Earlier this year, the new Monogram French-door wall oven was featured by HGTV in their “12 Hot Trends in Kitchen Appliances” piece. Read their post to learn what’s cooking in the kitchen and why the Monogram French-door wall oven was included.
Author: Megan
Monogram Experience Recap
Our friend Morgan Molitor, designer, remodeler and stylist with Construction2Style, recently participated in a designer session at the Chicago Monogram Design Center. Read all about the experience on her blog.
Interview with Olga Odeide
Recently we interviewed Olga Odeide, Vice President of Industry Partnerships with the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID), to learn about her role with the organization and its’ focus on helping designers.
SRFD: Tell us about your background.
Olga: I’ve had an interesting, non-traditional career arc. I started out in design of a different sort – electrical engineering, circuits and high tech system design. I eventually led a diverse global sales team, but was drawn to more creative pursuits. I pivoted into Interiors and studied at The Art Institutes (where I originally connected with ASID as a student member). After some time at a leading firm working multi-million dollar installations, I combined my design knowledge with my background in business development into a consulting position, working with Design and Architecture firms nationwide to refine growth strategies, streamline operations and maximize profitability. It was during this time that I also enhanced my ASID experience with a Chapter Board role. I’m now at ASID National Headquarters as Vice President of Industry Partnerships, where I work with manufacturers and service providers at a national level to connect them into all that ASID does on behalf of the industry.
SRFD: Why should designers be an ASID member?
Olga: ASID is a community of designers, industry representatives, educators and students who believe that design impacts lives. When you become an ASID member, you are immediately connected to a distinguished network of peers, thought leaders and luminaries. Members have access to the Society’s leading-edge industry research, it’s bi-monthly international magazine, i+D, and a vast array of in-person and online professional development opportunities. ASID offers members a robust chapter experience and the chance to lead at the volunteer, local and national levels. And the Society provides members with a collection of business solutions – contracts, business insurance, health insurance, the ASID job bank, exclusive discounts and more – to help them develop successful careers in the design industry. ASID membership is an invaluable tool in propelling designers to the top of their game.
SRFD: What have you learned from being on the ASID team?
Olga: First and foremost, I’ve learned that the team at ASID headquarters is a committed, high-performing group of talented individuals. I look forward to working with my colleagues every day. I’ve had the opportunity to meet and engage with individual members, Industry Partner members, and leadership at both the local and national level. I’ve formed a new appreciation for the dedication of the designers and representatives I’ve met, and for the vastness of design. There are so many established and emerging areas of specialization – biophilic design, universal design, aging-in-place considerations, workplace and healthcare design – that substantiate the ASID belief that Design Impacts Lives.
SRFD: Favorite ASID experience?
Olga: I’ve had so many great experiences during my tenure with ASID. But if I had to choose just one, I would have to pick The Leadership Experience: Presented by ASID (EXP) which took place in July 2017 in San Diego. EXP was the Society’s most inclusive event ever and featured content for everyone, from emerging professionals to seasoned designers. Interactive workshops, tours, networking events and more were centered around three topic areas – Lead Yourself, Lead Your Team, and Lead Your Firm. ASID is committed to encouraging and training our members to become leaders in the design industry, and that commitment is the driving force behind EXP. Speakers, including Nancy Giordano, founder and CEO of Play Big, Inc.; Andrew Dent, Ph.D. of Material ConneXion; and several design industry luminaries; offered attendees a fresh perspective on the world of business, leading in the 21st century, and how to lead with authenticity. It was a career-changing experience for all who attended.
SRFD: Tell us a little bit about your partnership with Monogram Appliances.
Olga: It’s been great! Monogram is a National Industry Partner with ASID, supporting the mission to showcase the Impact of Design. National Industry Partner membership provides Monogram access to the broad ASID Chapter network to get brand visibility, participate in various activities, and build relationships with designers at the local level. In addition, we work closely with Monogram designer engagement leader Alex Skobel to better understand Monogram’s overall goals and objectives to augment efforts with sponsorship at the national level. We’ve had great success with both exposure and engagement with designers, and look forward to continuing to grow our partnership for many years to come.
