GOLD NOTES: Crate and Barrel

Showing posts with label Crate and Barrel. Show all posts

15 November 2011

FOOD FOR THOUGHT #4 - Why aren’t more powder rooms (and public restrooms) purse-friendly?

It happens all the time… I’m at a Barnes & Noble, Outback Steakhouse or Best Buy and there’s nowhere clean or dry to rest my purse while I wash my hands. You have a strap on that bag, so why not just hang it on your arm, you ask…

Well, that doesn’t work terribly well if I want to find whatever has inevitably migrated to said bag's least accessible corner. Usually, it’s my lip gloss or nail polish for touch ups. Murphy’s Law of Purses dictates that whatever one needs is always going to be buried at the bottom. I have found this to be cruelly and consistently true!

This anti-purse problem isn’t unique to public restrooms either. Many powder rooms, (and, sometimes, guest baths), I visit have the same shortcoming. The main difference is that I’m less squeamish about setting my purse down on a friend’s or relative’s bathroom floor or toilet tank than a public space's.

Still, there are numerous solutions to this problem that before now you didn’t even realize you had. (Aren’t you glad you stopped by!) I offer the following suggestions as a public service to all of your purse-wielding visitors and house guests.

Solution #1: If you have some floor space available, consider a small, rectangular side table or bath cart that coordinates with your décor. You can find them at your favorite furniture store, home center or even discount chain stores like Target.

Affordable, contemporary bath solution - 3 Tier Jumbo Cart from Bed, Bath & Beyond

Transitional choice adds a storage shelf below - Marin Side Table at Crate & Barrel

Luxe traditional bath choice adds great storage - Mirage Side Tables from Horchow

Solution #2: If you don’t have floor space, consider a wall shelf. Install it in a spot that won’t get easily bumped or interfere with outlets or towel hooks. This could be on a wall near the sink or above your toilet tank. (This second location calls for a shelf that isn’t deeper than the tank itself so you don’t bang into it when standing up.)

Sleek shelves for modern baths - West End's Paxton Wall Shelf

Rustic elegance for traditional baths - Glass Shelf by Restoration Hardware

Transitional bath shelves - Cafe Shelving from Ballard Designs

Solution #3: If neither is possible, consider adding a double robe hook to the back of a non-pocket door or a nearby wall. This works for hanging purses and coats, (another item that sometimes needs a hygienic resting spot!), or small purses without straps that can rest on the double hook instead of sitting on a wet counter.

Modern Bath Solution - JVJ Hardware Prism Pewter Double Robe Hook on Bellacor.com

Rustic hooks for transitional baths - Pottery Barn's Wire and Wood Double Hook

Double hook for a classic traditional bath - Bancroft Double Robe Hook by Kohler

There are so many choices in each of these categories that can match your décor, space availability and budget that you have virtually no excuse not to invest in at least one of them! That’s all I’m saying.

15 March 2011

SENSIBLE STYLE - Color Charged

"Courageous. Confident. Vital... It's a color for every day, with nothing 'everyday' about it." -- Pantone LLC on its 2011 Color of the Year

Maybe Pantone 18-2120 Honeysuckle is your color of the year, too. You love its vibrant pink energy and want it in your kitchen. But how do you incorporate a hot, trendy shade without dating your kitchen or anchoring yourself into a strong color you may not love down the line?

Trust me on this one: Don't buy honeysuckle-painted cabinets, large appliances or honeysuckle stone countertops unless you've loved pink your whole life and are absolutely certain you'll never, ever, ever sell your house.

You can still use this rich hue in your kitchen, but a little bit of a strong color goes a long way. Here are some Sensible Style approaches to integrating a strong color like this.

