Kohler

And here is the last, and I hope you'll agree, the best post of the series on my trip to Kohler's headquarters at Kohler, Wisconsin. The trip was a visual feast! It was also an actual feast throughout the weekend since my trip was centered around the Kohler Food and Wine Experience - a weekend event (among many all year 'round) that I highly recommend which takes place in October of each year. 

The piece de resistance of Kohler Village, to me, is the Kohler Design Center. A three level building of beautiful products and room vignettes in beautiful settings surrounded by fabulous materials, products, accessories and design elements, I want to share some of this gorgeousness with you. Without further ado...here we go (all images have been enthusiastically taken by me)!

Please see MORE images on my pinterest board, "Kohler's Design Center", and follow me!

I was so excited and wanted to take as many shots as I could that I did not stop to take note of each and every fixture, fitting or designer's name. If you have questions, please ask and I'll get the information to you!

Below, a stunning interplay of warm and cool tones in a graphic, strong, yet elegant setting

Below, this is a part of a larger master bath which is designed via a universal design philosophy

Below, modern, sophisticated, whimsical...creative

Below, an interesting combination of patterns and proportions that works beautifully

Below, I'm not sure what else to say besides: ahhhhhhhhh. I'm relaxed.

Below, I feel like a superstar being in this space, perhaps somewhere in Paris?

Below, a closer look at beautiful warm design elements set against the purity of white

Below, I feel like I'm living in a loft in Soho - very cool design elements...always love the cool/warm mix

Below, a stunning environment that feels like it's in a penthouse - a warm modern design

Below, seen in the image above from a different angle. I'm on board!

Below, simply stunning, elegant, perhaps Will and Kate's powder room?

Below, I'm awed and excited - I think I'd like to hang out in here!

Of course I knew that Kohler is all about design and function but visiting Kohler's headquarters was a reminder as well as a series of new visual lessons about their quest for beauty, innovation, always a celebration of tradition and a commitment to a strong and clear look to the future. Sounds like copy text, doesn't it? Can you question Kohler's intense interest in design in the most open way, celebrating all design styles? I can't. Just look at the previous posts just below this one. Kohler is a giant in the kitchen and bath industry...for very good reason. I'm also very proud to call Kohler a great American brand. 

From this....

to this, introduced in 2010, the NUMI!

I hope you've enjoyed these posts. Don't forget to see more fabulous images on my Kohler's Design Center board on pinterest! Kitchen images are on that board too!!

Visualize Your Kitchen Design!

I picked up a new pair of eyeglasses yesterday. They are bold (for me), funky, and remove "good looks" as a (normally) important factor when I wear glasses, instead, replacing that concept with "a" look. Going down this road definitely messes with my head because I've always thought of glasses to be something to enhance my looks (if they had to be worn). So, this is a little getting used to for me. It's out of my comfort zone, too, as I've never purchased glasses with a dark frame as I've always had light colored hair.

Which then made me think about the design of these glasses as compared to design in our homes. Does beauty in our homes (as one's quest is for facial beauty) need to be the singular goal we aspire to? Do you let beauty guide your decisions because it's easy and safe? More importantly, do you define beauty in only one way?

Another piece to this quest for beauty is this - with interesting glasses, as with design, there is sometimes a fine line between cool and, well, odd or ridiculous, don't you think? I observed my thoughts as I tried on the glasses...over and over. Did I look ridiculous? Were they cool? Where they awesome? Which one of these adjectives?

The voice of reason came to me and said, what else...beauty (or an interesting look) is in the eye of the beholder (as is coolness, ridiculousness and awesomeness!) That was my answer. The glasses gave me enough of a "fun" boost to persuade me to buy them.

Two recent glasses purchases-one blue, one tortoise shell, dark, and rounded!

The Kitchen Design Link

I think in the design of our kitchens, there is more to strive for than simple, safe, beauty. We should (and I rarely use the word "should") challenge our traditional view of beauty from time to time, and all across the board in our lives, from eyeglasses to kitchens. And, then, question if we really care about "beauty" as a concept in favor of a different feeling. We can then be open to new ideas, new design solutions, opportunities to explore and thus, expand our personal aesthetic.

Tell me your thoughts about what the word "beauty" means to you and its importance in your life and your home! I want to know. I like enlightening experiences, especially small, everyday, ones.