A mix of kitchen designers, architects, builders, and interior designers gathered last night at Appliance Distributors Unlimited Inc. (ADU) in Chantilly, VA, to see the latest eco-friendly bells and whistles from GE.

Washington Spaces Senior Account Executive Emilia Philip, far left, and Washington Spaces Account Executive Jill Yager, far right, join Eric and Jody Pilka of Oakmont Homes.

Like a similar event ADU hosted in its Takoma Park, MD, showroom in May, the goal of last night was to let the eco-friendly GE appliances shine. Sam Gregory, ADU’s senior vice president of sales and marketing, educated and entertained the crowd with energy-efficient tips, and Chef Erik Rochard of Café de Paris in Columbia, MD, got everyone mingling around the French hors d’oeuvres.

Chef Rochard with the delicious food

In addition to a good meal, some guests also left the event with prizes for participating in an interactive game about the GE appliances.

Jessica Fossett of Granite Source accepts a $300 gift card from ADU’s Sam Gregory.

Gregory hands Deborah Shades of Shades of Design her prize: a dinner for two to Rochard’s restaurant.

Will Rawls, left, and Gordon Nelsen of Advantage Media Technologies, which wired the CharityWorks GreenHouse using energy-efficient technology.

Jennifer Parker of Patera Home, left, and Estela Huber of Le Classique Interiors enjoyed the evening.

Washington Spaces Associate Publisher Heather Heider, far left, and Emilia Philip join Rich Caswell of Creative Works, left,  and Shawn Daghigh of EuroStone Craft.

I first found out about Grothouse Lumber when I was doing a profile in our Early Spring issue on this lovely kitchen in Bethesda, designed by Interior Designer Tracy Morris:

The owner told me she found Grothouse after getting a really high quote for a custom wood island countertop from the kitchen designer, Clive Christian. Grothouse was able to make it for half the original quote, she said.

Fast forward through the summer, and I unearthed a Grothouse press kit while cleaning out my desk. It features the work of two other local kitchen designers:

Jennifer Gilmer Kitchen & Bath Ltd., Chevy Chase, MD

MES Mitchell Interiors LLC, Columbia, MD

Check out the detailing and the grain detail:

My initial reaction to these countertops was, how can you do any real work on them? I could already visualize the white rings and wine stains. But apparently this stuff has a coating (Green-Guard certified and formaldehyde-free, no less) that is:

Chemical-resistant; and not affected by lacquer thinner, ammonia, red wine, vinegar, oil, ketchup, mustard, bleach, or soaps.

Ok, I’m sold … as soon as our Formica counters give out.

The Irish-born New York designer dropped her last name long ago, and with that kind of a distinctive first name, why would you need any other?

I first found out about Clodagh at the Kitchen/Bath Industry Show several years ago, when she designed a kitchen that was so earthy and natural looking, it blew me away. It was such a pleasing space; I didn’t even notice any appliances.

She was one of the first people I had seen to hang a candle-filled chandelier (which she did over the dining table in that stunning kitchen), and of course, now everyone does. Here’s her version:

I was reminded of her lately when I saw she had a new line of indoor-outdoor fabric for Perennials Outdoor Fabrics, which designers say is top of the line when it comes to outdoor fabric.

Who would have thought that this home

with this kind of interior

would open the door from this ultra-traditional dining room

into THIS KITCHEN?

The Washington Post today had a great story on the newly remodeled kitchen at the residence of the Italian Ambassador.

The story introduced me to an Italian kitchen designer and a French appliance maker I had not heard of: Arclinea, which the story called “the Ferrari of kitchen design.”

I also found out about Scholtès, the French appliance maker, whose four dishwashers and built-in coffee maker have a presence in the Villa Firenze kitchen.

