Kelly's Kitchen Sync

Steampunk Sunday: Clocks

There is always an element of cogs and gears in steampunk – a fascination with the early days of iron (again), and automation. Think also automated musical boxes and puppets and watches (although these go back into the 1700s.) We’re back to how those play a part in making this alternate world into design.

That said, look what I found in the Home Decorators Collection catalogue this week:

(Photo credit: Home Decorators)

Can’t vouch for the quality, but I was amused to see it. Doubt the gears actually work, which is a pity, isn’t it? If you go to their homepage here, you’ll see it in its, er, natural staged habitat.

Here’s another, found in the HomePortfolio website. Again, can’t vouch for it, but I’m finding it interesting these are showing up in what I consider conservative, broad-based places.

(Photo credit: Art Donovan via HomePortfolio)

For truly fantastic (or is that fantastical?) creations, pop over to see what the ever-creative Eric Freitas has on his site. I think I’m lusting after the Nov. 1st lithograph of a clock (the buying isn’t the hard part; the finding-of-wall-space definitely is.) Writer friends, does that look like a book cover to you?

Happy Steampunk Sunday to you!

New York news

(Credit: IloveNY – Official NY State Tourism)

 

So now that the flurry of emails and paperwork has settled down, I can announce that I’ve been invited by Brizo to see their product line in New York, and will be heading off next month. I’ll join some of my favorite kitchen design bloggers for a whirlwind session of seeing Brizo’s products, plus attending the Jason Wu fashion show during Fashion Week. (Some of you may remember Paul of Kitchen and Residential Design reported on it last year, and was instrumental in my inclusion this year.)

For those of you who don’t know, Brizo is Delta’s upscale line and is sandwiched between Delta and Hans Grohe. (The 3 lines are owned by a parent company, Masco, who also owns Kraftmaid, amongst other companies.)

I did have some initial concerns about what the invitation would entail. I attend quite a few press events in the Bay Area, but as I make my own way to them, there’s no obligation. Brizo’s awesome p.r rep., Charlie, eased my mind and answered my blunt questioning. (Sorry, Charlie.)  As I mentioned to him, I have a significant group of kindred spirits on the front lines of the construction industry – from contractors to plumbers – who sometimes have different criteria than designers (stating it mildly.)

Brizo isn’t a product that sees much demand in my area, but I've been favorably impressed with their designs from the first time I saw them in a big trade show, and, in truth, the combination of being able to get an in-depth session, plus meeting my blogging compatriots, plus New York, was too tempting to resist.

I have to share this with you: I stopped by my local fancy clothes shop the other day in anticipation of heading to chilly New York – I’m not sure I have anything warm enough.

The 6’3” willowy fashion model working there asks me in this heavy Russian accent: “Are you attending the high shows or the low shows?" (couture vs. ready-to-wear)  I drew myself up to all of my 5’4” and said, “Look at me. Do I look like someone who’ll reach the high shows?”

Apparently, tongue-in-cheek doesn’t translate well; she didn’t get it.

Oh well, it amused me.

Steampunk Sunday: Links

A couple of links from around the web:

(Credit:  ModVic Home Restoration via The Steampunk Workshop)

A Visit to a Steampunk Home –  This has really been featured all over the web, so I’m late to the party, but I like this post from Jack von Slatt of The Steampunk Workshop who visited last December. The home is by a couple who specialize in restoring Victorian homes, who liked steampunk, and the rest is, er, history. Note the treatment of marble as baseboard – might not have been in the Victorian homes around here, but there was a lot of it in commercial turn-of-the-century shops; it’s a nice touch. Be sure to check out the innovative t.v. and stereo equipment solution.

(Credit: Maggi Massimo via The Steampunk Home)

Sara over at The Steampunk Home always has intriguing steampunk goodies. In this case, a series of cabinets made by Italian cabinet maker Maggi Massimo. While I don’t know if the company planned on these Victorian-style cabinets being steampunk, they would fit into your steampunk home very well.

What’s interesting is the color of the cabinets and the pull finishes – we’re talking oak again, or mahogany, (if you can get it) or even a mahogany stain. It’s also a return to brass handles – in this case antiqued or aged  brass – and the half-circle cup or bin pulls. Not a surprise for most of my East Coast readers, but it’s not something we see much of on the West Coast.

