Sunday Designer Blog Stroll.

What's been on everyone's mind this week in design? Below are slices of conversation from my blog favorites from the past week as well as my own commentary on an unusual experience that prompted me to get on top of my Sunday soap box for a good old fashioned rant. One thing you will notice about these fine people and fellow bloggers is their passion for their profession. No matter what you want to call us, your designer, your decorator, that kitchen lady, that cabinet guy, whatever, it doesn't really matter to us, as long as you call us and hire us.

What does matter, and what you should know is that we are very dedicated to our profession. Some of us who have blogs have made them an extension of our daily work. (I mean, you have to be a little bit obsessed to spend your off hours to blog about, what else, work!) I know there are others, regardless of having a blog or not, that are just as obsessed as me, that bring spec books home, attend seminars or research new materials at home as an extension of our work life. It's a 24/7 profession. The spec sheets and nitty-gritty research we pore over will never really make it as a blog item because you would be bored to tears. So blog fodder is limited to fun stories, factoids and cool new items we find. Interested in hiring a designer, decorator, whatever you want to call us? Ask us what else we do to further our professional goals. What seminars we took in the last 6 months, what books we read, what professional organizations we belong to, and how we are active in our community. It will be evident when you talk to us. We care about what we do and have a passion for sharing our observations and knowledge with you.

Kitchen and Residential Design.
Paul Anater is spreading the word about The 3/50 Project. A nationwide, grass-roots effort to save independent businesses that were already reeling from the incursions of the Wall Marts and the Home Depots of the world before the bottom fell out of the economy. This is an effort we can all get behind and support.

Kitchen Sync
Kelly Morriseau has posted a hilarious but sadly familiar spoof on bargaining. Click here to watch it there.

KitchAnn Style
Ann Porter had Jaime Goldberg, from Gold Notes, drop in as guest blogger, providing great coverage on 2009 KBIS Product Showcase. Toto introductions knocked my socks off. Unbelievably cool new products for Toto.

And you must check out the island design made out of one massive chunk of Carrara Marble designed by Patrick Jouin and partner Sanjit Manku, a Kenyan-born Canadian architect.

The Kitchen Designer
Susan Serra, always one to show new ways of thinking about kitchen design, discusses alternate options for the backsplash, thinking beyond tile in her post, Creative Backsplash Inspiration.

I caught a glimpse of a similar idea using alternate backsplash materials in my own post earlier this week when I introduced Teo Jasmin to my readers.

Appliance Notes

Peggy Deras has posted a safety recall notice “GE Recalls Ranges Due to Fire and Burn Hazards”. And over at her other Blog, Kitchen Exchange, she has profiled a new product. Scotch Brite Slashes Paper Towel Use.

I would love it if I could cut back on my paper towel use. I may have to give Scotch Brite's new absorbent cloth a try.

Retro Renovation
Pam has posted a great item coming from Woman's Day, Life In the 50's through Today
Did you know that the average house size in the 50s was 983 s.f. — and that today, it’s 2,349 s.f.?

No Design Legislation

Wendy Hoechstetter puts forth an exemplary essay critiqing ASID's hypocrisy in their report: Consumers Very Satisfied Working with Interior Designers. Which is it ASID? Sounds like more double talk. Is the public satisfied with Interior Designers or does the public need more regulation to protect them from unlicensed designers.

Patricia Gray| Interior Design
Patricia has a beautiful pictorial posting entitled, Passion- That is the Key. This is an excerpt taken from the book: INEX by Wolterinck, featuring the interiors of homes and shows how the surrounding gardens have been designed to complement the interiors, creating a total lifestyle concept. Just beautiful!

What's in a title really?
A TALE of FLUTES and RIDGES; or the response to the Inquiring Professor.
I had a disappointing experience with one "professional" designer this past week solidifying my position that a title after your name is not worth the paper upon which it is printed if you cannot live up to the standards upon which the credentials are based. Maybe she has a "flair" for design, I don't know, but competency and preparedness was surely lacking. This designer is in need of a refresher course on the three E's.

