Remodel

Designing with Living In Place in Mind

We recently hosted a KB Tribe Chat discussing the topic of Designing with Living in Place in Mind. We are huge proponents of the Living In Place Institute's mission: providing professional education to make all homes safe, healthy and comfortable for everyone. In fact, a few of our offerings have become Certified Living In Place Products!

This Twitter discussion was so rich with important information, we wanted to share what we and other industry professionals had to say.

01. How would you define Living In Place? Do you know that it differs from other principles like Universal Design and Aging In Place?

So often do people lump all of these principles together, but Living in Place differs in that it takes away the focus on aging by striving to enable people of all ages and abilities to live their best lives in their home.

Photo Courtesy of @KBIS, design by Kendall Ansell Interiors

Photo Courtesy of @KBIS, design by Kendall Ansell Interiors

Pic: Kohler/Tiller Press

Pic: Kohler/Tiller Press

"A place where you can be yourself, ensuring the homeowner has a safe, comfortable, and stylish space that fits their needs and lifestyle at any age."

- @KBIS

“Living in place is not yet a well-known term for creating inclusive living spaces, but it ties in w/my Five Facets of Wellness Design, which include #Accessibility, safety & functionality for all. Handheld shower heads are an example.” - @JGWellnessDesgn, CKD; CAPS; MCCWC

 

02. Do any of you work with Occupational Therapists when designing a Living In Place space?

There will be a round table discussion during #KBIS2021 hosted by Living In Place on this topic! K&B Ergonomics From An Occupational Therapist and Designer Perspective - Mary Fisher & Monika Lukasiewicz | Register here: http://bit.ly/2YjnW5Z

"Having a husband with a 3 level spinal fusion among other issues, we've received good tips from his Drs and PTs." - @SusanSerraCKD

 

03. SAFE | Do you have any go-to products for clients who want to ease strain, limit reach and reduce dangerous clutter?

We offer a number of Certified Living In Place Products including our 5PD/5UPD, 582 ‘TheCurve’ BC Optimizer and Pullout Waste Containers that keep hazardous cans out of walkways and in the cabinet.

"Pull-downs, pull-outs, u-drawers & corner swing-outs are vital in cabinetry, plus handheld shower heads near seats. Floating vanities & wall-mount toilets are also really helpful. Reducing clutter means clear walk aisles/lower fall risk." - @JGWellnessDesgn, CKD; CAPS; MCCWC

"Pull-out cabinets are wonderful for ergonomic design in the kitchen. They reduce strain, reach, and clutter to a marvelous degree." - @2020spaces

"We remodeled our kitchen and kept a space for a wheelchair to left of drawers for plates within reach with @REVASHELF peg board system." - @pillow_goddess

 

04. HEALTHY | Ample lighting has a huge impact on not only safety, but also health. Do you take into consideration the effects of certain lighting on health when creating your design?

Ample lighting is important to ease eye strain when performing tasks, safely guiding homeowners in the dark and majorly affects our Circadian Rhythm.

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"As we age, it's harder to see so you can never have too much lighting! Under-cabinet lights are a must on a dark countertop" - @Stacy_Garcia

"Ample lighting in this office space prevents eye strain when working or crafting." - @WellbornCabinets

"#Lighting in the bathroom is important, especially when it refers to personal #health. The combination of natural light during the day & colored lighting, or chromatherapy in the evening can have a significant impact on our #mood & #wellness." - @AstonBath

 

05. COMFORT | How can you add comfort for all to a design without sacrificing aesthetic? (i.e. handrails, no threshold doors, door knobs)

There are plenty of stylish options that are also Living In Place friendly! Beautiful no threshold showers and multi-use grab bars are becoming a norm.

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Have you considered how hardware choices can affect those with arthritis? The good news is you don’t have to sacrifice chic designs for comfort, just simply think a little deeper when weighing your options.

Lever handles for passage doors work better than knobs for arthritic hands and weak grips." - @Stacy_Garcia

Here is what to avoid:

  • Narrow Pulls (less than 3”) // Thick hands either won’t fit or can get stuck

  • Thin Pull Handles // Sore hands need thicker pulls to grab onto comfortably

  • Harsh Angles // Pulls with 90-degree angles can pinch sore hands

  • Cup Pulls // Cup pulls typically don’t have an adequate surface area to grab onto safely

  • T-Pulls // pulls with a bar that sticks out farther than the end screw mounts can snag clothes or be painful to pump into

  • T-Knobs // Knobs shaped like a “T” put too much stress on arthritic fingers

  • Small Knobs // Grasping a small knob is painful for large, sore hands

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"Incorporate these additions to match the style of the home. Sometimes people need assistance, but that doesn’t mean it has to clash with the design. Handrails can have character, too." - @2020spaces

