If you ask most homeowners, cleaning a bathroom most likely is not at the top of their list of things they enjoy doing.  However most of them will agree there is nothing better than a sparkling clean bathroom. Especially with today’s bathrooms many of them have become a retreat.  It’s not uncommon to see living room touches added to the bathrooms.  So the question is how do you get a bathroom that is clutter free and easy to maintain and clean?  We have helped design a few bathrooms over the years and we thought we would share our top 5 tips for a lower maintenance bathroom.

Two of the most important decisions you will face when remodeling your Chicagoland kitchen are what color of cabinets do you want and what door style. Both can have a dramatic affect on the overall look of the kitchen.  Should you need to sell anytime in the near future it can also affect the resale of your home. 

Over the years the design and style of the kitchen island has evolved. It used to be a rectangular space that allowed for more storage and extra workspace. If you go into most contemporary kitchens today you will notice just how much the overall function and style has changed. Kitchen islands in many kitchens today are more than a little extra storage and can be used for many different purposes. In some kitchens they become the center of which a majority of activity revolves around. In other kitchens they can be a stunning focal point that draws people into their kitchen.

You may be building a new home or just remodeling your current kitchen, however, we want to make sure you make smart design decisions.  After all, the kitchen is the heart of the home and affects the overall flow and function of the household.  It is where we cook, entertain, relax, talk and many other things.  Our goal is to help you design a kitchen that is functional, accessible, enjoyable, and safe. It’s important that it works for your household and is comfortable for you. There are some basic guidelines that you will want to keep in mind.

If you are a homeowner who loves nostalgia you might want to consider a retro kitchen style.  A retro kitchen is a culturally outdated trend or fashion from the post-modern look that has crept back into design.  Retro kitchens are a blast from the past.  They are full of personality and have the perfect combination of past and modern style. Designers are using décor and prints of the past to add color to contemporary spaces.

How does your neighborhood stack up when it comes to choosing kitchen styles, countertop materials, and appliances in the kitchen? Recently Houzz did a kitchen trends study to find out how different areas urban, suburban, and rural compare to each other in kitchen remodel trends.  While there was a noticeable difference in style, overall countertop materials and type of appliances were pretty close across the board.  

Style

It’s no surprise that kitchen style would vary among different neighborhoods.  A homeowner’s style of kitchen is a reflection of their lifestyle.  Typically individuals who live in the rural neighborhoods are 3 times more likely to go with a farmhouse kitchen style.  As you would expect, contemporary kitchens are more popular among the urban population. 

Many people, once they get done with their kitchen remodel, say that if they had known better they would’ve done a few things to differently to prepare before the construction began.  Kitchen remodels are one of those things where it’s easy to get there and say “Oops I wish I would’ve thought of that!” 

Most homeowners aren’t really sure where to start when it comes to working with a kitchen designer.  They don’t come as prepared as they could and take full advantage of what a designer has to offer. It is important to realize that kitchen designers can’t always read your mind so the better prepared you are for your kitchen  design consultation the more you will get accomplished.

According to the latest market indicators it’s a great time to take on that kitchen or bath remodel you’ve been thinking about.  A recent article points out that current economy promotes home remodeling projects. The confidence in the existing housing market as well as other areas is steadily improving. This is creating the right ingredients and confidence consumers need to move forward.

When thinking about your home value, the effect of remodeling your kitchen, the housing market around you and other things, there are so many factors that come into play. Fortunately, and thanks to great modern technology, many of those ingredients you want to consider can be understood through aggregator tools that pull all that information together for you.