Wood Texture Kitchen Trend - IMM Cologne LivingKitchen 2013

Texture, designed into many of the kitchen displays I saw at LivingKitchen two weeks ago in Cologne, Germany, was front and center as a trend. It showed itself in various forms, but the movement was clear - Europeans clearly want warmth in the form of wood grain, whether real or faux wood.

This specific type of texture was shown in walls, backsplashes, cabinet doors and countertops. It was also seen in flooring, which I will be covering separately.

The kitchens were warmer in their overall feel than the last time I was at this show, yet, interestingly, and here is an important point - European cabinet manufacturers show texture in a very modern way as opposed to designing in heavily textured wood with more of a country feeling which we are familiar with here in the U.S.

The new European kitchen designs are using textured wood in a straightforward way - plain (mostly flat, sometimes raised small squares in a modern pattern) and simple. When you add flat, simple, doors, modern accessories and appliances, no amount of heavy texture will move the design toward the next level of warm and fuzzy that we are used to seeing in the U.S. - you need paneled doors and other design elements to go down that road.

Nonetheless, the added texture seen in the kitchen displays does contribute to a sense of comfort, warmth, and a casual nature to the design.

Below are images which illustrate the various ways texture was used at the LivingKitchen show. I've turned the color saturation down quite a bit to more clearly show these textured areas. This was a mainstream trend!

What do you think of this trend and how it's used? 

Modenus + BlogTour = Inspiration Defined

Modenus is a web based interior design resource with carefully, even lovingly, curated products found in all corners of the world presented in an organized, and beautiful, directory. The products on Modenus are at a level beyond "the usual." The site is a delightful journey of discovery. Veronika Miller, founder of Modenus, personally travels to design shows in the U.S. and abroad, continually in search of new, different, and fabulous products for designers and homeowners to find. But, that's only part of Veronika's mission. 

It was upon my return to my bubble (my office) after an eight day, very busy, design focused trip to Denmark and Germany 10 days ago, that I thought more about Veronika, which compelled me to write this post.

Veronika, a designer herself, going back some years, fully understands what it means to work day in and day out as a creative professional. Understanding what designers need, she developed and launched an extension of Modenus, called BlogTour. Veronika and her team select a group of influential design bloggers and take them to a city to participate in that city's "design week" shows and events. 

Image: Susan Serra | Thinking of design as I walk in London with the BlogTour group!

Veronika understands that designers and those who love design are creative people, open minded to new points of view, design concepts and product inspiration. But, beyond this insight, what really happens on BlogTour is a little bit of magic.

Veronika, on behalf of Modenus, knows that this love of design that design bloggers have translates to a heightened awareness of design in all of its forms, particularly when experienced in a new location, outside of the design blogger's bubble.  Design bloggers (some are working professionals) attend events of a diverse design nature during BlogTour. These varied events over the course of 5 days (with much free time to walk the design events in one's own way) open the design bloggers' collective awareness to:

• new experiences where one has the luxury of being a "follower" and can just take it all in
• new friendships with people of different states, regions, countries adding interesting social dimension
• discover cutting edge, exciting, products, design concepts, solutions and materials as well as products of other period styles and themes
• engage in endless conversations on design with lots of smart people in different design disciplines
• view design in a historical context, whether walking down the street, visiting a museum, or a 100 year old pub
• observe many different design disciplines, whether graphic design, industrial design, packaging, mechanical, fashion, crafts...and more
• listen to speakers, noted local and sometimes internationally known designers and manufacturers who speak just to our group
• more...more...more via many types of visual arts and printed materials, as tools which stir the senses

Veronika's mission, in a nutshell, is to nurture designers in an effort to achieve all of the above benefits just mentioned, in a location (often) far from home. BlogTours have taken place twice in London (one of which I attended), New York City (twice) and Germany (with a bonus day in Amsterdam.) 

One of many design events we attended along with other, both small + large venues around London

Just 2 weeks ago, I went to Cologne, Germany as part of the BLANCO Design Council group tour to IMM Cologne LivingKitchen. The Modenus Cologne LivingKitchen edition of BlogTour with all of its enthusiastic, top design bloggers, were there as well. Both groups gathered together at planned events. We talked design, saw old friends, forged new friendships and had a whole lot of fun. Heartfelt thanks and appreciation go to BLANCO as well, for their continuing demonstrated commitment to inspiring designers via their own version of a tour to the LivingKitchen fair for members of their Design Council (I am a member).

My point here is that for some reason upon my return, I realized in a much bigger way than I do typically, that designers NEED to get out of their design bubble (their offices) as often as possible - and going far away is a bonus.

While truly a guardian angel of designers, perhaps a designer whisperer as well, Veronika Miller a.k.a. Modenus needs partners to make BlogTour happen. Product sponsors underwrite the costs - a huge win-win for sponsors to have attention focused on their products by top bloggers who write about them from their own unique point of view. It's a gift that never stops giving for sponsors (as well as for organically discovered non-sponsored products found at all the events). Once all the blog posts are up, google search takes it from there. Then, there are all the other social media channels humming with design bloggers' authentic opinions on what they have seen and learned during their trip. It's a win-win-win for designers, sponsors and most of all, other trade professionals who could not attend design week and, of course, countless homeowners, those with commercial design needs, among others.

