(Up)Date Night Part III: The Big Reveal

Tami wraps up her (Up)Date Night story, telling about the great change the new Wilsonart HD Countertop and undermount Wilsonart Stainless Steel sink made to her kitchen. Tami also sends kudos to L.E. Smith Company and Bryan Building Center for their contributions. Click here for more information about Wilsonart HD.

Remodeling on A Budget Part 1

By Jenn at Five Dollar Shake
 
Six years ago, my husband and I decided to sell our little two bedroom house in search of a bigger and better home to raise our kids in. It didn't take us long to decide on a location, but the house was another story. There were very little homes in our price range to choose from. So, we went with the best constructed home that needed the least amount of work. What it did need was cosmetic attention, and lot's of it. Each and every room was covered in wallpaper and dark brown carpet, ah la 70's style.

Then the economy crashed, and our income was cut in half. Making even the cosmetic changes more difficult. Happy to be in a home in our choice of neighborhood with our choice of schools, we waited, and waited. We waited until one day I said, ya know what - let's just do it, let's dig in and if it takes us a year, so be it. Well, it took us way over a year, much closer to two, but we did it, and we did it all on a budget.

I’m very excited to have the opportunity to share the details here on The Lean Remodeler of our complete make over of three rooms (kitchen, dining, living room) all at once, and on a budget.

The biggest tip from our experience of remodeling on a budget is to plan to do everything you are capable of yourself! Thankfully, my husband is a real “do it yourself” kind of guy. Taking advantage of opportunities such as Wilsonart’s DIY countertops literally saved us hundreds!

Below is a photo of our living room, and an example of how we lived while doing our remodel one step at a time, as our budget permitted.




Was it worth it? You'll soon see for yourself...

Urban Pioneer: Tug of War with my Fridge

By Andrea, the Urban Pioneer

I've talked a little about the kitchen, hitting the low-lights, but let me dig a little deeper and tell you the oh-so-frustrating story of my refrigerator.

On a warm summer day (yes, we do have those in Minnesota), I moved in to my little piece of Urban heaven.  My furniture was in place, boxes were piled in the 2nd bedroom for safe hiding and I loaded up the fridge with food.  When I returned after a weekend at the lake, I found the fridge had slow cooked all of my groceries sitting at a balmy 87 degrees.  The food went into the trash and off to the appliance store I went.

My new fridge arrives, new food is purchased and I go on my way.

If only it were so easy...

But the 2nd fridge didn't work either!  Fortunately, this time I didn't load it up with food, so my loss was minimal.  A quick call to the appliance store and I believe a new fridge will be at my door sooner than later. Wrong again!  Due to an address mix up that "could not be fixed while an order was still in process," it took three weeks to get a working fridge delivered.  When the new one showed up, it fit through the 1911 doorway, but not into the space reserved for the fridge in the kitchen.

My refrigerator in the 'freezer using' position

After a month or so without a working refrigerator, I decided to keep what I had knowing plans of a remodel are in my near future.  In the meantime, I have to push and pull the fridge into place, depending on if I want to get in the freezer or get out my kitchen door.  I'm looking at it as extra security... but redoing the kitchen and finding the fridge a home sure would be nice.

(Up)Date Night Part II: Tammy Tours L.E. Smith

Tami has a kitchen makeover, including Wilsonart HD countertop in the Deepstar Bronze pattern (1814). She even gets a tour of L.E. Smith Company's fabrication shop to see her countertop being made. Click here for more information about Wilsonart HD Laminate.

(Up)Date Night Part 1: Meet the Roushias

The (Up)Date Night crew made a stop to Bryan, Ohio for our next installment.  Tami Roushia and her children recently moved and wanted to make the 'new to them' house their home!  Tami is a Personalizer, looking to make her kitchen reflect her likes and style; the kitchen was nice, but just not her taste.

Urban Pioneer: Tug of War with the Fridge

By Andrea, the Urban Pioneer

I've talked a little about the kitchen, hitting the low-lights, but let me dig a little deeper and tell you the oh-so-frustrating story of my refrigerator.

On a warm summer day (yes, we do have those in Minnesota), I moved in to my little piece of Urban heaven.  My furniture was in place, boxes were piled in the 2nd bedroom for safe hiding and I loaded up the fridge with food.  When I returned after a weekend at the lake, I found the fridge had slow cooked all of my groceries sitting at a balmy 87 degrees.  The food went into the trash and off to the appliance store I went.

My new fridge arrives, new food is purchased and I go on my way.

If only it were so easy...

But the 2nd fridge didn't work either!  Fortunately, this time I didn't load it up with food, so my loss was minimal.  A quick call to the appliance store and I believe a new fridge will be at my door sooner than later. Wrong again!  Due to an address mix up that "could not be fixed while an order was still in process," it took three weeks to get a working fridge delivered.  When the new one showed up, it fit through the 1911 doorway, but not into the space reserved for the fridge in the kitchen.

