abo design co. » bathrooms

Interstyle Ceramic & Glass Tiles

admin — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 20:53:39 +0000

Whenever possible, I always prefer to support a local company when selecting finishes & materials for my clients. One company that has become quite popular among my clients is Interstyle located in Burnaby. They manufacture ceramic & glass tiles for kitchens, bathrooms, and swimming pools. They specialize in creating custom mosaics and large format tiles for wall & floor installations. What’s truly unique about them is their line of recycled glass manufactured locally in Burnaby. For those working on LEED certification, you know how important this is. Aside from the fact that they are a local business, their products are visually stunning and for special projects that call for unique designs, they’re an excellent alternative. A sampling of my favourites:

Aquarius

Agates

Icestix

Ribbon (countertops or wall panels)

An Artistic Makeover: Sinks

admin — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 22:46:14 +0000

When you think of a bathroom or kitchen sink, you tend to picture white porcelain or stainless steel. It’s never been the conversation piece or focal point of a room. I don’t usually get excited about selecting a sink! It’s there for function and as long as it’s not obnoxiously ugly, it doesn’t usually get the attention that I would give to the selection of a hood or a fireplace. Linkasink certainly changes this, however. And it’s very exciting to see manufacturers, across the spectrum, merging beauty and function when producing new product lines.

Linkasink offers your traditional, funtional sinks the beauty makeover it desperately needs. For those clients who are looking for something a bit more special, Linkasink provides a bedazzling update to the everyday sink. From onyx to bronze to mosaics, the possibilities are endless! These artistic pieces make me rethink the way I design and inspire new designs. Here’s a sampling of some of my favourites:

Stainless steel mosaic kitchen sink

Porcelain Swarovski Pearl Stripes (Cantu has one in their Vancouver showroom)

Tumbled Onyx Farm House Kitchen Sink

Mother of Pearl Mosaics (in dusk)

Bathing in an Egg

admin — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 22:33:19 +0000

I’m very excited for the launch of Viaggi/Maxx’s new egg shaped bathtub! It is to happen this summer. The design is simple, and just beautiful! It is cradled in a wood stand that is beautiful in itself. This eloquent design is perfect for that spa-like bathroom. You know that feeling of cradling a warm egg in your hands? It makes me think of this experience. Very calming but striking enough to be the center piece in your bathroom. I’ll keep you posted on the lauch when it happens. In the meantime for a sneak preview visit www.maxx.com.

The beauty of concrete

admin — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 01:36:21 +0000

The other day, I suggested to a client to use concrete for her new kitchen countertop and was quickly shot down. She thought I was crazy for even going there. Although, I have tendencies for off-the-wall ideas, I thought this was the most sensible solution for this particular client. She has a large family (10 children!) and they all frequent the kitchen. It is the most trafficked room in the entire house and the countertops function (besides the normal day to day cooking activities) as a desk for all sorts of home work and artistic inspirations. It is a meeting table and even acts as a very high bench every now and then! The younger children love climbing on and settling themselves there whilst mommy cooks.

Concrete is similar to granite in terms of physical properties. It’s hard, durable and weighs about the same as granite. It’s templated and installed like granite and very practical in heavy use areas like kitchens and bathrooms. The main difference is in the natural look and matte finish of concrete and the fact that it’s customizable.

If you appreciate natural materials, functionality and craftsmanship then you will love concrete.

Think of it this way: you are getting a natural material that has all the physical properties of granite but it is more affordable and most likely very unique because like this client, many others have also turned down the idea because it was too new to them. There’s a yes waiting just around the corner I’m sure

Here are a few examples of concrete use in interior design.