Happy Sunday!

A reader asks: Bamboo cabinets?

Hi.
I really have learned so much about your blog. Thank you for all the time you invest in that service. We are remodeling our kitchen on the East Coast which is behind the times in terms of ecological remodeling projects when compared to the West Coast.

There is a store in my local area that offers a line of bamboo cabinets that I like quite a bit. However, as I don't know anyone who has them here I am wondering how smart they are for an investment. Do they hold up well? Does the finish take being used and grabbed and touched and wiped? If you know much about them it would be helpful and interesting reading. 

Thank you.  Anne

Hi Anne,

Thank you for the kind words. I can't vouch for your cabinet company because I don't know what they have, but let's see if we can go over some of the aspects which make bamboo a viable alternative:

*Edited to add: 1/26/2010: Ann Knight, Executive Vice President of Teragren, was kind enough to respond and offer her advice. She tweaked some of what I know and added her own professional insight, for which she has my thanks. 

There are 1500 species of bamboo – which one is the right one?

Bamboo isn't a wood - it's a fast-growing grass with over 1500 species available. However, you only want to focus on one for your cabinet doors and panels – a timber bamboo called Moso or MaoZhu (technically known as Phyllostachys Pubescenes. Say that 3 times fast.)

Moso bamboo, grows in Zhejiang and Hunan Provinces, China, used to manufacture bamboo flooring and sheet goods grows 6” – 8” round and up to 80 feet height. It needs a temperate climate and a steep hill. Even though they’ve been trying to make it grow in South Carolina, the makers of sheet goods claim that the best climate for this bamboo is its original birthplace – China.

Ann adds some clarification:   

Actually this is not absolutely true- the soil in the Carolinas is ideal for growing bamboo plus bamboo uptakes nitrogen in the soil – ideal for pig farmers! The reason it hasn’t been grown in the US to make building products is because of the labor costs associated with harvesting the bamboo and then fabricating products – we are in discussions with various landowners across the US, especially the Delta region, to grow bamboo and create factories and jobs – however this is a long-term project.

Bamboo can take some abuse

One of the good things with bamboo is that it’s a durable product if the bamboo is harvested and processed correctly, much harder than red oak, and can takes a fair amount of abuse. Can you dent it? Sure. (When I used to ask my dad about durability of materials, he used to snort, “Nothing’s idiot-proof!” Thanks, Dad.)

Even with the rapid growth of bamboo – literally two feet a day – it can’t be harvested too soon or products may be as soft as pine or fir.  If hydraulic presses and the right adhesives are not used during the manufacturing process, delamination and voids may occur – an expensive lesson! If it is, the bamboo won’t only be too soft, but it’ll delaminate in nice long strings, usually after it’s been installed. We (meaning, California designers, builders, and architects) ran into these problems when bamboo flooring first hit here in California and the rush was on to get bamboo, any bamboo. We know better now, plus you get the benefit of that hard-won experience. (Rest of the country– you take the next new product, okay?)

Harvesting time is a minimum of 5-1/2 years. The FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) is aware of this, and most products with the FSC certification harvest bamboo correctly.

(Photo credit: Smith & Fong Edge grain door – looks like natural on cooktop wall on left and amber on island and oven walls)

What is the door made of?

There are two types of bamboo cabinet doors – those with a bamboo core and those with a MDF core. It’s what we might refer to as a 3-layer sandwich board – the bamboo veneer is layered on both sides of the core. Naturally, the one with a bamboo center core is more expensive. The two makers of bamboo paneling for furniture that I'm aware of are the San Francisco-based Smith & Fong aka "Plyboo" , and the Washington-based Teragren.

( Teragren® 4’ x 8’ x 3/4” cross-ply panels, Vertical Grain Caramelized

Photo by John Granen; ©2009 Teragren LLC)

Some say the 3-ply bamboo is the Best Thing Ever and hint that there could be delamination of the less–expensive 2-ply over MDF, but I can’t say that’s been my experience. The edge of the door has to be wood-taped with the bamboo-and-MDF product, whereas the bamboo-centered panel doesn’t need it.MDF is a stable core and the bamboo is also very hard; laminate the two together and I’m not seeing much movement. If you have budgeting concerns, I might recommend the MDF core as a less-expensive alternative.