"No threshold showers don't just offer a safer use of the space... we think they look cleaner and much cooler!" - @VilgHomeStores

 

06. Where do you get your inspiration for Living In Place Designs?

Interiors by Design's LaDonna Eriksen | via NEBRASKA-BASED FIRM COMPLETES A LIVING IN PLACE CONCEPT HOME

Interiors by Design's LaDonna Eriksen | via NEBRASKA-BASED FIRM COMPLETES A LIVING IN PLACE CONCEPT HOME

"The best place, aside from contemporary and historic design, is the clients themselves. Living in Place is part of a modern movement in design focusing on individual needs and wellness." - @2020spaces

"We get a lot of inspiration right here, on this chat. There's always great ideas for new products and ways of looking at design and function." - @WindowWorksUSA

"Working with different professionals give you great ideas on what is needed in the real world. I love to learn!" - @NancyYoungDsign, CKBD; CLIPP

KBIS 2019 Recap

The Kitchen and Bath Industry Show (KBIS) is North America’s largest trade show dedicated to all aspects of kitchen and bath design. This annual show is truly where the heart of the industry is able to meet, collaborate and show everyone what they’re made of. Everyone here at Rev-A-Shelf and Tresco Lighting had an amazing show and are thankful for everyone who came by to experience our product line.

Couldn’t make it to the show? Well, you’re in luck! Here’s a recap of every exciting moment we were able to experience.

Overview

Show attendees explore our Transparent kitchen

Show attendees explore our Transparent kitchen

Our 2019 booth consisted of 12 unique displays to highlight the versatility and accessibility of our vast array of products, designed to seamlessly organize any room in the home.

Mixed throughout our displays were 15+ brand new and newly re-designed products. You can check out all of them at the bottom of this post!

Our two new show displays include our Grabill Cabinets kitchen and our luxurious Sollid Cabinetry master closet/coffee bar. Both of these displays are topped with beautiful Cambria countertops. What makes these newcomers so stunning are the two illuminated backsplashes using Tresco Lighting’s ETCH panel.

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Above is our Grabill Cabinets kitchen display with illuminated Decotone backsplash.

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Above is our Sollid Cabinetry master closet display with illuminated 3form backsplash.

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Also on display was this Cosma prototype light rail.

Want to see the entire booth? Check out our show recap video above!

Homes For Our Troops

On Tuesday, February 19th we held a special booth signing announcing a three-year national sponsorship deal to partner with the nonprofit organization Homes for Our Troops (HFOT).

Homes for Our Troops builds specially adapted, mortgage-free homes nationwide for severely injured veterans of post 9/11 to enable them to rebuild their lives. This agreement continues the partnership between our two organizations where we will work with HFOT’s veterans and general contractors to furnish all homes with cabinet storage and organization accessories, providing optimal accessibility for veteran home recipients.

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Living In Place

Throughout the show, our very own Shari McPeek, Advertising and PR Manager, and Mary Holz , OEM Channel Manager, gave tours of our Certified Living in Place Products including our 5PD Pulldown and blind corner units. The Living in Place Institute blends the best principles of aging in place, accessibility and universal design to make all homes accessible, comfortable and safer for everyone.

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Continuing our partnership with Living in Place, Our very own Michael Marcumwas able to sit on this year's Live Panel Presentations to speak about "Kitchen & Bathroom Trends for Living In Place" and "Ergonomics in ALL Kitchens for Living In Place.” Tresco’s Chris Tressalso sat on the live panel to discuss "Lighting & Color for Living In Place."

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#KBTribeChat

Every Wednesday at 2pm, we participate in a live Twitter chat called #KBtribechat where kitchen and bath industry professionals discuss trends and share knowledge. The KBIS chat is extra special because we all get to meet, participate together and walk through the show. Since we are a sponsor of the chat, Amber Fowler, Content Marketing Associate, was able to give a booth tour of our new products and answer questions from the 30+ participants.

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Tresco Lighting’s Top Project

Another exciting event is Tresco’s announcement of the first ever Top Project winner. Professional photography, a social media spotlight, a $500 Visa Gift Card and bragging rights were awarded to John Zembrodt of Stanton Millwork for his work on The Cincinnatian Hotel.

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New American Home

Last, but certainly not least, we were proud to inform all of our visitors of our numerous products featured in the off-site New American Home. The New American Home 2019 was presented by The National Association of Home Builders and the Leading Supplier Council members to showcase the technological advancements the housing industry has to offer. We are honored to have had some of our products showcased alongside names like Caesarstone, LG and Kohler. 

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Explore all of our new and existing products over at

Rev-A-Buzz.com

Getting Your Kitchen Ready For The Holiday Season

The holiday season is meant to be spent relaxing and enjoying quality time with family and friends. Unfortunately, for many of us this time of year means our schedules are kicked into high-gear, leaving what is most important during the holiday season to the wayside.

