Smart Upgrades for your Kitchen
The kitchen has always been the heart of the home. More and more, it’s the brains as well, thanks to the emergence of smarter appliances, fixtures, and design practices. Here are smart upgrades to consider if you’re remodeling the kitchen—or just looking to improve its form, function, and feel.
A home for all your electronics. So-called charging stations are one of the fastest-growing features of today’s kitchen—and with good reason. Think about how many electronics you’re using in the kitchen at any one time, maybe face timing on your tablet while you download the evening’s dinner recipe on your laptop. We see homeowners incorporating charging stations into island countertops or tucking them into a cabinet drawer (made easier by electric outlets with built-in USB ports). There are also freestanding stations that can be kept out on the countertop, space permitting.
Appliances that cut down on guesswork. Convection steam ovens are gaining in popularity. One feature that is great about many of these appliances is their ability to cook dishes on their own, often more quickly than a conventional oven. Also cooking appliances with Wi-Fi capability are gaining in popularity such as wall ovens. This is helpful if you want to preheat the oven from the backyard or another part of the house.
Countertops that care for themselves. If your last countertop was made of granite, you probably had to seal it often, or else put up with staining. That’s not the case with quartz, which rivals granite’s popularity. Besides its sealant-free resistance to staining, quartz offers diverse design options, from bright colors to look alike natural stones.
Streamlined islands. Islands continue to benefit from design refinements and helpful accessories. In multi-cook kitchens, adding an induction cooktop to the island creates a second workstation. Induction is tops for speed and responsiveness, and these Cooktops are particularly suited for island installations, since their smooth tops are relatively easy to keep clean. However, having a nice open island top can be great for entertaining and day-to-day use like doing homework.