White Kitchens - And Your Kids!

I spoke with a Consultation client today, a mother of two very young children. She was struggling because she could not decide which white to choose for her cabinet color.

Her kitchen, at the rear of the house, could be seen from the front door, first through the living room, then through the dining room, then, into the kitchen. She also needed to select paint for her walls in these rooms. This entire space, these rooms, I'd consider to be relatively small in size.

Here's what occurred to me. First, as a mother who raised three kids in a white kitchen(!) I needed to discuss the inevitable...dings, nicks, marks, wear, even non-kid wear combined with kid-wear! It's a bad scene, and if it doesn't happen right away, in time, it will. When asked when will it show, I replied, it could be the next day or much longer, but show, it WILL!

What I suggested was a soft, neutral, elegant shade, such as a light/medium greigy/beige shade. This type of shade can serve many purposes:

It will serve as a foundation for many other colors

It will not call attention to the kitchen from other rooms close by

It will hide marks better than a bright white shade would

It can look very sophisticated 

 With a similar shade on the walls, a bit lighter, this kitchen can really flow, when you are in it, or when viewing it from a distance.  Many, many colors can be coordinated with this type of shade.

Alternatives we discussed were more creamy/yellow shades, but this top image of a kitchen I did, that's a nice shade too, has a bit of blue in it. Consider shades. They make a statement, hide the bad stuff (marks), and are just as easy to love as white, I promise! In the end, if you've just got to have white, of course, do it.

  

Scandinavian Kitchen - Luxe Living

OK, I think it's time for another really fabulous Scandinavian kitchen! I haven't put one up for quite some time, I'm very much overdue and wow, do I have a fantastic backlog of kitchens to show you over time, so stay tuned! I can't tell you one single thing about this kitchen, as, sadly, my parents never taught me Danish! But, since pictures are worth 1,000 words, I'm sure you'll come up with some of your own descriptions. Me? I think this kitchen is quite awesome. Love the texture, the rich feeling of the cabinetry color, the sharp, white, accents, and always a favorite to look for, the lighting. Images from Bo Bedre.

Maybe it's because I went back to Denmark, I'm not sure, but I'm loving light oak herringbone floors right now. They are everywhere, for ages, in Copenhagen, but I think there is a (small) resurgence in herringbone flooring patterns in the U.S. It's a fresh, attractive, pattern and texture to use in wood flooring. I also love the shelves in this kitchen. Anyone else see herringbone patterns heating up? Enjoy!

Kitchen Designs - See The Plans!

I'm feeling good right now. I'm seeing a client later this morning. Even though I've been designing kitchens for a long time, I have the desire to reinvent the wheel each time I plan someone's kitchen. Now, that doesn't mean that wild and crazy things are happening in my design process. But, what it does mean is that I try to be open to new ideas, new details, to present to the client.

This stage is, at once, the most exciting and the most nervous for me, for lack of a better word. It's exciting when I know that I did good work and I cannot wait to show the client. I'm nervous because I hope the client is thrilled with the possibilities before them.

And, yes, I provide numerous design solutions. I do this so that what I present is not solely subjective (if I were to present, say, one or two floor plans) and because I feel the client should see multiple possibilities, to avoid a "could have, should have" feeling later. Sometimes, a nuance in the floor plan makes all the difference...

This process for me is fairly slow. It's thoughtful, it's creating shapes and forms to see where we can go with this kitchen. At this first stage, the goal is to select a floor plan. After a plan is selected, then we fill in the blanks with cabinetry. But, for now, the foundation is set:

1) countertop/other shapes, 2) acceptable clearances, and 3) appliance locations, no more!

While the plans look simplistic, much design time and thought lies beneath them. This is nothing, (only) in the sense that more and more design work will build upon the chosen plan.

This is the most important part of the entire process (and that's why I like it clutter free.) Alternative storage ideas are always a part of my design process. Upper cabinets are not always the answer to storage issues and therefore, open up the possibility for entirely new design solutions.

So, at this moment, I'm feeling good. I like what I have prepared for this client (and I'm my own worst critic, trust me.) I'll let you know the response!

These are some of the parameters for this kitchen that I had to work within, although a good size, it has its real challenges:

• The window cannot move

• The doorways cannot move

• The view beyond the table is incredible - expansive views of Long Island Sound (maybe we will change the existing door configuration to the outside)

• Client wanted the cooking area on the wall shown

• Seating for EIGHT!

