Long Beach Home Kitchen Remodels

Long Beach Homes – Kitchen Remodels

Nothing increases the appeal or saleability of Long Beach Homes and condos more than a great kitchen and bath remodel.  With all of the information and choices out there it can get pretty confusing for a consumer.

Where do you start?

The key is in the design.  If your kitchen is the center of activity in your home then the design needs to accommodate that.  Consumers are seeking more integration, more space and more high-end features in today’s kitchen remodels.  They want a kitchen they can be proud of and show off.

In most older Long Beach Homes kitchens are very closed off, seperate rooms, removed from the activities of the family, Formal Dining rooms sit largely unused.  Many Long Beach Homeowners are opting to tear out the doors and walls between the kitchen and dining room and are incorporating the square footage into a more useful, functional and attractive space, integrating the kitchen with the rest of the home.

Allowing more natural light to stream in can create the illusion of more space.  Many are adding additional windows, skylights or are just increasing the size of existing windows.

While some homeowners are still opting for white cabinetry, the current trend is towards the darker woods, cherry and maple are the most popular with some interest in hickory as well.  Oak is so out!

Consumers are concentrating on the design and style, choosing more streamlined cabinets with less detail, instead placing more emphasis on pulls and hinges.

Granite countertops have long been a favorite and still are.  Other popular countertop materials such as glass, wood and concrete are providing options for one of a kind looks.  Many homeowners are combining and incorporating different materials together for a unique look. Use of decorative concrete is very popular in the Downtown Long Beach Lofts, greatly enhancing the appeal of the Manhattan style loft lifestyle.

Hewn and Hammered, a subsidiary of Rejuvenation.com recently did a wonderful article on unique remodeling materials which I thought was outstanding.  While you may or may not be interested in their suggestions, the read really gets the mind working on the endless possibilities that are available in todays market.  Rejuvenation.com is a great resource if you are considering a home remodel of an older or historic home.

Consumers are purchasing Energy Star rated appliances with their kitchen remodel.  The majority are leaning toward the higher-end stainless models which work best with the more streamlined designs.

Green building materials are becoming more available, for instance Richlite countertops, which are made from paper believe it or not.  These countertops blend well with the sleeker look consumers seem to crave.

Green building choices have not made the impact that many have hoped that they will.  I wonder if it is because we are just not as familiar with what is available or because we just have our minds set on granite or another equally as popular surface?  They certainly are a viable option.

This Downtown Long Beach Condo Kitchen Remodel reflects some of the above mentioned design styles and materials:

Some of the design elements of this beautiful kitchen include:

• Slate Flooring
• Cherrywood Cabinetry
• Sleek long pulls.
• Top of the line stainless appliances.
• Openness

Posted on July 12, 2009 by Laurie Manny