The Great Canadian Summer Issue, July 2013 -

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Verona’s Tips: Summer 2013 Trends

I was a little concerned about commenting on trends because trends usually mean something that is popular one day and unpopular or out-of-date the next. Although this usually applies to fashion, kitchens also fall victim to trends. The good news is that the trends stay longer with kitchens than wide-legged jeans! So in researching trends for 2013, I tread carefully, with a lot of consideration to our west coast lifestyle.

Taking the above into consideration, there is some good news to share with you! The trends this season are towards traditional or transitional style kitchens. Traditional kitchens are easy to understand. But “transitional” kitchens refers to a traditional kitchen in its essence but with a simpler aesthetic appeal. It has cleaner lines and less decorative accents. But, in both kitchens, we at Elite like to emphasize function. Your kitchen should still be comfortable and accessible. Those things are always in trend!

According to Zillow Digs Spring Trend Report, May 2013, the traditional look is very popular but the focus is on organization and storage ideas as well as islands. It always seems that there are more pots than there are cupboards. So, organization is something we take seriously! Those pots should be easily accessible or you just won’t use them. We prefer drawers instead of cupboards for your lower kitchen cabinets. You can reach the pots no matter where they are-even in the very back of the drawer without stooping or kneeling. The pot racks that were a big trend a few years back are giving way to the cleaner look of having your pots neatly tucked away in drawers. We have many organizational options to show you in our showroom-from multi-level cutlery trays to pull-outs in narrow cabinets to accommodate spices or, in my house, an assortment of teas, keeping everything in easy reach. With a custom-built kitchen, your specific needs can be addressed and a workable solution reached.

The kitchen island is a must-have for many and 2013 has found many new purposes for this island. Not only can it be an extra seating and eating area by adding barstools, it is being used for food preparation, a snack station, wine storage and display cabinets as well. Consider having a marble countertop on the island if you enjoy baking and your dough can be rolled out without interruption and it won’t stick to the cool marble surface!

Keeping with the traditional look, the popular colour choices for cabinets tend to be dark stain or white. Both are clean and give a spacious feeling to your kitchen. Another upcoming trend is to use grey cabinets paired with richly stained wood.

The biggest news in the kitchen trends is appliances. Stainless steel has been king for quite a while-a much longer run than that “Harvest Gold” that some of us remember! The good news for those of you who have stainless appliances is that the trend is still staying strong. For those of you who are looking for something new, Whirlpool is introducing its new “Ice Collection” in July. It is a glossy white finish. Whirlpool CEO has dubbed “white the new stainless”. They are also going to be introducing a “Black Ice” collection in the future. Wolf is claiming that black will be the new stainless, however, that new line is not yet available. There are some new colours on the market to entice the bold so watch for copper appliances to make a debut! It is also popular to “hide” your appliances by having them blend in to the cabinetry by using panel ready appliances. Just ask one of Elite’s design team to show you how this would look on our unique computer rendering of your kitchen. It is a great way to see the way your kitchen will look and help you decide which option is right for you.

One last word on kitchen trends-glass! With high ceilings, and cabinets that reach the ceilings, to keep the kitchen from looking too uniform, consider glass doors on part or some of the upper cabinets. Display items can be on the top shelves protected behind glass-who wants to dust anyway? If you add in cabinet lighting, it can make for some amazing displays! Glass is also a big trend in backsplashes. There are infinite colour choices and styles to choose from. They are easy to clean and give a lot of interest to your kitchen. Our design experts can help you pick out the right colour choices and styles to complement your kitchen.

–Verona

hot stuff: grilling 101

Summer and BBQs go hand in hand. Beyond handling food safely and having the right utensils to flip your vegetables and meat (not pierce it), you want your food to have those great looking grill marks so you know it came straight off the grill.

How do you get this? The secret is a clean grill grate. The best way to keep your grill clean is to use a stiff wire brush, or a piece of crumpled-up foil.

When you’re ready to BBQ, clean your grate AGAIN. While the grill heats up, grab the grate with an oven mitt. Once clean, dip a folded paper towel in oil and apply to the bars of the grate. You’ll get prominent grill marks when your food doesn’t stick.
Source: scottrobertsweb.com

a spa-like retreat in your home

You can create the enjoyable and healthy benefits of a spa in your bathroom by adding some bath and body products like, bath oils, facial masks and incense. But it doesn’t have to stop there. The other rooms in your house can create a more soothing atmosphere with some simple changes.

When looking to create your spa experience at home consider:

tranquility promotes relaxation

By decluttering, your rooms can have a calming effect. For example, you can replace busy pictures with scenes of nature or images promoting calmness.

appeal to all the senses

We get more pleasure when stimulating more than one of our five senses. Take for example, a bath. You create a better experience when you add aromatic bath oil to the water, light candles, play relaxing music and use a massage cloth on your skin.

creativity please

What about the kitchen? Make yours a gastronomic haven of healthy eating by experimenting with new herbs and recipes. Don’t stop there. Is your bedroom filled with too many lights and electronic devices which are stopping you from getting a restful sleep? Make your boudoir relaxing and a haven from the hectic pace of the workplace is left behind.
Source: examiner.com