• Note: Styling is fairly traditional. If this were a modern style kitchen, the shapes/forms would be different. Note too, the wall behind the cooktop is not an exterior wall, I need to draw in the hallway wall, below, and continue the exterior wall on the left side.
  

 Update: The meeting went well. I laid out all the plans on the kitchen table. They may have been a little overwhelming, but my client quickly got into the groove. Not ten minutes later, (that may be a record) she confidently chose a plan she knew was right for her. She liked this one. Onward!

Kitchen Design - A Brief Pause

So, I've been writing this blog for almost eight months now and I've only touched the tip of the iceberg. I've enjoyed much positive feedback. I want this blog to have substance, not just pretty pictures, and I want to share my thoughts with you on the broad and often complex topic of kitchen design and being a kitchen designer. At this point, I'd like to pause and hear from you! Tell me what you think, I want to know! If you have more then one answer, please comment too!

Update: I'm watching what you want, thank you for the feedback! More emphasis on kitchen images to come. I'm relieved you like the Scandinavian kitchens...just wait till you see what I have to show you! More of what you are asking for, keep voting...

Green Kitchens - Little By Little

Last Monday and Tuesday, I attended a series of workshops, presented by Quality Custom Cabinetry, whose custom cabinetry I use in many of my kitchens. They make a wonderful product Not only that, the entire (and I mean entire) culture of this company is something special. They will go to the very fringes of their ability to accommodate their designers. And, they will do so happily and willingly. I really love this company, and have been carrying their products since 1997.

I'm not so sure Quality would want me to shout this from the rooftops, but, I learned that they employ a Chaplain full time to attend to the needs of all of their employees, in the factory and the office building, complete with his own cubicle.  He is there to be called on as needed. Quite impressive, I thought.

One of the workshops (to Quality's credit) was on green kitchen design and thinking green, as is being implemented by Quality in their products. They referred us to easybeinggreen.com and we went around the room and talked about how we are making changes to green thinking in our homes and businesses, a good start to the workshop, and here were some of what people are doing (I'm in there too!)

• recycling
• changing light bulbs to flourescents
• turning lights off
• saving energy other ways in the home
• composing
• recycling
• carpooling
• walking or biking to work
• learning about green issues
• talking to clients about green products

It is interesting to note that 15% of homes now include green specifications. To me, that's a WOW! In the residential kitchen and bath realm, demand for green products has yet to take hold. We are seeing designs becoming more "natural" in styling, with more interest in texture, natural products, clean lines, clearly a change from recent years. I always ask my clients if they are interested in green design and green products for the kitchen and bath, and have a prominent (green text) section on my main website about green kitchen design. I do not see mainstream thinking yet, in terms of green kitchen and bath design, at least not in my geographical area. But, it's coming, I know that.

 
Quality Custom Cabinetry is seriously, and always, looking at finding better ways to produce a green product. Much of their plywood is now Pure Bond, formaldehyde free. Quality is the first company to partner with Columbia Forest Products. Quality's finishes on their cabinetry are still solvent based, although the VOCs are continuously dropping, as they find new ways to make a more environmentally friendly finish. They only use FSC certified wood materials as well, guaranteeing that the wood comes from a certified well managed forest, which comes at a premium cost.

I was impressed and surprised at the continuous research being done to create, if not a completely green product at this point, then, a product which incorporates ever increasing green attributes. And, in my world, it's admirable, and I'm glad to see this very strong interest.

When I later took a tour of the factory (see the slide show here) I saw stacks and stacks of Pure Bond plywood, which was nice to see it in a big way.

One more interesting tidbit: The speaker at the green workshop noted that it is sort of a paradox that, living alongside a large Amish community for these many years, with their strong beliefs and a self sustaining and conserving lifestyle, Quality recognizes that perhaps their Amish neighbors have more valuable insight on living responsibly than previously thought...

 Enjoy the slide show of the factory, the people working there (so many women!) AND, I cannot close without showing you my pictures of the Quality trucks and vans (one of each in these images) which has a kitchen I designed a few years back, emblazoned (I must use that word) on the sides! I was not thinking of this, when our tour crossed over, via the parking lot, from the factory to the tour of the office building and WOW, there they were!