Saturday musings: Paring down with Wabi Sabi.

Photos of simple, unadorned rooms I admire.



Photos from Apartment Therapy via Sköna Hem and Emmas Design Blogg: Unlike shabby chic, wabi-sabi decor inspires minimalism that focuses more on the people who live in the space than anything else.


The aesthetic of Wabi-Sabi is sometimes described as one of beauty that is "imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete" (according to Leonard Koren in his book Wabi-Sabi: for Artists, Designers, Poets and Philosophers).

The concept of finding beauty in "imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete" may be more true in today's economy than ever before. Look for beauty in found objects, your grandmother's antique hutch, a hotel letter box.

Read more...

Teo Jasmin

Teo Jasmin: for the largest choice of canvas prints and decorative cushions.
When your design calls for a bold splash of color or eclectic whimsy start your search with Teo Jasmin.







This next photo caught my eye, (enlarge the magnified image below). Using alternative methods: canvas print sandwiched between glass will make a bold and "splashy"statement to your otherwise plain backsplash. The kitchen backsplash shown below becomes a space for artwork. (although this photo looks to be just canvas-which I do not recommend for practical reasons). GFI Outlet locations can be cut into the glass or opt for a plug mold power strip located under cabinet can be used instead for an uninterrupted appearance. (Check your local code requirements first). I love glass backsplashes.

For more information on the canvas prints, contact TEO JASMIN.

Read more...

Inspiration: Thinking "Why Not?"

Inspiration from people and places keeps my creativity flowing. I design residential kitchen remodels for my clients. I know that for many of my clients that the design they entrust me with is the kitchen of their dreams. My goal is to get this for them.

Inspiration and keeping my ideas fresh comes from everywhere and everything. Weather it is as simple as taking a different road on my daily route, a weekend drive, a journey to a new city or as simple as reading about another designer's work, finding inspiration from multiple sources is as necessary to me as water.

Clodagh, a woman who was named after a waterway in Ireland, an award winning designer of international fame, with signature products inspired by nature, has tackled the world of fashion, architecture and design, and also has time to manage a burgeoning retail collection of lighting, fabric, carpets and decorative accessories. When you live by a life long motto of : "Why not?", anything is possible with that state of mind. Her story is amazing and inspirational.

If you admire and are inspired by the zen like and environmentally friendly qualities in design, then you will be inspired by Clodagh's signature "Four C's of contemporary design: contemplating, cleansing, clarifying, and creating everything from sensual bedrooms to spa-like baths in her new book, Your Home, Your Sanctuary , by Rizzoli.
Clodagh says, "What I like to hear most from my clients is, "We feel good here." I completely agree with her.

In a time where the news is so alarming, the best we can do is make our homes a peaceful and nourishing place. Turn off the news, turn to your loved ones instead. Our home should be a place of rest and tranquility, a way to recharge, calm and renew every morning and night.

Trend guru, Faith Popcorn coined the phrase in the 1990's, "cocooning", suggesting that modern people cocoon in their homes because work is busy, life is hectic, and the news tells us that it's dangerous to be anywhere but safely ensconced in our castle.

But the identifiable departure from the trend of cocooning from the last decade is the shift in thinking globally and acting locally. Clodagh states, "it's about making a better world". Giving back to the community is an important part of Clodagh's business. www.Clodaghcares.org. is a non-profit that pools donations for charitable organizations that provide education, health necessities, and other means of assistance to children around the globe.



On her website, ClodaghCares.org, you will find several very simple ways you can give globally by giving up a simple daily luxury we take for granted. Her website has a cause and effect chart with a donation reference amount and how your small financial contribution makes a difference in someone else's life. This excerpt from the web site can be found at: About Us.

Give up a couple of lattes and a muffin a month. $10.00 a month (appropriately channeled, and by that we mean put your bucks here) will bring miracles to children far away in distance, but close to the heart. Again, why?
The money you give will make a difference.

