As millennials join the ranks of homeowners, theyre making their mark on how those homes look, and in some cases bucking long-held preferences.

Here are some of the trends popping up among the newest generation of homeowners found in Houzzs 2017 Kitchen Trends Study. Of the surveys 2,700 participants (all of whom had recently completed or were completing a kitchen remodel), 10 percent to 12 percent were ages 25 to 34.

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Original post:
Millennials counter long-standing kitchen trends - The Keene Sentinel

Many homeowners have held off investing in home improvements as property values declined, but now that the economy is healthy and the real estate market is gaining momentum, homeowners again are considering selling or possibly updating their current home.

Even if you are not planning to sell your home anytime soon, it is an inevitable question when you consider remodeling: How much will this improvement add to the value of my home?

As a real estate agent, I often have clients contact me long before they list their home to review what improvements or remodels make sense. Agents who are busy representing buyers are walking through homes on a regular basis, and it becomes clear to us what works and what does not, what buyers are attracted to and what turns them away.

The top-ranking improvement? A new front door, which on a national average adds 96.6 percent of the amount you spend to the value to your home, according to Remodeling magazines annual Cost vs. Value report for 2014.

Evaluation of dated elements such as doors, windows and light and bathroom fixtures in general yield a better financial return than bigger remodeling projects, such as additions or gutting a kitchen or bath. However, any real estate agent will tell you that remodeled kitchens and baths still bring a significant payoff, and kitchen remodeling costs often are overestimated by the buyer.

The average cost of a minor kitchen remodel new cabinet doors, appliances, countertops, sink, faucet, paint and hardware was $18,215 in the Mountain region, according to the Cost vs. Value report.

Yet it is important to do the right kitchen remodel. Take the time to do the research and look for professional advice before making the investment.

Many of my clients look to a popular app called Houzz, where you can search many home ideas by category and even find floor plans similar to yours to help you get ideas and visualize how the finished product will look. It also is a great tool to communicate to your contractor what you are looking for. Even if you are trying to choose a door color to go with your gray wood-sided home, just put this in the search criteria and poof! the visuals appear. This tool has helped me communicate to my presellers what they can do to improve their home before hitting the market.

Remember to stick to the overall style of your home; putting an ultramodern kitchen into a 100-year-old Victorian home isnt such a great idea. To add value, you should not design new spaces that are incongruous with the rest of the houses architectural style.

According to the 2014 report for the Mountain region, renovations that bring the greatest percentage return on investments include: entry door replacement, 88 percent; attic bedrooms, 83 percent; basement remodel, 81 percent; deck addition (wood), 81 percent; garage-door replacement, 80 percent; minor kitchen remodel, 79 percent.

Kelly Kniffin is a Realtor with Legacy Properties West-Sothebys International Realty and serves as president of the Durango Area Association of Realtors. She can be reached at kelly@homesdurangoCO.com.

Read more:
Which remodeling projects are worth your money? - The Durango Herald

Gerety Building & Restoration offers kitchen remodeling in the Westchester, NY and Greenwich CT areas, making homeowners dreams come true with custom kitchens. Each kitchen is custom designed to meet the needs of the family using 3-D image design software to capture how the finished product will look. Customers can choose from custom countertops (granite, marble, limestone or Caesarstone quartz), high-end appliances, handmade tiles for flooring and backsplashes, and even radiant heat flooring.

Another feature youll notice in our portfolio are the stunning custom kitchen cabinets. Customers can choose from options such as Candlelight Cabinetry, Crystal Cabinets, or even have their cabinets handcrafted with wood that is milled in our own shops. The end result is a custom kitchen that excels in both style and function.

Are you ready to speak to one of our remodeling and design specialists? Call us today at (914) 248-1300 or visit our kitchen remodeling page for more information.

View original post here:
Kitchen Remodeling Portfolio | Gerety Building & Restoration

By far, the most popular remodel on every homeowners wish list is the kitchen. Anyone who has ever done or attempted this task is familiar with the dizzying array of choices and decisions to be made, not to mention the budget-busting attributes of our most sought-after features. A kitchen remodel is a wise investment, (some say a 60-70 percent return), but can cost far more than you think.

Hidden appliances, painted cabinets, mixed and/or complementary colors, white shiplap, mixed hardware finishes, quartz, marble and butcher-block countertops, and tall cabinets are all on trend in kitchen remodels.

