Modern Benches

 Metro bench by Avi Meir using reclaimed lumber

I've been searching for modern benches for a client's entryway, and I love what's out there right now!  And thanks to etsy, a lot of it is handmade and unique.   And many pieces represent a story, about a craftsman or an artist or a small business, or maybe even a bit of history.  Essentially, these are all functional pieces of art, not just furniture.  I thought I might share some of my favorites here.

The Evolution Benches by Blue Boat Home Design.  I love them even more because I met the artist, Joe Norman, in the middle of nowhere, while biking the White Rim last summer in Canyonlands, UT.  The wood is refurbished from old shipping pallets, and the ends are actual decommissioned aluminum bomb fins.  The images cut into each end are "symbols that resonated with a way people could interact with each other that would be more productive than the current status quo of political, religious, class, gender, and economic division and antagonism."

The Botanist series benches by Orange22 are made from recycled aluminum and are available in several sizes and colors, with different cut-out options.

This Botanist Minimal bench is also by Dario Antonioni of Orange22.  These benches are constructed from sustainably harvested poplar with engineered veneers (walnut or rift oak).  I love the slim lines, but I also love how this product came about.  Inspired by the above botanist bench, this wood version was proposed on kickstarter.com and received funding for production from people in the kickstarter community. What a fascinating site!  Check it out here.

And this bench is made from cardboard!  AND it's a DIY project on Instructables!  Find out how to make your own here. 

The Slip Square bench, found on etsy.com, is by David Hentzel of Special Project Division in Seattle

This Folded Plane bench is by the same artist.  I love the custom aluminum Kerf plates at the corners.

Simply Italian has reinterpreted the classic George Nelson platform bench, and it's beautiful.

Scrapile is the brainchild of 2 artists in New York.  They use woodworking scraps to create these incredible benches and tables.

This simple bench from Mash Studios is constructed of English Walnut

This bench is by Adam Hogsett of Richmond, VA.  The wood is reclaimed railroad ties from the Richmond area.

Another etsy bench, by Elpis and Wood, using reclaimed pine.  I love these pieces that mix rustic / reclaimed with modern / industrial.   

K+BB Design Awards

K+BB (Kitchen + Bath Business) has some very interesting winners for their 2011 design contest.  I thought I might post about the winners and honorable mentions here, for various reasons.  Some of these kitchens are amazing in the sense that I WANT TO LIVE IN THEM RIGHT NOW!   Others are so out there and so bold that I can't imagine anyone ever wanting to live with one, but that's why I love them!

So, without further adieu....

K+BB 2011 Kitchen of the Year:

Designed by James E. Howard, CKD, CBD of Glen Alspaugh Kitchens & Baths

Merit Award:

Take a close look at the backsplash with sliding door storage and integral lighting.

Designed by Kristen Totah, ASID, Studio K Kitchens and Design

Merit Award:

Designed by Lisa Wilson-Wirth, CKD, Wilson-Wirth Design

 Honorable Mention:

Designed by Marisa Solomon, Reed Architectural Group, Inc.

Honorable Mention:

I love the green ceiling!

Designed by Beverly Binns, Binns Kitchen + Bath Design

Honorable Mention:

Designed by Elina Katsioula-Beall, CKD, DeWitt Designer Kitchens

 Read more about each entry here.

Current Basement Master Suite Project Mood Board

I've been lucky enough to be involved in a great remodeling project that involves reconfiguring an oddly finished basement into a workable Master Suite.  I love my clients, and I am so excited to be able to share the final project once it's complete.  In the meantime, I MUST share some of the finish & materials selections, and I think you'll understand why I'm excited for this project to be completed.

 Flooring:

Armstrong Century Farm, Hickory, Smoke

Main Wall Paint:

Benjamin Moore Smoke Embers AC-28

Bedroom Paint:

Benjamin Moore Templeton Gray HC-161

 Trim Paint:

Benjamin Moore Iron Mountain 2134-30

Door Hardware:

Emtek Geneva Door Hardware

 Bathroom Finishes & Hardware:

Arizona Tile

"White" Pebbles

DalTile Urban Putty Field Tile

Santec Bravo Faucets (with Hansgrohe shower)

George Kovacs vanity sconces

 Now can you see why I'm so excited?!?!

