Recapturing the Past
An Arts & Crafts Kitchen
by Rick Moyer
Photo by Jerry Huffman,
Photography World |
There were numerous steps I took in coming up with the final design considerations for my remodeled kitchen and dining room. Over a period of a couple years, I watched several shows, such as This Old House and Showtime on PBS, to see various features of homes that I liked. I also looked at numerous remodeling magazines to find ideas that I was interested in. I am a Data Analyst with a background in accounting, so naturally I found that the clean, simple, geometric lines of the Arts & Crafts style kept drawing my eye.
I purchased four books that had not only pictures of 1900-1930 style homes, but also described the philosophy and thought behind the design from this period. As I looked through the books, I realized that many of the furnishings I already had in my home would have fit in homes from this period. There was an oak kitchen table, built in the late 1920’s, which had been handed down to me from my grandmother. I also had several pieces of pottery from the family which had been produced in this time frame.
Rick Moyer is able to enjoy his beautiful landscaping through this breath-taking bay window. Note the beautiful Arts & Crafts style wainscoating and the finish carpentry details under the window seat. |
I discovered in reading about some of the philosophy from the Arts & Crafts period that the designers were attempting to get away from the industrial excesses of the time. When people came home from work, they wanted to enjoy the simpler things in life. The personally crafted quality of my kitchen reminds me of this ideal, with the oak wainscoting, hand-thrown backsplash tiles, and ceramic tile floor with the look of limestone tiles. I tried to keep the kitchen and dining area as true to the early 1900’s as possible. The lights over the dining table and kitchen island are reproductions of period pieces. The wallpaper was crafted at Bradbury and Bradbury from originals from the period.
Here is a great close-up view of the three-dimensional tile. Note the small acorn tile under the left cabinet, and the small pine cone to the right of the window. Cabinet hardware was chosen carefully to coincide with the Arts & Crafts era. The reproduction wallpaper makes it feel as if you are stepping into a bungalow from yesteryear. |
Even small details, like acorn cabinet knobs, were included. The dining chairs are reproductions of Stickley 1903 originals that are very similar to the original chairs that were in my family. The reproduction oriental rugs are much the same thing as would have been in the dining room at the time. The dining area bay window overlooking the landscaped backyard is very typical of the way designers from those times would have tried to bring the outside indoors. The one real compromise I did make was to use a lighter stain for all the oak wainscoting and trim than a true Arts & Crafts period craftsman would have used. I wanted a more open and brighter look.
The way I feel today as I return from work is as if I have entered a different age...an age of a slower and more relaxed pace of life. My house has become a place I can truly call home.
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Our New Home Studio
Nears Completion
The kitchen cabinetry by Plain & Fancy in low sheen Heirloom Cherry is nearing completion. A cardboard mockup covers the massive kitchen island while the final countertop is being fabricated. |
As we go to press, flooring and cabinetry are being installed. Wilsonart laminate tile and Laufen ceramic tile make up the bathroom floors while Karndean commercial grade solid vinyl plank and tile will fill the kitchen/dining room. The Karndean product must be seen to be appreciated. Kyle was after a beautiful floor which would be low maintenance and hold up under the wear and tear of a busy family. The tile flooring under the kitchen island is laid on the diagonal and surrounded by wood plank flooring which extends into the dining room and to the back hall bathroom. The half bath features the laser cut Greek key inlay.
Once the cabinetry and counter installation are complete, the finish electrical and plumbing will be done. This is followed by carpet and then our much-anticipated move-in day will be upon us. By the time you receive your next newsletter, we should be in our new home studio. In the meantime, feel free to give us a call when you’re ready to start your next project and we’ll be sure to help you from either facility.
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State-of-the-Art Lighting
Ceiling-mount Urania Indirect
Photos: Courtesy of Luxor (www.luxor.com) |
The number of lighting options to choose from today is often mind boggling. When all is said and done, however, the only truly energy-efficient lighting choice is fluorescent. Should the thought of a fluorescent light serve up images of a flickering tube, annoying humming sounds, and a sickly blue light, you’ve got a big surprise coming.
Today’s 32 watt 1-inch diameter tubes have electronic ballasts, which provide quiet operation and no flicker when turned on. Also, you have a wide range of choices for color temperatures, some just as warm and inviting as incandescent. Best of all, fluorescent lighting uses one-quarter the electricity of incandescent lighting, lasts up to 10 to 15 times as long, and emits less heat—not bad on the pocketbook or the environment!
Ceiling-mount Lilla-Aurora
Photos: Courtesy of Luxor (www.luxor.com) |
When it comes to fluorescent lighting fixtures, most people still envision those flat, rectangular boxes hanging from the ceiling as the only option. For design flexibility, the new compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) with an integral ballast and a screw-type base can be used to replace incandescent bulbs in most of your favorite existing decorative fixtures. One disadvantage, however, is that this type of CFL does not yet work with dimmers, although that is changing in the very near future. Another drawback is that sometimes the retrofitted fixtures, which were not designed specifically for CFLs, trap the light inside the fixture rather than reflecting it outward. In this case, using CFLs of a slightly higher wattage can solve the problem.
Enviroguard
The new generation of fluorescent fixtures are both attractive and energy efficient.