My refrigerator in the 'freezer using' position

After a month or so without a working refrigerator, I decided to keep what I had knowing plans of a remodel are in my near future.  In the meantime, I have to push and pull the fridge into place, depending on if I want to get in the freezer or get out my kitchen door.  I'm looking at it as extra security... but redoing the kitchen and finding the fridge a home sure would be nice.

More than a coat of paint

By Gale

If you are contemplating buying your first home, with all the enthusiasm and nervousness that comes with that decision, then you can better appreciate the challenges of my friends who are upgrading from a tiny condo to their first “real” house.  The price was right, the neighborhood older and established with good schools nearby - perfect for a couple expecting their first child.

When they fell in love with the house, they did not clearly see all of its flaws.  It was indeed a surprise to discover the cabinet doors that would not close, the chipped kitchen sink and the badly worn countertop.  They relegated the other rooms to a “coat of paint change”, while the kitchen needed real help.

I gave them advice about how to fix the non-closing doors without too much effort and focused their attention on the sink and countertop. The dreams of granite vanished when they priced it out. We discussed how to get the best deal for their tiny budget. And the answer is a new high definition laminate countertop and an integral sink. Both are meant for hard wear and tear, a factor of life with a small child and even busier schedules.

A visit from the countertop fabricator gave them the confidence that this could be done in a short time, while they were handling the painted facelift in another room. Within two weeks, they have a new kitchen without the agony of tearing everything out. The countertop gives them a whole new look and there is a little leftover to buy those bar stools that they saw on sale.

The moral of this story is to shop wisely, understand what your budget will give you, and then find the best person to help you accomplish this change.

Finding Inspiration: Making a House a Home

By Andrea, The Urban Pioneer

When I start to think about making my house my home...it overwhelms me. I've heard from Gale that each room has 200 decorating choices. That's 1,400 choices for my little urban condo. Yikes!

I'm a small store shopper, give me a boutique and I'm good. Send me into a department store, and I shut down. Too many options sends me into anxiety overload (1,400 choices is about 1,390 to many for me!). Looking at the empty rooms and thinking about all the potential for each one is exciting, but scary.

I've asked around for advice, really just wanting someone to tell me "Do this and your house will be amazing." But, that usually costs a little money, and I'm going to do this on a lean budget.  So far, the best advice has been "Start with pillow shopping." What?  Pillow shopping?  You're crazy.

Not so!  Find a pillow that speaks to your style and color preferences and the rest of the room will follow.  A pillow is easy to bring shopping, and somewhat inexpensive to change out when you tire of them.

So pillow shopping I go...and boy, there are a lot of pillows out there!  Here is what I've found so far.

Pillows that 'speak to me"

Where do you find decorating inspiration?

Remodeling when time's not on your side

By Gale

Meet my dear friends, The Procrastinators (most of us know who they are and sometimes we are all just like them). They are filled with good intentions and great plans, but they never seem to find the time to actually move ahead with their objectives. As a consequence, things look a little worn out at their home. The cabinet doors do not shut; some of the hardware is non-functional, two burners of the cooktop stopped working some time ago. Let’s not even talk about the countertop, which looks like it has been through a war and then some.

Their biggest problem is simply finding time to get these projects done. They want to fix up the kitchen, for example, but are afraid that any disruption will mean they cannot continue to use the room. We had a heart-to-heart talk recently, and I point out that if they focus on the parts of the kitchen that need to be upgraded (or replaced altogether), then the actual process of remodeling will move along smoothly.

If you are simply replacing appliances or cabinets without moving them around, then the inconvenience time is reduced to just a few days (not weeks or months as they imagined), that is, assuming you have a contractor who can come when you plan. But surprisingly, even a countertop replacement takes only a day of inconvenience. The fabricator measures the space and then brings the new countertop two weeks later. In the meantime, you have use of the kitchen.

They were relieved and headed off to look at all their choices. I gave them a new mantra:

“To make it work easily and quickly, simply find products that will fit into the same size space in your existing room."

The second piece of advice is even less complicated: Always have a tape measure available, along with a little notebook with your measurements written down. When in doubt, measure and remeasure.

In defense of the underdog

by Mike Ferrara, The Lazy Homeowner

Hello there. I just read the Consumer Reports story on kitchen countertops. As always, they do a good job of covering all the options. However, as a person who's done his share of kitchen remodeling, I have a few 'bones' to pick over some of the statements made about the perennial stepchild of this subject, laminate.

Consumer Reports starts out well when it states in their Granite section that: "It's still what you'll see in magazines and real-estate ads, but fancy faux materials are giving granite serious competition." That's for sure. Any remodeler on a budget can see why...using the new high-definition laminates will give you the same look for less than half the cost. And without the yearly chore of resealing.

