Industry Ed with Richard: Kitchen and Bath Guideline Series

In this post we will discuss the NKBA Kitchen and Bathroom Planning Guidelines, by first stating the guidelines and then pointing out their importance and giving insight on solutions and practices based on my industry experience. Find out more about NKBA here.

The Guidelines (according to the NKBA)

Table Shape and Seating Considerations

• Round Tables
• encourage conversation
• great for awkward corners as the curves add a pleasant flow visually
• Square Tables
• great for casual and romantic dining as it seats two to four people snugly
• space-saver in a small room
• Rectangular Tables
• can seat many people and also function as a buffet table
• perfect for a rectangular shaped room
• Oval Tables
• provides the same aesthetic as a rectangular table
• the curved corners visually reduce the size

My Experience

• Different tables work in different types of spaces
• Round tables can be great for using in awkward shaped or smaller spaces, their round corners allow for easier access around the table for traffic flow
• Round tables tend to be in rooms that are open to/adjacent to other spaces and tend to be less formal
• Often times square/rectangular tables are needed to really fill in the room, if its a large room then a square/rectangular table may be better suited for the space
• Square tables can be used very formally or informally
• Round tables can be better for conversation, square tables tend to cause individuals to engage in separate conversations, while at a round table everyone is facing one another and are more likely to all participate in one conversation
• 29" - 30" is the most common table height but sometimes they can get up to 36" for a more bistro type seating you (will often find this type of seating height in the bar area of restaurants)

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Trend Alert: Parisian Style + Modern Elements

Lately we are seeing a trend of Parisian architecture and modern elements.  It's a mix of old and new, traditional design offset by modern, and always very chic and stylish, just like their fashion sense. So here are my top tips for recreating Parisian interior style and adding that certain je ne sais quoi to your space.

Here are our designer's favorite picks:

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Here are some other examples:

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History Lesson: Prouvé Standard Chair

"After opening his own workshop in 1923, Jean Prouvé began producing furniture of his own and collaborating with some of the best-known French designers of the day, including Le Corbusier and Charlotte Perriand. Prouvé always strove for the most efficient designs, evident in classics such as his Standard Chair (1934). This chair, which comprises a utilitarian yet visually arresting combination of steel and wood, reflects the designer’s engineering pedigree and intense focus on materials, connections and production. Voluminous straight back legs bear the brunt of the occupant’s weight, and tubular front legs provide just enough support for the rest. Finely shaped wood seating surfaces conform nicely to the body."

Here are some photos featuring the Prouvé Standard Chair:

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Throwback Kitchens: What were we thinking?!

Let's have a little fun. I got some inspiration, after looking through some old interior design magazines (circa 1991) that we have in the office, and decided to do some throwback pictures! What were we thinking?! It is amazing to see how the kitchen has evolved! Check out these SO BAD yet SO GOOD kitchen designs over the past 60 years.

1960s

Bright colors, patterns on top of patterns, appliances never seen before and then never seen again, wood paneling and shag carpet! This era was packed with self expression and sometimes things got a little out of hand.

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1970s

Lots of earthy muted color tones and nature elements. Yet for every drab earth-toned room there was an equally colorful room. Everything matched, from the fridge to the counters to the plates and the place mats. Still rocking the shag carpet and the wood paneling.

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1980s

The 80s had two opposing styles... it was either sleek with black leather, geometric shapes, glass and the abundant use of mirrors... Or it was pink, plush and froo froo, with floral pattern overload.

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1990s

The internet and lots of other new technologies (cell phones, computers, larger tvs, etc.) came about in the 90s and so the colors tended to reflect this with the use of grays, silvers, blues and greens and the the use of shiny metals. Also, we may not have been using shag carpet anymore but carpet could be found in new places such as in bathrooms and kitchens, and there were a lot of faux-finished walls.