Elm Grove Company Offers Tips for Preparing the Kitchen for Holiday Cooking & Gathering

Posted: Nov. 24, 2009

“The kitchen is the heart of the home,” said Cheryl Ryan, CKD, Allied Member ASID, of Kitchens By Design, Inc. in Elm Grove, a member of the Milwaukee Chapter of the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (Milwaukee/NARI). “Most people want to remodel their kitchen by making it more functional. They also update their kitchen to reflect their personal style.”

 

As a member of Milwaukee/NARI, the area’s leading home improvement and remodeling resource for more than 48 years, Kitchens By Design offers an example of a recent remodel, detailing some of the latest ways that homeowners can prepare their kitchens for holiday cooking and gathering.

 

In Ryan’s example, the homeowners made a number of changes, including opening up the kitchen to the other areas of the home, allowing it to feel more like the center of activity. “A spacious island was used as a multi-functional space for everything from baking to a place where children can do homework while the parents prepare dinner.”

 

Multiple pantries were added to the kitchen for storage and decorative purposes. “Rollout shelves made access to the base cabinets easier, and soft close doors and drawers were a must,” she said.

 

“In this remodel, we used the unique mixing of countertop materials, such as a walnut island, statuary marble, and Mocha Caesarstone.” They installed wood floors and a mixture of white painted and cherry stained cabinetry as well, which “brought warmth to the new space.”

 

To address the issue of insufficient lighting, recessed cans, under-cabinet lighting, and pendant lights were installed. “General, task, and ambient lighting was used throughout the kitchen,” Ryan said. “A white farm sink and bench faucet brought a more traditional edge to the kitchen, and white subway tile was installed as a look to the past, with a decorative rhomboid tile used behind the range.” A pot filler was an added feature behind the range as well.

 

The Milwaukee/NARI Home Improvement Council was chartered in July 1961, as a Chapter of the National Home Improvement Council. In May of 1982, the National Home Improvement Council merged with the National Remodelers Association to form NARI – the National Association of the Remodeling Industry. The Council’s goals of encouraging ethical conduct, professionalism, and sound business practices in the remodeling industry have led to the remodeling industry’s growth and made NARI a recognized authority in that industry. With over 900 members, the Milwaukee Chapter is the nation’s largest.

 

For more information or to receive a free copy of an annual membership roster listing all members alphabetically and by category, and the booklet, “Milwaukee/NARI’s Remodeling Guide,” call (414) 771-4071 or visit the Council’s Web site at www.milwaukeenari.org.