Kitchen Remodeling: Open Concept Design, Islands, Storage, Sinks, Timelines, and Lighting
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, online at EdgeConstructionCompany.com.
That is all one word, Edge Construction Company dot com.
It is a great website to learn more about the team at Edge Construction. They are always updating and putting new photos up at EdgeConstructionCompany.com.
See some of the work we are actually going to be talking about this week, including a recent kitchen project.
We are also going to be talking about kitchens in general.
Joining us this morning is the owner of Edge Construction, Mr. Mike Twohig.
Mike, how are you doing this summer?
Mike:
I am good, thanks. How about you?
Host:
Good.
You did a little trip here?
Mike:
I did.
Host:
You got out west, and I know it is a place you like: the Black Hills.
Mike:
It is popular for me as well, yes.
Myself and 500,000 of my best motorcycle buddies stuck in Sturgis.
Host:
Are you going out this year again?
Mike:
Yes.
We have an old-guy group that goes out there, but it is the ultimate place to ride a motorcycle, to be honest.
I do not know how the roads can be so nice out there.
Host:
It is funny you say that.
We do not have to do a whole topic on roads, but somebody has got to do something.
As I was driving out there this past week, there were a lot of road repairs and a lot of those single lanes on the interstate.
I said, “They must be getting ready,” because I bet that rally brings in a lot of money.
It is a blessing for that area because there is not a whole lot going on out there other than that two weeks a year.
Mike:
Yes, a big flush of cash coming up.
Host:
They want to treat you guys right.
That is exciting stuff.
Speaking of exciting things and enjoying things, this is the time of year when we should be thinking about getting our houses ready.
Soon enough, winter and those long months will be here, and we will be spending more time indoors.
One very popular place to spend time indoors is the kitchen.
We are going to be talking about kitchen design and making that kitchen not only modern and fun, but functional as well.
We will talk a little bit about what goes on in the kitchen.
Mike, as a baseline for all of this, kitchens have changed over the generations as far as how they are used.
Their primary use has always been food preparation and that type of thing, but the events that occur in the kitchen have changed quite a bit over the decades, haven’t they?
Mike:
They have.
You mentioned that we have a new job up on EdgeConstructionCompany.com, and this one happens to be a kitchen.
It is the perfect sign of the times.
It is cozy and sort of walled in. It is not a bad location, and we did not change the location inside the house.
But we definitely got the kitchen to join the rest of the house, which prior to — I do not know, I guess the 80s — things started to open up.
Even when we remodel houses from that era now, I always think we are doing other things to get that kitchen to join the rest of the house.
People were not really thinking of entertaining in kitchens.
I think that is probably the biggest change.
Now it has become a focal point.
It is not just a place to cook, although it has to do all that better than ever.
When you have friends over, you are always designing areas for people to congregate, and the kitchen is a great one.
Host:
You mentioned better than ever as far as the cooking we do.
That is another area that is super cool to see — what can be done and what you guys are able to do at Edge Construction.
You are accommodating the different types of ranges and oven setups, different areas for food preparation, and really incorporating lifestyle and expectations.
There are obviously still homes where people have a simple oven and range combo, a microwave with a hood vent over it, and that is good enough.
But then there are other people who have very particular tastes when it comes to what is in the kitchen.
Mike:
Yes, we will get to all that.
It is amazing that sometimes it happens during the process.
You start this design process, and that is why you do not want to rush it.
As you start, you might have these notions in your head.
You think, “This is how I think it is going to go.”
But you have not done a lot of work yet.
You have not been out there looking at not just products for countertops, tile, flooring choices, cabinets, and all that stuff.
The appliances are a whole other area.
We do not build a lot of new houses, but we have one that is in the last few days of finishing right now.
The fridge they picked out — we have talked about this before — is one of the highest-tech things I think I have ever seen.
It has a computer screen on the front of the fridge.
They have a couple of twin babies, and the babies can basically whiteboard on the front. They take their fingers and wiggle them around on there.
You have one-year-old babies drawing designs on the fridge.
I thought it was interesting.
I hope they got a good deal on it, and I hope we do not have problems with it, but it was really cool.
