WHAT’S NEW IN HOME IMPROVEMENT?

While we know COVID-19 is on everyone’s mind right now, we thought we’d change it up and give you things to think about for your next home – or upgrades to your current home! (You suddenly have plenty of time, right?)

Not surprisingly, technology continues to play a big role in the development of new products. But so do unexpected materials and great design.

Below are some of the interesting things we’re seeing.

  1. No-fuss floors. Homeowners crave floors that are beautiful and easy to maintain. In recent years, vinyl plank flooring has become a replacement for “real” hardwood floors in many homes – both because of cost and because it’s so low maintenance. For those who want the “real thing”, Bruce Flooring has a new coating on many of their hardwood floor products called “Hydropel” which they’re billing as 100% waterproof (hello bathroom floors!).
  • Laundry cabinets. So, this is the ultimate in luxury. LG has a product called “Styler” that uses steam to refresh clothing and bedding in just a couple of minutes! At $2,200 t’s not cheap but it’s certified asthma and allergy friendly (and if you have people with allergies in your home it could be a really smart buy!).
  • Biometric drawers. Had valuables you need to lock up … or things you don’t want the kiddos accessing for safety reasons? Diamond Cabinets offers a “Secured Biometric Drawer” that can be programmed to recognize up to 100 stored fingerprints. No match? No access! The self-locking mechanism can be attached to a standard drawer.
  • More rain. Got your attention, didn’t we? While “rain-head” showers have been around for a while, they keep getting better and better. Hansgrohe has released their “PowderRain” showerhead. This showerhead features new technology that increases the number of droplets, while also reducing noise.
  • Fewer plastic bottles. So, this is really interesting. The folks at Grohe have unveiled “Blue Chilled & Sparkling 2.0”, which is a beautiful kitchen faucet that can deliver three types of filtered, chilled water with the push of a button – still water, medium sparkling water, or full sparkling water. Amazing!
  • The do-it-all smart solution. Convection over, fryer, dehydrator, slower cooker, broiler, toaster, and warming drawer – all in one appliance? Yup! It’s the June Oven (and we have to say that given all it does, the $499 price tag is not unreasonable). Not only is it great to have all this is one appliance, it’s a great option for small kitchens (or your RV!).
  • Buzz-worthy coffee solutions.“Coffee stations” – dedicated areas in your kitchen for coffee and tea drinkers – burst on the scene a few years ago and continue to grow in popularity. Maybe it’s just because the Puget Sound is the home of Starbucks, but this is a fun amenity. Thermador offers a full plumbed, built-in coffee machine that allows you to store personalized drinks in memory – and more importantly, can quickly make multiple cups of coffee quickly.
  • Bigger, better ovens. Are you cooking for a crowd? Bertazzoni’s Heritage Series Range has you covered! It has the largest oven in its class, and a 19,000 BTU burner that can boil a half-gallon of water in under six minutes!
  • Making a splash with color. Freestanding tubs continue to be popular. If you’re craving a freestanding tub but are looking for something with a punch of color, look no further! Victoria+Albert offers 200 color options for the exteriors of their tubs. From basic blue to ravishing reds, there’s something for everyone!
  1. Is it live … or is it Memorex? Remember that old ad on TV? Well, today the question is: is it marble or is it quartz? Quartz continues to outperform marble for several reasons (cost, ease of maintenance, simplicity of installation) but until recently quartz didn’t have the option of looking like anything but, well, quartz. That’s all changed with Cosentino’s “Silestone Et Noir” product – quartz that looks like the classic black Sahara Noir marble.

And these are just the tip of the iceberg in terms of new and exciting innovation that might pique your interest!

What do you think? Are any of these products on your radar as a “must-have” for your next home? Drop us a line and let us know what you think!

Marti Reeder, Realtor, Managing Broker