What's New in Kitchen Design?
As the kitchen continues to reign as
the gathering place for many families, design
trends have centered around creating a
space that is comfortable and inviting. The
arts and crafts movement has recently seen
a resurgence in modern kitchen design, as
homeowners opt for a more open layout
and subtle design decorations.
Hallmarks for the Design
What makes the kitchen more than just
another room in the home are the person-
al touches that make it unique. Many times
it's the simplicity of the overall design that
allows the room's finer details and individ-
ualized styling to take shape.
"The home is a sanctuary for many peo-
ple, and kitchen design trends reflect the high
demand for a space that allows the home-
owner to unwind," says Linda McLaugh-
lin, CKD, American Woodmark Corpora-
tion. As people continue to define their
perfect kitchen, Mission-style cabinetry,
with its extra-wide framing and cascading
top and bottom rails, complements the
homeowner's desire for simplicity. Full over-
lay doors and a recessed center panel high-
light the doors fine detailing and clean, sim-
ple lines while maintaining the understated
style of the arts and crafts movement.
Characteristics of the arts and crafts
movement include:
· Strong, horizontal lines, natural mate-
rials and mid-to-darker finishes
· Metal hardware with brushed or ham-
mered finishes, reflecting true craftsman-
ship
· Flooring in warm, earthy tones, in
either wood or tile
· Decorative accents, like art glass
inserts and Tiffany-style light fixtures
· Stacking cabinets, with cabinetry on
the upper level being shorter in height
Your Design Style
The key is to create a kitchen that works
for your home. Mission-style cabinetry,
available at home center retailers such as The
Home Depot, comes in a variety of species
and finishes. Once you have a particular
design style in mind, head to your local
retailer where you'll work with a designer
on your kitchen decorating or remodeling
project.
Courtesy of ARAcontent
Extreme weather continues to increase
nationwide, and power failures often accom-
pany these events. According to the Nation-
al Weather Service, each year Americans
cope with an average of 10,000 thunder-
storms, 2,500 floods, 1,000 tornadoes and six
hurricanes. Although over two-thirds of
power outages are caused by weather-relat-
ed events, these are not the only causes.
Blackouts and brownouts also occur because
of high power usage, aging utilities and
other unpredictable forces.
In a world of high dependence on tech-
nology, an increasing number of home-
owners and small business owners are
installing a permanent standby power gen-
erator -- and even more are considering
one, based on the growing popularity of
these automatic units.
"Residential standby generators are
becoming increasingly popular lately because
they are convenient and more affordable
than before," says John Schultz of Kohler
Power Systems-Residential. "But we advise
consumers to research their options, fig-
ure out what their back-up power needs are
and then plan ahead before investing in a
home standby generator."
Most home standby generators feature
an automatic transfer switch (ATS) that
continually monitors utility power and auto-
matically transfers electrical loads from the
utility to the generator when power is lost
-- whether the resident is home or away. The
ATS reverses the process and shuts down
the generator automatically once utility
power resumes.
Kohler Power Systems offers the fol-
lowing tips regarding standby power:
· Always Plan Ahead. Orders for most
residential generators may have a lead time.
For homeowners who don't have access to
natural gas, preparing for a liquid propane
(LP) tank is necessary before installing a
standby generator. Planning ahead ensures
customers don't have to wait any longer
than necessary to get systems up and run-
ning.
· Seek a Site Visit First. The Internet and
retail stores are a great resource for research-
ing standby generator options, prices and fea-
tures, but before you buy online or off the
shelf, consult with a local generator dealer
or electrical contractor first. Ask for a site
visit and assistance with matching the right
generator size to your electrical needs and
wants. They will conduct a load measurement,
taking into consideration exactly the electrical
wattage needed and the appliances/equip-
ment you intend to back up with the stand-
by generator. The result of this load meas-
urement will give you the amount of power
(watts or kilowatts) required. The majority
of today's homeowners use a 12-15 kilowatt
generator to backup the key essentials in the
home, while those seeking to backup every
electrical item in their home will likely
require a generator sized at 30 kilowatts or
larger.
