Why renovate?

For many folks, renovating a kitchen is the lesser of two evils:

1. renovate / remodel, or
2. move

Some choice, huh? Well, if you like your home otherwise, including

• location (location, location!),
• your neighbors,
• proximity to wherever you get groceries or run errands like banking, mail / shipping
• your kids’ schools
• your gym or favorite pub

If everything syncs with your life but the kitchen, why go thru the hassle of moving? It’s almost like all those things in the list are connected to you by an invisible net. So if you move, all that has to move too, even if just to make a longer route. A better option is to make some changes to what you have and stay put.

Why renovate now?

A few reasons:

1. Summer’s almost over. That means activities that took a break for the summer will resume. Things like wine or book clubs; football season starts; school starts for college and those not on the year-round schedule. Getting the design done now means getting started renovating sooner.
2. People are looking for work. That includes designers and builders. Which also means there are probably deals out there. For example, I offer a $100 gas coupon for any job over $3,000 for my design fee. Could come in handy for all that activity that cranks back up in #1.
3. The holidays are knocking. Wouldn’t it be nice to have a kitchen that works well to show off to the family at Thanksgiving dinner?
4. The end of the year is coming. Which means tax season right after that. Many folks fund their new kitchen with equity (a HELOC) in their home, the interest on which is deductible.

Or, maybe you ARE moving

Let’s say you’re starting a new job on the west coast in January. You’d like to get the most you can for your home here before you sell and settle out there. An updated kitchen could get you to your magic number at sale. And again, if you need to get out by the end of the year, the clock’s ticking.

Whatever the reason, ’tis the season

People renovate their kitchens for any number of reasons. The above are just a few. Some people just want to update – maybe they like new appliances that are more energy efficient. Some want more countertop surface area. Some want to improve the flow of traffic. Whatever the reason, thinking ahead almost always pays off.

Want that clock on your new kitchen wall?

It’s the Icon Clock, available at GENR8.

tick…tick….tick….tick….

The costs of not building green.

The design blogosphere has been buzzing about the recent discovery of radon in granite countertops. Radon is a radioactive gas that can cause lung cancer, and when homes are inspected, it’s one of the things they check for routinely. Now, not all granite is radioactive, and those that are emit at low levels. Still – a health risk.

So. In addition to possible radioactivity, granite just isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. For one thing, it’s not green: we take it from the earth and it never grows back. Then we ship it all over the place, and it’s not cheap or easy to haul around heavy slabs of rock. One company sells granite that comes from 63 different countries.

What else? It cracks. It scratches. It’s heavy. And every real estate ad touts it as a buying feature that “everybody” wants (I still haven’t figured out who this “everybody” population really is). There are no perfect countertop materials (although engineered quartz comes pretty close). But getting granite just because everybody and their brother has it isn’t a great reason. Getting it because you really want it and love it is a great reason. Just make sure you run a geiger counter over it before you have it delivered.

Earthbox is a great solution for urban dwellers who want to grow their own but don’t have garden space. I will have to try one out firsthand next season. At first glance it looks like a winner:

• optional wheels so you can move it inside for the edges of the season when nights get nippy
• self regulating watering system
• add on staking system for climbing plants like tomatoes
• ready to grow starter kit for under $50 which includes soil, fertilizer, casters, watering system & box

What to grow?
Plenty. Strawberries, leeks, beans, artichokes, eggplant. There’s even diagrams to illustrate how to space the plants.

Ecomod: Green thumbs up.
I can’t say enough good things about this product, seriously. Like I always say, I’m a sucker for well thought out design. Clear diagrams, good information and links, easy to find the contact info if you need help, and it fills a need that’s responsible and healthy. There are even separate sections of the site that are tailored to Consumers, Educators, Dealers and Commercial Farming.

[via apartmenttherapy]

Edible container gardening seeds and supplies.

• it’s cheaper than eating out
• no searching for a parking place
• no waiting in the lobby with a blinking pager
• it doesn’t matter that tipping isn’t a city in China
• clothes are not required
• it contributes less to global warming
• your friends will be impressed by your meal making skills and foodie knowledge
• the ingredients of what you’re eating are identifiable
• you can drink while cooking
• you can cook while drinking
• there is no mind boggling number crunching when it comes time to split the check 3 ways
• it gives you much needed practice toward Iron Chef America 2009
• you can show off your awesome kitchen designed by eco-modernism

Ok there’re actually way more than 13 reasons. Like not having to carry a tray. And not having to placate unruly insatiable customers. And you can go to your own bathroom. And the dog can hang out with you. And you can use the appliances you want when & where you want them. And make your friends envious of a well designed place to entertain dinner guests.

If it works well, it’s fun to use. Get it designed right, then be your own star.

