Kitchen Remodeling: Design, Storage, Appliances, Tile, Lighting, Ventilation, and Universal Design
Host:
Welcome to the Home Remodeling Show with Edge Construction on News Talk 1310 WIBA. Have a question? Email it to EdgeConstructionRadio@gmail.com.
Now, here is your host, Sean Prebil, on News Talk 1310 WIBA.
This is the Home Remodeling Show, brought to you by Edge Construction right here on 1310 WIBA.
We are joined this Saturday morning by Mike Twohig, owner at Edge Construction.
Their telephone number is 608-636-3343. That number is easy to remember: 636-EDGE.
The website is EdgeConstructionCompany.com. That is Edge Construction Company dot com.
Mike, how are you doing today?
Mike:
Great, Sean. It is good to see you.
Host:
We are talking kitchens this week, kitchen design, and kitchen remodeling.
You guys do a lot of kitchens at Edge Construction, Mike.
Mike:
We do a lot of kitchens, and it is really one of our favorite things to do.
Not just because it is fun to see those cool pictures online, but because it is the center of everything.
I think we are at that point now where people seem to spend more time in their kitchens than any place else.
Host:
That is interesting you say that.
Is that part of the reason why you guys do so many?
Is it the changing focus on the kitchen?
It has probably been a decade or more, but it seems like we have really embraced the kitchen as that central meeting place, where families go.
I know you have talked about older homes where kitchens were off to the side, hidden away, and not part of everything.
Is that what is fueling this — the focus on the kitchen as the central hub for the family?
Mike:
Yes, I think so.
It is one of those things where it is expensive and kind of a pain in the butt to do, so it gets put off. It might be the last thing people do.
We are coming out of this era of flippers, and the economy was shaky here and there over the last dozen years or so.
People did a lot of their own stuff and updated a lot of things they could handle, but kitchens might not have been one of those things.
Plus, I think people have realized the importance of getting that room right.
Even if you do a poor job of it, you are probably going to spend a bunch of money.
So it is worth taking the time, spending time on design, and exploring all the options.
That is a really fun part for us.
There are so many people who come in and say, “We do not want to make any changes. We just want to replace.”
In my head, I am thinking, “You are going through all this effort, so all things being equal, you should at least explore the options.”
What happens if we open things up?
What happens if we rearrange things a little bit?
Sometimes you get so used to things that you develop tunnel vision.
When you start seeing these designs show up, it really opens your eyes.
Host:
That is one of the things I love about the slider feature you guys have at EdgeConstructionCompany.com.
Not only is it great to see the before and after in the same shot and go back and forth between the two, but it is eye-opening for someone thinking about remodeling who may not always see what designers see.
Homeowners can head over to EdgeConstructionCompany.com and look at some of those projects and the possibilities.
It is pretty amazing what you guys are able to do in a kitchen remodel.
Mike:
Yes.
Between the renderings and the finished photos, it is really helpful.
The renderings are the CAD drawings. It is almost like a cartoon picture from the CAD program where you get a live view of what we think it is going to look like when it is done.
I am doing a disservice by calling it a cartoon picture because they have gotten a lot better.
One of my favorite things to do is to go on our website and look at that job history.
You start looking at the before-and-after pictures, and usually our designers will mix in a rendering or two of what we thought it was going to look like at contract.
Then I like to compare that to the end product because the software has gotten so good.
Even things like lighting are included.
They put the effects of lighting in there.
If they put a light on the ceiling, it is going to throw a shadow.
If they add a window, you are going to see that light coming in.
They have to input what time of day it is and where the sun is, so you can actually get a pretty good feel for what this is going to look like.
Host:
That is pretty amazing technology and a really great opportunity.
If you have been thinking about doing some remodeling, check out EdgeConstructionCompany.com and see some of their work.
There are also links to Houzz, Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, and all those really great sites.
The Houzz one is a really useful tool as well.
When you go to EdgeConstructionCompany.com, click on that little H and it will take you to Edge Construction’s page.
If you are thinking about remodeling, give them a call at 608-636-3343. That number is 636-EDGE.
Mike, you mentioned that oftentimes with kitchens, little things over the years may have been neglected.
Maybe the cabinets were painted real quick. Maybe people just learned to deal with drawers that do not want to open, or the cupboard that is hanging a little askew.
Then people decide, “Now is the time to do it.”