Meanwhile this week the "professor" at Kansas State with a lot of time on his hands sends me an email wanting to know if I consider myself a professional interior designer. Er, let's put it this way, apparently he is on a one man mission to, em, here is how he puts it: "...as long as you and your decorator cronies continue to include the education, experience and examination model for professional development in your deprofessionalization effort I will continue to call you on your collective fallacious propaganda." Excuse me while I stop to laugh a little here. ....;-)

HELP ME HELP YOU
Back to my story trying to help the "professional interior designer" looking for her vessel sink.
ME: "You say you recall the vessel has flutes?" (I pull open my Kohler catalog the size of two Bibles and one Koran stacked on top). THUD. Is the design located inside the bowl or on the outside?
PID: No, the design is on the outside. It's white and it has this vertical fluting on it.
ME: Is it this one?
PID: No. I'll know it when I see it.
ME: Do you remember the manufacturer or the name of the sink?
(More catalogs opened, flipping pages in search for fluting. Fluting. Fluting? I started to question what I was doing looking for fluting? A fluted sink? Does this even exist?)
ME: Can you call your client to see if he has a copy of the spec sheet you gave him?
PID: No, I gave him the print out and he lost it. That was my only copy.
ME: Oh, I see. And you say you need to order it right away? (A sea of catalogs between us in search of fluting on a vessel sink.)
How about this one? Or that one?
PID: No. No. It's the vertical fluting that wraps around the bowl.
(She holds her hand horizontally as the word comes out of her mouth: "fluting".)
ME: Oh, I see! You need a ridged detail.
(Hand gestures are the international language of common sense.)
PID: Yes, that is what I have been telling you! Didn't I say ridged? You know, I am in a hurry; I have to go, if you can just call be with the information that would be great.

Having never worked with this designer before, I saw that the title after her name on her business card reads ASID Interior Designer. I was anticipating a pleasant exchange with a "design professional". After all, ASID is the sign that a professional interior designer is qualified by:

"Education, experience and examination to enhance the function, safety and quality of interior spaces to the benefit of the occupants of such spaces." Source: ASID's Position Statement. www.asid.org/events/CLC/clc07/interiordesignregistration.htm

Further, ASID's position statement pulled from their website says:

"ASID advocates that the interior design profession is a single profession, regardless of specialty, and that the National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ) examination (including all its parts) is the basis for testing minimum competency for interior designers."

Based on my short exchange with a "professional interior designer" who sent me on a wild goose chase looking for a fluted vessel sink, when she really meant a ridged design on the vessel sink. Of course, she was on a time crunch too and flounced off. Meanwhile, I have this professor emailing me wanting to know if I think I am entitled by birthright to call myself an interior designer. I have been holding back a belly laugh all week! Oh gee, thanks, this is comic relief. I have to scratch my head and wonder aloud the following:

1. Regardless of your specialty, shouldn't a qualified "professional interior designer" know the difference between a flute and a ridge?
2. ASID beats their drum about "education, experience and examination". Who cares if you passed the examination but cannot practice it in everyday practical exams when your clients order is on the line?
3. In case you were wondering: The definition of a flute: Fluting in architecture refers to the shallow grooves running vertically along a surface. source: wordnet.princeton.edu
4. The definition of a ridge: a long narrow natural elevation or striation. Any long raised strip. source: wordnet.princeton.edu
5. Why would you hand off a tear sheet to your customer and not keep a copy for yourself?
6. If your clients are entrusting their design details to you for purchasing, wouldn't it make sense to keep a record of all specifications in a project binder or file or on your computer?
7. Why wait till the last minute to source out your products on a job?

ASID would like to have the public believe that the only ones who are qualified to design interior spaces are registered interior designers, and represent themselves as having the qualifications to do so.

Oh really? Being ill prepared to order a sink, not knowing the manufacture name of the sink, or even able to describe key features has me wondering what else can go wrong for that unsuspecting client if we are already having problems with just a sink? So what's the point of differentiating a "professional" from a "non-professional" with an arbitrary NCIDQ exam that is supposed to prove competency? Don't start writing to me, I am certain there are competent licensed designers, so do not accuse me of painting all licensed designers with the same broad brush stroke. I have nothing but admiration and respect for those who pursue their accreditation, if that is their goal.

What I am protesting is the broad brush stroke used to portray non-licensed designers, (me included), as nothing more than those with a flair for decorating and get our decorating advise from HGTV. Drawing assumptions or forming stereotypes related to a designer not pursuing a license, or that it means lack of professionalism about his or her career is no better than assigning other equally offensive stereotypes to various groups. Ageism, sexism, racism, decorator-ism. It is discriminatory and divisive.

