Thursday, February 12, 2015

THERE ARE NO DETAILS IN DESIGN

PART I
Photo Decortizo
One of the most effective ways to make cabinetry or furnishings come alive is to add hardware! As a project approaches its final stages, it is easy to skimp on cost and not place the same attention on the smaller scale elements. However, these are more than mere details and should not be done without any thought. I try to inform clients and help them understand that what can be considered a small detail can make a huge difference in a space. There are no details in good design, it is all important to convey a complete story and get the most for the initial cost invested. Can you imagine getting dressed to go to a formal affair and wearing sneakers? When it's time to select your hardware, make sure it rises up to the furnishings you have invested in.  Reap the largest return for a fraction of your initial investment.     

 Speaking of rising to the top! Top Knobs was founded in 1994 in the USA and is the nations #1 leader of decorative hardware to the professional market. Only available in design showrooms, Top Knobs has the most extensive line available in kitchen and bath showrooms across the country.  They are a design company in the business of making beautifully crafted hardware.  
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Recently at KBIS2015 Warren Ramsland, President of Top Knobs introduced a beautiful new collection to #BlogTourVegas by Modenus.  It was evident why the brand is continually the #1 trendsetter in decorative hardware.

  The Passport Collection
Globally inspired variety!



I'm guilty! 
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Project Cortizo Interiors
Top Knobs Passport Collection 
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I used Top Knobs for a bathroom suite on the South Shore of Massachusetts. The above hardware - Tower Bridge Pulls from Top Knobs Passport Collection. I really appreciate hardware that wows form every angle! REAL cabinet jewelry for him and her! 
Thank you Top Knob for a great tour at KBIS! 




PART II
ARGYLE - STERLING ROW COLLECTION PORCELAIN
Is this what you think of when you think tile???
If not...you should! Walker Zanger a family owned business has over 60 years of experience and artistry in the world of luxury tiles. Quarried from throughout the world Walker Zanger is a main source of inspiration for the design trade and is revered by many architects and interior designers of the trade.
Photo Chasen West Photography
Tile and fabric are a great source of inspiration for me. They are a great starting point to create and design spaces.  Walker Zanger tile is pure ART! The possibilities for heightening the level of design as it relates to a space are amazing. Think beyond floors and back splashes. Take your thoughts to entire walls, ceilings, bookshelf backing or even a laundry room! 
FATIMA - DUQUESA COLLECTION CERAMIC AND TERRACOTTA
Beauty in blue and white.
Photo Chasen West Photography
Pattern speaks volumes.
Photo Chasen West Photography
Geometry for those who are more contemporary.
Are you little more black and white?  

DECO D'ANTAN porcelain inspired by the art deco period.

Photo via Walker Zanger
DERBY - STERLING ROW COLLECTION
Photo  Via Walker Zanger
Houndstooth - Sterling Row collection
Men's suiting is so prevalent in the Sterling Row Collection, which is why I love it so much. I could design an entire room filled with masculine patterns and saturated depth for color. This collection is handsome and sophisticated. It can be used in the most classic or contemporary installations, from urban to suburban environments. Beauty had no boundaries.  

Thank all for a great time and a chance to gain more inspiration from your beautiful artistry.

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Wood-Mode: New Concepts in Cabinetry, Spaces & Charity.

South Hampton Kitchen
Wood-Mode, Inc., founded in 1942, is the nation’s largest manufacturer of custom cabinetry for kitchens, baths and other rooms throughout the home. The company is proud to note that its 70+ years in business have all been family owned and operated and Made in America. 
Embassy Row Kitchen

Ocean Side Kitchen
Detailed craftsmanship, purposeful storage solutions and a contemporary design aesthetic combine to create the perfect waterside getaway. Oceanside, Wood-Mode’s latest lifestyle concept, combines linear design with hidden functionality. 

A NEW CONCEPT
Hideaway Dog Dish Draw and Food Bin.
 Household pets are playing an increasingly larger role in home design, and Wood-Mode’s Embassy Row Pet Parlor concept space highlights the brand’s commitment to accommodating the needs and desires of these valuable family members. Born from the Embassy Row lifestyle theme, the Pet Parlor blends unique features with human and pet-friendly accessibility. The concept doubles as a laundry room, which gives many of the design details a dual purpose. The result is a beautiful and thoughtfully designed space that ads both value and convenience.
Integrated Appliances, Extra Large Sink for Bathing and Grooming. Built-in Pet fountain with Faucet For Ease and Convenience.
Island with Integrated Doors and Cabinets for Storage Solutions for Bones, Toys and Biscuits.  Life is good being a dog and living with Wood-Mode!


