Kips Bay 2012 Kitchen

Last month I went to see the Kips Bay Decorators Showhouse in New York City where there were not one, but two great kitchens, and I will feature the second kitchen soon. The walnut species kitchen and living area of this first kitchen were designed by James Rixner, interior designer from New York city. Here are my thoughts on this kitchen!

Below: The view from kitchen to living area. Someone tell me, what's not to like...not much! The kitchen is (relatively) simple, clean, modern, colorful and interesting. What I love is the use of white, seen in the kitchen and in the furnishings. To my eye, the white shade, especially in the kitchen, serves to reflect light, always a good thing in a small space and it also sort of tones down the feeling of formality.

In addition, the seamless white countertop and backsplash allows the space to flow, undisturbed by visual clutter (I'll get to that later.) Less is more is a mantra I always have in my head and having the strong interest of the rug as a patterned visual anchor...on the floor, in this case, is an excellent place to use pattern. I don't think I would have used the stainless steel apron sink, but that is another quibble where there is no right or wrong to attach to it. The rug's connection (and the floor as well) to the living area also makes perfect sense visually. Love.

Below: Here is where I will talk about visual clutter and in one respect, it is a quibble. For those who have not lived in a New York City apartment (among my immediate family, 3 of us lived in NYC apartments for a collective total of 22 years) a few things out of place have a way of pretty much drastically affecting the feeling of spaciousness. To my eye, there are too many accessories in this kitchen. It's also a simple fix to edit the accessories here.

Below: Another quibble - the shelf is so shallow, I would have continued it across range or included a stainless steel shelf of the same dimension. You never know what a coop board will or will not allow, however.

Below: A visually strong feature, I think I would have designed this stunning stainless steel wall cabinet to be in the center of this particular countertop section with an equal amount of wood on each side, probably ending in line with the base cabinet corner, but it's an interesting and creative feature, very much so.

Below: I do really like the shallow wood shelf that runs along the backsplash. It is useful and a great feature, as it is elegant, simple, and just different. I like it.

Below: Another view of the shelf. It works for me. The stainless material throughout in various places ties in beautifully, accentuating a cool/warm feature, allowing each element to "pop."

Below: Yes, it's a narrow ledge for casual dining, but, hey, it's New York City and you are lucky to have that alternative dining spot!

Below: To me, this is near perfect. I'm good with all of it. Too many accessories? Maybe, and that's a quibble.

Below: Warm, stunning, lively, absolutely beautiful.

Below: Love the glass table and love the white. I also love the varying shades of blue and the analogous color scheme.

This kitchen is a beautiful execution with a feeling of elegance, the right amount of comfort and great function. What do you think?

Crossville Tile - Kitchen Luxe

Crossville Tile invited me to view their tile in the kitchen of a fabulous designer showhouse, designed by Ulrich Kitchens, deep in the (highly desirable, trust me) woods in New Jersey. The show home, "Hidden Acres Estate" is part of the Traditional Home 2012 National Showhouse Tour. 

I don't normally associate Crossville tile with being a luxury tile brand, so it was with a good dose of curiosity that I attended this small but prestigious event.

While I love quality and I love beautiful things, I am always open to good design whatever the cost. Good design does not need to be expensive. Creativity does not need to come with a large price tag. Good design comes by way of making smart design choices regardless of cost (in this case, being open to lower cost products) and being a snob about seeking "the best" in every product or material is not always best for the design.

Sometimes more is less and usually, less is more. So, I'm a designer who has adopted an openness to a high/low price strategy in my design projects and particularly in my home long before the concept made an impact in design publications online and in print. I don't look down at it, I applaud it. Geez, this turned out to be a policy piece! Now for the pretty pictures! Comments below...

Below: I do like the strong continuity of the horizontal lines, but I think I would have brought the upper line up and around, then down, inside the hood section while leaving the lower horizontal line as is. The inside could be left as is or designed with another motif of some sort, tile or a decorative object(s) hung in that spot. 

