A walk thru Amsterdam

As a member of the Modenus #BlogTourCGN Team I spent just one brief day in Amsterdam, it was the last day of my #BlogTourCGN experience.  From the moment we arrived at the train station it was a whirlwind walk thru the snow covered streets of Amsterdam.  Our lovely tour guide and fellow blogger Louise de Miranda, author of the blog 30s Magazine, met us at the train station to help us navigate our way to our hotel.  We dropped our bags off at our Hotel - The College Hotel, and we were ready to explore Amsterdam.  We gathered together and were joined by Nienke Zondervan, editor at Eigen Huis & Interieur Magazine and Dutch bloggers Patrick Kooiman and Desiree, along with Louise to be our guides on our walk thru the streets of Amsterdam.

clockwise from top Nienke, map,Patrick,Desiree, Louise

We were giving a map and off we went...

Our first stop was Hotel Droog, and though the name implies it is a hotel it is in fact a one room hotel, surrounded by so much more.

It is a unique design store, an exclusive fashion store, a wonderful cosmetic & skin care boutique, a restaurant, a gallery, a garden and a hotel.  A hotel with but one room at the top of several levels and flights of stairs to the top of the building overlooking the unique Amsterdam rooftops.

We toured through Hotel Droog where we saw and experienced some unique and unusual products and we were treated to tea and sweets in the Hotel's singular guest room/suite.

Thru the streets, over the bridges and past the bikes...

...we then made our way to a fun shop called Frozen Fountain - a beautiful store filled with fun and funky stuff for the home.  We all took a seat while Cok de Rooy, one of the owners spoke to us of how the Frozen Fountain store came to be and how they opened to be a shop where they would sell things as art or as a gift, how they help to organize a lot of exhibitions with designers and their products.

 

He explained to us that he is always impressed when a designer doesn't care about the pressure of trying to do something new, because new doesn't exist.  He said that if you can show him something that is new then he is very curious, but in fact, there is always influence a designer is always standing with his feet in the time, and the better the designer the better he translate his style.  And to in Mr. Rooy's words ... that is what is happening when you are looking at a good designer.

We then had an opportunity to take a quick look around, had a quick drink and a bit of cake and then we were off and walking...

Our next stop brought us to a Moooi Amsterdam showroom.

Having just seen Moooi at Design Post in Cologne a few days prior, I was excited that Moooi's showroom was part of our walk thru Amsterdam tour.  Moooi has to me a sort of quirky sometimes overscaled, colorful, bold and unique look and feel.  I am new to Moooi though I know I will be admiring them for years to come....Bravo!

While in the Moooi showroom we had the pleasure of meeting one of their newest designers, Sjoerd Vroonland, who designed the extension chair for Moooi. It is more than just a chair, it is every bit as much a showpiece as it is a multi functional chair.  

Off and walking, we left Moooi and headed out into the streets of Amsterdam to our next destination...

Store Without a Home ('SWAH') another fabulous interior design boutique filled with quirky, surreal items for your home.

We were treated to hot tea and coffee as we enjoyed out time seeing all the design treasures they had for sale.  Each item I would spot in this store was even that much more fantastic then the next, out of the box sort of unusual and functional home decor.  Great fun!

And then we were moving on to continue our walk thru Amsterdam and our next stop was Sukha, a eco-friendly, clothing and home decor boutique in the center of Amsterdam.  The clothing was impeccable and virtually all of the the items they sell have a sustainable background and are carefully selected by owner Irene Mertens.  We had a nice glass of wine, spent some time enjoying Sukha, which means 'Joy' in Sanskrit and I agree Sukha is a bundle of joy!

When we left Sukha the sun had gone down and we were off and walking to our final destination for the day at Hutspot, a concept store run by a group of young entrepreneurs.

The large store was filled with everything from clothes and shoes to artwork, their dog and even a vintage vespa!  We met up with some other local bloggers and we had a chance to just sit down, rest our feet, enjoy a drink and visit with each other.

It was a long day, a lot of walking, amazing shops and fabulous new friendships.  I felt like it was such a whirlwind and we only just saw a smidgen of all Amsterdam is.  I can't wait to return and continue my walk thru Amsterdam....and next time I will also take a bike, a boat and a car...there is just so much to see, the architecture was amazing, the people were so friendly and I was truly enchanted.

NKBA - The Kitchen & Bath Authority

NKBA - National Kitchen and Bath Association, the go to for the kitchen and bath industry!  They are who set the standards, make the rules and in general are all things Kitchen and Bath! NKBA is the "authority" for the kitchen and bath industry.  As with most national organizations there are also regional NKBA chapters.  I am a member, of the Central Florida Chapter.  NKBA on a local/regional level is a fabulous place to learn, collaborate, socialize and network with other like minded professionals in the kitchen and bath industry.

NKBA's annual event is KBIS - It is "THE" show of the year for the Kitchen and Bath Industry.  I have attended the show multiple times over the last 20 plus years.  I have however noticed that in the last say 5-10 years for me the show has become, how can I say this, well it has become to me a bit boring.  I used to attend because I was anxious to see all the latest and greatest, and honestly the last few times I attended I have been a little let down.  But that is beginning to change and new and exciting changes are happening within NKBA and the KBIS show!

I got the news in January that NKBA hired an external collaboration of agencies to head its marketing department, I can honestly say it more than peaked my interest.  For me I have not felt enthusiastic about KBIS for quite some time and this new collaboration has given new hope to a new beginning for NKBA's and quite honestly my willingness to attend KBIS. 

