“The good news is that [changes made in the way people use their kitchens and to what products are used there don’t] have to break the bank. People don’t have to do a 180º overnight. Making small changes here and there can add up to big results, over time,” says Chef Paul F. Magnant, dean of culinary at Stratford University, here.

Here are a few tips from Chef Magnant to help you start greening your kitchen:

* Start with what you bring into the kitchen. Buy as much food that is locally produced as you can so that fuel isn’t wasted trucking it to you. And forgo the paper-or-plastic debate by sticking to reusable bags you take to the store.
* Skip the disposables. Whether it’s for a picnic or a party, opt for utensils, dishes and bakeware that can be reused to save on resources. Invest in a set of cloth napkins, and turn old sheets, towels or clothing into rags for cleaning by cutting them into small pieces.
* Keep it going. Stick a wicker basket in your kitchen to contain all of the items destined for recycling. Once the day is over or the basket is full, just take it to the larger bins to be sorted.
* Recycling saves a lot of items from heading to landfills, and reduces the amount of garbage at your curb each week. You can also reuse your raw vegetable left-overs and scraps by setting up a composting system and using the collected matter in your garden.
* Drink home water. Skip buying the bottles of water and invest in a water-filtration device for your kitchen. You’ll save a lot of money in the end and will avoid adding to the water-bottle problem our country faces.
* Clean green. Save money by using natural cleaning supplies and keep unnecessary chemicals out of the environment at the same time. Take a spray bottle and put equal parts water and distilled vinegar in it; this can be used as an all-purpose cleaner for everything from counters to sinks.
* Think big. When it’s time to buy new appliances, opt for ones that are energy-efficient by specifically looking for the ENERGY STAR endorsement. ENERGY STAR is a government-backed initiative that ensures you’re buying an energy-efficient product. Bigger isn’t always better, especially if you don’t need the extra room. Smaller appliances will shave money off your bill each year.

“Nobody is going to make all these changes overnight,” adds Magnant. “But making a couple each year will have your kitchen as green as can be before you know it. We what save, saves us!”

Stratford University’s culinary arts program offers several degrees, including concentrations in baking and pastry, as well as advanced culinary arts. The school also offers non-degree public one-day culinary courses covering such topics as beginner baking, knife skills, vegetarian cooking and cake decorating, as well as parent-and-child cooking.

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1. In With the Old, Out with the New
Traditional will be the most popular design style in bathrooms in 2010, as contemporary designs will be a distant second, followed by the Shaker style as an even more distant third. Beiges and bones will be the most common colors used in bathrooms, followed by whites and off-whites, and then by browns, indicating a somewhat subdued color palette this year.

2. Ceramic and Granite
Ceramic and porcelain tile will be the dominant flooring materials in bathrooms this year, while natural stone will continue to prove popular as well. Though increasingly popular in kitchens, hardwood flooring won’t become common in bathrooms in 2010. For vanity tops, granite will remain king, with quartz and marble also proving popular options.

3. Simple Fixtures
Perhaps more than ever, the most common color for fixtures will be white. Bisque and off-white will be the only other fixture colors at all common in new or remodeled bathroom. For sinks, simple undermount models will be most popular, followed by integrated sink tops, drop-in sinks, vessel sinks, and pedestal sinks.

4. A Nickel for Every Finish
Faucet finishes in the bathroom are similar to those used in current kitchen designs, with brushed nickel continuing to lead the way in 2010. Polished chrome and satin nickel will also be incorporated into many bathrooms, just as they had been throughout 2009. These faucet finishes will be followed by bronze and stainless steel.

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The National Kitchen & Bath Association has released their design trends for 2010!

… do you like? … agree?  …would you consider these trends TOO trendy?

