Under Cabinet Lighting

If you don't currently have undercabinet lights then you truly are missing an amazing opportunity to be able to have adequate task lighting on your kitchen counters.  There are various types of undercabinet light fixtures that can be used, the most common being flouresant, led, halogen and xenon. 

photo credit Kichler Lighting

XENON modular

LED modular

FLOURESCENT modular

Various Styles Of Puck Lights

 

Under Cabinet lights help to create task light as well as ambiant light and there are multiple solutions that have the capability to be on a dimmer switch. 

flourescent lamp

Science Dictionary

fluorescent lamp (fl -rěs'ənt)

An electric lamp that produces light through fluorescence. In most fluorescent lamps, a mixture of argon and mercury gas contained in a glass bulb is stimulated by an electric current, producing ultraviolet rays. These rays strike a fluorescent phosphor coating on the interior surface of the bulb, causing it to emit visible light. Fluorescent lamps are much more efficient than incandescent lamps because very little energy is lost as heat. Compare incandescent lamp.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary  Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.

LED
light-emitting diode: a semiconductor diode that emits light when conducting current and is used in electronic equipment, especially for displaying readings on digital watches, calculators, etc.

Halogen lamp
–noun / a gas-filled, high-intensity incandescent lamp having a tungsten filament and containing a small amount of a halogen, such as iodine, that vaporizes on heating and redeposits any evaporated tungsten particles back onto the filament: used especially in motion-picture projectors and automobile headlights.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2011.

Xenon
Science Dictionary
xenon (zē'nŏn')
A colorless, odorless element in the noble gas group occurring in extremely small amounts in the atmosphere. It was the first noble gas found to form compounds with other elements. Xenon is used in lamps that make intense flashes, such as strobe lights and flashbulbs for photography. Atomic number 54; atomic weight 131.29; melting point -111.9°C; boiling point -107.1°C; density (gas) 5.887 grams per liter; specific gravity (liquid) 3.52 (-109°C). See Periodic Table.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.

Brizo / Jason Wu

I am in the midst of a long wordy tell you all about it post, but in the meantime I just wanted to share with you one of my favorite Jason Wu pieces from his Fall 2011 collection.  When this came down the runway and passed in front of me I truly did gasp.  So beautiful and understated simplicity and the bit of color peaking out along the bottom edge adds that bit of whimsical flaire that makes it a beautiful feminine part of the collection. 

photo credit Jayme Thornton

Much the same way with Brizo's Virage collection catches you off guard with the twist of metal.

photo credit brizo  

At first glance you see the simplicity of a beautiful faucet with a beautiful line and then it grabs you when your eye shows you the twisted spout....a beautiful expression of the iconic Old World wroght iron style with the sophistication of the smooth Brizo Finish. 

photo credit brizo

The Virage™ Bath Collection Provides A Unique Twisting, Turning Action for A New Look in Plumbing Products

Reinvention is at the core of what it means to be fashionable. The Virage™ bath collection by Brizo®, the fashion faucet brand, beautifully embodies this spirit with its evolution of a classic faucet design. Virage refines the familiar, timeless geometry of a graceful arcing spout with an unexpected twisting, turning effect. The result is a hallmark Brizo design unlike anything else, one that further advances Brizo’s fashion-forward position.

Pictured here during our Thursday Introduction to Brizo - Judd Lord

photo credit carmen christensen



“Virage was inspired by the beautiful iron work we found throughout Europe. It was everywhere -- gates, balconies and door hardware – and it was stunning,” said Judd Lord, Brizo brand director of industrial design. “We used that inspiration to create a design that is outside the usual categories of traditional and modern. By offering a variety of finishes, Virage has the ability to appeal to a wide range of design sensibilities.”

The unique design of Virage has gained international recognition. The faucet received an honorable mention in the 2010 Red Dot product design competition, one of the largest design competitions worldwide.

Twisting, turning details are carried through every element of the collection, from the faucet handles to the showerheads. The Virage collection includes a full suite of fixtures that provide luxury and customization for the homeowner:

• Widespread Lavatory
• Vessel widespread lavatory
• Two handle wall mount lavatory
• Three and four hole roman tubs
• Wall and ceiling mount raincan showerheads
• Medium Flow TempAssure® shower trims
• Sensori™ High Flow Thermostatic shower trims

Rooted in inventive technology, the new raincan showerheads feature Brizo’s H20kinetic Technology®, providing a warmer, more luxurious spray that uses less water by controlling water’s shape, velocity and thermal dynamics – without sacrificing the user experience. There are two options: a water-efficient 6”
wall mount that flows at 2.0 gpm; and an 8-inch ceiling mount that flows at the standard 2.5 gpm. In addition, Virage lavatories are WaterSense labeled with a flow of 1.5 gpm and incorporate a laminar flow that gracefully delivers a clear, smooth, stream from the faucet spout.