But there is a caveat here: those in a tropical climate or in an area with very high humidity might not be able to select this MDF center-panel option – Hawaii, for example, has bugs that love recycled wood products. As in, “yum, thanks for dinner!” love. You won't have the same issue with the bamboo core. 

  (Photo credit: Berkeley Mills via Trendir. Berkeley Mills uses Teragren.)

Bamboo looks and colors

There are 2 main colors for bamboo – one is natural, which you see at the left; the amber or caramelized color on the right is the result of cooking or heating the bamboo until it turns that color. (Ann adds: Bamboo is part of the sugar cane family which means the longer you heat it, the darker the sugars become – just like cooking sugar on the stove.) The color does indeed go all the way through the material – no worries about scratching the surface.

So what you’re going to see is 3 different styles depending on how the bamboo is sliced (yes, there are other styles, but let’s stick to doors for now.)

(Note that all samples here are from Smith & Fong – clicking on them will send you to their website.)

   

Flat – The above is the flat side or face (face is my term - the manufacturers’ll be wincing at me). Here’s the giveaway – the widths of the strips are typically around 3/4” wide. (The darker serrated  markings are called the nodes – they’re where the leaves and branches grew from the actual pole or culm.)

Vertical or Edge- The above is an example of an edge profile – we’re literally talking about cutting and laminating the strips of bamboo together. Giveaway sign is that the strips are around 3/16” - 1/4” wide.

Strand -  This above is engineered bamboo. Just like any engineered wood, it’s crushed and remixed with phenol-based binders to be stronger, faster, better. Might even out the color too and eliminate some of the distinctive bamboo-stripes, but it will remove node lines as well.

Ann adds: "Strand bamboo panels and flooring with Teragren’s Xcora™ technology are manufactured under a process that fuses bamboo fibers with an environmentally safe adhesive (phenol-based) under extreme pressure to form homogenous, high-density sheets that are sliced and milled into flooring planks or sheet goods.

Investment range

This is still a higher priced option. Depending on the cabinet line and the style, bamboo in my cabinet books ranges a good 25% – 40% higher than maple or cherry. (Edited to add: Looks like costs might have dropped -- I'll plan a later post with a cabinet I have and see what we find.) We’re simply talking the doors and paneling at this point, not the boxes. Add a low-VOC 5-ply, non-urea-formaldehyde recycled board, corn, or soy-based box construction, and you’ll be at the higher end of that cost and then some.

If a bamboo seems too good to be true price-wise, I’d run, yet Ann adds: "If Teragren’s S4S furniture-grade (sanded four sides) ¾” cross-ply 4’ x 8’ panels are used, there’s no labor cost to edge band and the finishing is easy – we’ve found cabinetmakers using this process are very competitive with maple and cherry products." 

(Panels for cabinetry: Teragren® 1’ x 6’ x 5/8” panels, Vertical Grain Caramelized

Photo by Steven Young; ©2000 Teragren LLC)

To be truthful, I haven't seen it in the factory lines I used, but other designers and those of you considering bamboo cabinets out there may have other stories to share. I do think that eventually demand will lower the cost of the product.

Steampunk Sunday – Cabinet hardware

(Over the Iron Bridge to Ironbridge)

Steampunk design is two things – hardcore and archaic with a lot of smooth-surfaced metal – cogs and gears and iron and brass – and also softer, with a generous application of scrolling and ornate decoration.

My vision of the perfect steampunk home is something in-between.

In this alternate world reality that steampunk is based on, most writers loosely set everything starting with steam and the industrial revolution– when electricity doesn't become the force it is today and cast iron changed the world. Think of places like Ironbridge in the West Midlands of Britain, billed as where the industrial revolution got its start (fascinating place to visit, by the way, and a World Heritage site) or Coalbrookdale where they first discovered how to smelt, or remove all the impurities, from iron ore to make it strong enough to cast in the first place.