FUNDRAISING GETS A PAW UP AT KBIS
Image Chasen West Photography
BlogTourVegas presented by Modenus visited Wood-Mode's booth at KBIS2015 in Las Vegas. Wood-Mode hosted four Susquehanna service dogs (SSD) and their handlers to raise awareness for children and adults with disabilities. Attendees who participated in the social media program simply had to post a selfie with a dog using #KBISselfie and @woodmode and Wood-Mode would make a $5.00 donation to the organization. See selfie's here! 

Wood-Mode first partnered with Susquehanna Service Dogs in production of a concept video casting SSD Midge, a three-year-old yellow Labrador, to demonstrate the features of the Pet Parlor.
Image Chasen West Photography
“Casting a service dog was a great experience. She was highly trained which made production much easier and we were glad to bring awareness to this very worthy program,” said Jeff Wolfe, Director of Marketing at Wood-Mode.

Thank you Wood-Mode for an informative and thoughtful event! 
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Wednesday, February 11, 2015

WILSONART Brightens up the floor at KBIS2015

 KBIS2015 delivered eye catching color for me on January 20th! As I traveled from booth to booth with BlogTourVegas. I suddenly noticed a bright spot!  Wilsonarts booth was vibrant, colorful and filled with visual texture! I couldn't wait to get closer to see what they had to offer. They delivered a world of new options that were affordable and on trend for my clients. Options without sacrificing style. Consumers have various reasons for wanting choices outside of granite. Natural stone is not for everyone and some consumers are looking for exciting alternatives. Wilsonart nailed it! 

Photo Decortizo 
Here are a few reasons why:
Affordability
Affordable to repair 
Color range
Easy to clean 
Pattern choices
Resist stains
Resist bacteria 
Water tolerant
Non porous 
Laminate choices are not what they use to be!
They are much more!

 Need more pop! 
If this is a better choice for your needs, Wilsonart has added 
150 New Designs to their library and the patterns are endless!

Using pattern where it is unexpected adds visual interest!

 Maybe you need versatile surfaces?
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Use it on the wall like a chalk board! 


If that wasn't enough! 

Wilsonart introduces their Quartz collection.
This is my personal favorite MEHNDI. 
A semi-translucent counter top rich and earthy in tone.
Love it!

Thank you Wilsonart for all the fun and exciting new products! 

Photography by Chasen West Photography unless otherwise noted.
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PRESS RELEASE: NEOCON EAST TAKES ON PHILADELPHIA IN 2015


NEOCON® EAST TAKES ON PHILADELPHIA IN 2015
October 28th & 29th
Pennsylvania Convention Center

Chicago, IL. (February 2015) Vornado Realty Trust/Merchandise Mart is pleased to announce that the 13th edition of NeoCon East (October 28-29, 2015) will be moving to the vibrant and historic city of Philadelphia.  Held in Baltimore for the past 12 years, the leading design show and conference program for the commercial interiors industry on the East Coast will now call the Pennsylvania Convention Center its center of command. The state-of-the art exhibition space is located in the heart of the city, just steps away from the GSA's national headquarters. From its convenient location, to its powerful economy, organizers identified the “City of Brotherly Love” as the ideal host for the show, enhancing the NeoCon East experience and extending greater benefits to exhibitors and attendees.

NeoCon Vice President of Sales Julie Kohl says, “NeoCon East has had many successful years in Baltimore. We took the decision to relocate very seriously to ensure that it offers the best solution for our show, our exhibitors and our attendees. As we continue to grow, we recognize the need for a new home base that allows us to reach a larger, highly influential audience. We found that in Philadelphia.”

