America's Top Models
An eye for detail and a sense of design integrity are the hallmarks of this years Contractor of the Year (CotY) Award winners.
He notes that the cabinet features included a wall of cabinetry to house a double oven, pantry, built-in china cabinet with buffet counter and desk, and a peninsula on the back side of the sink to house additional cabinets.
It is these efforts that earned Delauney top honors in the “Residential Universal Design,” category for this year’s CotY Awards.
He adds: “We needed to create a kitchen that was functional and wheelchair accessible, and to improve the flow of foot traffic from the entry through the kitchen and living room and into the two bedrooms, new bath and laundry area.” To that end, the sink and cooktop were left open below the counter for [easy] operation from a wheelchair.
The kitchen itself offered design challenges for Delauney.
“The existing home was a collection of additions with no consideration to pre-existing finished floor heights,” he says. “This was especially prominent in the patio area, where we needed to connect three different levels to one for handicap access.” To remedy this, he added a paneled pedestal at the intersection of the dining room, kitchen and foyer to create a blind, which disguised the tapered transition.
Regarding the kitchen island, Delauney says: “The island included a drop-down counter for the client to assist in kitchen duties or plug in his computer.”
Likewise, Delauney added a large tile backsplash behind the gas cooktop and custom wood mantlepiece to conceal the exhaust hood.
“By using superior materials and techniques, such as natural woods, granite, tumbled marble, warm paint colors, radiant floor heat and a tray ceiling with indirect lighting, we created a ‘hub’ filled with warmth and Old World elegance where the family could interact comfortably,” he concludes.
Home Theater & Media Rooms
Designer Raises the Curtain on Dramatic Media Room Design
When clients request a sneak preview of a media room renovation, it is always better for kitchen and bath designers to strive for a blockbuster.
Such was the case with this French Deco-inspired media room, which earned IKB, Inc. in Los Altos, CA, top honors in the “Home Theater & Media Rooms” category for this year’s CotY awards.
Created by senior designer, Katrina Brinkman, the media room features a classic theater feel, complete with Yoda (of Star Wars fame) happily selling tickets in the entranceway ticket booth.
According to Brinkman, a soffit was built to house the projector, screen, front speaker, and window treatment hardware, as well as give added interest and height to the space.
She continues: “Colors were derived from the carpet and a granite slab was installed at the front of the room to create the feeling of a stage.”
To that end, Brinkman also incorporated convex detailing and reeding to the front cabinets to echo the deco details, while a grand window treatment features tassels, bullion and trim to create an authentic movie house appeal.
Another unique aspect of the theater is the velvet fabric that was paper-backed and applied to the wall, and then trimmed out with gimp to finish the edges, she adds.
Completing the classical look of the media room are downlights, which are connected to a programmable system for smooth, even lighting, she concludes.
