Hand Made Charleston Glass Tile + Designer Challenge

So I Guerrilla glued myself to my desk earlier to check e-mails & I noticed a message from one of my favorite local artisans - Justin Walling with Charleston Architectural Glass Studio. If you don't already know Justin &/or his company, let me introduce you. Chs Arch Glass is one of the leading custom commissioned architectural glass resources in the US & guess what!!! Yep, you got it...they're just a hop, skip, and a jump away (take bridge to avoid jump). If you're a design NERD.......whoooa, Chill - why is it a bad thing to be a nerd! Think of it this way - you're not the one sitting at your desk writing this blog on Friday evening! What do you think that makes me??? So, as I was saying, if you're a design nerd (there - lower case. Better?) I suggest you take a peek at some of their amazing work.

Justin stopped by the showroom a couple of months ago to give us a sneak peek at some of the coolness that they've been working on. A few of those items were no brainers for the Kitchen & Bath Industry (and beyond) and were included in his recent e-mail. BUT - don't let just these products stop you from exploring. I feel obligated, however, give you a heads up - even if you don't do so on your first visit to his site, be prepared to look at every single portfolio picture! It's 100% bookmark material. Check, check, check it out.

• Silver Tiles: Charleston Architectural Glass Studio could possibly be best known for their impeccably crafted Antique Mirror (Trust me, you've seen it if you've been out & about in Charleston - you just thought it was 300 years old). They have recently released a beautiful hand silvered 3"x6" beveled edge tile that carries over that talent of beautiful hand made mirror.

• Painted Tiles: Another great option is their custom back-painted beveled glass which can be mixed & matched with some great colors and configurations. In fact, if I recall our conversation correctly, I believe that this product is basically 100% customizable with an almost an almost endless variety of shapes, sizes, and colors.

The unique bevel found on either tile option results in a surface that has a great dimensional quality while at the same time creates a very crisp and refined quality. Endless design flexibility! I can't wait to use these on a project soon & am very eager to see how the products will evolve and transform after some you designie folk let your imaginations go wiiiiilllldddd!!!

Designer Challenge:

OK - so here's a design challenge for the talented pool of Charleston (and beyond) Designers that have the patience to....yep, you got it - let me "inform you against your will"!!! Because I personally have yet to encounter a scenario where Justin cannot meet, or usually exceed, expectations, I think that we should see just HOW far Charleston Architectural Glass Studio can be pushed in terms of extraordinary design.

Contact Info:

Justin Walling

Charleston Architectural Glass Studio, Inc.

175 Signal Point Rd

Unit 7E

James Island, SC 29412

843-452-0427

www.charlestonarchitecturalglass.com

justin@charlestonarchitecturalglass.com

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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.  

Welcome to the team!

We are pleased to welcome Charleston native William Towne to the King Street Kitchen Company design team.  KSKC friends will probably recognize William's face because he has been a strong supporter since our "Sneak Preview" event at last fall's Upper King Design Walk.  

William has been in the interior design industry for over 16 years, apprenticing under Max Lee - one of the founding members of the American Society of Interior Designers (A.S.I.D.). In addition to his overall interior design experience, William has honed his skills in the art of planning spaces for his clients to explore and expand their culinary skills for over 5 years.  William has worked throughout the United States on exclusive design collaborations, including projects in Tampa, Los Angeles, Scottsdale, Charleston, and the Highlands - Cashiers, NC area.  

William was formally trained in Studio Art at the College of Charleston, Design at The Art Institute of Atlanta, and Art Education at The University of South Carolina.  

Prior to his involvement in the design industry, William was a member of the Robert Ivey Ballet Company, traveling on tour to Russia, Denmark, Sweden, and Spain.  Additionally, William has traveled the length of the Grand Canyon doing environmental research, has traveled to Guatemala, Honduras, Belize, and Mexico during a 4-month backpacking adventure along the Mayan trail, and he has assisted in personal growth programs at a team building organization as a high events facilitator.  

We are honored to have William as a part of our team & are confident, based on his impressive list of repeat clients and referral business, that he will assist many KSKC clients through their projects with the same strong level of integrity with which this business was founded.  If you're interested in setting up an appointment with William, please e-mail him at william@kingstreetkitchencompany.com or call the showroom at 843-408-0543.  

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