Stainless steel is one of the most popular materials for high-end kitchen appliances for a number of reasons. It is one of the best surfaces to choose if you want low maintenance. Stainless steel is resistant to corrosion/discoloration and will not rust. It retains its original appearance for many years if cared for properly. Water, mild dish soap, or glass cleaner can be used to keep this metal clean and shiny.

A quick wipe down with a moist cloth will take care of smudges and fingerprints. Unlike wood and plastic which are porous, stainless steel can be sanitized very effectively to remove bacteria – just stay away from chlorine based disinfectants as they may damage the metal surface.

Beyond Appliances

Although most commonly used for refrigerators, stovetops, and sinks, stainless steel can also be incorporated into kitchens in other ways. A seamless backsplash and countertop combination offers a sleek, easy to clean worksurface for a modern kitchen. The sink basin and counter can actually be made of a single piece of metal too – eliminating seams where food and grime tend to accumulate.

Because steel is a very neutral color, it can blend with many different color schemes. If you go with a lot of stainless steel in your interior design, be sure to add some bright hues on the walls or cabinets to keep your kitchen from looking to cold and sterile.

Copper sinks, a staple in many older homes, are also a popular choice for modern kitchens since they add visual interest. This metal is noted for its changeable finish. A sink made of copper will start out with a bright orange/pink sheen. Unlike a roof that is exposed to the elements, a sink that is used regularly will not end up with a green patina. Instead, the original color changes over time to a variegated, burnished brown. This effect blends well with high end countertop materials such as marble and granite. Copper also offers a natural counterpoint to hardwood floors and cabinets.

Potential Issues with Copper

Homeowners who purchase a copper sink without doing their research first may end up being disappointed. Copper is prone to developing unsightly oxidized areas from prolonged exposure to acidic substances such as coffee. The metal can be made to retain its original appearance by frequent polishing and waxing, but many people find that this is too much work. Since this metal melts at low temperatures, hot pots and pans should be kept out of the sink until they are cool enough to touch. Copper is very soft and will get scratched over time – no matter how careful you are.

A thin gauge copper basin may become distorted or dented. It will also need to be insulated to keep rattling and clanking to a minimum as you wash your dishes. Thicker gauge copper sinks don’t have either of those problems. Paying more for high quality products that are certified as being made of pure copper is the safest choice since some cheaper imported copper sinks contain lead.

Are you in the market for a new kitchen sink? One of the first choices you will need to make is the number and size of basins.

Doubles

Traditional kitchens feature a double sink with basins of equal sizes. This arrangement is ideal for washing dishes by hand. You can soak the dishes on one side in soapy water to soften food residue. The other side of the sink is left free for scrubbing and rinsing the dishes before they are put in a draining rack. If you are one of those people who just gives dishes a quick rinse before popping them in the dishwasher, you don’t necessarily need a double basin sink. However, it does still provide a convenient place to soak pots and pans if they get gunk baked on.

Corner sinks are readily available in double basin varieties. A square basin is located on each side of the faucet catty-corner to one another. The faucet and temperature controls are located between the two sinks. Double sinks may also feature different sizes or elevations for each basin.

Singles

The advantage of a single basin is that it provides plenty of room for food prep. This is an excellent sink design for serious cooks. There is lots of room to rinse vegetables. Combine a single basin sink with a high arc faucet and you can place even the largest stock pot directly in the sink to fill it with water. In contrast, with a two basin sink, you have to use the pull out sprayer to fill large pieces of cookware. So, thinking about how you use your sink over the period of a typical month can help you decide which style to choose.

Do you like to have your cake and eat it too? You can bake that cake in a transitional kitchen – a room that blends the beauty and simplicity of tradition with the style and convenience of all things modern. Similar to eclectic kitchens, transitional spaces can incorporate pretty much anything you want. But, all the design elements do need to blend well. This means it actually takes quite a bit of planning to pull off this style.

To start, it’s a good idea to decide what modern features are most important to you. Then, figure out how to compliment these items with pieces from other eras. For example, top of the line appliances and an old fashioned sink design could be tied together with a similar finish. Or, you could choose an island and countertops made with recycled, multicolored glass and install a more traditional stained glass kitchen garden window as a grace note.

One of the nicest aspects of a transitional kitchen is that it can give you some great ideas for how to decorate the rest of the house. You can carry over the modern elements and/or the more traditional design features into the living and dining areas to create a consistent theme that still permits a great deal of leeway in the details.

If you own a two story home and are generous enough to allow a relative to move in to a spare upstairs room, have you considered making it a real suite? There’s already a bedroom and a bathroom, a second bedroom can be readily converted into a study or living room. All that’s really missing is a kitchen. A microwave isn’t a substitute for a real place to cook. So, you might consider having an area rewired to handle a few real kitchen appliances.

