Living Space and Kitchen Transformation

We love working with all of our clients. But a recent remodel project on a house for a large family who are also animal lovers was especially fun and rewarding.

The renovation project had multiple components. The first part that we had to tackle was uniting several adjacent areas on the first floor – the entry way, the kitchen and living areas, and the hallway – all of which had a very different floor finish.

Hardwood in Hallway

Grey Ceramic Tile in Living Room

Black Granite Tile in Entryway

Grey Ceramic Tile in Kitchen

The entryway was covered with black polished granite tile, the hallway was done in hardwood, and the living area and kitchen floors were covered with a grey ceramic tile. The homeowners love the look of natural stone, so we decided to go with a large format porcelain tile with beautiful soft veining for all of these areas.

No Floor Transitions

Large Format Porcelain Tile Throughout

Porcelain tile is highly resistant to wear and tear and it works great for high traffic areas like kitchens and entryways. As opposed to wood, porcelain tile isn’t as easily damaged from animal claws. Installing the porcelain tiles made a huge difference in how the first floor looked. Without the floor transitions, the space looks bigger and the open layout has a better flow.

Entry Before

Entry After

In the entryway, we also removed archways to open up the view. That added more natural light to the area. In the living room, the owners wanted to go with white walls, but they chose to add some interesting pattern designs on select walls.

We accomplished this by using a beautiful gold, grey and white-patterned tile. We installed it from the floor to the ceiling around the fireplace and also around a newly designed wet bar in the same room. The change modernized the space and made it feel more open and lighter.

The kitchen, a very important room for the family that loves to cook and gather around the kitchen island, also underwent a major transformation. We ended up changing the layout quite a bit to improve the room’s flow, to gain more storage space and to create a more comfortable and collaborative cooking experience for the owners.  

The most important part of the kitchen, the cooktop, was on the kitchen’s small island that had been built in the middle of the room without a proper ventilation. The existing kitchen had a downdraft hood. A downdraft hood is a cooker hood fitted into a kitchen countertop. They’re most often used on kitchen islands. But, we typically don’t like to use downdraft hoods, and especially in kitchens that get used a lot.

So instead, we designed a kitchen with a wall hood. We found a way to run a 10” pipe up through two floors of an as-built house – a challenging feat. We surrounded the wall hood with cabinets up to the ceiling for maximum storage. Glass doors at the top added a nice element of visual interest.

We moved the fridge to the opposite side of the kitchen to give the owners more space around the appliance. It’s always better to have more space around a refrigerator so the doors can move freely without blocking kitchen traffic. Finally, we integrated kitchen organizers like pullouts with utensil bins, an appliance pull out, a spice pullout organizer and more into the kitchen to make the space more functional than it had ever been.

Before our renovation, the kitchen looked dark, especially with the black granite backsplash and countertops. Keeping in mind how much the owners like natural stone, we replaced the backsplash and countertops with Mont Blanc quartzite slabs and Athens silver cream marble backsplash tile.

In the end, we accomplished all of our client’s goals. We created a better flow in the home’s entryway, living room and kitchen areas, we added more storage, and we updated the previously outdated look of their home. Our clients are thrilled with the results and they’ve been enjoying their new spaces cooking and socializing with family and friends.

Top 6 kitchen organizers we like

To make the most of your custom home kitchen and enjoy the time you spend there, you want a well-designed, functional space. An organized kitchen that makes use of built-in kitchen organizers will save you time, it’s easier to clean, and you may find yourself cooking more than you have in the past.

Arieli Custom Homes Remodel Project

During custom home builds, or as we’re remodeling an existing home, we design kitchens first and foremost with ease and efficiency in mind. Part of what makes a kitchen more efficient is seamlessly incorporating several types of built-in kitchen organizers into the design.

Built-in kitchen organizers often give you more countertop space and a clean, contemporary look. They also complement other non-built-in kitchen organizers you may want to incorporate into your space to make it even more efficient.

Here are the top six kitchen organizers we love to integrate into our kitchen designs:

1) A cabinet pullout with utensil bins. This type of kitchen organizer is typically a tall, skinny drawer that’s used to store cooking and serving utensils. It’s an organized, clean-looking alternative to keeping your cooking utensils in bins or ceramic containers on the countertop or shoving them into a large drawer where they often get lost. One level of the cabinet pullout usually contains round holes that bins are slipped into so you can store your utensils upright.

