Currently coveting: Round Wood Trays from Canvas, which work well individually or as a set. The trays are made of wood, with a walnut, black, or white finish and are available in a range of sizes (shown below); the smallest measures 9 inches in diameter and costs $18, the largest is 27.5 inches in diameter and costs $115. An entire set is available for $245.
Here's a roundup of some of favorite storage jars, inspired by today's Kitchen: Open Shelf Storage Roundup.
Above: The German-made Weck Food Storage Jars feature retro-style metal clamps and are available in a range of sizes and shapes from Heath Ceramics; prices start at $5.
Above: Pedlar's in the UK offers classic Storage Jars with Porcelain Lids; prices start at £4.25 for the 250mil size.
Above: The classic French Le Parfait Preserving Jar is $6 from The Conran Shop.
Above: The standard Ball Wide-Mouth Canning Jar; 1-pt case of 12 for $19.05 from Amazon.
Above: The Burken Jars; 74 oz for $4.99 from Ikea.
Above: Bodum Yohki Glass Storage Jar; 68-ounce with stainless steel lid; $29.95 from Amazon.
Discovered via Lark About (and high on our must-visit list): Toki no Kumo, a gallery, shop, and café located in Nagahama, a city on Lake Biwa in the Shiga region of Japan.
For those Bay Area architecture enthusiasts who didn't catch our first post, here's a reminder that this weekend is the AIA 2010 San Francisco Living Home Tour, with tours and events on both Saturday, September 11, and Sunday, September 12. Headquartered at the Stable Cafe, the Home Tour features five to six residential architecture projects each day, with self-guided tours from 10 am to 4 pm (there is a different lineup of projects on each day). For more information, go to AIA SF Architecture and the City Festival. Tickets can be ordered in advance on the AIA SF Home Tour website.
Here's a preview of projects on the tour on Sunday, September 12. (For information on Saturday's tour, Architect Visit: AIA 2010 San Francisco Living Home Tour).
Above: A Nob Hill residence with guesthouse clad in clear-sealed mahogany panels and ledges. Designed by RISD grads and partners Byron Kuth and Elizabeth Ranieri of Kuth Ranieri.
Above: A loft renovation by Edmonds & Lee Architects in the Oriental Warehouse Loft building in South Beach, which juxtaposes original exposed timber frames and brick with the openness and transparency of the modern interior.
Above: Built on a steep lot in Ashbury Heights, this renovation by Nilus Designs: Architecture opened up the house to take advantage of the city views. Above, a cold-rolled steel fireplace anchors the living room.
Above: States Street Tandem by Zack de Vito Architecture. "The States Street Tandem is perched on a hillside site overlooking the city. Two metal roofs with exposed steel trusses span over three levels of open living and circulation spaces that extend out toward long, south facing terraces."
Above: Leddy Maytum Stacy Architects created "green, affordable workforce housing" with their Mission Walk development. Comprised of two buildings, the design mixes flats and townhouses with communal courtyards and an internal promenade to form a community adjacent to the Channel Creek waterway.
I recently dropped by San Francisco's new (and feverishly anticipated) Bar Agricole, camera in hand. Located on an industrial block in SoMa, this venture of Thad Vogler (a Yale-educated, self-described bartender who has worked in Paris, Tokyo, Ireland, Guatemala, Belize, and at several high-profile San Francisco restaurants, including the Slanted Door) celebrates the tradition of farmhouse distilling and is already being called "the Chez Panisse of cocktails." Vogler has planted a 500-square-foot biodynamic garden with citrus fruit trees and herbs like hyssop and savory he'll be using in his concoctions, and the drinks list—featuring artisanal, sustainable, biodynamic ingredients—is centered around Agricole Rhum, a spirit made in small batches from sugar cane in the French Caribbean.
The locavore spirit carries over to the design of Bar Agricole's interior, with walls of reclaimed white oak from old whiskey barrels and elements by local craftspeople. The building itself is San Francisco's first LEED Gold certified structure; in the 1900s it housed the Jackson Brewery; the structure was recently overhauled by Aidlin Darling Design and Matarozzi/Pelsinger Builders and recognized by the AIA/COTE as one of the top ten green projects of 2010. Still to come: a cedar-paneled outdoor courtyard with seating for plein air imbibing.
Above: The urbanscape mural above the bar is by SF photographer Thomas Winz.
Above: Thad Vogler's favorite silver-plated Hercule French cocktail shakers.
Above: A luminous, undulating glass sculpture by Nikolas Weinstein reflects light from the skylights above (photo via Flickr).
Above: The distinctive seating and tables are by SF furniture designer Sebastian Parker.