It would be pretty silly for me to tell my clients I am a kitchen and bath decorator. I am not against education, I am against useless legislation. Although the Professor at Kansas State, who continues to pester me with his rude, patronizing emails would rather I put decorator on my business card than describe what I really do, is really huffing and puffing a lot of hot air at best. I do not decorate kitchens. I design them. And I certainly do not need to pass the NCIDQ exam to prove I know the difference between a flute and a ridge. This is about the ASID thirty year battle forcing others out of the business that will not play along with their rules. The lack of acceptance of other forms of professional achievement, education and experience is elitist. Fix the one-size fits-all requirement to pass the NCIDQ exam and then you will gain my interest. I would rather not have anything to do with the ASID and would rather spend my hard earned money and precious time becoming certified in everything else offered, and perhaps pursue a license that has more teeth to it such as a contractor’s license or an architect’s license. To pay dues and belong to the ridiculous ASID organization and waste my money on the arbitrary NCIDQ testing, I think I would rather live in Europe and do better things with my time.

Set aside the commercial interior design work for a moment. The reality is that people do not really care one way or the other about your credentials as a designer or decorator. Most people use the term interchangeably anyhow. The public will determine who is good enough to work on their project. And in this economy, homeowners are doing it alone or using their contractor to "design" the project while the design community continues to argue over what they can call themselves.

As long as the ASID Coalition continues to push our legislators to pass new laws that prevent people from earning a living in the occupation of their choice, the majority of opposed groups, furniture dealers, lighting designers, restaurant equipment designers, and the majority voice coming from interior designers/decorators will continue to push back this unconstitutional legislation on all fronts. Look at Florida's witch hunt. It is discriminatory, it restricts the public freedom to choose competent design services from interior designers of their choice and it is bad for the economy. “This law is absolutely riddled with constitutional problems that prevent people from earning a living in the occupation of their choice and we’re going to get rid of that law by challenging in court,” said Clark Neily, Senior Attorney for the Institute for Justice, referring to the lawsuit filed Tuesday, May 26, 2009 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida in Tallahassee, challenging Florida’s interior design law.

The following statement comes from their own website: source:

"ASID believes that, in the interest of the public good, the professional responsibilities of interior designers warrant state regulation."

http://www.asid.org/events/CLC/clc07/interiordesignregistration.htm

ASID will continue to waste our legislator’s time with new attempts to pass unnecessary legislation. And who pays the millions of dollars spent to push for this legislation? Membership dues paid by students, other allied members and professional members. In the long run, ASID stands to hurt the public more protect than protect the public by imposing new legislative "practice act" barriers preventing the public access to professional design help, licensed or not. If it is good enough for the White House, it is good enough for the rest of us.

Join organizations that are Against Interior Design Legislation.

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Teo Jasmin

Teo Jasmin: for the largest choice of canvas prints and decorative cushions.
When your design calls for a bold splash of color or eclectic whimsy start your search with Teo Jasmin.







This next photo caught my eye, (enlarge the magnified image below). Using alternative methods: canvas print sandwiched between glass will make a bold and "splashy"statement to your otherwise plain backsplash. The kitchen backsplash shown below becomes a space for artwork. (although this photo looks to be just canvas-which I do not recommend for practical reasons). GFI Outlet locations can be cut into the glass or opt for a plug mold power strip located under cabinet can be used instead for an uninterrupted appearance. (Check your local code requirements first). I love glass backsplashes.

For more information on the canvas prints, contact TEO JASMIN.

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Lead times: How soon do you need it?

There are times when I scratch my head in disbelief when do-it yourself remodeling types do not plan out the project details. Here is my "fly-on-the-wall" experience with a moral at the end of the story.

This weekend I was in a plumbing store with a client, helping with her plumbing selections for an upcoming project. What happened next placed me in a suspended state of disbelief.

A lovely woman walked into the store and explained she needed a lavatory sink and faucet and another faucet for the kitchen. Nothing too unusual about that.
The sales person proceeded to ask the customer the usual questions:
S: Are you looking for a self-rimming sink or under-mount?
C: Self-rimming.

S: Ok. Do you have a preference for wide-spread faucet or single faucet mounted on the deck of the sink or on the counter?" Do you know what your new counter surface will be yet?

C: New granite top. White self-rimming sink. Single hole faucet style mounted on the sink

S: Ok, great we have several options we can look at."

S: Next, is this for new cabinetry or are you replacing an existing sink and counter and keeping the cabinets?

C: Existing.

S: Alright, do you know what are the existing sink dimensions?

