persephone irene design

Landscaping - %$^$#%$@^#@!

2011-08-21T05:26:00.000-07:00

So here we have the 'before'. I did not take the picture in black and white for dramatic effects (actually was holding my iced soy latte in one hand making it difficult to reset the color). Lovely view of my neighbors ladder and some other junk.

Went online to research what to plant in August and went to Allandale Farm to pick up some plants. There I was asked a hundred questions I didn't know the answers to like "what kind of soil do you have" (umm, the dirt kind?) "How many hours of sun will you get?" etc etc. Picked up a hydrangea, and then a couple other flowering perennials, two sacks of manure and one large sack of Maine's finest soil.

Then came the grueling work of removing the grass, rocks and roots with a pitchfork. My neighbor came out in the yard, took one look at the dirty, sweaty, red-faced mess I was (and in flip flops no less) and produced a roto-tiller. He then proceeded to do in about 10 minutes twice the work my mother and I had completed in an hour or so. We mixed in the manure and top soil and planted and voila:

Ok, so I wish the results were more dramatic. I need to edge the garden today, plant some mums and maybe something in the back for height. Then mulch. Baby steps, right?

Weekend accomplishments....

2011-08-21T05:16:00.000-07:00

The windows in our living and dining room are probably from 1900. They are single pane, weight and pulley, with storms that latch on from the outside in a less than -air-tight way (hook and eyes!). Essentially they will just be 7 large sieves for heat loss in the winter.

During tax free weekend I had Horner Millwork come out and specify replacement windows, but at about $800 a window (not including labor) we decided that we could really only handle the living room's 4 windows for now. So what to do about the bay in the dining room? I hate the look of that plastic wrap stuff people put in to help insulate - although we will probably end up using it upstairs on the sleeping porch, as the door to the porch is an interior door and has no insulating properties. But I really didn't want to spend Thanksgiving staring at some crinkly plastic.

I found some thermal Roman shades online at Country Curtains, and went to work. Other than my vertical challenges, and removing three stripped screws from existing hardware, they were fairly easy to install. They look about a million times better than the dirty old roller shades, if I do say so myself.

Small projects, many trips to Home Depot.

2011-08-19T06:32:00.000-07:00

With a housewarming party date set, I've been working like crazy to get the house 'ready' for everyone to see.

Last weekend I primed and painted the bathroom to cover up the water stains from the third floor leak. There are some spots in the drywall that have cracked, that I probably should have sanded and filled but I was afraid that once I started I would get myself into a position where I'd need to replace some of the drywall rather than patch. So many unknowns in DIY. I've done a lot of fishing around on the internet but sometimes the list of tools and the 47 steps scare me off.

I also got over my fear of drilling into the wall and electrocuting myself and managed to install the towel ring so that we no longer have to partially close the door to access a hand towel. I learned the hard way that the sink is not a good place to lay out the tools you need, as I lost the set screw to my hungry pedestal drain. Hell, I learned what a set screw is.

Last project in the bathroom is to clean all the heavily stained grout from the water damage. i tried the home remedies first - baking soda, vinegar. Nothing. I used a Magic Eraser - nothing. I polled the Twitter-verse and was advised to use Soft Scrub with bleach followed by a grout pen. This combo seems to be getting somewhere slowly. I'm on my 4th application (I literally apply it before brushing my teeth at night and in the morning)and although not magical it is at least fading the rusty brown.

Next project: Roman Shades in the Dining Room.....

This Week's Improvements

2011-08-04T14:06:00.001-07:00

New pendant in the eating area:

GFCI Outlets!!

New kitchen light

New exterior lights

TV over the mantel (yes, slightly off-center)

Less exciting visually, but a vast improvement was switching the electricity from fuses to breakers.

Kitchen Paint - Done!

2011-07-28T06:08:00.000-07:00

Kitchen Progress @ 2039

2011-07-26T05:45:00.000-07:00

Two full days of paint work down and large progress!

The Before is to the left - great kitchen for 1950, but dark and way too much wood for me. Decided that rather than remodel the whole kitchen, we would just get the cabinets and wood paneling in the breakfast area painted.

Here we are after two days of painting. The wall paneling is Benjamin Moore China White and the cabinetry is Hampshire Taupe (oil based). Looking back I wish I picked a color that provided just a little more contrast. However, the kitchen is already so much brighter !

Sinterlite by TheSize - Versatile stonewear for your home & beyond...