Above: The custom concrete booths were fabricated by Concreteworks in Oakland.
Photos by Janet Hall
Admired at Brot & Butter in Germany, the café/food shop located within the Berlin branch of Manufactum: straightforward, rustic wood-handled flatware. Here are some ideas for duplicating the look. N.B. Hand-washing required.
Above: Designed in 1954 by Jens Quistgaard, the Dansk Fjord Five-Piece Flatware Place Setting blends stainless steel and teak; $60 at OK Store in Los Angeles.
Above: Stainless Steel and Teak Flatware is $49 for a five-piece place setting at Viva Terra ($159 for a 20-piece set and $469 for a 40-piece set).
Above: Jean Dubost French Olive Wood Flatware is $199.95 for a 20-piece set (includes four five-piece place settings) at Sur la Table.
Above: A good budget option: the Oneida Lodge Pine Wood Flatware Set, which includes table settings for four people (20 pieces) and costs $29.99 at Happy Home.
The chairs in today's Hotels, Lodgings, and Restaurants: Bar Agricole in San Francisco were designed and fabricated by San Francisco furniture maker Sebastian Parker. Parker started as a student of ceramic sculpture, made his way to New York (where he studied at the School of Visual Arts) and South America, and returned to San Francisco where he discovered his medium of choice: wood. He worked with Michael Bock, an award-winning furniture designer, before setting up his own furniture-making shop in the Mission District of San Francisco. Parker was commissioned to create 30 chairs for Bar Agricole, which he accomplished in a period of four months; the Chair Agricole is made from cabernet-stained white oak barrels from the Firestone Vineyard in Napa Valley, in keeping with Bar Agricole's sustainable, locavore mantra.
Established in 1999 by partners Tessa Cox and Oliver Bulleid, Cox Bulleid Architects in London recently completed the award-winning Shoreditch Prototype House; we especially like the rough-hewn, horizontal sign, which contrasts nicely with the modern rigor of the design.
Brendan Coburn of Brooklyn-based Coburn Architecture grew up in a 130-year-old brownstone, which his parents (his father is an architect) renovated over a three-year period. During his years of living in a construction zone, Coburn says he "fell in love with the smell of plaster, sawdust, and dirt, and especially the process of pulling apart a building and putting it back together."
After stints at the offices of I. M. Pei and Rafael Vinoly, Coburn (who has degrees in architecture from the University of Virginia and the Yale School of Architecture) set up his own firm in 1994 and is largely engaged in designing, renovating, and building row houses in many of New York's historic districts. "Because of the historic considerations, the building type, and my experience growing up in a brownstone, I've become increasingly focused on three design themes. My first concern is finding ways to bring in as much natural light and air as possible throughout the interior. Second, I'm focused on creating a connection between the interior and exterior spaces. And the third consideration is balancing the existing traditional features and details while infusing a modern aesthetic into the space. Depending on the condition of the existing structure, that balancing act can be equally challenging and fun." Below is a look at Coburn's design ideals brought to life in a recently completed renovation of an 1860s row house in Brooklyn Heights. To view more of the firm's design work, visit Coburn Architecture in the Remodelista Architect/Designer Directory.
Above: Coburn captures and diffuses natural light through the building's core via a frosted glass wall in the stairwell.
Above: Coburn created a feeling of spacious open living with this ample kitchen/sitting area.
Above: The outdoors is brought indoors via a wall of windows.
Above: A sleek fireplace surround adds a note of modernity.
Above: A yellow glass tile backsplash adds a cheerful note to the kitchen.
Above: More yellow accents are found in the cheerful, kid-friendly entryway.
Above: The stairway to the rooftop deck is fabricated of metal and wood; the door to the deck features a whimsical porthole window.
Above: The roof deck affords a city skyline view.
After graduating from UC Berkeley with a BA in architecture, Christi Azevedo started her career fabricating limited-edition wood and steel furniture. Over the years, her focus evolved into an architecture practice known for its refined industrial aesthetic. Her hands-on knowledge of fabrication, construction, and materials is on display in her recent renovation of a dilapidated 360-square-foot 1908 carriage house in Oakland. Saving as much of the original structure as possible, Azevado used low-budget materials and did most of the work herself with the help of her electrician brother Craig and friend Henry DeFauw, an architectural metal fabricator. In the interior, Azevedo retained the original fir flooring and used translucent glass, white paint, and sliding doors to create a sense of space. For more on the project, go to Dwell. Photos by Susanne Friedrich and Henry DeFauw courtesy of Christi Azevedo.
