NAUTICAL ZEN KITCHEN

Ta daaaaa!  Another beautiful kitchen is complete, and yes it’s white with Shaker doors.  Surprise!  Not.  There were two main challenges about working in this home.  First of all the architecture is very unique and is an integral part of the space.  It’s comprised of posts and beams, angles and open lofts which remind me of a ship.  The second challenge was a lack of unity with way too much going on visually.  The existing kitchen had three different types of counter tops, two different types of cabinets and more stuff than space.  In addition, hinges and drawer slides were failing and paint was chipping.The homeowners came equipped with the most valuable of traits, an open mind.  They were willing to see their kitchen and laundry area in a new way.  Every step of the design process we would ask ourselves “does this unify and simplify”?  Think “nautical zen”!First off I decided to make peace with the posts and beams.  The layout remained the same and we didn’t even change the door style or color!  What we did was improve the fit and function.  Using all white counters unified the space and allowed the blue granite back splash to be the star of the show.  Here are some “before” pix and “after” solutions which will pave the way for smooth sailing in this new kitchen.

          

KITCHEN FAVORITES GUEST POST

Today’s guest post is from Susi, a writer for Arcadian Lighting, a must-shop resource for beautiful light fixtures.  Susi is sharing some favorite kitchens, from traditional to contemporary, cottage to penthouse. There is a wide range of styles, fixtures, cabinets, flooring and lighting in these kitchens. We hope you see something that will inspire you. What is your favorite kitchen?

Pinterest via

Love the greenhouse feeling to this kitchen. The cream cabinets and countertops blend seamlessly with the architecture. Pantry & appliances are tucked further back so they don’t disrupt the view.

Pinterest via

This cottage kitchen is one of our favorites because of the island that feels like a farmhouse table. Classic white subway tiles are classic for a reason…they’re timeless.

Apartment Therapy via

Small doesn’t mean unstylish. Love this eat-in-kitchen that is small on space but large on style. High gloss cabinets reflect the light to make the room feel bigger. The pendant light over the table adds a stylish touch.

Fresh Home via

Colored cabinets are not a new trend but we love the high gloss aqua on these metal cabinets. Everything feels sleek and polished in this contemporary kitchen.

House and Home via

Luxury finishes and quality materials make this kitchen a favorite. Dramatic dark cabinets and contemporary lighting make this kitchen feel sophisticated.

 

Abode Love via

This white kitchen is anything but sterile. Grey veined white marble, dark floors and punches of orange from the counter stools keep it lively. Love the kitchen pendant lights.

Shatter Boxx via

While many of our favorite kitchens are light and airy, we do love the drama of dark cabinets paired with dark floors. The island sink also makes this a fave, as does the professional range.

A Note on Design via

This contemporary farmhouse kitchen is a gorgeous blend of new and old. Love how the design incorporates the stone wall with contemporary cabinets and pendant lightsContent provided by Arcadian Lighting, a site that specializes in top quality lighting fixtures at extremely affordable prices. If you like this post, be sure to stop by the Arcadian Lighting blog and let us know you saw us here!

WOOD YOU FAUX THE DIFFERENCE?

Today I would like to introduce one of the star players behind the scenes at the busy, bustling  Brendan Donovan Furniture & Cabinet Co., of which I am proud to be a part.  Meet Serf ( I won't mention his last name cause I can't spell it and you wouldn't be able to say it anyway).  Serf is our finisher in residence.  Not only does he finish all our custom cabinetry,  he is an artist as well.  I never really knew that until today when I visited him at work on site.  The project is to magically transform white painted wood doors into knotty pine to match an existing den.  At first I thought, why would anyone want to do that?  It can't look that good.  Wowzer was I wrong!  Check it out.It was one of those moments where I was just not expecting to find a blog post.  I only had my crappy cell phone camera but I think you can see what I mean.  It's simply amazing.  Serf starts by making a template, of sorts, out of nothing more than a piece of cardboard!  Here's the before.Here's the after where he's captured the wood grain, the depth and the knots of the knotty pine.

This door,  which started like this, took about three days to complete.First he lays down a base coat, then he paints in the knots followed by the graining and  two colors of varnish for visual depth. Whattayathink??

