Wednesday Woodworks - Glazed Kitchen Cabinetry Request

  TC Millwork has a potential client who is looking to turn their dark cherry colored kitchen into a lighter and brighter look more appropriate for their oceanside location.  The couple was swayed after seeing a friends recently completed kitchen refinish. Realising the dramatic before and afters, they have had a hard time escaping the now seeded idea.  Luckily for us, their original cabinetry is of superior wood quality and craftsmanship so refinishing will be an easily warrantied work.  They know they would like a glazed look so here are a few samples and suggestions to help them decide which direction they may like to go.

Image from here

The process of glazing is summarized by the above photo.  The quantity and the color combination are the two variants that need to be decided when going with a glazed look.

Image from houseofturquoise

The above kitchen features a very light glaze over an off-white lacquer.

This image features a custom built TC Millwork kitchen with a moderate glaze over an ivory lacquer

at fleur de lys villa

Image by Jake Gevorgian

The final image demonstrates a heavy glaze.  Clients must keep in mind the more ornamental details a kitchen has such as brackets, mouldings, columns, corbels, spindles, onlays, scrolls, or rosettes, the heavier the glaze will appear. 

Once a light, moderate, or heavy glaze has been decided upon, the second factor to consider is the color combination of the glaze with the color of the cabinetry lacquer.  Both can be customized.  Commonly colors in the brown glaze family are paired with ivory finishes.  A new popular trend has been a charcoal glaze over a white finish. 

Caribbean Leisure/Lifestyle Styling Inspiration

Above images from all things chic

The other half of our upcoming photo shoot will be marketing a hot new Providenciales boutique with an incredible collection of womens clothing, shoes, and accessories.  Our story will follow very much along the lines of "tropical island getaway."  Here are a few of my inspirations that I think say just that.  Stay tuned for behind the scenes photos in the coming weeks.

Image from sauvage

Image from fashionfame

Above three images from sogni di mare

Nautical Styling Inspiration

Top three images featured in January 2010 Vogue via fashionising

I have been busy for the last couple of weeks preparing for a photo shoot for the cover of an on island publication.  Luckily for us, the location will be aboard a sailing catamaran!  Here are some of my nautical, windswept, and seaward bound inspirations.  

 Inspiration board from the sweetest occasion featuring a marina yachting image.  If this is your kind of style, you are sure to love this company.  I adore their architectural inspirations behind their Concept store, check it out here!

Another Marina Yachting Image found via i love models management.  Many more of these classic images can be found on wiener models blogspot

  Image from shabby apple.  Anyone who has a flair for vintage fashion this website is a must see!

Image from artscritique

Image from go-nxg

Image from bwgreyscale

Above images from inventive point

Image from prcouture

Image from we heart it

I'm not even certain this shoot will feel like work!  As long as we have the fair weather Turks and Caicos are well known for, the tropical imaging team and I are going to have a "jolly oh" good time!

Wednesday Woodworks

 Another way in which I will be focusing the blog will be to highlight TC Millworks craftsmanship.  Every Wednesday will be dedicated to a post about a current project, a completed work, a before and after, or simply a woodworking inspiration to help our clientele get ideas.  I'll start today with a kitchen refinish we just signed on for.  The client has a dark, cherry finish kitchen and, although it was just refinished by a competitor a mere three years ago, the finish has already begun to chip and peel.  The client desires an ivory lacquer finish that will be easy to care for and maintain.

Image from DeCesare Design Group

  The first option presented to the client was to keep all of the existing cabinetry and again refinish  despite the unfortunate longevity of the last attempt (this could have been due to unknown wood origin or poor quality of the original cabinetry doors or inadequate sanding before respraying).  The above image resembles what an ivory lacquer might look like with the clients existing style of panels, drawers, and doors.  We encouraged the addition of crown moulding should the client go with this option, as you can see above the simplicity of the style is made more interesting with that top detail.

Image via Atlanta Homes Magazine

The second option was to build all new doors, panels, and drawer fronts to be able to offer the typical TC Millwork warranty of work.  The client's walnut media unit in the adjoining living room displayed shaker style doors and they wondered about coordinating the kitchen cabinetry.  They had also decided to keep the existing black hardware for the refinish.  The above image was a great reference to preview the look that this option could achieve.  The client decided per our suggestion on this second style. Although slightly more expensive, it was a far more practical decision given the circumstances.  Stay posted for a before and after post on this project!

Field Guide Fridays - sneak peak

   Over the last couple of years I have gained a whole new appreciation for local flora and fauna.  With Fleur de Lys Villa there was such a steep learning curve with the landscaping, one I am very proud of having gone through and learned many lessons from.  The villa boasts a wide variety of beautiful tropical species, many chosen based on their aesthetic properties.  Some have taken root, multiplied, and flourished. Others have sadly suffered in their surroundings and slowly wilted away.  For the last week I have been in the garden every day for the first time in many months, toiling away during rain and shine.  At the end of an eight hour day, full of dirt and grime and sweat from all the labors of yard work, I plump down in the courtyard sofa and listen to the birds sing and enjoy the peace and serenity of the surroundings my hands, and many others, have put so very many hours into.  It's a classic case of "if I knew then, what I know now."  If I only would have found my appreciation for local species before we started building and slowly evaluated what indigenous trees, shrubs, vines, and flowers would have worked beautifully for our vision.  Do I think we could have achieved the same lush, romantic feel?  Absolutely.  It possibly just would have taken another decade for these local species to grow to great heights but I do believe they would be far more likely to be resilient to sickness and disease, acclimated to the challenging Caribbean climate, and long lasting without the constant care and attention.
   With our new project in Longbay Hills, I have vowed not to put ANY non native species into the ground (other than our fruit and vegetable garden and compost heap).  It will be a challenge but a great experiment I look forward to.  I hope others learn from our situation and take a moment to walk through the beautiful bush, stop and smell the flowers, watch the insects and animals and really appreciate this highly unique environment in which we live and/or visit.  There is no reason not to use native species in your home garden and it is an absolute crime against nature to clear cut what has taken hundreds of years for Mother Nature to nourish.  Love where you live! I would like to continue my learning and expand my appreciation, but also strongly hope to spread that knowledge and curiosity to others, thus every Field Guide Friday will feature a native plant or animal species here on Pepper and Pikey.  Stay posted!

2011 TCSPCA Dog Show

Oh Canada!

 Image from craftgossip

 Happy Canada Day!  I have never been that fond of red, in design nor fashion (except for those few years in high school when Gwen Stefani and Marilyn Monroe somehow convinced me I should be blonde and where it on my lips).  It just so happens that I have a client who loves the hue and wants to replace several throw pillows which must incorporate the daring color.  I can easily let her live with any of these great fabrics:

Magnolia Soho

Magnolia Acitelli

sultana_lattice_iman_amaryllis

Pillow case cover from etsy vendor

Red is a known stimulant color so small splashes will add quite the decorating punch to any room.  To read more on the color red, interesting facts and associations, please see sensational color.