My own BlogTour experience was truly the best design focused experience I think I have ever had - and I do not say that lightly. Being completely immersed in different TYPES of design expanded my creative thought process immensely in ways I have described above. I went to London ready to be fully open minded. Veronika knows this will happen to those who love design. 

Veronika works through a variety of issues before and during any given BlogTour such as delays, changes in plans, spot decisions, ridiculous travel logistics and remains focused and moving forward. I wonder if she has ever been called a guardian angel of designers. That's what she is. I'm grateful to have attended BlogTour. It made me a little bit better of a designer. 

Refreshed interpretation of a traditional woven rug

My passport has been getting a lot of use these last few years as I travel to design events. Upon my return from this trip, as I now think back on it, it's all so worthwhile...and important to my growth as a designer. Interestingly, at a Twitter chat which took place earlier this evening (I've been working on this post for 3 days) these tweets authentically support the BlogTour experience I am speaking of, so I share them here.

Time2Design so true! RT @SarahSarna: A4 biggest takeaway: theres a whole world out there - embrace it, learn from it#blogtourcgn

SarahSarna A4 also, to be better designer + blogger get out and live life more, seek to see new things, meet new people

ShelleyCHolmes What blogtours are all abt “@SarahSarna: A4 biggest takeaway: there's a whole world out there - embrace it, learn from it #blogtourCGN” 

Just recently, Modenus was tapped by the NKBA and other industry sources to bring fresh ideas and insight to the venerable trade show, KBIS 2013 as clear recognition of the understanding Veronika and her team have of designers and what their needs are. I can't wait to attend!

Discover the products in Modenus, read the blogs and other design news within the Modenus site, AND read the blogs of those who have gone on BlogTour - you will find passion, renewed design insight and a little bit of magic that has been cultivated by the BlogTour experience.

Kitchen Cabinet Trends - IMM Cologne LivingKitchen 2013

SO! Now the fun part starts as I begin a series of follow-up posts to my initial breakdown of kitchen design trends I spotted while at IMM Cologne LivingKitchen a couple of weeks back. The first category to focus on is cabinetry style. Without further ado, the gorgeous images!

Cabinetry Style 

Below: Without equivocation, neutrals remain the stronghold of today's cabinet finishes. White painted or laminate cabinetry, light woods (more than I've previously seen in the past several years) and greige dominate. Black cabinetry is well on the periphery, as are dark wood finishes.

What do you think of these styles? Due to this image-heavy post on just the first kitchen design trend noted, I'll leave it here for now and will be covering all of the trends noted as quickly as possible!

Kelly's New Kitchen - It's Personal, Smart, and Flexible

Kelly's kitchen (see Kelly's picture on the right sidebar and wave!) was just finished a couple of months ago after a year of planning and 2 months of renovation! While our images quickly show the overall design of the kitchen, there are MANY features, both aesthetic and functional, that bear dissecting and sharing with our readers. 

Design is often the art of nuance, and this kitchen is all about nuance!! You'll see how soon - this is the start of our series! In each post, we will provide important tips, insight on how a designer thinks, the collaborative process and product information.

When you design a small kitchen, in this case, close to 200 sq ft, (small for the suburbs, huge for Manhattan-and we have (separate) personal living experience in no less than 6 Manhattan kitchens) every decision, no matter how small, is critical! With no additional dining space in the home and needing to accommodate a wide range of activities, it's a design that is either pass or fail once kitchen living begins post-renovation.

Kelly's new kitchen reflects the choices and compromises of real life needs and desires of a young family in their first home. It's a mix of DIY, designing around architectural elements we chose to keep in place and others that we chose to remove and replace. It's about designing with the end always in sight, including the surprisingly important decorative layer.

The kitchen (as many do) needed to serve these purposes:

• A social kitchen - comfortable to be in for long periods of time
• Able to accommodate as many people as reasonably possible
• Appear as spacious as possible while balancing storage needs
• Allow for a decorative layer including "real" artwork and treasured artifacts
• Capable of change, which we will talk about in depth later, possibly the most exciting aspect of this kitchen renovation
• To add an enhanced dimension of efficiency and function to the cooking process
• Accommodate multi-functional activities (more about that later)
• Reflect a highly personal design aesthetic overall

We are fortunate to have wonderful partners who donated their products and who had the foresight to see that this kitchen design would provide intelligent and interesting solutions to common design issues. We're proud of how it all came together, and as mother and daughter, we didn't even have a whole lot of drama during the process! Ok, we each took turns with some creative techniques of persuasion...true enough! I may or may not have coached Kelly on how to present controversial design ideas to her husband, a "trust but verify" kind of guy. ;)

So, thank you to our partners:

• Bosch
• Kohler
• Silestone
• Kessebohmer
• Hafele
• Kravet

Next up, Kelly talks appliances - what was selected and why, where they should be best positioned, features, design integration, and more. Here's our nuclear family-the only one missing is baby Annabelle.