Host:
You mentioned some of the technology.
I actually have a friend who has something similar.
They even have cameras mounted inside so you can look into the fridge. The front door camera somehow ties into it too, so when people ring the doorbell, they can see it.
Mike:
Yes, all of that.
You can be grocery shopping and say, “Do I have any milk left?” Then you look in your fridge through an app.
When I go grocery shopping at the gas station, I do not know.
Host:
My wife would not let me get a refrigerator like that.
Mike:
Would you ever leave the house?
Host:
No, probably not.
We are talking this morning with Mike Twohig, owner at Edge Construction.
The telephone number is 608-636-3343. That number is so easy to remember: 636-EDGE.
The website is EdgeConstructionCompany.com. That is Edge Construction Company dot com.
We are going to talk about a recent kitchen remodel titled Timeless Open Concept Kitchen.
Check that out and get some reference points for what we are talking about.
Mike, as we talk about kitchens in general, I think a lot of times we have these ideas of the kitchen remodel being this big, spacious room where you have all this stuff.
But here in Madison and throughout the area, there are smaller kitchens and smaller homes.
Your design team, and obviously your carpentry skills, are really being put to the test to maximize what can go on in there, while also making sure the flow works and it does not feel cramped.
There is a real art to what goes on in that design process.
Mike:
There is, and CAD is the biggest help for us.
CAD in kitchen design has been around since I started construction years ago, but it has come a long way.
The program that mostly gets used has not changed drastically. It is updated a little bit, and you can get some decent renderings from it.
But we have one now that gives you so much help in designing this.
We can import actual products in there.
For example, with backsplash tile, we are not just picking a general one to get the feel of it. We are picking colors for things.
If there is a window on one side of the kitchen, you can plug in the time and day, and the rendering will show you how much light is coming in there.
It shows the effects of light and shadows.
But I think the biggest advantage to CAD design — and if you are doing a major kitchen remodel and not going through this process, I think it is really tough to get where you want to go — is the top-down look.
It is like peeling the roof off and looking right down at the top of the house.
The remodel we are going to talk about is a good one because there are a few different access points that go through this kitchen.
If you peel the roof off this house and look down, you want balance.
You do not want weird openings into this kitchen.
You want to be able to look at it from different angles and have it look right.
But it also has to perform well.
We want space around things.
We have talked about universal design, and that plays in.
This is a great one because we were able to open it up and really balance it out.
Host:
You mentioned those multiple access points and working with that flow.
Open concept has obviously been big, but one of the things I know from talking with you and looking at older homes is that the doorways and entryways into these spaces used to be very narrow.
Whether it is completely opening and removing walls or just widening those doorways, that ties things together better too, doesn’t it?
Mike:
It does.
Sometimes you are widening these doorways six inches or a foot, and you think, “Is it really worth it?”
But when they see the end result and how it feels, it can really bring the main floor of the house together if you get it right.
Host:
We are talking this morning with Mike Twohig, owner at Edge Construction.
Online, EdgeConstructionCompany.com. That is Edge Construction Company dot com.
Telephone number is 608-636-3343. The number is so easy to remember: 636-EDGE.
What about the overall traffic flow and the design of how people move through the kitchen?
We want to get people into an inviting space, but we also need to think about how things are going to work, not just when you have company over, but when you are making dinner and doing those kinds of things.
Mike:
That part is where some innovation has been happening on the design side.
We are always designing for space and universal design.
We do not want narrow walkways around things.
We do not want pinch points between the island and something that opens, like a fridge, stove, or dishwasher.
Those can be annoying.
If we can eliminate those, that is good.
But it also has to make sense.
We have people now who almost create an inventory of their things.
There is a lot more planning around where things are going to go.
If I am doing dishes, I do not want to walk across the room to put them away.
I do not want the cabinet where I store dishes to be way over here.
We used to talk about the kitchen triangle.
Now I think you can make compromises based on some of these other decisions.
You might say, “This is the stuff I use 80 percent of the time. How can we design around that?”
Then if we have to compromise and have the fridge a little farther away, or if we need to separate the stove and sink a little more, you might be willing to make those compromises.