Below: I do love the white grout used in the mosaic tile. This appears as a classic look and it's a smart design choice to use this middle shade of gold/brown which looks great with the granite and cabinetry. Charming!

Below: A closer look at how a well priced, simple, tile complements exquisite and formal accessories. High/low done well.

Below: A good look at this different pairing of mosaic and subway tile which just may skirt a "trendy" look - time will tell

Below: Clearly, a formal yet modern look that works

Below: How gorgeous are these chairs??

Below: A lovely arrangement at a gracious entrance from the kitchen to a nearby room

It was a lovely day!

Gaggenau CX480 Full Surface Induction

Last week I attended an event in New York City to introduce the Gaggenau CX480 full surface induction cooktop to the US. I had seen this amazing cooktop at The Living Kitchen show in Cologne, Germany just over a year ago, and I would not be overstating it to say that it was the buzz of that show.

Here's what this amazing piece of cooking equipment does:

 It is full surface induction which makes the entire cooktop into one big cooking zone

• It has TFT touch display - This means it has LCD touchscreen technology
• Cookware is automatically recognized by shape, size, and position
• Heat is produced only where it is needed
• The booster function increases heat output by 50%
• If cookware is moved, the cooktop detects the new position
• Cooking settings can then be immediately transferred
• It has intuitive operation

The ability to create a good (hot/fast) sear, in my cooking repertoire, is important - I sear meat or fish at least once a week. It is one of the easiest and most "professional" ways that any homeowner can cook just like a celeb chef. Nice sear...

Gaggenau introduced the CX480 at a pop up location that I cannot "not" show you. Gaggenau truly exemplifies fantastic design and product innovation at its best.

I have followed Gaggenau's product line since the mid 80s and have owned some of their products. They perform. They last. They are gorgeous!

Likewise, Gaggenau creates amazing (not an overstated word) displays in showrooms, shows and events. So, take a look at this fabulous pop up showroom which was only open for less than a week! 

I do love Gaggenau - there is "nothing not to like" as we say in New York, so New York was the perfect place to introduce this cooktop. 

Joss and Main - Scandinavian Rug Sale

We are excited to announce the sale of our rugs fir the first time on Joss and Main - a special sale for the next 72 hours. The rugs that we have curated in our web shop, Scandinavian Made, have these characteristics in common:

They are hand woven by an individual artisan

All the rugs, whether vintage or new, are made in Sweden

They are made with wooden looms

They are exclusively runners of different lengths and widths

They reflect the unique artistic aesthetic of the weaver and are an original piece of art

They have been carefully curated by me (Susan) and Kelly Donovan with our eyes focused on interesting design, use of color, pattern, texture and overall beauty

It's not always easy to visualize just how a rug may look in your home, especially when you are looking quickly through an assortment of patterns and colors. Here are some tips to find the right Swedish rug from our collection:

1. In an otherwise neutral space, a shot of color, any color, will bring the space to life! 

2. Think of these Swedish rugs as works of art and add them to the room's interior design in more formal rooms such as living areas, library, office, bedrooms, not just the hallway and kitchen.

3. Vintage rugs with a modern pattern look particularly great in combination with modern furnishings.

4. Change is good - change your rug with the seasons or rotate them in other rooms of the home.

We are so passionate about each of our rugs and are so happy to share this very, very old authentic artform with our readers. 

A word about rugs in the kitchen - these rugs are a no brainer in the kitchen! For color, comfort, gorgeous texture, visual warmth, workhorse strength and elegant design in the kitchen and/or breakfast room, they are not only perfect, they can absolutely elevate the design via their handmade quality. Love these rugs!

 

Tile Trends - A Brief History Of The Kitchen Backsplash

Everywhere I look, I see small rectangular tile used on backsplashes and upper walls in the kitchen. It's getting a little bit worrisome to me. It's worrisome because, having been a kitchen designer since the very late 80s, I have perspective. Perspective helps my clients, and I hope it helps you too.

