Falls Church, VA — There’s a color sweeping the nation…and it’s green! Many people are beginning to understand the impact, or carbon footprint, that their lifestyle choices make on the planet. As a result, they’re starting to seek ways to reduce their impact. One way they can do so is by turning their attention to their kitchens and tweaking what products they use in there.

When it comes to countertop materials, the hottest trends are all about green – going green and saving green. Products that are eco-friendly, or that boast recycled content, continue to gain popularity, while durable, sanitary and budget-conscious choices are also hot with consumers right now. Perhaps reflecting current sensibilities, color choices are warm and soothing, with consumers gravitating to colors that offer depth and dimension. Mixing and matching materials is also increasingly common, since this not only provides a personalized look, but also allows homeowners to keep on budget without sacrificing their favorite material choices. Below are some of the hottest trends in countertops right now: Designers are increasingly using several different countertop materials in the kitchen, often mixing such options as laminate, natural stone, butcher block, glass and quartz to create an eclectic – and budget-friendly – design. In the wake of the granite media scare, quartz is gaining in popularity, both for its ease of maintenance and design flexibility, as well as its growing number of patterns and colors. The greening of the industry is clearly reflected in countertop choices, as materials with recycled content and locally sourced stones continue to gain ground. The flat look is out, with the most popular surfaces showing texture, depth and dimension. Color choices are warm and neutral, in soothing tones that reflect the palette of nature. Upscale countertop choices are turning up all over the home, from wet bars to morning suites to outdoor kitchens. CaesarStone Quartz Surfaces   Stainless Steel Countertops from Advance Tabco   With over 40 colors and textures available, CaesarStone provides natural quartz surfaces that are nonporous, and stain-, scratch- and heat-resistant. Shown is the company’s Lagos Blue.     A-Line by Advance Tabco offers a complete line of stainless steel countertops with a variety of edge styles. Constructed of 16 gauge 304 stainless steel, the countertops can be manufactured with back and side splashes, with welded and finished sink bowls.   LG Eden Acrylic Countertops   Concrete Countertops from J. Aaron   LG Solid Source’s LG HI-MACS EDEN earth-friendly acrylic sustainable countertops are Greenguard certified, and utilize between 12 and 19 percent recycled content. The collection is comprised of eight colors, including Cocoa (shown).     This stainless concrete countertop from J. Aaron is comprised of natural components, including portland, sand, gravel and water. In keeping with its eco-friendly processing, a water-based, hand-applied stone sealer that releases zero VOCs into the air is used to finish the countertop.   Tempest Series from Staron Surfaces   Wenge Wood Counters from Grothouse Lumber   Staron Surfaces has expanded its Tempest line of countertop products by adding 10 colors, bringing the total offering to 20 shades. The new color series, Tempest Stylist, reflects rich, natural color tones with larger, translucent particulates. The new colors are Greenguard certified.     In keeping with the demand for dark woods in the kitchen, Grothouse Lumber Co. offers wenge, a dark, dense wood from Africa. The countertop is available in custom shapes, sizes and patterns.

Call Inspired Interiors today for assistance with your new countertops.  We will help you navigate through all of the countertop choices available to you. 773-728-0419 or www.inspiredinterior.com

arcticle from: © 2006 DoItYourself.com/Jay Lewis

Downsizing and “right” sizing are no longer terms we hear only in the workplace.

They’re becoming the buzzwords we use when talking about where we live. No longer is a bigger home better. We want to live smarter and that means smaller.

Advocates of this pared-down philosophy range from empty nesters and seniors who want less maintenance to folks of all ages who want to reduce expenses in a sour economy.

In response, designers are offering services that help downsizers decide which items will fit in their new homes and which they should eliminate.

Barbara and Arnie Greenberg, of Boca Raton, Fla., decided to put their two-story, 2,900-square-foot home in Broken Sound up for sale and put a deposit on a single-story, 1,740-square-foot home that is being built for them in Valencia Reserve in Boynton Beach, Fla.

“We need something easier,” Barbara Greenberg said. “We could probably stay here, but it’s a very deep house and I would need roller skates to get from one end of the house to another. And I’m too old for roller skates.”

Economic factors

Other factors are the money they lost on their investments and the $30,000 a year they pay to the Broken Sound Country Club, a luxury when they no longer use many of the club’s amenities.

They hired a Boca Raton designer to help them with the transition. He decorated their Boca house, will advise them on what to keep and what to give away or sell.

The Greenbergs have a large sectional, which Workman said can be divided and used in a smaller space. And he is thinking about adding a bar and a game table to the dining area in the new house.

“Most people at this stage of life are doing very little entertaining,” Workman said. “They don’t need to use the dining room for dining because all they do is serve drinks and hors d’oeuvres at home and go out for dinner.”

Downsizing does mean getting rid of things, but Workman always asks his clients what they can’t live without and he works it into his plan. He creates room for the “emotional” items, such as family pictures and videos, by building a floor-to-ceiling closet with adjustable shelves.

“You have to stop being emotional,” he said. “You are changing your lifestyle and you are changing your life. It’s time for a new life and a new beginning.”

Use it or lose it

Lauri Ward, author of “Downsizing Your Home with Style: Living Well in a Smaller Space” has made a career out of helping clients make the most of what they already have.

Ward said she started seeing the trend toward downsizing escalate about a year ago. But she said many of her clients can’t move now because they can’t sell their homes. She starts by decluttering their current homes.

If her clients love an object or use it, she tells them to keep it.

“It comes down to a question of restraint,” she said. “If you have several of mom’s pieces, pick out one or two favorites to keep.”

She is also a big advocate of what she calls “closed storage” a place to keep the items that cause clutter out of sight.

