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What's New:
Initially introduced in the United States in 2003 by Cook-N-Dine, the premium stainless steel, teppan cooking surfaces by CDS have been re-examined recently by the scrutinizing eyes of their inventor and patent-holder, Mr. Paul Schacht. To suit the demanding American customer even better, all built-in teppanyaki grill models have received a major technical makeover, resulting in improved heating element size, which led to almost double the actual hot cooking surface. These new models are already rolling out for the Holiday Season 2009.
The intriguing teppanyaki cooking style makes for effortless delicious, healthy eats. The secret is the intense heat of the solid 304 stainless steel surface that seals in all the juices on contact. Paired with its patented sink-down-in-the-center feature when on, a CDS teppanyaki grill can replace bulky pans and woks, and perfectly complements any traditional barbeque grill, while freeing up storage space and doubling as additional work top when not in use for cooking. Main features include:
- Worldwide patented feature: center bows down slightly when on to keep the fine juices in place; reverts back to flat when switched off
- Accurate temperature control from gentle 120°F up to 430°F, even contact heat, plenty [...]
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Here is what’s catching my attention…new and/or interesting products you need to know about.
 Blue Star is sort of a lone wolf (no pun intended) in the pro range category. A somewhat silent player, it’s a product that deserves more attention. Blue Star says that they are the only genuine restaurant range for the home due to their open burner system, producing 22,000 btus of power, resulting in shorter cooking times and an even simmer. BUILD YOUR OWN Blue Star range (that’s what I built in the image) to reflect your personal style and preferences.
Miele hasjust redesigned their CombiSets, or modular cooking pieces. I LOVE modular pieces. It’s a super flexible, super functional way to precision-design your cooking needs. The new line includes an induction cooktop and Japanese Tepan Yaki. The design of these pieces are gorgeous, with controls that are slanted in an ergonomic way. A slightly larger 15″ size is available for some models and that really makes sense to me.
 I’m crazy about sink accessories! In my new home, I have this one small built-in cutting board, and it’s so incredibly useful to have it right nearby. We [...]
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Year-over-year percentage decline in shipments of major appliances for June 2009, according to the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers. Vendors shipped about 5.7 million units in June 2009, down from 8 million units a year earlier. Air conditioners were especially hard hit, with annualized shipments sinking 60 percent. The cool, wet late spring/early summer hurt AC sales, but even where the mercury rose, many homeowners decided to forgo air conditioning to save on energy costs, according to this recent article in The New York Times.
If you’re not willing to sweat it out all summer, the slumping shipment figures could mean even deeper discounts on air conditioners, and you might find it easier to hire a top contractor to install a central-air system.
Read the special report on cooling in the July 2009 issue of Consumer Reports, and check out the free buyer’s guide to air conditioners (ratings and central-air brand-reliability information available to subscribers).—Daniel DiClerico | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook
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Now I know why someone associated with House Beautiful yesterday said to me “We love bloggers!” This post will have taken me about 6 hours to produce by the time I’m finished. Why? It’s the images! I’m not even going to tell you how how many I took…but maybe I’m the worst editor, or maybe there are just WAY too many inspiring vignettes in this beauitful kitchen/living space. In either case, maybe I was a little obsessive. That’s ok, I surrender to it and you benefit.
Ok, let’s talk about the kitchen. There’s A LOT going on in this kitchen, a lot to talk about. I think I’ll be organized about it. Yes, Susan, that’s a good concept.
OVERALL DESIGN
The kitchen design, by Robert Stilin in close collaboration with Ina Garten, was meant to replicate Ina’s East Hampton kitchen for House Beautiful’s Kitchen Of The Year 2009. The kitchen of the year can be viewed at Rockefeller Center (you can’t miss it) until July 24.
 You’re hearing it more and more…the kitchen is the new living room. The drum beat is getting louder. I think we were shocked by the financial crisis into rediscovering the [...]
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 Out of the gate, I’ll say it…the InSinkErator instant hot/cold water dispenser is the appliance that I didn’t know I wanted until I was asked to try it. Sure, why not? Brings me one step closer to experiencing an appliance I have not used before, good for my knowledge base!
