BLANCO: The Serious Business of Kitchen Design

 BLANCO Stainless Steel QAUDRIS Kitchen Faucet.

High-end kitchen sink and faucet manufacturer BLANCO captured my attention with their stainless steel QUADRIS kitchen faucet which is decidedly modern and minimalist in design, and sports a strong square profile (almost as in homage to the great cubist artists.) . The QAUDRIS faucet is more than an attractive kitchen faucet, it’s also highly functional: stealthily hiding a powerful pull-out sprayer.  Love that it gives the kitchen sink a visually long, lean feel with no abrupt interruptions which is often the case when the sprayer is installed next to the faucet.

 BLANCO PRECIS Multi-Level Kitchen Sink.

Though I rarely cook at home anymore due to my busy travel and business schedule, when I did in the past I would often dream of owning the “perfect” kitchen sink; One that could accommodate large pots and pans, while at the same time offer up the convenience of an easy to use food staging and preparation area, cutting board and strainer. Imagine my delight when I happened upon the BLANCO PRECIS Multi-Level Sink at the 2009 Kitchen and Bath Industry Show in Atlanta. I so loved that BLANCO had made available such a great chef-inspired kitchen sink that the PRECIS made it onto our list of  “10 Hot Trends in Kitchen Design for 2009”. 

This year at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair, BLANCO offered up a great new range of high-performance kitchen sink and faucet products that are as beautiful as they are functional. I’m looking forward to seeing BLANCO’s kitchen design products again next week while in London for the London Design Festival.

I will be publishing design updates live from the London Design Festival and Decorex via Twitter and Facebook. 

Disclosure:I’m thrilled that BLANCO is one of several fabulous sponsors of BlogTour 2011 London.  I am one of several design, lifestyle and travel bloggers and writers that have been invited to participate in BlogTour 2011 London.

Brizo Faucets: Inspired Distinctive Design

For being a relatively young brand, Brizo, has already left an indelible mark in the highly competitive world of luxury kitchen and bath design. Their kitchen and bath faucets are distinctive, innovative and stylish. Equally striking are Brizo’s advertising campaigns (image above: Brizo ad campaign launched April 2010; image below: Brizo ad campaign 2009). The advertising campaigns were born of the collaboration between fashion designer Jason Wu and Brizo – based on the simple premise set forth by Brizo for their faucet designs, “Fashion for the Home”.

Jason, renowned for designing First Lady Michelle Obama’s iconic inaugural gown, designs haute couture confections for Brizo’s ad campaigns, and, in turn, Brizo sponsor’s the young designer’s fashion shows at New York Fashion Week.

The relationship with Wu and fashion was a natural one for Brizo. As is the case for all design, whether it be fashion, architectural, industrial or furniture – no matter how different their final creation all designers start with that one moment, that one idea, that one inspiration that spurs them to create.

Jason’s fall 2010 collection was inspired by the artistic works of the legendary photographer Irving Penn. Brizo’s design team also finds inspiration from the world around them and the experiences that mold their lives. A multitude of inspirational variables from the latest trends in color, texture, pattern and form to fashion to architecture to life experiences to art to travel to culture all come into play resulting in a design equation that yields truly unique, innovative, soul-moving creations.

During the Brizo morning training session I attended, (Editor’s Note: I was one of Brizo’s guest for the NY Fashion Week events including Jason Wu’s fashion show. ) I listened as Judd Lord, Brizo’s Director of Industrial Design, discussed his inspiration for the Venuto faucet. Judd related to the group of kitchen and bath designers and design editors that it was an inspirational idea for a faucet handle which gave birth to the Venuto bathroom faucet.  The Venuto handle design was inspired by Japanese hair sticks that Judd had spotted several women wearing at a Japanese restaurant in Milan. He said that the “incredible hair sticks…had really simple forms” and “that the ends of the hair sticks had a very cool slice to them and he was very intrigued by them.”  The inspirational concept for a faucet handle that he sketched on a napkin, later took a more defined shape on his return flight home, and that simple inspiration resulted in the Brizo Venuto.