But I’m digressing into my fascination with the period. To get back to your design for steampunk and iron, think black or bronze or even heavily scrolled brass.

In my search for a steampunk collection, I found some modern-day handles which might fit the requirements:

(Schaub and Company – Arcaedia Collection)

This line has a bit of the ornate to it – while you could use the handles, I’m focusing more on the cup pull in the upper left corner and the knob on the lower left; the backplate for the knob could be nice as well. (For those of you who don’t know, the backplate is the flat piece at the bottom and if you’re switching from handles to knobs, this is a great way to hide the existing screw holes of the previous handles.) Note the color – a bit of manufactured “wearing” of the bronze finish.

If you really want to push the envelope of fantastical design, then use a couple of these on the doors at the end of the island or on a hung-alone wall cabinet, which would tie in nicely with the later Victorian period and fascination with all things from Egypt and Africa:

(Schaub and Company – Wine Collection)

They have a nice website; have a look around by clicking on the pictures. Have fun!

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Steampunk Pendant                                   Steampunk Sunday

Will you embrace the return of color?

This happens every recession – in an effort to get away from the grayness and depression that everyday news brings, we get a return to brightness and joviality in the form of color. This recession isn’t any different, except this time, we’re getting a double dose in the form of the first wave of generational influence in home and design:

The average home stock in the US and Canada is made of homes that are approximately 30-35 years old.

The next wave of homeowners are in their late 20s-early 30s.  Beige is what their parents and grandparents liked.

Just as I went all futuristic and white everything in my 20s, this generation wants a bit of sparkle and color. Here’s what I’ve seen in the media universe lately:

Colored stoves

(Celebrity Cooker line from Aga - designed by Emma Bridgewater)

Furniture

(Squint Furniture via Apartment Therapy)

Colors and shapes for tiles

 (Fap Ceramiche via Trendir)

Will they like these things forever? We didn’t, but here’s the difference in values:

1) Baby boomers – Lasting, timeless, pay once for quality, still carrying over values from a Depression they didn’t live in

2) Gen-Y – Fun! Quirky! Can replace it when we get tired of it! 4 billion choices and climbing…

Although the media seems to push a great divide, there’s nothing wrong with either mindset.

While I envy the choices this generation has, I figure my job is to point out all the quirky! fun! of the ‘50s, ‘60s, and ‘70s and how tired we got of our shag and wallpaper. My design core is built to point out that constant replacement doesn’t fit in with a green agenda –- not that many are going to replace a 6-figure range.

Yet I’m still a designer. If you love the new turquoise color of 2010 and want to combine it with pink and orange to go with your range, you bet you and I can design the heck right out of it! (My, that sounded modest. :P  But you know what I mean, I hope.)

Because here’s the thing: if you’re going to be a designer into the next decade and refuse to accept this next generation of homeowners have this difference, you’re going to be left behind. Also, if you don’t think some Baby Boomers won’t embrace this new fun! decade of style and perkiness, or that some Gen-Y aren’t timeless design stylists, you’re going to struggle. For all that there is a divide, there is also a melding of thoughts and ideas that feels very exciting.

So, if you’ll just accept I have a Krytonite-like resistance to avocado (I'm so not loving those tiles above *sigh*),  I promise the sky’s the limit on the rest of the colors. Deal? Deal.

What are you planning that’s new and colorful for your home this year?

A Reader Asks: Cherry Cabinets ~ yes or no?

I'm enjoying reading your blog. I am in the research stage, planning on doing some remodeling in the next six months. What do you think about cherry wood cabinets? Some people say they are a fad, are too dark and overpriced. I painted my cabinets white about 15 yrs ago so I definitely don't want white. I know you say look at pictures and see what you like. I have looked at hundreds and am turning into a crazy person. Have to admit, it's fun to look. -- Wendy

 

Hi Wendy -

Thank you! That's a good question - you're not the first to ask. And don't worry about going insane -- eventually you'll start narrowing down your choices.

As a cabinet, cherry has been around for a couple hundred years, so it’s not really a fad. In this case, we’re talking North American Cherry. It has a hardness rating of around 950, if I remember correctly, so softer than oak (950-980 vs. 1280 on the hardness scale) but better than 600 that you have with pine. It’s got a rich, tight grain but like all woods, it doesn't reflect light like a painted surface will, which is why you have to pay attention to the other elements in the room.

