Friday, September 30, 2011

Friday Find - ImagenGlass by Jockimo

I've warmed up to glass counters as an alternative to other solid surface materials. As always each has their pros and cons, but glass allows for some things that some other materials just don't.

This is ImagenGlass from Jockimo. What they've done is taken their glass slabs and used a photographic coloring on PET foil and laminated it inside the sheet. The results are breathtaking.


Notice the texture and transparency... it looks real!



Permanent pieces like this are sometimes frowned upon(I blame realtors) but the effect is quite dramatic. Imagine seeing the island backlit at night!



There is something very whimsical about the fruit kitchen... notice the light fixtures even. Think about it... the options are limitless! 

Thursday, September 29, 2011

Tailgate Thursday - Dead Man Tailgates!

Autumnal Saturdays around the country bring out the best tailgaters to ever see a football game. Some are decidedly more creative than others.

What does a tailgater need? Grill, cooler, place for a serving line... Sounds good right?

And then came this...



Nice, huh? Leave it to an industrious morgue employee Auburn follower to take fandom to a whole new level(beyond the grave, perhaps).

I need to find this tailgate soon... It's almost Halloween, after all!

Monday, September 26, 2011

Small Living: Teenage Wisdom

I'm well on board with the small house movement and think that it has plenty of merit. Does that mean I want to instantly move in to a sub-200 square foot space? No.

However, good design and architecture can allow a smaller home to function just like a larger one. 

There is a young man, Austin Hay, who has started his home development when most of us were more concerned with cars and the mall. He's 16 and building his own place. 

Check it out:


Now, I think Austin is on the right track. He's obviously been seeking some advice from some folks who are familiar with construction and he's learning a ton about the building process as he goes.

I'm all about picking up some hardwood floors for $25! Austin is hoping to finish up his project under the $12k he has budgeted.

So what do you think? Could you exist in a micro-home?


photos via tinyhouse.org


Sunday, September 25, 2011

Sunday Inspiration - Not Just a White Kitchen

No secret... I love white kitchens.

Also no secret, I HATE white ceilings.

Combine the two and MAGIC!!!


Ultra-hot-awesomeness.

Strike your fancy or no? Comment away!

Saturday, September 24, 2011

Do You Care About Privacy On Your Phone?

More and more people are using smartphones for pretty information sensitive tasks...

What are your concerns? Do you think your phone is secure?

Friday, September 23, 2011

I've Been Moved by an Island!

"Wow."

That was my initial reaction after seeing the VERVE sliding counter from Minimal | USA. 

Check it out.



HOT! Who cares if I sound like Paris Hilton... Did you see that!?

The sliding portion of the counter is an acacia veneer block just over 4.5" thick. When slid out, the counter reveals a sunken Corian section and a retractable stainless steel faucet and sink.





The design is nothing short of awesome. Even though I am not a huge fan of the ultra-modern and super minimalist setting, the principal of this island is spectacular. 

If you haven't been to the Minimal site and looked around, do it now. The inspiration there is immeasurable. 

Thursday, September 22, 2011

Bunk Beds on Boardwalk

Occasionally in my web-surfing about I run across something that really catches my eye or reminds me of something without intention.

Happened across these bunk beds and couldn't imagine them anywhere other than a property between Baltic and Boardwalk Avenues. Pass go if you want, it's 200 bucks after all.



Are those not the coolest things you've ever seen? I'd probably want some for myself but I'm pretty sure I'd hang right of the end of either bunk. Ha!


Oh there are children in there! Fun, fun for all!

These bunks are a prototype called Maja from AALTO+AALTO. I dig them, big time.

What do you think? Fun or over the top?

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Blanco Design Council Appointment Press Release

Got some exciting news recently!
 
If you hadn't heard already, I was appointed to the Blanco Design Council. Blanco has put together a fierce group of designers and bloggers to be a sounding board for trends and resource for information.
 
I could not be more honored! Check the press release before for more info.
 

Press Release

For Immediate Release


Contact: Lori Dolnick
Frank Advertising
Phone: 609.490.0999 ext 22
Email: ldolnick@frankadvertisingus.com


BLANCO welcomes Cupboards Kitchen and Bath designer Nick Lovelady to prestigious Design Council

Sylacauga, AL September, 2011 – BLANCO, German manufacturer of innovative and award-winning sinks and faucets, appoints talented kitchen and bath designer Nick Lovelady to the BLANCO Design Council. The panel of elite bloggers and residential designers serves as an industry design forum and influential resource for homeowners with makeover aspirations. Through their network of blogs, including BLANCO’s http://www.blancobydesign.com/, the Design Council provides the latest updates in products news, support tools and inspirational ideas.