My sister grills out year round, even in the snow. So do a couple of our friends up in the northwest mountains of NC. They stand outside, happily listening to the birds and bugs, wind in the grass and trees, while dinner cooks. Heck, it came from outside, so why not cook it there?

This t-grill, from Grand Hall is as cool to look at as it is to grill with! The liquid propane gas tank nestles in an elliptical enclosure below, it’s got two shelves, one on each side of the fire, and lockable wheels to move it around. And that’s just looks. It has a couple of ceramic burners that crank out 24,000 BTU’s with cross fire heating so it’s even. And it heats up quick to sear, or you can cook slowly with it. It’s so serious about grilling it has crossray heat that evenly cooks across a 234 square inch area.

About the only thing it’s missing are a few hooks to hang grill tools. And maybe a cover to protect it from the elements (actually, there is one for an extra $35ish) . Even so, it would be a great element for any outdoor cooking spot. And well worth the $999 price tag.

I’m a sucker for well thought out design that’s also easy on the eyes. This one definitely fits the bill. And while you’re drooling, Grand Hall is a good resource for grill fanatics. Don’t say I didn’t warn you. Happy grilling!

[via the ever insightful appliancist]

Well, I missed it, but this past Thursday night at Quail Ridge Books, Lyle Estill spoke about his book Small is Possible – Life in a Local Economy. Lyle is VP of Stuff at Piedmont Biofuels in Pittsboro. Small is Possible is the story of how one small town in Chatham County NC figured out how to cultivate a vibrant local economy:

“Unwilling to rely on government and wary of large corporations, these residents discovered it is possible for a community to feed itself, fuel itself, heal itself and govern itself.”

Given the current cost of transportation, I don’t see how local economies can’t become stronger, including the increase in density of urban development and efficient space design. Kind of ironic in the whole ‘Global Economy’ that’s been so forefront since the ’90′s.

Quail Ridge Books is a great independently owned bookstore in the Ridge Road shopping center on Wade Avenue in Raleigh. There are always interesting events there – this past spring, Sarah Susanka spoke. I really have got to stop missing these things!

[where: 27607]

Yesterday, for the second time in a couple of months, someone chuckled at my suggestion to use bamboo as a countertop or flooring material. It dawned on me that the image coming to their mind is something out of Gilligan’s Island – something that conjures up tiki themed parties and knick-knacks (of which I’m guilty of owning a few).

The bamboo surface *I’m* talking about is created in a way that’s smooth, so it’s more like plywood than rough terrain. It can also have interesting variation in grain and pattern, depending on which way it’s cut through the stalk. Bamboo building products are made by laminating strips of bamboo together with low VOC adhesives and a hot press. So a whole bunch of strips put together make a large piece to work with just like you would with plywood.

One company that makes bamboo construction products is Plyboo. My sample box came the other day, and it includes several tongue-and-groove, horizontal and vertical grain, butcher block parquet, and panel and veneer samples. They all look great, whether naturally finished (similar to beech) or caramel finish (similar to oak). I wouldn’t use the darker finish in a small space, though. Bamboo has the same warmth of more commonly used hardwoods like oak, and is basically the same to work with, construction-wise. Bamboo is harder than maple and lighter than oak, and requires the same maintenance as hardwoods. More on bamboo at Wikipedia.

What makes bamboo green is that it’s rapidly sustainable – it replaces itself in 5 years. And Plyboo uses water based, low VOC solvents and finishes. And it’s beautiful! I can’t wait to do some countertops with this stuff.

In the Triangle area, you can get Plyboo products at Caragreen, which is located at 109A Brewer Lane in Carrboro.

[where: 27510]

Why would anyone want an undercounter drawer that’s refrigerated? Lots of reasons:

• it can be used as overflow for beer & chilled wine storage during a party
• it is easily accessible by short people (like kids)
• it can be located further from the main fridge, so both can be used simultaneously without kitchen traffic problems
• costs less than a large fridge to run ($32 – $42 annually)
• opening the drawer won’t let out as much cool as a large fridge door
• door panels matching surrounding cabinets can be applied for a uniform appearance (although leaving the stainless steel look would be a good visual cue that it’s a fridge appliance, not just another cabinet drawer)

What’s not to love? While they can be expensive ($1,800 to $3,000+), they do solve some convenience issues. And if the kitchen is small, and not much cooking is done otherwise, or only 1 or 2 residents, it may be all the refrigerated storage needed. Modern kitchen storage, whether cooled or not, should match the lifestyle of those living there.

Most refrigerator drawer units have 2 drawers, although there are some 3 drawer models available also. Here are some models to peruse:

• Subzero (if you really want to spend a chunk of change)
• U-line
• Marvel (my personal favorite)

There are also local sources to get other models like Electrolux (shown below) and GE’s Monogram model, including Jefferies up on Capital.

[where: 27604]