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New Products that Wowed at KBIS

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The Kitchen and Bath Industry Show (KBIS) is the largest and considered one of the most important annual events for the kitchen and bath industry in North America. At KBIS, manufacturers introduce new products, and kitchen and bath showrooms rely upon the show to spot trends and find new innovations for homeowners in Indianapolis.  

The 2021 KBIS was held virtually. Nonetheless, more than a few manufacturers stepped up and introduced new products that will help homeowners, remodelers and builders in Indianapolis create new kitchens that will be the envy of their neighborhoods.  Here are a few of the products that wowed at 2021 KBIS.

Engineered Countertops & Backsplashes

Engineered countertops and backsplashes trended toward lighter colors responding to consumer demand for uplifting tones that provide a sense of optimism and cleanliness. New quartz and engineered countertops offer homeowners a range of warm, whites, and marble looks.

Concrete-looking engineered countertops were another KBIS trend that responds to the industrial motif that is extremely popular.  

Touchless Faucets

Touchless faucets will turn more than a few heads of customers in Indianapolis. And not a moment too soon as many homeowners recognize that handling raw meat, chicken, and fish in a kitchen can easily transmit bacteria and germs from surface to surface.  Several of the new touchless faucets integrate with personal digital assistants and can be activated through apps with voice commands. 

Two-Tone Finishes + Two Texture Faucets

Two tone finishes and two texture faucets also trended at the 2021 KBIS. A number of new introductions featured a balance of rough and smooth textures, matte and polished finishes and warm and cool tones integrated into the same products. We saw faucets with matte black finishes and brass lever handles.  

More Storage

Manufacturers are upping the ante on storage and organization systems.  Rarely could you open a drawer or cabinet door and not find inserts, rollouts, pullouts, dedicated dividers, and in-cabinet lighting that enables homeowners in Indianapolis to effectively organize all of their kitchen items effectively.  

If you want to know how the new product introductions featured at KBIS can help you create the kitchen of your dreams, please call us or make an appointment to visit our showroom in person or virtually.

What’s Most Important in a New Kitchen?

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The Research Institute for Cooking & Kitchen Intelligence (RICKI) recently published a survey of kitchen trends the mirror the purchasing patterns we see among homeowners in Indianapolis who are creating their dream kitchens.

Not surprisingly, nearly 25% of homeowners are spending more time in their kitchens than they did two years ago. With many more homeowners in Indianapolis working and/or schooling from home, the kitchen has become a multifunctional room that serves numerous purposes beyond cooking, eating, and cleaning up. RICKI found that nearly 25% of homeowners spend an average of three hours a day in their kitchens.  The favorite activity is to socialize with family and friends. Other top non-cooking or eating activities include feeding pets, listening to music, gathering with family, reading, watching TV/videos, and paying bills.

The design features that are most important to homeowners in their kitchen according to the RICKI survey include:

  • Storage space – 49%
  • Walk-in pantry – 41%
  • Central island – 38%
  • Table space for eating – 31%
  • Better lighting – 30%
  • Built-in water filtration – 21%
  • Better ventilation – 20%
  • Germ-resistant surfaces – 17%
  • Connection to outdoor area – 15%
  • More than one sink – 10%

The desire for storage as a top feature of a new kitchen also comes as no surprise. Another finding that also corresponds to the experiences of homeowners in Indianapolis is the regret factor. RICKI found that 51% of homeowners who remodeled their kitchens regret not having spent more. Failing to invest more in storage, higher quality cabinetry, statement-making countertops, higher-end plumbing fixtures, and lighting design and fixtures are often the primary reasons for buyer’s remorse.

Approximately 33% of homeowners store kitchen items that they use frequently in other rooms in their homes. If you are in that number, there is no better time than the present to consider creating a kitchen of your dreams. Give us a call to determine what’s possible for you and your family or visit our showroom either virtually or in-person.