A Cooktop Showdown Revealed, From A Finer Touch Construction
Recently a few team members from A Finer Touch Construction visited the Chicago Monogram Design Center (MDC) to learn about Monogram, the design process, our appliances – and even cook with them! Read about their visit and learn more about the cooktop showdown between electric and gas on their blog.
Photographer, Designer and General Contractor
Following up on last week’s profile of photographer and designer Jamie Sangar, we wanted to learn a little more about her background and most recent project – her own home.
Photography: Jamie Sangar
As a little girl, I never imagined myself being a general contractor. General contractors carry tape measures and wear hard hats. I was going to wear tutus and make-up. In my wildest imagination I never guessed that general contractors could do both!
When my husband and I decided we wanted to build a modern, energy-efficient home in Indianapolis, Indiana, our options for homebuilders were pretty slim, to say the least. In a market with much more conservative taste overall, and neighborhood homeowner’s associations that have a tight hold on architectural styles, the challenge was real trying to find the perfect land that would allow us to have neighbors, since we aren’t the country-dwelling type, as well as the design freedom to build a modern home. So, before even getting started on the land search, we knew we were up against two major roadblocks.
Thankfully, we were pleasantly surprised to quickly find the perfect land. It’s as if fate was on our side. We knew that our next step was to find the perfect architect. Even though we are both artists (my husband, a Visual Effects Supervisor, and me, a photographer by trade) and can easily visualize and design things on our own, we put the upmost value in hiring an architect, that could not only design a functional home based around the way that we live, but also, build a home that fit the land. We lucked out with lots of tall, mature trees, and a hill that our house would set atop—all things that we wanted to help dictate our home design, rather than knock-down, flatten, and plop a house on top of.
Photography: Jamie Sangar
After meeting with three different architects, we chose to work with Jason Wolfe at Demerly Architects, who was the perfect match for us in terms of style, personality and being willing to work with, what some would consider, a tough budget for a custom home that offers some high-end technology and appliances. He had ideas on where to save money to help offset those luxuries we weren’t willing to give up.
After having our plans priced with two local builders, and feeling frustrated by the price that came back both times, we decided that if we were going to make our dreams a reality, we were going to have to get our hands dirty. And by “dirty,” I mean, take on the responsibility of being the general contractor on our build.
I managed the day to day progress, scheduling the sub-contractors, managing material deliveries, working with our lender, meeting with potential subs, getting quotes, keeping the job site clean, hiring and firing, all while managing a full-time photography business and two children.
Photography: Jamie Sangar
Our exterior walls are SIPs panels (structural insulated panels) built by Thermocore, which means that not only is our home very insulated and energy-efficient, it meant that our walls were built indoors in a factory, unexposed to the weather elements, and then delivered on two semis to the job site. A crane and a framing crew would then set the walls, which drastically cut down on framing labor and time. So within days, our home had a roof and we were ready for the rough-in stage.
Photography: Jamie Sangar
Next was the fun part. That’s when all of the finishes and final design came into play! I knew I wanted to be minimal but warm and inviting, sleek but introduce textures, and add pops of color through furnishings rather than with wall or tile colors. The palette was simple; white walls, polished chrome finishes, black windows and maple hardwoods.
Photography: Jamie Sangar
The most important room to us was the kitchen. I love hosting, cooking and entertaining, so our main “splurge” was our kitchen appliances. An example of finding ways to offset the cost of our commercial-grade kitchen “must haves” was to design and build our own cabinets from Ikea. Ikea’s white glossy lacquer cabinets were the clean and efficient look we were going for!
Photography: Jamie Sangar
I’ve always had a passion for interior and architectural design. It’s just something that’s in my blood and I’ve followed for years through social media outlets, magazines, and in stores. But the most fun and applicable way for me to put that knowledge to use was by building our own home. With this home, unlike our last home, I wanted a clean and modern neutral palette. Our last home had lots of color incorporated by different colored painted walls. My plan with this house, however, was to incorporate color with furnishings, while keeping the floors and walls neutral. This has allowed for a consistent look and feel throughout the entire house, while each room has a unique flair based on the furnishings.