S: "'What's that? your existing cabinet is 15 1/2" front to back?" What's that? Oh, It's for your boat?
Oh, I see. Hmm, would you mind if I made a suggestion for an undermount with the single faucet mounted on the rear left or right and not centered. Or we could look at some stainless steel bar sinks that could work. Self rimming sinks with a faucet mounted on the porcelain are just not made that small. We can check the catalogs, but I am pretty sure it is a tall order to fill, I can think of two or three small sinks that may work.

C: No, no, we have that style now, and I really don't like it at all. I really want to change the style.

S: "How soon do you need it?"

C: "I am running out of time, I have the granite fabricator coming this Monday and need to get this done today."

When the customer said she needed it by Monday, the salesperson could have been a deer struck in headlights. That was Saturday with a customer looking for a specialty item she could take with her or have by Monday.


There was a line of people needing help and this customer insisted on going through all the catalogs to prove to herself that the salesperson indeed did not have a sink in stock that met her requirements.

Ideally, when planning a remodel, the cardinal rule is to plan in advance to have all the components on site or in stock ready to ship to you.

Lead times: Not all plumbing stores stock inventory. The specialty plumbing stores carry thousands of models from the plumbing manufacturers they buy from and most will have a lead time from as short as two weeks and as long as 6 weeks for special order items. Chances are, unless you walk into a big box store with product on the shelf ready to buy, there is little chance you will be able to walk away with it the same day.

Check ahead: Not all competing stores carry the same stock. One store may stock Kohler and another down the street may stock Grohe. Call in advance, save yourself the aggravation and wasting gas and time driving all over town. Ask the store manager or head of the dept. what brands they stock or that you can get within the week. Sales people should be able to help you over the phone with these basic questions. Check with your plumber where he buys from. Industry insiders are the best people to ask.

Getting the best service: Don't abuse a salesperson's time on the phone. Yes, that's right. To get the best service and best price keep your questions over the phone, simple and direct. Most will not be able to quote prices, but will be able to take care of your general questions. Ask your salesperson what's the best time to come in. They want your business, but if you need more handholding in product selection and need to look at every catalog and get a price on multiple styles, showing up during prime time hours means they have to hustle to take care of several customers and cannot focus on you alone. Most salespeople are knowledgeable and want to help. If you find yourself in a busy showroom, write down model #'s. Tell the salesperson you are working on a large project and have several things you need to order. Ask if they can fax or email a quote back to you. If you are willing to be flexible, you can get a lot more in the way of service and probably a better price.

Unfortunately, waiting till the final hour before the plumber arrives, can lead to some very unhappy compromises in your selections.

Better idea yet, if your request is for the unusual and your taste is very selective, your best value is hiring a designer to begin with. A designer has the capability of sourcing out custom features and will be able to recommend the best showrooms to find product. In addition, a designer may be able to recommend a much more efficient floor plan, so that you are not at the mercy of unusual dimensions.

There was more delays in her selection process. Most all the faucets had a red and blue dot indicating hot and cold and she needed one that did not have that. A few more customers came and went, not able to stick it out waiting for service. While the salesperson, (poor chap- he did the best he could in the limited amount of time he had), went off to assist another customer, I felt a little sorry for this lady's predicament. I whispered quietly to the lady looking for the unusual sink, "that is a very uncommon sink, have you tried a specialty plumbing supplier that carries sinks for marine and rv equipment?"

Answer: "Oh, I didn't think of that! I had no idea it would be so difficult."

Moral of the story: When you fail to plan, plan to fail.

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Modern Toilet, I beg your pardon!

(A conversation at the project meeting before the grand opening.)
Project Manager to Designer: "Uh, our order for the dining room chairs
won't arrive till after the opening. Any ideas?

Well, what actually happened is the restaurant owner is a bit of an eccentric character and thought a toilet themed restaurant would win the crowds over.

Ok, this is just wrooooong! I mean really wrong.
I would never....
eat at this Taiwan restaurant called Modern Toilet. Apparently it is popular. Ugg.

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My Sunday Web Stroll

Have you noticed...there are very talented individuals sharing their wealth of knowledge all over the internet. Hear is a briefing of what was said this past week in the world of kitchen and bath design and beyond.

Jamie Goldberg at Gold Notes has a fabulous posting on new bathroom products shown at KBIS this year.

Over at Kitchen and Residential Design, Paul Anater, has been obsessing over seamless kitchen sinks the same way I have been obsessing over faucets this week.

