In honor of Her Majesty's Diamond Jubilee

This weekend marks the Queens Diamond Jubilee!
To mark this quintessentially British day I will be showcasing anything and everything Union Jack..

God Save The Queen


Fun piece of furniture

http://sheridanfrench.blogspot.com/2011/07/furniture-re-vamp-x-four.html

Fun pillows & bunting

Image Via The Daily Mail Designed by Jan Constantine

Sausages n Mash?

Falcon Union Jack Range Cooker

Seriously cool Wallpaper

http://pinterest.com/pin/234750199296750421/

Accessorize in True Brit Style

http://pinterest.com/pin/234750199296750433/

Faded Focal Point

Designed by Emily Wheeler

Conversation Piece

Topps Tiles Back splash UK

Nothing says British like a MINI

You NEED a MINI in your life! 

{Go visit Mike at Princeton MINI ~ Shameless plug.... ;) }

MINI w/Union Jack Roof

Enjoy the celebrations

CHEERS!


~D~

Know that we are not paid to feature products,names or services...we just LOVE what we show!

The Hamptons ~ A kitchen project

I love working on a beautiful project, what I love even more is working with great clients and respectful architectural and design companies.

This project came to my desk before the house was even built. The design criteria was clear, build a kitchen that could cater for 100 people but feel cosy for their family of 4 people.

After just a few design meetings I designed a perfect cooking triangle on one side of the island (shown below) and a whole array of industrial appliances on the opposing wall. 

This gave the family easy access to the refrigerator, range cooker, sink and dishwasher, and a plumbed in steamer on the island. And giving the caterers ownership of the other side of the island, with an industrial grade refrigerator, coffee machine, separate sink, double wall ovens and and appliance garage.

This part of the kitchen was hand painted, the bar was built in an American Walnut.

By looking at it, you would never guess that functions for over 100 people could be held with total ease!

A request I couldn't resist was for a bar, where the clients and their associates could catch a game of baseball or watch the news, during a breakfast meeting. 

The bar is raised on a mirror plinth making it 'float' and the countertop and backsplash are made out of a single glass sheet. It incorporated two SubZero wine refrigerators a 60" TV and a raised glass bar making sure that the family had ample space to socialize, and enjoy the views of the nearby beach. 

~D~

Upper East Side Kitchen Renovation

A happy client is the best reward.

I recently received these snapshots of a project I completed in Manhattan.

The renovation was extensive and walls came down and rooms had to be re invented. What you are seeing is the result of a long process including the expansion of the kitchen, restructuring of the existing fireplace, new ceilings, complete new lighting layouts, restoring the wood floors, the whole nine yards!

The result, a spacious calm and bright custom designed eat-in kitchen, planned with meticulous detail.

The client kindly sent a letter which was so nice that I 'Happy Danced' all around my living room :) I have included excerpts below, I just couldn't help myself!!

Directional lighting over the new fireplace and charcoal grey feature wall. Glass china cabinets are flanked by solid door dressers for additional storage and as a visual separation from the working kitchen area. Marble back splash and walnut counter top creates a warmer feel for dining.

Choice of uplighting  and under counter lights means the kitchen lights can be turned off whilst dining.

Plenty of space for preparing meals.

Fantastic Sub Zero combination which includes tons of refrigeration, wine fridge and freezer drawers. An easy access lower drawer is dedicated to childrens juices, yogurts and snacks.

Walnut contrasts and marble complements the gorgeous hand painted cabinets.

Stainless Steel dishwasher and appliance garage is flanked by a full height pull out pantry.

Discreet custom colored glass back splash was manufactured in one single piece. Space is allocated to cooking books and trays. Full size pull out trash bin is concealed behind a custom door.

There is a place for everything in this kitchen: Pot and pans, spices, cutlery and utensils are put away out of sight. Small appliances, cleaning products and recycling also have a spot in order to keep the counters clear and tidy.

I am so thankful to work for such nice and generous clients, their kindness knows no bounds. This client went a step further and took the time out of her busy day to write a letter that makes all the hard work worth while. I would like to share some of it with you.

