Colorful concrete

This residential kitchen countertop was designed around the color pallet that a homeowner used throughout her kitchen. Abstract lines and patterning were apparent throughout the home and, while this process didn't exist at the time of the fabrication, she gave JM Lifestyles the artistic leisure to transform her discussions into functional art.

See more concrete creations from JM Lifestyles

-- allie

Tags: modern concrete, concrete counter tops, modern kitchen, JM Lifestyles

Fu Tung Cheng Modern Kitchen Cabinets

 

Fu Tung Cheng’s new kitchen cabinetry as displayed at Jenn-Air's KBIS booth this year. They're functional, attractive and, best of all, eco-friendly. The cabinets are low VOC and urea-formaldehyde-free. The bamboo is Forest Steward Council certified Plyboo(tm), which is the only FSC certified bamboo product on the market.

Modern Kitchen Accessories

The age old problem of how to boil an egg with cracking the shell has found a solution. It's the Mosquito Egg Piercer, a modern contraption of stainless steel and whimsy.

One way eggs try to escape their destiny once they feel caught in the heat of boiling water, is to crack and release festoons of their precious egg white.

The Mosquito Egg Piercer, now offers the remedy for these nuisance eggs. Made of everlasting steel, the Mosquito operates on egg-headed spoilsports by immunizing them with a tiny prick.

The procedure goes as follows. Place the raw egg - blunt head down - into the annular hole of the Mosquito. Apply the tight but gentle grip of your hand around the egg top, some reasonable pressure and a bit of first-try courage. Then push down and pierce. Your egg is now relieved of any more cracking ideas the tiny puncture at the egg's bottom will allow internal gas to escape lowering the pressure build up during the boiling process.

Available through Mocha.

Buyers Be Where?

PC headed down to Atlanta for the annual Kitchen and Bath Industry Show (K/BIS) last week, and we've  been waiting since for UPS to show up with boxes of notes, press releases, media kits, images and samples. Today is the day; they have finally arrived!

I just ripped open the boxes, searching for evidence to weigh the accuracy of my memories and corroborate my sad, digital snapshots. I found that the boxes were rather light compared to previous years, when the tradeshow floor was packed with shoppers and press room stuffed with folders, brochures, cds, dvds and samples from manufacturers jostling for position in front of media eyes. Yes, I got my slim folders, with a single page describing the product and a royal blue link to the website. I even received a few cds, and three USB Flash Drives replete with images and links. Gone were the notebooks, pens, and well-crafted press kits created in sync with the manufacturer's aesthetic.

It seems my memory is accurate. The contents of my boxes reflected a slower show, with less buyers, less exhibitors, less money and less marketing.  That's not to say the show was a flop. It wasn't.  Reports coming out now and the line towed there, match - the traffic was light but the people who came, came to buy. And, depending on what they were after, they should  not have been disappointed.  Among the trends displayed at K/BIS were a focus on bold design, color and eco-savvy materials.  Stay tuned to PC to get the details. I'll be digging through these boxes to bring you the best.

In the meantime, here's a look at the show floor on Saturday, May 2.

Kirei Sustainable Kitchen and Bath Materials

The Kirei Collection makes kitchen and bath design beautiful and sustainable. Kirei Board, Kirei Bamboo, Kirei Coco Tiles and Kirei Wheatboard are all manufactured from renewable and reclaimed agricultural fiber and low-or no-added-formaldehyde adhesives.

The whole collection exhibits a new palette of beautiful, natural materials that can be used as wall covering, millwork, cabinetry, retail fixtures and architectural accents for commercial, hospitality, retail, residential and finished product applications.

Native Trails, Modern Sinks

Native Trails, you surprised me today. I saw your name, that you make "artisan crafted copper sinks" and thought, "Great, another glut of hammered sinks for that tired preppy Connecticut farmhouse look or worse, the sophisticated country strain that's going around."

I spoke too soon.

The sinks are modern, well formed, thoughtfully proportioned and high quality.

A peek...

The new designs come in a new finish - brushed nickel over copper. It imparts a modern look ready to mix with stainless steel, and carries the quality and durability of copper.

Eco Countertop

Anyone who has gone through a kitchen remodel has faced a curious truth: even in America, where consumerism reigns like a clown at a kids birthday party, it can be impossible to buy what you want.