(A transitional condo kitchen with a medium-stained cherry)

As to whether it's overpriced? What that says to me is the person doesn’t see the value as worthwhile for the dollars spent. The question is -- what do YOU think?

I can tell you cherry used to feel expensive compared to the oaks and laminates of the late’ 70s- early ‘80s but pricing dropped as demand rose in the late ‘80s-early ‘90s. And right now, it’s less expensive and more available than many of the exotic woods. (The grass is always greener – I remember visiting some Australian joineries (cabinet makers) some years back, and drooling over the rosewoods they had, while they asked wistfully about oak, maple, and cherry.)

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT CHERRY

Cherry wood has a wide variation of lighter-colored sapwood and rich red heartwood, with knots, mineral streaks, and dramatic variations of color. Cherry with all the variations and knots is called common stock; cherry with the knots removed is called premium, which is what you’ll pay for it. The supplier still has to pay for the entire lot of wood, which is why the premium selection costs more; it’s the cabinet version of "cherry-picking.”

The cherry stained to look like rich mahogany is dark, but has its own place. It works well as a simple Shaker style for the dark contemporary styles we’ve seen the past few years, but I’ve really seen it as a traditional style for decades. (*cough* I mean, I’ve heard it’s been around for a long time. I’m reading this over and thinking how ancient I sound…)

When you’re designing with darker woods, the lighting levels either need to be bumped up, or the other design elements, such as the floors and walls, need to be lighter in order to reflect more light. Otherwise, the kitchen ends up like an old European library and in a typical 8’ ceiling looks heavy and dark– even if you live in a sunnier clime.

  (A very traditional dark-stained cherry – note the extra lighting, even with the light walls!)

HOW TO DESIGN WITH CHERRY

Cherry has one of the most radical color changes of all woods, so when you select a door style, make sure the sample is approximately 6 months old so you can decorate to that color. One of the biggest mistakes a newbie designer makes is to get a new sample door and then picks all the colors to go with it. Don’t. On the natural and mid-range colors, cherry is going to darken quite a few shades. So, don't panic when it first arrives in your home, especially if your cabinets are made-to-order.

Cherry with a light stain isn't really that dark, as you can see below, but it contains a definite reddish tone which takes a bit of skill to decorate around if you like taupes and blues.

  (A contemporary kitchen with a natural or honey-stained cherry.)

 

ALSO CONSIDER THESE FACTORS

Selecting a cherry cabinet will depend on how long you're going to stay in your home, what the perceived value of cherry is in your area (ie. if you’re planning a 2-3 year stay and all the homes in your area have oak, I might suggest following the lead if you want to recoup your money. I saw a show where these people did a beautiful dark-wood sleek contemporary kitchen in a section of North Carolina. It was gorgeous, but the buyers walking through the home looked like they couldn’t wait to get out of the home fast enough.)

If this is your keeper home, then do what makes you happy. We always used to, in the days when a home was OUR home and not always a return on investment. We can’t bring that back fast enough.

 

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A Reader asks about Alder                          Not your mother’s cabinets

A thought on furniture style bathroom vanities

One of the trends that I’ve been seeing for the past couple of years is the furniture-style bathroom vanity, like this:

(Photo: Juhansonin)

There are feet on that vanity. This is a nice style and isn’t going away any time soon because it opens the visual space better than a cabinet furniture kick would.

However, there is a trick to it, something that my clients started remarking on when European floating vanities showed up over a few decades ago -- be prepared for dust bunnies to hold their OK Corral stampede under there! It’s a fine place for hair to collect, especially if you’re using a hair dryer, and a bit of a challenge to clean.

(Can’t find where I got this from. If it’s yours, please let me credit you.)

A floating vanity at least sets the cabinet higher and makes it easier to clean underneath it, but imagine what a 4” –6” space under an 8’ vanity would be like.

I know; it’s such a small thing, but if this might be something you might not like, consider recessing the kickbase on all open sides, then add the legs. That way, there’s only 3”-5” of space to the toekick (or more, depending. You could have the toekick as a separate item and set it where you like).