Guest Post: Color Filled UK Rooms

Hi, I’m Susi, a writer for Design Shuffle, where designers and design lovers from around world can share projects and ideas for inspiration. Stop by—it's free! I'm so happy to be here at Enzy Living, one of my favorite design blogs. Today I'm writing about color filled UK rooms. The British have a long love affair with color and pattern. They boldly mix the two to create interior designs that are quintessentially British. These are some of my favorite ways the Brits fill their rooms with color. Enjoy! The British don't shy away from color when it comes to decorating. Or pattern. Love the lemony yellow curtains mixed with reds and pinks in this sitting room. The Union Jack is a beloved design element that sets the color palette for this living room. Reds and blues pop against creamy whites. Playing off the Union Jack pattern, this colorful DIY chest of drawers creates a charming touch in a UK inspired room. Love the mix of yellow, white and mauvey browns in this colorful bedroom at the London boutique hotel, Haymarket. A modern take on the British love of florals. English rose pink looks lovely paired with light grey and olive green in this colorful UK interior design. Styled by The Designers Guild, an amazing design house that loves color and pattern. A riot of colorful stripes and zig zags makes this apartment at the Soho Hotel in London uber chic. Using either the striped sofas or the zig-zag curtains would give a room a colorful pop of UK style. Blue and white is a classic English color combination inspired by china patterns. Love the classic Chesterfield sofa, another fantastic British design. Decorating ideas from a canvas? While this interior is a painting, it is a gorgeous example of the British love of color and pattern. Love the blue walls behind the green chaise. “Evening at home” (Edward John Poynter, UK, 1836-1919) [ Images 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 ] This post was created by Design Shuffle, a social-media site where members can connect with a variety of interior designers including San Francisco interior designers and Boston interior designers.

White & Wenge Modern Kitchen Remodel

I am so thrilled to finally be able to share this project with all of you!  Usually, you're lucky if you get one of these 3 things in a remodeling project:  good client, good design taste, or good potential in the house.  In this case, I got all 3, and I'm so grateful to interior designer Cody Beal for bringing me into this remodel project.

I have to give Cody a lot of credit and a lot of respect.  He's a great designer, and part of his success comes from knowing how important having a good team of people is.  He doesn't claim to be able to do everything himself, rather, he's assembled a team of people he knows he can count on, who are experts in their own specialty areas, and he gives these people flexibility to add their own touches to the project.  When I first met with Cody, he showed me his vision, and then explained to me that he wanted me to make suggestions and changes based on my expertise.  I was given the freedom to design what I thought was best, and because of this collaboration, the client couldn't be happier, and the kitchen looks AMAZING!  And.. it's functional too!

At first glance, you see a simple, beautiful kitchen.  What you don't see is the hours and hours of work that went into this design.  Simple and modern styles take a lot of critical planning in order to make sure everything fits together perfectly, especially in tight spaces.  When doing modern design, you don't get the liberty of fluffy moldings and appliques that might hide any inconsistencies.  Add in the fact that straight ceilings and walls are virtually non-existent when it comes to remodeling, and you've got an enormous challenge.  I love the challenge and find projects like this one so much more rewarding because of this.

So you'll never know all the tiny details such as how we modified the island sink cabinet in order to recess the wine rack into the end of the island, or how we spent an entire design meeting discussing how high the wall cabinets should be in order to maximize storage based on the clients' heights, or how the base cabinets are custom designed in order to accommodate the aluminum trim at the top and a thicker-than-standard countertop, or how we had to tweak things in order to guarantee the dishwasher would integrate into this non-standard cabinet design, or how we customized the wall cabinets in order eliminate cabinet hardware and leave space for LED lighting and plugmold outlet strips.  I could go on and on...

Obviously, I love this kitchen.  And again, I'm so grateful to have been a part of the team, which included Cody Beal, Lew Shurtliff (general contractor), and others.  The cabinetry is by Hallmark Custom Cabinets, through Arendal Kitchen Design.  The guys at Hallmark were a great help with the technical little design details involved in EVERY cabinet.  And Adam Erickson did an incredible job with the installation.

And to add even more to the wow-factor, here is a before photo:

Yes, it was really cool, just not very functional, and soooo small.  Would you believe the new kitchen is in that same room?

A few more details:

Yes, that is a remote control on the countertop - it's for the dimmable LED undercabinet lights!

Notice the recessed finger pull behind the door, the integral LED lighting, and the recessed plug-mold in the back.

This hood, by Thermador, is perfect for clients of different heights, because the glass screen is adjustable.