For everyone who wants to create a spectacular kitchen, though, step back and take a deep breath. Remember that no kitchen remodel, however modest, is ever simple or fast, so start by prioritizing your list and deciding whom you want on your team.

Even if you want to do some of the work yourself, it is highly recommended that you have one or more of the following helping you: general contractor/project manager, designer, architect, and tradespeople. Tradespeople needed can include an electrician, plumber, tile professional, solid surface fabricator, carpenter, painter, and even a demolition expert. Planning the expertise you should utilize to help you will help to avoid costly mistakes. For example, if you want to replace flooring and cabinets, which comes first? (Usually it is the flooring). If you want to change the layout, will your existing refrigerator fit? A professional can make sure you make the right decisions in the right order.

As with any design project, its good to peruse photos in magazines or on line and pick out features you like. You might like this cabinet with that counter and those faucets. This process can help guide you as you plan your new kitchen.

Think about your familys lifestyle, as well as your kitchen designs longevity, timelessness, functionality, and efficiency. Use those criteria when selecting everything from your space plan, to the furniture, to the appliances. Do you and your family like to cook, or gather around in the kitchen for entertaining, or is the kitchen merely a place to grab a snack and go? Do you want professional level appliances and work stations, or is performance secondary to cost and simplicity?

On the other hand, if your preference is for a kitchen that is primarily used for entertaining, your design focus ought to be about making sure specialty features are integrated in the space to make serving food and beverage easy. Finally, if space is a problem, seek storage solutions that work for you.

Once you have some idea of what function and look your future kitchen should have, research options and get someone to help you with the layout. Both these steps are critical in avoiding costly mistakes and developing a realistic plan.

The style of the kitchen should also complement and blend seamlessly with other rooms in your house as well. An ultra sleek and modern kitchen might look out of place in a home that is otherwise more traditional.

While we may have a picture in our minds of our ideal kitchen, maybe we cannot afford it or maybe it will not fit in the existing space. So doing the homework is really important. Only then can you choose the finishes and touches that will make your new kitchen the special place it will become.

Read more:
Remodeling a kitchen - Napa Valley Register

6 ways to save money on a home remodel Dayton Daily News You can save a lot of money on your kitchen and bathroom remodel by simply working with existing plumbing. Ask your contractor: As you are interviewing potential contractors for your project, explain to them your vision and what you hope to achieve at ...

View post:
6 ways to save money on a home remodel - Dayton Daily News

It depends on the size, complexity and features of your remodel. It will take a few discussions and the design phase to determine the cost. However, we focus on service to our clients no matter the size of their budget.

Again, it will depend on the size, complexity and features of your remodel. We will work together to develop your desires for your new kitchen. We will begin with our design phase where we will blend your ideas with our kitchen remodeling skills to come up with various options that will ultimately lead to the perfect plan for your new kitchen. Typically, a kitchen remodel will take six weeks.

We usually start by asking you questions about how you and your family use your kitchen. We need to know what works for you and what doesnt. If you have a wish list and photos, we would like to see them. Our goal is to see your home and future kitchen through your eyes. Then we can add our expertise to the mix to develop the design for your new kitchen.

This is one of the most popular models we do for homeowners. By opening the kitchen to the living areas of the home, both areas benefit from the creation of a more family-friendly floor plan. An open concept kitchen may be simple or complex. Either way, we can do the work it takes to design the changes and complete them from cut-off to an open concept kitchen floor plan.

The older your home is, the more likely your kitchen is cut off from the living and entertaining areas. By removing all or part of the wall separating your kitchen from the living areas, you can transform both spaces. Todays lifestyle is not as formal as it once was. Formal dining rooms and isolated kitchens do not work with how most families intermingle and socialize today. Opening up these spaces will transform, not only your home but your gatherings with family and friends.

It is possible to add propane gas to any home for cooking or a fireplace feature. Gas appliances will need to be specially jetted for propane gas. We will need to have a suitable outdoor area to locate the large storage tank and run the new gas pipe to the needed indoor areas.

You may want to consider induction cooking. It offers precise control of both temperature and timing as well as simple cleaning and safety features. The top is totally smooth and doesnt get hot when in use. It works well with all cookware except for glass or aluminum pots and pans.

