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5 Star Fridays; Blogging the Best in Design

Mar 5th, 2010 20 Comments
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“You’re never too old to become younger”  ~~~Mae West

Our 5 star Friday favorites this week is being done by my new assistant, Emily! I was a bit anxious to see what the 20 something generation might think is cool but she did a great job! Please make her day and comment!

Since I’m getting ready to move into my own place, I decided to write about a few things that I would LOVE to have!! Other than the things I’ve been collecting from garage sales – which is my new favorite hobby, here are a few things I have seen around the shop that I cannot wait to get!

Faucets

Some things I can afford now, other things I may have save and splurge on…but one thing I absolutely LOVE and have been recommending to every person I know is this new Brizo Venuto touchless faucet!

Brizo "Venuto" Faucet

The majority of my friends are in the same boat as me- buying & decorating their first homes- and I am constantly bringing up this faucet! It is so cool! You just touch it to turn it on & off…I was that kid who was always pushing buttons, so this faucet is like a dream come true. I imagine spending hours turning it on & off and pretending like I’m a surgeon getting ready for surgery- a la Grey’s Anatomy, minus all the drama.

Storage Ideas

Another thing I’m so excited about are ORGANIZED DRAWERS!! Having custom cabinetry with organized drawers would make me the happiest person. I love anything that helps me stay clean & organized. Whether it’s for spices, silverware, plates, garbage, food…etc., you can never go wrong with them!!

Ok, this has nothing to do with organizing silverware but what the heck, cool pix from the The Clutter Control Freak Blog!

Check out The clutter control freak blog
for more great organizing tips!

Tile Ideas

Also, I can’t wait for tile!! Big tile for the walls with a great mosaic backsplash and I will be so happy- throw in the touch faucet and I will never leave the kitchen!! The backsplash is a must- I love them and they really don’t get enough credit. They add so much to a kitchen without taking anything away from the overall room. Check out this great blog for beautiful work!  Sarah Baldwin Design Blog

Beautiful!  Sarah Baldwin is the designer of New Ravenna mosaics. Please take a look!

Light Fixtures

Another thing I love are light fixtures…bad ones can ruin a kitchen, and there are some bad ones. Lights are like a wedding dress, keep searching until you find the right one and grab it!

This is a cool blog to check out: ChicTip.com

This is Artemide's Tolomeo Fixture

Barstools

Last, but not least- one of my favorite things, that I cannot wait to get are barstools- I’m so excited to pick out fun bar stools!!

I could not find any blogs devoted soley to bar stools but there are some great design blogs on the left side column in our blogroll. Check them out and tell them I sent you!

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  • http://www.paulagracedesigns.blogspot.com Paula Grace

    Wow, these are amazing. Love the lights. I need to visit them all! Sarah is one talented lady. Her creations blow me away!
    Paula Grace ~

  • http://www.cft411.com Joseph

    The more things change, the more they remain the same, they say. I’m not actually sure who “they” are, and I suppose the argument could also be made that those who say things remain the same aren’t paying attention. The world does change, of course, changes a lot, but there are still things that remain the same. Music, of course, is something that always keeps my heart pumping, and since with me it’s always classical. I suppose it’s not much of a stretch to make the argument about it being the same.

    But one of the things you touched on is tile, and that is both brand new and ancient. The medium itself goes back several thousand years, but tile is something that is forever evolving and changing. I have written some thirty or forty blogs on various types of tile, including Sarah Baldwin’s New Ravenna Mosaics. She has wonderful designs, but so do so many other designers. I very much agree with what you had to say about tile, though. I don’t think there’s a kitchen or bathroom that would not benefit from it.

    In my own blogs I am forever complaining about the small size of my bathrooms (five feet by nine), but I have already come up with an idea I like for them. Gut the existing tub/shower that goes across the end of the bathroom and install a new shower utilizing one of those glorious tiles, of which there is an absolutely stunning number to choose from. Install clear glass shower doors before those glorious tiles (I’ll be recruiting for glorious!), and suddenly the humdrum becomes Holy Moly!

    I also agree with what you had to say about drawers. I know that cabinetmakers always charge more for drawers in kitchens (because it costs more to make them), but the extra money one spends for more drawers will forever pay dividends. It is considerably easier to access the contents of a cabinet when they are in a drawer, as opposed to a shelf. And this is especially true when, as is absolutely inevitable, one ages. Twenty-somethings don’t think about that sort of thing, but age comes, it will. And when it does, the knees are stiff, and the joints are creaking, and you tend to wait until several things have been dropped before you bend over (joints popping and creaking) to pick anything up. But if you have specified lots and lots of drawers for your kitchen remodeling, you will be thanking yourself, and if it’s something you commissioned in your twenties, you will be heralding your genius!

