How To Work With An Architect

Anyone who’s gone through a major renovation or new construction project can tell you that having a great architect by your side is extremely important. But, finding the right expert is only half the battle. To get the most value from the collaboration, you need to know what to look for and what pitfalls to avoid.

In the informative article “How To Work With An Architect“, Lisa Frederick offers insights on the timeline, cost, licensing, and other aspects of working closely with an architect to make your project a successful one.

 

Making bold visions a reality - the value of an architect

Making bold visions a reality – the value of an architect

 

 
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Kitchen Design Ideas: DIY Painted Shelves

Just found this little design gem – custom painted shelves that look stunning and can be adapted to pretty much any kitchen.

One of those ideas that can be done on a weekend with a single trip to Home Depot – yet come out looking like a million bucks.

Why limit yourself to monotone shelving when you can have glorious gold accents and bright colors? Or, a subtle color stripe that instantly transforms a utilitarian piece of furniture into a personal item with loads of charm!

Here’s a little taste…

DIY Painted Shelves from DesignLoveFest.com

DIY Painted Shelves from DesignLoveFest.com

 

…and here’s the whole enchilada: http://www.designlovefest.com/2012/07/make-it-15/

 

 
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Kitchen Design Case Study: Urban Style With Elliptical Range Hood

In this renovation of a historic Gothic mansion, the kitchen designer chose a mix of Gloss Charcoal Oak Veneer wall furniture, Gloss Crystal center island, and Aran White granite for countertop material. A bold central soffit visually connects the wall units to the center island, as well as providing area lighting and a mounting point for the ventilation hood.

 

Urban Style Kitchen - Ellipso Range Hood - Front View

Urban Style Kitchen – Ellipso Range Hood – Front View

 

The countertops are Aran White natural granite with apex edging. Granite is a great choice for countertops – not only is it durable and scratch-resistant, but it can also provide visual continuity between differently colored materials of the center island and the wall furniture. Here’s a close-up of granite texture:

 

Aran White Granite - Texture Sample

Aran White Granite – Texture Sample

 

The white-and-light-brown color scheme of the granite is perfectly positioned between the glossy oak cabinetry and the snow-white island and celing. Texture also comes into play – from the smoothness of the island cabinetry to the subtle acid-etched texture of the illuminated glass backsplash, to the lightly distressed color variations of the wall furniture, to the bold pattern of colors on the countertop.

 

Urban Style Kitchen - Ellipso Range Hood - Left Side View

Urban Style Kitchen – Ellipso Range Hood – Left Side View

 

The left apex of the “work triangle” includes a Miele oven, combination oven, warming drawer, and steam oven – plenty of cooking power and variety to handle every recipe. An integrated coffee center (upper-left) is a permanent solution to reducing clutter and making sure a great cup of coffee is always nearby. The food prep area is outfitted with a 2-compartment stainless-steel sink, 2 faucets + sprayer, LED lighting, and a acid-etched glass backsplash.  To the right of the sink area, the built-in Siemens A-Cool refrigerator and freezer is paired with an A-Cool wine conditioning unit.

 

Urban Style Kitchen - Ellipso Range Hood - Right Side View

Urban Style Kitchen – Ellipso Range Hood – Right Side View

 

Urban Style Kitchen - Ellipso Range Hood - Oblique View

Urban Style Kitchen – Ellipso Range Hood – Oblique View

 

The main cooking area features a smooth glass Miele induction cooktop, and the classically elegant Ellipso island range hood, whose curved lines help to soften the geometric primness of the kitchen furniture. Polished stainless steel surface of the range hood perfectly matches the trim of the wall-mount ovens, and the tubular stainless steel handles of the cabinetry. The range hood is adjustable to accommodate a variety of ceiling heights; in this installation, its full extension is not used, due to the large soffit (which adds area lighting and a visual continuity between the wall units and the center island).

 

Urban Style Kitchen - Ellipso Range Hood - Close-Up

Urban Style Kitchen – Ellipso Range Hood – Close-Up

 

The Ellipso hood is equipped with energy-efficient fluorescent lighting, covered by a frosted tempered glass panel, which provides smooth and even illumination of the cooking area. The hood’s innovative Perimeter Suction filtering system draws air through the slot around the central panel, creating an “air curtain” effect that maximizes capture performance while reducing operational noise. More information can be found on the Perimeter Suction FAQ page of our website.

 

Urban Style Kitchen - Wall Furniture

Urban Style Kitchen – Wall Furniture

 

The final effect is a kitchen that is harmonious with the historic nature of the building, while providing a comfortable and modern workspace. Well-proportioned and stocked with high-end appliances to handle any cooking habit, it’s suitable for any lifestyle and family size.

Stay tuned for more exciting and elegant kitchen design ideas – subscribe to this blog, follow us on Twitter, or become friends on Facebook!

 
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New Photos – 14″ Jupiter Island – Sleek Tubular Range Hood

The “Jupiter” range hood features a sleek tubular shape for a contemporary look. Made in Italy from the highest-grade AISI 304 stainless steel, and equipped with a powerful 940-CFM blower as well as advanced electronic controls, it offers an unbeatable combination of style and technology.

We’ve just added several new images to the photo gallery for this exciting model – check them out!

Twin Jupiter Island range hoods in a contemporary kitchen

Twin Jupiter Island range hoods in a contemporary kitchen

 
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Kitchen Design Ideas: Custom Panels for Range Hoods

The “Jupiter” tubular range hood from Futuro Futuro offers a rare feature – the ability to accommodate a custom panel. Simply detach the bottom portion of the hood, insert the glass or metal panel, and re-attach the bottom portion. That’s it! No modifications to the range hood are necessary, and the mounting bolts are adjustable to accommodate panels of various thickness.

Here are a few creative ways to customize this sleek tubular range hood. Click on any photo to see a larger version with more detail.

To soften the right angles of this modern kitchen, the corner of the island was rounded to match the shape of the Evo cooktop. Taking the idea further, the designer chose the round Jupiter range hood – and reinforced the visual impact with a round glass panel.

Round Evo Cooktop + Round Jupiter Hood + Round Glass Panel

Simply Circular

 

In this luxury condo renovation, the Jupiter hood was combined with a custom glass shelf, a couple of pendant lights, and some lightweight metal rods. The end result is a centerpiece that visually ties the kitchen space together, as well as provide effective ventilation, storage space, and a place to hang small kitchen tools during food prep.

Futuro Futuro "Jupiter Island" Tubular Range Hood

Designer centerpiece built around Jupiter Island range hood

 

The “Venus” line from luxury kitchen manufacturer Snaidero uses 2 Jupiter range hoods with a custom shelf as the focal point of the island. The “Venus” is designed by Pininfarina S.p.A., the design firm responsible for some of the world’s greatest cars – Rolls-Royce Camargue, Ferrari Scaglietti, Jaguar XJ220, Maserati Quattroporte, and countless others.

The unique shape of the countertop is mirrored by the lightweight aluminum overhead shelf that houses 2 Jupiter Island range hoods as well as an array of energy-efficient lights. Bold, bright colors of the kitchen are perfectly complemented by the polished stainless steel of the range hoods.

Pininfarina’s supercar design heritage comes through in every visual aspect – bright red cabinets are a homage to the most popular Ferrari color choice, countertop and shelf curves evoke the muscular elegance of Italian supercars… how fitting that the exhaust hoods should be solid metal tubes – to match the massive airflow components of machines producing 500+ horsepower!

 

 
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