Smart and stylish are terms used for the up-and-coming appliances being introduced for today’s kitchens. Available in a wide selection of styles and colors, everything from refrigerators to dishwashers to ranges highlight designs that go way beyond the traditional stainless steel aesthetic. And, for today’s busy homeowner, personalized style also means programmable functions and sensors that make appliances easy to use. WiFi-connected appliances allow users to check oven and refrigerator interiors, monitor temperature controls, and check operations all from a smart phone or tablet. Among the l ..read more

A focus on self-care and personal wellness reinforces the trend of designing spa-like spaces in the home bathroom. Those spaces not only include soaking and jetted tubs, but now also incorporate aromatherapy, chromatherapy, steam showers and sauna rooms. “Self care includes creating sanctuaries that facilitate putting our hectic, high-speed lives on hold and relaxing,” stresses Michael Zimber, founder of Stone Forest in Santa Fe, NM.   Justin Storm, director of category management at House of Rohl in Irvine, CA adds, “With homeowners focusing more on their mental and physical wellbeing, t ..read more

BEFORE According to designer Aileen Salva Brown of Paragon Kitchens, the kitchen of this 5,000-sq.-ft. Puslinch, Ontario, Canada home was one of those rare delicious projects in which little was required in terms of redesigning the floor plan. The layout of the kitchen was already the open concept the homeowners desired; however, as the house was built in 1997, the finishes, appliances and overall function of the space simply weren’t up to today’s standards. Like any pre-existing kitchen, there were obstacles to be dealt with in order to deliver the clients’ dream kitchen. A basement staircase ..read more

LAS VEGAS — ‘Legend’ is not a description that Christopher Peacock or Mick de Giulio accept easily. But to Richard T. Anuszkiewicz, whose own meteoric career in kitchen design is deeply respected, and to hundreds of design pros who packed their panel discussion at the recent Kitchen & Bath Industry Show in Las Vegas – which was billed as “The Legends of Kitchen Design” – the term fits. Both men are global design leaders with worldwide followings. Today, their work extends well beyond their far-flung clienteles. Both design products and lend their names to those products for companies like ..read more

“I liked housework, and was especially fond of cooking,” goes the introduction to Christine Frederick’s 1913 book, The New Housekeeping: Efficiency Studies in Home Management, “but the deadening point about the whole situation was that I never seemed to finish my work, never seemed to ‘get anywhere,’ and that I almost never had any leisure time to myself.” Frederick’s turn-of-the-century America saw tremendous changes in the amenities common in homes, most notably, perhaps, plumbing for running water and pipelines for natural gas. Dead or dying were the ubiquitous coal- and wood- burning stove ..read more

COVID-19 changed much about how people live. Early on and throughout the height of the pandemic, they were encouraged to spend time outdoors to reduce their exposure to the virus and minimize the spread to others. Going on walks and hikes, packing picnic lunches, golfing, skiing and boating, kayaking and canoeing were all recommended activities.  In an effort to maintain as much normalcy as possible during a difficult time, many people reconsidered how they could spend more time outdoors while being at their own home. While outdoor living was admittedly popular before the pandemic, it blo ..read more

SCOTTSDALE, AZ — While open kitchens provide additional space for family and friends to gather, tying rooms together to resemble one cohesive space can often be a challenge. For Amber Carfield, lead designer for Kitchens by Good Guys in Scottsdale, AZ, delivering a kitchen and bar area with a classic Scottsdale Chic design was the task at hand. This San Ricardo project was a massive remodel, according to Carfield, who collaborated with the homeowner’s general contractor to complete the client’s vision. “The client’s desire was to open the kitchen, extend the laundry room, install a large islan ..read more

PALO ALTO, CA — Interest in open-concept kitchens is returning in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new study conducted by Houzz Inc., the Palo Alto, CA-based online platform for home remodeling and design. According to the 2024 U.S. Houzz Kitchen Trends Study, a recent survey of more than 3,400 homeowners found that a growing number are making their kitchens more open to other interior spaces (43%, compared to 38% of those who renovated in 2021), as well as to the outdoors (23%, compared with 18% of those who renovated in 2021). Among homeowners making their kitchens more open ..read more

In the April 2024 issue of KBDN, I presented products and trends showcased at February’s Design & Construction Week. Here’s the promised second installment, looking at additional show highlights. The massive event, combining the already large Kitchen & Bath Industry Show and International Builders’ Show, has grown too big to cover in just one issue! It’s hard enough to walk in just three days – am I right? Since the show is so huge now – 30% more exhibitors on the KBIS side and close to 12% more show floor space on IBS side this year – my coverage is about 1,500 words longer too, just ..read more

ASHEVILLE, NC — The COVID-19 pandemic made a lasting impression on many people for many different reasons. For these homeowners, those years will be remembered as time spent making, and remaking, decisions about their new home that overlooks the city of Asheville, NC. “They had to deal with material shortages, long lead times, etc., but they got through it and now they have a modern mountain haven they can share with their family and friends,” says Maureen Jarock, designer, Kitchens of the South in Hendersonville, NC. Drawing inspiration from its natural setting, the home features a color pale ..read more