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Christy Emens, MarketingBLANCO

THROUGH A DESIGNER’S EYEWelcome to the design issue - featuring trends and inspiration for your home.

Each year, BLANCO visits design shows around the world to see what’s new and trending for our industry. We view these shows through the eyes of the design community - especially our BLANCO Design Council. They live and breathe this world - absorbing a constant stream of new products and information. And they make daily decisions that impact our living spaces and our lifestyles. We’ve dedicated this issue of Inspirations to design - through a designer’s vantage point. We hope you enjoy it and visit our blog for more inspiration at BlancoByDesign.com.

WELCOME

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2014 EuroCucina Kitchen Trends What you need to know in 5 minutes from 5 designers

It’s about the experience. Grace Kelly, Kitchen Designs by Ken Kelly

Kitchen design is all about the experience. Creating an environment that works with how we live. For instance, iPad like controls in your countertop, herb holders near the cooktop, integrated composting systems (BLANCO SOLON™) and more.

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BLANCO recently visited EuroCucina, the International Kitchen Furniture Exhibition, in Milan, Italy with members of the BLANCO Design Council. BLANCO is highly featured in this important international kitchen show as almost 50% of the kitchen manufacturers at EuroCucina show BLANCO products. Additionally, the top 10 largest Italian Kitchen manufacturers at EuroCucina show BLANCO.

The biennial show always provides a glimpse of future trends for the next two years. So if you weren’t one of the 360,000 who attended to see over 160 kitchen exhibitors – or even if you did – here’s the top 5 things you need to know from 5 designers.

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Countertops are super thin or chunky. Gloria Graham Sollecito, AKBD certified kitchen and bath designer

Countertops are either very thin or chunky (about 3″ thick). White or grey, mixed with wood are popular color options. Sinks are sometimes integrated with countertops.

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Kitchens are invisible. Ken Kelly, Kitchen Designs by Ken Kelly

We are seeing integrated eve r y th i ng . Cab ine t s t ha t h i de appliances and even entire kitchens. Countertops that hide sinks. Handleless cabinetry with seamless lines. It’s all part of making the kitchen integrate with living areas in the home.

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Sinks are streamlined and chef-focused. Kelly Morisseau, Author, Certified Master Kitchen & Bath Designer

Sinks, like other elements in the kitchen, are chef-focused – and also made more simplified and sleek for the at-home chef. We’re seeing equal double and super single sinks as part of this trend.

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Natural, textural and industrial. Marilyn Russell, Interior Designer, Design Magnifique

Innovative surfaces that stand up to wear and tear, even with small children, are popular. Natural and textural finishes are also hot.

To watch a video of all the trends spotted at EuroCucina, link here.

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Andie Day + Shift Legacy

BLANCO Design Council member and in te r io r d e s i g n e r A n d i e D a y recently completed her first h igh-end inter ior renovation project through h e r n e w l y f o r m e d company, Shift Legacy.

The company, co-founded with her daughter Melissa Cummings, is a luxury concierge service that caters to professional men in need of special personal services including interior design, image consulting, p e r s o n a l a s s i s t a n t recruiting, event planning and much more.

According to Day, her long association with BLANCO was a motivating factor in staring her new company. “In many ways, participating on BLANCO’s Design Council has also been a contributing factor in the start up,” stated Day. “Traveling to international design fair shows in

Germany with BLANCO have greatly influenced my desire to enter this niche market in which I have become an expert.”

For her first renovation project under her new company, Day and her team designed the i n t e r i o r s o f a l u x u r i o u s condominium featuring high-end appliances and kitchen products including including t h e B L A N C O P R E C I S ™

S ILGRANIT® S ing le Bowl Kitchen sink in café brown which went nicely in the stylish high tech kitchen.

