 |
Back
to top |
 Fridge
facts
When it
comes to refrigerators, there’s an ever-expanding array of
options. From the traditional top-freezer to the stylish
French-door bottom freezer models, today’s refrigerators are
equipped with myriad amenities designed to make life easier.
|
 The future
is now
Cabinet
drawers that open with a slight touch; lighting, window treatments and
appliances controlled by your cell phone; a cooktop that heats only
the area that comes into contact with cookware — these are just some
of the latest innovations being incorporated into today’s kitchens,
bringing speed and efficiency to families’ daily hustle and bustle.
|
 Kitchen
central
The Arndorfers’ inspiration for their
kitchen remodel was right outside their window. The couple wanted to
incorporate the beautiful natural setting of their Monches home into
the project.
|
 Eating out
Outdoor
kitchens can be as grand or as minimal as a homeowner’s inclination
and budget. Whether you simply want a defined grill and gathering area
or a full-blown room with fireplace, roof and comfy seating, here are
some pointers for designing your space from B&E General
Contractors architectural designer Jeff Brady and Brian Mours, vice
president of operations; and Kyle Kohlmann, landscape architect, with
Brett Achtenhagen Seasonal Services.
|
The changing
triangle
The
kitchen work triangle has become a personal thing. The cookie-cutter
perfect pattern of stove to refrigerator to sink is changing right
along with the family lifestyle.
|
Eating in
Margaret Zitzer had a laundry list of things she wanted in her new
kitchen, including a desk area and an adjacent mudroom.
|
 Man's turf
You
know what they say about men. Big feet, big … under-cabinet toe
space? Of course that’s what they say. "They" being kitchen
remodelers who are slowly but steadily seeing men’s growing
influence on the cooking spaces they now design.
|
 Cooking up a
makeover
With an abundance of outdated oak woodwork and a 1990s style, Kim
Pollard knew her home desperately needed a fresh, new look to bring it
up to speed with 2008.
|
 Made to
order
Ron and Linda Kohl White called upon Wisconsin Kitchen Mart to
solve their kitchen design challenges. A priority for the couple was
to include an island in the design. However, this posed the biggest
challenge.
|
I n-demand
kitchens
A couple of generations ago, American kitchens were large and busy
places where mothers and daughters baked and families gathered. In the
decades that followed, kitchens diminished in size and living rooms
grew larger with the advent of television and convenience foods.
|
 Kitchen
inspirations
When chef Rebecca Guralnick put together plans for her dream
kitchen, she had a few more requirements than your average cook,
starting with a 12-foot island in the heart of the space.
|
Breaking
bread
Mark
and Karen Zeman love to collect interesting art pieces giving their
Delafield home a wonderful kaleidoscope of color. The large dining
table adjacent to the kitchen area easily accommodates the Zeman clan
of seven.
|
 Island
paradise
The black and white combination in this
Whitefish Bay kitchen renovation packs a dramatic punch, says Tove
Kenyon, kitchen designer with B&E General Contractors. In the
remodeling of this older Whitefish Bay home, Kenyon incorporated
design elements from the rest of the house into the new space, such as
reeded columns and reeded detail on the island.
|
Epicurean
delight
Foodies
would be in heaven in these kitchens.
|
 Culinary
makeovers
The kitchen of Dr. Jeff and Nancy Weber
provides a multi-functional space that looks like a piece of art.
|
 Green
movement
Think
that "green design" is as drab as a rice cake? Guess again.
Some of the hottest-looking kitchen products around are made of
renewable resources. Consumers now can choose richly textured bamboo
floors, exotic-looking paper countertops and shiny backsplashes made
of recycled glass.
|
 Work zone
If
any room in the house inspires design dreams it is the kitchen. People
dream of bigger and better kitchens complete with high-end appliances
and all the latest bells and whistles. But as the professionals know,
the best kitchens can be simple or even small as long as they are
efficiently designed.
|
 Cooking in
the elements
In a state famous for beer and brats
(and long winters), we’re pretty passionate about our cookouts come
summer.
|
 Home &
the range
The
traditional-styled kitchen of Dan and Lori Lorenz in the town of
Delafield is definitely a kitchen for a serious cook. The multiple
work stations and 9-foot by 6-foot granite island allow for the entire
family of six to assist with meal preparation.
