Connectivity, the Easy Convenient Solution

We've been discussing new major trends in the kitchen and bath industry. Over the past few years connectivity is the word that describes the biggest changes in the remodeling or new construction business. The array of products appearing to make our lives more conveniently controlled through our smart phone or tablet is staggering! These features are integrated with Bluetooth streaming.

The technology continues to expand into practical as well as comfort/convenience uses rapidly.
Water leaks have always had a potential for a nasty expensive discovery when you arrive home. Taking a hint from the apps that run your appliances remotely, Delta's IDevice alerts your mobile device if your water heater or sink are leaking. How about that panicky feeling when you ask yourself half way to your destination " Did I close the garage door?" Ugh! NuTone's Garage Door Controller will not only let you know the answer, it will let you close it remotely! Now that is cool!

In our germ phobic culture we have become used to sink faucets and towel dispensers that operate with the wave of our hand. Now if you want  the same safety in your home, there are hands free flushing toilets, and sink faucets available. High efficiency low flow flushing toilets are gaining in popularity. Manufacturers are racing to offer a diverse selection of 1.0  gallon per flush models. Shocked? Yes, I wrote 1.0 gallon per flush!

Last week I touched on "Smart " stoves and refrigerators. In a very competitive environment appliance manufacturers have been forced to move towards smart technology. The results are amazing. Cooking appliances seem to have developed the greatest advances in technology.
I mentioned in last weeks post the refrigerator with an internal camera your phone can access.
I have inventoried my refrigerator and written a grocery list I left sitting on my counter. So frustrating! This refrigerator's interior camera can be activated with your phone so you can take a look again at what you need to pick up at the store!

Hey, maybe a great sale on a beautiful chicken appears as you walk down the aisle. Suddenly that is what you want to cook for dinner. If you have a "Smart" oven, you just pull up the app to it,turn on your oven, set it to 350 degrees in the convection oven and pop the chicken in for a quick dinner. No more "down" or wasted time!Your Smartphone is becoming the control panel for your oven these days.

How about recipes or unexpected problems with your cooking appliances? The latest appliances can communicate with the manufacturer or each other. They also connect to vast libraries of recipes and cooking resources. In fact the very high end company Wolf Cooking Appliances has 200 +   programmed recipes. You can select one and be instructed which rack position to choose, how to prepare and cook the entire dish!    

 Did you need to hand your Smartphone to your kid or grand kid to learn how to utilize all the capability? I did!  Well, now you can bond with them over great recipes you want to cook and serve to family. The kids and grand kids may not be able to afford these high end specialty Smart Appliances. However, they have the interest, savvy, and ability to help you activate and use the technology! Who knew!

It is EVERYWHERE, Technology, that is!

Wow! Every month there are new technological products! We love the convenience of being connected! Recently the addition of information about the newest technology trends popping up in home construction reminds me we have hit another level of development! Technology is here to stay! The rapidity and expansion into new uses is rushing us into the point of no return!

Our front doors literally hold the key to our fortress and security. Let's begin there with Electronic Entry Systems. Their moment has come! Rapid innovation is eclipsing traditional ways we enter our castles. North America is leading the charge with the use of  fobs similar to those we unlock our cars with.  Developments of "Smart Locks" allow us to leave our traditional keys in our pocket as we approach our front door. An app on our phone, a digital numerical entry code, or the fob will now automatically unlock the door as we walk towards it. No more fumbling with our keys!

Who does this? In 2014 North America reported a staggering growth with installations of Smart Home Entry Systems increasing 75% over previous years. The applications extend to being able to monitor your door's use from the web and a new way to allow access to realtors or guests who need access to your house. Perhaps the need to make duplicate keys will pass us by.

Smart locks are one of the top new developments in the building industry. It's popularity is due to the simplicity and peace of mind a homeowner experiences while away from home. How convenient and
reassuring to be able to lock your door while away from home, whether from a computer or your smart phone!

As always, positive and negative results are showing up as we depend more and more on our phones and tablets connecting us to every possible application faster than ever. We are carrying a small computer in our hand much more powerful than the desk top models that introduced us to technology.

Other important home security needs can be controlled from our phones remotely. We can monitor our pets, children, the rooms in our homes with all our belongings in them.  It does make life simpler. We do not need to drive home to check and be sure we locked our door or left the stove or our lights on etc.

Appliances you can control remotely are all the rage now. Stoves exist that you can program for dual purposes. They will keep your dinner cool in the oven until you remotely turn on the oven to cook your dinner while at work. Botta Bing Botta Boom.......a hot homemade meal ready for you as soon as you walk in your door! Now, THAT is cool! Or should I say, that is hot!

