Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

Marni Jameson

I know were not supposed to care, but dont we all kind of want to know whats going on in other peoples houses? As least dcor-wise? Last week, the 2024 Houzz Kitchen Trends Study came out, and I was eager to peek. I wanted to know what was cooking in kitchens not just because I like to keep up, and not even because I am generally nosy, but mostly because my daughter and her husband are about to tackle a major kitchen renovation.

This kind of feels like the first time you see your kid drive off with a new drivers license. While theres nothing you can do, you just hope they dont crash.

When Paige and her husband bought their first home together 18 months ago, they knew they wanted to ultimately upgrade the underwhelming kitchen. After living in the home, theyve had time to think about what they want.

We love to cook and entertain, Paige said. Thats how we live. Our kitchen isnt great for either. Their choice came down to move or improve. Sound familiar? Having a baby on the way (insert cartwheel emoji) caused them to make up their minds and get going.

They asked a designer to show them what was possible. The designer drew up a plan that would indeed allow them to get what they wanted. Their new kitchen will have a larger island with seating, upgraded creamy tan cabinets with smart built-in storage systems, better appliances and white quartz counters to replace the dark speckled granite.

Ive got news for Houzz. They didnt need to bother with a survey. This couple represents pretty much what most remodelers want in a new kitchen.

A popular software platform for home improvers and industry professionals, Houzz has been publishing the kitchen trends study for 10 years, said Marine Sargsyan, Houzz staff economist, who helped compile the study. This year more than 3,400 U.S. homeowners, all of whom had either just completed or were in the middle of remodeling their kitchens, responded.

The beauty of the survey is that we dont ask wishful thinking questions, like, would you like more storage? Or a walk-in pantry? We ask, what did you actually do? Sargsyan said.

Heres whats hot in kitchens today according to this years report:

Kitchens are opening up. After going through the pandemic, a time when homeowners were hesitant to open their kitchens to the rest of their house, I was happy to see a reversal, Sargsyan said. We are back to open-concept kitchens that allow for more socializing. Among respondents, 43% made their kitchens more open to other indoor spaces, up five percent from a few years ago. Of those homeowners who made their kitchens more open, nearly two-thirds (64%) removed a wall.

Organized Storage is a priority. Consumers continue to put function first, she said. Features such as cookie sheet organizers (55%), spice racks (44%), and organizers for cutlery (41%) and utensils (37%) each gained 3 percentage points in popularity over last year. These were all must-haves on Paiges list, too.

Islands are growing. Confirming that the kitchen is the place to be whether cooking, eating, entertaining or doing office or home work, the survey showed a strong trend toward bigger islands with seating. Among renovators, 42% added an island 7 feet or longer, up from 38% last year. We dont see as many islands shorter than 6 feet, she said.

Tradeoffs are real. What the report doesnt capture, Sargsyan added, are the tradeoffs most projects require. A bigger kitchen, for instance, may mean sacrificing somewhere else, like having a smaller laundry room. Paige, for instance, loves her walk-in pantry, but is giving it up to gain more counterspace and more floor space around the island. She is counting on clever storage solutions, to make up for the loss.

Most seek professional help. More than four out of five homeowners (84%) rely on professional help for their kitchen renovations. General contractors are the professionals most commonly hired (55%), followed by cabinetmakers at 35%. One in three homeowners hires a kitchen designer.

Folks still like white. Light colors still reign, especially on counters. Were seeing fewer multi-colored counters and backsplashes. Cream and white counters are the choice for 43% of remodelers. White cabinets also remain popular at 46%, followed by wood, whether dark, medium, or light, at 25%. Interestingly, one-fourth of renovators made their upper cabinets a different color from their lower cabinets, often white above and wood below. Meanwhile, 46% opted for their islands to be a different color from their cabinets. Among those who did, blue was the top pick at 25%.

Layer the light. Recognizing their sustainability and longevity, LED lighting factored into 91% of projects. Recessed lighting was part of the plan in three out of four remodeled kitchens; 69% included under-cabinet lights, and more than half (56%) included pendant lighting. Light dimmers are also on the rise, factoring into 47% of remodels.

