Mix and Match

“From high-low pricing, to mixed finishes and styles, antiques and vintage mixed with modern forms – true eclecticism is taking hold in the design world,” said Merrill. It’s partly a response to the economy and partly environmental. “We’re all reusing and refurbishing what we have, stretching the budget, splurging on some items, saving on others, keeping things out of landfills,” she adds.

Mix and match Hastings Tile & Bath's GDO Raised Panel Ceramic Tile

With Hudson Valley Lighting's® Chatham

The Old-World Lived In Look

“The ‘old-world’ Belgian design style that has been in for a couple of years is still going strong,” said Merrill. “It features weathered gray oaks, the natural patina of age and use, the weighty feeling of good construction, and it’s ready to last generations. Nothing is overly fussy or precious.”

GRAFF®’s Bali faucet in Oil Rubbed Bronze

Spa Bath

Our lives are so stressful that more people are looking to relax at home and feel like they’re off at a high-end spa. Merrill tells her clients, “Calming colors, simple lines and ease of use are the key ingredients. Calgon, take me away!”

Stone Forest's® Papillon Bathtub

It’s looking like it’s going to be another great season for interior design this Fall and we thank Linda Merril for her insights, which are always welcome on the pages of Styleture.

Stone Forest Versailles Farmhouse Sink

The Stone Forest Versailles Farmhouse Sink

This Stone Forest beauty features a polished inside and rim with raised carving on the front apron. Available in Beige Granite, Papiro Cream Marble, Black Granite, and Jerusalem Gold. External dimensions 10 × 33 × 22.

Herbeau “Luberon” Fireclay Farm House Sink

The Herbeau “Luberon” Fireclay Farm House Sink

The Luberon’s distinctive French Provencal style evokes the rustic beauty of Provence while the sink’s fireclay construction ensures a smooth surface for years to come. External dimensions: 30″ × 19″ × 10″ (Due to the nature of fireclay, variations of up to 1/4″ in size can occur.)

Pegasus Farmer Apron Front Double Bowl Kitchen Sink

The Pegasus Farmer Apron Front Double Bowl Kitchen Sink

This Pegasus will give your kitchen an updated modern look with a charming old-fashioned country feel. Made from fine fireclay for beauty and durability, it can be installed “on” the countertop or may be installed as a traditional apron sink with the face showing proudly into the kitchen area. External dimensions: 35” x 24”.

Vigo Farmhouse Stainless Steel Kitchen Sink Faucet and Dispenser

The Vigo Farmhouse Stainless Steel Kitchen Sink Faucet and Dispenser

This Vigo sink offers top quality and a unique design in a commercial grade premium scratch-resistant finish. The faucet features a dual pull out spray head for aerated flow or powerful spray. Vigo finishes resist corrosion and tarnishing, exceeding industry durability standards. Exterior dimensions: 33” x 22.25”.

Highpoint Collection Copper Farmhouse Forest Animal Pattern Kitchen Sink

The Highpoint Collection Copper Farmhouse Forest Animal Pattern Kitchen Sink

This Highpoint Collection farmhouse sink features a forest animal pattern that is made from smooth copper formed by pressing the copper into shape. This kitchen sink also spotlights a standard 3.5-inch drain opening and is made from copper. Exterior dimensions: 30” x 20” x 10”.

After viewing these impressive farmhouse sinks, we can’t imagine that you wouldn’t want to go “country” with your kitchen, too.

Zephyr 36” Napoli Island Range Hood

The Zephyr 36” Napoli Island Range Hood

This range hood is part of Zephyr’s Next Generation Europa line. Napoli is a classic island range hood design. Strong with upwardly-angled walls, Napoli makes an impression in any kitchen. Upgraded with Zephyr’s DCBL Suppression System, Bloom HD LED bulbs and the unique Quick-Lock installation system, Napoli is as easy to install as it is to look at. A technological achievement, Napoli is a cut above the rest.

Best by Broan 51″ Island Chimney Range Hood

The Best by Broan 51" Island Chimney Range Hood

Broan has been in the kitchen ventilation business since 1932. This classic style island hood features a powerful yet quiet internal 1000 CFM blower with HVI certified performance. Four halogen lamps provide brilliant cooktop lighting. Heat Sentry detects excessive heat and adjusts speed to high automatically. Quick-release, stainless steel/aluminum mesh filters are dishwasher-safe. All that and it comes in three attractive metal finishes and optional trim finishes including: chrome, brushed stainless, or polished brass.