It started (my professional association with tile) with 4x4 ceramic glazed tiles and pretty fruit and vegetable or flower designs, often seen with corner motifs, sort of that Country Floors look. Definitely gorgeous. Funny, I'm seeing it more and more frequently again and it's still every bit as beautiful. Like Terracotta flooring, it was very popular, then went away. Now it is returning, at least on the periphery, to fashion again.

Then came 4x4 tumbled marble tile or matte, earthy, or light shades with fancy border tile. Tile was laid on the diagonal as a lower border against the countertop with a thin border tile above with square 4x4s above that (not on the diagonal), all over the backsplash on the diagonal with a square border at the countertop level, or maybe just in the cooktop area.

Later, probably near the start of the 2000s or a bit later, we began seeing 3x5 subway tile, which we still see, although not nearly as often as a few years back in terms of the "big trend". A very popular trend, subway tile harkened back to a more simple time, a period look, yet removed from the olde world look of tumbled marble 4x4s from the 90s and early 2000s. Mosaic tile in every possible color and material came on the scene first as an accent, then later on the entire backsplash.

Glass tile, too, in aqua/blue shades, emerged as a very popular option some years back for the modern kitchen, especially in the mosaic form but was/is also seen in subway sizes large and small.

In the past couple of years, maybe a year earlier, we saw a strong trend toward very small rectangular, then longer rectangular subway tile shapes. These shapes are seen in matte finishes, iridescent and/or glass finishes and in typical glazed ceramics, and of course, marble, travertine, etc. It seems that at this moment, everyone LOVES small rectangular tile.

It occurs to me that I should not show full kitchen shots of my clients' kitchens to emphasize my point because in a sense, it certainly could be construed that I am encouraging the point of view that their kitchens be perceived as dated or "in waiting" to become dated. Classic or dated? That seems to be the question. 

The inspiration of this post came to me as Kelly and I recently looked at images of my work going back close to 20 years. When I viewed simple kitchen cabinetry, meaning UNadorned with the old world moldings, etc. of the 90s/early 2000s, which usually included a 4x4 tumbled marble backsplash, the kitchen looks dated due to the tile backsplash, and the cabinetry does not. That holds true for other tile motifs that I mentioned above, seen in other kitchens. Granite countertops? Yes, they played a role to a certain point, but this post is about tile.

These tile images except for the top image, are from Home Depot....probably a pretty good barometer for what is on trend for the unwashed masses. I shop at Home Depot too on a (rare) occasion, or in a pinch but hopefully with a designer's eye, so put me in that category too.

We all think that a tile type or shape is classic and in one sense, it is. When you see that particular shape nearly everywhere you look, especially in a very high end kitchen in a crazy expensive home, it may be amazingly beautiful, both dream worthy and swoon worthy, but it's still a trend. Possibly, it is a huge trend and from my perspective, probably a tile trend that will last 10 years or less (kitchen trends last much longer than fashion, but alas, they then trend downward fast.) Therefore, your kitchen will look dated to most of the world at large as a new shape and material has made its debut to the masses, washed and unwashed.

What is the answer then to deal with trend cycles? Next post, I will share my thoughts on how to think through the backsplash tile issue. I will talk about what is classic, what is trendy, if you should or shouldn't care about all this because "I love my kitchen anyway", and we will figure it out. I have several solutions for you to deal with this issue.

I already knew my responses to much of my work in terms of what is dated and what isn't, but when Kelly sat with me and said, as only a family member or very close friend would say: "that's dated, this is dated, that's dated too, you can't add that/submit that/show that" it told me what a young, design savvy woman thinks and sees right away, NOT being fully immersed in the kitchen world as I am-she is more general interior design focused. She knew immediately from her perspective what "felt" dated as I knew from my different perspective. I thought that was interesting, which was the inspiration for this post. Talk soon....

Electrolux Kitchen Appliances - Design Competition

I had the privilege of being among an impressive group of design professionals serving as one of the judges for the Electrolux kitchen design competition, "The Kitchen Reimagined." We met in New York City in November at the offices of Interior Design magazine. 

