Category: Design

With so many products on the market, kitchen design has taken front-and-center attention in new homes and remodeling. From lighting to flooring, backsplashes to cabinetry, there are hundreds of choices to make your kitchen beautiful and functional.

Our kitchens are the workhorse of our homes, so one vital aspect of any kitchen are the appliances. Before you pick out your kitchen appliances, here are some tips for selecting the very best choices for you.

Big Box Store vs. Appliance Store Purchase – While the appliances may look exactly the same at both stores, the truth is that often the appliances sold at the big box home improvement stores are actually different. Sometimes they are built with lesser-quality parts, have a different warranty or lack some of the features of those sold at appliance stores. Additionally, there may be add-ons – such as delivery and installation – that are already included with an appliance store purchase. Just be sure that you are weighing all of the variables before deciding where to purchase. We often direct our clients to visit LHB Appliances and/or Martin Appliances as they are two appliances companies we work with.

Energy Efficiency – Your kitchen appliances use a lot of energy, so you may want to consider selecting one with an EnergyStar® certification. The EnergyStar® website can help you to determine which ones will save you the most money annually.

Cooking Style – For range-top cooking, there is electric, gas or induction, which cooks in less time and is becoming more affordable. When selecting your range, consider how much heat is lost from the burner to pan (which not only wastes energy but also heats up your kitchen). If you are leaning toward gas, look at the variable control – how long can the burner maintain “simmer” without the flame going out?

Ovens – If you are a baker, you’ll probably want a traditional oven, but if you like meals cooked fast, a high-performance convection oven may be the way to go.

Refrigerator/Freezer – Besides storage options and capacity, the biggest factor in selecting this appliance is the compressor. A single compressor cools both the refrigerator and freezer while the dual does each. A dual compressor will keep your food fresher longer, so if you tend to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables or gourmet foods, this may be a feature to invest in. Additionally, some units have built-in purifiers for water and ice, while others simply run water to the unit.

Microwaves – This selection is mostly about where the appliance is located. You can have it on the countertop, over the range or built into the cabinetry.

Dishwashers – Just like refrigerators, this appliance has made many advances over the years. When choosing a dishwasher, look into the decibel level (e.g., how loud it will be when running) and any additional features you want, such as adjustable ranks or smart sensors.

Finally, appliances today come with a lot of bells and whistles, but if you don’t need them or would rarely use them, why pay for them? The key to getting the best appliance for you is to select one that has the features you will use now and will be happy with for years to come.

Want more kitchen ideas? See them all on our Houzz page.

And if you are thinking about a kitchen renovation, contact us to set up a time to talk. No fee. No obligation. Just us sitting down together to hear about your plans and ideas.

Have you been toying around with the idea of remodeling your kitchen and thinking that 2015 may be the year?

How you plan to use your kitchen will greatly influence the design. Everything from more storage to a larger prep space for both you and your spouse, should be considered. Often homeowners are looking for “something different” in kitchen design, yet not so off-the-wall that the room becomes dated in just a few years.

Here are five kitchen trends that can give your kitchen a fresh, not dated look for many years to come.

1. Modern-Traditional Design. This sleek, yet comfortable design style continues to be on the rise, and manufacturers are responding as there is no shortage of products on the market. This style often mixes flat-panel doors (such as Shaker), stainless steel, marble countertops, glass-tile backsplashes and white subway tiles to give a kitchen a modern style that has charm.

2. Touch-Me Surfaces. Kitchens are being designed with more and more interesting elements. Cool granite countertops, sleek cabinetry fixtures, warm tile backsplashes, texturized flooring and fascinating pendant lights all beg to be touched.

3. Dimensional Cabinetry. Cabinetry comes in all shapes and sizes now to accommodate storage needs, and varying cabinetry height along the perimeter of the room can also create depth. Instead of the kitchen looking ho-hum, this effect makes the space look stunning and furnished.

