Kitchen of the Month Winner for Cabinet Refacing for November
Kitchen Transformation by Kitchen Solvers of La Crosse
Project Location: Onalaska, WI
Remodel type: Cabinet Refacing
Type of door style: Shaker
Remodel style: Transitional
Color: Spruce on Maple for Perimeter and Medium Brown Walnut Stain on Rustic Alder for Island
Countertop: Quartz
Countertop color: Viatera Muse
Backsplash: 3” x 6” arctic white tile
For more information about this project, please visit Kitchen Solvers of La Crosse’s Blog.
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Kitchen of the Month Winner for New Cabinets for November
Kitchen Inspiration by Kitchen Solvers of Eau Claire
Project Location: Menomonie, WI
Remodel type: New Cabinetry
Type of door style: Kitchen Solvers Classic Collection Bristol
Remodel style: Modern
Color: Boulder
Countertop: Cambria Quartz
Countertop color: Delgado
For more information about this project, please visit Kitchen Solvers of Eau Claire’s Blog.
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Which Kitchen Layout Suits Your Home Best?
Oftentimes, the remodeling world can be stressful to navigate. With so many options, styles, and designs, it’s hard not to occasionally feel overwhelmed. And along with each decision comes an added price. At Kitchen Solvers, we know a kitchen remodel can be timely and costly. One of the most important aspects of any kitchen is your space’s layout. The layout is what determines how easy your kitchen is to navigate and how convenient it is for both cooking and entertaining. If you want to make sure you get the most out of your kitchen, optimizing all your given space will ensure easy navigation and top convenience. Read below to learn about which kitchen layout suits your home best.
L-Shaped
This layout has become increasingly popular because it offers a very open feel to the kitchen. The L-shaped kitchen has two walls which intersect at a 90-degree angle that feature all the appliances. Often one of the walls is longer than the other to keep space open. Keep in mind working in the kitchen causes you to have your back to the rest of the house, so installing an island can help you prep meals and face people.
U-Shaped Kitchen
The U-shaped kitchen, also known as the horseshoe layout, adds a third wall to the L-shaped format. This kitchen layout provides workspace on all three sides and gives seamless countertop space. This layout works great in any size kitchen! Normally, homeowners will make the third wall an island or peninsula to help optimize traffic flow.
Galley Kitchen
A galley or one-wall kitchen is the most popular layout amongst homeowners because it makes the most out of the available space. A one-wall layout has the appliances and counters all lined up together which makes installation quick and convenient. Most customers choose to have an island compliment this set up to increase counter space and functionality.
Setting Up Appliances and Sections
When it comes to setting up your appliances and sections, there are a few factors to keep in mind. Each appliance and section has its own traits, and while they often work together with other parts of your kitchen, they still have individual requirements to account for. This is true for appliances like stoves and sinks in addition to sections like cabinets and islands.
Stoves and ovens are an essential aspect of any kitchen, but there’s something important to remember when placing them. To make ventilation easy, or even possible, your stove and oven combo will need to be placed on an exterior wall. Installing ventilation over an island or in the middle of your home can be costly and complicated.
Islands are a common addition to high-end kitchens, but you need to consider where they’re implemented. An island that’s too close to the side of your kitchen will make maneuverability difficult. On the other hand, an island that’s too far away will cease to serve a convenient purpose. It’s just another surface that you must walk all the way over to.
Kitchen Solvers
At Kitchen Solvers, it’s our job to ensure that you have the most Pleasant Remodeling Experience. Making sure you’re constantly blown away by your home is part of our job description. Whether you need storage solutions, a design upgrade, an island installed, a cabinet reface, or want to start from scratch with a whole new kitchen remodel, Kitchen Solvers is here to make your dreams a reality. Also, feel free to check out our blog articles which cover everything from Adding an Easy Color Pop to Your Kitchen! to What is Cabinet Refacing and Why Should I Consider it for My Home?
