house and home by joel martens
Spring is here. I don’t know about you but I’m ready for a change
NothiNg
– time for something fresh. I get sick to death of looking at the same
old things in the same places. It makes me want to toss everything
and start over!
Like
In lieu of that, I have learned that there are several things that
can be done to capitalize on the spring and summer vibe and
a Fresh
most of them are pretty simple and inexpensive. Look to nature for
inspiration, botanicals, natural fibers such as bamboo and rattan,
colors that are inspired by what you see on a day-to-day basis. They
Coat of
will not only inspire your palette but once indoors, they will sooth
and restore.
Now for the challenge, let’s start in the room that everyone as-
sumes is the most impossible because of the expense it can incur PaiNt!
– the kitchen. Here are two simple projects that I have done with very
little work that resulted in very dramatic effects.
First, let’s talk about paint. I know, I know, this always seems like
such a massive job and there is so much prep and clean up involved.
It really doesn’t have to be that way. We can keep it simple. Instead of
taking on the whole kitchen let’s choose one of the smallest areas, the
space between your upper and lower cabinets. Largely ignored as a
point of interest, it’s something that you can modify with powerful
visual impact. Be brave; choose a color that makes a statement. One
of my favorites was a kitchen that was painted primarily in yellow,
kind of dull, but we played it up by applying blue dots in various sizes,
with paint and sponges cut in circles. We dipped the sponge in our
paint, gently stamped the circles randomly on the backsplash area,
with a fun and playful result. (Always practice with your technique on
paper before you attack your walls!)
Another great starting point is to play off a piece that you have in
your kitchen already. I used botanical-themed tiles on the wall be-
tween the range and the vent hood above. I used the deep red color
as a starting point, I had it custom mixed which you can do by simply
taking a sample of the color you want to your local hardware store
for matching. We used this color as backdrop between the cabinets
as described above, and it was stunning. Mix in a bamboo rug like
the one pictured with some other accents and you have a complete
make over! A little paint can accomplish so much.
Another choice that can affect a strong change is simply replacing
the hardware on your kitchen cabinetry. There are so many options
available that it can be overwhelming to choose but, spend some
time and really pick something that speaks to you. A wall sculpture
was a starting point for a kitchen and dining area change out for an-
other customer. I loved the simplicity of this piece, and even though
the materials used are iron and wire it has a soft natural feel. We hung
the piece on a feature wall about an inch off and lit it carefully (to
create its shadow on the wall behind) for impact. To continue this
idea, I had seen kitchen knobs in a local hardware store that were in
various branch-like shapes that I loved. We simply replaced all of the
cabinet hardware and painted one of the walls in a rich green and
accessorized with some of the pieces pictured here. This created an
For more information, please feel free to call us at 619.220.0225 ext. 2 or visit us at PomegranateHome at 1037
environment that brought the outdoor world inside—perfect for
University Avenue in Hillcrest. You can check out our website at www.
Pomegranate.signonsandiego.com as
spring and renewal!
well. If you need more individual assistance, contact me at
joel@pomhome.com or the number above and we
Simple things that have great impact, materials that are unex-
can set up a consultation!
pected and small projects to change the way you view your own
space work really well. Get brave and get going!
Joel Martens is the general manager at PomegranateHome and owner of Arrange Design.
68 RAGE monthly | MAY 2009
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112