HGTV’s Sarah Richardson
speaks out on tips and
trends in kitchen design.
“It’s important to consider three
main points when determining design direction, they are: color, materials, and the function the space will serve for the family.”
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Appliances Go Green!
How do you make your
kitchen more environmentally
efficient or “green”?
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HGTV’s Sarah Richardson
speaks out on tips and
trends in kitchen design.
As floor plans are becoming more open and the kitchen is more integrated into the main living areas of the home, it becomes increasingly important to carry good design practices into the kitchen. This includes decisions on appliances, cabinetry, accessories, backsplash color, among other things. To help make sense of the trends in kitchen design, HGTV’s Sarah Richardson recommends a starting point, “It’s important to consider three main points when determining design direction, they are: color, materials, and the function the space will serve for the family.”
When people think about introducing color into kitchen design, they generally go directly to the wall color, or backsplash pattern or flooring. Today’s color choices extend beyond those areas to dishes, glassware, small kitchen appliances, pots and pans, cabinetry, countertops and furniture. Sarah advises, “Yesterday’s neutrals have given way to an intense color palette. Today, hot trends in color are: poppy red, blue-gray and luminous, metallic finishes.” Even if homeowners aren’t ready to make a bold color choice on the walls, they can add colorful accents to the room by choosing bright accessories or adding beautiful fabric upholstery to the kitchen chairs.
When planning a kitchen re-design, the traditional granite and wood choices for countertops and cabinet elements are being swapped out for metals and more exotic materials. As environment issues are becoming more top-of-mind, it’s impacting the choices homeowners and designers are making. Sarah points out, “We are seeing natural materials such as bamboo replace wood in flooring and cabinetry.”
As material choices in the kitchen are evolving, so are the appliances finishes. In the past solid colors, such as white and black, were the standard options for appliances. Now stainless steel is a top-seller, and trends point towards the growing popularity of a new metallic neutral. The Frigidaire® Elements™ line offers an industry-first metallic nickel finish, with a timeless look that will look great even as you change color schemes. It’s also very practical and durable, as the finish is resistant to fingerprints!
Essential to any kitchen design is the work and traffic flow. A traditional theory on kitchen layout is the triangle relationship between the refrigerator, oven and sink. That shape has evolved into circles, squares and many other configurations as unique as the individuals who use them. Despite the evolution of the kitchen triangle, the emphasis on function remains essential. Many homeowners are installing two’s of everything, from dishwashers to ovens to sinks. The added functionality of having pairs of appliances allows for more family members to be involved with cooking, provides more space to store food, and makes entertaining a breeze as food preparation and cleanup is twice as fast!
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Whether it’s recycling or purchasing a digital thermostat, consumers today are becoming more energy conscious. “Going green has become a priority for many homeowners today when it comes time to upgrade or replace home appliances,” says renowned kitchen designer Sarah Richardson. Frigidaire® is helping families make energy-efficient choices without sacrificing features, style or comfort by offering an ENERGY STAR® qualified refrigerator and dishwasher in its exclusive new Frigidaire® Elements™ line of appliances.
How do you make your kitchen more environmentally efficient or “green”? Consider replacing your refrigerator or dishwasher, especially if they are between five to 10 years old. Using new ENERGY STAR® qualified appliances in your home can result in potential savings of $400 per year in energy costs due to reduced use of energy and water.
When considering green appliances, consider these helpful tips from Sarah Richardson:
While green appliances are typically more expensive, you must realize the ultimate energy savings over the life of the appliance will more than offset the extra initial cost.
When you buy a new energy-efficient refrigerator, resist the temptation to move the old one into the basement or garage. If you do, you won't realize any of the energy or cost savings!
Keep your new refrigerator out of direct sunlight and away from heat-producing appliances. Clean the condenser coils annually to keep it running efficiently.
Dishwashers today don’t require a pre-rinsing of dishes before loading. Pre-rising doesn’t necessarily improve cleaning and wastes water. Just scrape off food and liquids – the dishwasher will do the rest.
Run your dishwasher only when full to conserve water.
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