ALL THAT GLITTERS COULD BE GLASS!

You've heard me talk about glass before and it's place as a progressive material used in all sorts of innovative ways in the 21st century kitchen.  The following is a press release I recently received for a company called Think Glass.



"One of the coolest products just unveiled at the National Kitchen Bath Show in Las Vegas was a stunning 4-inch glass countertop that looked like the luminescent ocean and actually glowed from within. The powerful LED lights embedded inside gave the glass countertop a radiance. ThinkGlass offers a variety of light colors and even the ability to create a “light show” via remote control with special effects such as flashing and fading lights to create an ambiance.

ThinkGlass has quickly become a leader in the thermoforming industry by pioneering a versatile technique that allows the creation of new or repetitive textures at a very low molding cost. This process allows the creation of glass slabs without thickness constraints opening the door to all kinds of design possibilities that far exceed anything that can be accomplished with stone, granite or marble."

This truly is a revolutionary break through.  Previously the thickest counter top any sane glass expert would offer is 3/4".   When glass reaches a thickness of 1.4" it becomes hard as stone and it is naturally antibacterial because of its totally nonporous nature.

Original artwork or decoration as well as texture can be added to make a glass counter top a unique expression.

ThinkGlass has been around for about 11 years and here's how they do it.  The process begins with 8' by 11' sheets of 1/2" glass which is cut to size according to project specs.  The glass is stacked and placed on a bed of sand in an oven.  Any desired texture or design is drawn into the sand before the glass is placed on it.  The glass is then baked for one day for every 1/2" of thickness.  The finished product is then polished by hand.  Pretty cool, huh?  The sand is even reused so there is no waste.

The addition of LED lighting for illumination really takes glass to the next level and is sure to deliver lots of  "wows".  Glass is easy to clean and the addition of a texture is a crafty way to hide finger prints.

If you'd like just a little wow that's good too and can be enough.  How about a raised glass top on your island?  If you go this route make sure to employ a qualified professional who will know the best way to install and secure your top.  Last but not least, don't forget that if you are a follower of  Feng Shui, glass is a great way to add the water element to your kitchen.  The element of water is said to attract wealth and health!

CREATING AN INSPIRING WHITE KITCHEN

Art by Heidi Crockett Photo from Cloth Paper Scissors March/April 2011

Today's Let's Blog Off topic queries the source of our ideas.  Where does creativity reside?  Is it within or is it outside and all around awaiting discovery?  For me the answer is both.  Yes, it's all around us, for sure, but it also requires the eye of the beholder to breathe life into it.  Here is a recent example in my life of something I saw which inspired a blog post.

You may have the panache to pull off a monochrome white room that invites and stimulates the senses but for most of us going all the way with white runs the risk of BORING.  Since white is so "white hot"  at the moment, especially in the kitchen, I’m going to share with you the secret of how to make white pop.
One thing to remember is white is a team player, it’s all about the colors around it. As you know, I love art (a big source of inspiration). I recently came across this image in Cloth Paper Scissors Magazine which is a perfect example of how white can glow when surrounded by the right color.  I see it work time and again. White cabinets plus color equals stunning.  If your taste runs more to the conservative think camels, taupes or warm beige walls to create the contrast.

This example, by Holiday Kitchens, uses the same palette as the artwork!

If you’re more daring go for Apple Martini Green or Sky Blue.  The nice thing is if you want to go for the gusto paint is a safe bet.  It’s one thing you can change fairly easily and reasonably.

We used a tropical blue to pop the white in this kitchen. Cabinets by Holiday Kitchens, Inc.

Another thing to remember about white is that it’s just not white. There are probably hundreds of whites and they all read differently depending on your lighting and location.  The lesson here is to test your whites on site.  Consider the color for a full 24 hours so you can see how it looks as lighting changes throughout the day.

Rick Schultz Photo from Design Sponge

Many times wherever you find white you will also find black.  You can tastefully mix black and white cabinets or if you have guts and great lighting the walls could be black, as in this example.  This photo also serves as a great inspiration for many of the newer homes we have in my area with cathedral ceilings but short stumpy cabinets (thank you Mr. Builder).  If you can't afford to change the cabinets take advantage of the great space above for art.  Here, it carries the eye upwards taking attention away from shorty cabinets.

