Whitney Minnich Real Estate and Community Updates

Powder Rooms That Make a Statement by  Melissa Tracey  on May 18, 2015 More home owners are turning to the powder room to make a dramatic statement and packing in a lot of design into these often small spaces, according to the  2015 Houzz Bathroom Trends Study , a survey of more than 3,000 home owners about their bathroom remodeling plans. Nearly two thirds of powder rooms are less than 40 square feet, but home owners are finding they can still make these spaces attention-getting, whether with a trendy sink or flashy wallpaper. Home owners report that their powder room renovations are mostly driven by the desire to do cosmetic touches, and therefore, home owners are finding affordable, do-it-yourself upgrades to spice up the space. Most home owners say they want to upgrade their powder room because they want the design to make a bolder statement – a more popular response among home owners than for any other bathroom in the house, the survey finds. The powder...

The Contemporary Kitchen: 10 Top Trends for 2015 Posted in  Home Trends , by  Melissa Tracey  on April 6, 2015 Contemporary is the buzzword when it comes to kitchen designs this year, according to the National Kitchen & Bath Association. Streamlined designs, eclectic touches, and multiples of appliances lead the trends, according to  NKBA’s 2015 forecast . Here are the top 10 overall kitchen design trends expected to be hot this year, according to NKBA’s report: 1. Clean with an overall contemporary feeling: A fusion of styles and multiple colors in one kitchen 2. European-styled cabinets 3. Multiples of appliances in one kitchen (most notably two dishwashers, like a dishwasher and a dishwasher drawer, or the addition of a refrigerator/freezer) 4. The rise of steam ovens 5. Furniture-like pieces (such as furniture-styled dry bars) 6. Outdoor kitchens 7. Fewer standard kitchen tables, replaced by counters or tall gathering tables 8. TVs and docking statio...