An Outdoor Kitchen Goes Environmental and Edible!

Contributed by Lori Dolnick


What happens when 28 talented and creative high-end designers come together? A masterpiece is created. Plain and simple.

The Pasadena Showcase House, a non-profit organization based in California chooses a home for an indoor, and outdoor makeover every year and the results are well, pretty amazing. The transformation process from basic and plain interiors to an incredible & stylish home complete with a stunning outdoor garden area, takes about 8 months to plan and finish.  The process not only involves time, hard work and passion but also the creative talents of these selected designers who have a special insight into what will “click” with the kind of space and materials they have to work with.

This year the team turned a private home owned by the American Red Cross into a dream house capturing the attention of almost 40 thousand visitors who helped raised money through the entrance fee for The American Red Cross.

(before)

The brains behind the outdoor kitchen design is Jan Ledgard, certified kitchen designer, owner and designer of Yorkshire Kitchens, Inc.  who conceptualized and designed the entire outdoor kitchen space for The Pasadena Showcase Home.

LD: How did you get involved in the Showcase House this year?

JL: Well, I just happened to tag along with a couple of other designers this year for the Designers’ Peek Day and just casually mentioned to someone that I did outdoor kitchens and well, the rest I guess is history!! LOL!

What I really wanted to do was to create an area that could be used for weddings, parties, etc but at the same time create a space that virtually anyone could look at no matter what their budget or space is and say “I could do this in my yard!”

LD: Where did the inspiration for the design come from?

JL: The idea for the space was that it would be a complete outdoor kitchen and kitchen garden. Everything planted was either edible or medicinal with a just a few exceptions. All the products we used were either recycled or recyclable or at least environmentally friendly. Atlantis Outdoor Kitchens supplied the cabinetry and appliances and I used as many local products and suppliers as possible including local lumber yard, local garden nurseries, etc.

LD: What was the most challenging in terms of trying to create a fun but useful place?

JL: I wanted to create something that was fun and exciting, yet functional. Keeping in mind ways for families and friends to entertain and at the same time being able to enjoy some private time - which is why I added the Martini sink so you can just relax in your own yard sipping away on a Martini.

We build a deck for ultimate family dinners and a bar for those special social nights with friends or neighbors. It’s very cool because the deck is built over the roots of a Liquid Amber tree that adds a natural shade canopy. I also designed the retractable awning - each panel pulls on and off separately using a very low energy “pole” so you just hook the pole in a ring and pull!

I also finished off the space bringing all the elements of the wood and glass together using recycled glass as accents in all the candle holders, teak on the hand rail, natural stones and crystals (a passion of mine) were dotted around the entire space and a couple of whimsical elements, like the “moon gazing hares,” were also added.

LD: Sounds like you had the “Go Green” effect in mind when planning the space.

JL: I did actually. The planters are all edible, herbal or medicinal including tomatoes, grape vines, etc. We added small planters around the space to show people how they could have an herb garden in a small space – and it is visually appealing as well.

LD:  Well, you did an amazing job this year. Any idea of what visitors can expect next year?

JD: Not sure yet. We’re still trying to rest up from the last one!!

Photos courtesy Pasadena Showcase House 2010.



See all Lori's posts here.


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An Outdoor Kitchen Goes Environmental and Edible!

Contributed by Lori Dolnick


What happens when 28 talented and creative high-end designers come together? A masterpiece is created. Plain and simple.

The Pasadena Showcase House, a non-profit organization based in California chooses a home for an indoor, and outdoor makeover every year and the results are well, pretty amazing. The transformation process from basic and plain interiors to an incredible & stylish home complete with a stunning outdoor garden area, takes about 8 months to plan and finish.  The process not only involves time, hard work and passion but also the creative talents of these selected designers who have a special insight into what will “click” with the kind of space and materials they have to work with.

This year the team turned a private home owned by the American Red Cross into a dream house capturing the attention of almost 40 thousand visitors who helped raised money through the entrance fee for The American Red Cross.

(before)

The brains behind the outdoor kitchen design is Jan Ledgard, certified kitchen designer, owner and designer of Yorkshire Kitchens, Inc.  who conceptualized and designed the entire outdoor kitchen space for The Pasadena Showcase Home.

