Project of the Month

The Hall Design Group’s project of the month can be referred to as “the people’s choice” kitchen. Given the chance to present what is desired within the kitchen today, this project would be my choice. Clean lines and “eloquence thru simplicity”. The main objective was to remove the wall from the kitchen to the family room. The clients enjoy entertaining and wanted both areas to act as one. Leicht cabinetry supplied by the Hall Design Group serves as the cornerstone for the project. Mixing warm wood grain laminates with the dark anthracite accents truly work off one another. Notice how we also introduced industrial textures to accent the clean lines. This kitchen isn’t all about aesthetics, however. Function was the first consideration when designing the space. The “Galley sink” was used to create an aquatic workstation that serves many purposes. Notice the large one level island, which doubles up as both a workspace and a gathering area for guests. My favorite area is the entertainment area. I brought the same materials into the family room and kept the simplistic theme. As you enter the room your eye follows a light and airy horizontal flow. Don’t be deceived though, The Hall Design Group was able to have the area serve many functions such as the TV, storage for components, and a niche for art and general storage. I also wanted to save some brick from the original space which creates an extra texture in the space.

SOUS VIDE – COOKINGS BIG TREND OF THE YEAR:

Once the choice of top chefs, Sous Vide is increasingly becoming popular for today’s passionate, home cook. With this method of cooking you can produce restaurant quality cooking in your home with the guidance of this French food preservation method. Sous Vide cooking is a method of cooking using precise temperature control to create consistent results. Sous Vide is defined as “cooking with the food vacuum sealed in a water bath or now with the aid of air and steam”. It is a very slow and precise method of cooking used to gain maximum results. In the past, sous vide could only be prepared at some of the finest restaurants in the world, but we are now seeing many appliance manufacturers that have their ovens with a setting to allow for this method of cooking to be done at home. You can check out steam ovens by Bosch, Miele and Wolf and refer to the single wall oven by Electrolux which has an “Air Sous Vide” method to gain best results.

The Beauty of Basements

One area within my business that does not get the attention it deserves is basements.  Over the years I have had the opportunity to remodel many basements.  The end result was an area in which the whole family was involved in the decision-making process.  A newly remodeled basement adds so much valuable space to the home for the entire family to enjoy for many years to come.  It also adds significant value to the home.  For many families it seems that the starting point to think about remodeling is when the family’s children reach the teenage years and are looking for a “place to escape”.  Many parents choose to create a welcoming space that their children will want to stay home with friends instead of being somewhere else.  Some of the popular area’s requested include an entertainment area, work out area, game area, storage area, laundry area, workbench area, craft area and either a bar or a combination kitchen/bar.  With most, if not all of these areas included in the space, one can see that all of the family’s needs can be met within one space allowing for them to spend quality time as a family.

Project of the Month:

Over the past year I was approached by clients that were looking to have their bathroom remodeled. The minute I pulled into their driveway I knew that that this was going to be a project to be excited about. The clients live in the eastern suburbs and have a contemporary style home that blends in and becomes one with nature. Bringing the outdoors in was a major priority to them. Also on the top of the list was to have a “spa” like feel to the space. I was excited when they instructed me to use my creativity to obtain the goals organically. In knowing all of this I wanted to make a statement the minute one enters the room. Please notice how I used a floating piece of wood to act as counter space and then the horizontal lines draw your eye to the center in which you will find a lit niche for display purposes. With the room limited in size I wanted to visually enlarge it. I started once again by bringing the outdoors in by having a feature wall with river stone. I then ran a horizontal piece of mirroring from wall to wall. This wall sets the tone for the entire space. When the mirror was applied I floated it out and installed LED lighting behind. There is a type of mental therapy called “Chroma therapy”. This term means therapy thru light. It has such a soothing effect on us when in its presence. Once in this room you will never want to leave.

I am proud to represent Leicht, the leader in fine European kitchen furniture for many reasons.

When it comes to fulfilling the kitchen desires of the client Leicht always takes the lead. The design world is quickly evolving into one of “modern style”. Over the past year I have been approached by clients who are looking to achieve an “industrial” looking kitchen. Leicht listened to the clients’ requests and introduced the new Minera series.

With German technology, Leicht was able to achieve a metallic looking effect on a series of their cabinetry. These doors are a matte lacquer and are anti-fingerprint. The different finishes include tarnished brass, charred black steel, and also a rusty steel effect. This series will greatly aid me in creating a unique kitchen space at an affordable price, as Minera is at a lower price series. We are on the cusp of a design revolution in which with technology we can create spaces never seen before due to extreme cost and Leicht is on the forefront of that.

A Tile That Redefines the Vision of Space

Located in the heart of the South Chagrin Reservation I recently completed a beautiful “modern” kitchen. In order to complete this project we needed to locate a tile that would be minimalistic in nature yet have some interesting and crisp architectural lines to enhance the finished product. We ended up going with a tile company named “WOW”. Wow is a tile line used in all areas of the home that can be described as “elegant yet contemporary” and allows the freedom of creativity. I have fallen in love with this line due to the fact that it will give me another tool to express my creativity and vision for the space.