Traditional is the New Contemporary
Traditional will continue as the most popular kitchen design style in 2010, with contemporary following closely behind, while the Shaker style is seeing a surprisingly strong resurgence. Shades of whites and off-whites will be the most common kitchen colors in 2010, while brown, beige, and bone hues will also be popular.
Cherry on Top
Cherry will remain the most popular wood for kitchen cabinetry, followed closely by maple, while alder increases in use. As for the finishes placed on those cabinets, medium natural, dark natural, glazed, and white painted will all be common. Other colors of painted cabinetry and light natural finishes are in decline, however, as are distressed finishes.

Floored by Tile
Ceramic and porcelain tile, as well as natural stone tile, remain popular kitchen flooring options, but hardwood will dominate the kitchen landscape more than ever in 2010. For countertops, granite continues to be the most popular option, but quartz will nearly catch up in popularity. For backsplashes, ceramic or porcelain tile and glass will serve as the primary materials.

Backsplashes: Porcelain, ceramic and glass tiles will be the materials of choice for many when choosing their backsplash.

Flexible Faucets
Standard kitchen faucets will become less standard in 2010 in favor of more convenient models. Pull-out faucets continue to increase their market dominance, while pot filler faucets will also become more prevalent. Kitchen faucets will most often be finished in brushed nickel, followed by stainless steel, satin nickel, and—surprisingly—polished chrome.

Undercounter Refrigeration
French door and freezer-bottom are the two most popular styles of refrigerators, and side-by-side refrigerators remain a popular option. A surprising trend is the extent to which undercounter refrigerator drawers are being used in the latest kitchen designs. Perhaps even more surprising is that undercounter wine refrigerators have been recently specified by half of kitchen designers.

A Range of Cooking Options
The tried-and-true range continues to serve as the workhorse for cooking, although the combination of a cooktop and wall oven is beginning to overtake it. Gas will maintain its position as the most popular type of cooktop over electric, although induction cooking continues to gain in popularity due to its energy efficiency.

Dishwasher-in-a-Drawer
Standard dishwashers, with the traditional door that pulls from the top down, will once again be easily the most common type in 2010. However, an increasing number of dishwasher drawers will be installed in kitchens this year for their convenience and their ability to wash small loads of dishes in each drawer, thereby saving water and electricity.

You should always keep in mind the definition of a trend!  Some are keepers, some may pass within a year or two!   When designing your own space be sure to incorporate what matters most to YOU!   Check back in the coming days for the Bath Design Trends!

www.nkba.org

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Whites
Plenty of articles and television shows implore you to make a bold color statement in your bathroom, yet most people still prefer soft and neutral tones.

“If I sold 50 bathrooms last year, 48 of them were either white or bisque,” says Mark Karas, a certified master kitchen and bath designer and 2008 Vice President of the National Kitchen & Bath Association. “There are usually a couple of people who will say something like, ‘I really want that cobalt blue.’ But my average customer is still using white or the bisque.”

The small size of the typical bathroom is one reason light colors are favored, says Quinn Larson, a color trends specialist with paint manufacturer Behr. “Color- or neutral-tinted whites have expansionary qualities that create a more open, airy feel in a small space,” explains Larson.

In addition to using soft colors and whites on the walls, white plumbing fixtures—toilets, tubs and sinks—are often used. While different colors are available, white tubs, toilets and sinks tend to be less expensive than their colorful counterparts. A 2008 NKBA style barometer survey of 200 kitchen and bath dealers and designers showed that white was the most popular plumbing fixture color for 84 percent of the panel’s clients.

While fixtures usually come in a true white, using a true white paint is usually not the best choice, Larson cautions. “Though light and clean, they don’t create areas of comfort,” she says. “Use color-tinted whites, off whites or colors instead.”

Beiges and Browns
Outside of whites, the NKBA style survey found that beiges and bones were the most popular color scheme for bathrooms. Browns also ranked high.

“The browns are safe,” says Denise Turner of Color Turners, a color consulting company. “[Consumers] are putting things into their home that are safe and are looking at things like resale value.”