Coming from different design disciplines, with me being the only kitchen design specialist, we dissected each submission from the global group of competition finalists.

Passionate dialogue, active listening in appreciation of all views of the design professionals in attendance and some open second guessing in search of verifying our instincts brought us closer to a smaller group of finalists. Time spent seeking to understand the points of view of all entrants eventually put the focus on the top 5 winners in the order we deemed appropriate. 

The entries to The Kitchen Reimagined competition were, in a word, inspirational - and that is the spirit with which we approached our work. Spirit, imagination and inspiration were celebrated attributes in seeking the best kitchen design submissions. Interior Design Editor in Chief, Cindy Allen, was our fearless leader for the day. 

For me, participation in this competition as a judge was a privilege and an honor - and a whole lot of fun too. I think you will find much excitement in these kitchen designs which seamlessly surround Electrolux appliances. Very cool stuf.

La Cornue - Kitchen Le Magnifique

I had the pleasure some weeks back of dining in New York City with Xavier Dupuy, president of La Cornue, my colleague and friend, Leslie Clagett from the blog KBCulture and a couple of PR people, always useful to fill in the blanks for a brand. I very much enjoyed this type of intimate setting.

I love up close and personal meetings with manufacturers. It helps me "get" the culture of the company which always trickles down to my understanding the quality of the product and the type of people who actually manufacture the product. 

Mr. Dupuy spent a fair amount of time talking about his factory workers - the length of time many of his employees have worked for La Cornue along with past generations of these employees' families who also worked at the factory. Lots of interesting stories. In times like these, it's nice to hear that. Mr. Dupuy takes immense pride in those who manufacture his products. This was not a short conversation!

La Cornue is a luxury brand of ranges and rotisseries that are made in France. Now, La Cornue is expanding their line of luxury appliances by adding a collection of custom made cabinetry (complete with the familiar metal banding if desired) called Culinary Architecture Memoire and a collection of handcrafted sinks. 

I've studied French kitchen design over the years. It's different. Here's why: the design emphasis is close to equal in regard to aesthetics and function. Function to the French (and to most other cultures other than, um, us in the US) does not mean that every single space gets filled for storage ... just because the space is there to fill. 

The negative space of the room is strongly considered an aesthetically important piece to the design of the kitchen, equal or nearly equal to functional pieces. What does that mean? It means an "unfitted kitchen" or a collection of islands or sections of cabinetry is preferred as opposed to continuous "runs" of cabinetry such as L-shaped, U-shaped kitchens, etc. Minimum wall cabinetry is also a part of La Cornue's kitchen design philosophy to achieve areas where the eye can rest.

Of course, the cooking area is considered the most important piece of the design ... after all, we know how seriously the French take their cooking!

A lovely evening, interesting insight into a brand and its philosophy, gorgeous products.

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!!

Kohler Design Center - Kitchen & Bath Plumbing Products, Furniture, Tile

The best part of my trip to Kohler's headquarters in Kohler, Wisconsin a couple of months back at the invitation of Kohler, was to visit the Kohler Design Center (how could I have said that without four "Kohler's" in the sentence??) A beautiful brick building in which all of Kohlers brands are showcased, it is a place that will take a design aficianado hours and hours to go through. There is something for everyone.

First, there were selections from Kohler's furniture brands such as Baker and McGuire...

There was a display of stunning Ann Sacks tile and down the road, a tile store with the complete line

But here's what I REALLY came to see, below....and which did not disappoint. In fact, it made me see, as I learned about Kohler through the factory tour as well as discussions with Kohler designers, the incredible depth of design talent, commitment to design, and breadth of style that Kohler embraces and has embraced for decades. 

