Spacious, functional, breathtaking… kitchen remodeling by Italus will allow you to spend more time cooking, entertaining, and just plain old laughing in your modern kitchen or traditional kitchen. Italus can provide you with everything you need in a kitchen remodeling, including a full range of products like custom-made cabinets, faucets, fittings and installations.

Kitchen remodeling doesn’t have to be hard. From start to finish, Italus works with you through every step of the kitchen remodeling process to select and install the modern kitchen or traditional kitchen of your dreams – even a kitchen design from New York City. Begin with a kitchen remodeling consultation, then sit back while Italus designs, plans, prices, and recommends materials for your kitchen remodeling. We’ll then order materials and begin working. Finally, you’ll meet with Italus to finalize your kitchen remodeling project.

Once the kitchen remodeling is complete, you’ll feel relaxed and revitalized in a kitchen design right out of New York City. The focal point of your everyday life, your kitchen provides a centerpiece for your family, and a kitchen remodeling makes everyone happy. Italus… your destination for kitchen remodeling.

Kitchen Ideas

Your dream kitchen is within reach – all you need are a few kitchen remodeling ideas to get you going. Experience the magic through Italian kitchen designs from Italus. A modern kitchen or a traditional kitchen – the choice is yours. You can’t go wrong – kitchen remodeling ideas from Italus are the highest quality you’ll find anywhere, even New York City.

At Italus, we’ve got everything you need to create truly masterful kitchen ideas, including a full range of products from custom-made cabinets, faucets, fittings and installations. And, Italus will manage your project from inception right through to completion. Your Italian kitchen design – your dream kitchen — will be yours.

With the most advanced technology and finest Italian kitchen design products at our disposal, Italus has the most innovative kitchen ideas around. Discover modern kitchen and traditional kitchen products by Rossana, Febal, and Prodomo Cucine – a dream kitchen in the making — and Italus is the exclusive U.S. distributor. No matter whether you want a modern kitchen, a traditional kitchen, or a particular kitchen design from New York City, Italus has the kitchen ideas you’ll need to help build your dream kitchen.

If you’ve been longing for an Italian kitchen design of your own, look no further than kitchen ideas from Italus. Whether it’s a modern kitchen, a traditional kitchen, or a kitchen design from New York City, Italus will deliver your dream kitchen through extraordinary kitchen ideas.

When it comes to kitchen ideas, no one has more brainstorming capabilities than Italus. Do you love a modern kitchen or a traditional kitchen? If you want a modern kitchen, see our innovative kitchen ideas by Febal and Prodomo Cucine. If it’s traditional Italian kitchen design, both companies offer Italian kitchen design lines with your taste in mind. For a kitchen design from New York City, Rossana has kitchen ideas you’ll swoon over.

Whether you want to remodel your kitchen to make it more functional, more comfortable, more modern, or to provide more space for family life, you can create wonderful changes within most any budget. If you are considering a kitchen remodel to make a house more marketable, the good news is that, according to Realtor Magazine, you can expect to recoup 85-112% of the cost when you sell your home.

A kitchen remodeling project can be as simple as new window and wall treatments, new flooring, or new cabinets. Or you can create the gourmet kitchen/family room that is so popular today.

A simple and relatively inexpensive kitchen remodel might mean new curtains, a fresh coat of paint, new appliances, and new flooring. Hardwood floors are very popular today in the kitchen. The new finishes and coatings on the wood make them as practical in the kitchen as they are in other parts of the house. Ceramic tile is also a very popular flooring option. Tile is easy to clean and durable.

Much entertaining is now done in the kitchen. Preparing a meal can become a time for guests to gather in the kitchen and enjoy conversation. Most kitchens built today will either be open to a family room or they will include a family area at one end of the room. An attached or semi-attached breakfast room is also a popular design. An island that is functional for food preparation and provides a place for people to sit and talk to the cook is also very popular. In fact, one side of the island can be serviceable in food preparation while the other side functions as a casual dining counter.

If your home is older and your kitchen just needs a little modernizing, you will certainly want to consider modernizing your cabinets, and, perhaps, your counter tops. Raised-panel cabinet and cupboard doors are certainly the way to go. This can be accomplished by simply placing new doors on existing wood cabinets. If your budget permits, you can even install custom or semi-custom wood cabinets. While laminate countertops are certainly still being used, there is a clear trend toward marble or granite countertops. They are both beautiful and functional.

Your choice of appliances will be important in the total appearance of your kitchen. To be sure, appliances are available in a wide variety of colors and styles. There is, however, a clear preference in most new appliance purchases for stainless steel.

