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 Outdated and ugly brass fixtures.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.

Buying Guide: Electronic Faucets

You see the commercials, you see the magazine advertisements. The questions are always the same, do electronic faucets live up to the hype, or are they just something to break? This buying guide will help you know what to look for and what to ask when shopping for your next kitchen faucet.  This will help you also identify the pros and cons of the different technologies available.  

What are electronic faucets?
Some people call them "Touchless" however that isn't the right term. Here is what you need to know. There are a few types if Electronic Kitchen Faucets on the market. Those that require touch, and those that are motion activated, or truly touchless.  It's important to identify the touch style faucets and the motion faucets, and identify which one will work best for you and your family.  Most consumers actually get the touch activated faucets over the motion faucets, but we will get more in detail on that later.

Brizo Artesso Smart Touch Faucet in Polished Nickel

Questions to Ask:  When you get to the showroom, here are a few questions you may want to ask the showroom sales person.  

1. What's the warranty on the specific faucet you are looking at?  Are there any other brands with a different warranty or longer warranty?  
2. What's the power source? If batteries, how long do they last, or is there an option to upgrade to a plug-in style?  
3. What is the quality of the brand? Are they lower end, mid level, or high end.  I always suggest looking at different styles with many price points.  The Faucet is the hardest working "Appliance" in your kitchen.  It's worth the extra investment.  
4. Does the showroom have samples hooked up you can use and test?  I don't recommend buying a motion or touch faucet without "playing" first.  

Delta Touch2O/Brizo SmartTouch Technology
Delta and Brizo have my favorite of the electronic kitchen faucets. They require touch, and for my lifestyle, that just works better. The big difference between the two is ultimately the aesthetics behind the design. Because Delta and Brizo are sister companies, the interior guts are essentially the same. They feature the same cartridges, same electronic mechanism, same hoses, etc.

The wonderful thing about these faucets, is you can touch them (almost) anywhere to turn them on. The neck, body, and handle work as your on/off touch area. They will turn on and be at the same temperature the faucet was the last time you had it on. These faucets also remember which spray pattern you used last.  The key is to actually leave the faucet handle in the on position.  This is great, because if the handle is in the off position, you can touch as much as you want and nothing will happen.  This works great for those of us with cat's at home.  No worry that the cat is going to turn the faucet on while scratching her nose.

These Technologies work great because of its ease of use. Like the "hands" commercial shows, your hands can be ants messy as ever, and all you have touch do is tap the faucet. Tap with your fingers, knuckles, wrists, forearm, elbow, chin, whatever floats your boat.

I personally have used the Brizo Talo and Artesso models, and love this technology. The main difference between Delta and Brizo are limited. Aside from the jump in price, they designs themselves are much more favorable in Brizo. Both feature a 5 year warranty on electronics, and a lifetime warranty on the finish. Both are battery operated, however some of the new Brizo faucets will feature an outlet where aren't electric outlet can be added. These faucets run on 6 AA batteries, and the battery pack is on a long lead which can be mounted toward the front of the cabinet, and need to be replaced about every 6 months. While Delta is typically a "Low-Medium" end faucet, Brizo is more high end and definitely worth the extra investment. As I said, their designs are flawless, and after all, the quality is definitely in the details.  Some of the cons include one big one, the faucet doesn't work when the batteries are dead. At least there is a low battery indicator!

Moen MotionSense Faucets
Moen features two sensors for their motion activated faucets. One is on the front of the body of the faucet, the other is at the top of the neck. This allows for dual operation. The top sensor a lows you to wave the faucet on, then wave it off when done. The lower sensor works similarly to other motion faucets where the faucet will turn on, then turn off as soon as you move away. The lower sensor is perfect for filling a glass, washing hands, and other simple tasks. The top sensor is great for dishes, and more heavy duty tasks.

My biggest concern with motion faucets is simple. I have never been good at operating these types of faucets. I often joke with clients that I am a pale ghost and they just don't see me. I can 0ut ,y hand I'm front and wave away, and nothing happens. The Men faucet that I have actually used, the Arbor, has worked well with my pale hamds, so bonus points for Moen.

Client complaints I have been told include "The Ghost Faucet" where people complain the faucet will sense you walking by and turn itself off and on. Kind of creepy!

Pfister React
Pfister is typically a lower price point option. There is currently few designs available, however the features will speak for themselves.  As I said with Moen, I am not typically fond of Motion faucets because of my transparent skin not working well with them. That being said, I haven't actually used the Pfister model, so I don't know if it see's me or not.

