Owner: The Kitchen Designer URL:http://www.thekitchendesigner.org Join Date: Wed, 28 Feb 2007 03:42:58 -0600 Rating:0 Site Description: Susan Serra, CKD offers tips and guidance on surviving a kitchen remodeling project. Sharing insight and experiences on all things kitchen design related, product resources, and more... Site statistics:Click here
kitchens heard around the blogs 2007-03-22 16:37:56 Yesterday and today I am attending a conference and so I will take this opportunity to check out good stuff around the blogs. Here's a great piece of advice to freshen up plain paint. Design Talks gives a great "how to" to tone down too bright paint in the kitchen (or any room for that matter). Useful advice. How about a miracle product (no guarantees from me, but try it first in a small, hidden, spot) to clean those stainless steel appliances? Get the info from Happy Slob (don't ya just love the blogosphere?) And, just LOOK at THIS gorgeous kitchen I found at this terific blog, Hatch. Part of the Atlanta Junior League Tour of Kitchens. The tour is this weekend. See you for tomorrow's installment of "Kitchen Nostalgia or Shredder Material #4"! I have a bonus for you tomorrow! Read more:kitchens
Kitchen Envy 2007-03-24 21:53:26 Thinking of remodeling your kitchen? Stuck on style, colors, theme? Take a look at House & Gardens's kitchens...the kitchens on their site are fabulous. And, if you think it will make it easier to choose a style, forget it, they're really and truly, far too gorgeous....I'd add another 6 months to sorting out the style question. Read more:Kitchen
kitchen nostalgia or shredder material? #4 2007-03-24 14:40:46 Welcome to this Saturday's special vintage kitchen, aka, "Bauhaus meets Disco"! I don't know why, (hmmm) but this one just popped out at me, as I perused my collection of vintage kitchens from the 60s and 70s. I think this kitchen was ahead of its time (for the early 60s), or perhaps was at the cusp of the disco era? You KNOW we need this kitchen lighting in the center of the ceiling! Get out your platform shoes and start dancing!Not a badly planned kitchen, really, although I'd love to understand what's going on with that second island up front, where and how that is positioned in the room. Otherwise, the wall cabinets to the right of the refrigerator should have been equal size sets of doors. I'm not sure I could concentrate on reading a recipe in this kitchen, and I'm also not sure I'd go stir crazy after 20 minutes! Other than that, enjoy!Oh - almost forgot today's bonus feature that I mentioned yesterday! For another vintage treat, from the blog Fabulon, take a l Read more:shredder
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Top 5 things to do before you hire a kitchen designer! 2007-03-27 13:25:10 I was speaking with a blogging buddy of mine, who mentioned that her parents are planning a kitchen renovation and are having trouble thinking about what to do first. They are at a total stalemate. There are so many issues, so many potential players in a kitchen renovation, I suppose it must be difficult for many to decide just that, what comes first. Well, The Kitchen Designer comes to the rescue! Here are my top five things
to do BEFORE you hire a kitchen designer. Get some sort of organized system to make notes in. Whether good, old-fashioned pad and paper, a binder, a software or online program for kitchen organization, begin the process in an organized way. To go one step further, create different categories for your project....one section for cabinetry, one for countertops, one for the contractor, one for the designer, and so on.Do online research for kitchen designers in your area and beyond. This will, and should, take quality time. Don't be afraid to go outside of your a
New franke sinks! 2007-03-26 22:51:06 Check out these new Franke sinks. I'm at their website all the time, looking for one client or another, and this just popped up today. I think these sinks are very cool. Here's what Franke says: "The new Mythos line generation has all the ingredients of a new classic. This stainless steel, ergonimically proven sink, makes work a real pleasure. The mobile sink insert fits exactly into the large working sink and into the spacious draining sink, and is ideal for rinsing, draining or thawing. The flexible preparation board is made of tempered satin glass that you can slide right over your sink."And, a new line of faucets, commercial in concept, made for home use. Franke says: "Restaurant efficiency and professional style to meet your epicurean requirements." I must say I really do love those restaurant type faucets. And, these new styles on the theme make me want to run and wash something! Did I say that?These are not the only new product introductions by Franke. Ther
