Kristin Drohan Interior Design

Eco Friendly Kitchen and Bath Products

Okay, so long time no post.  What can I tell ya.  I took a little sabbatical.  Not at Cirque Lodge or anything.  I was on vacay and I'm spending time with my kids.  I've found that all work and no play makes me, dull, pissy, and no fun.  I'm working on balancing work and life.  Recently, I started working on  a whole house update for an eco friendly client.  My research for this project has uncovered some cool stuff, so I thought I'd share.  Part of the project includes updating the kitchen and three baths.  That means cabinets, flooring, tile, counters, fixtures etc.  My cabinet company of choice is Wood Mode.  Most of my clients lean more traditional, so bamboo or some of the other eco options just don't work atheistically.  The great thing about Wood Mode is that they are ESP ( Environmental Stewardship Program) certified.  They use sustainably forested wood and a Regenerative Thermal Oxidizer which virtually eliminates VOC's (Volatile Organic Compounds) in the finishing process.  That means when cabinetry is installed, there won't be any off gassing to effect the indoor air quality.  

 
Here is the product design board.  I have blogged about ECO by Consentino before.  This is a countertop material made from 75% post industrial and consumer waste.  It is heat resistant, doesn't need to be sealed, and doesn't scratch or stain.  Some of my favorite color ways are featured above.  Priced similiar to granite, it comes in 10 1/2 ft slabs, which eliminates the need for seams when installed. What more could you want?  I've also included WaterSense faucets for both the kitchen and bath.  This is an EPA designation that reduces water usage by 20% but does not sacrifice performance.  Lastly, I have featured Forecast Lighting's Organic Modern grasscloth pendants and Ben Moore's Aura paint.  Aura is low VOC not zero VOC which is their Natura line.  Even though Aura is a bit pricier, my contractors think it has superior performance.  There you have it...My client's Coastal Inspired Eco Friendly Kitchen and Baths.  I'll keep you posted on our progress. 

Minutes Matter Before and After

Some of the designers that read my blog have asked what software program I use for my renderings.  I have even had calls in regards to the software.  I use Minutes Matter Studio.  I have even used it to design my furniture pieces.  For the past 6 weeks I have been taking an advanced class in the midst of all the craziness of High Point.  It has been overwelming.  I turned in my project yesterday and wanted to share with you my progress after taking the class. 

Here is the before.  As you can see, I had a little trouble importing images and removing the backgrounds.  There are other issues too, but those are the most obvious.  I'm actually a little bit embarrassed by this attempt, now that I know what I'm doing.

 Now the after. I learned how to use perspective and shadows.  It is so much better.  Both my E Decorating and full service clients will benefit from these newly acquired skills.

 What a difference.  I think it turned out really nice.  I used Bungalow 5 bedside chests,  Arteriors lighting, Robert Allen fabrics, and a Gucci bag.  You can go crazy with this software.   I am so glad I invested in this class.  BTW, you know I don't get anything for endorsing stuff on my blog.  I'm joining BNOTP for Met Monday and Paula Grace for Timeless Tuesday.  Hop on over to their great blog party's. 

  

HGTV Green Home

Before I get to the HGTV Green home, I need to thank Nicole Haddad from New York Spaces for the article on the Kristin Drohan Collection on the Edge blog.  You can read it here. 

A few days ago I decided to check out the HGTV Green home in person since it is only an hour away in Plymouth, MA.  Lets get to it.  I loved the color palette of Black, Red, Blue, and White.  I know... shocker.  I thought the decorating was nice.  I think Linda does a great job with these homes even though she takes some serious criticism from the bloggers.  Here was my disappointment.  Although the house was a "Green" build, only a portion of the decor was.  They didn't even source the upholstery.  Now, I'm not a Green fanatic, and there's definitely shades of Green, but I expected to see some cutting edge eco friendly stuff.  I was a little disappointed. 

I love the outside architecture of this house, but the pic is a little deceiving.  The house is only 2100 sq ft and other houses are in close proximity.  You don't have a lot of privacy or land.  This may be a positive for people like my Mom who can then chat with all the neighbors and passer bys.  She is the ultimate social butterfly.  Personally, I like a little more space.

