• Project Location: Clearwater, FL
• Remodel type: New Cabinetry
• Type of door style: Mission
• Remodel style: Transitional
• Color: Koala
• Countertop: Cambria
• Countertop color: Ironsbridge
• Backsplash: Tile backsplash in Literati Irving

For more information about this project, please visit Kitchen Solvers of the Gulf Coast’s Gallery page.

• Project Location: Seminole, FL
• Remodel type: New Cabinetry
• Type of door style: Shaker
• Remodel style: Transitional
• Color: White
• Countertop: Silestone
• Countertop color: Eternal Calacatta Gold
• Backsplash: Silestone Eternal Calacatta Gold

For more information about this project, please visit Kitchen Solvers of the Gulf Coast’s Gallery page.

• Project Location: La Crosse, WI
• Remodel type: New Cabinetry
• Type of door style: Mission
• Remodel style: Contemporary
• Color: Ebony
• Door Material: Cherry
• Countertop: Hanstone Quartz
• Countertop color: Montauk
• Backsplash: Hanstone Quartz full-height

 For more information about this project, please visit Kitchen Solvers of La Crosse’s Gallery page.

• Project Location: Belleair, FL
• Remodel type: New Cabinetry
• Type of door style: Maui
• Remodel style: Transitional
• Color: Polar White
• Countertop: Silestone
• Countertop color: Pearl Jasmine

For more information about this project, please visit Kitchen Solvers of the Gulf Coast’s Gallery page.

The post Spotlight Kitchens of July – New Cabinetry appeared first on Kitchen Solvers.

The kitchen is the heart of any household and one of the most used places in the house. A commonly asked question we get is, “How can I remodel my kitchen without breaking the bank?” Whether we like to hear it or not, regardless of how big or small your remodel is there will always be a price attached. However, we don’t want this number to halt your kitchen remodeling dreams. Here are a few cost-effective kitchen materials for your next remodel.  

Kitchen Flooring 

When it comes to kitchen flooring a great budget-friendly option is installing vinyl flooring. Vinyl plank flooring is water resistant and scratch resistant. This material can be crafted and manufactured to resemble any material. It’s well known for being made to look like hardwood flooring. Plus, an extra bonus is that vinyl maintenance is simple and easy to care for.  

Laminate Countertops 

A fan favorite for inexpensive kitchen materials is laminate countertops. In earlier years, laminate was known for scratching easily. However thanks to our current technology, laminate is quite durable and resistant. With advanced printing techniques laminate countertops can mimic stone, and they’re so accurate you can hardly tell the difference from the real thing. 

Tile Backsplashes and Countertops 

If you’re in the market for something resembling stone, tile is a great substitute. Tile is not only inexpensive, but it also comes in a variety of colorful or natural-toned designs. This gorgeous material can save you a significant amount of cash over custom-cut slabs of stone. Ceramic tile is both crack resistant and impervious to moisture making it a durable addition to any kitchen. Ceramic tile in a kitchen is glazed to provide extra protection in combating drops and stains. 

Kitchen Solvers 

We want your kitchen to feel like home. Here at Kitchen Solvers, it’s our goal to ensure you have the Most Pleasant Remodeling Experience. From choosing your kitchen’s color palette to deciphering which countertop material is the perfect fit, we are here to answer all your question on this process. Feel free to call us today for your kitchen consultation or read some of our latest blog articles like Confused about Cabinetry? A guide to a Cabinet Reface or Replace! or Classic Kitchen Color Palettes. 

 

The post Cost-Effective Kitchen Materials appeared first on Kitchen Solvers.

Rowayton, CT ­— Karen Berkemeyer and Leslie Dunn often work together to create their clients’ dream kitchens and baths, with the former focusing on kitchen/bath design skills and the latter incorporating interior design touches for their respective companies of Karen Berkemeyer Home in Westport, CT, and Dunn Designs in Norwalk, CT. This kitchen, along with the master bath and a guest bath, was no exception…however, this time the resultant collaboration was showcased in Dunn’s personal residence.