Cavaliere Euro 48″ Island Mounted Range Hood

The Cavaliere Euro 48" Island Mounted Range Hood

Your kitchen never looked so good with this stainless Cavaliere as its center piece. Ideal for a kitchen remodel, it features a telescopic chimney that fits up to a 9-foot ceiling, a 900 CFM Centrifugal blower, four 35W, dimmable halogen lights (dimmable), and a touch sensitive keypad with blue LED lights. It also has a 30-hour cleaning reminder and a delayed power auto shut off (programmable 1-15 minutes). And did we mention how good it looks?

Vent-A-Hood 42″ 550 CFM Island Mounted Range Hood

The Vent-A-Hood 42" 550 CFM Island Mounted Range Hood

Undeniably stunning in its design, this Vent-A-Hood has a patented speed control system that allows the blower to be turned to half speed for light cooking, but automatically returns to high speed when heat rise is detected. Featuring a 550 CFM motor with a dual blower, added to the range hood are halogen lights to keep you safe in low light times. The Vent-A-Hood ‘Magic Lung’ blower is a patented way to remove bad smells and smoke from a home quickly and quietly. No matter the speed, the ‘Magic Lung’ will be quiet even at higher speeds.

Viking 36″ Island Chimney Range Hood

The Viking 36" Island Chimney Range Hood

This Viking is one nifty stainless steel range hood. With the help of a heat sensor, you can cook without a care as its ventilator automatically increases power if temperatures reach uncomfortable levels. Dimmer-controlled halogen lights create a warm ambiance and custom lighting design in the kitchen, allowing you to enjoy better visibility and a picturesque display.

Judging by the range hoods above, we’re clearly in a unique time where design and technology have coalesced to bring us hoods that are a significant cut above anything that was developed prior.

The ultra-modern Hoerboard Scomber mix DJ stand

Admit it – you’ve entertained dreams of telling your boss at your day job to go fly a kite, just so you can jet off to Ibiza and DJ the summer club circuit. It’s ok, we all have. Perhaps that dream was never more appealing than now, considering that the ultra-modern Hoerboard Scomber Mix DJ Stand is just a few thousand bucks ($2,330 once fully customized, to be more precise) away from being yours.

Hoerboard Scomber's Dutch Orange finish

If this puppy looked anything more like a Macbook, or something from the minds of Apple’s genius design team, it would, well, be made by Apple. The white has that sleek, glossy finish we have come to know, love and expect from our modern electronic equipment and gadgetry; for that matter, so do the plethora of other colors – Apple Green, Dutch Orange, Basalt Grey and Night Black – in which the Hoerboard Scomber Mix DJ Stand is available. Each DJ workstation can be customized with mixers, turntables, CD-players, space for your laptop or whatever else you may desire. Making it so any turntables fit perfectly into their own design-forward workstation, the stand consists of two units to make you more mobile, like on that aforementioned jaunt to Ibiza. The top of the deck is fixed to a laser-cut powder-coated steel support and all cables are made invisible by a smartly designed corpus. Turntable positioning comes with two options: To be angled in a battle position to give you ample mixing and scratching mobility, or in a classic position for standard mixing needs. With the well-designed laptop clip, you can be sure your precious storehouse of music isn’t going to crash to the floor and cause you to have a heart attack in the middle of your masterful performance. When not in use, you can cover the stand with the custom dust hood, which is designed to be almost invisible for a pleasing aesthetic. There’s no doubt that Hoerboard is on the leading edge of turntable design; the company has infused the creative German spirit into all of its elegant pieces and made them fully customizable to meet your needs. At once simple and highly thoughtful in terms of functionality, the company assures customers that their products will last a very long time.

The top of the deck is fixed to a laser-cut powder-coated steel support

As the brainchild of master designer David Kornmann, the Hoerboard Scomber Mix DJ Stand is leading the evolution of DJ-ing equipment. If you’re a working DJ, or dream of being one, don’t make the mistake of not checking out the company’s gear at www.hoerboard.com

Zephyr's IMKDC (Inspire My Kitchen Design Contest)

Back in June, we told you about the IMKDC (Inspire My Kitchen Design Contest), brought to you by our favorite range hood innovator, Zephyr. The contest, in its second year, brings together culinary aficionados, and awards homeowners and professional designers with prizes for incorporating a Zephyr range hood into their kitchen. Even better, it enters those of you who participate, simply by voting or making comments on your favorite kitchen entries, into the IMKDC monthly prize give-a-way. The prizes include the Element Portable Grill by Fuego and the Beats Pro from the Beats by Dre line of headsets; both products are from the vivid imagination of Zephyr Arc Collection designer Robert Brunner.

