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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!

Keys to a Healthier and Environmentally Efficient Kitchen

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Health and wellness are top of mind among homeowners in Indianapolis, and many of our clients have expressed interest in creating healthier spaces in their homes. Key components of kitchens, baths that contribute to a healthier and more environmentally efficient home include:

  • Material quality
  • Airflow
  • Effective lighting
  • Thermal comfort
  • Comfortable movement throughout the space
  • Acoustical comfort

Material Quality

Cabinets, paints, hardware, countertops, floor and wall coverings and other materials you select for your new kitchen can contribute to a healthier space and lifestyle. We specify paints, glues, cabinets, and other materials with low to no volatile organic compounds for clients who want a more environmentally friendly and sustainable space. VOCs are chemicals found in many products used to build and maintain homes. Once the chemicals are in the home, they are released into the indoor air we breathe. Natural wood cabinets, stone countertops and glass backsplashes are all environmentally favorable.

Airflow

A healthy kitchen needs adequate airflow and ventilation. The ability to provide fresh air and create cross-breezes from open windows or doors contributes to a healthier kitchen as does a properly sized vent hood or fan that meets your range and cooking style needs. Clients that want to be on the cutting edge may be intrigued by an interior garden that grows vertically, also known as a living wall. Another healthy kitchen option is to create indoor herb gardens or strategically locate herb planters. Living walls and interior plants help reduce stress, improve air quality, enhance creativity and absorb sound, among other benefits.

Healthy kitchen design also accounts for the way you and your family cook and eat. A healthier kitchen should contribute to a healthier lifestyle that includes the use and consumption of fresh ingredients from an outdoor garden, living wall, indoor plants and herbs. Refrigerated drawers near the stove can help to keep foodstuffs fresher for longer periods. Open shelving, glass containers, glass-front refrigerators and glass-front cabinets showcase foodstuffs and can encourage you and your family to consume more wholesome foods than processed packaged goods.

Effective Lighting

Lighting can make or break how your kitchen looks, feels and functions. Natural light from windows, doors, skylights and other sources contributes to health and well-being. The use of lighting controls, dimmers, switches and motion sensors can help boost your productivity and energy and enhance your sleep quality.

Thermal Comfort

Thermal comfort is another crucial component of designing a healthy and environmentally friendly space. The use of smart thermostats, heated countertops and floors and a tight building envelope around a new kitchen keep the area toasty in winter and cool in the summer in an environmentally responsible way.

Comfortable Movement Throughout the Space

A new kitchen should allow all users to effectively and safely navigate the space. The three main areas of a kitchen referred to as the golden triangle comprises storage areas, including the refrigerator; the cleanup area, including the sink; and the cooking area, including the stove.  The sink should ideally be located between the refrigerator and the stove to ensure a comfortable and unencumbered traffic flow and efficient use of the space. Each leg of the triangle should be between four and nine feet, and the total distance of the triangle should be between 13 and 26 feet to promote safe and easy navigation throughout the space.

Comfort also is derived from clean lines and a sense of calm that results from uncluttered countertops and islands.

Acoustical Comfort

Acoustics are the final element of a well-designed healthy kitchen. Noisy dishwashers, appliance motors, clangy sink bottoms, and surfaces that enhance sound disturb what otherwise is a peaceful kitchen. Eliminating unnecessary noises is part of a healthy design that homeowners in Indianapolis welcome and deserve.

If you want to learn more about additional design elements and strategies to promote a healthier and more environmentally efficient space in your home, give us a call or make an appointment to visit one of our beautiful showrooms.

Withstanding the Test of Time

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Fads and trends come and go. Many homeowners in Indianapolis can remember when avocado-colored kitchens were all the rage or when pastel paint dominated design thinking. While it is tempting to look at what’s trending when renovating your kitchen or bath, our showroom advises selecting products, styles, and color schemes that can withstand the test of time.

White Cabinetry

There’s a good reason why more than 50% of kitchen renovations feature white cabinets. White cabinets offer a blank canvas for the remainder of the kitchen. They provide a classic, clean look and match any design motif from European modern to traditional and everything in between. White kitchens are timeless; their reflective qualities can make a smaller space appear larger, and, due to their popular appeal, they help increase the value of your home at sale time.