To you a mosquito net is something to drape romantically over the bedposts. Nice design. To a child in Africa, a mosquito net can literally be a lifesaver, guarding them as they sleep, from Malaria, the number 1 killer of children under 5.

What else will your ten bucks buy? A uniform, a requisite for school. For many, it's their only clothing. But it is more. Hope. Pride. Belonging. Opportunity. A road that leads beyond the village and into the world beyond, to become a valued member of the global community. Given education, given opportunity, one of these children might become an astronaut, or discover a cure for AIDS. Why not?

###

Read more...

Pillow Talk

Now that spring is before us, we look around our homes for a fresh approach.
Short on cash and big on ideas does not mean you are limited for a fresh look.

Human beings have an innate desire for change. We want to try out the newest restaurants, see the latest movies, we change our clothes to fit the season, we change our hairstyle to lift our spirits and remain current, why not freshen up our furnishings to welcome the new seasons?

Fresh flowers are temporary, paint is a weekend project, slipcovers are costly.
Pillows are the answer. Pillows are one of the few items you can count on that is easy on the budget and delightful in your space to bring in a fresh design statement. Pillows in the kitchen? Well, but of course!

Feel free to try something new. Do you have a banquette that could use a little more comfort? Add two or three toss pillows for cushy back support.

Has anyone been able to sit in a Ladder Back or Windsor chair and can say without wincing that they are comfortable for more than 15 minutes? A little back support goes a long way on a Sunday morning while reading The Sunday Times from cover to cover. I added a new toss pillow for my desk chair at home last month and love the extra comfort level and like looking at a cheerful new pattern. Will I keep that pillow forever? No! They are so inexpensive, I bought mine for under $20. I will toss when I am tired of the look and select another.

The pillows shown here are from a lovely web store called Pillow Decor. I am impressed with the multitude of colors, patterns and shapes. Great store. Have a visit and see for yourself.
Cheers!

Read more...

Go ahead, Write on the Walls

I came across the product that can have some kitchen applications too. Cover a pantry door panel. Cover the side of a wall cabinet, add to a plain painted backsplash.

Write a grocery list, write a message, let your kids draw their art.

Each kit contains 4, 19”x24½” chalkboard panels that can be used separately or combined for a large 38”x38” chalkboard writing surface.

For more information contact Wall Candy Arts.

Read more...

Practicality of Concrete

The floor shown on the left was my inspiration color.
In the last showroom I designed, I used the concrete slab as the finished floor. We didn't have a big budget for wood or stone tile floors, so we thought we would work with what we had, concrete. Even then, we found out that concrete could be expensive if you go the route of an overlay, a stamped pattern or a highly polished mirrored like finish. We went for economical route by resurfacing and adding a stain to the existing surface.

We received so many complements on the floor that I laugh when I remember the trauma involved.

Everyone who stopped in wanted to know how we achieved that color. It was an acid wash base of terra cotta and verdigris and it turned out fabulous. But fabulous is never easy.

We wound up doing it ourselves, or rather our GC was brought in to fix it. It was a lot of trial and error. At first, we got 2-3 quotes from different concrete sub contractors to do the work. I was ready to hire one company who's references checked out great. Then, the first contractor who's original bid was higher than all the others came back, made us an offer to reduce the price as long as we let him use the showroom floor to advertise his work. That sounded fine. If he wanted to bring his clients to our showroom to look at his work, why not?

What do they say about a deal to good to be true? You know what comes next. We gave him the deposit, he sands the floors, and then we never saw him again. He gave us every excuse in the book why he couldn't come back to finish the job. We waited as patiently as we could, but it was costing us thousands due to his delaying the work. We were on a deadline to open the store and we couldn't wait for him to come back and finish the work himself. Our general contractor Julion, came through like a champ, learned how to stain the concrete out of necessity to get the job done quickly.

