A Trip To A Kitchen Show

I went to a regional kitchen show on Tuesday and part of Wednesday in Pennsylvania. I go to this show every year. It's small, very small, but I always find some interesting materials or products, and information from seminars, so I go (to the crummy hotel room in King of Prussia, PA.)

In terms of trends, what I saw was DARK cabinetry, whether it be black (lots of black!) or very dark brown wood finishes. I saw some white, but not much, but that doesn't mean anything. I did see some exotic wood door samples and displays, clearly a trend for some time now. 

I saw beautiful wood countertops in a good selection of woods that were very impressive, including bamboo and lyptus, among others. I also saw a great soapstone display and had a good refresher conversation about soapstone. It's soft, yet non porous. And, it's all about regular oiling, to maintain an even patina (the positive word for wear marks!)  

One booth I almost missed was a tiny booth showing Sirius hoods that I have used before. They just came out with a great hood for a small application. The hood is 24" wide. Great for apartment or small kitchens.

And, the very best part of the show was that I got to meet Erinn from The Happy Living Blog! I knew she lived in the area near the show, and I sent her an email and asked if she was free, and to my delight, she was. We had dinner together and had such a really nice visit.

Try it...if you know a blogging buddy may be in a particular area you are visiting, take a chance and make the effort to meet. It's well worth it. Erinn is an architect, so we talked shop for quite awhile (we both agreed it's great to have allied professionals actually talk to one another!) and had an all around good time.

 

 

Retro Kitchens - Step Away From These!

I couldn't let this post go without showing it to you, especially since you know I have a "thing" for retro kitchens of the 60s and 70s. Do I love them? Um.....right now, I have that sort of pained half smile squinty-eyed look on my face. Sort of like greeting someone you really don't like. Let's be brave soldiers together and gaze at these wonders from kitchens past. My mother issues are coming up for me...

What a fabulous collection we have here from Desire to Inspire, ok, fabulous being an oxymoron. Nonetheless, we can talk about color, pattern, pattern (oh, sorry, I said that already) and color. I know there has to be one with a rug in there somewhere.

Desire to Inspire's Retro Kitchens 

Modern Kitchens 2007

Here is a collection of modern kitchens, snapped at the kitchen show a few months back in Las Vegas. I have not put these images up till now, and it's interesting to compare them with the Scandinavian modern kitchens I just photographed in August. Some of these kitchens were made to showcase appliances, and some were showcasing cabinetry. Perhaps you can see that the trend of tile walls is strong. A bright color trend is seen, as well as dark shades of cabinets in these images, also strong. Quite frankly, I think some of these are uninspiring, at least to my eye, a few others are good, and the second to last image is a great example of just way too much going on...putting different materials together just because you can!

What's your take...and preferences?

Redesigning My New York City Apartment Kitchen

I'm about to start planning the kitchen in my NYC apartment. Join me, and fasten your seat belts!

Here's The Background

We (my husband, Steve, and I) own a one bedroom apartment (about 550-570 sf), which we bought 2 1/2 years ago on the upper west side of New York.  We're a 1/2 block from Central Park, the park location being the reason we bought the apartment, and enjoy the city tremendously. As we are just getting out of college paying years, home equity played a part in buying us this dream (my dream from when I was a very young girl.)

Our son recently attended college in the city and lives in the apartment now. He will be moving out in December (clean before you leave, please!) to start his next phase of life. Our life plan is to split our time between Long Island and the city, with more time in the city as time goes by, starting in December.

The Kitchen

The kitchen is 7x7.  While our existing kitchen is in good enough shape, we want to remove half of the wall which separates the living area from the kitchen, exposing one, large room. This is what is driving the project. It will be a snowball effect, and all materials will have to be replaced. Much more about the kitchen to come...

Here's The Conundrum 

Given the (small) square footage of the apartment, compared to how we're used to living in our fairly spacious suburban house on Long Island, I can see us wanting a larger apartment down the road. Could we afford a larger apartment? Not now. Down the road? Maybe, maybe NOT (the biggest reason for taking down the wall.) If we downsized our house on Long Island? Yes. Could we learn to live in 570 sf for extended periods of time? I would hope so, but I'm not entirely convinced. That's my honest answer. I can't know the answer to that right now.

