Monogram recently debuted a Column refrigerator door panel artfully conceived by style and fashion icon Zac Posen. With intricate details from the charcoal mirror finish to the fabric inspired details, Zac Posen’s door panel exudes sophistication that will help its owners realize the endless opportunities for custom design. The Monogram column is expertly engineered with LED interior lighting, autofill pitcher and WiFi connectivity.
Monogram has the pleasure of working with so many talented and impressive designers across the country. Jean Stoffer with Jean Stoffer Design in the Chicago area is a true design professional we enjoy partnering with, and wanted to learn a little more about her background and experiences.
Kitchen in 1902 Victorian Home designed by Jean Stoffer Design. Photography: John Stoffer
SRFD: How did you become interested in design?
Jean: I became interested in design soon after graduating from college in 1982. After getting a business degree I went to work for a small interior design firm as the business manager. I was fascinated by what they were doing. The principle designer was very kind to me and informally apprenticed me when she observed my interest. I’ve never looked back.
SRFD: Tell us about a recent project.
Jean: Our firm has been given the opportunity to do design work in many older homes with fabulous architectural details. We find it particularly gratifying to embrace this architecture as a gift and work with it to modernize the homes in a way that compliments how we live and work in our homes today. One such project we completed recently was in a 1902 Victorian in West Michigan. Very little had changed in the home over the decades. Although it was in rough shape, all the original moldings and some very special doors and windows were still there. Score! To agree with how the family lives we moved the kitchen into the original dining room, the family room into the original back parlor, and the dining room into the original front parlor. We made the old kitchen into a mud room, laundry room and powder room. Upstairs we converted one of the bedrooms into a bathroom. We kept the character, and whenever possible highlighted it. It was a triumph! Both we and the clients are delighted with the results.
Kitchen in 1902 Victorian home designed by Jean Stoffer Design. Photography: John Stoffer
SRFD: A trend you’re excited about?
Jean: I’m excited about the trend embracing more color. Particularly in wall paint and accessory items like pillows.
SRFD: A trend you’re over?
Jean: A trend I’m over is recessed can lights proliferated in every single ceiling of an entire home.
Kitchen in 1902 Victorian home designed by Jean Stoffer Design. Photography: John Stoffer
SRFD: Tell us about your relationship with Monogram.
Jean: I have had the good fortune of attending a designer training event with Monogram at the Chicago Merchandise Mart. Since that training I have felt confident to spec Monogram in projects and educated enough to explain to the client why Monogram is a wise choice.
Monogram is rolling out the red carpet to debut a Column refrigerator door panel artfully conceived by style and fashion icon Zac Posen. With intricate details from the charcoal mirror finish to the fabric inspired details, Zac Posen’s door panel exudes sophistication that will help its owners realize the endless opportunities for custom design.
Posen, a judge for Lifetime’s “Project Runway,” is renowned for dressing leading women, including Michelle Obama, Gwyneth Paltrow, Uma Thurman and Rihanna. Also an avid culinary artist and author of the cookbook Cooking with Zac, Posen collaborated with Monogram to bring his signature runway style to luxury kitchens.
“I’m a great believer in handcrafted products—it is part of the DNA of who I am, my brand and the clothing I make,” Posen said. “Creativity and elegance can live anywhere, and I find my inspiration in working with form and shape. When designing for Monogram, I was thinking about how clothing is wrapped around the body and how that can be translated to move over a flat form. There’s a level of precision and detail in all facets of the Monogram Column refrigerator that makes it more than an appliance—it is a work of thoughtfully crafted artistic expression.”
Like Posen, Monogram is known for its finely crafted details and distinctive styles that adorn the homes of owners with refined tastes. The Monogram column is expertly engineered with LED interior lighting, autofill pitcher and WiFi connectivity.