DID YOU KNOW that for nearly 40 years Kohler has offered an Arts/Industry Program in collaboration with the John Michael Kohler Arts Center in nearby Sheboygan to emerging artists? There have been nearly 400 artists in residence since the program's inception. These artists may work in the Kohler Co. pottery, iron and brass foundaries and enamel shop to hone their skills and explore their vision in functional and sculptural forms.

It was the Kohler family's desire some decades ago to celebrate art by introducing artists to freely reinterpret their products with a fresh vision and point of view. This philosophy has made Kohler's products known for beauty, creative design and originality. From many years in the kitchen and bath industry, I can tell you that Kohler's product introductions each year always excite the senses!

Ok then, time for the good stuff!! I do not have names on these pieces, but ask me what they are and I'll find out for you. These are random shots of product displays that I took from the first floor of the Design Center.

Ann Sacks tile below-looks like fabric!

And there's MORE....

There is so much to show you from this trip to Kohler's Design Center that I cannot leave out what rivals anything you have seen so far, and that is a peek at the fabulous kitchen and bath vignettes situated on the second floor of the Kohler Design Center. Coming soon. Can't leave them out!

As you can see, this is truly a destination. Who knew? More soon

Kohler - A Great American Brand

I had the distinct pleasure and privilege of visiting Kohler at their campus in none other than: Kohler, Wisconsin at their invitation. To see and feel the heartbeat of this great American brand was a professional goal fulfilled. 

I visited Kohler's headquarters at the end of October during a perfect fall weekend. It also happened to be the weekend of Kohler's Food and Wine Experience, a weekend filled with food and wine related events, seminars and workshops. I'm not overstating that this was such a great series of events that I'd love to go annually!

There are clearly several posts which I would like to share surrounding this weekend. First, you'll see some interesting pieces of Kohler's history. Second, I'll give you a look at the weekend's events which I know you'll also love. Third and probably fourth as well, you've just GOT TO SEE Kohler's fabulous Design Center! It will be worth the wait, I promise!

John Michael Kohler was 10 years old when his family came to the US from Austria and settled on a farm near St. Paul, Minnesota. At age 18, he moved to Chicago and became a traveling salesman for a wholesale grocery house and later sold furniture. His territory was the western seaboard of Lake Michigan. He formed a partnership in 1873 with Charles Silberzahn when they bought a foundry and machine shop from Kohler's father-in-law, Jacob Vollrath.

Kohler expanded the foundry to manufacture decorative iron pieces, cooking utensils and plumbing products. At the end of the 1800s a new factory was built in today's existing location, Kohler Village. Halfway through construction the plant burned down. Three months later John Michael Kohler died. Kohler's sons rebuilt the plant and renamed the busines John Michael Kohler Sons Co. in 1901. This is the overview. 

Below, plumbing begins...

In 1883, John Michael Kohler, and I quote, "enameled the inside of a horse trough/hog scalder, attached four cast iron legs, and sold it to a farmer as a bathtub. By 1891, the company expanded its line to include roll-rim bathtubs, washbowls, and drinking fountains. Acceptance of the Kohler bathtub and other enameled cast iron plumbing fixtures rapidly spread beyond the farm community. Cast iron products attained the reputation of being durable, sanitary, and 'superior as to beauty of design, excellence of finish, and quality of workmanship' " 

Below, a bathroom from 1900

The mission of the company, from a 1900's catalog:

Over twenty years' experience in the manufacture and sale of Feed and Ensilage Cutters, Horse Powers, Feed Mills, and other Agricultural Implements has given us a thorough knowledge of the business. It has always been our aim during this time to manufacture the best goods that ingenuity and money can produce. There are grades of cheaper machines than ours on the market, we thoroughly believe, however, in the maxim, "That the best articles are the cheapest in the long run" and we have made it a rule not to see for how little money we could make an article, but how good we could make it for a moderate price. The fact that farmers who bought our machines twenty years ago are still using them, is conclusive proof of their excellence and a good endorsement. Our cutters and powers are all built on the most improved, scientific and practicable principles. We manufacture both the fly-wheel and the cylindar cutters. 

