Mr. Steam Steam Bath - For Health & Wellness

Mr. Steam's steam generating products for the shower, unbeknownst to me until last month, have powerful, and seemingly magical qualities that can actually add a positive dimension to your life. Sounds like ad-speak, right?

I'm a typical stressed New Yorker-type, as I sit in front of my 3 monitors in my home office, all of which I use (and could really use a fourth), travel frequently and juggle too many balls. Yet, I'm also at an age, 59, where I understand the importance of relaxation and have the luxury of relaxing when I wish to - putting my feet up, having a glass of wine, things like that.

In our other house we moved from nearly 5 years ago, my husband and I had a hot tub. We used it quite a bit over the years. It required constant maintenance, required setting aside time for my husband and I to use it (neither of us used it alone for some reason) required appropriate clothing to walk outside, shower after, and we could only use it about 6 months during the year because it was best suited for use in cold weather. Nonetheless, we loved it - it was so relaxing.

My world changed when I experienced a steam shower last month! But first, a little note:

Mr. Steam is one of the sponsors of BlogTourLA, presented by Modenus, which makes it possible for designers to greatly broaden our horizons in regard to design and culture in the city we travel to. In exchange for this incredible opportunity, we are asked to write about the sponsors and it stops there. Opinions are completely my own.

So, I had my first steam shower last month, as part of BlogTourLA and here's what changed for me: it was a similar feeling of complete and utter relaxation as the hot tub. I instinctively closed my eyes, became used to breathing in a steam environment, and found my muscles relaxing little by little. Ultimately, I felt this "new" sort of feeling which is hard to describe.

It was a relaxed feeling, yes, but more than that, it was an entire body, mind, and soul experience which organically blocked out everything else that was happening in my life at that moment, which encouraged a state of quiet bliss - those are the words that come to mind for me.

Steam therapy has many other benefits which you cannot necessarily "feel". What I DID feel affected my entire being, translating to an "experience" and one which I would like to repeat - like, multiple times a week! And I will own a Mr. Steam product within the next year. I need that type of relaxation - year round!

We're taking better care of ourselves in the kitchen, eating in a healthy manner and are using safe, non toxic, materials in kitchen design. In the bath, we are taking the opportunity to slow down, even for a short period of time and care for the body, mind and soul before taking on the world once again.

This conept, above, has been confirmed to me recently by one of the largest U.S. brands of residential plumbing fixtures during a recent presentation, at which Mr. Steam's iSteam control product was mentioned as addressing the needs and desires of today's homeowners. It is not often that one brand of plumbing fixtures mentions another's!

Beyond relaxation, Mr. Steam is a natural detox system, and offers "aromasteam" to stir the sense of smell in different ways depending on the mood you want to create (imagine - your eyes are closed in the steam bath and aromas become a lovely focus.) "Chromasteam", using color as a mood creator and "audiosteam" uses music to gently stimulate with sound. Following is my Google+ post, take a quick look and if the post is not shown just below, then you can see the Mr. Steam video I shot here :

But the BEST news is the ease of installation. Regardless of your limitations, there is a Mr. Steam product for you. Mr. Steam provides "clean steam ... every time" to further the wellness performance properties. Slope your ceiling to allow for steam to run off properly. A shower seat is recommended.

I KNOW I need a method by which I can enter a "zone" that is a dimension other than "sleep". There's no doubt that I became enlightened from my experience with steam. Have you considered steam therapy for your busy life?

Dekton - By Cosentino

In June I traveled to Spain on a press trip with Cosentino to take a look at new product introductions from Silestone, the Nebula Series, and an entirely new category of surfacing, Dekton.

Our group traveled to the south of Spain where the headquarters of Cosentino is located. Situated in a desert landscape lies a huge factory dedicated solely to the production of Dekton. I'm not sure how far we walked in this building (a mile or two?) but the factory's size, the newness of every piece of (custom designed) machinery, the organization, the endless technology, extremely long/innovative production line and product samples we observed made it clear that we were witnessing an unprecedented commitment by a brand which knows that Dekton is a gamechanger for surfacing materials.

Dekton is manufactured in a way unlike any other surface material, with new technology, new state of the art machines, and new formulas created by the scientists at Cosentino. Every step of the entire process is truly innovative. Using extreme heat and pressure, the result is a surface with exceptional strength and performance, high resistance to impact, scratches and abrasion. It is suitable for use as exterior cladding and interior surfaces with extremely low water absorption.

For today's interiors and exteriors which are often connected visually, Dekton is a beautiful and functional design solution. Dekton will withstand 1200 degree temperatures. The slab sizes are 126" x 56" with thicknesses from .8cm to 3cm.

For an interactive description of the performance properties of Dekton, see this very interesting page on the Dekton website. A very informative pdf brochure with a full explanation on aesthetics, function and the engineering of Dekton can be found here.

Dekton encourages a new way of thinking for designers in the kitchen and bath industry. Dekton's performance and aesthetic characteristics are such that it should be considered for use in the following ways by designers:

countertops and backsplashes

flooring - customized, large format sections

wall treatments - an understated, elegant look

any application in the bath - coordinating walls, flooring, shower as required

outdoor kitchens

creatively blending floor and wall treatments interiors and exteriors

quiet, sophisticated colors to accentuate form and design flow

As restraint in design is more understood and desired in today's contemporary interiors in conjunction with a continuing desire for warmth, the understated beauty of Dekton becomes a top contender to express interior design in a very lovely way. Dekton colors - simple and elegant.

