Blue Star Announces Winner of Kitchen Design Competition

BlueStar® announced that Heidi Piron, of Heidi Piron Design & Cabinetry, Summit, New Jersey, took the top prize in its first-ever Kitchen Design Competition. Acclaimed designer Eric Cohler, the lead judge for the contest, made the announcement live from the BlueStar exhibit space at the Architectural Digest Design Show in New York City.

While the judges applauded all finalists for their thoughtful designs and creative use of BlueStar appliances in multiple colors and metal trims, Piron’s entry, dubbed ‘Star Attraction,’ edged out in front through its thoughtful display of a gorgeous custom hood, the jewel in the crown, and its smart use of space and appliances.

“The winning design reflects an industrial style which is trending now, with the classic blending of black and white,” said Cohler. “Being a neutral, black is never not in style, but it is enjoying a rebirth, especially matte black in the kitchen. It is extremely versatile, so that it can be incredibly dramatic or serve as an accent against a white palette – another neutral that is in vogue now as well.”

BlueStar’s rugged good looks and power fit perfectly with the industrial kitchen style, marrying design and performance seamlessly. BlueStar’s matte black appliances – as well as its 750+ other color options – blend well within a commercially styled space, especially when outfitted with metal finishes in stainless, burnished brass or copper.

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 receives BlueStar appliances for his/her home kitchen plus a trip to the Architectural Digest Home Design Show. In addition to Cohler, the judging panel included four industry professionals – Amanda Nisbet, Brett Beldock, Ken Kelly and Grace Kelly.

The winning kitchen design was built around the BlueStar gas range.  The matte black of the range recurs in the beverage area, which features a backsplash in a shimmery bronze tile that sets a festive mood. The custom range hood was powder coated matte black to match the range.

From a design perspective, the range and hood combination is the star attraction of the kitchen. Oversize white subway tile with gray grout to the ceiling add to the drama of the curved range hood that is slightly larger than the range. Everything is within close reach of the range—the adjacent spice drawer, the pullout drawers for the pots and pans, and the four-seater island to serve family and guests. Built into the back of the island is another unique design element of the kitchen: the seven-inch thick butcher’s block made of natural walnut, set on a walnut furniture base cabinet. “This allows the chef of the house to face his audience as he chops without ever having to grab a cutting board,” explained Piron. The countertop is a leathered quartzite in a light gray that is durable and low maintenance. The black matte recurs in the beverage area, which features a backsplash in a shimmery bronze tile that sets a festive mood.

The 2017 competition is open for entries from March 21, 2016 through January 31, 2017. The kitchen design entry can be any style kitchen. A minimum of one BlueStar cooking appliance as the primary cooking appliance is required. Ranges, rangetops, ovens and cooktops meet this requirement. Official rules and entry criteria can be found at www.bluestarcooking.com/designcontest.