equipment?"

Answer: "Oh, I didn't think of that! I had no idea it would be so difficult."

Moral of the story: When you fail to plan, plan to fail.

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Enviro Tip of the Month

Did you know that over 1 trillion gallons of water leaks from US homes each year? A constantly running toilet can waste more than 200 gallons of water every day.
Here is a great little video on How to Stop a Toilet From Running. You can watch more videos and get more tips from Ehow.com.

How to Stop a Toilet From Running -- powered by eHow.com
For more tips to be water wise contact http://www.epa.gov/watersense/fixaleak/howto.htm

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Can I add a garbage disposal to my farmhouse sink?

Over at The Daily Tubber they are discussing garbage disposals. Ok, so who really wants to talk about garbage disposals you may ask? But the truth of the matter is that the garbage disposal plays a large part in convenience and practicality in the kitchen.

I had a client call me saying the sink was vibrating something awful every time she used the garbage disposal in her stainless steel sink. Garbage disposals come in varying horse powers. Most households can get by just fine with 1/2 or 3/4 horse power. Could a heavy duty garbage disposal be too powerful for your sink? The torque of a powerful disposal can loosen the clamps that hold the sink in place. Check with your plumbing store and your plumber to make sure your garbage disposal will be compatible with your sink.

In the case of the vibrating sink, it turns out that the clamps that holds the sink in place came loose due to a garbage disposal that was too powerful and not compatible with her sink. She was able to replace the garbage disposal for another and has not had a problem since. Purchasing a garbage disposal based on highest price or the most horsepower is not the best way to judge it's value or compatibility with your sink.

Another cautionary note with garbage disposals is not to rush the job. Installing an under mount sink, granite tops and hooking up the plumbing all in the same day is a recipe for problems later. If it is done all in one day, chances are the weight of a heavy disposal will pull the sink away from the counter top eventually. The epoxy that bonds the sink needs to set for at least a day before the plumber comes in to hook up the garbage disposal and fixtures.

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A trip to Appliance Notes: Hank Goes Tankless

A thanks to Peggy Deras at Appliance Notes for highlighting the article Smarter Hot Water: The Big Switch- from Tank to Tankless. A good article for anyone thinking about replacing their old hot water heater.

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When Pipes Burst: Repairing the Damage

Water, a great refresher when thirsty, not so great when it comes from a busted pipe inside your home.

I experienced this in my own rental home several years ago. After midnight I awoke from a deep sleep to the sound of a loud clap and the rushing sound of water. In a haze of sleep, one is not sure if this caused by gunfire, earthquake, or a pissed off rattler snake about to strike back. Running though my hall looking for the rushing noise, I plunged into the spongy soaking wet carpet in front of the bathroom door. I threw open the bathroom door, hit the lights and saw the vanity doors flung open and water shooting straight at my legs from a busted supply line under the sink.


I grabbed for the angle stops to turn them off to stop the flood of water. They were PAINTED over years ago and so stiff they would not turn off. The water flowing at over a gallon a minute, I cursed the landlord for not replacing them, and darted outside to turn the water off at the main in front of my house. Reaching through the dark and thick shrubs, feet planted in the mud and hoping I don't tough a spider or slugs, I forced the water line OFF to stop the flood inside my house. Inside I had an inch of water on the bathroom floor and extended 4 feet into the hallway. I grabbed every single towel and soaked up the mess as quick as possible. The last thing you want to happen in case of a flood, is let water sit for a long time. Afterwards I photographed the damage and called in the landlord for repair.

Inconvenient as it was to happen in the middle of the night, I was happy that I was home to catch the damage immediately. It could have been a total disaster if I was away at work all day or on vacation. Water wears away mountains!

1. The first step after water damage is clean up. Photograph the damage and get the water out as quick as possible. Be sure to take photographs of everything you can. Watermarks on walls, toe boards, carpet, the source of the water damage. Start drying out the area. Lift back carpets, move furniture and appliances out of the way. The drying out time is crucial.Scrub and disinfect while drying out. You do not want mold to take hold in damp areas.
2. Inform your insurance company. Report the damage as soon as possible. However, if you think that you won the insurance lottery and are planning your dream kitchen with the money the insurance company will pay out, think again. Older kitchens, 15 year old and older, expect your policy to adjust downwards for wear and tear. The replacement cost will not cover the current market cost of a kitchen remodel. Insurance companies will be more inclined to pay for the repair of cabinets rather than replacing a kitchen in total if the water damage is limited to a portion of the cabinetry.
   
3. The process of the repair/ replacement work. Typically an insurance company will send in a contractor that specializes in water damage to assess and quote the repair job. In the case of a water leak caused from corroded pipes, undetected within the walls for months, the probability of mold growth within the walls is high. Testing for mold is the next step. Drywall is cutaway and samples are sent back to the lab for testing. The damaged area is sealed with plastic to prevent possible mold spores from spreading.
   
