The anaconda...ooops, I mean COANDA effect

I have a secret - I have the hardest time remembering this word, Coanda. Here's usually what goes through my head - "Ok, I can remember this - I know I can. I know it's not anaconda - animal, I know it's not gorgonzola - cheese, hmmmm. Crap, where's William - he always knows how to say it!" Well, I have pretty much driven William crazy at this point. But, I promise, I am trying my best to commit this word to memory because it's the name of something so cool that I don't want to distract from it by having a verbal breakdown. Hmmm...am I doing the same thing right now by typing my mental breakdown when it comes to this word? I hope not!!! EEEk!

Ok, so the COANDA effect is generally an aviation term named after Henri Coanda, a Romanian aerodynamics pioneer. Technically speaking, the term is known today as the "Deviation of a plan jet of a fluid that penetrates another fluid in the vicinity of a convex well." Lost? Yea - me too. As it was described to me - actually by a client in fact - in aviation the term describes the thin membrane of air that follows the curves of an aircraft's wings and reduces pressure which assists in creating aerodynamic lift.

So, what in the WORLD does this have to do with kitchens - well the answer is a little more obvious than you would think, ventilation - moving contaminated air out of your kitchen as efficiently as possible.

Leave it up to the industrial designers at Gaggenau to recognize the obvious relationship and inherent benefits that this aviation technique could have in our industry and use it to solve a whole slew of problems related to proper kitchen ventilation. Among Gaggenau's line-up of creative vent systems, you will find two beautifully designed hoods, for wall and island applications, that are easily mistaken for just another beautiful hood. But they, in fact, use the very same Coanda Effect to increase efficiency, reduce noise, and allow greater installation flexibility. Each of these hoods has an additional fan on the front (front & back for island hoods) that generates a stream of air that is directed towards the rear over a cylinder. This effect causes any cooking fumes that would normally escape to the front or back of the hood to be more effectively conducted into the primary vent area.

Why is this important? Well, you don't need a super powerful, toupee hungry blower to have efficient vent for your kitchen. You don't need to worry about internal, external, or in-line blower placement because the internal blower isn't as loud as a wind tunnel. You also don't need duct pipes that are nearly as large and hard to conceal as many typical hoods. The Coanda hoods specify a 6" duct when most other professional hoods require anywhere from 8"-10". This increases flexibility of placement (particularly when it comes to renovations) and reduces the need to eat up valuable square footage inside your home with large utility chases.

If you're interested in more information please don't hesitate to let us know. Even if we can't say the name correctly all of the time, we can certainly help with any other questions you may have. Very soon we will even be able to demonstrate it for you in person here in our showroom!

Return to KSKC Blog Home

Click Here

A study in "Cool" lighting options!

I have always been a huge advocate of "good lighting". If you've ever worked with me, you have probably heard me say something along the lines of "lighting is a science" or "lighting can make or break a design easier than anything else - if you're going make an investment in a new kitchen, be sure to showcase it in it's full glory with good lighting."

As a result of my interest in lighting and it's integration into kitchen design (for both aesthetic and functional reasons), I am always on the lookout for interesting new products that provide increased flexibility and value in our designs. One of my latest interests has focused around the LED (Light Emitting Diode) options that are now beginning to spring up for commercial and residential applications. LE what, you say? Basically - it's the same technology as the really bright red brake lights that look a grouping of those little red pointer dots that you've used to give your cat a workout while having a good laugh (oh yes - I know you've done it too!) I'm not going to even try to explain the "science" behind these Star-Trekish fixtures, but if you're interested in that I suggest you start here. Those of greater technical capacity (I'm sorry, aka nerd. That's ok though - we love nerds! I, in fact, am a self proclaimed cabinet nerd. That's why it's politically correct that I call you out as a nerd.) will surely understand some of the gibberish that is found if you look beyond the surface of this topic. If you would be so kind to share any "valuable" insight related to residential lighting, I would surely appreciate it. PLEASE, layman's terms only!!!

For the rest of us, here's what I've found so far:

1. First, and probably most importantly, the technology is still evolving - but it seems to be at the point now that investing in this technology has crossed the line between frivolity and value consciousness.

2. There is a wide variety of the "strange and unusual" to be found online if you're not looking in the right place. Vendors are now adopting this technology and putting it to good use in both typical applications and new options that provide greater flexibility in design. A lighting supplier called Justice Design Group has the three most common residential applications available: a MR16 replacement bulb, a fantastic solid strip light that they call "LightRail", and a very flexible and innovate alternative to rope lighting that they call "Lightape". Here's what they look like (click on names for more application images):

MR16

(General room illumination - low voltage can fixtures or tracks)

LightRail

(Fantastic for under cabinet, great as an architectural accent, multiple sizes & individual units can be pieced together allowing single on/off switching. Plus they're SMALL, 1 1/2" wide by only 1/2" thick, which opens the door for tons of applications.)