Scandinavian Kitchens 2007-03-25 23:32:19 I've had a passion, far more than an interest, in Scandinavian
kitchen design for many years. It first relates to my strongly held Danish heritage, my parents having left Copenhagen for the U.S., and me, returning often to visit my family in Denmark, since I was a child. There is a history here. My trips continue periodically. I have felt for some time that we, in the U.S., are more than ready to embrace the wonderful Scandinavian kitchen and interior design "look". As we move away from a heavier, traditional, point of view in the kitchen toward lighter, simpler, looks, with cleaner lines, the recent interest in Asian design makes sense, and Scandinavian design (far less "known") makes sense to be noticed as well, for reasons anchored in, well, hundreds and hundreds of years past, bringing relevance in a perfect way, to today. I see several common threads in Scandinavian design, including Scandin
2007 NKBA Design Competition Finalists "large Kitchens" 2007-03-28 19:10:23 Here again, the finalists for the "Large Kitchens" category of the 2007 NKBA Design Competition. Mostly contemporary, lots of exciting stuff going on in kitchens today, that's for sure. I'm having a tough time picking my favorite. When clients are open to new ideas, good things happen, it's very simple. Very good things. I love the line of windows in the white kitchen. I'm crazy about the circular element in the top kitchen, I keep coming back to the design in the third kitchen, I like that a lot, and I'm wild about the backsplash and the island in the fourth kitchen. I'm very impressed.!Our final group is called "Open Plan Kitchens". Which ones do you like? Read more:large
Uber Universal Kitchen Design 2007-03-27 22:47:57 The March issue of Metropolis (mysteriously just received today) has a wonderful feature on "Total Access", three European kitchen companies, dedicating their modern design expertise to universal kitchen design, very aesthetically appealing, very cool. Metropolis talks about 16% of the European population already being over 65! The kitchens included in this entry are Snaidero (top/center images) and Valcucine. Up to now, universal design was virtually an after thought design-wise. To me, it looks as if universal design thinking for kitchen ergonomics and aesthetics is clearly ahead of the curve. There is more to learn in this feature article. Better get your copy now, it's almost April! Read more:Universal
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march toward KBIS - wood countertops & induction range 2007-03-29 21:28:12 Continuing our sneek peak at kitchen products coming out in preparation for a debut at KBIS, here are two to look at. Craft Art countertops are all wood, and this year they will be introducing reclaimed wood tops. How wonderful is THAT? I have used Craft Art before, and they're great. I'm ALL OVER reclaimed wood!Also got word of the first induction range with a five burner cooktop from Diva. If that wasn't enough, they're offering a free massage at their booth at KBIS. (Note to self: check out all the technical details at the Diva booth till exhaustion sets in, then go for the massage.) ;-)
Everybody's Talking At Me! 2007-03-29 03:06:36 Disclaimer: The Kitchen Designer blog will not always be light and airy, with eye candy and interesting tidbits. No, sir. On occasion, we will tackle bigger issues that may make us squirm a bit, issues which may come up in the lovely and magical world of remodeling, presented for you to go "hmmmmm..." That said, here we go! All of the below information assumes you are working with a good designer, one who is creative, is open to new ideas, is patient, and offers you choices. Everyone's a critic! We have the architect, the interior designer, the contractor, the mother-in-law, the mother, the father, the friend, neighbor, and let's not forget the man on the street or the plumber! None of those in any particular order, of course, in terms of their willingness to dispense opinions. After discussing your plans with others, who then jump on the opinion bandwagon, along with their instruments, here's how to keep things from getting out of control and descending into the black Read more:Everybody
, Talking
kitchen nostalgia or shredder material ? #5" 2007-03-31 17:02:33 Hello, and welcome to our fifth installment of "Kitchen Nostalgia or Shredder Material". I understand that in some areas of the country, the winters are very long, and spring seems like it will never come. Thus, protection from the elements is taken very seriously, and a necessary consideration. There is some very serious cabin fever going on here, bringing it, um, to an entirely different level!Well, I can say that the brown range is back in style! We're looking today at a resurgance in brown, now called "oil rubbed bronze". The Kitchen Designer says, however, that this new look is NO EXCUSE to revert back to this style of kitchen! The kitchen police will be out in force, dispatched from The Kitchen Desginer blog, should we have notice of infractions. Be very afraid!Besides the interesting look of this kitchen, let's look at a few things going on here and have even more fun:See the small ceiling fixture and the two large pendant fixtures. The lighting is way off Read more:shredder