4. Deep dark with soft white. Kitchen designers across the country all agree that black and white is “in.” If you like this contrast, but you aren’t quite ready to commit to bold black, consider espresso-colored cabinets. It will give you that modern-traditional look you want, without it being as harsh as black.

5. Lighting. Gone are the days of kitchen lighting being strictly for function. Today’s homeowner can integrate fun and personality into their kitchen lighting selections. Recessed ceiling lights come in a variety of shapes and sizes, pendant lights hung over the island become conversation pieces, and subtle cabinetry lighting can set the mood.

Want more kitchen design ideas? See them all on our Houzz page.

And if you are thinking about a kitchen renovation, contact us to set up a time to talk. No fee. No obligation. Just us sitting down together to hear about your plans and ideas.

In this blog article, we highlighted the options, process and things to know about making your plumbing selections during a new home build or renovation. In this issue, we overview drywall, trim and paint options for your project.

After framing, mechanical rough-ins and insulation are complete on your new home or addition project, the interior begins to take shape. Next, drywall gets hung and finished, trim is installed and painting begins. These three items will go far in determining the look and feel of your interior spaces.

Here are some things to consider for each stage:

Drywall: This is the product that covers your framing and creates your wall space. You may not think there is much customizing when it comes to drywall, but one major design option entails the corners you choose. Drywall corner beads come in two styles: 90-degree corners and rounded corners. A rounded corner provides a softer, gentler look and is usually a fairly minor cost upgrade, but some homeowners still prefer the clean, classic look of the standard 90-degree corner.

Trim: This is the “catch all” term that refers to the casings that frame your windows and doors, the baseboard that covers the bottom of the wall where it meets the floor and any other specialty moldings you may want to include in your home (crown molding, chair rail, wainscoting, coffered ceiling, etc.)

Many different trims are available. Popular styles include colonial trim and a simple flat trim, which is complementary to a craftsman style home. Interior doors, fireplace mantles and stair details (handrails, newel posts and pickets) are also items that can customize a home and are all part of your interior trim selections.

Paint: Once the trim work is done, painting walls and trim is the next step in our process. Choosing colors to highlight specific rooms is often an upgrade our customers select. Kitchens, dining rooms, bathrooms and bedrooms are all good choices for adding color – whether it is the entire room or merely an accent wall.

There are also many types of paint available. We typically recommend a flat paint for ease of touch up. Although it isn’t a “scrub-able” paint like an eggshell finish, flat paint covers small imperfections in drywall and because it is easy to touch up, it makes this a more affordable option. For those concerned about chemical emissions from paint, we also offer a zero VOC option at a reasonable upgrade.

Have you been toying around with the idea of remodeling your kitchen and thinking that 2015 may be the year?

How you plan to use your kitchen will greatly influence the design. Everything from more storage to a larger prep space for both you and your spouse, should be considered. Often homeowners are looking for “something different” in kitchen design, yet not so off-the-wall that the room becomes dated in just a few years.

Here are five kitchen trends that can give your kitchen a fresh, not dated look for many years to come.

Modern-Traditional Design. This sleek, yet comfortable design style continues to be on the rise, and manufacturers are responding as there is no shortage of products on the market. This style often mixes flat-panel doors (such as Shaker), stainless steel, marble countertops, glass-tile backsplashes and white subway tiles to give a kitchen a modern style that has charm.

Touch-Me Surfaces. Kitchens are being designed with more and more interesting elements. Cool granite countertops, sleek cabinetry fixtures, warm tile backsplashes, texturized flooring and fascinating pendant lights all beg to be touched.

Dimensional Cabinetry. Cabinetry comes in all shapes and sizes now to accommodate storage needs, and varying cabinetry height along the perimeter of the room can also create depth. Instead of the kitchen looking ho-hum, this effect makes the space look stunning and furnished.

