Tips on Kitchen Lighting Design

How to Properly Illuminate the Kitchen:

Pendants are often used in addition to recessed and under cabinet lighting to add character and ambience to a kitchen. The recent trend toward open floor plans has also pushed the mini pendant into prominence since they leave more open space than traditional island fixtures.

1. High style pendants provide functional task lighting for kitchen work spaces. They do double duty as a designer look and a practical necessity.
2. The ideal hanging height for a pendant varies with the environment and the height of the home owners but make sure to position the pendants low enough to avoid glare.
3. Add a dimmer switch to increase the versatility of the pendant lights. They can provide either task or mood lighting.
4. Top designer brands that offer kitchen pendants are Tech Lighting, Murray Feiss, and Kichler.
5. Maintain design continuity by matching pendant finishes with the kitchen hardware and other surface materials.

Call REDBUD Construction Services and speak with our designers about how to incorporate these lighting ideas into your project…865-250-9172.

ICESTONE – Concrete and Glass Surfaces

Are you looking for that unique surface top for your kitchen or bath, or do you want to have a stylish and durable ‘GREEN’ product…then look no further than IceStone.  This product has appeared in This Old House, The New York Post, and Building Design + Construction.

From their website:

IceStone durable surfaces are made from 100% recycled glass and concrete.  IceStone® products are the ideal choice for green kitchen countertops. They’re also a great option for backsplashes, bathrooms, vanities, bathroom dividers, tabletops, interior walls, and commercial flooring applications. Beautiful shower surrounds and bathtubs could be made with IceStone durable surface material. It can be shaped, cut water jet, inlaid, mounted vertically or horizontally. While there are 27 standard colors available, the color palette is infinite….IceStone durable surfaces are strong like granite, not as porous as marble and heat-resistant like stone. The chemical composition is benign and 99.5% inorganic making it a very safe material from the standpoint of toxicity and fire resistance.  The fabrication, installation and maintenance of IceStone surfaces follow essentially the same process as used with natural stone.  Due to its high recycled content and Cradle to Cradle Certification, IceStone materials can be used towards LEED points.

The cost of IceStone surfaces is dependent on the color selection, size and scope of project and it is available only to distributors and fabricators.  You can find showrooms for this product at their website.

If in the Knoxville area: G & L Marble carries the IceStone product line.

Call REDBUD Construction Services and speak with our designers about how to incorporate these and other GREEN products into your project…865-250-9172.

Latest Trends in Kitchen Design

From MarketWatch:

When it comes to kitchen design today, cherry and maple cabinets are hot, as are quartzite countertops and custom paneled appliances. So says a recent national survey of kitchen designers conducted by the National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) and luxury appliance manufacturer Thermador. With 206 participants – all of whom are NKBA certified designers – the online survey identifies several trends influencing today’s kitchen design – from popular colors and finishes used in designs, to new materials, and even new technologies being incorporated by designers.

And here’s a summary of the Survey:

Kitchen Type (design): Traditional
Cabinetry Finishes: Cherry and Maple
Color Scheme: Stainless Steel followed by beiges/bones
Appliances: Stainless steel and custom paneling/modular refrigeration
Countertops and Backsplashes: Granite and quartzite/tile, granite, or glass backsplashes
Functionality and Layout: multiple cooking stations and prep sinks

These trends have well established themselves and will continue to be used in kitchens for years to come.

Read the full article here.

When Do You Hire A Professional

This recent article from the NARI website discusses when is the right time to hire a professional for your remodeling or construction project.  Here are a few great points:

A kitchen designer or interior designer can create a functional and attractive layout for your kitchen cabinets and appliances. But if you want to start knocking down walls to increase floor space or change the traffic flow, it’s best to have the advice of someone who understands the ramifications of doing so.

Even seemingly innocuous projects can lead to unforeseen consequences. Creating an extra bedroom in a basement is a great way to maximize the space within your home. But if it doesn’t have an appropriate escape route, you could be building what amounts to a death trap.

If you’re uncertain whether your remodeling project requires professional advice, one way to be sure is to ask. …After all, not every project is as easy to manage as HGTV might have you believe.

REDBUD Construction Services does not give out free estimates, but we do offer a one hour consultation to determine the scope of your project and the level of design that would be required to price your project.  To schedule a consultation, call 865-250-9172.

REDBUD Construction Services is a member of NARI and active in the Knoxville chapter.

NARI Knoxville Gets Coverage in KNS

The Knoxville News Sentinel posted on Monday an article about the new NARI chapter in Knoxville.  Kate Groover, president of NARI Knoxville stated:

[The first meeting, held July 31,] was a great success.  We had about 40 people – it was standing-room-only!  We worked so hard to get the word out and get this started, and we were thrilled with the turnout.

Redbud Construction Services was in attendance at the meeting and is an active member in NARI Knoxville.  We look forward to meeting you at the upcoming Knoxville Fall Remodeling and Log Home Show, which will be held Sept. 5, 6 and 7 in the Knoxville Convention Center.

Come by the NARI booth and tell us about your latest project.