I can’t decide how I feel about this kitchen.  Maybe that is how the designer felt while picking colors for it?

Still, I think I like it. The predominant white in the room eases the chaos of multiple colors.  And the colors themselves are nicely harmonic.  The wood floor brings in an unpolished element that contrasts well with the clean cabinet design itself.

I’m guessing there are appliances somewhere not shown in this image.

What do you think?

Look no further.

Veronika Miller has created a terrific tool for us modern designers.  It’s called Modenus, & it rocks.  It’s a way to cruise for materials & products, cobble them together in a single place per project if you like, and it’s got a separate face for the consumer and for pros alike.

It’s even got networking features, so pros can collaborate with each other and with consumers.

The Official Press Release:

MODENUS – press release 10/14/10

Immediate release

Online design resource launches – and it’s free!

Modenus.com – a comprehensive product catalog and project management platform for the interior design industry launched this month. The catalog portion of the site is generally open to consumers and design professionals, but verified pros have the added benefit of getting access to a collaborative project manager, pro forums and trade only information posted by manufacturers.

The resource is the brainchild of Veronika Miller, who worked as a successful Interior Designer before turning her attention to digital media. She says designers need better tools to help them work profitably and efficiently  – especially now.

Speaking about the launch, Veronika Miller says:

“No one needs to tell interior designers that times are tougher. We are launching Modenus to help them make the most of challenging business conditions by offering them free tools to work more profitably, a platform from which to network with peers and meet potential clients and a curated catalog of products from the US, Europe and beyond, putting new and exciting resources at their finger tips.”

“But it’s not just about Designers. Manufacturers are entirely free to engage with consumers and designers and can set up distribution channels that best serve their business model. Manufacturers can list showrooms, retailers, E-commerce outlets and even design studios that carry their products to provide the consumer with the most sensible avenue to specify or buy.”

“But our efforts won’t stop at products. We want Modenus to be a bridge that connects designers and consumers across continents. So many design professionals are now prepared to consult virtually or to travel for a great job, why not shake the geographic restraints and use a platform like ours to find a designer, a client or a product anywhere in the world. Business isn’t what it once was but that doesn’t mean there aren’t new opportunities.”

Miller believes that the site can be used by everyone in the interior design industry

Consumers will find amazing products, connect with designers and be inspired by daily design blogs.

Design professionals will explore new global resources, network with peers, feature their work and manage projects on the site’s unique project management application.

Manufacturers will engage with consumers and professionals in discussion forums, showcase their product collections in the curated catalog and communicate with their followers via a direct news feed to registered users who have selected to receive more information.

Have a look for yourself at www.modenus.com or join the team on www.twitter.com/modenus !

How it’s Made

A website called Quirky.com crowdsources the design of things.  The average viewer can submit input on how to make a product idea better. They can even commit to purchasing it if it gets enough votes to go into actual production.

What do you think?

Being a kitchen & modular designer, I notice things pertaining to both.  On Quirky,  this Click N Cook spatula set caught my eye.  I think  I like the handle & spatula heads themselves.

I would add 2 features:

• a second handle, so I could use two utensils at once, and
• a way to hang an easily cleanable component storage bar on a wall so it didn’t take up counter space.

What do you think? Like? Don’t like? Would you use it? Is $35 a reasonable price?

Quirky pros & cons

I like the concept. It takes advantage of many minds to look at the design from as many angles as possible. Especially the user angle. It’s common practice in Japan to start all new hires in the sales/helpdesk department. That way they get firsthand info from the user. Same thing here.

It’s also great that Quirky shares the product development process with videos of the actual teams thinking through the product.   It lends credibility to designers of all kinds by shedding light on how much work & thought is involved in making something.

The one thing I wish was stressed more on Quirky was closed loop production.  For all I know, it may be, but here are some thoughts:

• What happens to the product when its useful lifespan is over?
• Does the manufacturer take the spent product back?
• Does it get reintegrated into new products?
• Is the manufacturer resource conscious with both energy, water, and raw material?
• Also, does it source material that are considered another product’s waste stream?

*Comments weren’t purposely disabled on this post. My laptop is obviously possessed. If you’d like to comment, you may do so at the reposted version here.*

The Edges Matter. A lot.

I do a lot of thinking & looking as a designer, & have always appreciated things that lurk on the fringes of the spotlight. Whatever is loudest or most prominent not only might not be the best, but also might not be the true & accurate source. Or even the most interesting.

