The mismatched kitchen island...do or don't?

From country kitchens to modern showhomes, we are seeing mismatched kitchen islands. Whether it be changing the wood species, paint color or countertops, you can't deny the contrast makes a statement.


Of course, personal style will always over-ride design rules. Do you love the a mix and match kitchen or prefer the uniform simplicity of a cohesive design?

I have to admit, that I'm torn! What do you think? Maybe it depends on the size of the room, the color palate of the home or the wild side of the home owner.

Images courtesy of www.elledecor.com, www.centuryporchpost.com, www.burmancabinets.com and www.farmfree3.static.flickr.com

Brass is back

I don't know whether you are mentally prepared for this revelation, but brass is back. You'll see it in door knobs, chandeliers, kitchen faucets, cabinet knobs and hinges, clocks and accessories. Surprised? I know!

You may have just completed ridding your home of all the 80's and 90's brass harware that lurked near your "ultra-fashionable" bathroom sinks, only to hear this bit of shocking news: brass is back. Here to stay? I don't think so. These trends come in and out of style as time passes; your best bet is to suit your hardware to the style of your home. If you have a lovely Victorian mansion, you never had any business doing a fully modern stark kitchen remodel anyway; if you can learn the era and style of your home, your kitchen (and your hardware) will always be in style regardless of trends that change with the wind.

What do you think? Will you reincorporate brass or gold in your home?

If you'd like us to design a kitchen, bathroom or office to suit your home, let us know!

Could Giada De Laurentiis and I actually be the same person?

Could Giada De Laurentiis and I actually be the same person?

The signs are all there, I love to cook (I'm an expert at making Giada's saffron chicken scallopine), she is a famous Italian chef; I love being a mother, she has a beautiful daughter, Jade; I love Anthropologie, she married Anthropologie designer Todd Thompson; the list goes on!

The ultimate proof is our shared love for simple, professional, sophisticated design. Below you will see Giada's own kitchen, dining room and outdoor kitchen.

Giada and her husband Todd, built their home from the ground up with the help of friend/architect/neighbor, Peter Cohen. The kitchen's the deep, dark brown wenge-wood cabinets are set off gorgeously by the white concrete floors and white marble countertops. With two dishwashers ard four ovens, the kitchen is well-equipped to handle what I would imagine to be frequent dinner parties.

If you are interested in acheiving style like this is your kitchen, call us! Our company, Urban Kitchen and Bath, would love to do a free design and quote for you.

Photo credits: http://www.gremlindog.com/, http://www.architecturaldigest.com/

A little Italian inspiration in the kitchen

Italians just have that knack for style. From shoes to bags to cars, they've now outdone themselves in the kitchen. Italian Luca Lanzetta heads Ernestomeda Chicago's design team who have crafted some gorgeoulsy unique kitchens.

Ernestomeda is an Italian based company who's settled in Chicago to inspire Americans with clever range hoods and simple, beautifully designed cabinets.

Can you imagine yourself, tiny espresso in hand, plucking a couple basil leaves from your plants atop your bright red hood (the basil is, of course, for the perfect marinara sauce you have simmering quietly) in your well-appointed, modern, Italian-inspired kitchen?

Here in Clearwater, Florida, we built a kitchen very similar to the one pictured above. All custom glossy white cabinetry with stainless steel channeling, it was an incredible project from start to finish. Click here to view Holger and Julia Peens' kitchen on our website.

Texture, utility and sheer loveliness in a kitchen

When texture, utility and sheer loveliness combine in a kitchen, something special has happened.

My current love is a long table. Not a table with removable leaves that are packed away until Thanksgiving, but a permanent long table that says to the world that you love to entertain every day of the week. I love that DC designers Coleprevost used a table here instead of an island. It completes the kitchen and looks totally at ease where another table might feel insignificant in the room.

The blue on the walls, the plants surrounded by the natural rock and the cute hanging swing just make my day; they make an otherwise stark room cozy.

Photos courtesy of Decorati

Would you like a kitchen like the one you saw here? We'd love to design one to suit your home. Click here to request a free design and quote or click here to see our portfolio.

Mismatched perfection collides in a Manhattan kitchen

Can you think of anything better than a chalkboard panel fridge?! This gorgeous Manhattan aparment was originally built in 1884 by the man who designed the Plaza Hotel in NY. Originally owned by Western Union, it was more recently acquired by  Bronson Van Wyck (after whose ancestors the Expressway in Queens was named). Van Wyck, an event and party planner, knows a thing or two about style. His portfolio includes parties for everyone from P. Diddy to Bill Clinton.  He enlisted the help of designer Oliver Freundlich (of Made) to make-over the promising apartment and the success of that parternship is evident below.

This kitchen remodel (photos courtesy of Elle Decor) is classic clever design and gorgeous use of space.

What do you love about this remodel? What would you have done differently? Are you ready to move to a little apartment in the City and throw chic little soirees in your own adorable kitchen? I'll join you!

If you'd like us to design a similar look for your home, let us know! Urban Kitchen and Bath specializes in design and remodeling.

Bang for your $$$

Many agree, the kitchen is the heart of a home; the place the family gathers and spends quality time. It might also be a deal maker or breaker for a home buyer.

Watch the short video below to see three couples who spent $40,000 each in remodeling their kitchens. Not only will they enjoy their new rooms for as long as they live in their house, but they'll also see a nice return on their investment when it comes time to sell their gorgeous homes.



Video courtesy of HGTV show Bang for Your Buck

To see kitchens we've remodeled here in the Tampa Bay area, click here.