Posts Tagged kitchen cabinets
The Versatility of a Kitchen Island
Posted by admin in Best Kitchen Showrooms, Countertops, Kitchen Design Ideas, Kitchen Remodeling Tips, Modern Kitchen Cabinets on August 30, 2010
Not every kitchen is designed with added purpose or function in mind. Adding a kitchen island to your room can provide you with useful options.
A well-designed kitchen island can provide extra drawers, shelves and cabinets for greater storage and additional space for preparing your meals. An island also can serve as informal dining for kids, or additional seating for guests when you entertain.
If you’re lucky enough to have a larger kitchen space, adding a kitchen island will provide such useful options as adding preparation sinks, refrigerator drawers, or an additional cooking area .
So if you thought a kitchen island was just for show, think again. From greater storage to increased seating, any sized home can benefit from the design of a versatile kitchen island.
What Makes A Kosher Kitchen?
Posted by admin in Best Kitchen Showrooms, Kitchen Design Ideas, Kitchen Remodeling Tips on August 24, 2010
What makes a kosher kitchen? It’s the way the kitchen is used and maintained, rather than the design or materials, although some materials may be preferable. Ritual Jewish law and practice dictates separation of meat from dairy, and this extends to having entirely distinct sets of dishes, silver, cutlery, cookware, sinks, appliances and countertop areas. During the week of Passover dishes are changed again, and it’s clear to see that observant Jews – particularly those with sufficient space – are in the market for additional cabinetry, as well as all of the other accessories that make a kitchen convenient and appealing.
In the real world not every home is large enough to accommodate doubling or tripling of the kitchen space, nor is every customer wealthy enough to handle such a large investment. Those with severely modest means may have to box up Passover tableware and utensils and store them in closets for the other 51 weeks of the year. Sometimes a double sink will have to stand in for two separate units (even a single sink can be permissible, provided it is not of porous material and is properly cleaned before switching from meat to dairy or vise versa). A single dishwasher also may be acceptable to some authorities provided it has a stainless steel interior and the racks are changed depending on what dishes are being washed.
Under the circumstances, it’s obvious that any kosher customer with the means id going to want to make their kitchen as large and as workable as possible. Other clients may also want large, easy to use kitchens and more than one dishwasher or sink, but for the kosher observant, it is almost a necessity.
One of the more significant differences between a kosher and non-kosher kitchen is that most conventional kitchens are predicted on an invisible work triangle defined by the placement of one sink, one refrigerator and one range. In a kosher kitchen we have two overlapping triangles and, ideally, two sinks, two refrigerators and two ranges.
There is more to designing a kosher kitchen than just adding extra appliances. Our Urban Homes designers have designed many kosher kitchens, and as with conventional designs, we realize that the ability to make every inch of space count is a highly valued skill.
Accordingly, our designers advise customers to:
- Eliminate soffits and run cabinets all the way up to the ceiling.
- Use “magic corner” wire basket drawers to open up dead corners and facilitate cleaning in those corners.
- Recommend appliances that feature a Sabbath mode. With refrigerators, for example, this means a unit that allows the automatic fan to be turned off from Friday sundown to Saturday night (or to stay in a constant “on” position), thus releasing the residents of a household from inadvertently causing initiation of power usage during the Sabbath period when such activity is prohibited.
- Recommend stainless steel sinks and steel or granite countertops and work surfaces for customers who can’t or won’t have fully discrete areas for meat and dairy. Make sure that the material is a pure granite or stone. Sometimes they are really composites and cannot be kashered. These surfaces can be used for both, provided that they are thoroughly cleaned and that boiling water is poured on them in between meat and dairy operations.
ccording to Star-K, which provides kosher certification, wood may also be kashered as stainless steel if it has a smooth surface and no cracks. Kosher law does not, however, allow kashering of plastic or materials with plastic components.
When it comes to choosing appliances, whether the kitchen can accommodate two sets or not, it is important to keep kosher belief in mind. Case in point, according to Star-K, kashering a glass, Corning, halogen or electric smoothtop range can be a difficult process, as it is hard to kasher the area surrounding the actual burners. On a gas range the cast iron or metal grates upon which the pots sit may be inserted into the oven after they have been thoroughly cleaned. The grates can then be kashered simultaneously with the oven, making this and easier process (and possibly a better choice) for the homeowner. Of course, if there are any questions that arise during the design of kosher kitchen, we suggest that customers should be encouraged to ask for rabbinic guidance.