Kitchen Design Trends At IMM Cologne - LivingKitchen 2013

As I get settled in to closely study the nearly 1800 images that I took in a 3 day period at the fabulous IMM Cologne's fabulous LivingKitchen trade fair, I see that this first post needs to simply be an overview of the trends that I spotted. The images that I captured of the stunning displays at the show demand multiple posts, an expanded visual documentation of these trends-coming next. 

I will also be spreading the image love throughout my other social channels, so please follow me here: The Kitchen Designer blog - right here! Sign up for the feed top right or via email, under my picture on the sidebar:   Twitter  +  Google+  +  Facebook +  Pinterest (Pinterest will have both blog images as well as lots of new images from my hard drive). I'm barely beginning to add those images, so check back.

As I look through the images, there are two main categories of design that come to the forefront for me. The first category is those companies whose sole purpose is to be on trend and second, those companies whose purpose it is to do their own thing without much, or less, concern for trends. BOTH types of design are extremely creative, but that word, "trend" can manifest itself in a tricky way if the entire kitchen design one puts in one's home in 2013 is solely based on the hot, new, trends. Like chocolate, trends are fun to indulge in, but an all chocolate diet (while enjoyable to dream of) will cause problems later! Don't trend-binge design! 

Since I also attended this show when it was last held two years ago, it's an interesting exercise to compare both sets of images that I took to get a better sense of how design has evolved in Europe. Here and there, I will be mentioning what's evolved since 2010. And, a thank you to the U.S. and German teams at BLANCO for inviting their U.S. Design Council members, of which I am one, to experience this show with them, providing opportunities for our group to bond as colleagues and friends.

Here are the 2013 Kitchen Trends I Spotted - Brief notes are below with more details/features/thoughts to come in subsequent posts! "M" means it's a mainstream trend throughout the show. "P" means some dots were connected throughout the show but it is not mainstream. "P+" means more than peripheral, less than Mainstream.

Cabinetry

Cabinetry Style:

• White (lots), light woods, and greige colors - NEUTRALS as a foundation - M
• Use of texture/natural elements integrated into the design, whether in countertops, backsplash, or cabinetry, often driftwood-y looks, real or faux - M
• More warmth in the designs overall than I found two years ago-definitely, added comfort - M
• Gloss or glass combined with texture/more glass in general - P+
• Color blocking - the color accent of choice for this show was orange! P
• Blue/dark gray, usually medium to dark GE's new slate finish is on that one! P+
• Warm, modern design overall - M
• Usually soft contrast in coordination of material colors in a kitchen display, but sometimes bolder contrasts - P+
• Use of horizontal lines in overall design (not new, but an important European design element) - M

Cabinetry Features:

• VERY long drawers, lots of countertop lifts for multi-use (countertops/wall cabinetry/more) and as always-useful, very cool drawer inserts - M
• Seemingly even shorter toekicks - P+
• More cabinet cubicles than open shelves-often in unexpected places, always with lighting - P
• As in 2010, lots of fun and playful geometry in cabinet design - P
• Integrated benches to rest, sit, or display decorative or useful items - P
• Tight/seamless appliance integration - M
• Integrated handles or long, modern, pulls - M
• Same countertop as cabinet fronts - P
• Channels between drawers and under countertop - P+
• Concealed close-like tall and wide sections  - P+
• Open concept philosophy, considering a kitchen's design connection to surrounding living areas-very clear to me - M
• Intersecting design elements - P+
• Open cubicles designed into tall cabinetry for interest - M

Accessories

• Organic in nature via textural ceramics, hand carved wood pieces, real greens and other handmade items - M
• A fair amount of skins seen on floors and benches - P+
• Rather than pattern, accessories communicate the style and theme - M
• Large in size (perhaps to call attention to the display since it is a trade show) - M
• Lots of rail systems - attention to universal design, seemingly even shorter toekicks - P+

Countertops

• All thicknesses - super thin, thick, or in between - M
• Different materials next to one another in a flush installation - P+
• Patterned countertops - plaid, modern art, new designs (new look, not a trend) - P
• Glass - P
• Wrapped countertops - waterfall on each exposed side (not new, but it's still current and is SO chic) - P+
• Lifts to raise/lower or conceal a cooktop - much more prevalent than two years ago - P+
• Cooktops integrated flush with the countertop - P+
• Built in dining configurations - M
• Intersecting design elements - P+
• Stainless steel with integrated/seamless stainless sink - P
• Virtually no granite or marble - just simple, understated, tightly patterned surfaces - M

Backsplashes

• Simple, plain, continuous, whether wood, engineered stone, or glass - M
• Sometimes a 1/2-3/4 height, leaving wall space below the upper wall cabinets - peripheral trend - P
• Very little tile - M
• Real wood or faux - M

