The Golden Revision

Many of us who have a 1980's and 1990's house have the same thing. Outdated and ugly brass fixtures.  We all have them, we all hate them, and we all want to replace them.  Especially now that they are probably showing their age with tarnishing and deteriorating finishes, leaks, and oxidation.  It's ok, we should all know we aren't alone.

Today's finishes aren't limited to Chrome and Brushed Nickel.  For those of you that still love the warmth and class that Brass once showed, there is still something perfect for you.  There are still golden finishes that are gaining in popularity. (I guess everything does come back around at some point!)  Here are some of my favorite finishes that are perfect for people who love the gold finishes, or who are on top of the fashion game!

This faucet is Brushed Bronze.  Similar finishes are available from many well named brands, including Kohler, Delta, Brizo, Newport Brass, Altman's, and many more.  This finish is available in both kitchen and bath. Brushed Bronze is a darker version of a golden finish.  It is warm, and goes well with cream colored finishes.

Here it is again in a kitchen faucet.  This particular faucet is the Kohler Karbon Articulating Faucet, which list at around $1500.  This finish is truly a way to make a statement.  It hasn't grown widespread like Brass did in the 80's and 90's, and like Brushed Nickel has in the 2000's and 2010's.  Because of so many finish offerings today, I don't think it will be come so widespread, so you can really make a statement and have something unique.

This Polished Copper faucet by Newport Brass is called the Metropole. I very popular design, in a unique finish to Newport Brass.  It looks just like a shiny new penny. This faucet is priced from around $1207. Many of Newport Brass's faucet offerings are available in this finish, which is again, a warm and unique finish.  One thing I dislike about chrome is that it can be so cold.

Newport Brass has the largest selection of gold finishes including Polished Copper, Brushed Bronze, French Gold, Polished Brass, Brushed Brass, and so much more. Newport Brass also has a wide variety of faucet designs, and nearly all faucets are available in all 27 finishes.  They are typically made to order, which makes them the best way to customize your faucet.  They have a full array of faucets including bath, kitchen, shower, and accessories to coordinate your whole home.

Delta Trinsic Floor Mount Tub Filler in Champagne Bronze

And this last faucet is the Delta Trinsic Floor Mount Tub Filler in Champagne Bronze. I love the mix of Traditional finishes with contemporary faucet design.  This is a great way to create a custom space.  Why stick to the same old boring Brushed Nickel if you don't want to. Like Newport Brass, Delta has a full variety of coordinating faucets and accessories to match your whole home.

Most people can't wait to get rid of their outdated gold faucets.  Some people still love the gold, if that's you, rest assured, you will find something to fit your taste.  Traditional, contemporary, and transitional styles are available in these fun new finishes.  And if you shop with the major brands, you can create a whole suite of fixtures and accessories to make a complete space.

5 Ways to Update your Kitchen on a Budget

So your looking for ways to update your kitchen, but you don't have the cash to spend.  I am always looking for a bargain, so I have a few tricks up my sleeve that will help you out.  First of all, budget is important.  Seems to be more so now than ever, people are trying to get the biggest bang for their buck, mostly because they don't have a lot of extra bucks to spend in the first place.  So when it comes to updating your kitchen, a full remodel isn't the best way to go.  

First, we all know a full blown kitchen remodel is on average 10% the value of your home.  If your house is worth $300,000, your talking $30,000 just for a kitchen remodel.  Who has that kind of cash laying around?  And it's certainly not "Budget". 

So what about Refacing?  After my years with Home Depot in their Kitchen and Bath Department, I will honestly tell you that Refacing is never a budget choice.  Going back to that $30,000 remodel, $10,000 of that is for cabinets, your probably going to spend that much, if not more, for refacing.  I can't tell you how many times I had customers choose to do a full blown remodel over refacing because it was actually cheaper, and they could change the layout issues they were having.  

So what's a budget fix then?  Obviously Replacing and refacing isn't a good budget option, so now what do you do?  I have several tricks up my sleeve that can spruce up your kitchen, all for less than $1000!  That's right, five different options to update a kitchen for less than a grand.  Even if you put it on a credit card, it's easy enough to pay off in a year.  

