Sneak Peek: Living Room

Just a couple quick photos of a room in progress.  We still need art and finishing touches, but the furniture and rug already make the room look fantastic!  

3 typically traditional elements used in a modern way:

1. Tufted velvet sofa in a bold color 
2. Extra-large nailhead trim on the chairs
3. Large scale pattern and contrast in the black & white damask rug 

Art.

Just a quick post, but I wanted to share.  I was recently lucky enough to snag a painting by a friend of mine, one of my favorite people.  She paints for fun, and I love her work.  It just so happens that she had this piece, an "extra", and I got to claim it.  It almost seems as if it were created with my master bath in mind.

I love a home full of art, but more importantly, I love having art that means something to me.  Whether it's the content, or the story behind how I got it, or the person who created it... it's special.  We don't have a lot of expensive art in our home, but we have pieces we love.  And they're priceless to us.

I'm thrilled to now have this piece in our collection!  So Cora, if you read this, thank you!

Mentioned in Utah Style & Design Magazine!

I've been meaning to share this for a while.  And don't think my lack of sharing means I'm any less excited about this.  Enzy design is featured (again - see first feature here and here) in the Spring issue of Utah Style & Design!  Where enzy was the sole designer involved in the first project, this one is something I'm equally proud of because of the collaboration that was involved, and the end results.  Collaborating with other designers can be fun and refreshing, and a welcome change from handling every detail on a project by yourself.

(click on image to enlarge)

Interior Designer Cody Beal brought me in as a Kitchen & Bath Design expert to design & supply the cabinetry (using Hallmark Custom Cabinets).  Cody firmly believes in the importance of a team.  He knows he'll look better if he relies on his team of experts to help pull the project together.  So Cody came to me with his grand scheme plans for the kitchen, bathroom, and master bedroom cabinetry, and once we selected finishes, he gave me free reign to tweak the layout and design the cabinetry details.  This was smart for a few reasons:

1. It freed up his time so he was able to focus on fine-tuning all the other design details throughout the house.
2. Because Cody trusted me, it allowed me to fully use my expertise to provide the most functional, ergonomic, and aesthetically pleasing cabinetry for the clients. 
3. By working directly with the clients, I was better able to understand their needs.  We discussed everything from comfortable reaching heights to how many pairs of shoes they had.  This much information would have been nearly impossible without direct contact with the clients.

Check out the whole issue while you still can!

And see more photos of this project on the enzy design portfolio.

Stunning White Kitchen Remodel - Before & After

Last week I wrote about a recent kitchen remodel over on the Utah Style blog.  Today I wanted to present some before & after photos for comparison.

The "before" photos of a remodeling project are what makes remodeling so unique compared to new construction.  They indicate the challenges involved in the job, as well as the dramatic difference good design can make, both in aesthetic and (just as important) function.

Let me give a little background on this project.  The client was looking to update their oak kitchen so she called enzy design.  During the course of our initial consultation I pointed out some of the inefficiencies of the kitchen layout, and we discussed potential changes.  We explored these changes throughout the design phase - I presented a concept that combined the island and dining table, creating space for a casual sitting area in the kitchen.  Fortunately the client was open to new ideas, and we went in this direction.  Since photos speak louder than words, I'll stop writing and just post some photos:

Before:

 

After:

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White & Walnut Bathroom Remodel

I had the opportunity to help a client turn a basic hall bathroom into her own personal retreat.  This just shows that you don't need a large space to create something special.   

One key element that brought this design together is the tub.  The Lacey tub from Hydro Systems is now available with integral seamless front & sides, custom made to order.  This allowed us to have a simple clean look without the need for a partition wall at the end of the tub.

My client has wonderful tastes - she just needed someone to pull it all together, and to ensure that she would get the look she wanted with the function she needed.

     

One important part of creating a personal space for a client is leaving room for them to express themselves, through accessories and artwork (in this case, this includes my client's own paintings!)

Photography by Jessi at hiya papaya.

By the way, this client is a realtor.  She obviously has great taste (AND a fun yet professional personality), so if you need a realtor recommendation, I'd be happy to provide anyone with her contact info!

It's the Candy Store of Kitchen Cabinetry Storage!

I've worked with Decorative Woodwork Supply for a while now, back when they were a small warehouse type shop.  It's where I purchased my Jeffrey Alexander hardware.  But that was about it.  And then they went under the radar for a while and I wasn't sure what happened.  Fortunately, owner Jason Hall recently contacted me to let me know they had been in the process of opening a new showroom in Murray, with new products that are a kitchen designer's (and any designer's) dream!


Jason recently gave us a tour of the new showroom, which displays barn door hardware, custom HVAC grilles, bath accessories, a great new wood wall panel system (called Friendly Wall), and tons of cabinet hardware.  But what really made me giddy was the line of cabinet organization from Hettich.  Hettich manufacturers drawer boxes and cabinet hardware systems, and then it offers oodles & oodles of storage options made specifically for their drawer boxes.  It's an organizer's dream!  I took a bunch of photos - it's easier to show you than to tell you.

KBIS: 5 Things that Really Stood Out

Last week I went to KBIS in Vegas.  Vegas itself is a city of sensory overload, but add a convention center full of new kitchen and bath products, and you can hardly stand it.

We had less than 2 days to take it all in.  Through the whirlwind tour, there were 5 things that stood out to me:

Contemporary Bling.  Turn on the sparkle - faucets, cabinet & door hardware, glittery tile grout, and glitzy countertops

Rubinet lavatory faucet with Swarovski crystals

LED lighting embedded into the countertop, from Cambria

Cambria's new Galloway collection - the large clear quartz pieces sparkle!

Emtek Modern Crystal door hardware

glitter grout on a Voguebay display

Texture.  In tile and beyond, textured finishes add a special depth and interest.
Ann Sacks textured tile steals the show.

Ann Sacks

Ann Sacks

Voguebay Hexagon Mosaic

Kohler Whitehaven sink with textured front

Brass and Bronze - We've been raving about this comeback for a while, but it was great to see it in full force at KBIS.

Emtek's bronze finish

Amerock's Gilded Bronze finish 

Rohl's new Unlaquered Brass finish

Kohler's Vibrant Moderne Brushed Gold finish

Oak  It's not an outright trend... yet.  But it's been making an appearance here and there, and I expect to see more.  We're not talking about the honey oak of the 80's, but we're also not talking about the quarter-sawn or rift cut that we've gotten used to in more contemporary settings.  This oak is open-grained and dramatic, with finishes of matte, weathered, and gray.  I only got one photo from KBIS, but there was more to be seen.

Functional Sink Accessories  I've got a whole guest post on this topic alone that will soon be featured on the Utah Style & Design blog.  I was thrilled with the new introductions that convert sinks into functional worksurfaces, including racks, cutting boards, and storage for cleaning utensils.

from Kohler