Inspirational Faucet Designs: Brizo’s Talo and Virage

The Brizo Talo kitchen faucet is a perfect example of what according to Jai Massela of Brizo are two of three hallmarks that define the Brizo brand, those being,“inventive technology and distinctive design”. The Talo is Brizo’s first traditional pull-down kitchen faucet that uses a technology called MagneDock which utilizes magnets to make retrieving and returning the spray wand to the faucet effortless and perfectly aligned use-after-use. According to the product specifications, MagneDock is “the first technology of its kind available”. The Talo’s Technological innovation doesn’t stop with MagneDock, the Brizo design team also included a future-forward option they pioneered called SmartTouch technology that allows water flow to be activated or deactivated solely based on touch – no need to move the handle (unless you want to).

Judd Lord Discusses Talo’s Design Inspirations

Talo was born out of the Baliza project which was going after the ‘new traditional’ trend at the time. Traditional styling is always a strong player especially domestically, and as such there is always a challenge to design fresh and interesting objects to fill these spaces. Every year there are new generations of designers reinterpreting familiar objects with a fresh perspective. The movement tends to be more about evolution rather than revolution. Baliza was just such a design exercise…with it’s design cues taken from a lighthouse with its beacon, the original Baliza design incorporated traditional details in an architecture not usually seen in this type of product. The mid-rise up-and-out architecture captures a comfortable feeling in a fresh perspective.

While the mid-rise up-and-out design was received quite well, there was still a desire for a taller, more standard pull-down option, as well. This was discovered during the Baliza design process when we were interviewing many designers, showroom folks and customers about various aspects of the current kitchen faucet offering and something heard over and over again was a desire to have the choice between a mid-rise and a taller hi-arc model. Hence Talo was born.

The kitchen island had now become a focal point of the house: where homework was worked on as mom prepared dinner; as the general main gathering spot for friends and family alike; and often time the place families ended up eating many of their meals. Tall spouts in this location were viewed by this group as a distraction by obscuring the view and interaction with others at the island. We also heard many not wanting tall hi-arc spouts at the main sink because it obscured their picturesque view out of the window. There is also the large contingent who still want the taller hi-arc spout at the main sink along the wall and a shorter version, a mini-me, if you will, of the exact same design at the island. Well with the introduction of Talo we provide the designer and homeowner the choice to mix and match between the mid-rise and hi-arc models. They both share the same design cues, even sharing the same bud vase and soap dispenser. So while Talo is not marketed as a Baliza model, its origins are inextricably intertwined with that of Baliza. Talo fits right at home in the ‘new traditional’ movement of today’s casual living.

Virage is a bathroom faucet that brings a sculptural art form to the home, and does so in an eco-friendly fashion (WaterSense Certified) – using about 20% less water while still performing as well as its more water hungry peers.  Brizo’s Mandy Ellington noted on the style versatility of the Virage “putting a different finish on it really brings out a different style. Chrome and polished nickel is very modern, contemporary…Venetian Bronze brings out that rustic wrought iron look which is what [Virage] was inspired by.”

Judd Lord Discusses Virage’s Design Inspirations

Virage was designed at the peak of the Glam trend in the mid 2000s’. Both Art Deco and Art Nouveau design cues were strong and exerting influence in every style category, from the ultra-traditional to modern. At this same time we made a couple of trend spotting trips to Europe…one to London and one to Paris.

What we came away with were a lot of images capturing many of the architectural elements of these cities. A common theme identified was all the detailed and decorative iron work, especially in Paris. Whether it took the form of fences, gates, window guards, entrance accents, balcony railings, etc…this highly decorative ironwork became most intriguing to us.

As a matter of fact, much of the iron work detailing, while often stylized, was quite Gothic in nature as were many of the architectural elements and the original Virage concept followed suite. It was a J-spout profile with the quarter turn twist as it is today, but the spout tip and spout and handle base details were much more gothic in nature…visually heavier and with the look of having exposed nail heads.

After reviewing the initial prototype it was obvious we wanted to drive it more Deco to capitalize on the ever growing Glam trend wave. So to that end we visually lightened the bases and spout tip, simplified them by removing the faux exposed nail heads and punched up some of the faceting and chamfers to pull in more Deco flair. We also added some Deco styling details to the tops of the handles during this iteration, but after reviewing, decided it was visually unnecessary. The geometry itself could more than stand on its own without the extra details so they were removed. The result is the beautiful suite you see today.