The question of a larger apartment in our future is a significant one. This apartment will not be a pied a terre. We will spend lots of time there. I don't see it making sense to have a big house and a small apartment, if we end up spending equal time at each. Yet, if you were with us at breakfast on Sunday in the backyard, as we talked about this, in a private setting, surrounded by gorgeous, thick, woods and our large rose/perennial garden (which we enjoy working on together from spring to frost) you'd make an argument to keep the house and work around the small apartment. "If" is a pretty powerful word!

Look, these are all intrinsically "good" scenarios in the big picture, which ever way we go. We are very fortunate to have two homes in the first place. This conundrum is worthy of serious thought for us, but not worry. I am sure the answers will eventually reveal themselves to us!

The Paradox

Ah, that last sentence is said, oh, so casually, but it brings to mind one of the first questions I ask my clients...how long will you stay in the home (in our case, the apartment?) The answer is useful (if not necessary) in providing direction for spending and design decisions, going forward.

We don't know the answer to how long we will keep the apartment. That said, ultimately, we must decide if we design/spend for us or design/spend for the real estate market. In fact, we cannot move forward until we decide.

Updates will happen randomly. Sometimes days together, sometimes weeks apart. Seek out the category to keep up to date! Pictures are coming too!

Stay tuned! 

Blogging for Kitchens!

Here's what's happening around the blogs for some kitchen info and inspiration.

First, check out Desire To Inspire's post on dining spots. Definitely an important stylistic part of the kitchen, it's great to see this variety of styles and colors. Love their choices! Jo & Kim at DTI recently spent the week guest blogging at design*sponge. Some great postings this week on the d*s blog.

Breaking News: Stay tuned, as this week I'll be interviewing Grace Bonney, design*sponge publisher extraordinaire, on all things NOW, relating to home design.

Did you say you wanted a colorful kitchen? Take a look at this kitchen and all the other home entries in Apartment Therapy's Fall Colors Contest. AT says: "Color is a powerful part of interior design, and the cheapest way to change a room, but few feel comfortable using it. To inspire confidence, we're going to share all of the best color homes, tips and sources, worldwide." Vote!

Kitchen Design Notes has some solid information on butcherblock countertops, all you every wanted to know and all that. I LOVE wood countertops for a whole lot of reasons. I definitely see one in my future. Good work, Laurie!

And don't miss this kitchen over at Materialicious, it has, um.....gravitas! 

 

Trends in White Kitchens

I received this email from Elizabeth, a reader, and just had to share it with you. Here it is in its entirety:

"Susan- i ran across your site a few months ago and i am continued to be drawn to your work, photographs and thoughts as a source of tasteful inspiration for our kitchen. we recently purchased a home with a kitchen that needs updating so i am currently living and breathing kitchen design (i am a designer by training and so this is a dream project for me). Anyhow, I wanted to send you kudos on your work and blog. I would love it if you would post your thoughts on the resurgence of the white kitchen. it seems like every magazine i pick up these days has all white kitchens. is it just a trend? is cherry/maple.oak totally dated?"

Elizabeth, this is a great question! Thank you for your lovely comments and for your question. Here's what I think. I think there are a few things going on.

There are no ifs, ands, or buts...white is a classic in kitchen design, and its interpretation seems to continually reinvent itself over the decades.

First, the white kitchen, in recent years, is being looked at as a "fixed architectural element" to the home...being used (although it may not be historically accurate) as a traditional/classic backdrop, becoming one with the other millwork in the home. White, as we know, is often seen in architectural features in a home, in paneling, trim, doors, stairs, etc., and I think there is often an underlying motivation to give built in cabinetry in the kitchen and other rooms a "permanence" in feeling in this (also quiet/safe) way...for many. Surely, white is not practical whatsoever in the kitchen, so it follows this line of thinking. The look, of course, can be one of elegance. Take a look at the white built ins in the dining room shot, you'll see what I mean, how they connect with all the other white doors and casings.