1. Refinishing:  Now obviously, for less than $1000, your not going to be able to have an artisan come in and paint your cabinets.  But you can do it yourself.  I painted all of my cabinets myself, with some help from the Mother in Law, for less than $200!  It took some time, patience, and reading a lot of instructions, but my kitchen looks amazing.  I have referred the products to more customers than I can even count, and have never had a negative bit of feedback.  The product I used, and highly recommend, is the Rust-Oleum Cabinet Transformation's Kit, available and most major home improvement stores for about $80/box, or 10 linear feet.  I used two boxes in my kitchen, and still have enough to do my bathrooms.
2.  New Hardware: New hinges, handles and pulls are a great way to update a kitchen with minimal out of pocket expense.  Getting rid of old brass colored hinges will instantly update your kitchen.  Even if you don't know how to route out your cabinets for concealed hinges, you can always go with a chrome or brushed nickel version of what you already have.  I replaced all the hinges in my kitchen for less than $25.  I only have 6 drawers, so I splurged on my drawer pulls, at about $6 each, but got less expensive door knobs, at about $2 each.  So for all new hinges, knobs and pulls, I spent about $100.  Check out Liberty Hardware, manufacturer of knobs, pulls, and hinges.
3.  New Flooring: Flooring isn't nearly as expensive as most people think, especially if you do the labor yourself.  Allure Ultra is a water proof flooring material that cost about $3/square foot, and is super easy to install yourself.  It's a click-lock material designed for the DIYer.  Available through Home Depot, there are some great wood look materials and some nice tile looks.  You can also get nice quality porcelain tile for around the same cost.  Rent a tile saw to keep your prices down.  Personally, I put laminate in my kitchen.  Not nearly as water resistant, but I wanted the same flooring throughout my house.  My flooring was actually only $2/foot at Home Depot, plus the underlayment required for slab foundations.  Total, was still less than $3/foot.
4.  Fresh Paint: The quickest way to update any space in your home is always going to be paint.  A quick and easy coat of paint can be an easy weekend job.  Just be sure to do the prep work.  Painting over a poorly prepped space is just asking for trouble.  Prime if needed, and texture over any areas that need it. We actually had someone come in and re texture the splash area to remove the floral wall paper.  It was the fastest way to get my kitchen out of the 1980's.  Including new spray texture, we spent about $1000 on this project.
5. Ditch the Fluorescent Lights: When trying to update your kitchen, another great way to update is to remove that ugly fluorescent light box so many of us have.  Swap it out for recessed cans.  We have a friend who is an electrician, and did the work for us fairly inexpensively.  We got five can's and with his labor probably spent about $700.  This project did have to be done with the texture and painting, so keep that in mind.  

Metallic Leather

Custom Brushed Metallic Beaver Meadow Brown Leather

on Chairs at the Langham Hotel in Atlanta, GA

Designed by Johnson Studio

Metallic's are a lot of fun, and a great way to bring in some extra texture into any space.  Sometimes they can be a little scary, and easy to overdo, but still fun.  I was surfing Pinterest not too long ago, and found some products that I have since fallen in love with.  The company in question is Townsend Leather, and their product line is absolutely stunning.  They specialize in all kinds of leather, but have a great collection of metallic finished leathers for interior design and fashion.  Their collection of embossed leather features several different metallic and foil finishes, that lets just say, I was rather excited to order some samples.  

Razzle Dazzle Cowhide (RD)

Color: Silver

Pattern: La Scala Damask

Number: L-RD-1875-LAS

The first piece that caught my eye was the Razzle Dazzle Cowhide in La Scala Damask Silver.  I could see this textured and shiny leather featured on throw pillows, or even an upholstered headboard!  This particular design is not recommended for heavy use areas like seating, but great for accents or vertical applications, as the metallic foil can wear. 

The physical sample is just as beautiful as the photo, and the textured detail is absolutely stunning.  No trick photography here, it looks great, even at a distance.  I often worry about some of these textured materials because when entering a room they can often take two or three glances to actually get what's going on, but not this one.  