Are people often surprised by the features and by what you are able to do to maximize space for storage and other things?
Mike:
Yes.
That whole thing has changed.
There were a couple of companies maybe 10 years ago that started providing what I always call aftermarket stuff you could put in cabinets as organizers.
They made their deal on that kind of thing.
The effect of that has been that all the manufacturers now, including the two cabinet companies we mainly use, have a wide range of organizational stuff.
The cabinets show up, and it is already built in.
We do not have to add it or install it.
It is already in there.
Ten years ago, when we would design kitchens, we might have one specialty cabinet, meaning a tray rack, tray divider, or some kind of organizational thing, plus a trash cabinet.
Now it is very common for every cabinet to have something in it that is for custom organization or storage.
That has been quite a game changer.
The fun thing for me has been seeing when people are willing to give up a little bit of cabinet space in order to make the space feel better with open shelves or more window space.
That organizational stuff has become more important because of those things too.
Host:
Have we gotten better about inside corners and cabinet spaces?
I think of lazy Susans, and we are still dealing with the physics of things there.
Those inside corners can be odd spaces.
Mike:
When we are coming up with new kitchen designs, I always throw a little party when we can eliminate one corner.
Nobody stands in a corner and preps food.
Storage-wise, they are kind of a bummer.
At my own house, when we did our kitchen four years ago, I call it the peanut.
It has two shelves that sort of wiggle their way out, and they look like a peanut.
It is not the most efficient use if you want to pack stuff in there, but we really like it because the stuff we put in there is stuff we actually use.
We can pull that shelf out and get to whatever is in there.
The toaster is in there, which is the extent of my cooking in our kitchen.
But yes, people have tried to innovate in those blind corners, and it has gotten a little better.
We still do a fair amount of lazy Susans, though.
They are convenient.
My sister’s name is Sue, so I am sorry about that.
Host:
Who said, “A place for everything, and everything in its place”?
Was that Julie Andrews?
Mike:
Somebody did.
Host:
That seems to be true with cabinetry as well.
Having places for everything, and having that space designed for storage, matters.
Mike:
For some people, it sure does.
I am more of a wing-it guy.
But we have people who get into the design process and sort of inventory all the things they really use in their kitchen.
They start figuring out where those things can fit into cabinets.
They will email and say, “How big is this shelf?”
They want to know so they can plan it out.
I always get a kick out of that.
I would love to live in that house if you are that organized and have everything in its place, like the original Martha Stewart.
We did work for a retired engineer a few years ago, and he actually drew up a CAD drawing and showed that this cabinet was not quite big enough.
Host:
What about open shelves and glass-faced cabinets?
Along those lines of a place for everything, there are certain items you do not always want to hide inside a cabinet.
You might want to have them on display.
You guys build and design those exact features into these projects, right?
Mike:
Yes.
Some uppers with glass on them have gotten very popular.
You are probably not going to put the junk up there or the utility stuff, but people do have a lot of nice things, and they like showing them off.
For a lot of people, it has become about how this space is going to feel.
They do not just want to get all the jobs done that have to happen in the kitchen.
They want to like being in there, and they want it to work as an entertainment space.
You mentioned open shelves.
If you look at our designs and probably everybody else’s, you are seeing more and more of this.
It is not always the big, huge kitchens with tons of space doing open shelves.
Some real small kitchens we have done have had open shelves.
You are giving up some pretty solid storage in a smaller kitchen, but it is that important to them how the space feels.
Host:
Are we seeing more people remove upper cabinets or remove storage to open the space up?
Mike:
Yes.
I think people want to hit whatever that sweet spot is.
If we have enough storage space, making bigger windows or open shelves, or whatever it is, can keep the kitchen from feeling like the walls are closing in.
When I started construction, it seemed like cabinets were packed into every available space.
There was never three inches of wall space that was unused.
They were good utility kitchens. Work got done. They did their job.
But by today’s standards, they feel a little boring and not quite as fun to look at.
Host:
What about islands?
They are useful for storage, but also as a place for a microwave, a place to sit for breakfast, or a place to do homework.
Islands have become quite popular and quite multifaceted.
Mike:
Yes.
When we can fit them in, we fit them in, and people generally want them.
That thing I mentioned earlier about eliminating a corner — a lot of times that means we are getting an island in there.
We get more efficient storage.
We are trading that corner cabinet for a pretty good-sized lower cabinet in an island.
