Self-Reliant: The manufacturer’s luxury brand carries faucets costing in the high hundreds, but this Reliant+ kitchen unit costs less than $200. It has a pullout spout to make kitchen tasks easy, highly reliable ceramic disc valves, and a nylon hose for quiet pullout function. Available in five finishes, it also features the company’s EverClean finish. American Standard. 800-442-1902. www.americanstandard-us.com.
Every March, Builder looks at kitchen and bath product trends you should know about. Interviewing kitchen and bath designers, we get the latest on all the geegaws that make buyers go gaga. But the sizzling hot real estate market of yesterday has come to a screeching halt, and the products you couldn’t afford to ignore have become the items you simply can’t afford. In this climate, the buyer is king and to attract attention, your designs have to be cool and the prices have to be right. So, how do you achieve a good-looking kitchen and bath on a tight budget?
Possibly the best people to answer this question are architects, individuals who believe good design comes from ingenuity and resourcefulness. (As evidence, turn to “Do Try This at Home” for our design portfolio of architects’ own homes.) Using creativity and inexpensive products, architects have a knack for turning throwaway sites, dilapidated buildings, and ugly spaces into marvelous architectural gems. Stressing proportion and hierarchy of finishes, architects have perfected the practice of designing spaces that are long on style and short on cost. In their view, cool products may come from anywhere—a salvaged yard, a demolition project, or even Target.
Their best advice to you? Think differently. Take a look at these ideas and perhaps they will spark a few of your own.
Tip 1: “Builder-Grade” Can Be an “A”
Something to Lav About: Starting at a low $145, the three lavatory designs in the Archer Suite can add character to a bath. The units feature curved lines and an overflow valve to prevent water from spilling over the rim. This 24-inch pedestal uses an 8-inch centerset faucet, but units are available in 1-, 4-, or 8-inch drilling. It’s made of vitreous china and comes in 16 colors. Kohler. 800- 456-4537. www.kohler.com.
For some people, “builder-grade” calls to mind cheaply made products that fall apart seemingly before the ink on the contract is dry. Builder-grade materials may have fewer frills than a manufacturer’s main lines, but some companies carry excellent entry-level items. Kohler, Wis.–based Kohler produces quality entry-level fixtures and faucets, and its Sterling brand offers a long list of solid products such as dual-flush toilets for $200 and up. Architects often look for deals in the entry-level product lines of high-end brands such as Grohe. The company’s lavatory faucets can easily top $1,000, but architects spec its Eurodisc Series, which can be had for about $150.
Tip 2: Plain but Fancy
Basic Training: Part of the company’s Designer Essentials, Satinglo is a basic glazed ceramic floor, wall, or countertop tile, but a wide variety of trim pieces are available for an element of surprise. Field tiles come in 1-inch-by-1-inch hexagon or 2-inch-by-2-inch square sizes. Accessory pieces include various bullnose, square-top base, and cove pieces. The line is available in 19 colors. American Olean by Dal-Tile. 214-398-1411. www.americanolean.com.
Sure, a slim budget means imported handmade tiles, German door hardware, and Italian light fixtures might be out of the question. But how you use products is just as important as what you use. Jon Anderson, principal of Jon Anderson Architect in Albuquerque, N.M., has built a solid reputation on creating custom homes on extremely tight budgets. One of his tricks is to use tried-and-true standards and dress them up with other elements. Among his favorite low-cost products is mosaic tile. He typically specifies the tile in white, then embellishes the installation with trim pieces such as ceramic bases or decorative borders to give the tile an elegant yet restrained appearance.
Tip 3: Forget (Most of) What You Know
Box in One: Who knew you could find cool products at the big box? Architects say you can, if you look carefully. Designed for above-counter vessel sinks, the Pegasus tower faucet has a 10-inch spout and a 5-inch reach. It has a single-lever handle and a metal umbrella pop-up drain. Priced at around $189, the unit comes in chrome and brushed nickel. The Home Depot. 888-434-8759. www.homedepot.com.