This model features one sensor. This sensor is much smaller than the Moen models, which in my opinion is more favorable, as aesthetics are important.  Some of the features include: 2 minute automatic shut off, easy temperature adjustment, hibernate mode, and a low battery indicator.  The two minute shut off is great, and a feature most consumers ask for. If the faucet is turned off, it will automatically shut itself off, conserving water in a hectic kitchen. Like other motion sensor models, the temperature will always be the same, a preset temperature, which on the Pfizer models, cam easily be adjusted for your lifestyle. Hibernation mode is perfect for cleaning the faucet, or when you go on vacation, preventing the cat from turning the faucet on.

Kohler Sensate
This technology features a sensor under the neck of the faucet. I love this! It's discreet and great for aesthetics. This faucet is designed to let you wave not only your hand, but objects as well, to activate the faucet.

Now, I haven't actually seen this faucet, so I can't say much about it.  But knowing Kohler's track record for quality and a competitive price, I am sure this faucet will wow it's users, and is well worth the investment.  

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Trends 2015 : Kitchen

I woke up this morning thinking of the new trends in kitchens today.  There are so many beautiful and amazing products out there, and a mesh of styles that is harmony in design.  I decided to write this post.  Putting forward this mesh of Industrial Design with a Luxe Transitional feel.

So lets start talking about these products.  The new kitchen trends are leaning more toward these grey/beige/green tones, which is exactly what Benjamin Moore's Antique Jade is.  Want less green?  Then look no further than Halo, a perfect mix of grey and beige.  These soft colors are a great way to add warmth, and also brighten up a space.

For this kitchen mood board, I decided to take the Crystal Cabinetry Downing Way Raised Panel cabinet door, painted with Benjamin Moore's Halo. This is a great "Transitional" styled door, featuring clean lines, a slab drawer front, and a simple raised center panel.  Current cabinet trends include off white cabinets that ditch the glaze.  A crisp and clean look that isn't so stark and institutional.    The flat slab drawer head allows for an easier to clean design, which many home owners are looking for.  It also lends itself to a more decorative cabinet pull, which will add interest to the space.

For cabinet hardware, I am loving the Charlie Collection by Alno Inc.  The coloring I have chosen is Polished Nickel.  This color add's that little bit of Luxe to the space.  Chrome is too cold.  Polished Nickel is rich, luxurious, and warmer than chrome.  A major player in plumbing fixtures and hardware these days.  This specific cup pull is absolutely gorgeous.  It's simple design with just a little frill at the edges.

The knob is not too shabby either.  They have back plates for these knobs as well, for the more traditional installation.  These knobs, again, super simple, with just a little bit of detail on the edge.

This collection is available in many finishes, so even if you don't love Polished Nickel as much as me, you will still be able to find a color that you do love.  Some of the finishes include Brushed Nickel and Rubbed Bronze, which are two of the most common kitchen hardware finishes today.

For the faucet and sink, I have chosen a more Industrial looking faucet, with the beauty and traditional styling of a bridge faucet.  The Artesso faucet by Brizo. This faucet, also available in Polished Nickel and other popular fixture finishes, is an industrial take on a traditional style.  It features a side pull out spray, and a beautiful bridge design.  The Artesso family also features a standard Pull Down faucet with or without SmartTouch Technology, a prep/bar size faucet, and a matching soap dispenser.  Brizo has also launched a brand new style of faucet in this family.  Their Articulating Artesso Faucet, which is a unique and fully adjustable faucet.  I am still waiting to see what consumers think about this faucet.  I like the idea and the design, but not sure how it will work out in the real world.

When this faucet is paired with the Rohl Fireclay Apron Sink, you have the link between classic designs and modern industrial styles.  It is blended perfectly and looks absolutely stunning.

Tiling this design element is the best part.  Since everything is so simple, I wanted to bring in that intricate design through the hard surfaces, like a tile splash and the tile flooring.    The Walker Zanger Sterling Row Chesterfield in Linen Mosaic Tile is a heavy use tile suitable for flooring installation including heavy traffic and exterior surfaces, so it is a perfect material for the back splash in this kitchen, but can double as a splash and flooring tile.

I love the laser cut design, which creates that luxurious look bringing in textures and patterns.  The darker tiles in this design feature a wood look which brings in more warmth and supplements the missing texture from the painted cabinets.

Finally, this industrial styled light by Moda Lighting adds a second metal finish.  The Edison style bulb also adds to that industrial style, tying back to the faucet.  Many designers don't like mixing metal finishes, but like jewelry, mixing metal finishes in a room has become a new trend, and I hope this trend never goes away.

The many styles in this room, luxe, transitional, industrial, traditional, contemporary.  There is not specific style, but it all blends together seamlessly creating the kitchen that is today.  It is a mix on a classic, and hopefully will be around a long time.  Luxurious and timeless elements mixed with industrial elements.  I love it, and love creating it in people's homes.