How Can I Make My Kitchen Really Different?

Question

The kitchens my neighbors have all look the same. They have the same refrigerators, the same islands, the same food prep surfaces, the same cabinetry. They're all starting to look the same to me. How can I break out of the mold and try something different with my kitchen space? I'm ready to tear everything out and start from scratch. (from Jacqueline in Kirkwood, MO)

Answer

Jacqueline, we know exactly what you mean when you describe all contemporary kitchens as starting to look the same. You live in an affluent suburb of St. Louis (we looked it up), and many suburban homes may be based on a small handful of builder designs. There may be only a few options in the kitchen template for new-construction homes, so it's no wonder that kitchens can be cookie-cutter boring. To help you out, we went to designer Jennifer Mitchell, Detroit area interior designer and blogger on Design Hole, one of our favorite home design sites. She wants to share with you and other Design2Share readers her experiences this year at one of the top design shows, and tell you about the latest design trends for "Living In the Kitchen." We believe her insight can help you redesign your kitchen so that it doesn't look and function like all the others.

It seems ironic that families have less and less time to sit down together for a meal, yet kitchens are rapidly becoming the heart of the home. Their reason for being is expanding from a room set aside solely for food preparation into one that incorporates the needs of everyday life.

Kitchens are becoming a social hub, fully integrated with a larger living space. In the United States (where houses are comparatively larger) that typically means kitchens are combined with family rooms.

The kitchen designs I saw at this year’s Salone Internazionale del Mobile, in Milan, reflect this change. The trend is strong and is clearly moving toward designs that allow kitchen components to flow seamlessly from the food preparation area directly into the living space.

I spent my kitchen time in Milan checking out the contemporary designers. With 160 different vendors and more than 39,000 square meters devoted solely to kitchens, I just couldn’t get to every building—not to mention competing for space with the 348,000 visitors that attended this year’s edition of I Saloni. But the kitchen/living trend applies across the design board. Here’s just one example of how the new trend is being applied.

In my opinion, the exhibitor that did the best job of visualizing the kitchen/living trend was Valcucine. Their unique glass-covered cabinets (2mm thick) can be printed with customized graphics, photographs, or simply a solid hue. The sink and hob were creatively integrated into the lower cabinets and fit beautifully into the open shelving.

Directly across from the workspace, a cabinet with LED-lit, glass shelving hangs on the wall. The cabinet not only looks like a work of art, the extra-large, sliding doors allow for greater visibility and access to tableware or pantry items.

Another wall holds the oven and refrigerator, behind the right-hand door. Again, the doors are wide and slide to open. When closed, the wall becomes a solid block of color (pink, in this case).

Around the corner from the pink wall, Valcucine installed a family room. A red built-in cabinet sits below a wall cabinet. The same playful graphic is incorporated in the upper cabinet thereby unifying the overall space. A table for dining blended perfectly with the lounge seating.

Aside from the exposed sink and hob, one could barely tell this space was all about a kitchen. Whether or not you like the childlike cow-and-udder graphic (personally, not for me), I think Valcucine did a nice job of demonstrating how kitchen and family space can live as one. And this is one way you can create a distinctly different, less conventional, and more functional kitchen design.

Text and Photos by Jennifer Mitchell, interior designer. Visit her Design Hole site for daily advice and how-to's on decorating, as well as news from the world of design and her unique perspective on inspiration and trends.

How Can I Do Something Fresh and Fabulous for Less Money in My Bedroom?

Question

I have a standard-sized bedroom with good closet space in my Brooklyn apartment. How can I get a new look for less money since times are tight right now? (from Ellen in Brooklyn)

Answer

Ellen, our current financial times are frightening many people, and rightfully so. It's important to spend and save money wisely when the economy is uncertain. We thought we would answer your question by inviting interior designer Oskar Torres to show how he made over a Manhattan bedroom with great style and minimum expense. The secret, according to Oskar, is to "use big ideas to decorate small rooms." 

The Apartment's BEFORE PictureMy client gave me a real challenge: in designing her bedroom, I had to incorporate her Asian heritage with her love of modern furniture. “I love yellow and modern furniture” was the directive she gave me. Since she would not be in town to shop and give final approvals, e-mail and the Internet became an essential component of this project.

The existing space was a typical New York room. Bare, pinkish-white walls. Uninspiring furniture. Lots of clutter, clutter, and more clutter. A saving grace was that the master bedroom was large enough to accommodate a queen-sized bed, two night tables, a desk, and an occasional chair. No dressers were needed since there were four large closets, a surprising bonus.

Interior Designer Oskar TorresI applied a “no-brainer” concept to transform the bedroom into an Asian-infused oasis. I wanted this oft-traveled young professional to recharge her batteries in a great space whenever she was back in New York.

I painted the walls in a soft-hued Benjamin Moore Yellow Lotus 2021-50 for a calming and quieting effect. The modern white lacquered Ikea bed is finished with a mixture of modern and vintage fabrics. I had a graphic yellow pillow fashioned from a vintage Obi. The bed’s bolster was created from a faux-sheepskin blanket I spotted in a Salvation Army in Florida. 

I kept the window treatments soft and flowing so as not to detract from the great views of the New York skyline; I used an unlined multi-color striped silk from Mood Fabrics. The square cut-out yellow lacquered night tables were a treat, little splurges created by society designer Celerie Kemble.

In a nod to my client’s Asian heritage, I included a pair of chinoiserie lamps from the flea market on Manhattan’s 26^th Street and updated them with custom shades using Benjamin Moore Poppy 1315 red paint for a girly look. The brown sisal carpet from Misha Carpets is a remnant from a prior project. I paired a very reasonably-priced West Elm desk with a chair from Housing Works, newly covered with a showroom fabric sample. The art is from the client’s own collection.

Cool, calm, and collected. The simple unlined silk stripe curtain fabrics soften the room. Anchoring the wall is a sunburst metal mirror from Crate and Barrel.

Rooted in tradition. I chose all the linens on the bed for their texture and color. The Chinese vase with orange roses provides an inviting vignette to any bedroom.

Well matched. A corner of the bedroom creates a cozy reading spot. The Deco gold leaf table interacts with a Vintage Safari leather chair by Michel Arnoult and Murano vase (all from BondandBowery.com).

Pure serenity. A constellation mirror from Bond & Bowery creates a focal point over the desk from West Elm. The Rosenau Collection side chair from Robert Allen (to the trade) was upholstered with a fabric sample. The gourd Chinese porcelain lamp keeps the Asian fusion intent. Desk accessories are from Home Goods.

“This is exactly the feeling I wanted in this space!” exclaimed my client upon returning from one of her monthly trips to Japan. “Thank you for helping me create my vision.”

Music to any designer’s ears! I love to mix vintage and modern (new) furnishings in my interiors, and I think this is a great way for you to achieve a “big idea” design in any small space or apartment. My motto Be Green, Buy Vintage is integrated in each project I do, and it felt great to my client to help the missions of the Salvation Army and Housing Works by including their recycled materials in her new bedroom.

Big Idea: Inject new life into used and vintage finds. For example, you can create new pillows from old airline blankets or re-lacquer a flea market chair and upholster it with a modern fabric. These special touches and attention to detail add an element of whimsy and uniqueness to any interior. Oskar Torres is an interior designer based in LIC, New York. For more information, visit the Oskar Torres website.