2011-07-22T11:21:00.000-07:00

Wednesday night I hit an unveiling of Thesize's new product Sinterlite at Marble & Granite. Previous to the event, the product was very hush hush so I was eager to see what was new in stone.

Sinterlite is a porcelian stonewear that can be used in interiors and exteriors for a variety of uses: tile, counters, cladding, furniture, etc. It is stain resistent, heat resistent (they actually put a heating element under it and fried an egg on top!) and scratch resistent and comes in slabs up to 4'x12' which makes it a great choice for that extra large kitchen island you'd like seamless. It's thickness (3-5mm) makes it quite versatile as a veneer. It comes in 33 colors and M&G stocks 8. Price point is between an Uba Tuba and a low end Cesarstone.

Great product for people who want really low maintenance products and who enjoy modern design.

Ont he hunt for...... Kitchen Chairs

2011-07-12T17:29:00.000-07:00

Trying to find something transitional - a little retro, but modern at the same time. Something with some color as my kitchen is going to be shades of white/beige. Oh and something inexpensive too.....

Here's what I have found so far:

The West Elm Scoop Back Chair (left).

Pros: this chair is on clearance so retails for $59. Reviews I have found online describe it as 'surprisingly comfortable'. Cons: Its only available in black and butterfly. Can my husband get past butterfly?

Orbit Arm Chair from CB2.

Pricier at $119 a chair. Very ET, right? Fun.. but it doesn't solve my color problem.

Ikea's Linus Chair

Retails for $39.99. Doesn't look super comfortable but at that price I guess it's worth a trip to sit in.

Everything else I love (Hello, Jonathan Adler) retails for quite a bit more. Any suggestions?

From this month's issue of TOH

2011-06-23T06:34:00.000-07:00

"He who loves an old house-

never loves in vain.

How can an old house-

used to sun and rain,

to lilac and larkspur

and elm above,

ever fail to answer if the heart gives it love?"

- JF Conant

Offer Accepted!

2011-06-19T17:47:00.000-07:00

After a frustrating year of trying to sell my bachelorette pad, we put the condo back on the market in April and were amazed (and slightly freaked out) that it sold within a week. Since then I have spent quite a bit of time scouring nemoves.com and just about every Sunday attending every open house I can get to. With my husband's attention focused on the Bruins post season, it was my job to narrow the selections and try to find a home we could both agree on.

We made an offer on a house he loved with a huge bar in the basement, tiki bar wired with cable and a hot tub in the yard. It wasn't meant to be. We fell in love with two more houses that we lost out on to other people. We closed on the condo on June 14th and with nothing purchased of our own, moved in with my parents last weekend. It seemed we would never figure out the 'nest' .

Saturday I walked into an estate sale in Auburndale and just knew it was our house. A 1900 colonial, with terrific front porch and yard, full of period charm and in great condition. A large front entry, fire placed living room, dining room with built in hutch and wallpaper mural and enormous kitchen make up the first floor. As the house is an estate, the kitchen is dated (hello Donna Reed!) and probably the largest project to take on.

The cabinets are in great shape, and will probably just get new hardware and a coat of white paint. The original Westinghouse appliances actually work, aside from one burner on the cooktop. Countertops can eventually be replaced with whatever remnants I can get my hands on. Right now my shopping project is new lighting to replace the large white globes.

Below are a couple of ideas, which one do you like?

1) Funky but kind of retro? Moxie by Kichler Lighting
I think there is something a little Don Draper about this fixture
but it also says transitional.

2) Leighton, also by Kichler. I am a sucker for drum lighting. The over-the-table lighting is also a much easier install when round rather than square because you don't have to be so precise with making sure the lines are parallel when you have a circular lamp. We installed square pendants in a clients home once down a staircase and spent forever adjusting them so they were all in line rather than slighly askew!

3) Remy by Murray Feiss - a little fancy but I think it dresses
up the space a bit.

French Country and Other Themes

2011-03-25T08:17:00.001-07:00

A couple of weeks back we were asked to select a style and present its true historical characteristics. I drew French Country 18th Century.