A quick look around an appliance or department store will provide a head-spinning variety of styles, colors and functions in appliances. Your refrigerator can be simple and functional or it can provide a variety of accessibility options and features that go far beyond ice and water from the door. Microwave ovens can be built in, or they can sit on the counter, or they can hang from the bottom of a cabinet. And stoves and ovens are available with an amazing array of options from warming chambers to griddles to multiple ovens, including convection ovens.

You will also find a wide variety of sink styles and faucet and spray options. Sinks are available in the standard single basin style, as well as equal double basins or even double width with various configurations of additional small basins.

Water filtration and purification is becoming more important in many areas. There is a great deal of choice in systems that are either built-in or installed under the sink. There are also small systems that simply attach to the faucet.

Ventilation hoods can be simple or extravagant, depending upon the style you want to achieve in your remodeled kitchen, ranging from porcelain to stainless steel to copper.

To make standing easier on the cook, you can even consider installing cork flooring with wood trim. And you can add a trash compactor, composting and recycling organizers to reduce the number of trips to the garage.

Lighting is also important in your new kitchen. Installation of low-voltage under-cabinet lights are fully functional, energy efficient, and conducive to warmer lighting in the rest of the kitchen. In addition to light fixtures, you might want to consider installing a skylight for warmth and natural lighting.

Another great feature to add in cabinets, especially high cabinets or low corner cabinets is a lazy Susan that brings items to you without stretching. Pull-out shelves and recessed areas that permit shelves on the inside of doors will also make items more accessible.

If your house has a family room in close proximity to the kitchen, you may find that opening up that space by taking down the separating wall will provide a feeling of spaciousness and keep the cook interacting with the rest of the family or your guests. Two popular approaches to connecting the kitchen and the family room are to either take the wall out completely, and allow the rooms to open naturally, or to remove the wall and replace the bottom part of the wall with cabinets backed by drywall with an opening at the top. Yet another possibility is to remove the wall and replace it with a dual-function counter.

Remodeling a kitchen can be great fun. It offers the opportunity to create a more energy-efficient kitchen and to create a space where the family can relax. Whether your remodel is simple or you want to create a gourmet super-kitchen, you can count on adding to the value of your home as you create a warm and functional family space.

Finally, you must ask whether this is something you can do yourself, or you need to hire a contractor. This will depend on the extent of the renovation, your skills and knowledge, and your time. You may be able to do all of the work yourself. You may need to hire someone to do the parts of the remodel that you don’t feel competent to do. Or, you might just want to relax, have someone else do the work, and simply enjoy the result.

Industry statistics show that on average, cabinets make up approximately 50% of the kitchen budget which is also the largest percentage of overall expenditures for the kitchen. Using this as a guideline you’ll be able to determine what your allowance for cabinet spending should be. There’s nothing holding you back from spending more or less but this just means that the other parts of your kitchen will make up correspondingly higher or lower percentages of the overall budget. So, if your kitchen remodeling budget is $25,000, expect to pay

roughly $12,500 for cabinets. Again, this assumes average statistics.

Once you have an idea of what you’re willing to spend on cabinets, you’ll be better equipped to make choices on the wide range of options available to you.

One final note on costs: cabinets are priced based on the availability and quantity of bells and whistles that they incorporate. Options and upgrades abound and including them in your cabinets will increase the price. These options include everything from the materials used to construct them to the range of finishes to the organizing gadgets that go inside them. The key is to prioritize what it is you really want/need by asking and answering some questions and making sure those ‘must-haves’ fit into your budget.

Bar area: Include 10 linear feet of raised-panel oak cabinets with laminate countertops, stainless steel bar sink, single-lever bar faucet, undercounter refrigerator, and vinyl floor tile.

Main room: Include 15 recessed ceiling light fixtures and three surface-mounted light fixtures, and a snap-together laminate flooring system.

Bathroom: Include standard white toilet, vanity with cultured marble top, resilient vinyl flooring, two-piece fiberglass shower unit, a light/fan combination, vanity light fixture, recessed medicine cabinet, towel and paper-holder hardware.

When every inch counts, you might want to consider getting professional design help at a kitchen and bath dealer or from the design staff at a home center or plumbing distributor. Also contact the National Kitchen & Bath Association for a copy of “41 Guidelines of Bathroom Planning.” Then check your plans against the guidelines to be sure your bath looks and functions its best. We’ve distilled the NKBA guidelines to get you started.