 

Secondly, it's easy to coordinate other design elements in the room, let's face it, it's a free-for-all design wise...countertops, wall color, tile, accessories. That is also a motivation for some, always. An offshoot of this is to consider that white is sort of a classic "utilitarian" shade, and the kitchen is a utilitarian room to many, wanting to play up that theme. Also, white reflects light, brightening up the entire space, lifting one's spirits substantially, particularly in a room with small or few windows.

The third reason is, I know there has been a reawakening, a redefinition, of the traditional style in kitchen design. I call it "the butler's pantry look." The clean, simple lines of today's white traditional kitchens, evoke the feeling of kitchens past. What was previously called a shaker style kitchen is now an upgraded look with the same door style, yet a bit more embellished in decorative detailing, but not too much. It's an evolution of styling, a redefinition. It's fresh and new.

 

And, the fourth reason? I can put my finger on it exactly...2003, when the movie, "Something's Gotta Give" came out! The effect on kitchen design as a result of this movie was HUGE. Here's the google search page for it, complete with blog posts by my blog buddies Cote de Texas and Surroundings, even now, four years later! I heard about it and saw its effect with my clients. The U.S. was ready to move away from all of the highly decorative detailing of the decade before and into a "less is more" philosophy as well. And, that look, for those who like the traditional style, is still so very prevelent today, as a direct result of this movie. In fact, I've had these images (shown above) of the kitchen in the movie, that I have been meaning to create a post around since I started this blog, and, so, here they are.

Take a look at a previous post I did on the white model kitchen in one of the last, great, New York City residential apartment buildings to be built, still being finished as we speak. Some similar thoughts in that post.

Is cherry/maple/oak outdated? Quite the contrary. Kitchen design NOW is all about expressing yourself the way you want to, NOT to follow the pack. Although that said, there will always be trends. Watch out for trends, however, that's my advice, they can be quietly addicting. Maybe not the best way to invest in something that needs to last for, oh, a couple of decades or so. Do what speaks to you, be open to all possibilities, and look past the trends.

So, there you go! Oh, one last thing...is this look, as I defined it, a trend? Absolutely! Therefore, is it something to run from? No, not this trend, not if it is linked to the architecture of the home. Yet, awareness is a good thing.

New, Cool, Refrigerator From Fagor

Just got word that Fagor is introducing a 24" no frost refrigerator. To me, this is huge news, as I'm in the middle of looking for appliances to plan into my 7' x 7' NYC apartment kitchen. So, I'm doubly excited about this product! Let me tell you a few things about it.

It is 24 x 24 x 78 3/4, meaning that it is true cabinet depth, a huge plus for small kitchens (eyes upward in thanks.) It is a sleek, modern, design, and made of high end, and finger print resistant, stainless steel.  

More features include unbreakable glass trays and drawer fronts, and independent compartments with electronic regulation. The independent "multi fresh" and "double fresh" drawers allow for two unique environments within the refrigerator, great for keep vegetables crisp and meats and seafood at another level of moisture. 

According to Fagor, it is the healthiest refrigerator on the market. Equipped with a unique BIO filter, an antibacterial/odor eliminating filter with indicator keeps the refrigerator hygienic by retaining mold and bacteria from the circulating air. A protection cover disables such bacterial particles from settling and growing, allowing foods to remain fresh for longer periods of time. 

Even more features include fast cooling (automatically detects and adjust large food additions at once) and super freezing capabilities with a vacation setting, changing the refrigerator temperatove to 57F, preventing odor and bacteria, keeping the freezer at normal temp.

An open door alarm and beeper alarm with warning light indicate any sudden interruption of the cold chain. And, it is said to be less noisy due to one generator source for fridge and freezer. No word on energy star rating, they are currently performing the energy star tests, so that information is not complete.

The unit will be available December 2007. List price is $1699.  

Beyond My Kitchen Window

I need a break! I've worked very hard most of today doing computer work in a high level of detail. Time consuming, labor intensive, entry by entry, working on kitchen plans, using both sides of the brain until it hurts! And, I am pleased with what I accomplished. So, let's take a break...

