A custom copper hood is bold and appropriate in this rustic mountain home.

The function of venting smoke, steam and odors away from the kitchen is relatively easy to accomplish with a fan and access to the exterior.  What you see can be as creative, decorative or simple as you desire- it is merely the façade that surrounds the working parts.  The latest models are highly effective and much quieter than in the past.

Bling hood by Elica

In a traditional or old world kitchen, the surround may be made to match the cabinetry.  It may be constructed of copper, brass, or steel with hand crafted details like strapping or hammered sheets.  It may be plaster with accents of wood or tile.

A traditional range hood in copper

An old world style custom hood

Traditional style kitchen with plaster and wood range hood

Completely hidden range hood in a tradtional kitchen

Modern kitchens really get creative with range hoods that are anything but ordinary or boring.  Add a little bling with a chandelier hood.  Fancy shapes, sleek profiles and combinations of steel and glass abound.

Star range hood by Elica

Glamour range hood by Whirlpool

Add a little bling with the Victoria by Elica

There are of course many options that are simply about function that completely hide when not in use- whether a down draft that retracts into the cabinetry or slides out from the wall.

Sleek downdraft model by Viking

The slide out Visor range hood by Gaggenau

The only limit to what your vent range hood can be is your imagination.  Just be sure that the model you choose is sized appropriately for your cooktop and cooking habits.  A reputable interior designer or appliance showroom can help you find the perfect option to match your needs.

Healthy steam cooking creates delicious entire meals. Image courtesy of Miele

Steam Ovens Are the Latest Healthy, Eco-Friendly Way to Cook Veggies and So Much More

People have used steam for cooking for centuries- it is a method dating all the way back to ancient China, where food was steamed in reed or bamboo baskets. Even though the Chinese are still using the bamboo basket method, in the modern kitchen a steam oven is much more versatile and functional for everyday life.

Steam cooking offers many benefits including faster cooking times, but most people are looking for the health benefits including optimum retention of vitamins, nutrients, flavor, color and texture. With steam cooking, your food can never be overcooked because food absorbs only the moisture it requires. Food cooked in a steam oven is typically a lot healthier because you don’t need to add any oils or fats in the cooking process.

Maintenance and cleaning for a steam oven in a modern kitchen is also a lot easier. You simply wipe moisture out, since food will not burn or bake on. Many ovens even have a dedicated ‘steam clean’ function to make cleaning a snap. The ovens are super simple to use.  Most steam ovens offer a range of in-built cooking guides such as recommended cooking temperatures and automatic defrost settings.

Variety, the Spice of Life

Vegetables are an important and healthy food group, but not the only kind of food that can be cooked in the steam oven.  When people think of steam cooking, most think of bland veggies and fish. The reality is that your steam oven can cook anything from pasta, rice, potatoes, meats and fish to puddings, cakes and breads or even soup with amazing speed and delicious results.

Francis Lynch at Gaggenau says: “We are finding that steam cooking is becoming an increasingly popular method of cooking due its ease of use, great results, health advantages and flexibility. Steam ovens can be used to cook everything from roasts to bread to desserts.”

French celebrity chef, Alain Ducasse, loves the results. “Steam cooking enhances fresh produce’s own natural flavor. This applies to vegetables in particular, but also to other side dishes and fish,” he says.

Your steam oven enables you to create a complete, delicious meal using the power of injection steam. Seafood like salmon, shrimp and steamers stay juicy and tasty.  Chicken and rice.  Complete stews, soups and even meatballs. And of course, fabulous desserts like pastry, bread pudding or cinnamon pears and apples.

Miele has a variety of recipes available at steamoven.com.  Visit regularly to experiment with some of Miele’s tastiest recipes and share your favorites as well.

Veggies, potatoes and fish turn out great in a steam oven.

The one thing a steam oven can’t do is brown or crisp as it cooks with moisture rather than with heat. However, there are a few steam oven models available that actually combine steam cooking and conventional cooking methods in one oven. This means you can steam cook a chicken in 20 minutes and then change the mode to conventional fan-forced cooking to brown the skin, so it looks as good as it tastes. These are called combination ovens, as opposed to steam only.

Versatile and Easy-to-Use

On most steam ovens, you control the system by selecting the type of food and inputting additional information such as the weight, quantity and desired finish when prompted… the oven does the rest. The result is perfect, delicious dishes without guesswork or hassle.