    Thanks for the insights in your blog, Emily. One with your kind of vision should have no problem at all blogging on all things design-wise.

  • http://www.kitchendesignnotes.com/ Laurie Burke

    Love the Venuto too! I have Pilar, another “touchy” and love it.

    Sarah Baldwin’s designs are genius.

    Would love to see a blog devoted to nothing but bar stools. Always on the hunt for great ones.

  • http://blog.susanpalmerdesigns.com/ Adrienne

    Good job Emily! I love Sara Baldwin’s mosaics, so pretty … the hardest thing is choosing a favorite :)

  • Amanda

    Excellent post, Emily! :)
    You’re a natural!

  • Lacey Maples

    I LOVE YOUR BLOG!!!
    I too would LOVE to have a touch faucet!
    I need one right now actually…my kitchen faucet is broken :(
    I also, think that a tile backsplash is key to a great kitchen! A wonderful way to accent & add more interest :)
    Kudos to you :)

  • Julie

    Great entry, Emily! :)

  • Mallory

    Great job Emily! I am in desparate need of that faucet. You don’t even want to see how grimy the handle on mine is from dirty hands in the kitchen! One day… but that will remain in the back of my mind when that day comes :)

    Also… as someone who loves tile in the kitchen, and has a backsplash of a mosaic fish behind her stove and colorful tiles lining her counters, i LOVE, LOVE, LOVE your feature on tile. It truly does make the space!

  • Jocelyn

    Emily! The blog is wonderful! Keep up the great work girl! :)

  • Terri mays

    I too, am looking for ways to decorate my first home so this was extremely helpful!!! I love the barstool section and hope to find some amazing ones for my place soon. Also live the comparrison to wedding dress shopping- when you find the one you love- no second guesses, grab it! Great ideas Emily!

  • Catherine

    Great Blog Emily! I love, love, love that faucet and the mosaic tiles. I’m very impressed by the combo of fun yet practical items on your list. Thanks for the great tips. I will definitely check out this blog more often and add items to my wish list as I slowly piece together my own house!

  • Jill Rigsby

    Emily,
    I love all the ideas especially the mosaic back splash. Gorgeous.
    I also got the visual of you as a little kids playing with the facet. haha…
    You always bring a smile to my face.
    Please keep the blogging up… I really enjoy it.
    All my love~

  • http://www.sarabaldwindesign.blogspot.com Sara Baldwin

    Hi Emily,
    Thanks SO much for including us in your post, and for your generous compliments. It is true that there are many, many tile designers out there that are incredibly talented. The particular pattern you featured is called “amulet” and it’s one of my personal favorites. Based upon the evil eye symbol (sorry, stating the obvious) it was chosen by a wonderful couple–the wife is Turkish–and like me, she appreciates talismans. I actually got fan mail after the installation! Since New Ravenna is sold through independent showrooms I rarely get direct feedback from clients, so this was a super treat. Thanks again for mentioning us and posting the photo.
    Sara Baldwin

  • Rebecca

    Great ideas!! I really want the faucet and the backsplash for my kitchen….one day:) Keep the ideas coming!

  • Liza

    Emily- what a lovely blog! So lovely, in fact, that I spent a lot of the day drooling over Sara Baldwin’s mosaics. Work? Who needed to do that when I could dream of my future gorgeous tiled bathrooms and kitchen! Your boss should certainly feel less anxious about your 20-something gen taste. You are precious!

  • Mallory I

    Great tips Emily! I’m planning on moving soon, and your helpful design hints will definitely come in handy. The tile back splash is beautiful. They can definitely add a lot to a simple kitchen. That is one cool faucet, and yes, very similar to the ones in the OR. Keep up the great work!

  • Greg

    Emily,
    Great post. Very creative! Your place will look great. Keep the posts coming. So happy for you.

  • Lisa

    I really enjoyed your blog! My husband and I have renovated many houses and love your ideas. Certain items add so much to a kitchen and are worth the splurge (touchless faucet and backsplash). Thank you for all the ideas and links. I found all the information very informative and entertaining! Great job, Emily!!

  • Susan Hicks

    Emily – We have plans to renovate our kitchen within the next couple of months. I have been looking at new ideas and I love the idea of having a Touchless Faucet. I’m putting in the Cherry color cabinets with marble coutertops so I was looking at the Tile ideas for a back splash. I love the designs and the colors. Thank you so much for a younger more up-to-date idea/opinion. Great Job!!!

  • http://kitchenbacksplashes.blogspot.com/ Kitchen Dave

    Love the ideas on your site. Really like the colours of the lights above, just a shame I dont need to buy 5 lights lol.

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