So what does all this have to do with me besides the obvious.  As many of you may know, I recently went to Germany and Amsterdam as a member of the #BlogTourCGN, BlogTour Cologne, team.  One of our the trip sponsors was NKBA, and I had the pleasure of meeting and spending some time with several members of NKBA's Marketing Agency collaborators. Sherry Qualls and Paul Anater with White Good, Lancaster PA , Leanne Wood-Newman with Flying Camel in Brantford, Ontario, Canada and Veronica Miller with Modenus in Orlando, FL. 

clockwise from top left - Leanne Wood-Newman,

Paul Anater, Sherry Qualls and Veronika Miller

NKBA treated us to an authentic German meal at  Fruh am Dom restaurant in Cologne.  The restaurant's decor had a wonderful old world German feel.  It was bustling with business and the food was amazing!  I ordered the traditional Schnitzel with fries and it paired well with the local German beer.

During our meal Leanne and Sherry spent some time telling us about all of the exciting things that are happening with NKBA and most especially the excitement that is building for KBIS2013 and also for KBIS2014.  They shared with us how their goal is to get the designers, the community, the professionals involved and interacting with KBIS.  That their vision is to have KBIS go beyond an annual event.  They spoke of opportunities that will be available where they will be reaching out to the kitchen and bath community in a way that will allow kitchen and bath professionals, designers, manufacturers, distributors and everyone in the kitchen and bath industry to be more directly involved.  Much of what they are working on will be seen at this year's KBIS2013, but an even more exciting was the announcement made that KBIS and IBB, International Builders show, will co-locate in 2014!

 

BLANCO | PASSION FOR PERFECTION

SEEING IS BELIEVING...

A Passion for Perfection was the theme, Blanco 's motto during IMM Cologne 2013, and it was evident to me the moment I stepped into their LivingKitchen display that Blanco is passionate about perfecting their products.  They go beyond just sinks and faucets, they are kitchen specialist and they create workstations for the kitchen.  They are passionate about their products and they are always working towards perfecting their function.  

photo credit blancoamerica.com

With over 20 years in the kitchen and bath industry, I am no stranger to Blanco.  However I can tell you that it was not only a huge honor but was also a fabulous educational experience for me to see first hand Blanco's latest and greatest as a member of the Modenus BlogTour Cologne team during our visit to IMM Cologne's the LivingKitchen show.

For three generations, BLANCO has quietly and passionately elevated the standards for luxury sinks, faucets and decorative accessories. Proud of its European heritage and award-winning German engineering, BLANCO is steadfastly committed to their tradition of high quality, innovative design and unsurpassed service since 1925. Today, BLANCO is the only supplier in the world to produce its own sinks from start to finish in three materials. Dedicated to quality without compromise, every sink is closely inspected many times before it receives the BLANCO name. 

Blanco was was founded in 1925, and they currently have over 1200 employees.  Their commitment to perfection and years of experience is the foundation of their success and is testament to the German quality and reliability they are known for.
 
New Blanco Products | IMM Cologne 2013

FAUCETS

The new faucet series includes the Victorian GRACE^™ II, the sleek ALTA^™ Compact, the elegant HILAND^™ and the graceful NAPA^™. Complete with beautiful finishes and water saving options, these stunning faucets deliver powerful performance.

“Our latest collection of faucets offer livable style,” stated Tim Maicher, Director of Marketing for BLANCO. “When we say livable style, we are referencing style that leads trends while integrating into any kitchen design. At the same time, we are talking about the faucets’ functionality. Faucets are the jewelry of the kitchen. They must be attractive, but they are also the most abused fixtures in the kitchen. That’s why we engineer BLANCO faucets to last, to use less water, to provide unmatched cleaning and to be as easy to use as they are to maintain.”

HYGIENIC+PLUS™

BLANCO is proud to announce that its SILGRANIT II series of sinks now include HYGIENIC+PLUS^™ a patented formula that is a shield against dirt and bacteria. Independent laboratory tests confirm that the unique built-in hygiene protection reduces bacterial growth by an average of 98%.

SILGRANIT II is 100% food safe, and the non-porous surface even repels food acids. In fact, the rock-hard surface resists scratches, stains and heat. Best of all, it never needs maintenance or special seals to keep its HYGIENIC+PLUS surface effective. Available in 23 shapes and a palette of eight on-trend colors designed to coordinate with a wide range of countertops, SILGRANIT II offers endless possibilities for kitchens.

Architectural MODEX^™  

Kitchen Sink Workstation ~ Modex features a unique 3" profile that sits above the counter and offers a generous amount of task space thanks to the dual draining design and large integrated cutting board.

COMING TO USA SOON...

During our press tour of Blanco's LivingKitchen Display we got to see first hand some of their new products, some not yet available in the US, but certainly worth mentioning.  The BLANCO HOT was for me one of the highlights of my visit with Blanco.  Gone will be the days of having a separate instahot faucet.  The BLANCO HOT combines regular faucet with a boiling hot water option.  

BLANCO HOT FAUCET ~ photo credit Blanco-germany

Here is a glimpse of some other amazing products introduced by BLANCO.

BLANCOSAGA ~ photo credit Blanco-germany

 I adore this BLANCO telescoping faucet

PASSION FOR PERFECTION

Learn more about Blanco here ---> The Kitchen Sink