Go soft

Integrate your preferred color into your kitchen fabrics:

Select pot holders in your chosen color
Use it in a festive apron
Find chandelier shades in your color of choice
Add dish towels in solids or patterns that tie in that shade
Find place mats and napkins that bring in your color du jour
Look for floor mats in the color you love
Tie it on with seat cushion fabric

Houdan Pink Fabric from Pierre Deux

Verano Pink Dish Towel from Crate & Barrel

Serve it up

Add the color in serving platters and bowls
Choose canisters in your selected shade
Incorporate it in your bakeware collection
Add drinking glasses in that color to your place settings
Find cooking utensils or serving utensils with handles in that shade
Look for trivets and spoon rests that incorporate it

Emile Henry pie dish at Bed, Bath & Beyond

Ikea's Yngaren bowl

Bigger splash

OK, so these strike you as wimpy and you want to make a stronger impression with your selected accent color. I'm still going to try to talk you out of big, expensive, permanent elements like cabinetry, countertops and flooring. But you can bring in your accent color with a bigger impact this way:

Perhaps there are countertop appliances available in your color choice
You can find cabinet hardware in pretty much any color
Use the color you love in easy-to-change wall paint
Select window treatments that include that color
Look for a kitchen-friendly art piece with that shade in it
If you've loved it forever, find an accent tile to integrate into your backsplash

Four-slice toaster from Dualit

Perennial Poppy Mosaic accent tile from Ann Sacks

Le Fleur knobs by Atlas Homewares

Final thoughts

Remember, always, that your space should reflect your personal likes and loves, not a website, TV show or magazine. I'm not a pink person myself and have no insecurities about missing out on Pantone's 2011 color of the year. I may miss next year's, too, without any regrets. But I have friends and clients who love the "now" color, style, look. This post is dedicated to the trendies among us. You know who you are.

Read all of the Sensible Style posts, linked from the right column!

07 October 2010

Please take a seat!

Have you ever wondered what the difference between a counter stool and a bar stool was? I didn't know either, until I became a kitchen designer and learned about the different options for eating and working spaces. I've also happily learned that there are wonderful choices in both categories to coordinate beautifully with your space. You can even get counter or bar stools to match your dining chairs! (Not that you have to.)

Bar stools

Once upon a time, you would buy bar stools in a specialized store, and they largely went into dark, paneled rec rooms. No more! Now you can find them pretty much everywhere furniture is sold and they go into kitchens with breakfast bars, as well as great rooms, wine bars and even nooks with bar-height tables.

What distinguishes a bar stool from a chair or counter stool is its increased seat height. They're made to position the user comfortably at a 42 inch eating or drinking surface. A standard dining table is about 30 inches.

As a kitchen designer, the 42 inch surface is usually a built-in breakfast bar on the back of a work station. Many builders and homeowners liked that these raised bars hide unwashed dishes or pots in the sink from the open dining or great room areas.

I'm not a big fan of breakfast bars for two main reasons. One, those same builders often skimped on both counter and walk space so that using the bar can be somewhat uncomfortable. Two, their higher seats make bar stools challenging for anyone with balance or height issues. This often includes seniors and children - i.e., the extended family you want around you while you're cooking!

However, if you've got a raised bar in your kitchen and it's working for you and your household, there are some great options in just about every style and finish.

Counter stools

I had never heard of a counter stool before becoming a kitchen designer, but they sure come in handy now! For those kitchens whose countertops extend beyond the cabinet for seating on the other side, counter stools are the ideal height. Standard kitchen counters are 36 inches high, which makes them too low for bar stools and too high for dining chairs. This is why counter stools were invented.

I like them because the person sitting on the non-working side of the kitchen can socialize with the cook and still help out with food prep if they wish, having the full expanse of counter to work with.

One challenge for counter height seating areas is that they require more overhang than bar tops. This deeper counter keeps the person sitting at it from hitting his or her knees on the back of the cabinets. Sometimes, you simply don't have the extra three inches you need to make this a comfortable seating area.

If you're fortunate enough to have the space for a counter-height overhang, there are also great stools to choose from. In fact, most companies now offer stools in bar or counter height. Some also offer coordinating dining chairs if your kitchen is open to your dining area.