   • Option 1: The homeowner may agree to the repair of the existing cabinets and get on with the work as quick as possible with the insurance company paying for the repair of the damage. This may or may not involve all the cabinets depending on the extent of the damage. In my experience most insurance claims involve only a portion of the kitchen, primarily at the kitchen sink or at an ice maker line behind the refrigerator. A repair involves the dismantling of the damaged cabinets and sending off to a cabinet shop to be rebuilt. The insurance company may have the rest of your cabinets refinished to match but I have yet to see a claim that covered the cost of an entire kitchen remodel. In the water damaged areas, drywall will be pulled of the walls, plastic barriers will be raised in the damaged rooms and the mold remediation specialists will be called in to test and remove the mold. Blowers/dryers and dehumidifiers will be brought in to dry out the room completely. This is encapsulated within the damaged area with plastic temporary walls.
     
   • Option 2: The homeowner may opt to replace the entire kitchen at owners expense. The insurance reimbursement will cover the water damage areas covered under the terms of the claim and beyond this, the homeowner will be responsible for covering the rest.
     
4. Preventive maintenance tips:
   
   • Check connections.
     
     • Angle stops located inside sink bases in the kitchen, bathrooms and laundry room should be replaced if rusted or painted shut. Check the hoses for wear and tear. Braided hoses are excellent replacement options.
       
     • Ice maker lines: make sure galvanized connections are not hooked into copper lines. Corroded lines result causing pin prick leaks that can go on for years in the walls before detection.
       
     • Telling signs of a greater problem: rusted water coming out of the ice maker. If you have corroded pipes, you also have a leak.
       
     • Check the water filter connection lines inside your sink base. The small 1/4" plastic hoses that connect to your water filter can pop loose from the connection and water will leak continually out into your sink base, floors and adjacent cabinets until you detect the leak.
       
     • Tile the sink base. A leak under the kitchen sink is the primary source of water damage in a kitchen. Tiling a sink base is a preventive measure to keep the cabinet floor from getting damaged.
       
     • Do you hear a drip? Don't ignore the sound of water running.
       

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When shiny and bright will not do

Here is wonderful picture of a very old and original German silver sink. The homeowner was able to preserve the original sink from the butler's pantry.

The homeowners were updating a 100 year plus home in Maine. It is quite an accomplishment when you can remodel by adding modern day conveniences and still maintain the character of the home. For the full article please see House Beautiful online article, Kitchen of the Month.

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Beautiful sinks

More beautiful kitchen sinks.

Enjoy!

What strikes me the most about this sink and counter is the rustic appeal of the concrete against the glossy cast iron sink. A mix of materials-Beautiful.

The concrete countertops were cast in place and finished with an acrylic sealer and a special wax. To maintain the patina, they're rewaxed about every two months.

As seen in House Beautiful.

French country style with the farmhouse sink is the cleanup and storage area, where dishes are kept. House Beautiful.

Ann Sacks's Zeus sink with an antique copper patina is paired with Kohler's Vinnata faucet in Vibrant Brazen Bronze. From House Beautiful. Click here.

Bucks County Soapstone makes the old-fashioned farmhouse sink with a canted front and a little dip in the rim, as if it had worn down over the years. Perrin & Rowe faucet for Rohl.

Franke's Manor House apron-front sink in stainless steel puts an industrial spin on the country look. As seen in House Beautiful.

A duo with creative details. The Farmhouse sinks and Julia faucets are from Waterworks. The counter top is made of two 3/4 inch slabs of Calacatta Oro marble put together, for extra thickness, then topped with a third layer in back. As seen in House Beautiful.

French Country in Darien, Connecticut. Click here for House Beautiful article.

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Pot Fillers

A reader asks: could you please discuss what to put behind a range--pot filler versus shelf, or can anyone have it all?

What is the most important item in a kitchen? Water! I have a real penchant for convincing clients to add a second sink in a kitchen. During the preparation of a meal, the main sink needs to be dedicated to clean up chores. It gets mighty challenging to fill pots, wash vegetables, drain pasta when you have only one sink and it is occupied. Adding a second water source is a luxury to a kitchen, but one item on my checklist I would ask for when planning a new kitchen.

Another handy water source in a kitchen is a pot filler. It can be a dangerous proposition taking a hot stock pot full of water over to the main sink if its full of dirty dishes. If I had my option to install a pot filler or a second sink, I would take the second sink over a pot filler in a second. I prefer having a second sink close to my range for preparing food, rinsing vegetables, draining hot water from the pasta pot and leaving the main sink for clean up. But pot fillers are a bonus to splurge on and handy unto themselves. There are drawbacks too, so plan carefully.

The question is where do you locate a wall mount pot filler?
Considerations:

1. What are the heights of your largest stock pots?
2. With a range top, consider that the grates will raise the pot up even further.
3. Will your range have a stainless shelf attached at the back?
   
4. Watch clearances of the folding elbow of the pot filler. There are two heights to a pot filler. The height of the spout is higher than the part coming out of the wall.
5. Locate the pot filler off center to accommodate the swing.
6. Make sure the water pressure is adequate to fill a pot of water.
7. Consider a Deck Mount Pot Filler as an alternative.
   

Kohler HiRise Kitchen Faucet. Notice the second sink next to the cook top. Ideal set up!

Everpure Pot Filler brings hi-flow filtered water to you right at the cooktop.

Wall mount pot filler off set for stainless shelf.

Kohler Pro Sink: The best of both. Never have to drain a hot pot of water again!

For more information visit the following link.
Kohler Pro Sinks

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