The Greater Philadelphia area consists of eleven counties and three states – Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware and is considered the US’s wealthiest and most densely populated region. Lisa Simonian, NeoCon’s Vice President of Marketing adds, “This region has a very strong A&D community, a comprehensive network of design industry associations and is easily accessible from D.C., Baltimore and NYC - all under two hours away by train or car. Business is booming across key vertical industries including Healthcare, Education, Hospitality and Office. We can't wait to take advantage of all that this move has to offer.”

Philadelphia’s regional design associations are some of the strongest in the US. Show organizers are already working with key partners like IIDA and AIA to explore special initiatives. In addition, they are developing dynamic programming and organizing a rich offering of resources for the milestone year. A GSA focus will also be maintained, optimizing the GSA’s Philadelphia headquarters and the significant number of federal government agencies in the region.  More exciting announcements will be made as the show date nears.

NeoCon® East is a registered trademark of Vornado Realty Trust/Merchandise Mart. Via Novita Communications.
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Tuesday, February 10, 2015

TOTO + PEOPLE + INNOVATION

Breakfast with Japan's largest manufacturer of plumbing since 1917.

TOTO
Photo Chasen West Photography
Where? 
Morel's Restaurant in Las Vegas on January 21st, during our trip to KBIS2015 as a Modenus BlogTourVegas participant.  We had a beautiful lunch and learned that TOTO is not so black and white. 
Photo Decortizo
Glass spheres illuminate the atmosphere and ceiling at Morel's .
Photo Chasen West Photography
Jason Fitzsimmons, Vice President of the sales division for the U.S. was our host. A few of us had the honor of sitting with him at our table and discussing the brand direction and their philosophy on putting people first. 
Photo Chasen West Photography
To be completely honest, I did not need a fancy breakfast to sell me on TOTO.  I already have a history of sourcing only TOTO to all my clients. Product recommendation is extremely important and whatever I suggest leaves a lasting impression. Therefore, I source TOTO because it is the best! Period!
   
You had me at sustainability!

Jason shared the TOTO commitment toward sustainability, acknowledgement and the realization, that environmental responsibility goes beyond product performance. The act of exploring more opportunities for reshoring in the Americas gives me an added respect for the brand. TOTO is reexamining their strategies for production and global distribution. Currently their Murrow factory in GA. produces one piece porcelain toilets for less cost than their best factory in China. This is good news for those of us in the United States. Producing products closer to where they are manufactured and sold makes more sense not only to TOTO but to those who gain employment from those decisions. 
Photo Chasen West Photography

TOTO's Benefit PeoplePlanetWater Statement


People

Creating jobs, reducing costs. Relocating manufacturing facilities to the Americas has not only created jobs, it’s helped TOTO to reduce shipping costs and streamline quality control. We pass those savings on to our customers.

Planet

Think globally, shop locally. Instead of shipping our products around the world for distribution and sale, TOTO manufactures in the Americas—reducing our overall carbon footprint.

Water

By land, not by sea. TOTO doesn't just believe in conserving fresh water—we’re serious about saving the oceans, too. Fewer container ships mean less pollution and cleaner beaches.

The first washlet launched in 1980
Photo Chasen West Photography
The Washlet by TOTO at KBIS2015 has come a long way from 1980! This piece of engineering has a magic wand that extends, oscillates and gently cleans with aerated water.
Photo Chasen West Photography
What else can I do? 
Provide a toasty seat with temperature controls and warm air dryer!
Photo Chasen West Photography
Believe it or not it has a Deodorizing feature for the ultimate experience of comfort and clean. 

Beyond the toilet!
Photo Chasen West Photography

Console Epoxy Lavatory
Photo Chasen West Photography
Thank you TOTO for keeping us up to speed on your brand products and message. I almost forgot! Jason...you impressed all of us at our table with your blog reading! We all appreciated it:-)



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Monday, February 9, 2015

THERMADOR Expands The Limits On Cooktops!

During Design and Construction week in Las Vegas on January 20th, Thermador gave our #BlogTourVegas group a personal tour lead by Zach Elkin, Director of Brand Marketing. The brand offered a preview of its new Professional Grill, which will be featured on the Professional Rangetops, Pro Harmony® and Pro Grand® Ranges, along with a new trimless design option for the Freedom Induction Cooktop. 
Well hello gorgeous!!
Thermador Professional Grill
Photo via Thermador

This surface cooking feature boasts industry-leading design, featuring ceramic briquettes and grill grates that fully cover the heating elements to offer exceptional grilling performance and genuine smoky flavor. The Professional Grill features a wide variety of low to high temperature control for better taste, texture and quality – something not commonly offered on other indoor grilling products:

  • Two independently controlled heating elements that empower home cooks to place foods such as vegetables on one half of the grill at a lower setting, and meats or fish on the other half at a higher heat setting.


