Top Kitchen Trends of 2014

If you're looking to remodel your kitchen or just want ideas for creating a few trendy updates, Pinterest is where it's at. Thousands of images link to blogs and blogs focused on clever ways to organize your kitchen, update your cabinets and create the kitchen of your dreams.

Just search "kitchen" and scroll endlessly down the page for some Pin-speration. Or, save yourself some time and check out the top pins we've compiled below. Each one links back to Pinterest so you can easily repin to one of your boards.

Top 10 Trends Sweeping Kitchens Across America in 2014.

1. Clever Use of Space

One of my biggest complains about my house is that there's not enough kitchen storage. Efficient use of the space I do have is essential, and I always re-pin the clever organization tips I find.

2. Chalkboard Paint

Chalkboard paint is taking over the home, and it seems like the kitchen is where it makes its debut. People use chalkboards to create shopping lists, menus, calendars and fun phrases. People love to paint a narrow wall, cupboard cabinets or add a framed chalkboard to a wall or countertop.

3. Painted Kitchen Cabinets

Everyone is sick of their original wood cabinets and have taken on the tedious task of sanding and painting. The results are beautiful but the work - not to mention the mess - looks pretty daunting.

4. Open Shelving

This could never work with the clutter that hides behind my kitchen cabinets, but many people are opting to bare everything with opening shelving.

5. Kitchen Command Centers

If you have kids, keeping track of their schedules and keeping the mounting paper work that finds its way into your home under control isn't easy. Moms across America are creating kitchen Command Centers to stay organized.

6. Clear Canisters

Another trend that looks awesome is ditching the store packaging your food comes in and storing snacks in matching clear canisters. This really creates a uniform look in your pantry and makes it easier to see what you actually have.

7. Labels

Along with those matching clear canisters comes batches and batches of labels. This is where the chalkboard trend comes in again also.

8. Glass Tile

Mini glass tile backsplashes are big this year as well. They're a great way to work in color and take the eye off your appliances, which many people are now storing out of sight.

9. Updated Hardware

Along with a new tile backsplash has come the need for trendier hardware to match the sleek new look. New faucets, cabinet pulls and switch plates are adding finishing touches to remodeled kitchens.

10. Pantry Baskets

Drawers can make it so difficult to see what you have, which can lead to fruit rotting and other goods going bad before you consume them. Wire panty baskets make it easier to see what you've got so you use in it time.

Now that you know what the top kitchen styling trends are for 2014, which ones will you adopt?


#kitchen #kitchenremodel #kitchenstyling #homedecor #hometrends #switchplates #2014trends

Create Any Configuration Switch Plate with Inserts

Between duplex outlets, Decora rocker and toggle switches, dimmers and GFI receptacles, there are many different configurations of multi-gang switch plates. The most common call we get sounds a lot like this:

"I'm on your site and I've found a 3-gang plate with the openings I need, but they're not in the right order. Do you have a plate with [insert configuration here]?"

Because there are so many different combinations of configurations, the higher the gang the plate, the less options you may find. The simplest solution is to re-arrange the devices in your electrical box to match a switch plate that actually exists in the finish you need.

The next best solution is to use switch plate inserts to convert 1 opening to another. For example, see the left plate below? Suppose what you need is to switch the toggle and the Decora opening, but you can't find that switch plate.

What you can do, is order this plate instead and then convert the additional Decora opening to a toggle with an insert. We'll show you how below.

Here is a Decora-to-toggle insert that fits the extra Decora rocker opening and converts it to a toggle:

Here's an example of an actual ivory switch plate with a Decora filler and toggle switch:

So, once you pop the filler into the "wrong" plate, it becomes the "right" plate:

Inserts are easy to use and are a great way to create your own custom switch plate. Kyle Switch Plates carries a variety of switch plate inserts in white, ivory, gray, brown and black. They can be used to convert openings to blanks, or to convert Decora openings to toggles, cable and phone jacks and more. Click to shop combination switch plates and inserts for converting switch plates.

#switchplates #remodel #customswitchplates #kyleswitchplates #diy

How to Update Your Living Room with the Gray Trend of 2014

This year it's all about gray walls and neutral colored home decor - often with a pop of canary yellow, Tiffany blue (are we hinting for something?) or navy blue in key places to add personality. And people can't get enough of the Chevron print either. The best part is, Pinterest is full of inspiration and blogs abound with ways to DIY piece by piece.

 

Even if you can't afford to buy all new furniture and living room decor, there are still some ways you can update your home with this trend. The great thing is that gray is so neutral, you can work in one of your current colors - orange, yellow, blue, green, etc. - so pick your favorite existing color and take away the others.

