Sub-Blogs

Appliance Notes is a blog where I file all the new and interesting kitchen appliances I see in the course of my work. I also include articles on choosing appliances here.
Kitschy Kitchens is a blog where I critique the worst of the worst in kitchens. Poor design, an assault on the eyes, wrong colors, wrong materials; they all can be found there. Take an amusing detour to discover what you DON'T want in a kitchen.

Thursday, February 26, 2009

Wood-Mode Cabinet Sale

I spoke to my local Wood-Mode cabinetry dealer yesterday and asked her about what the company is doing to combat the economic crisis we are all going through.

I expected the usual: A "sale" after their typical January price increase.

Instead she told me that Wood-Mode had deferred their usual price increase. And that they were running a sale with a substantial percentage off on the buyer's choice of several categories that are normally added to a kitchen purchase as percentages or dollar amounts. Door style, finish, or wood upcharges that typically amount to thousands of dollars on a cabinet order.

I was surprised!

In all the years I have worked with companies like Wood-Mode I can't recall such a major discount on their product to consumers.

Wood-Mode is one of my favorite cabinetry lines (I went through their factory training program in 1983, at the very beginning of my design career). It is high quality at a fair price.

The company has been around since the 1940's, so you know they know what they're doing and they'll be there if you have a problem. It is also one of the few major cabinet companies that hasn't been bought out by a big conglomerate, usually with disastrous results.

The sale has been extended until the end of March. I suggest that anyone who has been sitting on the fence on a cabinet purchase might want to take another look.

Saving thousands on your cabinets with a quality company like Wood-Mode might make your project affordable after all.

Peggy

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Greener Gadgets Design Competion

This link shows the winners in the Greener Gadgets Design Competition #2

The entries are from around the world and show the brainpower that is being dedicated to reducing our impact on this fragile earth.

Peggy

Saturday, February 21, 2009

Buy a Home for Less Than the Cost to Build It

The CEO of Wells Fargo Bank was interviewed for an article in the San Francisco Chronicle recently.

Wells Fargo CEO is bullish about business

One sentence in the article jumped out at me:


"Lost amid the gloomy headlines are once-in-a-lifetime chances for consumers, including interest rates that are at a 50-year low and California homes priced below what it would cost to build them."

If THAT doesn't get home buyers off their duffs, nothing will!

Buying an existing home for less than the cost to build it is every home buyer's dream.

What are we waiting for?

Peggy

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Consumers Budget-Sizing Kitchen Projects

A respected survey group has reported on a study of kitchen designers that shows consumers proceeding cautiously.

Only makes sense in the current economic environment.

At least they are proceeding...

I was asked to be in the last study RICKI did. They were very thorough.

Peggy


Study Shows Consumers Making Budgetary Compromises on Kitchen Projects

Kitchen designers are reporting that clients moving forward with a kitchen project are altering their behavior to adjust for economic conditions. This is according to an online research study conducted by the Research Institute for Cooking & Kitchen Intelligence (RICKI), a Charlotte, NC-based organization of manufacturers, retailers, wholesalers and others whose revenue derives from kitchen remodeling and related activities.

The study - called Kitchen Intelligence: A Designer's Perspective - revealed that consumers "are compromising on the scope of the project, being extra cautious to stay on budget and within the scale typical for the neighborhood, and voicing concern about the long-term stability of suppliers due to concern that the company may not be in business for service after the sale," notes RICKI.

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Way to Go Jennie!

My niece, Jennie Deras, has just won a Silver Medal in the 2009 Special Olympics in Idaho!

I just received the below email from my brother in Portland Oregon.

He is justifiably proud. All those trips up Mt. Hood paid off!

Wow!

Peggy


After coming in 5th in the Super Giant Slalom yesterday, Jennie came in second today in the Giant Slalom and collected a silver medal. Her times are at:

http://www.2009worldgames.org/results/EC89ZTR9HFQQ1ZRA.html

She is skiing in the advanced group against skiers from Finland, Austria and Sweden and has the fastest times of any American female at the World Games in her events.

Her last event will be the slalom, which is scheduled for divisioning on Thursday and racing on (I believe) Friday.





















Jennie has been competing in the Special Olympics for years with good results.
She won a bronze in the World Games in Ireland in 2003.
Below are some of her past accomplishments:


Wilson High School JV Track
Most Inspirational Runner 2001 Wilson High School V track
Letter 2002 SO
Governor's Gold Award 2003 Oregon Sports Award
Lou Burge Athlete of Year 2003 SOOR
Les Schwab Pride in Performance Award 2007
2003 World Summer Games (Ireland) - Bronze medal