Rev-A-Shelf

Pullout w/Utensil Bins

We like to install this type of kitchen organizer close to the range or cooktop for easy reach and convenience.

2) An appliance lift. An appliance lift is a great option for heavy appliances you don’t use very often, like a heavy duty mixer, a large ice cream maker or a bread maker.  It saves countertop space and it’s a good option for minimalistic kitchens. With an appliance lift, you store your mixer or bread maker inside a bottom cabinet on a shelf that’s connected to hinges.

Hardware Resources

Heavy Duty Applience Lift

When you’re ready to use the appliance, you pull the shelf with your appliance on top out and up, and the shelf locks in place as you use it. Then, you store it back inside your bottom cabinet when you’re done.

3) Paper towel holder. Instead of keeping your paper towels on a freestanding paper towel holder that takes up valuable counter space, we like to install built-in paper towel holder out of the way. Built in paper towel holders can be installed under the counter or in a drawer.

4) A sink front tip out tray. These trays directly in front of your kitchen sink are an excellent use of otherwise wasted space and they help to keep your sink area looking uncluttered. Sink front tip out trays are used in place of false drawer fronts under a sink, and they hide small items like your sponges, rags and scrub brushes.

Buit-in Paper Towel Holder

Rev-A-Shelf Tip Out Tray

5) An under-sink pull out bottom shelf. Sink plumbing and a disposal often don’t leave much storage space under the kitchen sink, but you can still effectively use the space you have by installing a pull out shelf on the bottom of the cabinet. This type of kitchen organizer makes it easier to access the soaps, cleaning products and dishwasher detergent tablets you store under your kitchen sink. The best type of shelf is either a pre-bought or a custom-made simple wire or wood shelf attached to metal tracks.

6) Lazy Susan. Maximizing storage space in the kitchen is always important, and that’s especially true when it comes to smaller spaces. Installing a Lazy Susan in corner cabinets is an excellent way to utilize blind corners and it gives you overall more storage for your pots, pans and other kitchen items. Design and prices of Lazy Susans vary, from inexpensive simple ones that rotate inside the cabinet, to ones with intricate finishes that you can pull outside of the cabinet to access your kitchen items.

Hafele Lazy Susan

Rev-A-Shelf under Sink Pull Out

As you’re designing your custom home kitchen or considering an upgrade or remodeling, keep in mind these top six kitchen organizers. More often than not, it’s easier to build them into your initial design rather than adding them later. Most are relatively inexpensive and they’ll make time spent in your kitchen much more enjoyable.

Double Kitchen Islands. A Trend Not Going Anywhere

The trend toward having two kitchen islands has grown in recent years and it’s a design feature that’s become even more popular among homeowners during the pandemic.

Kitchens have become more of a focal point of the home in the past year—a space for cooking, eating, working remotely, trying out new hobbies and helping the kids with their schoolwork. Many homeowners these days need more overall counter space, but they don’t necessarily want one massive island sitting in the middle of their kitchen. For many homeowners, creating two custom kitchen islands instead of one has become a more appealing and functional design option.

Having double kitchen islands as opposed to one divides the kitchen into a socializing area and a working space. Two islands can give you more space to prepare food and gather guests in your kitchen, and it can improve the traffic patterns and flow of your space. With two kitchen islands, you also get more storage space.

Homeowners who have two islands often dedicate one solely to function—food prep—and add a dishwasher or a second sink to the island, and then reserve the second island for eating and entertaining. As you design your custom home and kitchen, consider the following when deciding between one or two kitchen islands.

1)    How big is your kitchen? The National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA) says an open kitchen that contains an island should have a minimum of 42 inches on each side of the island to make the space feel functional. Whether you’re planning for one island or two, consider the size of your space and what will fit without making the space feel cramped. If your kitchen is especially large, having two islands can give you more options for how to use the space. If you have a small space, it’s probably better to stick to one.

Studio M

2)   How much do you cook and entertain? If love to cook and entertain and you spend a good amount of time in the kitchen, having two kitchen islands may well be worth the investment. One of your islands can include an area for bar stools and function as a spot for guests to keep you company and relax with a drink without getting in the way as you prepare a meal. Or, it can double as a second, more intimate dining area. If you rarely cook or have guests over and you tend to eat out more often than not, a single island might suffice.