Above: The exterior of the finished project features a copper downspout, new exterior lighting, and a staircase Azevedo fabricated from galvanized steel and reclaimed wood treads. The exterior is painted Ruskin Bronze by Kelly-Moore.
Above: An unexpected detail: a pair of toggle switches, one white, one black. The translucent glass to the right of the entry conceals the shower.
Above: The dining area features a small kitchen tucked in the corner.
Above: The tiny kitchen incorporates steel shelving and accessories from Ikea as well as a custom steel countertop and sink; the under-counter refrigerator is by Avanti.
Above: Interior walls are clad in V-groove siding from Home Depot, "a low-grade pine with knots that costs about 70 cents per linear foot," according to Azevedo. "We did some filling and sanding before the final coat to refine the look. The key is to use white oil-based paint."
Above: One wall of the bathroom is clad in wood reclaimed from the basement of the main house. The toilet is Toto's Dual Flush Aquia.
Above: Henry DeFauw made the toilet paper holder (as well as some of the other hardware). Visit DeFauw Design and Fabrication to see more of his work.
Above: Azevedo's skill with fabricating furniture is evident in the steel and reclaimed wood crates she made as under-shelf storage for the project. "They are an interpretation of some bolt bins I saw on a friend's 1940s ferry boat," she says.
Spotted recently: kitchen knives with handsome wood handles for a rustic look. Knife enthusiasts would be well advised to pay a visit to Chef Knives to Go, a Madison, Wisconsin-based outfit. According to owner Mark Richmond, "We carry 39 different brands, which I believe gives us the widest variety of knives of any online store and perhaps any regular retail store. I have added hard to find hand-crafted Japanese knives like Takeda, Moritaka, and Tanaka, while still carrying a wide selection of traditional knives such as Wusthof and Henckels."
N.B. Wood-handled knives must be hand-washed and should not be left to soak, which could cause the handles to crack. Yes, it's a hassle, but the truth is all high-quality kitchen knives should be hand-washed for longevity.
Above: Set of three Sabatier Olive-Wood Parers; $77.40 directly from venerable French company Sabatier.
Above: French company Opinel has been making knives since 1895; the Opinel Kitchen Set includes a set of four essential kitchen tools with beechwood handles; $49 at Brook Farm General Store.
Above: The Opinel Bread Knife features an 8-inch-long blade and beechwood handle; $39 at Brook Farm General Store.
Above: Sur La Table recently added Japanese Miyabi Birchwood knives to its offerings. Each knife features blades made of 101 layers of steel with birchwood handles; prices start at $149.95 for the 3.5-inch Miyabi Birchwood Paring Knife.
Above: The Tamahagane 3.5-Inch Paring Knife is made of three-ply stainless steel with a compressed laminate wood handle; $75.95 at Chef Knives to Go.
Above: The Sakai Takayuki Grand Chef Inox Wa-Gyuto has a 9.5-inch blade made of Swedish steel and is made according to 600-year-old Japanese traditional techniques; $189.95 at Chefs Knives to Go.
Here's a chance to incorporate an elegant piece of Henrybuilt furniture into an existing space without purchasing an entire kitchen system. Seattle-based Henrybuilt's new line of kitchen islands provides several options for adding workspace for food preparation, cooking, entertaining, and clean-up to your kitchen. Like all Henrybuilt products, each island is built to order and can be specified to include cooktops, ovens, sinks, and trash and recycling units. The islands are available in three basic configurations: the first group features open steel frames; the second features mobile units on lockable casters; and the third features floor-mounted units. Contact Henrybuilt for pricing and ordering information.
See our previous posts on Henrybuilt Kitchen Systems, including their lower-cost Viola Park Kitchen Systems and Henrybuilt Wardrobes.
Above: A solid walnut kitchen with smooth work top and two storage drawers; a solid walnut slatted shelf on the lower level provides open storage.
Above: Different customizable drawer storage options are available.
Above: Add-ons include in-counter knife and bottle storage.
We first admired the Canteen Hook in the award-wining London Canteen Restaurants, designed by Very Good and Proper (a UK design collaborative founded by Andre Klauser, Ed Carpenter, and Patrick Clayton-Malone) featured in our previous post: Hotels, Lodgings & Restaurants: Canteen in London. The heavy-duty hook—featuring a powder-coated backplate that protects the wall from scratches and a large stainless knob that can support more than your average load—is now available at MoMA Store; $40 per hook, available in green or white ($36 for MoMA members).
N.B The full range of colors is available for $209 for a set of six from Gretel Home.
When kitchen storage space is limited, consider custom-made countertop accessories of polished restaurant-grade stainless steel from GLC Industries, a Franklin Park, IL-based fabricator of stainless steel kitchen components.