Photography: Jamie Sangar
I especially have a love of mid-century modern design, so while our home is brand new, those same ideals were used in the design of our home. The idea that large expanses of glass be used to bring the outdoors inside, with a large open floor plan concept, we’ve topped that idea off with lots of mid-century modern furniture and decor. Another goal with the design of the interiors was to be as minimal as possible, while still being comfortable. An example of this is designing our closets so that our dressers fit inside there, rather than in the bedrooms. This allows for more floor space and less surfaces that likely end up finding clutter, and not to mention, dust. We also chose wall-mounted vanities in every bathroom to give the illusion that the rooms are larger than they are, by being able to see the floor underneath. The same is true for our master bedroom with floating nightstands. From an exterior standpoint, we chose a front door that is one that you would’ve seen in the 1950s, and we chose to make it orange, to contrast our two-toned grey siding.
Photography: Jamie Sangar
Now that we’ve gotten comfortable in our new home, I decided to carry on with my design passion, and start Mod Abode. I view Mod Abode as a blend of all of my passions; photography, design and architecture! It also gets me involved in a social media community that shares those same interests. I get to take pretty photos of design elements and credit those who are responsible for designing or carrying such cool things in their stores. I am not quite sure where Mod Abode might lead me, but my hope is that new doors open that let me expand upon the things I’m always eager to learn more about.
Photography: Jamie Sangar
Photography: Jamie Sangar
Designer Profile: Jamie Sangar
The Monogram team came across a photo designer and photographer Jamie Sangar shared on her Instagram account earlier this year and were so impressed by her design aesthetic, we needed to learn more! Today we’re sharing Jamie’s path to design and her company, Mod Abode. Next week we will feature her gorgeous kitchen.
SRFD: How did you become interested in design?
Jamie: Regardless of whether you believe in the myth of people being either right-brain dominant or left-brain dominant, I think we can all agree upon the fact that some people are just born with certain talents. Everybody has their own unique talent, but it’s up to them to discover it and apply it in a real world scenario. The definition of “talent” is “natural aptitude or skill.” In other words, someone was born that way. I have always loved design for as long as I can remember. My style preferences weren’t learned from my parents, it’s just something that I always had a flair for. It wasn’t until after college, where I graduated with a Marketing degree from Miami University, that I got to professionally enter a creative environment. First starting my career in advertising, where I was an account executive for big brands, acting as the middleman between the artists and the client, I got my first taste of the creative world. The environment was awesome to be a part of. Halfway through my 3.5 year stint at the ad agency, I started a photography business on the side. After seeing quick growth and repeat customers, while also consistently gaining new customers, I realized that there just weren’t enough hours in the day to complete both jobs at 100% effort. So I decided to take a leap of faith and pursue my photography career full-time. That was 11 years ago and I couldn’t be happier to be making my own rules as I go, meeting new clients along the way, and continually surrounding myself with creativity! That interest has always been there from an interior and architectural design standpoint, but I never tried applying it professionally. So, I thought, what the heck, and Mod Abode was born. It is a blend of all of my creative passions; photography, design and architecture. I get to take pretty photos of design elements and credit those who are responsible for designing or carrying such cool things in their stores. I am not quite sure where Mod Abode might lead me, but my hope is that new doors open that let me expand upon the things I’m always eager to learn more about.
SRFD: Tell us about your recent kitchen project.
Jamie: The number one, most important room to me, as we were designing and planning the build of our new home, was the kitchen! I love cooking, hosting and entertaining, so I wanted to put a lot of thought into the layout, the design, and most importantly the appliances and technology! Because we were working with, what some would consider, a tough budget in the custom home realm, we knew that the build process was going to be a relationship of give and take. Aren’t all solid relationships about give and take?! We knew that we weren’t willing to backdown on the commercial grade appliances that we had researched and tested-out, so an example of a “give” was to take on some of the kitchen building labor, and build our own Ikea cabinets. They were always the look we wanted, white and glossy, but sure, we could’ve saved ourselves a bunch of time and effort if we had gone with another custom (expensive) brand. But that was one example of us not backing-down to what we felt was important in our kitchen. We chose a Wolf induction cooktop, a Wolf wall oven, a 48” Subzero refrigerator freezer, and a Monogram Advantium wall oven! While the kitchen is not huge, it is very functional for the way that we live in it. It is also designed with 180 degrees of window views overlooking Geist Reservoir in the distance and woods to the side of our property. Not only does the daylight keep the kitchen bright and airy, but the beautiful views help create a warm environment, for not only us, but our friends that we enjoy hosting.
