Inspiration….. when to go custom……..
I love texture and I love shine…….I am looking forward to posting about this kitchen renovation project when it is done but just had to offer a peek of what is in store……
This custom waterjet glass tile created by Ray Bernard of Finishing Touches in Huntington, NY, is just what we needed to put this kitchen over the top. Sure there are all sorts of inlays and herringbones to do in a backsplash but this art deco inspired glass pattern is clean, shiny and truly out of the ordinary….
JUST LOVE!
TONI SABATINO toni@tonisabatinostyle.com 516-972-5455
Hamptons Casual…….
There is something dreamy about the ride out to the Hamptons…. Conjuring up memories of driving my ’87 560SL up to the Mercedes tent at the Polo fields with a ballsy girlfriend and no tickets…..sipping champagne under the same tent as Ralph Lauren……
The Hamptons has that coveted high end, laid back style that you just can’t buy…..you have to feel it.
I really enjoyed creating this dining space for a family that loves living and lives loving in this sprawling summer home. Simple casual living at it’s finest…….
TONI SABATINO toni@tonisabatinostyle.com 516-972-5455
Family Jewels……….
We live in this crazy world of media. Instant digital photos from your phone capturing all those special moments…….Finding a place in your head and your heart for all that accumulated stuff is hard enough, but how about your home?
This Hamptons hallway needed a feature. Sure a piece of art would work but what about some of that media?
This collection of random photos declutters some lateral surfaces, inspires memories and warms the heart………….
516-972-5455
Window Seats
Window seats have always held a certain charm to me. They remind me of a childhood I would like to have had! There is some unexplained expectation the outside world offers from the comfy safety of that vantage point. Awkward walls, due to doorways and traffic flow that cannot hold a couch or pair of chairs can become a focal point by adding some shelves and creating that cozy extra seating that is perfect for sitting and dreaming on a rainy day…………
516-972-5455
New Year…..same old stuff?
I love display. (definition: to present or hold up to view)…and I love to arrange the display…. The actual arrangement makes each one of a group or collection special. Looking through your stuff and invigorating a room by creating a display area is a great way to celebrate your life and the New Year. Select the items and then create an array that draws the eye by varying the height and color and make something visually interesting. Artful arrangements of books, photos, momentos of travels, musical instruments, trophies, sculptures, teapots or even antique iron doorstops can be an effective way to give a space an air of intimacy and truly make it personal and inviting. Here is a collection of objects I have had the pleasure to display in a bookshelf I felt would add warmth and declutter a family room mantle. I hope you are inspired to go up to the attic or down to the basement and pull out that stuff you secretly love but have no idea what to do with………
TONI SABATINO toni@tonisabatinostyle.com 516-972-5455
Because We Need a Little Christmas, Right This Very Minute…….
Decorating this grand and stylish home for the Holidays each year has become part of my Christmas tradition. The Christmas tree, in particular, is always so special. When we started, 10 years ago, the tree had a grand, department store look, with huge, gold dipped pine cones, bows of ribbon and sparkly, red garland. As the years have passed, the addition of paper angels and stars, class pictures attached to paper trees, and the like, have adorned the tree and given it an intimate family feel. The pride and joy seen in the eyes of the child artisans as I climb the ladder and hang their wares in places of importance, really warms my heart. So go ahead! Hang up those paper wreaths made with love and “Have yourself a merry little Christmas NOW!”
HOUZZ.COM ……SLIDE SHOW
In an earlier post, I noted that HOUZZ.COM is not just a website, but an interactive community dedicated to decorating, design and remodeling. I am thrilled to share this slide show widget. I created my first HOUZZ "ideabook" of ventilation ideas as the area above the range is often a kitchen focal point. It is a collection of kitchens I have done featuring various ideas for what we commonly call hoods. Use the arrow tab to see each of my ideabooks. Some are my work and one is photos I enjoyed so much, I saved them in an idea book I called "FUN STUFF", followed by other groups of products for future reference. I hope you enjoy it and are inspired to create your own idea books. Happy HOUZZING!!!! It is truly addicting.
TONI SABATINO tonisab@optonline.net 516-972-5455
DESIGN On LINE…e.Magazine…HOUZZ.COM….
