In and Out

I saw something in the Wall St. Journal that I thought was interesting. If you're planning a home remodel in the near future, check this out. Some things that have been staples in the home remodeling business are on the way out. Here's the list according to the Wall St. Journal:

Sinks
WHAT MAY DIE: Above-counter sinks
WHAT'S NEXT: Wet surface, farm-style
OUT: Above-Counter Sink

Above-counter sinks (also known as vessel sinks) seemed like a good idea when they were introduced a decade ago in trendy bars and restaurants. The distinctive fixtures -- they look like bowls on a counter -- were a big departure from traditional sunken models. Consumers liked them so much they started installing them in home powder rooms and baths. American Standard plans to offer 26 above-counter styles in 2006, up from six in 2000.
But the more consumers experiment with these shapes, the more the sinks' downsides surface: The glass ones that look like mixing bowls show toothpaste, stray hair and water spots. The shallowest models splash. Taller versions don't, but are hard to clean, since the bottom of the sink is less accessible. And there's the confusion factor: Cheryl Fockler, a mother of two in Richmond, Va., says that when she updated her bathroom a few years ago with a crystal bowl set delicately on an antique dresser, her 6-year-old asked: "Where am I supposed to wash my hands?"
IN: Furniture Sink

Even makers say there are shortcomings. "If you are into practical design, you don't buy a vessel," says Mary Reid, vice president of advanced product development at Kohler.
Now, with prices coming down -- Lowe's sells a white ceramic above-counter sink for $98 from Decolav -- the industry, too, is fishing around for other expensive looks to drive up profits. Some options include "wet surface" sinks, where water runs over a plate-like slab (Kohler has one for about $2,000), farm-style sinks (think of a big, rectangular box set into your counter) or sinks set into furniture, mimicking desks or dressers (Waterworks has one that looks like a baby changing table for about $1,800).
Kitchen Countertops
WHAT MAY DIE: Matte stone
WHAT'S NEXT: Engineered compounds
Polished granite has been fashionable for awhile now, but in the last few years it has lost its luster. "It's all about, 'I don't want shiny,'" says Marvin Daniel, president and chief executive of Kitchen Designworks, a kitchen designer and remodeler in Richmond, Va. "Shiny is conspicuous consumption."
That has given rise to a more subtle countertop -- with surfaces that are sanded or honed for a matte appearance. At Poggenpohl U.S., honed granite counters represent 39% of granite-counter sales, up from about 7% in 2000, while polished granite is down to about 61% of granite sales, from 93% in 2000. Similarly, Joanne Hudson, the owner of a kitchen-design firm in Philadelphia, says honed countertops now represent about 80% of granite sales, up from about 5% five years ago, while shiny granite has slid to 20%.
The problem: Honed stone is generally softer and more porous than polished versions and can end up chipped or stained. "If you leave a glass of red wine or tomato juice on a honed counter, you've had it," says Lothar Birkenfeld, president of Poggenpohl U.S. So while retailers from Gracious Homes in New York to Home Depot's Expo Design Centers are marketing honed to their customers, some decorators are advising their clients to steer clear. "I tell people you need to understand this is going to stain, but they don't always hear what you're saying," says Mr. Daniel.
With kitchen-countertop sales relatively flat, makers are pushing alternatives. One newer option: engineered slabs made from a mixture of quartz and synthetic compounds that feel like stone and come in colors like lime green and cherry red. Makers say the slabs are practical because they are stain- and scratch-resistant, and at $50 to $80 per square foot, a lot cheaper than Italian marble. In Boston, Dalia Tamari, owner of a kitchen-design business, says engineered stone countertops account for 35% of the countertops she installs, up from nothing two years ago.
OUT: Glass Cabinet Doors