Usually it will not be a problem if we are doing a similar cabinet layout. If you have extra tile we can also make adjustments if necessary. If we are adding an island or a few extra cabinets it will not be an issue.

It depends on your needs and usage. Hard surface counters such as granite or quartz are the most widely used surface at this time. Their price varies. Granite has more veining and movements in its look. Quartz counter tops have a uniform pattern and color. They will hold up as well as or better than granite. We are an Authorized Dealer of ForzaStone.

Continued here:
Kitchen Remodeling FAQs - trilitebuilders.com

The kitchen has evolved into a multi-functional room in almost every household. Remodeling a kitchen is not something that should be taken lightly. It is time-consuming and costly. However, with proper planning, a homeowner will be able to finish the renovation successfully.

When renovating a kitchen, a homeowner should think about what he or she needs. Always incorporate your personality and lifestyle to have a functional kitchen that you love. Lets just say, you prefer to entertain people in your kitchen then perhaps by adding a kitchen island you can add more space for food preparation. It all depends with your preference and personality. Perhaps you have been thinking a lot for a long time now about kitchen remodeling. How and where to start, what you need to do, what to prepare and the list goes on. You might be overwhelmed with the process, at G&E we will take you step by step throughout the kitchen renovation project, explaining each option you have for your kitchen remodel.

Read this article:
Basement Remodeling & Renovation Contractor | G&E ...

As millennials join the ranks of homeowners, theyre making their mark on how those homes look, and in some cases bucking long-held preferences.

Here are some of the trends popping up among the newest generation of homeowners found in Houzzs 2017 Kitchen Trends Study. Of the surveys 2,700 participants (all of whom had recently completed a kitchen remodel project or were in the process of doing so), between 10 and 12 percent were ages 25 to 34.

Soft neutrals strengthen their hold

Millennials are a lot more focused on making sure that the style, color palette and materials used in the major elements of the kitchen stay as relevant as long as possible because theyre not planning another remodel any time soon, said Nino Sitchinava, Houzzs principal economist.

Although gray was the most popular wall color across all ages (and up in popularity 4 percent from 2015), it was especially popular among millennial homeowners (43 percent of millennials vs. 22 percent of baby boomers chose it). Boomers, on the other hand, were more likely to try warmer colors, and 1 in 10 chose green walls.

White cabinets topped all age groups, but millennials were nearly twice as likely to extend that color to the backsplash as well.

[Open shelving and other kitchen design trends that an organizer hates]

Decorative lighting over functional lighting

Younger renovators tended to prefer decorative pendant lighting (67 percent), while older homeowners were more likely to choose more functional under- or in-cabinet lights (74 percent). Theres potentially a little more versatility with pendant lighting, Sitchinava said. Its self- contained [and] a little more affordable. But some of it could also be preferences and style aesthetic. Lighting upgrades were part of 84percent of the kitchen renovations surveyed.

Kitchen islands

The most popular built-in features for millennials were pantry cabinets and islands, appearing in 2 of 5 renovated kitchens, and younger homeowners were much more likely to install an island than older homeowners (49 percent vs. 36 percent, respectively). They are a must-have in a millennial kitchen, Sitchinava said. Millennials really do value that extra counter space.

Modern and farmhouse styles

Although contemporary is the most popular style for kitchen remodels across all ages (26 percent among millennials and 24 percent among baby boomers), younger homeowners are more likely to try a modern (19 percent) or farmhouse style (14 percent) for their renovation as opposed to boomers, who are more likely to stick with a traditional style (14 percent compared with 8 percent of millennials).

An eye on the budget

Millennial homeowners are twice as likely to be driven by cost considerations than homeowners over age 35, per the surveys findings. Younger renovators are also more willing to get to their hands dirty when it comes to kitchen remodeling, with a majority favoring stock and ready-to-assemble cabinets.

They are less likely to hire a general contractor, architect or a designer and instead take on that process themselves, Sitchinava said.

Still, about a third of the millennials surveyed splurged on custom cabinetry (vs. 42 percent of baby boomers). Millennials are going into their kitchen remodel with a sort of understanding that they want to make the kitchen as perfect as they possibly can, Sitchinava said, because they are going to be utilizing it for a long time.

Starting to turn away from granite

Look and feel (72 percent), and durability (53 percent) were the driving factors for choosing a countertop material, far ahead of cost (21 percent), and quartz and granite reign supreme as the most sought-after materials, across all ages. However, Gen Y is much more willing to experiment with an alternative, more budget-friendly countertop material, such as laminate or wood.

