Gloria Graham, AKBD
Brendan Donovan Furniture & Cabinet Co.
3685 Investment Lane, West Palm Beach, Florida
Phone (561)254-7736,
kitchensforliving@gmail.com
Showing posts with label kitchen styles. Show all posts
Showing posts with label kitchen styles. Show all posts

Sunday, December 5, 2010

G.E. HELPS YOU FIND YOUR DREAM KITCHEN

This modern kitchen features G.E. Profile appliances.


As a kitchen designer and writer,  my inbox is always filled with news of all the latest products, websites and all manner of things to do with our favorite room, the kitchen.  G.E. has always been known as the bread- and- butter of the appliance world.  Not only have they been around forever but they have evolved with the times.  Today they still offer the basic affordable options as well as higher end appliance packages under the names G.E. Profile,  Monogram and the new Cafe' Series. These offer a wider variety of functions and integrated modern styling.


Early days (Note dangerous placement of stove! Sliding in between cabinets would have been better!)



 

Another thing that really makes them a 21st century contender is their state of the art website.  There is a wealth of information here whether you aim to use their products or not.  Of course they hope you'll be seduced once you have entered their "web", so to speak.


Play with this design on the G.E. site. They left room for art. I love it!





One of my favorite features on the site is the kitchen design function.  Simply choose a kitchen which is similar to your own space.  Then simply click on the various color choices.  It's a lot of fun and a great way to start to narrow your choices and make the big decisions like dark vs. white cabinets, black vs. stainless appliances.  You get the picture (literally).  You'll also find lighting ideas, safety tips and even recipes.  Oh, and the "must have' G.E. product in my book is the Advantium Microwave Oven. My clients love it.  You can use it as a regular oven or as a microwave, so it's like two ovens in one!


This bachelor client opted for TWO Advantiums, one built-in to the pantry and one over the range!


Wednesday, June 30, 2010

FIND YOUR KITCHEN MOJO

If your new kitchen is going to be an expression of who you are and how you live it's helpful to have a little inspiration. One of the things I frequently mention is the benefit of something I call "kitchen scrapbooking".   When you get your first inkling that a new kitchen may be in your future, begin collecting pictures and ideas.  Use magazines, the internet or your camera.  Then pay attention to that inner voice. That's your intuition and your cue to tear, print or click that shutter.  Look for everything from specific details to general feeling. Let's begin today.  I will share with you all kinds of interesting tidbits.  Keep a file (real or virtual) of your inspirational loot.  Before you know it you'll have all kinds of useful information and you will begin to see the patterns in your selections.  For example you may find that in 5 out of  7 pictures, you selected kitchens with white cabinets, or glass doors, or shiny finishes.  Oh, and remember it doesn't even have to be a kitchen!  Your heart-of-the-home can also be inspired by non-kitchen images such as art, architecture, nature and more.  Here are three images to start you off.  


I love the juxtaposition of modern and African tribal elements in this photo of a Nolte kitchen.


  This one, from luxury-ideas.com, is all about feeling natural, open and a little luxurious.  Notice the interesting open shelves, the open island design and the lovely use of texture.     


Lastly, I just love the feeling of this black and white kitchen.  It represents a comfortable easy British Colonial aesthetic to me.  How about you?

FIND YOUR KITCHEN MOJO

If your new kitchen is going to be an expression of who you are and how you live it's helpful to have a little inspiration. One of the things I frequently mention is the benefit of something I call "kitchen scrapbooking".   When you get your first inkling that a new kitchen may be in your future, begin collecting pictures and ideas.  Use magazines, the internet or your camera.  Then pay attention to that inner voice. That's your intuition and your cue to tear, print or click that shutter.  Look for everything from specific details to general feeling. Let's begin today.  I will share with you all kinds of interesting tidbits.  Keep a file (real or virtual) of your inspirational loot.  Before you know it you'll have all kinds of useful information and you will begin to see the patterns in your selections.  For example you may find that in 5 out of  7 pictures, you selected kitchens with white cabinets, or glass doors, or shiny finishes.  Oh, and remember it doesn't even have to be a kitchen!  Your heart-of-the-home can also be inspired by non-kitchen images such as art, architecture, nature and more.  Here are three images to start you off.  


I love the juxtaposition of modern and African tribal elements in this photo of a Nolte kitchen.


  This one, from luxury-ideas.com, is all about feeling natural, open and a little luxurious.  Notice the interesting open shelves, the open island design and the lovely use of texture.     


Lastly, I just love the feeling of this black and white kitchen.  It represents a comfortable easy British Colonial aesthetic to me.  How about you?