LD: How did you get involved in the Showcase House this year?

JL: Well, I just happened to tag along with a couple of other designers this year for the Designers’ Peek Day and just casually mentioned to someone that I did outdoor kitchens and well, the rest I guess is history!! LOL!

What I really wanted to do was to create an area that could be used for weddings, parties, etc but at the same time create a space that virtually anyone could look at no matter what their budget or space is and say “I could do this in my yard!”

LD: Where did the inspiration for the design come from?

JL: The idea for the space was that it would be a complete outdoor kitchen and kitchen garden. Everything planted was either edible or medicinal with a just a few exceptions. All the products we used were either recycled or recyclable or at least environmentally friendly. Atlantis Outdoor Kitchens supplied the cabinetry and appliances and I used as many local products and suppliers as possible including local lumber yard, local garden nurseries, etc.

LD: What was the most challenging in terms of trying to create a fun but useful place?

JL: I wanted to create something that was fun and exciting, yet functional. Keeping in mind ways for families and friends to entertain and at the same time being able to enjoy some private time - which is why I added the Martini sink so you can just relax in your own yard sipping away on a Martini.

We build a deck for ultimate family dinners and a bar for those special social nights with friends or neighbors. It’s very cool because the deck is built over the roots of a Liquid Amber tree that adds a natural shade canopy. I also designed the retractable awning - each panel pulls on and off separately using a very low energy “pole” so you just hook the pole in a ring and pull!

I also finished off the space bringing all the elements of the wood and glass together using recycled glass as accents in all the candle holders, teak on the hand rail, natural stones and crystals (a passion of mine) were dotted around the entire space and a couple of whimsical elements, like the “moon gazing hares,” were also added.

LD: Sounds like you had the “Go Green” effect in mind when planning the space.

JL: I did actually. The planters are all edible, herbal or medicinal including tomatoes, grape vines, etc. We added small planters around the space to show people how they could have an herb garden in a small space – and it is visually appealing as well.

LD:  Well, you did an amazing job this year. Any idea of what visitors can expect next year?

JD: Not sure yet. We’re still trying to rest up from the last one!!

Photos courtesy Pasadena Showcase House 2010.



See all Lori's posts here.


 Subscribe to ::Surroundings::

A little somethng different: Jason Wu Fashion Show

As I wrote a couple of days ago, I was invited by Brizo to attend a two day series of events in NYC which included attending the Jason Wu 2011 runway show in an old loft building on Mercer St. in Soho. It was my first fashion show in person (although I am a big Project Runway fan) and it was a great time. Jason Wu has been a designer to watch for quite a while, but I expect that it was Michelle Obama's selection of his white floral dress as her gown for the inaugural balls that really put his work in front of mainstream America.

Our Brizo goody bag contained this cute Jason Wu necklace that he designed based on their Virage faucet set.  You can see the twisted curved lines and you may notice that together, they also look like the initials JW.

Virage by Brizo

I ended up with one of the best seats in the house as I was seating right by the door where the models entered and returned, so I got to see and photograph them coming and going. I will say that the clothes are spectacularly beautiful and, with some tweaking for more average/normal sized women, very wearable. Many of the looks are throwbacks to the forties and seventies, which was interesting to see. According to the designer's notes, he was inspired by the work of contemporary Brazilian artist Beatriz Milhazes whose "distinctive style of balancing organized patterns with rhythmic movement inspired the collection's energetic mood." 

Jason Wu also debuted his new collection of handbags and shoes as well. The shoes were gorgeous and while still skyhigh were more classic and less dangerous looking than a lot of shoes seen today.

The fashion show featured 37 looks and took less than ten minutes to run. It's amazing how all that work feels like it comes down to such a short show. Those girls sure know how to walk - the "runway" was a shiny plastic narrow "half-pipe". I have such a phobia about falling that I worry for others as well - but they all did their jobs well.