Kitchen Cabinets
WHAT MAY DIE: Glass doors
WHAT'S NEXT: Dark woods, smooth surfaces
Kitchen-cabinet sales were strong across the country this year, up about 15% from 2004, according to David Rothermel, president of StyleCraft, a custom-cabinet firm in Terre Hill, Pa. That was driven in part by the popularity of glass cabinet doors, which go well with contemporary kitchens, one of the strongest segments of the markets. In Mr. Rothermel's business, contemporary kitchen cabinets represent about 15% of total kitchen cabinet sales, up from about 5% three to five years ago. And homeowners like Carol Janes in Brentwood, Calif., say they've chosen them because it's "fun to see" pretty china and other decoratives.
IN: Solid Cabinet Doors

But many kitchen designers say the look is too high-maintenance (lots of fingerprints) and even slightly embarrassing -- especially for families with young children who need a place to hide sippy cups. "People invented cabinets for a reason -- to keep things dust-free and make them disappear," says Tom Newman, an architect in Culver City, Calif.
Susan Smart, a kitchen-design consultant with SieMatic Mobelwerke, the German kitchen maker, says the percentage of her clients asking for glass doors on cabinets has fallen to about 50%, down from about 70% a year ago. At Poggenpohl, seven out of 10 kitchens featured glass cabinet doors in 2002. But in the past two years, the glass has migrated from cabinets to counters and backsplashes.
Other trends in kitchen cabinets include smoother surfaces and a return to darker woods. Poggenpohl has added nearly a dozen lacquered colors to its line, in glossy, matte or satin surfaces, including red, French blue and light gray. StyleCraft, the Pennsylvania maker, is using more mahogany and a genetically engineered wood called Lyptus that looks like mahogany. Meanwhile, SieMatic is encouraging customers to keep things simple -- doors in medium-toned brown woods like pine and oak, with light washes or finishes to give the color more depth.
Televisions
WHAT MAY DIE: Built-in flat-panels
WHAT'S NEXT: Flat-panels on top of furniture
Your new flat-panel TV is a work of art, boasts a new ad for Panasonic's plasma TVs. "So why not frame it like one?"
Ads like this, and falling prices, have helped fuel a big run-up in sales of flat-panel TVs. But is mounting one on the wall really such a good idea? Certainly, it makes an expensive purchase even more costly. Panasonic's frames -- including black modern and traditional faux gold-leaf styles -- start at $400. (Panasonic says 30% of its large-screen television customers do a wall mount, up from 10% in 2004). Hiring a contractor and electrician to reconstruct your drywall and reroute wiring can mean hundreds or thousands more. Some installers are even rigging flat-panel TVs to descend from the ceiling with a push of a button.
But a few design experts warn homeowners away from such costly installations because most televisions get mounted in the wrong position. Mr. Rothermel, the StyleCraft president, says many are hung for straight-ahead viewing, which can be uncomfortable; others are positioned over a fireplace or as artwork, which is too high for most viewers. Plus, with a television stuck on the wall, it can be hard to rearrange your room.
But you should proceed with caution. "If you do too many built-ins around too much technology, which is changing every year, you are going to be outdated pretty fast," says Victoria Hagan, a New York interior designer. Her suggestion: Set your television on a piece of furniture to minimize the wires.
Tile Floors
WHAT MAY DIE: Tumbled stones
WHAT'S NEXT: Oversized tiles
In the past few years, tumbling, a process that gives floor stones a rustic, old feel, has become a mainstay of upscale tile firms. These makers push the look as unexpected -- bringing the outdoors inside -- and practical because their rough surfaces are less slippery than polished tiles.
But the tiles also have an impractical side: Because they're used to create a country feel, they're often installed with wide grout lines, which is hard to clean. What's more, now that more mainstream outlets like Lowe's are carrying tumbled wares, high-end tile stores are directing their clients to a more refined look. At Artistic Tile, a stone and mosaic importer based in Secaucus, N.J., tumbled stone accounted for 10% of sales in 2005, down from about 23% in 2001; the firm says demand is shifting to honed and polished styles.
One new look is oversized stone tiles, measuring 12 inches by 36 inches, instead of the traditional 12 inches by 12 inches. "It gives it a more substantial look," says David Meitus, a partner in Studium, a New York tile and stone importer. One caveat: Make sure the big sizes work in proportion to the rest of the room.