Kitchen Cabinet Trends: What’s Hot Right Now

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Kitchen and bath remodeling activity in Indianapolis is top of mind because many of our clients are spending almost all of their time in their homes.  Many homeowners in Indianapolis are making decisions to improve the quality of their kitchens, baths, and other rooms in their homes to respond to the paradigm shift in the way they want and need their homes to function and perform.

The big trends we see include upgrading of kitchen cabinetry that occurs with almost every kitchen remodel. Our experience is indicative of national trends found by Houzz.com which reflect that 94% of kitchen remodels include cabinet upgrades. The need and desire for improved and enhanced storage are driving kitchen cabinet upgrades simply because homeowners in Indianapolis are spending more time in their kitchens preparing meals, eating, cleaning up, working, schooling, and performing numerous other tasks. They simply need their kitchens to function and perform much better without necessarily having to increase the size of the kitchen.

Storage Upgrades

Not surprisingly, we are seeing greater demand for storage solutions and pantries that include walk-in, free-standing, pull-out, built-in, and wall pantries among others. Many homeowners in Indianapolis are pleasantly shocked when we show them how they can create pantry space in their new kitchens without having to change the size or footprint.

Enclosed Area

Another trend is a movement toward enclosed kitchens versus open floor plans that flow into other rooms in the home. Houzz’s national trend survey found that open-concept floor plans fell 10% from 2018 to 2020. With children schooling from home and parents working from home, having enclosed spaces that provide privacy and soundproofing are features that many homeowners in Indianapolis find extremely attractive.

Popular Choices

White shaker cabinets continue to be the most popular choices for homeowners in Indianapolis. Neutral tone cabinets, countertops, and wall coverings are most popular in our region. Gray, white and beige wall coverings are the most popular colors. However, there are many homeowners who favor a splash of color in their new kitchens. Blue and green tones are particularly popular for walls, countertops, backsplashes, and even appliances. Black stainless appliances continue to gain in popularity as they off provide a wonderful contrast to white cabinets. Many of our clients also are selecting different cabinet colors for their islands that complement their cabinets, countertops, backsplashes. Blue and gray are among the more popular contrasting colors.

What trends will work best for your new dream kitchen or bath?  Give us a call or make an appointment to visit one of our showrooms either in-person or virtually. We look forward to working with you!

A Trip to the Islands

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Almost two out of every three kitchens renovated in the U.S. include an island, and that percentage holds true in Indianapolis. And for good reasons. Islands are multifunctional. Islands provide extra storage areas, serve as classrooms for children who are schooling remotely and provide additional seating for dining and entertaining. Islands improve the kitchens’ functionality by often including prep sinks, cooking spaces, refrigerated drawers, indoor grills, microwave or steam ovens, dishwashers, and cooktops. Islands increase countertop space that can be used for preparing meals and many other purposes. Plus, islands often serve as a focal point for a kitchen enabling homeowners in Indianapolis to make distinct and personal design statements.

Storage

Storage is the number one consideration for homeowners in Indianapolis opting for an island in their new kitchens. Most homeowners include cabinets and/or drawers for storage; however, we also have seen an increase in open shelving as a storage option for islands.

Shapes

The most common island shape in Indianapolis is square or rectangular, usually between six or seven feet long. Depending on the kitchen’s size and shape, islands can be L-shaped or U-shaped. For smaller kitchens, we often recommend a peninsula. Peninsulas are three-sided. The fourth side is attached to a wall.

Colors

Approximately 40% of homeowners in Indianapolis choose a color scheme to complement main cabinets. According to a recent Houzz.com survey, the most popular colors are blue, gray, and white. Another technique to create a stunning visual is the choice of countertop materials and colors. Houzz found that the most popular colors for island countertops are white, medium wood tone, gray, or light or dark wood. Some homeowners in Indianapolis select different materials for their island countertop than tops placed on cabinets. Popular choices include butcher block, granite, quartz, and marble.

Lighting

Lighting can make or break the look, feel, and functionality of a countertop. Pendants, recessed lights, chandeliers, and natural light can provide general illumination, task lighting for meal preparation and cooking, or highlight a particular focal point on the island.