Easy Steps for Updating Your Decor:

1. Paint your walls gray.

OK, this might not be the easiest step - but it will make the most dramatic difference. Anytime you paint your walls a new color, it completely changes the feel of the room. If you've ever moved into a house with white walls and added color, you know what I'm talking about.

Tip: They key thing to remember is that the way a paint sample looks in the store will most likely be nothing like what it actually looks like painted on your walls. Trust me, I've learned this the hard way. Take a variety of paint samples home, tape to your walls and look at them throughout the day as the lighting changes. Narrow it down to your top 3 and buy small samples of those colors in the eggshell finish. Then, paint medium sized squares of those 3 colors on the same wall and after it dries, compare the colors in various lighting conditions to be sure you've found a color you love.

Pro tip: To keep the focus on the decor and not the outlets and light switches, replace your old devices and cover plates with some contemporary gray switches and outlets and matching gray switch plates (see image above - doesn't that look great?).

2. Decide on your accent color.

Yellow, turquoise and even lime green are very popular right now - but steer clear of them if they're not "you."  You can go for something entirely new or select one of your current colors and keep it. The great thing about accent colors are that there aren't a lot of pieces with them in the room, so if you get sick of them down the road, it will be easy an inexpensive to switch them out.

Tip: Pop into Home Goods for inexpensive updates or spray paint a lamp or candlestick that you already own.

3. Choose a main accent color piece:

It could be a wall; it could be a couch. Do what works for you. If it's in your budget and you're not likely to get sick of your accent color, go bold and add it to your couch. If that's too much, work in an accent chair. Or, if you have a wall that can act as an accent wall, paint it that color. It's not necessary to have a large accenting piece, so if you're unsure about that, skip and go with smaller pieces that aren't such a big commitment. Love how this room has pops of color in just the right spots:

4. Add accenting pieces.

If you already have a neutral couch, try switching out the accent pillows (like in the image above) to work in both your brighter accent color and some gray magic.  A neutral ivory shag or lightly patterned gray rug will also transform things quite nicely.

5. Never underestimate the power of curtains.

Finish the look with some white and gray striped window treatments (paneled curtains are inexpensive and very "in" right now - see the black and white ones in the kitchen below) - just be sure they have wide horizontal stripes if straight and narrow if Chevron.

Tip: Hang your curtain rod as high as possible (like in the kitchen image above) to create the illusion of higher ceilings.

Note that you don't have to do all the steps above - often times you'll already have pieces that work and simply choosing 1 or 2 steps can quickly create an entirely new look and feel in your room.


#homedecor #trendyhome #gray #graylivingroom #grayswitchplates #kyleswitchplates #graywalls #homemakeover

Push Button Switches Get Their 15 Minutes of Fame

Push-Button Switches Make Their Film Debut in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

 

Well, more like 5 seconds of fame, but who's really counting?

If you pay attention to detail like I do, you'll not only get very distracted watching TV because you can't stop noticing continuity errors - you'll also see these push-button switches make a cameo in the newest Hunger Games movie The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. The movie is set in some unknown time in the future, yet these old-fashioned, antique style switches are mostly found in older homes today.

At Kyle Switch Plates, one of our most frequently asked questions is, “How can I get push button switches to match my modern home décor?" People struggle to fit the standard shimmery pearlized knob buttons (shown above) into their warm color scheme.

Our solution: Push Button Switches with Black Knobs, available exclusively online at Kyle Switch Plates. Offered in single pole, 3-way, 4-way, and in 300 or 600 watt dimmer configurations, these black devices are the perfect way to make your interior design come together with sophistication.

Our custom old-fashioned pushbuttons with black knobs add an elegant, cohesive look to your existing home fashions. Perfect for those who want the classic accents appeal of a pushbutton light switch with a simpler and uniform look. Add Arts and Crafts or Victorian era style to any room - your kitchen, bathroom, entry, living and family room, bedroom, office and more!

These sleek black pushbutton switches look fantastic with our Antique Brass push button switch plates (shown above) as well as our popular stainless steel and upscale polished brass cover plates. View all push button switch plate finishes and find the right combination for your home.


Have color in your home? Check out our exclusive line of colored push button knobs  - purple, blue, red, brown, gray or green - and add an extra pop of color to your walls.

Whether you're doing major home renovation or just want to update your old fashioned switches, consider keeping this timeless look with a few minor tweeks such as black or colored knobs and quality switch plates. Take a style cue from The Hunger Games...in a way that's much less dramatic than the wardrobe of Effie.

If you really want to set your antique style push button switches apart, consider investing in some quality, decorative push button switch plates. All of our etched metal decorative switch plate designs are available on push button switch plates and they look phenomenal.

