The
Greenbergs’ Garden
A wonderful vitality is present in the hustle and bustle of urban life. Not only does it provide close proximity to the workplace, city living also offers the attractions of exceptional food and outstanding entertainment after a busy day in the office. It’s a great place to be.
However, people who live in cities often desire to get away from all the noise and distraction. Michael and Peggy Greenberg felt this way. Their beautiful home is situated on a quarter acre lot which backs up to a rail line. For many years, their dream was to have a meditative and secluded area in their backyard which would provide an oasis away from
the stresses of everyday city life. The challenge was to use natural landscaping to screen out the urban noise that surrounds them.
Their dream has finally been realized in the form of a garden centered around a Koi pond. Koi ponds are constructed to provide adequate oxygenation and filtration of the water for keeping Koi, the national ornamental pond fish of Japan. These magnificent fish, often referred to as “living jewels,” are known for their gorgeous colors and entertaining habits. Like pets they will often follow a person from one end of their pond to the other, and their brilliant flashes of color are a delight to the eyes.
The Greenbergs added a small waterfall to their pond which, along with helping oxygenate the water, offers refreshing “white noise” to disguise the steady drone of traffic nearby. A variety of lush plants and colorful flowers encircle the pond in a tastefully arranged design, set off by natural rock and a curved retaining wall of manufactured stone. The arbor vitae around the perimeter of the garden provide a wonderful landscape screen for privacy.
The elegant Pau Lope deck was built within inches of the Koi pond so that the Greenbergs can relax on the deck and happily watch their ever-active fish. The unusual strength and durability of Pau Lope wood, which is naturally resistant to decay, insects and fire, make it an excellent choice for a water garden deck. The decking was run on a diagonal, drawing the focus once more to the Koi pond, and fully integrating the deck with the rest of the environs. Fanciful cast aluminum deck furniture painted copper-green lends old-world charm. All through the elements of the project an easy flow of man-made and natural materials exists.
Truly a sense of comfort and relaxation radiates from the Greenbergs’ garden. Their dream has come true. The garden is, in their own words, “the eye in the center of the storm.”
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We’ve Moved Home
Kitchens by Stephanie, Ltd., is pleased to announce that we have moved to our new home studio. While some things have changed, the design, custom cabinetry, and quality craftsmanship you’ve come to expect is just as you remember.
Kyle & Brian are slowly unpacking boxes and getting settled in their new home which has a lovely Plain & Fancy kitchen. Stephanie, whose home office is just around the corner, is also settling into her new home with a lovely Rutt kitchen and Medallion bathrooms. We think you’ll find that seeing products in a “real” environment is so much more satisfying than in a retail setting.
The biggest change we’ve made at Kitchens by Stephanie was facilitated by our move to our home studio. Because we are now a design studio rather than a retail store, we will be meeting with you and others by appointment, allowing the uninterupted time necessary to give the best of service. Typically, we will be available by phone weekdays from 9 to 5. We are also available evenings and Saturdays by appointment to meet your scheduling needs. Our phone number, 616-942-9922, will remain the same.
Whether you’re getting ready to build your new home or remodel the one you’re in, we welcome you to visit our new home studio. Just give us a call to schedule an appointment. Prior to your appointment we will mail or fax you directions to our new location.
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Countertops: Quartz Surfacing
Photo: Courtesy of DuPont Zodiaq™ (www.zodiaq.com)) |
Fashionable in Europe for more than a decade, quartz surfacing (also called engineered stone) is now rapidly gaining popularity in the kitchen and bath countertop market here. Cosentino developed their quartz surfacing product Silestone® 12 years ago in Italy. Another quartz surfacing product called Zodiaq™ was recently introduced in the United States by
DuPont.
Composed primarily of natural quartz particles mixed together with binders and pigments, quartz surfaces have the weight and solid feel of natural stone. The quartz particles give quartz surfaces the glimmering radiance and brilliant clarity of granite.
Quartz surfacing is extremely dense and non-porous. Unlike natural stone, it never requires sealing, polishing or sanding to retain its shiny finish or to resist stains. It is more resistant to scratches, heat and burns than solid surfaces. Cleaning requires simply soap and water.
The resin binders used to make quartz surfaces give the surface greater flexural strength than natural stone as well. This prevents much of the chipping and cracking that can sometimes occur with granite.
Although the color palette in quartz surfacing is currently more limited than natural stone, a great advantage is that computer-controlled technology duplicates the exact color shade from one year to the next. No color variation eliminates the need for additional seams as well as adding to the inconspicuousness of the seams. Quartz surfaces can be machined and manufactured with a variety of edge treatments possible.
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Smart Kitchen Design for The New Senior
The raised dishwasher and lowered ovens make appliances in this attractive kitchen easily
accessible.