Host:
Do things like islands really help with that flow and workflow?
When you were talking about ovens and sinks, I think of having the ability to take something out of the oven, and if you have a nice island, just turn around and set it down right there.
I am very jealous of those people.
Have islands really helped with this stuff?
Mike:
They have.
There is so much benefit to an island.
I mentioned entertaining earlier.
An island is a natural space for people to stand around.
It is also a big expanse of countertop, which you just did not see in kitchens from the 80s, 90s, and before.
You would have a couple of feet over here, a couple of feet over there, and everything seemed choppy.
With an island, you have this expanse of countertop that is great for prep.
It is a place to put something down.
By the way, if you are going to set something hot on top of your brand-new countertop, even if they say you can do it, I always think, “Would you put a hot pan on the hood of your new car?”
Do not do it.
But yes, the island has changed everything.
One of the biggest benefits of an island is that it usually eliminates a peninsula.
A peninsula creates a corner in your kitchen, so now you have these cabinets in a corner.
I do not think it is a good spot to cook.
I do not see anybody standing in a corner and cooking unless it is their only option.
It is also not efficient for storage.
So we slide that thing out, eliminate a corner, and get a bunch of great storage.
Maybe we can put the microwave down in the island, which is getting pretty popular.
Probably a third of our designs end up with something like that.
Host:
You mentioned the microwave.
I see them being lower mounted, which is fantastic.
I have also seen, in some of your projects, people opting to simply get back to a counter microwave if they have the space.
They just put it there and say, “We do not need a built-in, and we do not need to put it over the range.”
Mike:
Occasionally, that does happen.
The trend definitely has been to try to get stuff off the counter and have a spot for things if you can.
But sometimes you just do not have another option.
We work on smaller houses, and in some kitchens, you just do not have those options.
Host:
Are people talking about where they are going to store their air fryer?
Mike:
I would like to see one at our house.
I hear great things about these things.
Some of those things, like a toaster oven, which I love — we have one at the shop, and it is my preferred way to cook — are maybe not things you use all the time.
If we can get the walk-in pantry, those are a whole other level of design, which we probably are not getting into today.
But if we can get a nice walk-in pantry, we are going through all those same steps and organizational planning in the walk-in pantry.
It is a great spot for appliances you are not using all the time.
Host:
I feel like at the Prebil household, the air fryer gets used two-to-one over the microwave.
Mike:
Wow.
Host:
A lot of it is Madison.
He likes snacks. Pick him up a bag of pizza rolls, and he has snacks for a month.
Mike:
So he takes after his dad.
Host:
Does he share?
We are talking this morning with Mike Twohig, owner of Edge Construction, online at EdgeConstructionCompany.com.
That is Edge Construction Company dot com.
Check them out online.
Again, we will get a little more into the recent kitchen remodel that is featured on the website right now, EdgeConstructionCompany.com.
Their telephone number is 608-636-3343. That number is 636-EDGE.
We will continue our conversation with Mike Twohig of Edge Construction next as the Home Remodeling Show continues right here on 1310 WIBA.
Host:
You are listening to the Home Remodeling Show with Edge Construction. Email your questions to EdgeConstructionRadio@gmail.com.
Once again, here is Sean Prebil on News Talk 1310 WIBA.
This is the Home Remodeling Show, brought to you by Edge Construction.
The website is EdgeConstructionCompany.com.
That is Edge Construction Company dot com.
They are always being updated, with great portfolios and other things up on the website.
Speaking of checking out the work at Edge Construction, check out EdgeConstructionCompany.com and their link to Houzz, H-O-U-Z-Z.
There is some awesome stuff there as well.
Again, all links are from EdgeConstructionCompany.com.
Their telephone number is 608-636-3343. That number is 636-EDGE.
We are talking this week about kitchen design, kitchen remodels, and putting all the pieces together when it comes to designing the absolute perfect kitchen for folks.
Mike, as you mentioned earlier, islands are popular.
Peninsulas are out, and for good reason.
Those corner areas make things very difficult.
I think everybody who has one of those corners in their kitchen has that back spot that is like the mystery zone.
