Blogging For Kitchens

Here is some really great kitchen info found in some of my favorite blogs!

An interesting take on working appliances into surrounding storage comes from Materialicious. I can see these pieces in a small second home, a cabin or cottage, when you just need the basics, but you want some style, or, naturally, in an urban apartment setting. Cool!

From Janet at Remodelista, something brand new, a 36" wide horizontal access dishwasher from Smeg. I love to see new ways to do the same task, and the innovations just keep coming in recent years.

My friend, Kelly, from Kitchen Sync, talks about very practical issues regarding challenges in the remodeling process. We know there must be one or two, right?

And, starting the New Year off green, K+BB Green's Friday's links. An interesting selection it is, too.

2008 Kitchen Trends - Banquettes

The next trend to talk about, for kitchens in 2008, as identified by Better Homes & Gardens,  in a trend report, sent to kitchen and bath designers, is the banquette. BH&G says they can accommodate a varying amount of people, they allow increased room for the dining area in the space, and create an intimate feeling in the space. They also site the ability for storage in the cabinetry configuration as a real plus. Image by BH&G.

My Take: I do agree. I've been doing more banquettes than ever! That said, my clients have wanted banquettes more frequently as a result of a simple idea I had for a "better banquette" This "better banquette" concept makes so much sense, yet, I hardly ever see it done.

First, let's give the old banquette with the 2" cushion a proper funeral, perhaps a joyous, and respectful, jazz funeral, as it's had a real long run in the world of built in (uncomfortable) seating! R.I.P.

The better banquette, taking its place, is about comfort!

Start with a much shorter cabinet height, approximately 14-15" or so. Typically, a standard cabinet height for a banquette is 18" high. Then, you have a 2" cushion. Out with the 2" cushion! What is far better is a 4-5" cushion. Make the cushions like a sofa cushion....comfortable, yet supportive. The word I use repeatedly is "cushy."

A much thicker cushion will dramatically improve your, your family's and your guests' experiences and enjoyment at the dining table. Not only that, but, a thick, comfy, cushion will be a magnet for everyone to sit at, not the last choice. You'll want to prop up a pillow behind you with a laptop, pick up your feet and stretch out. It will become a first rate comfort zone. Your family and guests will linger and will be much more relaxed. I would like to have made the cushion in the image another inch thick, had I ordered it, but it's much better than the typical cushion.

I cannot advise you on what should go into the cushion, I'd love to have an interior designer stop by and shed some light on that. I only know that comfort trumps an uncomfortable seating area by miles!

Other than that, you can fit more people into banquettes when you need to. That's real versatility. Space in the room is clearly saved, often, an important factor. Storage is a plus, but should not be the driving force to design a banquette. And, banquettes look great in general...I love the "built-in" look. It makes a dining area have more importance, more architectural interest, in the right situations. Lots of great decorative opportunities.

IS it a trend? It may be, but I don't see it as a trend which may (ever, really) go "out." It's a fresh idea that can work well aesthetically and functionally in the home, thus, to me, it is less of a trend than a good idea in many situations. I wouldn't worry about this being "trendy." I don't see that...in the negative way.

For me, it's really all about putting my feet up and hanging out for a bit in the kitchen. Think comfort!

2008 Kitchen Trends - Lighting

Having just talked about 2008 kitchen trends, I received a little booklet in the mail from Better Homes & Gardens, just for kitchen and bath professionals, all about 2008 kitchen trends. Allow me to give you their predictions, and my comments.  Actually, I think I'll do one trend per post, otherwise this post will be way too long! First up:

LIGHTING

BH&G says forget about lighting for the sake of function alone. Done, boring, over. The trend is for highly decorative (and functional) lighting anywhere and everywhere. Accent lighting, and decorative lighting fixtures, whether for task or general lighting purposes, will be designed into kitchens with more frequency this year.

My Take: I do agree. I'm seeing my clients paying more attention to my lighting ideas and suggestions (I almost always do a lighting plan) and being receptive to more and varied types of lighting in general. They seem to now get that lighting creates moods, it can change functional areas into more dressed up areas, and can create a variety of looks.

My Recommendation: When doing a lighting plan, let the type of lighting guide the type of fixture. Under cabinet lighting can easily be done with "green" LED fixtures, for example, as well as accent lighting, inside cabinets, as another example. Recessed lighting is a good foundation for general lighting and can be installed using flourescent lamps. Use dimmers, too, to save energy and create effects. Be aware of how much lighting you really need and where/how the lighting should be switched to conserve energy. 

To get started, understand that there are/can be three types of lighting in the kitchen: general (often, ceiling mounted lighting), task lighting (under wall cabinets, over an island, under a hood, over a sink), and accent lighting (lighting to feature a hutch, artwork or other decorative area.)

And, yes, have some fun with interesting lighting fixtures:

• Hang several together at different heights
• Use bright colors
• Use interesting shapes
• Hang pendants closer together than usual to have several appear as "one"
• Be aware of lighting in stores, hotels, restaurants, other public places for fresh ideas
• Add sconces that you would normally put in other rooms...they look great surrounding windows
• Mix styles (carefully) and finishes
• Ask yourself if you want the lighting fixture to stand out or blend in?
• Be green and seek out antique lighting fixtures

Trend Or Good Idea? It may be a trend, but it's also a good idea in general. The principles of this 2008 trend have been present in professionally designed electrical plans for years. It is a trend in which eco friendly fixtures can play a part too. One can also follow a general design trend if desired and later, change a fixture in favor of another look. Here is an example of a preliminary lighting plan I did (below.) Let there be light!