Appliances

• Hoods - Look like lamps (not new, but getting nicer) - P+
• Hoods - double hoods over cooktop - P+
• Hoods - Integrated/toned down/hidden hoods and blowers - P
• New, warm, greige mid tone to dark glass appliances - P+
• Stainless/color mix (reminds me of Whirlpool ICE - P
• All appliance types very seamless/tightly integrated into cabinetry - M
• More white appliances seen - P+
• Ovens concealed - as seen last time too - P+
• Ovens as an important design element - M
• Flexible, open, vessel placement (anywhere) on induction cooktop - P+
• INVISIBLE refrigeration - M
• Sinks & Faucets - matte, modern, quietly elegant - M

General 

• Doubles - double hoods, double light fixtures, double cabinets, other doubles - P+
• Not much vintage/retro/industrial representation - a touch here and there but mostly warm/earthy/modern design - M
• Occasional attempt at what looks like American Shaker - P

Cool Factor! - Images to come, for now, just descriptions (these are sometimes one-offs)

• Countertop lifts 
• Glass patterned countertops
• Framed multiple ovens
• Nearly invisible induction burners integrated into countertop
• Choice of touch screen or knob controls
• Plaid cabinets
• Colored glass cabinetry applied as modern art (wait for the image)
• Awesome, seen more than once, patchwork of wall cabinetry
• Glass countertop, cabinetry and glass supports in one display
• Loved the function of a glass sink surround
• Glass drawer inserts
• I'm sure I'll select more! 

Lighting

• LED lights for shelving, around cabinetry, in open shelf cabinets - M
• LEDS een as a feature in color in appliances (not a trend, just something new)
• LARGE lighting fixtures, oven seen in doubles over an island - M
• Simple, rounded, modern shapes in fixtures, often in matte finishes - M

Flooring

• Lots of light, textured, natural wood, very light, very Scandinavian - M
• OR, gray or white solid flooring of some sort, with no pattern, perhaps vinyl - M

Dining

• Benches - M
• Benches with cushions or skins - M
• Modern design - M
• Natural, matte, wood surfaces or matte stone tabletops - M
• Fresh, modern, designs - M
• Surprisingly, chairs are often matching or closely coordinated - M

This post is so long that I'm only going to show one image that I took from the show - shortly, LOTS AND LOTS OF IMAGES to illustrate my points above!!!

Leicht Display-Image by Susan Serra

International Kitchen Design 2013 - Introduction to IMM Cologne

Attending the Living Kitchen fair in Cologne, Germany, as a special guest of BLANCO and member of BLANCO's Design Council, is the equivalent of closing your eyes as you prepare to go to sleep and soon after, entering dreamland - kitchen dreamland!

The kitchen dream is intense, one of those really vivid dreams; it takes you to wonderful new frontiers in kitchen design and technology. There is beauty in many forms, you're surrounded by great people, many of whom are real life friends! This kitchen dreamland, Living Kitchen, is an international fair, showcasing kitchen products from 20 countries and takes place in 11 halls, set up like a campus.

For the moment, I'll share a few fun images of large, graphic, design elements that are part of a booth's design as well as accessories that embellish an individual kitchen display to get us warmed up for the posts coming shortly!

At last count, and this is probably close to the final count, I see that I took 1,744 images, with possibly a small amount of more images to count.

I worked this show as I do all shows-with a hunger to find common threads in different product and lifestyle categories among hundreds of displays. And, I love the process of the hunt and discovery!! 

Just prior to arriving in Germany, I spent 3 days in Copenhagen to visit family, collect my Scandinavian magazines that I love so much (19 of them, this time) and run through a number of showrooms to see the latest in Scandinavian design, which I will compare to what I saw in Germany. I have about 650 gorgeous images from those few days - more, beautiful, discoveries!!

 

I've already categorized all of my images, looked through them to find those common (mainstream) threads, uncovered some peripheral trends, and evaluated a bunch of products and/or design elements that qualify for "the cool factor" which I will also show...and more. There is a wealth of information and images to come, so stay tuned!!

 

So much more eye candy to come!

BLANCO Sinks & Faucets At Living Kitchen 2013

Just a few days ago, I returned from my trip to the fabulous Living Kitchen international kitchen show at IMM Cologne in Germany. This was my second trip to the Living Kitchen show at the invitation of BLANCO. This time around I paid my own way (except for a few fabulous dinners with the BLANCO team) because I wanted additional flexibility in my schedule while there...not that there wasn't an ample amount of free time-I just wanted complete freedom...so of course, I ended up attending nearly every event!

One section of BLANCO's dramatic booth!

I am a member of the BLANCO Design Council, which is truly an honor, as I have the opportunity to contribute to shaping product design and strategy from time to time. BLANCO, while a global brand, has a corporate culture that in my experience with the company over a number of years, feels like a small, local, company (a good one!) The CEO, Achim Schreiber, greets, chats with and listens to anyone and everyone in a casual, friendly, way. I didn't realize who he was when I was chatting with him last week. I thought he might be a local BLANCO distributor or a regular, friendly, guy who had something to do with BLANCO till I found out later. He's relaxed, easy going, friendly and a great listener-a lovely man.