 

 
This is the main living area.  I love the colors. 

 
The master bedroom was interesting. I like the decor and love the bedside light fixtures, but I gotta tell ya, the room is a little tight.  This is a queen bed and as you can see, there isn't a whole lot of room.  My 6"8" hubby would miss his Cali king bed.  Maybe he is such a minority that for most of us that works. They designed this house to be a second home for a retired couple with visiting Grand kids. 

 

The master bath was really pretty but again the function was weird.  The tub was tiny and my husband hit his head on the doorway into the bath and the water closet.  They must have lowered them from a standard height to accommodate the decorative interior roof.  

 The only other bedroom in the house was for the kids.  Super cute decor. Loved the galvanized pipe they used for the bunk beds and the lamps.  What's up with the wall mount sink in the middle of the bedroom (you just see the edge in the alcove in back) and no closet?  Even if the kids are just visiting, I think a closet would be a nice place to hide their stuff. 

 
The outdoor space is nice and especially if you like your neighbors. 

So what do you think?  Did you watch the show?  Are you entering to win? 

High Point Update Sping 2010

I'm back after a long week launching my furniture line at High Point market while trying to still be a buyer and shop my current accounts. The Kristin Drohan Collection made its debut and far exceeded my expectations.  We had great traffic through the showroom, wrote some orders and have many potential clients to follow up with.  It was exciting!  I already had one interior designer, Vicky Serany from Southern Studio Interior Design, cover it in her Favorite High Point Market Finds blog post.   Here are some pics of the show room. 

 

Isn't the dog Triptych awesome.  My friend and artist, Storey Ellis Robins of SER Studio did those for the showroom.  It is available for sale if anyone is interested.  I had the Sydney lounge chair, Reed faux slip covered sofa (looks like a slip without the hassle of one), Anthony ottoman, Kathryn Barstools, Marie dining chair, the Charles head board.  The head board drew a lot of people into the showroom but I think the lounge chair received the most praise for style and comfort.  

     
 The guy filming was from The Home website.  They do video posts of market finds. 

I'll be officially launching the furniture website soon.  We still have some pieces to shoot this week and some tweaking to do to the website, but we are getting close. 

I was able to hit some of my favorite showrooms while at market and uncovered some interesting  decor info.  Linen, Hemp, limed and cerused wood, re purposed items, and the whole Parisian Flea market look, continues to be strong.   I saw this in several showrooms but Dovetail  seen below, seemed to be one of the best. I especially liked their lighting.  Check out the floor lamps and metal drum chandy over the dining table.
 

 
 
  
  
I'm not so sure what I think about the next emerging trend I encountered.  Like it or not the  whole "lodge" look is getting some play.  Just before market, I received some new Robert Allen fabric books. One whole book contained southwest, lodgey, mountain themed fabrics.  Then I walked into the Hickory Chair showroom and saw this.

What do you think?  It was such a departure for them.  I love the zebra print hair on hide, but since I don't have a mountain retreat, I just don't know about the rest.  Here are some other pics from their showroom. 

Suzanne Kasler did some Pink, which I am really digging right now.  I chatted with her a bit and found out her daughter is a freshman at Miami University (my alma mater) and pledged my sorority, Delta Gamma.  I'd post a pic of us, but sadly,  it isn't that fab of either of us even though we really tried (we did a few takes).  I've blogged in the past about my affliction with taking bad photos, so it isn't any surprise this one isn't great either.  A year ago I posted a not so great photo of both of us at the Safavieh rug launch.  It was flipping hot and humid and we were both melting.  I just don't think we need another not so flattering photo floating around out there.  We'll try next fall, Suzanne.  Here is her Pink room inside the Hickory Chair showroom. 

 
Thomas O'Brien launched his new collection for HC this market and this upholstered bookcase was my favorite piece.  I just loved it.  I gotta find a project for it.  It has flannel and velvet options for the fabric and I died over the Red flannel.  I want it sooo bad!