Stretching Strategies

To create a powder room, you’ll need at least 16 sq. ft.; a full bath requires a minimum of 36 to 40 sq. ft. The finished room must measure at least 5 ft. in one direction to accommodate a tub. Building codes typically require 32×32 in. (finished dimensions) for a shower; if you have the space, larger is better. Just make sure the shower is large enough so you-and all your family members-can comfortably raise your arms when washing hair or bend over to pick something up.

Once you’ve determined how much space you have, there are a wealth of ways to make it look bigger. For example, use a pocket, rather than a hinged, door. Choose as large a mirror as possible (use only one; more than one confuses the eye). And go with light-colored finish materials. Clear-glass shower doors stretch space visually, and you can unify the bath by using one finish for all trim and hardware.

Storage space usually is at a premium in small baths, so consider recessing an 8-in.-deep bath cabinet above the vanity. Install the vanity at a comfortable height—36 in. off the floor for most adults, 43 in. if you’re taller than average. Select a vanity with drawers or bins, or add organizers for toiletries and cleaning supplies to a unit that comes unequipped with these items.

Finally, avoid pedestal sinks in a small, full bath. They look great but are impractical because they don’t provide storage. Save them for powder rooms where storage isn’t as crucial. If you must use a pedestal sink, include open shelves or a tile-lined niche behind or adjacent to it. Or consider using cabinetry 16 or 18 in. deep instead of the usual 21 in. A small-scale pedestal lav, available from every major plumbing manufacturer, is another viable option worth considering.

Keeping it Affordable

How much will a small-bath remodel cost? That depends on structural changes and the price of the components. The NKBA’s annual “Trends Survey” of certified kitchen and bath designers puts the cost of the average bathroom re-model done by its members at about $9,000. You can cut that figure by more than half by shopping at a home center and doing the work yourself. On the other hand, it’s easy to exceed that amount by picking high-end components.

For example, a deluxe whirlpool tub costs $5,000, while a white cast-iron tub goes for $500. A sculpted one-piece toilet with a power-assisted flush will set you back $1,000; a basic gravity-action, two-piece model in white costs only $150. A sink with a custom-designed solid-surfacing bowl and pedestal is a $1,000 investment whereas a simple self-rimming, white china version costs $100.

Another important factor in the final tally is the cost of labor. Because all the major building trades are involved in a bathroom remodel, sprucing up even a small bath tends to be expensive if you hire out all the work.

Musts for Every Bath

No matter how small a bathroom you’re planning, it must include certain items. Ground-fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs) are required by code to protect receptacles in wet areas, such as bathrooms and kitchens. GFCIs quickly break the circuit, which can prevent a potentially fatal shock from a blow-dryer or electric shaver.

Low-flow toilets, which use 1.6 gal. of water per flush, are required by law in all new and remodeled baths. Pressure-assisted toilets effectively clear the bowl with one flush, but make considerable noise in the process. Gravity models sometimes require two flushes to clean the bowl properly. For maximum efficiency, choose a bowl with a large water surface. And make sure there’s sufficient space around the toilet for comfortable access-ideally, at least 16 in. from the centerline of the toilet and walls or fixtures on either side. Also allow at least 30 in. from the front of the toilet to the nearest object.

Proper ventilation will prevent moisture from getting trapped in the bath, which can lead to mold and mildew growth. This moisture can also destroy wallcoverings, harm wallboard and other building components and saturate insulation, rendering it useless. Extract moisture by installing a ducted exhaust fan on a timer. Most timers allows you to set the fan for 15 to 60 minutes to remove heat, steam and condensation. Choose a fan according to the cubic feet per minute of air it moves. To find how out much you need, divide the cubic footage of the room by 7.5. Look for a fan that generates 6.5 sones or less of noise.

Adequate lighting is needed for shaving, applying and removing makeup and other grooming tasks. Include task-specific and ambient, or general, light. Multiple recessed ceiling fixtures are all but invisible and eliminate the locker-room look of a single ceiling-mounted fixture. Include a light fixture above the tub and/or in the shower. Flank the vanity or pedestal lavatory with a pair of decorative sconces or multibulb theatrical strips. And avoid fluorescent lights, which alter the color of your complexion.

You also might want to place small low-voltage lights in the vanity toekick for drama and as a night-light. And, if you like to relax while soaking in the bathtub, install some of the bathroom lighting on dimmer switches.

Finally, admitting natural light with skylights, etched glass, transom windows and glass block is an effective way to maintain privacy without taking up additional space. At a minimum, window area should equal at least 10 percent of the square footage of the room.

A properly installed grab bar in the shower should be bolted directly to the studs. Do not simply screw the bar into the wallboard or glue it to the surface of ceramic tile.