Out to the garden, a beautiful Indian summer early fall day.  The garden is now a jungle, quite unkempt, but it's delightful with aged colors and textures, some beautiful new flowers just hitting their stride, and roses still pumping out the blooms until the frost (hopefully not for a month.)

Please join me for a look at the garden today. Lucky for me, I can see some of these beauties from my kitchen window, a real joy. 

And, how is your day going? Did you get to take a break?

Please see the flikr slide show of the early autumn garden. Best enjoyed s l o w l y !

Back to regularly scheduled programming tomorrow! All images were taken today.

Modern Kitchens - Euro Style

One of my favorite blogs, freshome, was interested in the kitchen "scene" in Copenhagen, which I have not yet shown on this blog. I went to a good number of kitchen showrooms, every single one of them having wonderful looks and features within. Some features and styling are very subtle, almost imperceptible as being something special, unless pointed out, making the look all the more...I think "organic" is a one descriptive word, following Denmark's great, and historical, tradition for design excellence. So, I encourage you to look closely at these images in the flikr slide show.

Here is what I observed, which I shared with freshome, on that blog: "I LOVED going to Copenhagen's kitchen showrooms, seeing the latest, and very cool, design ideas. Large patterns on walls, beautiful, and textural wood grains, lots of dark charcoal or black, and white, cabinetry, these are some of the latest trends in kitchen design. I also noticed backsplashes with clear or colored glass sections positioned over painted, textured, walls, a very sleek look! Always fabulous lighting and always little splashes of color, a typical, and modern, Scandinavian touch."

Some of these trends are prevelent in the U.S. as well, as I observed at KBIS in May. I will do an accompanying post on those kitchens in the next few days. That should be interesting to compare! You will see a few country kitchens, too, very charming, I think.

Take a look at the kitchen slide show for many more images (all taken by me!)

And, please take a look at the freshome blog, and click on the top banner for the latest posts. There is much inspiration throughout this blog for the entire home. Enjoy!

Open Plan Kitchens - For Empty Nesters

My husband and I changed two rooms of furniture around yesterday, swapping furniture in each room. The dining room furniture was put into the smaller of our two family rooms. The family room furniture was put into the dining area (not the breakfast area), which is open to the kitchen.

We now have a great room floor plan, that I've been designing for my clients for the past, close to, 20 years!

Two of our three kids moved out about 3 years ago, the smaller family room just wasn't getting used, and at the same time, new lifestyle patterns were emerging for us. Our daughter and son in law visit from the city on occasional weekends, our other son, less so, and lots of time is spent in the kitchen along with a variety of activities such as preparing meals with great music playing, laptop use, sports tv with no sound on, hors d'oevres before dinner, relaxing, talking, dining, and any combination of same.

Being on the "other side" of raising children, I can tell you, at least for us, that it is, as, or more, important to have the home conducive to togetherness, since the kids do not come home that often. This floor plan achieves that goal very well. Yet, we still have the large family room, just beyond, with a pair of french doors installed, to "get away" from the kitchen/great room feeling, good to promote privacy and coziness.

So, to empty nesters, or soon to be: Being aware of how your parental role changes often has to do with how your home works for you. And, how it could work better for you in this next phase of life.

I know my kids will be delighted when they see this change in the house. They are 20 somethings adults now, all, and, although a few smarmy comments still sneak through,  they no longer see us as they once did:  a) stupid b) losers c) know nothings d) out of it e) the enemies! Oh man, I thought of five descriptive terms so quickly! Now, I look forward to welcoming them back home to a different experience.

 
As this configuration was never foreseen, I may tweak it a bit more, still. Change is fun! 

Please look at some additional images of my kitchen/family room. Tell me what you think of an open kitchen/family room concept. 

 

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!

 

An Amish Kitchen - Via Quality Custom Cabinetry

I had lunch in an Amish home on Tuesday.