“Our owners crave personalization and sophistication—and Zac’s door panel is an inspired example of what a Column refrigerator can be,” said Keith Larsen, executive director, Monogram. “We use only the finest materials from the LED lighting to the finely polished stainless-steel accents. In combination with Zac’s signature style, the Monogram Column refrigerator is the ultimate culmination of high fashion and high function.”
Posen is among an elite galleria of world-class artisans that Monogram has enlisted to celebrate the craftsmanship of Monogram appliances. Defined by purposeful design and complemented by one-of-a-kind creations, Monogram offers topline ranges, refrigerators, ovens, dishwashers and more.
“When I’m in the kitchen, I want my appliances to be as refined as my recipes,” Posen said. “The Monogram Column refrigerator is elegant. It is so meticulously crafted. It’s a hand-finished product so it really deserved to have an equally beautiful, handcrafted door panel. Together, we have created an inspiration for how column appliances can uniquely personalized.”
Fashion icon Zac Posen, celebrity A-lister Brooke Shields and GE Appliances Vice President of Marketing and Brand Mary Putman celebrated the launch of his newly-designed refrigerator column for the Monogram appliance collection at The Pool hotspot in New York.
When given the opportunity to design a new Kosher kitchen for this Atlantic Beach home, Ellen Lopez of El Design Studio had many things to take into consideration. Not only was she tasked with creating a gorgeous, useable space, but she had to fit double the usual kitchen necessities inside to design a true Kosher kitchen. She had a fairly large area to work with, but she was challenged by the need to provide separate kitchen storage, preparation, cleaning and cooking areas for meats and dairy while keeping her design upscale and beautiful. Of course, she met these challenges and gave the owners an award-winning kitchen that reflects their deep convictions and grand sense of style.
Lopez’ favorite aspect of this kitchen is how all of the elements come together. Though the chevron-style flooring makes a bold statement, the two-tone cabinets in Benjamin Moore Tweed Coat and White Dove don’t compete. The grey keeps the lower cabinetry grounded while the white upper cabinets keep things bright. In addition, the Cambria Quartz countertops in Berwyn bring all the colors and tones together. “It all feels like it belongs, and nothing is overpowering,” says Lopez.
The real story of this kitchen, though, is its functionality. Lopez created a Kosher kitchen that flows well for the home owners. In addition to double sinks and dual prep spaces, the owners chose a Monogram double oven. It offers a level of sophistication that goes well beyond its impeccable craftsmanship—it’s Kosher user friendly. These ovens provide a Sabbath mode where, to meet cooking restrictions during holy times, no temperature changes will be displayed, and the double ovens will operate continuously at a previously selected temperature. Also, having two ovens means one can be dedicated to cooking meat dishes and the other dairy.
Having won the approval of the owners many times over, this kitchen has gone on to win accolades from many others, too. The NKBA Metro New York chapter presented El Design Studio with the award for best medium-size kitchen by a certified kitchen designer. It was also featured in Long Island’s luxury lifestyle magazine, House, in its 2018 kitchen and bath issue. We applaud Lopez’ design excellence and wish the owners many years of enjoyment from their gourmet Kosher kitchen.
We recently came across a beautiful kitchen designed by Natalie O Design on Instagram. We were so entranced, we asked if Natalie Officer, the creative force behind the company, would tell us a little more about herself … and share some additional photos. Take a look!
SRFD: How did you become interested in design?
Natalie: It started so long ago, the memory of exactly when is foggy. What I have always loved is the ability to make an impact and positive outcome in such a short amount of time. To truly affect a space, a design, a person in only a couple of days is motivating. It inspires.
SRFD: A trend you’re excited about?
Natalie: I am always excited by new collaborations or iterations, and love the fresh impact of colors. As far as trends, I try to stay clear of them.
SRFD: A trend you’re over?
Natalie: Excess. In any form (natural light excluded)
SRFD: Tell us about this kitchen.