At KitchAnn Style, Ann Porter introduces the Calyx Hidden kitchen, a partnership between Italian furniture manufacturer, Dada, and Armani Casa on a new collaboration called the Calyx Kitchen.

Kelly Morrisseau at Kitchen Sync is sharing the latest information on water filtration systems.

Scott Shepard who dazzles us with the latest Cad technology innovations, over at It's Alive in The Lab, blew my socks off with the technology preview called, Project Showroom. Is it a photo or is it a computer rendering? You decide.

Peggy Deras at Kitchen-Exchange offers up straight talk on finding an independent Kitchen Designer.

Susan Serra at, The Kitchen Designer, offers up Five Ways to Keep Excitement in your Kitchen. In need of a recharge? Read her easy tips to get a fresh perspective.

Our blogging friend from Honolulu, Susan Palmer introduces us to the Tonino Lamborghini Casa furniture line featuring a new Pedini manufactured exclusive kitchen over at her blog, Susan Palmer Designs.

Over at The Home Know It All, Randall weighs in on the Best Bath Flooring.

At Surroundings, Linda, Megan and Joni, talk about paint and color in interiors. You can now listen with the podcast feature. Way to go ladies!

Back at the Daily Tubber WaterSense discussion is the topic. If your water and energy bills have been too high for your liking, it might be time to test your WaterSense.

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Oklahoma is OK.

Congratulations Oklahoma!

No longer illegal to use title "Interior Designer!"

Members of the Oklahoma design community:

On May 12th, Oklahoma Governor Brad Henry signed SB 592 into law. This bill amends the current title act which previously restricted the use of the title "interior designer."

Continue reading the whole article click here.

YOU ARE NOW FREE TO USE THAT TITLE

WHICH ACCURATELY DESCRIBES THE WORK YOU DO!

This is great news and another victory in erasing the damage done to free enterprise and the public's right to choose who they hire as a designer. The problem with design legislation is that a small segment of the Interior Design community would rather maintain a single point of entry, passing the NCIDQ Exam, to allow one the privilege to call oneself an interior designer.

With respect to the two most technical challenging rooms in the home, kitchens and bathrooms, the National Kitchen and Bath Association, NKBA, has function and safety guidelines that NKBA trained kitchen and bath designers follow. No legislation needed!

ASID and IIDA's argument for limiting who can call themselves an Interior Designer stems from their principal argument in concern for the public health and safety. Not a shred of evidence has ever been presented which would warrant a conclusion that the unregulated practice of interior design places the public in any form of jeopardy. As it is, in residential design, some homeowners will put themselves in jeopardy to save a buck by taking on home improvement projects without consulting with an NKBA trained designer, without pulling permits and without licensed contractors. This is precisely where professional design skills, made accessable for the working class, are needed the most. Professional design services should be more accessible to the public, and yet the very groups, ASID and IIDA, who strive to impose regulation on an entire profession in the name of protecting the health, safety and welfare of the public stand to do more harm to the public than good. Restrictive licensing laws will limit the right of the public to retain the services of a designer of their choosing and restricting NKBA members from practicing their profession. The pro legislation group will continue to bombard our legislators with arguments about their importance in protecting the public's health and safety, (proven immaterial) and the importance of education, (they do not recognize other educational tracks), and disparage unlicensed designers as not taking their career seriously, (who has the right to make that assumption that because one does not hold a license means he or she is not as equally impassioned, experienced, or educated?)

Nonetheless, every year we see this small segment of the Interior Design community continue it's efforts, state by state, spreading disparaging claims about their non-licensed design associates, bombarding our legislators with arguments in favor of changing legislation to prevent designers to use this title without a license. Their arguments continue to have flaws. The problem is that there can be no single point of entry into the profession. One size does not fit all by passing the NCIDQ exam. The educational requirements for licensed commercial interior designers is immaterial to the educational requirements for a residential kitchen and bath designer or to that of a restaurant/commercial kitchen designer. Least of all, the NCIDQ is not a measure of proving professionalism, nor talent. The most famous designers did not need an arbitrary test to prove their competency in the profession. If the First Family can choose an unlicensed designer, it should be good enough for the rest of America. A growing number of professional and business organizations oppose design legislation. The whole idea to add another layer of government bureaucracy to protect the public is duplicitous to codes already in place. ASID and IIDA are the only groups imposing their legislative force to limit other educated and experienced designers from practicing. The NKBA is not seeking legislative action to restrict licensed interior designers from designing kitchen and bath interiors before proving their competency by passing the CKD/CBD examinations. Although maybe they should as I have come across plenty of dumb designs from ASID licensed designers. The NCIDQ examination is flawed! It does not adequately test competency to become a kitchen and bath designer. To pass the NCIDQ exam costs thousands of dollars and several more years in education and intership under a lisenced interior designer. My efforts and clients would be better served by taking educational courses that would directly benefit my career, such as Certified Aging in Place certification made available by the National Association of the Remodeling Industry or becoming a LEED Certified Designer.