When people have the room, they are putting cabinets on the back side of that.
We have a house right now where we are doing that.
There are cabinets on the back side, so there are really four feet of cabinets if you are looking at this great big island.
It is a wonderful prep space.
Several people can work there, do homework there, and use it for all kinds of things.
Getting the microwave somewhere else has been building for a long time, and if you can do it, the island is a nice spot.
Sometimes it is hard in kitchens to do it without getting one of the three majors in there — a sink, an oven, or the dishwasher — so that mixes in.
It just gives us another spot to design with.
Host:
You mentioned appliances.
There is a wide variety of appliance options depending on lifestyle.
It used to be there was consumer grade, and everybody bought pretty much the same refrigerator, range, microwave, or dishwasher.
Nowadays, even things like dishwashers can have different styles and designs and can be incorporated into the kitchen differently.
Mike:
There are, and dishwashers were the same for too long.
I think there is neat stuff coming out.
One thing we seem to be putting in more often — not one in two, but maybe one in 10 — is drawer dishwashers.
You have an upper and a lower deck, more or less.
We actually have one of these in our shop.
We do not do a lot of cooking there, so we do not have a lot of dishes.
It is like you are doing half a load of dishes, and it is really handy.
Everybody likes it.
My wife and I, now that our kids have been gone for a while, are not doing dishes in a traditional dishwasher as often.
You might do dishes once a week, but not in a traditional dishwasher where you get a ton in there.
So I think that is something we might personally look at next time around: the drawer dishwasher.
Host:
With those drawer ones, correct me if I am wrong, you are able to do matching fronts on those, aren’t you?
Mike:
Yes, we can.
Both cabinet companies we work with are able to make this work.
It basically makes that dishwasher look like a cabinet, like it fits right into the kitchen.
I actually think it is not a bad idea.
Dishwashers get used a lot, and the stainless gets fingerprinted out pretty quickly.
Sean is nodding.
That happens.
Pretty much all the manufacturers, even on the typical tip-out dishwasher, can be prepped for that.
Host:
We are talking this morning with Mike Twohig, owner at Edge Construction.
We mentioned ranges, and we will talk a little bit about some of the really cool things they are able to design into your kitchen remodel.
If you are thinking about doing a kitchen remodel or any type of remodeling, it is a great time to talk with Mike and the team at Edge Construction.
All you have to do is pick up the phone and give them a call: 608-636-3343.
That number is 636-EDGE.
The website is EdgeConstructionCompany.com.
Edge Construction brings you the Home Remodeling Show right here on 1310 WIBA.
Host:
The Home Remodeling Show with Edge Construction continues now on News Talk 1310 WIBA.
This is the Home Remodeling Show brought to you by Edge Construction, online at EdgeConstructionCompany.com.
That is all one word, Edge Construction Company dot com.
It is a great website, and as a matter of fact, we will probably talk about some recent projects over at EdgeConstructionCompany.com.
While you are there, you can also check out the links to Facebook, Pinterest, and Houzz.
Houzz is the big one, especially if you have been thinking about doing some remodeling, or even if you are curious about it.
It is such a great portfolio at EdgeConstructionCompany.com on their Houzz page.
Of course, you can always pick up the phone and give them a call at 608-636-3343. That number is 636-EDGE.
We are talking kitchens this morning and some of the things to keep in mind when it comes to designing a kitchen.
We are also talking about things to avoid when it comes to design problems and all that other stuff.
Just before the break, we were talking about appliances and how you can have them integrated into your kitchen project.
I mentioned ranges, stoves, ovens, and all that type of thing.
Some people, and I am very jealous of them, are very good cooks and take their cooking surfaces very seriously.
That is one of the things that is really cool about working with your designers at Edge Construction.
You have that conversation: What types of activities do you do?
Are you a baker?
Are you somebody who loves making pasta and Italian food?
Maybe you want a standard range. Maybe you want a professional-grade range.
All of that stuff, you guys at Edge Construction can work with them to get that kitchen just right.
Mike:
Yes.
The tools you need to be a great cook are definitely out there.
I almost equate it to when we do a remodel for somebody who really understands tech and is very specific about what they want to do with it, what kind of wire we are supposed to run, where we are going with it, and the design of it.
It is just like that in the kitchen.
When the size of the kitchen can handle it, you will see more double ovens.
