Honor Our Veterans

Veteran's Day is coming up next Wednesday, November 11th.

Around our house every day is Veteran's Day. My husband is a vet who was badly wounded in Vietnam in 1969 at age 19.

We met in 1989 when he came into my showroom and asked me to help him redesign his kitchen. He was walking on his prosthetic legs at the time. Dumb me! I had no idea he was a double amputee until I arrived at his door to measure his kitchen.

Needless to say, I was momentarily taken aback. That was my first experience working with a disabled client and, in those days, our education and training didn't encompass working with the disabled.

He showed me his kitchen and we talked for several hours about the possibilities. He had already removed a wall that once divided the kitchen from the dining room. He related how he had once spilled a pot of boiling spaghetti on his lap in an effort to move the pot from his stove to the sink. I was horrified because kitchen safety is one thing I strongly advocate.

I told him that the $25,000 that he had saved for his project, while perfectly adequate for a "normal" kitchen remodel, wouldn't be nearly enough for the customizations that he would need to make his kitchen safe for use in a wheelchair. We parted with him disappointed and me disturbed.

The next morning, as I prepared for work, I couldn't get him out of my mind...And then a brainstorm! At the time I was on the Board of NARI (the National Association of the Remodeling Industry) San Francisco Bay Area Chapter. We had just started the chapter and were looking for ways to publicize the organization. We could remodel his kitchen as a community service project!

There was a Board meeting a few days later. I broached the idea and the rest of the Board thought it was wonderful. Right then and there we passed a resolution to remodel George's kitchen and get all the materials donated to make his cost as close to nothing as possible.

Excited, I called George with my news. His response: "No way. I'm not a charity case!" It took me three months to convince him. He finally capitulated when I told him if he didn't participate I would find somebody else who would!

I set to work to get together donors and volunteers. Everything was delivered to the site and we commenced with tearout on October 16th 1989. By the end of the day George's kitchen was down to the bare studs.

The following day, at 5:04 p.m., the Loma Prieta earthquake struck the Bay Area. Suddenly all of the contractor volunteers, who had been scratching for work before the quake, were overwhelmed with work. Many came from the East Bay, and the Bay Bridge was down. The project that I had so carefully planned to take three weeks stretched to three months of interminable nagging on my part, and complaining on George's part, before it was finally complete.

At long last, George had his wheelchair accessible kitchen. My task was complete. Needless to say we didn't stop the relationship we had forged over the 8-9 months from that fateful night when I stood on his front porch for the first time. Instead allowing it to bloom into a 20 year relationship and marriage that has endured the tests of time.





















Hopefully my story will inspire others to assist our veterans, especially the disabled ones, to live fully realized lives. In this spirit, I continue to offer free design services to disabled veterans. So, if you are a disabled vet reading this, and you need my design services. Please email me. I am happy to oblige, on this Veteran's day, or any day.

If you want to help a vet, a good place to start is with Wounded Warrior Project. Or volunteer at a VA hospital near your community. In the Bay Area we have the San Francisco VA Medical Center, and the VA Palo Alto Health Care System, also a smaller division in Menlo Park, and another in Livermore.

Peggy

Swap Your Lightbulbs and Save the Earth

There is a new study out by the American Council for an Energy-Free Economy. here is an excerpt:

"Saving a kilowatt-hour through energy efficiency improvements is easily one-third or less the cost of any new source of electricity supply, whether conventional fossil fuel or renewable energy source."

We have already been hearing how fluorescent and/or LED lighting can save many kilowatt hours compared to incandescent. This study reinforces the notion that replacing energy hogging incandescent light bulbs in your home can contribute mightily to reducing global warming.

A penny saved is a penny earned, and a kilowatt hour saved is THREE kilowatt hours earned!

Peggy

Designing Kitchens with Essential Tremor

October is National Movement Disorders Awareness Month.

October is also National Kitchen & Bath Month!

I am going to combine these two themes into one post, because that's the way I live my life every day.