Lamps Plus - Lighting The Way To Good Design

A highlight of my trip to LA last month was a visit to the huge Lamps Plus showroom, a lighting fixture superstore. Lighting design, done well, brings every room in the home to life, and the three anchors of a good lighting plan are:

• task lighting
• accent lighting
• general lighting

These lighting concepts will bring dimension and layers to an entire space, a featured area, with the option to use multiple effects for aesthetics, function or both, depending on time of day or use. As you can see, lighting fixtures have the ability to transform the entire perception of a space. It will take time to get to that special, transformative place, but it's well worth the effort, and of course, design professionals can add creativity, knowledge and experience to make all lighting elements work in concert together.

Lamps Plus is one of the sponsors of BlogTourLA, presented by Modenus, which makes it possible for designers to greatly broaden our horizons in regard to design and culture in the city we travel to. In exchange for this incredible opportunity, we are asked to write about the sponsors and it stops there. Opinions are completely my own.

When I entered the Lamps Plus store (one of more than 40 superstores throughout the western U.S.) I went with those lighting concepts in mind - layers, function, pure aesthetics. Lamps Plus has EVERYTHING in their store, including lamps you can custom spec. Take a look at some of the beautiful light fixtures I discovered in this video I made:

This is why I love getting immersed in a brand, because you would think that Lamps Plus only has lighting, right? No, far from it. Lamps Plus has in-home lighting consultations, in-store tutorials, and offers installation services from licensed electricians, but that's still only the beginning! How about home furnishings?

A sister company of Lamps Plus is 55 Downing Street, an online destination for home furnishings, always on sale. Events are limited, allowing for a revolving collection of brands and styles of home furnishings. There are literally thousands of products to choose from and, taking a look at the contemporary rug collection, as one example, revealed a very broad collection of designs that were both sophisticated in design aesthetic and reasonably priced. The value is clearly there in my opinion.

Like any store, shop or even boutique that has endless items for sale, it's important to take your time during the hunt on the Lamps Plus online store. Here are some tips to make your shopping experience the most efficient it can be:

• narrow the results as much as you can
• read the specs which are very detailed and very helpful
• add to a wish list
• review your favorites several times to be sure of your choice
• watch the ship date
• take advantage of the low price guarantee
• read reviews
• see color and bulb options

I was quite surprised at the breadth of the products I found. Look carefully, and you'll find that gem.

Google Helpouts For Kitchen Design - A New Day!

What are Google Helpouts? They are the future - the new way to bring together a homeowner and design expert to talk through kitchen and bath design issues, among many other topics, live over video. A Google Helpout will soon be the most immediate, most affordable, most trustworthy, and best way to find the information you are looking for-NOW, or at a time that can be scheduled at your convenience.

Google Helpouts launched last week and I am proud to announce that I am the first kitchen design professional vetted by Google and invited to become a charter expert on Google Helpouts. You'll find my kitchen design listings here.

For those who could not otherwise afford a professional kitchen designer, or who prefer to do a DIY kitchen project, Helpouts are the answer. Helpouts are also a great solution for those who need a second opinion from another kitchen design professional.

Homeowners, interior designers, allied professionals or anyone needing information on any aspect of kitchen design can now get answers FAST. I would not be surprised if a smart phone app is on the horizon. At the tile store? Login for a Helpout with me on the spot! I expect that to be launched soon, although I have no advanced word on it. 

I've done several Helpouts, and here are some tips to get the most information from your Helpout.

• Message me in advance and tell me what you would like to focus on.
• If you have a plan or images, send them along and the Helpout form will allow you to add images and links.
• If you'd like to show me your kitchen and you have a laptop or tablet, at the time of our Helpout, you can certainly move the laptop so that the camera captures your kitchen. That's exactly what my first clients did, complete with having granite samples on hand.

The prices are so affordable for all of the Google Helpout experts, it will cost more NOT to engage in a Helpout, risking costly mistakes.

Google Helpouts has just changed the course of the kitchen and bath industry, giving instant professional information to anyone at extremely affordable prices. It's a new day - and a GOOD one for so many homeowners!

Gessi - Kitchen And Bath Luxury

The Gessi “lifestyle” is luxury, and I COULD stop right there, as it says it all. Gessi was a brand I was often curious about and up to now, have not taken the opportunity to immerse myself in.

Gessi is one of the sponsors of BlogTourLA, presented by Modenus, which makes it possible for designers to greatly broaden our horizons in regard to design and culture in the city we travel to. In exchange for this incredible opportunity, we are asked to write about the sponsors and it stops there. Opinions are completely my own.

Here is a quick look at Gessi!

As I look over my images of a great many Gessi products that I was able to see, touch, and use and after speaking with Gessi representatives, it is apparent that Gessi is committed to (obsessed with?) capturing the entire experience surrounding their products. This means not just good, but superb, design, quality, functional control, and endless options for how one would like to interact with water. Take a look at this dramatic shower...

gessi goccia ceiling mount washbasin spoutDo you know that you can have a ceiling mounted washbasin spout? I think it's one of those products that is a true original in the luxury bath marketplace. If you only have room for a small mirror behind it, it could get tricky when using the mirror. Planning in advance for optimal use of your bathroom mirror is essential-including an oversized mirror or second mirror are the solutions. But, this is clearly a sculptural look - the end of the spout is in the design of a water droplet!

The collection of kitchen faucets is small, but the designs are elegant, scuptural, and functional. Both modern and transitional designs, and one stunning chef's faucet, I can report that the quality of the fit and finish that I took a close look at is top notch.

An impressive note, beyond the beauty and quality of Gessi products, is the manufacturing process. Every product component AND production process is done in house, following green practices, in Gessi's manufacturing facility in Gessi, Italy.

I think if you are seeking designs that are truly unique, highly stylized, and which will actively communicate beauty and quality, Gessi is a brand to look at. I'm very glad that I had the opportunity to spend the time to learn about Gessi.