Above: Paper Towel Holder and Spice Rack (measures 8 inches deep, 12 inches wide, and 12.5 inches high); $61 at GLC Industries.
Above: Two-Tray Caddy Rack (measures measures 7 inches deep, 15 inches wide, and 12 inches high); $67.50 at GLC Industries.
Spotted in Bolig Magazine: a simple, compact bathroom created by a DIY-loving Danish couple, who make clever use of a small space. A tiled unit, topped with a long shelf for toiletries, houses the pipes and the tank for the wall-mounted toilet; a shelf mounted above the unit holds towels and other items. Recreate a similar look with the elements shown below.
Above: The compact Duravit Vero Handrinse Basin measures 17.75 inches by 13.75 inches; $307 from eFaucets.
Above: The Vola HV1 White Mixer by Arne Jacobsen is a design classic; $976 at Danish Design Store.
Above: For a lower-priced option, consider Ikea's Ann Sink, which measures 23.5 inches wide and costs $160, paired with the Ann Faucet for $79.99.
Above: Wall-mounted toilets (with concealed tank and pipes) are more common in Europe, where space is often at a premium. The Duravit Darling Wall Mounted Toilet is $244 from Every Faucet.
Above: Heath Ceramics offer a range of tiles made to order, including a 2-by-4-inch tile that comes in several shades of white, including the Chalk (M18) shown above. Contact Heath Ceramics directly for pricing. N.B.: to achieve a similar look as in the bathroom above, use a dark-colored grout.
Above: The White First Aid Box is made of powder-coated metal and features a single internal shelf. It measures 6.1 inches wide by 7.8 inches high by 2.7 inches deep and is wall mountable; $20 from Velocity Art & Design.
Above: Graphite-colored Air Weight Towels (27 by 54 inches) are hand-loomed from 100 percent organic cotton; $36 from Coyuchi. The larger bath sheet measures 35 by 65 inches and is $58 at Coyuchi.
Above: A cheaper alternative is the rayon bamboo Ash Gray Towel (30 by 60 inches), made from a mix of bamboo rayon and Egyptian cotton; $24.95 at CB2.
Above: The Tivoli Audio iPAL is a portable iPod dock with AM/FM radio for $249.99 from Amazon.
Above: Store bath salts in Le Parfait Preserving Jar; $6 from the Conran Shop.
Above: The Molger Box functions as storage for bath incidentals; $3.99 from Ikea.
Above: Store hair dryers and the like in the Prant Box, made from untreated wood. The box measures 11 3/4 by 7 inches; $6.99 from Ikea.
New from Point Reyes, CA-based linens company Coyuchi: appealing shower curtains made from organic cotton.
Above: Available in white or charcoal, the 72-by-70-inch Seersucker Shower Curtain is $122 from Velocity (ships October 15).
This shelf of French enamel pails in Marrakesh sent us on a search for similar pastel-hued buckets; a few of our finds are shown below.
Above: Photo via Natural History.
Above L: Large Teal Pail; 10 inches tall with lacquered wood handle; $17.99 at the Storage Store. Above R: Pink Enamel Pail; 8 inches tall; on sale for $6.99 at the Storage Store.
Above L: Green Pail; 8 inches high; $12.95 at Land of Nod. Above R: Iron Wastebasket; 10.5 inches high, $14.99 (down from $24) at Urban Outfitters.
Lacking a toilet roll holder? Here are some creative, low-tech solutions to solve the loo paper placement conundrum.
Above: Toilet paper suspended from a loop of rope, slung over a ladder.
Above: A vintage soap dish holder works well as a toilet roll holder; image via Lonny.
Above: Spotted in the bathroom at Dosa 818 in Los Angeles, toilet paper in a clay bowl filled with small pebbles.
Above: Two approaches to low-tech toilet paper storage.
Waterworks co-founder and bath historian Barbara Sallick is the grand dame of bathroom design (she's on the board of directors at the Institute of Classical Architecture); she and her husband, Robert, started Waterworks in 1978 to bring European bath style to the US. Anyone who is interested in bath fixtures, fittings, and design should head over to her online journal, The Perfect Bath, where Sallick chronicles her travels and shares her observations on bath design.
Above: Sallick recently paid a visit to Ellway Hall in Virginia, home of designer Barry Dixon. Where did she take her camera? Into the bathrooms, of course.
Above: A detail of a 1920s fire clay tub Sallick photographed on an antiquing trip to Hudson, New York.
Above two photos: More bathrooms at Barry Dixon's Ellway Hall.
