Design | Wellness | Cabinetry
Here’s a little eye candy from Toyo Kitchens & Living. The INO Leone was developed for families that Live in their Kitchen. The INO Leone Kitchen features a unique T-shaped island that brings simplicity and artistry to Kitchen Design.
Another feature I like is that the large Toe area makes the island ADA friendly.
If the Kitchen is the room everyone gathers in at a party, the Amana Quick Tap™ Entertainment Refrigerator is appliance they are gathering around.
The Amana Quick Tap has an integrated beverage reservoir that conveniently holds and dispenses up to 2.5 liters of cold drinks from punch to margaritas. The reservoir is removable for easy refilling and cleaning. The dispenser is located on the refrigerator door.
The Amana Quick Tap is not a large appliance at only 17.6 cubic feet but it gives you the ability to offer a signature drink while entertaining without having to drag out a cooler. I think it is ideal for a guest/pool house or game/party room in your home.
The Quicktap is also equipped with a 5-bottle wine rack and a child lockout. It is not energy star rated. The Quick Tap refrigerator is available in red or silver for approximately $800.
I’m sure you’ve heard that diamonds are a girl’s best friend but did you know it applies to the functionality of a kitchen?
I don’t mean that the “little woman” will be happier slaving over your dinner if she’s wearing a giant rock. I am referring to DIAMOND™ Seal Technology from Brizo.
You may recall from an earlier post that I was recently flown to NY as a guest of Brizo. While there I got to learn about the incredible technology going into faucets and future technologies that will come in the near future. I can’t give away what’s coming in the next few years but I can discuss the relevance of what’s available now.
Brizo faucets use diamond-coated valves to keep water from coming into contact with outside contaminants. This advanced functionality adds to the durability of each faucet to stand up to the rigors of everyday use and have less leaks over time. The DIAMOND™ Seal Technology reduces the number of leak points and lasts up to 10 times longer than the industry standard. (Industry standard based on ASME 112.18.1 = 500,000 cycles.)
It also satisfies California statute AB 1953 mandating that by January 1, 2010, the weighted average (average amount of) lead content in pipes, fittings and fixtures used to convey drinking water cannot exceed 0.25% on wetted surfaces. The DIAMOND Seal Technology effectively keeps the water as pure as when it enters the faucet because there it keeps the water free of contact with potential metal contaminants.
Less leaks means more water conservation. Less contaminants means better water purity. These two benefits play a vital role in Brizo’s commitment to Green Design. A third part of their Green initiative that you can’t taste or see in your home is their commitment to environmentally friendly manufacturing processes.
Brizo has taken steps so all of their manufacturing plants recycle the water they use, recycle any excess brass from the manufacturing process and they use a water-based metal cleaning methods that eliminates the need for ozone-depleting solvent degreasers.
Your faucet with DIAMOND Seal Technology will keep working well for years since it has no internal parts with lubricants that can get gunky. It’s stylish design and smooth operation will allow you to enjoy it in your home instead of replacing it and having it enter a landfill which makes it easier for you to be environmentally responsible.
Brizo®, the faucet brand for the fashion forward, meets the demand for aesthetics and performance with a collection of distinctively designed faucets and related products that create a fashion statement in the home.
I’ll be posting pictures of the NY trip on my Facebook page.
It’s that time of year when we stuff ourselves with Holiday cooking and vow to have a healthy attitude toward food at the beginning of the new year (maybe after the BCS championship).
One of the best ways to eat healthy is to take control of what you eat by cooking more meals at home. Steam cooking an ideal method for preparing quick and simple meals that are equally healthy and delicious.
Steam cooking offers a host of benefits including faster cooking times as well as optimum retention of vitamins, nutrients, flavour, colour and texture. With steam cooking, food absorbs only the moisture it requires – which means no over cooking. Food cooked in a steam oven can also be a lot healthier as you don’t need to add any oils or fats to keep food, such as chicken, from drying out in the cooking process.
Appliances to consider adding to your kitchen are combination models that steam food and use convection to brown and crispen them. Cooking a chicken in 20 minutes may sound good but your guests may be more interested in eating it if it has a golden color.
Sharp’s AX1200 SuperSteam™ Oven. This oven is almost like having 4 in one with SuperSteam Convection, Steam, Convection and Microwave cooking options. This oven also offers flexible placement options. It can be built into a 30″ cabinet or placed on a countertop. The child safety lock ensures the door will not be accidentally pulled down.
The EKDG6800 Combination Steam Oven from Kuppersbusch also offers Convection cooking with a few extra features such as automatic altitude adjustment and automatic limescale indicator. Although pricey, this sleek, Reddot winning appliance, is sure to enhance any kitchen decor.
Miele offers a steam oven that can combined with its warming drawer for an integrated installation. The DG 4082 Convection Steam Oven is only 24″ in width but it offers an impressive array of electronic controls from the food driven menu to the multi-language LCD display. The 1.25 liter water reservoir means no direct plumbing is required.
The VCSO Combi Steam/Convect™ Oven from Viking has the Classic Viking appliance look. It offers 6 cooking cycles including ProBake which seals in moisture while browning food. Viking offers 3 different sizes of trim kits so this oven can easily be added to 27″ 30″ or 36″ wide spaces. Just like the Miele, the water reservoir holds 1.25 liters for 2 hours of steaming.
The BS 270/271 – 24″ Combination Steam and Convection Oven from Gaggenau has a direct water convection so you never have to remember to fill a reservoir. This oven has a side hinged door for easy access and is available in a stainless steel-backed or aluminum-backed glass front. The LCD control panel is integrated into the bottom of the door offering an uncluttered appearance and large view of the oven interior. A few key features of this oven include Automatic boiling point detection and a Child Safety Lock. A 30″ model is offered with the option of a direct plumbing connection or reservoir tank.