I never had one and I never thought much about owning one, even though I have installed many for my clients over the years. I guess it was the cooktop or microwave that did the jobs I needed.
It has a generous 2/3-gallon capacity that dispenses 200 degree water instantly. And the filtration system reduces chlorine taste and odor and is listed under NSF Standard 42 so you can be assured of its performance.
One of my first questions was that I wanted to learn about the green aspects of this appliance. It does use energy, after all. Each tank uses about the same energy as a 40-watt light bulb. That is enough energy to heat and cool the water that is currently in each tank.
When you use the handle on the instant hot water dispenser, cool tap water flows into the tank. The cool tap water is first [...]
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Furniture and accessories add the finishing touches to your kitchen and help to enhance its overall effect. Buying new accessories is the easiest way to change the look of your kitchen.
However, it is important not only to choose items that complement the style and feel of your kitchen but also ones that meet your needs.
Appliances and accessories made of stainless steel are very popular right now, such as blenders and toasters, refrigerators and pro-style oven ranges. To get the all-steel look without the price, look for steel finished appliances and accessories.
Kitchen seating and lighting is covered below. Also, there are some hints and tips on kitchen cleaning and suggestions on what to look out for when choosing a kitchen to make these tasks easier.
Tools and gadgets are a personal choice and should reflect your personal taste.
Kitchen Seating
With many people spending significantly more time in their kitchens these days, this room has now become one of the most lived in rooms in the home.
Seat Height Selection
Choosing the correct size stool or chair is very important as there are several seat heights available. Remember, stools and chairs usually come in three standard heights.
Chairs
These usually have a seat height [...]
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There are many new looks and styles for sinks that depart from the typical bowl configuration.
Newer designs include geometrically shaped sinks made from glass, and stainless steel sinks with long, narrow stream-shaped basins.
A distinctive, contemporary sink gives a stylish flair and becomes a striking attraction in your kitchen, while still remaining functional. There are just a few things to consider when selecting a kitchen sink.
Size and Shape
Sink sizes range from S to XXL, so there’s a model to fit every kitchen. If space is an issue or if you want something really different, a corner sink could provide a stylish solution.
Usage
Many sink units contain different sized bowls and compartments, so you can store, clean and drain foods in different areas of the sink at the same time, which is a useful feature if you are a keen cook. Some sinks are traditionally styled while other have features such as pull-out sprays that allow you to wash items and surfaces outside of the main bowl.
Bowl Size and Draining Area
Choosing the size of bowl you need all depends on what accessories you use. If you regularly need to wash bulky items, you may need a sink with a [...]
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The cabinets may be the face of the kitchen but the countertops are where all the action happens. A countertop will have to cope with hot pots and pans, knives, dirt and therefore needs to be durable.
So it is usually best to make your choice based on the performance of the material and ease of maintenance, as well as the sink mounting option.
Notes on edge styles and backsplash options are given at the end of this page (click here).
The countertop choices are listed below very roughly by price (least to most expensive). If you are replacing countertops measure the tops at the wall edge (not the front edge) and make a rough drawing when you go to the kitchen store to get a quote. Also measure the depth and indicate how the ends need to be finished, meaning whether there is a wall, an appliance or a walkway. Draw your plan from above, as if you were on the ceiling looking down.
Laminate
Tile
Wood and Butcher Block
Stainless Steel
Corian, Avonite and Other Solid Surfaces
Swanstone
Granite
Quartz Surfaces: Cambria, Zodiaq and Silestone
Concrete
Soapstone
Laminate
Laminate is a very popular choice for kitchen countertops [...]
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There are so many choices where cabinets are concerned, such as the door materials, style, color, frames, etc., and so much variation in price that the whole area can be confusing at times.
Hopefully, this section should give you a good place to start.
You may also want to consider the option of having your cabinets refaced. You will be surprised at the results you can achieve by doing this, and also how inexpensive it is, especially if you can find a good deal with a reputable company.
Definitely check it out first, get some quotes and see if makes sense for you. There are plenty of good cabinet refacing advice sites out there, for example, this one.
