Our kitchen and bath design expert answers your questions.

Question: How can I connect my kitchen to the outdoors?

Answer: Try using large, undivided windows. Install one long, tall window above a kitchen sink instead of two smaller openings. Allow at least three inches of “breathing room” around a window, too. Or try including a “garden window,” a small bay window with shelves that gives a three-dimensional feel.

If your kitchen lacks a view or an outside wall, a skylight may be appropriate to flood the space with daylight.

If windows don’t fit in your budget, cut flowers, fruits and vegetables around the room add a fresh feel, as do green plants and herbs. Grow lights, mounted under wall cabinets, do double duty by providing accent lighting, too.

Question: What recent innovations in kitchen surfaces are homeowners finding useful?

Answer: Today’s kitchens are witness to a design switch: the typical homeowner spends more on countertops and less on cabinets. Lower-priced cabinets with a host of door and finish styles have given homeowners the funds to upgrade their countertops.

The options are unlimited. Laminates alone come in a number of brands and hundreds of colors, textures and patterns: modern, retro, traditional, Asian inspired, nature-inspired and even metal. Styles, colors and shapes as well as edging continue to push the boundaries of kitchen design. Although natural granite continues to remain a top choice, trend-conscious homeowners are looking for new options,including a honed or brushed surface that shows fewer smudges and fingerprints.

Engineered quartz, a new market entry, comes with a huge array of colors and textures. Appearance is also more consistent, even as the benefits keep pace with real granite.

Exotic wood countertops come in different thicknesses, shapes and sizes. The wood can run in full-length planks with a face grain, edge grain or end grain boards. Two different woods can even be combined in a checkerboard pattern.

Concrete has moved out of the driveway and into the kitchen—natural, stained or embedded with glass or other products. It’s a great, durable product that takes heat and is easy to clean.

People often forget metal makes a superior countertop, too. Stainless steel can be brushed or enhanced with other textured finishes, and copper, galvanized or even raw steel can substitute for countertops.

Glass counters are best used as serving counters or in areas of light use, but glass tiles are gaining in popularity, particularly for kitchen sinks.

Be sure to consult with a trained professional to guide you in the options best suited to your application.

Exotic woods:
• Zebrawood
• Iroko
• African Paduak
• Wenge (“wen-gay”)
• Antique Heart Pine

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