Are you at the grocery store and realize you forgot your grocery list? No problem! Purchase a "connected refrigerator" like the Samsung  Family Hub model with cameras inside. You can access them from your cell phone to see what you are out of , all while walking down the grocery store aisle!

The convenience factor is driving sales of these Smart products. People love turning their appliance on and off remotely. The oven can even text you when your dinner is cooked so your can turn it off at the perfect time. You can set the warmer to keep your dinner warm as you drive home!

Kitchens and bath product engineers, designers, and manufacturers are creating lighting, appliances, heated flooring, thermostats, doors, and window coverings that can be turned on or off, adjusted, opened or closed remotely with our phones or tablets.  

Do you enjoy impressing others? Well, if you are a great cook, buying a cooking appliance with this kind of technology will launch you to the "spectacular " level in your friends eyes. Hey, you will be considered a "great cook" even if your cooking skills have never been that good before. What a deal!

There is always a little down side to technology. However, the manufacturers are constantly developing ways to conquer them. I appreciate organization and beauty in a home. Technology used to mean numerous cords connecting to electricity initially.  However, wireless technology has changed the game! As a designer, I hate cords "everywhere"! If you still use tablets and phones requiring a cord , ugly and messy are the only applicable words to describe massive tangles these  same cords create, connected to all your devices. Are you tired of multiple phones, tablets, and other electrical devices being lined up on your kitchen counter, nightstand, or desk to charge?

What is the answer if you still have to plug your "assistant's in to charge them? Cabinet makers have solutions. They are called docking drawers. The great news! You can charge all your devices out of sight! The electrical outlets are designed inside the cabinet drawers. A full array of creative options including movable outlets fit into any drawer. These can be installed almost anywhere. Finally , the days of that rat's nest of cords are no longer necessary! NOW, there are even counter tops you can install that will charge your wireless devices !  Just leave your cell phone sitting on it to be sure it is all charged and ready to go the next time you need it.

Is your mind whirling? Get ready , we have more new technology to talk about in future posts!

LED Lighting for Your World

New lighting technology is changing our environments while saving energy. It has shifted entire categories and created new ones. The smaller LEDs are designed, the more creative their applications! The tiny computers, called cell phones, allow us to control the technology in our homes off site! We have become so accustomed to this convenience now. I think it is becoming easy to forget how recently none of this existed. As technology expands “ the sky if the limit “ literally. The Cloud holds everything needed to make our lives manageable in the most amazing ways!

As our Digital world expands the possibilities seem endless! The trend developing is exploding

LEDs” popularity due to it's connectivity! They continue to drive forward style options, energy efficiency, and controlling home and our office lighting on our mobile devices. It is common now to control our lighting from our cell phones and tablets. How convenient is that? With this technology even the old “light switch” is giving room to new options. WiFi connectivity and off sight connections are creating off site options never available until now. A new trend tied into the new popularity of LED lighting is connectivity. Smart phone owners enjoy the convenience of controlling the lighting in their home remotely on their mobile devices. Far beyond the rocker switch we have all used to decades, new ways of controlling speakers and even charging phones and tablets by setting them in under cabinet charging cradles is being developed. WiFi capability is on target for future cabinet accessories too. 

Kitchens may be the most challenging room in a home to light effectively. The need for various types of lighting is challenging. The old way of walking in to the kitchen, switching on the one ceiling light fixture in the center of the room is gone. The 1990's introduced the excellent feature of under cabinet lighting. The innovation of 3 to 4 inch “puck” lights changed how we approached food preparation.

Being able to dim them after dark for ambiance and a soft nightlight for midnight snacking became standard design immediately. When LED came on the scene, this technology exploded. Lighting the entire counter evenly using very little electricity is the norm now. Gone is the need for dimmers, expensive wiring and multiple electrical outlets. As these lights have become smaller and less visible the impossible seems to have been the result. The illumination has increased to excellent standards not available even five years ago. Smaller drivers for the LEDs mean more compact fixtures they can fit into. This technology allows what used to be a minimum of six inch rounds to as small as only two inches in diameter. The edge trim on these new innovations can be plastered flush with the ceiling, making them virtually invisible! It is expected the new applications for LEDs  will ultimately replace traditional light sources! Amazing! Like all other categories of technology, LED lighting becomes more affordable as the popularity grows. The more widely utilized and available, the lower the cost becomes.  