I'll be honest, I didn't see a dominate new color trend.   The natural neutrals were still very strong and of course Global Views showed some true color.  The featured color in that showroom was the Pantone color of the year, Turquoise.

 

Paired with a bit of Orange or Lime Green it was certainly bright. 

 

The funniest moment at market came at the Howard Miller Ty Pennington party.   They had Ty doing a paint demo in the showroom while filming a promo. 

 

Just to the left of this photo is a window that looks into the hall outside the showroom.  This is what was going on in the hall.

The woman were freaking out over Ty.  It was a crack up.  I know he is great, but it was crazy with them screaming and yelling.  He was egging them on as you can see.  Good thing there was some glass there. 

Thank goodness I didn't have to battle the women for this pic. 

So that is my Reader's Digest post of market.  What did you think? Like? Not like? (don't say my furniture). I'm joining Paula Grace for Timeless Tuesday, hop on over.

 

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.

What's Next After the Style Evaluation?

Sorry for the lack of recent posts.  I've been swamped with a couple new projects.  When I'm in the beginning stages of a project, I have a hard time doing anything else until I have the last detail specified.  I dream about it, obsess over it, and I can't focus on much else.  Thank goodness it only lasts for a few days.  I'd pretty much stink at mothering and wifeing if I was like this all the time. 

What happens after I hone in our a client's style profile?  The next step is to put the room dimensions and architectural elements into a scaled space plan.   I use a 1/4 in equals one Ft. scale in my computer program.  Many have asked what program I use.  I use Minutes Matter instead of Auto Cad because, it is simply prettier.  I can put the exact fabric I'm specifying on the curtains, pillows, and upholstery.  I have found it to be a valuable visual.  With many of my clients in other states, this is a way I can communicate exact specifications to them.   If I'm having something custom built, I use Auto Cad for that.  Most contractors prefer to use Auto Cad drawings when they are constructing something.  We don't need pretty for that.  This is what a space plan would look like.

Much prettier than black and white, yes?  I can even put the exact rug in the plan.  In this case, it is a simple sisal rug.  The white square in the right hand corner is where I put details and pricing.   I can either print it with the grid lines or not.  I usually don't print them but to show you I thought this might be helpful.  BTW, this was for a client who is  Transitional Casual Coastal.  They have a newly constructed home with craftsmen details located in New England.   I can't wait to transform this space.  It is going to be an awesome Before and After.   If you were my client would you prefer a colored space plan?  Grid lines or not? I'll be joining both Met Monday at BNOTP and Blue Monday at Smiling Sals.  Make sure you check them out. 

 

What's Your Style?

Last week I had a long "to do" list.  I had lots of client orders to place, two big presentations, a new client meeting, and my son's 11th Birthday party.   Somehow it all gets done.  My new client meeting was really interesting and it inspired this post.  These clients have recently relocated to the Boston area from Colorado.  They have a brand new home and they were looking for a departure from the "lodge" look in their previous home.  The problem was trying to communicate what they were looking for to me.  This happens an awful lot.  I've designed an exercise to help decipher what a client's "style" may be.

I first start by having them go through tear sheets.  I have tons of shelter magazine pages I've filed by room in every style imaginable.  The only criteria for me is they have to be great rooms.  As part of the process, I ask them to go through them quickly and set aside pictures that speak to them.  It may be a single element, a color palette, or the room in its totality.  After they go through them, we go over their "like" pile.  I ask the what and whys of each page.  It is amazing how quickly consistency shows up. 

The next step is to show them various chair styles.  I want to know what furniture style they are partial to. Here is the chart I show them.

 

Next I show them my fabric chart.  It has different categories that helps me determine if they like traditional, transitional, modern, or ethnic looks.

 

I also want to determine what wood and metal finishes they prefer.

 
Lastly, we talk about color palettes.  Do they like neutrals, brights, warm tones, cool tones?

   

 

 
It is amazing how much info I garner and how quickly clarity is gleaned.  So, if you take the test and leave it in a comment I'll give you my analysis.   Since this is truly a metamorphosis, I'll be joining Met Monday at BNOTP. 
 

Where do the extra guests sleep?