Planning note

This comes up more often with counter-height seating than bar tops, but I always recommend against designing your overhangs in work aisles, especially near a cooktop or range! When possible, plan your seating on the non-working end of the kitchen.

What's in store!

I've found some nice styles that will work with a range of kitchens. I've also included backless versions. If you're tight on space, a backless stool will park under the overhang and give you more walking room behind it when it's not in use. Just a thought...

Vienna Black Counter Stool at Crate & Barrel brings cafe style to transitional kitchens

Sister store CB2 jazzes up your contemporary kitchen with Phoenix Orange bar and counter stools

Add classic vintage flair to your space with West Elm's Overlapping Squares Bar and Counter Stools

Get rustic with these Iron Grate stools from NapaStyle

Get sleek with Room & Board's backless Emeco Stools

Bring affordable island bling to your space with Cost Plus World Market's Elana Banana Leaf Bar Stool pair

Williams-Sonoma brings back the classic diner chair as their Diner Stool, available with or without back, at counter or bar height

Ballard Designs goes vintage transitional with their Constance Bar Stool

Another fun Crate & Barrel find -- the 30" Spin Bar Stool!

Bring rustic elegance to your home with another NapaStyle pick, their handsome Talavera Stool

Spunky style comes to your kitchen with Room & Board's Radius Counter Stool

05 August 2010

Details #5 - Finishing Touches

This is the final installment of a five-part, first week of the month series with The Decorating Diva. Each focuses on a single room detail that can make a huge difference in the success of that space's style.

Last month we looked at hardware. (See links for the full series at the end of this post.) This segment focuses on those last little details that sometimes go unfunded or get overlooked. Think about the last time you walked into a darling powder room, only to notice plastic clips on the mirror or an ugly white switch plate. Or try to imagine this bathroom with plastic towel holders? (As its designer, I try not to!)

Master bath by Jamie Goldberg Kitchen and Bath Design, LLC

Design is in the details. So this edition of Details focuses on finishing touches.

Mirrors

We look at them every morning when we comb our hair, but when was the last time you really looked at yours? Are the edges chipped or rusting? Does your mirror lack a frame? Mirrors glued to the wall are tricky and hazardous to remove, but can be framed for a richer look. Clip-on mirrors or builder grade medicine cabinet mirrors can be more easily replaced. For a couple of hundred dollars or less, you can give your bathroom a much, much better look!

For a great splurge, check out this beauty. (I want one in my next home!)

It's a mirror. It's a television. It's a stylistic and engineering marvel. It's a Seura!

I can see this Crate & Barrel Largo mirror really enhancing a bath with cinnamon cherry cabinets.

Pottery Barn's Kensington Mirror creates an instant bathroom upgrade

Installed Accessories

Chances are, your home has some permanently-installed accessories in one or more room that are taking away from their appeal. Examples include dime store kitchen paper towel holders, plastic flush levers on your toilets, plastic towel bars in your bathroom and builder basic switchplate covers. These are easy DIY upgrade opportunities on their own, or should be factored into any larger remodel plans you're making.

Flush out ugly tank levers with coordinating versions, like this Brantford model from Moen

Vent your home fashion frustrations with a stylish register cover, like this Scroll model from Restoration Hardware.

Switch to better-looking outlet covers, like these Porcelain beauties from Rejuvenation... Perfect for a retro bath!

Countertop Accessories

This is the easiest, most affordable, no tools or handyman required, update you can make to a kitchen or bath. If your canisters or drinking glasses are looking dated, visit your favorite home goods store or web site for an instant upgrade. They tend to be smaller, lower cost items, so changing out every few years isn't a budget buster. (Donate your old set to a charity, please!) They're also a great way to add color, texture and a new style component to your space.

Give your bath modern, international flair with Jonathan Adler's Berlin accessories

Add pared-down elegance to your bath with Pottery Barn's Quinn Beaded bath accessories.

Form meets function in these stainless steel canisters at The Container Store.