Kitchens are always the most multifunctional room in any home. It serves as an office, a place to do homework, cooking, preparing food for cooking, entertaining, and just general family connectedness. 
Balancing the lighting to meet each of these required needs is becoming a new genre of engineering.
It is truly amazing how much everything has changed in lighting.

As I research new trends, I find myself continually amazed at all the new inventions and applications to make our lives more organized, stress free, and efficient. Keep coming back. You never know what new information all this discovery will give me to share with you!

Technology In Remodeling

All of us are surrounded with more devices than ever. The capacity of phones, GPS, tablets, TVs, seems limitless. I doubt that most adults have explored every possible application available on their devices.

I have to be tutored by my kids on so many devices. Teenagers realize the potential of all that is available much quicker than I can.  Frankly, it makes me tired just thinking about learning to access all the technology available to me now. Suddenly technology is expanding into unexpected areas! Get ready for futuristic “Smart Kitchens and Baths” entering the scene.

There are great features available now for components in remodeling projects. New products  have developed to meet the demand for  high tech applications. For those who  know how to use all the features available in appliances, faucets , showers, bathtubs, spa accessories and lighting, the combinations are endless. Are you wondering how and why?

Let's begin in the kitchen. Entertaining and holidays present challenges for all of us.  We do not experience stress typically in our kitchens during our normal routines. However, a higher level of stress tends to come with our venture into parties, holidays, and entertaining. Everything from organizing ingredients, jumping into the  prep stage, to  timing all the cooked items to be done simultaneously is fun,  yet overwhelming at times. Many households are based on two adult incomes. Careers come first these days and with them, sometimes long hours. Technology to the rescue. As the cellular phone industry has expanded, devices can help us perform tasks on our phones that used to require a human present in the house previously.

We see ads for home security systems with video accessible on your phone. That certainly gives us peace of mind while away. How about turning on your oven to start dinner while heading into your afternoon meeting?  Technology has dramatically expanded now with cell phone and tablet apps being invented to facilitate consumer demand for connectivity. Remote control is the new norm when smart devices can be accessed via Wi-Fi. It is being used to operate everything from cooking appliances to lighting.

Let’s explore some of the cutting edge technology designed to take your kitchen experience into the stratosphere. Once you try some new conveniences, you may never go back to the old way of accessing appliances, cabinets, water, ovens, and stove tops.  There are too many components to address each of them in one blog  post. I will continue informing you of the fun new toys you can play with in your kitchen over the next few weeks.

The most descriptive  phrase to capture  this new trend in kitchen remodeling is “ Smart Rooms.” Lets’ consider some of the choices available to create your  own.  The promise is your Smart Kitchen or Bath will save you time. It will also stir your creativity.

This week we will begin with Lighting and new trends in electrical applications:

LED lighting is the hot new trend in kitchen and bath design. Originally, the savings on your electric bill caused interest. Lighting remained cool to the touch , thus safer. It used less energy as well. That was only the beginning of LED's possibilities.

Designers have been selling under cabinet lighting for three to four decades. Having your counter top illuminated makes food prep so pleasant. Isn't it wonderful to set the mood as you leave your kitchen lit only with soft lighting featuring your beautiful granite or Quartz Counter Tops? LED Under cabinet lights make the perfect "night light". They economically bring just the level of light needed to navigate into and through your kitchen late at night. 

Originally under cabinet lighting required wiring and switches to operate. Options included puck lights, small fluorescent light bars, or tubular string type LED lights. Any functionality was hidden with bottom cabinet molding trim. A new level of sophistication has arrived. There are new wireless puck lights. A company named Hafele manufactures a round LED IP65 rated fixture available in a chrome plated "shiny" finish or nickel-plated matte finish. It can be recessed mounted for kitchen or bath application. It is dual purpose. It can be utilized from ceilings as well as under cabinets. In both uses the warmth generated and uniform lighting has been wonderfully received by homeowners. All of this without the cost of wiring or need to turn on a wall switch. These can be controlled remotely.

Are your wheels turning? So many possibilities!  We are just beginning to explore this topic!
Like the industry itself,  the advancements seem to never end. There is even more lighting possibilities to inform you about next week. Have a great week and jot down your "lightbulb " ideas! 

Multi Purpose Cabinets

Hi,

Here at Apple Wood Kitchen $ Bath, remodeling baths has become a major project for many of our clients recently. Everyone longs for their home "spa" experience.

