Conley Publishing - Special Sections
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April 2014 Milwaukee/NARI Remodel•Renovate•Restore 9 237698002 ASPHALT PAVING • Driveways • Parking Lots • Repairs • Patching • Seal Coating FRANK ARMSTRONG PAVING Free Estimates 414-358-1613 Serving SoutheasternWisconsin For 32 Years You stand on our reputation You stand on our reputation Simple home remodeling changes and tech- nology advances are greatly expanding home entertaining options according to members of Milwaukee/NARI. Members say that renova- tion projects have moved beyond the basement home theater and outside deck to multipur- pose, high-tech family rooms and open- designed kitchens. "It used to be that a home theater was a ded- icated room with special seating, a projector, and a large wall mounted screen," said Rick Goodman of America In-Home in Brookfield, WI. "Now projectors and large wall screens are largely being replaced by large flat panel TVs, Smart TVs, and Blu-ray players with apps that provide more entertainment options, including YouTube, Facebook, and Internet radio." The trend now is about breaking the mold of how we define a particular space in the house. "Today I am seeing entertainment rooms serve multiple purposes, rather than just a place to watch movies," said Goodman. "Because a tra- ditional theater set up is not required, there can be more integration of the technology into the room's décor. Flat screen TVs are built into wall units surrounded by family photos and art displays." "With many different activities taking place in what was known as the family room, they are now referred to as the great room," said Goodman. "Today's homeowners aren't reserving one room just for entertaining guests. Because of new technology, it can be a reading room, a place for kids to surf the net and do homework, or a place to relax and watch TV and listen to music." "Quality sound is an important part of entertainment for TVs, Internet, and tradition- al radio," said Goodman. "Though technolo- gy allows for wireless speakers, most homeown- ers prefer speakers recessed into the walls for the best sound. For aesthetic purposes, the speaker wires are hidden behind the drywall." "The trend in remodeling kitchens for enter- taining is to remove walls so the area allows for more contact with all of the guests at the same time. It opens up the living room or family room to the main activity in the kitchen," said Ray Shelton of Artisan Kitchen & Bath Gallery in Wauwatosa. "Adding a pass-thru opening in the wall is another option if the layout is not set up for removing a complete wall. This at least allows for eye contact with the people in the kitchen and ensures that the cook doesn't miss a conversation or a highlight of the game." "An open design is also becoming more pop- ular with the increased interest in gourmet cooking, cooking groups, and husband-wife cooking," according to Shelton. "In many cases, this layout requires installing a large header in place of the wall that was removed and changing the flooring of one or both areas that are being connected. Removing peninsula wall hung cabinets and soffits also helps to maintain eye contact as well as help everybody to feel that they are in the same room." "Designing the kitchen cabinets and coun- tertops with a large island that is actually a cus- tom table rather than an island," said Shelton. "This allows for seated conversation of larger groups without the island feeling as a oversized table that looks out of place when it is empty. Adding an arc to a snack bar overhang pro- motes conversation and eye contact so that guests feel as though they are not trying to talk through another person." Creating a comfortable atmosphere and con- sidering how the space will function are impor- tant choices when designing an open kitchen. "Adding several recessed ceiling lights on a dimmer in a large matrix type of layout allows for the entire area to be lit up evenly while still having the ability to alter the lighting so that it's not too light or too dark," said Shelton. "Adding an under-counter refrigerator near the end of a cabinet run allows guests to grab a cold beer or pour a glass of wine without getting in the way of the cook. Couple this with a small sink and you have a wet bar that acts as a great side prep area for the cook or a volunteer." Remodeling Advice for Better Home Entertaining after - Story Hill Renovations