Archive for the ‘Education’ Category

This post is provided by Andie Day, a designer/blogger in Boston, MA. She organized the #InStyleTour 2012 event in Boston, MA with Todd Vendituoli of BuildingBlox. 

For #InStyleTour 2012, we developed a model of a luxury city apartment featuring Blanco products and Giovanni DeCunto’s art work for our (virtual) client/muse, the sophisticated gentleman and talented actor, Mr. Daniel Craig.

The project was inspired by the parallels between the characteristics of a sophisticated gentleman and Blanco today. Additionally, inspiration came from artist Giovanni DeCunto’s new collection and how it speaks to our sophisticated clientele who are dedicated to their artful lifestyles.

The self-made, sophisticated gentleman chooses Blanco products in the kitchen for three main reasons which I’ve outlined below.

1.     Integrity.  Courteous and kind; hence, a man distinguished for fine sense of honor, strict regard for his obligations, and consideration for the rights and feelings of others. A well-mannered and considerate man with high standards of proper behavior. This is the code of the sophisticated gentleman.

Family-owned BLANCO commits itself to respect ethical business principles and since 1994 has been a member of the Caux Round Table (CRT), an international network of principled business leaders and companies working to promote a moral capitalism. They are recognized as a world leader in quality, innovation and unsurpassed service.

2.     Well-equipped. The sophisticated gentleman demands precision and excellence from the design elements and technology he surrounds himself with. This is never more important than in the kitchen. He looks for superior products and appliances with a commercial look and strong physical features.

Blanco products, especially the specific models I’ve included, are well suited for the sophisticated male. All are organized with systems and processes that result in time savings, high function and contribute to the healthy lifestyle the sophisticated gentleman has so diligently designed.

3.     Modern aesthetic. Our sophisticated gentleman is an art lover. He gravitates to art. He is informed by art. He surrounds himself with art. He pursues an artful lifestyle. He sees art within the design elements and technology that surround him. He demands precision and excellence from both.

From sleek faucets to handsome sinks, each of Blanco’s kitchen products are designed with a distinct modern look which appeals to the sophisticated gentleman.

For the sophisticated gentleman’s luxury city apartment model I chose five Blanco products which fit within the above criteria.

1.     MircroEdge Blanco Flow. Featuring revolutionary MicroEdge® technology, BLANCO FLOW is more than a sink – it’s an architectural element. Gleaming stainless steel blends seamlessly with the countertop, creating the illusion of flushmount installation, from BLANCO STEELART®.

2.     BLANCO ALTA™ Pullout Kitchen Faucet w/ Dual Spray. It features a modern, geometric design, streamlined spout and sleek, single-lever handle.

3.     BLANCO Crystalline Single Bowl w/ Tray compact. Its hideaway design offers up clean lines, contemporary details, innovative features and premium quality. The integrated glass functions as a cutting board, visually hiding the sink while creating valuable counterspace in tight kitchen spaces. It’s easy to maintain, multifaceted with its integrated safety glass cover and functional details that respond to today’s kitchen trends.

I also love that it’s engineered for smaller spaces. Small metropolitan kitchens have always lacked in space. With CRYSTALLINE, there’s no reason why the space-deficient kitchen should suffer in either design or function.

4.    BLANCO LINUS™ Pullout w/ Dual Spray. It pairs well with the Crystalline sink.

5.     BLANCO SOLON™ Compost System. This earth-friendly feature contributes to healthy lifestyle that the sophisticated gentleman maintains.

About the #InStyleTour 2012
A select group of designer/bloggers gathered for our #InStyleTour 2012, a very special celebration of inspiration and excellence in art and design held on October 2nd. The two-part event was sponsored by Blanco and artist Giovanni DeCunto. Read more about #InStyleTour on the Andie Day Lifestyle Blog.

We welcome BLANCO Design Council Member and blogger Joseph Freenor, CFT 411 who has penned this week’s guest post on kitchen design trends including the arts and crafts revival and great rooms. Joseph is a professional woodworker whose long established blog provides in depth information and observations on the kitchen design world.

Arts and Crafts Revival

A trend that has been going on for a long time is the Arts and Crafts Revival. There are any number of people working in the field who are doing incredible work. I wrote a blog on Kevin Rodel in 2008. Mr. Rodel is clearly influenced by the Arts and Crafts Movement, but he is not bound to making only reproduction pieces. What Mr. Rodel most wants to do is to create works that have their roots in that movement, but that have been designed for contemporary purposes. And that is more than simply putting a TV in a reproduction Greene & Greene bookcase. What Mr. Rodel has done is to use those designs as a point of departure, and then taken them somewhere else altogether. The results are stunning—no other word adequately describes it. Here’s a link to the original post: http://cft411.com/2008/11/05/kevin-rodel-arts-crafts-furniture-design/

Great Rooms

The other trend that I find particularly interesting is the turn to what I call Great Rooms. These are large rooms that hold kitchen, living room and dining room. It’s something that is just beginning in this country, although it’s been in vogue for quite some time in Europe, where homes are so much smaller than they are in the USA. With the economy being the way it is, people are beginning to downsize. Some are selling large homes and buying smaller. Others are older empty-nest people who have taken in adult children with children of their own. Some clever remodeling to accommodate so many more has sometimes been the result.