3)   What’s your budget? When you add one island to your kitchen, you’ll need to budget for a countertop, cabinets and any appliances or fixtures you might want to add. When you have two islands, your materials increase and so do your costs. You’ll want to think about how your kitchen figures in to your overall home design and budget. Perhaps the kitchen is the most important room in the house for you. If so, it may be worth it to dedicate more money to your kitchen than others rooms by incorporating two kitchen islands into your design.

danielscottkitchens.co.uk

If you choose to go with two kitchen islands, you have a number of design options. Two popular layouts include parallel islands and T-shaped islands. Parallel islands tend to work best in large square kitchens, while T-shaped islands—either connected or separated by a few feet—can be a good choice for smaller spaces.

Also, think about the shape of your kitchen. For a wide and short kitchen shape, you can put two islands side by side instead of building just one long island. That way, you can cross the room in the middle, and you don’t have to go around a long 12’ island. If your kitchen is deep and long, you can put the islands parallel to each other or build them in a T-shape.

Islands also don’t have to match. One island could be open underneath to allow for stools while the other could include plenty of cabinet space. With both islands, you can add interesting accents like unique pendant lights above each and a variety of hardware.

remedy.design

As you plan out your custom home, you have a lot of decisions to make. For many families, the kitchen often does become the focal point of the house, so it’s worth putting some extra thought and planning time into designing the room.

At Arieli, our experience in design and building can help you figure out whether one or two kitchen islands makes the most sense for you and your family. If we discover that two islands are a better fit, our team will help you plan out how you’ll use each island, and then customize them for your family’s unique needs.

Functional and Beautiful Aspects of a Farmhouse Kitchen

Farmhouse kitchens mimic the simpler homes of early settlers with their exposed beams and basic décor. They have a rustic, warm look and homey feel and continue to be a popular style today. With a farmhouse kitchen, you can have both a functional and beautiful space for preparing food, feeding your family and entertaining guests.

If you love farmhouse kitchens and want to create one of your own in your new custom home, the first step is to become familiar with the typical elements and materials used to create one. Classic farmhouse kitchens incorporate plenty of natural materials, including quality hardwoods like maple, oak and pine, and metal fixtures. They feature large cooking and eating surfaces, and are painted in neutral colors like beige and white.

As you design and budget for your new custom home, consider the following nine typical components of a modern farmhouse kitchen and pick and choose the ones that appeal to you and fit within your unique budget.

1) Exposed beams. Exposed beams are a classic element of the traditional farmhouse kitchen. You can keep it simple with basic horizontal beams, or create a more detailed design by working exposed beams into an A-frame ceiling.

2) A large, natural butcher block. Most farmhouse kitchen feature a sizable butcher block countertop that gives you plenty of space for food prep. Butcher blocks give a kitchen a clean, simple look and are also inexpensive, convenient since you can use it as a cutting board, and easy to maintain. For added storage space, opening shelving can be added below the countertop to give a decorative touch to the space.

3) A kitchen farmhouse sink. These types of sinks, also often called apron-front sinks, have become more popular in recent years for their sleek look and functionality. Farmhouse sinks are wide and deep and can hold a good number of dishes. While there are new models to choose from, you can also find attractive vintage models.

4) An exceptional stove. In old-time farmhouse kitchens, the stove was the centerpiece of the room, and often of the entire home, providing warmth and nourishment. Some modern homeowners who’ve committed to a classic farmhouse kitchen choose to invest in antique or vintage stoves to complete the rustic look.

5) Stone or hardwood floors. Farmhouse kitchens incorporate natural elements throughout, but definitely in the flooring. Most modern farmhouse kitchens have wooden floors with wide planks, imperfections or graining and natural or matte finishes. Other homeowners opt for more rustic stone flooring made from a material like slate or limestone. Wooden and stone floors are also relatively easy to clean and maintain.

6) Custom farmhouse kitchen cabinets. Farmhouse kitchen often include a mix of open shelving with kitchen cabinets, which can make your space feel larger. Custom cabinets in a classic farmhouse kitchen should be simply designed, with clean lines, plain trim and paneling. They’re often made from reclaimed, salvaged or distressed wood, adding to the room’s rustic look. Cabinet hardware in farmhouse kitchens could be antique, with a simple look. Beadboard is also often used on cabinets, walls and even on ceilings to bring additional texture into the room.