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Common Questions to Ask When Beginning Your Kitchen Remodel
Your kitchen is the heart of your home serving a multitude of purposes for you and your loved ones. When it comes to the heart of your home, you want to make sure it’s entrusted to someone who will respect and cherish it. That’s why choosing a remodeler is one of the most important steps in your remodeling journey. But, how do you know which remodeler is right for your unique project? Follow these 4 commonly asked questions when beginning your remodel journey to ensure your home and vision are taken the upmost care of.
1. What experience do you have with this type of remodeling project?
Remodeling contractors often have different skill sets and while one might have done a great job on your neighbor’s garage or backyard shed, that doesn’t make them qualified to remodel your kitchen or bathroom. Ask potential contractors for a list of past projects they have completed that are similar in scope to what you have in mind. Don’t hesitate to contact prior customers for their thoughts on contractors work quality, adherence to schedule, and overall competence. The same can also be true when considering the dollar amount of a project – a $30,000 kitchen remodeling project often requires a different level of expertise than one that costs $3,000.
2. Can You Work Within My Budget?
The perfect kitchen design doesn’t do you much good if it’s out of your price range. Discussing budget early on will allow a designer to give you an idea of whether or not they will be able to work within your budget. You don’t want to work with a designer who only designs with very high-end, expensive products, if your budget is more in the middle range for kitchen remodels. Be honest and firm with your kitchen designer about your budget and early on make sure your remodeling dreams are feasible with your budget.
3. How Much Input Will I Have?
Hiring a kitchen designer is for the sole purpose of creating a space that suits the needs and desires of you and your family- not a kitchen that demonstrates their talent for design. An excellent kitchen designer should take time to find out what remodeling ideas you have, your family’s lifestyle, and even tie their work in with the overall style of your home. Find a kitchen designer who is willing to make your ideas be at the center of the project not backstage.
4. Can I Review Examples of Your Past Work?
Samples of past kitchen design work is a must. You need to know if the designers have experience creating a number of different kitchen design options and ideas to consider. You should eliminate any kitchen designers who seemingly use the same design elements over and over again. Instead, you want a designer who can be versatile and eclectic in style and design choices. You want to interview designers who are creative thinkers with the ability to clearly communicate their design concepts.
Kitchen Solvers
At Kitchen Solvers, we want to ensure that you, the homeowner, protect and preserve your beautiful kitchen. The most important factor in how to make a kitchen remodel easy is getting help from professionals. At Kitchen Solvers, our expert design team can help you create the ultimate kitchen that fits your budget and offers some of the best features and styles available.
And be sure to read our helpful articles: How to Make a Kitchen Remodel Easy and Confused about Cabinet? A Guide to a Cabinet Reface or Replace!
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Business Seen Gaining, Although Headwinds Thwart Growth
EVANSTON, IL — Business for kitchen and bath design firms remains robust, and is projected to continue on an upward trajectory, as the impact of COVID-19 recedes and remodeling demand continues at record levels. But despite the bullish forecasts, dealers and designers remain hamstrung by several significant challenges – most prominent among them rising product costs and lingering disruptions in the kitchen/bath product supply chain.
Those are among the key findings of a major new survey conducted on behalf of Kitchen & Bath Design News by its exclusive research partner, the Research Institute for Cooking and Kitchen Intelligence (RICKI). The nationwide survey, conducted in mid-May, involved nearly 250 kitchen and bath dealers and designers, including those at firms that maintain a showroom as well as those who operate independently.
KBDN’s survey findings mirror those of other recent polls, which have found that demand for kitchen and bath remodeling is at an all-time high as COVID-19 vaccinations continue, previously postponed projects resume, and both permanent and hybrid work-from-home lifestyles prompt homeowners to reconfigure their residences. However, even as the pandemic’s impact continues to dissipate, project backlogs are reaching upwards of three to six months due to supply chain delays resulting from a combination of record demand and factory closures in the initial stages of the pandemic.
By far, the two greatest challenges that dealers and designers say they currently face are rising product/material costs (82% of respondents) and longer lead times on product deliveries (81% of respondents). Some 54% of survey respondents report that they cannot easily access installers, subcontractors or other labor needed to handle the projects they sell, while other challenges pale by comparison.
