10 Kitchen Styles To Consider

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Today’s kitchen looks very different from yesterday’s kitchen – just like tomorrow’s will look different than today’s! The point is that every year and every generation sees some kind of change in the design and style of any room. Kitchens are a big one, and this – from Better Homes and Gardens – is a helpful guide to what is “in” right now.

There are so many great styles to choose from when remodeling your kitchen. These 10 are pretty popular and all come with their own descriptions and keywords that make them unique. Check it out:

*Traditional kitchen (credit: Better Homes & Gardens)*

Traditional: traditional kitchens tend to be formal and ornate; they evoke feelings of elegance, sophistication, and timeliness.

Modern: modern kitchens are simple, functional rooms. Sleek and low-maintenance aspects of a modern kitchen give off a warm vibe.

Contemporary: a contemporary kitchen will often be more trendy, and might even have newer technology included in its appliances. They are typically dramatic and striking, while still maintaining a bit of minimalism.

Contemporary kitchen (credit: Better Homes & Gardens)

Transitional: not to be confused with a “traditional” kitchen, transitional kitchens are modern, simple, relaxed, and often informal.

Scandinavian: as one would expect from Scandinavian design, these kitchens are serene, low-maintenance, and functional.

Organic: exactly as it sounds, an organic kitchen is bright and clean with natural and classic elements.

Industrial: again, exactly as it sounds; an industrial kitchen is often large, gray, open, and unpolished. It is a very practical choice for those cooking a lot.

*Cottage kitchen (credit: Better Homes & Gardens)*

Cottage: a cottage kitchen is often described as sweet and bright. They can also be vintage, charming, and decorative.

Farmhouse: farmhouse kitchens, much like farmhouse homes, are warm, sunny, and rustic. They have simple, soft elements that invite guests in.

Country: a country kitchen is also a warm, casual environment with “worn” elements; don’t be fooled, these are also cozy and inviting kitchens!

What is your favorite kitchen style? Let me know in the comments!

How to survive a remodel in your relationship

I found this graphic from HomeAdvisor and the California Association of Realtors pretty funny. It says:

“More than half of couples who complete a remodeling project with a spouse or domestic partner admit to arguing during the process, and 3% even considered separation or divorce!”

While reaching that conclusion may be a little extreme (and maybe indicative of larger problems…), remodeling really is difficult on yourself and your relationship. Even just picking an agreeable paint color for the walls can be tricky.

As the graphic states, communicate more with whoever you’re doing the remodeling project with, and you’re bound to be better off. I know firsthand how difficult the buying, selling, remodeling, etc. processes can be, and the only way to survive them (even the easy ones!) is to be open and honest about everything you want to do.

Take my word for it, so you don’t end up looking like the characters in this little graphic! You can always call on a friendly realtor like myself for advice on how to best survive this daunting task.

Open House this weekend: This home is a hole in one!

Get your swimsuit, invite your friends and enjoy your new home. But first, you must swing by our Open House this weekend at 1915 Blackstone Dr. in Walnut Creek. You’ll see an absolutely gorgeous home with more than $100,000 put into customizing and updating everything that has to do with the backyard and the view you have from the house.

Included in those updates are a custom home office, larger double-paned windows, a brand gas pool heater, plantation shutters and french doors. But perhaps the most exciting updates came by the way of the backyard, a major selling point:

Custom island kitchen for BBQ’s
Putting green
Full landscape remodel
Well pump for no-cost irrigation
Custom-built day bed for relaxing

More than $75,000 later, the seller has built a backyard one could only dream of. You can grill or host a party under the cabana while the kids swim in the pool and any avid golfer’s in the group hit the putting green. Plus, you get to enjoy a partial view of Mt. Diablo.

This single story Northgate rancher is an entertainer’s delight, with a great floor plan made for luxurious living, right in the heart of Walnut Creek.

Built in 1961, move in ready, yet some buyers may want to update the kitchens and baths, a slight remodel would put those pieces on par with the rest of this remarkable home. There are also plans for a deck off the master bedroom with a fire pit.

The 4-bed, 2-bath, 2,062-square foot property is on a 15,225-square foot lot and right near Berean Christian High School, Northgate High School, Foothill Middle School and Walnut Avenue Preschool.