Also remember that a locking cabinet for medicines and cleaning supplies is an especially important safeguard against poisoning if you live with or are visited by young children.

The countertop makes the kitchen. It’s the work surface where you prepare food, eat casual family meals, ­perhaps even pay bills and help Junior with his homework. And of all the countertop materials you can buy, stone is the gold standard for both durability and character.

Every rock pulled from the earth has its own mineral color, veining, and speckles, brought vividly to life by ­stoneworkers’ saws and polishing wheels. So whether you select a solid burgundy quartzite, a sky-blue granite, or a beige travertine ­embedded with fossilized seashells, it will be as distinctive as an original work of art.

And as permanent, too. Unaffected by hot pans or water, a stone countertop will last as long as your house—maybe even longer. It needs only a little routine care and forethought to ward off water marks, stains, and etching typically caused by acidic foods. But even if the worst happens—a chipped edge, a red wine spill—most stones can be restored by a professional.

On the following pages, we explain the differences between the various stone types, offer money-saving tips, and cover the basics of stone care. By the end, you’ll know what it takes to bring your kitchen, beautifully and dramatically, into the stone age.

Vital Information

What’s it cost?
Typically $25 to $100 per square foot. Sink and faucet holes and fancy edges are extra.

Does it hold up?
Impervious to heat and water but will chip if, say, you bang a cast-iron skillet on an edge.

Will it stain?
Thanks to improved factory-applied sealants, some stones now come with lifetime antistain warranties.

How much care?
Wipe spills promptly with soapy water or stone cleaner. Apply sealer as needed; for granite, that’s every one to three years.

Where to buy it?
At a stone yard you can pick the exact slab you want; at a big-box store you choose from display samples. The big-box price may be lower, but don’t expect your slab to match the sample exactly.

Is Stone Right For Your Kitchen?
Sure, it’s a showpiece, but keep these practical considerations in mind before you buy

Pros
Distinctive: Every stone is different, so the pattern and color you choose is one of a kind.
Durable: Unlike laminate, wood, solid surfacing, or engineered stone, natural stone is unaffected by heat.
Virtually seamless: Stone slabs provide a smooth surface without the crumb-catching grout lines typical of ceramic tile tops.
Low maintenance: Just wipe up spills as they occur and reapply sealant when required.
Repairable: Cracks, chips, and scratches can be fixed on-site by a stone restorer. Remove most stains yourself using a poultice.
Impervious to water: Unlike butcher block—or a laminate’s chipboard substrate—stone stands up to splashes.

Cons
Price: The high cost of quarrying, shipping, and fabricating stone makes it one of the most expensive countertop choices.
Brittle: Stone will crack if it’s not evenly supported. Cabinet tops must be flat and level or covered with plywood and shimmed level.
Not DIY-friendly: Except for soapstone, which you can cut with woodworking tools, you’ll have to hire a pro to make the sink and faucet holes and to shape the edges of your slab. Stone weighs about 18 pounds per square foot, so you need a well-muscled crew to install it.
Some are stain-prone: Travertine, limestone, and marble blemish easily if not periodically sealed; less porous stones, such as Vermont slate and soapstone, are more resilient.
May be vulnerable to acids: Citrus fruits, vinegar, and cleaners with bleach or ammonia will etch marbles, limestones, and travertines, even if sealed. A stone restorer can repolish a slab in your home.

Stone Quality
Even the darkest granites aren’t immune to stains. A stone’s resistance depends on its chemical makeup and microscopic fissures that formed millions of years ago. But you don’t need to be a geologist to determine whether your counter will stand up to a little spilled vino. Just perform this simple test.

1. Get a sample piece (it’s okay if it’s not from the same slab, as long as it comes from the same source). Rub on a sealer.
2. Pour test dollops of ketchup, olive oil, red wine, and lemon juice. Leave them overnight.
3. Wipe the surface clean in the morning. You’ll see how well it stands up to untended spills.

Stone Ranking Guide: High to Low

Stain resistance
Vermont slate
Soapstone
Granite
Marble
Quartzite
Limestone
Travertine
Scratch resistance
Granite
Quartzite
Vermont slate
Marble
Limestone
Travertine
Soapstone
Note: Each stone type’s resistance varies with source and color.

