KITCHEN TRENDS IN REMODELING

by Michael Pinkerton, DreamMaker Bath & Kitchen

While the importance of a good location remains a vital aspect of real estate, the same can be said for remodeling. As a remodeling expert in Colorado Springs for over 25 years, I have observed unique trends here that differ from the rest of the country. Although clients in some areas of the city incorporate modern trends, some clients seek a more traditional and classic style for their remodeling needs. With that in mind, here are a few trends we’ve seen locally.

Timeless Design

Clients who decide to remodel their homes often desire a timeless look for their newly renovated space. The goal is for the design to remain in fashion for a considerable amount of time and allow for flexibility to add and subtract trendy accents. Since remodeling is such a substantial investment for your home, we understand that you will want to relish the outcome for the foreseeable future. While a painted shaker kitchen cabinet will remain a timeless choice, today’s market sees homeowners trading cool grays and whites for warm taupes and creams. The texture and warmth of wood continue to make it a top contender; we are also seeing light and whitewashed wood stains join the ranks of their dark counterparts.

OPEN-CONCEPT LAYOUT

An open concept has been a widespread kitchen trend for several years and continues to be a favored option. Its standard implementation involves the removal of walls, even those that bear weight, to form a more expansive environment. Incorporating larger windows and installing accordion doors will expose the kitchen to outdoor living areas (or simply our beautiful Colorado scenery) and maximize usable space.

Sustainable Practices And Products

A kitchen’s sustainability can be achieved by a range of current products and concepts. By opting for recessed LED lighting, a versatile source of light with an extended lifespan and lower energy consumption, one can achieve excellent supplementary illumination. Also materials like quartz countertops incorporate recycled elements while Europeanstyle frameless cabinets use less wood for their production. Furthermore, refacing cabinets is a cost-effective way to reuse existing elements and give them a new look, without the need for a complete overhaul.

Convenience Of Electronics

Kitchens have embraced the ever-evolving world of electronics. The market now has appliances armed with WiFi and Bluetooth capabilities that give users the power to control and troubleshoot with ease. This modern convenience proves valuable for homeowners looking for ways to streamline their complex daily routines. In addition, faucets have expanded to include touchless alternatives. The prevalence of phone and device docking stations has increased as kitchens are one of the most frequently utilized areas of households.

Schedule time to visit our showroom where our designers are ready to help you find a look that never goes out of style –and help you create the space you need and want for years of enjoyment.

While the importance of a good location remains a vital aspect of real estate, the same can be said for remodeling.

Schedule time to visit our showroom where our designers are ready to help you find a look that never goes out of style.

Other’s Success Leaves Clues: Develop a High Performance Leadership Success Formula

by Charmas B. Lee, Professional Speaker, Author, Coach

Charmas is the co-owner of Believe and Perform like Champions, a business that specializes in creating winning organizations, cultures, and mindsets. Charmas Lee is has been challenging individuals to transform their lives through his dynamic brand of facilitated introspection, motivation, and personal development. Charmas has co-authored and published 7 books, written various technical articles for the national publication of USA Track and Field and has twice been a TEDx speaker. Charmas Lee is a high-performance coach, professional speaker, author, and sports and fitness professional.

charmas@charmaslee.com

719-237-6058 | 719-351-3834

This is the first article in a short series designed to help you develop your very own high performance leadership success formula. If you want to improve human productivity and achieve unparalleled levels of success, you must first learn to scale personalization.

Scaling personalization requires an exchange in listening. Whether it’s the customer looking for a product or the employee seeking a promotion, the key is to get them where they want to be. A leader’s path to personal success and happiness lies in helping others arrive at their destinations.

Friends, I have great news: you don’t have to reinvent the wheel because others have provided us with relevant clues. In her book titled, “Nerves of Steel,” former Southwest Airlines pilot Tammie Jo Shults provides us with a good example of how to scale personalization, with five strangers in five minutes or less, by applying the skill of active listening. Read what Captain Shults has to say and start the process of creating your very own high performance leadership success formula.

EXCERPT FROM “NERVES OF STEEL”

Commercial aviation is a team sport. When a crew gathers for a flight, all crew members’ names are on the paperwork, but knowing the names is not the same as meeting the people and getting to know them. The trick is in figuring out how to turn five strangers into a team in five minutes or less. Drawing our assigned crew members together at the beginning of each day has become a habit for me, and now it’s part of our protocol at Southwest Airlines. A flight crew often changes every day, sometimes multiple times throughout the day, so it takes a real effort to stop the busyness and focus for a moment on the team members. One of the best lessons I learned at home was the art of asking questions and listening attentively to the answers. It’s important to me to convey that nobody needs to worry whether something is “important enough” to tell the captain. If I take the time to look at a baby picture or listen to a personal story, the channels of communication open up. When I take the time to make my flight brief a dialogue rather than a monologue, it changes the posture of our future communications about everything, from equipment to people.

Captain Shults has provided us with the first component in developing our very own high performance leadership success formula and that is communication. I’ll discuss the remaining two components in future articles.

Force Multiplier

Here’s another way to look at the same concept. Through 34+ years of coaching and leadership experience, I’ve learned that the force multiplier in creating advanced personal communication requires an understanding of human behavior and the ten human drives. Each drive, when met, provides an inflection point to the psyche and can solicit a positive visceral response.

Take a look at the graphic for details on the ten human drives. For more information, I encourage you to read High Performance Coach Brendon Burchard’s book titled, “The Charge: Activating the 10 Human Drives That Make You Feel Alive.” It’s yet another example for us to follow when developing a high performance leadership success formula.

THE FIVE BASELINE DRIVES:

THE FIVE FORWARD DRIVES:

CHANGE

CHALLENGE

CREATIVE EXPRESSION

CONTRIBUTION

CONSCIOUSNESS

*From “The Charge,” by Brendon Burchard.

“May I” = Control and Caring

“Your permission”

= Congruence and Connection

“Champion you today” = Competence

Over decades of experience and study, I’ve learned that most people are not looking for a hero; they are looking for a guide who gets excited every time he/she sees them, recognizes their value, and is willing to provide them with a compass or blueprint to achieve success.

More to come in upcoming issues of NORTH. Wishing you the best of everything, my name is Charmas Lee, and I build Champions.