abo design co. » kitchen

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)

ThinkGlass…Think Green

admin — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 15:48:31 +0000

We’ve covered concrete countertops and now glass! ThinkGlass countertops are sustainable. They are 100% fully recyclable. No sealants or harsh chemicals are used to produce them. There are no emissions released and no negative impact on air quality. They are radon free (compared to granite) and safe for use as a food preparation surface (Certified NSF). For homes they would gain you 10 LEED points and 23 points for NAHB Model Green Home.

Aside from their green characteristics they are stunning (especially against light) and a unique option for kitchen or bathroom countertops. Combining function & art, they are practically maintenance free and extremely durable. They are non-porous, which means they are perfect for Kosher kitchens.

All images courtesy of ThinkGlass.com

They are the most hygienic countertop on the market. You don’t have to worry about cross-contamination and they are pretty much impossible to stain as well. And the kicker, if you hate the way fingerprints are left on glass, a textured finish underneath will mask just about any fingerprint as well as common wear & scratches. You can place hot cookware directly on them but it is recommended that you use hotplates whenever possible.

They average about $200-$300 US per square foot, including cutouts. And like anything else, custom cuts are extra.

Boffi Mini Kitchen

admin — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 16:00:28 +0000

In the late 60’s, architect & designer Joe Colombo designed a series of objects he called Total Living Units. Some of them were perfect for use in kitchens. The Boffi Mini-Kitchen evolved from this and was designed by Colombo for Paolo Boffi. The Carrellone mini-kitchen was unveiled at the 13th Milan Triennale in 1964. Now over forty years later, it has made a stylish come-back! It is made from white Corian and maintains the original design. It is everything you need in a kitchen: stove, fridge, can opener, drawers for your tableware, working surfaces and storage compartments, and it functions using only one single electrical plug. I love it because it’s minimalistic and yet fully functional as a kitchen…perfect for the trendy bachelor/ette. If you are interested, check out the Boffi showroom in Yaletown.

Essenze – New Zealand Inspired Designs

admin — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 16:00:02 +0000

Essenze is the strategic distribution partner of choice for New Zealand’s best designers. New Zealand founded & based, Essenze is well respected by their designers & is reponsible for the global marketing, distribution & sales of the products that represent the cream of New Zealand design. Visit their website for more information.

Apple Jelly Tip, Susannah Bridges

Apple Jelly Tip Bowl, Susannah Bridges

Dribble Bowl, Susannah Bridges

Pacific Light, Susannah Bridges

Dondola, David Trubridge

Ruth Rocker, David Trubridge

Float lounger, David Trubridge

Stylish Trash Bin, Catherine David Designs

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.