Fab Foils Embossed Cowhide (EFAB)

Color: Silver

Pattern: Ostrich

Number: L-EFAB-1875-LAS

One of the other leathers that instantly caught my eye was the Fab Foils Embossed Silver Ostrich on Cowhide.  This highly metallic leather sample took my breath away right out of the envelope. It almost looks like a piece of foil, so shiny and bright.  I already have a few projects I could use this for.  Like the Razzle Dazzle Cowhide, this color is not recommended for heavy use areas like seating, but great for accents or vertical applications.

I could see this more in fashion, like on a purse, or shoes, not so much furniture, however I could also see it utilized in some holiday decor, such as combined with blue and silver themed Christmas decor, as accent and accessories. 

Brushed Metallic Cowhide
Old Penny BM-8357

Looking for something that can be used in upholstery?  This chair is a great example of why I am now loving metallic leathers.  This chair is done in the Brushed Metallic Cowhide in the color Old Penny.  It has that subtle sheen that you would expect on say, and old penny, and it is sure to be an eye catcher when walking into a room.  I love it!  I really want a giant overstuffed leather chair in this color, in the corner of my bedroom to curl up with the Kindle, or write a blog post or two.  

This particular leather is Hand Rubbed to accentuate the metallic finish and the leathers own natural characteristics to create that patina that looks like the chair is your favorite.  

Townsend Leather also has some interesting textured metallics that can be used in upholstery.  The Aniline Gaufrage Cowhide pictured below is a breathtakingly luxe leather that looks fantastic on these chairs.  This photo below is the reason I wanted to write this post.  I love this transitional luxe vignette is exactly the kind of room I love creating, and can't wait to partner with Townsend Leather in creating these unique pieces.   Want more?  Check out the rest of my blog.  You can also find Townsend Leather on Pinterest. 

Aniline Gaufrage Pewter Mosaic
GFA-6221-MS

7 Kitchen Trends to Avoid

Everyone always focuses on the newest best trends, but what about the trends to avoid?  I have seen a few lists, so I decided to make my own, and focus on alternatives.  Obviously, if your dead set on something, get it, but if resale is at all a consideration in the next year or so, think twice on some of these items. 

Appiance Garage
by Case Design

1: Appliance Garages.
What was once a great way to hide those counter top appliances like coffee makers, toasters and blenders, is now a dated and gone element of any kitchen.  In today's kitchen, counter space at a premium, so why hide it inside of a cabinet?  Instead of an Appliance Garage, opt for a pantry to store some of the smaller less used appliances.  If that isn't an option, deep drawers, or roll out trays inside of a base cabinet is a good alternative.  This will help open up that extra counter space, and give any kitchen a more open look that is desirable in today's kitchen.  

2: Small Splashes.

A great alternative to a small splash
by Esther Hershcovich

Today, most homeowners are choosing full height tile splashes made of various materials of any size.  Gone, forgotten, and hopefully never to be seen again are 4-6" splashes.  I hate short splashes, because dust just collects on the top ledge, and what about that sheetrock above?  If your making spaghetti and that sauce splashes, it's going no where on that backsplash, it's going on the painted and textured wall above the splash.  Trust me, full height is the way to go.  One look I love, is a full height splash, even behind a hood, that goes all they way to the ceiling.  It's an inexpensive and custom touch that is sure to draw attention.

3: Trash Compactors. 
I've said it a million times, ditch the compactor and opt for a double waste basket cabinet with room for trash and recycling.  They take the same amount of space, and you can eliminate the recycling pile on the countertop. They're also cheaper!  

Consider a Micro Drawer Instead
Greenleaf Construction

4: Over-The-Range Microwaves.
Yes, they save space, but they are incredibly dangerous, especially for kids!  They are too high up to safely remove hot dishes if your short, which could cause spills and injury.  Instead, opt for a microwave drawer by Sharp.  Still a growing trend, it's great for any member of the house hold, from kids to grandparents, which relates to a housing trend, of multiple generations under one roof.