Obviously I am a kitchen and bath designer. Not so obviously, I have been dealing with a movement disorder, Essential Tremor, since childhood.

"Well known people with tremor include: Samuel Adams, Magnus Berg, Oliver Cromwell, Katharine Hepburn, and Eugene O'Neill.

Recognized for centuries, essential tremor and tremor related neurological movement disorders afflict millions of children, adults, and next generations, yet little is known about the etiology."

I remember being a small child and watching my mother tie my shoes. Her hands always shook when doing such tasks. She was in her early thirties at the time. Essential tremor is often "familial". It runs in families. My Mom had it; I and both of my brothers have it; my oldest daughter has it; my younger daughter has escaped...So far.

My first inklings that I might have a problem occurred when I had to get up on stage as a child. I would shake uncontrollably, with my heart pounding; and soon was avoiding those days at school with "sore throats" or "headaches".

I was an artistic child, always doing some sort of art or craft project. I was so good with my hands that I took up sculpture and painting as I progressed through school. I dreamed of becoming an artist, and spent most of my free time improving my work.

Unfortunately I never found a way to make money at my artistic endeavors. So I became a surgical nurse (also hand-eye intensive work) to pay the bills, but I still continued my art for my own enjoyment.

As I went through my twenties and thirties I noticed more and more occasions that would cause my hands to shake. Stress exacerbated the problem.

I married, had children, and left the work world to care for them.

I began remodeling our home and building and installing cabinetry (handy me). Eventually I returned to work and became a kitchen and bath designer. Finally, I had found a way to make a living drawing!

In 1991 we were in a terrible recession, very much like today. I had no work and talked my employer into sending me to CAD training because the State would pay for it.

I purchased a computer and AutoCAD software and went through a six month training program. Thank YOU California!

Ever since 1991 I have done all of my drawing and drafting on the computer in AutoCAD. It's a good thing too, because I would have been out of commission as a kitchen designer by the mid-nineties because my tremor got worse.

I learned about Essential Tremor and was diagnosed by a movement disorder specialist. I take quite a bit of medication to keep my tremor under control.

It doesn't work any longer. I can no longer conceal my tremor from my clients. But I still want to continue with my work.

The tremor doesn't affect my mind; just my hands and head.

So, if you don't mind working with a shaky kitchen and bath designer...Give me a call. Just remember: When I shake my head, it may not really mean "no".

Peggy

Q & A On Installing Used Cabinets

Q.

Hi Peggy,
What you are doing with this blog is WONDERFUL !!! Thanks.

My wife and I are remodeling our kitchen (with small eating area attached). We have just bought a complete (16 piece) used kitchen with Cherry cabinets made by Wood Mode. These are not very old as one of the pieces is the tilt out mixer cabinet. We have an electrician ready to rewire and the gutting of the kitchen will be within the next couple days, (cleared wall to wall area around 13x14). My question is: how do I go about installing the cabinets (with a good installer/minor cabinet maker)? Should I contact the dealer in the area (My Dream Kitchen) in Greensboro, NC and tell them what I have and my kitchen plan or should I simply rely on the installer to make decisions on "what else" is necessary to finish out the space?
I'm leaning toward the dealer IF they would work with and accept the used cabinets (and, of course, accept our $$$ for additional Wood Mode cabinet and accessories that we may need to finish the job.
Your thoughts???
Thanks for your help,

Wayne

A.

Thanks for your kind words Wayne.

Congratulations on your purchase of used Wood-Mode cherry cabinets for your kitchen. Hopefully you will be able to use most of them in your new design.

You are wrong in thinking the pop-up mixer shelf denotes that the cabinets are fairly new. Wood-Mode has been making that cabinet accessory since at least 1983, when I became a kitchen designer. I went to the Wood-Mode school, at their factory in Kreamer, PA., that year and they displayed it in their factory showroom. At the time I thought "What a wonderful idea!". Since then I have learned that using the mixer shelf is a real pain because you and your mixer are out in front of the counter (where all your ingredients are). Also any spills or spatters usually end up on the floor. It is one of those cabinet accessories that I always talk my clients out of buying.