SRFD: A trend you’re over?
Jamie: I almost hate to point-out a trend that I personally do not gravitate towards, because I know that many people don’t prefer my taste. (So, feel free to punch holes in the way I like to design, ha)! However, if there’s one trend that I feel has been used over and over again for years, it’s gotta be the distressed, eclectic, shabby chic look, with mismatched furniture, mismatched fabrics and patterns, combined with distressed everything!
SRFD: A trend you’re excited about:
Not a trend, but a style I obsess over, is bringing the outdoors inside. In fact, that’s a really old idea of mid-century modern style. If you’re remodeling an existing home, you’re definitely limited by window size if you’re not into cutting larger window openings, and making sure appropriate engineering and headers are in place. However, there are some things you can do to help achieve more of this look without a hefty price tag. Simple things like removing the grilles from your windows will completely open up the room and give the illusion of letting more light in. If you have the opportunity to buy new windows, consider something like casement windows that allow you to open up to the outdoors. Consider brands with small, minimal trim/mullions to keep the look minimal, but the daylight to a maximum.
For new construction, it’s definitely easier to plan for these types of things. Think about incorporating a large window expanse towards a pretty and private part of your property. Higher-end window brands have even engineered moveable window walls, that actually allow you to open up to the outdoors, making you feel at one with nature. So while this is certainly not a new trend, it’s one that I feel should be placed at the top of the “must have” list!
Hotel Room of the Future Winners Announced
Earlier this year two rule-breaking Louisville-based companies and Monogram partners, 21c Museum Hotels and FirstBuild, joined forces to transform the hotel guest experience through The Hotel Room of the Future Challenge. They asked designers, makers, engineers, artists and more to submit their inventive, functional designs to create the ultimate hotel stay. After receiving dozens of submissions and spending countless hours evaluating each and every idea, the judges (with the help of community voting) have come to a conclusion.
Curious about the winners? Visit the FirstBuild blog to learn about the winners and their exciting concepts.
Designer Profile: Garrison Hullinger
The Chicago Monogram Design Center (MDC) brings designers to Chicago, Illinois, for two-day experiences to learn about Monogram, the design process, our appliances – and even cook with them! We interviewed each designer to learn a little more about their background and design experiences. Today we’re featuring Garrison Hullinger with Garrison Hullinger Interior Design based in Portland, Oregon.
SRFD: How did you become interested in design?
Garrison: When I was a kid, my father worked for my uncle, who was a custom home builder. My brother and I would get dragged along to the job sites and I was always fascinated during lunch time to watch them draw out plans on napkins. That interest in remodeling and design has been a part of my entire adult life. My husband and I have remodeled numerous homes over the years, and many times I would get asked by friends and neighbors to help them with their design projects. I was always reluctant to help others, knowing I didn’t have the formal training. I finally took the dive in 2010 and started my design firm in the attic of my home and hired a young lady who had been laid off from a huge firm during the great recession. She had the technical skills and I had the ideas. I hired three more part-time employees and finally, neighbors and others could hire me for their design work.
SRFD: Tell us about a recent project you really enjoyed.
Garrison: I’m really excited about a remodel project that we’re doing for a couple who bought the home a few years ago. The home was built in 1971 by Bob Rummer, whose homes are influenced by the Joe Eichler homes of Northern California. The home has a central covered atrium and all the rooms connect to the central core of the home, bringing a lot of daylight into the home. The owners have asked us to bring the home into the twenty-first century. We’re expanding the master closet, updating the bathrooms, creating a laundry niche (with doors off the hallway) and a completely new design for the kitchen. Amid all this change, we have made a very conscious decision to make sure none of the original concrete floors throughout the entire home are touched.