The old floor was carpet and it had a lot of glue residue that had to be sanded off. What came next was a black base. It looked like asphalt and I was really nervous I had made a huge mistake. My heart was in my throat for two days until I saw the transformation take place. The chemical stain was applied in two colors in layers to achieve the coppery worn patina of the floor you see in these pictures. How they did it exactly, I don't know. We rented a sanding machine and a buffing machine, a lot of mops and rags and got it done! The only maintence required is mopping the floor and an annual maintenance job to keep it buffed to a semi polished state. Concrete Network is a good place to start for more information.
Click here for information on the type of floor we installed. Stained Concrete: The Art of Acid Etching Staining concrete is one of the most popular applications for transforming concrete slabs. Often referred to as colored concrete, homeowners, designers and builders are drawn to stained concrete because of the unique outcome that can be achieved combining colors, application techniques, etc., on cement flooring and other substrates. The results are limited only by the creativity of those involved in the stained concrete process.

Read more...

Jot Dry- Erase Refrigerator

Amana has introduced a new refrigerator with a Dry Erase surface.
From jotting down a grocery list to family reminders, the Jot Dry-Erase Refrigerator lets you express yourself anyway you like, as often as you want. Just jot it down. Erase and repeat.

Read more...

Is there humor in recycling? You bet cha!

These book shelves are made from real books and salvaged lumber. So clever and humorous!


This is hands down my favorite quirkiest bookshelf ever. In design, as in life, no one should take themselves too seriously. This bookshelf does it for me.

Great gift idea for a loved one too.
Do you have a bookshelf idea? Artist Jim Rosenau, will make custom shelves on any theme. You can begin with just one book or simply an idea you provide. For more information please visit the website This Into That.com

Read more...

Where are my Keys?!*!

We have all been there. The frantic last minute rush out the door. You were supposed to leave the house five minutes ago, and then the realization sets in...the keys, where are they, phone...argh. Here is an idea to love.

File this under good ideas.

You packed her lunch last night, put her shoes and backpack by the door, and you were just about to get your 2nd grader to school on time for the second day in a row when you realized you might have to call a cab because your car keys had vanished into thin air.

Avoid the frustration of missing keys, lost cell phones and forgotten lists with the sturdy, canvas Doorganizer. Hang it on the front door to keep your keys, sunglasses and shopping list nearly impossible to miss, and hang one on your office door to keep your PDA and mobile phone in easy reach. A strip on the back can hold paperwork, notepads and mail.

They’re also great for keeping kids organized. Hang one from the bedroom door to keep handheld toys, music players and homework right where they can find them.
Buy online at See Jane Work

Read more...

TAKEOUT MENU ORGANIZER

Yes, I do admit it, I do not want to cook every night of the week. Some nights I want someone else to cook for me. My take out menu's clipped to the side of the fridge is not really the best system. I grab one from the clip and the lot slips out all over the kitchen floor. It is getting a little out of hand. I banished my junk drawer, so I refuse to start shoving the menus in the drawer anymore, the manila folder concept was just as messy.

I found a menu organizer at last that I think deserves a spot in my kitchen.

Yes, I could get a generic binder and be done with it, but this is so much more stylish and fun.

Now I have a quick and easy way to reference my favorite dish, Pad Kee Mao at White Elephant Thai and remember to tell them "hold the chili" as well as my others family members favorite dishes.

The bestselling Takeout Menu Organizer proudly acknowledges the fact that most of us don’t cook every night (or any night). Like a modern-day recipe box, the Menu Organizer neatly unites everything necessary to feed oneself via telephone or Internet. The perfect hostess, housewarming, or party gift—and a great self-purchase—the Menu Organizer is an essential tool of the contemporary kitchen.

For more information, order on line from Knock Knock

Read more...

Endo Magnets Clips

No kitchen should be without a good magnet clip. You will love these. They hold up to 20 pages. A certifiable neat freak, I take all my coupons and important clippings and hide the them on the side of my refrigerator, to keep the paper chaos contained. I love these! Endo Magnet Clips

Read more...

