KBB - November/December 2013 - (Page 54)

design elements based on her meetings with the clients, their needs audit and visits to the house. Her selections were on point, and they went with everything she picked out. "I sought a look that would last not only in durability but also in its appearance," said Nordell-MacLean. " According to the designer, her goal was to mix old and new for the timeless look the homeowners desired - "the ultimate combination for creating a warm, yet chic and stylish new space." Locally made, antique white-painted, powder-glazed cabinetry with an inset frame blends with the alder wood cabinet doors, which offer a distressed finish reminiscent of real dockside wood. The banquette tabletop is also alder wood with a dockside finish to match the inset cabinet doors. The stainless Blanco Culina faucet features a magnet so it can easily be detached from the base, and an integrated dishwasher from Dacor matches the island cabinetry. also warmer and softer to walk on than traditional kitchen tile flooring, and there are no worries if someone spills something on it." The natural stone countertop on the island features flecks of color that pick up the shades of a local beach or the nearby Lake Huron, and as an added benefit, it is Greenguard certified and radon free. The kitchen's functionality was designed around the main chef - the mother - so the island serves as the hub where everything happens. Family members can sit on the other side of that "hub," so as to still interact with but not get in the way of the chef. The custom banquette provides a place for the rest of the family to be seated away from the prep areas but still be in the room. A two-bin garbage/recycle pullout cabinet in the island is on a servo drive - an electronic amplifier used to power electric servomechanisms - which, according to Nordell-MacLean, allows the homeowners to tap the cabinet with their knees to throw something away, solving the problem of having wet or dirty hands during food prep or clean up. Spice pullouts on either side of the range are accented with stainless steel fronts. Because the project ended up being a little above the client's original budget, the designer specified planked vinyl flooring for the kitchen for its durability and cost effectiveness. "Choosing this type of flooring was a way for me to make room in the budget without sacrificing the look, feel and durability," she added. "It is It's Easy Being Green - and Universal According to Nordell-MacLean, almost everything in this project has a lifetime warranty, which means less waste because nothing will have to be torn out and replaced. The appliances are Energy Star certified, and the low-VOC, CARB-compliant cabinets are locally made at William Standen Co.'s manufacturing facility - Elmwood Fine Custom Cabinetry. "I feel a sense of responsibility as a designer to my clients and my community, therefore, I choose products that I believe have less [negative] impact on the overall health of both," she said."I can rest assured knowing I am able to specify products that are FSC certified, as well as use woods that are not taken from an endangered species or forest. Everything we do has an impact on our planet, and I believe we can lessen that impact by the products we sell our clients. By specifying sustainable, durable, lifetime-warranted products, I am also ensuring that less of that product is going to end up in a landfill in 10 years." She chose a microwave drawer application because she believes it's the most ergonomically correct on the market - the homeowners do not have to reach above average human height to handle hot items, and they do not have to bend down. The banquette area, which she custom designed so that the legs did not interfere with the clients' knees while getting in and out, is made from raw steel and powder coated in silver. 54 + K BB November/December 2013 / www.kbbonline.com / The Official Sponsor of KBIS www.kbis.com http://www.kbbonline.com http://www.kbis.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of KBB - November/December 2013

KBB - November/December 2013
Contents
Online Contents
Editor’s Note
Show Director’s Note
Celebrity Design with...Martha Stewart
Industry Viewpoint
Business Practice
Product Innovator Awards
KBIS Countdown to Design & Construction Week
Trends
Products
Timeless Update
Flexible Function
Solutions
Learning Corner

KBB - November/December 2013