I really thought I knew what this style was (my husband will tell you I have quite the collection of roosters and a love of celadon green), and was surprised to find out it was far more elegant than I thought (Thank you, Pierre Deux). I love French Country for its warm homeyness - the way that eclectic pieces all fit seamlessly together - the color palette taken from the sun-washed natural surroundings. The furniture can take two paths: the more Rococo-reminiscent refined pieces that were en vogue in Paris years earlier or the more rustic pieces that many of us associate with French Country. Many had natural motifs such as flower, fruit (pomegranates!) etc. Because of the nature of the smooth walls, there are no real door/window or wall mouldings. Hardware varies from the very simple hand forged iron work to slightly more intricate work typically found on buffet locks etc.Fabrics were often hand blocked prints of florals, or fruit (my favorite - the cherries).

This assignment started from a discussion about what is 'French Country'? If a client says "I want a French Country kitchen", what does that mean? We've all seen some of these themes take over and places begin looking hokey and theme-park-ish. For example, my main project this semester is a mountain vernacular home in Virginia, and by mountain vernacular the client is not looking for a home that resembles a Bugaboo Creek Steakhouse. There are kinder, gentler, more fashionable and historically accurate ways to suggest a style. The twist was to also add your assigned style to the design as well. So French Country Mountain Vernacular it was.

I am not the world's best hand -drafter by any means, but below is an early draft of the bar hutch I drew for the client (we eliminated the wine holders for space to put coffee/toaster). I wanted them to have an elegant space, but make use of some of the natural materials - so the back of the top two shelves of the hutch are natural bark. The lines in the hutch are meant to make the piece more furniture than cabinetry. The French doors and mimicked french doors above the refrigerator drawers are meant to look like those gorgeous windows seen in the French provincial homes. Plenty of lit glass cabinets to highlight pieces brought home from the couple's latest travels. Not a rooster in sight!

Anyway, bottom line is that perception of a style is not always the same. If someone likes Victorian,clearly it doesn't mean they want everything covered with heavy floral

wallpaper and doilies. What is it about the Victorian style do they admire? How can they subtly and properly be worked into the home? Broad categories for sure need lots of further discussion.

Color Theory Explained in Still Life

2011-02-12T10:07:00.001-08:00

This week's assignment is to work on color harmonies. We are to bring in whatever we like to describe the 4 principles of color theory. Always thinking of my stomach, and the rainbow of colors in the produce section at Whole Foods - I went with Fruit and Vegetables. Probably not the cheapest solution (hello, there is a paint fan deck constantly on my person!) but hopefully I win some points for creativity!

1. Analogous Colors - these are two color values that are next to one another on the color wheel. In design, one of these colors would be dominant and one would be the accent. Here I have some off kind of yellow-green grapefruit and a lime.

Below is almost half the color wheel in analogous colors. I could probably have achieved the whole thing if nature produced anything edible that was blue-green. (O, O-Y, Y, Y-G, G)

2. Analogous Colors with Complementary Accents:

This is three analogous colors accented with the middle value's direct opposite color on the color wheel. Here I have chosen a lemon (yellow), Granny Smith Apple (yellow -green) and pepper (green) as well as the complement to the GS Apple: the Red Onion (red-violet).

3. Triad

A harmony composed of three colors that are equidistant on the color wheel. Primary colors Red-Yellow-Blue are a triad. Here I have selected an eggplant (violet), green pepper (green) and a clementine (orange).

4. Complementary Colors.

Complementary colors are directly across from one another on the color wheel.

Here I have the eggplant (violet) and the lemon (yellow).

Now I just have to figure out what to make with all this produce!!

Back to school!

2011-01-29T11:48:00.000-08:00

After a nice 2 semester long break, I am back at classes at the BAC. This semester I am tackling Kitchen & Bath Design Studio II. I'm looking forward to it while at the same time dreading the work load. So hard to get used to homework as an adult!

Anyway, assignment one is to bring in two pictures of Kitchens & Baths that show great design, and then two photos that show BAD design. So after reading three chapter's of Ellen Cheever's Design Principles discussing what makes good design (and here I'm talking about color, harmony, balance, line, shape, texture, etc. not functionality), I bring you some of my contenders:

Bad Bath

The heading of the article that this masterpiece is featured in is "Zen baths". Now I'm not sure what definition the author had intended for the word Zen, but I think of peaceful, simple, uncomplicated, harmonious etc. This bath is so busy I think it would give me a migraine. Two kinds of distressed finish cabinetry with modern and busy tile? Faux paint finish? Edit people! Edit! I would certainly not deem this as timeless.

Bad Kitchens

I like to deem this type of kitchen "the wood palace". Wood floor, wood grain cabinetry , wood backsplash (!). It doesn't matter how ornate the wood is, it's one giant wooden mess. The small crown makes the room look short . When I look at the range wall for example, it looks like the ceiling dropped.