A Little Rough Around the Edges

I came across this photo at Design Sponge and stopped to inspect it closely.
I think it is a charming photo giving us a glimpse of a small kitchen space done very inexpensively but "oh so cute" in the details. So you don't have a ton of money to redo your space? With a little innovation you can turn anything into charming with a little "do-it-your-self work" that costs barely anything.
What works:

1. The cinder block wall is painted a dark chocolate brown that sets off the white cabinets. Hides flaws, your eye won't focus there but on the cute collections on the shelf.
   
2. They painted the exposed electrical conduit the same color as the walls. Great way of hiding flaws.
   
3. Open stainless steel shelves with white plates works great as a inexpensive alternative to cabinets. Keeps the space from being weighed down with top heavy cabinets that make a space look smaller.
   
4. No doors on the white cabinet. If cabinet doors are ugly, take them off. A fresh coat of paint hides all sins.
   
5. Wall mounted utensil holder serves two purposes, additional storage space + it hides the coldness of the cinderblock wall.
   
6. It's edited. Bowls, cups, plates, glasses are shown as bare minimum. Only one small appliance on the counter. Buying too much and having it all hang out creates chaos.
   
7. Left of the sink, The counter is tiled in an interesting tile pattern. The cabinet doors are removed there as well, and a black and white fabric installed in place.
   
8. The stainless steel sink and counter look prefab with a very inexpensive faucet but still looks tre' chic because the homeowner designed the space with a great color combination. This is black and white at it's finest on a tight budget! My only idea would be to change the knobs on the cabinet to a stainless pull or a little larger white knob.
   

This kitchen is located in a Brownstone in Brooklyn. Samira Gagne, lives here with her husband Kapono Chung. Read more on what else they did in this space. They really did a fine job with "found objects", infusing their own creativity in the space. Creative! What a happy space!

Read more...

A Blast From the Past

Color Me Retro!
Studying kitchens from previous eras is fascinating to me. You are going to love this! To know where we are going, we need to look back from where we came.
Thank you KBB for bringing out photos from your archives documenting trends from past eras. I have been saving my comments on the latest trends I spotted at the Kitchen and Bath Show 2007. And what a better way to comment on trends for 2007, juxtaposed with trends of the 1950's. Have we come that far? When does a trend stop being trendy and become a classic? How can we embrace trends without dating a kitchen?

What is trendy today really has it's roots linked to our past. Take a look.
Enjoy!

Pink and Blue, Oh Boy! After WWII, many bright colors were popular, as shown by this all-pink kitchen on the June 1956 cover.

Circa 2007: Pink has a new connotation. Pink is no longer a feminine color. It's in men's ties and shirts. Pink has graduated to a color for a cause. A sign of solidarity. A color that shows you are "in the pink" to support a cause. "Cook for a Cure". Caring cooks can show their support for the breast cancer movement in style. This pink mixer is called "Komen Pink".
When you purchase this pink Artisan mixer, KitchenAid will donate $50 to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation as part of their Cook for the Cure® initiative.

For the color committed: A Pink Modern Day Kitchen featured in Martha Stewart Magazine. Trendy? Most decidedly so.
For those who are a little color shy: keep the color in a drawer: pink spatulas. Trends that are allowed to wear out, allowing us not to feel bad at replacing them.

Consumers have a need for color in their kitchen. We respond to colors. Why else would Kitchen Aid produce 6 different shades of Mixers? Target (Or as it has been nicknamed "Tar-jay") allows internet shoppers to shop by color.
We are color obsessed.
But can we take our love of color to large ticket appliances and cabinets? Target internet ad: "Shop By Color".


Are you ready for blue?
Dacor introduces Blue in its line up for 2007.
Also available from Dacor: I wonder why Blue is the color appliance manufacturers are moving towards? Blue is a calming color and generally not a color to get your appetite charged. But it's everywhere in appliances. It's in the Blue Knob of Thermador ovens, inside ovens, appliances in all shades of blue. Blue is our country's favorite color. Blue is timeless.

