Art in Your Kitchen- Fused Glass Backsplashes

As a designer/multi-tasker I have to admit, I have been known to let my attention wander. If something peaks my curiosity, I have been known to drop everything and pursue!

Last week I was contacted by a woman, not a kitchen client, not even a potential...a backsplash only inquiry. She was very passionate about a glass backsplash she had seen in a New York City Showroom. She was in love, enthralled, and stumped! The owner of the showroom would share no information about it, or how to get it. So she had launched a campaign to find it on her own.

Not only did i feel for her plight but she was so excited, she got me wrapped up in her fervor too. Google hadn't been easy for her since she was not from an architecture or design field and the kitchen lingo wasn't on the tip of her fingers.

So in the middle of last weeks storm that never seemed to end, I set out on the train in search of this jewel she described. Albeit I was drenched, I did find the place, and beheld her prize backsplash. It was beautiful. But, I had to admit, I felt no more love from the gentleman in the showroom than she did, so I did no sleuthing. I gave it a quick look, took mental images, and went home to Google myself.

Along the way I came across a company whose product I felt I had to share. I happened upon these folks who do such amazing work, I think it needs to be recognized! Tom and Saundra Snyder, of Charlotte NC, have a studio and design center in Pineville NC There work is detailed and precise, and completely custom.

Saundra is a renowned Watercolor Artist, who will custom design and render your project and then combines her talents with Tom's glass cutting skills to achieve a completely personal and unique piece of art for your home.

They do more than just Backsplashes, the will do wall hangings, home accessories, serving pieces, I dare say anything you can dream up. And a quick look through their online portfolio quickly dispels any thought that they have a theme to their work. Aside from Glass being the medium they work in, their style will range from contemporary abstract, contemporary geometric, landscape, still life to portrait.

I am always looking for new, unusual elements to incorporate into my designs, glass adds life to architecture and design in many ways, by allowing light to pass through, and also in its natural resemblance to water. It is a natural compliment to tile and

I would imagine that use of glass allows an opportunity to incorporate recycled material into the project, and I would encourage you to contact Tom and saundra for more information on their Art Glass works.

When I called my inquiring client back, she was so pleased with the information and the link she has promised to follow up with me when her project is complete, and likewise i will share those images with you!

Big Impact Small Space-Kitchen Remodeling

Welcome to February 2009, friends know me as a person who loves to cook, and when I cook, I make enough to feed a small hungry army. I believe a great kitchen doesn't need to be huge to accomplish this task, just well organized. And when done, everything should have a home, I know i am not alone in my cooking style or my philosophy!

With the recent slump in the economic market, I see less clients on a daily basis who are willing to "blow out" the back of their home to add the "Super-Kitchen/Great Room". Many more are looking to grow from within. To me, that means, while they may be willing to remove a wall to promote the open feeling they seek, they are really looking to me for Zen-like efficiency and space planning. At the store I call "home" we recently completed just this very task. In a very nice neighborhood in Hillsborough, NJ, I designed a kitchen in a home like many others on the street. All well kept homes just of an age where the builders kitchen needed to go! Surrounded by neighbors, who also wanted islands or peninsulas, but had been turned down by designers and settled for less. Our clients hadn't given up on their dream!

The fly in the ointment: soffits that can't be removed. The answer: add more soffits where you need them so the design makes sense!(TBC in another post)

The key to the design, interestingly enough, was using a tall oven cabinet. By converting the surface cooking to a cook top, we were able to offer alternate corner storage solutions and pull the cooking away from the back door! The homeowners got the gourmet feeling they were looking for in many respects, glass transom cabinets, a fabulous dining peninsula, deep under mounted corner sink, and enhanced back splash with a tile mosaic; we even ordered additional sheets of glass tile to add more of the cranberry tones we wanted.

With this simple kitchen remodeling we went from a kitchen you would feel forced to cook in, to a kitchen you would love to cook in without building on to the space, just using what they already had better!