Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, March 17, 1991 TAG: 9103190076
SECTION: TODAY'S HOME PAGE: TH-16 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By SARAH COX
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
It's where the children do their homework, the family eats, guests gather at parties and gourmet meals are prepared. It's the focus of our homes. And chances are, it needs to be changed, updated, enlarged and brightened.
Homeowners are adding windows, track lighting, skylights, white paint and lighter wallpaper to brighten their kitchens for a more attractive place to be.
New appliances are replacing the old-fashioned. Deluxe ranges, built-in refrigerators and microwaves are preferred.
Buzz-words like "traffic patterns" are analyzed so the kitchen design will reflect convenience and efficiency.
People simply get tired of looking at their kitchens, said Earle Shumate of Building Specialists Inc. of Roanoke. They need an efficient kitchen to accommodate new appliances. Many old kitchens don't have a place to put dishwashers or microwaves.
"What we do is not tearing out and putting back, but enlarging and giving it more open space," Shumate said. The kitchen used to be a separate room, and the cook was isolated." Kitchens now provide an area where guests or families can congregate.
What are the first steps to take once you've decided to remodel the kitchen? Shumate recommends that people evaluate what they need and what bothers them the most, whether it's old appliances or limited space. Ideas can be gathered from magazines and other kitchens that you admire.
"There are so many cabinet and appliance options on the market," he said. "You have to have a good idea of what you want. You can't just say `I want a new kitchen.' " If no preliminary thought is given, homeowners will use up expensive time getting someone else to do the brainstorming.
Once a kitchen is evaluated, the next step will depend on how extensive the remodeling job will be. If structural changes are to be made, Shumate recommends hiring a general contractor or architect and interior designer.
"We happen to be a little unique because we can do both," Shumate said. Building Specialists helps line up subcontractors and shops around for the best product buys.
If a kitchen needs to be opened up, contractors generally look at the cabinets, appliances, floor material and lighting to see how they could be changed and how they could work together.
Traffic flow is also important. It comes down to the individual needs of a family. Building Specialists gets to know its clients, Shumate said. Are there children to consider? Do both parents work? Does the family congregate in the kitchen? What kinds of meals are eaten at home - gourmet or instant? How many meals are prepared daily? How much time is spent in the kitchen?
Part of smoothing out the traffic pattern is reducing the number of doors into the kitchen and the number of small rooms that surround it. Extra appliance space may need to be designed, as well as hutches and pantries.
And the general look of the house must also be considered. Do you want a total contrast? Do you have a traditional design? A compromise might be modern cabinetry with hardwood floors.
The trends in kitchen changes are heading toward more efficient, easier-to-maintain products, with gourmet touches in the appliances and cabinetry.
Most people interested in cooking prefer gas ranges, and are now looking into styles that offer varied cooktops, downdraft grills and griddles, said Ken Garvin of Holdren's.
Clay pizza stones, rotisseries and convection ovens are other choices that let homeowners custom-design their kitchens to suit particular eating and cooking needs.
Other new products that make cooking quick, efficient and fun are: the "instant hot" button that produces water hot enough for instant soups; durable and heat-tolerant countertops in solid core or Corian; no seam-installation; granite (although Corian now comes in solid colors, granite, and stone-like finishes); and integral sinks.
More choices face you with cabinets, which are now made in laminate or painted finishes. If a wood finish is used, exotic woods like cherry are now preferred over stained pine or birch.
Then, you must decide if your budget will allow the extra cabinet touches such as appliance garages, lazy susans and silverware drawers. Costs of hardware for knobs and drawer glides can also add up. If you must cut corners, it's better to opt for simpler designs than sacrifice quality, Shumate said.
Floors can change the whole look of the room, and now the options are wider. Shumate said his company does a variety of finishes, especially the popular hardwood floors. But floors can cause inconveniences. Sanding and finishing hardwood adds about seven days to a project, Shumate said.
One option is a prefinished floor. Ceramic tile is also available, although not very popular in the Roanoke area because it doesn't suit the colonial style of many homes. Shumate said ceramic tile has a bit of a maintenance problem because the grout joints are hard to keep clean, and it's hard on the feet and legs.
The same is true with brick, which is also slightly uneven. As an alternative, most people use sheet vinyl, although Shumate doesn't recommend imitation brick or strip flooring.
Nancy Tune is one homeowner in Southwest Roanoke who recently experienced the trauma of kitchen remodeling. She said her kitchen was too dark in her, and she was ready for a change.
"It's a disruption to your normal schedule, especially if you work," she said. Tune said her teen-agers took the process a lot harder than she did. "They just don't like disruption of their schedules. You literally have to take everything out and put it somewhere else. I came home one day to the phone ringing and couldn't find it."
Tune had her kitchen remodeled in stages, putting the floor off until last. Although she already knew what she wanted, Building Specialists offered suggestions.
"You are the one in the kitchen, and you know what works and doesn't work."
Tune opted for new windows, track lighting over counterspace, new lighting over their family corner, new wallpaper, repainted cabinets and white beams overhead. The windows, which came without panes, allow more light into the kitchen.
Tune now faces the floor, and said she will have to put her stove in the dining room.
In the meantime, the windows are being replaced in the dining room, and everything had to be taken off the counters.
Survival tips are planning ahead, eating out a lot and having friends that feel sorry for you and invite you over.
"You have to have patience," Tune said "No matter what they tell you, it always takes longer. Frankly, I don't understand, especially because of the economy."
She said she's seen her contractors get on the phone and call and call, have everyone lined up and then have someone not show up.
"You have to go with the flow, because things like that do happen. Everyone shows up to do work, and then can't because the plumber hasn't come."
by CNB