How to Get It
Choosing the type of stone is just the beginning. Here’s what happens next

Who to call-Most stone yards and home centers offer one-stop shopping: You choose a stone, they take care of fabrication— cutting holes for the sink and faucet and shaping the edges—and installation. Or you can buy your slab from a retailer who just sells stone and find your own fabricator.
What they do-A crew makes templates of the tops of your base cabinets. (For retrofit jobs, the crew may have to remove your old counter.) You provide dimensions for the faucet and sink cutouts.
How long it take-The lead time is about one to three weeks to cut the slab to your specs and rub in an extra-tough high-tech sealer that lasts longer than ones you can apply at home.
How it goes down-For 1-inch slabs, installers lay plywood over the cabinets (no underlayment required for thicker slabs, as long as cabinet tops are flat and level) and squeeze beads of silicone caulk. They lay the new counter and fill any joints between slabs with a color-matched resin. They then mount the sink and faucet, though a plumber may need to make the final connections.
What can go wrong-Contracts are rare, but a reputable installer should make good if the counter cracks, chips, or scratches while going in, or if there are uneven overhangs or gaps at the wall —a sign of slipshod templating. If your walls get dinged, expect him to pick up the tab for the painter you hire.

Four Ways To Save
Get a high-end stone countertop for not a lot of cash

Stone tile
Using 12-inch-square floor tiles gets you an approximation of a slab for about one-third the cost. Cut them yourself with a wet saw. Cover the edges with thin tile strips, or wrap them in metal nosing or wood bands (shown at right). Joint lines will be visible.

Prefab
Prefabricated counters, sized to standard cabinet depth and finished with bullnose edges, can save you up to 30 percent. Typically sold as 96-inch-long solid slabs, they still require a fabricator to cut sink and faucet holes. No two slabs are exactly alike, so they’re best used on straight runs without seams.

Reclaimed
Save 50 to 80 percent off retail by prowling house-part recycling centers, such as Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore, Craigslist, and kitchen cabinet outfits refreshing their displays. These tops are typically cut to someone else’s kitchen layout, so plan on adjusting yours to fit.

Remnants
Stone yards frequently offer clearance-sale prices of up to half off for small leftover slabs, which often work well for prep islands, pastry stations, and kitchen offices. Selection is limited, and you pay for any custom cuts.

Solid Surfacing
Moldable resins and special glues allow for a truly seamless counter, complete with an integrated sink. Nonporous; food can’t etch it, stains are easy to remove, sealers aren’t required. Hot pans can scorch or crack it; knives can nick it. About $40 to $80 per square foot

Concrete
Pour your own or buy custom slabs from local shops in the color and shape of your choice. Site-poured counters can be seamless. Sensitive to acids and requires frequent sealing. DIY: About $8 to $15 per square foot. Hire it out: About $75 to $100 per square foot.

Engineered Stone
A factory-made mix of 93 percent quartz granules held together with a resin binder, engineered slabs are impervious to acids and stains. Very hot pots may cause superficial damage. Comes in colors not found in quarried stone. About $50 to $90 per square foot.

Enameled Lava
Here’s a gorgeous stone hybrid you’ll probably never buy. Called Pyrolave, it’s a lightweight volcanic stone with a tough-as-nails glass enamel coating. It comes in 32 vibrant colors and is a heftier version of ceramic tile but without annoying grout lines. Perfect, except for the price: About $370 per square foot; Pyrolave

But with so many options out there, how do you sort through all the choices? Turns out it’s not as hard as you might think. After talking with architects, designers, and kitchen and bath pros, we’ve boiled down most people’s dream kitchens into four basic types: the 30-Minute Kitchen, for those who are short on time but insist on eating well; the Family-Friendly Kitchen, for young cooks as well as grownups; the Host Kitchen, for ­people who love to cook for a crowd; and the Two-Cook Kitchen, for couples with a culinary bent. For each type, we offer a selection of the appliances, cabinets, counter materials, and other tools that best serve its needs and cooking style. “The kitchen has to be a pleasant space as well as productive, and that’s why it’s so important to align the design with the people who are going to use it,” says Sara Ann Busby, veteran designer and president of the National Kitchen and Bath Association. You might see yourself in one of these setups, or pluck ingredients from several. Either way, we’ve got the recipe for your ideal kitchen.

1. 30-Minute Kitchen

What You Want: You may not spend hours here, but that doesn’t mean you just shuffle products from the freezer to the microwave. For cooking that’s nutritious but no-fuss, you want a kitchen that’s efficient to work in, easy to keep clean, and stylishly streamlined.

How to Get It: Thanks to advances in cooking technology, a need for speed is well supported. Start with a trivection oven, which combines three cooking methods—conventional thermal heat, convection, and micro­waving—and can roast a chicken in half an hour. For the cooktop, there’s induction, which uses magnetic energy to heat food and is about twice as fast as gas.

