Old World Style Kitchens

If your taste in decor is more Old World than Contemporary but you find hunting
down antiques can be a bit tiring then look no further.  Habersham Home’s custom
cabinetry in rich finishes and hand-painted lacquers combine to bring you seamless
livable looks with modern conveniences such as concealed built-in refrigerators.
Habersham likes to refer to their kitchen furniture as having “Grand European Casual Styling.”

Orange and Black – not reserved just for Halloween

We may tend to think of the colors orange and black as the colors of Halloween but these two colors can be marvelous design choices for any time of the year.  These high contrast colors are best used in bursts to catch the eye. 

 

Kitchen Tools with Air-Cushioned Handles

If you think a kitchen utensil is just a kitchen utensil, grab hold of an AR+COOK (pronounced Art & Cook) creation.  AR+COOK tools feature an air-injected, rubberized handle that feels reassuring.

Inspired by the air chambers in the soles of running shoes, AR+COOK has created the O2 Series with air-cushion handles manufactured with pockets of pressurized air around a zinc core.

While some people think these gadgets resemble a movie prop from a David Cronenberg movie, people won’t be able to resist picking one up and using it – and I’m all for help in the kitchen however it comes about.

Universal Toilet

Have you ever looked at something and wondered why it took so long for someone to create it?  That’s how I feel about this universal toilet.  It is more elegant in design and more functional than any product currently on the market.

The designers, Changduk Kim and Youngki Hong of Korea, designed this toilet to address the emotional components of being disabled. Their view is that by creating a toilet that is equally useable by everyone, there is no longer a need for special signage or for disabled people to feel singled out by dedicated facilities.

Wheelchair users don’t need to turn or twist but can simply slide forward off the wheelchair directly onto the toilet. There is a chest board they can lean against for added stability and comfort. Handles on the chest board can also be helpful when standing or transferring to and from the wheelchair. For people that have limited dexterity or strength and the able-bodied, the chest board becomes a backboard to lean against.

The toilet is wrapped in steel to prevent damage to the toilet’s finish from possible wheelchair contact. Surfaces on the toilet that come in contact with the human body are treated with a special coating to mitigate coldness.

Read more            

                    

Coolest Product at HD Boutique – Symmons Signature Design Series

Symmons Industries, the Braintree, MA-based manufacturer of commercial and residential plumbing products, demonstrated its “Design Studio Live,” a process that allows  designers to quickly and easily craft unique bath fittings for any project.

Design Studio Live gives Symmons the capabilities to come to a designer’s office and create a unique, custom-designed bath fittings that create an individual style and an ideal bath experience for the customer with the Signature Design Series (SDS) Software.

SDS has the uncommon ability to create unique designs at reasonable costs thanks to several factors. To begin with, Symmons’ design process is quick and efficient. Specialized software allows Symmons

designers to turn an initial concept into a 3-D prototype in as little as four days. Since the program is based on open source coding, designers can take any faucet off the Symmons website and ask to see it with modifications, giving SDS a starting point that will reduce the overall design time and lower the associated design costs.

This program has had great success with Hotel and Multi-Family clients where unique design builds equity. For example, it enhances the showering experience in hotels which is a top priority for guests and it makes condominiums more memorable which is key to sales.

I watched as they made a 3-D prototype right there on the show floor and being able to feel how a faucet will feel in my hands removes all doubt of how a CAD drawing will translate into the actual item.

Since Symmons does not charge for the design services or the prototype, a designer can ”wow” his or her client by presenting the prototype model at the Concept Presentation.

Green Websites Worth Checking Out

 

There are some exceptional websites popping up everyday on the web and today I want to share a few that focus on eco-friendly ideas and materials.

Get with Green provides informative news and information on green, eco-friendly, and sustainable products for the home remodeling project.  I really enjoyed their recent post on Sonoma Cast Stone, a leading concrete countertop fabricator.  Read part one of the two part series here.

K+BB Green is written by Jeff Holloway to share ideas and experiences about eco-friendly design.  His latest post is about the challenges of implementing the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Rating System. Check it out.

The Green Guide for Kids is just like the name states. It’s a wonderful resource for kids find ideas and inspiration for going green. There are many activity ideas for children.

Bamboo Veneer Cabinets

I am very pleased to announce my favorate cabinet manufacturer, Miralis, is now offering bamboo as part of their Exotic Veneer Series adding 2 more choices to an impressive offering of  African Mahogany, Anigre, English Sycamore, and Zebra wood to name a few.   

Bamboo is one of the world’s most prolific and fastest-growing plants and is able to reach maturity in about four years, compared to the typical 25 to 70 years for commercial tree species in the U.S. There are over 1000 documented uses of bamboo. 

Bamboo is nature’s most sustainable resource, it is grown without pesticides or chemicals, it is 100% biodegradable, and naturally regenerative. Bamboo is actually a tropical grass, with an extensive root system that sends out an average of four to six new shoots per year, naturally replenishing itself and growing to heights of 60 feet or more. Some bamboo species grow up to 4 feet per day and can be harvested every 3 to 4 years.

Washing Dishes the Green Way

We all know that washing dishes in a dishwasher uses less water then hand-washing but if you rinse your dishes first you are wasting your water savings.  Follow this tip and the ones below to wash the Green way.

◊ Only run full loads – not partial or half loads.

◊ Never use the “Rinse and Hold” feature.

◊ Always load the dishes in the dishwasher facing the water jets.

◊ Don’t use detergent tablets.  They contain too much soap, which is taxing on the environment.

◊ Wash big pots and pans by hand allowing more room in the dishwasher for smaller items.

◊ Make sure the spray arm is not blocked.  If you are not sure, spin it with your hand.

◊ Always run the kitchen faucet until hot water comes from the tap before you start your dishwasher.

◊Air dry your dishes instead of using the heating element.

Check out this link to The Green Guide for a survey on eco-friendly dishwashing soaps.

“Ask Ann”

I thought I’d let everyone know that I am now blogging for my
local paper on a new web-page geared toward helping
homeowners spruce up their home to place it on the market.
The page even has a place where homeowners can upload their
own photos and share what they’ve done.
Check it out.

New Way to Organize Your Books

I design a fair amount of bookcases for dens or as part of entertainment centers and I am completely in love with a popular new way of displaying book collections.  Large collections are no longer arranged by title, author or genre, but by color.

It’s very eye-catching with rows of green books followed by rows of turquise colored books followed pale blue books.    It’s like instant literary art.

I suppose if your book collection is limited you could make your own book jackets and pick a particular color scheme such as jewel tones or beach-glass colors.  That’s one project I’d like to try if I could find the time.

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