Costs are up. Like everything else, the cost to remodel a kitchen has been climbing. The median spend for a major kitchen remodel (meaning all new cabinets were included) was $55,000, up 22% over last year, and for a minor remodel the median spend was $18,000, up 29%.

Whats out? Glass doors and open shelves are trending down, as more consumers opt to keep their stuff hidden, which is probably a good idea.

Marni Jameson is the author of seven books including the newly released Rightsize Today to Create Your Best Life Tomorrow, What to Do With Everything You Own to Leave the Legacy You Want, and Downsizing the Family Home. You may reach her at http://www.marnijameson.com.

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AT HOME WITH MARNI JAMESON: What's cooking in kitchens? Open floorplans, bigger islands, study finds - The Times of Northwest Indiana

If you already have a glass mosaic backsplash, you'll need to take care to maintain it well. Fortunately, understandinghow to clean glass tilesis pretty straightforward. You'll simply need to use a mix ofsoap and water, water and vinegar, or a non-abrasive cleaner to freshen up the glass tileand make it look new again.

When cleaning glass tiles, however, you'll want to be careful that you don't overdo it. Although they're quite durable, cleaning glass tiles roughly andusing abrasive cleaning solutions can lead to damage. Glass tiles are prone to scratching, sobe careful when cleaning them.

Grout can also be damaged, so you'll want to clean it as gently as you can. Like with glass tiles, you'll need to apply a water and vinegar solution to the grout. You'll then need to let it sit for a few minutes before scrubbing it with a soft toothbrush. You can also use a standardgrout cleaner. For tougher stains, you may want to add a paste made of baking soda and waterto the grout beforehand before proceeding to clean it with water and vinegar.

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Glass Mosaic Backsplashes Are Stunning, But They Come With Some Big Disadvantages - House Digest

The sale of a Middletown church will result in a cooperative agreement RSR Realtors thinks will become a trend for religious organizations.

RSR Realtors said Wesley United Methodist Church at 64 Ann Street in Middletown was sold to Zion Assembly of Harrisburg for $299,900. RSR represented the sellers and Josh Mumaw of Coldwell Bankers represented the buyers.

The sale of the 14,000-square foot property represents a negotiated solution between the parties, RSR Realtors said. Although Wesley UMC is selling its ownership in the property, they will continue to hold weekly services and Sunday school at the church for the long term.

Zion Assembly of Harrisburg, which sold its previous church before the pandemic, will shift back from virtual services to in-person services at 64 Ann Street.

Both congregations will conduct services in the church in their own individual time slots, RSR Realtors said.

Garrett Rothman of RSR Realtors thinks this type of cooperative use of the church will be a trend that will continue across the country.

As many churches are dealing with shrinking memberships and high overhead costs associated with owning their buildings, it makes perfect sense for multiple congregations to share the same building, allowing them to share expenses, Rothman said.

From the first moment representatives from both churches met, we all could tell there was synergy between the two congregations, and that they would mutually benefit holding their services under the same roof, he said. It was a true win-win situation.

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Sale of church building to benefit two congregations - Central Penn Business Journal

A long-vacant church in St. Cloud may soon become a place where people can get help for their mental health and addiction challenges, despite pushback from some residents in the neighborhood.

Nelson Construction and Development, working with Ascension Recovery Services, wants to rehab the 15,303-square-foot church at 302 Fifth Ave. S. and turn it into a 48-bed inpatient and outpatient center for treatment of substance abuse, anxiety, and depression.

Built in the 1960s, the building has been vacant since 2013, when the First United Methodist Church relocated after 50 years of holding services there. The building has an assessed value of $208,000, according to Stearns County property records.

As part of the adaptive-reuse project, crews would renovate the education wing and congregation hall for inpatient and outpatient services. Also planned are exterior improvements, new windows, tuckpointing and a roof replacement, among other fixes.

St. Clouds Planning Commission recently recommended approval of a zoning change to move the project forward. Last week, the City Council set a Feb. 12 public hearing date for the proposed reuse, said Matt Glaesman, St. Clouds community development director.

At a Planning Commission meeting in January, project backers said the treatment center would address a big need in the city and create a productive new use for an aging building with historical value.