You can’t beat this location, just down the road from John Muir, and five minutes from BART, the new shopping area with Whole Foods, Heather Farms and Arbolado Park. And you definitely can’t beat the comfort of living in such a perfect home.

Come check it out from 1-4 p.m. on both Saturday 9/30 and Sunday 10/1!

Opportunity Knocks?

At 55 Crest Ave. in Alamo, you might see a “best of both worlds” type home. It’s a 0.84 acre lot, the land is appealing, and because of that, they’re listing at $795,000.

But if you’re waiting to move into the 21st century, this may not be the place for you. Believe it or not, this run-down old place had almost 50 disclosure packages requested because of its location and potential.

I personally know a few people who are interested in the renovation project, with the knowledge that a remodeled home in that area may sell for much more later on.

Of course not all buyers who request a disclosure package will write, but I suspect they got at least 15 offers, the opportunity is too great even if the property sells for one million, it is surrounded by $1,500,000-$2,000,000+ homes.

There was a combination of speculators looking to flip it and disgruntled buyers who have lost out on homes and think it might be worth building their dream home. It just goes to show that the Bay Area real estate market is crazy red hot right now – it is a seller’s market.

If you are thinking of buying in or around Walnut Creek, give me a call! I’d love to help you.

Looking for your dream home?

1154 Glen Rd. in Lafayette has it all. As realtors, we occasionally get preview invites to see a home before it goes on the market. Last Thursday, there was a private viewing of this spectacular home with wine, cheese and homemade chocolate chip cookies baking that created a cozy feeling.

This coveted Happy Valley street is one of my favorites. The home was originally built by Nobel Prize winner Glenn Seaborg in 1951. The current owner completely remodeled it in 2009, adding on this high-beamed family room to the original L-shaped layout.

I love how this stone fireplace is the centerpiece of the living room. The current owner is a real estate agent and has a knack for remodeling homes, living there for a while, and then moving on to the next project. In this case, the same street just a few doors down will get the next updates to this mid-century neighborhood.

Two of my favorite features were the Jack-n-Jill bathroom where there is a laundry shoot cabinet to the laundry room on the other side, and the mud room next to the garage, as well as another outdoor entrance to store the backpacks and shoes upon returning home.

The master bedroom was added on with high, vaulted ceilings, doors to the pool area and an amazing bathroom. All this can be yours for $3,650,000. For more information and better photos, check out this home here.

Broderick doesn’t live up to the legend of Hubcaps

My son Jackson and I tried Broderick recently. And as much as I loved Hubcaps, which formerly occupied the space there, I have to say Broderick was slightly disappointing.

I used to go to Hubcaps for burgers before movies, and it was a Walnut Creek classic. But it definitely needed a remodel, so when the owners shut it down with the intent of rebranding as Broderick, I was pretty excited.

There’s a definite decor and lighting change, and a better bar-sitting situation if you want to watch a game while eating. The casual atmosphere is nice, and updated compared to its predecessor. Unfortunately, that’s about as far as the positives went.

Jackson ordered a burger and I ordered a fried chicken sandwich. I had visions of the fried chicken you get at Tender Greens, however, I got a thickly, breaded, heavily-seasoned coating that separated from my chicken. Jackson’s burger was ordered medium but only had a tiny bit of pink in the middle – and was dry.

This may sound like a funny complaint, but we also had so many fries on our plates that there was no room to put ketchup. Speaking of the fries, they had weird seasoning on them. The sriracha-mayo doused my chicken sandwich and made the whole situation sloppy and hard to eat.

The huge pickles on the sandwiches were good, and the artisan buns were great. They do have brunch there and the wait staff was attentive, but did not ask us about our meal. The food just wasn’t special and it cost $38 for two burgers, fries and a beer.

Overall, I give it 2 Mt. Diablo’s out of 5.

How bathroom remodels are trending

Of all the things to remodel in a house, bathrooms and kitchens are probably the two most popular rooms.

Houzz.com wrote a cool article about how homeowners are “craving stylish, beautiful spaces, with luxurious finishes and big showers.”Their study surveyed more than 2,100 Houzz users in the U.S. who own homes and are currently renovating their bathrooms, are recently done with a renovation, or are planning on one in the near future.

Check out some of the graphs that reveal the current trends for bathroom remodels: