Kitchens and Baths with Dash

Homeowners, please pick up your pencils and mark the following questions true or false:

1. Kitchens and bathrooms receive more use than any other rooms.

2. Outdated kitchens and bathrooms will negatively impact the value of your home.

3. The vast majority of new home products are developed for kitchens and bathrooms.

4. Remodeled kitchens and bathrooms offer a strong return financially when your home is sold.

If you answered true to every question, give yourself an A. High-style homes are all about cutting-edge kitchens and flashy, splashy bathrooms.

So, for reasons that are both financial and aesthetic, homeowners are often opting to live through the fuss and bother of demolition and reconstruction.

More than a desire for trendiness is at work. Remodeling has been on the upswing for over a decade, thanks in part to Florida's "Save Our Homes" constitutional amendment.

The amendment, adopted into law in 1992, limits how much a homestead's taxable value can be increased year over year to just 3 percent or the amount of the Consumer Price Index, whichever is less.

After several years of exploding property values-20 percent to 30 percent annual increases in some parts of Tampa Bay-that means many homeowners enjoy property taxes that are low relative to home values.

But, as is the case with so many good deals, there's a catch. You can't take the tax break with you.

If you sell your home and buy another, you'll pay taxes based on the actual market value of your new digs. And, given the recent rate of appreciation, your new tax bill could amount to thousands of dollars per year more than you previously paid.

"People who have been in a house for 20 years or more are paying pennies for taxes compared to more recent buyers," says Mitchell Levey of Etruscan Kitchen and Bath in Tampa. "They don't want to move and pay what a tax increase would cost, yet they want beautiful kitchens and shiny news bathrooms. So they stay in their older homes and spend their money to remodel."

Although most experts contend that it takes several years to fully recoup a remodeling investment, some contractors say that they've completed projects-particularly kitchens and bathrooms in hot neighborhoods-where a home's value has increased instantly almost dollar for dollar.

Setting aside financial considerations, owners of older homes want the same benefits that owners of new homes enjoy in terms of kitchen and bathroom design and technology.

"What we look for today in these rooms is completely different from the expectations and requirements of kitchens and bathrooms just 10 years ago," Levey says. "The ways we cook, eat and entertain have changed."

Today's kitchens are hard-working, high-tech household hubs while bathrooms have morphed from small, utilitarian rooms to lavish retreats designed for relaxation and respite. And the increased affordability of a wide array of products makes remodeling sensible.

"We didn't just discover natural stone, glass mosaic tiles, granite and marble," Levey notes. "But until recently, they were beyond the reach of most people. Prices have come down due to competition, more efficient production, consumer education, knockoffs and look-alike products."

Some high-end buyers, for example, are opting for solid-surface counters from Zodiac or Silestone, which are 90 percent quartz crystals bound together with epoxy or acrylic. Corian, a completely manmade product, is another solid-surface choice. Laminate, which has improved dramatically in appearance, remains the choice of the budget conscious.

Add to the mix knowledgeable designers who know how to use high-end finishes sparingly to stretch a budget, and suddenly you don't have to be a millionaire to have a drop-dead gorgeous kitchen.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, however. Homeowners tackling kitchen renovations are currently heading in two opposite style directions, notes Dave Nichols of Kitchen and Bath Factory in Tampa.

There's the streamlined, ultra-contemporary look with stainless steel and high-gloss European cabinets. Then there's the Old World look with hardwood cabinets that are hand-rubbed, glazed and crafted like fine furnishings.

For Old World warmth, homeowners are turning away from oaks and light woods toward darker cherries and maples. Furniture-quality cabinets are distressed, with worm holes and beaten corners, and the wood is made to look old with rich, antique patinas.

"The woodwork is very important to some clients," Nichols says. "They want cabinets that look like high-quality furnishings, right down to the staining and the hardware."

Popular features in these elegant kitchens include beveled glass doors, exposed plate racks, crown moldings, lighted cabinets and finished cabinet interiors.

At the opposite end of the design spectrum, contemporary glass and steel kitchens are in demand. And Frederick D. Craig's company, Profusion, brings the two materials together with seamless welding and an artist's eye for line and form.

Solid sheets of stainless steel are precisely templated for counter surfaces and backsplashes with undermount sinks are welded right in. The joints and lines are cleaned and polished until they disappear, creating kitchen surfaces that flow like a silvery river.

"This is the ultimate for a clean, contemporary, minimalist look," says Craig. "Stainless steel is best in terms of cleanliness and hygiene, which is why commercial kitchens are required to use it. And it'll outlast any other surface, never losing its luster."

Profusion also creates stainless steel and glass cabinet doors, and Craig designs unusual breakfast bars, balancing thick sheets of glass on stainless steel brackets.

In keeping with the kitchen-as-hub concept, islands have become ubiquitous in kitchen remodeling projects. Often the island is the place where families dine, where children do homework while parents cook, and where guests perch during parties.

As a result, islands have become more elaborate in recent years. Many are ornamented with extensive detailing and outfitted with everything from sinks and cooktops to refrigerators and second dishwashers.

In addition, some families are opting for multiple food-preparation areas, including secondary sinks. Double ovens are as popular as ever, but sometimes one of the two is a convection oven or a combination convection/microwave. And extra refrigerators and or icemakers are showing up in islands or in butler's pantries.

Kitchen lighting is taking on a different tone as well. Overhead "can" lights are increasingly popular, while chandlers set a more traditional mood. Pendant lights with glass shades illuminate islands, and under-cabinet lights brighten work surfaces.

Dimmers are often installed to tone down the lighting from operating-room bright to ambient mood lighting. That's especially important when kitchens adjoin family rooms.

In the bathroom, products designed to please the eye and pamper the body top the trend list.

Richard Valmain, owner of Grand Kitchen & Bath in St. Petersburg, sells glass vessel sinks that are individually crafted and signed by the artist. He also offers lighted sinks that change color according to water temperature and cabinetry crafted from high-quality woods to look like fine furniture.

Shower fixtures run the gamut from Victorian ceiling mounts to body-wash systems with spray jets, thermostatic controls and steam valves. Rain heads are big, and spray hubs and shower heads spin. Aroma-therapy and illumi-therapy are in demand, along with top-of-the line tubs offering hydrothermal massage, heated backrests and the ability to handle spa products, including oils, teas and even mud.

"Bathrooms have shifted from master suite to master spa," says Valmain. "Customers want single-use, dry-heat saunas, steam showers, massage jets and soaking tubs that are light-years beyond standard whirlpools. The modern bathroom is a beautiful space, designed as a lavish retreat from the world."

Sounds nice. But how much is too much, in terms of return on investment?

Realtor Vikki Arthur of Smith & Associates advises homeowners to remodel because of the enjoyment a new kitchen or a new bathroom will bring-not simply for what the project will add to a home's resale value.

"While there may not be a price tag affixed to your satisfaction as a homeowner, there is a definite value," Arthur says. "And chances are, if you love your new kitchen and bathroom, then so will a future buyer."

Plus, she adds, if you're going to do the job, do it right.

"When you remodel with quality finishes, top-of-the-line appliances and a tasteful look, then your money is well spent," Arthur says. "My advice is, don't go over the top. We've all seen kitchens and bathrooms where the owner went crazy with colors or mixed too many materials. But if you do it well, buyers will fall in love."

The thing to remember, Arthur emphasizes, is that most buyers don't want to remodel and aren't able to envision potential. So if the kitchen and bathroom aren't pretty to begin with, they usually lose interest.

"They aren't interested in what the space could look like," Arthur says. "They want it beautiful right now."

SEVEN HOT KITCHEN AND BATH TRENDS

Centerpiece Sinks
The latest, greatest sinks are crafted of fine metals and exquisitely detailed. Best bets include the massive farm sink in solid bronze, twin tubs in burnished copper and stainless steel sinks with flashy aprons.

Switch to Stainless
You have stainless steel appliances, so why are you still flipping the lights on with switches set in tacky plastic plates? Finally, manufacturers have come up with gleaming, brushed stainless wall plates-dimmers, switches, phone and cable jacks-to modernize your kitchen. Some even offer front panels that attach to bases, so no screws are exposed.

Put 'Er There
Cabinet makers have come up with some crafty storage solutions using what once was wasted space. For example, sliding-shelf cabinet bases conceal dishracks, and hidden toe-kick drawers pull out to accommodate platters, trays and cookie sheets.

Mix it Up
Why choose the same size cabinets when you can order them in different heights, widths and depths? The visual effect is one of movement and interest making each kitchen unique.

Look! No Hands
Tired of trying to turn on your faucet with your elbows after molding the meatloaf? Hands-free faucets start flowing when you place your grimy paws beneath the tap. Water temperature is set with the manual valve, and you can still pull down the spray nozzle to clean the sink.

No Tanks
Today's high-tech toilets offer unbelievable options, including a tankless model that recesses all pipes and plumbing into the wall. The only thing you see is a streamlined seat in your choice of designer shades-perfect for petite water closets.

Bathroom Furniture
Solid wood vanities crafted to look like fine furniture are making waves in the bathroom. Gleaming mahogany and dark cherry cabinets are being custom-built to look like period antiques, with claw feet and carved doors, while teak and bamboo pieces feature sleek, contemporary open shelving.