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Beautiful Kitchens 2007-03-30 14:34:57 We made it to Friday! How about some beautiful kitchens to transition into the weekend with? Also, take a look at these sites for some inspirational ideas on accessories and artwork for the kitchen. I wonder if they have a men's size for this accessory? Oh well, a girl could dream..enjoy these dream kitchens! The beautiful kitchen designs shown here are from Traditional Home's April issue. Read more:Beautiful
How Low Can Your Kitchen Window Go?? 2007-04-01 13:34:12 I was reading other blogs and came across this image of a kitchen. There is only the one shot, but I have some thoughts about design and aesthetics that I'd like to share with you. The image is from Terramia, a great design blog I frequent. I think what first struck me was the feeling of light in this image. I'd like to focus on the windows and where they are situated. They nearly touch the countertop. This is a major factor in the aesthetics in this kitchen. It appears to be a nearly invisible transition to the outdoors in a very effective way. I assume the window just over the eating area is at the same height. It's difficult to see. To situate the windows as close to the countertop as possible seems relatively easy. Cabinetry is most often 34 1/2" tall, and most countertops are 1 1/2" thick, or 1 1/4", reaching 36" overall in height. So, a thought may be to install the window at 3 Read more:Kitchen
, Window
NKBA - National Kitchen & Bath Association 2007-04-02 23:33:32 The NKBA, as you may know, is the NationalKitchen
& Bath Association. I've been a member of the NKBA for many years. I also became a Certified Kitchen Designer in 1993.It's a good thing for a consumer to use an NKBA member firm, or a Certified Kitchen Designer to design his/her kitchen. A CKD must meet requirements for educational points during continuing 2 year periods. Being a member of an association, generally speaking, means that the member firm is interested in their industry as a whole, going beyond the narrow focus of their business. The NKBA offers many seminars, multi day conferences, and maintains a nation wide chapter organization. There are monthly NBKA chapter meetings which include a presentation on a different topic every month. The NKBA also co-sponsors the enormous KBIS conference each year, to which I travel to every year. It is a good thing for a kitchen designer to be involved in their industry and aware of new philosophies, products, and design information.
Scandinavian Kitchens - Black & White 2007-04-02 17:27:32 I've previously talked before about Scandinavian
kitchens being very light in color, and they often are. White
seems to be the common theme. When white, neutral woods, and black, come together, it's very exciting. We'll save color for another day, but these kitchens are no less wonderful without punches of color. Look at these beautiful images from Bo Bedre. Notice the floors, aren't they amazing? Do you want some inspiration for white or neutral accessories? Look at this amazing blog on Scandinavian design. And, for more inspiration, another Scandinavian home design blog. I will try to feature Scandinavian design blogs every time I do this series, to add the "real" look. I also hope to receive comments and design advice on Scandinavian kitchens from those who live in them! Read more:Black
French Country Kitchens - Oooh La La! 2007-04-04 17:53:49 I've hunted for a week to bring you the most wonderful, delicious, sweet and charming, and yes, also austere and elegant, kitchens that are uniquely French
, mostly French country, and ah, so magnifique! (That is all the French I know). They are the real thing!To go along with the kitchens, also, please take a look at some interiors to complete the look. Linda, from Surroundings recently had a post on a new Paris Hotel, always a great type of venue to view interiors. And, if that is not enough, go to Decor8 to do some shopping in Paris, with the fantastic list of Paris shops on the right side of the page, under, well, Paris! And, enjoy a great short read about one woman's love of France over at Hygge House.Please go to the French Country
Kitchens gallery to see the kitchens. I recommend a glass of red wine before you go!