Deep dark with soft white. Kitchen designers across the country all agree that black and white is “in.” If you like this contrast, but you aren’t quite ready to commit to bold black, consider espresso-colored cabinetry. It will give you that modern-traditional look you want, without it being as harsh as black.

Lighting. Gone are the days of kitchen lighting being strictly for function. Today’s homeowner can integrate fun and personality into their kitchen lighting selections. Recessed ceiling lights come in a variety of shapes and sizes, pendant lights hung over the island become conversation pieces, and subtle cabinetry lighting can set the mood.

Want more kitchen design ideas? See them all on our Houzz page.

And if you are thinking about a kitchen renovation, contact us to set up a time to talk. No fee. No obligation. Just us sitting down together to hear about your plans and ideas.

Kitchen and flooring installations begin to really show the customizations of your one-of-a-kind home.

Kitchen Cabinets: There is a lot to consider when selecting cabinets: construction of the cabinet, finish or color, door style, hardware options, moldings and cabinet heights. The cabinets will also tie in with your other kitchen features, such as flooring, faucets and appliances, to name a few.

While this can seem overwhelming, we feel comfortable referring you to one of our experts and trusted suppliers to help walk you through this selection process. Janet Metzler is also available to assist in selections as needed, or you may have an interior decorator or designer that can help you making your selections. Don’t be afraid to turn to these resources, as they are the experts – they help customers pull together beautiful kitchens every day.

Countertops: Formica countertops provide the most cost-effective solution and also allow for many different color and finish options. There is no shortage of hard surface upgrade options, though, and many people immediately think of granite when considering a countertop upgrade. After all, it is readily available and is the most popular option for a hard surface countertop. Quartz is another natural stone option, and Corian, a man-made product, is another hard surface option. Wood and concrete tops are not quite as popular but are available for those who desire a unique countertop solution.

We asked Phil Clemmer, our trusted salesman from Swartz Kitchens and Baths, about the trends he is seeing in terms of cabinet and countertop selections. This is what he had to say:

“For the last few years, the cabinetry industry has been doing the same things in the kitchen. Having said that, we are now incorporating a couple of things together to create a perfect environment to work in. The two main colors being used are the Espresso and the soft white paint, with some manufacturers calling them different names, like Chiffon or Antique. We are using them together by designing the kitchen’s perimeter in soft white and the island in Espresso. Two-toned kitchens are still very much in vogue.

 On the cabinetry architectural side, staggered cabinetry is being used in many upper-end kitchens because most ceiling heights in these homes are nine foot. Wall cabinetry height varies from 36” to 42” which leaves a 12” to 18” open soffit above, which creates stunning detail by creating a look that is not so typical where every cabinet is the same height.”

“A similar effect can be created by altering the depth of cabinet throughout the perimeter of the kitchen. By integrating the use of multi-colored along with varying heights and depths of cabinetry, a stunning effect can happen where the kitchen now looks much more like furniture than it does a ho-hum kitchen.”

Read more about customization here.

When building your home or starting an addition/renovation project with Metzler Home Builders, your plumbing and faucet selections will be one of the first interior decisions that you’ll need to make, as plumbing rough-ins generally happen immediately after the house is framed.

There are many different options to consider when making your faucet selections, such as style, finish and handle spread. By the time to you get to this step, you may have a style and finish in mind, or you may not have given it much thought yet.

One way we can help you is by suggesting you visit our plumbing supplier’s showroom. There, you can touch the faucets to see how they look and function. While at the showroom, you will have the opportunity to pick out your toilet, bathtub and shower selections, as well.

Not the same as big-box stores. 

What is interesting to note is that while the big box stores, such as Lowes and Home Depot, do sell some of the same brands that we supply, the faucets they carry are generally not of the same quality. Even though they look identical, they are made with lesser internal components.

If you choose to purchase your fixtures through one of these chain stores, we’ll gladly install them, but keep in mind that we are not able to warranty the installation of these the same as we do the faucets from our own supplier.