Scandinavian Kitchens and Design

The story behind this image? After 25 years attending #kbis I've seen these books of exhibitors thickly bound and depressingly thin due to the number of exhibitors that year. This one seems thicker than in recent years, a good sign for the kitchen and bath industry! #susanknowskitchens via Instagram http://bit.ly/2TTm1kF

And here is another view of the kitchen I designed for @lorenzomt and his talented wife Cecile @simplyperfectbaby that is soon to be installed!! It is @autokitchen that brought it to life in this rendering. The ample storage and ample counter space for a big family is what their dream kitchen is made of 😊 via Instagram https://ift.tt/2E8aBV8

Here's another view of the kitchen of @lorenzomt and his wife Cecile @simplyperfectbaby Cecile wanted STORAGE! She's a wonderful and passionate cook and they have five hungry kids to feed, so this kitchen will work! Many thanks to @autokitchen for the beautiful and highly detailed renderings. As the name implies, autokitchen is software for kitchen and bath designers. Check it out, ask for Miguel, and make sure you tell him Susan sent you. via Instagram https://ift.tt/2DA9AVS

After a whole year of rebuilding the home of @lorenzomt and his lovely wife Cecile @simplyperfectbaby after hurricane Harvey nearly destroyed their home, their new kitchen we designed together will be here soon! This is a rendering from our good friends at @autokitchen who provide software for kitchen and bath firms which produces the most beautiful and detailed renderings. This kitchen will work hard for this family of 7! It's coming soon Lorenzo and Cecile! 🤗 Thank you @autokitchen ! via Instagram https://ift.tt/2OPpRIh

A shot that is out of proportion but take a look at this stylish and substantial hinge on the @trueresidential refrigerator! After an immersive experience at the #truehq in St. Louis, there is no doubt in my mind their product is all about quality. I specified several of their products in a recent project but I digress. I've been to many factories. In one case a few years back I left a high end brand's hq less impressed with the build quality of their products than before I went. The opposite was the case with the True brand. Solid quality throughout the product line. It's also a joy to see a brand that does not fear style. Custom colors for the appliances and the hardware comes in a nice range of finishes. Make it a focal point in the kitchen! via Instagram https://ift.tt/2O7Ai9S

I'm here at @trueresidential headquarters in St Louis. I'm extremely impressed with the company's philosophy of quality and sustainability. The aesthetic is unique and so stylish. So glad I was able to learn more about this brand. via Instagram https://ift.tt/2AsaBgy

Wishing everyone in the Carolinas and surrounding region safe harbor in the days ahead. 🙏 via Instagram https://ift.tt/2xdJRO3

Hey friends - It's just a year since Hurricane Harvey when @lorenzomt Chairman of National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA), his wife and five little ones had to be rescued by boat as the first floor of their home flooded. I started a https://ift.tt/2xNBw2i campaign while the storm was still raging. There was no flood insurance on the house (not in a flood zone). Resources were and are very limited, but with their own hard work and the generosity of others as well as a few brands who donated their products and to whom they are so grateful, the house is near completion! Here is a first look at their kitchen. The cabinets are ready to be ordered, probably Monday! Lorenzo's wife, Cecile, is a passionate cook and desired an abundance of storage in the new kitchen, not to mention counter space. She knew exactly what she wanted! It's truly a reflection of what Cecile requires to function day-to-day. They are blessed with @cabicocabinetry as a sponsor for their kitchen cabinetry. Do you know Cabico? They are one of the industry's most stylish, innovative and quality brands. Their finishes and customizations allow any aesthetic to be expressed. This rendering was made in @autokitchen which has been a friend to the kitchen industry and to the NKBA for many years. Autokitchen is amazing! They offer the most photo realistic renderings that I've seen. More renderings to come! via Instagram https://ift.tt/2NqJNEZ