While cooking, shopping and travel may still fill your schedule, we’ve compiled a few kitchen tips to help you stay on top of the holiday game, reduce stress and hopefully free up a little time to spend it with those you love.

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Stock Up, Plan It Out

If there was ever a time to be a leader and strategize a game plan, it’s now. Holiday cooking is stressful enough, so take out the guess work and plan ahead of time with friends or family members if they are bringing a dish. As much as we all love mac and cheese, having three show up unexpectedly isn’t ideal.

Many grocery stores have caught on that sometimes schedules are too packed to even shop for groceries. Stores like Kroger, Meijer and Target now offer grocery pick-up or delivery to help free up your time.

After all of the planning and pick-ups, store your ingredients and holiday goodies in our 5343 Series Solid Bottom Tall Pullout Pantry with Soft-Close.

4SDI-24 Cut-To-Size Insert Wood Spice Organizer

Spice It Up

Now that you have everything stocked up, it’s time to ensure you have every spice you need ready to go and at reach. Staying on top of cooking a holiday dish, especially multiple, is crucial to ensuring things run smoothly and on schedule.

Keep herbs and spices conveniently stored away in a drawer with our 4SDI Series trim-to-fit Spice Organizer Insert.

5372-15 Pullout The Cloud Two-Tier Blind Corner Contemporary Accessories

Clear The Way

When hosting a holiday get together, you need all the counter space you can get for prepping and serving, so it is essential to hide away countertop appliances. Making use of hard to organize spaces like blind corners opens up so much storage space in a crowded kitchen.

Blind corner organizers like our 5370 Series Contemporary Organizer, a.k.a. The Cloud, allows you to fulfill your storage needs above and beyond what you thought that forgotten corner could ever do.

4WDKB-1 Wooden Knife Block Complete Drawer System Storage Unit

Check Your Tools

So, maybe you found a new, risky recipe from Pinterest that’s sure to be a showstopper at your holiday event. Unfortunately it’s going to require a few new kitchen doodads and thingamabobs. Make sure you clear out cluttered drawers to make room for your essentials and new gadgets.

Our 4WDKB Series Cut-To-Size Insert Wood Double Knife Block for Drawers is a great complete drawer system to safely store away knives and other kitchen tools.

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Toss It Out

Without a doubt the holiday season usually comes with a big mess, which means you’re going to need big time help with clean up.

Proactive cleaning is without a doubt the easiest way to go. Cleaning as the preparation and party goes is a huge relief at the end of the night.

Some feel cleaning as you go distracts from the time you could be enjoying your event and the company of family and friends. In this case, enlist some volunteers to help out after dinner. This time can be spent chatting and sipping coffee while getting the job done.

Prep for the mess and madness with our 53TM Series Quad Top Mount Waste Containers. This unit includes two 35qt. waste containers, one 8qt. container for compost and one 8qt. container for recycling.

Trending: Patterned Cement Tiles

Patterned cement tiles have proven to be a trend that will stand the test of time. But really, these artfully polished displays are created with natural materials like sand, clay, and natural pigments to produce tiles that are both extremely durable and eco-friendly. 

While the surge of bold patterns and colorful backsplashes has filled your Instagram feed in recent months, cement tiles have long since been a part of home decor. Historians even date some versions of encaustic tiles back to the 12th century! 

It's apparent that this trend is here to stay, and all we can say is we are here for it!

I mean come ON! This bathroom is a perfect example of how these tiles can add both a contemporary and vintage flair when mixed with modern details.

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Looking for something a little more subtle? Smaller patterns with two colors may be more of your style like this bathroom design by Kate Marker Interiors featuring Cement Tile Shop.

Let's just take a moment and swoon over these beautiful designs.

While gorgeous, some of these beauties can come with a pretty hefty price tag. While these tiles can be seen as quite an investment, but that doesn't mean you have to have to go without. With the wave of this trend came an even bigger wave of DIY-ers and their tips on how to hack this trend using stencils like these.

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Brass is Back and Better Than Ever

Gold is good, but brass is better.

This luxurious-looking hardware is back on the design scene in a big way. It's bold, bright, beautiful...all the alliterations! Far gone are the days of the shiny and yellow, and here to stay are beautiful pieces fit to brighten any design style.

Kitchen Design by Matthew Quinn of Design Galleria

Kitchen Design by Matthew Quinn of Design Galleria

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MODERN

TRADITIONAL 

Kitchen by Martha Stewart // Hardware by Martha Stewart Living // Photo by Eric Piasecki

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BOHO // ECLECTIC

 

Steel Shelving Brackets by The Ag Market Waco

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MODERN FARMHOUSE 

Kitchen by Cutting Edge Homes // Hardware by Edgecliff

Check out these beautiful designs by the

Matthew Quinn Collection