Shedding Some Light On The Subject

Getting the lighting right not only ensures food preparation is easier (and safer) but can spell the difference between a warmer and welcoming room or a cold and sterile one.

Here's some thoughts on creating the perfect lighting design for your kitchen:

Light It Up: Ambient light is the overall light in your kitchen –that lights up all the vertical surfaces and fills in the shadows. If you have light colored surfaces and big windows, you may have enough ambient light during a sunny day—but since you use your kitchen on grey, rainy and winter days too, ambient light is very important. Whether your taste runs to something utilitarian, romantic or recessed, there are choices galore. Read on...

Center Stage: In the center of the ceiling, a large light is usually called for to light a bigger area. Recessed or track lighting is often used, but if you have fallen in love with a chandelier that would work in the space, make sure it has glass shades, as fabric gets too dirty from smoke, fumes and oils that a busy kitchen produces.

A Good Recession: Recessed lighting should be placed 30” away from any wall and can follow the entire perimeter of the kitchen, adding a lovely glow. Recessed downlights can be placed over the sink and stove. They create task lighting for cooking your gourmet meals (and all the pot scrubbing that follows that they never show on those celebrity chef shows.)

Take Them To Task: All task lighting is not recessed, however. Providing bright light with no shadows is the goal, however, so place whatever fixture you choose as close to the work area as possible.

Accent Lights: If it is a specific item you are highlighting (your grandmother's vase, for example) you may want to use incandescent lights. Consider halogens (usually called MR 16s) as these have a strong beam (and cast hard shadows which makes them a bad choice for task lighting but a great choice for accent lighting).

Down Below: Undercabinet lights can be a fabulous addition to lighting your countertops. Placed at the front of the cabinets instead of the back near the wall, these under-cabinet lights will light the countertop area evenly. You may choose miniature track lights, low-voltage linear systems or even energy-efficient fluorescents (as they won't be seen directly.) Use LED downlights as strips inside of cabinets to highlight collectibles or china and consider using both up and downlights as accents to give the illusion of more space than actually exists. You may want to use these strip lights to accent the toe-kick spaces or any niches too ( just be careful not to end up looking like an airport runway.) Remember, the further away from the wall you place the lights, the better the illumination. Consider using a dimmer on these lights separate for the other lights in your kitchen—it will not only save energy, but add drama to the space.

Jewels From Above:
You probably use your kitchen table or island for everything from homework to rolling out pie dough. Pendant lights work well to light such areas. Mount the pendant 30” above the table or island top. If your table is round, it will look best if the fixture is a foot narrower that the diameter of the table. For square tables or rectangular islands choose a fixture that is a foot narrower than the smallest side. A group of miniature pendants would also work well. Mount each pendant so that the bottom of the shade is approximately 66" above the floor, so the view across the room is not cut off. If you are going to seat people at the kitchen island and the pendant shades aren't too deep, install the pendants 60" above the floor.
 You should have a pendant for every two feet of space of the surface it is lighting and use an odd number of lights instead of an even number for better balance. If the pendant are really narrow, it might look better to add a few more.
Or, if you have a pot rack over your island, consider installing lighting within the rack to shine down on your island—such concealed lighting can be a crafty way to add more light. For the lighting over your table or island, you might (again) want to consider using a dimmer. It adds options for when you are either dining at the table or setting out a lovely buffet on the island.

Jason Landau is an award-winning kitchen designer with extensive experience in lighting design. Jason and his team at Amazing Spaces, LLC will not only consult with you as to the type and placements of lights in your new kitchen, but share with you the latest fixtures from the hottest lighting vendors—providing you with a positively “illuminating” experience. Visit Amazing Spaces, LLC at www.amazingspacesllc.com or call 914-239-3725.

Is A Contemporary Kitchen The Design For You?

For everyone who loves carved cabinetry, multi-colored mosaic tiles decorating every surface, dramatic window coverings and lots of nooks and crannies in their kitchen, there is another type of person who likes things, modern, geometric and uncluttered. This client might be called a minimalist and for them, the perfect kitchen style may be Contemporary.

Less is more

Contemporary kitchens purposefully strip down a kitchen to its function. Gone are moldings and unnecessary ornamentation. Lines are horizontal or asymmetrical and sleek is the order of the day. Appliances (sometimes industrial strength) are often stainless steel and other materials used in the kitchen are mostly man-made like chrome, laminate, frosted glass, polished concrete or even linoleum. Surfaces are often reflective.

Cabinetry may have minimal or no visible hardware and cabinet surfaces are often flat (sliding cabinets sometimes play a big part in Contemporary design.) Spaces are open and every part of the design is clean. Even window coverings are often reduced just to functional blinds to keep the sun's glare down or the window glass itself treated to shade the room without the need of window coverings all together. This bare bones approach has been perfected by European designers, particularly those in Scandinavia, Germany and Italy, who have been in the vanguard of Contemporary design.

Design follows function

Everything in a Contemporary kitchen design is about functionality—Whatever makes the cook's life easier. From the layout of the appliances (usually the classic triangle of refrigerator, sink and stove is used to increase efficiency) to where and what type of cabinetry is used. The idea is for everything to have a place and for that place to be exactly where the cook needs it to speed up and make the cooking process easier. Such lack of clutter and smooth surfaces also make cleaning a Contemporary kitchen a whole lot easier.