SRFD: A trend you’re over?
Garrison: I’d really like to see the accent wall in a room go away, though I don’t mind a feature wall. I’d much rather see someone go the extra mile and add wallpaper, shiplap, or reclaimed wood to a wall than simply paint it an obscure color they found on a paint chip at the hardware store.
SRFD: A trend you’re excited about?
Garrison: Mixing metals. I’m so happy that clients are really understanding my desire to mix metals in a space – if everything is brushed chrome you’re more likely to hate it in a few years, but if you allow me to mix in some black, polished chrome, and even a little copper it will stay fresh much longer and won’t leave a time stamp on the project.
SRFD: What did you learn during the Monogram Designer Training Session in Chicago?
Garrison: I learned so many great things about cooking with induction cooktops while attending the Monogram Designer Training session. I was able to cook on the induction cooktop and see how much faster it heats up than the gas range and how much easier it is to regulate the temperature. It was so intuitive – and that’s saying a lot for someone who doesn’t cook much. Thank you again for the opportunity to spend several days in your gorgeous showroom in Chicago and to learn from the Monogram team.
Welcome to the Future
From touch screens that deliver step-by-step recipes to countertop herb gardens grown by LED lights, we take a look at how hi-tech kitchen design can create a healthier lifestyle. Tell us your thoughts!
Designer Profile: Jay Britto and David Charette
We had the pleasure of meeting Margaret Charette with design firm Britto Charette in March when she attended the Design Bloggers Conference in Los Angeles, California, and we shared her blog post about the event here. Today we are profiling the founding principals of Miami-based Britto Charette, Jay Britto and David Charette.
Jay Britto, founding principal of Britto Charette, has spent more than a decade creating high-end residential interiors. His knowledge of innovative trends and his unsurpassed contemporary style have earned him an impressive and loyal clientele. Born and raised in Peru, Jay grew up surrounded by rich colors and a vibrant culture that continue to inspire him. His love of all things beautiful translates into everything Jay does.
David Charette, founding principal of Britto Charette and licensed interior designer, has completed compelling design projects around the globe. He earned a BA and MA in architecture from the University of Detroit and he has more than 20 years of experience working with city planners, contractors, regulatory agencies, and architects. David’s impressive portfolio of progressive design initiatives includes luxury residential interiors, corporate campuses, GSA and higher education. His experiences also include urban planning, master planning, zoning, streetscapes and interior design.
SRFD: How did you become interested in design?
David Charette: After numerous trips as a child to the Detroit Institute of Art and after traveling across the United States with my family in the summer, I started to develop a great interest in design. I thought skyscrapers were the coolest things in the world … Still do! Reading late into the night was also very inspiring. My parents would unscrew the fuses in my room so I’d have to put the book down. But the biggest thing was Lego’s! Having a limited amount of them forced me to constantly tear apart one idea to create another.
Jay Britto: My interest in design evolved, really. Music was one of my first passions and essentially opened the door to creativity and the arts for me. At eighteen, when I was struggling with affording college and choosing a major (architecture or interiors), music was always there, pushing me forward. Patterns and rhythms in music just seemed to be echoed in everything around me. That’s when I realized that my calling was actually interiors. I could walk into a space and visualize the textures, colors and patterns that it needed.
SRFD: Tell us about a recent project you really enjoyed.
David Charette: We have been working on a penthouse at the Ritz Carlton. We began working early-on with our client and the architect of record—before construction even began—which made for great communication and saved money for the client. Because it’s on the top floor, we have 15’ ceilings, which are really unprecedented in penthouse design. We were able to take full advantage of the views.
SRFD: A trend you’re over?
A tough question because we never want to offend anyone, but if pressed to answer …
Jay Britto: Mica wall covering.
David Charette: Textured MDF panels.
SRFD: A trend you’re excited about?
Jay Britto: I love the mixing of metals. Designers and clients are no longer conservative about matchy-matchy, all brass or all chrome. It’s a great look.
David Charette: I’m really excited about the advancement of LED light fixtures. They have revolutionized design with their efficiency, color options, dimmer controls and light dispersement. The possibilities are fantastic.