I call them double ovens, but they are not really anymore.
Usually it is a normal oven and a convection oven, or some other kind of oven that I do not even know about.
People are doing different types of things now, and they want all the tools they can have at their disposal.
One of the kitchens we just staged had a great big Wolf stove in it.
I think three people could cook in that kitchen at one time with that stove.
Plans have gotten better, and there are more options just like everything else.
Host:
What about things like pot fillers and other upgrades that you used to only see in a commercial or professional setting?
You are seeing those pretty regularly here in the area, aren’t you?
Mike:
Yes.
Pot fillers are making a little comeback.
We have two going in this month in kitchens we are doing, and we might have had one a year for the past bunch of years.
Now they are slowly creeping back in.
It is a testament to what kind of cooks are in there.
Some people say they are cooks, and what they mean is they are high-end restaurant-type cooks.
They are into it.
That is their hobby, and they want all that cool stuff.
Host:
The pot filler is one of those things homeowners may not always know to talk about.
They might say, “I just want basically the same footprint and the same everything. I just want it updated.”
Even little things like that, which homeowners may have never talked about, can be addressed during a remodel.
That is the prime time to do something like that.
Mike:
It is.
Some of those add-ons, like a pot filler, are not little exactly, but they are also not that hard to do.
That is the time to do it if you ever thought about doing it.
I have asked some of our customers, “Are you really going to use this that much?”
They show me some of the things they have to fill, and they are just not going to fit in a traditional sink.
Otherwise, they basically have to bucket water into it.
So the pot filler is coming in pretty handy.
Host:
You mentioned traditional sinks.
It almost seems like we hardly ever see traditional sinks anymore.
What is a traditional sink?
It is pretty amazing what is out there for that space too.
When I think about old sinks, I think of the stainless steel with a couple of shallow tubs, one side for washing, one for rinsing.
Looking at the work you guys have done on kitchen remodels over the past few years, the different types of sinks and the ways they are configured are amazing.
You are right. What is a traditional sink anymore?
Mike:
There is a little storm coming in that sink area.
I noticed last year at the International Builders’ Show in Vegas — if you want to see what is coming, that is where you have to go — there were a lot more sinks that were wider than normal.
A normal sink now, for us, would be a deep well undermount sink, usually stainless, that fits in a 36-inch sink-base cabinet.
That means the sink is 33 inches wide.
That is a real normal size.
Now I am seeing more sinks that are 42 inches, 48 inches, or even bigger.
People are also putting in two sinks if they have the space for it.
Maybe there is a normal sink by the dishwasher and then a prep sink in the island that is smaller and almost looks like a bar sink.
There is innovation happening there, and I think there is a style change coming where people realize, “I do not necessarily have to do a 33-inch-wide sink. I can go wider if that is what I like.”
Host:
For the faucets and fixtures, that is another area where there are so many options.
When I think of a faucet, I think, “Oh no, there are so many different options.”
Mike:
There are.
The quality on the options is pretty much all the same.
Kohler is our starting point.
I have talked about it for years.
They are innovating on the look of these products.
Every year, new stuff comes out, and that show I was talking about is where you see it.
I could see where the trends were going.
They are kind of moving a little bit away from what we have had the last 10 years or so.
There are innovations like touchless options.
I am sure I will get an email from somebody who says, “I have it, and I love it.”
We are just not putting that many in.
People are saying, “It is not that important to me.”
I think they are really cool, but as far as innovation in how it works, that has been the main one.
Innovation on how it looks, though, is happening every day.
Host:
We are talking this morning with Mike Twohig, owner at Edge Construction, online at EdgeConstructionCompany.com.
That is Edge Construction Company dot com.
We are going to talk tiling trends next.
There is some cool stuff out there when it comes to tile.
We will talk more about kitchen design as well as continue our conversation with Mike Twohig of Edge Construction.
You can learn more about them online at EdgeConstructionCompany.com.
Their telephone number is 608-636-3343. That number is 636-EDGE.
More of the Home Remodeling Show is next here on 1310 WIBA.
Host:
The Home Remodeling Show with Edge Construction continues now on News Talk 1310 WIBA.
This is the Home Remodeling Show, brought to you by Edge Construction, online at EdgeConstructionCompany.com.
That is all one word at EdgeConstructionCompany.com.
Their telephone number is 608-636-3343. That number is 636-EDGE.