Discovering the ideal material is pretty easy; it's tracking it down that can be difficult. Manufacturers splash images of their fancy products all over the web without adding those oh so important details like where it can be purchased and for how much. So the consumer is lead on a long, ineffectual chase involving sales reps and mileage checks to the nearest retail outlet. This often ends in the big give up, where the defeated consumer abandons her dreams of the perfect countertop and scuffles off to the nearest home outlet to see what's available. These dashed dreams are especially common when it comes to green building products, which still lack a strong foothold in America's chain retailers.

That's why it was heartening to see that an eco friendly, quartz countertop is now available at Lowe's. ECO™ by Constentino is composed of 75% post-industrial and post-consumer recycled raw material, including mirrors salvaged from houses, building and factories; glass from windows and bottles; granulated glass from consumer recycling practices; porcelain from china, tiles, sinks, toilets and decorative elements; and industrial furnace residuals from factories in the form of crystallized ashes.

Cosentino is "upcycling" products that have reached the end of their lifecycle, cannot be incorporated in to any other industrial product and would otherwise collect in landfill sites. According to Cosentino, approximately 3000 glass bottles equals 1 ton of raw materials. The production of ECO™ by Cosentino is expected to re-use the equivalent of 60 million glass bottles every year,which represents about 20,000 tons of raw materials.

The recycled content is mixed with 25% natural material including stone scrap from mountains, quarries, manufacturing, and fabrication; and is bonded together with a proprietary eco-friendly 22% corn oil resin. The resin is the result of a major research and development initiative, and is unmatched in the market today.

delivers a hard durable surface that has high stain, scratch and scorch performance. Unlike more traditional materials, it is non-porous and does not require sealers. At launch, ECO™ by Cosentino is available in two sophisticated color palettes - the Revive collection and the Green collection - totaling 10 individual designer colors, suitable for both commercial and residential projects. It is also available in both a polished and a matte Leather Texture™ finish.

ECO™ by Cosentino is available in jumbo slabs of 63"x 128" and standard tile sizes of 12"x 12", 18"x 18" and 24"x 24". The jumbo slabs allow for a higher square footage of material per container, minimizing  carbon foot print, and provides

a higher yield of material during fabrication, minimizing seams and waste. The slabs are available in 1.2cm, 2cm and 3cm thickness to respond to varying market needs. Architects and building teams will gain points toward LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council for a building project that utilizes ECO™ by Cosentino surfacing. ECO™ by Cosentino is GREENGUARD certified for low chemical emissions.

"ECO by Cosentino closely matches the superior durability of quartz surfaces, exceeds the performance of more conventional materials such as granite and marble, and is dramatically less damaging to the environment. It is the ideal product for today's eco-minded consumer who seeks performance and sustainability, without sacrificing design," said Valentin Tijeras Garcia, Director of Product Innovation, Cosentino.

Novus Sink

As I write I am listening to my husband bang and hammer in my previously horrendous kitchen. We are FINALLY remodeling -- new cabinets, new counters, new sink, oh my! Our new and improved kitchen will boast 5 additional cabinets, and 8 feet of additional counter space.

For 3 years we have lived with 6 cabinets (one of course being under-sink storage) and 42" of counter space. Just take a minute to image what my kitchen looked like when I actually threw down a meal that consisted of more than 3 ingredients. If only I had known about the Novus Undermount Single Bowl sink.

With the sliding platform and drying board, I would have been privy to 31 additional inches of cherished space.

-- allie

Tags: modern sink, modern kitchen, space-saving ideas, kitchen makeover

Sunshine Looks

It's spring break, but I'm long past my college days and craving sunshine. Thankfully, I'm finding it everywhere:

Modern Bird Feeder (above), inspired by a 1960's Panasonic radio. At Nova66 for $50.

Jonathan Adler's new melamine plates, $12 as shown:

 DeNovo's Rings of Sunshine vessel sink. $130, Overstock.

Wonder Wheel Coney Island print by gallogirlphotos, $12.

 

Unscratchable Sinks

Blanco claims its Silgranit II sinks are unscratchable, and since the company's invited the press to have at it with a fork, I hope they're telling the truth. We'll see when the line debuts at KBIS.