Among the wide range of kitchen and bath product categories, supply chain disruptions are most severe in the cases of appliances and cabinetry, survey recipients say. And most surveyed dealers and designers believe that the supply chain disruptions won’t end anytime soon. Specifically, 50% of surveyed dealers and designers believe the disruptions will continue throughout 2021. Another 20% anticipate the disruptions will last only through this fall. On the other hand, a significant number (17%) believe the delays will persist into 2022, and 6% say they have “no idea” when the disruptions will end.
Other survey findings included the following:
- Three in four dealers and designers polled by KBDN report that project requests are currently higher than they were a year ago, when the impact of COVID-19-was far more pronounced. More specifically, 26% of those surveyed say requests are much higher, while 48% say they are somewhat higher. In contrast, only 5% say project requests are somewhat lower, and another 5% say they are much lower.
- Two in three dealers and designers surveyed say they expect to design and sell more kitchens in 2021 than they did in 2020, when the median number of kitchens completed was 14, with designers and dealers associated with a showroom completing significantly more than independents (an average of 31 versus 6). The average price for a complete kitchen remodel in 2020 was $49,700, with independents reporting a higher average price tag ($64,700 versus $44,000) than those associated with a showroom.
- More than half the survey respondents expect to design and sell more baths in 2021 than they did in 2020 when the median number of baths completed was nine, with designers and dealers associated with a showroom completing significantly more than independents (an average of 18 versus 6). The average price for a complete bathroom remodel in 2020 was $26,400, with independents again having a higher average price ($32,300 versus $23,500) for those associated with a showroom.
- Half the surveyed dealers and designers anticipate that their 2021 profit margins on the kitchens and baths they design and sell will increase compared to 2020. Half say project pricing is more important now compared to this time last year, while 43% say the importance of project pricing is currently about the same as in the past.
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William Ohs Acquires PA Luxury Cabinet Supplier
DENVER — William Ohs, the Denver-based manufacturer of luxury cabinetry and furniture, has acquired Draper DBS, a Bucks County, PA custom cabinet supplier, “merging two companies that are well-established and respected in the luxury cabinet industry,” the companies announced.
Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
“The combination of Draper DBS and William Ohs brings together the ideas and manufacturing concepts of two legendary visionaries in the luxury kitchen market,” said Rick Casey, v.p./manufacturing for William Ohs, founded in 1972 by industry pioneer Bill Ohs. “The combined synergies create both exciting and unparalleled opportunities moving forward,” Casey added.
William Ohs and Draper DBS “will be able to provide the same detail-oriented approach to a larger market while capitalizing on increased manufacturing efficiencies,” corporate officials said.
“I am excited and humbled to be drawn into the most creative act of wood joinery in the industry, the dovetailing of the crafts, hearts, and creative legacies of Draper DBS and William Ohs,” said William Draper, founder of Draper DBS. “This will be an intertwining of our combined strengths, histories, and visions to cultivate the future inspirations of all those who love great and evolving furnishing design.”
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Government Support Seen as ‘Necessary’ to Boost Housing
CAMBRIDGE, MA — As the U.S. economy continues to recover from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, households that weathered the public-health crisis without financial distress are snapping up the limited supply of homes for sale, pushing up prices and further excluding less affluent buyers from homeownership. At the same time, millions of people who lost income are behind on housing payments and on the brink of eviction or foreclosure.
Those are among the key findings of The State of the Nation’s Housing 2021, a major new report which concludes that, while government policymakers “have taken bold steps to prop up consumers and the economy, additional government support will be necessary to ensure that all households benefit from the expanding economy.”
The State of the Nation’s Housing 2021 report, released last month by the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies, found that even before the pandemic, household growth in the suburbs and small metros was on the rise, and the pandemic helped accelerate that growth, particularly among younger households who were ready to own homes and were looking to work remotely.
In 2020, existing home sales rose 6% and new single-family home sales jumped 20%, putting total home sales at their highest level since 2006, despite historically tight supply. But the combination of robust demand and limited supply lifted home prices to their fastest pace in over a decade.
“These outsized increases have raised concerns that a home price bubble is emerging,” said Daniel McCue, a senior research associate at the Cambridge, MA-based Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies. “But conditions today are quite different from the early 2000s, particularly in terms of credit availability. The current climb in prices instead reflects strong demand amid tight supply, aided by record-low interest rates.”