The Element Portable Grill

The Element Portable Grill is his thoughtful take on the age-old culinary amenity, perfect for tailgating, grilling on the beach or in the backyard. Sleek in black powder coated steel with an 8,000 btu/hr stainless steel burner and push button ignition, you can be sure this grill is giving larger patio-hogging BBQ grills a run for their money. With a 159-square inch enamel coated cast-iron grill grate that reaches a sizzling 650-degrees, the Element Portable Grill can handily accommodate burgers and chops for eight; meaning you can count on no-nonsense functionally from this design-forward workhorse. When you’re done cooking up a storm, the 15 pound grill packs neatly into itself with its aluminum locking legs folding into an easy-to-carry handle. You can bring it in the house, toss its removable residue tray in the dishwasher, and it’s good-to-go for next time.

The Beats by Dre line of headsets

The Beats by Dre line of headsets, in collaboration with music impresario Dr. Dre, is the embodiment of Brunner and Dre’s high standards of excellence when it comes to design, quality and functionality. Aesthetically, the headphones are at once austere and luxurious in their black rubber, bold red accents and sculpted metal bezels; certainly not lost is the cool, clean design sensibility Brunner once brought to Apple Computer. Even the packaging is design-forward, compartmentalized and opening up ceremoniously with flaps and folds. Acoustically, Beats by Dre features noise-canceling technology, produces rich base and clear treble, offering you the thrill of hearing tiny details you’ve never heard before; in songs you thought you knew inside out. As Dre himself puts it, “With Beats people hear and listen to the music the way they should: the way I do.” Zephyr’s prize give-a-way – the Beats Pro – is a professional quality headphone designed for sound engineers, DJs, musicians, and hard core music lovers who prefer a clean yet forceful sound. Built from strong yet lightweight aluminum for rugged use on-the-go, it features flip up ear cups and dual input/output cable ports that enable you to share mixes by daisy-chaining headphones.

Participating in IMKDC for a chance to win an Element Portable Grill by Fuego or a Beats Pro from the Beats by Dre line of headsets is easy: simply visit http://www.inspiremykitchen.com/prizes-participants and register an account using your email. Once you receive notice of your account activation, vote for your favorite kitchens. Although you can only vote once per each individual kitchen, you can vote for as many kitchens as you like. Every time you vote, you become eligible in that month’s give-a-way.

Our entire editorial team at Styleture is entered. Now it’s your turn!

Chef Tom Hurley preparing the Dream Dinner from last year's Zephyr Inspire My Kitchen Design Contest

Our editorial team members at Styleture have long been fans of range hood innovators, Zephyr. It only takes a glance at some of the offerings from their Cheng, Arc and Essentials collections to realize these guys know how to merge design and utility, and offer an outstanding product. With the goal of bringing together culinary aficionados, and awarding homeowners and professional designers with prizes for incorporating a Zephyr range hood into their kitchen, Zephyr has brought back for the second year in a row their IMKDC (Inspire My Kitchen Design Contest).

The 2011 IMKDC marks the return of Zephyr’s expert panel of distinguished judges – including artist Fu-Tung Cheng, industrial designer Robert Brunner, and celebrity chef Tom Hurley – who will evaluate the contestants based on rigorous criteria. For example, Cheng has previously stated that he looks for designs that make exquisite use of colors and textures, as well as the overall application of the hood within the kitchen’s design; Hurley looks for the layered textures and nuances that make each kitchen unique. The initial open entry period for the contest commenced on March 28, when contestants began submitting digital photos and a brief narrative describing their kitchen’s design. Visitors to the IMKDC website have been and will continue to review the submissions and elect their top five kitchens. After the initial entry period, Zephyr’s world-renowned judging panel will review the submissions, awarding points based on materials, aesthetics, utility and the X-Factor – the kitchen one would most enjoy entertaining guests in. Winners will be announced on January 16, 2012.

Zephyr Horizon Range Hood by Robert Brunner

Winners of the homeowner category will be awarded a Dream Dinner grand prize consisting of a gourmet dinner for them and 16 of their closest friends, tailored to their tastes by Chef Hurley and his award-winning team; the dinner will be elegantly paired with premier and rare wines and champagnes from around the world. The prize will also include a hands-on cooking class by Chef Hurley the night before the dinner. Winners of the designer category will be awarded generous cash prizes: $2,500 for third place, $5,000 for the runner-up and a $10,000 grand prize will be awarded to the kitchen designer who best uses a Zephyr range hood. Based on last year’s turnout of incredibly talented designers, Zephyr is expecting the 2011 designer category to not only reveal innovative and groundbreaking kitchen designs, but also be ultra-competitive.

