One of the most important tool’s for the designer and artist is INSPIRATION. After all, without inspiration, where does one really begin.

Over the course of my professional life I have found inspiration in some of the most unusual places: a postcard, pieces of newsprint, a broken ceramic tile, a button. I learned very early on not to discount any stimuli and not only to use my eyes, but also my sense of touch and smell. Sense memory can be a very valuable source of inspiration too.

I photograph many things which spark inspiration and I look at photos that others have taken. Sometimes the most mundane item caught on film many years ago will lead me down the road of inspiration that never would have revealed itself otherwise. And to be sure, I look at the works of other designers/artists to inspire my own works. There is really not much original in the world anymore except for the way we interpret and and re-interpret the world around us.

I also visit vintage stores and thrift shops; not so much to purchase items (although I must admit that I have found many treasures in doing this) but rather to gather inspiration. A vintage dress, the design of a piece of silver, the lines or faded fabric of an outdated chair have all been sources of inspiration over the years.

When I meet with a client in the home for the first time my eyes are constantly moving around the rooms looking for treasured items which we all keep. Sometimes they are quite prominent and at other times it is akin to a scavenger hunt. And there have been times when I must ask for a personal tour of scrapbooks and photo albums – pictures taken while on vacation are windows into the treasure rooms of a clients soul and a great way to find the recipe for a particular client’s design formula.

So, with all this in mind, I present a new page on Design on the Square called INSPIRE; a collection of photos and images I have found to be useful as a source of inspiration in my own work.

Many of these images have been taken from various places around the internet (what a wonderful tool for the designer!) but many more are my own photos taken to record some idea – a note for INSPIRATION.

As you look at these photos, look not only at the whole, but look at the parts. Sometimes there will be just one element that I will use for a particular project. At another time, I may use  a totally different element from that same photo for a different project. And at times a photo will simply lead me into the inspiration of my own imagination.

Enjoy! I hope they INSPIRE.

Everything in its place…

having the perfect cooking appliance and the perfect fresh food storage items out of the way (and probably half of; OK, over half of a descent budget spent), I will now address all the furniture for the perfect kitchen of my dream.

This is probably the next greatest expense; although I suspect that some spend the bulk of their budgets on cabinets than on anything else.  We spend a great deal of money to hide everything away, which is fine if you spend a great deal of time passing through your kitchen, but I prefer to spend time IN my kitchen.  So, I am not so sure that spending a great deal of money to hide all my stuff is appropriate, for me anyway.  Who needs the traditional kitchen cabinet?  We think there are alternatives to the boring look of the traditional American kitchen:  Think of your kitchen as another room to furnish with armoires, cases and tables.

There are some really great ways to make a working kitchen look pleasing and yet, still be a working kitchen.

A few years back we found these wonderful cases and saved them for inspiration.

Envision a wall of these, built to accommodate your largest pot or serving piece with glass or better yet, copper screening. Personally we like being able to see what we are looking for (who has time in a busy kitchen to remember: “Where did I store that pot or platter?).

So many options! Take the time and think outside of the ordinary kitchen for storage solutions… have fun; live, work, play!

Continuing with our dream kitchen, we move to the next most important element:  fresh storage (refrigeration).

And this is my vote for the best:

Along with a couple of drawer units placed in strategic locations and of course a Sub-Zero Wine Storage unit:

And you have it all.

We have been dreaming of new kitchens here at the Studio.
Actually, we have been dreaming of our new kitchen.
Since I personally believe that all design execution (for that matter, life) begins with a dream, I am going to write a series of articles based on just that: dreaming.
So, I begin with a new kitchen – OK, if I can I will throw in world peace, too.
All kitchens should revolve around the hearth. That place that makes a kitchen a kitchen: the stove.

This is my vote for the perfect stove: