Archive for September, 2013

On the Road: Visiting the Kohler Campus – Ann Sacks & Kallista

September 30th, 2013

Ok! Our final stop on our lovely trip to Wisconsin was to visit their Ann Sacks showroom and meet the Kallista team. I already have love for both vendors, but getting to meet with Kallista’s team and learn about many of the fixtures in further detail was fantastic, you really learn why exceptionally detailed and handcrafted items cost what they cost. Though I already have been in lust with Laura Kirar’s Vir Stil vanities, it is still my very favorite from the line! Check it out below with the drawers that pivot out – brilliant!

Kristina Crestin Design_Blog Post Ann Sacks tripPhoto above from our evening at Ann Sacks; left to right: Bill from Kallista, me (Kristina Crestin), Keith Musinski of Equilibrium Design, Jack Sullivan of The Chelsea Company, Kelly Healy of Kristina Crestin Design.

Thanks again to Kohler folks and our local Supply New England / Kohler Signature Store Natick for bringing us out to Wisconsin!

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On the Road: A Break Between Kohler Training Sessions – Croquet Fun

September 27th, 2013

After an afternoon spent learning about Kohler showering systems and toilets etc we had a bit of time before dinner – what better to do than play a little friendly game of croquet. Kelly, Keith and I hit the court (is that what it’s called??) hoping the lovely perfectly manicured lawn out behind the Riverbend was in fact for play and not for show! It all started out friendly until the first ball was ‘sent’. Game on!

Kristina Crestin Design_Blgo post croquet

Thanks again to Kohler folks and our local Supply New England / Kohler Signature Store Natick for bringing us out to Wisconsin! I wouldn’t have had an summer croquet fun without the trip!

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On the Road: Kohler Training Day

September 26th, 2013

I know, plumbing training sounds riveting to you guys. But the other part of being out in Wisconsin was to really learn some technology behind some of the fixtures to help us understand what we pay for. There was shower and bathing training (sorry folks, no photos here!) where we got to try different shower heads, body sprays and different tub types – bubble, air, whirlpool etc etc. Seeing and feeling the difference. (Tough day at work sitting in a hydrotherapy tub experiencing the options!)

After that we were on to some showering technology where my favorite takeaway was the simplest and most inexpensive of innovations – a new shower head ‘Moxie‘ that has a bluetooth speaker that fits in the middle of the actual shower head and is removable for charging. You run it right off your iphone or ipod etc etc. $199 in chrome! I may need to buy one to try out at home, I guess in green as I see no turquoise, clearly an oversight on Kohlers part! I totally forgot to take my own photos, so some shots stolen from the web below.

Kristina Crestin Design_Kohler Moxie

The last part of our more technical training was toilets. Yes, that’s right toilets. We got paired with an engineer who has been working on making toilets more efficient for many years. He was totally into it, which was really cool to see how amped he was by some changes/upgrades he’s been able to engineer over the years. I won’t go into detail as it may bore you, but the overview is we got to see 4 tests that put a Kohler toilet against a competitor and I got to be the lucky guest to pop TP in for flushing tests and yes even fake #2 made of some sort of soybean concoction. My job is so glamourous sometimes!

Kristina Crestin Design_Kohler toilet training

Thanks again to Kohler folks and our local Supply New England / Kohler Signature Store Natick for bringing us out to Wisconsin!

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On the Road: A Break Between Kohler Training Sessions

September 24th, 2013

Okay, I just had to share …. this sweet space is the library at Riverbend. Keith and I had an hour to kill between training sessions and grabbed some leather chairs by the fire (because why not?), asked a lovely waiter for some coffee and brownies and caught up on work. We spend so much time designing thoughtful spaces it was really nice to sit and experience the space and appreciate a stolen hour working in luxury.

Kristina Crestin Design_Kohler Riverbend

Thanks again to Kohler folks and our local Supply New England / Kohler Signature Store Natick for bringing us out to Wisconsin and the opportunity to stay at a place like Riverbend.

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On the Road: Visiting the Kohler Campus – The Design Center

September 23rd, 2013

Wrapping up our trip to the Kohler Design Center was slightly sad, even though we were there for hours (and fed dinner and wine!) I feel like we didn’t get to touch and feel everything. Could warrant a trip back someday .. I certainly didn’t get to sample enough cheese while in Wisconsin! Sharing some pics of Kelly and I in action. Just lovely they my crew thought it so humorous that I could fit in the 5′ tub. Just lovely folks.

Kristina Crestin Design Kohler showroom tour

Pics taken in the Kohler Design Center. Thanks again to Kohler folks and our local Kohler Signature Store Natick for bringing us out to Wisconsin!

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On the Road: Visiting the Kohler Campus – The Design Center Top 5 Favorites

September 21st, 2013

Ok, time for my 5 favorite items from the Kohler Design Center:

#1: This piece is the the Iron/Occasions Bar Island. The form is what initially drew me – the rectagular shape with the long low sink down the middle. Brilliant. Perfect for working on one side and leaning on the other, so great for interaction. But the idea that you can put any of the enameled cast iron finishes on top is the piece that drew me in. The colors of the cast iron on the form of the island top just look so unique, especially the depth of the glossiness. This color ‘basalt’ is one of my new favorites.