Bathroom cabinets made from wood will obviously come in many shades of brown, while popular flooring materials such as slate, travertine and porcelain ceramic often contain brown and beige earth tones.

Greens
If you think using white, beige and brown in the bathroom represents surrendering to the status quo, then consider a more colorful alternative: green. Colors found in the natural world, Larson notes, especially those in the green family, have become popular choices.

“Lime greens in all values and intensities can be seen in almost every industry,” she says.

The NKBA’s 2008 style survey revealed mints and greens as a popular bath colors, and Turner sees that as a trend that should stick around.

“The greens have been good sellers for a while and we don’t expect that trend to go anywhere,” she says. “Green is historically a good seller when the economy is slow.”

Sage green is a popular choice in Zen and Asian-style baths, which according to the NKBA’s style survey, was one of the three most requested bath styles by clients according to 17 percent of the polled dealers and designers.

Source: IBaths.com

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• · Professional Appliances makes gourmet cooking not only a pleasure but makes it easier with modern features. Whether you choose to have them fully integrated with cabinetry panels or all stainless steel – they are the “trophies” of today’s kitchen.

• · Mixture of materials/textures adds life and interest. Most people are comfortable specifying different colors of granite tops or stained and painted cabinetry – but the trend is moving faster. Interest is created when adding more texture such as wire grill, frosted glass or fabric inserts in the cabinet doors. Opportunities do not end there – copper handles or hood, stucco range hood, iron pot rack, glass backsplash tiles, or a walnut counter top – consider the possibilities to design your kitchen to be a conversation piece!

• · Dual appliances give added convenience. Two dishwashers can ease the stress of unloading when you have dirty dishes to fill. Or a second dishwasher can be placed in a butler’s pantry, near the prep zone or closer to the eating area for fast clean up. Refrigerator drawers are convenient for drinks or snacks for children, or placed near a prep zone filled with vegetables.

• · Why not display that collection of cookbooks on open shelving. Consider the notion that good design does not mean you fill all your walls with solid cabinetry. Open a cabinet above a refrigerator or other hard to reach area – this creates visual interest and lets the design breath.

• · Europeans have been influencing design for decades. With the busy lifestyles of today, people appreciate their tendency of simplistic or minimalistic design. Clients are requesting less ornate details – delivering “less is more” approach. Clean lines and simplistic elements such as flat or recessed panel doors and sleek moldings are easy to clean and maintain.

• · Wood counter tops add warmth. Some people are shy because of maintenance, but the reality is that it is not any more difficult than cleaning any other counter top. The beauty of wood is timeless and is never tiring. Used on islands with furniture elements such as turned legs, heavy baseboard delivers the look and feel of high quality furniture.

• · Furniture details are a perfect way to personalize your design. There is an abundance of offerings in turned legs, feet, corbels and onlays. There are numerous design options to integrate or enhance your design to reflect your personal style.

• · Kitchens are the heart and often the hub of your home. Designing a “command center” behind large pocket doors (or a nearby walk-in pantry) gives an area for a lap top computer for keeping a family calendar or recipes, mail organization and even numerous receptacles for charging phones and iPods for the entire family.

• · Islands continue to grow in popularity. The benefits typically include: greater traffic flow, additional work zones, a prep sink, and furniture elements such as turned legs or feet. They are also growing in size –Be careful – while they can look impressive, often their size restricts traffic flow and can be difficult to reach to clean the center. I recommend keeping islands no wider than 4’ and length no greater than 9’. If your space allows more, consider having 2 islands.

• · Decorative hardware options are unlimited. This offers the perfect opportunity to have fun ..

• · Options for storage accessories have exploded over the last few years. Built-in trash bins, pull out spice racks, independent rotating lazy susans, peg drawer systems for dishes, utensil and cutlery inserts make a kitchen more organized and more importantly more efficient. More deep drawers are specified for easy access for not only pot and pans but for Tupperware, snacks and dishes.

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