Here's a selection of some of my absolute favorite looks:

CLICK HERE FOR FULL SLIDE SHOW

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A little somethng different: Jason Wu Fashion Show

As I wrote a couple of days ago, I was invited by Brizo to attend a two day series of events in NYC which included attending the Jason Wu 2011 runway show in an old loft building on Mercer St. in Soho. It was my first fashion show in person (although I am a big Project Runway fan) and it was a great time. Jason Wu has been a designer to watch for quite a while, but I expect that it was Michelle Obama's selection of his white floral dress as her gown for the inaugural balls that really put his work in front of mainstream America.

Our Brizo goody bag contained this cute Jason Wu necklace that he designed based on their Virage faucet set.  You can see the twisted curved lines and you may notice that together, they also look like the initials JW.

Virage by Brizo

I ended up with one of the best seats in the house as I was seating right by the door where the models entered and returned, so I got to see and photograph them coming and going. I will say that the clothes are spectacularly beautiful and, with some tweaking for more average/normal sized women, very wearable. Many of the looks are throwbacks to the forties and seventies, which was interesting to see. According to the designer's notes, he was inspired by the work of contemporary Brazilian artist Beatriz Milhazes whose "distinctive style of balancing organized patterns with rhythmic movement inspired the collection's energetic mood." 

Jason Wu also debuted his new collection of handbags and shoes as well. The shoes were gorgeous and while still skyhigh were more classic and less dangerous looking than a lot of shoes seen today.

The fashion show featured 37 looks and took less than ten minutes to run. It's amazing how all that work feels like it comes down to such a short show. Those girls sure know how to walk - the "runway" was a shiny plastic narrow "half-pipe". I have such a phobia about falling that I worry for others as well - but they all did their jobs well.

Here's a selection of some of my absolute favorite looks:

CLICK HERE FOR FULL SLIDE SHOW

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A month of downs and ups

Unfortunately, posting has been very sporadic the past couple of weeks. If you're friends with me on Facebook (and please be!) you will have seen my posts about the non-stop problems at my condo. First, I had a water main break - one month ago today. During the time I was gathering estimates for excavation, I had an electrical short in the wiring outside the unit. The electric company came and said I needed to call an electrician asap because it was a fire hazard. Oy. In addition to all this, my old and outdated oil tank needed to be removed (and a new one purchased) before the excavators will start digging.

Yes, this rusting beast is was my oil tank, which was finally removed on Tuesday. The electrical work was done yesterday, made much easier because the tank was out of the way. Next week (hopefully) the excavation company will come to dig up my foundation to find and fix the break. Please say a prayer that the break is easy to fix and hasn't caused foundation damage! For a month, I've been living with water coming from a neighbors unit via garden hose (seriously, we connected a hose from his spigot to my spigot, turned off my main water inlet and voila, running water. Hose water, but it works). I've also had to be sparing with the electrical until that could be fixed (which was delayed by Hurricane Earl last week) which means no hair dryer, air conditioning, oven, etc.

So, after a month of dealing with all those problems,  contractors and insurance people coming and going, I am truly thrilled and thankful to be writing this post from my lovely hotel room at the 70 Park Avenue Hotel in NY courtesy of Brizo, the high end faucet company.  I featured two of their products in an article in my Fall 2010 issue of my mag::E::zine [although note that the product feature happened before the invitation to this event!].

Brizo hosts groups of designers, architects, writers and bloggers at Fashion Week for a series of events, including the Jason Wu fashion show and a cocktail party at the Showtime House.   Shortly, I am off to a meet and greet, an educational seminar on the use of their products and then a dinner at Barbés restaurant, which features Moroccan food.

However, given the month I've had, this is looking pretty good...

More to come. Not sure I can take pics of the fashion show, but we'll see!  For a great post on the 70 Park Avenue Hotel, check out The Decorating Diva.



 Subscribe to ::Surroundings::

A month of downs and ups

Unfortunately, posting has been very sporadic the past couple of weeks. If you're friends with me on Facebook (and please be!) you will have seen my posts about the non-stop problems at my condo. First, I had a water main break - one month ago today. During the time I was gathering estimates for excavation, I had an electrical short in the wiring outside the unit. The electric company came and said I needed to call an electrician asap because it was a fire hazard. Oy. In addition to all this, my old and outdated oil tank needed to be removed (and a new one purchased) before the excavators will start digging.

