Tile Design: Expressing Your Personality

Tile, as a functional product and as a tool of artful and personal expression, has a myriad of possibilities. In interior design, we seek to balance these two ideas within the restrictions of time and budget. Starting with a general plan of the space, and a layout of cabinetry and plumbing fixtures or appliances, as in a bathroom or a kitchen, are key. Drafting elevations of all walls can go a long way to help a client envision the overall feel of the tile, and are very important for proper installation to the craftspeople working in your home. As in any project, good preparation, following the latest techniques, and using the best available products are essential. If there are questions regarding proper tile installation methods, you may refer to the "Handbook for Ceramic Tile Installation" from the Tile Council of America.

Color, Texture, Function

Choosing tile is the next difficult step; often clients are overwhelmed when they walk into a tile showroom. Taking a magazine clipping with you can help guide you. Evaluate the color flow of your home and the color choices that tend to draw you, by looking at your clothes or your home accessories. Think about texture choices like glazed or natural stone and wander the showroom familiarizing yourself with the various areas and how the tiles are grouped. Then, focus in on what immediately catches your eye and spend time thinking about living with this choice for years to come. Will you tire of it? Is it functionally correct? Can you change your accessory colors around it in a few years? If you are in doubt about technical issues, always ask your designer or a salesperson.  

Design, Pattern, Detail

One thing I often tell clients is to look for a special tile for each room as an accent, and then a less expensive tile to coordinate with it as the major player. This is a budgetary trick to help your money go farther. I often use that accent tile in several places to pull the eye around the room and make the room feel cohesive. Try the same accent tile, but in differing shapes and sizes to create interest. I like to do no fewer than two types of tile and no more than four or five, depending on the room sizes and tile differences, but every project and client are unique. Bathrooms can hold more tile choices than a kitchen or an entry area. 

An example would be adding a border of two 1” rows of mosaic tiles on the floor with two colors of the same field tile and perhaps a change in direction of the tile pattern. Bring a row or two of that mosaic to the backsplash and several rows to the shower wall, possibly changing orientation, direction, or size for more interest. All of this can add up to a small amount of the mosaic actually being ordered, but with a big visual payoff. If you are working with a designer, please tell them your feelings, and express if you want to change anything they have chosen for you. Designers are there to please you and generally enjoy a design challenge, with at least a little direction. Here in Portland, I tend to stay away from drab colors, especially in smaller rooms, and consider the rest of the homes décor when making tile decisions.

By adding these expensive, but smaller multiple areas of interest, you can express your individual taste, have fun in your kitchen or bathroom, and keep the budget and your tile setters peace of mind under control. Tile is the most permanent surface you will select for your project; it is worth the time and effort to explore your many possibilities.

Outdoor Kitchen Design: Beyond the Barbecue

After a long, wet winter and spring in Portland, Oregon, if feels so good to spend time outside with friends and family. The entertaining, cooking, and dining all move outdoors to be in the fresh air and open space. Creating a great outdoor kitchen gives you the best of your indoor kitchen experience and technology, combined with the fun and sun of the great outdoors; all while adding living space and value to one of your largest investments, your home.

Historical perspective

From ancient times until just a few hundred years ago, cooking was done either outside or in a wall-less structure with a hole at the highest point of the roof for smoke to escape. With the advent of chimneys and better housing, cooking moved indoors and has developed into our modern kitchen concept. Many cultures have kept their outdoor cooking traditions, like the Brazilian Churrasco and the Argentine Asado. The United States has the BBQ and up in New England, the Seafood Bake. In the past 20 years, the outdoor kitchen has emerged as a culture all its own and has become the new place to gather and dine.

Design

The first major decisions are the size and placement. Is this to be an accessory to your outdoor area or a focal point? Is the kitchen connected to the house or set apart; and how many appliances will you incorporate? It is best to have your outdoor kitchen close enough to your main kitchen so as to be convenient, but located in such a way as to minimize smoke entering the windows. In the Pacific Northwest, a covered cooking area is always a good option, as it allows for year-long protection. Size is generally determined by the amount of people you entertain and the number of appliances you intend to have. When selecting equipment, think about access to gas (natural or propane), electricity, water, and drain lines. Along with appliances, think storage. What will you store outside? Do you like doors or drawers? And don’t forget a garbage pull out. Always consider lighting, traffic flow, seating options, and materials. There are so many details to ruminate upon, it’s best to work with a professional kitchen designer that has this specific type of experience, when investing in an outdoor kitchen for your home.

