NAR FINE CARPENTRY's Blog

Decals for the Kitchen

mrsnicolette — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 19:30:59 +0000

Wall decals are wonderful accents that can be permanent or temporary. Designers have taken decals from the kids room to the living room, and even further to the kitchen. A decal above wall cabinets or behind the stove can be a fun and playful accent for your kitchen. They are inexpensive, and easy for the do-it-yourself decorator. A wonderful Etsy seller, Single Stone Studios has a huge variety of images for every room of the house. Here is what I found for the kitchen.

Funk, Color…. and Dinnerware?

mrsnicolette — Sat, 25 Jun 2011 00:14:17 +0000

If you do a kitchen remodel, you definitely cannot use those same old plates. You need to coordinate your new kitchen style with a new table setting. Your dinnerware is just as important as the food you serve. It can make a statement about your entire lifestyle… who knew? Here are some casual, funky and colorful dish ideas to get you going.

Wobbly Plates; handmade ceramic out of Brooklyn. She impresses patterns, custom colors and each one is unique!

Fire and Light; recycled glass dishes made in my hometown, Arcata, CA. Made from glass chips.

Schehera Van Dyk; Handpainted Ceramic Dinnerware, Vases, Paintings, etc. Love, love, love these Spanish style designs and colors. Brilliant with a Mediterranean or Spanish style kitchen!

The Look of Granite, Durability of Quartz

mrsnicolette — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 23:18:46 +0000

Cambria Aberdeen

Cambria Buckingham

I love Quartz! It is my favorite product to use for tops in a kitchen for several reasons. Those being, heat resistance, scratch resistance and of course, stain resistance. Some of my clients object to the look of Quartz because it has a flat and very consistent grain (another advantage in many cases), and does not have the movement and veining of natural stone. But wait…. after a visit from the Cambria Rep today, it seems the innovators of quartz have managed to replicate natural veining. Some of the new colors look so much like natural stone, that it is hard for ME to tell the difference. I also hear that Silestone is also following with an upcoming release of new, more natural looking colors.

This is great news for designers wishing to use the durability of quartz, while retaining the look of natural stone.

The New Chandelier

mrsnicolette — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 22:28:57 +0000

Lighting fixtures can make a big statement in a space. Pendants in kitchen can summarize the style of the kitchen and sconces in a bath can set the mood. For a dining room or foyer, a chandelier can create a look of formality or can bring a sense of relaxation into the space.

Whether you are looking for traditional or contemporary, these chandeliers are sure to give your space a look of elegance and style, or even combine 3 pendants to create a custom chandelier.

MoireCollection by Shine Labs

Bijoux by Corbett Lighting

Ether 150 S by Murano Due

Chiquita Chandelier by Anneke Jacobs

: Six Light Chandelier by Corbet Lighting

: Heaven I Chandelier by Fire Farm

Wuhoo for Bamboo!!!

mrsnicolette — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 22:04:28 +0000

Kitchen

These clients were not afraid of using Bamboo to the max! This Sacramento remodel received Bamboo cabinets on top of their Bamboo flooring, and it turned out beautiful! Here is the perfect example of how using the same wood in different colors and plank size can work for this home’s advantage.

Countertop Detail Hall Bath Master Bath Bamboo Ply Door Edge: Hallway

Kitchen

Rift v. Quarter Sawn Lumber

mrsnicolette — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 20:51:11 +0000

Recently, a client was interested in our White Oak cabinets. I had trouble explaining the difference between the different cuts offered, so I did a little research and here is what I found…

Both cabinet companies that we carry, Columbia & Crystal, offer White Oak in different cuts from the tree; Rift Sawn and Quarter Sawn. While these cuts are very similar, they look very different. A Rift Sawn cut creates a very straight grain, while a Quarter Sawn cut creates a more wavy pattern with exotic looking flecks. The flecking of the Quarter Sawn cut is due to the cut crossing the woods pith rays that radiate from the center of the tree where the sap runs through. In both cuts, the log is quartered and cut toward the center. In a Quarter Sawn cut, the log is quartered and cut perpendicular to its growth rings on an angle of 75 to 90 degrees. In a Rift Sawn cut, the wood is also cut perpendicular to its growth rings, but is slightly offset and uses an angle between 45 to 70 degrees. Offsetting the log, reduces flecking and also yields more boards, whereas the Quarter Sawn cut produces more waste. For this reason, Quarter Sawn is more expensive, while Rift sawn is less expensive and more readily available.