What a privilege that was. I have yet to write about it, (more about the event and what I learned soon) but, one of my major cabinet suppliers, Quality Custom Cabinetry, invited all of their representative kitchen design firms around the country, to celebrate their 40 years of business in this two day event, Monday and Tuesday of this week, in Lancaster Country, PA. For the second day of the event, three types of recreation were offered, at no charge. I ALWAYS rush back to the office, and when I heard that an Amish tour was offered, I decided to slow it down a bit and take advantage of this particular tour.

We toured the area, saw the horse drawn buggies, saw the corn being cut by men and horses, and entered this beautiful, different world of farms, one room school houses (many) and lovely people with strong values.

I had one of the best lunches in quite awhile, with some of the best food ever. Since the Amish do not have electricity, food is prepared in simple, traditional, ways. They cook with gas, and they may use battery power. There were no lights on of any sort in the kitchen where we had our lunch.

I wish I had taken a picture of all the food on the table, it just kept coming. Here's what was served:

• several types of preserved vegetables, previously home grown 
  preserved apricots in syrup in a bowl
  
• applesauce 
• fresh beans
• fresh potatoes, roughly mashed
• noodles
• fried chicken
• ham loaf
• white, sliced bread
• homemade jam
• pumpkin pie (best I ever tasted)
• shoofly pie
• iced tea
• coffee

Here is an image of three generations of women in an Amish kitchen, that I took. They have lovely homes, the Amish. The women grow their hair and put it in a bun. They have a quiet elegance, which perhaps you can see here. No dishwasher, only their hands to wash dishes, serving dishes, glasses, and pots, from a group of 20. Afterward, little recipe books came out, selling for $3.50 each. I bought one.

I must mention this too...after lunch, we went to a large Amish gift/food shop. As I was lingering outside, I glanced over at the ramp and spotted a woman being pushed in a wheelchair by another woman, with a man accompanying them. These people were my husband's relatives, also from Pennsylvania! I had not seen them since 2003, and shouting, hugging, and more ensued.

They live 3 hours away from the gift store we were at, and were in the area for a doctor's appointment for my husband's aunt. How could that happen? What if lunch were 5 minutes delayed? What if I went back to the bus 5 minutes earlier or to the restroom around the corner...that was a real WOW for me! Serendipity!

This is an image of the open kitchen just beyond the sales counter in the Amish store we stopped at.  

Kitchen Accessories

Everyone loves kitchen accessories, right? I go through spurts.  I'll take apart all my decorative "stuff" in the kitchen and redo it again. It takes me forever, but sometimes, I just need a new, fresh, look in the kitchen. And, with kitchen accessories, we can get a new look anytime we want. Here are a few accessories that will freshen everything up quick and easy.

First, I'm wild about these little disc plate hangers I spotted on decor8, when my jaw dropped at the perfection of the concept! It makes me want to go out and start hunting for lots of plates. I love how these plates are hung in such a modern way, too.

Here's your source for them, DISChangers.com. How, absolutely, awesome, are these??

Next, I want you to take a look at another fresh idea, from Design Public. Design Public happens to have a great collection of hip ideas for your walls.

These decorative wall art ideas are usually seen in other rooms of the home, but who cares? Be innovative and incorporate these ideas into the kitchen. Very easy to do.  

OK, maybe not what you wished for, but, hear me out...found these "trash chic" trash bags on Apartment Therapy -  Kitchen. The price isn't bad either, I was surprised...$14.95 for 80 liners. Makes trash removal something to look forward to now! Ok, it's a stretch...

 

Kitchen Artwork - You're The Arteeest!

I went to a serious, very serious (no smile is on my face) art gallery in New York City over last weekend. As I walked around, a thought occurred to me..."I can do this too!" As I walked and gazed (seriously) at the images before me, I knew I had to talk to you, my readers, about this thought.

I took 8 of MY images below and added 3 of the images that were in this gallery show that I attended.

I'd like you to tell me which images, below, you think were done by the artist in the show. That's all. Maybe mine are so bad this will be a simple task, and everyone will guess correctly! Oh, the embarrassment!

What's the point here?