I have not said anything about the empty-nest angle, but I have mentioned Great Rooms in a number of blogs. Electrolux calls it the “Live-In Room,” and I wrote a blog on them some time back which I recycled last year for Blanco’s Earth Day Celebration. Here is a link to that blog: http://cft411.com/2011/03/31/electrolux-4/

Newly expanded BLANCO Color App helps homeowners virtually see counters and sinks together before they buy

BLANCO expands the BLANCO SILGRANIT II Color App for iPhone and iPad by adding a greater selection of kitchen sinks to assist designers and homeowners in creating the ideal kitchen. The new Color App includes 63 SILGRANIT II color sink choices and nine new BLANCO stainless steel sinks. In addition, the groundbreaking BLANCO CERANA™ Apron Front Fireclay reversible sink will also be available, giving the user the choice of either going for the contemporary or traditional look.

The user-friendly application makes the experience of creating a personalized kitchen exciting with a selection of 72 stunning BLANCO sinks and 26 popular counterstones including CaesarStone^® and Zodiaq. App users may snap a photo of any countertop and add it to the collections to create their own combinations, or modify the current countertop selections by uploading their own images. The selected sink and counter composites appear together as in a real kitchen installation and can be saved to a Favorites Folder to be shown to a builder, contractor, residential designer or friends. The free BLANCO SILGRANIT II Color App is available for download on iTunes (iPad) and iTunes (iPhone). The basic version of the app is also available on Google Play for Android smartphones.

“The updated BLANCO SILGRANIT II Color App is fun and easy to use with even more sinks and countertops to choose from,” states Tim Maicher, Director of Marketing for BLANCO. “It’s very hard to imagine what your sink and countertops will look like together. The BLANCO SILGRANIT II Color App lets you see and play with different combinations before you make a decision. By adding the additional sinks in stainless steel and especially the new CERANA fireclay, we are giving homeowners, designers and fabricators the flexibility and tools to see how their sink will look when paired with various countertop materials.”

BLANCO SILGRANIT II Color App Details:

• Easy and intuitive iPhone/iPad/Android App lets user mix and match BLANCO sinks with countertops to find the perfect match
• 63 different styles of SILGRANIT II sinks
• NEW: Ten styles of BLANCO’s stainless steel and hand-finished CERANA fireclay sink selections
• 26 colorful countertop choices
• Ability to search by sink or counter to start
• Ability to photograph a counter and add it to the App (for devices with cameras)
• Users can store designs in a Favorites folder to share or save for later
• The Store Locator function allows users to locate where to purchase a BLANCO sink by simply entering their home zip code and connecting with a retail outlet where BLANCO products are available
• Users may also connect with www.blancoamerica.com to learn more about their selected sink options

Available free on iTunes (iPhone), iTunes (iPad) or Google Play for Android smartphones.

Valuable research insights and little known facts offered to optimize design, functionality and enjoyment in the kitchen – especially for multi-generational and aging-in-place households

BLANCO teams up with Hanley Wood University to launch a new CEU class that uncovers common myths, mistakes and misperceptions in residential kitchen design. New research on designing a kitchen for children, multi-generational households and aging-in-place is presented along with interesting tips and photographic ideas. While the primary focus is the sink and faucet – the course will also cover cabinetry, flooring, counters, lighting and room layout. The fast-paced 35 minute, AIA/NKBA approved CEU class is free, and will be available to interested consumers and design professionals online at http://www.hanleywooduniversity.com.

“We are delighted to inspire architects, designers and consumers,” states Tim Maicher, BLANCO’s Director of Marketing. “Our goal is to assist them in creating functional and user-friendly kitchens for the entire family with BLANCO’s free CEU course.”

“The Kitchen Sink Re-Think” continuing education class will define ways to intelligently design kitchens focusing on the three major work zones including cooking, food preparation and cleanup (other zones are discussed including snacking, eating and baking). The course will also show the benefits as well as challenges that come with every type of kitchen layout and how to work creative solutions into kitchen design for both children and mature adults.

“Our research shows that the most frequently used appliance in the entire house is the kitchen sink and faucet,” informs Maicher. “We hope to enlighten designers and consumers on how to fully leverage this important feature for maximum enjoyment and satisfaction. Our informative CEU class, filled with ideas, photography, trends and inspiration, is perfect for anyone involved in a kitchen project.”

Registration is free and open to design professionals and consumers at http://www.hanleywooduniversity.com. The class is one credit for members of the AIA or NKBA.