You don’t have to go overboard with all the bells and whistles. A sink is fine for a single person. There isn’t a real need for an upstairs dishwasher. Look for small appliances – like those designed for a one bedroom apartment. A cooktop may be all your guest needs, but there are ovens that have a fairly small footprint that might work too. Refrigerators that come in compacts sizes from 4-5 cubic feet are perfect for upstairs kitchens.

Extra Tips:

• If you locate the kitchen along a wall that adjoins a bathroom, it may be easier to get the plumbing done for the sink.
• If you install a range with a stovetop fan, it needs to be vented into the attic to prevent moisture from building up indoors.
• Choose non-slip tile for your upstairs kitchen – especially if you have an aging parent living in the second floor suite.

Slip and fall accidents are a common cause of at-home injuries; and the kitchen is a location where this type of accident often occurs. That’s because kitchens generally have a smooth floor made of tile, linoleum, or hardwood. When this surface gets wet during cooking and cleaning (or when someone drops an ice cube on the floor), it’s all too easy to put a foot wrong. What can you do to reduce the risk of slipping on your kitchen floor?

Install Slip Resistant Flooring

There are actually a number of products that create a non-skid surface. Commercial kitchens often feature rubberized concrete coatings to prevent accidents. However, you will probably want something a little more attractive for residential use. Cork is one option for homeowners who like hardwood but don’t want a slick surface. This material can be sealed to keep out moisture and is highly durable – perfect for high traffic areas.

Ceramic tiles don’t have to be slippery. Many manufacturers offer these in non-skid varieties for use in wet areas (bathrooms, kitchens, and poolside). Vinyl flooring products can also be purchased in styles that are designed for greater home safety. Finally, rubber flooring is always an option – and an especially good choice if you spend a lot of time on your feet in the kitchen. Now that it is being used more frequently in residential applications, there are plenty of colors to choose from.

Kitchens are one of the most popular rooms for remodeling. That’s because for homeowners who cook, preparation of meals is a highly individualized process. If you don’t usually just pop a Stouffer’s lasagna in the oven or heat your dinner in a microwave, you need a space that is customized to your preferences so you can enjoy cooking.

It’s likely that the kitchen that came with your home isn’t your ideal workspace. However, if you aren’t careful your remodeling project can have disappointing results. Here are some common mistakes people make in this area:

Unrealistic Budget – The chances of coming in under your starting estimate to make all the changes you want are slim to none. If your equity loan or credit line is close to the breaking point, don’t start a project until your financial situation improves. You don’t want to remodel your way into bankruptcy or foreclosure. You also don’t want to be forced to abandon the project partway through because you don’t have the funds to complete it.

Dissonant Design – Your kitchen is a special room, but it isn’t entirely separate from the rest of the house. Keep the architecture consistent with the overall design of your home rather than ripping everything out and building a kitchen that looks like it doesn’t belong.

Meal Planning - Installing a new appliance can often be done in a day if it is the same size as the old one and you aren’t switching from electric to gas. However, the time commitment to replace anything more extensive such as flooring or cabinets can stretch on and on. If you don’t have a place to cook in the interim, you will be stuck with fast food and takeout. Plan ahead for how you will store, cook, and serve food while your new kitchen is under construction.

Just like clothing fashions change, so do home improvement trends. This year, the National Kitchen & Bath Association has compiled a list of the most popular choices for residential kitchens in 2010. Traditional styles still have the top slot with contemporary designs holding second place. Pale, natural hues like white, ivory, and bone are some of the favorite color choices.

Brown is also a trending color – and not just in paint. Wood finishes ranging from cherry to maple bring a warm, rich tone to cabinets. Floors are also being outfitted with hardwood; but tile still holds the top spot in that area. Ceramic, porcelain, and glass remain popular materials for backsplashes. Counter tops are trending away from cheap laminates toward high end products like granite and quartz.

It’s not just aesthetics that are important to home owners going through a kitchen remodel. They are also looking for greater functionality in fixtures and appliances. There’s an upsurge in demand for flexible faucets like the pullout model that is a spout and sprayer in one. Undercounter fridges are in demand this year – especially those designed for wine storage. Double drawer dishwashers are also making a splash since they allow modern families to run smaller loads and save water/energy.

Shaker style kitchens are a popular design option for people who love rustic surroundings but want something simpler than a “Country” or “Southwestern” motif. If you are remodeling your kitchen and want an old-fashioned look with clean lines, this may be the right choice for you. Here are some of the features you can expect to see in a kitchen built on the Shaker model.