Weve gotten the bug of repurposing old buildings and saving the history of our community. Well, the First United Methodist Church building was expected to be torn down and ripped down, Brian Schoenborn, the buildings owner, said at the meeting. The idea that we can now invest $17 million to repurpose a historic building is very important.

Brandon George, vice president at Ascension Recovery Services, which operates programs in 25 states, told the commission that St. Cloud, like many, many, many other communities around the country, is struggling with addiction.

The new treatment center, he said, would serve everything from college kids that may need help with anxiety and depression to people that work in the community that may struggle with alcohol or other mental health concerns.

But some residents are cautious about the plans. A recurring theme among project skeptics: centers for treatment of mental health and addiction may be necessary, but build it someplace else.

At the Planning Commission meeting, neighbors peppered the project team with questions and concerns about everything from the type of medication that would be offered at the facility to traffic and public safety issues.

I dont know if Im supportive of this because our neighbors didnt hear anything about this at all, a 22-year resident of the neighborhood told the Planning Commission.

As somebody who has lived there and walks everywhere, I dont feel safe going to Holiday. [The neighborhood] is not a space that you can go into at any time of day or night because of the amount of homeless, drug-addicted, alcohol-addicted folks that loiter in the area.

Weve had a couple of shootings in that area. So we need not just this facility but we need [to take care of] that neighborhood, the resident added.

Another neighbor acknowledged the need for treatment centers, but wondered if the former church is the best place for it. The issue of the placement of this particular program in this particular neighborhood is a concern.

The treatment center would be staffed at all times with up to 30 employees during the day and 12 at night, according to a city report. Onsite employees would include administrative, counseling, medical and operations personnel.

Inpatient services could last up to 28 days, the staff report says, adding that participation in the program is voluntary.

Sue Abderholden, executive director of the Minnesota Chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness [NAMI-Minnesota], said opposition to projects like the one in St. Cloud is not unusual, despite the huge demand for mental health and addiction treatment.

NAMI-Minnesota points to the proposed Lincoln on the Creek project, which would bring 89 units of workforce housing to Edina. As part of the project, Touchstone Mental Health would provide support for at least 18 households, including at least nine with a mental illness.

The project is facing rising opposition, according to NAMI-Minnesota.

In recent years, similar opposition upended plans to bring residential treatment centers for children to cities such as Golden Valley and Forest Lake, Abderholden said.

People struggling with mental illness and addiction are living in your city and neighborhood, she added. We want them to be able to get treatment. It could be one of your own children, a sibling, a neighbor, a coworker.

It affects a lot of people. The worst thing we can do is have people not have access to treatment.

RELATED:One-time St. Cloud orphanage to become treatment center

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Church-to-treatment center project up for approval in St. Cloud - Finance and Commerce

Those numbers dont account for other equipment expenses like copper line sets, stands, wiring kits, extra refrigerant as needed, and so on. That can add up to anywhere between a few hundred and a few thousand dollars, depending on the project.

The rest of the cost of an installation has to cover overhead: Staff wages, training, trucks and tools, cushion for callbacks on systems that arent working right, and a little extra to take home.

According to some contractors weve heard from, a typical cost breakdown might be something like 40% equipment, 50% business expenses, and 10% profitor that's at least what they'll tell customers who ask. Pre-incentive prices include a lot more cushion built in than that structure implies.

Another way to look at the cost structures: Edward Louie, an efficiency researcher at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, wrote up an itemized breakdown of all the individual costs that go into operating a small HVAC contracting business, and how much youd have to charge per project to meet them.

So how does that all affect the prices youll see on a heat pump quote? Different pros take different approaches to their pricing practices.

Many contractors offer menu-style pricing (including some on the EnergySage Marketplace). That is, they set prices based almost exclusively on the system size and type. Need duct modifications or electrical upgrades? You can pick those adders off the menu as well. The costs dont vary significantly from customer to customer.

Other contractors are more fluid with their prices. Their salespeople tend to work on commission and might have freedom to experiment with sales tactics and tweak their prices as they see fit.