The "Contractor Special". Not necessarily bad design choices, but it looks like a contractor scratched his chin, bought some trendy items and then just plopped them down. There is no crown moulding here to tie them into the room, so the cabinetry just looks like boxes stuck to the wall.

Gold CotY Award Winning Bath Remodel

2010-11-04T10:38:00.001-07:00

Last night was the annual EM NARI Contractor of the Year awards. Proud to say we won a gold award for this bath remodel, as part of a larger home remodel we completed in Weston.

Before & after

Hardwood Floor Finishes

2010-10-17T06:21:00.001-07:00

Part two of my CEU session on Tuesday was about hardwood floor finishes and given by Chris Zizza of C&R Flooring. I was really amazed at how much there is to know about wood flooring. I'll try to relay as much as I can below.

Laminate vs Engineered vs Hardwood

First off, let's talk about the difference between engineered, laminate and hardwood flooring. Engineered wood floors are a very thin layer of hardwood over plywood or MDF. It your best option for use over radiant heating systems,concrete or in places where moisture may be an issue as the many layers provide greater stability than a hardwood floor. Laminate is literally a photo finish that looks like wood (or tile) that is glued to a HDF (high density fiber). Think Pergo. Laminate floors usually float and, speaking from experience are quite noisy to walk on in heels etc. It is easy to install and the least expensive option of the three. Hardwood is wood throughout and is nailed down.

Pre-finished vs unfinished

So you've decided to go with hardwood - should you buy a pre-finished or unfinished floor? Pre-finished floors are a sure bonus for people in a time crunch. The floor does not need to cure which can take anywhere from 72 hours to 3 weeks depending on staining and finishing. You won't have the dust and cleanup that come with an unfinished floor. That said you can't customize a pre-finished floor in the same way that you can customize an unfinished one. The options for an unfinished floor are limitless. The other downfall is the v-groove that comes on all pre-finished floors (see photo at left)- many of my clients find them distracting and prefer a completely flat surface,. If you're doing a whole house remodel, or new construction, I'd tend to opt for the unfinished. If it's a weekend project, a pre-finished floor is your best option.

Dust-Free

As Chris Zizza pointed out - this is a must. All dust collection should be routed from the sanders to a long hose, out of the house and into a truck. Some companies cut corners and have a small machine,or even worse, a shop-vac. This is NOT dust-free as shop vacs leak dust, and any changing of collection bags etc will release dust into the air. Dust can take quite a while to settle, and so even though your living room has been freshly vacuumed before they applied the finish, the dust is still in the air and will eventually get into your finish as it falls. You want all the dust being collected OUTSIDE your home.

Another Note on Sanding

Most unfinished or refinished floors are sanded several times with different grits (heaviest grit to lightest) before they are finished with stains and polyurethane. Chris pointed out to make sure that corners are not cut by skipping more than 1 grit at a time as the result is ridges in your floor. You may not be able to see these, but the downfall is that when the poly is applied it will sink into the ridges. A second coat will be applied and that will also sink but come closer to evening out the surface. The third coat will be applied and that will barely cover the tops of the ridges. This floor will surely fail as it's not fully receiving the three coats of poly and you'll have to spend money to refinish again in the not-so distant future.

There is a TON more to know about flooring finishes such as the hardness of the wood, different cuts or the wood, lengths, staining, cure times etc. It is very important not to cut corners with the best price but to spend time finding a flooring specialist that you trust. It may cost more upfront, but is a job you want done right and more money now means a floor that should last you a lifetime.

Quartz!!

2010-10-15T08:36:00.000-07:00

Alright - so I've been lazy with the blog entries. My apologies. Between trying to move, preparing for the upcoming Em-NARi Contractor of the Year Awards, working an internship on top of full time employment and running the NNE-NKBA Newsletter I've been a little busy.

This past Tuesday I attended half of a day long 6 CEU session at Stone Technologies. I was happy to pick up some new information on Quartz and hardwood floor finishes. (picture courtesy of okite.us)

Let's start with Quartz. Did you know that Quartz is THE hardest counter top (or flooring, or wall paneling) surface out there? Among the other benefits of quartz are:

It is impervious to mold and bacteria - this makes it great for showers/bathrooms and of course to kitchen counters.