Courtesy of GE
appliances, design by Mary Jo Peterson. |
A new wave of building is going on in our country these days, and the building and remodeling industry is sitting up and taking notice. It’s the Baby Boomers again, the generation that has had such an impact on our society throughout every stage of their lives.
Now they have newly become seniors, empty nesters finally with money to spend on their own dreams and desires for their homes. And what they want is luxury, casual elegance, and individuality. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the kitchen, where these active and educated seniors are opting for high performance appliances, work islands and dual sinks.
While planning their dream kitchens, however, it also makes sense to incorporate concepts into the design that accommodate the predictable changes that occur with age. As people advance in age, their senses decline and their flexibility, balance, stamina and reflexes diminish.
The open knee space under this cooktop provides a comfortable working area.
Courtesy of GE
appliances, design by Mary Jo Peterson. |
Kitchen and bath designer, Mary Jo Peterson, CKD, CBD, feels that “smart” design should take this all into account. She specializes in Universal Design, which is design that is flexible enough to meet the needs of each member of a household throughout their lifetime. She is quick to point out, however, that Universal Design can also achieve classy, good looks.
The following is practical advice Peterson offers for creating an accessible kitchen:
1) Flush entry at the door instead of a raised threshold.
2) Clear floor space for maneuvering.
3) Slip-resistant flooring with some give—to prevent serious harm in case of a fall.
4) Generous amounts of task and ambient lighting.
5) Retractable doors to conceal an open knee space for sitting while working.
6) Raised dishwasher cabinet for easy loading and unloading.
7) Rollout trays and/or tambour doors for easily accessible storage in base cabinets.
8) Lower wall ovens and microwaves for easier transfer of items.
9) Lower counters and work areas that can be used while seated.
10) Rolling storage that moves to the point of use as desired.
Owning a state-of-the-art, luxury kitchen is often the fulfillment of a lifelong dream for Baby Boomers. Using the principles of Universal Design in the planning of that kitchen will help ensure they can continue to enjoy it for years to
come.
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Sneak Peak at New Medallion
Introductions:
The new Mission door in quarter sawn oak was one of the new product introductions by Medallion at this year’s Kitchen and Bath Industry Show in Orlando. |
Medallion Cabinetry made some exciting introductions at this year’s Kitchen and Bath Industry Show in Orlando. Medallion has introduced seven new door styles. The door styles are a very progressive move by the Medallion company and allow us as designers to give a truly custom look to a project without the custom price.
One of the new doors is Sonoma, which features a solid cherry frame with a cherry veneer flat insert panel and unique solid three-piece drawer front. Extra wide stiles and rails frame a recessed insert panel
creating an exciting, metropolitan style.
The Catalina door features a solid maple beaded insert panel, trimmed with mitered molding on a solid maple framed door and drawer front. This classic look is at home in the country or at the beach.
Their new Vintage Paint collection of finishes is sure to be a hit. The Vintage Paint collection includes five colors (Morel, Oyster, Sage, Saffron and Carriage Black). The Vintage Paint is a multi-step finish with glaze that adds the patina and general characteristics of age to painted cabinets. The Heirloom finish is also a multi-step painted finish that creates the appearance of wear and the patina of an heirloom furniture piece.
Last but not least, Medallion will be introducing two new doors made from wood species which, until now, have not been available from a stock/semi-custom cabinet manufacturer. Their new Mission door features authentic quarter sawn oak with Arts and Crafts inspired styling. The new Taos door features a solid alder frame and square raided panel door and drawer front. Profiled to be enhanced with glaze, then sanded and distressed, Taos has a rustic elegance with a Western flair. These last two doors will not be available until fall 2001. The five other new styles and all the new finishes are to be available in June 2001.
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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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The Rebirth
of Rutt
From left to right, Mr. and Mrs. Phares Rutt, the company’s founders, Stephanie Witt and Kyle Borst, Kitchens by Stephanie’s mother-daughter team, and Fred Carl, CEO of Viking Range Corporation and new owner of Rutt HandCrafted Cabinetry. |
As we shared with you last quarter, Rutt Custom Cabinetry has been purchased by the Viking Range Corporation. The new company will be known as Rutt HandCrafted Cabinetry. At this year’s Kitchen and Bath Industry Show in Orlando, we had the opportunity to meet the new management team, Fred Carl, the new owner of Rutt and CEO of Viking Range Corporation, as well as the original founders of the company, Mr. and Mrs. Phares Rutt. In a tribute to the company’s founders and the new owners, Rutt’s new management team presented grandfather’s clocks to both Carl and Rutt. The magnificent clocks were hand made by the craftsman at
Rutt.
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