Category: New Construction

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.