Back to your questions:

The only way to find out if your local Wood-Mode dealer is willing to work with you on creating a layout that works with the cabinets you have purchased and supply a few new ones to match, and then install everything; is to ask them. In better times my bet would be that the answer would be "no". These are not better times.

Be prepared to pay them an hourly rate for the planning, since selling a few additional cabinets does not cover their cost in planning and design hours.

I have helped clients work with used cabinets many times over the years. Usually because I have sold them a display from my showroom (back when I had a showroom). It's always a difficult design exercise; since we designers are trained to design for efficient use of new cabinetry, rather than fitting in as many components as possible of a used kitchen. The more attention you pay to what you already have, the less efficient the kitchen becomes. The more you try to design for efficiency, the fewer cabinets you have that can be used.

There is another issue that will impact your new kitchen...Maybe to a great extent:
Those beautiful Wood-Mode cherry cabinets you have purchased have been mellowing since they were installed. Mellowing is the color change that cherry undergoes as it is exposed to light. The wood gets redder and darker in the process. Additionally, the finish has yellowed a bit over time, with cooking fumes, possibly cigarette smoke, and light exposure. These issues mean it is impossible for you to walk into a Wood-Mode dealer and look at samples and match the wood color and finish on your used cabinets.

If you are lucky, whoever staffs My Dream Kitchen will be somebody who has been working with Wood-Mode cabinetry long enough, and the stain color will be distinctive enough, that they recognize it. If not, it's a shot in the dark that any current stain color you choose will match your cabinets once the new cabinets mellow and yellow to the point that the old cabinets are.

If your used cabinets were some other manufacturer, the chances of matching the stain (eventually) would be even less. At least Wood-Mode has kept most of the stain colors they have had. Many other manufacturers are more "fashion oriented" and change constantly.

Be sure to cover any areas of the cabinets that may have been covered in the previous installation (under mouldings, or switch plates for example). Then you will have a much closer match to what the cabinets looked like to begin with. Also, if any original labels remain on unfinished cabinet sides or backs, you are in luck. Because the labels indicate door style and stain color.

Another issue is door style: Many cabinet manufacturers change door styles often. Wood-Mode still makes many styles that they made many years ago, so you are more likely to be able to match the door style because the cabinets are Wood-Mode.

It is also possible that the previous owners were the people who actually bought the cabinets new. If so they may have retained their original cabinet order from their dealer for their tax records. That makes life easy for you as well, since the door style and stain would be right on the order, and you would also have a complete list of the cabinets you have purchased to help the dealer design your new kitchen.

Then there is the issue of the wood itself: Ten or twenty years ago there was a lot more old growth hardwood around than there is today. My kitchen is twenty years old this year. The raised panels in an 18" wide door in my kitchen are made of three pieces of wood glued together side by side. Similar cabinets made today might have seven pieces of wood to make up that same panel. This makes for a lot more variation in each door, since every piece of wood looks a little bit different. That's why kitchens look a lot "stripey-er" these days.

As you can see Wayne, buying used cabinetry and matching it is a lot more complicated than you may have known until now (In fact I have probably told you WAY more than you want to know).

So, give My Dream Kitchen a call and explain your situation. Ask for their help in designing your kitchen, supplying the additional cabinets you need and installing for you. If they do agree to help you, you will be well ahead of the game since all the headaches will be theirs (for a cost). If they don't agree you will still need to work with them to order the additional cabinets, so don't burn any bridges.

Good luck,

Peggy

HLOCs in Peril

There was a large portion of Andrew S. Ross' "The Bottom Line" column, Wells Fargo cutting customers' lines of credit, in the San Francisco Chronicle today devoted to banks yanking Homeowner Lines of Credit from Bay Area customers with good credit.

Ross' article is required reading for any homeowner who plans to finance a remodel with an unused HLOC. Even with a stellar credit rating, you may find the HLOC is bye-bye.