What island size, shape, color, and functionality is perfect for your new kitchen? Give us a call or visit one of our showrooms either in person or virtually, and let us show you how your kitchen and island dreams can become a reality.

What’s Trending in 2021

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With many homeowners in Indianapolis continuing to spend most of their time in their homes, they have realized that they want them, especially their kitchens, to be better. Working and schooling from home have shined a bright spotlight on kitchen storage capabilities, due in part to the fact that more homeowners in Indianapolis are cooking more often and using their kitchen for multiple purposes.

Increased Storage

Increasing the number of cabinets and enhancing their storage capabilities addresses homeowners’ needs in Indianapolis without necessarily having to increase the kitchen’s size. That’s one reason we start the product selection process with cabinets and evaluate homeowners’ performance requirements for their new dream kitchen.

Homeowners in Indianapolis have gravitated to walk-in pantries as another tool to increase storage space. If there is no room for a walk-in pantry, pantry cabinets can often meet storage needs.

Open Concept

One trend we expect to continue is the movement away from open concept kitchen spaces that flow automatically into other rooms. For families where two adults are working from home and children are attending school virtually, the need for private spaces has become evident. Another trend that will continue in 2021 is to connect the kitchen to outdoor living spaces.

White & Beige

White remains the number one color choice for cabinets, specified by 41% of homeowners renovating their kitchen, according to a recent Houzz.com survey. Medium tones and gray were the next most popular cabinet colors. The palate for new kitchens is trending toward neutral paint colors with gray, white and beige leading the way.

Pops of Color

Our showroom clients in Indianapolis are using pops of color in their backsplashes, appliances and walls. The Houzz.com survey found that black stainless appliances are specified in 10% of kitchen remodels, and an additional 6% of homeowners are selecting black appliances in other materials.

Colorful Islands

Color is also increasingly popular for islands. 41% of homeowners in the Houzz.com survey choose an island color to contrast with their new cabinets. The most popular colors are blue and gray. Only 13% of renovations featured islands with the same color as cabinets.

What trends will work best for your new dream kitchen? Give us a call or make an appointment to visit one of our showrooms either in person or virtually. Thanks for reading!

How to Store Your Holiday Decorations

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Beautiful old glass Christmas baubles in assortment of colors and shapes in cardboard box, top view, selective focus

Yes, your tree is already up but was it a nightmare digging through your ornaments and lights? Did you make an instant New Year’s Eve resolution to not go through that again? Now that it’s almost time to put everything away again, here are some great ideas so that when you take your tree down you know how to store everything in an organized and efficient way.

Lights – The most important thing to know about storing lights is to be sure that they are untangled. The cheapest and easiest way to store lights is to wind them up around your arm and then transfer them to a clear plastic bag. Label the plastic bag with where the lights were used so you can easily put them back up in the same place next year. Another good storage idea is to wrap them around sturdy cardboard covered in left over wrapping paper. Cut slits on both ends of the cardboard to secure the plugs.

Ornaments – For ornaments that are mostly the same size, you can purchase a divided-tray ornament container. Line each space with large squares of felt to protect delicate ornaments. If you are really particular, keep similar colors together.

Storing ornaments in big boxes is another good option. Cover the bottom of each box with several layers of tissue paper, and wrap each ornament in newspaper or tissue paper so ornaments won’t touch each other when you put them in rows. When you finish a layer, place a piece of fitted cardboard on top and continue with another layer of tissue paper.

Garland – Do you have specially cut artificial garland to fit a stair railing, mantel, and sideboard? Hang a labeled tag from each section for easy identification or store them separately in clearly marked bags.

Miscellaneous Décor – Putting elaborate decorations away can be easy with the original packaging. Store items with small pieces, such as nativity sets or holiday villages, in the boxes they came in. This will both ensure that the box is the right size and keep you from having to make a label to remember what’s inside.