Beyond appliances, the key features are lots of easy-to-see, easy-to-access food storage, such as pullout pantry cabinets that roll on heavy-duty glides, and at-your-fingertips racks for ingredients and cooking utensils. When ­efficiency is paramount, every bit of space has to serve a useful function. A chopping block next to the range, for example, means veggies cut up for stir-frying can go straight into the pan with no wasted steps. Ditto for a pull-out trash bin within arm’s reach, so you don’t have to walk across the kitchen to dump scraps. You don’t need a lot of square footage if what you have is smartly planned. “A 30-minute kitchen can be compact,” says designer Sara Busby. “Cooking goes boom, boom, boom, and every little minute counts.”

2. Family-Friendly Kitchen

What You Want: An inviting space that caters to cooks of all ages. A combination of command center and rec room, this household hub needs to work as well for the life that goes on before and after meals as it does for the actual cooking and eating.

How to Get It: Given the likely swirl of activities going on in and around this kitchen—snacking, reading, doing homework, playing computer games—the plan should favor great-room openness over space-dividing partitions. That will keep lines of sight and communication open. But even within this multipurpose space, you can carve out different areas, such as a separate island for kids’ crafts, or built-in banquettes with under-seat storage for school and project supplies.

When it comes to food, youngsters need access to appliances and snack fixings at their level. “When there are kids using the kitchen, there should be an undercounter microwave, refrigerator, and beverage cooler,” says Busby. An area where the counter is dropped lower than the usual 36 inches would give them a place to make their own snacks. The counter material needs to be durable without being expensive; plastic laminate, for instance, is easy to replace if it gets damaged.

When it comes to cabinets, Busby opts for stained wood over painted in a kid-friendly space. “Chipped paint requires repainting an entire door or panel, but with natural wood, you can make spot repairs.”

3. Host Kitchen

What You Want: A showcase space for entertaining, whether it’s a sit-down dinner for 12, a cocktail party for 20, or a potluck gathering for the neighbors.

How to Get It: Cooking big calls for sturdy, upsized equipment, lots of storage and, to impress the guests, a generous dollop of style. “For this kind of kitchen, a big, multifunction island with a bar or buffet on a separate level makes a lot of sense,” says Busby. “There should also be two cleanup areas with sinks, and two dishwashers, so the mess stays picked up.” As for other appliances, more doubling up can’t hurt: If there’s enough space, two ovens and two warming drawers to keep the parade of courses from getting cold.

Since many guests need many plates and glasses, cabinets fitted out for specific storage functions are a must. “You need specialty cabinets for dishes, barware, glassware, cookware, and serving pieces,” says Busby, noting that this is an ideal scenario for a butler’s pantry. If you don’t have one, a shelf-lined nook off the kitchen or even a hallway makes for a convenient storage spot.

Even with all its serve-the-masses features, the space still has to be comfortable when the party’s over and it’s just family around the table. “For that Saturday lunch for three, there need to be smaller work areas so you’re not walking 14 feet to the side-by-side fridge,” says Busby. “Put a refrigerator drawer close to the cooktop, and always store things near the point of use.”

4. Two-cook Kitchen

What You Want: A kitchen that functions as shared territory, where two can get along without collisions or waits at the stove.

How to Get It: Accommodating two cooks doesn’t mean having two of everything, but the recipe for a successful couple’s kitchen nonetheless has its duplications. Separate prep areas, for starters, each with its own essential tools. In addition to a large central sink for cleanup, a pair of smaller sinks could anchor the individual workstations. A double wall oven provides common access, but you’ll need separate cooktops, which is easy with modular units called hobs. You can get a hob for just about any purpose; for instance, one grouping might combine units for grilling and deep-frying, while another pairs a wok burner with a steamer. Refrigerator drawers also come in handy for keeping fresh ingredients close to where they’ll be used.

You may work as a team, or one of you might focus on desserts while the other whips up entrees. Either way, you’ll each want personalized storage. The baker may need flour bins and a cabinet fitted with tray dividers under a marble pastry slab; the vegetarian may want a base cabinet fitted with slide-out wicker baskets for potatoes, winter squash, and other things that don’t need refrigeration. “The model for a kitchen like this is a restaurant kitchen,” says Busby. “They’re set up with very specific workstations because when there’s more than one chef, it’s all about production.”

By: Joe Carter, This Old House magazine

Remodeling a small kitchen without adding square footage can be frustrating: too many tasks to fit into a limited space. However, a small kitchen can function well and include interesting elements if you open the kitchen to larger spaces and keep the layout simple.