Peggy

Kitchen Cabinetry Trends for 2009

Kitchen & Bath Design News, an Industry publication, published a study on trends in the cabinet industry today.

Here are the highlights with some comments:

Clean lines and classic styles dominate today's kitchen cabinet choices, with value, sustainability and organization key priorities among consumers.

I have long urged my clients to choose cabinetry styles and finishes that fit with their homes, and of a quality that will endure for a lifetime of use.

Maple and alder are popular wood choices, while bamboo and lyptus appeal to environmentally conscious consumers. For the more budget-minded shopper, laminates in wood grain patterns offer an appealing option.

I only recommend true hardwoods, like maple, birch, cherry, hickory, and oak for my clients' kitchens. In my mind alder, while a beautiful wood, is too soft to stand up to the rigors of kitchen use. Reserve it for the family room or library if you want to save the cost of cherry. Lyptus is a newer wood species that deserves attention. It is very hard and has the same characteristic of reddening or mellowing with exposure to sunlight as cherry. Because it grows very quickly, it is considered more "green" than most other woods. Bamboo also makes a good green cabinet surface IF you choose a maker that uses high quality material (like Plyboo or Timbergrass). Laminates have long been used in cabinetry, but users tire of the look long before they wear out in many cases.




















Interior storage accessories are more relevant than ever as they maximize cabinet space and accessibility - particularly critical as consumers increasingly decide to remodel within their kitchen's existing footprint rather than expanding the space.

Custom components are becoming more affordable, allowing consumers at all price points to create a more personalized look for their cabinetry. However, excessive ornamentation has fallen out of vogue, with cleaner styles that minimize clutter reflecting the new consumer mindset.

In my mind, fussy corbels and monstrous moldings are simply a waste of space and money and add to the task of keeping the kitchen clean.

Painted finishes are gaining in popularity, while contrasting paint and stained finishes in one kitchen is a great way to add visual interest and character.

The San Francisco Bay Area, with our many Victorian homes, is a nexus for painted cabinetry. We use it here, in fashion or out.

Consumers are showing greater awareness of green issues as the Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association's Environmental Stewardship Program grows in scope, yet the added cost to “going green” presents an obstacle that is difficult to overcome in a challenging economy.

There are so many ways to enhance the greenness of our homes that also save us money down the road, that I can't imagine why we wouldn't pursue at least some elements of green in every remodel. As long as we remember to question the payback of every green idea that comes our way and only do those that have a defined and measurable payback, we should be just fine.

Peggy

HUGE Sale at Vetrazzo This Weekend

I just got the word that Vetrazzo, the famed Richmond, CA maker of recycled glass countertops, is having a clearance sale this weekend, September 19-20, 2009.

Prices are 50-70% off the retail cost of slabs for material that is not their regular line (They do a lot of experimenting there).

This is your chance to buy a green countertop at bargain basement prices.

Peggy

Greetings Friends of Vetrazzo. We're having a huge Factory Sale this weekend to clear out two years' of off-spec material. There is some stunning product being sold direct at huge discounts. Think of it as the Crate & Barrel Outlet but for countertops.

Thanks. Hope to see some of you there!

James Sheppard
CEO & Co-Founder
Vetrazzo, LLC
510.772.7770
www.vetrazzo.com

Julia's Kitchen Being Remodeled

Industry publication Kitchen & Bath Business has an article in this month's edition about the 1961 kitchen, now in the Smithsonian, from Julia Child's home; where she created her daily cooking program.

The new film, Julie and Julia with Meryl Streep playing Julia Child, is such a smash hit that interest in The French Chef is reaching a fever pitch.
























Julia Child's kitchen, on display at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History.


















Meryl Streep as Julia Child, on set in Julie & Julia. Photo courtesy of Jonathan Wenk, Sony Pictures Entertainment.

In the article, Ready, Set, Remodel, kitchen designers from around the US are asked how they would change Julia's kitchen today, to bring it into the 21st Century.