As it is the hardest surface around, it is also scratch free. This was demonstrated live by taking a key and trying to scratch it across a quartz 12x12 tile. No scratch, maybe some damage to the key! So knives, pots and pans etc are not going to hurt this counter top. It also makes it ideal for commercial or high traffic area flooring.

Quartz never has to be resealed or re-polished. it is not porous like stone. The surface is actually created while the quartz and resin are pressed together with head, rather than polished by machine after it is formed.

As it in not porous it is impervious to acids, wine, etc. It will not stain

You don't need to buy expensive stone cleaners for quartz surfaces. Softscrub people! No need to worry that someone may accidentally use a harsh chemical (although we all recommend the most natural cleaners possible for health reasons)

Quartz is 10% recycled material.

So what are the negatives? Quartz is not recommended for any exterior use. It is also costly. It compares to a high end marble/granite. Although it comes in several patterns/colors it is not going to compare to the natural beauty of marble. However if you have a client with a maintenance-stain phobia, this may be the product to specify.

Trends in finish..

2010-08-16T13:29:00.000-07:00

Wednesday night in Indianapolis I had the pleasure of sitting next to Judd Lord, Director of Industrial Design at Delta Faucet. Judd is not only amazingly talented but also extremely entertaining and inspiring. Judd asked my table-mates about trends that we noticed in our own home markets and sadly, my response was that I felt like I had been designing (or part of the design process) the same very Restoration Hardware bath for the last several years. It begins with a lot of Carrara marble, honed black granite, white subway tile, white painted cabinetry and polished nickel finishes. It's neat and tidy, classic but relevant... and sigh, boring.

I posted a blog entry right after KBIS about how excited I was to see Oil Rubbed Bronze finishes (photo above) appearing in appliances from Jenn Air. I personally think this may have a hard time catching on, at least here in New England, but I'm hoping it starts a revolution. Viking has a ridiculous amount of color choices for their appliance finishes, but apparently they still don't hold a candle in sales to good old stainless steel. I can't say I'd pass up a perfectly gorgeous Sub Zero myself.

Maybe it's just too far of a reach - I can understand wanting something that you won't tire of in say 5 years, so perhaps a fire engine red oven is not the way to go (think Avocado, it made a comeback but how long did we have to wait?). In line with fashion forward thinking, Brizo has introduced a few new finish in 2009: Brilliance Brushed Bronze (shown to the left on the Baliza lavatory, photo courtesy of brizo.com). This finish is warm, but not brassy. It doesn't look outdated. You can pair it with oil rubbed finishes and add a little interest.

So if you're in the midst of selecting finishes for your remodel, perhaps you'll consider adding a little warmth to your bath. I bet you in 5 years Restoration Hardware will be following suit!

Highlights from Delta Faucet, Part 1

2010-08-14T06:03:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday Delta Faucet flew 18 bloggers and magazine editors into Indianapolis to get a closer look at the Delta & Brizo brands. I was lucky enough to be invited along!

We arrived at Delta Faucet on Wednesday morning only to be greeted by a round of enthusiastic applause from all of their employees! It was overwhelming, very sweet and gave you a good idea of the very warm and wonderful personalities that make up Delta.

We were at Delta from 8:30 AM to about 6 PM so I'm not going to give you all the details of my day, but here are some of the highlights and things you should know about the company. I'm going to break this up into multiple posts as there is just so much information to pass along!

The Delta family is comprised of three brands: Delta, Brizo and Peerless. Most people are familiar with Delta - their products are available to the DIY crowd as well as plumbers, remodelers and builders and is available in both showrooms and at more retail locations. Peerless is totally DIY and available at your big box stores etc. Brizo was introduced about 6 years ago and is the top of the line, available in showrooms only.

I was introduced to Brizo at KBIS and have found that it is a very unique brand - the idea behind it being 'fashion for your home'. It appeals to people who are interested in being fashion forward, but the designs are extremely well thought out and have an element of timelessness rather than just being trendy (no one wants to invest in a pricier faucet only to have to replace it in a couple of years). Their lines range from traditional to transitional to modern. Brizo's designs are based on fashion and design elements found in travels to shows in many different countries, and from trends that have been seen in art, furniture design and fashion. Their latest (gorgeous!) ad campaign "A License to Dream" brings all of these elements together to show homeowners that their products bring dreams to life.