The report states that laminate shows seams on the front edge and elsewhere. This is old information. When you combine laminate with a custom edge, there is literally no 'brown edge' to be seen. And a good fabricator can make sure you don't get any obvious corner seams as well.

Now the editors get into trouble when they claim that laminates are "no longer trendy..."After looking at just some of the newest stone, marble and granite patterns at my local home center, this statement couldn't be farther off the mark. Kitchen trends come and go, but the current trend toward natural materials is being met quite well by the newest laminate designs. And when the current trend is replaced by something else, the good news is that with laminate, you're not looking at taking out a second mortgage if you want a new countertop!

Lastly, Consumer Reports says that laminate is easily "scratched and nicked..." Just about any countertop material, including natural stone and recycled glass can get scratched or nicked if you don't employ common sense and use a cutting board or a hotplate.  The newest laminates from Wilsonart are infused with a high-tech aluminum oxide finish that is very resistant to wear, and keeps the countertop looking new for a long time.

So maybe I just have a soft spot for underdogs, but in this case I needed to speak out...let's not keep repeating old information and state the clear fact that the new generation of laminate is a viable alternative to granite.

Mike Ferrara, also known as The Lazy Homeowner and TechnoDad, has spent the last 20 years covering the home and garden industries, serving as a magazine and newspaper editor, TV personality, and most recently as a blog editor and public relations consultant to Wilsonart International and other home improvement companies.  His views are his own.

An open mind about an open kitchen

By Gale

Opening your kitchen up is much more convenient for the cook as well as everyone else who enjoys being there. It also requires planning ahead to make sure that what you see from the next room is what you want your family and friends to see in the kitchen.

Stand or sit in your family room or dining area and imagine what that will be before you open up the walls. This little step may affect your plans for an open space kitchen. Here are three visual solutions to consider:

This birch kitchen design by KraftMaid Cabinets in birch in Prairie finish illustrates how the space was created to feel open but allow the cook to have some privacy. The multi-level island adds more storage as well as serving space.

This open-plan kitchen resolved two problems: where to eat casually and merged a color scheme from the nearby great room into a new kitchen with an extended countertop.

The choice was a countertop pattern with multiple colors that blends with the wall color and fabrics. Find more blending ideas by visiting WilsonartHD.com.

The Urban Pioneer: The Kitchen Should be Condemned

by Andrea, The Urban Pioneer

Oh the Kitchen. When I purchased my little piece of urban heaven, I turned a blind eye to the kitchen. The location, the charm, the garage all won me over and allowed me to forget about the kitchen.

So what makes it so bad? Well, take a look at some of the pictures.


We'll start with the lighting. You could put Heidi Klum under these lights and she would look like a troll. Not only is the lighting bad, the refrigerator blocks what little natural light comes in from the north facing window.

The cabinets are in sad shape. The sink was apparently used for paint clean up and someone forgot to clean it. And the floor sticky tiles keep peeling back.



And oh the countertop...we are talking late 70's early 80's yellowish laminate, the cornerstone of every girls dream kitchen, ha!

So what's next? Deciding if this kitchen can be saved or needs to be completely gutted. What do you think?

The Urban Pioneer: Oh the List

By Andrea

My place was built in 1911, it has been kept in decent to good shape but when a condo reaches 100, it has some fixin’ up to do. Before I even start the decorating process, I have to conquer ‘the list’ and get the bones of my condo in good condition. It’s a given that everything will get a fresh coat of paint…but here’s the rest of the to do’s and a few pictures of the work ahead.

1. Front Door
a. New Lock to cover all the holes

b. New Numbers, I want to make a great 1st impression
c. Re-varnished, it looks like someone took a power sander to the door.

2. Living Room
a. Ceiling fans
b. Crown Molding
c. New Windows
d. Refinish woodwork

3. Dining Room
a. Replace Light
b. Level floor


4. Kitchen
a. Too many to list, I'll tell all about this mess next week.

5. Porch...I'll let the picture speak for its self.

As you can see, I have a project or a million projects on my hands!

An open kitchen starts with an open mind

By Gale

We all agree that the kitchen is the most important room in the house. It is the best reflection of you and your family’s lifestyle.  Do not be swayed by the opinions of others. However, while that is easy to say, it's not so easy to do.

Recently I helped a friend who had fallen in love with the image of an open plan kitchen, and she was trying hard to fit that idea into her older closed kitchen. The clip she had saved from a magazine was really gorgeous, but like a jigsaw puzzle, the piece has to fit into the space allotted. And that is where her plans for the dream kitchen fell apart.  Here are some things to consider if you are pondering opening up your kitchen:

• What walls are you planning to eliminate to create the open plan kitchen? Are they load-bearing walls or can they be safely removed without affecting the structural integrity of your house? A good contractor or designer can help you determine that.

• If you are knocking down a wall, how much cabinet space are you losing as a result? Where are you planning to relocate what is stored inside those cabinets?