All others connected to BLANCO-in Europe, Canada, US and elsewhere whom I've met over time, are also every bit as friendly and positive from my experience. I have to say, having an interest in "corporate culture", I often observe and try to figure out a company's vibe over time, by connecting the dots from different types of communications and other experiences. I'm convinced that the values of a corporate culture, as has been said before by others, travel from the top down on roads that are either positive, negative, fearful, confused, apathetic, passionate, good enough and so on. BLANCO's U.S. team, a truly great group of people, has a genuine dedication to, and belief in the brand that is remarkable, but let me also say, very well placed.

From my point of view, BLANCO, the corporation, takes the positive, socially intelligent, and passionate paths - from the top down - to create an absolutely superb range of products that has that desirable mix of precision engineering and beauty. BLANCO's products are at once on trend and reflective of a classic modern design which renders them timeless. BLANCO does a whole lot of things right. They know their customer...very well.

Ok, time to see some of the gorgeous products that I shot from the show floor. Some products are not available in the US, many are, but the point here is to help you experience that special mix of design and engineering. Take a look at swoon-worthy kitchen sinks and faucets!

Above: The new BLANCOLIAN kitchen faucet

Above: Note the understated, elegant color, Truffle, the continuity of the flowing lines of the drainboard and the stainless steel rack, the simplicity of the drain cover, and the overall form of this top mount sink.

Above: BLANCO's new faucet, BLANCOHOT, that supplies both near boiling water as well as normal hot and cold water from a single spout

Above: Simply, precision stainless steel sink and faucet

Above: A sink with a beautiful form featuring an edge with an interesting, modern dimension

Above: A beautiful island in BLANCO's booth - note the faucet that can be lowered to the sink surface and covered with the cutting board - flexible design

Above: Seamless, stunning, stainless steel

Above: Another shot of this fully integrated, elegant stainless steel BLANCO SteelArt sink and countertop

Above: A new faucet by BLANCO which is easy to operate-ideal for universal design purposes by twisting the soft black section back and forth and side to side to operate flow and temperature

Above: A new take on mixing materials - note the stainless steel trim, the indestructible Silgranite material in the sink and coordinating finishes in the faucet - elegant

Above: BLANCO's new color, Cinder, with matching color on the faucet as well as a useful sink, sectioned off by a lower separation for design flexibility, once again

Above: BLANCO SteelArt, useful and beautiful - I could see this paired with a wood countertop for those who are fearful of mixing sinks with wood tops

Above: Simply, a close up of that precision engineering - I happen to really love BLANCO's use of stainless and matte colors on their faucets

I hope you have enjoyed these shots and that they communicate BLANCO's dedication to quality and design!

Kohler Karbon Faucet

I had the opportunity to go to Kohler, Wisconsin in October, courtesy of Kohler, to attend the Kohler Food and Wine Festival, quite simply, a food and wine fantasy weekend escape! While there, I had so many wonderful experiences which I will share here and there, but as I casually went through my images today, I was struck by those I took of the Karbon faucet at the Kohler Design Center, here, in the Vibrant Moderne Brushed Gold finish. How gorgeous is this faucet? It's like owning a sculptural, or 3D, piece of art in the kitchen. It also comes in a wall mounted version.

My Appearance on Martha Stewart Radio - Holiday Kitchen Decorating!

On Tuesday, (today) November 26, just after 8 am, I'll be a guest on Martha Stewart Radio talking about decorating in kitchens and dining areas. There are SO MANY great ways to express your personal style in the kitchen during the holidays that both Kelly and I came up with for whatever your version of holiday is. 

SEE OUR PINTEREST BOARD ON HOLIDAY KITCHENS HERE

Below are a boatload of tips on holiday kitchens along with some images of a Scandinavian style holiday from Bolig Magasinet and Skona Hem.

I suggested that I chat with the hosts of Morning Living, Brian Kelsey and Betsey Karetnick about tips for decorating the kitchen as well as tips for helping the kitchen function better. I definitely got carried away and brought with me way too many tips than time allows for - but that's what this blog is for, to fill in the blanks!

KITCHEN DECORATING TIPS

Pick a theme! Modern, traditional, natural chic, farmhouse, urban - coordinate with the theme of your home's existing design OR add a small mix of another style if you want a fresh look.

Remove the artwork in the kitchen on one wall - hang a collection of wreaths fairly close together to appear as one arrangement, of various types and sizes to add lots of texture and interest!

Bring winter nature inside - birch branches, evergreen cuttings, pine cones in bowls, any kind of branches will do. I often cut evergreen cuttings from the back of a shrub and I just recently cut down some dead cattails for a stunning indoor display. I will add white twinkling lights inside the tall glass vase!

Spray paint pine cones and simple twigs a metallic gold or silver for a little holiday bling.

Arrange oranges studded with cloves for fragrant pommander in decorative platters or bowls.

Add small kitchen utensils to garland draped around cabinetry - a single theme of different shaped/sizes of wooden spoons around a large wreath, or a mix of utensils in red and silver or blue and silver - or all white looks festive. 