Yes, this rusting beast is was my oil tank, which was finally removed on Tuesday. The electrical work was done yesterday, made much easier because the tank was out of the way. Next week (hopefully) the excavation company will come to dig up my foundation to find and fix the break. Please say a prayer that the break is easy to fix and hasn't caused foundation damage! For a month, I've been living with water coming from a neighbors unit via garden hose (seriously, we connected a hose from his spigot to my spigot, turned off my main water inlet and voila, running water. Hose water, but it works). I've also had to be sparing with the electrical until that could be fixed (which was delayed by Hurricane Earl last week) which means no hair dryer, air conditioning, oven, etc.

So, after a month of dealing with all those problems,  contractors and insurance people coming and going, I am truly thrilled and thankful to be writing this post from my lovely hotel room at the 70 Park Avenue Hotel in NY courtesy of Brizo, the high end faucet company.  I featured two of their products in an article in my Fall 2010 issue of my mag::E::zine [although note that the product feature happened before the invitation to this event!].

Brizo hosts groups of designers, architects, writers and bloggers at Fashion Week for a series of events, including the Jason Wu fashion show and a cocktail party at the Showtime House.   Shortly, I am off to a meet and greet, an educational seminar on the use of their products and then a dinner at Barbés restaurant, which features Moroccan food.

However, given the month I've had, this is looking pretty good...

More to come. Not sure I can take pics of the fashion show, but we'll see!  For a great post on the 70 Park Avenue Hotel, check out The Decorating Diva.



 Subscribe to ::Surroundings::

What’s Cooking in Contemporary Design: Hot Products from the 2010 Kitchen & Bath Show

Contributed by Lori Dolnick


Contemporary style was well represented at this year’s Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS) in Chicago. Beyond each manufacturer’s desire to cover their bases between traditional, transitional and contemporary lines – I am seeing strong offerings in the modern arena. One theory… while our worlds are hectic and complex outside the home - we crave simple, classic lines inside – the uncluttered sophistication of everything in its place. It’s why white is still one of the most popular cabinet colors right now. And why storage is so vital to design. It’s not the newness of the product that defines what makes it great modern design. It’s the staying power… the “rightness” of design and quality that makes it a lasting element in the home. Here are some of the hottest contemporary finds at this year’s KBIS:

BLANCO LEVOS

LEVOS by BLANCO is an iconic faucet design. Utterly unique – LEVOS offers zero radius edges alongside soft arching curves. The juxtaposition of hard and soft edges not only make a bold design statement in the kitchen, they also harmonize with both modern and transitional elements.

Top Knobs Ultra Contemporary

Top Knobs Ultra Contemporary Collections is a mix of cabinet hardware styles with strong Asian influences and stunning minimalist lines. Available in four finishes, Top Knobs Ultra Contemporary Collection will be available this summer. I love the free online sample program that lets you order knobs ahead of time to check finish and fit!

Novellini Cristal

Master baths seem so crowded when you dump that compulsory giant soaking tub in the corner. But I imagine that if the bathing vessel were clear – and the design beautiful – that the tub would become a focal point. Novellini Cristal offers an edgy, futuristic design that leaves absolutely nothing to the imagination. .

Mustang Red In2ition by Alsons® Corporation

In2ition is a 5-spray shower system (you have to say system because it’s a hand held shower head ingeniously slipped inside a stationary head that delivers a wide spa-like spray). When I saw it demonstrated – I was dog tired from a full day on the trade show floor and just wanted to climb in and get a massage spray right there. And who doesn’t like red! Even though it comes in other finishes.

Bamboo by Atlantis Outdoor Kitchens

Atlantis Outdoor Kitchens is one of the few – if only companies – I know of that offers a sleek, warm outdoor kitchen environment. Who says an outdoor kitchen has to be all stainless steel. Bamboo is green, natural and looks great outside. Get closer to nature by being kind to it. Custom or pre-finished options are available and you can design right online.



See all Lori's posts here.


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