Jessica Shaw | Source | Director of Interior Design at The Turett Collaborative

Wallpaper
Wallpaper can add playfulness and visual interest to empty wall space. I have personally used peel-and-stick wallpaper in my own home, which I think is amazing for someone doing DIY. Etsy, where I found mine, has countless options of wallpaper prints, murals, and can be made to order and customized. If you are looking to add some color and dimension to your kitchen, peel-and-stick backsplashes have become more and more popular, and can completely transform your cooking space. Home Depot has some great peel-and-stick tile and vinyl designs.

Feng Shui:
Feng Shui can be complicated, but worth it in the long run. As with most interior design choices, Feng Shiu is very site specific, and the shape and area of the space, whether residential or commercial, will determine the layout. For example, the location of the dwelling’s entrance can greatly impact spatial planning with Feng Shui. Overall, with specifics of the Feng Shiu practice considered, designers who practice Feng Shui carefully balance materials of the natural world; wood, stone, glass, water, and metal.

Sustainable Kitchens:
When designing a kitchen with sustainability in mind, moving away from gas appliances and replacing them with induction is a great start, and something our firm has committed to in all projects. Gas appliances can contribute to personal health and environmental risks, so when possible, kitchens without gas appliances are inherently more sustainable.

Another element to consider is man made countertop materials. While stone is very popular, man made stones are more sustainable and cost effective. In general, wherever possible, look for “new” material that was made of recycled material.

Renovations tend to create a lot of waste, especially during demo. For a more sustainable kitchen design, consider reusing as much of the previous kitchen as possible. For example, cabinet faces can be changed to create a new look, instead of replacing the entire cabinet.

In condos and spaces already equipped with appliances, clients often decide that they would prefer a different model or device. In New York, instead of being thrown away, extra appliances can be donated to Big Reuse in Gowanus, where the appliance can be resold.