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How Much Does a Heat Pump Cost in 2024? - EnergySage Blog

Granite is the first material you should look into if you want high heat resistance. Though theycan be expensive, granite countertops can stand up to high temperatures (though we don't recommend putting hot things down on your countertop in general). The only issue arises when granite is heated unevenly, which is unlikely to happen to an extent where damage is visible. Granite's resistance to heat stems from its beingforged by heat itself, so it's already used to high temperatures. This makes it an excellent option if you cook often and want the peace of mind associated with a heat-resistant material.

If you're looking for another durable material, look no further than stainless steel. Stainless steelis often used in professional kitchen environments, proving it can stand up well against a variety of cooking experiences. If you put something hot down on the surface of a stainless steel countertop, there will be no burn mark left behind. This type of countertop is alsoresistant to stainsand rust, making it a solid choice if you want something low-maintenance. Plus, unlike granite, stainless steel surfacesdo not have to be sealed.

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The Number One Thing Everyone Overlooks When Buying New Kitchen Countertops - House Digest

Get creative with what containers you have at home. Use canisters (like a large glass jar from pickles) to store dry goods in your kitchen pantry. Berry boxes, jam jars, and similar food containers can be wiped or washed out as well.

Small Vertica Wire Stacking Bin

These affordable stacking bins can hold anything from fruits and vegetables to spices, olive oil or bottles of wine.

16. Add dividers to give cabinets order

Utilize cabinet dividers to keep the kitchen knickknacks in their place. Measure canisters and containers to make sure everything will still fittheres nothing worse than buying something that makes your kitchen organization woes worse!

ROUFA 4Pcs Clear Acrylic Shelf Dividers

These acrylic dividers are a simple solution that will change your life from the moment theyre installed.

17. Use pull-out shelves

For a kitchen cabinet thats a bit awkwardperhaps its really short or super deepadd functionality with a pull-out drawer organizer combined with a pot rack to reveal neatly stacked cookware. You wont ever have to crawl into the cabinet to grab a pot from the back or avoid a cacophonous avalanche that comes with looking for an errant pot lid.

Smart Design Pull Out Cabinet Shelf

Whether youre simply not tall enough to get your hands to the back of the cabinet or just want your pots and pans stacked in a more aesthetic way, these are a must-have.

18. Rack and stack baking sheets and cutting boards

The same principle with pot racks applies to baking sheets and cutting boards. Stop piling up sheets in the oven and arrange them neatly so you dont have to shuffle the deck before baking the next batch of cookies.

YouCopia StoreMore Adjustable Bakeware Rack

So many things can be stored standing upright. Plus, this doubles as a drying rack.

19. Organize lids with dividers

A kitchen cabinet with a bevy of lids might as well be chaos. Keep them all in one place with dividers, which you can also use for all those insulating sleeves youve collected over the years.

YouCopia StoraLid Container Lid Organizer

Again, more upright storageit just makes sense, especially for those slippery Tupperware lids.

20. Employ a lazy Susan for a kitchen cabinet or countertop

Even if you have a spice rack in your kitchen cabinets, no one wants to take out every bottle and tin just to find the paprika. For those oft-used spices and condiments, place a lazy Susan on a countertop or kitchen cabinet to shorten the search.

A Lazy Susan does all of the hard work for you, keeping your kitchen organized and easily accessible, letting you be the lazy one.

21. Use a divider to stack pots and pans

Although it might seem like a half-step above just piling everything on top of one another, using a divider for pots and pans will help make everything easy to findplus, youre less likely to start a kitchen cabinet avalanche. Cabinet dividers can also be used to stack cutting boards, oven pans, and all the cheeseboards youve been gifted for every occasion since college.

Never hear the clang-clang-clang of organizing cast iron pans again.

22. Add a rolling can holder

Cardboard can holders hold their shape for about as long as it takes to get from the grocery store to the kitchen. But at that point, its anyones guess as to when theyll pop open and release a cascade of aluminum cans. Avoid that hassleand the unsightly look of a torn-up cardboard box in your fridge or cabinetswith a polished version that will last forever.

Hold Everything Metal Powder Coat Soda Can Bin

Another solution for things that tend to take up space in a completely unorganized manner: A soda bin will make it easy to keep your Spindrifts and Ghias in their rightful place.