We are talking about kitchen and kitchen design this morning with Mike Twohig of Edge Construction.
Mike, we were talking earlier about folks removing some of the upper cabinets and some other things to really make the space more open.
Another thing that ends up happening when you remove some of those cabinets is that people do tile backsplash, but they are going counter to ceiling with tile.
We have talked a little bit about this on previous shows.
It is a really neat look.
Mike:
Yes.
For a long time, if there was backsplash tile, most people went just to the bottom of the upper cabinet.
We joke on the construction side at our shop that our designers love torturing us, so they started designing this to the ceiling.
It is the right way to do it.
The look is amazing.
It is always kind of hard to end tile with a Schiene, which is a metal trim piece that you often use to stop it somewhere.
If you stop backsplash tile at the bottom of an upper cabinet and use a Schiene, it never quite looks right.
No matter how much of a pain it is to go to the ceiling, I think it is worth it.
If you look at our last kitchens, I am not seeing many where the tile does not go to the ceiling.
It really looks nice.
Host:
Some of that too, with the different options when it comes to tile, is that there are so many choices.
You can use areas in the kitchen to make the space unique and make it yours.
The tile options seem profound.
Can it be used as a defining space or an accent?
Mike:
Yes.
The options have made this easier to do because people are finding stuff they like.
I think the tile you pick might be different if you are only going up 18 inches.
If you are going to have a lot more of it, maybe you are not going to like something too bold.
You could have too bold of a pattern if you have too much of it.
The options we now have are amazing.
If you see pictures online, get on our Houzz or website and really expand and look at the tile.
From 30 feet away, a lot of them are going to look similar, maybe like a white subway tile.
When you get up close, you are going to see a lot of different things.
Going to the ceiling is also where a good rendering can really help, because we can import the actual tile into our CAD program and get that on there.
You get a really good look at what it looks like when you take it all the way up.
Host:
A couple of weeks ago we talked about a recent project, the Bistro-Inspired Kitchen.
I still remember those tiles.
You mentioned that until you get close enough, you do not see some of that detail.
They are really cool tiles.
There is character there, but it changes depending on how close you are to that tile.
Mike:
Yes.
If you hold that tile, it has these waves that go through it.
It is a white tile, and it is one foot wide and three feet long.
It is hard to get perspective because this kitchen is a pretty good size.
But the waves go through, and we do our own tile in-house.
Our tile guys did such a great job.
You can actually match up the waves so that pattern carries through when you start to stack these.
It is really cool because we do a real tight grout joint.
We have done this tile a few times — a couple times last year and once maybe three or four years ago.
It is a tile I did not see taking off.
It showed up in our showroom, and I thought, “Oh, that is cool.”
But then I thought, “Where is this going to go?”
It was very cool to see this much of it in that kitchen.
If you did not zero in on it, you probably would not notice what it really looks like.
Host:
What about lighting in a kitchen?
I think we had talked about this particular kitchen on EdgeConstructionCompany.com, and we started very briefly talking about lighting.
Lighting is super important in every remodel you guys do.
In a kitchen, there are so many different ways to light that space and multiple ways to light that space.
When it comes to the design of that kitchen, lighting is a high priority.
Mike:
Yes.
Some kitchens are simple, and we do not have to do much thinking.
We put in a couple rows of what we call can lights, although they are really not can lights. They are LED ceiling lights, six-inch round.
The cone spreads out nicely.
It is a nice, even light, and we can put dimmers in so you can control it.
Then there are under-cabinet lights.
There might be a fixture over an island.
This particular kitchen is fun to talk about because we think of lighting in terms of layers.
We have that background layer, which is the LED can lights.
We have something that hangs down over an island or peninsula.
We have under-cabinet lighting.
On this one, we have open shelves underneath the windows.
We snuck in a four-inch puck light, but it is actually the same technology as the ceiling lights — just a four-inch LED light.
It can be dimmed, and it gives a nice spread-out light.
They have bigger fixtures over the island because it is very big.
One thing that made this kitchen tough was the skylights.
There are two skylights in there, and that usually limits the spots where we can put lights.
We had the idea to put some of that lighting in the tunnel of the skylight.
So whether it is day or night, you are still getting light from that skylight.
There are all those layers.
One more thing people do not think about is that sometimes you can define a path with lighting.
If you saw this house, you would say, “Okay, I get it. It is leading me to the exits.”
