Of The Home
BY ALYSSA GABBAY
11
11 here's no question about it,
the kitchen is the heart of
the home. Where else does
everyone in the family get
together to snack, to schmooze, to
ponder life? Where else can you feel
totally comfortable in your bathrobe
and slippers at seven in the morning?
And where else is that essential in-
gredient of life — food — prepared?
But in order to live up to its role, a
kitchen has to meet many demands.
Since people tend to spend so much
time there, it has to look good, but
it also has to function well — which
means providing adequate storage
space, an efficient work area, and
modern appliances. And, most
cooks agree, a kitchen requiring as
little maintenance as possible is a
plus.
If your kitchen is over 15 years old,
it's probably showing some wear-
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and-tear. Deciding to remodel can be
a challenging, exciting step. To ease
your path, here's advice from local
kitchen experts.
CABINETS
Your first step will be choosing a
set of cabinets. Cabinets are the focal
point for a kitchen; their material, style
and color define its look. And with
recent innovations, there is plenty of
variety from which to choose.
"Kitchen cabinets are looking
more like furniture than kitchen
cabinets," says Janice Morse of
Designs Unlimited in Walled Lake.
Morse notes the latest trends of flush
cabinets, bullnose and radius edges,
and the popular use of laminates.
The main word in kitchen cabinets
these days, especially in Detroit, is
"laminate." Made from layers of craft
paper that are protected by a clear
coat of plastic, this material soared
to popularity about 20 years ago.
Why? Plastic laminate cabinets offer
a smooth, clean, modern ap-
pearance. They don't require much
care; they're not easily damaged;
and they come in a range of colors
and patterns, including marble,
checks and diagonal stripes.
"Laminates offer a clean look and
a high-tech look," states Sherry Hunt-
zinger of Eurostyle Ltd. in the
Michigan Design Center.
On the other hand, if you have pink
laminate cabinets and you want to
change your kitchen color scheme
to yellow, you're out of luck — they
can't be painted: Also, a laminate
countertop has low heat resistance
it can withstand heat up to approx-
imately 250 degrees, but a casserole
heated up to 400 degrees in your
oven will leave marks.