What’s Your Style?
Posted by admin in Best Kitchen Showrooms, Countertops, Eco-Friendly Kitchen Ideas, Kitchen Design Ideas, Kitchen Remodeling Tips, Modern Kitchen Cabinets, Tiles on August 19, 2010
Whether you’re a homeowner or looking to become one, chances are you know how overwhelming choosing cabinets to suit your taste and lifestyle can be.
Well, you’re not alone. Many are confused or unsure about what their kitchen style is or might be. So read on before you begin to remodel. It will make the process much easier for you and for your designer!
Victorian – Usually characterized by steeply pitched roofs, pointed-arch windows, elaborate trim along roof edges, high dormers, lancet windows and other Gothic details. Light fixtures range from chandeliers, kerosene and electric lamps to astrals, and sconces. Cabinets are usually weathered looking and made of heavy, real wood with chrome pulls and knobs.
Modern – Modern styles change from year to year. Most recent designs include sleek, straight and clean lines. Less is more, such as less accessories, visible appliances and details. Common materials include stainless steel, marble, granite and frosted glass. Basic geometric shapes and bold, bright colors such as reds, blues and yellow, black and white are prevalent.
Contemporary - Your tastes include the Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired. Your sensitivity to materials and a natural setting meets with a contemporary bent in home styles like Mission, Prairie and Arts & Crafts. When making your cabinet selection, consider birch as a clean and modern wood species. Choose details like geometric forms, art glass, contrasting textures and lines, and forged and wrought iron pulls.
Southwestern – A lot of detail and craftsmanship. Natural materials such as stucco and hand-painted fabrics are very common, as are wood, quarry tile, ceramic tile, earth tones and vibrant accessories. Colors usually reflect the nature of a desert such as warm oranges, greens, tans and browns. Southwest kitchens usually incorporate ceramic materials and terra cotta elements.
Traditional – Plays up architectural details such as crown moldings, raised wood paneling and rich, deep colors to enhance the mood and ‘traditional’ feel. Dark stains, honey tones, semi-opaque paints, wicker baskets and oak cabinets add to the usually more formal feel than country style.
Eclectic – A mix of old and new features combined for a harmonious look. This style is not characterized by a particular color palette, patterns, style or material but is a mix of extravagant decorations from numerous eras including hand-me-downs, second-hand items and other recyclables. Kitchens and bathrooms range from modern appliances mixed with antique decorations to the complete opposite.
Country – Rustic, weathered look creates a warm, cozy feeling in a country style home. Common colors range from muted hues to earth tones. Exposed beams, pine paneling, brick and barn boards are elements used to express this style. Fabrics and patterns are a sure way to create a ‘country’ feeling, as is the use of wallpaper and baskets.
The Kitchen of Today
Posted by admin in Best Kitchen Showrooms, Countertops, Kitchen Design Ideas, Kitchen Remodeling Tips, Modern Kitchen Cabinets on August 11, 2010
The kitchen is not just another room in your house. Today’s kitchen has become “the” room — the living space in which you want to cook, gather, and entertain. Your kitchen design should not only invite you to prepare meals, but should enrich your everyday life spent with family, friends and invited guests.
The recipe for a well-designed kitchen is equal parts funtionality, beauty, and sustainablity. To create a well-designed kitchen you need to mix beautiful, sustainable solid wood cabinetry with a cup of your intended use. Blend it well with your own sensibility — be it traditional or contemporary — and top it off with aesthetically-pleasing non-toxic finishes.
Once all these ingredients are mixed together well, you will have created the ideal living kitchen architecture for the perfect meals of a lifetime.
INTERVIEW: Workshop APD’s Sustainable New Orleans
Posted by admin in Best Kitchen Showrooms, Countertops, Eco-Friendly Kitchen Ideas, Kitchen Design Ideas, Kitchen Remodeling Tips, Modern Kitchen Cabinets on July 9, 2010
INTERVIEW: Workshop APD’s Sustainable New Orleans
by Jill Fehrenbacher, 11/29/06
Back in late August, Global Green and Brad Pitt announced the winners of the Global Green Sustainable Design Competition For New Orleans. The winning proposal, titled GreeNOLA and submitted by Matthew Berman and Andrew Kotchen of Workshop APD, calls for six houses and two multifamily units which employ energy-efficient appliances, solar power, and recycled building materials, as well as providing social services like child care and a community garden. Workshop APD’s proposal is designed to cut pollution and decrease operating energy use by 50-60 percent, compared to traditional homes. The success of the GreeNOLA design is its seamless integration of cutting edge green technology with the traditional building wisdom of the region. This combination creates healthy and affordable new residences for displaced residents of New Orleans. Groundbreaking of the new complex starts this January.