Host:
As we talk about lighting, do you guys do much in-cabinet lighting?
Earlier, we were talking about glass-front cabinets.
Do you ever integrate lights in there as well?
Mike:
We do.
It gets a little trickier there.
We might router in an LED strip or a light that shines down on the shelves.
It is harder to get that right.
You do not want it to be too overpowering.
That is where LED strip technology has really helped us because it has a low impact on how that cabinet performs, meaning it does not get in your way when you are putting things in it.
But it also gives you this soft background light.
Host:
While we are on the Bistro-Inspired Kitchen, one thing I do not think we have ever talked about is that the windows were upgraded as part of the remodel.
I know one of the things that is important to you at Edge Construction, and one of the things that goes into the process, is not always what you notice most.
Ultimately, the big deal is leaving it better than you found it.
Upgrading electrical, plumbing, and windows in some cases is an important part of what you guys do.
Not only is it aesthetically high quality, but the structure itself is high quality.
Mike:
Very much.
Everything we can get our hands on when we tear stuff apart, we are going to fix.
This one might not be the best example because we actually tore off the part of the house that was the old show and rebuilt it.
It would not suffice in the shape it was in.
Luckily we did that, because with the fridge they picked out, we pretty much built the addition back around it.
We put the fridge in there and then built around it, believe it or not.
I told them, “Do not call us when you need to move this thing or get it out of here. Hopefully, I will be retired by then.”
Host:
Do you see that a lot with bigger appliances, having to make accommodations?
You mentioned that refrigerator, and it is mammoth.
You see very large ranges, old tubs, and things like that too.
Is that part of the conversation?
Because sometimes people think, “I really want this thing,” and you have to figure out whether the house can accommodate it.
Mike:
Yes.
It can be limiting.
Sometimes people think, “I really want this thing,” and we have to say, “Well, your house is not big enough to get this in.”
We have had older houses downtown where it has been a real challenge to get even a smaller fridge in.
We have taken doors off, slid things sideways over countertops, or moved it in before putting cabinets in.
It can be a challenge.
The trick is that we do not want to start with half the space we need to get this thing in there.
That means we have a ridiculous space to work with, and we have to change that.
If it is a reasonable amount of space and there is a way to get it in there, we will do it.
Host:
We are talking this morning with Mike Twohig, owner at Edge Construction, online at EdgeConstructionCompany.com.
That website is EdgeConstructionCompany.com.
The phone number is 608-636-3343. That is 636-EDGE.
Over the weekend, somebody here at the radio station started a fire in our microwave.
They forgot some food.
If I walked you back there right now, you could still smell it to this day.
It highlights the importance of ventilation in a kitchen.
Good ventilation is important.
Ours here at the station — surprise, surprise — is not good ventilation.
When it comes to a kitchen remodel, that is something you guys at Edge Construction are really keen on doing.
There are so many different options for range hoods.
I know you have talked about technology where there is literally nothing above, but it is able to get the air out with a downdraft.
How does that work?
Let’s talk about that part of the kitchen remodel as well.
Mike:
I will hit the downdraft stuff because I do not know if we have talked about it.
It used to be that JennAir was the first company to really brand that, and all the JennAirs downdrafted.
What they do is they have a built-in fan most of the time.
But now if we are going down with it, we can put the fan — the part that moves the air — somewhere else.
We have basically this trunk of metal going down, a fan somewhere in there, and then going back out, probably through the rim of the house underneath your floor.
We can get that fan away from your living space, so you do not have to listen to it.
That is the great thing.
We can put in a stronger fan down there because we can handle some noise down there.
A lot of times in old houses, there is just no space to go up and out.
We have to go down and out.
Any range hood that is vented on the wall, like one of those nice metal range hoods in the job we were just talking about, could theoretically go in the wall and down, and you would not even know it.
That fan is able to power that.
It gives us another option.
Host:
Speaking of other options, you guys also do range hoods.
Whether it is off the rack or one of those really beautiful custom range hoods, I know you have done quite a few for folks.
Mike:
Yes.
That is another thing where sometimes our designers will draw something and say, “Mike can build it.”
If you look at the last bunch of kitchens we have done, I see three custom ones in there.
It is really nice.
The fun thing about being a carpenter is being able to build something that people walk in and say, “Oh, I like that.”
You see it right away.
Those custom range hoods can really do that.
