Using Reflective Surfaces in Kitchen & Bath Design

Tena’s thoughts on…………… REFLECTION

 re-flec-tion - the return of light after striking a surface

In my opinion, one of the most important things to remember when designing is not to forget the little details.  It is those little details that together create amazing spaces.

 

I have found that one of the more important details is in the creative use of reflective surfaces.  We, by nature, seem to be drawn to reflected and refracted light in everyday objects; the “bling” of a diamond ring, the “sparkle” of the morning sun dancing on the water, the “shimmer” of beach sand.  In the context of kitchen and bath design reflective surfaces can be used to brighten a dark room, visually enlarge a smaller more compact space, bring the beautiful outdoors in or simply make all of the non-reflective surfaces PoP. Reflective surfaces in the kitchen or bath can typically be found in the use of shiny tiles, polished stone countertops, certain metals, glossy wood floors, decorative glass in cabinets or hardware, glazed ceramics - or - quite literally, mirror and incandescent lighting.

One example would be the use of small iridescent glass tiles in a wide range of soft hues in an otherwise non-descript crisp white bathroom. (I personally LOVE Walker-Zanger tile)  These types of reflective tiles are like chameleons. They will create completely different atmospheres depending on your mood or time of day.  For instance, bright daylight would bounce off of these tiles and create a light, bright and cheerful appearance great for morning preparation.  In the evening, illuminated by candlelight or under the dimmed light of the incandescent bulbs these tiles would create a soothing backdrop perfect for relaxing in the tub after a long day.

In another example, my Client’s lighter-toned polished granite countertop in close proximity to an enormous glass patio door reflects her absolutely phenomenal view.  My Client was spot on with her selection of polished granite to contrast with her beautiful limestone floors and low-sheen painted cabinetry.  The reflection of the sparkling water and lovely surroundings seem to brighten her kitchen on even the gloomiest of days.

In the end…. It’s always “all about the details”!

Great American Bake Sale Buzz

It's time to get ready for Details' 2nd Annual Great American Bake Sale!

Join us on Saturday, July 17th from 9:30am to 5:00pm as we raise money to help end childhood hunger in America!

Here is a little background info... "Great American Bake Sale" is a country wide fundraising event created by the Share Our Strength organization and sponsored by Food Network, Domino Sugar and Family Circle Magazine. Share Our Strength is the leading national organization working to make sure no kid in America grows up hungry. The organization weaves together a net of community groups, activists, and food programs to catch children at risk of hunger and ensure they have nutritious food where they live, learn and play.

In the world's wealthiest nation, no child should grow up hungry!! Here are some stats I found frightning... Over the course of a year, more than 12 million children in America worry about when their next meal will come.  That's one in six who are at risk of hunger and who have limited or uncertain access to the nutritious food they need to thrive. Our participation in the "Great American Bake Sale" is raising the critical funds needed to support after-school and summer feeding programs in our community and across the country. 

My team needs your help!  

I am looking for bakers to donate goodies for the sale, prizes for our raffle (ie: gift certificates, gift baskets, etc.) but most importantly, I'm asking for your attendance on July 17th!!! 

Please contact me at Kitchen & Bath Details if you would like to donate (jill@kbdetails.com or 508.758.6083)

Here are some shots of our 2008 Great American Bake Sale!

This year our team hopes to raise $2000.00!! With your help, we can work to end childhood hunger in America!

As of June 10th, I have ten volunteer bakers and the following raffle prize donations:

4 Tickets to a Red Sox game at Fenway Park

Gift Certificate to Kitchen & Bath Details

Boo's Butcherblock Cutting Board

Hand Crafted Pewter Sea Life Push Pins

Gift Certificate to Bertucci's

I hope to add more and more to this list of raffle prizes so we can reach our goal of $2000.00! 
Stay tuned for more info and updates!

Our New Mattapoisett Showroom

We are so excited to have opened our new showroom at 81 1/2 Fairhaven Road in Mattapoisett, Massachusetts. Located at the River Shops, our showroom boasts gorgeous kitchen and bathroom displays along with thousands of samples of glimmering hardware, fixtures and the latest in kitchen appliance design by Wolf and Sub Zero.

As you walk into our showroom you are greeted by a grand display of Plain and Fancy Cabinetry. With details such as an elegant mantle to display your favorite collection, or hidden spice compartments behind carved columns, this display beautifully showcases the craftsmanship of the cabinet makers and the style of our lead designer, Tena Collyer.