|
 Personality
test
You might not think that your kitchen
says much about your personality. Well, just look around.
|
 Crafted
kitchens
Wauwatosa’s Cindy Busche dreamed of making her kitchen her own
since moving back into the 1950s Cape Cod she lived in with her
parents as a child. On Sept. 26, the OAR Group started helping her
dream unfold. |
Contemporary
cooking
A decade ago homeowners started cutting the shackles off their
kitchens, freeing them from isolated and solitary corners. Today, they’re
taking the next giant step forward — taking kitchens from a simple
open concept to center stage. |
 Exclusive
kitchens
When Bill and Lisa Feld constructed
their Grafton home, they planted some family roots right in the
kitchen. |
Plain and
fancy
Therese and Tom Nichols decided on an
English urban feeling for the kitchen in their Elm Grove home. They
called Susan Stockton of London by Design to help with the decorating. |
 Kitchen
confidential
From a residence to a Marquette dental fraternity and back to a
residence, this 1907 house has been through plenty of changes. When
Todd Badovski and Allyson Nemec purchased it in 2003, there was a lot
of work to be done. Fraternity life had caused a certain amount of
wear and tear, but these two architects had the vision to see past the
tavern-like odors and damaged woodwork.
|
 Full circle
For Patty and Kevin Van Kampen of
Shorewood it was time to transform their 1950s style kitchen area to
achieve an updated, classic aesthetic. Although the Van Kampens admit
they don’t spend a lot of time actually cooking in the kitchen, they
wanted the space to be light, bright and enjoyable.
|
 Fantasy
islands
Once thought of as a nice luxury to
have in one’s kitchen, today’s island — in all its glorious
versatility — has become an essential element. Islands have become
such a centerpiece that some who don’t have one feel stranded on —
well, you get the picture.
|
 Gadgets
galore
Cooking is a hot topic these days and
whether you are watching it on TV or rolling up your sleeves to do it
yourself, people want to be in tune with the latest and greatest tools
of the kitchen. Also in demand are the sophisticated gadgets used by
the chefs they watch.
|
 What's
cookin' now: trends in kitchen remodeling
Knowing
that they can recoup 100 percent of the costs of a kitchen remodel
might bring peace of mind to homeowners contemplating renovation but
is rarely the deciding factor in kitchen updates. According to Milwaukee-area kitchen
experts, cost is certainly a consideration, but comfort, not price, is
the driving force behind consumers’ decisions.
|
 Elegant
expansions
When Dick and Mary Meyers remodeled
their kitchen for the second time in 22 years, they were confident
they knew what they needed. What started out as a plan to update
kitchen appliances, however, quickly grew into something special.
|
 A place for
everything
When Liz and Jim Romanelli were ready
for the demolition stage of their kitchen remodel in their Mequon
home, Liz packed her bags for a trip to the East Coast. Five weeks
later, she returned to her dream kitchen.
|
 Cabinet
fever
From Dave Heigl’s perspective, the
hottest thing in kitchen cabinets and kitchens in general is
functionality. "The overall look and feel of a kitchen is
usability," says Heigl, director of CabinetWerks Design Studio in
the Third Ward. "You don’t have to worry about the kids running
through the kitchen and hurting something." |
 Sunny side
up
Four kitchen remodels create great
spaces for cooking, entertaining and
keeping family close at hand. One of the nicest features about living
on the lake is enjoying a breathtaking view. The Fox Point home of
Billy and Griselda Apple now features a kitchen that maximizes the
view from a cozy vantage point. |
 Taking it personally
Fireplaces, lounge areas, mood lighting
and plasma TVs. Area designers say these are the features their
clients want in the most-used room of the house, the kitchen. Of
course, traditional kitchen elements such as refrigerators, stoves and
dishwashers still have their place, and experts say people are
personalizing those, too. |
 Wide
open spaces
Everyone is looking for a little
more elbowroom in the kitchen. Whether you have the opportunity to
expand or simply are working with what you have, there always seems
to be a way to maximize your space. |
 Family haven
Karen Milaitis reflects upon her
kitchen remodel the way others recall a Caribbean vacation. Words like
"fun," "stress-free," and "exciting,"
describe the process by which this family of six overhauled a kitchen,
dining area, living room and patio.
|