KITCHEN PRICE IS RIGHT, NOT

 I can’t begin to write this post without referencing the inspiration for it, Corey over at Design Kula and Kelly over at Kelly’s Kitchen Sync.  Check out what they had to say after you read my post.Today’s semi-rant is all about the REAL price of a new kitchen. Corey states that so many clients are unprepared and have not done their homework. While I agree that is certainly true for some, I find many consumers have informed themselves about products and design, to a certain extent. The total disconnect, to me, is the PRICE! I don’t hate HGTV. I watch it and I find the shows to be fun and inspiring. The problem is that the “budgets” are so far off, it does a disservice to us all. When a client is faced with real pricing, including all the details they don’t have time to mention on a 30 minute program, we are the bad guys.Secondly, when you decide to venture into the world of kitchen remodeling remember what I always say, the best projects are the result of great collaborations. That means if you have a budget in your head, by all means, SHARE it! I often find that clients, for some reason, feel this is a closely guarded secret that shall not be divulged. We can’t assist you if you withhold information.  These days I expect to hear almost any amount.  Once I know it I can suggest what you CAN do and save time for both of us.  Oh and if you honestly don’t have a clue what anything costs,  then go back to step one and do your homework.

Lucy's Kitchen

I love Lucille Ball!  I wonder how many half hours I spent as a kid watching Lucy and Ricky over and over again.Tomorrow marks what would have been the 100^th birthday of legendary Lucille Ball.   “I Love Lucy: An American Legend” opened August 4 to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the 1950’s comedy at the Library of Congress.  The Washington post came out today with a great article about the exhibit which runs through January 28, 2012.  Also to mark the star’s 100^th birthday, August 6^th, Life.com is releasing some never before seen photos showing the sultry side of Lucy.Back in the 50s Lucy spent a lot of time in the kitchen so naturally I decided to take a look at this important part of the set and site of so many (red) harebrained schemes.Looks like Lucy’s kitchen may have seen a remodel or two over the years.  I could not find any information about that but the photos show a change in door style as well as layout!  Lucy Gets a New Kitchen would have been a great episode!  Remember Seinfeld’s new kitchen adventure?  Hilarious and truer than we may want to admit. Jerry gets a new kitchen!http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zEZvWVlUY3E      

MY KITCHEN & BATH FAVORITES

As a kitchen and bath designer I am constantly assaulted with images of products that are truly "drool-worthy", if I may coin that expression.  I am seduced by originality, great function and sometimes simply an undefinable- irrational- attraction (kinda like how I found my husband).  Anyway here's what I'm lovin today.Siderna Faucet by BrizoEveryone knows I've been a big Brizo fan ever since becoming a member of the exclusive Blogger 19 (2.0) last year.  Their Siderna bathroom faucet is simply sublime.  I love the glass handles and I love the shiny chrome.  I know that the popular taste, at the moment, is for brushed nickel but I have to stray from the pack for chrome.  The nice thing is, frequently, shiny chrome costs less than the more popular brushed finishes.Sharp Microwave DrawerI think the best microwave I ever owned was an over-the-range model by Sharp.  Now they offer a microwave drawer which I love for many reasons.   Although infinitely useful, who wants to look at a microwave?  The microwave drawer is unobtrusively located below the counter.  It's safer and accessible for the junior chefs in your family.  They come in 24" or 30" models which are installed into a base cabinet. Mosaics by Hot KnobsHot Knobs is a product of Portland Oregon based Aquila Art Glass.    Producing Art Glass Knobs and Pulls was a natural extension for this company known for the production of a variety of hand crafted art glass plates, bowls candle holders,  etc.   What a great piece of bling this would be for any cabinet.  Knobs as well as pulls (handles) are available.     The Green River Stone Company

Despite the serial killerish name, this is an awesome product.  I just love fossils.  There's something about all that antiquity in something you can actually see and feel. This is the ultimate in unique.  The Green River Stone Company offers the finest in natural art fossil fish and stone products. The material actually is fossil-rich calcium carbonate shale from their private quarry in Southwestern Wyoming. From this stone, deposited 50 million years ago as sediment in a large freshwater lake, they produce individual fossil specimens, artistic fossil murals, and other stone products for museums, private collectors, interior designers and architects.Aqua & Lime Anyone?

 Check this out!  Brendan was doing a little modification on these antique doors which I believe belong to an armoire.  Since they were done and awaiting delivery,  he propped them up in our very cool new greenish design studio and voila'!  It's like the chocolate and the peanut butter.  They just go together. Wish we could keep them.  Now we're looking to steal some doors off of another armoire.  I think we may be on to something.  Hmmmm