Me? I wouldn't change a thing.

Peggy

Now HERE'S a New Faucet!

It's been a long time since the first European faucets struck me with their ugliness and then sold me with their functionality. Seldom am I brought to my knees over a faucet design. But the new TriFlow Concepts kitchen and bathroom faucet designs by Zaha Hadid do just that.

I don't know what these babies cost, but they truly look like a work of art for your island. My compliments also to the photographer who took these shots. They make my mouth water.

Peggy

As described by Zaha Hadid:

“Our starting point was a series of formal studies on the conceptual terms of ‘fluidity’ and ‘seamlessness’ as we wanted to generate the fluid geometries of water in motion. By applying advanced 3D software to our experiments into the viscosity of liquids, we were able to explore complex forms and their productivity for domestic environments. A major benefit of this design language is that you can create something that not only appears continuous, but also blends seamlessly with the ergonomic needs of a tap.”

Featuring Triflow’s exclusive, patented three-way technology, the filtered drinking water is delivered through a dedicated waterway thereby isolating it from the hot and cold water streams. The latter are controlled by the tap’s discreet handle, while a touch-sensitive electronic button activates the filtered water. A green halo light glows when operational, turning to red when the water treatment cartridge requires replacement.

LED Reflector Replacements for PAR & MR16

Until now, the LED bulbs designed to replace the little reflector-type PAR or MR16 bulbs were a disappointment to buyers. That's a shame. A shame that manufacturers jumped the gun with products that weren't the equal of the incandescent bulbs they were designed to replace.

Now comes a new set of products by manufacturers that have already proven to us that they can provide LED downlights with the brightness to replace incandescent.












The new tiny, screw-in, reflector lamps (bulbs) are designed to replace energy hogging PAR lamps and MR 16 lamps. They provide light levels that are on a par with halogens up to 120 watts, and the light is focused much tighter than an LED downlight.

For further information on these new gems in energy efficient lighting see
LED Retrofit Lamps Now Viable as PAR Halogen and R-Lamp Replacements, by Kevin Willmorth, on page 58 in the July/August edition of Architectural Products Magazine.

There you will find information on the brands tested and approved (GE & CREE), and caveats: Not dimmable, no energy credits (because they can be swapped for incandescent).

Peggy

100% Fluorescent Kitchen Lighting

I am having a discussion with another kitchen designer on an industry forum:

Charles is resistant to the idea of using fluorescent lighting; saying he can't achieve the drama with fluorescent that he can with incandescent. Just as we California designers had to learn how to use fluorescent, now the rest of the country is faced with the task. I can honestly say it has been YEARS since I specified an incandescent light in a kitchen I designed. Most of the kitchens I design use 100% fluorescent lighting, and lately, LED lighting.

Here is a kitchen I recently helped to design with 100% fluorescent lighting...There ARE a couple of LED downlights in the adjacent breakfast nook, but they aren't visible at all in the images (and LEDs are even more efficient than fluorescent).

Pretty dramatic, isn't it? Warm, isn't it?

This shows that fluorescent doesn't have to look ghastly cold and green. By carefully choosing the fluorescent lamps (bulbs), we can achieve drama, warmth, even the coziness that once only characterized incandescent lighting. And all the while saving precious energy.

The times they are a-changin'

Peggy

Q & A on Oven Placement in the Kitchen

Q.

Thank you for providing great information on kitchen design, your experience and insight are very helpful!

I have a question concerning double oven cabinet placement.

1. When using a cook top with the double ovens in a separate cabinet, are there any rules about where to place the double oven? The reason I ask is, I have seen some designs with the double oven cabinet next to the refrigerator and others showing it placed outside of the main cooking triangle. How do you know "How far is too far?"

My kitchen is U-shaped, please see attached drawing, and as I plan for my kitchen remodel, I'm puzzled as to the best placement of the double oven should be. In the model home kitchens of my floor plan, one had the double oven by the refrigerator, the second located it in the left U corner. In both homes, the center island however, had reduced width and extended length to 40 W X 95 Long. They also extended the sink/half wall area.