When it comes to products, builders often get in their own way, sticking only to products they know. Yes, it’s risky experimenting with products, but if you want to achieve cool designs, you need to try new concepts. The leap doesn’t even have to be significant. “We like to think about traditional products in new ways,” says architect Teresa Rosano, a principal with Ibarra Rosano Design in Tucson, Ariz. Like many architects, she and her partner, Luis Ibarra, use Ikea kitchen cabinets, but they use them in the bath, customized with specialty hardware. The firm also scours non-traditional product outlets such as www.overstock.com (which carries lighting, range hoods, faucets, sinks, and showers) for deals. Nothing should be off limits so also look for deals at www.bellacor.com, www.target.com, www.destinationlighting.com, and www.faucetdirect.com, among others. Sometimes hitting the budget may mean spending less elsewhere in the house to get the right product. “There always seems to be a priority on every project, but we never skimp on a product that will be touched or requires movement,” says Tucson-based architect and developer Rob Paulus. “With this in mind, we always seem to spend more on kitchens and baths, even on tight budgets.” Says Paulus, “[We look] at what will make a space sing ... [and] prioritize the budget accordingly.”
Tip 4: Think Outside the Box
Budget Minded: Architects use Akurum when they want kitchen cabinets with high style and a very low price. The units are made from 3/4-inch particleboard, polypropylene, melamine foil, and fiberboard. Full extension drawers have integrated soft close dampers and the units feature adjustable shelves, snap-on hinges, and glass front doors. Door materials include birch, oak, and lacquer. A 10-foot-by-10-foot kitchen can cost as low as $1,500. Ikea. 800-434-4532. www.ikea.com.
Cabinets will likely consume the largest percentage of any kitchen budget, so if you can find a deal here you’ll be well on your way to meaningful savings. Ali R. Honarkar, a principal of Division 1 Architects in Silver Spring, Md., was set to use Snaidero cabinets on a recent project, but the quote was roughly $24,000. “KraftMaid was around $11,000,” he says. “It’s a steal. With the money saved, we were able to do the Miele dishwasher and Sub-Zero fridge.” Cheap cabinets are everywhere and easy to find. But you don’t want cheap, you want thrifty; and Ikea has become the darling brand of architects (including Honarkar who used it in his own home) doing a kitchen on a lean budget. The cabinets exude European flair and come in a wide variety of styles and materials, but sometimes in limited sizes.
Italian Job: When the budget is moderate and high-end cabinets are out of the question, some pros turn to Venezia, the manufacturer’s contemporary line. The full overlay products come in 28 door styles and 37 colors and finishes. Glass doors, including some with aluminum frames, are available. KraftMaid Cabinetry. 888-562-7744. www.kraftmaid.com.
Tip 5: Remember the Classics
Elements of Tile: You’re unlikely to find granite cheaper than the Granite Solutions modular-slab system. The solid granite tiles come in four components—field tiles, outside corners, inside corners, and bullnose pieces—to accommodate a variety of applications. Offered in 14 colors, the field tiles measure 12 inches by 12 inches. The system can be installed for about 50 percent below the cost of slab granite, the manufacturer says. Beni-ssimo Systems. 877-762- 4330. www.benissimosystems.com.
When money is no object, builders have access to a wide variety of cool new products and materials such as quartz or recycled glass countertops. But classic materials such as laminate and wood still work and are a lot cheaper. “On budget projects, we start with basic laminate with a square corner and then typically offer an upgrade to granite or recycled glass countertops,” says Paulus. “We have found that laminate, when installed properly with clean lines, can work beautifully.” Anderson also is a fan of laminate countertops but he keeps it simple. “I never use laminate that tries to look like stone or wood,” says the architect, who believes that no laminate will ever look like a natural product so there’s no point in trying. Instead, Anderson uses solid-colored laminate and enhances it with a metal edge for a top that is cheap and handsome. Anderson also uses granite tiles for countertops. “The cost is in the realm of 10 percent of what monolithic granite costs,” he says.
Metal Winner: It’s a new day for laminate. The manufacturer’s DecoMetal combines easy fabrication with the beauty of metal. It consists of real metal foil laminated to a phenolic core, which makes the product easy to install without the hassle of metal fabrication. Ideal for dry interior vertical and light-duty horizontal interior applications, the product comes in a wide variety of textures, colors, and finishes such as copper, brass, and colored aluminum. Formica Corp. 800-367-6422. www.formica.com.
Walk in the Woods: Wood countertops are beautiful and can dress up an otherwise bland kitchen. They’re even better when you can buy them inexpensively. This company offers tops for a relative steal. Available pre-finished and unfinished, the solid wood tops come in a reddish-colored American cherry and maple. The tops measure 1 1/2 inches thick, 25 inches deep, and 8 or 12 feet long. Prices start at $190. Lumber Liquidators. 800-356-6746. www.lumberliquidators.com.