Lightape

(How cool is this for those weird, hard to access areas where a punch of light makes all the difference in the world? It's literally peel & stick and can even be cut to length!)

4. The lamps can be a significant investment verses some of the more common options, but consider these advantages: (1) the MR16 LED bulb has a life of approx 20,000 hours verses about 1,000 for your standard incandescent bulb (2) the fixtures produce practically -0- heat (3) they use a fraction of the power necessary to light a typical incandescent lamp. According to Wikipedia, in 2008 a company called Sentry Equipment Corp used LED technology to light their new factory, tripling their lighting investment - but that investment will be recouped in under two years due to energy savings alone. On top of that, there will be no need to start replacing bulbs for 20 years! That, in my opinion, is pretty darn impressive.

5. Take a moment to let what I said in #4 sink in - 20 years for replacement. For many, the first though is WONDERFUL - I don't have to buy a bunch of bulbs anymore! OK, well if you're not buying bulbs anymore, that also means that YOU'RE NOT REPLACING THEM!!! When you consider the height of some of the ceilings in homes being built these days - 10, 12, 20ft - that becomes hugely significant. How many times do you look up to see one bulb out, but you just ignore it because it's SOOOOO difficult to change? If you don't deal with that, consider yourself very lucky. Not only does this benefit us when it comes to hard to reach fixtures, but if you've ever replaced a bulb in a low-voltage puck under cabinet light......exxxxactly, those that have know exactly what I'm talking about. A teeny little bulb that you're not supposed to touch with bare hands, plug wires that are way to easy to bend, and trying to coordinate yourself under your wall cabinets. I'm sorry Mr. Halogen & Mr. Xenon, you've just been nixed in my house.

6. Even if you don't have high ceilings, have you ever been in a 9'-10' room with low voltage halogen recessed can or track lights that have been on for an extended period of time? Oh my goodness, talk about an oven! I can't help but believe that the impact on your electricity bill simply due to reduced A/C usage would be HUGE!

If you'd like more information on LED fixtures from some experts, feel free to contact us for a list of references. We've talked to many locals involved with this technology, have seen demonstrations, have discussed with individuals from the manufacturing side of the auto industry (one of the first to adopt this technology) and have asked the more suspicious vendors to get a bulb, try it for us, and give us their feedback. So far, we're sold!

Return to KSKC Blog Home

Click Here

Who knows the minimum drain location from the floor of a Steam Oven?

WE DO!!!!  William & I just returned from an grueling training session at the fabulous corporate US Gaggenau showroom in Scottsdale, AZ.  Let me be the first to tell you - this was not all happy happy joy joy - it was brutal!  Not only did they force us to stay at the Camelback Resort - they even forced us to go directly to the on site spa THE VERY FIRST DAY!!!  After a draining day of bouncing from hot tub to sauna to steam room to the facial & hot stone massage rooms & then the private spa pool, they forced us to indulge in an outside family style dinner overlooking the beautiful desert landscape.  Finally - once that was all over we were allowed to return to our rooms to recover from the brutality of the day.

Well if you think the first day was bad - try being herded in stretch limos to the Gaggenau facility where were promptly put to work familiarizing ourselves with the most beautiful and functional cooking equipment available.  And then, once we had learned pretty much everything there is to know about this fabulous equipment that quite simply makes everyone that touches it seem like an experienced Chef - THEY MADE US COOK ON ALL OF THEM!!!!  Can you believe the nerve!  

Ok - so once that experience was over, can you believe that they had the nerve to shuttle us, once again via stretch limo, to Frank Lloyd Wright's desert studio and school of architecture, Taliesin West, for a private tour of one of the world's most influential architects' passionate expression of what true integration of function and design is.  

Bottom line - it was one of the greatest experiences of my life & I feel truly fortunate and thankful for the opportunity.  I learned more than I ever imagined I could about a selection of appliances that is truly in a league of their own.  I had the opportunity to ask as many questions as I could muster up for the most knowledgeable appliance experts I have encountered (I think I was pushing my limits on question quotas).  

Thank you to the entire Gaggenau team for your faith in us and for your commitment to our collaboration here at the Charleston KSKC showroom.  