Last night at Appliance Distributors Unlimited Inc. (ADU) in Takoma Park, MD, builders, architects, kitchen designers, and home-technology professionals got together to learn (and taste!) some recent advancements in GE appliances. Sam Gregory, ADU’s senior vice president of sales and marketing, celebrated GE Brand Night by showing off eco-minded Energy Star appliances, a double oven that fits into a single-oven cavity, and a refrigerator with “French doors” that Gregory likened to a walk-in closet for selecting food.

The GE Café line at ADU combines sleek, modern lines with the sweetness and comfort of a latte bar. All photographs by Jacob Goodman

ADU also served delicious French hors d’oeuvres prepared on-site by Chef Erik Rochard of Café de Paris in Columbia, MD.

Chef Erik Rochard

Rochard gave an informal talk with some pointers on creating simple, healthful meals.

Justin Cunningham of Stuart Kitchens admires the features of a GE oven.

Ira Malkin of Home Renovation Solutions, John Tabor of Tabor Design Build, and Jack Marshall of ADU.

Dan Wittig of Aegis Technologies Inc.

Sam Gregory discussed the energy savings achieved with GE’s Energy Star appliances.

Rich Cassagnol of Bowa Builders chats with Washington Spaces Account Executive Mary Sue Jedele and Associate Publisher Heather Heider.

Temperature-controlled wine storage and cooktop by GE

John Stebbins of Natelli, Mary Sue Jedele, Heather Heider, Account Executive Jill Yager, and Pete Della Pietra of Natelli.

Another sweet treat: The limousine shuttle that brought party guests to and from their parked cars. Despite the dreary weather, everyone came and went in style.

Let’s pause for station identification and say this: We at Washington Spaces ♥ our partners who help us honor this region’s best in home design. And last week, that was Porcelanosa, which opened its striking showroom for a reception to award the winners from our recent kitchen and bath design competitions.

All photographs by Carrie Russell

Nearly 200 professionals in the design trade fought rush hour on the Beltway to come out to Rockville, MD, for the event. But it was worth it, as kitchen and bath designers, interior designers, builders, architects, and other home decor experts pored over Porcelanosa’s collections – many of them for the first time.

Simon Ley of The Ley Group Inc. checks out the merchandise.

“It’s a great space. It’s a good opportunity to walk around,” said Sophie Prévost, principal of ColePrévost Inc. and a bath award winner. Her award, with a photo of the winning project, is on the right and also here.

Interior Designer Justine Sancho, second from left, came with her associate, Joanne Segrera, standing next to her, because Segrera is friends with Porcelanosa’s kitchen and bath designer, Evita Pleitez, right. “Have you ever used Porcelanosa products in your designs?” we asked Justine. “I would like to,” Joanne responded. “I guess that means we will!” Justine exclaimed. Standing on the left is Justine’s husband, Bill.

Other guests were intimately familiar with the showroom. “My wife must own stock in this company now,” said Brady Wilkerson, owner of SGO Designer Glass of Rockville, explaining that she’s outfitted their home’s three bathrooms in Porcelanosa tile. “My wife loves this place.”

David Carmona, general manager of Porcelanosa, does everything there, including passing hors d’oeuvres.

The term “going green” is fast becoming one of those clichéd culture trends that people hardly pay attention to anymore. (Add to that list: bank bail-outs and any celebrity reality show on VH1.) But because this year is all about change, we’re scouting out new ways to be environmentally (and financially) responsible. And while Hybrid cars and fluorescent light bulbs are good ways to, ahem, go green, we’ve found that water conservation is another great way to express eco-friendliness, and it’s easier than it sounds. 

Just take a look at these environmentally-conscious sinks and accessories.

The Plugless Sink

Although this product is not yet available for purchase, we feel the concept is worth the, uh, plug. The Plugless Sink, by Polish designer Maja Ganszyniec, was designed to awaken your water-usage consciousness. Without a plughole, you must tip the bowl over toward a drain slot to dispose of the used water. The concept forces the user to be aware of how much, and how often, they dispose of the water. The minimalist design and functionality promotes water re-usage and brings awareness to how much water we have the ability to waste. Check out Maja’s website to learn more about her original designs.

