When you think about the fall season, what scenes come to mind? Is it the quintessential moment of leaves changing colors? Enjoying brisk overcast days bundled up in a leather chair? How about gravitating towards warmer tones like copper and gold?
If you’re like me, all of the above is the answer, and then some. Fall is my absolute favorite season but since Southern California’s seasons are brief (I mean, practically non-existent), I figured that maybe changing up the interiors of my home would be a nice way to begin to welcome the new season, especially since the outdoors aren’t always cooperating with the seasonal calendar. If you’re inspired to do the same, let’s start with the heart of the home: the kitchen!
Fortunately, we don’t have to start from scratch because this year there’s a fresh new color in town created by the brand leaders of the ELEVATE Design Collective, a new first-of-its-kind alliance of six innovative, industry-leading home design companies. The group aims to create conversation about the style and design role of accent pieces in home remodeling and renovation amongst modern day designers and architects.
The ELEVATE Design Collective collaborated with the Pantone Color Institute™ to produce a rich, luxurious new color called Single Malt. The shade is reminiscent of simple indulgences like cognac, whiskey, cigars, leather and coffee; all things enjoyed just a little bit more during fall season. Color plays a big role especially for the turn of the season and this one is warm, deep, and bold (aka, perfect for fall).
The ELEVATE Design Collective is made of six brands: Delta® Faucet, Formica Corporation, Hunter Fan Company, JELD-WEN®, KitchenAid®, and Schlage®. Each of the brands took Single Malt and touted the color into their own respective products. The color was unveiled in a preview event of a custom-designed urban loft in NYC during New York Design Week.
DC-based interior designer Jennifer Wagner Schmidt (owner of JWS Interiors) and kitchen designer Mary Jo Peterson were charged with designing a kitchen and living room that seamlessly incorporated the Single Malt products. Drawing inspiration from bright whites against sharp blacks, clean Scandinavian designs, and a modern yet organic feel, the duo focused on carrying out the Single Malt theme throughout the space without ignoring the other details to make the loft feel like a real home.
Formica Corporation, known for their innovative surfacing products, created a custom Bourbon Trail laminate in a marble design for the kitchen’s countertops. The brand’s 180fx® large-scale laminate line recreates real, true-to-scale stone and granite patterns and was able to tout Single Malt in the veining of this design.
For the open space kitchen, Delta® Faucet contributed the Trinsic® Pro faucet, a nifty high-tech faucet that turns on with just a touch via the Touch20® Technology. The brand added a special arm to hold the faucet head in place for that Single Malt touch.
Last but not least, KitchenAid®, a household name for all kitchens, provided several appliances, including the 36” Multi-Door Freestanding Refrigerator, a Single Wall Oven with Even-Heat™ True Convection, and a 44 dBA dishwasher. The appliances all came in black stainless steel and Single Malt accented knobs.
The products shown in the urban loft were specifically for the space, but the same products are available in different finishes and color ways (which is good news for me when winter rolls in and I want a new color palette). Even though the Single Malt products aren’t for sale, they still inspired us to create a kitchen moodboard, creating a similar look through the use of accent pieces in varying shades of the color:
TOP ROW:
– The ELEVATE Design Collective and Pantone’s Single Malt color will be a hot color for fall.
– Formica Corporation’s 180fx® line made it easy to translate the coppery color into realistic marble veining.
– Tom Dixon is known for creating beautiful lighting and these copper pendants are no exception. While they are an investment, these Copper Shades will definitely stand the test of time with their minimalist designs.
MIDDLE ROW:
– The knobs on Kitchenaid’s 36” Multi-Door Freestanding Refrigerator are a very subtle but clever nod to the new color.
– These Radial Candle Holders from Fire Road are a small way to provide intimate lighting on an affordable budget.
– If you want to give your vases a new look, just fold up an Orikami printed cardboard sleeve and added to your existing vases for a geometric, origami-inspired look.
BOTTOM ROW:
– Bend Good’s wire-frame barstool chairs would add a modern touch for anyone who grabs a seat in the kitchen.
– Flatware is something you use every day, so why not give yours an upgrade with these Copper Flatware set from West Elm?
– If you’ve ever wished you had a professional chef’s faucet in your own home, then Delta’s Trinsic® Pro faucet is for you.
So whether you’re looking to make a spendy purchase or have a more modest budget, there are lots of ways to incorporate the Single Malt theme into your own home. Stay tuned to next week to see how the ELEVATE Design Collective transformed the living space of the urban loft, and see how we would mix in the Single Malt color into our existing interiors.