The Virage bath collection is available in five finishes: Polished Chrome, Venetian Bronze®, Brilliance® Brushed Nickel, Brilliance® Polished Nickel, and Brilliance® Brushed Bronze, each available in a limited lifetime warranty. One of Brizo’s silver finishes gives the collection a clean, art deco sensibility. For a more traditional look, consider one of Brizo’s warmer bronze finishes. A complete line of accessories – including lighting and a mirror - is also available to carry the distinctive design throughout the entire bath. (Virage descriptive/press release provided by Brizo/Media Group during my all expense paid trip to New York City for this event.)

Bathrooms Transformed

New Product Launched / Solna Kitchen Faucet

BRIZO® BRAND DELIVERS NEW
SLEEK AND CONTEMPORARY
COLLECTION FOR THE KITCHEN
Modern Influences Inspire the Truly Minimal Design of the Solna Pull-down Faucet

(Interesting side note is the Scandinavian Influence for the design)

Modern Influences Inspire the Truly Minimal Design of the Solna Pull-down Faucet

INDIANAPOLIS – Brizo®, the faucet brand for the fashion forward, delivers its sleekest kitchen design to date with Solna®, a modern, European kitchen pull-down. Solna takes contemporary to a new level with crisp lines influenced by Scandinavian furniture and a seamless hidden pull-down wand that affords homeowners the luxury of both stream and spray settings.

“Solna was an exercise in creating a truly minimal and clean design, with exceptional sleekness,” said Judd Lord, director of industrial design for Brizo. “The Solna is riding the ever-increasing wave of prominence of the modern design trend, which, at this moment, happens to fall into the mid-century modern sphere.”

Inventive Technology
Solna features the Brizo brand’s first-ever hidden pull-down wand housed neatly inside the spout and held securely through MagneDockTM Technology, an exclusive magnetic docking system that utilizes a powerful magnet to securely lock the wand in place. Similar in functionality to magnetic closures found on totes and personal electronics cases, this magnetic connection makes the wand extremely easy to engage and disengage, without any risk of the wand slipping from the spout when not in use.



Finally, Solna incorporates a next generation DIAMOND™ valve, an integrated ceramic valve cartridge featuring one ceramic disc and one diamond-embedded ceramic disc. As the two discs move against each other, the diamond-embedded disc constantly polishes the uncoated ceramic disc, removing calcium and mineral deposits. The valve lasts up to ten times the industry standard, requires no lubrication, eliminates wear on seals, and ensures “like new” operation for life.

Care in How It’s Built
Solna is compliant with low lead legislation and will be available in Polished Chrome, Brilliance® Stainless and Brilliance® Brushed Bronze finishes in single-hole, single-handle kitchen and bar/prep configurations.

About Brizo products
Brizo®, the faucet brand for the fashion forward, meets the demand for aesthetics and performance with a collection of distinctively designed faucets and related products that create a fashion statement in the home. Providing the latest in inventive technologies, fashion-forward design and award winning performance, the Brizo brand is a fashion label that believes form and function are one and beautifully the same.

As one of 19 designers invited to attend the Brizo Fashion Week event, this new Solna Faucet is just one example of the amazing products and quality innovations  I learned about as Brizo's guest.  Bravo Brizo!!! And Thank you - Carmen 

Valentine ~ Pretty in Pink & Red

val·en·tine  –noun
a card or message, usually amatory or sentimental but sometimes satirical or comical, or a token or gift sent by one person to another on Valentine Day, sometimes anonymously.

a glimpse at a few things that in pink and red in celebration of Valentines Day....

 

photos via pinterest

Brizo Fashion Week - Our Group 2011

Just one more day and I am headed off to New York City  - I am honored to have been selected by Brizo as 1 of 20 elite designers chosen to attend their Fashion Week Event in New York City.  As Brizo's guest they are paying for my airfare and travel expenses.  It is sure to be three  exciting event filled days of planned events and the highlight will be attending the Jason Wu Fashion show and after party.