The push for Interior design licensing has become a very devisive topic within the design community. It is anti-competitive and anti-consumer and an absolute waste of taxpayers money to impose licensing laws. Let the public choose who they want to hire.

Here is the NKBA Position statement:

Approved February 29, 2008
Position Statement
National Kitchen & Bath Association
The National Kitchen & Bath Association (“NKBA”), as the leading trade and
professional organization in the kitchen and bathroom industry, takes seriously its
role in educating our members and the public at large of the importance of
retaining the services of a professional designer when contemplating new or
remodeled kitchen and bath projects. It is only through education of the public
that they become familiar with the services that a trained kitchen and bath
professional can offer, and determine for themselves the level of skill and
expertise that is required to meet their needs and budget. Because of this, the
NKBA is justly concerned about the efforts of a small segment of the interior
design community, primarily those belonging to the American Society of Interior
Designers (“ASID”), to limit the right of the public to retain the services of a
designer of their choosing and restrict our members from practicing their
profession, a profession in which we have been engaged in for many years
without complaint or concern by the public. As a result of the limited success that
those interior designers have had across the nation, and our belief that their
anti competitive efforts will continue in the future, the National Kitchen & Bath
Association has developed this Position Statement to make clear where we stand
on interior design licensing and how this organization will react to any further
attempts to restrict the profession.
ASID has for over 30 years, conducted a campaign through local coalitions to
convince a small but vocal part of its membership along with various state
legislators that there is a desperate need for interior design licensing to “protect
the public” from those designers who they have decided are unqualified and who
do not meet the self-imposed standards which they have arbitrarily set. They
have had some qualified success in obtaining licensing laws, primarily due to the
fact that such efforts went largely unnoticed by the design community at large.
Members of the National Kitchen & Bath Association generally historically were
not concerned about “titling” laws – regulations that merely restricted the ability to
use a term such as “Certified Interior Designer” or “Registered Interior Designer”
– since our members did not consider themselves “interior designers” and had no
desire to use the regulated term. In fact, under the broad definition of interior
design which these bills regulate, our members do provide interior design
services and would come well within the proscriptions of the law.

687 Willow Grove Street Hackettstown, NJ 07840
Phone: 908-852-0033 Fax: 908-852-1695
www.nkba.org

###

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Go crawl under a rock! Ok...

Have you ever wanted to tell someone to go crawl under a rock?
Well, this family took the idea to heart and did just that. And you thought your remodel was taking a long time? It took five years to build before they all climbed under. During the building process, the family lived in a tent. See the LA Times article, Cave Sleepers, for a full pictorial.

Photo courtesy of the LA Times. Photography by Ann Suma.

No wall cabinets in this kitchen.
I don't see a range or cook top in this photo. I wonder how they handle ventilation.
One annoyance they say bout the house is the occasional falling sand off the walls. That would be unusual seasoning for your food, don't 'cha think? Looks like the rear wall and kitchen ceiling is drywall. Maybe that is where the cooking surface is located.

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Faucet Friday: Installment 1

Choosing a kitchen or bathroom faucet spells unlimited possibilities! What's not to love about selecting new faucets. It is the jewelry feature in a bathroom or kitchen. Faucet manufacturers are delivering new and beautiful ways to deliver water.

To open up my new segment called Faucet Friday, today we will examine some of my favorite faucet designs from Cifial, (pronounced See-FEE-al).

Lavatory Faucets

With a timeless quality, the Hexa Collection by Cifial, adds a modern twist to Art Deco. Notice the sleek high arch as the water flows elegantly with a twist into the basin. Measures over 9" high and offers two handle styles to select from.

Exclusively engineered by renowned Portuguese designer Carlos Aguiar, the Techno M3 series by Cifial combines flawless lines with a modern twist to create an unrivaled look to any home.
The entire collection is available in a choice of four finishes including polished chrome, satin nickel, polished nickel and weathered. Awarded the 2008 ADEX Platinum Award for Design Excellence for it's superior product design and quality.