  • Intelligently designed grates that are placed in direct contact with the heating elements to produce fast preheat and excellent searing.


  • During each use, the ceramic briquettes collect juices that drip down from the grill plates to provide genuine smoke flavor, with excess drippings collected in a grease tray underneath.


  • The grill can easily be disassembled, with removable grill grates that are dishwasher safe and hinged heating elements that fold up so the dishwasher-safe ceramic briquettes can be removed for easy cleaning of the grease tray – a truly exceptional cleaning feature that is unmatched in the industry.


The Professional Grill is designed as an alternative to the existing Thermador electric grill and griddle plate currently featured on the Professional Rangetops, Pro Harmony and Pro Grand ranges. With its introduction, cooks now have more choices than ever when selecting their ideal cooking surface.
Seemless!
The Freedom Induction Cooktop 
Photo via Thermador

The first full-surface induction appliance with the flexibility of intelligently recognizing cookware size, shape and position to deliver heat without boundaries, allowing cooks to use pots and pans of any shape and size and place them anywhere on the surface. The cooktop boasts all the benefits of traditional induction technology, including instantaneous and precise temperature control, and also offers the PowerBoost™ feature that boils water faster than any other technology in its class. Maintaining a spotless surface is also effortless with the cooktop, as spills and boil-overs will not scorch onto the surface, and can be wiped off with just a damp cloth.  With more than 30 international patents, the Thermador Freedom Induction Cooktop is built with 48 individual 3-inch induction heating elements below the surface of the appliance. This translates to a 63-percent more effective cooking area on the surface by eliminating the conventional standard of predefined elements. Additional product highlights include:

  • A 6.5-inch, full-color touchscreen display that recognizes pot shape, size, and controls power setting and cooking time


  • Surface area to accommodate a 21-inch x 13-inch pan with the largest cooking surface in the industry


  • A range of 4,600-watt maximum power output with Boost feature and 15-watt minimum power output.

Photo Chasen West Photography
“Induction cooking continues to grow in popularity for many reasons, including its responsiveness and performance. We are proud that our Freedom Induction Cooktop is the most revolutionary of the induction cooktops on the market,” said Zach Elkin, director of brand marketing. “By adding a second design option, we are giving cooks more flexibility to select the style of this appliance that best fits their kitchen design preferences.”
Photo Chasen West Photography
Cheers to you Zach, for a wonderful lunch and making new friends! It was really great to go beyond the brand! Nothing beats making in real life and time connections!
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Las Vegas Country Club lunch hosted by Thermador.
Photo Chasen West Photography
Thank you so much!

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Tuesday, February 3, 2015

THE BEST OF KBIS 2015 RESULTS! AND THE WINNER IS....



 Here is my lovely friend Pamela Copeman announcing the Modenus #BlogTourVegas  results for The Best Of The Kitchen and Bath Industry on January 20th 2O15. 
All eyes on Pamela as we wait! 
(Above images Chasen West Photography) 

In the meantime, let me tell you about my new friend I met on tour who is sitting to the right of me.  My fellow blogger, Mal Corboy  (3rd row, second from the right) winner of the SBID International Award (Best KBB Project) wearing that fantastic shirt! The man is a genius! There must be something in that New Zealand water! BTW...he has an incredible book out on his life's work! It is truly an amazing collection of kitchens coupled with some of his favorite chefs that I'm sure you'll enjoy reading about! 
You can purchase it or just take a look...
Here
Love your taste in shirts Mal! XO

Back to the winners of KBIS!

MY TOP PICK!
This was definitely the "Best In Show" for me! Can you imagine a wireless charger embedded into your surface material?? Amazing! There were so many wonderful products to see. It was truly very difficult to choose. I hope you enjoy the products listed below as much as we do. Click on the links below for more...



The People’s Choice Awards were voted on by attendees during all 3 days of the show using the KBIS Mobile App.
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