Photo: Courtesy of Guth Lighting (www.guthlighting.com) |
Better yet, choose a fixture that is designed and wired specifically for a CFL. These days, concerns for green building products and state code requirements have resulted in a whole new generation of fluorescent fixtures, created for beauty as well as efficiency. These fixtures include a ballast, so the CFL won’t need an integral one and will therefore be less expensive to replace. They also work with dimmers.
Whatever you do with your lighting, be sure to plan ahead. Check out your options and choose wisely. A little extra thought now could result in many attractive monetary and environmental savings later on!
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Countertops: Granite & Marble
Photo: Courtesy of Intertile (www.intertile.com) |
Granite is formed deep beneath the earth’s crust at temperatures in the thousands of degrees. Its broad range of elegant patterns and mineral-rich colors has made it probably the most popular natural stone available today. It is the most versatile, durable and maintenance-free of all stones, making it ideal for kitchen countertops. It also handles heat extremely well. When granite is used for countertops, large polishing machines are used to progressively grind the stone to a mirror-like finish. After installation, the granite countertop should be sealed with an appropriate penetrating sealing product so that it is resistant to being
darkened by oils or stained by certain liquids. Once sealed, warm, soapy water may be used for regular
cleaning. The sealer should be reapplied periodically.
Marble is formed from limestone, a sedimentary rock that is formed at the bottom of lakes and seas as silt and organic matter settle to the bottom. When the limestone undergoes enough heat and pressure, it metamorphoses into a crystalline structure known as marble. Marble is usually polished to a mirror-like finish and is valued greatly for its rich palette of beautiful colors. However, it is a more porous stone than granite. Therefore, special care must be taken when selecting it for kitchen countertops. It is a very popular choice for bathrooms. Like granite, marble should be sealed with a penetrating sealer which needs to be reapplied periodically. Marble can be damaged by acidic substances, which if not wiped up promptly can dull its polished surface. It can also be stained by some cosmetics. For regular maintenance, use a stone-specific cleaner that is formulated to be gentle to stone surfaces.
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Corsi Cabinetry Introduced
Above is an example of the fine quality of the Corsi cabinetry. Watch for our ads on the back of the Grand Rapids Cosmopolitan Home magazine and the Grand Rapids Home Resource Book. |
Last fall Kitchens by Stephanie added a new custom cabinetry company to expand our product offerings. The Corsi Cabinet Company, headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, is dedicated to meeting the needs of consumers truly desiring a custom look. Corsi offers different types of glazing and distressing, as well as specialty finishing techniques such as cowtailing, spattering, burnishing, frosting, and combing. It also offers subtle crackle finishes which give an antique look. Hand-painted details can be added to your cabinetry to make it one of a kind.
The Corsi Cabinet Company is a 26-year-old company run by Patrick Corsi, the company’s founder. It is refreshing to work with an owner who is passionate about his product and his people. We have had the chance to visit the factory on three separate occasions over the last six months and have been truly impressed by the Corsi operation. We feel Corsi is a company with a stable past and a bright future.
The Corsi line will compliment our Rutt Custom Cabinetry, and in some ways will exceed Rutt in terms of cabinet construction and customization. The Corsi line is unique in that it offers unitized construction of specialty items. Their range of door styles and finishes is impressive, as is their willingness to meet the needs of our clients. As a smaller company, Corsi is more willing to seek out the necessary materials, or develop the finishing techniques which you have made clear that you want. We currently have several vignettes in our Thornhills showroom; however, when we are settled into our new home studio, we will have a full kitchen to showcase Corsi’s craftsmanship. If you’d like to learn more about Corsi, check out their recently launched website that can be found at www.CorsiCabinets.com. Also, look for their ads in Architectural Digest magazine.
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Rutt Custom Cabinetry to have New Owner
On January 19th we learned that Rutt Custom Cabinetry filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy and closed their production facility. This was followed by a flurry of activity from several local and national kitchen industry players interested in purchasing the assets of the company. As we go to press, the Viking Range Corporation, manufacturers of premium kitchen appliances, has made an offer to purchase the Rutt company. The bank has tentatively accepted their offer and we are currently waiting for the “over bid” period required by the bankruptcy court to be completed. During this transition period, the factory will be re-opened and run by the Viking Corporation. Viking is prepared to infuse Rutt with the necessary capital required to retain its position as a leader in the custom cabinetry market. While this situation has caused minor delays for several of our current projects, it appears that Rutt should be back to its old self in the next few months.
Kitchens by Stephanie was extremely fortunate that we had no major jobs in the plant at the time of the closing. For those of you with Rutt cabinetry in your home, rest assured that the new owners will fully back the Rutt product warranty. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to give Stephanie a call at our studio at 616-942-9922.
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What is a
PMB?
To facilitate our move to our new home studio, we have rented a mailbox at the Pak Mail on Cascade Road. The US Postmaster has recently changed the mailing regulations and has required private mail facilities to use the PMB (Private Mail Box) designation rather than # or suite. You will notice that wherever you see this address the notation is “Mailing Address Only”. When you are ready for your next project, give us a call and we’ll schedule an appointment and give you directions to our new studio.
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