The Design Journal's Award for Design Excellence (ADEX), which recognizes outstanding furniture and fixtures product design, is one of the industry's most prestigious awards competitions.

Statuesque Brookhaven L- Spout Series

Well suited for universal design , the crown lever handles of the Spout Series are easily turned on and off with minimal effort for limited range of motion or suffering from arthritis. The Brookhaven collection was awarded the Adex Silver Design Award in 2007.

11 1/2" high spout works well for vessel sinks or basins that are not shallow to prevent splashing.
Brookhaven shown in finish R15, Rough Bronze.

Brookhaven shown in finish 721, Polished Nickel
Note about this design, and other faucets designed for vessel sinks,
they do not include a pop up control.
(that's the skinny plunger piece that is usually found at the back of a faucet).
Specify a sink drain with touch pop up to open and close drain. (Shown above at right).

Kitchen Faucets

Techno Kitchen Pull Out faucet by Cifial.
Stands 13 5/8" tall. Reach 8 5/8" centerline from base to center of spray head.

What I like about this sprayer: you don't need to keep your finger on the knob to get the veggie spray. There is a diverter built in. Great feature in a kitchen pull out. Twist with a click of your finger, the water switches from aerator spray to clean rain veggie spray. Release to position 1 or it does it automatically when turned off.

Cifial Techno Single Hole Lavatory/Kitchen Faucet with swivel spout.

Standing at 13 1/8" this faucet will be perfect as a low profile island faucet or a lavatory faucet.

2008 ADEX Gold Award for Design Excellence for it's superior product design and quality.

Cifial Faucets are IAPMO Certified.

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Adding Art to Your Kitchen

Today I have the pleasure of introducing my guest blogger, Doug Kerwin, founder and President of Fulcrum Gallery.com. Doug and Fulcrum Gallery have been helping clients decorate their surroundings since 2003 and is here to talk about artwork in the kitchen. One of the distinctions in kitchen design today is the simpler, pared down approach. Open floor plans, less utilitarian wall to wall cabinets and more personality to the design. Clients are looking to imprint their own signature style with subtractive details that create this look. As a matter of fact, with the multitude of design magazines showing open shelving, and less wall cabinets, more clients are asking for ideas how to make this work in their own kitchens. As drawers, hutches and open shelves are taking the place of wall cabinets, walls are free to showoff more artwork than ever before. Doug will share his ideas on how to complete the space by adding art to your kitchen.

Doug, the reins are yours today. Thanks for your participation.

Many people today will find that the kitchen has become one of the most used rooms in the house. Whether you are throwing a party, cooking a meal, or just getting a snack, the kitchen has become the center of all the action. This is why it is important to decorate your kitchen and turn it into a room that is just as entertaining and comfortable as the rest of the house. One of the easiest and most affordable ways to decorate your kitchen is with framed art.

There are many things to keep in mind when deciding on art for the kitchen. First, decide what style kitchen you have, or if you are remodeling, what style you would like to have. Is your kitchen a modern or contemporary kitchen, a Tuscan themed kitchen, or maybe a country themed kitchen? Once you have decided on a style of your kitchen, then it is time to start browsing through the categories of art that will best fit your kitchen.

Tuscan themed kitchens have become very popular in recent years. The deep reds and olive greens that are often associated with Tuscan art give off a warm and inviting feeling that will make you and any guests in your house feel welcome. Some of the art to choose from includes beautiful landscapes of the Tuscan countryside and lush vineyards, as well as paintings of famous Italian dishes and red wine art.

Modern and contemporary kitchens are also becoming more popular as many people begin to remodel their kitchens. As new technologies are developed and new sleeker looking appliances are developed, many people have found themselves modeling their kitchens in new contemporary ways. The great thing about modern and contemporary art is that it encompasses a large variety of work. When decorating a modern kitchen, you can choose from categories like photography, pop art, or abstract art, and you are free to mix and match these pieces from these categories. This wide range of possibilities makes decorating your kitchen just a little bit easier.

One type of kitchen that never goes out of style is the country kitchen. Country Kitchens offer a warm and inviting atmosphere that bring out feelings of being in the country, even if your home is in the middle of a city, and provides a nice escape to daily life. Art featuring fresh fruits and vegetables, rustic old signs, and barn yard animals are great choices for anyone transforming their kitchen into a country theme.