23. Use risers to get more storage in each shelf

Take advantage of that empty vertical space by placing risers in cabinets. This will help keep items separated so you dont have to try to pick something out of the middle of a huge stack.

If your cupboards have high ceilings, double your storage with these svelte, lightweight shelves.

24. Make use of cabinet doors

The inside of your cabinet doors is filled with storage possibilities. Install hooks to store pans, lids, or serving and measuring spoons, or add a slim rack to stash pot lids or boxes of foil and plastic wrap. Sure, you might have to inch back the contents of your cabinets just slightly, but youll be happy to do it when you open the door and see this supremely organized situation.

Over-the-Cabinet Door Organizer Holder

Especially short on counter and cupboard space? Throw one of these over your kitchen door and have cutting boards all in one place, high off the ground.

25. Keep cutlery from rolling around

Every time you open a cutlery drawer, the silverware gets jostled unless you have something keeping it all in place. Invest in nice drawer dividers to keep everything together for easier table setting, or grab a utensil holder that looks chic and orderly.

Tower Expandable Cutlery Drawer Organizer

A nice cutlery divider drawer will stave off the numerous headaches that come with an expanding collection of knives and flatware.

26. Stick the knives

The last thing you want is to cut yourself when youre digging for a knife. To avoid that fate, get a countertop knife block, a knife divider for the drawer, or a magnetic strip to show off the best chefs knives.

Fox Run Brands Magnetic Knife Holder

We are big fans of putting the knives up on the wall.

27. Place clingy liners in drawers

Beyond silverware, kitchen toolslike whisks and spatulasarent usually uniform pieces that can be stacked on top of one another in a drawer divider. Using a clingy liner can help keep gear in place.

Duck Brand Clear Classic Shelf Liner, 2 Rolls

Immediately make searching for your favorite spatula a thoughtless process.

28. Invest in a label maker

A kitchen in order means that the cabinets are also organized, especially when it comes to food storage containersyou cant rely on sight or smell to distinguish all-purpose flour from cake flour. Keep a label maker on hand, perhaps in an organizer storage bin for odds and ends that find their way into a kitchen drawer.

Phomemo D30 Label Maker Machine

The label makers in our houses are literally never allowed to miss an organization party.

29. Step up with a ladder

Maximizing cabinet organization means using the upper cabinets and even the space above. But unless youre tall enough to be in a basketball league, how do you reach anything you put up there? With a step ladder, of course. Look for one thin enough to slide into the space between your fridge or oven.

Kingrack Aluminium 3 Step Ladder

Dont climb on the counters, its just not worth it.

30. Start hanging up cooking gear

Weve already looked at the space in and above your upper cabinets, but what about the rest of the ceiling? A pot rack hung from your ceiling can take advantage of otherwise wasted vertical space, and any frequently used tools that happen to have holes in themslotted spoons, rubber spatulas, and the likealso make good candidates. Just avoid using anything that is heavier than what the rack is rated to carry or anything sharp or potentially dangerous, such as knives and kitchen torches.

Maple Hanging Bar Pot Rack

A pot rack frees up space in your cupboards and keeps your most cherished cookware at eye level.

31. Wine-bottle holder for the fridge

Wine bottles might look great on the bar cart, but you probably prefer drinking chilled white wines, rather than those that have sat at room temperature. However, unless you have room to stand them upright, youll need a wine bottle holder to not only keep them organized but also prevent them from rolling out and shattering, which is the number one way to kill the vibe.

mDesign Plastic Free-Standing Wine Set Rack

Cant have a wine cellar? Thats ok, neither can we. A wine rack like this one keeps your humble collection safe while your finer bottles remain on display.

32. Adjustable fridge drawer storage rack

Similar to kitchen cabinets, fridges tend to have a lot of lost vertical space and not a lot of ways to adjust the shelf heights. Luckily humanity has come up with insertable drawer storage racks, which take advantage of the space under a fridge shelf.

Fridge Drawer Organizer 4 Pack Retractable Drawer

Free up some ever precious fridge space by adding retractable drawers that make your space grow almost exponentially.