Amy's Roasted Peppers....MMMMM

Tuesday morning, after much prodding by everyone who has had my roasted peppers, I finally decided to give that beautiful grill on our Wolf Range a try.  I know, it took me some time to get going, but really the only reason I was hesitant was because I really didn't want to have to clean up!!  However, after speaking with Steve Brown, Mr. Appliance Master, I found out that clean up was virtually painless, YEAH!  So off I went on a hunt for the perfect ingredients.  I was able to locate the largest firm and colorful bell peppers, a gardener’s dream.   

The very next morning I placed them on the hot grill and almost immediately the door swung open and  two smiling faces popped their heads in our showroom to see what was cooking.   The aroma had made its way out onto the sidewalk in front of our storefront.  It then brought back my own memories of my childhood summers when My friends and I would walk down the boardwalk at the Jersey Shore where the vendors would have the sausage & peppers sizzling on their grill, or in the fall when you walked the streets of Little Italy in NYC during The Feast of San Gennaro.  It’s an aroma that’s hard to describe, but one that that literally makes your mouth begin to water and your stomach to ache for those Italian favorites.    As I turned the peppers, the audience began to grow and ultimately ended with everyone from the showroom, including Princess Margot, and several friends from the sidewalk.  But, alas, they would have to wait.  Roasting peppers is a test in patience and attention.  You have to be sure not to overcook the inner layer of flesh while at the same time burning the outer layer. 

Allowing them to cool is the next step followed by removing the burned outer layer of skin.  Add a little extra virgin olive oil, dash of salt & pepper and they are ready to go.  Next get some good heated ciabatta bread, drizzle with balsamic vinaigrette (the homemade kind, extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, natural sugar & fresh basil, mix well).  Place strips of peppers, fresh mozzarella, sliced tomatoes, baby lettuces and sprinkle with grated romano cheese.   Serve with a cool glass of San Pellegrino with a lime wedge & trust me you'll be completely satisfied!

Buono Appetito!!!

Spin Room: "Custom"

Like many young adults, I paid more attention to the Presidential elections this year than ever before.  One of the revelations that I had during the process is that no matter what either candidate said, particularly during the debates, the media could “spin” the dialog to have a thousand different meanings.  What was especially amazing was the fact that this information came from the “spin rooms”, so basically by labeling these rooms as such they were admitting that the information that they were conveying had been filtered and “adjusted” to convey any point that they wanted to make…usually with very little association to the original context.  Maybe it’s just me, but I found myself wondering on many occasions exactly why I was even paying the media any attention at all. 

Anyway…getting to the point of this blog, the kitchen and bath industry professionals are sometimes just as guilty of taking words and phrases to their own “spin room” in order to make themselves more appealing.  One of the most notorious of those is the word “CUSTOM”!  In an industry with so many options, how does this word really fit, particularly when it comes to cabinetry?  On top of that, how does “semi-custom” fit?  And the biggest question, who has the right to define those words for our industry? 

Here are some of my…..ummm, opinions about “CUSTOM” cabinetry.  There are basically three options to consumers: 

     Custom Factory Built: (my preference 90% of the time)

Advantages:

o   The very best quality finishes available, particularly when it comes to painted finishes, due to the larger factories’ ability to procure the best finishing equipment.

o   Scheduling – Because these factories operate on very regulated schedules, our ability to deliver product on time with fewer “surprises” is greatly improved.

o   Talent Pool – With many wood-workers, finish specialist, and other craftspeople, these factories can produce almost anything I can draw while maximizing quality and efficiency. 

o   If a part becomes damaged, you can rest assured that there is someone behind the scenes that can match and replace that part perfectly, even decades later.  (Warranty!!!!)

Disadvantages:

o   Sometimes perceived as lower quality because the cabinetry is often produced on an assembly line (I don’t agree with this)

o   Price point – sometimes higher than the alternatives (sometimes true, but you certainly get what you pay for)

o   A perception that problems on the jobsite take longer to fix.  This is really more about the quality of the installers putting the cabinetry in verses that actual quality of the cabinetry.

2.     Custom Local Shop:

Advantages:

o   Sometimes faster production cycle (sometimes not – depending on the workload at any given time)

o   Sometimes a 10-12% cost savings (for certain lower traffic areas this may be an option that allows you to put your resources in factory cabinetry where there will be a greater chance of product or finish failure)

o   Excellent local craftsmen – I work with several local woodworkers that would give Norm a run for his money….availability sometimes is a problem though

Disadvantages: 

o   Sometimes unreliable when it comes to delivery schedule and product quality (having a bad day Mr. Woodworker?)

o   Less buying power often results in inferior construction or material selections to stay competitive

o   It’s up to YOU (or me, if I’m your designer) to make sure the craftsman CLEARLY understands your design intentions so that you don’t end up with something that only resembles your drawing.

o   Finish – Stains….a good local guy can do a good stain on a good day, Paint – very iffy, glazed or artistic finishes – forget about it, hire your own faux finisher. 