Zephyr Duo Range Hood by Robert Brunner

At Styleture we love contests like this; they’re not only a great way for a company to foster interaction with its customers in an interesting way, but they also allow customers to get creative and get rewarded for their efforts with exquisite prizes.

If you want to get in on the IMKDC action, visit inspiremykitchen.com

Now, Brunner has brought his name and talent to Zephyr, an innovator of design-forward ventilation hoods. The Zephyr – ARC Collection by Brunner is nothing short of pure geometry, bringing a sleek, minimalist aesthetic to a product that was once considered a utility, not to mention an afterthought. He’s utilized classic materials like glass, steel and wood, and created a series of range hoods that are as much about clean air as they are about clean lines. Here are a few of Styleture’s favorites from Brunner’s ARC Collection:

Horizon

Zephyr Horizon by Robert Brunner

The editorial team at Styleture couldn’t help but notice that the Horizon has a striking similarity to the latest iMac^®. Certainly, Brunner has taken the sensibility he once brought to Apple and infused this range hood with a similarly striking style. Horizon enters a low-profile freefall just inches from the kitchen wall, then challenges its audience with a sweeping, thirty degree upward lift. Compelling in red, black, white glass or stainless steel, the glass surface may be etched in one of two patterns: a leaf motif on white glass, or flower on black glass. A removable front panel for easy cleaning and service access, and a duo of halogens, completes this beauty.

Layers

Zephyr Layers by Robert Brunner

Re-imagining classic design is a specialty of Robert Brunner’s, and with Layers he has re-imagined the classic, wall-mount, range hood form. Slim in profile, it boasts a unique floating effect enhanced by the light from a duo of halogens. Layers’ clean lines and streamlined fusion of stainless steel with black or white glass lend new meaning to “leading edge.” Also available as an island hood.

Tilt

Zephyr Tilt by Robert Brunner

Not to sound too pretentious, but we kind of think the Tilt wall-mounted range hood is like a contemporary sculpture for the kitchen. A sextet of subtly angled panels “tilt” off the wall to form a hinged canopy. Tilt comes clad in all-stainless steel or stainless steel underscored with a sleek, black powder coat. An upwardly mobile panel lifts for easy cleaning and service access, and dual halogen lamps provide the perfect accent.

Duo

Zephyr Duo by Robert Brunner

This is a range hood that utilizes wood – if that’s not a cool and unique element, we don’t know what is. The Duo island range hood marries natural wood with sleek stainless steel; yet another way Robert Brunner pushes the boundaries of design. Plus the options for matching the Duo range hood, topped with poplar wood and available in charcoal or wenge finish, with your kitchen’s cabinetry are endless. A pair of halogen lights work in unison to underscore the eye-catching cantilevered design.

RF Remote Control

Zephyr RF Remote Control

A remote control for a range hood? This must be kitchen heaven. Never has a countertop been so well complemented than with this ingenious gem of a remote. With the ability to command the power and light of ARC Collection range hoods from up to fifteen feet away, Zephyr ensures the best possible experience and proves that they bring more to the range hood than ever thought possible.

There’s no doubt that picking up a design-forward range hood, like one from Zephyr – ARC Collection, is a great way to up the level of style and take your kitchen to the next level. Here’s to Brunner for rocking the range hood and taking its design and innovation to new heights.

Visit InteriorDesign.net to see the full list of winners.

Humanscale M2 Monitor Arm

Wetstyle M Collection

Bath Accessories & Hardware - Sonia Aluminum Series Mirror

Residential/Accent Seating - Bernhardt Design Suzanne Trocme Allee

Seating - Contract/Lounge - Bernhardt Design/CuldeSac- Atlantic

Kitchen Cabinetry SieMatic S1

Seating: Contract/Guest - Bernhardt Design Lievore Altherr Molina Sonar

Furniture: Contract/Desking & Systems - Herman Miller Envelop Desk

Furniture: Contract/Filing, Storage & Casegoods - Crown Metal: na|ro shelving system by nakaoka/roberts

Eco Products- Big Ass Fans - Isis

Furniture- Outdoor- Royal Botania WAVE

Building - Products - 3form Laser Cut Wood

Wallcoverings/Residential - Maya Romanoff Meditations

Seating - Contract/Task - Knoll Inc. Generation by Knoll

Carpet: Modular- Tandus: Landscape Patterns