7) A hanging pot rack. Pot racks became less popular as built-in kitchen cabinets became more prevalent. But, in recent years, and especially in farmhouse kitchens, they’ve grown in popularity. Hanging pot racks make a kitchen more functional because it’s simple to grab the pot you need rather than digging through a cabinet. A preferred spot for a pot rack is above a kitchen island or butcherblock.

8) A banquet-style kitchen table. Called a farmhouse table, this type of kitchen table is usually large, rectangular and made from natural wood and it can seat more than a family of four, usually up to eight or ten people. The table harkens back to when people lived on farms and had larger families to accommodate around the table. Today’s often smaller families can use it for both every use and to entertain guests.

9) Versatile, interesting lighting. Old-time farmhouse kitchens had large windows and plenty of natural light to brighten the room during the day. Modern farmhouse kitchens can mimic that with large, abundant windows, while also making use of recessed lighting and simple metal fixtures like wall sconces and pendants made out of wrought iron or even copper.

As you plan for your modern farmhouse kitchen, balance out the functional elements with the beautiful ones keeping your budget in mind—and get creative. Farmhouse kitchens are all about a homespun and handcrafted feel, so don’t be afraid to put your personal touch on the space, whether it’s by adding an old-fashioned hutch from an antique shop, incorporating exposed brick, or creating a custom apron rack.

At Arieli, we have years of experience designing and building beautiful farmhouse kitchens. Please find more information on building a custom home with us here.

Open Kitchen Shelving. How much is too much?

Open kitchen shelving can be a great addition to your custom home kitchen, adding warmth and style to your space and making it easier to access items you use every day.

Open shelving is a trend that’s been around for years, and homeowners still love the look. Many people realize they’re cooking or using special kitchen items more often when they’re on display. They also like switching up how their kitchen looks by the season—for example, displaying mugs and soup bowls in winter and more glassware and plates in summer. When basic items are displayed, guests don’t have to ask where to find dishes, and emptying the dishwasher is easier. Some families find open shelving is ideal for family members who can’t remember to shut kitchen cabinets.

Yet, at the same time, if you fill your entire kitchen with open shelving only, your space could end up feeling cluttered and be less functional. When thinking about how to design your custom home kitchen and keep it well organized, it’s a good idea to strike a balance between open shelving and traditional cabinet space.

Configuring your space

The right mix of open shelving to cabinet space will depend on a variety of factors, including the size and shape of your room. For small or dark spaces, adding more open shelving than cabinets can make the kitchen feel bigger and brighter.

Generally, a good balance is to have 20-30% of your kitchen as open shelving and the rest as traditional cabinets. Shelving works well, especially, in narrow parts of the kitchen or spots where cabinet doors would bump into each other.

Open shelves can be dedicated to beautiful items you want to display, while cabinet space can be left to older, clunkier items. Some homeowners choose a focal point in the kitchen to dedicate to open shelving, while creating cabinets in all other areas.

In recent years, using open kitchen shelving where top cabinets would normally go has become a popular trend since it gives the room a more open feel. Homeowners also like to use open shelving above their kitchen sink—where cups can be stored—and near the stove—where spices and pantry staples can be displayed in clear jars.

Other popular items to store on open shelving in the kitchen include everyday plates and bowls, mugs, mixing bowls, and even small appliances. Some homeowners like to add cookbooks, vases or potted plants to add interesting visual elements to the room.

For lower kitchen cabinets, most people prefer to keep them closed off. However, adding in some open shelving on a kitchen island can be an attractive accent.

When you’re deciding on the right balance of open kitchen shelving and cabinets, keep the following three considerations mind:

1) Take a kitchen inventory. Think about every item in your kitchen. You may even want to make a list to make it easier to visualize. Which items would you want to display, and which would you prefer to hide away. What’s that ratio like? Remember that you can pack more into closed cabinets since they offer better support and they’re out of sight.

2) Think about pets. If you have curious, agile cats, for example, storing your best China on a lower hanging—or even a higher—open shelf could be problematic. Pet hair or dander from both cats and dogs is also more likely to collect on items that are stored out in the open.

3) Plan for extra cleaning. Dishes and other items stored on open kitchen shelves can not only collect pet hair and dander, but also dust and even grease from cooking. If you’re planning to store everyday items on your open shelves, extra cleaning should be minimal. However, if you’re storing less frequently used items, you’ll want to dust or wipe them down regularly. Dishes that have been splattered with grease could require some extra cleaning.