Stuff goes there to die.
Mike:
Exactly.
They are kind of mildly annoying.
Host:
Years ago, we talked about some of the different solutions for inside corners.
There are some things out there. I think you called one of them the peanut.
Am I remembering that right?
Mike:
Actually, I have that at my house.
It is virtually impossible to eliminate all corners, so there are options.
We still put in a lot of lazy Susans and things.
My sister’s name is Susan, so I love saying that.
That is probably still more common than anything.
But when we did our kitchen a number of years ago, maybe four or five years ago, we did what is called a blind corner cabinet.
Instead of an actual corner cabinet, it is like a regular base cabinet that goes long.
You might think, “How do I reach all the way back in there, 42 or 45 inches, to get anything?”
Well, you do not.
There are products that slide out.
I called it the acorn, but it is a shelf that is sort of peanut-shaped.
You pull out the peanut shelf, and it kind of does this weird wiggle to get out of there.
We have stuff on there, and I like it.
I do not know if Christy loves it. I think she has gotten used to it.
You give up some storage for some of that organizational stuff because there is no way for it to use the total width and depth of that cabinet.
But it also makes it very easy to get to things that you have in there.
So at least it is more usable in my eyes.
Host:
With people maybe making some decisions on accessibility over storage, I also see a trend of people saying, “More cupboards are always great, but we would rather have better visuals and more open space.”
I have seen people removing some of those upper cupboards.
Whether it is doing open shelves to still get storage and that open feel, or removing cabinets near a window and over the sink, people are saying, “As much as we love these cupboards, if we can get rid of them, we are going that way.”
Mike:
Yes.
That has been an interesting change.
When we designed kitchens on paper or in rudimentary CAD, it seemed like we were packing cabinets into every available space.
It is typical for us to go into a 70s, 80s, or even 90s kitchen and see cabinets growing right up to the trim of the window, sometimes even into it a little bit.
It was maxed out.
They were trying to get as much storage as possible.
I wonder how much the influence of CAD has changed that.
With renderings now, where we can realistically see what it is going to look like, you can look at it and say, “Do I want it to feel like this? Do I want it to look a little different?”
We have talked about Houzz, Pinterest, and even websites like ours, where you look and think, “That looks pretty nice when we open things up a little bit or put glass doors on a couple of cabinets.”
We are changing how that kitchen feels.
You do give up some storage, though.
Putting in a larger window in the kitchen has become a very common part of our remodels.
You are giving up cabinet space to be able to look out a window, and how it feels has become very important.
Host:
You mentioned the windows.
We are talking about bigger doors and opening things up.
With this recent kitchen remodel up on the website, one of the areas that really stands out is the slider.
When I look at the before and after and how that space was divided before, then how you were able to open it up, the big thing is the way the light flows in from that wall where the sink and things are.
It really makes a profound visual difference when you look at that space.
Mike:
It does.
We are always going to daylight it.
In Wisconsin, for four months of the year, a lot of us are not even home when the sun is shining.
You leave in the dark and come home in the dark.
So you have to daylight the space.
You can see — and we will probably talk about the lighting in here — there are a lot of layers of lighting.
But there is something about natural light coming in.
It changes things a little bit and gives it a better feel.
Host:
I notice with this one on the website, and I have noticed it a lot, that people are moving away from the double-basin sink to a single basin.
That is very popular now too, isn’t it?
Mike:
It is really popular.
Our designers were talking this last week about some of the trends we think are coming, and one that has not really hit here yet is bigger sinks.
We are noticing more products geared that way.
In a standard sink cabinet, like this one, which is 36 inches, you can put in a 33-inch sink, which is big.
My mom’s house, a 100-plus-year-old house, has a 24-inch sink.
I never noticed it was small, but when you have had a bigger one, you say, “Okay, this is pretty nice.”
The big open-bowl sink, or single-bowl sink, is probably not ideal if you are doing dishes by hand.
But dishwashers have gotten better.
Sean, this is from my wife and my mom: you have that cool product that cleans your dishes. All you have to do is turn that thing on.
It is great.