“We work really well together,” says Berkemeyer, noting a mutual respect for each other’s talents, which makes for great collaborations. “As a kitchen and bath designer, I focus on making sure these spaces technically and functionally work correctly. Partnering with another professional, such as an interior designer, gives clients the best of two worlds since multiple people are working on the same project. I love working with Leslie because she is so creative and has great taste. She is especially talented and creative with paint.”

Contrasting color

Paint, at opposite ends of the color spectrum, is a focus of Dunn’s kitchen, where the bright white island is contrasted with dark black perimeter cabinets.

“The use of color – combined with very simple cabinet door styles, which are a great choice for today’s kitchens – makes this design stand out,” says Berkemeyer.

Black perimeter cabinets served as the starting point for color. “She really wanted to do black cabinets,” Berkemeyer indicates.

As a contrast, the island was designed to look like a table that Dunn found, notes the designer. “Island and perimeter cabinets don’t necessarily have to match in cabinet style or color,” she says. “In fact, when done well, like in this kitchen, having them not match shows a lot of creativity and makes for an interesting design.”

Keeping cabinet styles simple is the key to making a ‘mismatch’ work, says the designer in reference to the flat-panel, flush-inset Wood-Mode perimeter cabinets and full-overlay, shallow-cut, Shaker-style Signature Custom Cabinetry cabinets on the island. Both are sheathed with custom colors selected by Dunn.

“You would never do this perimeter with oak raised-panel doors on the island,” she says. “This perimeter features a very simple door style, as does the island. They play off of each other well. This entire kitchen has created so much interest from people. They see things they would have never thought of doing…and they like the result.”

The designers also kept the cabinet hardware unpretentious. Pulls on the perimeter cabinets bring to mind cleats used to anchor boats to a dock, giving the space a bit of a nautical vibe that pays homage to the water just beyond the kitchen windows. For the island, they incorporated drawer pulls that resemble those found on a filing cabinet. Berkemeyer also designed the island with seating for four, positioning stools at a right angle to facilitate conversation between guests. The designer also added custom brushed steel accents at each leg base.

“They add another texture to the space and make the island more interesting,” she says.

To continue the contrast between light and dark, Berkemeyer topped the island with white marble, which she built up with a 2″ mitered edge. The perimeter features median-black, charcoal-colored quartz with a leathered finish for added texture.

White 3″x6″ subway tile covers the walls, extending from the countertop to the windows and beyond. Its undulated surface offers a rippled appearance while its stark light color juxtaposes against the blackness of the shallow-depth soffit on the ceiling.

“I thought the kitchen stopped too abruptly in the corner,” notes Berkemeyer in reference to the soffit. “I suggested that we add the soffit, extending it to the refrigerator on one wall and across the length of the windows on the other. It really helps pull the whole kitchen together.”

Additional dark-hued accents include the deep blue paint that adorns the window trim. “She really likes to include the unexpected!” she says.

Overcoming storage challenges

To make better use of the kitchen’s footprint and gain a few extra feet of space, the designers removed walls between the living room and kitchen, eliminating a hallway in the process. To provide visual differentiation between the two spaces without adding a physical barrier, they added reclaimed antique beams in the ceiling, extending them into the living room.

“Previously, her home had an enclosed little kitchen with separate living room,” says Berkemeyer. “Now, the kitchen is more open and looks so much larger. Taking down the wall also made it possible to include the island.”

Even with the additional space gained by removing the hall, storage was a challenge for the relatively petite kitchen. “When spaces are smaller, like in this kitchen, the biggest design challenge is usually storage,” she says. “It’s important to make the most of whatever space you have, and to make everything accessible, especially focusing on corners. Taking cabinets up to the ceiling maximizes the space. It’s important, too, to pay attention to clearances, ensuring that walkways are technically correct and easy to maneuver.”

To overcome storage concerns in Dunn’s kitchen, Berkemeyer included specialized corner organization accessories, recycling bins, pull-out drawers and several large drawers to make contents easy to access.

Glass panels in the wall cabinets provide a brief glimpse of their contents and keep the space visually ‘light.’ “Like the rest of the kitchen, the glass is kept clean, without any mullions, to maintain the desired look for the space,” she concludes.

The post Collaboration Transforms Kitchen appeared first on Kitchen & Bath Design News.