· Professional Installation Required.
Because installing standby generators
involves working with existing fuel lines
and electrical wiring, professional installa-
tion by an authorized manufacturer's power
expert or licensed electrical contractor is
strongly recommended. These qualified
individuals are also knowledgeable about
local and regional ordinances concerning
flood plains, noise and electrical codes, and
can assist in applying for the proper per-
mits and to ensure your installation is com-
pliant.
· Shop Around. Often, in an emergency,
vendors will engage in pirice gouging. Be sure
to purchase your generator from a certi-
fied dealer.
· Look for Efficiencies. "Building or
remodeling is the perfect time to consider
standby power needs," says Ed Del Grande,
three-time master pipefitter. "Even if you
aren't able to install a generator immedi-
ately, pre-wiring can save time and money
down the road."
· Understand Key Features. When shop-
ping products from various manufacturers,
be sure to consider noise levels, size, power
quality, warranty and service support, in
addition to the product's kilowatt capacity.
· Make Safety a Top Priority. While a
portable generator can be a cost-effective alter-
native to a permanently installed standby
generator, always take proper safety pre-
cautions. These gasoline powered genera-
tors can create sparks and need to be oper-
ated in a well-ventilated area because of the
carbon monoxide produced.
To calculate what size standby genera-
tor will meet your home's power needs, use
the Sizing Calculator at www.KohlerS-
martPower.com where you can choose
which home appliances you would like to
keep powered in the event of an outage and
learn more about standby power.
Courtesy of ARAcontent
No matter what type of home
you have, there's a sunroom
design to compliment your
home's style. Sunrooms not only
add value and appeal to your
home they also provide you the
ability to enjoy the outdoor envi-
ronment right inside your home.
Sunroom designs are abun-
dant. You'll find sunroom kits,
manufacturers that provide mate-
rials specifically for sunrooms,
and even combinations of the
two. You can create your own
sunroom design and use the addi-
tional living space any way you
choose. No longer is the space
limited to the traditional sun-
room use. You can use your new
sunroom much as you would any
room addition. It can be used a
as a room for entertaining, a liv-
ing room, dining room, a play-
room, or a combination of any
of these things.
Before you choose your sun-
room design, it's a good idea to
investigate your options. A great
way to do this is by browsing
online and visiting your local
sunroom contractors. By tak-
ing the time to look at all of your
options you'll get a good idea of
the newest technologies avail-
able and the ideas that will best
suit your needs and your budg-
et. From here, you will be able to
make your final decisions about
your own sunroom design.
You'll want to make sure the
sunroom design you choose
blends well with your home's
architectural style. Most sun-
rooms are made using either
wood, aluminum, or vinyl. Be
sure to evaluate the maintenance
of each before you make your
final selection.
Sunroom Design
There are four basic types of
sunroom designs. There's the
straight, the cur ved, the cathe-
dral, and the conservatory design.
Each type of design allows for
modifications. There can be sev-
eral styles within the specific
types. Again, it's a good idea to
see examples of each before you
make your final selection.
Glass and window selection
will var y depending on how
you're planning to use your sun-
room and on your geographical
location. These two issues will
also affect what type of glazing
and climate control options you
choose.
Depending on the sunroom
design style you choose you may
also want to consider including
solar panels to convert the sun-
light to energy. This is rapidly
becoming a ver y viable alterna-
tive energy source.
Even if you purchase a sun-
room kit, unless you're ver y
familiar with construction, it is
usually a good idea to hire a sun-
room contractor. The construc-
tion of a sunroom involves many
areas that must be properly joined
and sealed to provide a durable
and efficient sunroom. These
tasks should not be left to a
novice.
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The Citizen. Auburn, New York
Today's Home
Saturday, June 30, 2007
3
Contemporary kitchens are more open in layout. An island is often used for extra storage or a convenient desk space.
Don't Let Extreme Weather Leave
Your Home in the Dark
Sunrooms Can Add to
Any Home
10
Saturday, June 30, 2007
Today's Home
The Citizen. Auburn, New York
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