I think the big sink is really nice for big pots and pans.
There is a reason to have these big open bowls.
I brought up the bigger sinks because, as people start saying, “Oh, I did not know I could get that,” they realize they can get a 42-inch-wide sink.
You can have the big open bowl and maybe a little prep sink for food.
That might be an option you want.
You are giving up some storage for that.
It is a six-inch or nine-inch bigger cabinet than normal, so you give up a little bit.
But maybe it would be worth it to have that extra sink.
Host:
With bigger kitchens and islands, I have noticed some folks are opting to have maybe a smaller bar sink mounted in the island.
That is fantastic if you have the space and it can work for the design.
Mike:
I am told that is where you prep the veggies.
The idea is that because of universal design, there are some side benefits.
We are creating more space in that kitchen and not cramping everything in there.
Literally, two people can be doing somewhat similar things in there.
If you have space for a prep sink, this island actually would have been a good choice for it.
I know we ran into a little bit of a budget issue adding something into that island.
It is not that it could not happen at a later date, but this is a pretty big island.
It is a growing family, and the island has been a perfect spot for them.
It is beautiful, and the countertop is really, really nice.
Host:
We will talk more about that.
We are also going to talk about timeline when it comes to a kitchen remodel and some of the steps that get taken through the process.
We will get the details on that and so much more.
We have been talking about the website, EdgeConstructionCompany.com.
Get over there and check them out.
Again, EdgeConstructionCompany.com.
Their telephone number is 608-636-3343. That number is 636-EDGE.
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 Edge Construction Company dot com.
We are talking this week about kitchen remodels and a little bit about the design that goes into them.
We are also going to get into timeline in just a moment.
If you have not been to the website yet, EdgeConstructionCompany.com.
Check them out there.
Telephone number is 608-636-3343. That is 636-EDGE.
Mike, let’s talk about a kitchen timeline.
I kind of mentioned jokingly at the beginning of the show, but it is actually true: winter will be here eventually, Christmas will come along, and people will be over hanging out.
It would be really nice to show off a new kitchen.
And what else are you going to do in the winter? You might as well remodel your kitchen.
What is the timeline like for a kitchen remodel?
Mike:
Right now, we are probably looking at after the holidays, so January or February.
We do not rush the upfront design process.
We want it to take whatever it takes.
If somebody is comfortable making decisions and wants to cruise through it pretty quickly, it might be a month and a half or two months.
If it takes longer, that is just fine.
If we figure two or three months on design, then at the end of design, we have a contract and order cabinets.
Then we are another few months out — three months.
It still sounds like a long time for people, but I will remind you that two years ago, we peaked at 24 weeks for cabinets.
So getting it down to nine, 10, or 11 weeks means we are extremely happy about that.
It is much more manageable for us, and I think less frustrating for homeowners.
But when you pile those together, you could easily have five or six months as a normal timeline.
Then we set a start date, usually within 30 days after that.
So that puts us in January or February if you get the process started right now.
Host:
If you are wanting to do a remodel this upcoming winter, you need to get going because there are a lot of decisions to make and things to figure out.
It is interesting when you think about the timeline because you are keeping busy during that time.
As a homeowner, there are a lot of great decisions being made and design planning.
But even demolition and everything else — when you start breaking down how this process works, there is a lot going on for a kitchen remodel.
Mike:
There is.
When we first talk to homeowners, one of their first questions is, “When can you do it? What does your schedule look like?”
We are not there yet because we do not know how long it is going to take to design.
When I say it is going to take two to three months in design, our projects generally spend about the same time in design as they do in construction.
We have not pulled a nail or demoed anything until we are through with that design process.
At first, people say, “Well, it is not going to take three months to figure out what to do.”
I tell them that time really goes fast.
Most of the time, homeowners think there is maybe only one way to go with the design.
Sometimes there is only one way to go because we are hemmed in by the house.
But we still go through the CAD exercise, taking that top-down look and figuring out if there is any other way to do this, even if it is not great.
Sometimes we will draw it because there might be something we can pull out of that design that did not quite make it.
Those things take time.
We give you what I call reaction time.