Natalie: This kitchen belongs to a local Louisville-area family. It was a renovation from awhile back, but their matriarch, Nicole, is a busy yet wonderful mom and realtor who prefers tackling a little at a time! We’ve been fortunate to help her select vibrant wallpapers and fabrics to work throughout other rooms in her home, and to this day we’re still in touch! We’re currently adding some custom touches to her entry way. This kitchen renovation was a true mix of traditional style and modern functionality. Cabinetry and hardware selections were key here, using paneling on appliances such as the refrigerator. Nicole didn’t shy from mixing metals, using brass, stainless and even rose gold touches on her serving ware. The result is a warm, calming and inviting space for family and guests to gather.
Learn more about the Natalie O Design team here and explore this home and story exemplifying their true nature as a design company.
We had a great time celebrating and creating an amazing experience with the clients and team from Jkath Design Build + Reinvent in their new kitchen last month. Learn more about the event and the impressive whole home remodel on their blog.
The blog Home Bunch highlights beautiful interiors, luxury estates, celebrity homes and includes a vibrant design community. Recently we came across their post featuring one of our favorites, Andrea from @lifeoncedarlane! Take a look at her gorgeous home.
We have the privilege of partnering with impressive designers from across the country, including Mary Jo Peterson, President of Mary Jo Peterson, Inc., and a columnist with Kitchen and Bath Design News. Learn more about Mary Jo in our interview with her.
SRFD: How did you become interested in design?
Mary Jo: Having started in education, I was crazy about design and anything to do with the kitchen when I headed to the showroom with the best reputation in Connecticut for my own kitchen renovation. There I met Lorey Cavanaugh, a phenomenal designer who not only saw me through to my new kitchen, but also brought me into the world of kitchen and bath design. Early on, I became interested in universal or inclusive design, and this became my professional passion.
SRFD: Tell us about a recent project
Mary Jo: We recently completed the combining of two adjacent condos into one, a three story space, and incorporating client-specific access for a couple, one of whom has a degenerative condition, so sort-of a moving target. The overall space included kitchens on two floors, multiple bathrooms and the need to provide ease of movement throughout. It was what I call a reverse universal design project in that we started with specific access and then expanded to include spaces that will work for both members of the household and guests.
SRFD: A trend you are excited about?
Mary Jo: The growing availability of modular appliance options- cooking modules that let one have it all, some induction, some gas, and more, as well as refrigerator/freezer/beverage storage columns that allow one to plan multiple units in multiple locations and of various sizes. This all does so much to allow us to personalize the space for each particular client. This is obviously great in large kitchens, but it also allows us to make the absolute most of small spaces.
SRFD: A trend you are over?
Mary Jo: Stacked oven cabinets. I really appreciate the design aesthetic and the function of the horizontal line in appliance installation, particularly when this can be accomplished in mid-height cabinetry. It gets easier and better as our appliance manufacturers create a variety of appliances at the same height.
SRFD: Tell us about your relationship with Monogram
Mary Jo: My relationships with GE and Monogram go back many years and includes some of my favorite people and experiences. One project that stands out is the Real Life Design Kitchen, which we created for GE to tell their universal design story and to promote the concept within the design/build community. This was back in 1995 (or about then), showing GE and Monogram to be ahead of the curve, and in fact, the newest version of that same kitchen anchors the Real Life Design Lab at VA Tech today. Design innovation is a reason I continue to keep up with what’s new at Monogram.
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Our Monogram team in New York City has the pleasure of working with Kris from Driven by Decor. After months of dreaming and planning, Kris finally kicked off her kitchen renovation last month. As she says, “It’s definitely an it’s-going-to-get-worse-before-it-gets-better situation since we’re demoing our kitchen down to the subfloor and studs.” On her blog Kris shared some plans for her kitchen remodel, including the appliances she selected. We might be biased but we think appliance selection is one of the more enjoyable components of a kitchen remodel!