Layout

A good kitchen plan is configured to allow the cook and the guests to move easily to and from their needs.  Many outdoor kitchens don't have sinks because of the expense of getting water and waste lines to the outdoor kitchen; however, if you can plumb a sink, it is a great convenience.  Good design also creates a flow for moving food and drinks to the eating area. It is a nice idea to have the refrigeration located so the cook and the guests have equal access without getting in each other’s way. In planning your outdoor kitchen, the designer or builder will check local building and fire safety codes. Zoning laws may restrict size and location, and fire codes show minimum clearance requirements between an open flame and a combustible surface. Also remember, while this is a structure, it is also part of the landscape of your property, and the most beautiful outdoor kitchens integrate well with the home, as well as the grounds.

Structure

In the Northwest, a pergola type covering works with many styles and allows for dappled shading from the sun, while being open to the air. However, with our unpredictable weather, consider a covered roof, such as a pergola topped with clear, corrugated polycarbonate which will provide added protection from the elements; while umbrellas and retractable awnings can be a simpler, less expensive idea for dining areas. Outdoor heaters, whether portable or ceiling mounted, can add great comfort to your time outdoors. Integrating hidden wiring into the support columns is a good way to get electrical outlets and lighting where it needs to be. It’s best to build the counter support and appliance surrounds from cement block rather than wood, to keep water and insects from deteriorating the sub-structure.

Lighting

Lights need to illuminate the work areas and the adjacent dining area and add a decorative touch to the surfaces. Lighting should be designed for ease of performing tasks, for safety, to add visual appeal, and by adding ground and path lighting, define safe travel ways. Fixtures should, of course, be approved by Underwriters Laboratories for outdoor use.

Appliances

The main feature of most outdoor kitchens is the grill; perhaps with an rotisserie, a smoker box for wood chips, or even an additional infrared grill. Infrared grills are energy efficient and get very hot; look for one with a ceramic element. Next to the grill is often a side burner or a griddle; and while it is less common, in some cases overhead ventilation is a good idea. You may want a warming drawer to keep foods and plates warm, possibly a pizza oven, or some type of skewer cooker. Deep fryers are great outside because of the amount of heat and mess they can create. There should also be a refrigerator, and some outdoor kitchens have a wine chiller, a keg tapper, an ice maker, and much more.  Better appliances are made specifically for outdoor conditions and have been engineered to withstand climate extremes and moisture. Make sure they are UL-approved and plug into GFCI (ground-fault circuit interrupter) outlets. 

Materials

Because an outdoor kitchen must bear all types of weather, materials should be durable and easily cleaned. Flooring can be concrete slab, pavers, or stone; the countertops can vary from concrete to stone slabs, man-made counters, or stainless steel. Walls are most often concrete block with  faux or real stone veneers of some type. In the dryer climates of the Northwest, rot-resistant woods like teak and cedar may be used for cabinetry, but for most of Western Oregon and Washington, I would recommend stainless steel cabinets for their durability. Choose a brushed steel faucet; they fare better outdoors, and sinks can be stainless, stone, or made-made composites. To extend the life of your appliances and counter materials, have a water-proof cover made to fit over them. 

Favorites

Yes, I have some favorite outdoor appliances; such as those from Lynx, DCS, Kalamazoo, The Big Green Egg, the Evo griddle/grill, and Tec infrared grills. I prefer stainless cabinets, but like to see some wood as well, maybe as an insert or as an accent. Faux stone veneers are generally used for their cost and light weight, but if the budget allows, there is nothing like the real stuff. I will always try to get a sink in if the logistics allow; this makes clean-up so much easier.