We trust that the following pages will prove interesting and if in want of any machinery therein illustrated you will give them a fair, unprejudiced inspection and trial. Liberal discounts from lists allowed. Correspondence solicited. Respectfully, Kohler, Hayssen & Stehn Mfg. Co., Sheboygan, Wisconsin, USA.

As I put together this post, I truly am honored to have had the opportunity to learn about the history of a great American brand. I also walked through several large, old buildings (with state of the art machinery) that houses Kohlers factories and foundry. I saw the molten iron worked by expert craftspeople. I also saw highly skilled craftspeople work with great precision applying a finish. Impressive procedures, machinery and cleanliness are what I observed first hand. This was no small tour - it was 2 1/2 hours of walking and learning, led by a retired factory worker. It sure was memorable. 

I hope you've enjoyed this first installment of my time spent at Kohler's headquarters. More to come, just wait!

My Lovely Trip To Bornholm, Denmark

Bornholm is such a special place. It is at once simple yet dramatic, heavily textured yet clean, colorful yet sometimes viewed in neutrals for as far as the eye can see. It's where one side of my family tree is documented, so far, to the mid 1800s, having been born on Bornholm. Funny, the other side of my family tree is documented to the very early 1800s far away from Bornholm, also in Denmark, in Jutland, the largest piece of land one thinks of when one thinks of Denmark. 

I went to Bornholm, then to Copenhagen in late August, alone, in search of artisans for my and my daughter's new brand, Scandinavian Made, a webshop of artisans' works that are made in Scandinavia, by the artisan, whose works are available in the US exclusively in our webshop.

I drove around Bornholm, often losing my way and not caring, and found the most amazing artisans! The landscape is incredible, the people are friendly and the food is, to me, amazing!! I've been to Bornholm before, and it always refreshes my spirit. Here are images of Bornholm in late summer, perfect for this cold winter's day. All images taken by me.

Below, a stop off on the side of the road

Below, one of my most favorite images, ever. The sand on this beach is famous for having been used as hour glass sand, it is so incredibly fine.

Below, stunning rock formations in the sea

Below, on a rugged path, looking down to the sea

Below, I was moved by the beautiful, ancient, round churches in Bornholm, one in which my grandmother was baptized. Below, a church built in 1150!

Below, a gallery that I wish were open! Artists have been drawn to Bornholm for many years, as the quality of light is said to be unique and inspiring

Below, the Bornholm art museum, a stunningly beautiful place

Below - One day, as I was wandering, I came upon this lovely ceramics shop, owned by the artisan, that was open

Below - I was truly astounded/touched/moved by the beauty of the pieces I encountered. I saw that these pieces were made by the artisan with what appears to be raw emotion. You can see more of this fabulous artisan's original works in my and my daughter Kelly's webshop, Scandinavian Made. 

The lovely small villages on the coast are serene

And last but not least, the reception area of a beautiful inn that I stayed at. The decor is that great Scandinavian eclectic combination of classic traditional furnishings set within a modern decorative foundation (floors, furniture, lots of white and art.)

What does this post have to do with kitchens? Everything! It's all inspiration which touches all future projects.

Healthy Kitchen Design - And The Medifast Program

We're thinking about living a healthy life (again) now that New Year's Day will be here shortly. Can a kitchen be designed that actively contributes to, and encourages, healthy eating? I'm not (entirely) sure, but here's how I would approach the design, plus a few tips on healthy eating. 

