Sensible Style - Easy Makeovers

This month, Kitchens.com focuses on Sensational Kitchen Makeovers, so I decided to tie in with an Easy Makeover post - Sensibly Stylish, of course.

There are different reasons to make over your kitchen. Here are some of the most common:

• An appliance breaks down after years of faithful service and you decide to replace the entire suite with stainless.
• The cabinets are falling apart, so new ones are required. Often, this results in an entire kitchen remodel.
• Your laminate countertops are blown out by a slow leak. Stone tops replace them.
• You can't fit even one more item into your cupboards... Additional storage is desperately needed!

Do any of these feel familiar to you? Let's look at easy make-over options for each scenario.


Appliance updates

Many a kitchen remodel has started with a dishwasher failure. That doesn't mean you have to go into debt to redo your entire kitchen. Here are some Sensible Style tips for appliance replacement:

• If you don't want to replace your cabinets, too, opt for appliances of the same size, but with improved features. For example, an over-the-range microwave can be replaced with a convection/microwave/warmer combination. Both use the same space but the combo gives you a second oven and warming "drawer" capability, too.
• Replace your antique dishwasher with a water- and energy-saving model.
• Replace a 30- or 36-inch electric cooktop with an induction model.
• Replace a standard refrigerator with a designer-style countertop-depth version, (but note that you decrease your food capacity in the process).

One of the most versatile appliances on the market: The GE Advantium microwaves, cooks and keeps food warm all in the space of a standard over the range opening.


Cabinet concerns

Are the cabinets really falling apart, or is it just that the doors and drawer fronts have gotten dinged and dingy over the years?

• If the issue is cosmetic, rather than structural AND you don't need to improve the layout of your kitchen, then refacing may be a better option than replacing. Refacing companies will put new drawer fronts, doors and matching skins on your existing cabinets. It will cost a bit less than a remodel, take less time and create less disruption in your home.
  
• If the cabinets are otherwise OK, but multiple knobs or pulls have broken or gone missing over the years, then now is a great time to update your hardware.
• If your cabinets are literally falling apart, you're going to have to replace them. Your simplest option is to keep the same layout to avoid flooring or appliance issues, but that doesn't mean you have to keep the same cabinet types. For example, two 15-inch drawer over door cabinets can become one 30-inch pan drawer cabinet. One blind corner cabinet can become a blind corner with swing-outs or, if there's space around the corner, a lazy susan cabinet.
• If your cabinets just need a facelift, you can opt to paint them and add crown molding, space allowing. If you're painting the insides, too, you can have some of your wood fronts replaced with glass by a professional in that industry.

Caption: Dress up your cabinets with hardware, like these Top Drawer knobs and pulls from Rejuvenation.

Counter intuitive

So your laminate countertops have finally surrendered. There's no disguising the water damage around the sink any longer and they've got to go. You have numerous options available to you, depending on your needs and budget.

• The easiest, most affordable fix is new laminate tops, especially if your kitchen is a galley, L or U-shaped configuration with no bar top or island. In this instance, you can use some of the good-looking models sold in stock at Home Depot or Lowes. If you do have an island or bar, you can have those two pieces special-ordered and buy the others in stock.
• Corian gives you the option to include a seamless sink. This is an easy-maintenance choice worth checking out.
• Granite, marble and stone give you the option to undermount a sink. This is a great look and easier maintenance than a standard drop-in sink.
  
• You can also upgrade to Corian, granite, marble or engineered stone. Please take a look at my Gold Notes Counter Intelligence post for a full list of pros and cons on each option.

Quartz countertops, like this Capri Limestone by Silestone, are a sensible and stylish makeover.

Storage forage

So your cabinets are bursting at the seams and you just inherited your grandmother's cookware set. Where the heck are you going to put it all?

• Ditch the semi-useless half shelves in the middle of your base cabinets and replace them with roll-out trays. This increases the storage capacity of each base by almost 25 percent.
• You've got a skinny base cabinet that holds almost nothing. Pick up a set of tray dividers and make it a very useful storage spot for your pizza stone, cutting boards and cookie sheets.
• You've also got tremendously under-used space between your countertops and wall cabinets that can handle multiple backsplash organizers. These can hold counter-robbing paper towel holders, knives, utensils or spice jars. You probably have enough room for all of these great space savers!
• If you have space to park one when it's not in use, add a mobile cart to your kitchen. This can add prep space on top and storage space below. If your kitchen doesn't have an island, a cart can stand in for one. It just needs a place to be stashed when it's not in use as there probably isn't enough room for it to remain in the middle of your kitchen. (If there were, they probably would have put an island there instead.)

Make your existing cabinet space more efficient with organizers like this Tray Roll-out by Omega National Products on Amazon.com.

Sensible Style - Easy ways to go green in your kitchen

Earth Day is fast approaching, so Sensible Style is observing this important April 22nd date with some easy tips on making your kitchen more eco-friendly.


Dishwasher smarts

When it's time to replace your current dishwasher, look for one that's Energy Star rated, which can reduce the amount of electricity you use. Also look for a model that conserves water for additional eco power and utility savings. You can save even more water by not rinsing your dishes before you load them. Most of the newer detergents actually work better with food particles to fight. Try it - you'll be surprised!