“For those households with secure employment and good-quality housing, their homes provided a safe haven from the pandemic,” said Chris Herbert, managing director of the Joint Center. “But for millions struggling to cover the rent or mortgage, their housing situations have become increasingly insecure, and these disparities are likely to persist even as the economy recovers, with many lower-income households slow to regain their financial footing.
“Policymakers must be attuned to the needs of those who have fallen even further behind, ensuring that they also benefit from the expanding economy,” Herbert said.
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Millennials’ Impact Seen Increasing for 2022 Kitchen, Bath Designs
HACKETTSTOWN, NJ — Millennial clients – particularly those with children – are increasing in influence while the impact of Baby Boomer clients is gradually declining and Gen X is remaining constant, according to a 2022 Design Trends Forecast released this week by the National Kitchen & Bath Association.
The NKBA’s annual design trends forecast points to a gradual, yet palpable, shift in the primary customer base for new and remodeled kitchens and baths, after several decades in which the market was driven largely by a huge cohort of Baby Boomers (aged 57-75) and Gen Xers (aged 41-56) consumers.
While baby boom and Gen-X consumers remain the industry’s predominant buying force, the steady increase in business from Millennial clients (ages 25-40) is increasingly impacting both market share and anticipated kitchen and bath design trends, according to the NKBA, which said Millennials’ impact has “a high probability of increasing in the future.”
“Those working with Millennials see slightly less-expensive projects, but that’s likely driven by Millennials’ lower disposable income during their current life stage,” said the NKBA, whose 2022 Design Trends Forecast was based on a survey of approximately 650 designers, dealers, and other design professionals. The survey’s aim was to identify styles, features and materials that are expected to be more popular in the next several years; to identify the products that have the most dramatic impact on today’s kitchens and bathrooms; to assess if there are notable variations in designer client base profiles; and to predict if client base profiles are predictors of perceived design trends.
Among the overarching themes emerging from the NKBA’s 2022 survey is that kitchen clients generally want flex space for work, touchless fixtures, easy-to-clean surfaces, outdoor living areas, LED lighting and recycling storage. There is also a concerted desire for mobile-friendly spaces, healthy cooking, app-controlled appliances and voice-activated lighting, the NKBA said.
In the bathroom, consumers want a large shower, and are likely to remove tubs in order
to allocate more space or access to storage/dressing areas, the NKBA said. There is also a pronounced need for energy and water efficiency, connected products such as water temperature controls, entertainment and communication, the association added.
In general, new kitchen and bathroom design is emerging from nature-inspired themes, the NKBA reported. “Organic, natural styles are prominent in both kitchens and bathrooms, especially among Millennials, (and) increased natural light with large, high-performance windows and doors for outdoor access will be prominent,” the NKBA said.
“Homeowners have a desire for spaces that can multi-function,” the NKBA observed, pointing to a growing trend toward large islands for food prep that also function as dining tables, homework and work from home; flexible space for home office activities; pantries that include space for storage and a working area for small appliances; and workstation sinks with built-in features (drying racks,
cutting boards, etc.) In addition, bathrooms that connect to dressing areas and/or laundry facilities, and vanities and medicine cabinets with outlets are also experiencing increased popularity.
When designing new spaces, homeowners are generally thinking about the following:
n Cleanliness: easy-to-clean surfaces and countertops that are sanitary and non-porous. The current strong demand for quartz is expected to continue, as are the popularity of larger-format tile or slabs with less grout, and touchless faucets.
n Sustainable design: 100% LED lighting; a dedicated recycling area; low-E windows and doors; Energy star/efficient products; EPA WaterSense fixtures; VOC-free paint; products with recycled materials, and radiant flooring.
n Universal design: spaces that will allow for aging in place; curb-less showers; fewer free-standing tubs, grab bars, seats in showers and-held shower heads.
Although homeowners are excited about integrated technology, it is not being utilized in most projects. Specifically, only 30% and 21% of kitchen and bath projects, respectively, include integrated technology features, the NKBA reported.