Straight Edges

A Shaker cabinet usually has a light to mid-toned finish (think maple, cherry, or white oak). The door panels may feature a recessed center surrounded by a rectangular frame of wood slats. There are no fancy curves anywhere in the wooden design of these cabinets. Everything is focused on function and sturdy serviceability.

Smooth Surfaces

Stone countertops make an excellent pairing with the plain wood of a Shaker inspired kitchen. Pull knobs, handles, and faucets in a matte finish (like brushed nickel or stainless steel) also work well. The flooring should be wood for a fully authentic look, but a muted stone or tile floor is also suitable.

Natural Accents

Any modern appliances should be tucked away out of sight so that the beauty found in the quality craftsmanship will be more apparent. Natural lighting works best with this kitchen style, so a discrete tubular skylight might be a perfect fit here for daytime use. Light fixtures can be selected in metal finishes that match the hardware on the cabinets to make it blend with the rest of the room.

A center island is one of the most popular additions to a remodeled kitchen. It provides extra workspace and storage. The top can be matched to existing counters or finished with a luxurious granite or marble slab to make it the focal point of the room. An island can be built into the kitchen space, or it can be a cart or table style that is set on casters. Which one should you choose?

Consider Complexity

If you are planning to install an extra sink, warming oven, or other appliance in your island, it needs to be fixed rather than moveable. A larger island with a thick stone top might be too heavy to move, so that kind might as well be permanently installed as well. With a lighter structure, you still may not want it to roll around. For example, if you are using it for a wine rack or if it has open shelving, items might accidentally roll or slide out.

Seek Space Management

A rolling island cart or table is the preferred solution if a permanent island would take up too much space in your kitchen. It’s important to maintain adequate walkways in your “work triangle” (the areas connecting food prep, stove top, and sink locations).

A small, mobile island gives you an extra worksurface but can be rolled out of the way when not in use. It may also serve as a buffet table or a breakfast bar depending on the height of the island. If the edge detailing is fragile, you will need to take care in moving the unit so that it doesn’t get chipped or dented.

Do you want the look of wood veneer kitchen cabinets without the expense? Refacing the cabinets and replacing the doors and hardware is much easier and more cost effective than remodeling. You don’t even have to strip the paint off your existing cabinets. You can cover the paint with wood veneer or laminate panels.

First, remove and discard the old doors. Then, sand the boxes just enough to make the painted surface rough instead of slick. Fill in the holes where you removed the hardware with wood putty (scraping it even with the rest of the cabinet) and let it dry. Measure and write down where the holes were. That way, you can avoid installing the new screws in the same spot – they won’t hold well in putty.

Cut your selected veneer panels or self adhesive laminate sheets to the correct size and shape for your cabinet fronts. The end panels usually come in standard sizes, but you can also alter these if required. Glue or press the refacing materials in place over the sanded paint. Trim off any excess with a sharp utility knife. Sand down the edges just a little to make them smooth to the touch.

Stain the surface of your new cabinet doors to match the veneer. If you can’t get an exact match, consider going for contrast with a full shade darker or lighter. Take your time selecting the perfect hardware – all the money you saved on this project can be put to good use here. You will be able to afford ornamental handles and hinges in brass or other top quality materials.

Install the hinges no more than 1/2” from where the original hinges were – taking care not to drill into the old holes. Locate the handles at the bottom 1/3 of the door for upper cabinets and at the top 1/3 for lower cabinets.

Additional Tip:

Are you refacing the interior of your cabinet boxes too? Consider installing glass front cabinet doors to show off the wood grain on the interior. This will make your kitchen appear more open.

If you are doing a kitchen remodel, this is a great time to do some basic pest proofing. Keeping this area free of food crumbs is just the start. Bugs and rodents have other reasons for visiting your kitchen – warmth, shelter, and moisture. Here are some tips for keeping pest problems to a minimum:

Remodeled Kitchen

Check the exterior of your home outside the kitchen. Seal any cracks or openings that may allow critters to infiltrate. Pay special attention to entry points for pipes. Use weather stripping or caulk to fix any gaps around windows or doors in your kitchen.

If your kitchen adjoins your garage, this is particularly important. Garages are usually not well sealed and pests can easily enter from outdoors. If you keep pet food or organic material like mulch in your garage, it is very likely that there are bugs present.

Check all the plumbing in your kitchen including the sink, dishwasher, and the water line to your refrigerator. Fix any leaks or drips to discourage pests. Replace any water-damaged or mold infested particle board.

When you repaint your kitchen or resurface the floor, take advantage of this opportunity to move all your appliances away from the walls. Check behind them for egg casings and rodent droppings that may indicate an infestation.

Are you installing new appliances? Choose built in models that don’t leave gaps between the countertop and the unit. That way you don’t have to worry about food crumbs or spills between the counter and the fridge or stove.