One of the pleasant surprises in this design is how people are able to interpret it as belonging to several differing style categories. Many call it ‘fancy or eclectic’, many call it traditional or decorative and quite a few view it as contemporary and fresh. All of which is a very good outcome for us as it means the suite is quite transitional in nature, being able to play in any number of styles of interior spaces.

Looking to the Future of  Brizo

After attending the Brizo training session; listening to their design team discuss their inspiration driven design processes; learning more about Brizo’s continuous journey for technological breakthroughs; and getting sneak peeks at new faucet designs, I was left with the striking impression that Brizo’s inspirationally designed smart faucets will, without a doubt, redefine what homeowners will expect from their faucets.

I will be attending the Kitchen and Bath Industry Show (KBIS) later this week, and I’m looking forward to seeing and sharing with you the new creative and technologically advanced faucet designs Brizo will be debuting at the show.

RELATED: Brizo Talo Faucet with SmartTechnology Giveaway

Resources: Brizo

Jennifer Gilmer Style Maker Look Book & Designer Case Study: Award Winning Kitchen Design

Jennifer Gilmer’s Designer Notes

This kitchen design project is situated on the Atlantic coast, and, the house was built by the top real estate agent in that area. It was very important that her house has all of the features that her clients are looking for when they want to purchase their beach house. She wanted to have open spaces that took advantage of the beautiful view, yet, it had to be warm and cozy. She also wanted to have a unique cabinet design since she was tired of seeing the predictable “shaker” style cabinets in cherry that have been so popular for the last 10 years.

She saw in my showroom the door style that she wanted, a unique, sculpted door with an Asian flair. She also loved the walnut wood which is very rich and warm and different from any other kitchen she has seen. She loved the 2” thick Valley Gold marble in this display, and, even though it was risky as far as its maintenance, she was willing to take the risk. We decided to incorporate quite a bit of frosted glass in order to bring in the soft blue/green color of the ocean into her home. With the materials selected, we were ready to move on to designing her kitchen.

The Kitchen was open to the family room, and, did not have enough space for a table to be freestanding out in the space at all times. We had the challenge of getting a table that could seat at least 6 people in a space where we really didn’t have room. Also, the dining room is behind the range, and did not have a view of the ocean. The only windows in this room were on the side of the house, looking at the neighbor’s home. She shares her home only with her husband and their dog, so, she didn’t require a lot of refrigeration, so, we reconsidered the big side by side refrigerator which was in the original plan. She also liked the idea of hiding the oven and microwave since her kitchen was so open to the family room. Then, she wanted a pantry, however, the wall that was left for that had a window in it which cramped the pantry space. These were the design challenges for this space.

We decided to have a butcher block table made to match the walnut on the cabinets, and, it had to be a large one, 72” round. In order to have it fit in the space, we have it “attached” to the island most times, but, the casters make it possible to move it out when she has more company. Under the table and attached to the island is a built in booth which is automatic seating and allows for the table to not have to be pulled out too far when in use. We could not center the island in the room, so, instead, we centered this very large and beautiful table. The asymmetry that was created really complimented the mild Asian style of the kitchen!

To solve the closed off dining room, I recommended that we delete the walls on either side of the range and put “floating” shelves suspended by cables which would serve both the kitchen and the dining room both in function and style. This worked like a charm!

We eliminated the large refrigerator/freezer unit and instead, we used a built- in Sub-Zero refrigerator on the side closest to the sink and complimented that on the opposite side with a tall cabinet which houses the oven and microwave. This balanced and tidied up that elevation using some ingenuity so as to keep the space open and airy. The Sub-Zero freezer drawers are next to the refrigerator under the counter.

The pantry problem was resolved by incorporating the window inside it. By creating very large slider doors with frosted glass, the window added some beautiful natural light so as to have the pantry glow during the day. The soft/blue green color of the frosted glass is further complimented by the backsplash tile, a perfect combination.

About Jennifer Gilmer

Jennifer Gilmer, CKD, has been creating beautiful kitchens in the Washington, DC area and beyond for more than 20 years. Starting with a drafting job in a small kitchen design firm in McLean, Virginia, Jennifer soon realized she had an absolute passion for this creatively technical work. She also discovered an innate ability to understand the needs and personalities of her clients and to create spaces to compliment each individual. Her award-winning designs span the spectrum from classic and traditional to sleek and contemporary. She is committed to fulfilling her clients’ needs, doing it well and making the process as joyful as possible.

