Kitchen News From Around the Globe - KAYSVILLE — Moms spend a lot of time in the kitchen cooking and cleaning, and family and friends often gather there.

A kitchen should be conducive to these functions, as well as a fun, comfortable place to be. So if your kitchen isn’t a pleasing place to work and hang out, maybe it needs an update.

By Ruth Malan for Standard-Examiner standard.net

DreamMaker Bath & Kitchen is a good source of ideas to transform a drab old-fashioned kitchen into an inviting gathering place. See www.dreammaker-remodel.com for more details.

Kitchen and bath designers lead the homeowner step by step through the process of updating well-worn bathrooms and kitchens. The company is a franchise and has been around for years. The salespeople can help you choose the types of changes that will work well in your home.

Jim Stratton, marketing sales manager at the Ogden office, says people are choosing new cabinets that don’t require a lot of cleaning and upkeep.

“They like clean lines, modern lines that they don’t have to dust off,” he said. “Warm tones and medium to dark browns are coming back.”

And quartz countertops are becoming more and more popular. People used to lean more toward granite but now like the quartz, Stratton said.

“We are using glass and metal for the backsplash. There are a lot of things you can do with that,” he added.

People find they don’t use a formal dining room as it should be used, so often they are removing walls between dining rooms and kitchens to enlarge the kitchen.

“There are ways to open rooms and eating areas, especially in the kitchen.”

Stratton described a kitchen that was recently completed in North Layton — “It turned out just gorgeous.” — where a wall from the formal dining room and a closet were removed.

“A lot of people don’t use a formal dining room, but they like to mingle and enjoy family time in the kitchen,” Stratton said.

One of the biggest questions consumers have about remodeling a kitchen is the cost.

“Budget is a big concern. Those who do their homework by researching on the Internet really understand and don’t seem to be surprised by the big cost. Those who don’t, have sticker shock,” Stratton said.

When people don’t know where to start, they can get a step-by-step explanation of the process of designing and creating a new kitchen or bath.

“It’s overwhelming to some people,” Stratton said. “People can come into our design center and see designs. They need a place they can trust, who can find a solution for them and the right fit for them. Some (customers) know everything they want and some don’t.”

And a kitchen — which is often the central hub of the home — can have a subtle but very real effect on the family.

“A new kitchen can enhance their lives as well as the house. It’s more of an emotional tie than most realize,” Stratton explains.

A full kitchen can be completed in about six weeks. The length of time will depend on the size and parameters of the job.

A complete selection of cabinetry is available that will work for all budgets.

“People will look at pictures and think they can’t afford it,” Stratton said. “The quality is the same no matter what the budget.”

Stainless steel appliances are still the most popular choice of homeowners, but some are also using black. And many prefer a gas range over electric.

They are still doing two-toning in cabinets, where the island is painted and the other cabinets are stained.

“We are doing more stained over last year, when more were painted,” he said. “There are more modern, clean styles, so there is more stain.”

For years people have thought they should keep the same theme going throughout the house, using the same cabinetry in bathrooms as they do in kitchens.

“It shows more personality if they are different, but some still like to be consistent. It is all based on preference,” Stratton said.

DreamMaker Bath & Kitchen has been in Ogden for eight and a half years.

“People like the fact that we are somebody here and local, and we are not going anywhere. It is comforting to do business with us. We are established here for the long term.”

The company also has earned many national awards for five years in a row.

It is at 1523 E. Skyline Drive, Suite A, in South Ogden. Call 801-476-4222 for information or visit www.dreammakerutah.com.