Hybrid kitchen is a relatively new term we coined in the remodeling industry. So you might be wondering, what exactly does a hybrid kitchen remodel entail? Hybrid kitchens allow Kitchen Solvers to offer the best of both options to customers by saving them money while allowing them to add new cabinets or replace some cabinets that might not be useful. Here’s why a hybrid remodel might be the perfect fit for your next kitchen remodel. 

Hybrid kitchens construct a new style of kitchen around your already existing design. The beauty of a hybrid kitchen is that it can truly be whatever you want. If you’re looking to mix new cabinets with refaced cabinets, a hybrid kitchen remodel is the way to go. Not to mention hybrid kitchens are a great way to improve the functioning of your kitchen space. 

It’s common for homeowners to have a few doubts going into their remodel. Oftentimes, there’s a few things in their kitchen which they absolutely love and do not want to part with. A hybrid kitchen remodel mixes what you love about your current kitchen with what you want to incorporate into your new kitchen. For example, maybe you love most of your kitchen, but wish you had an extra-large pantry in an empty corner for more storage space. Kitchen Solvers can create a cohesive look by refacing your existing cabinetry and adding a new pantry cabinet and refacing that as well. We’ve also had homeowners have flood damage to their lower cabinets, but their upper cabinets are still in great condition. We can salvage the upper cabinets and add new lower cabinets and reface all the cabinets to make it look like one cohesive kitchen. At Kitchen Solvers, we pride ourselves in making your kitchen dreams become your reality. 

 

Opting to have a hybrid kitchen remodel means that no have the most flexibility to cater your space to your specific liking. Hybrid kitchens mean every look is unique, so you never have to worry about stepping foot in a kitchen that looks identical to yours. Not only will your kitchen look unique, but hybrid remodeling is an excellent route for those who want to remain within their budget. Instead of buying all new materials and paying for longer hours, hybrid kitchens use what you want and replace the outdated designs. 

Kitchen Solvers 

At Kitchen Solvers, we want to ensure that you, the homeowner, protect and preserve your beautiful kitchen. The most important factor in how to make a kitchen remodel easy is getting help from professionals. At Kitchen Solvers, our expert design team can help you create the ultimate kitchen that fits your budget and offers some of the best features and styles available. 

Be sure to check out some of our most popular articles: How can I make my kitchen more luxurious on a budget? and 5 Reasons on Why You Should Say “Yes” to Quartz.

The post Why You Should Consider a Hybrid Kitchen Remodel appeared first on Kitchen Solvers.

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WASHINGTON, DC — Breaking an eight-year trend, there have been more single-family homes under construction in recent months than multifamily units, according to the National Association of Home Builders, which predicted additional gains in single-family construction in 2022.

Despite some cooling earlier this year, the continued strength of single-family construction in 2021 means that there are now 28% more single-family homes under construction than a year ago, said Robert Dietz, chief economist for the Washington, DC-based NAHB.

“These gains mean single-family completions will increase in 2022, bringing more inventory to market despite a 19% year-over-year rise in construction material costs and longer construction times,” Dietz said.

Ongoing single-family and multifamily housing production accelerated in November, due to strong demand, with overall housing starts increasing 11.8% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.68 million units, according to U.S. government figures.

Despite inflation concerns and ongoing production bottlenecks, builder confidence in the market for newly built single-family homes also edged higher for the fourth consecutive month on strong consumer demand and limited existing inventory, the NAHB added.

“While demand remains strong, finding workers, predicting pricing and dealing with material delays remains a challenge,” said Dietz. “Building has increased but the industry faces constraints, namely cost/availability of materials, labor and lots. And while 2021 single-family starts are expected to end the year 24% higher than the pre-COVID 2019 level, we expect that higher interest rates in 2022 will put a damper on housing affordability.”

The post Gains in Single-Family Housing Expected to Increase in 2022 appeared first on Kitchen & Bath Design News.

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FOSTER CITY, CA — A significant percentage of American homeowners across multiple home-improvement trades plan to explore aging-in-place projects for themselves or a loved one in the coming year, a newly released survey reveals.

According to the survey’s findings, some 63% of the homeowners polled report that they will explore aging-in-place home improvement projects for themselves within the next 12 months, while another 6% plan to do so for a loved one.