Jennifer is a native of the Washington, DC area. After her initial drafting job, Jennifer worked with legendary high-end kitchen designer Richard Tunis for eight years. She and a partner then opened Kitchen and Bath Studios, Inc. in Chevy Chase, Maryland in 1993. In 1998, she decided to launch her own firm — Jennifer Gilmer Kitchen and Bath, Ltd. Her vision has grown into a successful business, which includes a dedicated support staff who strive to provide the firm’s clients with detailed designs and exceptional service.

In 2009, Jennifer launched an online kitchen design studio, Kitchen Design Online (KDOL) that provides homeowners (both DIY and those working with contractors), architects and builders with a range of services from floor plans to detailed elevations to 3D perspective images.

Mark your calendars:  Jennifer’s design column “Kitchen Design Secrets Revealed” debuts on The Decorating Diva.com on Thursday, May 13th 2010. Jennifer’s first column will focus on kitchen island design.

QUADRIS STEELART Kitchen Faucet by BLANCO

High-end kitchen sink manufacturer BLANCO creates quite the sensation with their first STEELART faucet, the QUADRIS, made completely of stainless steel. The QUADRIS kitchen faucet sports a strong square profile and is decidedly modern and minimalist in design.  The QAUDRIS faucet has a pull-out spray handle that stealthily hides as part of the design.

Images copyright of respective companies.

Home Decor Buyer Resource: BLANCO

10 Big Kitchen Ideas for Small Kitchen Remodels & Designs

Big Design Ideas for a Small Kitchen

Small kitchens can be quite the design or remodeling challenge, but with just a few kitchen design ideas such as those that I’ve outlined below you can visually and physically open up your small-sized kitchen to make it seem larger while at the same time optimizing your kitchen layout and cabinet storage space.

1. Take down a wall to open up the kitchen to the dining room or family room.  There is no need to push the kitchen out into the adjoining room, just simply taking the wall down and putting in a peninsula of base cabinets and countertop will make the kitchen seem much larger.
2. Add some floating shelves above this peninsula where dishes, serving bowls and platters can be stored would be a good idea to make up for the wall cabinet space that is lost by taking down the wall.
3. Use of a pot rack can conserve precious storage space in large base cabinets.
4. Reduce the depth of cabinets so that they can fit in tighter spaces, like behind doors or next to windows.
5. Explore sinking cabinets into walls where it’s possible in order to get some additional storage.  Make sure that the cabinets have layered storage such as spice racks or canned storage on the backs of the doors.
6. Order extra shelves which allow for more storage since typically there is much wasted space in cabinets due to too much space between shelves.
7. Using smaller, European appliances can help, for instance, a 24″ under counter oven that has a rotisserie in it from corner to corner for cooking a large turkey will save a lot of room.
8. Any size cook top can go above this oven with a little design innovation with the cabinets.  For the hood, you can use a combination microwave and hood which doesn’t always look the best, but certainly conserves space.
9. Smaller built in refrigerators are a great idea too, and, you can separate the refrigerator from the freezer by using under counter freezer drawers.  This will allow enough refrigeration space without taking up too much counter space.
10. Dishwashers can also be found in 18″ wide and based on the design of the racks, they can accommodate a lot of dishes and glasses.

To further help you visualize the transformation of a petite kitchen using some of the above design ideas, I’ve  included my design notes and some photos of my personal kitchen remodeling project – in which I transformed a not so large kitchen space into a fully functional, visually pleasing and much larger looking kitchen. My kitchen was an addition to the house which has floor to ceiling sliding glass doors in the family room side.  In the kitchen, I opted to not have any windows with the exception of the clear story windows above the pantry.  To be able to obtain the design, it was necessary to not have windows in the kitchen (not a good view on that side of the house as well). 

To make up for the lack of natural light in the kitchen, I added back painted full glass panels on the backsplash.  The color is a light yellow/green, so, when the hood and under cabinet lights are turned on, the entire backsplash glows!  In order to get outlets on the backsplash, I added a fairly high, about 9″ backsplash of the honed black absolute granite in which the black outlets were installed.