Full-bloom gardens, serene patio scenes, and striking outdoor tablescapes transformed the Washington Convention Center in downtown DC this past weekend.

The fragrant and lush landscape vignettes were front and center at the annual Washington Home & Garden Show.

Above, from left to right, Daniel Robey, Josh Woolridge, and Anthony Cusat of McHale Landcape Design Inc. stand by the wine pavilion the company created just for the show. It took two months to construct this Tuscan setting, and it paid off – the show awarded McHale with the honor of “Best in Show.”

Another view of McHale’s “Best in Show” design

I’ve had organization on my mind a lot lately, as I help my father clean out his house in the wake of his wife’s passing. He has a great kitchen with wonderful deep drawers for storage, but when you have one big deep open space, stuff tends to get thrown in there and buried, never to be seen again.

That’s why I’m pining for drawer systems like Studio Becker’s, which take care of every kitchen storage need you could imagine.

Studio Becker’s newest storage system has a variety of containers to neatly separate pantry items. I love the built-in carrying handles, so you can lift them right out of the drawer.

… A stack of white plates. I’m hitting the Christmas wall, with all its color and tinsel and glitter overload. I need to take a breath, clear my head, and think white. These lovely bone china dinner plates are at the Conran Shop.

I’ve got kitchens on the brain since I’ve been cooking on and off for four days over Thanksgiving. I just want to curl up in this one. You can see more luscious kitchen spaces at The Kitchen Designer blog right here.

One of my favorite blogs, Decorno, just wrote a post soliciting comments on how to choose kitchen cabinets. I can’t blame her – there are so many head-spinning options out there.

These Studio Snaidero cabinets were winners in this year’s Washington Spaces Best of Kitchen Spaces competition, featured in our current issue.

For anyone in search of kitchen cabinets, the comments on Decorno’s post are tremendously useful.

And if you’re pondering countertops as well, there’s a great entry further down in her blog about testing how marble countertops stand up to red wine, tomato sauce, and lime juice. Her conclusion? “I ain’t skeered.”

If you want to create the ultimate outdoor entertainment area, it’s seldom a one-stop shop. From the stonework, lighting, and wiring, to the ever-important grill, you could easily get overwhelmed trekking from showroom to showroom to find what works the best for your outside space. That’s why we were excited to see some of our favorite companies come together last night for an event that made perfect sense – solve the problem by getting the ideal mix of people in one room, the Charles Luck Stone Center.

And quite a room it was. As Steve Terry, executive vice president of HADCO, a supplier of top quality kitchen appliances, said, “We all have showroom envy now.”

Charles Luck Stone Center studio consultants Amanda New, at left, and Allie Lindeman flank Washington Spaces Account Executive Angela Carpenter. Tabitha Blakely, Charles Luck Stone’s concierge, is to the right.

The Charles Luck Stone Center provides unique, high quality stone from around the world. Its executives literally go to the corners of the earth to leave no stone unturned. In September, President Mark Fernandes will head to Verona, Italy, to get the most exotic stone to bring back to the States.

Washington Spaces Account Executive Angela Carpenter is in good company with Charles Luck Stone Center’s President Mark Fernandes, at right, and its Director of Marketing Mark Smucker.

The theme of the night was clear – synergy.

“We all have similar products with a similar target audience,” Fernandes says. “What a great idea getting everyone together.”

Joining Charles Luck Stone Center and HADCO were Dominion Electric, displaying energy-efficient outdoor lighting, and Integrated Media Systems, wiring the room with flat-screen televisions and flanking the outdoor space with waterproof speakers.

Lee Odess of Integrated Media Sytems and Chef Patrizia Krejci

Lee Odess, director of marketing and sales for Integrated Media Systems, had a goal from the start when he originally conceived this event. “We’ve all come together to take a more application approach to the outdoors,” he says. The application approach, he explains, demonstrates at a glance how consumers can put outdoor products to good use.