"We are very excited to welcome Nick Lovelady to the BLANCO Design Council,” states Christy Emens, marketing communications manager for BLANCO. “Nick will bring a great deal of value and insight to the Design Council on many levels given his depth of industry experience, knowledge and social media influence.”

Hailing from a family of well-known southern cabinet designers in central Alabama, Lovelady helps run the family owned business Cupboards Kitchen & Bath, a popular retail cabinetry company with high style and southern flair that has been around for years. Using a no-nonsense approach to design, the highly regarded designer has become an invaluable resource over the years to many of his clients, customers and friends. His passion for residential design can be attributed to constant involvement in his parents’ home projects while growing up in Alabama.

In addition, the progressive cabinet guru maintains a strong and loyal following for his blog The Cupboards Blog, which brings readers daily inspiration about kitchens, bathrooms and gives professional tips for homeowners remodeling their homes. When Lovelady is not helping to design cabinets, he enjoys tailgating on football Sundays and riding his Harley in his spare time.

The BLANCO Design Council is an elite group of professional design bloggers that offer valuable and in-depth insights into the world of kitchen and home renovation. For a complete profile of BLANCO Design Council members and their inspirational blogs, please visit www.blancobydesign.com.


About BLANCO

For three generations, BLANCO has quietly and passionately elevated the standards for luxury sinks, faucets and decorative accessories. Proud of its European heritage and award-winning German engineering, BLANCO is steadfastly committed to their tradition of high quality, innovative design and unsurpassed service since 1925. Today, BLANCO is the only supplier in the world to produce its own sinks from start to finish in three materials. Dedicated to quality without compromise, every sink is closely inspected many times before it receives the BLANCO name.

A remarkable history of firsts emphasizes BLANCO’s zeal for innovation including the first stainless steel sink to achieve a 10mm radius –STEELART® – the first to market colored hard composite sinks – and BLANCO’s pioneering MicroEdge™ technology with its virtual flushmount edge.

BLANCO has a long tradition of environmental stewardship and their production facilities operate to strict DIN EN ISO 14001 environmental performance standards.

BLANCO is the brand of choice in the luxury sink and faucet category for its unparalleled quality and an inspirational breadth of design possibilities. From the precision craftsmanship and artistic creativity of its STEELART brand to the stunning durability of its ground breaking SILGRANIT® collection, BLANCO has proven that the sink is far more than a mere functional element in the kitchen.

Since 1994, BLANCO has been a member of the Caux Round Table (CRT), an international network of principled business leaders and companies working to promote a moral capitalism.

For more information, visit www.blancoamerica.com.


For photography, interviews or questions, please call Lori Dolnick at 609-490-0999 x22 or ldolnick@frankadvertisingus.com.

Saturday, September 17, 2011

What Your Favorite Ice Cream Says About You

It's no secret that I have a hard time resisting ice cream, no matter the season.

Maybe the kind of ice cream you like has a lot to do with your personality... Since there is no Cake Batter flavor(Kilwin's has the best), I had to choose Butter Pecan. Kind of embarrassing to choose the flavor that has "Glutton" in BIG letters over it!

What flavor are you?

Friday, September 16, 2011

Friday Find - Old Try

I love anything that oozes Southern.

Rarely does something so Southern exist so far north of the Mason/Dixon line, but that's where Old Try has set up shop and is creating some of the finest Southern heritage prints I've seen in a really long time.


Old Try is the brainchild of a transplanted Southern couple now in Massachusetts. They use a real letterpress with movable type and wood blocks for their prints, creating one-of-a-kind pieces with every move of the machine.


It's easy to see the depth of the colors and richness of the type- something typically lost with modern printing devices. (According  to the Old Try Blog, the grey and yellow from the print above were sampled from Confederate uniforms)


This would hang on my wall this second if I were an Ole Miss fan. Pure awesomeness.


Make sure that you scoot over to the Old Try site and look at the snippet of history behind each poster(learn something every day, right?). The Resurgens print is a throwback to the city of Atlanta and General Sherman.


And last(but certainly not least), the print that I am ordering and will hang somewhere in my world... Trying to decide between here at the shop or at home. The Alabama state flag with perhaps the most recognized words ever to be paired with our state's name.

The first time I saw this print it reminded me all over of how much I love where I live. Sure, we have our faults... But we eat better, talk slower(good for comprehension), and have prettier people than anywhere in the world. No matter where I go, this print would always sum up home for me. Pretty sweet, huh?

Now go over to their site and buy one(or all). The prints are 13" x 20" from all I can see and run $40(way cheap for a limited run, fine piece of art).


All photos via Old Try

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Shower and Simmer?

More and more, small homes/apartments/condos are gaining appeal. Not only are they easier to maintain and can be significantly more cost effective, but smart designs even allow for all the amenities of a much larger home.