Tena chose a traditional mid tone solid cherry cabinet and decorated them with semi precious hardware made of Jade, Mother of Pearl and Pen Shells. To add an additional seaside flair, Tena chose a granite reminiscent of river rock for both the countertop and the backsplash. This kitchen is not only functional but graceful, grand and elegant.

Details offers an extensive selection of decorative hardware. From fun and whimsical to rare gems and fine crystal, the hardware selection is magnificent.

Details is proud to unveil a fully functional kitchen showcasing the latest and greatest from SubZero & Wolf.

Here in our new working kitchen we can showcase the functionality of the cabinet design in conjunction with the amazing appliances. We chose to use a blend of custom and semi-custom cabinetry. We used Starmark and Semi-Custom in a buttercream painted finish. We then layered on a gorgeous absolute honed absolute black granite countertop.

We chose to kick it up a notch with a custom designed island and finished it in Plain and Fancy's new dry brushed glaze. The end result is a stunning anchor of design in the kitchen that has a furniture like feel. It warms up the space and defines "homey". To further enhance this look we chose a double stacked granite countertop that perfectly balances the scale of the island with its chunky dimensions.

The black stools, also available at Details, provide the perfect finishing touch to this stunning working kitchen.

Door samples by Plain & Fancy can be viewed in our new sample room along with numerous samples from our other cabinet lines. We have also created an additional sample room just for countertop finishes. 

Our window display is a beautiful blend of stained and painted maple cabinetry by Plain & Fancy. This classic country look will brighten up any space and would look perfect in a period home, that needs updating. Custom brackets and a painted interior in the center wall cabinet add beautiful details without overwhelming the eye and provide a perfect place to display a collection of whiteware (available at Surroundings).  

We chose to have a little fun in our new showroom. Here Tena used Contempo Fizz, a unique contemporary style display from Medallion semi-custom cabinetry in a deep gingersnap stain on cherry wood. The modern hardware along with mirrored backsplashdesigned to be reminiscent of soda fizz, make this display a perfect inspiration for a bar in your own home.

Sparkling granite countertops and polished chrome mosaic hardware truly make this display shine.

Perfect for the upscale seaside home, the "Yacht Club Bath" includes a custom bow front StarMark vanity with an elegant creamy marble top. Polished nickel fixtures and accessories give that nautical look, but with an upscale feel.

In 2006 Details designed the kitchen for Coastal Living Magazine’s Idea House. We loved the kitchen so much, we wanted to replicate it in our new showroom. This overall look is a perfect representation of a design style we call “coastal casual”, which we use often in our seaside town of Mattapoisett and surrounding coastal areas.

Plain & Fancy Cabinetry in white enamel with Benjamin Moore’s Yarmouth Blue accents

Caesarstone “Dusty Stones” Quartz countertops

Tiles by Kim Barry of Clay Trout Pottery

Warm Cherry Transitional Remodel

When clients of ours called and said that one of their waterlogged cabinets had literally fallen off of the wall, we knew and they knew that it was time for a new kitchen. What began as a stark, white kitchen has been transformed into a gorgeous, modern transitional kitchen for a busy household. We chose to work with Starmark Cabinetry to design a contemporary take on cherry. The subtle hues of this natural wood lend natural warmth to the kitchen that was missing before. Out clients selected glossy granite, SubZero & Wolf appliances and finished off the kitchen with bright and shiny hardware. It is amazing to see just how different this showcase kitchen was before. Scroll down to view all angles of this fantastic kitchen. 

 

Our newest designer Bethany Souza

Born and raised in Acushnet, MA, Bethany received her Bachelor's of Science Degree in Interior Design from Wentworth Institute of Technology in Boston, MA. She describes her design style as transitional, as she can appreciate the detail and comfort level of traditional styles while, at the same time, welcome the clean lines and tailored look of more contemporary approaches. Having grown up in Southeastern MA, her designs tend to have a fresh, coastal influence to them.

Bethany has worked as an Interior Designer in Boston, Newton and most recently, Southwest Florida. She was a designer of a volunteer project for the Boston Children's Hospital called the Devon Nicole House, which was later awarded the ASID Community Service Award. She also drafted and designed a master bathroom that was featured on HGTV's hit show "I Want That! - Baths" in 2006.

Overall, Bethany is a personable and talented designer who wants her final product to be, not only functional and beautiful, but also a design that reflects the personality and lifestyle of her client. Her hope is that every client is able to see the influence they had on the project and be proud that it is their own.