The island also has the same black granite, but, it’s also surrounded with wenge butcher block.  A sliding butcher block board can slide over the sink to increase counter space when needed.

The custom hood lines up with the ceiling beams and is very wide and spacious to accommodate the 36″ gas cooktop, deep fryer and grill/griddle.

The pantries not only store food but they also house the steam/convection oven and microwave.  When in use, the doors bi-fold and slide back so that the entire space can be opened and left open during food preparation.  Putting the counter inside this pantry allows me to store and use some countertop appliances in there as well.

My kitchen isn’t a really large one, yet, it stores all I need and functions beautifully.  A small to medium sized kitchen is all that one needs, and, they are more functional since it isn’t necessary to cover a lot of ground when preparing dinner and when cleaning up!

RELATED KITCHEN DESIGN ARTICLES

• Contemporary, Eco-Friendly Kitchen Design by Jennifer Gilmer
• Georgetown Kitchen Design Remodel by Jennifer Gilmer
• Jennifer Gilmer’s Clever Design Transforms a Trouble Space into a Spacious Contemporary Kitchen
• Jennifer Gilmer Style Maker Look Book & Designer Case Study: Award Winning Kitchen Design
• Small Kitchen Transformations: 7 Easy Kitchen Design Ideas for Big Impact

Kitchen and Bath Faucets: Details by Jamie Goldberg

ABOUT JAMIE GOLDBERG

Jamie Goldberg, AKBD, CAPS is an NKBA-certified kitchen and bath designer and a freelance design journalist. Her articles have appeared in Signature Kitchens & Baths Magazine, Fine Homebuilding, BobVila.com, KitchenBathIdeas.com and many others.  She is also a regular contributor to Kitchens.com, where her Sensible Style blog appears each month.

Jamie currently lives and works in San Diego, California, where she writes her own Gold Notes blog and serves as the Design & Marketing Director for Italian Kitchen Design and Distribution, an importer of quality European cabinetry, based in the San Diego suburb of Escondido.

The Power of a Terrific Tap to Up the Style Quotient

Last month we looked at kitchen and bath lighting. This segment focuses on faucets. Never underestimate the power of a terrific tap to up the style quotient in your kitchen or bath. To see what I mean, try to imagine this bathroom with a plastic-handled, builder basic faucet.

Bathroom designed by Jamie Goldberg, AKBD, CAPS

Such a tacky, outdated fixture would totally downgrade the elegance of this traditional, remodeled bathroom. I visited the remodeled master bath of an acquaintance who had spent her whole budget on custom cabinets, stone tops and new floors, but opted not to replace her builder grade faucets. What do you think got noticed first? Yep, the out-of-place plastic knobs stuck out like a sore thumb. Here are some great faucets to consider for your kitchen and bath, even if you’re not planning a remodel.

This Traditional Triflow Faucet from Rohl features integrated water filtration. There’s also a bathroom version available so you can brush your teeth with filtered water, too.

This is Brizo‘s Talo faucet with SmartTouch Technology. One lucky reader won one of these from Gold Notes, The Decorating Diva, LLC and Brizo. Click here for details on the winning entry.

This strikingly-unique Italian-designed Wolo faucet has American (Elkay) and European (Webert) lineage.

I’ve long delighted in the breezy style of Danze‘s South Sea series, which may show up in one of my own bathrooms one day.

This graceful modern Stance Faucet by Kohler showed up at this year’s Kitchen & Bath Industry Show.

Two Key Points About Bathroom Faucets

1. If you’re considering replacing shower or tub faucets, you will most likely have to replace the valve behind the wall and below the deck, too, which means a larger project. If you stay within the same brand family, you may not have to. Check with a plumbing sales specialist for assistance.
2. Bathroom sink faucets come in various configurations. Four-inch spreads are probably the most common. Be sure you know what you need before you order if you’re not replacing your sink or countertops.

Three Key Points About Kitchen Faucets

1. If the faucet is the only kitchen component being replaced, consider how many holes you have in your sink or countertop and don’t exceed that number.
2. If you’re planning on upgrading your countertops later on, look for a faucet that can be mounted without a deck plate, and find out whether an extension will be needed to accommodate thicker tops. Buy it now while the part is available and keep it in storage for your eventual remodel.
3. If your sink is tucked behind a raised bar, consider the height difference if you don’t want your faucet to be seen from the next room.