Creating storage

Creating closed storage in a hallway is one of the ways she is making the Miami Beach, Fla., condo of Yvonne and Tony Conza more livable. The cabinet will allow files and a printer to be hidden from view as well has have space to hang clothing.

The 1,200-square-foot condo wasn’t a problem when the Conzas used it as a getaway, but now they are spending the winters in Florida and it suddenly seemed too small. The Conzas have other homes in Manhattan and Woodstock, N.Y.

“We kept saying we wish we had one more room and last year we almost upgraded to a larger apartment,” Tony said. “But with the economy, we didn’t want to put ourselves in debt.”

One of the major problems was some of their furnishings were in the wrong places. The prime example was Yvonne’s desk, which was in the bedroom.

“Because we had a smaller place, I didn’t want people to walk in and see the desk,” Yvonne said. “I felt constant unrest and imbalance and didn’t know why I felt that way. Lauri moved the desk into the living room and everything changed.”

Ward said these days a lot of clients are like the Conzas they want their home to feel bigger without having to move. She helps clients take baby steps to declutter their homes so they can feel more comfortable when the market turns around and they can sell their homes.

“There is an upside feel to downsizing,” Yvonne said. “Less is more. It makes what you have more special.” By the numbers89 Percentage of homebuilders building lower-priced homes.– National Associationof Home Builders88Percentage of homebuilders building smaller homes.– National Associationof Home Builders58 Percentage of affluent Baby Boomers likely or somewhat likely to move to a smaller home within 10 to 15 years.– Hanley Wood,market research firm52 Percentage of brokers who said the desire to downsize was cited by empty-nester clients as why they are moving.– Coldwell Banker10 Tips For Smaller SpacesThinking of downsizing? Here are 10 tips on how to cope with smaller spaces from Lauri Ward, author of “Downsizing Your Home with Style: Living Well in a Smaller Space” (Collins Living, $17.95):1. Paint color: Open-plan rooms should have a single paint color to make them look larger.2. Window treatments: Avoid heavy, elaborate curtains. Keep the window coverings close to the color of the walls. Good choices to make a small room appear larger are plain linen or sheer panels.3. Flooring: Avoid using too many area rugs that break up the space in homes with open plans. Leave all the floors bare except for one rug in the living room to anchor the conversation area.4. Unclutter: Take everything off the floor that’s not furniture. This means removing sports equipment and stacks of newspapers and magazines.5. Seating: Add additional seating with armless chairs or put matching ottomans on casters under the coffee table.6. Storage: Put trunks or baskets under leggy tables to add storage.7. Beds: Forget the footboard to make your bed look as if it takes up less space in the room.8. Extra chairs: Place a pair of extra chairs for dining in the hall flanking a chest.9. Lighting: Recessed and track lighting hug the ceiling and can make any space look more expansive. Avoid chandeliers and ceiling fans.10. Walls: Avoid hanging too much art on the walls. Instead, rotate your art from storage and leave one wall bare in each room to allow the eye to rest.

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Each month we’ll have some helpful information to assist you in your kitchen remodeling plans. Print out this page and keep it for future reference. Also, for more information, please see our frequently asked questions and Kitchen Remodeling Checklist This month’s Feature ……   “Getting Started”   Planning to remodel your kitchen ? Here are some thoughts on getting started: First – get these items. You will need them: file folder – multi pocket type (for organizing ideas, magazine cut-outs, photos, etc. that you might like to incorporate into your new kitchen) graph paper – for sketching your kitchen layout ideas (you don’t need to be an experienced draftsperson!) measuring tape (25′ recommended but most any kind will do) notebook (the kind with several subject sections is the best) Then think about answers to the following questions: Write down the questions and your answers. Keep it in your file for later reference. You and your kitchen designer will need to address some or all of these while designing your new kitchen.   What is my primary objective? Such as – Do I want a new look, more storage, more counter space, upgrade for resale, etc. ? What do I like about my present kitchen? This is very important! You may want to keep certain features in your new kitchen. Don’t give up what works ! What features of my present kitchen do I most want to change? Such as - I don’t like my current cabinet style, countertops, appliances, floor, lighting, etc. What is my budget for this project? You need to “qualify” yourself and what you can reasonably expect to complete. Kitchen remodeling is one of the best investments you can make in your home! It is possible to get nearly 100 % return on your kitchen remodeling investment. What are the most important functions of my kitchen? It may simply be such things as cooking, family dining, etc. But it may also include homework, budget planning, entertaining, watching TV. When do I want to have my remodeling project completed? You need to allow a minimum of 3 months. More realistic, 4 to 6 months. Most custom cabinets take two months to arrive after ordering. This does NOT mean your home will be “torn up” all this time. But it allows plenty of time for planning, order processing, shipping, demolition, installation, moving back into your kitchen and re-organization. What kinds of things will I need to make room for in my new design? You might include a toaster, food processor, blender, coffee maker, everyday dishes, china, bulk groceries, cookbooks, trays, etc. What other special accommodations might I want in the new kitchen? Things such as a desk/computer/printer space, eating bar, washer/dryer, baking center, hobby or craft area, etc. Will I need to upgrade existing electrical or plumbing? The answer here may depend on whether you change the layout of your sink, cooktop or oven. But it also may depend on the requirements of the local building codes for remodeling. Who will be the primary user? Is this person left or right handed, very tall or short, does this person have any special needs? Who else will be using the kitchen? For example, will this become a “two cook” kitchen. Do I want double or single ovens? Two Dishwashers? Two Sinks ? Will children be using the kitchen and what are their ages? Answering these questions are an important first step in remodeling your kitchen. Don’t overlook them! The more detailed you can be with your answers, the easier it will be to develop a design that will make you happy and will serve your family for many years to come. Make an appointment today to plan your new kitchen www.inspiredinterior.com