The November survey, which involved some 2,110 respondents in the U.S., was conducted by Modernize Home Services, a Foster City, CA-based online firm that connects homeowners with contractors and other home-services professionals. The company operates in more than 15 home segments, including bathrooms and kitchens.

Among the primary projects to be considered, researchers said, are bath remodels that feature walk-in tubs and seats within a shower. Other aging-in-place products in high demand include medical alerts, non-slip flooring, stair lifts, grab bars and wider hallways.

“There are a few projects that offer more safety and security – such as installing brighter lightbulbs – that can be done by any homeowner, but more complex projects like walk-in tubs and concurrent bath and kitchen upgrades require professionals,” said Modernize V.P. Gregg Hicks. “This study shows an opportunity for contractors to capitalize on the increased demand for aging-in-place home improvement projects in the coming years.”

 

The post Demand Seen Strong for Aging-in-Place Remodeling Projects appeared first on Kitchen & Bath Design News.

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INDIANAPOLIS — Well­ness fea­tures, impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and an elevated awareness of indoor envi­ron­ments’ impact on phys­i­cal and men­tal health, are no longer a lux­u­ry, but rather a necessity in today’s homes, a leading wellness expert contends.

According to Dr. Jie Zhao, exec­. v.p. of Delos, a New York-based well­ness real estate and tech­nol­o­gy com­pa­ny, COVID-19 has literally reshaped the way homes – including kitchens and baths ­– will be designed, built, equipped and remodeled in years to come.

“Peo­ple are much more cog­nizant of the impor­tant role that homes play in our lives, and how these envi­ron­ments can have a pos­i­tive or neg­a­tive impact on the well­ness of their inhab­i­tants,” Jie said.

At the recent “Insights Sum­mit,” an annual event sponsored by the Home Improvement Research Institute (HIRI), Jie outlined four key wellness trends that he believes will have the greatest impact on home improve­ment in the post-pan­dem­ic world. Among them:

• Indoor Air Quality: Because virus­es spread through the air much eas­i­er than by sur­face con­tact, the pan­dem­ic shed light on the impor­tance of indoor air qual­i­ty, or IAQ, as a com­po­nent of a healthy home, Jie said.

“Air fil­tra­tion is vital to the reduc­tion of par­ti­cle trans­mis­sion,” he observed. “Not only can air-clean­ing tech­nolo­gies improve peace of mind when it comes to invis­i­ble health threats like COVID-19, they also tack­le vis­i­ble parti­cles in the air such as smoke and oth­er harm­ful particles.”

Jie said that ven­ti­la­tion and/​or ion­iza­tion tech­nol­o­gy will be at the fore­front of the fight against con­t­a­m­i­nat­ed air in home spaces. ​“For this rea­son, IAQ may be the biggest well­ness trend to have emerged from the pan­dem­ic,” he noted.

• Mental Wellness: Men­tal well­ness issues per­sist­ed long before the emer­gence of the coro­n­avirus, but the amount of atten­tion devot­ed to the top­ic increased sig­nif­i­cant­ly after­ward, Jie said, noting that men­tal health came to the fore­front of con­ver­sa­tion due to iso­la­tion dur­ing stay-at-home orders.

Jie observed that one result of this for the home-improvement industry is the gen­er­al migra­tion away from con­gest­ed cities in favor of larg­er res­i­dences, more nature and less com­mut­ing time. Jie also point­ed to the effect of men­tal well­ness on increased demand in cer­tain prod­uct cat­e­gories, including home enter­tain­ment, artists’ sup­plies, sports equip­ment and pets.

• Home Offices: Anoth­er major change emerg­ing from the pan­dem­ic is the increased impor­tance of the home office.

“Many employ­ees have made invest­ments in their home offices and have got­ten used to work­ing from home,” Jie said, pointing to surveys which found that 80% of work­ers want to be able to work from home three days per week, and 92% want at least one remote work­day per week.

“There has been a rise in office fur­ni­ture and acces­sories that sup­port health and well­ness, such as the stand­ing desk or ergonom­ic key­board,” Jie said, adding that 20-25% of com­pa­nies are cur­rent­ly reim­burs­ing their employ­ees for well­ness-relat­ed home office sup­plies and fur­ni­ture, “hint­ing at the prospect that work-from-home may be around well into the com­ing years.”