If your kitchen does not fit a specific theme such as the ones listed above, then your possibilities are endless. There are large selections of art from many different categories that fit well in any home kitchen. One choice that goes perfectly in most home kitchens is vintage kitchen art. Above is an example of a kitchen with two vintage art pieces by Kimberly Poloson from her “Fancy Fruits” collection. These two works of art feature vintage looking advertisements, one for cherries and the other for strawberries, and both go perfectly together or separate in any kitchen.

Another example of a piece of art that can fit well in any kitchen is the example of the right. This is part of the Red Wine category, and is an art print by Stefano Ferreri. It is one of many art prints in this category related to wine. This category has art pieces that work well on their own, but also features many wine related pieces that would fit in with any of the themes listed above.

There are a few things you must think about after you purchase art for your kitchen. One thing about having art in your kitchen is that you must make sure that it is framed. There are a lot of things in a kitchen, such as grease, smoke, or splatter, which can ruin a painting or photograph. Having a frame is essential to protecting your piece of art from all these elements.

The last and most important step is deciding where to place your art. It is important that you place your art in a location that will not often be obstructed, and someplace where it is highly visible. Remember, placing it next to a cabinet that opens wide will often block your view of the art. Also remember that placing your art near a stove or sink puts it at risk for damage. Heat and water can be very dangerous to your art, and it would be a shame to have all of your hard redecorating work go to waste.

All of this may seem very time consuming, but it is very well worth it. If you are going to be spending a lot of time in the kitchen, you might as well spend the time to make it an enjoyable place to be. So no matter what kind of kitchen you choose, this information will help you create a space that is warm and inviting, as well as interesting and unique. Good luck!

Thanks Doug for your recommendations.
Here are a few more questions my clients have asked me about artwork.

Q: You recommend a frame is essential for protecting artwork. Before we even begin to selecting a frame, there are different mediums in which we purchase artwork, are there any limitations as to what you would not put in a kitchen? Prints, Lithographs, Serigraphs, Original Artwork on Pastels, Oils or, Charcoals.
A:

I think any medium of art can safely go in a kitchen as long as it's protected by glass or plexi-glass and the frame. While art on canvas can be framed, it typically does not have any protective glazing, so pieces on canvas are probably best to other rooms. Most art prints can be transferred to canvas and during that process they get a protective laminate covering which would work in a kitchen however an oil painting done directly on canvas will not clean off as easily if exposed to any elements.

Q: What about the effects of a lot of light exposure in my kitchen, would you recommend I protect my art under UV glass?
A:

I would. If you use regular glass or plexi-glass and the piece hangs within direct sunlight, it will start to fade after a year or two. Although it is a little pricey, the best option to protect the artwork from sunlight and give the best clarity in viewing the art is using Tru Vue's Museum Glass. This glazing option will be available on Fulcrum Gallery by late June 2009, and is currently not available anywhere else online.

Q: If I find something I like from your website, can I just order the art and have it framed locally?
A:

Of course. Although we offer custom framing services, you are always able to just purchase the print and have it framed with your local frame shop. If you are buying the print unframed, I recommend taking it to your local Deck The Walls store for quality framing at fairly affordable prices. If you do choose to frame online with us, and decide that you don't like it for any reason whatsoever, you are able to return it for a full refund within 30 days. We think this is important when selling art online. Although we try to give high resolution previews of the art framed with your selected moulding and mats, it's nice to know that if you get it home and it doesn't quite match the color of your wall or the room overall, you can always send it back.

Thanks Doug for your time, it was great fun to have you come into the kitchen and talk about artwork.

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More about Doug Kerwin and Fulcrum Gallery.com:

Doug Kerwin is the founder and President of FulcrumGallery.com, one of the largest online retailers of framed art prints in the world. FulcrumGallery.com offers a selection of over 300,000 art prints, focusing on the selective high-end decorator. Doug and Fulcrum Gallery have been helping clients decorate their surroundings since 2003. Fulcrum Gallery also hosts an art question and answers community called Fulcrum Answers (www.fulcrumgallery.com/answers) where you can ask questions and get answers on art questions and help finding a particular piece of art. Fulcrum Gallery also offers a free service called Fulcrum Designers (www.fulcrumgallery.com/designer.aspx) where if you email us a digital picture of the room you're decorating and some guidance on the style of decor you prefer, our designers will provide you with recommendations of art to best suit the room.

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