With the numerous automatic programs on the Miele models, you do not have to worry about the oven function, time or temperature settings.  Reminders will appear in the display when it is time to do something like turn the food or add sauces during the cooking process.

Larger capacity allows all at once meal preparation. Image courtesy of Miele

Built-in Advantages

While traditional steamers and pressure cookers generate steam slowly and raise the temperature gradually, most built in steam ovens have an external steam generator. This design has several distinct advantages:

• Larger interior capacity so you can cook more than one dish at the same time.
• The temperature is more accurate and can be kept at a constant level.
• The steam surrounds the food from all sides, immediately and intensely which ensures that food is heated rapidly and is sealed instantly to retain all the vitamins, color and flavor.
• Cooking times are reduced so you and your family can eat sooner – and use less electricity for cooking.

Bigger, Bolder, All-in-One Option

Want to have all the functions, but don’t have room for multiple appliances in your kitchen?  This summer, Thermador is introducing a new ultimate option in steam cooking for the modern kitchen,  the Thermador Pro Grand^® Steam Range.

The new 48-inch Thermador Pro Grand Steam is the world’s first kitchen appliance to offer seven distinct cooking options — steaming, convection baking, burner cooking, simmering, grilling, griddle cooking and warming — with a combination Steam & Convection Oven, a large-capacity convection oven, a six-burner gas cooktop featuring the exclusive Star^® Burners, and a fully integrated warming drawer to complete the all-in-one package.

Cook anything with the Thermador Pro Gallery Range all-in-one. Image courtesy of Thermador

“Our latest flagship 48-inch range is the ‘Ultimate Culinary Center,’ representing the pinnacle of Thermador’s kitchen innovation, performance and craftsmanship for the home cook,” said Zach Elkin, director of the Thermador brand. “Judging from the recent success of the built-in Steam & Convection Oven, we believe the market is ready for another game-changing concept with the new Pro Grand Steam Range. Our new professional range empowers home cooks to achieve their best and experience the absolute finest in cooking, whether it’s healthy steam cooking, baking in the large-capacity convection oven, precise simmering on the Star Burners, or just keeping the family meal warm.”

The range will be available in August 2011.

Among the Hottest Trends in Modern Kitchens

Steam cooking may not be anything new, but it is one of the biggest trends in modern kitchens where a healthy lifestyle is a priority.  However, the speed, convenience and ease of use are making steam ovens popular even among those who aren’t using it for the healthy benefits.

Sleek and modern, this steam oven is built-in for ultimate convenience. Image courtesy of Bosch

With options available from most major appliance lines you can easily add one to fit your décor and match the other appliances in your kitchen.  Not sure how to make it all work?  Contact us for a consultation or complete kitchen design.

Luckily the are are great options to create the perfect retreat using manly options that fit the interior design of your home.

Creating an Island of Comfort within Shared Spaces

Create a sanctuary of quiet with the Hush Chair

The chair is the most important element of a great space for most men. It has to be comfortable and durable, but it doesn’t need to be a stuffed recliner with fuzzy fabric. I know you care about aesthetics, so let’s look at more stylish options that fit within your family room or even a dedicated space just for him:

Classic modern- the Barcelona chair

Leather is a great option, but if you have pets with claws, be aware that you may see scratches on the surface. Some people consider the inevitable marks part of the patina. Other durable fabric options include ultra suede or commercial fabrics because this chair will be used frequently.

Fabric protection is a great option to protect from stains, so you can still use lighter colored fabrics if it fits the interior design of the room.

Nail head trim is a great decorative element that adds the “clubby” masculine feel to the piece and it blends nicely with more sophisticated pieces without the extra detail.

Nailheads and leather on a western style chair are masculine and rugged. Image courtesy of National Upholstery

If he likes to read or just watch sports in the evening or on his days off, be sure to include appropriate lighting. Add a table or cabinet with storage for the remote and other miscellaneous gadgets he wants close to him that you don’t want to display.

Drawers and shelves add storage and keep remotes neatly hidden.

Fashionable Summer Entertaining

This is the perfect time of year to create an outdoor space for entertaining, and it can include a built-in grill or even an outdoor kitchen for all types of entertaining. He’ll enjoy impressing his buddies with his grilling skills and you can relax while he takes charge.

If you’re really serious about creating an exterior family room for casual entertaining that looks as if it is an extension of your interior, here are a few great pictures with elements you can include such as an outdoor rug, draperies and a fireplace.