Add a string of lights and/or garland around the bottom of the kitchen island

Add big, gold, red, silver, white or blue bows to the back of kitchen chairs and stools

Collection of 10-20 glittering ornaments on ribbons, hung from one point in the ceiling so they fan out - put them in front of a window, over the island OR add them separately, hung from the ceiling, for a look of charming chaos.

Above the kitchen wall cabinets, add brightly wrapped boxes for a clean, bold, look.

Have some extra space in the breakfast room? Put a small tree, decorated in white lights in a worn gray metal bucket.

Gather silver serveware and arrange the pieces in a collection. Add metallic ornaments, tinsel and other festive ornaments plus a touch of evergreen or red.

Candles, candles, candles - especially in small kitchen pitchers, clear coffee cups, glasses.

Tea lights in mason jars with red ribbon tied around the mouth of the jar.

Branches wrapped in yarn, placed in a vase with felt ornaments hung on it.

Pitchers with an assortment of outdoor greens, cranberries, metallic touches and/or spray painted branches add life to the kitchen - make the arrangements as tall as the receptacles allow!

Put ornaments in and around a decorative bundt pan and wrap the bottom with pieces of small green garland. 

 

TIPS FOR A USEFUL HOLIDAY KITCHEN

Keep serveware at the ready.

Bring out holiday dishes and after the holidays, use them all season, not just for gatherings.

Bake a few batches of cookies and muffins to freeze for impromptu holiday gatherings or gifts.

Purchase or make a cutting board to cover the cooktop to add additional counter space, especially for entertaining, when the cooking is done. Make it a bit wider than the cooktop on sides and front to back, and a bit taller than the cooktop for a seamless fit.

Cook meals that can be served in the same pot they were cooked in via stove to table cookware such as Le Creuset or Staub.

Clean the countertops and hood filter in anticipation of heavy use.

Clean the countertops and reasses what really needs to be there with the goal of finding more counter space for intense cooking sessions!

Arrange spices in alphabetical order!

Arrange pantry items in categories - baking, cooking, snacks, cereals, etc.

Gather together measuring cups, spoons, baking equipment and other like cooking equipment and store near point of use in the kitchen for easy access.

The holidays are a hectic time, but with a little organization and a festive environment, the cooking, baking, prep and cleanup process may lower your stress level and allow for FUN to become one of the most important ingredients in the kitchen! Bring on the cookies!

 

The Kitchen Countertop - Where To Put The Philips Saeco Espresso Maker!

Whether you are a domestic goddess, work at home or can't wait to get home after a long day at the office, I can report that, I for one, seek out a little treat here and there during the day. It's a reward. And, it's most likely going to be a short or a tall cup of good coffee - and could well be a quick shot of espresso.

Funny thing is - over the span of 25+ years, I never drank coffee. Maybe here and there in a restaurant, sure. Never every day. Since my husband retired from a work injury nearly 3 years ago, little by little I joined him for a cup of coffee. Now, I'm up to 2 cups a day, one of which may be a shot of espresso or a capuccino, one of our favorite food groups!

He or I would go out to get the afternoon shot of espresso, so when the nice people at Philips Saeco asked if I would be interested in reviewing the Philips Saeco Syntia espresso machine, I felt it was a natural fit into our lifestyle-and hopefully into the kitchen countertop, which I was quite curious about.

Owning your own personal espresso machine is an enhancement to your lifestyle, I can definitely say that. The Philips Saeco Syntia has rapid steam, a quiet grinder, an easy-clean system, large capacity 40-oz water tank and so many other cool and highly technological but easy to use features. It has an understated beautiful design and is quite compact. 

Which brings me to the larger issue of finding room on the countertop for an espresso maker. Here are some tips:

1. How often is the espresso maker used? If daily or several times per week, it deserves easy access. 

2. Consider a coffee station in the kitchen.  A spot where cups and mugs are stored, one or more coffee makers, utensils, other coffee accessories, teas and more. 

3. Mugs and cups - Begin a collection. Half the enjoyment of drinking coffee is to drink from a beautiful cup. Select the proper cup according to your mood! Display your cups too!

4. The coffee station can live in a kitchen armoire that looks like a piece of furniture, such as a breakfront, with retractable doors, serving as a gracious spot to easily prepare a favorite beverage.

5. Scan the countertops - In a small kitchen where space for a coffee station is often not available, check to make sure that over time the countertop has not adopted other small appliances or decorative objects that are not being used. Declutter, scan, rearrange, and chances are a spot can be found for the espresso maker.

5. The compact size of the Philips Saeco Syntia espresso maker can fit easily within the typical backsplash height, a critical issue when shopping for espresso makers if it will live on the countertop, but be sure to check your backsplash height before purchase.

6. Besides its size, is it a good looking piece of equipment? If small appliances are going to live on my countertop, I am fine with that, but it is also important that they have a look of quality. Is that true for you too? 

