Belvedere Kitchen Event

On September 12, Shan and Bethany Jenkins – owners of Jenkins Custom Homes – hosted a kitchen event at the Belvedere Community on Hamilton Pool Road. The event was well-attended and the response, overwhelming! Several of the attendees requested a copy of the seminar notes so here is an overview of what was discussed.

Good Kitchen Design

There are many facets to good kitchen design. At Jenkins, we have a copyrighted “Lifestyle Analysis” process for designing your home that starts by asking questions about how you plan to live in the spaces of your home and ends with a home designed around your personal lifestyle. Here is a modification of that system of design, brought to the scale of just the kitchen.

What Type Of Cook Are You?

No matter who is doing the cooking in the family, they definitely have a cooking style. Is it typically either the “quick and easy cook” or the “serious chef”. If you find yourself constantly trying out new recipes from the Food Network, you are probably the “serious chef”. The “serious chef” needs more appliances, solid-surface counters, and plenty of workspace; whereas, the “quick and easy cook” needs a kitchen that is functional but also easy to clean.

“Kitchen Behind The Kitchen”

The “kitchen behind the kitchen” – or the “back kitchen” as it is also known – is a popular trend right now. The “back kitchen” can be used for food preparation and can contain the mixer and blender, a refrigerator, a microwave, and even an oven so that even the most “serious chef” – or even those who prefer to “grab it and go” – can make a mess without worrying about the company seeing it. For those who prefer to have events catered, this is a great location for the caterers to set up their service.

Entertaining

Entertaining is multifaceted. First, ask yourself “How often do I entertain”? If it’s twice a year for your relatives, then you really only need to consider the re-sale value of the home when designing your space and not focus too much on the entertaining aspect. If you entertain once a month or so, you may want to give it a little more thought. For instance, when you entertain, is your cooking part of the evening’s entertainment or does the cooking take place before everyone arrives? Also, do you typically entertain indoors or outdoors – or both? The answers to these questions will help determine the size and shape of the island, the proximity to the outdoor kitchen, as well as the amount of space needed between the sink, refrigerator, and primary work space. It also may dictate that you really need two sinks and possibly two dishwashers. Ask yourself “How many guests will I have at once and what ages will they be?”. Think about where you might put a bartender if you have a really large party.

Livability

Another important question to ask yourself is “How many cooks are typically in our kitchen at once?”. Will you need one workspace or two? More and more families are cooking together, and that means you need more space, both in terms of workspace and work flow within the kitchen. Other questions you need to consider are “How many people would you like to seat at the bar or island?” and “Do you plan to have a separate breakfast table?”. Each situation is different, and only you know yours.

Vision

When planning your kitchen, you need to establish a style that leads you toward a particular end product. Zig Ziglar has said, “If you aim at nothing, you’ll hit it every time.” So ask yourself “What one keyword describes your vision for this space?”. Is it “inviting” or is it “clean” or maybe “Tuscan” or “commercial”? What type of sink and plumbing fixtures fit into your vision? Do you imagine a copper sink with copper plumbing fixtures? Or is does your vision include an undermount sink with sleek clean lines and stainless steel fixtures? Only you know how you want the kitchen to look, and defining that vision will help you determine the materials you will use, the stain or paint colors, and any “wow factors” that you may want to add. It all depends on that vision.

Appliances

We always recommend Wolf and Sub-Zero appliances to our clients. They were recently chosen #1 by J.D. Power and Associates, plus we have found them to have the absolute best performance and look for the kitchens we design. However, choosing a cook top or range and refrigerator is just the beginning. Think through all the possibilities for kitchen appliances. For instance, the microwave – do you want a microwave drawer, or do you prefer the more traditional unit? Or consider the refrigerator – are you a Sam’s or Costco fanatic? Then, you may need the 48″ Sub-Zero. You can never have enough refrigerator space! Then there is the oven and cook top – do you want a double wall oven with a stand-alone cook top, or an all-in-one range unit? This decision is really just about your personal preference and not so much a performance issue, but it is a decision you must make nonetheless. Even something as minor as the ice maker deserves consideration. How much ice will you need for your parties? Is the ice maker in your Sub-Zero enough, or do you need more than that? Do you require wine refrigerator, and if so, is under-counter enough or will you need a full sized unit? Do you need one dishwasher or two? What about a warming drawer or pizza oven or perhaps a trash compactor? For even more options, see your local Kiva Kitchen & Bath representative.

Access And Flow

Do you want the kitchen to be the hub of your home? Do you want it to be open to the great room? Some people don’t want anyone walking in the front door to be able to see into the kitchen. Think about whether that is important to you. Others want the kitchen to be open to the great room and like people to feel invited to come into the kitchen right away. These are just a few of the things to consider in terms of access and flow.

Making It Yours

The bottom line is that when you design your kitchen, you will never regret the time and effort you spend making it yours. Your kitchen should reflect your family, your lifestyle and your vision. When it does, you will be living your dream.

J.D. Power Ranks Wolf #1!

As one of their preferred trade partners, we at Jenkins Custom Homes want to congratulate Wolf Appliance for taking top honors in the J.D. Power and Associates rankings for Range/Cooktop/Oven!

