Cozy, quirky, bright and airy – designer Chenault James transformed this 1940s Louisville cabin into the ideal “forever home” for her family, and the perfect spot for guests to gather…with a subtly spectacular kitchen outfitted in Monogram appliances.
When a widower sought help creating a dream kitchen his late wife always dreamed of, Chicago-based interior designer Cynthia C. Smith of CCS Interior Design Group was honored to take the job: “He wanted to create a kitchen that was bright, inviting, modern, functional, and full of life to celebrate his wife.” With the help of Monogram Appliances, the client’s kitchen is now the ideal spot for cooking up his own daily meals and entertaining family and friends.
“I consider the spaces we live in a blank canvas to create in and on.” In renowned designer Leanne Ford’s latest project, that sentiment was taken quite literally with the home’s commissioned art drawn directly on the walls. Meant to be a quick-flip, the cozy home found a new owner about halfway through the project: one of Leanne’s close friends, a lifestyle blogger and foodie who puts the kitchen’s Monogram appliances to good use.
Jean Stoffer is a woman of many talents: interior designer, retail entrepreneur, television personality, “slow” house flipper, and published author. The longtime designer is well known for creating timeless kitchens, and in recent years, she’s embraced the use of luxury appliances—Monogram in particular—in her designs.
Situated on the picturesque North Carolina coast, the 2022 Southern Living Idea House fulfills all the requirements of a quintessential “Great Escape.” Incorporating the sleek luxury of state-of-the-art Monogram appliances, the design team created a home that is both “luxurious and thoughtful in its design.” The picturesque coast of North Carolina was just what Southern Living sought in a location…
When interior designer Laura Michaels was tasked with modernizing the kitchen of a traditional Connecticut vacation home, her first and most important step was selecting the right appliances: “A kitchen could hardly be a kitchen without appliances, so certainly they are our first priority.”
A large historic home in Connecticut gave designer Robert Rizzo a platform to buck the standard gray and white kitchen design by bringing in dark colors and layers of texture to create a historic feel but with the modern conveniences of Monogram appliances.
Written by Kim Mays, Monogram content strategist
We recently had the chance to chat with two of Chicago’s top interior photographers, John and Maura Stoffer. Last year the Stoffer’s bought a studio in the vibrant West Loop neighborhood in Chicago and completely remodeled it—and they installed all Monogram appliances. We love the look of their modern studio and how they were able to make the small space more functional. According to Maura, they wanted to have all the amenities of a full kitchen in their studio, but in a streamlined way. “This is why we love having the Monogram induction cooktop, because it takes up so little real estate and fits seamlessly into our countertop.” The flush installed induction cooktop doesn’t sacrifice any of their work space, either.
But their favorite thing about their studio kitchen is the column duo: “We LOVE our column refrigerator and freezer. They have custom cabinet panels on them, so they blend right into the other cabinets, but when you open them, they are packed with beautiful LED lighting and technology,” said Maura. Having them blend with the rest of the kitchen makes it feel a cohesive part of the overall studio without seeming intrusive.
The Stoffers specialize in residential interior photography, so they know a thing or two about good design and how to make a kitchen look its best. Being photographers, they love a kitchen or room with lots of natural lighting, but they also know that shooting directly into the windows is a challenge: “I’d recommend shooting on a tripod and exposing for the room and also the highlights of the windows and then blending those exposures together in post process,” said Maura about getting the best shot.
The married pair share a mid-century modern home from the 1950s for their dwelling, along with their two children. They skew a bit more toward modern designs if they had to choose a favorite, but they’ve shot many gorgeous homes in the region—including a few designed by John’s mom, Jean Stoffer, a prominent interior designer.
When setting up a shot in a new room, they look for an eye-catching feature or focal point. “We love shooting down aisles in a kitchen because of this,” said Maura.
We love the look of the Stoffer’s new studio and all of the fabulous kitchen photography they’ve done for Monogram. Be sure to follow them on Instagram to catch more of their inspiring work.
Earlier this year, Monogram was contacted by Coco from the popular interior design blog COCOCOZY. A Los Angeles native, Coco leads a double life – she is an executive by day and an interior design blogger and home furnishings designer by night. Coco shared her plans with us for the COCOCOZY Design House, her current renovation of an 1860 square foot Spanish style home in View Park, LA. We were so excited about the opportunity, we agreed to provide Monogram appliances for the kitchen.
You can read more about the appliances Coco selected for the COCOCOZY Design House on her blog. Stay tuned for more photos as the renovation moves forward.
Photo credit: KOENIG Building & Restoration
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.
Save Room For Design by Monogram Appliances 