Kristin Drohan Interior Design

Lack of Posts

I first must apologize for the lack of recent and regular posts.  It has been bat crap nutters in my life lately both personally and professionally (I so want to use the "s" word, but my husband claims I must stay professional on this blog...hmmm we won't mention the swear words that immediately come to mind in response to that advice).  Suffice it to say, like many Bostonians, we are fighting back the waters the last two weeks due to the historic monsoon that has positioned itself over the area.  The big news is that The Kristin Drohan Collection of furniture will be debuting at High Point in two weeks.  I will be in the new Salon area Suites at Market Sq showroom G-7034 (right by the Starbucks).   This was an opportunity that came about rather quickly and I'm scrambling like crazy to get everything done.  In addition, I committed to taking an advanced computer class using my Minutes Matter software prior to knowing about market.  Today I'm posting my homework case study for your "entertainment" and to show you what I'm learning.  Lame?  maybe.  I just don't have any creative juices left for the blog these days. 

 

Case Study:  We were given the picture below of our faux client's home.  The assignment was to add window treatments that offer light control as well as insulation. The chairs and lamp can go, but the table and paint color stays. 

Before:

 

After:

 
 
I'll be honest, I don't love the color palette I chose, but this was more about my computer skills than the decor choices.  I didn't have enough time for better decorating, so try to overlook that.  Notice the transparency of the woven roman shades.  I also had to crop out the old chairs and lamp as well as the plant.  I imported a lamp from Arteriors Home and added it to scale in the pic.  The stripe curtain fabric is Robert Allen from their new Dockside Collection.  The ability to show clients how something will look before it is fabricated is pretty cool.  I have to admit, I get addicted "playing" with the program and have started using it to design my furniture pieces.  Feel free to comment on anything or ask questions.

I'm going to join Paula Grace for Timeless Tuesday.  Head over and join us.

 

Kitchen Style 2010

Recently, the I received the 2010 kitchen style report in my Profiles magazine from the National Kitchen and Bath Assc.  Every year they survey members during the last quarter of 2009 to determine shifts and direction in kitchen design.  It is always informative and interesting.  Here is a summary accompanied with some kitchen eye candy I found on Houzz. 

Traditional styling continues to be the most prevalent, with more than three quarters of  designers reporting it as most popular. 

 

Almost two thirds of designers sited white and off white as the most used color scheme.  Cherry was the most popular wood used for cabinetry but there was no clear trend on the finish.  Natural, dark natural, glazed and white painted were used in half of the projects in the last three months of 2009. 

 

Flooring had a clear favorite as did countertops.  Wood floors and granite countertops were used by almost ninety percent of the kitchen designers in that last quarter of 2009.  Wow!  That is a statement.  Ceramic and porcelain tile were the most popular backsplash material followed closely by glass tile.

 

Refrigerator and dishwasher drawers are gaining in popularity as are under counter wine fridges.  Gas remains a 2 to 1 fav over electric cooktops but induction is making gains.  The majority of faucets are still being done in brushed nickel with polished chrome and oil-rubbed bronze making secondary appearances.  I thought it was really interesting that they didn't ask about appliance colors.  Based on what I see, stainless is still number one.   I hope you find this interesting.  What are favorite finishes in the kitchen.  Wood floors? Granite counters (are you over them)? etc.   I'm joining Paula Grace's Timeless Tuesday party, jump on over to see her great post on Barry Dixon's new fabric line.