Different use of light and color

Contemporary kitchens often make use of recessed lighting (even using miniature spotlights in cabinet interiors if the cabinets are glass-faced.) Halogen lights are used to radiate on the countertop or workspace to give the cook the light they need. Pendant lights can light a kitchen island. What you rarely see in a contemporary kitchen is a chandelier.

Color in a Contemporary kitchen design can go either way—Perhaps walls painted in some hot shade can add the pop of color needed to keep all that stainless steel from becoming too industrial or you may go Italian and get tomato red cabinetry, making it the focal point of your new design scheme.

“Contemporary design allows for the use of more unique and interesting materials, such as exotic wood veneers and specialty metals,” says Jason Landau, kitchen designer and CEO of Amazing Spaces, LLC. “Since such design offers the opportunity to mix several different materials like wood and high gloss lacquer, multiple countertop thickness and more diverse materials, I find designing a contemporary kitchen to be a very creative outlet.”

Creating a Contemporary kitchen, using subtle geometric curves to soften the straight lines and the right materials to appear sleek and modern without being too dehumanizing, requires a kitchen designer with great creativity, years of experience and an architectural education. Just such a designer is the one quoted above--Jason Landau of Amazing Spaces, LLC. From the initial project drawings through picking the exact fixtures and best cabinets to bring life to the space, right through to appliance installation, Jason and his crack team can help develop and hone your vision of your perfect Contemporary kitchen and then implement the plan flawlessly. Call him today at 914-239-3725 or visit www.amazingspacesllc.com.5

Head: What Defines A Classic Kitchen?

In a recent industry design blog, designers were asked “What elements go into a classic kitchen design?” We agree with some of the responses designers contributed:

The finished kitchen design should feel timeless. True, no matter how tastes change, your new kitchen should remain beautiful, functional and should have no “era” that is noticeable. Classic never goes out of style. Use simple, but elegant cabinetry (anything overly carved could grow tiresome), rich colors for back splashes and countertops, flooring that is durable and of a material and color that will blend well with the elements in the kitchen that are likely to change over time--like the paint color. Go for subtle tones. Keep all lines clean, simple and elegant.

Use of basic shapes in the kitchen—Instead of ornate or angular, you and your designer should gravitate to “understated elegance” in all design elements. Plain does not mean boring.

We, at Amazing Spaces, LLC, would add that you and your designer should:

Choose the very finest materials --they not only hold up well, but remain beautiful. In the case of fine hardwoods, their beauty is often enhanced with time---and proper care.

Pick more neutral colors—making use of earth tones and rich beiges and creamy whites allow for drama to be introduced in other elements—perhaps darker cabinetry or a wood floor.

Go for luxury, not ostentation – Luxury lasts.

We at Amazing Spaces, LLC are kitchen designers who are not only aware of how your kitchen will look the day we finish it (welcoming, warm and functional as befits the heart of your home), but we keep our eye on the future as well. You should be able to make changes as your tastes develop without having to change the basic infrastructure of your kitchen and, should resale ever become an option, we want your kitchen to attract buyers that will love the space as much as you did.

If you are looking for a professional team to work with you on such a project, you can do no better than Jason Landau (an award-winning kitchen designer with a Masters degree in Architecture) and his team at Amazing Spaces, LLC. Please visit our website at www.amazingspacesllc.com or call us at 914-239-3725.

Stone Tiles: Which Texture Should You Use?

While deciding whether to go with the beauty and durability of stone tile for your kitchen or bath project, there are a few decisions left to make and a bit more information you'll need to make informed choices.

Here are the six most basic stone tile textures and what are the characteristics of each:

Polished stone tiles are shiny and the gloss helps bring out the inner beauty of the stone. The shiny surface comes not from something applied to the stone, but by manipulating the stone itself. This texture is most often used on countertops and walls, because though it doesn’t absorb moisture, it does get slippery making it a less-than-ideal choice for flooring.

Honed stone tile has an unglazed surface and less gloss than a polished stone. Since it has a more porous surface, it does present a duller (or flatter) appearance, but it's rough surface provides traction—making it a good choice for floors.

Tumbled stone tile has a slightly rough texture (it gets it when it is tumbled with other types of natural stone) to make it look slightly worn or weathered.

Sandblasted stone tiles have a slightly glossy finish on a textured surface. The sandblasting process can also etch designs and images in stone tiles.

Sawn stone tile has a unique surface made by using a “gang saw”-- a circular blade machine. Combining this technique with others like sandblasting can work together to create a truly one-of-a-kind tile.

Flamed stone tile is exposed to a very high level of heat, making the natural crystals in the stone literally explore leaving behind a textured surface. This type of stone tile is porous, making it a bit rough and adding some slip resistance.

Working with a professional kitchen and bath designer like Jason Landau at Amazing Spaces, LLC can help with you make the right decisions about your stone tile and all materials choices. Jason Landau at Jason brings two decades worth of experience in space planning, kitchen and bath design and working with the world's finest cabinetry firms to your project. 

Call him today at 914-239-3725 or visit www.amazingspacesllc.com.