Switch Plate 101

As a female, I know a lot about the Real Housewives, gel manicures, and how to route every errand trip so I "just happen" to pass a Starbucks. I also know how many calories are in the grande Mocha Cookie Crumble - and that it's worth it (hands down!). What I do not know a lot about is switchplates. You know - those plastic thingies that surround the light switches and outlets in your home? You really don't even notice them until you update your decor with fresh new paint and have to 1) remove them and 2) discover they stand out way more when the wall is not painted white.

I shouldn't say I don't know a lot about wall plates - the truth is I didn't know a lot about them. But now I do, and it turns out they're not as complex as I thought! I've decided to decode them below, so if you don't know the difference between a "rocker" and a "toggle" you're in the right place.

Basic Switches: Toggle vs. Rocker

• Learn the Difference

The most common switches are "toggle switches" and "rocker switches" (sometimes called "Decora Rocker switches") and it's super easy to tell the difference. Toggle switches are small protruding switches that you flip up and down while Rockers are larger, flatter rectangular switches that you rock up or down. Toggle switch plates have a small rectangular opening and Rocker cover plates have a much larger rectangular opening, as pictured here:



• NOTE: How many switches are controlling a light? 

If you're updating your switches as well as your switch plates, you'll need to think about how many other switches control the same light (or ceiling fan) as the switch you're replacing. If a particular switch is the only switch for a certain light, you'll need a standard switch (known as a "singe-pole" switch). But if you have 2 separate switches (perhaps at opposite ends of a hallway) that control the same light, you'll need a 3-way switch. In other cases, you may have 3 separate switches controlling a single light, and you'll need a 4-way switch.

Outlets: Standard, Decora, and Safety Features

When you say "outlet" you may picture 2 plugs, but you also need to think about the overall shape of the device & whether it has those "reset" buttons in the center. The main things to consider when buying outlets: overall shape, capacity (15 amp vs 20 amp), GFI/GFCI (for outlets near water sources such as a kitchen or bathroom sink) and tamper resistant (for child safety - I, for one, stuck a key into the outlet when I was about 4 years old and it didn't feel so good!).

• Don't mistake the shape of your outlet.

Before ordering a replacement outlet cover plate, pay attention to whether your plate has 2 separate oval openings or a single rectangular decora style opening. Note that the decora plate is the same as the standard switchplate for a decora rocker switch (shown above).



• Amperage: Easily identify how many amps your outlet allows:

The term "amps" refers to the volume of current. Your outlet will be 15A or 20A. Look at your outlet to tell the difference - a 15A outlet has 2 straight slots and a 20A outlet has 1 straight and 1 "T" shaped slot, as shown here:

•  SAFETY FEATURES: Is the outlet required by law to be GFCI?

If you're replacing the actual device, note whether the outlet is currently a GFCI receptacle ("Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter" - also sometimes called GFI for "Ground Fault Interrupter") or whether it needs to be one. GFCI/GFI plugs prevent electrocution by cutting power to the outlet when a variation in electrical current is detected. Your kitchen, bathroom, hot tub, swimming pool areas, wet bar - anywhere near water - should have GFCI receptacles, which is an electrical code requirement. They can prevent death if an electrical appliance, such as a hair dryer, gets accidentally dropped in water. You can easily identify GFCI receptacles - they always have 2 buttons between the plugs (labeled "reset" and "test").

Another important safety feature for children is tamper resistance. When the outlet is not in use and nothing is plugged in, a tamper resistant outlet has little shutters that close off the openings (see image below). This prevents curious little children from getting a shock if they try to stick something into the outlet. The safety shutters only open when a plug is inserted causing both springs to be compressed at the same time.

 

Sizes: Important Terms to Understand

•  "Gang"

Switch plate width is know as "gang." A single-gang wall plate houses 1 switch or outlet, a wider double-gang plate houses 2 switches or outlets, a triple or 3-gang plate is wider and houses 3 devices and so on.

•  Regular, Narrow, Oversized, Jumbo - know the difference

Switch plate width and height varies depending on whether it's a standard plate, narrow, mid-size or oversized/extra large plate. Make note of any plates that don't match standard switch plate dimensions. Visit Switch Plate Sizes & Dimensions at Kyle Switch Plates for more info on sizing.

 

Combination Switch Plates

If you need a cover plate with more than 1 type of device, it's called a "combination plate." An example of a combo wall plate is a 3-gang plate with 2 toggle openings and 1 duplex outlet opening. Something to keep in mind is that switchplates can be rotated 180 degrees. If you see a cover plate that's "almost" what you need but the devices are in the "opposite" order, you can simply flip that plate over to fit your situation so keep that in mind when browsing combination plates.

 

Your #1 Switch Plate Source

Now that you're familiar with some important switch plate terminology and you know what specifically to look for when replacing your switch plates, you can easily find what you're looking for at www.kyleswitchplates.com.

Kyle Switch Plates is an online store that specializes in regular and specialty switch plates and electrical devices in regular and unusual colors and finishes.