 

3.     Jobsite built Cabinetry:

Advantages:

o   Usually most cost effective option for Custom cabinetry

o   Ummmm…. I can’t think of anything else

o   I just added this line to make it look more fair

Disadvantages: 

o   Just trust me, you don’t wanna go down that road unless it’s something like a pantry or other secondary area that you just want something fast and inexpensive & don’t care about the quality that much. 

 

I think it’s pretty obvious which of these options that I am partial to, but I am open to any discussions or debate concerning the three.  These are my opinions based on my experience with cabinetry manufacturers over the past decade.  Of course there are exceptions to every run….but I would put money on most of these opinions.  

Appliances....ohhh precious Appliances

As a youngster my grandfather was one of my favorite people & I loved his prediction of my career path….working at SEARS!!!!  I kid you not, that is exactly what he told everyone he met about me….”Dylan will be working at Sears one day selling appliances”.   That was because if there was even a mention of going to Sears I was the first to the car, buckled up, barely controlling my excitement to see what new appliance buttons were in store for me.  Buttons were my favorite up until they received their first shipment of the coolest refrigerator ever….it had a FLIP DOWN DOOR ON THE DOOR!!!  You didn’t even have to open the refrigerator to get into the refrigerator!  Genius!  

Well, to my parent’s relief, I have yet to enjoy a position at Sears (not that the thought doesn’t cross my mind from time to time), however my love affair appliances has yet to falter…in fact it now borders on obsession!  I can still spend hours looking through the appliance section wherever they’re offered and one of my favorite parts of kitchen design is helping my clients determine the best selections for their new kitchen.  How natural you might say…a designer specializing in kitchens that loves appliances, but alas….I have learned that I am somewhat a rare breed in that regard.  Little known fact outside of our industry, the cabinet guy and the appliance guy are usually mortal enemies.   Ok, ok….that’s an exaggeration, but if you want to talk about finger pointing be warned, both are usually trigger happy and I’m surprised that there’s hasn’t been a disorder of the likes of carpel tunnel plaguing our industry.  HOOOOOLD on Mr. Appliance Installer, before the steam starts shooting out of your ears, hear me out.  It’s not just you; the “cabinet guy” just got the same slap across the face. 

The fact is that today’s kitchen has evolved into a new animal where refrigerators & dishwashers are increasingly shy and don’t want to reveal themselves, ranges want to steal the show by being the biggest and most impressive piece of eye candy in the room, and ovens do things that should be reserved for circus freak shows.   Cabinetry is certainly not going to let the appliances steal the show!  Instead of simply being fortunate enough to have adjustable shelves two decades ago, you now have things popping up & out of places that sometimes make you stop and scratch your head trying to figure out “ummm….why?”. 

You want to know what I say to Mr. Cabinet & Mr. Appliance…..PLAY NICE!  Yes, yes, Mr. Cabinet – we know that you have the power to betray us the satisfaction of releasing our frustration by slamming a drawer or door & we know Mr. Appliance, you can spit out a roasted turkey in lighting speed thanks to your NASAish technology, but neither of you are going to do anything unless you put your fingers in their holster and work together.  You are both components of something much greater, the kitchen.  The place where we humans usually enjoy spending the bulk of our time when we’re not sleeping or working (well, sometimes when we’re working too).  Either you work out your differences and come to a good compromise, or you’re never going to be able to “show off” in a way that we would appreciate you. 

Wow, I’m not sure where all that came from, but I started this rant in an effort share with you an interesting article that I recently read on CNNMoney.com titled “When good appliances go bad”.  I thought it was interesting & though you might too….so here it is!  Happy reading!  If you find yourself looking for an appliance expert who leaves her finger pointer holster at home, talk to Mrs. Toni Brown at Wholesale Appliances in Mt. Pleasant.  She’s great and if she doesn’t make you smile and tell you something you didn’t know about cooking….find a good doctor, something’s wrong.  

Yours Truly,

The Kitchen Nerd

Update:  Email from my father after reading this blog posting....

Dylan,

Remember as a child, every time we went somewhere in your granny's car, you would take the chrome grill from her refrigerator door and sit on the center console and use it as an imaginary steering wheel to drive the car. Little did I realize back then . . . 

Dad