Below, a Blanco sink

SINK AREA

• Design in two sinks including one prep sink to encourage easy access for prepping fruits and veggies
• Have colanders near the sink to drain fresh fruits/veggies
• Have a cutting board near the sink and/or trash for prep work
• Add a filtered cold water tap to encourage you and your family to drink water
• Keep the salad spinner nearby

COOKING APPLIANCES & METHODS

• Have steam baskets or a portable steamer easily accessible to encourage cooking steamed vegetables
• Alternatively, design a steam oven into the kitchen to cook vegetables, meat and fish in a healthy manner
• Add a grill pan to the cooktop, a portable electric grill, or design a built in grill into a new kitchen as a tasty, healthy, cooking method
• Have on hand an electric rotisserie or a built in rotisserie in the wall or oven for flavorful, lower fat, cooking
• Use a vertical poultry roaster in the oven which allows fats to drip off the chicken
• Cook with dried and fresh herbs frequently to add a layer of elegant taste to your foods

Below, Gaggenau's Steam Oven

SMALL APPLIANCES

• Leave the cuisinart out on the counter to encourage quick prep of veggies
• A blender is great for smoothies, gazpacho and preparation of other healthy foods any time of day
• Keep knives sharp for ease of use with all fresh foods

OTHER APPLIANCES

• Select the right size refrigerator for your family - too big and too much food will sit in the refrigerator for too long a period of time growing old and tasteless. 
• Package food properly in the refrigerator to maintain optimum taste and freshness

DINING

• Eat on small plates occasionally in an effort to control portion size
• Invest in a good quality oil and vinegar for super tasty salads
• Eat vegetables you are unfamiliar with to add interest to everyday meals

GENERAL

• Frequent your local farmer's markets, farm stands or coops to experience the selection of fresh foods in a delightful setting
• Plant and raise fruits and vegetables!
• Have healthy foods such as fruits, vegetables, nuts and whole grain foods on hand for snacking
• Make the shift to whole grains for everything - pasta, bread, cereals, baked goods

MY STORY

BEFORE - Thankfully this hairstyle is goneI've used just about all of these techniques and others in a decision to eat healthy this past year. Last year, the Monday after Thanksgiving (an unusual time to start), I started a journey to lose the weight added over 20 years after the birth of my 3rd child. I did not hold out much hope for success (as usual) and started it with a "whatever."

Day by day, week by week, to my surprise, I became committed to this weight loss program that my doctor recommended to me and the weight came off. It both put me into food rehab and helped me learn to eat healthy at the same time. My total weight loss was ... drumroll .... 75 pounds! THAT amount of weight has been a life changer. Logistically, had I felt hungry (it was rare) I would never, ever, have stuck to it. That was my one requirement - I could not be hungry all day, every day! Hunger is curbed on the plan I went on: Medifast. That was really the catalyst for success for me.

AFTER - Thankfully this hairstyle is gone too!!Before: Flat shoes, shapeless clothes, low energy, and I refused to wear denim jeans for at least 15 years. Now: Heels? Yes-4" high. Skinny jeans? 5+ pairs. Cinched belts? Quite a few. Leggings? YES! I am far healthier, energetic, happier, and confident, than I have been in 20 years. It was a big moment when I purchased my first pair of denim jeans, in the spring, in well over a decade. It was just a principle for me-I would not wear denim jeans while being overweight. 

Medifast is so easy, safe and simply works. I am now a coach for Medifast via their sister site, TSFL-Take Shape For Life. Are you ready to get healthy and slim? I know this: When the time is right, the desire and motivation will be there. In my case, it came a couple of days into the program. If I can do it, you can too.  Contact me for further information. 

So, yes, I know first hand how to design and equip a healthy kitchen based on personal experience living with all of these suggestions made here, for some time. I will add more tips on designing a healthy kitchen soon! 

Silestone Kitchen Countertops - Classic Style & Modern Function

I had the pleasure of visiting Cosentino's headquarters, the parent company of Silestone, in Spain about 6 weeks ago. We toured Barcelona, we dined, we traveled to Almeria, we learned - I was a part of a small group invited to have a well rounded introduction to two fantastic areas of Spain and to have a multi-layered understanding of Cosentino's breadth of products.

Of course, we all know Silestone as the original engineered stone material for kitchen countertops, a market focus the company has always had and which remains the centerpiece of Cosentino's efforts. To that end, Silestone continues to introduce interesting, eco-friendly, and highly durable materials into the kitchen and bath marketplace. 