I've shown you my favorite faucet, the RSVP, in a previous post from KBIS, but wanted to share one of the newer members of the line, the Virage (from the French for "twist"), which is inspired by the wrought iron gates of Europe. You could really sense the pride in the execution of the Virage - when it was first designed and brought to engineering, it proved to be quite a challenge and the designers at Delta really had to push to have it produced they way they wanted it. In the end they got their way and this gorgeous suite was born. (Photo courtesy of Brizo)

Brizo is also an eco-conscious brand labelling itself 'luxury with a conscience'. They employ their patented H2OKinetic technology in all of their Sensori Shower Systems to give the consumer that fantastic shower experience, while adhering to water conservation standards from the EPA (1.5 gal/minute). Less flow, maximum performance. I am not a scientist, but the basic gist of this system is that the water leaves the shower head in larger drops in an oscillating pattern. The pattern itself restricts the flow but still provides maximum coverage when it hits your skin. The larger water droplets retain heat. These principals was proven in a later lab session where we got to feel the spray from several versions of H2OKinetic fixtures. In the picture to the left, a strobe hits the spray so that the viewer can see the oscillating water pattern leaving the shower head. Amazing!

Coming up next, the great minds at Delta come up with technology to take care of those awful 'chicken hands', and pictures of yours truly installing a bath faucet! Stay tuned....

Recreating Sonoma

2010-08-07T14:28:00.000-07:00

I recently came back from a week in Northern California, one of the most beautiful places on earth, for sure. While in Sonoma for a few nights we stayed at the Fairmont Sonoma Inn, which is a historic hotel that has recently been remodeled. Having worked for years restoring older homes, I especially love to stay in these kinds of properties. Give me warm history over cold modernism any day of the week.

Anyway, aside from the wine and plush bath robes, what I really wanted to take home with me was the bathroom. I literally could have spent the three days in the hotel room and bathroom. My mission now is to buy a home and recreate the bath, whose color palette reflects the Sonoma surroundings.

The Vanity: a wheat yellow stained poured concrete. As a girl who would apply carrara marble to literally anything and everything it is refreshing to see color! There was a beautiful antique framed mirror hanging above flanked by two shaded sconces. Being a hotel vanity, there was no cabinetry below the counter top, but I think glazed cabinetry, slightly distressed in maybe an antique red would be lovely against the green walls.

The Fixtures: Kohler Pinstripe Suite in Vibrant Polished Nickel. The widespread faucet is shown above It's a very masculine fixture, but I think quite glamorous, and while semi art deco, timeless. The shower had both a fixed shower head as well as a handheld.

The shower: The floor was a tan ceramic 4x8 tile, almost like smooth rounded bricks. The walls were a green apple glass mosaic which was a great contrasting texture against the large paver tiles. The shower itself was glass enclosed and large enough for two to comfortably shower. So heavenly.

Ok so all we need now is the house to put this into..... The condo goes on the market next week. The house I want to buy is having an Open House tomorrow. Is it bad that I am hoping for exceptional beach weather so no one will go?

Exciting news!

2010-08-04T06:34:00.001-07:00

Hi y'all-

Sorry it's been a while. I am actually working on a post about man town design, inspired by looking at houses with my husband. I have a networking event tonight with Benjamin Moore, which is exciting as they have just released a new paint base which has the benefits of oil, but properties of latex. More on that tomorrow..

But my super exciting news is that Delta faucet has invited me, and 19 other bloggers, out to Indianapolis to see their home base and learn more about their newest products. Maybe you've seen the Touch faucets that have been featured during Top Chef? Yup, going to check those out.

Can't wait! Thanks Delta!

Smelly Ice and Other Stories in Refrigeration

2010-06-22T17:27:00.000-07:00

If you're anything like me you assume refrigerators work much like they did when you were a kid, (maybe minus that giant crust of frost in the freezer that occasionally you had to defrost the refrigerator to get rid of). Major advances that you're aware of include Stainless Steel and bottom mounted freezers (we all know heat rises!). So what is up with these refrigerators that cost upwards of $6,000? Is it just their enormous commerical size?

Two words : Dual cool refrigeration. Most of our everyday-bought-at-Sears refrigerators are single refrigeration systems, meaning that a single compressor and evaporator produces the frozen air in your freezer, and then this cold dry air is pumped into your refrigeration, then circles back into the freezer and the cycle continues. Dry air is not good for your perishables, especially fruit and vegetables, and this is exactly where it goes to find and eat away the moisture, which causes decay. According to Sub Zero, 14% of our purchased groceries are not consumed due to 'improper storage techniques'.

