Efficient appliances and smart organization solutions are key elements in a well-designed twenty-first century kitchen. Gone are the days when “homemaking” was a woman’s primary role or formal dining areas were separate from closed-in utilitarian kitchens. Today’s kitchen is the hub of the home and used by adults and children, alike. It needs user-friendly storage and technology that makes sense with the rest of the home.
Appliances
These are the masterminds behind your family’s food operations. The labor-saving devices you choose will be significant expenditures in your remodeling budget as well as important members of your kitchen design. While energy-star appliances are now mainstream and the look of stainless steel has beaten out the convenience of its ancestors’ additional functionality as a magnetic memo-board and display surface for children’s art, you might be wondering, “What next?”
Well, double-oven stoves are becoming more affordable, as are nearly noiseless dishwashers. Dishwashing is taking less time than ever, too, with this model that takes only 30 minutes to complete a cycle. Not only do these new appliances increase the efficiency of labor in a kitchen; it allows for better energy efficiency, as well.
To complicate the decision, web-enabled “smart appliances” are now becoming available. Although some say that networked kitchens are a far cry from becoming feasible for the average homeowner, the prospect is certainly tantalizing!
Organization
If appliances are the executive members of your kitchen, then your cabinetry is its PR representative. Color choices and functionality of cabinet space are both significant considerations in a kitchen remodel. Painted finishes, exotic woods, and a furniture-look are all currently trending in cabinetry, today. Darker woods such as cherry, are still popular, but in the high-end market, lighter woods such as white oak and knotty chestnut are emerging favorites. Overall, mid-range colorings are gaining popularity, while increased continuity with the home’s design, as a whole, is a major factor, too. Mixing and matching styles is gaining acceptance, as well, especially since the spaces used for kitchens and eat-in dining are becoming oversized.
Some other trends include appliances that are camouflaged to blend into the cabinetry. Of course, trash receptacles are masquerading as cabinets, nowadays, as well. What about speakers for your music? (Yes, that’s been thought of, too.) Elevated dishwasher cabinets provide storage for dishes, and pull-out pantries and fixed islands remain popular options. For those budget-conscious homeowners, retrofitting user-friendly storage options into existing cabinetry provides an alternative to entirely new cabinets. Stainless steel cabinetry is also gaining in acceptance, but whether it’s a passing fad, only time will tell.
While appliances and cabinets aren’t the only significant portions of your kitchen remodel, they certainly are major factors, perhaps even the main ones in your remodeling budget. For help with constructing a state of the art, contemporary kitchen in the Silver Spring, Maryland area, contact the Hartman Builders. Pop over to their builder blog and read some more tips on kitchen remodeling.