• Do you have to move plumbing or electric outlets to achieve your goal? Check on the cost of doing so before moving ahead.

• Will your cooking or cleanup space be visible from the adjoining room? If you are a messy cook, think about creating a visual barrier such as a raised counter so your guests cannot see the clutter.

• Does the new color scheme work with the existing colors in the spaces beyond? You should coordinate the colors from one room to another; they do not have to match but should be in the same family. This applies to countertop selections as well as cabinets.

Obviously, this doesn't cover all of the considerations you should take into account when opening up your kitchen, but this should serve as the starting point to getting you the dream kitchen that you want.

The Urban Pioneer: My Place In the Heart of Minneapolis

By Andrea, The Urban Pioneer

My little corner in the city was the first place I looked at during the house hunt. I fell in love with the character, the location and the fact that it has a garage...tough to come by and much needed in Minneapolis. This little urban condo has original craftsman style doors, a dining room built-in cabinet, high ceilings, crown molding, hard-wood floors and an awesome screened in front porch. I'm looking for a way to combine the old character charm and a new urban feel, like this place.

I put an offer in after one quick walk through never thinking they would take my bid. I was told I was 4th on the list. Well, two days later I find out I am now the proud owner of a 1911 condo in the heart of Minneapolis!

With keys in hand, I opened the door to my new home and realized I was looking through what I'll call 'light pink, not rose, colored glasses' during my initial visit. While the place still has it charm...and garage, it also has a major list of fix ups. With a little elbow grease, a lot of idea hunting and the help of family and friends, I know I can take this urban condos potential and turn it into reality. Now it's time to get to work!

The Urban Pioneer

By Andrea, The Urban Pioneer

Hello, and welcome to my journey as the Urban Pioneer! Over the next few months you’ll get to know me, my Minneapolis condo and the journey of my urban life.

Let's start with who I am. I’m new (again) to the Twin Cities; I grew in Minnesota but took what I call a brief tour of the upper-Midwest before making it back 15 years later. It is great to be back in Minneapolis…even with the winters…and they are bad. I love to volunteer, play a little tennis and drink a great wine with friends on a fabulous roof-top deck.

I love to dream up projects around the house, and boy have I found the right place for that! (more on 'the project list' later) I am fortunate to have a very talented and supportive family who are all handy around the house; a dad who can replicate most any wooden furniture and a mom who can sew a curtain in no time flat. With their help, a lot of time, and some blogging along the way, I’m hoping I can whip my ‘new to me’ urban condo into a place I’m proud to call home.

Young mom asks for design help

by Gale Steves

Seldom do I meet the perfect demographic, but then I became acquainted with Barbara, a young, stay-at-home mother with two kids under the age of six. She apologizes that she is not working full-time, (Hers, in my book, is a full-time job of mothering). However, she volunteers for at least community charity and is an active member of her church.

Some might categorize her as "Gen Y," but I see her as a Frugal Mom. As the family budget shrank, so did her travel and entertainment outside of the house. In fact, her home has become even more important as a gathering place for family and friends. Barbara admits to being an online coupon clipper as well as often refers friends to internet sites and deals. Most of this happens when the kiddies are tucked in bed, after 8 PM.

Since the home has become her focus, she is making a good pennywise step in replacing her countertops in her kitchen as a baby step for making a larger color change in the kitchen. She calls it her "everything" room.

I met her because she wanted help making a selection. She has ruled out granite and stone as too costly, but I pointed her to the new laminate alternatives that mimic travertine and natural stone, an upscale look she fancied from design blogs she follows.  We settled on Golden Travertine premium laminate from Wilsonart because it was a mid-range color, which would not show as much dirt as a very light color or as a very dark one. That was the easy part. . . now she faces which edge treatment is the most kid-friendly.  Barbara will do her online research and read reviews before making up her mind.

I have full confidence that she has made a good decision, and the downtime in her kitchen is really a few hours of inconvenience and disruption when the new counter surface is installed for a dramatic transformation. The Frugal Mom wins again!

Jeannett & Andy (Up)Date Night - Part 3

Here's the big reveal from our intrepid Wilsonart (Up)Date Night couple...hold on, it's going to be amazing!

(UP)Date Night Part 2: "The Renovation" with the Gibson Family

Today's post is from Jeannett Gibson over at Life Rearranged, who is undergoing a kitchen transformation with her family and has been nice enough to share her experience here on Lean Remodeler. Here's the latest installment of our (Up)Date Night video series, where you'll see the dust is flying!

Win a Ticket to Type-A from The Lean Remodeler

The Type-A Parent Conference is coming up on June 23, and The Lean Remodeler team will be there in Asheville, North Carolina to discuss blogging and home design. And luckily for one of you, we have an extra ticket that we are giving away!