Kitchen Cabinet Delivery Day Is Coming! 2007-04-03 22:31:56 The day is finally coming, after all the time, the planning, the labor, and let's not forget, the angst, (just a little bit somewhere). So, what's going to happen? How will it all unfold, and is there anything you need to know? In a word, YES. Here are some tips to make the day go smoothly, and be as exciting as it should be:Start two weeks ahead and review your contract. If extra items were ordered, or any items cancelled, settle up with your designer sooner than later.Note the method of payment on your contract! Is your payment designated to be via bank check? If so, have your funds in order in advance to avoid any unforeseen difficulties.Still 2 weeks in advance, get the day and time of day of your delivery so you can plan accordingly. Be home, or your delivery may not be able to take place if there is no access into the house previously arranged, and as a result, you may be responsible for a redelivery charge. Often, your kitchen is one of several being delivered that day, theref Read more:Kitchen
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Guess Who's Coming To Dinner? 2007-04-06 02:20:55 With so much going in the kitchen, figuring out the proper amount of storage space, counter space, fitting in appliances, yada yada, one very important element, the dining area, is easily put aside for awhile. In fact, in the kitchen design, the dining area is a critical element, as it becomes the next activity after cooking, the spot where people begin relating with one another more closely, an "activity" to really pay attention to!I need to find out just how many people will typically be at the table for any given meal. Secondly, how can those people most easily move around the table into surrounding aisles, and how much room is needed for movement? Another reason adequate room is important around the table is that the proper placement for the dining area will encourage people to linger at the table, enhancing conversation, and even the quality of life. The kitchen is where life happens. I am a big believer that people do not want to feel confined, and if they do, they Read more:Guess
, Dinner
2007 nkba design competition finalists "open plan kitchens" 2007-04-05 14:01:37 Well, I sure hope you have been following along in this wonderful showcase of the 2007 NKBA Design Competition finalistsfor 2007 in a variety of categories. There are probably two or three small categories to come after this one. Open plan kitchens
have been a fixture now, at least in my design
practice, for quite some time. The early thinking at the time this trend started, was that the family could be in closer contact with one another, ending so many decades of the kitchen being isolated, cut off from other parts of the home. It was a concept that was very well received, particularly as we moved into a more casual way of life in our homes, households becoming much busier, and so on, and walls continue to be torn down today, as a result of this thinking, still very much a factor in kitchen design. Not everyone wants an open plan kitchen. I don't have one, nor did I feel the need for one. Yet, I still wanted my kitchen to reflect what was happening in the rest of my home and incorpor Read more:competition
kitchen nostalgia or shredder material #6 2007-04-07 13:43:44 Welcome, once again, to "Kitchen Nostalgia or Shredder Material". Here is what I suppose is trying to be a rustic style kitchen. What really stands out is the lime green countertop. There is a wild and crazy piece of me, deep down somewhere, that LIKES this odd combination of green and very light wood, I'm not kidding. Not that I would design that today, not to worry! That said, NOT with the large, stone backsplash. And not with plaid wallpaper! That's really an odd combination, isn't it? Also, during this time period, it seems so many kitchens had this railing that goes over the top of the cabinets. Here are a few other little observations:the hood - this is a hood design that I am not fond of...the hood projection but with the backer panel meant to tie into the surrounding cabinets. I say just do a whole separate hood and see the wall space around the hood, thus, accentuating/featuring the hood.The little triangular eating area. I think it's nearly non functional. Look Read more:shredder
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A cheesy kitchen design 2007-04-07 13:18:53 In the process of talking about the theme of a kitchen, I encourage my clients to express themselves, who they are, in the kitchen. We are passionate about so many things and why not celebrate and surround ourselves with what we are passion about...like cheese!? This family from the U.K. design
ed their kitchen around their love of Stilton cheese. I think it's fantastic (it helps if you are passionate about something that looks good!) Here's the cheesy kitchen design story.Good for them!
