Author Archives: Michele

The past 10 days have been amazing! Not once, but twice, I have been invited back to a clients home to oogle over their finished kitchen project. Not to just look at the kitchen but to have lunch or share a snack while we chat. Just sitting in these new spaces makes me so proud to have been a small part of something that will bring them enjoyment for years to come. As I walk towards the kitchen I keep my head down and then like a kid on Christmas morning, I open my eyes. Now,you would think that this would get old after awhile.How much beautiful cabinetry, granite and backsplashes could one get excited about. Well apparently alot, because I never get tired of it. As I sat in my clients kitchen and we talked about how great it turned out, we toasted a flute of champagne, ate bruchetta … Continue reading →

If you are considering a kitchen remodel, most likely you have a good idea of what you want the end result to look like. Many times I arrive for my first meeting with a client and they bring out the “folder”. This is like peering into the design head of your client! I love paging through these ideas, Tuscan ,contemporary, classic, modern, log cabin rustic. Sometimes this little peek will tell a story…enough to get a true feel for a direction that would make the client very happy. Now for the clincher. I’ll do my best to bring those magazine photos to life. Choosing like materials that were in the photos, right down to the exact granite and similar backsplash. Then I’ll throw in a design that “I” think the house needs. And wouldn’t you know it. They choose the design that the house needed, not the one they been … Continue reading →

I remember getting married years ago and my husband couldn’t understand why we had 12 pillows on the bed. The way I figure it, he was just annoyed, because the rule at our house is, last one out of bed has to make it. Had he been the early riser and I was making the bed everyday then I am sure the subject never would have come up!! My point is this. Gone are the days of the 12 pillow bed. The bedroom is getting simpler. Colors are more serene and the pillow count is down dramatically! Page through any shelter magazine and you’ll get a feeling of comfort and refuge. Can you say sanctuary? Our bedrooms should be a special place where we unwind at days end, have intimate talks and heaven forbid watch TV. I’d you haven’t seen our collection of Stone Creek beds lately you need to … Continue reading →

My past three kitchen projects have jettisoned me into the lives of the people who live in very special homes. Even the smallest square footage will ultimately jumpstart ideas of life in a cottage kitchen. Produce from the farmers market on the counter waiting to be turned into some gourmet delight. Cabinets done in a warm white finish with classic stone tiles for a backsplash and you have a cozy, warm spot to entertain or give the kids a snack after school. I can stand in the space and become that homeowner for a few moments and imagine what life will be like in their new space. I think it helps me to be a better decorator. In a medium sized kitchen you can pretty much get all the bells and whistles you want because you have the space to do it. If budget and imagination are your friends then … Continue reading →

In our advertising, we constantly drive the point home that you can get “furniture the way you want it!”. As an employee of Stone Creek Furniture I already know that we can give you exactly what you want. I see great furniture designs being loaded on the truck for delivery every day. Our repeat customers come back for that very reason, it’s the “new” customers that still seem amazed when we tell them how they can customize and make it uniquely their own. I guess I assumed that the message was  out there loud and clear….but in fact I hear “really…we can do that?”. Just this week I was helping a hip, young couple ( anything younger than my 53 years is young and hip) design their Master Bedroom. We were maximizing storage and they needed tons of drawer space. When I heard the wife say that they were amazed we … Continue reading →

I’m sure I’m not alone in having my mind turn towards organization and de- cluttering for the New Year. Just seeing all the storage options and wire covered shelving at Target makes me think I could have a kitchen that exudes a serene, clutter free environment that would make my life take on an existence of carefree cooking and entertaining. Take my kitchen for instance….how much faster could I throw together a hearty meal if the spice drawer was actually made to store these savory add-ons. Or the trash pull-outs in such a place that even a teenager would think it convenient to empty. Add a stemware rack to display your crystal….in full view you might even use it or a lazy Susan that makes finding the peanut butter so easy you won’t even mind making the kids lunches. I could go on about a bread drawer, utensil drawer or … Continue reading →

Now that we’re staying in our homes and hunkering down till the economy brightens, the bathroom seems to be getting a lot of attention . Kitchens are still king when it comes to remodeling but the bathroom is claiming a very respectable spot on the remodeling ladder. The more things change, the more they stay the same. Take the classic 3×6 subway tile. It is a test of time material that looks good in glass, porcelain or tumbled stone. Installed in a brick pattern you can pull off a Traditional look that will never go out style. If classic modern is what you ‘re going for then have them installed vertically. In a shower, a mixture of porcelain and glass can be downright spa like. Team up with our Stone Creek cabinets and your new bathroom will be a favorite spot in your house today and tomorrow. The classics rule. … Continue reading →

It’s this time of year in Phoenix when our thoughts start turning to either getting the neighbors over for a glass of wine on the patio or really thinking ahead to the holidays. If you live here you know when the air changes from “cake in the oven hot” to “aah” that change is about to happen. This is exactly the time my husband starts to hide on Saturday afternoons. He knows I’ll have some task that must be done before the first guest arrives. One of my Stone Creek Kitchen clients asked if she would be cooking In her kitchen by Christmas. She had a couple of generations coming and she knew that her oven would never stand up to the rigors of culinary expertice that her family demanded (and expected) out of her cramped kitchen. We started narrowing down her granite and backsplash choices, discussed flooring and cabinet … Continue reading →

I heard my boss say a few times in the last week that we need to work like a “team”. I was thinking how lucky I was to be a part of the Stone Creek team. My week started out with appointments from one end of the valley to the other. Making every kitchen design unique to the owner and not repeating myself keeps me hoppping. Slugging samples of the newest glass tiles and flooring, cabinet finishes and hardware for cabinetry tucked under my arm, I resemble one of those door to door salesmen I remember as a kid. He would sit on the front porch with my mom and surrounding neighbors, pitching that well honed sales pitch that would be repeated as he went down the street. That rush of anticipation when I ring the doorbell is always the same. I can’t wait to get in the door and … Continue reading →