Back in the Saddle
I started back to work this week.
It blows my mind how quickly my maternity leave flew by and how accustomed I got to my new Mom routine. It feels strange leaving the house each day without my little pal Croix in tow. While I would love to just buy a tiny hard hat and strap him to my back as I get back to my projects, I feel that would be frowned upon by OSHA. So, instead Croix stays with a nanny and a little girl who will be two in April...his first friend (awww!) and I go to work, looking at his little smiley face on my phone 3432423432 times a day and looking forward to picking him up each afternoon.
On the work front, ready or not I dove back into the real world head first this week, as a project I designed last Fall installed Sunday night at Phipps Plaza. That's right, myself and Bell Kitchen and Bath Studios (the company I work for) have designed the kitchen for Atlanta Homes and Lifestyle's Luxury Living Show again this year. This is the kitchen that sits in the middle of the mall. Bell has done this kitchen seven times and of those seven times, this is my fourth year being involved and my third year as the lead designer.
You may remember my first kitchen...the blue kitchen...
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| Photo from Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles |
This year I really wanted to go for something a bit fancier. Not stuffy, just elegant with classic Atlanta style and grace, plus a little unexpected flair. I had to get the wheels turning on this bad boy early since I knew I wouldn't be designing the first two months of the year. So, last fall I sat at my kitchen table and doodled up my vision:
Our crew went to work installing the kitchen Sunday and Monday night. Because the kitchen is in the mall, they have to work through the night when the mall is closed (best crew ever!). Tuesday the finishing touches were added and the magazine did their photo-shoot and last night was the opening party.
Here is a photo I snapped on my phone of the finished product yesterday:
The kitchen will be on display in Phipps Plaza for the month of March. There will be several events hosted at and around the kitchen over the next four weeks including the Design Bloggers Conference and an NKBA (National Kitchen and Bath Association) event where I will be speaking on a panel...eek! We are having the kitchen photographed tomorrow so I will be back soon with a post full of pictures of the kitchen, more behind the scenes design details and the list of all of the collaborators that come together to make this beast come to life. Until then, you can see a few more sneak peeks over on my instagram!
Unless otherwise noted all photos are my own.
Unless otherwise noted all photos are my own.