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Start the Year With a Freshly Updated Kitchen |
| ARA Content |
(ARA) - Now that the New Year has started and holiday gift-giving obligations are over, it's time to start doing something for yourself -- like treating yourself to a freshly updated kitchen. The beginning of the year is a great time to start creating design plans, selecting materials and lining up contractors.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, nearly half of homeowners' remodeling projects are kitchen renovations. In addition, more than 75 percent of people hire professionals instead of taking on a do-it-yourself project. Since contractors tend to book up well in advance, and they need at least a month to order materials, it's in a homeowner's best interest to plan ahead.
"It all depends on the materials the homeowner selects. If they're imports it could take a long time," says Gwen Biasi, a National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) spokeswoman. "With average materials that are found here in the United States, a remodeling project can range anywhere from 8 weeks to 6 months, from beginning to end."
When taking on a kitchen remodeling project, homeowners change everything from paint and tile to appliances. Many people add appliances to their kitchens that help make entertaining easier. "They add ice makers, wine coolers and warming drawers, for example," Stephens says.
There are a variety of new appliances designed to make entertaining both enjoyable and effortless. They are also easy additions to any kitchen remodeling project. Here are some ideas, collected from designers and entertaining experts:
* Dual-Fuel Double Oven Range
One way to get a jump-start on a kitchen update is with the new Jenn-Air Dual-Fuel Double Oven Freestanding Range. It includes plenty of deluxe features, developed with the passionate home gourmet in mind, and it can be installed without having to move walls or tear up countertops.
The range makes it easy for cooks to spend time making their favorite foods. First, the gas cooktop boasts five powerful sealed burners, with outputs ranging from 600 to 16,000 BTUs to ensure that every culinary delight -- from béarnaise sauce to pan-seared Ahi -- is prepared to perfection. Next, the electric ovens ensure even baking and browning, even when using multiple racks, making this range an ideal choice for avid bakers. Finally, the double oven configuration allows two dishes to cook at different temperatures simultaneously, making family meals or lavish dinner parties complete with hot, restaurant-quality entrees and side dishes.
Under-Counter Wine Chiller
Jenn-Air's new 24-inch built-in Wine Chiller is designed to keep up to 50 bottles of wine at the appropriate temperature, humidity and darkness for long-term storage.
The Jenn-Air Wine Chiller features a variable temperature control that ranges from 42 to 64 degrees. By allowing owners to set their desired temperatures, Jenn-Air makes it possible to use the wine chiller as either a long-term aging place or as a stopping point between the wine cellar and the table.
In addition, the Jenn-Air Wine Chiller features a plate evaporator system that uses ambient moisture to maintain 50 to 70 percent relative humidity -- the ideal humidity for storing wines. This plate evaporator system allows the wine chiller to generate the correct relative humidity without requiring access to a water supply.
The door on the Wine Chiller can be reversed, allowing homeowners to pair two or more units side-by-side, french-door style, for added capacity. The Wine Chiller door also includes a lock.
The Wine Chiller is available in black, white and stainless steel and will also accept custom panels for consumers who want to match the appliance to their cabinetry.
* Under-Counter Ice Maker
Jenn-Air's new under-counter, built-in ice maker employs an advanced freezing process that ensures ice is made with pure water, thus removing any unwanted tastes and odors from the ice.
The heart of the system is a unique fractional freezing process called the Clear Cube System. During each ice-making cycle, water flows over a freezing plate that is set at precisely 32 degrees -- the temperature at which clear, or pure, water freezes.
In addition, unlike competitive models, the Jenn-Air Ice Maker completely empties its reservoir after each ice-making cycle. That means the mineral-heavy water that did not form ice is flushed out of the system prior to starting a new cycle.
"The ability to produce clear, pure ice ensures the best taste for our consumers," says Bill Deter, vice president of Jenn-Air. "By filtering out all the unwanted minerals, we are able to produce the high-quality ice people demand for mixed drinks, iced teas and other frozen needs."
The Jenn-Air Ice Maker has an ice production rate of up to 35 pounds a day. The Jenn-Air Ice Maker, available in June 2005, will be available in black, white and stainless steel. It will also accept custom panels to blend in with cabinetry.
* Under-Counter Refrigerator
Jenn-Air's Under-Counter Refrigerator provides a convenient and space-efficient way to bring a refrigerator to any room in the house. The 24-inch-wide counter-depth refrigerator aligns flush with cabinetry, providing a small storage space that blends into the overall look of the kitchen, bar room, great room, pool house or other location.
The 6.1-cubic-foot refrigerator includes two adjustable glass shelves and three door shelves, providing a variety of storage options. In addition, the swing direction on the refrigerator door can be reversed, opening up a wider variety of installation options.
The Jenn-Air Under-Counter Refrigerator is available in black, white and stainless steel.
Fore more information about Jenn-Air's kitchen products, visit http://www.jennair.com or call (800) JENN-AIR.
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| About the Author |
©2005 All rights reserved
Courtesy of ARA Content
EDITOR'S NOTE:
About Jenn-Air
Jenn-Air is a brand in the family of Maytag Appliances, a division of Maytag Corporation headquartered in Newton, Iowa. From downdraft cooktops, wall ovens and Pro-Style ranges to dishwashers and refrigerators, Jenn-Air offers a full line of built-in kitchen appliances.
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| Quotes | Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new.
Albert Einstein.
Anything that happens enough times to irritate you will happen at least once more.
Tom Parkins Continuum.
Anns my sister, said Andy raggedly.-John Foster
Another 7 days has gone by.
mused Tom weakly.
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