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February 17, 2019
Like many small hamlets in the Susquehanna Valley, Mechanicsburg Pennsylvania boasts an idyllic town center with dozens of charming, older homes. Listed in the National Register of Historic Places, our borough features historically significant architecture dating back to both the American Revolution and the Civil War. While not all eighty or hundred-year-old homes In Mechanicsburg are worthy of a historic designation, Mechanicsburg’s older homes still bring happiness to their owners and deserve the love and […]
October 2, 2018
from Houzz by Erin Carlyle on September 26, 2018 Kitchen at a Glance Size: 183 square feet (17 square meters) Location: Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania Designer: elizaBeth Marcocci, CKD of Mother Hubbard’s Custom Cabinetry Photos: Bob Skalkowski Prior to its renovation, this kitchen in an 1879 Pennsylvania home lacked counter space and had no range hood, and the finish on the cabinets was peeling off. There was a large window-like opening in a wall that ate up […]
November 20, 2017
Virtually every kitchen has one, and yet most homeowners wish they didn’t. What am I referring to? The dreaded corner cabinet! Corner cabinets, especially base cabinets, are often called the Bermuda Triangle of the kitchen. It’s where mono-tasking appliances, football-shaped cake pans and anything else not used frequently finds its final resting spot. Technically, it’s understandable why corner cabinetry has gotten such a bad reputation. First, a person’s comfortable reach is a bit under two […]
October 16, 2017
If you’re like most homeowners, there’s never enough storage space for food items and other consumables in your kitchen. At a time when Costco and Sam’s Club have redefined the notion of “buying in bulk”, finding a place to store and easily access cans, cartons, bottles and boxes can be a challenge. “Kitchen pantry” tends to be the catch-all phrase that suggests where these goods are stored in a kitchen. As we’ll discuss, this isn’t […]
August 18, 2017
As a kitchen and bathroom designer, I help design and specify products for the two rooms that use almost all of a household’s water. Did you know that the toilet, shower and lavatory faucet, consume on average 41 gallons per-person, per-day, or about 60% of a home’s daily indoor use? And think about this. The water closet, toilet, privy, john – whatever you call it – uses 30% of a home’s daily indoor water use. […]
June 25, 2017
Not so long ago if you wanted to feel the pull-weight of a four-foot bar of solid stainless steel when you opened your refrigerator, Sub-Zero, Thermador and a handful of other Super Premium appliance brands were your only choice. As the popularity of these items accelerated with their appearance on every luxury home and cooking show, mid-level brands swooped in to adopt these pro-style design cues. As Keith Berry suggests in his USA Today article, […]
April 2, 2017
Nothing suggests luxury living more completely than a wine cellar. Images of redwood racks along the walls holding dozens or perhaps hundreds of bottles can transport your imagination to a top New York restaurant or Northern California winery. Here in Pennsylvania, despite the state’s arcane liquor laws, there is strong interest in spaces and dedicated rooms that focus on the grape. When clients ask me, “how much does a wine cellar cost?” I smile and […]
January 22, 2015
If you love the sleek, uncluttered look of contemporary kitchen furnishings and design, KBIS 2015 had much to share! The contemporary aesthetic is often characterized by uninterrupted visual planes of cabinetry and countertops. Manufacturers at the show featured a number of ways to take clean, crisp and covered to a new level. Sliding doors are nothing new and have always been popular for wide cabinets, sideboards and wardrobes. The mechanics of sliding doors require that […]
June 27, 2014
Kitchens and Baths Sporting Connectivity and Technology The Miami Herald’s Elaine Markoutsas was kind enough to ask my opinion about kitchen and bathroom design and technology trends this year. There’s no question that a contemporary aesthetic has become more popular and that technology is one reason why. New high-tech appliances and fixtures with built-in connectivity seem naturally at home with a more contemporary look. While my clients in Hershey or Carlisle might not opt for the most minimal contemporary kitchen […]
May 18, 2014
Open concept kitchen design is rooted in the 1990's, reflecting the social trend of cacooning and the retreat of families and their activities to the home.