7. Simple lines without an abundance of dials, knobs and other projecting parts will add far less "visual clutter" and will appear more elegant and more visually quiet on the countertop.

8. Alternatively, the espresso maker can have a home just below the countertop in a cabinet with a roll out shelf, or on an upper open shelf, if use is somewhat less frequent.

I have experienced nothing annoying or bothersome about this machine at all and I love the glossy black finish. It's not immediately intuitive - you have to sit down and read the manual or the quick start guide (who doesn't love a quick start guide?) It has both text and simple pictures to get you going, which I appreciated and needed.

It's great to have lots of wonderful features in your espresso maker of choice, but first, take a look at how you can best integrate this new treasured appliance into your existing space. Check features, dimensions, style and you will find the perfect spot.

Cultivate.com Renovation Diaries - Kelly's Kitchen Remodel

Kelly and I are extremely excited to announce the start of a series in Cultivate's Renovation Diaries on Kelly's kitchen remodel which starts today!

We are, right now, in the thick of the remodeling process with (literal and emotional) sparks flying, changing decisions, agonizing over details, declaring the progress GOOD (sometimes after a change or three) and all that goes along with a remodel of the heart and soul of a home executed by a bunch of hearts bound together as a family.

Join us for this five-part series on Cultivate, coming to you on each of the next five Mondays, beginning today.

I'm not controlling. Just because we had this email exchange about our Cultivate portrait:

On Thu, Sep 27, 2012 at 8:13 AM, Kelly Serra Donovan <Kelly's email address> wrote:

other way around!

On Thu, Sep 27, 2012 at 7:53 AM, Susan Serra <susan's email address> wrote:

We could do a funny pic of me inside the house and you peeking through the window...just a thought!

It has no bearing on my thought process - really! ;)

We would like to acknowledge the generosity of our partners - Bosch, Silestone, Kohler, Hafele, Kravet and Kessebohmer who shared our vision by donating products to create a "different" type of kitchen that, with smart product choices and an innovative floor plan, would provide inspiration to others to make your kitchen "your own." Cabinetry is by our brand, Bornholm Kitchen and the kitchen will feature beautiful accessories from Scandinavian Made as well as from Kelly's personal collection.

The first five posts as well as the big reveal will be seen on Cultivate, and after that series is over, end October/early November, we will have much more to talk about on this remodeling journey right here!

New Kitchen Product Introductions

I thought I'd share some great products that I have discovered recently. It's something I should do more often because there are so many truly great products being introduced all year. I'll try to keep up the product info!

Thermador presents its 2012 line of built-in wall ovens. Who doesn't love to see the latest appliances?? You have the industry's only "softclose" door, the largest commercial style rotisserie with a 12 lb capacity (sign me up), a super large oven cavity at 4.7 cu. ft., the fastest preheat, a 2-hour self clean mode and a lot more! The design, as always, is VERY beautiful. Do you like the knobs? I do.

On the green front, it's well worth noting that BLANCO has recently introduced 9 new kitchen faucets that are focused on saving water in a significant way. With a 20-30% reduction in water consumption, these faucets give you both style and real life energy savings. The HYDRA faucet is ultra efficient, conserving 30% water usage over conventional faucets. 

Another winner by BLANCO is their recently introduced Crystalline sink, available in both black and white. We want our kitchens open. At the same time, we have small kitchens. Now you can entertain in style with a "closed" sink, and during periods of prep, or entertaining for that matter, you have additional worktop space. This is not a small product feature. I think it's huge both due to its many functional properties as well as its fabulous looks. Keep things chilled, hide dirty dishes, work on it, put stuff on it, use it partway on, partway off for all sorts of functions.

ThinkGlass is one of the most creative glass brands I know of. An eco-chic solution, ThinkGlass tabletops are made from 100% recyclable glass. I like the textured finish because of its highly durable properties - no staining and it hides smudges and scratches, unlike wood tables! Practical and stylish.

Sub-Zero now has a French door refrigerator. Great for galley kitchens where you want full size/built in flexibility but cannot install a full width 36" door, here's the answer. Perfect for apartment dwellers or those who have a tricky refrigerator installation where a full width door would pose a problem. It's available in stainless steel with a choice of handles or as an overlay model. Some people think there are energy savings to opening one small door - depends on if you know where things are located in the refrigerator, but that could also be good, green, thinking.

Lots more cool products to show you, coming soon!

A French Kitchen Renovation

Some time ago I corresponded with an American living in France who was about to undergo a kitchen renovation in their 200 year old home in a small French village. We talked about working together and for various logistical reasons in connection to the renovation work, it didn't work out (trust me, my bags could have easily been packed in short order!) 

I was so pleased to receive an email yesterday (months after our conversations) with images of the home with its bones exposed...and intact! The home is small. The first floor is 220 square feet and will serve as the kitchen which also features a wood burning fireplace. I am told that the front interior wall will be exposed stone. The homeowner says, "The floor under linoleum is original terracotta tile." Original.Terracotta.Wow!