The point, is that you have talent, perhaps unused talent, too. If these images can hang in this prestigious gallery, sometimes two or three next to each other with no space in between the white, simple, frames, a nice look, then you can enlarge your images too (or go out and take some) and hang them in your kitchen and look at them as art (which they are! You don't need to spend bundles on what you perceive to be "real" art. Find the artist inside you, hang your work in your kitchen, be proud of it, and you will feel something special. It's fun and rewarding, and relatively low in cost. 8x10s at mpix are $1.99. The matting and framing can be artfully done as well.

Those who know me know that I am a big proponent of putting art in the kitchen. Whether it is photographs, artfully framed and arranged, or oil paintings purchased from an artist, or other art forms, makes no difference.  I love to see space for art in the kitchen, and this is one way to do it, with meaning, AND, low cost.

OK, so which ones are the artist's images? Put the mouse over each image and its name will pop up at the top left of the small thumbnails.

Built in Coffee Maker Appliances - Rethinking Kitchen Design

The coffee pot! It used to be a non issue, never on the radar screen when planning a kitchen. Now, it's absolutely a checklist issue to discuss.

I'm in the middle of the kitchen design process with a client. Up to now, we had talked about having a place for his coffee/espresso maker and other small appliances, perhaps in one area of the kitchen. Sort of an appliance "center."

Then, I received an email from the client saying he would like a built in coffee maker system. Shortly after, he said, "oh, let's just put a pot on the counter, that's good enough." I then realized that I had not told him the concept behind the built in coffee maker.

It's about convenience. Convenience is nice. It means always having a cup of coffee when you are ready. 

Here are the reasons why one may want to consider a built in coffee maker appliance:

• convenience - always ready for one cup

• time saver - no more multiple steps of prep/clean up for one or two cups
  

• infrequent water filling, if at all (tank or plumbed)

• fast response, rather than waiting for the whole pot

• choice of different coffees and grinds

• no coffee wasted by making more than you need

• may select specific amount for a small or large coffee cup

Here is more information from The Appliancist on coffee maker systems. It has good information for comparative purposes.

 
You may read that the coffee maker system will "declutter" your countertops. I'm not so sure of that. The reason is, these appliances are fairly large in width, often 24". Now, space has to be found in the kitchen design, another challenge, which usually eliminates counter space and storage and has a large impact on cabinetry and the entire design.

In our house, the coffee addict (my husband) has, for now, found his solution. The one cup Tassimo. Can this $100 coffee maker compete with these gorgeous appliances in terms of taste? I'm sure the answer is no, especially, as most of the built in appliances grind the coffee beans to taste. So, there is convenience in the countertop one-cup models. The question then becomes, "at what price, taste??" (Shhhhh....don't remind my husband these appliances are available!)

Would you like one of these? 

The Scandinavian Style Breakfast Room

There was one photograph, similar to what I took below, that made me very quickly email the realtor back to say, "book it!" What is not shown so well is this structure of sorts that has a curved, stone, thick, back to it and the front is seating, like a curved sectional. It is situated in the perfect spot, and definitely a surprise in this room.

There is a variety of interesting elements in this room...the brick floors for one. These are real bricks, not veneer! I've never seen this used as flooring in a kitchen, a real kitchen. I'm a barefoot walker around the house, and it did not bother me to walk on this floor. Of course, the plants on the walls and ceiling are crazy!  It certainly was THE most interesting breakfast room I've ever had the pleasure to dine in.

And, always white, everywhere, as the perfect shade to complement these colors of nature, the brick and the green plants. Simple, not "decorated" per se, just sort of accumulated elements, creating a comfortable space.  

What makes a breakfast room/kitchen dining area great? I think one way (not the only way) as we see here, is to create the quality of the space feeling "real," not contrived, but to show an authenticity, with a goal to delight, and ignite, the senses. It's one particular look.

Did you say you wanted at least SOME accessories to integrate into this look?? Ok, come with me over to Desire To Inspire's second day of shopping the antique boutiques for some very wonderful furnishings and accessories to get this look! Thanks DTI!