Conversely, one the humid air from the refrigerator hits the freezer it causes frost crystals that contain all the odors that come from the food in the fridge. These frozen particles are attracted to the coldest items in your freezer, aka, ice cubes. This is where you get 'smelly ice'

So with *two* compressors, once can be dedicated today freezer air, and one can be dedicated to the humid air that your produce craves (FYI most refrigerators feature 25% humidity, while dual cool gives you the optimum 85%!). No air, odors etc pass between the two. I have seen claims that your food will last 65% longer with dual cool and average savings are about $1,000 a year. So in 6-8 years you have paid off your refrigerator in food/energy savings!

You might think "OK, so I shell out the money up front and my food lasts longer, but won't my energy consumption go up?' Not the case. Because the two compressors have to work less than the single compressor to keep each temperature constant, they are just as efficient. Your coldest air is shut tightly in the freezer which is opened typically less than your refrigerator so your system is working less to bring the temperature back up.

Ready to buy? Beware that some of the descriptions for less expensive refrigerators hint at dual cool refrigeration but don't truly employ the same technology. According to Richie Craig, my salesperson at Yale Appliance & Lighting, the brands that currently feature dual cool are SubZero, Thermador and Miele.

Things can change in a minute....

2010-06-12T04:26:00.000-07:00

Part of the reason it's been a while since I've posted anything, is that my father has been having some major health issues. It started last fall, where he had 4 stents put into his heart and has been a roller coaster ever since. He's been home for small periods of time, and the last time he fell and broke his hip. He's recovering from that injury now in a rehabilitation center, and I've been putting a lot of thought into how we're going to get him home.

No one wants to go from being a productive family member to someone that needs waiting on for every basic human need. I want to make sure that we do what we can to give my father independence, while also preparing for the possibility that he may need some aid. (A caregiver requires more space in the bath and therefore some planning)

My parents live in a raised ranch, so the entrance via the garage is on the ground level and the living spaces are on the 'second' floor which requires a set of stairs to get in and out of the house. While there is finished space in our basement, putting a bedroom down there would be cutting my father off from most of the house. So that means that the easiest solution is to have a stair climber put into the house for him.

We just finished remodeling my parents' bathroom last year, complete with curbless shower and several grab bars. So at least in that regard, we are ahead of the game. However, can it fit a wheel chair if necessary? No. We would have to widen the doors, and there is not enough room to wheel a chair into the shower or radius for a wheelchair to turn (required space for this according to the NKBA guidelines is 6o" - consider that space in your typical New England home!). I think the best bet if the wheelchair becomes a necessary aid is to remove the tub from the second bathroom and install another curbless shower in its place (or perhaps a transfer tub). This would also provide space for any assistance if needed.

I know, you're already adding these things up in your head : Stair climber maybe $10k, new bath remodel $30-40K. These are reasons why every person going through a remodel needs to carefully consider all the health possibilities of both aging in place, sports -related injuries or accidents etc. I know it sounds really grim while you're busy at work planning your gorgeous new bath, but think of the savings in the long run. These changes don't have to look like a hospital. It won't affect your chances of resale because ALL of us can benefit from these changes. (Maybe you're thinking, but I thought I needed to have a tub for re-sale? You can still get a child's size temp tub and use a hand held on a slide bar in the shower replacement.)

Other changes you should consider:

All light switches should be placed at a height where someone in a wheelchair can comfortably reach. Rocker switches are much easier to work for all hands.
Some light fixtures are quite difficult to switch out and require a short ladder.Replace incandescent lamps (bulbs) with fluorescent or LED diodes. This means that you won't have to change lamps out once a year.
When remodeling your kitchen, make sure you vary counter heights to accommodate all heights and abilities. Leaving knee space under sinks and range tops will allow a person in a wheelchair, or someone who can't stand very long to be able to sit and cook/wash dishes/help out with cooking rather than be relegated to the sidelines.
Consider appliances with several sensory functions - dishwashers that light up the floor below while on, control panels that have pictures to reinforce function, refrigerators/microwaves with verbal alarms when left open/done cooking, Smoke alarms with flashing lights etc.
Think about safety while choosing your kitchen stove. Gas is wonderful to cook with, but potentially dangerous. Your safest option is an induction range - cool to the touch and only works when the burners are in contact with a magnetically charged pan.
Whenever possible plan a full bath and a room that can function as a bedroom on the first floor so that someone who cannot climb stairs has a place to bathe. This makes the bulky and expensive stair climber unnecessary.