• Fitness: While the spread of COVID-19 led to the tem­po­rary clo­sure of most gyms and ath­let­ic insti­tu­tions, it gave rise to new home fit­ness technolo­gies, as peo­ple sought to stay fit with­in the con­fines of their own homes, Jie pointed out.

“Com­pa­nies like Pelo­ton and MIRROR are chang­ing the way we think about fit­ness (and) com­bin­ing the phys­i­cal and vir­tu­al,” he said. “Con­sumers not only pur­chase a piece of gym equip­ment for their home, but they buy into an entire online social and con­tent expe­ri­ence.”

“I expect to see more inte­gra­tion with online fit­ness plat­forms and home décor,” he said. “Peo­ple want con­vert­ible spaces, so the eas­i­er their equipment blends with their home and lifestyle, the bet­ter.”

The post Wellness Features Termed a ‘Necessity’ for Today’s Homes appeared first on Kitchen & Bath Design News.

DENVER — Not only did homeowners spend more on their homes in 2021, but they also completed more projects, according to a new report by Angi, the Denver-based firm that links homeowners with remodeling and other home-related professionals.

According to Angi’s report annual 2021 State of Home Spending Report – entitled The Great Shift: How the Pandemic Put Homes in Focus – surveyed homeowners spent an average of $15,680 on home improvement, home maintenance and emergency repairs in 2021, and took on an average of 14.4 separate home projects.

“The growth in home spending we witnessed continued at a dizzying pace as people have continued spending more time in their homes,” said Mischa Fisher, chief economist for Angi, whose annual report focuses on trends in home spending including drivers, obstacles, top projects and forecasts for the years ahead.

“2021 also presented homeowners with trillions of dollars of unexpected home equity and that wealth has been, at least in part, reinvested in the home through improvements, maintenance and repairs,” Fisher observed. “Pre-pandemic, people were motivated to work on their homes for a return on investment or other financial incentives. Now, they’re prioritizing projects that help their homes better suit their new normal,” she added.

The most popular home project of 2021 was interior painting, completed by nearly one in three homeowners (32%), followed by bathroom remodels (28%) and installing smart home devices (27%). Other top projects include flooring (26.7%), landscaping (24.7%), exterior painting (24.2%), kitchen remodels (23.7%), fencing (23.1%), new roofing (19.6%) and new cabinets (19.5%).

The Angi report also asked homeowners what home projects they would do if given $10,000. While the overall top project was a living room upgrade, selected by 17% of homeowners, the different priorities of men and women were clear. Male homeowners prioritized living room upgrades (18%), outdoor space upgrades (17%) and bedroom upgrades (15%), while women were more interested in kitchen remodels (21%), bathroom upgrades (17%) and outdoor space upgrades (16%).

The State of Home Spending was based on Angi’s analysis of surveys fielded to 6,400 consumers in early October, the company said.

The post 2021 Home Spending Continued at ‘Dizzying Pace,’ Report Finds appeared first on Kitchen & Bath Design News.

 

MINNEAPOLIS — U.S. Customs and Border Protection has taken punitive action against several companies charged with violating U.S. trade laws by attempting to evade tariffs on quartz surface product imports from China, Cambria Company LLC announced last week.

The Le Sueur, MN-based manufacturer of quartz surface products said that Customs officials, taking action under The Enforce and Protect Act (EAPA), found that 15 U.S. importers were guilty of misclassifying, undervaluing and illegally transshipping Chinese quartz surface products through Malaysia in order to evade the payment of antidumping and countervailing (AD/CVD) duties. Days later, Customs cracked down on two additional importers for illegally misclassifying their imports of Chinese quartz surface products as “crushed glass” surfaces, said Cambria, which has charged numerous Chinese producers and exporters, several Malaysian companies involved in transshipping merchandise, and numerous importers with participating in the tariff-evasion efforts.

Customs will suspend the entries of quartz surface products by the importers subject to the agency’s investigation until it receives instructions from the U.S. Commerce Dept. as to the correct AD/CVD rates that should be applied to the entries, Cambria said. Duties will then be imposed.

