 Susan Palmer, CKD, CBD, owner of Susan Palmer Designs, has been designing award-winning custom kitchens & baths for more than 25 years.
When Susan approaches a new design project, she does not impose a specific “style” of design, rather, she looks to each project for inspiration. As she states, ”I am merely the vehicle to achieve the client’s dream — the final signature belongs to them.” Blending her history and experience as a “Kama’aina” by way of Texas, her design aesthetic has developed through living and traveling through Japan, the far east, Europe, as well as the continental U.S. before settling down in Honolulu in the early 1980’s. Susan has been a recipient of many industry awards including the NKBA Aloha Chapter “Hohanohano” Best of the Best Award, Building Industry Association BIA Merit Awards, NKBA Aloha Chapter Phil Zweedyk Award, as well as serving as a guest lecturer at Chaminade University and the University of Hawaii at Manoa. In recent years, Susan has served as a judge for BIA as well as NKBA award competitions. Susan has also previously held the offices of vice president, programs chairwoman, as well as president of the Aloha Chapter of the NKBA. Her projects have been published in numerous magazines and publications both locally and nationally. In addition to her CKD & CBD certifications, she also has a degree in Interior Design. Contact Information |
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What do you see as the top Kitchen and Bath design trends for 2009?
- Metal finishes like oil rubbed bronze, platinum, and weathered or distressed nickel finishes in fixtures for both the kitchen and the bath.
- Horizontal grains for modern kitchens and baths in woods such as White Oak and Teak.
- Traditional kitchens are moving more towards rustic clear finishes on woods like Knotty Cherry, paired with interesting toe kicks and furniture style legs and details.
- In general I expect to see more ethnic or vintage materials and techniques revived and used in modern applications, such as mosaics that utilize stained glass in abstract styling or regional textiles from Africa used in poly-resin architectural panels.
At the Kitchen and Bath Industry Show this year, many sophisticated, innovative new appliances and products were unveiled. How do you see the increase in smart kitchen and bath appliances making life easier for homeowners?
We all lead increasingly hectic lives with very little free time, so appliances that cook smarter and clean quickly with low maintenance will give homeowners more time to spend with their families.
Where do you find inspiration for your designs?
The client — listening to the client when they tell me their dreams and desires for their new kitchen or bath, and seeing the way they live helps me to find the inspiration to create the perfect design for them. Each client is different and the design evolves based on their personality, lifestyle, and stage of life.
What advice would you give to homeowners considering a kitchen or bathroom remodel?
Don’t skimp on the quality of your materials – purchase as much quality as you can afford and determine what your priorities are by working with a design professional. You can always get inexpensive decorations, but make sure the cabinetry, counters and other essential materials are of a high quality so that you maximize the investment and enjoyment for the many years to come.
Tell us about your favorite kitchen and/or bathroom design project.
Probably one of my most favorite kitchen remodels was for a second time around client. The client and her husband had purchased a new home after selling the home that I had remodeled with them years earlier. I knew the client very well and liked the views of her new home, but the kitchen was shockingly bad. The cabinets did not even have doors! Instead, the contents were hidden with ratty little curtains and the floor and the ceiling were covered in dark decaying cork. Because I knew she loved to cook, and I knew the styles she preferred, it was a lot of fun to use new products not available during the previous remodel.
In your personal kitchen or bath – what is the product(s) that you can’t imagine living without?
Soap dispensers at the kitchen sink and hand showers for the bath make cleaning so efficient, I could not imagine living without either of these things!
Imagine designing your dream kitchen or bath. What style would it be? What products would you use?
Depends on what day it is! There are so many products and styles that I am constantly surrounded by, it’s hard to pick just one that I love. Having said that, if I were to narrow down some of my favorite items to include in my dream kitchen they would be: the Miele coffee system, a sink by Julien, a faucet by Dornbracht, Wood-Mode cabinets, wood floors, an island with a prep sink, a warming drawer, a La Cornue range, and a Miele refrigerator.
Green design is an important consideration for many homeowners. Do you have advice for homeowners who want to “green” their kitchen or bathroom?
Get rid of appliances and fixtures now that are old and outdated — replace them all with the newer energy efficient models. It may sound counter-intuitive, but it really does not make sense to replace items as they break with new models if your goal is energy efficiency and green living.
We’d like to thank Susan Palmer, CKD, CBD of Susan Palmer Designs, Inc for generously sharing her expertise and design advice.
Related: Kitchen and Bath Design Experts Talk Design Trends 2009
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3 Responses for “Kitchen and Bath Design Expert: Susan Palmer”
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You said to not skimp on the quality of the materials, but what do you recommend for people on a tight budget?
Susan Palmer is really an expert in everything her design are so beautiful.
This is the best so far I know and I am very pleased with that.