Most showrooms have more Kitchen Cabinet displays than Bath Vanity Cabinets. Generally, potential customers must expect the showroom to be split equally between kitchen and bath displays.  The reality is I have been in this business for over 20 years. I have never seen a showroom set up equally, between the two. Here is a secret to help you. Companies that specialize in only vanity cabinets do exist. They are typically free standing units that incorporate a built in sink and counter top. Generally speaking the quality is less than that of the vanity cabinets available with major cabinet manufacturers. Custom and Semi Custom cabinet manufacturers offer numerous door styles in many different wood species or painted cabinets. These choices can be ordered for your bath vanity cabinets as well as any kitchen cabinets you prefer.

When you come in to our showroom, any door style and finish displayed and listed in our books for kitchen cabinets are available in bath vanity sizes as well. The base cabinets used for a kitchen application are 34 1/2 inches tall. The same cabinet used as a vanity can also be that height or 31 1/2. The tall cabinets utilized as a pantry or broom closet cabinet in a kitchen are mirrored in baths as Linen Storage cabinets. Base trash cabinets double serve as laundry hampers. The pull out spice cabinets available for base cabinets next to your range are perfect on either side of your bath sink as storage for make up, toiletries, or hair care in the bath.

The reality is that kitchen remodels are generally more popular than bathroom projects. Here at Apple Wood most of our business is repeat or referral business. Sometimes our customers do one project first then contract with us to come back and update the other rooms. We find our bath remodeling customers are so impressed with their new space, it is only a matter of time until they return wanting us to remodel their kitchen as well.

The bathroom is a perfect place to step up to inset drawers and doors with or without a bead trim. A true "furniture" appearance is the result when inset doors and drawers are chosen. The "bead" is a detail of a special grooved trim surrounding the frame the door or drawer is set into. Another furniture feature that adds pizzazz is feet added in front of the toe kick or actually lifting the bottom of the cabinet off the floor. Since a bathroom requires fewer cabinets, lights, and accessories, it is the perfect place to incorporate finer finishes.

For the home spa of Jacuzzi tub, rain shower head, steam and massage jets to pamper yourself in. Lighting that adjusts to the mood you want to create takes being refreshed to a higher level. Full glass surrounds in a dedicated shower enclosure creates the sense of space. Beautiful tile work set off by the accessory of strips of glass tile borders beckons us in to admire the reflective surfaces. You can also add stone tiles into the floor that will stimulate your feet with a reflexology treatment as you stand in our own shower.

One of my favorite combinations is a luxurious Jacuzzi tub with a place to comfortable lean back and enjoy a fireplace at your feet. You may never leave! The choices are endless. There are waterfall shower heads we can mount in the wall that will literally feel like you are standing under a natural waterfall. Large circular "rainfall" shower heads encircle your head and shoulders with soothing warm to hot water to relax tired muscles.  Control panels with strategically placed jets can massage your entire back as you relax in your shower too. Steam is available as well. A true Spa experience is just a few weeks away. You may never want to leave your newly remodeled bath.

Even if your bath is smaller than you prefer, we can expand the space for you with an addition. If not, designing your new bath wisely using all the new tile, stone, glass enclosures, heated flooring, and special shower heads will visually expand the square footage of your current space as well as expand your enjoyment of relaxing in your own "spa" bathroom.

Give us a call, let's dream together to create your perfect beginning to truly relaxing in your home.
I think  you will be sleeping deeply and dreaming more than ever about all the possibilities!      

Great Ideas other than Kitchens and Baths

Tax time is here. It is April! Ugh! I hate tax time! It seems papers are strewn around for weeks!

Have you ever walked into a room in your home and felt pinned down or anxious? Do you go into a room like an office to accomplish a task to find you have to put stuff away before you can start? How does that work for you? Me, well, I end up distracted and defeated often. I just decide to avoid the mess until later. Then the undone chore bugs me. As each day passes I feel more overwhelmed.

Maybe the rooms in your house are spacious with lots of storage. Many New Hampshire home owners remark they need more storage. Often the only solution they consider is buying furniture to add to a room. That can be a great solution. It can also create a feeling of more chaos if it is not planned well.

Wow, do we have lots of stuff! Most homes become cluttered simply because creating an organized place to store our favorite things never occurs to us. What do I mean? Let's talk about books. toys, shoes, boots, winter coats, craft and sewing supplies, pet supplies, laundry area storage.

Sometimes  stuffing stuff into desk trays, baskets, drawers, or closets can hide the clutter. At least it feels a little better. However, feeling truly peaceful seems to escape us with those solutions.