Kristina Crestin Design Kohler Fav 1

#2: The Riverby sink of course I was drawn to as it was turquoise, or as they call ‘Palermo blue’. Its a massive 33″ in size, has plenty of accessories and tons of color options. Done!

Kristina Crestin Design Kohler Fav 2

#3: The Indio sink like the Riverby is 33″ long, but on this one I was intrigued by the faucet mounting to the side and the interesting grid drain design. The way the walnut cutting board drops into the opening is a pretty nice detail. They have it here in the caviar finish. $1039 in this finish which is a steal in this size category, or $799 for the white. Sweet!

Kristina Crestin Design Kohler Fav 3

#4: The Parq kitchen faucet I liked allot as I thought the handles were a departure from what we always see on a bridge faucet. This piece also rides the line of transitional rather well, so it could easily fit in a more modern kitchen but equally at home in a traditional kitchen. The handles feel really nice under your hand too.

Kristina Crestin Design Kohler Fav 4

#5: Rather than focusing on a particular fixture I was noticing that I was loving their ‘brushed bronze’ finish which is on the Essex bar faucet here. It was a really nice mellow brass/bronze in a really good way. I’ve been doing more satin brass finishes lately and finding another finish in the brass/bronze world that is this lovely is a major plus! The sink is their Undertone bar sink in satin bronze as well.

Kristina Crestin Design Kohler Fav 5

Thanks again to Kohler folks and our local Supply New England / Kohler Signature Store Natick for bringing us out to Wisconsin!

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On the Road: Visiting the Kohler Campus -The Design Center

September 20th, 2013

Our next stop on the trip was to the massive 36,000 square foot Kohler Design Center. Holy Cow. I was in my bliss. No sales pitch, just a stop at the bar they provided for us and wandering to play with all the faucets and sinks and tubs oh my!

Kristina Crestin Design Kohler showroom

5 of my Favorite items next! Photos all taken at the Kohler Design Center in Kohler, Wisconsin.

Thanks again to Kohler folks and our local Kohler Signature Store Natick for bringing us out to there!

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On the Road: Visiting the Kohler Campus in Wisconsin 2

September 17th, 2013

After settling in we hopped on a shuttle and were taken to the mysterious Kohler ‘Building 83′ … basically their R&D (research and development) building. We had special tags to get in and were sworn to secrecy. So sadly I can’t share all the cool and exciting new things that are going to be coming out on the market next except to say that they are introducing a new vanity program and I think Kohler is going to surprise allot of people. I am certainly looking forward to the new program hitting the market. And that’s all I can say!  Up next: pics from a trip to their 36,000 square foot ‘Design Center’ – I definitely found a ton of new product I can’t wait to integrate into jobs – killer finishes and colors too!

Kristina Crestin Design_Blog Post Kohler 2

Thanks again to Kohler folks and our local Kohler Signature Store Natick for bringing us out to Wisconsin!

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On the Road: Visiting the Kohler Campus in Wisconsin

September 17th, 2013

Kelly and I along with our favorite designer friend Keith of Equilibrium Design were lucky enough to be invited out to the Kohler campus in Wisconsin by the Kohler folks and our local Kohler Signature Showroom, Supply New England. We just got in today after a  short-ish flight from Boston and we were here by afternoon. I didn’t realize half the experience would be the lovely accommodations! We’re staying at a private club on the Kohler campus, the Riverbend. I think I’d like to stay a week! The detailing is amazing, not to mention the actual hotel room; not that chintz, floral and stripes are my thing, but the bathroom plumbing fittings certainly make me appreciate the space! Looking forward to taking the fixtures for a test drive. Now off to catch up on sleep so I can soak in (ha! get it?) all the learning tomorrow. Stay tuned for updates, we got to visit the super secret ‘building 83′ at Kohler this evening – no photos allowed! Will share tomorrow ….

Kristina Crestin Design Kohler tripPhotos taken at the Riverbend.

Thanks again to Kohler folks and our local Supply New England / Kohler Signature Store Natick for bringing us out to Wisconsin!

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Project Process: Big P’s Lighting Mock Up Option B

September 14th, 2013

Working more on outdoor lighting at Big P. For the back patio at this home we were thinking something much more modern and fun for the lighting – think something like you would find at a W Hotel. We have 11 foot ceilings in the Living Room and the Living/Billiard Lounge area is quite modern, so once you step out these massive patio doors we figured the lighting has to be large too – and hold up to the elements. Stacey found this super cool pendant from Vibia through our local friends Casa Design in Boston. They are made of PVC – really! Added to that as a functional great choice they offer huge sizes, we’re looking at a 24″ diameter – so excited! We mocked them up with a lampshade of mine that is the right diameter but the actual light is a bit taller – you get the overall effect rather well. Great news – they were approved and my client just ordered them – ya! Can’t wait to see them installed – we’ll share this fall as the project nears completion and we’ll be sure to start sharing lots of progress pictures.

Kristina Crestin Design_ vibiaTo get more information on the light contact the ladies at Casa Design in Boston : 617-654-2974.

Architecture and landscape by Water Jacob Architects and the builder is Apex Carpentry.

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