Kitchens In The Blogosphere 2007-04-10 15:51:52 Kitchens are popping up like spring flowers around the blogosphere. All sorts of good stuff I am finding on kitchen design, kitchen products, kitchen remodeling too. I was almost blown away when I saw images of Julia Child's kitchen on The Happy Living Blog. I suppose the kitchen is pure function! I remember hearing about the pegboard somewhere being in Julia's kitchen. Here is a link to the exhibit at the Smithsonian of Julia's kitchen. Thanks for this reminder of this interesting kitchen! And, what is this about a kitchen consultation you were at, as seen on your blog? Keep me in the loop! A great segue to The Kitchen at Apartment Therapy, filled with not only recipes, but lots of stuff for the kitchen, including tips on products, cooking methods, and more. What really blew me away this morning were the images on Desire to Inspire. The kitchens! They're filled with sou Read more:Blogosphere
Scandinavian Kitchens - Black & White 2 2007-04-09 14:31:23 Since last week's black and white Scandinavian
kitchens had such interest, I thought I would do it again! You know, I have to admit, something struck me this week that did not strike me last week. Part of the reason, I think, that these kitchens appeal to us is that it is not just the white cabinetry and great accessories and materials, it is that, surprisingly, and very unlike what is done, at least in the U.S., the walls are also white! The decorative/accessory layer also has much white in it as well. That is what is distinctive about these kitchens and their "look". We see the first image a million times, it is a popular look. But, we do not often see it with that type of lighting or with the simplicity of white walls, or, for that matter, the raw look of flooring such as we have here, which I hope you can see.As I have said previously, I really believe the Scandinavians do electic "right", and, added to their own distinctive look, with color and light elements, Read more:Black
, White
Normal Room - The Best Kitchens! 2007-04-12 16:46:56 Many of you have heard of Normal
Room, the website where people from all over the world upload images of the rooms in their home, just to show others how they live and to see how others live. A great concept to make the world a little bit smaller and to understand a little bit better how other cultures do what we do, cook.....and, think about what's the same, what's different....it's all good, right? So, as a dutiful editor of a kitchen design blog, I went through the entire category of kitchens and chose the ones I thought were most interesting to me.The rest were, well....normal. :-) The first image IS a kitchen, a typical kitchen somewhere in Africa...the 2 just below, I did not take note of, the 3rd image on the left is from the U.S., the 4th image on the right is from the UK, and the bottom image is, of course, from Finland. Oops, the one with the postcards before Finland is Germany. And, check out my friend, Peggy's post too on an unusual kitchen. Enjoy!
