Stainless Is
Back by Kathy Scott
According to a poll commissioned by PBS’ wellknown
This Old House series, nearly a third of respondents
(32%) cited a high-end kitchen as their dream
renovation. The kitchen is no longer the place
where mom retires to cook the family dinner. Today,
kitchens serve as the heart of the home, and many
Americans are looking for ways to make it more
comfortable.
When the National Kitchen & Bath Association
(NKBA) surveyed its membership for Design Trends
Survey Update, the most sought after request at
61% was the addition of an entertainment center
in the kitchen. Trends over the past several years
show more and more homeowners see the kitchen
as a multipurpose room where computers and other
home electronics figure prominently. Refrigerators
and dishwashers are being trimmed with cabinetry
and integrated into the woodworking design, bringing
more warmth and helping to blur the boundaries
of adjacent rooms.
NKBA members also cited warmth and comfort as
an influencing factor for current styles, as natural
and dark wood cabinets continue to be prominent
choices. Decorative range hoods are increasing
in popularity. Manufactured in stainless steel,
copper and ceramic styles, hoods are no longer
just a function of the kitchen, they are quickly
becoming the centerpiece. Faucets are also breaking
out into their own category. According to experts,
nickel faucets have outpaced the traditional stainless
as the most commonly used in kitchen design jobs.
Stainless is not “out” by any means. In fact,
it’s making a comeback in home appliances. A movement
toward commercial restaurant appliances has spread
to upscale kitchens around the country. Homeowners
no longer satisfied with imitations are installing
sixburner gas stovetops, four-foot-wide ranges
and subzero refrigerators. Pot fillers or swivel
faucets mounted over a stovetop is another device
borne out of the restaurant craze as well as built-in
steamers, warming drawers and stovetop barbecue
grills.
Countertops have evolved over the last decade
with options that include solid surface, natural
stone, quartz, wood, stainless steel, concrete,
laminate and more. Today, there are more than
a dozen choices in kitchen surfaces with granite
consistently making the top of the list. Granite
like other natural stones – marble, limestone,
slate, soapstone – is very durable. It is also
less porous than the other stone surfaces and
only requires resealing about once a year.
Soapstone was used by early New England settlers
and remains a good countertop choice as well within
the natural stone category. It is naturally resistant
to harsh chemicals and heat, so it does not stain
like limestone and marble, and yearly maintenance
can be performed using mineral oil instead of
sealants.
In addition, most countertop surfaces have several
finish choices – high gloss, honed, flamed and
tumbled. The most common is high gloss or polished.
Honed and tumbled are both matte finishes, but
honed is typically smoother. If you’re interested
in a more textured surface, a blow-torch helps
to create a flamed finish.
Once you make your choice, insist on seeing the
slabs selected for your kitchen. Because of the
composition of surfaces like natural stone, different
lots have their own distinct color. Be sure the
one that is set to go on your counter is definitely
the color you were expecting.
Kitchen remodeling or upgrading can be expensive,
but it does have its perks. The return on investment
for a major kitchen remodeling job is nearly 80%,
according to the National Association of Realtors.
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