Design Flaws

This past weekend, my family and I rented a condo on the grounds of a water park resort. The view was beautiful and the space of the condo was just the right size for 6 adults and 3 children under the age of four. Being a kitchen designer, you notice everything that has to do with cabinetry, including the bolted drawer head that can not open because the range handle sticks out to far. As lovely as the resort is (and yes we will go there again) the kitchen layout bothered me all weekend long. I decided to replicate the layout and point out what I think are great design features and flaws.

5 Ways To Spruce Up Your Kitchen

1. Replace Cabinet Hardware

This is a simple and cost effective way to change the look of your kitchen. New decorative hardware can give the kitchen a whole new look.

2. Replace the Counter Tops

There are many counter top surfaces to choose from and a great range in price. Changing the tops can be completed within a 2 week process and without a lot of mess.

3. Adding a Tile Backsplash

Tile can be added to any kitchen simply and at a reasonable price, depending on the tile chosen. This is a great way to add charm to your kitchen.

4. Changing the Seating

Either reupholstering old stools/chairs or buying new ones can update the look of your space. The wood or fabric on the seating can start to look worn after time.

5. Paint the Walls

There are millions of colors to choose from and you can repaint it if you don’t like it. This is a great way to incorporate color in your space and is very inexpensive.

An Island Please

 This weekend I used my kitchen in a different way than I normally do and what a difference it made. I usually stand in the corner between the stove and sink to chop all vegetables, but this time I took the vegetables to the table. My husband was browning chicken for fajitas and since our kitchen is really a one person kitchen, I decided to sit at the table and cut the peppers and onions. My son was sitting across from me and as soon as I made the first cut, he was there to eat the fresh peppers (yellow peppers are his favorite). Having the whole family help with meal preparation is a great way for bonding and teaching. For the first time in six years, I looked at my kitchen in a whole new way. Our table is really an extension of the kitchen and since it is close, I will be using it as “island” from now on.

A Gallery Night

You Are Invited

To a 

Special Gallery Night

Wednesday May 18th from 5:30 - 8:00pm

Local artist Jean Sandrock will be displaying her 

artwork throughout our showroom. 

Event Cost is $10 and all proceeds will benefit the 

Logan's Heart and Smiles organization. 

www.logansheartandsmiles.org

Beverages and Hors d'Oeuvres will be served.

Bella Domicile 6210 Nesbitt Road, Madison, WI 53719

Does Your Child Like to Help Cook

The little person at our house is very curious about cooking and always wants to be on the counter when I am working at the stove. He likes to see thing boil and watch me stir what is in the pot. I am always nervous about him being so close to the stove and often times find him an activity to do while I am cooking. I like it that he is interested in cooking because I want to teach him how to cook for when he is out on his own one day, but the safety concern is so great.

 

This may be my answer! The induction cook top. 

What is induction?  A powerful, high-frequency electromagnet, placed under the unit's ceramic surface. When a magnetic material--such as a cast-iron skillet--is placed in the magnetic field that the element is generating, the field induces energy into that metal. That transferred energy causes the metal—the cast-iron skillet--to become hot. By controlling the strength of the electromagnetic field, we can control the amount of heat being generated in the skillet. The wonderful part about this type of cooking is that the ceramic surface only becomes hot when a pan is placed on top of it. When the pan is removed, the surface cools faster than a regular conventional cook top. You still have the safety concern with hot food in the pots and pans, but this does alleviate some of the concern and makes it a bit easier to have the little person watch me cook.

The Answers

Here are the answers to Monday's quiz
1. Granite
2. Solid Surface
3. Laminate
4. Quartz
It is amazing how well laminate and solid surface materiel can match the natural look of stone. 

Guess the Counter Top Material

     This past weekend, my son and I packed up the car and took a road trip to Minneapolis, MN for a visit with my sister (aka Auntie). The main agenda was sister time, visiting a cousin and delivering a 12x12 granite sample that my sister would place her coffee pot on. Sunday morning after the coffee was poured and we both had a few sips, we started talking about replacing her counter tops (how could we not talk kitchen design). She asked about color, price, material and best place to buy.

  I have chosen 4 colors for her and I want to see if you can determine what type of surface each color is.  

The choices are solid surface, granite, laminate and quartz. Place your answers in the comment section an Ii will reveal the answers Wednesday morning.

Sample 1

Sample 2

Sample 3

Sample 4

More Bathroom Please

        This morning was one of those days when everyone needed to use the bathroom at the same time. I was fixing my face and brushing my teeth at the same time my husband needed the sink. And our son, well he has to be everywhere we are. This means three body’s in a one person bathroom. I of course, burn my scalp with the hair iron while getting my foot crushed by the step stool my son is moving around. Then he steps on that same foot when getting on the stool (all an accident he says). Wow, what a morning and it was only 7:15am.

       On my twenty minute drive to work today, I daydreamed about a “mothers” bathroom. What it would look like, how big it would be, what type of lock I would have on the door, the bathtub, the cabinetry, etc. When I got to work, the first thing I pulled out of my mailbox was the Signature Kitchens and Baths Magazine bathroom edition. Maybe this is a sign that remodeling is in my future.

 Here are some pictures of what I dream about. What do you dream about?