"Dionne Trifiro was our kitchen designer and I am writing to tell you how much I enjoyed working with her. 

I had been attempting to redo my kitchen for about a year. My satisfaction level with other kitchen designers was quite low and I was beginning to reconsider going forward with the project.  I visited the showroom one afternoon and was introduced to Dionne.  Prior to creating any designs, Dionne met with me a number of times to understand our space, our needs, and our style.  


When she presented the first design sketches, I was amazed at how she had incorporated everything we wanted into three beautiful alternatives.  I have worked with other designers who have taken 5, 10, 20 times to get the design right.  Dionne got it on the first try. 
As we moved through the process Dionne showed immense patience with me, answered all of my questions, provided a number of alternatives and gave her opinion when I needed it.  She made herself available to me at all hours.  

During the construction process, I would write emails to the team and Dionne would always be the first one to answer me back.  At one particularly frustrating point in the construction process, my husband and I were having a hard time choosing our floor stain color.  Dionne answered my call while she was on vacation, suggested a few color alternatives, asked me to send her pictures of each stain sample after they had dried on the floor, and then guided us toward the color we ultimately picked. 

Throughout the process, I felt that I was dealing with a friend that I could trust instead of with just another vendor.  

In my humble opinion, Dionne is remarkably talented, has an amazing eye for color and design, and is fun and easy to work with.  We love our kitchen and it wouldn’t have been this way without Dionne's help.   

Jackie"

Wouldn't this be enough to brighten your day? For me, I've learned an important lesson and I will definitely be remembering to write my thank you notes.

And the Golden Globe goes to ~ White Kitchens {in Movies}

The White Kitchen has been all the rage for a few years, and even with designers trying to 'Move On' the White Kitchen lives on. I know that are going to have to drag The White kitchen out of magazines and our lives kicking and screaming..

Big Blockbuster Movies have promoted this design phenomenon and working in Manhattan proximity very close to the Hamptons made me and many other designers I am sure target for this question...

"I don't know if you know what I talking about, but I want the same kitchen as in the movie Something Gotta Give. You know the one? The one with Jack Nicholson?" 

Yes, I do... oh yes, I know it well. I must have designed at least two dozen irregardless of the size, shape and budget of kitchen! I must admit, I still love this style and was fortunate to have worked with two of the three companies that without doubt do The White Kitchen the best in the industry.

So without further ado..

Here are the Nominees for The White Kitchen In Movies ~

Somethings Gotta Give

{Starring inset doors, glazed upper cabinets, SubZero refrigerator and dual islands}

Sex In The City 2 {Charlottes' Kitchen}

{Starring overlay doors, subway tiles, Wolf Range and Corian countertops}

Father Of The Bride

{Starring wood countertops, pot rack and mullioned glazed cabinets}

He's Not That Into You

{Starring wall mounted brass faucet, brass monkey lip pulls, and tiled countertops}

The Holiday

{Starring feature fireplace, not really white cabinets ;) and  porcelain knobs}

Life As We Know It

{Starring wall oven & microwave combo, stainless steel backsplash and prep sink in island}

The Break Up

{Starring butcher block island, antique step ladder and wall of glazed upper cabinets}

And the winner is.....(drum roll).... Father of the Bride, for authenticity and charm!

Which is your favorite?

~D~

For more information on hiring Dionne Designs for your design project contact me at dionnedesignllc@gmail.com :)

Back splashes, what are my options?

This is possibly one of the most common questions asked by my clients, this eye catching element is a feature of utmost importance. It is sometimes the first introduction to 'a real color' and requires a huge commitment, unlike paint or soft furnishings which can easily be changed up.

When choosing a back splash there are many things that need to be considered, it is not simply a single choice of material. There may be multiple materials chosen with varied heights required at installation, and because of this the floor plan needs to be studied carefully and lighting needs to be installed accordingly.

ALL PROJECTS FEATURED ARE MINE ;)

In this London home, it was paramount to take advantage of the windows (and the building was protected) so I created a 2" upstand in the same honed black granite as the countertops, mainly to stop items from falling into the recess.

(Photo courtesy of House & Garden UK)