After considering these factors, if you’re still not quite sure about the right balance of open shelving to cabinets for your custom home kitchen, at Arieli, we can help. We work with our team of architects and designers to come up with a plan that’s perfect for your custom space and your unique needs and budget considerations.

If you’re renovating your current home, a great way to experiment with open kitchen shelving before taking the plunge is to remove existing cabinet doors for a couple weeks. Then, see how you like the new aesthetic. If you like the look, and you can keep your space looking sleek and uncluttered, then you can permanently convert some of your cabinets to open shelving.

Home Automation. How much do you really need?

Home automation is more common these days since it’s become cheaper and easier to install, with more and more people realizing the numerous benefits it can bring. Homeowners who’ve embraced home automation are benefiting from added convenience and safety plus energy savings. As you build your custom home, home tech can be a wise investment.

Home automation monitors or controls systems like lighting, temperature, home entertainment and even your appliances, letting you control them from your smartphone, tablet or computer – with just the push of a button or a voice command.

It’s an investment up front that can pay off in the long run. Indeed, smart home features can lift your home’s resale value by up to 5%, according to Consumer Reports. Home appraisers are also starting to look at the value of home automation. What’s more, some insurance companies will give a discount to homeowners who have home automation.

But, with so many options, it can be hard to figure out what you really need. As you begin to research home automation products, think about your budget, your home design and your lifestyle. For example, are you often away from home or out of town, or do you forget to lock your front door several times a week? If so, an automated home security system with a smart entry system probably makes sense.

Many people choose to start with the basics. They buy a smart home hub like Amazon’s Alexa or Google Home. Through a smart home hub, you can connect and control other smart home products. Then, they invest in a few key home automation products. Later, once they’ve lived in their custom build for a while and figured out what other home automation products may make sense, they add on some “nice-to-haves.”

Automating home security

Many people choose to start with automating their security and alarm systems, including smart doorbells and smart locks. It’s a great way to protect your home.

Smart doorbells – Paired with smart video cameras, they livestream video to your device so you can see who’s coming by your home. Through most, you can talk to and listen to whoever is outside your front door.

Smart locks – These look like a regular dead bolt lock but are connected to Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, or, they can have touchscreen keypads you use to set a code. Smart locks can be pricey at a few hundred dollars upfront. But they allow you to open your door for guests remotely, which can come in handy for letting in dog walkers or a cleaning person. Depending on the lock, you can also set it to sense your smartphone and have it automatically lock the door when you leave the house with your phone.

A smart thermostat

A smart thermostat can lead to big savings when it comes to heating and cooling a home, which accounts for almost 50% of energy use in the average home in the U.S.

This type of thermostat can learn your habits and adjust the temperature when you’re not at home so you’re not cooling or heating an empty house.

They may cost a few hundred dollars up front, but you’ll quickly recoup that money with energy bill savings. Many energy companies also offer a rebate for smart thermostats.

Outlets and light bulbs

Smart outlets convert any appliance into a smart device, and they’re inexpensive, typically costing less than $75. They can come in handy if you want to start your slow cooker while you’re away from home or you forgot to turn off your hair straightener.

With smart light bulbs, you can turn your lights on and off when you’re away from home, helping save on energy costs. You can also program them to turn on and off at certain times of the day, a great safety feature for when you’re away on vacation.

Depending on the smart light bulbs, you might also be able to dim them remotely or even change the color of the bulb. A major benefit of smart light bulbs is that they last many longer than regular bulbs and only consumer 8.5 watts of electricity versus the 60 watts conventional bulbs can consume.

Carbon monoxide and smoke detectors

With smart carbon monoxide and smoke detectors, you won’t have to worry about frequently replacing batteries. A smart carbon monoxide and smoke detector will alert you on your phone in case of an emergency.

Other areas to automate

In addition to the above basic home automation devices, there are plenty of other areas in your home that you can automate. These include:

·       Sprinkler system

·       Window shades

·       Pet feeders

·       Pool cleaners

·       Window washers

·       Murphy beds

·       Refrigerators

·       Washers and driers

·       Basement water leak sensors

·       Garage door openers

While home automation devices are an upfront investment that will add to your expenses as you’re building your custom home, in the long run, they make sense. By investing in home automation, you’re adding convenience to your life, you’re saving money and you’re helping to increase the value of your home.