BlueStar® announces finalists in 2016 Kitchen design competition

 

Designs Showcase Custom Style & Pro Performance of BlueStar Customizable Cooking Equipment

Reading, PA, March 3 – BlueStar®, a leading manufacturer of high performance appliances for the home, today announced the six finalists in its first ever Kitchen Design Competition. The contest, which attracted entries from across the country, honors design professionals who incorporate BlueStar® products into innovative, beautiful kitchen designs.

The Grand Prize winner will receive BlueStar® appliances for their home kitchen, the title BlueStar® Kitchen Designer of the Year, plus a trip to New York City for the 2016 Architectural Digest Home Design Show, where the winner will be announced live on March 17th at the BlueStar booth.

Celebrated Interior Designer Eric Cohler led the judging panel of five industry professionals – Amanda Nisbet, Brett Beldock, Ken Kelly and Grace Kelly – and will present the award to the 1st place recipient in New York.

“We are thrilled to showcase the incredible work of designers who have proudly featured BlueStar appliances as the centerpiece of their stunning kitchen designs. With our distinctive combination of restaurant-grade performance and unrivaled customization options, including 750+ colors and finishes, BlueStar offers trade professionals truly unique options for clients looking to create custom kitchens,” said BlueStar Vice President of Marketing Eliza Sheffield.

The finalists, whose full work can be viewed on bluestar2016.wpengine.com, are:

Northwest Region Finalist:

Jordan Iverson, Jordan Iverson Signature Homes

Midcentury Modern Renovation, Eugene, OR

The kitchen was designed around the owner’s dream BlueStar® range. The overall look was a mix of mid-century modern and rustic modern. The cooking island is the center point and can been seen from the living, dining and family spaces. The oversized prep and eating island was handcrafted of local, reclaimed Elmwood. The outer cabinets were painted white so the BlueStar® range remained the focus of the island.

 

Mountain Region Finalist:

Sue Boltz, Cress Kitchen & Bath

Jackson Kitchen Remodel, Littleton, CO

This project is a love story: Holli’s love of cooking and Jordan’s love of Holli. Jordan showed his love by giving Holli a pro kitchen to match her passion for cooking. The kitchen design began with the appliance selection. The BlueStar® 48″ gas range with griddle and a BlueStar® electric wall oven were the commercial-quality tools needed to serve up serious “love on a plate.”

 

New York/New England Region Finalist:

Heidi Piron, Heidi Piron Design & Cabinetry

Star Attraction, Summit NJ

This kitchen was built around the BlueStar® range. The husband, a “master home chef,” unwinds by creating home cooked meals for his family and dinner parties for friends. He selected BlueStar® since it is a powerful, professional range with a high BTU. Because the wife’s taste is more transitional, she gravitated toward BlueStar® in matte black, which she found “striking and handsome”— reflective of her husband. The black matte recurs in the beverage area, which features a backsplash in a shimmery bronze tile that sets a festive mood.

 

Central Region Finalist:

Elizabeth Nairn, Cabinet-S-Top

Sunny Delight French Door Ovens, Pepper Pike, OH

From day one, this client knew that a bright and sunny kitchen would be a reflection of her personality and lay the foundation of the design for her busy kosher kitchen. The desire was to showcase the visible appliances in a bold color that would literally adorn the kitchen and compliment the overall space. The BlueStar® 30″ French door double ovens were selected for performance, design and the ability to custom color match the appliance to her kitchen island cabinetry . The stunning BlueStar® ovens take center stage as part of a design that is highly functional, fun and sophisticated.

 

Mid-Atlantic Region Finalist:

Joseph Giorgi, Giorgi Kitchens & Designs

Mineo, Newark, DE

Removing an ill-placed powder room and inadequate pantry wall opened up the space but more importantly created the Baking Center the homeowner dreamed of. She requested Blue Star® and thus the designer used a 48″ Platinum Range and a 30″ Electric Wall Oven in a custom cream finish and antique copper accents. This not only provides the home baker the ability to create her specialties but also integrates with the Plain & Fancy Custom Cabinets in Buttercream finish. Black Absolute tops were brushed to mimic soapstone and the baking center and hutch have a complimenting yet durable Lagos Azul Quartz. The island top is honed Corteccia Quartzite bringing a flow of soft colors and joining the design together.

 

Southwest Region Finalist:

Jessica Smith, JRSID

Montecito Guest House, Montecito, CA

Using an existing guesthouse footprint, the challenge was to provide a fun, usable and smartly designed kitchen that uses every inch of the small space without making it seem crowded. Counters, backsplash and window casing in crisp white veinless marble, stainless steel BlueStar® range with custom color knobs and stainless steel hood provide a backdrop for the owner’s penchant for pops of color–specifically pinks!

 

The six finalists will be given a BlueStar® cookware set, which retails between $400 and $500; promotion of the winning kitchen design on the BlueStar® website and promotion of the winning kitchen on the brand’s social media properties.

Handcrafted in Reading, Pennsylvania since 1880, BlueStar gas ranges for the home are designed for discerning home chefs who demand restaurant-quality results in their own kitchens. Endless configurations are available for ranges, cooktops and wall ovens, including 25,000 BTU burners, 130-degree gentle simmer burners, French Tops, griddles and even a commercial grade salamander. BlueStar also offers an unparalleled 750 colors and finishes, providing a new level of customization options for discerning design professionals. Virtually any custom color also is possible.