The press release states that “The Kitchen Appliance Satisfaction Study measures customer satisfaction in three product categories: dishwashers; refrigerators; and cooktops/ranges/ovens. Customer satisfaction is measured based on performance in six factors: performance and reliability (including how well the appliance functions, noise level and energy efficiency); features (such as the number of settings available and appliance capacity); ease of use; styling and feel; price; and warranty…Among manufacturers of cooktops, ranges, and ovens, Wolf ranks highest with a score of 812, and performs particularly well in five of six factors: ease of use; performance and reliability; styling and feel; features; and warranty.” Congratulations, Wolf!

Appliance Rebate Program

Due to the time-sensitive nature of this post, we have chosen to postpone the second installment of “How Safe Is Your Safe” until later this week. Stay tuned!

If you are in the market for a new appliance, I have great news! The U.S. Department of Energy has allotted $300 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 to be used by individual states toward the purchase of new ENERGY STAR qualified appliances. “Under this program, eligible consumers can receive rebates to purchase new energy-efficient appliances when they replace used appliances” (source: U. S. Department of Energy).

The program varies widely by state, so see the U. S. Department of Energy website for specifics. For instance, our state – Texas – begins the rebate reservation period next week:

The reservation period starts on April 5, 2010. The mail-in rebates will apply to eligible appliances purchased between April 16 and April 25, 2010. The 10-day period will coincide with Earth Day. Consumers will have 60 days from reservation date to install the appliance(s) and submit their paperwork for the rebate. (source: SECO)

Details vary by state, but in Texas, rebates are available for clothes washers and dryers, refrigerators and freezers, dishwashers, room air conditioners, central air conditioners and heat pumps, and hot water heaters – all of which must fall within specifications detailed in the following article: http://www.seco.cpa.state.tx.us/arra/rebate/docs/SECO_ApplianceRebateFlyer_03_09_10.pdf. There is also a further credit for recycling old appliances, and possibly a city rebate over and above the state rebate being offered.

For instance, in Austin, TX, an example from a local appliance store, Wilson AC & Appliance, lists the Whirlpool Frontload Washer, sale priced at $619, as eligible for $180 state rebate plus an additional City of Austin rebate of $150, bringing the price down to $289 + tax! There is even a further rebate of $75 available for those who recycle their old appliances, bringing the price down to only $214 + tax! This machine lists for $749 on the Whirlpool site. That’s $535 in savings!

So take a few minutes to click on the sites listed above and see if you are eligible for a rebate. Not only will you be doing yourself a favor on the initial cost, but these appliances are designed to save you money on energy costs over the long term! It’s a win-win!

The Best In Luxury Appliances Joins The Best in Luxury Home Building

Perfected through seven decades of use in professional kitchens, Wolf appliances provides the ability to make any dish possible, while Sub-Zero, the innovative leaders in preservation, keeps foods fresher longer – all while consuming less power than a 100 watt light bulb.

You can experience both of these top-of-the-line appliances – hands on and in person – at either of their two Texas showrooms: one in Dallas and the other within walking distance of the Galleria Mall in Houston. These showrooms offer a variety of cooking classes, wine tastings, training seminars, as well as use and care classes. Just visit http://www.subzero-wolfsc.com/showrooms/ to see a copy of the current schedule, but note that the classes fill up 2-3 months in advance, so plan ahead!

Jenkins Custom Homes, the Best Custom Builder in Texas, has recently partnered with Sub-Zero/Wolf, the best in luxury appliances, giving Jenkins’ clients special attention as well as pricing. Jenkins clients will have the opportunity to experience private cooking demonstrations with Sub-Zero/Wolf Executive Chef, Garth Blackburn, on the same appliances that they have chosen for their new home. They will also have the opportunity for in-home use and care demonstrations by Sub-Zero/Wolf after they are in their new custom home. Jenkins Custom Homes strives to build partnerships with the best in the business in order to deliver the best possible product. That is just one of the reasons the Texas Association of Builders named Jenkins Custom Homes the “Custom Builder of the Year”, this year and in 2006. Jenkins & Sub-Zero/Wolf – a perfect partnership for today’s luxury client.

Watch the video taken in our office this week with Amy Kerr, Territory Manager for Sub-Zero/Wolf.

The Refrigerator Dilemma

Sometimes the simplest solutions can be the most effective. For instance, very few people have adequate space in their fridge. Most have to do the refrigerator dance. You know the moves – the taller stuff on top, move the shorter stuff to the lower shelves, so on and so forth. Wouldn’t it be nice to have PLENTY of space in your fridge?

No, I’m not here to tell you about the wonders of some new appliance on the market. Instead, I want to highlight a design solution one of our readers implemented.

In this case, the homeowner had a laundry room just down from the kitchen with space for a freezer. So when her refrigerator needed to be replaced, she chose to replace it with a full-sized fridge. That’s right – this entire appliance is ALL REFRIGERATOR, ALL THE TIME!!! No more refrigerator shuffle, just space and more space.

The idea for an all-refrigerator unit was started by commercial kitchens. They have always been available from high end appliance manufacturers such as Subzero and Thermador. Now, however, if you go to sears.com, you will see a large variety of manufacturers from Whirlpool to Frigidaire offering them.

The thinking for this homeowner was the infrequency with which she accessed her freezer. Why waste precious kitchen space with freezer, when what she really needed was a bigger fridge? Problem solved – and the only money spent was the cost of the refrigerator, which was going to be spent on a new appliance anyway.