Kitchen Trends 2008 - What's To Come?

Do kitchens really change that quickly, from one year to the next? Should we be looking for trends for kitchen design in 2008 and discard what we saw in 2007? What new things will we see for 2008? What do we look for and where do we look?

Progress is a good thing. Progress brings us new ideas, new solutions, a fresh, creative, look at familiar, comfortable, and sometimes, boring, or cumbersome, territory. Often, progress evolves into a trend. Here's where it gets tricky.

Trends, to me, are singular ideas, seen with little differentiation, across numerous manufacturer's product lines and showcased in mass media directed at consumers, resulting in maximum visibility.

A trend which can become highly influential. Take the color black. It's become trendy to incorporate black in cabinetry, even for all the cabinetry in a kitchen. Black kitchens are seen now in shelter magazines, blogs (yes, here too), showroom displays, and manufacturer's brochures. Top image from HGTV.

I don't think black kitchens have ever been on the radar for kitchen design...in a big way. They are now.  So are tiled walls...wide swaths of walls with tiles, often mosaic tile, or, the same, seen all across a backsplash, inlcluding behind a range. Imagine a tiled wall combined with a black kitchen? See image above. Very cool from 2006 (first seen) till...oh, maybe three to five years as a guess? No, be careful going down that road. Kitchen materials are not accessories as in fashion or smaller interior design accessories, easily changed, such as pillows. A kitchen should be designed to last decades.

Let me say it this way...it's best when "fresh, new, creative" comes from original ideas suited to specific situatiions rather than being influenced by the power, and security, of a frequently seen/published/displayed idea.

So, create your own original ideas for 2008. Don't know where to begin? No time? No vision? Then, look for a creative designer, interview her/him carefully, and express your desire for true originality, something special...just for you! Something that is a personal expression, an aesthetic that is yours alone that may even break the rules. Go ahead, color outside the lines. Make it meaningful.

Interested in what's happening now AND expressing your personal vision? Take a look at this kitchen at left. The clients, from the UK, were inspired by.....um, Stilton cheese! Now THAT'S what I'm talking about!

I guess that's really my message for all kitchen renovations in 2008. I'll be doing mine this year, and once I started to relax, this past week, the ideas began to flow. It's good advice for anyone. That's the first step.

NYC Kitchen Design - My Apartment

My husband and I are vacationing in the city this week. We've been here since Thursday, and we're coming back home on Tuesday. We are loving being here! Our apartment is on the upper west side, such a beautiful area, a real neighborhood feeling to it. Lots of history, charm, great restaurants, and, truth be told, a world class movie theatre!

I LOVE movies, but don't go as oftenas I'd like. So far, we've seen two...The Diving Bell and the Butterfly and I Am Legend (in IMAX...amazing-not the movie (I am Legend), the screen...also $32 for two!) Do you know Rotten Tomatoes? I don't see a movie without it! For the rest of our visit, we just had brunch with our daughter/son-in-law today, I made a random purchase of tickets, yesterday, for a Broadway play ("Is He Dead?") on New Year's Eve at 2 pm on 45th Street, and we'll be milling amongst congregating Times Square revelers (only after the play lets out) and maybe another movie on Tuesday. Mostly, we're enjoying the city!

BACK TO KITCHEN DESIGN...

Being relaxed, and being in the apartment, helps me think about the kitchen renovation we're planning. I have a very different idea for storage, which I have not yet found a solution for. Something I have not seen done anywhere before, either. Perhaps my solution will be a first!

I do believe this design idea could catch on! It's something I first thought of a couple of months back, and, you heard it here first (just remember, NYC kitchens are tiny!) Mine is about 7' × 7' total! Yet, for me, aesthetics must be on an equal level with function, not an after thought.

The image below is of one wall in the kitchen. The opposite wall will be opened up to the living area. 

See the refrigerator on the left? Imagine a line on the right side of the refrigerator continuing from the right edge, up to the ceiling. There, that's the way I should have drawn it, as that entire section is 24" in depth. Disregard those arrows in the image that point toward the refrigerator.

For the section to the right of the refrigerator, I want to visually elongate that area in terms of width. Disregard the note on the image that says that area will be 20" deep. It will be 13" deep. I'll install a slide out vent above the cooktop, and all you will see is a 1" bar x about 30" wide. The front door is to the right of the wall next to the oven.

There will be a facade all across this section, 13" off the wall. The facade may be changeable. it could be a distressed piece of metal. It could be a faux treatment on a removable board. It could be rustic barn siding, constrasting with sleek cabinetry. It could be a quiet color or shade, perhaps with a small beam situated at the bottom of the facade to serve as a shelf for artwork or objects.

THE STORAGE SOLUTION/IDEA/CONUNDRUM?

I want to design or find something that can gently be lowered, perhaps a wire shelving accessory of some sort, to lower close to the countertop, have a shelf or two, for storage, and then be designed to be pushed gently up again into position within the front facade, invisible, yet functional. Any ideas? Let me know...I'm thinking too...much more to come!