I sat down with the two architects to discuss their winning design proposal for rebuilding in New Orleans….
JILL: So tell me about your design proposal for the 9th ward in New Orleans
Andrew: It started with researching the 9th Ward and the Holy Cross area, where our site is. In our research of the greater context we wanted to propose new ideas for how to redevelop the area by bringing commercial, bringing in retail, revegetating the landscape, creating more of a linear park across the river and then begin inserting our ideas onto the site. Our focus was to achieve a greater understanding of prefabricated modular construction – these pieces end up evolving and becoming three-dimensional elements and then getting assembled in an infinite configuration and through a series of selection processes you end up with a structure.
Jill: So there’s a market and community center on the lower level of the site?
Matthew: The idea is that this whole open corner would be the farmer’s market and public area as it reaches out into the rest of the community. Then you come into the interior of the site: parking, day care, children’s play space, market with the community food production area; again it’s sort of buffered by the other buildings. This is the bridge. It’s a community bridge that pulls you in from the rest of the community right through the middle of the site and up onto the levy. The idea is that the residents can control access to the site. We were intentionally trying to activate the site by pulling the community through it as opposed to walling off the site and creating an interior that’s only for residents.
Jill: Is it specifically designed to be affordable or lower income housing?
Matthew: It’s intended to be affordable housing, not necessarily lower income housing. It’s trying to be affordable housing through its sustainability. For example it was designed as a net zero site so that all of the energy production happens on site, and it’s done through affordable tax and more efficient systems that reduce the load- the energy load- so the idea is that nobody would have an electric bill.
Andrew: Net zero is the sewer waste and water, it’s all cisterns, we reclaim water, reuse gray water and recycle the water through the site. The idea is that nothing goes out and nothing comes in to the site.
Matthew: It’s also intended to be affordable through the design options. A lot of these single family houses are set up and it works well with the typical New Orleans prototypes, the shot gun house and the Creole cottage, but most of these houses have either out buildings or internal apartments that can be rented out and that’s how a lot of people maintain the affordability. So there were different ways of thinking about affordability.
Jill: So lets talk about the climate down there and the systems for heating and cooling. I know it’s really humid in New Orleans and people tend to use air conditioners. Is it possible to use passive design elements in this sort of climate?
Andrew: In New Orleans the humidity averages at 75% throughout the year so it is impossible to cool spaces without mechanical cooling. So it can’t just be passive ventilation and breezes blowing through – so we’re using a geothermal system that is combined with a Z-coil dehumidification system, which is essentially a pumped-up air conditioning system with a few other modules put onto it that’s more efficient.
So there is a form of mechanical cooling, which is supplemented by a geothermal drawing from the earth’s temperature and circulating it back up through the structures. And we’ve oriented our buildings so that they can get maximum cross ventilation. That’s why everything has this shotgun effect. We have louvers systems at either end so that at certain times of the day you can open and close them to minimize heat gain, but open them for breezes to come through. All these strategies have been in use for 30 or 40 years. We’ve just packaged it together in a place that’s never heard of or seen it before.
Jill: Have you done any market testing or interviewing of residents of the area, or anything to get a sense of what local New Orleans residents think about your designs?
Matthew: Yes- the second phase for this competition was very intense and very well choreographed. They invited the six finalists down three separate times to New Orleans to meet with design jury members, technical jury members, and community groups.
We made several presentations to community groups over this six-week period — where we would go down initially with our first boards, an hour presentation where we talk for ten minutes and then respond to questions with answers and really try and develop and flesh out what their needs are and their interests are. So we definitely got to know them and develop a really good rapport and understand their needs and desires.
Andrew: Global Green has set up an operation down there that sponsors of the competition and they’ve done a lot of community outreach where they’ve done several presentations. So, the competition is on the heels of them already being there for about four months and trying really to establish this notion of sustainability.