It’s either that, or sending your kids in. (I’m joking – they could get stuck. Or someone would send me a picture of a success story and I’d have hate mail from here to forever.)

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It's all about heating/ventilation    Tile: Be open to change

C-c-changes ~

If you’re now singing along, I know how old you are. ;)

Yes, I’ll be making some changes this year. The blog will be transferred over to a website hopefully in late spring, and I’ll keep you up to date as we move along. You and I will still be conversing on all manner of ideas related to remodeling and kitchen and bath design – but I hope to introduce some other ways to help in a way that benefits both of us.

I’ve resisted for some time now adding advertising to my blog, even though I’ve had ample offers. I dislike the look of adwords scattered through my blog – I’m such a designer! – and probably will never add them. (I’ve no problem with them on other bloggers’ sites, unless they vastly outnumber content.)  I’ve also hesitated in adding advertisers because, well, I like my own agenda. *grin*  If I can share personal experiences, so much the better, but the keywords are always going to be “honest” and “value”.

What I’ve done for the first stage of transition this year, though, is changed the Amazon link at the left. Last year, the links were honest recommendations for books I believe will truly help you with your remodeling choices. This year, they’re the same honest recommendations, but I now receive a small referral fee if you click through and buy. If you place your cursor over the book, you'll see a separate tab and larger details. (You don't have to click on it.)

For those of you unfamiliar with this, none of the books are marked up – they'll still be the same price as ordering directly through Amazon. I like Amazon, have ordered books many times, and they made it very easy to consider them as a partner.

If you don’t like Amazon, please have a look at them from your independent booksellers as well – there’s nothing better than joys of a good book and a warm and friendly bookstore. I still stand by my referrals, no matter where you buy.

With that said, I’m curious to find out what YOU would like to see for the new website. Would you like more insider design tips? More real-life experiences? Pictures? Product reviews? Trends? Something else?

Please let me know in the comments.

Steampunk Sunday: Designing with Portholes

As part of the steampunk series, I thought we would chat about portholes. Yes, they were once part of submarines and early adventure novels - think Jules Vern and 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea - and are still a part of ship design today. But as a home design element, they’re a perfect addition for your steampunk home.

(Photo credit: Trustile)

MULTI-STYLE DESIGN ELEMENT

One bonus of working with this style is that it doesn’t simply pigeonhole you straight to steampunk. It was formerly a huge part of commercial Art Deco architecture off the ‘30s and ‘40s and it’s popular as an exterior architectural element in contemporary home design.

Also note the paint colors. Two-tone, especially in a gunmetal grays, is very effective. Either color would work well on a slab door (although I might go with the lighter one if you have a family with sticky fingers; the dark will really show everything.)

GLASS AS A FOCAL POINT

Disclaimer - I love glass as an architectural element - both for the light it lets in and the sheer beauty of it. It could be frosted or ribbed or one could simply use a resin panel if they wanted to cut down on cost. Me? I might be tempted to use leaded glass, like this:

(Photo credit: Stephen Weir Stained Glass)

Or perhaps a stained-glass piece like this:

 (Photo credit: JustGlass-online.com)

Don’t like that color? Want to bump up the circular element? Let’s take that door, add some more circles and set them as a pair of French doors leading into the dining room:

 (Photo credit: Trustile)

See how different they look with a vanilla paint? The resin circular panels are also an interesting element: there are hundreds available, or think of glass instead. 

DON'T FORGET SAFETY

Make sure it’s tempered or safety glass, please. It's not as important when the holes are at face-level, but in this style, the portholes are too accessible and easy for a little one to fall against it or someone to trip. Also no using any of these glass styles for an exterior door without double-checking their fire rating; simple glass or acrylic isn’t going to cut it.

Look for “interior doors with portholes” on your search engines for ideas. I saw a U.K. firm that provided not only portholes as a separate design element to be incorporated into slab doors, but also had some interesting handles. Same goes for my friends in Australia and New Zealand.

Next time, I’ll show you some nifty steampunk handles to go with these. Have a lovely Sunday!