Archive for January, 2014

I recently had a meeting with an ongoing project and as I was taking my boots off I looked up and had a moment to appreciate a fantastic lighting improvement. I snapped a quick pic and figured I’d share some process since it was a bit of an undertaking. Below shows the final outcome – where the varying forms of the Nelson Bubble Lights are tiered up the height of the space. They do an absolutely amazing job of filling the volume and totally elevating the vibe of the space.

Kristina Crestin Design_Nelson Bubble LightsTo get this to all happen wasn’t achieved at the snap of fingers. The client’s really attuned to scale and proportion and had the builder set up scaffolding and some framing with chicken wire mounted on the ceiling – all so we could hook the pendants from the makeshift grid so we could look at multiple lighting locations at one time and really get the locations right. A slow process but so valuable in getting it all perfect!

Kristina Crestin Design_Nelson Bubble LightsFinally – just to really drive home the transformation – the before! The house came with this traditional chandelier – with pineapples! May it rest in peace.

Kristina Crestin Design_Nelson bubble light beforeMany thanks to the Carpenter & MacNeille team who patiently worked through this process with us!

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Sharing some of the last details on the higher end option on the BHG project!  Below is another amazing rendering that BHG’s illustrator Ann Weiss that showcases our selections in such an amazing way. (Hello. can you imagine how long it took to make the vent hood look like brass like that!)

Below that are some quick study sketches I did working out our initial ideas before Kelly took the entire design to detail in CAD. Definitely in love with those tall bypassing windows … drool worthy. Totally wish I had this budget for my kitchen!

Kristina Crestin Design_BHG Blog post

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I am a bit in love with this scheme. It doesn’t help that I used my own kitchen for this exercise, so now I am in trouble! The following are pieces from our higher end option of our Better Homes & Gardens Kitchen and Bath Ideas spread ‘One Kitchen, 2 Budgets’.

Kelly & I started with a couple materials or ideas that we really loved – I’ve always wanted to use a truly fabulous and mood setting chandelier at a kitchen island, the Winston from Arteriors being a perfect choice. Having this piece in mind with antique brass and black cording accents was a great starting point to pull in a custom brass hood surround and the shimmery patina of bronze on a massive farm sink.  Not wanting to go overly glam I brought in the idea of massively tall metal windows on a vast majority of the perimeter, some even bypassing so you could use it as a serving window for grilling or entertaining outdoors! The dark black metal of those windows resonating with the light fixtures cording all made sense – but then this is me, of course we needed a bit of color! After lots of selections we settled on a deep blue/teal tone in a semi gloss; which looks so amazing on the cabinet door we designed and had our friends at Premier Builders make for us! I’ll take it all!

Kristina Crestin Design_ BHG post

Sources: Custom Cabinetry fabricated by Premier Builders , Sink Rocky Mountain Hardware‘s Altura Apron Front Sink, Faucet is the Henry by Waterworks, Pair of pendant lights the Winston from Arteriors, cabinet hardware by Rocky Mountain Hardware, the ‘tab’ pull and Ted Boerner’s ‘tab pendant’, herringbone walnut floors from Hunt’s, bar stools are Anna Karlin Chess Stools by Brespoke Global, mirrored chicken wire tiles are Versailles Mesh by Ann Sacks and walnut herringbone floor by Hunt Custom Milled Wood Floors.

Back on sharing some more background on the BHG project ….. Below is the amazing rendering that BHG’s illustrator Ann Weiss did that brought all our selections to life. I SO wish we had the time to spend on renderings like this for our projects! I haven’t developed perspectives like this truly since college – when you could work at it as long as you want without thinking about how much billable time was adding up!

Below that are some quick study sketches I did working out our initial ideas before Kelly took the entire design to detail in CAD. I do love a good hand sketch!

Kristina Crestin Design_BHG One kitchen 2 budgets

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On this snowy post New Year’s day I am lusting after this chair.  I somehow have placed this chair in 2 projects immediately – in my dream world that is! I just started looking for a small but fabulous fuzzy chair for an office project and then of course days later passed Montage and saw this lovely piece in the window. Tracking it down now I realize it’s a rocker, oh dear, sexy looking and it has motion – I’ll take it! Now if it wasn’t 7k + I could have it for my own house immediately! Just had to share since I am so taken by the detailing, even the non rocker – check out the webbing on the back. Now that is good design!

Kristina Crestin Design_B&B Italia fuzzy chair

To get more information on the  B&B Italia JJ chair call Montage in Boston at 617.451.9400.

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