The deadline for entries is June 9th, and here's all you need to do to be eligible to win a ticket to the Type-A Parent Conference:

1. "Like" the Wilsonart Facebook page.
2. Look for the Facebook post about the contest and "Like" the post.
3. Tell us your favorite Madura pattern and how you would incorporate it into your home and leave your answer in the comments section below.

The Madura series of premium Wilsonart Laminate was released this year and is the newest addition to their line (see a fantastic install here). These Madura patterns are perfect for homeowners searching for the perfect combination of earth colors that coordinate with a variety of cabinet wood-tones and stainless-steel appliances:

Madura Pearl: A light, warm white with accents in peach and pearl-grey. Coordinates well with light wood, painted cabinets and dark contrasting woods like mahogany and walnut.

Madura Pearl

Madura Gold: Carries lighter values of golden beige with accents of sienna brown, soft grey and black. Gold and shards of grey are trendy colors that go well with all cabinetry wood-tones.

Madura Gold

Madura Garnet: Carries mid-tones of mahogany with accents in garnet, soft greys and black. Includes light areas with soft detail. Goes great with stainless steel and black appliances.

Madura Garnet

Madura Citrine: A light, yellow gold coloration with warm white and amber accents. Includes soft greys and black. Works well with maple and cherry cabinets in brown and spice stains.

Madura Citrine

Just choose your favorite Madura pattern and let us know how you would use it in your home in the comments section below!

(Up)Date Night Part 1: Get to Know the Gibsons

Today's post is from Jeannett Gibson over at Life Rearranged, who is undergoing a kitchen transformation with her family and has been nice enough to share her experience here on Lean Remodeler. You can follow the transformation on the latest installment of our (Up)Date Night video series.

When my husband and I first walked into the kitchen with our realtor, visions of an update immediately sprang to mind.

I saw painted cabinets, fun hardware, pretty pendant lighting and gorgeous countertops.

I knew upon first look that the kitchen had great bones and amazing potential...it was just a little dated.

And a lot not my style.

Don't even get me started on the white tile with white grout. Who decided that would be a good idea?! I would love to meet them.

And then hand them the bottle of bleach and toothbrush that I've spent waaaaaay too much time with over the last three years.

But it was well designed and nice and roomy for our quickly expanding brood.

It just needed a little spruce up.

And a ton of elbow grease.

But the truth is, that's our style.

Andy and I are the quintessential DIYers.

We grumble and moan through the process, but we absolutely love the finished product 100 times more simply because we know that WE did the work.

Somehow, sitting on our patio and looking out at the landscaped yard is so much more satisfying knowing that it was our sweaty selves who laid that sod in the summer sun. (That's our friend Jon that we conned into helping. Note the baby in the pack and play!)

While we had certainly done our fair share of projects together, the sheer workload involved in painting cabinetry WHILE parenting three kids 3 and under...

...well, that made me break into a sweat more than once.

In fact, it may have induced a mild panic attack at one point. Just maybe.

The reality is, that while adults can wait until 9 p.m. to eat dinner (take out, naturally) after the work is done and cleaned up, twin one year olds and a three year old aren't exactly so patient.

And they can't put themselves to bed.

Or even wipe their own....

noses.

And the littlest still has therapy three times a week.

And the husband has a business trip on the other side of the country sometime in the middle of this mad dash rush.

And...well...life doesn't pause while you're trying to knock out a fairly labor intensive project.

Painting...particularly something as large scale as kitchen cabinetry...isn't exactly something you can stop mid-brush to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

And little sticky fingers are certainly unwelcome anywhere NEAR drying paint.

Luckily, I knew the pros would be installing the countertops. So that was one task off our plate.

Knowing that this project had high Bicker Potential, Andy and I tried to stave off some of the tension by talking about it ahead of time.

Late one night, after the littles were in bed, our feet up on the coffee table, hot fudge sundaes in our laps, our conversation went a little something like this:

"This project is going to be insane. None of it is going to go as smoothly as we would like. So let's try and just go with the flow and not hate each other at the end of it."

"Deal."

While that may seem simplistic and silly, it really has helped so far.

We just knew that this wasn't going to be a project reminiscent of our pre-three-kids-in-two-years days where we could work uninterrupted and for as long as we we wanted/needed.

And somehow, being open and upfront about lowering our expectations...and laughing that surely someone will tip over a gallon of paint at some point...is helping.

Even in the planning, as I try to order hardware that I can't seem to find in the quantities I need...or trying out 15 different shades of white (who knew?!)...or trying to figure out how to still make meals during it all...

We're going with the flow.

We're making it work.

We're trying to laugh and not freak out.

Even though the temptation is certainly there.

Hopefully that feeling of relative flexibility and calm extends as we're actually in the trenches of kitchen updating.

No kitchen is worth strife.

But it's certainly worth the elbow grease.