“Customs should be commended for its efforts in digging into the facts of this evasion scheme to ensure that the U.S. importers that were involved are held accountable for their illegal activity,” said Luke Meisner of Schagrin Associates, Cambria’s legal counsel. “Enforcement action in this investigation targets an unprecedented large number of U.S. importers and should send a clear signal to the industry that evaders can and will be caught.”

“This illegal evasion of the antidumping and countervailing duties on quartz surface products will not be tolerated,” said Arik Tendler, chief sales officer for Cambria. “Customs’ aggressive actions are important because they hold these importers accountable for their illegal evasion, deter other importers from engaging in similar evasion tactics, and ensure that the domestic industry receives the relief to which it is entitled under the U.S. trade laws.”

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HACKETTSTOWN, NJ — Ongoing supply-chain disruptions coupled with labor shortages, higher material costs and emerging uncertainties wrought by COVID-19 are cooling the pace of kitchen and bath market growth in the wake of an exceptionally strong year in 2021.

According to the latest Market Forecast Report issued in recent weeks by the National Kitchen & Bath Association, the 2021 kitchen and bath industry posted healthy, double-digit gains over 2020, although growth projections were “pared back a bit” compared to the NKBA’s previous (July 2021) forecast, “as lingering issues caused by the pandemic seem to be catching up to consumer sentiment.”

The NKBA projected total 2021 revenues of $167 billion, a 19% increase over the $141 billion that was posted in 2020, but lower than earlier forecasts, which predicted that full-year revenue totals would reach $171 billion.

“2021 has been like none other for our industry, as strong growth across virtually every sector led to record revenues,” said Bill Darcy, CEO of the Hackettstown, NJ-based NKBA. However, some homeowners, faced with price increases related to supply chain disruptions, “are deferring projects until they’ve enough saved to get exactly what they want, or in the hope that costs will come down,” Darcy added.

The NKBA reported a nearly 10% year-over-year growth in the kitchen and bath remodeling sector in 2021, and a 26% growth in the new construction sector. Premium projects were up by more than 22%, while low-end projects grew about 11%, “suggesting a cooling of the DIY trend,” the NKBA said.

“These findings are very encouraging and indicate that…growth should be sustained into 2022,” Darcy said.

In related news, the latest NKBA/John Burns Real Estate Consulting “Kitchen & Bath Market Index,” issued in December, remained in “solidly expanding territory,” but cooled from the record number posted in the previous quarter. Expected future activity “also tailed off a bit,” having peaked in the first quarter of 2021, reported the NKBA and John Burns.

“In relative terms, the outlook remains quite positive,” with association members projecting about a 9% sales gain in 2022 – “impressive if it holds true, given 2021’s strong growth,” said the NKBA, adding that supply chain disruptions, cost of materials and availability of skilled labor are hampering the industry’s ability to take full advantage of strong demand…as NKBA members scramble to meet client needs, with most resorting to brands they’ve never previously used.”

Other findings of the NKBA/John Burns Report were as follows:

n The challenging business environment has forced the industry to become “supplier/vendor agnostic” – prioritizing product availability above other factors. The industry has also moved toward sourcing more domestic-based products in an attempt to circumvent global supply chain issues. Manufacturers are prioritizing high-value products to protect profit margins while stockpiling excess materials to help ease lead times and overall constraints.

n The kitchen and bath industry continues to feel the pains of ongoing supply chain challenges. Port congestion is further compounding strained supply chains that are still recovering from the effects of Winter Storm Uri and Hurricane Ida, while labor shortages are causing delays in the trucking industry. Meanwhile, lead times for domestic and foreign raw materials are well over 6+ weeks and has many within the sector struggling to keep up with demand in today’s economy. As a result, product backlogs extend well into 2022 as these difficulties prevent those in the industry from staffing full production schedules.

n Even in the face of ongoing challenges, the industry remains cautiously optimistic about the health of the sector. Despite projects being pushed into 2022, the industry is continuing to see demand for building and construction projects as 84% of firms report low postponement rates and 90% report low cancellation rates relative to their overall project volume.

 

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