5: Overly distressed and Glazed Cabinet Finishes.
Women still love these, but the men are saying "They Look Dirty!"  This has been a marital disagreement since the beginning, and I am glad to see this going away.  Take a look at my previous post on cabinet finishes for 2014 which talks about today's finish trends in the kitchen (and bath!).  Solid colors featuring off whites and grays.  

Very Ornate kitchen by
WL Interiors

6:  Overly Ornate Accessories.
Things like corbels, valances, on lays, and legs that have no architectural reference to the house. Keep in mind, you want the whole house to work as one, this includes architectural elements that don't fit.  These elements were popular in the 1990's, however today's clients are scaling back and keeping cleaning in mind. Now keep in mind, if your entire house is a highly decorative and ornate, then this style is fitting, but if your house isn't, then neither should your kitchen.  It's all a balance.

7: Polished Countertops.

This one is still a pretty strong trend, but I have seen more and more people requesting honed or non-polished materials.  I think this trend is on it's way out, and it's about time.  There are so many different finishes to natural stone that are equally lovely.  Honed, Leathered, Fired, and they all look great.  Do your homework.  If polished is still your cup of tea, great, but you might find something you didn't even know existed. 

Hope some of these ending trends weren't on your wish list.  Again, if they are, there isn't a problem with that, just keep them in mind if resale is going to be happening soon. 

3 New Cabinet Color Trends in 2014

So last week I wrote about the fun trends we are seeing in kitchen's, especially inside the cabinets.  How about the cabinets themselves?  What colors are popular right now?  We all know Honey Oak kitchen cabinets are out.  What about white paint, is that still in?  Espresso?  Is that still happening?  Let's take a look at what colors are doing well in today's kitchen remodel.

Off White Cabinets

Traditional Kitchen by Kohler

Yes, it's true, the stark white is not the most popular color anymore.  It has been replaced by one of two options, Off White and Grey.  People are saying that white too crisp.  It's too bright.  They want to tone it down a little bit.  So they are going with three tones.  Yes, soft cream and canvas type colors, and taupe are popular for a warmer toned kitchen.  These off white cabinets help warm up the space, and create a "Not so Stark"or "hospital' kitchen.  Glaze free, they are also are easier to keep looking clean and amazing.  (That's right, glazes are on their way out the door, and I couldn't be happier about that!)

When looking for these tones of cabinets, the options are absolutely gorgeous.  Cabinet manufacturers are coming out with some great colors that blend well with stained cabinets, making it easy to do a two toned kitchen, or pair with wood flooring or other furnishings.  

Kitchen by Home and Stone

Grey

Grey cabinets are the same story.  People don't want the stark white "hospital look" anymore.  Grey is blowing up in popularity, and many of the cabinet manufacturers are scrambling to come out with the newest top selling shade.  I have seen these cool tones blowing up in the wall color market as well.

Grey cabinets can lend themselves to a cooler toned room, shying away from the heavy Tuscan influence I see in my area, which makes me love it even more.  If your looking to paint your existing colors, a worry free color pallet is available by Jeff Lewis Color.  

Kitchen by Tineke Triggs of
Artistic Designs for Living

Blue Accents in Cabinetry
Blue, or a greyish blue mix is another major trend blowing up.  Again, manufacturers are scrambling to come out with these colors.  They look crisp and fresh, and bring new life to any space.  I fear that like in the 90's, people are going to be sick of blue again, so be cautious.  If you want to do it anyway, check out Jeff Lewis Color, because again, his blue's are what this trend is all about.

If your fearful about doing blue, and locking yourself into a color, forever, then just stick with grey.  You can add blue with accents, and take them out when your tired of it.

Kitchen by In Detail Interiors

Bonus Color Trend
So what about all those folks not wanting to paint their cabinets, and still love the look of stained cabinets and the grain?  There is still a big draw for the dark espresso cabinets, however it will still hide some of the grain.  Going dark is still the trend I see my clients asking for, when it's not white or off white.  The photo to the left shows what I have been seeing in the past few months.

I honestly wish I had my own photo's to show you, but many of my designs are still in the process of being installed.  Keep an eye out in the Portfolio for updated photos of these trends and my own designs.

Follow Sarah George's board 2014 Cabinet Color Trends on Pinterest.