Four Favorite Products I Can't Specify Down South - Nick Lovelady of Cupboards

I first met Nick Lovelady, kitchen designer and blogger extraordinaire on Twitter through his hilarious, tongue-in-cheek @cupboards tweets.  We actually met in person for the first time at last year's Kitchen & Bath Industry Show and saw each other again a few weeks ago at a Bosch-Blanco blogger event.  Nick is another Blogger 19 buddy, one of the 2.0 folks, as I call them, who went to Brizo's Fashion Week program after we OGs (original gangsters!) attended in February 2010.  


I couldn't resist asking this adorable 'Bama boy to write about Four Favorite Products he can't specify in the South and was absolutely tickled when he said yes.  Nick gets it when I share that my Central Florida clientele considered Shaker modern.  I'm thrilled to have his wit and wisdom as my second Four Favorites guest poster this week.   Here you go, y'all!
 

*** 

Big thanks to Jamie for asking me to chime in on some design aspects that we just don’t see that much in the rather rural Southern United States. Historically, kitchen design in the South has been largely traditional. Designers who have a flare for the ultra-modern, (which we’ll talk about), and lots of color and funky elements may not find an eager group of potential clients down in our neck of the woods. BUT that doesn’t mean that we don’t like that stuff! Here are four kitchen elements I’d love to specify sometime soon in the South. 


Super Modern Cabinetry


In all of my years of kitchen design, I’ve completed ONE slab door kitchen and have one in the hopper right now. Both were still very traditional and matte. I want some gloss! 

Photo from Home Dsgn: Interior Design and Inspirational Homes 

Glass Counters


Glass counters completely mesmorize me. Maybe I’m distracted by shiny things. Glass counters have come a long way in recent years and have now become a viable option for both counter and backsplash material. My customers typically think it’s too modern and are apprehensive to take the plunge. 

Photo from ThinkGlass

Black Cabinets


This one is a bit perplexing. Black cabinets can fit in easily to the typical traditional styling of many Southern homes. Black has become a neutral and allows homeowners TONS of options when it comes to accessories and other kitchen elements. 

Photo from Apartment Therapy

Wild Ventilation  


Why not have the vent hood be the conversation piece in the kitchen… Better yet, it’s like art! I love the wild curves and colors available in ventilation right now, (especially those from Best, like shown).  In addition to being pretty awesome looking, they function exceptionally well. 

Photo from Best 

So there you have it, a quick round of products I’d love to see gain some momentum here in the heart of Dixie. 

Thanks again, Jamie, for letting me sit in! 

What do an Arc and an iPhone have in common?

I wasn’t thinking terribly much about Apple Computer – other than hoping my antiquated iPhone 3G wouldn’t expire on the trip – when I headed to San Francisco last week for a Zephyr Ventilation design blogger event.

That changed shortly after I arrived at the Bay Area-based ventilation company’s gorgeous SoMa showroom.




Among the treats arranged for our event was a terrific presentation by Robert Brunner, founder of Apple’s internal design group, Apple IDg, and a Zephyr design partner.




You can see the same sleek thought processes that inspired his former boss, Steve Jobs -- a legendary design perfectionist -- at work in Brunner’s Arc series for the lesser-known Zephyr. Especially the Horizon.




While it’s unlikely that Arc will become as ubiquitous as the iPhone 4, the similarities are striking – and quite sexy! Both are as streamlined as a Jazz Age ocean liner, as glossy as a new Tesla.




This is art for your kitchen. They’ve even one-upped the style mavens at Apple by offering Horizon finishes I would love to see on my next iPhone, especially Red Glass. (I’m not holding out hope, though, that my 3G will last until the 5 debuts next year. My techie says it should rightfully be in digital hospice by now.)




Zephyr has long been known for stylish hoods. Brunner just upped the ante. Are you listening, Apple? Is there a red iPhone or leaf-patterned iPad in our future?

By the way, I suggested to Brunner and our Zephyr hosts that they find a way to incorporate an operational, touch-screen driven TV screen on the face of the Horizon! Wouldn't it be killer to watch your favorite shows on this sexy beast while making dinner? Wouldn't it???



This was my clear favorite of the Arc series, but there are other sleek styles by the one-time PowerBook designer. Here are a few more Brunner styles. From top to bottom, Layers, Plane and Tilt.









PS: Among my fellow attendees at Zephyr's event last week were some top-notch colleagues, including three Blogger 19 buddies, Kelly Morisseau of Kitchen Sync, Sarah Lloyd of Kitchen Clarity and Paul Anater of Kitchen and Residential Design!

Undoubtedly, they'll be offering more serious, in-depth coverage of the line than my book-sogged brain is capable of right now. I've linked to their blogs to ensure you'll be able to find their insights when they post them.