Pattern Play

by Gale 

Most of us think we avoid patterns because they are overwhelming or too confusing to deal with. The truth is we are surrounded by patterns on our walls, floors and yes, even our countertops. Some patterns may not be obvious and others are over the top, but they are great enhancers to our décor. 
 
For instance, patterns in fabric add life to otherwise dull material. Patterns on rugs give that flat surface dimension, and lately patterns on countertops can help renew a kitchen by bringing new life to the surface.

At the recent Kitchen and Bath Show, I found some great examples of new materials that could have a radical change in how you look at your kitchen. Do not do anything else but change your island counter, and see how it creates a new look for less. Resurface the peninsula with a bolder pattern for emphasis. And in a tiny kitchen, a new countertop makes huge difference.

Reactions from KBIS 2011

By Gale

Trade shows can be intimidating for many of us. There are the rows upon rows of exhibits, the commotion of the music and of course the crowds of people. However, I have just braved the 2011 Kitchen & Bath Industry Show in Las Vegas and returned home with my head filled with ideas to share with you.

There was the big theme of the show and naturally, the smaller emerging themes as well. Water, water, water was the big theme, with most of the plumbing companies sporting WaterSense tags on their new merchandise…that is water-saving, in case you did not guess. And from toilets to showerheads, that label was everywhere.  It is a good reminder for most of us that like Energy Smart, this is a program that will save money as well as water.

The smaller themes were equally intriguing: Universal Design appeared inside cabinets, outside cabinets, on backsplashes, on countertops, and inside drawers. This is recognition that we need to make our storage of all kinds more accessible.  This trend is not just for the physically challenged – it is for everyone – the young, the young at heart, and those in-between who are looking for convenience. Clever cabinet inserts means the contents stay organized, and who would not want that?

New countertop designs were another theme at the show: great new looks in laminate, quartz, recycled materials for easier living.  They include marble and stone look-alikes without the fuss of maintenance as well as bolder patterns that differentiate an island countertop. What a way to make a statement without a major investment!

Lighting is going through major changes with 100 watt incandescent light bulbs heading off the market in 2012. New options in compact fluorescent, LED and halogen are appearing, and the more the merrier so that the price heads down to a more reasonable range. Keep an eye out for these energy-efficient alternatives.

Blogging in the Big Easy

By Shelly

Last week I was able to experience "The Big Easy" with some amazing women (and men) at the annual Mom 2.0 Summit at the Ritz-Carlton in New Orleans. From the opening keynote to the closing parties, I was amazed with how effectively the conference took on the strength and courage of the host city.

Friday started off with a beautifully choreographed and conversational keynote by Lois Vossen and Abigail Disney. They called on everyone present to use the perseverance New Orleans and its inhabitants as a guide in their own lives and even for their blogs.

Tie-ins to the city and its history continued with tours on Saturday featuring the famous French Quarter and a History of Jazz Tour that took participants to the famous Preservation Hall for a personal concert.

Over the last six years the entire city of New Orleans has had to go through a gigantic renovation. It was amazing to see this in action and while many spots are back to their previous splendor there is still work to be done around every corner. The order of importance with the remodels was carefully though out- schools, churches, and tourist attractions took precedence over other needs much like we tend to give the most, or initial, attention to the most used areas in our homes.

Are there any projects that you had to persevere through? Perhaps, water damage led you to do an unexpected remodel or issues arose with a contractor mid-project. I'd love to hear your stories of persevering through your own remodel.

Sitting Pretty

by Gale

Just back from the Spring Furniture Market in High Point, NC and filled with solutions to truly make the kitchen the hub of the house!  I know that many of us are so busy thinking about where the cabinets and appliances will go that we do not stop to ponder the issue of comfort. Where we sit is another important design consideration, and making room for our family and friends is another.

The new trend is creating a sitting area within the kitchen. This may simply mean tucking in a great chair and ottoman so that your spouse or friend can keep you company while you cook. Another alternative is rethinking those hard-backed chairs that you have in your casual dining area. Maybe some upholstered chairs in forgiving fabric (that will not stain) will be a lure for people to linger and be at ease.  And bar stools have morphed into relaxing seats with padded backs and seats.

Making room for your guests does not mean an extended island counter they can lean against. Although it is a nice feature, it needs to be designed with enough space for sitting. Allow for at least two or three spaces and plan the space so you have enough room for a generous stool or chair. Also think about counter height stools if younger children or older friends frequent your kitchen. It is a safer purchase for all concerned.

A sign of your hospitality is considering the comfort of your guests, and so make your kitchen as relaxed for them as it is for you. Plan ahead while your kitchen design is in its early stages to really make space for chairs, stools or even a little sofa.  These additions will add immensely to creating a friendlier environment for all.