That's a general, and brief, overview, with more details to come. But, I did want to start talking about this trip by showing you some great images of a kitchen that I toured, preserved from the early part of the 20th century. The apartment building in which the kitchen is situated was designed by the amazing Antoni Gaudi called Casa Mila.

Below, the pretty incredible apartment building, designed by Antoni Gaudi...wow!

Below, images of the apartment. But first...I thought it would be fun to imagine which Silestone colors and styles would serve nicely as a modern day substitute in the event the new homeowner wished to, um, rip out the countertops (blasphemous!)

Top left: Grey Amazon | Top right: Lyra | Bottom left: Gedatsu | Bottom right: Sonora Gold

Take a look at these gorgeous images of this historically preserved kitchen...

Get the flash player here: http://www.adobe.com/flashplayer

It was a privilege to walk through this authentic vintage apartment to see this very interesting kitchen.

The work stations look quite defined, certainly, with ergonomic features such as lower countertops in certain areas, adequate countertop space, adequate storage, and storage that starts well above our typical 4" off the floor.

Shelves and glass cabinets add visual aids to storage and the tall cabinets to the ceiling makes good use of extra storage. The cabinetry is built into the architecture of the space in some awkward but interesting ways. The incredible textured window adds glam in a big way. 

Much more coming soon on this incredible trip to Spain!!

Decorex 2011 – Blog Tour Kitchen Inspiration

As part of the fabulous Blog Tour 2011 group, founded by Veronika Miller of the equally fabulous Modenus.com website, our trip to Decorex, part of the London Design Festival, was simply fantastic, end of story. The creativity and innovation was such a joy to experience. Another type of joy was to see the way that classics, that is, materials or design, were updated to create a new aesthetic, a new definition of classic as well as modern. THAT experience = inspiration.

Here are some kitchen design elements that I found interesting at Decorex.

Below, cabinetry by Woodstock – who doesn’t love that name? Of course, the star is the fresh color, but I love the function too and the height of this taller cabinet.

Below, also from Woodstock, the cool mix of light and dark neutrals. Notice, too, the subtlety of the rounded moldings. Love. Backsplash and styling – needs some love…

Below, gorgeous Dominic-Schuster mirror – could be a backsplash or wall area maybe? For pantry doors? Yummy! And it comes in a gazillion textures.

_{Below, a fabulous update of an armoire, bar cabinet, kitchen pantry, or breakfast room dish storage}

 

Below, a GOR-juss dining table with Hans Wegner chairs by Isis Furniture

Below, Moroccan tile by Habibi (you are viewing the tile at an angle)

And, a quick shot of this very impressive gentleman who I know does something really important, but he’s also cute!

What’s your favorite??

Decoration & Design Building - Fall Market 2011

Last week, I was honored to be an invited design blogger to attend the D and D Building's Fall Market. The D and D building, in New York City, is simply, a fabulous building which houses world class interior design showrooms. Here, you can see the finest fabrics, furniture, lighting, accessories, window treatments, wall coverings, paint, and many more decorative products for the residential interior. It's awesome in its collective design offerings.

The Fall Market had a great array of educational workshops, seminars, talks and panels, with nationally known designers, manufacturers, and print and online editors. Going from a beautiful showroom to a insightful, spirited, talk, for me, was design heaven! Hanging out with the other invited design bloggers to Fall Market was equally inspiring! This discussion, below, was on Transcending Branding Boundaries, hosted by Editor in Chief of Traditional Home, Ann Maine.

left to right: Beth Fuchs Brenner, Peter Sallick, Windsor Smith, Jonathan Adler, Christina Juarez

I'd like to share some of the WONDERFUL products I came across that are located in the D and D Building!

Pierre Frey

EbanistaBelow, interesting organic designs for dining tables

Evanson

Country Swedish

Country Swedish

Country Swedish

Armani Casa

I hope you've enjoyed these selections from the endless products that basically assault your senses once you enter this building! (That's a good thing!)