And there’s no better way to display that than by putting the beautiful stainless steel Alfresco grill on the scene to some serious work. Special events Chef Patrizia Krejci was on hand to fire up succulent shrimp and deliciously marinated steak and chicken for the guests.

HADCO’s Executive Vice President Steve Terry and Washington Spaces Account Executive Angela Carpenter get some grill time.

Alfresco Grill’s Vice President and Director of Sales and Marketing Dale Seiden also lent his expertise on creating an outdoor entertainment area that will incorporate function, flow, and fun. Seiden has created industrial kitchens in some of the finest restaurants around the country. His résumé includes kitchens in the Bellagio and Venetian Hotels in Las Vegas, and he has collaborated with celebrity chefs including Wolfgang Puck and Emeril Lagasse. Seiden’s knowledge of restaurant kitchen design has carried over to creating outdoor kitchens, and he believes he’s brought a whole new thought process to the table.

Alfresco’s Dale Seiden discusses the importance of using high-quality equipment to create an efficient outdoor kitchen.

“I take the same marketing approach that I do with the restaurant kitchen, and I have applied it to the outdoor kitchen,” he says. “The niche consumer today wants products that emulate what they see in restaurants.”

Some fine points Seiden touched on included the benefits of choosing commercial-quality appliances. “They should be built like a tank,” he says. Using a heavy gauge of steel and a seamless welding process with no sharp edges are key components in a quality grill.

“Zoning” is also important, Seiden believes. To maximize the accessibility of your outdoor space, Seiden deems it significant to have different zones mapped out and separated, including preparation, cooking, plating, serving, and entertaining.

Entertaining is, of course, the most important aspect.
That’s what brings everyone together.

Josh Rosenthal of Rosenthal Homes is joined by Washington Spaces Associate Publisher Heather Heider and Account Executive Rashida Creque.

Jennifer Ingber of Fresh Confections LLC, at right, served delicious treats, while Washington Spaces Account Executive Jill Yager, center, and Charles Luck Stone studio consultant Katie Buchan, at left, enjoyed them.

It’s hard to go into a kitchen store and really examine all its products and see how they work without getting the hard sell to buy something. So just imagine walking into a living magazine of sorts, where you can explore kitchens of every imaginable style and test appliances without the slightest pressure to buy anything.

There is such a place. The Fretz Corp. is the Mid-Atlantic distributer of high-end kitchen appliances. It sells only to kitchen dealers, but its vast showroom in Columbia, MD, is open to the public. “It’s a good place to come get ideas,” says Jaime Brown, one of Fretz’s “Dream Kitchen” consultants.

The showroom displays kitchens from highly traditional to ultra contemporary, and if you are interested in products such as Sub-Zero refrigerators and Wolf ranges, Franke hardware or Best by Broan ventilation, you can see those brands’ entire lines, rather than the two or three models a kitchen dealer will probably have. “Here they can see all the different sizes, all the different design applications,” Brown says. “You can come and really get hands-on with the product. It’s a place to see them and see them in actual settings.”

When I was younger, I couldn’t quite understand why my mother kept buying new sets of china. I think she’s up to at least six sets by now, not counting her more casual place settings. But alas, I seem to have caught the bug. You know that feeling you get on the first warm day of springtime, when you just relax your shoulders, exhale, and think, “Ahhh…”? That’s the feeling I get when I see truly gorgeous china, and it came right back when I saw Haviland’s new porcelain collections.

With the Beijing Olympics fast approaching, I couldn’t help but fall in love with the Eventails line:

And who wouldn’t want to have a summer soirée with Jardin Français?

Just look at the intricate detailing of the edges on these pieces, which are meant to resemble the symmetrical gardens at Versailles:

Jardin Francais is perfect to mix and match with Haviland’s crisp new white collections –

Complice Blanc

and Ranson Blanc,

But keeping it all white would be just as exquisite.

And finally, the new Saâri collection brings to mind a gorgeous Indian sari, to bring me on the summer travels I wish I were taking.