Eight More NKBA Kitchen "Trends" for 2011: Looking Back or Looking Forward?

by Gale

As I said last month, I'm always on the lookout for new ideas to share with you. That was why I was puzzled to discover in a press release from the National Kitchen and Bath Association that they were using research from their member kitchen and bath designers and calling it the “11 Kitchen and Bath Trends of 2011.” Maybe I’m wrong, but I think of trends as being able to look forward to the future… not backwards to what has already happened. I listed the first three last month. Here are the others and I'll let you make up your own mind about the forward-thinking of these trends:

Shake It Up
The Shaker style began a rise in popularity in 2009 and gained momentum in 2010. History repeating itself again!

Dark Finishes
Dark natural finishes overtook medium natural, glazed, and white painted finishes to become the most specified type of finish toward the end of 2010. Maybe this is reflecting the mood of the country?

Inducting a New Cooktop
Induction cooktops haven’t overtaken gas and electric models, but they’re closing the gap. When does 34% of the market represent a statistical significance?

LED Lighting
Incandescent lighting continues its journey to obsolescence. While 50% of NKBA member designers incorporated incandescent bulbs into their designs at the end of 2009, only 35% have done so a year later. The truth is the U.S. Dept. of Energy is mandating this change beginning in 2012, not NKBA designers.

Trashy Designs
A greater emphasis is being made to address trash considerations in the kitchen. Some 89% of kitchens designed by NKBA members in the final quarter of 2010 include a trash or recycling pull-outs. Where else were they going to place the garbage?

Quartz Countertops
Quartz continues to take away market share from granite in the market for bathroom vanity tops. A year ago, 85% of NKBA bathroom designers incorporated granite into a recent design, compared to just 48% for quartz, but now, that gap has narrowed to 83% for granite and 54% for quartz. Granite seems so yesterday?

Green Bathrooms
No, we’re not referring to eco-friendly spaces—we literally mean green bathrooms. A year ago, green color palettes were used by only 14% of NKBA designers, but at the end of 2010, that figure had risen to 24%. I would have guessed that the NKBA would be promoting really going green with water-saving and energy-saving designs.

Satin Nickel Faucets

photo courtesy of Moen

This trend relates to both bathrooms and kitchens. From the end of 2009 to the end of 2010, the percent of NKBA designers who specified a satin nickel faucet rose from 41% to 63% in the kitchen and from 45% to 57% in the bathroom, while the percent who specified a brushed nickel faucet fell from 61% to 48% in the kitchen and from 66% to 38% in the bathroom. Nickel by any other name is still nickel?

Having Enough Room for Your Stuff

By Gale

Even in the biggest kitchen, there never seems to be enough room for your stuff. There must be a gravitational force that attracts things to the kitchen, and then they stay, invited or uninvited. But do not fear there is more space in your kitchen than you think.

Start with your upper cabinets. Can you access all the contents without a step ladder? When you visit the very top shelves, are you surprised at what you find? There is a whole new generation of cabinet inserts designed to maximize your inner space. While they will not keep the disorder down, these cabinet aids will help give you greater storing capability. You are on your own when it comes to controlling your clutter.

Spice Island

Take advantage of the lost space where the stove meets the cabinets with shallow shelving of your favorite spices and most frequently used seasonings. The Marion Cabinets in maple from Omega Cabinetry has accessories such as these shallow shelves which are useful in many places. For more information, log onto www.omegacab.com.

Open and Shut Case

Forget about a broom closet. Try this slim line cabinet that easily glides out from a dead space. It even has room for a handy bucket on the bottom level to hold smaller sprays and cleaners, and it is designed to keep you and your cleaning supplies very organized. The paneled Cloister cabinets in maple from Plain and Fancy Custom Cabinetry are designed with these convenient inserts.

Going To Pots

A two-tiered pot rack that pulls out easily makes the cooking process easier. Having the lids where they should be reduces your need to kneel down on the floor and scramble for the appropriate size lids. The Two-Tierd Cookware Shelves are from Rev-A-Shelf Cabinet Accessories, and more of their innovative products can be found on www.rev-a-shelf.com.

Kitchen Trends: Looking Back or Looking Forward?

By Gale

I am always on the lookout for new ideas to share with you. That was why I was puzzled to discover in a press release from the National Kitchen and Bath Association that they were using research from their member kitchen and bath designers and calling it the “11 Kitchen and Bath Trends of 2011.” Maybe I’m wrong, but I think of trends as being able to look forward to the future… not backwards to what has already happened. Let me give you a few good examples:

A Place for Wine

While the incorporation of wine refrigerators seems to be on the decline according to The National Kitchen and Bath Association, un-chilled wine storage is growing in popularity. While only 39% of surveyed designers incorporated wine storage areas into their kitchens at the end of 2009, just over half—51%—did so as 2010 came to a close.

What does that mean? Either we Americans are not aware that there is a need to optimize our wine, so it does need to be stored properly, or maybe we are drinking it faster so it does not have time to spoil! I think that wine bottles stored for “show” is a really a total waste of space.