What guidelines can you give to help determine the best placement for the double oven cabinet?

Thank you so much your time I appreciate any feedback you can share,

Jengi

A.

Without getting into the specifics of your design Jengi, which would entail consulting costs, I can comment in general about my philosophy when it comes to oven placement in the kitchen.

You have already mentioned some common locations for consideration:

1. Next to other tall cabinets like the refrigerator or a pantry.

2. Completely out of the "Work Triangle" in a remote area of the kitchen.

Here are some more options to consider:

3. Use two separate ovens and place them either under the counter, or in a pantry cabinet. One "handy" and the other remote.

4. Buy a range with one or more ovens...This option only makes sense for those who want a range and have enough storage space around it.

The ovens are statistically the least used appliance in most kitchens. You put something in the oven and it stays there until it is ready to be removed. Therefore, most cooks don't miss having an oven within the work triangle area, especially when counter space is tight.

Of course there are exceptions to the rule: The cook who broils every night; the cook who wants a combination microwave oven unit. But for most cooks banishing the ovens is no great loss in the overall scheme of things. You must weigh the relative importance of each choice you make in designing a kitchen against the other possibilities.

An experienced kitchen designer will take their client through a series of decisions to develop a kitchen design that is tailored to the individual and the space. There are almost always compromises because the space is not unlimited. But the result will be a kitchen design that the client knows is the best it can be, for him or her.

1. Because so many of the kitchens I help design in the San Francisco Bay Area are small, option 1 is something I do a lot. Burying the ovens next to something else that is tall seems to make the rest of the kitchen feel more spacious. Since there is usually counter space on only one side, I usually place the refrigerator next to the counter space. That counter space is the "sandwich making center". Devoting it to oven landing space doesn't make much sense when you compare refrigerator usage with oven usage.

2. Option 2 is used less often, but still viable when there are no other options (How far is too far? Outside the kitchen is usually too far, unless one oven can be placed inside the kitchen).

3. Option 3 is fairly common for those clients who can afford two separate ovens.

4. Option 4 is also common for those clients who like the "commercial look", or where the main cook is a man.

Another issue that often comes up in discussions about oven placement is back problems. Those clients who have back problems do not want to bend to use an oven. For such clients placement of the oven at a comfortable height is mandatory.

Another common question regards placing the oven in close proximity to the refrigerator. Some clients are concerned that the refrigerator will die an early death as a result. This has not been an issue at all. Refrigerators these days are so well insulated and ovens are vented out the front and well insulated as well.

Then there is "landing space". An oven doesn't HAVE to have counter space next to it, but there must be counter space within easy reach. An island, or peninsula, often provides such a spot.

Lastly there is the issue of safety: Ovens are hot! Removing a heavy item, like a hot 25lb. turkey, from the oven can be dangerous if the open oven door is positioned too high to be safe. Kitchen designers are trained to carefully specify the placement of the oven opening height to be safe for all users.

Peggy

PARAPAN! The Sleekest in Cabinet Doors

There was an entirely new product shown at the National Kitchen and Bath Association Show (KBIS) this year. Attendees voted it the Best New Kitchen Product in the show.

PARAPAN®, by Element Designs, is a high gloss solid surface material, available in a 3/4" thick version that is fabricated into door and drawer fronts and a thin veneer-like version for covering exposed ends and appliance fronts.

Being in the K&B business a long time, I was reminded of the polyester cabinet doors that debuted with a big splash back in the 80's and then disappointed designers and buyers when they didn't hold up to the harsh environment a kitchen presents.

Intrigued, I contacted Element Designs and requested a sample to test myself. They sent me a beautiful, bright, Cobalt Blue sample. To request a product sample, call 800-631-5384.

To my surprise PARAPAN® proved to be up to every challenge I could think of. The only negative is the weight of the doors. Like Corian®, and other acrylic-based solid surface products, PARAPAN® is heavy. That means the hinges need to be extra heavy duty and watched carefully in use. I wouldn't want one of those doors to fall on my toesies. That's for sure!