“Designers have new ways to interact with their clients, especially Millennials,” the NKBA said. “Future design projects will include a mix of in-person and virtual meetings. In-person meetings both in designer’s offices and at the client’s home will be most prominent.
“Designers will (also) take advantage of virtual channels with video calls and video meetings with clients,” NKBA researchers added. “Millennials are more open to virtual meetings while Boomers are looking for regular onsite meetings at their home.”
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Builder Confidence Reported Up Despite Market Challenges
WASHINGTON, DC — Despite inflation concerns and ongoing production bottlenecks, builder confidence edged higher in December for the fourth consecutive month on strong consumer demand and limited existing inventory, the National Association of Home Builders reported.
Builder sentiment in the market for newly built single-family homes moved one point higher to 84 in December, according to the NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI), released today.
“While demand remains strong, finding workers, predicting pricing and dealing with material delays remains a challenge,” said NAHB Chairman Chuck Fowke.
“The most pressing issue for the housing sector remains lack of inventory,” observed Robert Dietz, chief economist for the Washington, DC-based NAHB. “Building has increased but the industry faces constraints, namely cost/availability of materials, labor and lots. And while 2021 single-family starts are expected to end the year 24% higher than the pre-Covid 2019 level, we expect higher interest rates in 2022 will put a damper on housing affordability.”
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Challenges Persist as 2021 Winds to Close
The U.S. housing and residential remodeling markets continued to post gains as 2021 wound to a close, although COVID-related supply chain disruptions, coupled with labor and materials shortages, continued to put a crimp on more-robust growth. Among the key statistics and forecasts released in recent weeks by government agencies, research firms and industry-related trade associations were the following:
RESIDENTIAL REMODELING
Demand for remodeling remains strong, and remodelers “are doing quite well as long as they can adequately deal with material and labor shortages,” according to the latest Remodeling Market Index (RMI) compiled by the National Association of Home Builders. The Washington, DC-based NAHB last month released its NAHB/Royal Building Products Remodeling Market Index (RMI) for the third quarter of 2021, posting a reading of 87, up five points from the third quarter of 2020. The finding is a signal of residential remodelers’ confidence in their markets, for projects of all sizes, the NAHB said. “We are seeing strong demand and continued optimism in the residential remodeling market, despite the fact that supply constraints are severe and widespread,” said NAHB Chief Economist Robert Dietz. “For example, well over 90% of remodelers in the third quarter RMI survey reported a shortage of carpenters. And 57% of remodelers reported having slightly raised prices for projects over the last six months, with another 28% indicating a significant increase in price, due in part to higher material costs and ongoing strong demand. Half of these remodelers reported some pricing out of demand due to higher prices for remodeling projects.”
HOUSING STARTS & NEW-HOME SALES
Single-family home sizes are reportedly rising as an offshoot of the COVID-19 pandemic, reversing a recent trend toward downsizing, as homeowners are seeking additional residential space for a wider range of purposes, particularly teleworking and school-related activities. According to the National Association of Home Builders, the median size of a newly built single-family home increased to 2,297 sq. ft., while the average size for new single-family homes increased to 2,540 sq. ft. Following Great Recession lows, home sizes rose between 2009 to 2015, as entry-level new construction was constrained, according to the NAHB. In contrast, home sizes declined between 2016 and 2020, as more starter homes were developed, the NAHB said. “Going forward, we expect home sizes to increase again, given a shift in consumer preferences for more space due to the increased use and roles of homes in the post-COVID-19 environment,” said NAHB’s Dietz.
EXISTING-HOME SALES
Current high prices are resulting in “an unbalanced market,” although home prices would “normalize with additional supply,” according to the chief economist for the National Association of Realtors. Total housing inventory, according to the latest NAR figures, was down 13.4% from one year ago. Unsold inventory sat at a 2.6-month supply at the current sales pace, down from 3.0 months at the same time last year, the NAR reported. The median existing-home price was up 14.9% from the same time in 2020. The market has witnessed more than 100 straight months of year-over-year gains, the NAR noted, adding that the pace of price appreciation has outpaced wage gains, “making homeownership increasingly unattainable.”
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