Outdoor furniture options are endless with fabrics that look as if they could fit in your family room. Here are a few of my favorites:

Summertime Projects

Another great gift is a workshop that is organized and stylish. Who said the garage is just a utility area to store your cars and lawn tools?

Whether it is a space for tinkering, serious woodworking or storage, a functional space can be attractive, too.

Not Sure What He’d Like?

We design functional and stylish spaces whether it’s inside or outside. Click here (or call us) to order your “Designed for Men” gift certificate for a personal consultation. He’ll like it much better than a tie and cologne, don’t you think?

Why worry about indoor air quality?

Eighty percent of us live in cities, and we spend about 90% of our time indoors. Most of us think that staying indoors is healthier than breathing smog or high allergen level outdoor air.  Not so fast- a number of studies have shown that indoor air usually contains higher levels of contaminants than outdoor air – often several times higher levels of pollution! Over 350 VOCs have been identified in indoor air, and are now recognized as the cause of ‘sick-building syndrome’.

Symptoms related to indoor air pollution include headaches, sore eyes or throat, loss of concentration, nausea & breathing problems. Of course, not all indoor environments are hazardous, but, the latest research shows out that potted-plants can improve indoor air quality substantially whenever it is needed – a very clever trick!

The good news is that you don’t have to spend a fortune installing expensive air filters or ventilation systems.  Adding just a few potted plants to your home’s interior will not only add to the beauty, it will also help to clean the air you breathe – naturally and effortlessly.

What plants work best?

These seven commonly used house plant varieties, from five species have been studied and shown to be very effective at improving air quality:

Spathiphyllum ‘Petite’ (Peace Lily)
Spathiphyllum ‘Sensation’ (Peace Lily)
Dracaena deremensis ‘Janet Craig’
Dracaena marginata Epipremnum aureum (Devil’s Ivy)
Howea forsteriana (Kentia Palm)
Schefflera amate (Qld Umbrella Tree)

Peace Lily

The interesting thing is that using indoor plants works equally well in air-conditioned and non-air-conditioned spaces, and both day and night.  You don’t need to create a jungle in your home, either.  Just one 6” plant will effectively improve the air quality of an average sized room.  They are self-regulating ‘bio-filters’ and kick into operation whenever VOC’s rise above negligible levels.

More than just air quality, plants improve mood

People who participated in the study reported feeling better, and noticing a difference in the freshness of the room when returning on Monday morning after a weekend out.  They also felt plants improved the ambience of the room, and lifted their mood.

Portable, flexible and fit any space

Interior arrangements create interest and drama in your home. Images courtesy of Plant Solutions

Planted arrangements can be designed to beautifully fit any space.  A variety of sizes, colors, and species create a feeling of natural beauty that brings the outdoors in.  Potted plants are portable and flexible – they can be moved as desired or needed to provide inexpensive air filtering throughout your home.  Arrangements that are designed to be low-maintenance as well as beautiful will improve the appeal and overall sense of well-being in every room.

Working with a creative and qualified interior plant designer assures that appropriate selections are made to minimize the work and maximize the enjoyment of your greenery.

Inspired by windswept sand dunes, the Fisker Karma is all elegant curves and luxury design.

The Karma is a plug-in electric hybrid that boasts 403 horsepower and a range of 300 miles with their extended range technology.  According to info from egmCarTech.com, “Power comes from Fisker’s Q-DRIVE system, which is made up of two 201-hp electric-motors that are powered by a lithium-ion battery pack. That allows the 2010 Karma to travel up to 50 miles without the use of any gasoline. A generator attached to a 260-hp turbocharged 2.0-liter Ecotec direct injection gasoline engine by General Motors provides an extended range of up to 300 miles. 0 to 60 mph comes in 5.8 seconds with a top speed of 125 mph.”

The convertible model is sexy fun in the sun.

The solar panel roof is the largest ever designed for an automobile.  It’s custom solar design uses stored power from the sun to increase vehicle range while also powering the intgerior climate control system (read air conditioning).

The interior is also green-minded with all wood from certified reclaimed sources.  Wood used has been rescued from forest fires, storms and lakes to introduce luxurious and sustainable design.

Interior uses reclaimed wood to add sustainable luxury detail.

I love seeing eco-friendly design and luxury going main stream in a big way.  Responsible luxury and sustainable design that respects nature and the Earth, all rolled into “Pure Driving Passion”, as Fisker’s tagline proclaims.  Can’t wait to drive one of these!