Kitchen updates rank among the most popular home improvements. The reason? An excellent return on the investment. A renovated kitchen can deliver better storage, enhanced ergonomics, and higher resale value. Here are 10 trends to track when planning your remodeling project.
1. Built-in Coffee Center
The latest models deliver customized cups of coffee, espresso, and cappuccino with the press of a button. Sleek, built-in designs save valuable counter space. Miele's CVA coffee system is shown here.
2. Sculptural Stove Hood
Once boxy and bland, stove hoods are taking center stage with curvy, sculptural shapes. The latest designs, like this wall-mount hood from Miele, combine stainless steel with new materials, such as treated glass. Some also incorporate features such as an overhead spice rack.
3. 21st Century Cabinetry
Cabinets have gone minimal and modern with floating units, systems concealed behind sliding doors, touch-latch cabinet fronts that eliminate hardware, and innovative new surfaces, such as aluminum, bamboo, high-gloss lacquer, or semitranslucent glass. Bosch created the model kitchen shown here.
4. Dual-Fuel Ranges
Culinarians used to debate the relative merits of electric vs. gas. Major manufacturers offer professional-quality ranges that combine the power of a gas cooktop with the even performance of an electric one. Styles can range from stainless steel to old-fashioned cast iron, like this Six-Four range in claret enamel finish by AGA.
5. Appliances that Pop
Retro kitchen accoutrements in colors such as red, yellow, and cobalt blue inject today's kitchens with a shot of color therapy. This is an OrangeX juicer in tangerine from Williams-Sonoma.
6. Italian Cooking Gadgets
Many of today's most coveted kitchen accessories carry an Italian theme, such as state-of-the-art cappuccino makers, stainless steel truffle shavers, and industrial-quality gelato makers. The latest must-have: a panini grill, such as this Krups model, for cooking Italian-style hot pressed sandwiches.
7. Computerized Appliances
Appliances of the next generation will be computer-regulated, interactive, cyber-smart, and multifunctional. One of the first prototypes out of the gate is Samsung's HomePAD refrigerator, which features Internet capabilities, e-mail, messaging, and TV/DVD features.
8. Designer Dishwashers
High-end dishwasher manufacturers like Fisher & Paykel now offer attractive versions, concealed by cabinet fronts, that both wash and store dishes without the need for transfer. Another brand holds up to 20 place settings within a compact unit, making the cleanup of large dinner parties virtually effortless.
9. Custom Countertops
Counters are going from common to couture with custom touches such as wooden butcher blocks and marble pastry slab inserts. Homeowners are mixing materials, such as concrete embedded with bits of glass and metal. Stone, such as soapstone and marble, remains a popular countertop material. Likewise, stainless steel, sealed concrete, engineered quartz (which has many of the advantages of granite without the maintenance requirements), and woods, such as mahogany, are gaining ground. The model at left is by Boffi.
10. Sleek Wine Refrigeration
The latest offerings in wine refrigerators include freestanding models that hold up to 147 bottles, as well as smaller attached units complete with built-in refrigerator drawers. Models equipped with microprocessors provide benefits such as touchpad control and a digital cooling system that maintains ideal temperature and humidity levels in two separate zones, allowing for the proper storage of both red and white wines. A Jenn-Air built-in wine chiller is shown here.
(Article and Pictures from http://www.myhomeideas.com/)
1. A table that is short enough to not block the view of anyone behind you. Look for it at Target: "Coleman Dynasty 30in. x 60in. Folding Table"
2. A blanket to sit on that is easy to fold up after the concert. Look for it at Target: Highline Luxury Picnic Blanket (Remember: You aren't allowed to put down blankets on the square until after 3pm, but by 4 the grounds are almost full!)
3. A comfy back support, because everyone else will wish they had one. Look for it at Target: "Picnic Time Metro Portable Reclining Seat"
4. A wine chiller to keep your Chardonnay at the perfect temperature. Look for it at Target: "Caddy-O Wine Chiller Insert"
5. A portable picnic basket to make it easy to bring treats along. Look for it at Target: "Banana Leaf Picnic Basket"
6. A great book to read while you listen to the orchestra and enjoy the breeze. Look for it at Target: "Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain"