Get more kitchen and bath faucet ideas at Jamie’s post, Details #2 Faucet coverage on Gold Notes.

And please check back next month when Details covers Fabrics and Fibers, including window coverings, towels and more.

Brizo Talo Kitchen Faucet with SmartTouch Technology Winner

We have a winner of the Brizo Talo Kitchen Faucet with SmartTouch Technology!

Congratulations to Patty Baker. She is now the proud (and we think quite happy) owner of the Brizo Talo Kitchen Faucet with SmartTouch Technology.  Her winning entry, and her soon to be replaced kitchen faucet is shown below:

Builders Grade Blues!!!!!

Yes, I would love this innovative kitchen faucet!  My house is 17 years old and the kitchen certainly looks it.  Everything in the kitchen was builders grade (could not afford upgrades), including the faucet which is now full of green hard water spots and constantly leaks.  I always have a sponge  resting next to the faucet to catch some of the leaking water.

And most of all, I think it would help my teenage daughter, who is physically disabled, be more independent in the kitchen.  She has low muscle tone and most residential faucets are a bit difficult for her to manage.

I hope these pictures show you my problem. (Submitted by Patty)

Honorable Mention: ModernSauce AKA Lacy

Dear Decorating Diva and Gold Notes,

Drunk on youth and possibility I purchased an aging rancher a few years ago and have been slowly bringing it back to life room by room.  There is one room, however, that has yet to receive my renovation efforts and that is a kitchen that hasn’t been touched in about 40 years.  At the center of my dilapidated kitchen with its peeling floor tiles and broken cabinets sits my ugly faucet.  drip  It was probably installed in the 80′s and looks like it was the cheapest option available at the home center – a previous owner’s handiwork I’m sure.  True to its quality it is now covered in scratches, dings and an impenetrable layer of scum that no amount of scrubbing will remove.  drip  I gave up trying to keep parts of it polished because whatever small shine I was able to hone from its damaged finish seemed only to further emphasize the imperfections that vastly overwhelmed the rest of the surface.  drip  It also leaks continuously and despite my near desperate attempts to stop the wasting of water seems to eat replacement O-rings.  The leak will range from a steady and torturous drip to a thin yet defiant stream depending on whether you can find the ‘sweet spot’ with the overly loose handle.  Good luck finding that ever-changing spot because my temperamental faucet changes the ‘off’ position on its own accord.  Sigh…  drip

You can see that a new faucet is really a necessity for me but my desire for the Talo goes a little deeper. Inspired by all of my renovation projects and my work as a textile designer I decided to begin writing a blog last year.  I love to explore design, interiors and art that I find inspiring (and not so inspiring) as well as document my own personal projects – particularly my inevitable kitchen remodel.  Even though my passion is high design I rarely get to experience some of these luxuries that I enjoy writing about every day.  I still remember the first time I sat in a Barcelona chair (so low!) or saw a Rembrandt in person (so dark!).  These memories are singular incidents that are strung together like pearls in my life through design. While I cherish each of those instances I know that affording these types of luxuries are out of my reach and that my new kitchen will be more likely a lesson in frugal engineering.  I will have to pack as many thoughtful and stylish decisions as possible on my minuscule budget.  While I refuse to purchase the 2010 equivalent of my current faucet I won’t be able to do much better.  My dream would be the pleasure of using such a well-designed luxury fixture (and it is indeed a luxury) every single day in my home and use it to take care of my friends and family.  And not just any stylish fixture mind you – a fixture that can keep up with this modern woman who tweets, blogs and shops with the touch of a finger!  I can assure you that winning this contest will ease a huge burden off of my upcoming project and will go to a home where it will be truly appreciated for its craftsmanship.  Because I want it.  BAAAAD!  In the meantime… drip

Dreaming of a kitchen full of slow food, fast technology and sexy design,

Lacy

aka Madame Sunday of ModernSauce

Win A Brizo Talo Faucet With SmartTouch Technology

WIN A DESIGNER FAUCET!

Does your kitchen have the ugliest, oldest, absolutely worst faucet in America?  Let us know why you deserve a new kitchen faucet and you could win a brand-new Brizo Talo Faucet with SmartTouch technology (retail value US $770) in the finish of your choice*.