We do wood ones.
We do not do metal ones.
You can see some of the stuff we have done, and they can really set that kitchen off.
Host:
You have a shop, and those are things you work on in the shop.
You need to be doing a YouTube channel with this stuff.
I would love to watch.
Mike:
We are working on a really cool black walnut wood top right now that is going on a mudroom in a house we are remodeling.
I get to go back there and tinker once in a while.
Host:
That is so cool.
We need to see pictures, and you need to get a YouTube channel going.
We will save that for another day.
Speaking of getting things going, we will talk a little bit more about getting the project going when it comes to a kitchen remodel and some of the other great things going on at Edge Construction.
If you are thinking about doing some remodeling, pick up the phone this morning and give them a call: 608-636-3343. That number is 636-EDGE.
Of course, you can find them online at EdgeConstructionCompany.com.
That is all one word, Edge Construction Company dot com.
They bring you the Home Remodeling Show right here on 1310 WIBA.
Host:
The Home Remodeling Show with Edge Construction continues now on News Talk 1310 WIBA.
This is the Home Remodeling Show, brought to you by Edge Construction right here on 1310 WIBA.
The website is EdgeConstructionCompany.com.
Telephone number is 608-636-3343. That number is 636-EDGE.
Mike, it feels like every week we get a chance to talk for an hour, and it always feels like we just get started on things.
Then suddenly, it is almost the end.
There are a couple of things we really want to mention and talk about when it comes to design.
One term I first learned from you 10-plus years ago is universal design.
That plays into all things you do, but kitchens especially, doesn’t it?
Mike:
It does.
I think homeowners do not realize the influence those two words have had on construction.
Every appliance designer, and hopefully every kitchen designer, should be thinking about it.
It is not always true, but they should.
Basically, if somebody has a physical challenge, maybe they broke their leg, maybe they have gotten older, or maybe they have a disability, you want to design for that.
But we also want it to work for everybody.
If we are designing for somebody who has a challenge, we do not want it to be visible.
We want it to be attractive, and we want it to work for everybody.
It should not matter your size, shape, health, or challenges.
That is universal design in a nutshell.
If I am looking at our first page, there is a double oven, and there is a very nice curved handle on the oven cabinets.
For some people, it is hard to grasp something with their thumb and finger and pull, but it is much easier to put your hand in and grab a nice long sweeping handle.
The door handles on the cabinets are the same situation.
The switches are paddle switches, meaning you do not have to grasp something.
All that is universal design.
One basic tenet of universal design is space.
Sometimes, in the design phase, we butt heads a little bit with homeowners because we want to get space between the sink cabinet and island, and between the fridge and island.
Not only is it attractive to have a little more space, and not only does it look goofy when it is too tight, it also does not feel right.
But if somebody needs to go through there with someone on their elbow — one person helping another person get through the kitchen — there needs to be enough space for that.
That is universal design.
Host:
You mentioned things like handles.
When you are cooking in the kitchen, you think about those little pull knobs and wonder, “What were we thinking?”
Especially if your hands are full.
Real quick, because we will never have enough time to do it justice, let’s talk about countertop selection and different materials.
Obviously, quartz has been the big game changer there.
But you guys work with just about every material imaginable at Edge Construction, don’t you?
Mike:
We do.
We still do a few laminates and granite.
We saw a little blip last year where probably 10 percent of our tops were granites.
This year, it looks like it is right back to quartz being pretty much almost 100 percent.
Even when somebody at the first meeting says, “We have had granite and we love granite,” I know there is a chance when they come to the showroom and see all the quartzes, they are going to find something they like.
Quartz is, at its base, mimicking some of the natural stones.
We have 30 or 40 or 50 granites now, so it is a good selection.
But we have 300 or 400 quartzes to pick from.
There are a bunch of those that are ugly and in drawers.
If you want a purple quartz countertop, you can find one.
We have that.
It might take a little while to get, but generally the stuff is made in the U.S.
They are mimicking stone from around the world, natural stones, and it gives us so many options.
It is amazing stuff.
Host:
You have to get in and check that out.
EdgeConstructionCompany.com.
Stop in or check them out online at EdgeConstructionCompany.com.
Even more important this morning, pick up the phone and give them a call: 608-636-3343. That number is 636-EDGE.
This is the Home Remodeling Show with Edge Construction right here on 1310 WIBA.