Matthew: We were very successful at listening to what each of the constituents had to say and filtering it through our own ideas to see, to work those things in so that we felt comfortable with the product we were producing, but we also felt responsible about what it was that we were contributing down there.
We are going back again next week – this is all really exciting for us. We do most of our work in high-end single-family residential custom architecture. This is a larger scale and a totally different opportunity so we just embraced it. Construction should start in the spring of next year.
Jill: So much as I hate to do this, I have to ask: What was it like working with Brad Pitt?
Andrew: He was really nice and seemed to know what he was talking about, honestly. A lot of architects are skeptical about Brad Pitt’s sudden interest in architecture – but I have to tell you that from what we could tell, he seems pretty devoted to the cause of sustainable design, and of course the celebrity interest just helps elevate interest in our project, and we can’t argue with that!
ASTER CUCINE DEBUTS “TIMELINE,” NEW SIGNATURE KITCHEN COLLECTION IN COLLABORATION WITH WORKSHOP/APD
Posted by admin in Best Kitchen Showrooms, Countertops, Eco-Friendly Kitchen Ideas, Kitchen Design Ideas, Kitchen Remodeling Tips, Modern Kitchen Cabinets, Uncategorized on July 9, 2010
NEW YORK (July 9, 2010) – Eurocucina 2010 set the start of the debut of TIMELINE, a new signature kitchen collection from ASTER Cucine, one of the world’s leading contemporary kitchen manufacturers, in special collaboration with New York design studio workshop/apd.
For the TIMELINE kitchen system, Matthew Berman and Andrew Kotchen, design principals at workshop/apd, drew upon the history of craftsmanship and artisanship in centuries past to create a kitchen collection with a “vintage” look and feel for contemporary life. Familiar but unconventional in a modern kitchen, the epoch collection features exquisite cabinetry, countertops and backsplash accents in the finest selection of materials including Venetian ceruse (a whitening compound used in the 16th century on human skin as well as cabinetry) applied to white oak; wire mesh inspired by French country cabinets, antique mirror glass; oxidized metal, weathered steel, and bronzed glass. Kitchens also can be “personalized” with art panels by famed Toronto artist Murray Duncan.
“Our Aster Cucine partnership with workshop/apd has produced a custom design kitchen system that yields both an astonishing piece of design and the ultimate in functionality,” commented Jacob Kindler, U.S. managing director of Aster Cucine.” TIMELINE represents as much a work of art as the next generation in modern family living.”
Having taken its cue from the centuries of craftsmen and artisans who spent time carefully selecting the best materials and working them with precision and skill, the TIMELINE kitchen system reflects the quality of the handmade and the patina of the hard worked, yet it is decidedly modern, clean-lined and efficient.
“Our kitchens, the heart of family life, are now part of our living environments and no longer hidden from view,” say Mssrs. Berman and Kotchen. “They are often times at the very center and should be as welcoming as the rest of the home.”
Available now to consumers in the U.S., TIMELINE will be on display starting in September at the award-winning New York City kitchen and bath design company Urban Homes Inc.
An ideal target for people looking for unique and luxurious design in the kitchen, ASTER Cucine also debuted four other kitchen collections at Eurocucina 2010 in Milan. Included is the new futuristic DOMINA, a trendy Italian kitchen that uniquely features custom cabinetry with end to end curves and without any straight lines. Other collections include the ease and simplicity of the classic AVENUE, merging the traditional with magical modern twists; the ultra-modern CONTEMPORA, which through strong design makes the most of its beautifully grained Tinoe wood and glossy lacquered surfaces, and the exquisite OPERA HALL, a classic take on the French idea of “Les Plaisirs de L’Isle Enchantèe,” with pieces rich in artistic and cultural references that date from the 1500’s to our present day.
About ASTER Cucine
Established in 1983 in Pesaro Italy, Aster Cucine is one the European leaders in innovative modern and kitchen design. Deeply pervaded by a “service oriented” philosophy, the company has developed a comprehensive company-product-distribution system geared to meet fully the aesthetic and functional requirements of each individual customer. www.astercucineusa.com
About Urban Homes, Inc.
