New French Door Oven from American Range

This new single convection oven is really a great concept.














It's especially useful and safe for wheelchair cooks, because they won't have to dodge around the open oven door.

Comes in cool colors too.
Thanks to Ann Porter, CKD, of KitchAnn Style for pointing me to this.

Peggy

e*Vents Customizable Hoods

This Colorado hood maker has some unique and usable canopies that can be customized with faux paint or tile, etc. to make a one of a kind hood.

Executing a design for a site-built custom hood can be problematic for many contractors. Not all will have a "finish guy" on staff to take on such custom work.
e*Vents offers an orderable solution to the problem.





"We also offer our exclusive ‘lumaboard’™ range hood bonnets in any style, size, and shape. These ‘ultra light’ ‘non-combustible’ bonnets mount easily to any wall surface or are completely suspend able above any island format at any
ceiling height.

Our ‘lumaboard’™ products consist of a layer of gypsum wallboard bonded to an aluminum shell.

You finish with texture, paint, slate, tile, or wood trim. Or add a stainless or copper trim package and you’ve got the perfect design solution for any décor."

Very useful.

Peggy

Appliancist

Here's another "new to me" appliance web site called Appliancist

They show a blog-type series of reviews and photographs of major and countertops appliances with clickable categories to narrow your search. Many appliances are European, so I think they may be based there, but they show U.S.-available products as well.

It's fun to see what Europe is doing appliancewise. I think they are ahead of our doddering U.S. companies right now.

I particularly like their trends categories, where you can review the latest and greatest.

Peggy

Great Article on Appliance Colors

I just came across a great article by Susan Serra on DesignTalk about Choosing Color for Appliances. Great advice!

I think the new accent colors available in focal point appliances, like ranges, are wonderful.

I'm not so sure about colors for the rest of the appliances in a kitchen.

Dacor recently came out with some lovely, color-drenched dishwashers. But I don't think I want to draw attention to the dishwashers in the kitchens I help plan. Just their locations, usually on one side of the sink, would tend to "unbalance" the design. I'd have to give some real thought as to how, or why, to make a dishwasher a focal point.


Focal points are very important elements of design to a kitchen designer.

We need to create them, emphasize them and not make too many of them.

The most commonly used focal point in a kitchen centers around a sink and window.

If the kitchen has no other focal point, the sink is usually centered on a main window. It is important to create visual balance around a window and to let the window "breathe", with enough wall space on either side that it doesn't feel "pinched". Visual balance can be equal sized cabinets. Or it can be items with similar weight in the space, cabinets on one side and a painting or shelves on the other. Balance doesn't have to mirror so much as it has to feel right to the viewer.

The other focal point that I very often use is a ventilation hood over the range or cooktop.

In this kitchen remodel, I used an Abbaka Facets hood with brass trim on an old brick chimney that was formerly hidden behind plaster. The strong, rough brick contrasts with the painted cabinets to create the focal point. The hood accents the brick.

A secondary focal point is the sink area with a recessed open shelf cabinet and mullion door cabinets of equal size on either side.

There are so many wonderful hoods out there these days, from stone to sleek brass. The only limits are the budget and adventurous nature of the client.

Peggy

Top Cooktop Reviews

I've just discovered a great resource for appliance info at Appliance.com, the very useful site of Home Appliance Magazine. They've got reviews of specific popular appliances. Now you don't even have to haul your favorite pan into the showroom with the working kitchen!

Check out Gourmet Guru Appliance Ratings to see if they have reviewed in your needed category before you shop!

And, if they haven't done what you need yet, why not send in a request?

Peggy

Gourmet Guru Cooktop Comparison

"We took four top-of-the-line gas cooktops for a test drive (Miele model #KM342, Thermador model #SGSX365ZW, Viking model #VGSU161, and Wolf model #CT36G) and focused on three purchase criteria: performance, appearance, and price."

Kitchen & Bath Search Engine

This is a BIG DEAL!

Here is another new site that may be indispensible for appliance shoppers and designers alike. It's called KitchenandBathSearch.com and is affiliated with industry magazine Kitchen & Bath Business.

"The search engine delivers quick access to relevant information on products, services, industry trends, news, showcases, design ideas, installation tips and other content."

The interface is kind of bare bones, so you may not realize the potential right away.

Here's an example of results on a search for "cooktops" .

KitchenandBathSearch.com was developed by Convera in collaboration with industry experts from Nielsen Business Media, including the editors of Kitchen and Bath Business magazine (K+BB) and the producers of the industry's largest tradeshow, Kitchen and Bath Industry Show and Conference (K/BIS). The vertical search engine serves a diverse professional industry of interior designers, architects, kitchen design specialists, custom builders and re-modelers.

"The kitchen and bath market thrives on the ability to provide professionals and consumers with information on innovative products, contextual design projects and design trends," said Cory Smith, vice president, Kitchen and Bath Group at Nielsen Business Media. "We are confident that the relationship with Convera will provide a unique user experience with deep and focused kitchen and bath content combined with leading technology making every search relevant and meaningful with maximum velocity."

Interesting. This is EXACTLY what I suggested to NKBA back in the 90's when I was Chair of the Technology Subcommittee...Unfortunately they got bogged down in issues of member or not and it never happened.

Well. Better late than never!

A "vertical search engine" like this will only bring results within the category it encompasses. Unlike a Google search that gives a lot of extraneous results you have to wade through to get what you want.

Peggy

Wowed by U.K. Extractor Hoods

I was reading an article by Majjie today,
UK Kitchen Design: 4. The Professional Look,
on creating a commercial-looking kitchen at all price points.

Great article Majjie!
I love the way she has included consumers of more modest means by suggesting ideas on how to get "the look" at lower cost.

Anyway, she pointed me toward a hood manufacturer's web site called Elica.

I was blown away by some of their original designs.
Some combine the lighting and hood in one beautiful whole.













Unfortunately you can only buy them in the U.K.
Bummer!

Peggy