White wainscote panels are extra crisp against contrasting walls. Photo from tadacreations.blogspot.com

The same concept makes a contemporary statement from bitehome.com

This stunning Apple Green back splash looks like glass but it's actually a colored plastic by Opticolor!  So there you have it, inspiration of the day all inspired by a whimsical little piece of art!

SPIRAL WINE CELLARS?

I received an email from one of my fave clients the other day.  She is contemplating a dream kitchen for 2011 (Maybe you should too!) Anyway she sent me some of these amazing photos. Check out this dreamy spiral-trapdoor-otherworldly-cool wine cellar!  Was this an internet hoax, an urban legend, I wondered?





NO!  It's for real and you can check out the UK firm that builds them here.  The appeal is not only novelty but efficient design.  The concept was designed in 1978 by a Frenchman (of course).  It's not a basement, as I first thought, but an actual hole in the ground!








It's not only space efficient but it's Green as well.  They claim the temperature stays constant at 55 degrees.  Ok, so it's probably still only a dream for us in Florida.  If you dug that deep under my kitchen you'd have an undersea wine cellar.  Now there's an idea!

Add Wearstler Hollywood Kitchen Design Appeal

Mixed Materials are featured in this design by Wearstler's protoge Lara Fishman

Did you happen to catch this morning's CBS Morning story on Hollywood designer Kelly Wearstler? She is described as the "new Dorothy Draper", the original Hollywood Design Diva.   Wearstler sports a theatric edgy personal style that flows into her work as an interior designer. There it is again, fashion informing design and vice versa.  Wearstler shared 6 tips on kitchen design with Food & Wine magazine.

A kitchen carved in stone by Kelly Wearstler

Be bold with white.  Yes, she is partial to the cooler sleeker finishes such as stone, marble and stainless steel.  White works with these materials to create a clean open sensibility.  Plus, let's face it, for those of us in Florida, white will always have a place.  Play with color and pattern. This is a great way to personalize your space and make it your own.  How about a punch of red with that white?  Open up cabinets.  Open book cases and glass doors are a great way to break up what can be a monotony of cabinet doors.  Consider using mirrored glass for a Hollywood look.  

Mixed materials, glass doors and chandelier light fixture in Gwenyth Paltrow's kitchen by Kelly Wearstler

Mix materials.  I'm often asked if it's OK to mix materials in the kitchen.  The answer is yes!  My advice is to include one unifying element such as color or texture.  Use pendant lighting.  If you're up for the drama, this lighting option is the way to go, just like jewelry for the kitchen. Gotta have a chandelier, daaahling!  Last but not least, hide those paper towels.  They are a glamor killer.   

Paper towel solution is handy and hidden

 

How do you add drama to your kitchen?

Add Wearstler Hollywood Kitchen Design Appeal

Mixed Materials are featured in this design by Wearstler's protoge Lara Fishman

Did you happen to catch this morning's CBS Morning story on Hollywood designer Kelly Wearstler? She is described as the "new Dorothy Draper", the original Hollywood Design Diva.   Wearstler sports a theatric edgy personal style that flows into her work as an interior designer. There it is again, fashion informing design and vice versa.  Wearstler shared 6 tips on kitchen design with Food & Wine magazine.

A kitchen carved in stone by Kelly Wearstler

Be bold with white.  Yes, she is partial to the cooler sleeker finishes such as stone, marble and stainless steel.  White works with these materials to create a clean open sensibility.  Plus, let's face it, for those of us in Florida, white will always have a place.  Play with color and pattern. This is a great way to personalize your space and make it your own.  How about a punch of red with that white?  Open up cabinets.  Open book cases and glass doors are a great way to break up what can be a monotony of cabinet doors.  Consider using mirrored glass for a Hollywood look.  

Mixed materials, glass doors and chandelier light fixture in Gwenyth Paltrow's kitchen by Kelly Wearstler

Mix materials.  I'm often asked if it's OK to mix materials in the kitchen.  The answer is yes!  My advice is to include one unifying element such as color or texture.  Use pendant lighting.  If you're up for the drama, this lighting option is the way to go, just like jewelry for the kitchen. Gotta have a chandelier, daaahling!  Last but not least, hide those paper towels.  They are a glamor killer.   

Paper towel solution is handy and hidden

 

How do you add drama to your kitchen?