Great Collaborations: CB2 & SAIC

Designers
February 5, 2015

Good Morning Lacquered Lifers! I received my CB2 catalog this week, and upon opening it I learned that CB2 has entered into a partnership with the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Very cool. The result? The space saving solutions of twelve SAIC students. The streamlined designs of these pieces of furniture and lighting are wonderful, but more importantly, these pieces offer some of the best in solutions to small space living that I have ever seen. How much fun would I be having with these pieces if I still lived in New York?! Bravo CB2, and congrats to the SAIC students. Below are three of my favorite pieces in the collection.First up is the Cache Storage Cabinet, designed by Chester Ong. Great as a bar to eat at, a bar to drink at, and a great spot for storing just about anything. The shelves pull out on a set of rolling casters. Absolutely perfect in the small apartment kitchen. Next up is the Tonic Bar Cart, designed by Zach Pino. Do I see a theme with my favorites? Corners are some of the most underused storage opportunities in a small space, and the ability to store not only your booze, but also your glassware in space that would otherwise be occupied by a constantly dying tree is phenomenal. Obviously I am a fan of the material – the lucite is a chic statement that takes up very little visual room. Finally the Sling Nightstand, designed by Brooke Collins. What a great idea. I have always loved the look of those magazine stands with brass legs and leather slings, but in a small space you really don’t need one more thing cluttering your floor space. Enter the sling nightstand! Great as a nightstand or a side table, the very cool sling provides a great place to throw all those magazines that have been lying on the floor when you have friends over for drinks.

Congrats again to the students at SAIC, and way to go CB2 for a great collaboration.

Making Breakfast with McKim, Mead & White

Architecture
February 3, 2015

Good Morning Lacquered Lifers. Talk about loving a set of cabinets. This kitchen is located in a McKim, Mead & White home in Newport, RI. While some of the cabinetry is original, Zuerner Design took great pains to match this original cabinetry and take inspiration from it when expanding the kitchen for the current homeowners. While the overall look of the kitchen is not my taste, there are a number of details which have caught my eye and are worth paying attention to. Most importantly, the upper cabinets with their sliding paned doors. Sliding. So traditional, and yet in a different surrounding the concept is so modern. The legs of this farm sink. While it is not something I would ever think to do, I love the look of the exposed plumbing underneath and the turned legs make the sink feel like a piece of furniture. Back to the cabinetry, my main focus in this room, notice that those cabinets with the sliding glass doors are double sided. On one side the cabinet faces the kitchen, and on the other, the butler’s pantry, which allows the owner to access the china, crystal, etc. from both the kitchen and the butler’s pantry. Genius. I cannot wait for an opportunity to use this idea in the future.
Finally, I have for a very long time had a love affair with cabinetry that continues all the way to the floor. While it may be less practical than having the recessed kick plate or shoe mold at the bottom, I think it makes the cabinetry somehow look more finished, more furniture like.

For more photos of this kitchen visit zuernerdesign.com

Bath Time with Jay Gatsby

Finds
February 2, 2015

Good Morning Lacquered Lifers. As a Preservation Designer, I am constantly sourcing fixtures and fittings for clients that can become a part of their historic home’s story. Story? I know that may sound strange to some, but as a preservationist, I see buildings the same way that I see people – each one has their own individual story or history that informs who they are today. If we are lucky, in some cases with buildings that story has been documented, and we are able to piece the home’s story back together and complete a true and accurate restoration. In most cases, whatever documentation existed, if any, has been lost, and we are given the task of filling the gaps in that story and adding bits of our own … not unlike authors of historical fiction. This is often the case with practical rooms such as kitchens and baths. Perhaps the kitchen wasn’t originally in the main house – when would it have been moved? When would bathrooms have been added to the space, or in the case of some later 19th century buildings, have the bathrooms been there since the beginning?

All this being said, I am thrilled when I come across a new collection of fixtures that I can see fitting into some of my client’s home stories, and I can tell that the new DXV Collection by American Standard will definitely be a favorite. Created to celebrate American Standard’s 15th decade in business, this new luxury line of products reimagines some of the great design movements during the company’s 140 years of history. My new favorite? The Fitzgerald Collection. And surprise surprise this collection is meant to exemplify the deco lines of the 1920s.Pretty great looking, right? What’s even better is the price point. Despite the luxury look of these chic fixtures, the prices are extremely reasonable when featured alongside products of a comparable look. I am definitely looking forward to using these pieces in future projects. For more information on the DXV line from American Standard, visit DXV.com.