How can cabinetry bring peace of mind? Here are some examples:

A wall of base cabinets and book shelves is perfect. Adding the installation of these storage solutions in a family room or office space within view of the kitchen is perfect. A custom home look is the result when you choose to expand your kitchen project to include the wall of storage in the family room. Selecting the same cabinet door style and finish will add the wow factor and peace of mind.
Cabinets to store toys, books, videos, DVD's and music keeps it all hidden yet right at your finger tips. The impact of organized storage is priceless.

Two other spaces perfect to add storage cabinets in are your mudroom and laundry room.
Cabinets with drawers or pull out trays that can hide shoes, or winter gloves, hats, and scarves
is so much nicer to come home to than hooks piled high with too many items. The laundry room is the perfect room to add tall storage as well as more base and walls cabinets to keep everything hidden.

Offices with built in file drawers, cabinets, printers hidden behind doors on roll out trays are heaven!
In fact we can build you a custom desk especially designed with your particular purposes and needs in mind. It can really be the spot where "there is a space of everything and everything is in it's place."

Finally, isn't is marvelous to end your day walking into your peaceful comfortable clean bedroom for restful retreat and sleep. I love to read in bed. My nightstands are piled with books, reading glasses, pens and journals. It is not clean or peaceful. All that is needed is my project for this year. Borrowing the idea of a family room bank of cabinets and bookcases on one wall is the plan. My sleep and peaceful rest is going to be improved this year. One either side of our bed the walls will host 24" deep drawer base cabinets with bookshelves placed on top of shallow 12 deep drawers. I cannot wait.
I feel more peaceful just designing it.

I hope I am stirring up your imagination. There are so many possibilities to improve your life as well as remodel your home. We would love to be part of creating your personal retreat center!

Lessons in Cost versus Value

Have you ever learned the following lesson: sometimes the higher priced option and choice actually saves money?

 Please bare with me as I share a story about trying to save money. Most people who walk into our showroom ask about cost during the first visit. In that question is hidden a common mistake all of us tend to make, confusing cost versus value.

I covered the various options homeowners have in many blog posts in December and January. I suggest you check them out. Are you in Sales or own a small business committed to excellence?
If so, how often do you attempt to share "value" with potential clients who basically focus only on cost as their deciding factor? Frustrating, isn't it?

Let me diverge here for a moment.  Stick with me, there is a point to my rabbit trails. In 2013, I began to become aware that some extensive and expensive dental crowns I had done years ago, out of State might fail. After all they were nearly fifteen years old.

A trusted friend referred me to her dentist who had an excellent reputation. She raved about his talent, expertise, and superb skills.  Frankly, I chose to ignore her referral because I assumed he would be very high priced. Instead, I went to a  well known franchise dental center. I was thrilled when the price per filling was $120 less than a third dentist I went to for a while.  However, they popped out repeatedly and had to be redone.

I liked the staff and developed a good relationship with them and the manager of this name brand franchise dental center.Eventually, one of my older crowns broke off! To make it worse, it was one of my front teeth. Ugh!

I consider that an emergency. I did not know who to go to. I decided to trust the franchised Dental office with a root canal, post and new crown for $2500. Within days I was in excruciating pain from a fractured root caused due to a short temporary post being placed to support the new crown.
What does this story have to do with Kitchen and Bath remodeling? Please hold on, there is a connection.

What to do now? Probably the same thing homeowners do when the contractor they hired takes their deposit money and never shows up again or creates a nightmare in the remodeling process that must be corrected by someone else.  

In my dental fiasco, the latter has been my only solution. Three years later, I finally went to see the dentist my friend recommended in 2013. Yes, originally his expertise would have cost more than the dental center I went to. However, now I am out the money I spent at the less experienced and less professional dental center plus the money to correct the problem. The errors made created a need for expensive restoration of my mouth. If I had considered value over cost I would have paid more initially. However, the work would have been done excellently and all this angst, stress, and extra expense would have been avoided.

Here at Apple Wood we will not be the cheapest professional you may consider. We are competitive. We take great pride in our skill, professionalism, reputation and client satisfaction. We do everything the right way all the time. City inspectors and permit departments always have positive remarks to make concerning our excellence. Our clients love how we respect them, their time, homes, family, pets, and concerns. Most of our business is referral business. Most of our clients return for multiple projects.

Unfortunately, some of our customers have stories like my dental journey. Trying to save a few dollars ended up costing them considerably on every level. Please look at value for the dollar invested. Remodeling your home is an investment, after all. Come see us. We will do it the right way the first time. You will love the results!