They will be installing traditional French kitchen cabinetry, made by a local shop called Muebles Baluteau - just look at the beautiful cabinetry in the website. I feel like I've stepped into a French fantasy when I look at some of these pieces.

The whole point is, I wanted to share these cool images with you. Normally, when a house is gutted in the states, we see wood studs, pieces of sheetrock and a plywood subfloor. This gutted space is a beautiful sight to behold!

Below, pretty crazy construction with hand hewn timbers:

Below, a lovely combination of original materials - stone, terracotta, hand hewn beams, a simple and elegant fireplace, and beautiful, narrow brick. 

Below, another view of stone, a staircase and large, hand hewn beams:

Below, more beautiful, original and authentic surfaces

Below, once again - fantastic, preserved, materials

What a privilege to take a look at the exposed interior of this home. I hope to share more images with you as the renovation progresses! 

Kohler Colors by Jonathan Adler

As color, wonderful, bright, bold, free-spirited, color, has moved into the center of our lives, seen in our clothing, in our interiors in so many forms, in our outdoor living areas - and in all sorts of graphic design online and in print (and that is just for starters-as we know, color has upped its presence everywhere) it makes me think that such a significant part of Kohler's culture has been color-focused.

Kohler has had a love affair with color, and few would disagree. Kohler has quietly kept an exceptionally wide range of colors in its collection of products year after year. Although white is king in the kitchen and bath and always a classic, nevertheless, Kohler's commitment to color has been enduring - and passionate! Even if you really dislike a color, I KNOW, as a designer that any one of Kohler's colors is able to play the perfect role, whether bold or understated, a focal point or a quiet design element, in every kitchen and bath - yes, even those peachy, fleshy tones (pair them with white or charcoal for a sophisticated look!)

Take a look at this very interesting, brief, history of Kohler's colors. I loved looking at Kohler's color timeline.

Jonathan Adler Colors

It is with real interest that I observe Kohler's special edition colors by Jonathan Adler. I view these four colors as decidedly non-trendy colors, which is to say, they are colors that you can use to clearly personalize your kitchen or bath that will stand the test of time, and I do not say that lightly.

The colors, Piccadilly Yello, Greenwich Green, Palermo Blue and Annapolis Navy, are not neon - the color darling of the moment. THESE colors can be translated into a kitchen design that can be centered around elegance, country comfort, modern design, or one with a playful theme. These colors are versatile....thus, personal!

Quite honestly, I purposely did not read the press release about these colors because I wanted to go by my instincts as a designer when I went to see the collection in person. It's often a practice I employ for many new product introductions. I knew as soon as I saw this collection first hand, taking my time to work through the colors and sink configurations, that design flexibility is built in, in a very, very smart and aesthetically pleasing way. Surely, that was Kohler's intent-intelligent design flexibility.

I have to say that Kohler is providing the tools for pretty much wherever your design inspiration will take you...so many tools!! The Jonathan Adler collection is available for a limited time but the colors will prove to be enduring - sweet!

Modern-Aire Ventilating

I know of Modern-Aire Ventilating for many, many years. I know it as a bit of an under-the-radar resource for ventilation products, usually specified by professional kitchen designers. I know Modern-Aire to be highly reliable, super flexible as to what they are willing to do for their design professional clients in terms of customizations and they are also a manufacturer of high quality products. It pretty much says it all.

Modern-Aire has their own collection of, let's say, standard hood sizes and designs as well as a broad/standard palette of colors. That is only the beginning, however. Take one of their standard hoods and design it any which way, and/or make it Sky Blue Pink and the folks at Modern-Aire are all zen-like about it - it's your world. 

Don't care for the standard hoods? Design your own. Reinvent the wheel. It's all good.

I always firmly believe that the culture of a company, good, bad, or indifferent, is reflected by philosophies and attitudes of those at the top. I have had the pleasure of getting to know a few of the people who run Modern-Aire and they're all zen-like too - in the best of ways....pleasant, happy, enthusiastic people, passionate about their products. Can you be zen and passionate simultaneously? Yes!

But, wait, that's not all!! Designers like flexibility. I had a plan for the Bornholm Kitchen display at the Sag Harbor showroom of Kitchen Designs by Ken Kelly to design an interior ventilating system that would be a) short in height b) powerful and c) able to have its duct directed straight back rather than vertical in order to allow for a completely open space above the short, horizontal, hood. 

I brought my problem to Trevor Lawson at Eurostoves and he came back to me with the solution - problem solved. Sometimes a design will call for an understated, yet powerful, ventilation solution. There are precious few companies who will reinvent the wheel 7 days a week, but Modern-Aire does that. 

Trevor has special programs and benefits for designers and other trade professionals who specify Modern-Aire. Service is one of those benefits. You can't rattle Trevor, he is a sea of calm, and he is a wealth of information. As a designer, I know Modern-Aire will do what they can to figure out how to give me what I'm looking for. So many companies default to "no.....because...." and that's why this is all so glowing - Modern-Aire does not do that unless physics tell them otherwise. So, then, what we have is design flexibility, high end quality and superb function. Simple.