If we give you an updated plan, we do not say, “Let us know by 3:00 what to do.”
Sometimes people want a week or two to look at it and think about it in their space.
Host:
One of the things you often say is that you do not know what you do not know.
That is really true when it comes to remodeling and what is available.
I do the show with you each and every week, and we have been doing it for a decade now.
I am always amazed when I look at the pictures at EdgeConstructionCompany.com and see some of the designs and projects you guys have done.
There are things where I say, “I never thought of it that way. I have never seen anything like that.”
Then you ask, “Why didn’t we always do it that way?”
For people who are going to be doing some remodeling, that is one of the cool things. There is so much available, and there is a lot more to it than many of us think.
A lot of us think, “We will just do new cabinets, countertops, and flooring.”
But when it is done better, you would be amazed at what is out there.
Mike:
Like you said, you do not know what you do not know.
We have to figure out what to do, figure out the floor plan, and talk about things like open shelves, more window space, lighting, and all of that.
We have to solve all those problems.
We will talk about some of the issues we faced on the newer remodel on our website.
But we have to solve all those issues before we pick flooring, cabinets, countertops, backsplash tile, sink fixtures, and things like that.
Those all have to happen too.
In general, there is a race to get through design because we want to get started and we want to get stuff ordered.
But I am always thinking, if you are going to be in this house a long time, which hopefully you are, are you going to look back and say, “I am glad I raced through design and did not explore all the options?”
It is best practice, and I think it is less wasteful too.
Your chances are better that you will pick out a product that stands the test of time, rather than something you rushed into.
Host:
Speaking of this recent project and some of the features of it, the cabinets on each side of the range have glass doors with wood frames.
Going back to opening things up, they look really, really nice.
Do we see people having one or two of those in select areas of the kitchen, just to get that glass-front, open look?
Mike:
Yes.
That is something I did not really see coming.
Maybe 10 years ago, when we started, if there was glass on a cabinet, it might have had some liquor in it.
It was not like this kitchen.
This one is glass, but I think it is kind of a ribbed glass.
It is a little blurry to look through.
They have nice everyday stuff up there — things they use a lot.
They liked that look.
I remember the homeowner saying something like, “It forces us to keep things a little more organized and nicer because you can see in there.”
It does. It makes them feel good looking at them.
Host:
What about open shelves?
I do not know if there are any on this particular project, but I know we have touched on them a bit.
If you have nice stuff you want to show off, those are a great design feature as well, aren’t they?
Mike:
They are.
Open shelves are not as efficient for storage.
There is all sorts of cool stuff now.
If you wanted to store sugar or flour, there is utilitarian plastic stuff you can hide away in a drawer, or there are things that are really nice that you want to look at.
Some utensils have gotten to be like art.
It is very cool to see some of that happening on open shelves.
Again, it is a total feel thing.
We had a kitchen we did where we had done an outside project for the homeowners maybe five years earlier.
It was a very complicated project, even though it did not sound like it.
It was a deck over a garage that was rubber-roofed and leaking.
We did a separation from the neighbors with a very cool custom cedar fence and some wild custom handrail.
It was very nice.
Then we ended up going back in and doing their kitchen and primary bath.
Their kitchen was about the size of the studio we are sitting in, which is not very big.
They opted for pretty much all open shelves in there.
They sourced them themselves, and we installed some stainless steel shelving.
You can look back at our kitchen pictures and probably see it.
At first I thought, “What is going on? There are no cabinets here.”
But for these homeowners, they had enough cabinets to store the things they really needed.
I am guessing they do not have a lot of extra stuff.
They also picked out things that they really liked to display on the stainless shelving.
Host:
One thing I have noticed is that if you have more space, you tend to put more stuff there.
Even when my wife and I lived in smaller apartments, things like plates and dishes were very basic.
We maybe had four plates and four bowls.
Now I cannot even imagine.
But it made you do dishes more frequently, and you had to be more organized.
Speaking of organization, we will talk a little bit about organization.
We will also talk a little more about timeline.
We have not touched on lighting for kitchens either.
We will get into that and so much more.
In the meantime, if you have not been over to the website, EdgeConstructionCompany.com, check them out.
