Volume 2, Number 6 June, 2004
Monthly Quote
“A man travels the world over in search of what he needs and returns home to find it.”
-George Moore (1852-1933), Irish poet, author and dramatist

Tip of the Month

If you are thinking of buying a new house, an important piece in your decision should be your and/or your family’s commute. A smart test would be to drive to and from your prospective new house and your job during rush hour. If you find the commute long or complex, think about how much you would like to do that every weekday (or even weekend) for years. Do the other things you like about the home or community outweigh the nasty drive? Are you tired or irritable from the drive to or from work now? If the commute from a new home is not bearable, consider looking for a home or neighborhood closer to the places you work and frequent, or near to a public transportation stop so you can eliminate the commute completely.
A New, Stylish and High-tech Look for Your Kitchen

SYNOPSIS: The traditional place to demonstrate your true style has seen some interesting trends recently; we show you some of the most intriguing.

In April, Chicago’s McCormick Place was the host of the 2004 Kitchen and Bath Industry Show, which was attended by over 40,000 professionals. A recent article in Realty Times espoused how the trends demonstrated in the show embody a number of the trends cropping up in homes all around the country. We will show you some of the most exciting and intriguing trends that you can use to show off your style and flair!

The kitchen is really the best place to demonstrate your personal style, as well as the style you want your home to embody. When revamping their kitchens, homeowners are looking for upscale appliances and accessories at a reasonable price. Finally, manufacturers are catering to this need. This is therefore the perfect time to emulate the kitchen design that popular TV shows have made people crave.

Some of the simpler ways to make a dramatic statement in your kitchen are:

1) Install a striking range hood – this adds flair and makes a bold statement about your style and cooking prowess.
2) Use built-in appliances to add functionality, appeal and uniqueness to you kitchen. Such appliances include ice makers, warming drawers, refrigeration units and wine storage units.

The Kitchen and Bath Industry Show also demonstrated a continual trend toward more professional style appliances, with an emphasis on high quality and ability, and a tendency toward the use of stainless steel.

Additional trends could be seen in the type of colors being used in the kitchen. There appeared to be a definite move toward using more earth tones, especially the new, trendy tones, such as espresso and mocha.

Other trends the show promoted are:

  • An increased application of natural lines, especially in faucets, where curved and river-shaped troughs were popular.

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  • Cabinet doors that either use a self-closing mechanism, or are designed to close softly, also proved to be a hit of the show.

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  • Hot water dispensers that could dispense near-boiling water for use in the kitchen were all the rage.
The kitchen says a lot about people and their homes. Use the prominence of these trends to help accent your kitchen in a way that promotes the style you want and the atmosphere you want to achieve.