Color Trends in Kitchen Design for 2008

Learning from professionals should be really simple to do for the savvy investor and or homeowner. If you still think that granite counter tops are the only choice for the modern kitchen do we have a lot to talk about. Additionally knowing the right color trends to maximize the value and look and feel of your home are important for the investor and the home entertainer alike is essential.

Connie Edwards, CKD, CBD and director of design for American Woodmark, offers some helpful tips for guiding your color choices to banish kitchen boredom.

Cabinetry Color vs. Wall Color

Painting your kitchen walls is an easy way to add color and personality to your space. Soft blue wall paints, which are calming and easy to live with, are also versatile as they work well with both light and dark cabinetry. The color can balance cabinetry with a darker finish, such as cherry spice, or accent cabinetry with a lighter finish like maple butterscotch.

Go Bold

If you prefer the colors in your home to be trendy, consider using dramatic hues to brighten up your kitchen walls. "Bold, ethnic colors such as red and gold, the colors of China, are expected to gain interest because of the upcoming Olympics, while botanical greens are strong partly because of the environmental movement," says Edwards. If you are not quite ready to make such a bold commitment, buy a small container of paint and test it on an inconspicuous area of the wall to see how it works with your kitchen and your style.

Mixing Finishes and Countertops: How to Avoid a Color Trap

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Kitchen Cabinets up the ante in class

When buyers look to redo their kitchen its important to price shop. I want to add that before you give your credit card number to the big box retailers, look at the local guys because at the end of the day, most people buy their cabients from the same place. And if you have experience with measuring, dont be afraid to find a reputable online dealer. And dont think about shipping cost because you are already paying for them when you buy from any store whether you know it or not.

Ellen Thomas of Fresno, Calif., searched high and low for new kitchen cabinets to replace her whitewashed oak ones.

There were a couple of requirements, however.

"My husband said, 'I don't care what you get, as long as it doesn't fall apart,' " said Thomas, a stay-at-home mother. As for her, "I wanted the cabinets to look like beautiful furniture."

So when she started her kitchen-remodeling project a year ago, she hunted for cabinets that were both elegant and functional. What they looked like was important since they would set the tone of the room, she said.

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Got $75 mil, have we got a deal for you!

In Orange County, its easy to find housing prices that soar to the moon. But every now and then we find homes owned by pro sports players or business executives that take the cake. Now we learn how one designer can grow from the smallest of jobs.

Portabello Estate in Corona del Mar is known for its current $75 million price tag, its triple-oceanfront-lot setting, three pools, eight bedrooms, 10 bathrooms, a bowling alley, art deco movie theater, cafe and auto museum. Forbes.com named it one of the 10 most expensive homes for sale in North America.

But for all its lavishness, the 30,000-square-foot mansion began in a strikingly modest fashion.

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