Contemporary Design

Clean lines are another feature that can withstand the test of time. A contemporary kitchen offers a clean, stylish, and uncluttered look and feel. Contemporary motifs pay homage to practicality because they focus on maximizing the use of available space and light, and that also can make a smaller space appear larger. When we design a contemporary kitchen, almost all appliances, even smaller ones such as coffee makers, are built into cabinetry. Countertops are left uncluttered, and many homeowners in Indianapolis appreciate the fact that contemporary kitchens are easy to clean.

Storage

A well-designed kitchen is an organized kitchen. Lack of customized storage solutions is one of the most common regrets of homeowners in Indianapolis after renovating their kitchen. We cannot emphasize enough the need to develop a storage plan for your new kitchen that addresses how often you cook, entertain, hold gatherings, and use the space. A great kitchen must not only look out of this world, but it also must incorporate the best functionality that meets your needs.

An almost endless array of options is available to store cookware, food, utensils, countertop appliances, recycling containers and so on. A professional kitchen designer can custom design trays to exacting specifications that account for your kitchen equipment’s actual dimensions. Specifying trays for drawers to hold cutlery and kitchen gadgets to match the drawer helps avoid movement and keeps what you want in its place.

Customized storage solutions are not confined to a kitchen to make a home look, feel and function superbly. Bathrooms, laundry rooms, mudrooms and entryways all can make a home much more enjoyable if they are outfitted with storage solutions that meet your family’s needs and lifestyle.

Colors

Homeowners in Indianapolis often ask us about colors. While splashes of purple, turquoise, yellow, or green can become a focal point in kitchens and baths, we tend to favor palettes that can withstand the test of time. In addition to white, these include blue, grey, and cream tones.

If you are interested in creating a dream kitchen that will continue to be dreamy years after the renovation is complete, give us a call or make an appointment to visit one of our showrooms.

Looking Up: Don’t Ignore the Fifth Wall in Your Kitchen or Bath Renovation

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Ceilings are often an afterthought of the renovation process and don’t get the attention or recognition that they deserve. In a well-designed kitchen or bath in Indianapolis, nothing should be overlooked, including the ceiling. Ceiling height, shape, style, accessories, and color help determine how a space looks and how it feels.

The ceiling should be considered the fifth wall in your new kitchen or bath and should be used to enhance the space’s character. Paint, wallpaper, different textures, heights, finishes and materials can be employed to create a ceiling that serves as a focal point and enhances the overall design and functionality of the space.

The standard height of a kitchen or bath ceiling is eight to nine feet. In some remodels, increasing that height is not practical or even feasible, depending on what is above your bath or kitchen. Typically, we have more flexibility in the bath to incorporate a skylight over a tub, add window space, or create a dropped area of the room to define a portion of the space.

Here are some common ceiling options to enhance your bath or kitchen:

  • Cove ceilings have curved edges between the ceiling and the wall to create a dome-like design that can create a focal point at the top of the walls. One advantage of cove ceilings is that they help make a space appear taller than it is.
  • Vaulted ceilings create a sense of volume and spaciousness to a room and also serve to make a space appear larger than it is. Most homes with a sloped roof can support a vaulted ceiling. Vaulted ceilings can have curved or straight sides and symmetrical or asymmetrical lines.
  • Cathedral ceilings employ straight sides that slope upward at the same angle as the exterior roofline. The most famous cathedral ceiling is at Notre-Dame in Paris. You can’t build anything on top of a cathedral ceiling, but you can create one from unused attic space.
  • Ceiling trays are recessed ceilings at the highest point with an inverted center. Ceiling trays can add more depth to a room and make it appear more spacious.
  • Any new kitchen or bath ceiling can be enhanced by decorative moldings, especially Victorian homes.
  • Beamed ceilings are another tool in a designer’s arsenal to create unique looks. Beams add warmth and character to a room. You need a taller space for beams so the space doesn’t feel small and cramped.
  • Even basic ceilings can be enhanced with statement-making lighting, paint, or patterned wallpaper.

How can you take advantage of the fifth wall to make your new dream kitchen or bath become a reality? Give us a call or make an appointment to visit one of our showrooms for more information.