33. Stackable fridge bins

If you dont necessarily need more vertical space, but you need to keep similar items grouped together, consider stackable fridge bins to keep like items together. No more looking for that chunk of cheddar.

IDESIGN Wide Fridge Bins Tray Clear

Another perfect solution for organizing your refrigerator; you cant go wrong with the Container Store.

34. Add a paper towel holder

Place a magnetized paper towel holder on the side of the fridge to clear up the valuable real estate that is the kitchen counter.

Magnetic Paper Towel Holder

A magnetic paper towel holder like this one wont require any actual setup and can easily be moved around to suit your needs.

35. Implement the side for extra storage

Besides being very easy to install (just stick it there), a magnetic shelf is also, of course, removable: perfect for renters.

Yamazaki Magnetic Spice Rack

Spices deserve a place of their own and Yamazaki are masters at finding things a neatly designed home.

36. Find a use for sentimental items

It doesnt technically belong in the kitchen if its a sentimental item [because] if youre not using it in the kitchen, then its not a kitchen tool, Cattano says. She notes that this applies to items that are kitchen-related but you never actually use for culinary purposes. Take advantage of nostalgic pieces that could hold things. If you rarely use your grandmas glass gravy boat, use it as a candy bowl to encourage guests to eat all the sweets and snacks you want out of the house.

Artichaut Heritage Gravy Boat

Remembering that things dont have to serve just one purpose will make decorating and organizing that much more fun.

37. Place stand mixer attachments in the bowl

Unless you have every accessory, the basic attachments that come with a stand mixer can all fit in the mixing bowl. And since stand mixers tend to take up quite a bit of counter space, this can help reclaim the territory in kitchen drawers. Line the bowl with a clean dish rag to prevent scratches.

38. Use glass storage as cookware

Plastic food storage containers, like Tupperware, cant be put in an oven since theyd melt. But glass storage containers can double as bakewareor even work triple duty as bowlsif your kitchen cabinets are lacking space.

Pyrex Simply Store 18-Pc Glass Food Storage Containers

That gourmet macaroni and cheese isnt going to cook itself.

39. Multitask with glassware

If youre tight on space for glassware, think about using Ball glass mason jars as both storage and extra cups for unexpected guests (and their plus ones). Cheugy? Admittedly yes, but no one will complain once its in their hands and full of beer.

Ball Wide Mouth Mason Jars with Lids and Bands, (Set of 3)

Just get Mason jars, you wont regret it. They may be everywhere, but you can use them in so many creative ways that youll never regret having them around.

40. Removable over-the-sink dish rack

Counter space is always at a premium, but theres an easy fix: Get a dish rack that fits over the sink. The best part is that you wont have to worry about residual water spilling out onto the counters.

Five Two Over-the-Sink Dish Drying Rack

Ditch those moldy towels and let gravity do the work.

41. Stick magnetic hooks on the fridge

Dish rags, seasonal kitchen towels, and oven mitts can all find a new and easily accessible home on the front or side of a stainless steel fridge. And instead of losing cutesy measuring spoons in your kitchen drawers, you can also hang them from the hooks.

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47 Kitchen Organization Ideas That Declutter Cabinets, Countertops, and More - Architectural Digest

While the clothes steamer is a kitchen superhero, it's not invincible. The steam cleaning method works best on non-porous surfaces like quartz and stainless steel, where the steam can work effectively. Non-porous materials prevent the absorption of moisture, making them unlikely to get damaged by the heat and water in the steam.

Unfortunately, porous surfaces like wood and marble, even when sealed, are not ideal candidates for periodic steam cleaning due to the microscopic openings in their surface. The moisture can damage these materials, compromising their integrity over time. Excessive moisture absorption can lead to swelling, warping, or discoloration, particularly in the case of wood. Also, since steam is hot, the heat it generates can cause the countertop material to expand, and then contract when it cools down. This expansion and contraction cycle can stress porous structures, potentially leading to cracks or other forms of structural damage, especially in materials like marble.For porous countertops, opt for gentle, non-abrasive cleaners or specialized solutions recommended by the manufacturer. Disinfecting wipes are also effective for quick sanitization. Remember to follow proper cleaning guidelines for each specific material to ensure longevity and performance.