Urban Homes is an award-winning kitchen and bath design showroom that offers “one-stop shopping” with talented in-house kitchen designers as well experienced installation crews. The company features a wide variety of custom and semi-custom cabinetry as well as numerous countertop, flooring, appliance, light and hardware products. By combining outstanding service, extraordinary craftsmanship and sensible pricing, it has built a reputation as a firm that builds relationships first. The Urban Homes Showroom is located at 325 West 16th Street, (between 8th & 9th Avenues), New York, NY 10011. 212.246.7700 www.uhny.com
About workshop/apd
With an emphasis on sustainable practices that directly affect how we live, workshop/apd specializes in high-end residential renovations, new home construction, and commercial development. Since its inception in 1999, the workshop brand has grown and now extends to custom furniture, lighting, accessories, products, and kitchen systems. This year the company also launched RightFrame, a technology firm that automates home design to change the face and the carbon footprint of the suburban landscape. It combines serious, modern style and responsible living in a moderately-priced well-designed house.
With offices in New York City and Nantucket, MA, workshop/apd is headquartered at 555 8th Avenue, 15th Floor, New York, NY 10018. Tel: 212.273.9712. www.workshopapd.com
Media Contact for Aster Cucine, Urban Homes, workshop/apd:
Lisa Hanock-Jasie, Director of Communications
212.273.9712 office OR 646.764.4959 cell
Crossing the pond: Part II
Posted by admin in Best Kitchen Showrooms, Eco-Friendly Kitchen Ideas, Kitchen Design Ideas, Kitchen Remodeling Tips, Modern Kitchen Cabinets on July 1, 2010
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Launched in 1983, contemporary kitchen manufacturer Aster Cucine is a young’un in the world of European kitchen cabinetry. And sometimes it takes young people, or a young company, to want to do things a little differently and to look for inspiration in, say, youth. Which is kind of what happened at this past Eurocucina, where Aster Cucine, of the “Old Country,” showed TIMELINE, a new kitchen collection designed by U.S. design firm Workshop/apd, of the “New World.” If Workshop/apd is sounding kind of familiar, you may have heard its name in connection with Brad Pitt and Global Green USA. The firm, which has offices in Nantucket, Mass., and New York City, came up with the winning plan in the organization’s competition to design affordable sustainable housing in New Orleans. Headed by principals Matthew Berman and Andrew Kotchen, the firm specializes in high-end residential renovations, new home construction and commercial development. For TIMELINE, Berman and Kotchen have drawn on a history of craftsmanship and artisanship to create a contemporary kitchen collection that is clean in look yet rich in feel. It includes a modern spin on the classic inset door and incorporates a variety of materials, many of which are evocative of those used in earlier times and lend a sense of warmth and softness to the line. There is, for example, Venetian ceruse—a whitening compound used in the 16th century on human skin as well as cabinetry—applied to white oak; wire mesh inspired by French country cabinets; antique mirror glass; oxidized metal; weathered steel; and bronzed glass. Extremely versatile, the collection offers a wealth of possibilities. And if you want that individualized touch, you can even specify cabinet doors adorned with art panels by Toronto artist Murray Duncan.
For more information, contact Aster Cucine USA.—Alice Liao |
Urban Homes, Inc. introduces new cabinetry lines: Wood-Mode Fine Custom Cabinetry & Brookhaven Cabinetry
Posted by admin in Best Kitchen Showrooms, Eco-Friendly Kitchen Ideas, Kitchen Design Ideas, Kitchen Remodeling Tips, Modern Kitchen Cabinets on June 22, 2010
For over 60 years, Wood-Mode has been widely recognized for excellence in cabinet design, material selection, construction and finishes. Much of the credit is due to the many hand steps executed with pride by our dedicated craftspeople, using only the finest materials, woodworking skills, and the most advanced technology. The result is the highest quality cabinetry with an impressive range of styles, colors, woods, laminates, moldings and hardware, so your design choices are virtually limitless.
It all starts with lumber processing at Wood-Mode’s highly integrated manufacturing facility. Wood-Mode’s own kilns perform an intensive lumber drying process that achieves the optimum moisture content required for the necessary stability of its custom cabinetry, furniture and architectural elements. Age-old craftsmanship is combined with the precision and accuracy of modern technology to provide meticulous control throughout the manufacturing process.
The finest woods are selected to ensure superior quality—
Cherry: A richly elegant hardwood, characterized by a close grain pattern, gum streaks and subtle color variations. Cherry tends to darken with age—a natural process that enhances its warmth and charm.