That is Edge Construction Company dot com.
If you are thinking about doing some remodeling, Mike and the team would love to talk with you.
Their telephone number is 608-636-3343. That number is 636-EDGE.
We will continue our conversation with Mike Twohig of Edge Construction as the Home Remodeling Show continues right here on 1310 WIBA.
Host:
You are listening to the Home Remodeling Show with Edge Construction. Email your questions to EdgeConstructionRadio@gmail.com.
Once again, here is Sean Prebil on News Talk 1310 WIBA.
This is the Home Remodeling Show, brought to you by Edge Construction, online at EdgeConstructionCompany.com.
That is Edge Construction Company dot com.
Their telephone number is 608-636-3343. The phone number is so easy to remember: 636-EDGE.
Again, the website is EdgeConstructionCompany.com.
We are talking kitchens this week, and we cannot talk about any remodel, especially a kitchen remodel, without talking about lighting.
There is lighting you see, like nice focal-point hanging lamps and other lights.
But there are also things you do not always necessarily see that have a profound effect.
Lighting is an art unto itself and a vital component for any project, isn’t it?
Mike:
It is.
We have talked about lighting a lot in the past, and I always think of lighting in layers.
We have a base layer.
In any kitchen built 15 years ago or older, the base layer was one fixture right in the middle of the kitchen.
Do you have more than that?
Host:
Yes, thankfully.
Mike:
The base layer now looks like recessed lights, like a can light, but it is actually an LED fixture.
The advantage is that the whole bottom of the fixture is the light.
The cone is really wide.
If your bulb is up in a can light, now you have this narrow cone and a lot of shadows.
These have gotten very controllable.
The light is much easier to look at.
You can pick your lumens and decide what you want it to look like.
We have occasionally had people be unhappy, but usually it is because they picked a color for their light that we recommended against.
Some of the blue LEDs just hurt your eyes.
You can still get that old look if you want it, by the way, and there are some applications where it is good, like a shop or garage.
You mentioned the surface-mounted fixtures.
If you have hanging fixtures over an island or peninsula, or maybe something decorative over the sink, that is pretty common.
So we have our base layer of LED can lights, surface-mounted fixtures, and then another background light underneath the cabinets.
Those fixtures have gotten great.
It is something we do not even have to think about anymore.
All of these layers of lighting are something we figure into our first pricing.
It is not like you say, “I want under-cabinet lighting,” and then we add $1,500 or something.
You can put dimmers on all that stuff, and the dimming technology has really improved and works well with LED now.
We struggled a little bit with it at first, but those problems seem to have been solved.
Now you can find the right balance of light.
Host:
You mentioned the right balance and designing it in layers.
One of the reasons there are all these different lighting options — how you have them on and off, colors, and brightness — is that, depending on what you are doing, you can create the space the way you like with lighting.
Mike:
You can.
There are tons of advantages to getting lighting right.
When you look at a great remodel or a great kitchen remodel, even if it is just in pictures, and you think, “Wow, I really like this,” one of the elements making it work is the lighting.
If you get that right, it works.
When it is done wrong, it is really apparent.
You look at it and say, “This does not work.”
There is a talent to that.
There are a couple more uses for lighting that I think people do not think about.
We talk about delineating space.
If there is a demarcation zone between one area and another, we can sort of do that subconsciously with lighting.
We can define a path with lighting.
Maybe those LED cans are going down a natural walkway, and you do not even realize you are being led down that path.
Host:
That is pretty amazing.
When we start this conversation, I mentioned that you do not know what you do not know.
That is one of those areas too.
When you start that conversation with Mike and the team at Edge Construction, you will be amazed to learn all the great options they have.
Even something as simple as lighting has a bunch of different great things they can do for you.
If you are thinking about doing some remodeling, whether it is a kitchen or any other part of your house, they would love to talk with you.
Just pick up the phone and give them a call: 608-636-3343. That number is 636-EDGE.
The website is EdgeConstructionCompany.com. That is Edge Construction Company dot com.
Edge Construction brings you the Home Remodeling Show right here on 1310 WIBA.