Color Your Best Kitchen Ever With Universal Design

by | Nov 23, 2022 | AIMI, Contractors, Homeowners, Interior Designers

As kitchens continue to evolve to more than just the place for food preparation, there’s another way to enhance the social experience. It’s how you use color to set the atmosphere. “Why Universal Design should be incorporated into your kitchen” introduced the advantages of lever-handled faucets and appliance placements. These features make it easier to perform tasks and still interact with others in the room. Ease of use plus colors that resonate with you and your family create that environment that keeps family and friends hanging around. Color makes objects easier to see. Sight-challenged people are defined as those who need glasses or contacts, no matter how young or old they are. Dim lighting challenges even those with perfect vision. Color blocking is a technique that distinguishes one object from another. It doesn’t have to be as drastic as placing red against blue.  It means using colors and their tones to show contour. This increases the ability to easily distinguish floor to walls, walls to cabinets, cabinets to countertops and so on. Color blocking also aids anyone who’s busy preparing food and drinks. Along with safety, color blocking is another tool you can use to reflect your taste and personality. This is where Universal Design really upgrades your kitchen by giving it that customized look that really speaks about you. It sounds easy, but one thing about color is that it’s complicated. Colors have undertones that make them bright or muddy. Ever notice how many shades of white or black are available? Pairing the wrong shades can ruin an entire project. One way to get the best color scheme...

The Home Office Trend Is To Customize Space

by | Nov 17, 2022 | AIMI, Architects, Homeowners, Interior Designers

The Home Office Trend Is To Customize Space For The Entire Family There was a time when the ‘home office’ applied solely to corporate executives. Traditionally defined by wood-paneled walls, large oak desks and leather-bound chairs; this space was dedicated to the head of the household as his “office away from the office.” With the explosion of remote employees and work-from-home businesses, this once ‘exclusive’ room is now used by any family member. More than employment, it’s the family place to do everything from paying monthly bills to homework assignments. Custom cabinetry is the best option to increase both safety and efficiency. Let me explain… Safe and Secure, or Open to All? The business office: How cabinets are placed for security is more important than ever. They may need to be high enough to stay of children’s reach, or come equipped with locks for sensitive documents and files. To maximize efficiency, office cabinets can be customized with built-in file dividers and holders…and have as many drawers as needed for whatever ‘tools’ the work requires. Some businesses decide to use an electronic filing system instead of having paper files as they can be easily organized and accessible. That way, it doesn’t matter if you run out of space in your filing cabinet as it is all done on your computer. By checking out a company such as FilecenterDMS can offer an alternative solution if you start to run out of space in your cabinet. The family office: Where the home office is multi-functional; parents and kids may share the same space. Here’s where cabinets with open shelves, glass-paned doors and...

What Distinguishes Modern From Contemporary Kitchens?

by | Nov 10, 2022 | AIMI, Contractors, Homeowners, Interior Designers

When it comes to choosing between a modern and contemporary kitchen, it’s easy to confuse the two. Both feature clean, smooth appearances with minimal detail and adornment. Unlike farmhouse and rustic, both modern and contemporary are defined by sleek lines in predominately white and black. But these kitchens don’t preclude color. Color is used to accessorize or accentuate small or minor features. The difference is how each style incorporates it. Here’s what differentiates the two: Contemporary kitchens embrace the latest in technology, materials and trends to create an “of the moment” look. Modern has more emphasis on form and structure by installing smooth surfaces like concrete and steel. You’ll see strong horizontal lines with lots of open space and a strong architecture.  Key features to look for in contemporary are: Under mount sinks with minimalist faucets Cutting-edge appliances that include smart kitchen technology Flat-panel cabinetry and creative backsplashes Innovative island designs and waterfall counters Dramatic lighting While modern kitchens are similar, here you’ll find: Concrete for flooring, countertop surfaces and even on the walls Glass sheet or stone slab backsplashes that run continuously Recessed and integrated lighting and if using pendant lights, ones with clean lines Frameless cabinets with flat-panel doors Minimalists faucets in polished nickel, chrome and matte black White is a popular choice for both but is used differently. For example, a contemporary kitchen will have crisp white walls with colorful cabinetry or an eye-catching backsplash. Modern may use the same white but is more likely to include subtle neutrals and black. Here brighter colors usually show up in the form of accessories. Both styles emphasize a...