Make it feel spacious

The first step toward making a small kitchen feel larger and more open is to improve its relationship with any adjoining rooms and outside spaces. A kitchen surrounded by four solid walls can feel downright claustrophobic. To improve the space, you can open the walls between the kitchen and any supporting rooms, such as a dining room, a breakfast nook, or a family room. By opening the wall and allowing the sightlines to expand beyond the kitchen, you create the perception of more space without the cost of creating more square footage.

Depending on the circumstances, the wall might be removed entirely or be replaced with a peninsula countertop, a high counter, or a half-wall. Even a simple pass-through window helps if other options are not feasible.

A popular solution when space is at a premium is a peninsula that serves both the kitchen and an adjacent space. This allows open sightlines between the two rooms, and adds counter space and storage on both sides.

A separate high counter above a transitional counter requires more space but replaces a table in a highly efficient manner. If the high counter will be a breakfast bar for morning coffee, it should be 12 in. to 15 in. wide. Bump the width to between 18 in. and 24 in. if it will be the place for all your informal meals. (A counter-height peninsula can be used as a primary eating area by adding 6 in. to 12 in. to the typical 24-in. counter depth.)

Regardless of depth, make sure it’s long enough for the number of people using it. Each person should have at least 24 in. of space, although 30 in. will be more comfortable.

Remove walls to improve sightlines

This small kitchen had too many doors, a dysfunctional range area, and a pantry that was too deep to be usable. Removing the wall between the kitchen and the dining room was the best way to enlarge the kitchen without adding space.

With an archway and a half-wall separating the kitchen from the dining area, the two rooms are perceived as one large room, greatly improving the relationship between the spaces. The high counter serves as a staging area for formal dinners and as an informal place to hang out at other times, keeping diners out of the small kitchen while still encouraging them to converse with the cook.

An additional window over the sink and open archways instead of doors enhance the spacious feeling. Using a smaller range made room for counter space on each side of the stovetop and a safer, more comfortable cooking arrangement.

Pay attention to the transition

Once the kitchen is opened up, you can detail the opening depending on how you wish to treat the transition from the kitchen to the adjoining space. If you remove a wall to connect the kitchen with another room, part of the enlarged space can be dedicated to food preparation and part to eating, socializing, reading, or watching TV (depending on whether the kitchen now adjoins a dining area, a living area, or a family room). A design element at the ceiling—an arch, a beam, a series of lights, a change in ceiling height—can define the two areas as effectively as a peninsula. An overhead element such as an arch above a transition counter helps to link the two spaces by repeating elements in one or both of the rooms.

Sometimes drawing a distinction between the two spaces with a half-wall makes sense. Extending 8 in. to 12 in. higher than the countertop, a half-wall screens the kitchen counter without taking up as much floor space as an eating counter. To display vases of flowers, the half-wall’s cap should be between 8 in. and 12 in. wide; to hold serving plates, plan on 10 in. to 12 in. Remember that the cap is a transitional element, so the material, the shape, and the style should relate to both spaces.

Direct foot traffic away from work spaces

This small kitchen suffered from too many circulation routes, which disrupted its three main activity areas. Also, the dining room was rarely used.

The solution was to combine the two rooms into one spacious family room/kitchen that suits an informal lifestyle. The large new peninsula counter defines the main circulation route to the new deck, and it separates and marks the transition between family-room and kitchen activities. Opening the rear wall with a gang of windows and French doors incorporates the backyard. A cozy corner fireplace enhances both kitchen and family-room functions.

Add natural light

Take advantage of exterior walls by adding windows and doors. When you can see the landscaping, it becomes part of your kitchen. If a garden or yard borders the kitchen, add a French door or two to allow access and big views.

If a door isn’t possible, add as many windows as you can. When exterior-wall space is limited and you have to choose between an extra upper cabinet and a window, choose the window. Corner windows are especially effective for opening views and outside relationships. Even if there’s no view, a translucent or stained-glass window can brighten the space with natural light and lend an airy feeling to a tight room.

Take advantage of exterior walls

This small kitchen had little natural light, an awkward circulation path to the deck, and a laundry room with great garden views. Not only did the kitchen lack counter space, the home also lacked a dining area.

By relocating the washer and dryer upstairs, a dining room could occupy the desirable space overlooking the backyard. Three new windows and a pair of French doors complete the outdoor connection. The guest-room door was relocated, and continuous counters were installed for a functional, yet compact, kitchen.

The small peninsula’s extra depth serves as a coffee counter in the morning and as a preparation/staging area for large dinners.