Cabinet Manufacturing Classifications
The first decision when selecting cabinets is whether to go for stock cabinets, semi-custom, custom units or frameless cabinets. All have their own advantages and disadvantages.
There are the three basic classifications of cabinet manufacturing: Stock, Semi-Custom & Custom, and this can be further subdivided into Framed and Frameless. Pricing will vary depending on your layout, the manufacturer, wood, finish, door style and the interior accessories you select.
Stock
Lowest price range.
Limited selection of door styles, woods and stain colors. [...]
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Your budget will normally dictate your choice of products but there are other considerations you need to take into account when working out how much your new kitchen is going to cost.
Prices vary quite a lot, so the figures given below are just a guideline and, as always, shopping around is the best bet.
But work out roughly how much money you want to spend and use this figure when talking to designers and contractors.
Below are some guidelines for establishing a realistic budget.
Budget Guidelines
First of all, if you limit your spending to 15% of your home’s value you should recoup 90% of the costs when you sell. Try to keep your investment relative to your homes worth, but at the same time make it worth your while by spending on the items that you really want.
Second, figure your product costs to be 1/2 to 2/3 of the total remodel. Choose your appliances, cabinets, countertops, flooring and all other fixtures first. The remaining money will go towards installation and design.
Third, if you become overwhelmed with selection choices hire a design consultant to help you. A designer can save you money in the long run by helping to prevent [...]
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The next step in planning your new kitchen is to plan enough storage to suit your needs.
As already explained in Kitchen Shapes, different shapes of kitchens automatically provide different amounts of storage space.
Although most of us think of plain cabinets when we think of storage, there are a lot more options these days.
In this section you will find solutions to various storage problems and useful tips to make the most of even the smallest of spaces. Cabinets will be discussed in the ‘Cabinets’ section.
Below The Countertop
It is obvious that the bigger the countertop, the more you can store below it. After you have planned the position of your sink, fridge and cooktop/oven, the rest of the space below the countertop is yours to play with, because plain cabinets are not the only option.
Storage below the countertop is especially convenient for heavy items such as electrical equipment and heavy pots, pans and oven dishes. Think about how many of those items you have and how much storage space you have to give to those items. Remember to leave enough room for expansion as in the future you will buy more utensils and the items you already have [...]
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Think about what happens to your food and you will get a good idea how an efficient kitchen works. The steps are usually:
Purchase
Storage
Pre-preparation
Preparation
Service
Dish Washing
Bear all these in mind when planning and you won’t go far wrong. For example, put the fridge near the door where you bring in the shopping (to save you walking acros the kitchen each time), put the baking supplies in a cupboard near the oven, the clean-up materials under the sink and snack items near the microwave, and so on.
The Work Triangle
For maximum efficiency, the kitchen’s three primary appliances, the sink, the refrigerator and the cooktop or range should be located in a triangle and as close to each other as possible. The triangle is measured from the center of the sink to the center of the refrigerator to the center of the cooktop.
Although not a hard and fast rule, the perimeter of the work triangle should measure at least 12 feet but not more than 26 feet. Each side should measure at least 4 feet but no longer than 9 feet.
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Most kitchens will have service points for all three appliances already installed so the decision s to their layout may [...]
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The next big step in the kitchen planning process is deciding what shape the kitchen will be, and determining who will use the kitchen and how often.
Although deciding on the shape seems restrictive, it actually narrows down the possibilities and makes the planning easier. The goal on deciding on a shape it to make your kitchen as efficient as possible, with the food preparation, sink and cooking areas close together. A good rule of thumb is to keep a piece of countertop between the sink and cooktop on which to prepare food.
Another good idea is to place the fridge between the main doorway into the kitchen and the main cooking area so that the other people in the house can have easy access to the fridge (without having to walk through the cooking area). The fridge shouldn’t be located next to the oven/range or cooktop, however, due to the temperature differences.
There are four main shapes a kitchen can have: Single Galley kitchens, Two-way Galley kitchens, L-shaped kitchens and U-shaped kitchens. There are also variations on each with the addition of an island. Each has its advantages and disadvantages.
Single Galley kitchens
Single Galley kitchens have [...]
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