Modern Day equivalent: Mix and match gives a nod to the 50's. This is a happy lunch room, isn't it? Makes me wanna be-bop around the kitchen, dancin' in my socks while blending a banana shake. Cool surfboard shape table. Popsicle shades of lime and cherry on the barstools. Surf Green Walls. Horizon Blue Appliances. The mix and match colors are the epitome of Pop Art. Appliances from Big Chill. Check out Fresh Produce Sportswear's headquarters! www.fpcolor.com Bigchillfridge

1955 Chevrolet Bel-Air in Horizon Blue. Did the appliance industry get their cue form the auto industry? Hmm.


This RCA Whirlpool ad demonstrates mixing and matching cabinetry has long been a design element in kitchens.


Modern Day Equivalent: Mix and Match: ah-hem. Not for the faint of heart! Thank God the counters are white. I would need to hold on them to get my equilibrium back after staring at that psychedelic wall.
This Designer Showhouse Kitchen, 2005, designed by Alison Spear is a mix and match of vivid lemon and lime colors shown for cabinets matching tile. Where else but in Miami. Mix and Match still a trend.

Hats off to Valcucine for mix and match with an eco-friendly twist.
Valcucine exhibits red, white and blue in fashion and forward thinking design with respect to using environmentally friendly design. The 100% aluminum frame can be completely recycled.
Hey! Where did the appliances go? Who wants to see them if you can hide them!

On the other hand, emphasizing just one color was also very common.

Modern Day Equivalent: Blue Kitchen by Snaidero.
Even if you are not ready for a blue kitchen, blue is ready for you, or aubergine, or heather...

BOLD BLUE
Lapis Blue Range by Bertazzoni

For every Action there is a Reaction.

Some people think color only means BRIGHT color. But it doesn’t necessarily have to be bright. One of my eight palettes for 2007 is going to have very soft colors, which are coming back into play. Consumers say, ’All right, I have my red toaster, now I have to do something quieter.’ Lee Eiseman, internationally renowned color and design expert, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute and director of the Eiseman Center for Color Information and Training. Full article at 2007 Color Trends for the Home

SUBTLE BLUE
La Cornue CornuFé range in Lavender Blue.

An AGA Cooker in Wedgewood Blue.
If you would rather color your cooker Aubergine or Pistachio or Jade or Heatherand so on. AGA provides a rainbow of color options.

Also not to be outdone with new softer colors: Caesarstone has introduced new rich colors that have been muted down a bit. I love the new color: Mulberry Mist.
And Espresso and Pebble.
Only four percent of households had a dishwasher, at the time the ultimate luxury item, in 1956.

Modern day equivalent: It is not uncommon for kitchens to have two dishwashers.

Also not such a new idea: the higher dishwasher placement reduces bending and lifting and is a key feature in a universal design kitchen.

Also the retro style ovens of the 50's are making their way back to our kitchens today, but they are supercharged with 21st century technology. Turbo Chef has a retro style oven with all the technology a modern oven can offer.
Is the influx of color in appliances a reaction of the public tiring of stainless steel? Maybe so. But even so, stainless steel is still the de rigueur in kitchens and will not be making a departure any time soon. Even if Stainless Steel doesn't appeal to everybody, I am glad to see so many options in color. Rich Blue, Antique Red, and more daring colors can be quite exciting in kitchen design.

The Big Chill refrigerator in Classic White. The absence of color in appliances and cabinets, lets the room become a neutral backdrop for colorful collections and artwork to become the prime focus. Color comes to life in bowls, plates, kitchen accessories, small appliances, flooring, counters. A good argument for white is that it is neutral and looks absolutely fabulous with any color scheme.
While a bright cherry red refrigerator becomes the rock star of this blend of wood and stainless. Eclectic Pop!

The kitchen is the destination place. After work, after school, after a night on the town. What ever your take on color for your kitchen, make color in your kitchen work for you.

Read more...