Countertop Appliances

What is your toaster or coffee maker saying about your kitchen? I'm tired... I'm old... I'm bargain basement? Countertop appliances are also easy upgrades, albeit a little more expensive. The first principle of countertop appliances, however, is store the ones you don't use daily. The only appliances that should sit out are part of your morning or dinner routine. If the food processor or stand mixer only gets used once a month or so, it doesn't need to take up room on your countertops. For those essentials you do use daily, consider models that add functionality and style to your kitchen.

Give your kitchen coffee bar style and flexibility with this Cuisinart Coffee on Demand machine at Williams-Sonoma.

Think of it as a toaster on steroids! This Breville Countertop Convection Oven, also at Williams-Sonoma, is so much more. I want one of these, too!

Breville also makes a top-rated, darned good looking juicer! Available through Amazon.com.

Enjoy the entire Details series!

Details #1 - The Lighting Edition
Details #2 - The Faucet Edition
Details #3 - Fabrics and Fibers
Details #4 - The Hardware Edition
Details #5 - Finishing Touches

17 March 2010

St. Patrick's Day edition - The sharing of the green

Gold Notes is celebrating St. Patrick's Day with a celebration of design offerings in the holiday's official color: green. Hope you enjoy this light-hearted look at The Emerald Style.

Caesarstone's Vivid Green quartz countertop will brighten your kitchen or bath

The Sophia Chair at Cost Plus World Market brings affordability to Mid-Century Modernism

I absolutely adore this Walker Zanger wall tile!

This Stow Green Leather Storage Ottoman at Crate & Barrel flips its tray bottom lid for you

CB2's Hyde Wall-Mounted Cabinet has no style hang-ups

Garnish your great room with Pottery Barn's Manhattan Recliner in Parsley

Last but definitely not least...
Miton MT300 Series at my Italian Kitchen Design and Distribution showroom goes "Irish" for St. Patrick with Olive Lacquer!

Visit my Green Day Color Notes posting for more great green goodies and the many shades they work with!

You may also enjoy my 2009 Irish Design post in honor of St. Patrick's Day, featuring great room scenes and products from Ireland-based pros.

And if you're partying tonight, please drink responsibly!

05 August 2009

Color Notes: Purple Haze

Welcome to the fourth Color Notes posting. The purpose of this series is to share inspiring products and helpful ideas for the many hues you might want to incorporate into your home's design scheme.

Last month, I kicked off this new series with Red, White and Blue, in honor of the Fourth of July. At that time, I also posted a poll on your next requested color. Lavender won, beating out black, orange and green. So this Color Notes will focus on lavender and its close relatives, lilac, plum, violet and purple, with thanks to my dear friend and flower enthusiast, Cilla, for suggesting it! Shown here is Benjamin Moore's Lavender Lipstick.

Why lavender?

Lavender is associated with the fragrant and relaxing properties of its namesake flower. It is treasured for its beauty and scent, and adds a soft richness to any room it accents. Lavender can be a wonderful hue for a bedroom or bath, as well as a nursery. Its darker relatives, plum, violet and purple would add cool drama to a living room, master suite or formal dining room.

Where not to go lavender

I'd avoid this shade in a boy's bedroom, as it often feels more feminine than masculine. I'd also avoid it in a work room, as its lulling qualities may hinder productivity!

I adore lavender with...

Apple green and white

As shown here in this Alessa Quilt and
coordinated bedding from Pine Cone Hill

Turquoise and pink

On their Bisley cream/green/lilac fabric

Tangerine

As shown on this Teleflora rose bouquet

Tans and taupes

Like those in this Kravet Heather Funtini fabric

And muted yellows and greys

As shown here on Eileen Fisher's
raw silk pillow covers for Garnet Hill

Lavender, lilac, plum, violet and purple delights

I loved collecting these aubergine treasures. Hope you enjoy them, too! Please let me know if you decide to get any for your home -- send pictures!