Read the original:
How millennial homeowners are changing the look of kitchens - Washington Post

Keller says he embarked on the French Laundry's renovation to ensure it thrives for the next 20 years. Aside from the new kitchen, there's a 16,000-bottle wine cellar, extensive solar paneling, a new office annex and 9,000 square feet of new landscape design. The renovation took more than two years and was not stress-free.

"For weeks, I would wake up in the middle of the night and think, 'Oh my God, I ruined the French Laundry,'" said Keller, who holds three coveted Michelin stars for the restaurant, and another three for its New York counterpart Per Se. The distinctions make Keller the only American chef, past or present, with two sets of three-star Michelin ratings.

On a tour of the new kitchen and the French Laundry's lush culinary garden, Keller is vocally enthusiastic about the upgrades. He is also gracious, and humble, when asked about his significance to the culinary world.

"I don't wake up in the morning and look in the mirror and go, 'I'm looking at the greatest chef in America.' It very seldom comes up for me personally," he says. But when the issue is raised, he feels "an enormous amount of responsibility, that burden of responsibility on my shoulders to make sure that I'm trying to exemplify what that chef would be like."

As a measure of his ambition, Keller compares the French Laundry's remodel to the renovation at one of the world's great museums, the Louvre in Paris, citing how I.M. Pei's 1989 addition of the glass pyramid added a modern statement to a historical site.

The Louvre was "iconic. It was historic. Everybody knew it. And the French Laundry kind of represented that for me," said Keller, who even presented his architect with two pictures of the Louvre one pre-I.M. Pei and one after to capture the essence of his vision.

Keller teamed up with Snohetta, an architecture and design firm that spearheaded the recent three-year renovation of the San Francisco's Museum of Modern Art. The restaurant stayed open during the construction, but the culinary staff relocated to a temporary kitchen built inside four shipping containers. Final touches on landscaping are wrapping up this summer.

"To actually stand in the new kitchen is the ultimate reward. It's absolutely amazing," says 36-year-old chef de cuisine David Breeden, who has worked for Keller at the French Laundry and Per Se for 12 years.

Gone is the stainless steel austerity of most restaurant kitchens, this one is white, spacious and sunlit by skylights and wraparound windows overlooking a garden. It has swooping vaulted ceilings meant to mimic draped linen.

Keller describes it as "more feminine than most kitchens" because of its soft lines and curves. It was designed with attention to ergonomics, acoustics and ease of cleaning, including all walls and counters made of an anti-microbial material.

The countertops were raised several inches from the standard height to avoid backaches. There's a "ventilated ceiling" that does away with the typical noisy overhead hoods. Now they're embedded in the ceiling with infrared sensors that gauge the appropriate speed, rather than whirring at high all day long.

The attention to detail is typical of Keller, says Breeden. "We call him the omnipresent chef," said Breeden, who described Keller as a master craftsman who guides by example in his "search for that constant improvement, constant refinement and reflection."

Perfectionism comes with a price. The 9-course prix fixe menu, which changes every night, costs $310. But a meal for two with wine and a vintage after-dinner cognac could easily top $1,000.

The 62-seat restaurant is typically booked solid weeks in advance.

Continue reading here:
Thomas Keller shows off his sleek new French Laundry kitchen remodel - Salt Lake Tribune

Sean F. Driscoll @SeanFDriscoll

Classic Kitchens & Interiors of Hyannis received several industry awards, according to a statement from the company.

The firm won a Best of Cape Cod 2016 award for kitchen designer. The awards program is organized by Cape Cod Magazine and recognizes businesses through an online reader survey.

It also won Best Designer of the Cape & Islands through the Best of Boston Home 2017 program hosted by Boston magazine, which used a poll of homeowners and industry experts to determine its winners.

The firm won two gold and one silver awards at the biennial Building & Remodeling Industry of Cape Cod & Martha's Vineyard awards program, held Nov. 10. The program is sponsored by the Home Builders and Remodelers Association of Cape Cod. The awards include best showroom, excellence in closet design and excellence in kitchen remodeling.

Email business news and high-resolution photos to biz@capecodonline.com. Please include a contact phone number.

Visit link:
Classic Kitchens & Interiors receives awards - Cape Cod Times (subscription)