Here is a quick look at the amazing designers who have been selected for this amazing experience ....

And yours truly,

Carmen Christensen
http://www.time2design.biz/
Sarasota, FL


I feel so blessed to have been selected to be a part of this group....Wow, Right?

Time2Design ~ What we do!

 

What we do...

Time2Design is one of the top Kitchen and Bath Cabinet Companies in Sarasota. Specializing in Kitchen and Bath Design, Time2Design is a luxury residential and commercial interior design and home decorating firm located in Sarasota, FL with more than 25 years of experience in Kitchen and Bath remodeling and new construction, Custom Cabinetry, Kitchen Design, Bathroom Design, Kitchen Cabinets, Interior Design, Home Remodeling Experts, Kitchen and Bath Specialists.

 
Products and Services

Custom Cabinetry / Kitchen Design / Bathroom Design / Cabinetry for Every Room / Interior Design / Space Planning / Residential / Commercial / Consulting / Project Management / Coordination / Furniture / Fabrics / Accessories / Flooring / Rugs / Wall Treatments / Window Treatments /Plumbing Fixtures / Light Fixtures / Appliances / Countertops / Installation 

Call 941-378-9964 to set up an appointment

Fashion as it Relates to Design

One of the first things I like to do, when working with new clients, is to express my philosophy that "everyone's home should reflect their own unique style".  Much the way this kitchen island reflects the essence of the contents of this closet.

Defining a persons style is an important part of the design process and making their house their home.  A kitchen, a bathroom, a bedroom or a living room - each room of the home inside and out should reflect those that live in the home.  Fashion is an integral link to ones personal style and taste and it is important to integrate that into the interior design so that the end result represents "their home".  

I enjoy spending time getting to know my clients and I often discuss with them their favorite colors, what textures they like, what their favorite season is and even words that describe their likes and dislikes.  I encourage clients to let me help them look outside of the box and allow me to help them to learn to live in their homes and make it accommodate their lifestyle.  

With that said, I believe a person's individual fashion sense is often a clear indication of how they live.   What I mean is that your home should represent who "you" are and how "you" live in your home.  

It should be reflection of who you are...you can see by these examples how fashion relates to design...

The Bathroom Experience - Brizo's Sensori Shower

click the play button to view

Here is an look at Brizo's Sensori Custom Shower.  When we design your bathroom we will make the most of your space and help you to find the products that best meet your needs.  The Brizo Sensori Custom Shower is a great example of how to make your bathroom an experience.

Brizo, the faucet brand for the fashion forward, will be paying all my travel expenses for a trip to New York to see its newest products and attend an exclusive design-focused event during Fashion Week. I am looking forward to sharing with you all I experience and learn on my trip.

Headed To Fashion Week....

Wow.....

I am so excited and thrilled to be one of 19 designers invited by Brizo to attend Fashion Week next month.  They're flying us to New York and covering our travel expenses.  I am honored and thrilled to be a part of this event.  I look forward to learning valuable inside knowledge of the Brizo Brand and product line as it relates to fashion/design style and market placement. 

I look forward to becoming more familiar with the Brizo product line as it relates to my design style and my client’s needs and I welcome the opportunity of developing a long term relationship with the brand. 

The most exciting part to me is the common appreciation and direct correlation to design and fashion.  I have felt very strongly and have always said there is a direct relationship and correlation to a person's individual style as it pertains to their fashion sense. Hence there is a very similar relationship to interior design and fashion design.  For me personally I have always had a great appreciation for fashion design and it is probably one of the many reasons I personally became involved in interior design.  I live and breathe design, and for as long as I can remember I have always had an admiration for great design. 

As a young person growing up I was always more interested in getting the current issue of vogue than I was concerned about anything else.  I remember spending hours and hours looking through the current Vogue issue, admiring the amazing design and observing the current trends.  As I look back I realize I was always meant to be a part of the design industry and Interior Design was the natural path for me to take.  I am from the core of my being inspired by great design as it relates to fashion and home.  And for me there is a direct relationship and connection of the two.  Fashion and style directly influences home interiors. 

I am so excited to be a part of this event and so appreciative of this opportunity to be able to experience a small park of fashion week in New York City This truely allows me to make a mark off experiencing fashion week from my bucket list in 2011.   I feel honored to be invited to attend and I am so looking forward to each and every moment I will experience.