How you store your wine will affect the flavor, color and character of each bottle. Even those bottles kept for a few weeks or months can be positively or negatively impacted by the type of home wine storage you have. For most wine lovers, having the right kind of wine storage unit is imperative. Think about temperature, light, humidity, storage angle and ventilation... and a wine cooler. And use those cubbies for some other purpose.

Bonjour Réfrigérateur 


The French door refrigerator has strengthened its position as the type specified most often by NKBA member designers. Freezer-bottom models specified by 8% of designers fell very slightly from 60% to 59%, while freezer-top refrigerators were only as 2010 drew to a close—down from 10% a year earlier. Translated from the statistics, this means that French door refrigerators, which are almost all freezer-bottom design, are still relevant to designed-kitchens.

I think what is relevant is that most of us hate to bend down or even worse, get on our hands and knees to retrieve something that lurks in the back of our refrigerators. And as time goes on, we want even our fridges to be more accessible. I, for one, do really want to find those unused cartons of leftover food before they become pungent. Keeping everything chilled at eye level means that I never have to bow down to the refrigerator god again!

A Worthy Vessel 


Undermount sinks continue to dominate newly remodeled bathrooms, with 97% of NKBA bathroom designers having specified them over the last three months of 2010, up from 95% a year earlier. However, vessel sinks have become the clear second choice among designers, as 51% of NKBA member designers have specified them in the final quarter of 2010, up from 39% a year ago. Why are they touting the Number Two choice?

Vessel sinks have been in the market for a number of years and are a “certain look”, which is not always practical but is usually pretty. I like having the extra countertop space that the Number One choice, an undermount sink, provides. It is a cleaner look and one that is important in the kitchen as well. Technology has also allowed the mixing of materials for undermount, say a stainless sink marries with a solid surface counter, or an acrylic sink works well with a laminate top.

Next month: 8 more ‘trends’

(Up)Date Night Part 3 by The Lean Remodeler

We've followed Dave and Dana through the process of remodeling their kitchen, and it's time for the big reveal! If you haven't seen our earlier segments (or just want to watch them again) you can find the first and second webisodes in our first (Up)Date Night series on our YouTube page.

Quotes from Alt

By Heidi

After an exciting five days in Salt Lake City, it's bittersweet to return from the Altitude Design Summit. As sponsors, we had a lot of fun hosting events and meeting bloggers. From Wednesday's Dinner With to Friday's Mini-Party, not only did I have a great time hanging out with some amazing designers, but I also learned a lot from the brightest minds in the industry. Here are some of my favorite quotes from speakers and panelists at Alt.

"A woman should always put on what she wants and never second guess it." - Mondo, Project Runway Season 8 Runner-Up

As an avid fan of Project Runway, it was so refreshing to hear fashion advice from someone as talented as Mondo. Throughout the keynote, Mondo continued to emphasize that confidence is the most important thing a woman can wear.

"I buy magazines like they're crack." - Allison Czarnecki of Petit Elefant

Lean Remodeler Blogger Tammy Weadock taught a panel with the inspiring Allison Czarnecki, and I couldn't help but laugh when I heard her say this. Design comes from all sorts of different places, but like Allison, I also struggle with a magazine addition. I subscribe to simply too many magazines, but I can't think of a better way to get the inspirational ball rolling.

"The playlist has become playful." - DJ Spooky

Admittedly, I had no idea who DJ Spooky was going into this conference. But after leaving his keynote, I can say that he's truly unforgettable. I learned so much about how music has evolved since the 1920's, and how we're continuing to change how we listen to music. One of the most informative presentations I've ever had the privileged of listening to, DJ Spooky is certainly one to be admired and appreciated.

I'll be posting more pictures of the conference soon, so be sure to keep an eye on Wilsonart's Flickr Feed. I even snapped a few pics of our signature cocktails at Friday night's party. Thank you to everyone who helped make Alt such a special conference for us!

(Up)Date Night Part Two by The Lean Remodeler

We're excited to share the newest (Up)Date night video, showing the progress Dave & Dana have made on their kitchen updates. If you need to catch up, here's the first webisode that introduces the young family and their plans for a kitchen remodel.



We are still looking for families to be featured in this webisode series, so if you're in need of a kitchen update, let us know at leanremodeler@gmail.com. Thanks for watching!

(Up)Date Night by The Lean Remodeler

We're excited to share the pilot of our new webisode series, (Up)Date Night! In our first webisode, we're introducing Dave & Dana, new homeowners looking for an inexpensive way to update their kitchen. Through the course of the series we'll show how Dave & Dana create a whole new space with just a few small changes.



Stay tuned for the next webisode that shows the progress Dave & Dana have been making on their kitchen. If you're interested in starring in the series, let us know! We're currently casting new families in need of an (Up)Date Night. Send us an email at leanremodeler@gmail.com to be considered.