Knotty Cherry: All of the natural character of Cherry, including knots and checks, gives it a true rustic Cherry Look.
Maple: A finely grained hardwood favored for its distinctive burl patterns.
Heartwood Maple: The rustic natural beauty of Maple, including its mineral streaks, checks, and heavier burl, is usually found in the wood that comes from the center of the tree.
Oak: A hardwood valued for its resilience and prominent grain, beauty and strength.
Pine: A warm softwood with swirling grain and random knots, purposely distressed to give it a softened antique quality.
In addition to the above wood species, decorative rattan, herringbone, olive ash burl, and bird’s-eye Maple veneers are available as inserts.
The next step in achieving outstanding durability is choosing the just right components for each specific function. For example, while solid wood is the ideal material for raised panel doors and frame faces, it isn’t always best for sides, tops, bottoms and shelves where strength, stability and warp resistance are essential.
The company produces two full lines of customized cabinetry under the Wood-Mode and Brookhaven names, each with a multitude of storage options. Both feature solid wood doors and multi-step finishing processes, and both are available in traditional framed construction—where the door is mounted on a front frame—and contemporary frameless construction—where there is no face frame so the door is mounted on the cabinet case itself.
Our extensive selection of more than 85 standard wood finish colors, two standard finish sheen levels and 30 standard laminates satisfies a broad range of decorating tastes and lifestyles. In addition, Wood-Mode will custom match unique finishes to customers’ specifications.
ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY
For more than sixty-five years since its founding, Wood-Mode has maintained a firm commitment to sound environmentally-protective policies and practices in the manufacture of its custom cabinet products.
The company has taken pride in producing the industry’s highest quality cabinetry in a manner that demonstrates its genuine concern and care for the environment.
Wood-Mode has been certified by the Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association (KCMA) as meeting the standards for its “Environmental Stewardship Program” (ESP).
This program was created to recognize industry manufacturers who use environmentally friendly materials and production processes. To qualify for and maintain certification, manufacturers are evaluated annually on compliance in five categories, including air quality, product resource management, process resource management, environmental stewardship, and community relations, as well as energy conservation and recycling programs.
AIR POLLUTION CONTROL
As far back as 1989, Wood-Mode installed and began operating its Regenerative Thermal Oxidizer (RTO) for the destruction of emissions generated in the cabinetry finishing process. Operating at a combustion chamber temperature of 1,400 degrees Fahrenheit, the RTO destroys 99.4% of captured Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC). In addition, under optimal conditions, the RTO operates in a self-sustaining mode and does not need any fuel (natural gas) input, a significant savings in energy.
PROTECTING AND CONSERVING OUR WATER RESOURCE
Wood-Mode complies with all local and state regulations for the discharge of any waste water, as regulated by the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.
Steam condensate is recovered and re-circulated back to the boiler systems to reduce the amount of un-treated water necessary to produce more steam.
PROTECTING OUR LAND THROUGH EFFICIENT WASTE MANAGEMENT
Sawdust and wood scrap are ground into particles which are then used as fuel to heat the factory and provide steam to operate the dry kilns, as well as heat, air condition and
humidify the Wood-Mode office and factory. Particle collectors remove wood fly ash from
any air emissions.
Wood-Mode Fine Custom Cabinetry and Brookhaven displays will be introduced in August 2010. Both cabinet lines are available for purchase now. Please visit Urban Homes website: www.uhny.com
Urban Homes, Inc. – Innovative Design for Kitchen & Bath
325 West 16th Street (Between 8th & 9th Avenues)
New York, NY 10011
Urban Homes announces the opening of the new Urban Homes showroom in downtown New York City
Posted by admin in Best Kitchen Showrooms, Kitchen Design Ideas, Modern Kitchen Cabinets on January 4, 2010
New York, January 4th 2010: We are
pleased and excited to announce the opening of the new Urban Homes kitchen and bath design showroom in New York City.
The new 4,000-sq.-ft. showroom is located at 325 West 16th street in Chelsea. The space was designed to create a showroom designed for the urban cabinet market and as a space to showcase for work and products. In order to create a space that would replace a mere 2-dimensional portfolio, but rather could showcase samples of the actual products that would be used in clients’ homes, offices, kitchens and bathrooms.