Quarter Sawn

Rift Sawn

The End of my Microwave

mrsnicolette — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 21:39:00 +0000

I always found it odd when I talked to people who do not use/ own a microwave. Growing up, it was a permanent fixture in my parents kitchen. And it was not until I was a teenager that someone told me not to stand in front of a microwave when it was in use. And recently having a baby myself, got me thinking about the dangers of the microwave around my baby. There are many layers to the argument against the microwave, beginning with nutritional change in foods cooked with microwaves. Some studies even go so far as to prove that some ingredients in foods can be turned directly into carcinogens. Then there is also the radiation that is emitted from microwaving. And the list goes on; Cancer causing effects, Biological effects of exposure etc. Russia went so far as to ban microwaves in 1976 .

Call it my new mothers intuition, but before doing my research, I decided to bag the microwave- my husband was ecstatic as he hated looking at the eye sore. At first I was afraid that I would miss it, but three weeks later I have not missed it one bit. And all of the warming of leftovers can be easily heated on the stovetop. Of course another alternative to microwave cooking is using a toaster oven (another future blog entry).

The end result is that throwing my microwave out has left me feeling liberated and a bit more healthy. Never again will a microwave appear in my kitchen, and I suspect that more people will be doing the same. As a kitchen designer, I am split- on the one hand, the majority of people use microwaves and it is always better to build-in an appliance than have it become a countertops appliance, on the other hand, I just wrote this blog article. Like anything else, it is a matter of personal preference, but now I understand those few “odd” people who do not use microwaves- they were ten steps ahead of me.

2010 in Review

mrsnicolette — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 18:09:22 +0000

Attractions in 2010

These are the posts and pages that got the most views in 2010

The Importance of Professional Cabinet Installation March 2010

Showroom Backsplash Tile Complete! January 2010

Dual Fixture Fix-Up January 2010

We look forward to even better blog entries in 2011!

MIA Blogs- Back with the Built-in Murphy Bed

mrsnicolette — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 19:22:56 +0000

After totally skipping the month of July, I am finally giving my blog a little TLC. So much to blog about, but so little time.

My thoughts right now- the built-in Murphy Bed. Could this possibly be a new trend? Or just a need for more space? The need for more space was the founding concept of the Murphy Bed. A little History- William Murphy invented the first pivoting bed system in 1918. During the 1920′s and 1930′s the use of the Murphy Bed was at its peak, dropping after that due to wars, recession and oil embargos, and returning to popularity in the 80′s & 90′s.

Since its invention in 1918, the Murphy Bed system has taken on many configurations. They can be built into walls, cabinetry, door jambs, they can fold down vertically or horizontally, one can attach a desk, cabinetry, or art on the backside, the variations are only limited by your space and your budget.

In the past 6 months, I have received 3 inquiries involving a Murphy Bed design. With one completed and one in the works, it got me thinking about how we are using our “spare bedroom”. We really want this room for our own projects and storage, whether it is doubled as an office, music room or den. The lure of the Murphy Bed is that it allows the space to be multi functional- a sleeping quarters by night, and another space by day.

Here are some photos of a Guest Bedroom/ Office with a Murphy Bed that was designed by Bruce Benning and constructed by Nar Fine Carpentry:

Murphy Bed Folded Down

Left side of bed with glass shelves & area for office equipment

Back side of Murphy Bed

Cabinet Jewels

mrsnicolette — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 19:30:30 +0000

I know I have talked about cabinet hardware as the jewelry of cabinetry, as I will keep talking about them because manufacturers are continuously creating new styles. While the design of a knob or pull may take away from the design of cabinetry, it is also true that hardware can greatly add to the overall composition of a kitchen, bathroom or a single standing cabinet. One must know how and when to use an intricate knob versus a simple knob.

Here are some examples of “Cabinet Jewels”

"Quilts" by Spectra Decor

"CK-4025" by SA Baxter

Marble Knob by Unknown

"Solana Collection" by Jeffery Alexander

Usually cabinet hardware is chosen after the space is designed, but sometimes it is the hardware that inspires designers. And when they are unique pieces such as these, a design can become very cohesive with its hardware- and that is goal when designing a kitchen.

-Nicolette Patton, AKBD