The complete condo renovation from top to bottom came from Day’s inspirational designs set to suit the owner’s taste.

present a modern day bachelor pad

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“We met with our new client briefly before he left the U.S. for an extended trip. He had purchased the apartment fully furnished and was ready to make ser ious changes to address his frequent entertaining and to update the dated furnishings/finishes. We altered the kitchen footprint by expanding the opening to the living areas and cutting back the entry wall. Finishes and furnishings, including decorative lighting and subtle textures, set the stage for entertaining a large crowd or special dinner for two,” states Day.

The designer says that BLANCO has been her go-to kitchen sink and faucet manufacturers for years because of BLANCO’s quality and service which offers peace of mind for both her firm and clients.

”BLANCO is committed to development and research and delivers products that are on trend and in many cases becomes the trend,” states Day.

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Jeffrey Johnson from Jeffrey Design, LLC, Vickie Bolick from Bolick Interiors and the well-read The Ace of Space blog and Allison Habermehl from hd Style Studio share their eco-friendly tips. To view the video, click here.

Jeanne Chung from Cozy Stylish Chic, Typhanie Peterson from Typhanie Peterson Design and Deborah Main from Deborah Main Design shared their view on how to create a eco-friendly home environment. To view the video, click here.

We asked designers to share their personal eco-friendly ideas and tips for making your home space greener and healthier.

Saving EnergyJeffrey Johnson from Jeffrey Design, LLC states, “I would use insulation for switch plate covers that go behind it which is another way of saving energy.”

“Use motion sensors,” states Typhanie Peterson of Typhanie Peterson Design. “If you aren’t in the room, the lights go off, that way you are saving electricity.”

Jill Abelman of Inside Style lives in Las Vegas where it gets very hot, and suggests planting foliage around window areas to cut down on the air conditioning bill.

Sustainable ProductsJeanne Chung from Cozy Stylish Chic searches for manufacturers who are members of the Sustainable Furnishings Council as a good way to learn more about eco-friendly products.

Bring the Outside inMarcy Michaud from Style Lesson likes to incorporate a bit of the outdoors in her kitchen. “Right by my window, I have a display of herbs - which brings a bit of the outside inside, and is a great reminder of being green all year around,” states Michaud.

BLANCO’s efforts for the protection of the environment go far beyond developing innovations like our SOLON compost system or water-saving products like our HYDRA™ faucet. We believe that our overall focus must be sustainable, practical and intensive.. Click here for more.

The designer’s guide to healthy, green living

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BLANCO expands SILGRANIT® II Color App with more choicesto mix and match countertops and sinksGet ready, here’s an exciting way to match the perfect countertop with your new sink. BLANCO expands their free SILGRANIT II Mobile Color App with new countertop selections and an inspired kitchen photo gallery.

The enhanced Mobile App helps homeowners, designers and fabricators evaluate the appearance of sinks paired with different countertops, and add their own surface selections to the App by capturing images using the device’s camera. Favorite combinations can be added to a list and e-mailed to others. The user can also find their nearest BLANCO authorized dealer with the App’s Store Locator.

The user-friendly App offers 103 BLANCO sinks in SILGRANIT II, stainless steel and fireclay. The sinks can be mixed and matched with 41 popular surfaces including natural stone, Dekton® and Silestone®.

A user’s own countertops can be added to the collection with a smart phone or tablet camera to experience unlimited pairing possibilities.

“For version 1.2, we added all new counter colors and stones, updated our sink selections with new styles and put in an inspirational photo gallery to allow the user to see product in real life settings,” states Tim Maicher, Director of Marketing for BLANCO. “We also created a one minute tutorial video that gives step-by-step instructions on the best way to utilize the App.”

Please visit our YouTube Channel to learn more about the App features.

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Meet our Design Council

Cheryl Kees Clendenon

Andie Day

Jamie Gold, CKD, CAPS

Gloria Graham-Sollecito, AKBD

Paul Anater

Grace & Ken Kelly

Nick Lovelady

Kelly Morisseau

Susan Serra, CKD CAPS

Marilyn G Russell, Allied ASID

Vicki Payne

Visit our blog to learn

more!

Design Journals

Leslie Clagett

Cindy Dole

Joseph Freenor

Veronika Miller

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