So, while the clothes steamer can be a kitchen cleaning game-changer, it's essential to tailor your approach based on the countertop material. By adopting the right cleaning method, you can maintain a kitchen that's not only visually appealing but also a safe, hygienic haven for all your culinary adventures.

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Grab This Laundry Staple To Give Your Kitchen Counters The Cleaning Of A Lifetime - House Digest

Kitchen countertops are possibly the hardest working element of the kitchen. A well-chosen work surface not only combines beauty and practicality, it can also be the star feature of your kitchen.

Busy, family kitchens need tough, hardworking kitchen countertops, not only to withstand a daily onslaught of use but to look contemporary, and stylish and complement your kitchen dcor. Designers are increasingly inspired by kitchen countertop trends to help finalize their choices, and Fixer Upper duo Chip and Joanna Gaines are no different.

A concrete counter, similar to the one in Joanna Gaines's Gristmill Kitchen, is a popular modern option, but also a controversial one that comes with many pros and cons, according to experts. Designed to withstand plenty of heavy-duty use, concrete comes in a range of standard concrete-mix colors and can be combined with pigments for stronger colors. Polished concrete countertops are flat and smooth, but concrete is porous and can stain. Concrete is also heavy so extra reinforcement may be required.

The use of concrete in our homes has had a resurgence in recent years, but this porous material, known for adding an industrial touch, comes with its limitations.

If food spills are left on concrete for a long period of time, it can cause staining. You may need a touch-up kit to minimize the appearance if this happens. You will need to use a food-grade sealer or finishing wax to prevent water and stain absorption. Concrete is an incredibly durable material, but is also prone to scratching.

It is also important to be aware that concrete can crack. Shrink-reducing additives and anti-crack reinforcing can help prevent larger cracks. Sudden temperature changes are the main cause so it's vital to introduce heating slowly and carefully. Choose a specialist installer with a quality track record. The finished surface should offer a good depth of tone and luster, with a hard-wearing finish.

If you do love the urban, industrial appeal of concrete, all is not lost. Hardwearing, easy to clean, and dust-mite resistant, its little wonder polished concrete surfaces are so popular. The industrial look is very on trend too, plus it pairs beautifully with timber kitchen cabinets for a 'rough luxe' look that is very of the now.

Make do like Joanna Gaines and team concrete counters with unfinished wood kitchen cabinet ideas, as seen in her on-set kitchen, used to film the popular cooking show, Magnolia Table. The balance of old and new is truly captivating. Plus, unpainted, oak cabinet kitchens, especially when paired with modern amenities and surfaces, are an aesthetic we predict will top kitchen trends in 2024.

Rattan Round Fruit Basket

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Joanna Gaines' controversial kitchen countertops come with these pros and cons | - Homes & Gardens

When you have marble countertops in the kitchen or bathroom, wiping up spills promptly is crucial, especially when dealing with acidic foods or beverages. Acids, found in items like citrus fruits, tomatoes, and vinegar, can etch and stain marble surfaces. In the kitchen, other common acidic culprits include red wine, coffee, and tomato-based sauces. When left unchecked, these spills will penetrate the porous nature of marble, leaving stubborn stains that are challenging to remove without a deep cleaning or sometimes even a professional refinishing service, which can be both inconvenient and costly. If left alone, these acidic substances can also seep into the marble, causing discoloration.

While the kitchen is a high traffic area for acidic substances, in the bathroom, products like perfumes, toiletries, and even toothpaste may contain acids that can harm the marble surfaces. Prevention is key, and avoiding prolonged exposure of acidic materials to marble is the first line of defense.

To minimize the risk of stains, it's best to use cutting boards, coasters, and trivets. When spills occur, immediately blot the affected area with a soft, damp cloth to prevent the acidic liquid from seeping into the pores. Opt for a pH-neutral stone cleaner and gently wipe the surface. Periodic sealing of marble countertops creates a protective barrier, enhancing resistance to stains. Regular maintenance, cautious usage, and swift cleanup are the keys to preserving the pristine allure of marble countertops in both the kitchen and bathroom.

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Common Mistakes To Avoid If You Have Marble Countertops - House Digest