2007 Kitchen Contest - Apartment Therapy 2007-04-11 19:10:01 Apartment Therapy
- The Kitchen
is hosting a contest for kitchens, "Smallest Coolest Kitchen 2007" The deadline has been extended through April 16, so there is still time to enter! The entries are being rolled out now, one by one. I think it's great that the smallest of kitchens get a chance for some, well, respect! Small kitchens always need useful ideas, and every inch counts. It should prove to be a great collection. More inspiration, again, from Apartment Therapy. The image is from This Old House. Read more:Contest
Moody Kitchen Dining Areas 2007-04-11 15:45:27 We talk about the kitchen, and there is lots to talk about, but an equally important part of the kitchen design, whether it is situated in the kitchen or just beyond, is the dining area, also called the breakfast room. This room, sometimes a part of the kitchen, should be wonderful as well, as it is an area in which we linger. As we know, life happens in the kitchen, and often, life's most serious issues are discussed, where else, but at the kitchen table. Here is what we do at the kitchen table, we: prep food eat relate love laugh fight read work plan spend money relax make up & Read more:Kitchen
, Moody
, Dining
American Idol Kitchens - NKBA 2007 Design Contest "Showroom Kitchens" 2007-04-11 11:20:16 I have a confession to make right here and now. I'm addicted to American
Idol. There, I said it. I never watched this program before, ever. About 4-5 weeks ago, my husband and I were surfing the channels (I can't remember who had control of the remote, but I can say "stop right there", right?) But, I digress. At first we thought "this is way too bubble gum". We're New Yorkers, we're beyond this! But, we quickly got into it. It's appointment tv for us. We talk about it, judge the contestants, judge the judges, love/hate Simon, have a great time with it. I KNOW who's going, or who should leave, after last night's performances! It WON'T be Sanjaya (he was perfect for that song last night.) And, we'll find out TONIGHT! (Melinda Doolittle, you really needed to move much more during that song, as I suggested to the tv!) Do we call in? No, THAT'S where we draw the line. ;-)So, what does American Idol
have to do with kitchens, kitchen design, kitchen r Read more:Contest
, Showroom
, Design Contest
What's On Your Kitchen Counters? 2007-04-12 22:12:26 I like to be surrounded by my favorite things. I just need to have things around, meaningful things,...memories. I'm sure many of you are the same way. It is what puts "soul" in our kitchens. Personally, I much prefer meaningful things than decorative items selected for the design of the kitchen, but, that's also a look that certainly is viable and can be a lot of fun and of great interest, and I will be showing this look as well on these pages.. Here's what I have on my counters and also what they mean to me: A bowl of shells - picked them up at Jenny Lake out west with my husband many moons ago. Wooden sign with lettering on it - picked that up off the ground. It is the side of a herring box. Got it in a little island called Bornholm, when I was 16 and visiting with my Danish aunt and uncle. I knew at the time that I'd have it forever. I can't tell you how long ago I got it. Bottles - many of these were recently acquired as my husband and I found a man who s Read more:Kitchen
The State of The Kitchen Designer Blog 2007-04-15 13:19:51 I'd like to say a few thank yous!I started this blog on kitchens and kitchen remodeling, in very early February, as an experiment in another "voice" to my local kitchen design business website. I very quickly LOVED blogging, as I have always also been a writer of sorts! What I did not expect to find via blogging, was the wide open welcome I received from the blogging design community. My very new blog, untested, unknown, has been welcomed in a way that has surprised me, from early on, and I am very touched, and also grateful for the opportunity to run with this great pack of design bloggers! You rock! Thank you to those who have acknowledged my blog in one way or another. I am very proud to be associated with you.Special thanks to the following bloggers: decor8, for making me "blog of the week" last week - how awesome!ShakaDoo, where I am a guest author in Shak In Style and Shak Hammer, in this very innovative blogging concept, one of a kind for sure.Design Ta Read more:State
, Kitchen
, Designer
Nostalgia or Shredder Material? #7 2007-04-14 16:58:15 Here's an interesting image! Time again for "Nostalgia or Shredder Material
." In design school, I learned of the element of "continuity." It appears that this designer did too. Of course, if this is a 70s kitchen, we must have yellow and gold, and some orange too. That hanging lamp was a typical lamp of the 70s, I forget the name it was called. The cooktop is on the rear wall. Makes me wonder if there is actually wallpaper behind the cooktop!?One thing we know for sure...they are very important people! See the two phones?It's fun to look at these images. I think there is a LOT to learn too. Pattern was very important in this little micro time period, it seems pattern anywhere and everywhere, it almost was a measure of creativity, how many patterns could be used together or over how much square footage it could cover. I'll just bet that the ceiling was considered too. To me, the strict symmetry of the cabinetry and the constant pattern equals a dead feeling, void
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