Project: Kitchen Refresh Archives

Design Find | Phil Cuttance | Faceture

You know me. I am a sucker for brilliant design, especially when it is handmade and bespoke. My motto? Beautiful process, beautiful product. And that is why I’m quietly {or not-so-quietly} losing my mind over Phil Cuttance‘s Faceture collection of modern vases.

With an almost pixelated, digital aesthetic, these triangle-composed structures are equally as mesmerizing as they are individually unique. How is that possible? The beauty of process.

First, the mould is hand-made. Cuttance scores and cuts a sheet of 0.5mm plastic, folding and taping it into the overall shape of the piece that is to be cast. The mould’s final shape and strength are dictated by which triangular facets are popped in and out. This highly intuitive stage in the process happens every time the mould is prepared for the next object, resulting in a collection in which no two pieces are alike. A water-based casting resin is then mixed and cast in the mould where it sets solid.

The resin is poured into the hollow mould and rolled around to coat and encase the sides, controlled on a casting jig on a machine. The material soon sets, creating a hollow, solid object. Then another, different coloured resin is poured into the same mould and swirled around inside over the first. {I love the surprise of discovery with the contrasting colours peeping out from inside the vase.} When this second layer of resin has set, the mould is removed to reveal the solid set cast piece. The casting appears with sharply accurate lines, a visual surprise considering the lo-fi, hand-made process from which it came. The mould is then cleaned and ready for re-use.

Each Faceture vase is handmade, unique, and numbered on the base, making them very collectible.

To me, the finished product looks like something architect Frank Gehry might create – the simple elegance of inspiration found in a crumpled piece of paper transformed into triangular pixels of arresting form and structure.

I am officially longing for a pair of these stunningly unique vases to flank my Mekal sink in my kitchen. Wouldn’t they offer a poignant and perfectly modern edge to my kitchen refresh project? Methinks so. I’m officially in l – o – v – e love. In fact, I’m pretty sure I’ll be dreaming in triangles as I drift off tonight.

I hope you’ve been as inspired by Phil’s brilliant process and stunning product as I have. Still swooning.

xo
s.

By Sarah Walker The Curated House|April 4th, 2013|0 Comments

Project: Kitchen Refresh | Lighting Option #4

Well friends, I think I’ve found the winner. My delightful sponsor Lamps Plus truly has endless options from which to choose, but I love Option #4 for all sorts of reasons, and I’d love it if you could weigh in!

{image via Decor Pad}

Made out of mouth-blown mercury glass, this Jamie Young St. Charles pendant has a classic, even slightly vintage charm but with a clean and modern edge. Rather perfect for the mix of modern and vintage that I’m after in my kitchen, and it’s trés reasonable making it even more appealing!

I do love the warm, vintage brass of Option #2 – it is sexy and chic, but I don’t want to break the bank restyling the kitchen to make it look right at home with all of my existing white metal. Option #1 is definitely sophisticated, but a bit too pricey for this little refresh project. And Option #3 is modern and graphic and to-the-point which I love. So what do you think? 1, 2, 3 or 4?

Can’t wait to hear your thoughts!

xo
s.

By Sarah Walker The Curated House|February 7th, 2013|2 Comments

Project: Kitchen Refresh | Lighting Option #3

If I’m honest, I’m rather giddy to be so close to a decision on the new pendants over the island. A change in lighting can truly transform a space, and given the broken and dysfunctional pendant that reminds me daily of its need to be replaced, I am starting to dance from one foot to the other in anticipation.

Even MORE exciting is that Lamps Plus has offered to sponsor my new pendants!!! So generous!!! Having been in business for over 30 years, Lamps Plus is the largest specialty lighting retailer in the US. They also offer accessories, furniture and home décor and even have American Lighting Association certified designers available in all their stores, by phone or online to offer product recommendations and advice on all of your lighting projects. I am so grateful to be partnering with such an amazing sponsor!

So, with all of that good news out of the way, I have another option to explore with you today. I must admit that I have a penchant for simple, graphic and modern spaces like this one.

{image via Pinterest}

All that white is the perfect canvas for the elegantly designed light fixtures and chairs to take their rightful pride of place. Simple, modern elegance. So, I found myself musing over the possibility of a pair of pendants such as this lovely modern, graphic punch of black from Lamps Plus:

I love the punctuated simplicity of its slim and unobtrusive profile, and the price is fantastic. I do, however, worry {like I did about the beautiful brass option} that perhaps the length of the shaft of the pendant itself would emphasize my less than dramatically high ceilings. Hmmm…

I would certainly LOVE to style my kitchen with a tidy row of gorgeous and dramatic glass jars of salts and spices from MARCH Pantry. Fine salts and spices in gorgeous black glass cannisters? Yes please.