kitchen island

What’s Most Important in a New Kitchen?

February 12, 2021 by iccfloors Leave a Comment

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.

A Trip to the Islands

January 22, 2021 by iccfloors Leave a Comment

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.

Making the Most out of Your Kitchen Island

August 14, 2020 by iccfloors Leave a Comment

We all know that kitchen islands make a kitchen look complete, add more countertop space, and are essentially needed in a big kitchen. However, we can make our kitchen island more efficient and really work for us. All that’s required is a little extra planning in the design process.

In this photo, the island is the home for the cooktop, as well as, added storage for dishes. The storage is actually built into the unit to provide safe shelving for dishware. The look that is created, from essentially having cut-outs, is a pleasing architectural effect. The island has the appearance of a cantilevered structure and depth is added when the dishes are placed on the actual island. This is done by creating positive and negative space. The positive space is the white island itself. Negative space is the cut-out shelves within the island.

Having a cooktop, sink, or combination of both in the kitchen island frees up countertop space. Free space in other areas of the kitchen can be used for more prep space, organizing groceries, or even placing food out as a serving station. This requires a little extra work from an electrician or plumber but it is well worth it. It makes it easier to use your kitchen by being able to go back and forth, from your island and the rest of your kitchen equipment. It makes it easy to work when you have added countertop space to work on.

We mentioned earlier that an island is needed in a large kitchen. This is because large kitchens have a lot of open floor space. An island breaks this vast space up and makes it more useable. Also, small kitchens can benefit from having an island. This is especially true if the sink or range is placed on the island.

It’s important to really think about your lifestyle and how you will use your kitchen. This kind of information will help us design the best kitchen for your lifestyle. For instance, do you like to entertain? Are you right or left-handed? Do you do most of the cooking or are there two cooks in your household? What type of food do you like to cook?

No judgment here! If you tell us you eat 2 out of 3 meals out of the microwave, we will make sure the microwave gets the best spot in the kitchen. If you tell us that you have small children, we can focus on details like making sure that the sippy cups are placed low enough for the littles to reach. If you tell us that you have dinner parties often we can make sure that your island is designed for appetizer presentation and conversation.

Tell us your story and we’ll help design the perfect kitchen for you! Ready to get started? Connect with us here!