Asko's XXL 5000 Series Dishwashers offer Energy Star and water savings with oversized capacity

Micro management

One of my go-to experts on appliances, Debbie Schaeffer, owner of Mrs. G's TV and Appliances in Lawrenceville, NJ, shares this eco-friendly tip: Use your microwave's speed cook feature instead of running your range for greater energy efficiency. Keeping your kitchen cooler in the summer and getting dinner on the table are two more benefits of speed cooking.

A microwave with speed cook, like this GE Profile Advantium, saves energy and time.

Faucet smarts

How often do you find yourself running your kitchen tap longer than you need to, just because you're across the room when the pot is filled, or you don't have a third hand to turn it off in time? Another culprit is the active child, who turns on the faucet on to wash her hands and forgets to turn it off. A faucet that turns on without a handle and turns off when you step away can be a big water saver. Being able to turn it on when your hands are full or sticky is a Sensible Style solution, too!

Brizo's Talo pours on the style and water savings

Put a cork in it

Cork is a great, green flooring option. It's a renewable resource that doesn't sacrifice trees. Some of it is also reycled. One of my favorite cork attributes is its softness underfoot. It looks like wood, but is much easier to stand on for long periods of time.

Eco-friendly cork floors can be formal, as shown in this offering from Globus Cork, or casual.

Lighten up

The recessed lights in your ceiling are probably halogen-based. These hog energy in two ways: one, they use a lot of it to light your room and two, their heat makes your air conditioner work harder in the summer. Consider replacing these outdated fixtures with low-energy LED lights. The added benefit is that you'll only have to replace them every 15 or 20 years. There are also LED-powered pendants and chandeliers you can install in place of your current light fixtures.

Tungsten pendant series by Access Lighting is LED-powered

Magnetic attraction

Ranges and cooktops aren't Energy Star-rated like other appliances, but can add a lot to your utility costs. A magnetic-powered induction cooktop, available on its own, or as the cooking surface of a freestanding or slide-in range, can cut your energy bills and speed your cooking time. I've done the side-by-side test of high BTU gas vs. induction. Induction is faster. It also won't heat up your kitchen in the summer, since only the area under your pot or pan gets hot. It's safer for families with active children or memory- and balance-challenged seniors who are less likely to get burned by grabbing it.

Kenmore Elite's new slide-in range features an induction cooktop

More from the International Builders Show

Last week I attended the International Builders Show in Las Vegas, and posted an entry live from the convention center. Here are more goodies from IBS. Last, but definitely not least!


GE

GE has introduced a hybrid water heater that can cut your electric bills by more than 60 percent. It may not be the most energy-efficient unit on the market, (though it is EnergyStar qualified), but it does have two features I find noteworthy: 1) It fits into a typical water heater installation location easily and seamlessly. 2) It has an easy to use vacation setting that makes it easy to turn off for up to 90 days... No more getting on your knees with the toolbox to disconnect for a few weeks.


Plus, it looks like it belongs in Star Wars, doesn't it, and I'm a sucker for utilitarian objects with style!


Napoleon

For the homeowner who has everything, but craves ever more bling, Napoleon has introduced a fireplace studded with Swarovski crystals. Fire and ice, anyone?



Kenmore

On a more practical note, Kenmore has added a handy feature to its dryer line that lets you know when the dryer vent is blocked. This can save you a pricey service call and make your dryer work more efficiently. On the face of it, this model looks like every other front loader on the market, but its alert feature is just smarter than most. Go, Blue Team!



Kohler

Last week, I mentioned two Kohler products. This week, I've got a few more to share, all in the eye candy arena. The first is an extension of the Persuade line called Persuade Curve that offers a compact toilet perfect for powder rooms. There are also coordinating lavs and vanities, as shown here. I liked the Petite Console, also great for tight spaces.


Another Kohler item I really liked, though not a new addition to the line, was the Nature's Chemistry: Antilia Wading Pool glass countertop lavatory.


It is just so very beautiful! Trust me, this official photo doesn't really do it justice.


Kraftmaid

Kraftmaid Cabinets, a staple in home centers everywhere, and a popular dealer line, as well, was showing off for builders last week. Long a leader in bringing custom features to non-custom kitchens across the country, Kraftmaid has done it again! You can now get stacked cabinets with glass inserts and integral side panels in the line, something you used to have to go to more expensive brands to achieve at much higher prices. Bravo for bringing excellence to affordability!



ReVISION House

Every other booth, it seemed, touted its green creds at IBS2010. One unofficial showcase home that showed how it could be done right was the GreenBuilder Magazine's ReVISION house. I toured this restored ranch on VIP night and really respected what they'd done with the place. The home is located in the historic Paradise Palms neighborhood, which I also enjoyed seeing, albeit in the dark and the rain! Inside was a crisp, modern interior expertly designed by Patricia Gaylor. The curb appeal is evident in the drawing below from GreenBuilder. I'll let them tell the rest of the story on the ReVISION web site.


I will say this: Visiting this project made up for the disappointment in the official IBS showcase home not being completed in time for the show this year... The first time ever in its history, I believe, and a true sign of the times - they couldn't get financing to get it done! Need I say more?