The showroom, located in Chelsea in a very expensive real estate market, needed to concisely display his product line in this ground floor showroom. The maximization of space was paramount. The major design concept is based around creating a centralized piece that would tie the entire space together. The floor plan shows the various rooms (offices, bathrooms, kitchens, bedrooms) and products (closets, cabinets, countertop and faucets) in a circular pattern revolving around a central kiosk. Visitors inside the store can move in a circular pattern and see all the different types of rooms on display. From the street, passersby get vignettes of the various rooms that partially reveal themselves and disappear as they walk by, inclining them to come inside to further discover more.
The new Urban Homes showroom offers the following products:
Aster Cucine - This is an Italian crafted cabinet design company. The designs are sleek and ultramodern. The cabinets come in stainless steel, high gloss lacquered and wood finishes. Italian designers are known for unique and durable design and it is apparent when viewing their products. Aster’s designs may be viewed at www.astercucineusa.com
Urban Homes Custom Cabinetry -We are proud to present Cabinets By Urban Homes; high-end custom kitchen, bath, and furniture grade cabinetry. Products are offered in many different wood species, stains and paints and over 100 different door styles, with the option to match custom colors or door styles. We have an extensive catalog of cabinet configurations. These designs can be further explored at www.uhny.com
Viking - Urban Homes Showroom displays Viking Appliances, the next generation of home appliances – the Viking Designer Series. This full line of appliances caters to today’s discerning homeowners. Subtle, contemporary styling and casual, clean lines integrate into existing cabinetry and kitchen décor, giving the new Designer Series broad appeal. www.vikingrange.com
CaesarStone – Comprised of 93% natural quartz – one of nature’s strongest minerals – and backed by a 10-year warranty, CaesarStone Quartz Surfaces offer the ultimate combination of form and function, allowing for a more diverse, durable, and practical surfacing material than either granite or marble. With its stain, crack, scratch, chemical, and heat-resistant properties, CaesarStone is the ideal choice for care-free kitchen countertops, bathroom vanities, flooring, table tops, wall paneling, and much, much more. These products may be viewed at www.caesarstoneus.com
Daltile - is US Largest tile manufacturer (500 million square feet – annual manufacturing capacity), and one of the largest in the world. Daltile’s broad product line and its broad distribution network make it a favorite tile choice. Daltile is Urban Homes’ most recommended tile source. Daltile is the largest, therefore they make sure that all products are at a high quality, and if necessary customer service provides solutions. Being a large and well established firm, it eliminates the risk of buying tile from smaller, lesser know operation. These products may be viewed at www.daltile.com
Blanco – BLANCO, founded in 1925 by Heinrich Blanc in Oberderdingen, Baden-Wuerttemberg Germany, is a company with a history spanning over 75 years and a tradition of manufacturing high quality products. BLANCO is one of the leading providers of innovative, design-oriented system solutions for work stations in domestic kitchens and food service equipment. www.blancoamerica.com
The National Kitchen and Bath Association :is a growing non-profit trade association with over 25,000 members. We’ve led the kitchen and bath industry for over forty years by providing resources for consumers and industry professionals. Not only does NKBA host the world’s largest trade show and offer educational programs, but we also enhance the success of our members by promoting professionalism and ethical business practices. In order to benefit consumers, our association monitors national and state legislation to protect the industry, our members, and consumers. This information may be viewed at www.nkba.com
About Urban Homes
Urban Homes is an award-winning New York City kitchen and bath design showroom founded by a third-generation kitchen specialist with over 20 years’ experience. Our mission is simple–we are dedicated to providing our clients with personalized service and innovative design solutions using premiere products and up-to-the-minute technology. With our accessible, state-of-the-art showroom on the Westside of Manhattan, we are one of a select number of firms that offer a one-stop experience to clients in New York, Connecticut, and New Jersey. We carry only the highest quality manufacturers with the widest range of styles. Our experienced designers are personally available at every stage of a project-from the initial consultation through the design phase to the selection of products and our expert installation. We invite you to experience Urban Homes and make your dream kitchen, bath, or living area a beautiful, functional reality. When a customer is working with Urban Homes they will work with designer and project manager that will review all of their options at all points of the process. Our staff is always willing to put in the extra effort that is necessary to make their home interior design project successful and as stress free as possible.
Urban Homes is located at 325 West 16th Street, New York, NY 10011. The telephone is 212.246.7700 and the fax is 212.246.7701. The website address is www.uhny.com.