Written by Courtney Kruer, Monogram
This March, Monogram took our brand international to sponsor the annual Leaders of Design Conference which was held in Kyoto, Japan. The Leaders of Design (LDC) are a tight knit community of incredibly influential architects, interior designers, landscape design firms, furniture designers, and more that come together from over 40 cities across the globe throughout the year to facilitate connections throughout the design industry. Our first day, we were welcomed with open arms by founders of the LDC, Meg Touborg and Keith Granet, at the exquisite Kyoto Ritz-Carlton. How gorgeous is the lobby of the hotel?
That night, after speeches by Mariel Hemingway and Azby Brown, we left the hotel for the opening cocktail reception held at the Seiryuden Temple in Kyoto. We gathered around for introductions and then were seated for a night full of networking and delicious sushi. We were surprised halfway through appetizers with a breathtaking 150+ pound tuna brought into the room by two renowned Michelin chefs flown in from Tokyo to make us the most fresh sushi that any of us had ever had the pleasure of indulging in.
The next day, we opted to have the traditional Japanese breakfast at the Ritz-Carlton. Can you believe that all of this was only breakfast? These dishes range from traditional Japanese tea, white rice, miso soup, yogurt with fresh fruit and honey, a rolled egg omelet, tofu, blacked cod, small glasses of sweet vinegar and grape juice, and so much more. Needless to say, we were quite full!
Following breakfast, all 130 of us took buses to The Miho Museum, which was southeast of Kyoto near the town of Shigaraki. We were greeted by the director of the museum, Hiroo Inoue, who taught us about the history of the museum and how it was constructed to be such a stunning architectural piece of the city. Next we had an interactive workshop in the museum with Tom Andrews, the president of SY Partners, where we practiced “Designing Mindfulness” throughout our daily life. Both the setting and the workshop left us very relaxed and centered for the rest of our trip, which definitely helped with our 14 hour jet lag!
The following day was full of immersing ourselves in traditional Japanese culture thanks to a custom Kyoto University program LDC conceived, designed and presented that welcomed us to the grounds of the Myoshinji Temples. Throughout the day, we rotated in small groups to be educated in Japanese art forms such as Calligraphy (Shodo), Flower Arranging (Ikebana), a traditional tea ceremony and how to consider the symbolization and layout for peaceful contemplation in Japanese gardening.
We even learned how to write “elevate” in Japanese Calligraphy. Monogram is Elevating Everything even abroad!
That evening, we drove to the Kyoto National Museum for an art gallery walk and a beautiful seated dinner. Unfortunately no photos were allowed inside the gallery, but as you can imagine by the stunning design of the exterior of the museum, it was quite a breathtaking site!
On our last day in Japan, we explored two gardens led by Japanese monks. Although the cherry blossoms were not yet in bloom, these gardens were remarkable. We even saw one of the last functioning and undisrupted wells for drinking water left in Japan, which is still used by the monks that live there.
On our way to dinner for our final evening in Kyoto, we of course had to go see the famous Golden Temple that was built in 1955. Even in the rainy, cloudy weather, it was spectacular.
We then went to our final destination for the week: Kitayama Monolith. The site is often used for weddings and we can absolutely understand why! The elegant architecture and design combined with the all glass walls onlooking a garden surrounded by water, made this one of the most gorgeous places we had ever set foot inside of. We were greeted by Japanese Geishas of all ages, who later on performed traditional dances for our entire group. The night ended with music, nightcaps and dancing, which we never wanted to end!
Needless to say, if you ever get a chance to go to Japan, especially Kyoto, you must do so. In addition to how beautiful and clean the city was, the most inspiring part of the trip was just how friendly and helpful everyone we encountered was. Whether it was the concierge at the Ritz-Carlton or a cashier at a convenience store, we were treated with the highest form of respect and kindness every single day. It’s definitely worth the 12-16+ hour journey across the world to experience the rich culture that this entire country has to offer. We sincerely thank the Leaders of Design for allowing us to be a sponsor of their annual international conference and network with all of their members. Words cannot describe how appreciative we were to Elevate Everything in Kyoto with over 100 of the most undeniably inspirational leaders of the design community.
