Kitchen tour features some hot colors and cool appliances

If cost is no object when designing or redesigning a kitchen, new must haves include an induction cooktop whose entire surface is a burner, a built-in coffeemaker with its own dedicated plumbing and a steam oven in your gourmet range.

And for the wine connoisseur, there is a wine refrigerator/storage unit with UV protection, microprocessor controlled temperature, alarm system and WiFi key.

But you can create or update a kitchen at many price levels without sacrificing style.

Frank Morris Jr. at Granite State Cabinetry and David Souter at Baron's Major Appliances offered some guidance on kitchen trends in colors, appliances and flooring.

The two companies Granite State Cabinetry in Bedford and Baron's, in Manchester and five other locations are sponsors of the eighth annual Palace Theatre Kitchen Tour Sunday, June 3, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The June 3 fundraiser includes self-guided tours of three homes in Bedford and three in Manchester, lunch and a late afternoon appetizer and wine tasting with cooking demonstrations by New Hampshire chefs.

Morris said at least 50 percent of the kitchens now have white painted cabinets versus a stained wood. It's a light, clean, refreshing look, said Morris, with the added benefit of making the room look larger.

Glass-front cabinets are also popular, especially for display. Perhaps surprising is a trend to open shelving. We are doing a lot of open shelves, taking the doors off, said Morris. The dishes themselves are the decoration.

It may be called Granite State Cabinetry, but Morris said the company can remove walls, move plumbing, do electrical work in a remodeling project. The trend is to open up space in older homes, sometimes taking down a dining room wall and eliminating the formal dining room.

The goal is one large flowing space. Now we are able to put in a large island, he said, as big as 4 by 6 feet, so there is room for everyone to sit. It's using your space more efficiently, said Morris.

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Kitchen tour features some hot colors and cool appliances