Tag Archive: kathryn o’donovan
Design Definitions: Plain Sawn, Quarter Sawn and Rift Sawn
Posted on March 23, 2017Quarter Sawn, rift sawn and plain sawn are technical terms to describe how the tree trunk is cut. These three options are common when selecting cabinetry and flooring for your home remodel. Here is a breakdown of each method and their results, including how wood grains appear on surfaces. Plain Sawn – Also known as… more
Hinsdale Kitchen Goes from Bland to Grand
Posted on May 6, 2016Before renovating, this Hinsdale kitchen lacked character. Overall, the space was very plain, which was not even close to reflecting the family that used it day in and day out. A large range in the main traffic area leading into the kitchen also stretched out the space, making the kitchen feel more like a long… more
Add Dimension and Detail to Your Kitchen Cabinetry with a Specialty Glaze
Posted on January 14, 2016There are many custom features and finishes that can enhance the style and depth of your kitchen cabinetry. One of these popular add-ons is glazing. This is an extra step in the finishing process that can add warmth or an antiqued aesthetic to your cabinetry by using a pigmented glaze. “Glazing works really well if… more
Mixing Stained and Painted Kitchen Cabinetry is a Winning Recipe
Posted on August 8, 2014Mixing stained and painted finishes in the kitchen is a remodeling trend that’s been popular for several years, and shows no signs of fading any time soon. “Introducing multiple finishes in the kitchen allows you to create contrast, enhance the visual interest of the space, and break up the potentially monochromatic look of the kitchen,”… more
Kitchen Faucets With Integrated Water Filters
Posted on August 26, 2013An option that many homeowners are considering in the selection phase of their kitchen remodeling projects is selecting a faucet with an integrated water filter. It’s gaining popularity not only for the convenience, but the taste and quality of the water as well. Normandy Designer Kathryn O’Donovan recently incorporated a Rohl tri-filter faucet in one of… more
Bridge Faucets for Kitchen
Posted on August 7, 2013Bridge faucets are made to work with any style kitchen, whether you want a minimalistic bridge faucet for a modern space or one with lots of detail for a traditional style kitchen. “Bridge faucets add a unique aesthetic to a kitchen and are really meant to serve as a design element all their own,” says… more
Made In The USA Kitchen Tribute
Posted on July 3, 2013With the 4th of July coming up in a couple days, we thought it’d be fun to share a “Made in the USA” kitchen project we’ve done! This kitchen was created by Normandy Designer Kathryn O’Donovan, and it’s almost entirely manufactured in the U.S. The windows are manufactured by Pella in Iowa The kitchen tile… more
Glam Coffee Bar Ideas
Posted on June 11, 2013Normandy Designer Kathryn O’Donovan took on the task of redesigning our dated coffee bar in the showroom – and she did a fabulous job! “I decided, overall, it should represent a transitional aesthetic with a touch of glam,” says Kathryn. “Transitional is the number one style in the industry right now and it is definitely what Normandy… more
Incorporating A Curbless Shower In Modern Bathrooms
Posted on May 22, 2013Modern bathrooms are all about clean, sleek lines. One of the trends falling into that category are curbless showers, because they can be designed to make the floor look continuous throughout the bathroom. “This type of shower falls perfectly into the “modern” category,” says Normandy Designer Kathryn O’Donovan. “One of the newer appeals to this… more
Normandy Designers Give New Meaning to “Collecting Hardware”
Posted on January 25, 2013The Normandy Designers recently attended an awards ceremony for the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) Greater Chicagoland chapter, and left with almost every single award! There were eighteen “Remodeling Excellence Awards” were handed out, and various Normandy Remodeling Designers received an astonishing seventeen of them. The designers were thrilled to have their hard work recognized… more
Normandy’s “Flat Norman” Goes to Ireland
Posted on November 28, 2012For those who haven’t heard of the Flat Stanley Project, it was developed to help children in school connect with their classmates. Students would create a Flat Stanley and send him in the mail to their Pen Pal who would record Stanley’s adventures abroad. Once their Stanley returned, the student would share the journey with the… more How to Pick a Kitchen Range Hood
Posted on October 30, 2012The hood for your range can sometimes be a forgotten design element, when in fact, if the selection is done poorly can negatively affect the final look and functionality of your entire kitchen. The award-winning Normandy Designer, Kathryn O’Donovan, has put together a short outline of how to pick out a hood that is perfectly suited to… more
A Gourmet Kitchen Fit for Two
Posted on August 6, 2012“Sophisticated, eclectic,and functional” is how Normandy Designer, Kathryn O’Donovan, describes her recent clients’ award-winning Lake Forest kitchen remodel. Kathryn conceived a layout that would allow both homeowners, who are avid chefs, to work together simultaneously in the kitchen. Oversized major appliances were a must for the homeowners, and Kathryn meticulously hid other countertop appliances within… more
Brown Irish Soda Bread
Posted on March 16, 2012In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, I began searching for an authentic Irish Soda Bread recipe that I could create for my family. Proving once again that it’s not what you know, but who you know, I found just what I was looking for from Normandy Designer Kathryn O’Donovan. Kathryn was raised in Ireland and… more
Awards by the dozen
Posted on December 28, 2011We’ve been fortunate to have completed some beautiful remodeling projects for our clients this year, and while we suspected that many of these were truly exceptional, we weren’t quite prepared for the overwhelming response that we recently received from our peers. This year, as in prior years, the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) Greater… more