The material is made in Germany, by Evonik Industries AG, and distributed here in the US by Evonik Cyro LLC.

Element Designs, of Charlotte, NC, seems to have an exclusive on the product, as cabinetry, here in the USA, at least for the time being.

This IS a high-end product - No doubt about that. And it MUST be seen to be appreciated. The colors are not done justice on a computer or printed page. But if you have the wherewithal and want beautiful clear color and high gloss, PARAPAN® is the answer.

Peggy

"PARAPAN® doors are made of a revolutionary, highly reflective, solid surface material which is easy to maintain, water resistant, and UV and fade resistant. The solid surface doors are environmentally friendly, do not contain any VOCs or plasticizers and are also fully recyclable. The doors are available in 17 vibrant colors, are custom manufactured to 1/16", have quick lead times and no minimum order quantities, making them ideal for both new construction and remodeling projects."

Q & A on Kitchen Design - Most Important Aspect

Hello!

I am an aspiring Interior Designer, currently studying at Modesto Junior College. In my Kitchen and Bath Design course, we have an assignment to research a designer.

If you have the time and would like to have your quote in a students essay:

What do you consider the most important aspect of kitchen designing?

Thank you for your time, and I love your work!

Lauren

Thank you for your question Lauren.

The most important aspect of kitchen design, after learning the basics of the craft, is to learn to LISTEN to your clients or potential clients.

Listening is a skill that most people only develop over time, with trial and error. But missed cues are very problematic in the designer client relationship.

Clients often do not know how to articulate what they want. But they always know when a designer is not listening to them, and going off on wild tangents that have no relationship to their desires.

Novice designers often do most of the talking when interacting with potential clients. They have absorbed all that knowledge and they want to show it off! Then they wonder why the clients don't come back. It's because they have found somebody else who listens.

A designer who listens and asks questions to understand fully the client's true desires does not develop plans that are wrong for, and a disappointment to, the client.

Best of luck to you in your career Lauren.

Peggy

Re: Save the Light Bulb!

Came across this article in the WSJ, by a noted lighting designer, who rants on compact fluorescent lighting being foisted on the unsuspecting public by the big, bad, government. I simply MUST respond.

* The Wall Street Journal

* OPINION
* AUGUST 30, 2009, 7:19 P.M. ET

Save the Light Bulb!
Compact fluorescents don't produce good quality light.


By HOWARD M. BRANDSTON

"The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 will effectively phase out incandescent light bulbs by 2012-2014 in favor of compact fluorescent lamps, or CFLs. Other countries around the world have passed similar legislation to ban most incandescents.

Will some energy be saved? Probably. The problem is this benefit will be more than offset by rampant dissatisfaction with lighting..."

I'm afraid Mr. Brandston is living in the past. A past where Edison lights cast a warm glow and the man of the house spent his evenings banking the coal furnace for a long winter's night.

One would think that a lighting designer who relit the Statue of Liberty would embrace new technology, especially when the world as we knew it is fast disappearing in a swirl of forest fires and hurricanes.

If everyone in the nation had been nudged into energy efficiency the way Californians have since the advent of Title 24 (California's energy code that has kept our energy usage at 1990 levels for decades), we would be well on our way to solving our energy conundrum, and less far down the road of global warming.

Fluorescent, and newly, LED lighting are revolutionizing the way residential spaces are lit. Designers who have embraced the technology and found creative new ways of lighting our homes and lives should not be intimidated by those who would take us back to the horse and buggy. Nor should those who still need to learn how to design with fluorescent lighting. We have blazed a path for you and the learning curve is not steep, nor the goal trivial.

Homeowners, don't fall for such drivel. You are the ones who are driving the expansion of demand for truly green homes with energy efficient lighting along with energy efficient appliances, solar, windows, HVAC, insulation, sealing, etc. Do not waver. The planet cannot wait any longer.

Peggy