This GREEN ‘BADGE” is linked to my profile and photos at WWW.HOUZZ.COM a newish online magazine. I find this to be such a brilliant concept and was thrilled to meet owner, innovator, CEO-ess and self described “design junkie” Adi Tatarko at an event in NYC recently. I see people like my successful 26 year old daughter sit and swipe with an ipad and really have no need for printed magazines. This site is not only an online magazine but a community, a forum for learning, sharing your knowledge and exposing your work to the worldwide masses. I am thrilled to be a part of the HOUZZ community and wish Adi and her team continued success as her venture derived from personal passion becomes a worldwide phenomenon.
TONI SABATINO tonisab@optonline.net 516-972-5455
Click the green badge to visit my HOUZZ profile and view some of my projects…….
His and Hers…( or house therapy for the therapists…)
Working for a couple that have quite different visions of their kitchen needs is always a challenge but can be a pleasure! In this case, a lovely women wanted a “pretty, country French feel” and her counterpart was looking for something “industrious and manly…..you know, for serious cooking”…(Oddly enough, they are both therapists and have a major impact in helping people make sense of their lives…Could I help them make sense of their kitchen?)…. Here, we have certainly accomplished all goals. The integration of a French patterned golden travertine floor, stunning Blue Bahia counters, stainless appliances (including a “real” commercial range), whimsical pendants and creamy wood tones create a warm, lovely environment that satisfies both “Him and Her”.
TONI SABATINO tonisab@optonline.net 516-972-5455
Kitchen Cohesiveness
I like to think of decorating as creating an outfit for a room. Of course, it does have to be an outfit you will not mind wearing for a good, long while. Seriously, though, the care one takes to coordinate an outfit is quite similar to room decorating. Just because you “like it” doesn’t means it works! Too many accessories, more than one large bold pattern and colors that are not complimentary will take down even the best of the individual items being used. Cohesive design where each item has not only a purpose but is in proper scale and has a good relationship with the other items in the room, will make a room inviting no matter what the style. The selection of flooring, cabinetry, counters, backsplash, and wall color can really be done in any order as long as each element builds upon the last. Take into account colors and themes from adjoining rooms as well. This will help to create a flow in the home that really shows off a sense of style. Kitchens require special attention as plumbing and electric codes as well as appliance clearances all have to be taken into account while creating a visually pleasing, functional space. It is my opinion that a good ” kitchen designer” will guide you to find your style and showcase your unique treasures while creating that cohesion that makes a room really special.
TONI SABATINO tonisab@optonline.net 516-972-5455
The pallette to the left incorporates soothing neutral tones of cream for walls, tile flooring and cabinetry, while adding color and texture with the gold stone for the counters and stone and glass linear mosiac for the backsplash.
Art in the Kitchen
Collaberating with Judi Green of JUDI GREEN DESIGNS, Huntington, New York, to create a kitchen for this home was a joy. The home owners, Jan and Dave, have been collecting art and distinctive furnishings for many years. It is displayed throughout the home and the kitchen was to be no exception. The kitchen had to serve as a quiet backdrop to the collections of copper and ceramics and the handpainted tiles the clients had collected on various European excursions. I created a floorplan for the room from a purely functional standpoint, using simple maple cabinetry with clean lines, allowing Judi to create focal points with the color and texture of the floor, accessories and wall tiles. The result is a fabulous feast for the eyes that functions superbly for creating culinary masterpieces as well.
TONI SABATINO tonisab@optonline.net 516-972-5455
Keeping FUN in the Functional Kitchen
I would someday love to be known as the “Julia Child” of greater New York kitchen design. Yes, this is ambitious and no, I don’t plan to start speaking with an accent. It is my desire to bring that sense of fun, that “add a little of this” and “a pinch of that” to the collaberative design process. Sure, there are building codes and industry standards but what fun the evolutionary process of designing a kitchen for a family that cooks in a suburban home can truly be. Getting to know the nuances of how they function, shopping style from 144 boxes of pasta and 120 cans of tomato paste from COSTCO to almost daily fresh market shopping, storage needs, seating needs, entertaining and appliance wishlist as well as how this space relates to the rest of the home are all of importance to me and can make for some interesting conversation. I do really love the work and have actually been invited back to cook in a few of my designs………….So thanks, Julia, for inspring me to ALWAYS have fun in the kitchen, no matter the task at hand.
This is actually a great Italian Cheescake Recipe. I do add a pinch of this and a little of that, but a great basic recipe none the less. Bon Apetit………….
TONI SABATINO tonisab@optonline.net 516-972-5455
tonisab 