I saw this beautiful vase last week and knew I had to own it! I received it today and immediately went out to the garden! It is the Ikebana vase by @fritzhansen and the design is meant to feature the entire flower including the stem, a fantastic concept given the top floating disc. This vase will go everywhere around my home including in the kitchen for an elevated elegant, simple and modern look. Flowers and food are natural companions especially given all the hard surfaces in the kitchen! via Instagram https://ift.tt/2wfOkzu

A strong visual effect of a reverse bevel countertop edge and large gap below seen in Milan. I'd hate to bump against that point or have to clean the gaps below. I'm usually wide open to unique design details but practicality always needs a place in the kitchen! via Instagram https://ift.tt/2KZL5Bj

White, wood and pieces of texture define this kitchen. It's the mix that moves the design forward. I'm not so very sure the stools would be conducive to lingering at the countertop if you know what I mean. Taken at the Porcelanosa booth in Milan. But, beautiful for sure IMO. via Instagram https://ift.tt/2KV6Hio

A trend for some years - a long line of tall cabinetry, usually behind an island. Do you think this is a timeless look? I'm not so sure! On one hand, the cabinetry in this image brings me back to a midcentury feeling, especially given the medium walnut color. Simple, modern, elegant. But, it's certainly everywhere in today's modern kitchen designs. I think it's a trend but one which I could see might last another 5-8 years. Fun to speculate! via Instagram https://ift.tt/2KWCSOn

This image, also from the Porcelanosa booth at Eurocucina features an ongoing trend in modern kitchen design of a brightly lit backsplash, often with a rail which holds useful items. I love the space behind the sinks, framed in a dark color and designed for dishes that are easily accessible. I also love the two faucets. Don't necessarily love two separate sinks, but if you're going to have a double sink, have double faucets! Did you see the receptacles in the vertical bar on the backsplash? Excellent idea! Functional yet aesthetically pleasing. A fresh look on the white modern kitchen? via Instagram https://ift.tt/2MKsJWC

I've shared larger areas of my kitchen before but I was compelled to take this little shot this morning as I prepared breakfast. The vintage art, accessories and handmade pendants, all Scandinavian, to my eye, feature the ever so soft gray cabinetry and rich wood shelving by @cabicocabinetry and vice versa. Nearly three years later in an active household, my Cabico cabinetry remains flawless. As a previous owner of a white kitchen many years ago, this speaks to a finish that performs VERY well under pressure. See that glimpse of the backsplash? That's the gorgeous @dektonbycosentino color Borea. Understated yet textured. A perfect warm, modern look for countertop and backsplash that makes the color of fresh food pop. I like my kitchen. A lot 😀 Detail obsessed! via Instagram https://ift.tt/2nEGVpo

One of the first displays I came upon at Eurocucina in Milan. The @porcelanosa_grupo booth featured an exciting juxtaposition of minimalism and maximalism, which you will see me speak of more. The useful grid of glass doors, black framing and it's repetitive pattern is in interesting contrast with smooth, quiet, surfaces elsewhere in this display except for a beautiful tile "rug" under the island. But could you keep the shelves so neat? Not me! via Instagram https://ift.tt/2P7IE2O

I've been off Instagram for no particular reason, for 3-4 months. I'm happy to return! Honestly, I think after attending Eurocucina (the biennial kitchen fair held in Milan) for 3 full days JUST in the kitchen buildings and having taken 5,000 photos (many duplicates, lol) I came back overwhelmed and did not quite know where to start. But, there is so much to talk about! My images and descriptions on the latest in international kitchen design is coming. Good to be back! via Instagram https://ift.tt/2MpV1c4

Do y'all know @shakeshack? Best burgers! But you can make them at home, equally delicious with good quality beef and the right cooking technique. Use a hot cast iron pan, cold beef, salt them and smash them down with a spatula in the pan! Makes them deliciously brown and crusty and so tender you won't believe it. Thanks for the delicious meat @chowfancy ! via Instagram https://ift.tt/2GvhIF0