Simplify the space

Maximize kitchen square footage by relocating functions not directly related to preparing and eating meals. The more regular or square a kitchen’s floor plan, the more functional its space will be. For example, many older homes have laundry areas or closets between the kitchen and the backyard. Moving the laundry to a small closet adds space and reduces traffic through the kitchen while gaining an exterior wall for windows and doors.

Make sure circulation patterns through the kitchen aren’t disruptive. This might mean eliminating some doorways and relocating others. If you must have multiple doorways in the kitchen, try to group them in one area to confine circulation to one or two routes. For example, relocate a back door next to the dining-room door to consolidate foot traffic. Rooms that aren’t related to the kitchen shouldn’t connect to the kitchen.

by: Jerri Holan

For home contractors in Chicago, kitchen remodeling projects are popular undertakings among residents of Lincoln Park, the Gold Coast, and among residents of Chicago’s northwest suburbs, such as Barrington, Evanston, Schaumburg, etc. To get started remodeling your kitchen space, it’s a good idea to begin brainstorming concepts and features you’d like to incorporate in your new kitchen. Some things you might want to consider in the planning process include:

• Kitchen Layout – When planning the construction or redesign of your kitchen space, it’s important to keep in mind basic guidelines such as: don’t install a stove below a window (especially one with window treatments). The main kitchen activity centers (stove, sink and fridge) should be at opposite ends of the kitchen to encourage good flow-through. Do arrange for the majority of kitchen storage to be in overhead cabinets or shelving to maximize space and convenience, etc. Having a trusted kitchen remodeling contractor assess the space can help to ensure clients choose a layout that is safe, sensible, and modern.

• Kitchen Functionality – are you someone who spends a lot of time cooking elaborate meals? If so, you might opt for a kitchen with plentiful counter space, cutting-edge appliances, etc. However, individuals who spend less time cooking and more time entertaining in the kitchen might want more room for a spacious dining area, or an entertainment nook. Chicago kitchen remodeling clients living near Lake Michigan might arrange the windows and the dining area to facilitate scenic lake views or city skyline vistas. And for clients with big families and/or young children, optimizing the kitchen for safety purposes and to accommodate large capacities is wise.

• Kitchen Design – The design step of the kitchen remodeling process is driven mostly by personal taste and necessity. A Chicago Cubs fan might want their kitchen to reflect their devotion to the team, with custom floor tiles, wallpaper, lighting fixtures, cabinet handles, appliances, etc. Others might choose an ultra-modern look with stainless steel details, or prefer rustic wood cabinetry or antique marble countertops. For Chicago kitchen remodeling clients, the skyline’s the limit!

After you’ve created a list of your kitchen remodeling priorities and goals, decided on a total remodeling budget, and chosen a trusted home contractor to put your plan into action, you’re ready to create the kitchen of your dreams!

How? The largest source of potential heat loss in a home is through the top. Attic insulation traps the heat inside to keep the house warm.

More than 60 percent of U.S. homes are underinsulated; the average home needs up to 19 inches of fiberglass attic insulation for maximum energy efficiency. Homeowners can reduce their homes’ heating and cooling costs by as much as 20 percent through proper insulation and air sealing techniques, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

After measuring the depth of their existing attic insulation, homeowners can estimate their homes’ performance by using an online energy-efficiency tool.

Once the appropriate materials have been selected, DIY-savvy homeowners can install the insulation themselves by placing insulation rolls into the floor joists of their attics, on top of existing insulation. Not into the do-it-yourself approach? Hire an insulation contractor; seek recommendations from friends or family, or speak with a reputable retailer about available installed sales programs.

Other ways to keep things toasty

In many cases, additional attic insulation is one of the most effective ways to improve a home’s energy efficiency. Homeowners looking to take it a step further should also take advantage of the following low- or no-cost opportunities:

Weatherize your attic. By using caulk, spray foam or weather stripping to eliminate holes or gaps in the floor or walls of their attic, homeowners can stop costly air leaks.

Install a programmable thermostat. The EPA reports that homeowners can save about $180 a year by properly setting their programmable thermostats and maintaining those settings.

Insulate your water heater. Adding a water heater blanket around older water heaters can reduce excessive heat loss. It’s also a good idea to insulate the hot and cold water pipes extending a few feet from the water heater.

Mind your chimney. Fireplace chimneys are a source of heat loss. Keep your fireplace damper closed when not in use.

Take advantage of passive heat. Keep south-facing window blinds and drapes open while it’s sunny to absorb solar heat during the day, and closed at night to retain the heat.Attic Insulation