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Call Us: 716-741-1800

Italian Marble and Granite

Call Us: 716-741-1800

Kitchen Appliance Trends

Kitchen Appliance Trends

Kitchens are always changing, new trends pop up and some stay for a year or multiple years.  Below is a list of some of the latest trends I have researched and noticed in multiple homes.

Integration

Homeowners do not want to always see their appliances, they like to integrate them into their cabinets.  Below is an example of a dishwasher that has been integrated into the cabinetry.

Integrated Dishwasher Chalon

Warming Drawers

Warming drawers are a huge convenience.  You can set food aside for dinner guests that arrive late, and their food will remain warm.  Also, when you are cooking a big meal, like Thanksgiving, you can cook food throughout the day and set it in the drawer so it remains warm.

NewOffice012Handmade Custom Ranges

Want a wow factor in your kitchen?  Try the la Cornue custom ranges.  These ranges are custom ordered and handmade.  La Cornue ranges bring a sense of Old World Charm to the kitchen, but with a hefty price.

Kbis Kitchens 2008 La Cornue

Built In, One Button Coffee Makers

Waking up in the morning and making a cup of coffee can sometimes be  a hassle.  Then you have the coffee maker sitting on your counter all day.  So what about building it into the wall?  That is what many people are beginning to do.  Building a coffee maker into the wall incorporates the other trend of integrating the coffee maker into  the cabinetry.  Also, these coffee makers tend to be a “one button coffee maker.”  So all you have to do, is wake up and press a button, then you have your cup of coffee.    Below is a picture of a Miele coffee maker.

Miele 03

A New Place To Relax

A New Place To Relax

A lot of what is discussed on this blog has been about kitchens.  Although we do a lot of kitchens, we do just as many bathrooms.  Bathrooms are slowly changing to a place to relax after a long day, so why not indulge a little?   So what have we seen lately?

  • Vessel sinks– Undermount sinks may be a thing of the past.  Vessel sinks are starting to become very popular in many bathrooms
  • Granite– Many people are moving more towards granite rather marble because of its low maintenance characteristics
  • Dual Vanities– Homeowners like the idea of his and her sinks, but having dual vanities gives homeowners their own space
  • Heated Floors– No one likes getting out of the shower or bath and stepping on a cold floor, so why not heat it?
  • Separate room for the toilet-  Homeowners are starting to have a separate room within the bathroom for the toilet.
  • Entertainment area– Many bathrooms have televisions mounted on the walls
Your Opinion

Your Opinion

This post is to see what you would like in your kitchen.  What are some trends that you like?

 

Questions to think about:

 

  • Do you like dark or light surfaces and wood?
  • Do you like granite back splashes or tile?
  • What type of appliances are you looking for?
  • What colors do you like? – Browns, Grey, Tan, White, Cream, Green, Blue

Would love to see what others are interested in!

Marble-Best product to use?

Marble-Best product to use?

Lately marble, especially white marble, has been one of the trends of 2012.  White marble is absolutely stunning in kitchens and bathrooms, but is it the best product to use?

We do not recommend marble for kitchens, bathrooms, or public bars.  This is mainly due to the fact that marble is very porous.  Therefore, wine, makeup, condiments, food, and more can stain the marble.   Marble also scratches easily, so you cannot cut directly on it.  So a kitchen that gets used very often, or a family with young kids should not necessarily have a marble counter top.  BELIEVE US, we LOVE MARBLE.  But, sometimes it is not very practical.

Now there are things that can be done, if marble is a necessity in your home.  I will not deny that white marble is absolutely beautiful with dark cabinets, so if it is a “must have” there are somethings we can do.  First we recommend that we hone your marble.  Most counter tops are installed with a shinning finish, polished, but honing gets rid of the shine.   The honed finish can hide the scratches easier.  Also, we have a special sealer that can make the marble less porous.  So, the ability for the marble to absorb wine, lemon juice, and etc are decreased. Applying the special sealer and honing the marble are not going to make the marble as durable as granite, but it will make it better.

Another option for people is to look at a granite that looks more like a marble or an engineered stone, such as CaesarStone.  Although they may not be exactly what you are looking for they will be more durable.