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Wellness design: Sekisui House’s “Chowa”

I recently wrote about trends observed at January’s National Kitchen and Bath Show in Vegas. While I am passionate about wellness design (aka aging in place design or livable design), aging in place architecture is a. close second. My friends and I were thrilled when we serendipitously discovered the Japanese Sekisui House Concept Home on the “other half” of the venue – the International Builder’s Show (IBS).

A 5,400 square foot home was constructed by Sekisui House’s wholly-owned US building enterprise Woodside Homes. Located 20 minutes from out venue, The home was dubbed “Chowa”. Chowda is an ancient Japanese term that refers to the spirit of balance, well-being, harmony and connectedness to nature.   This is an idea that aligns with “my why”.

The exterior of Chowa House.

The project took ten months from breaking ground to completion. Eight twenty-foot long shipping containers  of engineered materials were shipped from Japan to the US. Framing was assembled in eight days with a 5 mm accuracy.  (amazing)

Chowa’s sustainable construction systems and techniques are proven to be more resistant to natural disasters than traditional building methods.   They are built with the latest innovations in thermal insulation, air quality management, solar energy materials for net zero consumption and technology integration to create a health and wellness focused living environment.

The home was built using Sekisui House’s SHAWOOD laminated post-and-beam style frame metal-joint connection system. No circular saws were used in the construction of this home.

Sekisui House has delivered more than 2.4 million homes – more than any other company in the world.  But there is so much more behind the  Sekisui House’s fundamental philosophy of love of humanity.  They strive to create safe, secure housing that will be handed down from generation to generation. The foundation of their thinking is “realizing customer happiness in a society where people will have a  100-year lifespan”.  This is not only residential design for aging in place but being proactive about how to design quality homes for multiple generations. Their R&D Institute is Japan’s first-ever corporate research institute to specialize in happiness.  

And I can’t imagine a better subject in which to specialize.

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Trend forecast from the 2020 Kitchen & Bath Show (KBIS)

Last month I had the pleasure of traveling to Las Vegas for the National Kitchen and Bath Show (aka KBIS). I met up with a few designer friends and we spent three days searching for exciting new products and attending informative seminars.

The first trend we noted was iron clad shelving with mixed materials like wood and marble. Black iron shelving has been around for several years but the addition of wood or marble lends interest while LED lighting adds a layer of functionality. Gotta love any “trend” that brings function and style to a home.

The next trend we noted were bold, statement backsplashes, many of which were illuminated. The photograph below is an agate slab that is lit from behind. It’s not for everyone or every home, but it makes a statement nonetheless.

An illuminated stone slab
This line of semiprecious stones by Caesarstone would make a beautiful backsplash in bar.
Marble studded tiles add texture to this unique backsplash.

Two years ago at this same show, I wrote about the new trend of illuminated vanities and vanity lights. Fast forward to 2020: this has now become a staple and is more or less an expected feature. As a Certified Aging in Place Specialist, I love the fact that these enhancements create another layer of safely in any home…for any generation.

At illuminated mirror at the Kohler Showroom.
We’re even seeing the edges of cabinetry integrated with LED lights. How great is this feature?

We also noticed straighter, more sleek edges on countertops as well as the profiles on door styles. As a result, it’s interesting to note that the countertops are completely flush with the cabinetry.

The edges on the countertops do not protrude. We really liked the look of this streamlined, transitional style for any kitchen or bathroom.
Perhaps another noted trend that falls inline with sleeker cabinetry: more streamlined hardware as pictured above.
This was unanimously one of our (my two fellow designers and I) door profiles.

As an interior designer who prides herself on designs are less trendy and more timeless, I take these trends with a “grain of salt”. By attending these shows, we’re able to educate ourselves and stay ahead of the curve in regards to new materials, products and business practices. At the end of the day, design is about what personally resonates with you. If what resonates with you has more or a curve and less of a streamlined look, then there’s always a way to design so that each design reflects our client’s personal taste and style.

Stay tuned for a future post on the Kitchen and Bath Show as we reveal what we learned about all of the smart appliances!

If you’re interested in learning more about any of our services, including kitchen and bath design, call or email us! We’d love to chat!

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The Future of Real Estate

The “Vessel” NYC

“The Future of Home” design seminar took place last week in NYC. It was a great experience. One of the most interesting talks was given by Zillow and Curbed entitled “The Future of Real Estate”. They had plenty to say about millennials. Here are my three takeaways.

  1. More people under the age of 34 continue to live at home with their parents.
  2. Married couples are taking in roommates to help with finances.
  3. Most fascinating to me, co-living (aka communal living where tenants share kitchens and living rooms) is on the rise. To meet this trend, companies located in major east and west coast cities are offering move-in ready, fully furnished, wifi and even cleaning crews.

So what does this mean for the future of home design? To me, this reinforces the fact that multigenerational homes will only continue to rise. These are homes that need to be designed to adapt to all generations.

Next week I’ll follow up with how “the Silver Tsumani” – boomers – are effecting the future of real estate. Stay tuned!

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Our favorite Kitchen and Bath “forever” trend

Last year at the National Kitchen and Bath show there was one feature that stood out to us that we’re using in all of our designs: Lighting…everywhere. This “simple” feature combines beauty, safety and function.

These products are now readily available to consumers and they just make life easier…for anyone, at any ability.

Mirrors, sinks and vanities that keep us safe in the middle of the night.
Interior drawer lights add efficiency.
Interior lighting make any cabinet more efficient.
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And the Winner Is…

Fiori Interior Design is delighted to announce that we recently received two bronze awards by New Jersey Chapter of The American Society of Interior Designers (ASID). The winning categories were “Single Residential space” and “Show House design”  (woohoo!!) iori Interior Design is delighted to announce that we recently received two bronze awards by New Jersey Chapter of The American Society of Interior Designers (ASID). The winning categories were “Single Residential space” and “Show House design”  (woohoo!!) iori Interior Design is delighted to announce that we recently received two bronze awards by New Jersey Chapter of The American Society of Interior Designers (ASID). The winning categories were “Single Residential space” and “Show House design”  (woohoo!!)

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2017 Saddle River Showhouse “Nanny’s Retreat”

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Tenafly Living Room

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