My life, like the life of most working parents, moves at about 55 mph – both literally and figuratively. Between racing to and from work, school and the kitchen table, how, and when are we supposed to find time to be inspired? It’s easy to remain uninspired, which is why I consider myself lucky that searching for creativity is part of my job. I have to remain tuned-in.
Archive for June, 2011
Finding Inspiration at 55 mph
Wednesday, June 29th, 2011Futuristic Kitchens: The Best Products You Can’t See
Wednesday, June 22nd, 2011In my last IMRE Home IQ post, I wrote about color, and how brightly colored appliances and utensils can create a dramatic visual effect in the kitchen. But there is another trend that is just the opposite: products that mimic other products, blend into the background, or otherwise disappear.
A stunning example of this trend was shown at the 2011 Kitchen & Bath Industry Show in Las Vegas. The Kitchen Concept 2015 by Hettich demonstrated the possible future of the kitchen, with appliances, plumbing, media and storage all blending seamlessly into black monoliths. (more…)
Style v. Finances: Stay in Character
Wednesday, June 15th, 2011
Several years ago, my wife, Jana, and I began our first gut remodel on a nearly condemned 1880 Italianate house. We enlisted the help of an architect friend, Mark, who specializes in restoring historic homes. During our first meeting with Mark, he asked a question that seemed meaningless at first. “Which one of you will be the style person and which one the finance person?” (more…)
The 3 Best Things About Color in the Kitchen
Wednesday, June 8th, 2011
I was browsing through one of the newest locations of Sur la Table the other day, and I was struck by how colorful the store was. Small appliances, utensils, linens and ceramics were all available in a rainbow of vibrant colors.
Color in the kitchen isn’t a new trend by any means. Smeg has offered a line of 50s retro-styled refrigerators in bright colors for a few years, and Daltile (Daltile is an IMRE client) offers tiles in nearly every color imaginable.
But color is permeating accessories, utensils and other less permanent products, providing alternatives to the usual black, white and stainless and offering some nice benefits for the homeowner: (more…)
Design With Words
Wednesday, June 1st, 2011
I snapped this photo during a recent walk in New York City, this feast of words in various sizes and unique type style stopped me in my tracks. While admiring, it hit me – this was the entrance to a burger joint. On that particular day I didn’t go in to order a burger, but the signage did inspire me to think about words as a design element, and the messages conveyed. I shared this photo with IMRE’s Creative Director, Chris Denney who immediately reinforced that “messaging and design go hand in hand, and in this case they are communicating not only the menu, but the brand personality of the burger joint.” (more…)