Top photo by Steve Henke for Cambria Style.
Cambria, the leading producer of American-made natural stone, is expanding its editorial platform this spring with the release of its first-ever workbook supplement, Kitchen & Bath Design Inspiration: The Ultimate Design Planner. The Planner will be bound within Cambria Style, the brand’s award-winning luxury home and lifestyle magazine, and will also be available to consumers for free download online at CambriaUSA.com.
Part inspirational guide and part project checklist, the Planner was designed by LouAnn Haaf, editor-in-chief of Cambria Style, and her team as a comprehensive guide to help consumers navigate the often complex process of renovating their home. The new supplement illustrates top kitchen and bath design trends, including features on popular styles and product roundups of fashionable accents and accessories. It delves into the most functional and popular kitchen floor plans, providing tips for planning the perfect layout, selecting the right materials, colors and finishes, and includes designs from Cambria’s expansive palette in both elegant neutrals and bold patterns.
Haaf combed through her vast experience in covering the kitchen and bath market to create the Planner, which provides invaluable takeaways – both creative and practical – including the following:
Find Your Look: Whether it’s the blend of modern farmhouse and West Coast styles of California to the picture-perfect sophistication of a classic Hamptons retreat, it’s important to find the right types of inspiration that emulate you, while staying modern and fresh. Cambria recommends trying out or investigating on-trend styles to inspire your own projects, such as the Into the Woods aesthetic, combining industrial materials and an urban look to blur the lines of interior and exterior.
Know Your Pro: Consider your options when it comes to choosing and working with a professional, which in turn will help take the guesswork out of kitchen and bath design.
Draft Picks: Lay out all your designs carefully, and make sure all options are weighed when designing your dream kitchen, and which one is best for you.
Splurge-Worthy Investments: Take a look at the five areas of your renovation where you shouldn’t cut corners on spending and why.
The 3Cs Buying Guide: Color, Cabinets and Countertops – the magical trifecta to incorporate color, storage and durability into your kitchen.
Surface Area: Make sure you select a surface that showcases your personality, making your house a home. Cambria offers a multitude of options, from the inky blacks and soft-gray hues of Midnight Blacks, the classic, understated earth tones of Organic Neutrals or the dramatic selections of Edgy Movement that tend to make a statement.
Photo courtesy of Cambria.
The magazine, along with the removable Planner, will be available on May 7 through Hudson newsstands, select Barnes & Noble stores, in hotels, by subscription and for free download on CambriaUSA.com.
“The place we live in can and should do three things: reflect who we are, bring out the best in us, and contribute to a better world.”
This mantra is the basic, driving principle behind the work of interior designer Deborah DiMare, founder of DiMare Design in Miami as well as VeganDesign.org, two businesses that strive to create a healthier world and save animals. We spoke with Deborah DiMare who discussed everything from her passion for vegan interior design, her daily inspiration, and her new book titled “Vegan Interiors.”
What image comes to mind when you think of vegan design?
I imagine ultra luxury such as a beautifully made crisp white bed or a fabulous living room with beautiful sumptuous fabrics. The feeling of any vegan space should always emit good health, comfort, happiness and an overall “feel good” environment, a space you never want to leave. Vegan design focuses on optimal health and well being.
How did you come to be a designer, what led you to this career?
How I became a vegan designer was initially from the love of animals that my family and I share. Animals are a very important part of our lives. We also do our best to maintain a healthy, optimal lifestyle. We are very active and love nature. When I discovered the term “dog leather,” it was a pivotal moment for me personally and professionally. … It changed me, It had a deep effect on me. How could I continue to be such a hypocrite? … I did a 360 in my business and refused to continue designing spaces with products originating from animals.
Vegan design is not just about saving animals. It’s about putting an end to the inhumane treatment of desperate people forced to work in dangerous, deplorable conditions. It’s about saving the planet. It’s about healthy design and well-being. Animal based textiles and materials such as leather, wool, silk, fur, down and treated woods etc. are laden with poisons and toxins that penetrate our skin. Thankfully, today, consumers are demanding compassionate, healthier alternatives in a majority of industries.
What do you think are some key things to remember when outfitting a home with vegan design stylings?
Use as many natural materials as possible — cork, linens, bamboos and blends. Keep it clean and as low on toxicity as you can.
Where would you draw inspiration from when outfitting a home in this style?
Everywhere, everyone and everything. I travel a lot with my family and I soak up the architecture and materials I see in other countries. I get inspired by the color of the ocean on a gray day or the way a woman’s red lipstick looks against her skin, or even the blue spot on my dog’s eye. Everyday life inspires me. But, most importantly, getting in tune with my clients is my true inspiration. … Starting new projects is like detective work. I have to uncover a client’s true needs and taste. It’s so much fun.
Tell us about your book and what readers can expect from reading it?
“Vegan Interiors — Home Edition” is a first of a series of books that focuses on the beauty of humane design. The book is filled with stunning images portraying compassionate design as luxurious and healthier for everyone from newborns to seniors and simple to embrace. It provides facts about how many animals, workers, trees, etc. are saved in each vegan room or piece of furniture. There are pages dedicated to the future of textiles. “Growing materials” are fabrics made out of fruits and trees that will be readily available to consumers soon enough. “Vegan Interiors — Home Edition” is a beautiful way to show others through demonstration and education that no living thing, including humans, animals and the planet need sacrificing for beautiful interiors.
All images courtesy VeganDesign.org
Elements of city life are slowly making their way into the rustic aesthetics of countryside homes. The modern farmhouse is no stranger to industrial-inspired pieces, which offer a similar back-to-basics look to their brightly colored, agrarian-inspired counterparts. While maintaining the informality and simplicity of classic farmhouse design, an emphasis on industrial furniture and decor adds an unexpected layer of sophistication to rural interiors.
Urban-inspired pieces do not clash with typical farmhouse decor as some may fear. Both industrial and classic country looks share an affinity for woods as the star for nearly every piece of furniture and neat, yet unpolished metals that complement the natural wood. Bringing industrial pieces into the modern farmhouse blends two seemingly opposite aesthetics into a synergistic, chic design.
Here are three industrial-inspired pieces that fit seamlessly into any farmhouse.
Kohler Farmstead Kitchen Sink
$3,150
This 45-inch long sink can be installed wall-mount with legs or top-mount with custom cabinetry. Made from Kohler Enameled Cast Iron, this durable sink is generously proportioned to accommodate large cooking ware. Included in the list price are seven accessories, including a walnut cutting board, a utility rack with a soaking cup and a towel bar.
Photo courtesy of Kohler.
Industrial Farmhouse Wavy Glass Island Chandelier by Shades of Light
$799
Perfect to hang over a large dining table, this industrial-inspired chandelier borrows themes from classic farmhouse design with a minimalist wood base. Vintage light bulbs accentuate the piece’s timeless simplicity.
Photo courtesy of Shades of Light.
Farmhouse Industrial Modern Windmill Style Bookshelf by Woodwaves
$425
This unconventional bookshelf offers ample storage space for a living room or office, and the iron windmill atop the unique structure makes it shine as a statement piece. Serving as both a quirky accent item and a functional piece of furniture, this bookshelf is the perfect eye-catching addition to any farmhouse.
Photo courtesy of Woodwaves.