Are you gearing up for visitor's arrival in the next few days?  I know I am.  This is the first house I've lived in since we've had kids that I have an actual guest bedroom.  It is appropriately sized, at about 9' x 9'.  Tiny for sure, but it is the perfect amount of sq footage dedicated to a space that gets 5 % usage throughout the year and in my town costs about $325 a sq ft.( I know, YIKES!).  Since, this is the first time I've had a guest bedroom I have experimented with all sorts of ways to sleep visitors in the past.   Sofa-beds, daybeds, air-beds, you name it.  I've tried them all.  Here are the solutions I have found to be the most comfortable.  The first is a daybed I designed specifically for this purpose and will be included in my new furniture collection. 

Here is another option.  What is so great about these pieces (besides being eco friendly) is that they are 7 ft long and 34" wide.  That is almost the size of a twin bed but is the scale of a sofa.   The point was to have them be usable as sofas with the option of sleeping extra guests.  Even though they are little smaller than a twin bed, twin bedding still works great.  The mattress is super comfy and can be done in a bio hybrid soy base cushion (eco friendly) or with a spring down cushion. 

Another option that works pretty well is the new air mattress top sofa beds.  Hickory Chair has one that it really convenient and comfy.  Here's how it works.

The pump comes with the sofa bed and inflates to a 8" thick mattress in 30 seconds.  It has a foam base and the air cell inflates over top.  The air mattress  is sandwiched between a padded mattress cover that also eliminates the cold temp that air beds sometimes have.    I have laid on this mattress (that somehow sounds wrong) and it is really comfortable.  No metal bar poking you in the back.  I know these options won't help for this Holiday, but for the future you have some great alternatives for comfortably sleeping your guests. 

Free Advice Friday...How to Pick Good Upholstery

 I so often get asked why one sofa is $995 and another $3500.  Well there is a reason.  Fortunately, I will be able to illustrate this for you since I witnessed the fabrication process at Hickory Chair U.  The most important aspect is finding out where the sofa was made.  Bench made upholstery is made in the US, usually in North Carolina. 

HC first starts with a kiln dried 1 1/4 in hardwood kiln dried frame that has been glued, screwed, and doweled in each joint.  They use 3-4 dowels instead of the industry standard of 2. 

Notice how they shape the frame instead of using padding which shifts over time.

8 way hand tied coils add support that will last for years.  Cheaper methods employ no-sag springs or just one size coil.  It was truly fascinating to watch them tie the coils. They were really fast, I got exhausted watching them.

Time to get some padding, cushions, and upholstery. I won't put upholstery in a clients house unless it has pocketed spring coils inside the cushion.  This is another way some manufactures will skimp to keep the price down.  With out the springs, a dacron wrapped piece of foam will start to break down fast.  I've had spring down cushions last 16 plus years.  HC Spring down cushions are standard.  Nice!

How about some fabric?  Not only does HC stock lots of fabric they will COM too.  COM is an acronym for Customer's Own Material.  I will be honest.  I COM almost everything.  Fabrics are not created equal and I need to know the rub test numbers.  Wyzenbeck in a rating system on fabric durability.  30,000 double rubs is considered heavy duty.  I have many in my repertoire with 100,000.  What can I say.  My clients have kids and pets.  That doesn't mean you have to give up the pretty though.  There are many durable, stain resistant fabrics that look sumptuous.  Again, this is yet another place where companies can really cut costs by using inexpensive fabric.

 

Nail head trim is done one at a time at Hickory Chair.  Some of the imports and less expensive furniture brands use a strip of nails where only every fourth or fifth nail is real and tacked in.  The ones in between are faux nails.  It is way less labor intensive, and the strips are cheap.
  

Almost done and ready to ship.  When that much labor and attention to detail is applied to each piece you know you're getting  quality, long lasting furniture.   I hope that explains why there is a price difference to upholstery.  There are so many ways to cut corners.  The old adage holds true.  You get what you pay for.  I hope you find this helpful when you head out to buy your next sofa.  I'm joining Met Monday over at Between Naps on the Porch .  Jump over and see amazing transformations.