Those black things in the picture aren’t the camels. They’re their shadows. The camels are the thin, camouflaged shapes at the base of each shadow.  But the shadows draw the eye first. Or at least for first time viewers, they do.

Designers Need the Fringe.

If all is talked about is how much they want granite, we don’t focus on enduring design aspects that matter:

• locations of highly used appliances
• operational clearances of cabinet components
• where the dog, who is a regular in the kitchen, gets to have a hang out spot
• what is it *about* the granite that they like, & how likely is it that another cheaper/more durable/greener material couldn’t serve as well or better in its place?

The seeds of all good design solutions lie in the information that exists on the periphery; information that has to be uncovered to be put to use.

There is no other way to uncover that information without discussion & questioning & communicating, in short, LOOKING.  That, in large part, is what design *is*. That’s what you pay for when you hire a designer: their ability & skills at looking.

Caveat: To get the most out of your designer, you must also be willing to look, & share information, no matter how irrelevant it may seem. I welcome the client who is eager to explore their puzzle with me – that is the best part of design!

Opportunity Doesn’t Knock.

It taps you on the shoulder. Are you looking?

Steel + Reclaimed Riverwood = Welcome.

I always wanted to design & build my own dining table. I wanted it to be long (76″)  & semi-narrow. That way we could seat a good size group, & the tightness of the table width at 28″ would encourage conversation.

As with all things envisioned, I couldn’t find what I wanted off the shelf, so off I went, to make this.

We started with 2″ square tube steel for the frame. I wanted the legs to poke through & be flush with the top. On top the frame we set a full 2″ solid reclaimed heart pine top.  This thing weighs about 100 pounds. So dance away on it.

That wood was pulled from the Cape Fear River, where it had hung out on the bottom for hundreds of years. It’s really  beautiful – a mix of tight & loose grain, divits & notches.

A few thumbnails from the fabrication adventure (yes that apron is 3 sizes too big for me) and the table’s current natural habitat – in our kitchen.

More Eye Candy for the Kitchen

A couple of things caught my eye last week in the kitchen accessory world. First, Eva Solo has some wonderfully simple utensils. I especially like the magnetimer & fruit peeler. See thumbnails below.

My folks had some hurricane lamps for years on our mantle. They were rarely used. The ones Mom & Dad had were tall & slender, & had a wicker wrapped handle to carry from room to room without burning your hand. Though I wonder about moving these metal & glass guys once lit, they are still just beautiful, & hangable, no less.

Warm it up with wood

Natu has some elegant bowls for fruit & whatnot. I could totally see one of their Fructo-o bowls as a centerpiece on our reclaimed wood dining table.

Another nice Natu fruit bowl is Iradia, and some solid walnut serving bowls. See thumbnails below.

Most definitely.

We’ve written about the tiles from Eleek before at EcoMod. They design & make nice alternative finish materials from mainstream products we see everywhere, like granite, quartz, ceramic & so on.

One of 25 Finalists

The gang at Eleek made the 25 finalist list for Most Promising Social Entrepreneur at Business Week.

It’s a pretty inspiring list. We just had to chime in on Eleek since they’re in the building industry.

Modern Terrarium for a Modern Kitchen

One of these wonderful terrariums from Litill would look great in an unadorned spot.

Maybe not necessarily in the kitchen, but a balanced, quiet life form to hang out with the herb pots wouldn’t hurt.

I love the splash of subtle plant color against the stark white. The vessels are handblown glass, & they come with instructions for setup & plant care.

I’ll be the first to say the photos aren’t the best – I need a wide angle to really do it justice. Here we go:

Before

This kitchen had generic crap cabinets with minimal storage & drawers.

After

We took advantage of the 10′ ceilings in the space & ran a second level of wall cabinets. Also of note:

• custom spice rack,
• backsplash
• undercab lighting
• & cart storage garage.

Ikea Kitchen Designs & Orders Compiled

Let’s say you want some help with your kitchen design, but are overwhelmed by the whole Ikea ordering thing.  Not everyone lives within reach of an Ikea store, where they can get help laying it all out. Enter EcoModernism.

We recently completed designs for people in London Ontario, the Kansas City area, and Alexandria VA. We put together their planner files, walked them through the ordering process and got them on their way. In fact, the Alexandria VA kitchen has been completed.

Got Skype?

All it takes is a couple of phone calls, emails to send along pictures & measurements, and a few days.  So if you want some help designing an Ikea kitchen & ordering it, we’ll walk you through the jungle no matter where you are.