Now, there will always be a give and take... this apartment isn't quite what I would imagine as being very guest-friendly...


But hey, at least you can keep an eye on the dinner while your washing your hair... I don't imagine the shower came with the strategically placed steam.

Voyeuristic showers are not uncommon... one of the first things I thought of when I saw this shower was a post by our friend Bob Borson over at Life of an Architect. His shower has quite the view!


Obviously, it's a small space- I would have never guessed that placing the shower at the end of the kitchen would have been smart... Fortunately, there are a couple of ways to insure a bit of privacy if you desire.



Pocket doors are gifts from above and save TONS of space in a small home. I was tricked in to believing I would just have to shower in plain view of my stove.




I'll give it to the architects who designed the space, it's not like any other I've seen... And there's no doubt that the shower would be the chief conversation piece of the home. Better make sure you keep those panels clean!

All photos via ArchiPablos.

Saturday, September 10, 2011

House Cleaning Facts

Long ago, I embraced my compulsive cleaning habits at home... Scary how much Americans send cleaning products down the drain!

Friday, September 9, 2011

Guest Post: Outdoor Kitchen Design Tips

Thanks to Marissa from OutdoorLiving.com for stepping in and sharing a great post today! Have a great weekend!
__________________________________________

Outdoor Kitchen Design Tips



In the last 5 years or so, the outdoor living space emerged as one of the top trends when designing a home. People wanted a place to enjoy the comforts of the inside with the ambiance of the outside and that’s just what they got. As always, trends change with time. Now that the outdoor living space has become accepted, the new thing popping up is the outdoor kitchen. It’s a natural addition in the outdoor space, as it’s another way to enjoy the comforts of inside while out in nature. If you’re just beginning to plan your outdoor kitchen, here are 4 tips to help you get started.

Consider the Type of Entertaining You’ll Do
  • If you’re putting in an outdoor kitchen, chances are you’ve got a pretty good sized outdoor area. The big consideration here, though, is the size of gatherings you’ll be having. If it’ll just be something you and your family use, a small kitchen with simple bar seating may be all you need. Conversely, if you plan on hosting outdoor gatherings with a lot of guests, you may want to add more cooking space and extra accessories, like a built-in drink cooler. A dining area next to the kitchen is a great idea as well, as it gives everyone a place to gather before, during, and after the meal.

The Grill is the Centerpiece
  • Don’t forget that the centerpiece of your outdoor kitchen is the grill – it’s where the food gets cooked and where you’ll be spending a lot of time. With that said, don’t just go with any cheap grill you find here. There are certain things in an outdoor kitchen that you can spend less on, but you’ll want to invest money in a high quality grill. A cheap model will burn out after a few seasons and need to be replaced. A quality grill will last through years of cooking and hundreds of meals, easily paying for itself over time. As a bonus tip, go with a propane grill – it will cost less than running a natural gas line or an electric line out to your kitchen.

Accessorize Properly
  • While the grill is the centerpiece, you can’t forget about the accessories. These are what make it an outdoor kitchen and not just a fancy grilling spot. Staple accessories every kitchen should have include a sink, storage cabinets, and a small refrigerator. With these, you’ve got the basics and can do all you need to have a great meal outside. If you want to get a little fancier, you can add things like a wine chiller, lobster boiler, or a warming station. For a real treat, consider adding a pizza oven. These have become the top accessory in outdoor kitchens over the last year, as they’re easy to install and give you a quick way to cook a food everyone likes.

Plan for Mother Nature
  • Finally, you’ve got to take the elements into consideration when designing your outdoor kitchen. A well planned one will have the main cooking and (if implemented) dining areas covered so the space can still be used in rain or other bad weather. If you’re in a cooler region of the country, adding a heating element like a nice stainless steel patio heater is an easy way to make sure you and your guests are always comfortable in your outdoor kitchen. For warmer regions, an outdoor fan or misting system always makes a good choice for keeping cool.

When you consider the value outdoor kitchens provide, both in terms of hosting guests and in the resale of your home, it’s no surprise they’re becoming so popular. Let these tips guide you when you start designing yours and you’ll have the perfect one together in no time!


About The Author – Marissa Alan is a writer with Outdoor Living and enjoys cooking, outdoor decorating, and making her own wind chimes. For more on products like fire pits, grills, outdoor kitchen accessories, and garden water features, visit OutdoorLiving.com. 

Saturday, September 3, 2011

Tailgate Time! What is Cornhole?

Today officially the first tailgate Saturday of the new college football season. If you happen to be on a college campus one weekend during football season, you're bound to run in to someone playing cornhole...

It's a pretty fun game once you know the rules! Stay away from those injuries though!

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