ASPIRE DESIGN AND HOME recently reached out to several leading kitchen and design firms to discover their point of view on top trends and new developments in their industry. Their thoughtful responses delve into what motivates, inspires and excites these design pros, and how that passion ultimately breeds success.
ASPIRE DESIGN AND HOME: Where does your inspiration come from when creating stylish kitchens for your clients?
Courtney Zanelli: I draw my inspiration from trusted design books, current publications, KBIS (the annual kitchen & bath show), and Instagram, where I’ve found some of my favorite designers and new vendors to follow.
ADH: What is the best or most enjoyable part of your position as a kitchen designer?
CZ: A recent client emailed to tell me how much she was enjoying her new kitchen and said that it represented form and function at its best – seeing my clients happy is something that gives me great joy.
ADH: If you were designing a kitchen for your own home, what would you include?
CZ: I have a big family and I love to cook, so a large professional range would be at the top of the list for me.
ADH: Is there anything you wouldn’t include in your own dream kitchen? (and why not?)
CZ: A trash compactor. We had one in our old house and it was a procrastinator’s dream device. Every time I would ask someone to take out the trash, I would hear the compactor grind and they would say it wasn’t necessary! It made for some very heavy bags of garbage.
ADH: What are some of the most exciting innovations you’ve seen in today’s kitchen industry?
CZ: Steam ovens have made their way into residential kitchens and clients love the way that they have enhanced the cooking process and contributed to a healthier style of cooking.
ADH: What technology features are your clients are including in their kitchen designs?
CZ: Charging stations and sleek undercabinet lighting options are among many conveniences requested by clients. Lighting is such an important component of good kitchen design, and undercabinet lighting has come a long way from the bulky boxes that used to be standard issue.
ADH: How do some of these technological advances help kitchens to be more efficient or organized?
CZ: Many vendors are now offering kitchen sinks with customized accessories that streamline both the meal prep and the clean-up afterwards. Anything that makes a daily chore more efficient is a welcome addition to the kitchen.
ADH: Which manufacturers are on the cutting-edge of the kitchen industry?
CZ: Appliance manufacturers have their fingers on the pulse of the kitchen industry. Companies such as SubZero/Wolf and Miele are at the top of the list in their field.
ADH: What are some popular design trends your clients are requesting for their kitchens?
CZ: Most clients want a kitchen design that is both clean and uncluttered while at the same time being warm and welcoming. It’s a balance that is often achieved by the blending of complimentary materials and surfaces that add color and texture to create visual interest. Clients who request painted cabinets are often times willing to stretch their imaginations beyond just white cabinets and are increasingly opting for paint colors with a little bit more color or a blend of painted and stained cabinets.
ADH: What 2020 kitchen design trends do you think will be long-lasting?
CZ: Innovations that increase efficiency by simplifying a process, as well as those that contribute to a healthy lifestyle, are likely to be sustainable trends.
ADH: What is your favorite meal to prepare for a crowd?
CZ: Chicken parmigiano with homemade focaccia bread is always a winner – or just about any Barefoot Contessa recipe.
ADH: What is your favorite meal to prepare if it’s just for you?
CZ: Take-out.
ADH: Which past or present interior designer has most inspired you?
CZ: Bunny Williams. When I read her book An Affair with a House I was hooked!
ADH: How would you describe your work style?
CZ: I am very hands-on and process driven. I have learned to be a very good listener when meeting with clients to truly understand not only their needs but also their style. When project fatigue inevitably begins to set in and clients start to lose focus amidst the numerous decisions at hand, I am able to remind them of their initial goals and personal aesthetic to keep them on track so that they remain true to their own personal style.
ADH: Describe your personal design style (rustic, modern, traditional, etc.)
CZ: My kitchen designs tend to be more transitional in nature and include classic and timeless elements in a fresh and updated way – like a crisp tailored white button-down shirt. I like to keep my designs clean and un-fussy and prefer a quiet, sophisticated palette where no one element is bossy, but where there’s a subtle daisy chain that connects all of the elements together harmoniously.
ADH: What was your first design job?
CZ: After numerous requests to “refresh” existing kitchens, my first job that required a set of drawings was for a small townhouse kitchen that was owned by a young couple who found me through the NKBA.
ADH: What is your favorite kitchen color scheme right now?
CZ: Any of the Farrow & Ball paint colors used in the scullery kitchens designed by deVol Kitchens or Humphrey Munson in the UK are at the top of my list these days.
ADH: Complete this sentence: The one thing I can’t live without in my kitchen is:
CZ: My coffee pot!
ADH: What is the best piece of design advice you ever received?
CZ: In design school we had a guest speaker who was an established designer who never forgot the early days of his career. His simple advice: take every meeting. He was absolutely right, as you never know what that meeting may yield in terms of future jobs, potential contacts or long-lasting friendships.
ADH: If you weren’t a designer, what would you be?
CZ: A professional chef/baker with a small storefront.
Photography by John Bessler.
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