Giveaway Instructions

Two quick, simple steps can enter you into the Brizo Faucet Giveaway.

1) Create an online photo album using Flickr, Picasa or the service of your choice with up to six pictures of your kitchen clearly showing your current faucet.

2) Send us an email at giveaway@thedecoratingdiva.com (Subject line: “Brizo Faucet Giveaway”) with a link to your photo album, your mailing address**, and a one or two paragraph note sharing why your kitchen faucet is the worst in America and why you, above everyone else, deserves this style-forward, technology-rich faucet from Brizo.

The deadline to enter is April 30, 2010 and the winner will be announced with the publication of Jamie’s column Details: The Faucet Edition on Friday, May 7, 2010 at both Gold Notes and The Decorating Diva.com.

*Installation is not included in the promotion.  Giveaway limited to USA and Canadian addresses.

**Mailing address used for shipping of faucet to winner. Email and mailing addresses will not be collected, sold or leased and will only be used for the Brizo Talo faucet giveaway.

Contemporary, Eco-Friendly Kitchen Design by Jennifer Gilmer

Jennifer Gilmer, renowned kitchen designer and 2009 National Kitchen and Bath design winner, designed the stunning, Zen-like 276 square foot Bethesda, Maryland contemporary styled,eco-friendly kitchen pictured above.  Jennifer’s kitchen “Green” design focused on the usage of sustainable and environmentally friendly materials ranging from the custom mixed stain to the cabinetry. 

The Columbia Forest Products’ PureBond hardwood plywood used in this kitchen design project is manufactured utilizing:

… a formaldehyde-free adhesive derived from food-grade soy flour and a wet strength resin used in printed currency and milk cartons. This proprietary assembly system, known as PureBond®, is non-toxic and cost-competitive with urea formaldehyde based plywood products. There is absolutely no added urea formaldehyde in the adhesive or the components. (source Columbia Forest Products)

Jennifer used ML Campbell’s Aqualente finish which is a:

GREENGUARD Certified, low VOC, non-yellowing, self-sealing, easy sanding, pre-catalyzed water borne clear coating for interior wood surfaces. Agualente lacquer is based on breakthrough European resin technology that produces no hazardous off-gassing during cure. Its new technology provides trouble-free application as well as a beautiful appearance, mirroring its solvent-based counterpart. (source ML Campbell)

The other Green kitchen design products and services used for this project:

• The solid wood is domestic black walnut.
• The stain was custom mixed, using AFM  Safecoat DuroStain.
• The cabinet’s were created by cabinetmakers – Andrew Daum / Victory Woodworking of Canaan, New Hampshire.

About Jennifer Gilmer

Jennifer Gilmer, CKD, is an award-winning expert on kitchen design. She has won more than 15 national awards for her work including this year’s “Pinnacle of Design” award for the best overall design in 2009 and swept two other categories from the National Kitchen & Bath Association. She has created designs for more than 1,000 kitchens in styles that range from classic to contemporary. 

Her work has been featured on TLC, in The Washington Post, Veranda, Trends, Washington Spaces, Home & Design, Southern Living, Remodeling and more.  She is the principal of Jennifer Gilmer Kitchen & Bath in Chevy Chase, Maryland and in 2009 launched KitchenDesignOnLine.net to bridge the gap between high-end showrooms and home improvement stores.

In the 2007 Solar Decathlon competition sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy, Gilmer served as a mentor to LEAFHouse, which placed second in the world. The Solar Decathlon is an unparalleled biannual competition of 20 university student teams to design, build, and operate the most attractive and energy-efficient solar-powered net zero energy home. In 2007, the “LEAFHouse” team from the University of Maryland placed first among the 17 U.S. teams and in 2009 received an Washingtonian/AIA Award for Distinctive Architecture.

All images copyright of respective owners.

Classic Chic Kitchen Design

Studio Becker’s Traditional Kitchen Collection offers a well-balanced design mix of elegant, traditional furniture combined with all the modern conveniences of technologically advanced kitchen appliances. 

The overall warm tones of the cabinets and chandelier are kept from over-powering the kitchen / dining room through the introduction of cooler toned kitchen appliances like the range, exhaust hood and white toned counters.

Images copyright of respective companies.

Home Decor Buyer Resource: Studio Becker Kitchen Collection