As you can imagine, it's much harder dealing with these items when you're already stressed out and emotionally worn down. If you plan for them while you're remodeling, you take a huge weight off your shoulders when the need arises.

Stunning (but pricey) product of the week!

2010-05-07T17:33:00.001-07:00

OK, so this photo does this faucet absolutely no justice whatsoever. It's GORGEOUS in person. I kept going back to it in the showroom today and lovingly petting it. Sadly it did not follow me home.

Lever handles = good universal design.

For Country by Michael S. Smith for Kallista. $2144. Yowza. This grrl's got good taste!

In search of...

2010-05-07T17:08:00.001-07:00

I'm still on lighting here for my universal kitchen design. I am using LED recessed lighting on dimmers for most of the kitchen, but it's kind of a snoozer. I have a large two level seating island and am in search of an interesting flush or semi flush mount fixture for over the island. As much as I love pendants, I feel like they may not be the best decision safety-wise with an Autistic child.

Here are some candidates:

Astoria Pendant Rectangle

By Stonegate Designs.

This one is the PERFECT size/shape, but can't be installed flush.

Astoria Pendant (can be installed flush)

By Stonegate Designs.

My hesitation here is the fabric. It won't be so easy to clean.

Artful Designs for Ceiling Light

By Hubbarton Forge

Glass, so easy to clan, Semi flush, available as fluorescent.

Artful Designs for Ceiling Light

By Hubbarton Forge

I think this fixture is extremely elegant and the King Family has no dining room. Practical? Maybe not.

Any suggestions?

I'm in love with LED

2010-04-28T19:01:00.000-07:00

Just came from a mini seminar on LED lighting at Lucia Lighting in Lynn (BEST selection of lighting in the Boston area- hands down - not to mention the NICEST people!). I was really not too excited to drive there in rush hour, and to be honest, lighting has been my least favorite part of my design classes- it's complicated and requires a ton of knowledge. So that fact that I am so jazzed about LED is a total surprise to me.

I'm sure this is old hat, but just in case, the benefits of LED lighting are many. LED fixtures are low-watt so therefore they burn a lot less energy which is good for your wallet and the environment. One LED lamp (or diode to be correct) lasts for about 50,000-75,000 hours of use! So LEDs are the best friend to those of us who hate to, or can't, change lamps (light bulbs). They burn cool, unlike say MR16 halogens which add significant heat to your kitchen etc.

Lucy showed us the latest innovations in LED. The first being that LED is now available in warm white colors rather than that very unappealing blue white that first came out on the market. Dreamscape makes cabinet lighting that comes in flexible strips ranging from 2" to 11'. We passed around a small trip and it looks more like computer memory than lighting( the picture below is another brand FYI)

So while this stuff is bright enough to illuminate your cabinetry, you'll want a large size for under counter lighting. Color Kinetics makes a line called the EW Cove Powercore that mimics the color rendering of incandescent lighting almost perfectly (I bet if we give it another year and they will look interchangeable) - no color shift here. These are also DIMMABLE!!!

Lucy mentioned that you do want to be careful about using LED with white and cream colored cabinetry and stone - as it tends to do bad things to the color. She recommends borrowing a fixture and mocking up a kitchen in order to make sure that your LED lighting is working with your stone and cabinetry. Good advice which will save you lots of time and money in the long run.

Now on to my two favorite innovations by CSL Lighting!

First, I present to you the 3" 16 watt downlight! This lamp has a 50-60k hour lamp life with very little heat output. It is GREAT for low ceilings or for older home remodels where you don't have the depth to put in a traditional can. They make a wet version with a lens and it comes in a 5" size as well. Best part? These babies come with three changeable lenses: a spot, a wide flood and a narrow. How is that possible? Again, LED lights are not light bulbs, they are diodes, so the size/shape of the bulb does not determine the beam, the lens does. Even better? It comes in a SQUARE trim!!! How cool is that?

It should be noted here that LED recessed lights should not be used with polished stone surfaces. You will see the reflection which is not pretty. A nice honed surface? No problem.

And the icing on the cake? Gravity by CSL. This gorgeous fixture can be used as a sconce or overhead lighting and is wet rated - so no more boring shower recessed cans. I can't wait to integrate this baby into a tile design!