Other thoughts

Along with the practical aspects listed so far, is the aesthetic consideration. Every project is different and must take into account the architecture of the main home, the landscaping, the client’s style preference, and budget. There is no way to determine the cost without doing the work of design and product selection. A full range of appliances can easily run $10,000 to $50,000, and the hardscape can vary just as wildly. To eliminate wasted time and dashed dreams, it is better to start with a cost in mind and let your designer work with it.

A well designed outdoor kitchen can last for decades and be a great source of fun and terrific food for your friends and family. Be practical, but also be a bit adventurous; try to integrate something new into your design. Make the most of the entire year and create an outdoor space that is available in every season. If you have the room and budget, link an outdoor room for lounging and relaxing with your new outdoor kitchen. Make a covered space with a water feature, fireplace, stereo, television, comfortable furniture, and easy access to the indoors. 

Extend your home into the great outdoors and enjoy!

Kitchen Design: The Joy of Induction Cooking

For nearly two decades, the professional-style range has been a focal point in kitchen design. As homeowners have become more concerned with energy efficiency, kitchen designers are turning to a technology that has has actually existed for over half a century, but seems almost futuristic in its ability to cook, induction cooking.

Induction cooking works by creating a magnetic field between the cookware and a special electrical coil below the surface of the cooktop, commonly referred to as a “hob”.  This field creates electrical energy and the reaction with the cookware creates resistance, and it is this resistance that creates the heat that is used to cook.

A “green” alternative to gas and traditional electric cooktops

Induction cooktops are over two times as energy-efficient as gas cooktops and 25-35% more efficient than standard electric cooktops. Whereas only 40% of the energy from gas is actually used in the heating process, up to 90% is used in induction cooking. The result is a much more responsive cooking surface. A pot of water may take ten minutes to boil on a gas cooktop versus a mere two minutes on an induction cooktop.

Responsiveness, ease of clean-up

While the “romance” of the the flame is missing in induction cooking, its lightning quick responsiveness to temperature controls sways many chefs, and its ease of clean-up captures the homeowner. Unlike gas, or traditional electric, the area surrounding the pan does not heat up, so baked-on foods are a thing of the past and the majority of cleaning can simply be done with a little hot, soapy water and a microfiber cloth. Controls are so exacting, one can melt chocolate without the need for a double boiler.

A viable replacement where natural gas is not an option

Many kitchen designers have had to turn to standard electric cooktops or ranges where access to natural gas was not available. Some kitchen designers opted to use propane, but this brought with it safety concerns and the need for a large enough space to store a large tank for the propane. Choosing induction is an easy choice in these situations.

More options

Until recently, kitchen designers using induction in kitchen design had to stick with standard cooktops and a separate oven. No more, induction is evolving, and we have already seen the introduction of induction ranges. Further enhancements down the road are likely to see more zone-less cooktops, in which you can set the cookware down anywhere on the surface and the cooktop will recognize it. 

Other positives and a couple of drawbacks

One of the many things I hear from my clients, is that they do not want a bulky hood blocking their view in their new or remodeled kitchen. Traditionally, this has meant going with a downdraft venting system which has proven not very effective for a couple of reasons. One, if you are using gas, the downdraft can actually pull the flame towards it, further reducing the efficiency of the cooktop; two, hot air rises, and downdraft technology is working against gravity. With induction cooking, there is no flame to worry about; and new, significantly taller downdraft vents are better able to capture the smoke, odors, and atomized grease and oils, than their shorter predecessors.

Of course any talk of induction does need to mention a few potential challenges. First, your cookware must be magnetic to work on the cooktop. There are a few models out there that are a hybrid of regular electric and induction, but unless you have a set of copper cookware that you can’t part with, I would not recommend going this route. Glass won’t work on induction either, so when you are shopping for cookware, bring a magnet. If it sticks to the pan, it will work on your cooktop. A flat bottom surface is also critical for proper usage. The other consideration is the power needs of the cooktop or range. Despite it being very energy efficient, it does require more power than a standard electric cooktop to run the magnetic hobs.

Kitchen Design is constantly evolving

As a kitchen designer, when I have a client who wants ultimate control, quick response, high performance, safety, and ease of clean-up, my first recommendation is often induction. Whether it’s a sleek modern kitchen, or a more traditional design, there is an induction cooktop or range that can fit the need.