Consumer Corner

A First-Timer’s Guide to Kitchen Remodeling

Published

1 month ago

November 12, 2024

Daily News Staff

What to know before you begin

(Family Features) Kitchen upgrades are among the most common renovation projects homeowners tackle. Even so, it’s a big project for a first-time renovation, and the final results are sure to be stronger with some detailed planning from the start.

Take into account these five tips from the experts at Wellborn Cabinet to help first-time kitchen remodelers achieve the kitchens of their dreams:

1. Plan Your Budget
Establish a clear and realistic budget. Factor in costs for materials, labor and some extra for unexpected expenses. Sticking to your budget can help ensure you enjoy the outcome of the project while avoiding financial stress. Your contractor can help you strike a balance between your vision and financial resources. You may also find it helpful to consult with a real estate professional who can ensure your plans are in line with the overall value of your home and neighborhood.

2. Prioritize Functionality
Design with practicality in mind. Ensure there’s enough counter space and storage to create an efficient workflow. Consider the kitchen work triangle; that is, be conscious of the travel pattern among the sink, stove and refrigerator.

Additionally, look for opportunities to incorporate functional storage in unexpected places. One example is the exposed end of a cabinet run or side of the refrigerator, where there is often wasted space. One example is a shallow cleaning utility cabinet from Wellborn Cabinet that fits a broom, dustpan and everyday cleaning supplies neatly, giving you practical access to frequently used supplies. A variation on this cabinet offers a spice rack designed for easy access to cooking essentials. Other options in the line include an over-fridge cabinet with a combination of shelves, sheet pan or cutting board storage and a trash can-cutting board combination.

3. Choose Quality Materials
Consider factors such as durability, maintenance requirements and compatibility with your design aesthetic when selecting materials for your kitchen. You may be tempted to cut corners and stretch your money further, but quality materials are a critical element of successful renovations. Prioritize high-quality materials that stand the test of time. Durable countertops, solid cabinetry and reliable appliances typically save money in the long run, and they’ll enhance the overall look and value of your kitchen.

4. Hire Professionals
Work with experienced contractors and designers. Their expertise can help you avoid common pitfalls and ensure your remodel meets all safety and building codes. What’s more, these professionals have likely encountered and overcome all kinds of challenges, which means they’ll be well-prepared to help you navigate unexpected obstacles and provide a wealth of knowledge from previous clients to help make recommendations for the perfect finished space.

5. Stay Flexible
Be prepared for unexpected challenges and delays. Stay adaptable and open to changes and remember patience is key to achieving the kitchen of your dreams. Materials go on backorder and paperwork gets misplaced all the time. Set a realistic timeline for your project that allows for some hiccups and try to avoid becoming too rigidly attached to any single element of the design, so if you have to make a modification, it doesn’t feel like a monumental sacrifice.

Look for more ideas and inspiration for your kitchen remodel at Wellborn.com.

Inspiring Ideas for Kitchen Islands

Adding an island to your kitchen offers many functional and aesthetic benefits, and there are styles to suit every type of kitchen.

Galley Kitchen Island: This type of island is more functional than design-forward, conveniently adding extra storage and counter space. This conventional configuration works well in most kitchen layouts, both large and small, and can be constructed to fit almost any kitchen.

Table-Style Kitchen Island: If you want a unique addition, an island table is the way to go, whether you opt for a custom-made piece or upcycle an antique. The beauty of a table-style island is that it serves a functional and decorative purpose, warming up a modern kitchen and adding personality.

Double Kitchen Island: Incorporating multiple islands – often called a double island kitchen – can improve traffic flow, increase storage space and seating, and create additional space for meal prep, cooking, washing and eating. Plus, islands are ideal for implementing design elements such as complementing materials and finishes, pops of color and unique cabinetry components including door styles and hardware.

Rolling Kitchen Island: This convenient solution adds flexibility with extra storage and counter space. You can easily tuck it away to open up more floor space when done, and this portable island can easily roam around the kitchen so you can place it where you need it.

Two-Tier Kitchen Island: While you can cook and eat on any island, the two-tier creates a clear boundary where you can cook on one side and eat on the other. This all-encompassing island is perfect for larger families and homeowners who like to entertain.

Chef’s Kitchen Island: If you want to showcase your cooking skills or have a private chef cooking for friends and family, a chef’s island is a unique solution. Installation requires the appropriate ventilation and electrical, which may be well worth it if you frequently cook for family or friends.

Round Kitchen Island: Compared to a typical rectangular island, a rounded option is an eye-catching way to add more seating in your kitchen for entertaining family and friends.

L-Shaped Kitchen Island: If you have a lot of space in your kitchen, an L-shaped island can fill the area. The design provides extra cooking space, allowing you to accommodate multiple chefs in the kitchen. You can also add seating for family and friends.

U-Shaped Kitchen Island: Best suited for large, open-concept kitchens, a U-shaped island creates storage space and room to install appliances such as a bar fridge, sink or range with prep space left to prepare meals.

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SOURCE:
Wellborn Cabinet

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Consumer Corner

Honda Revives the Iconic Prelude: A Thrilling Return to the Sport Coupe Scene

Published

4 days ago

December 17, 2024

Mark Bennett

Exciting news for car enthusiasts! Honda Motors has officially announced the return of a beloved nameplate: the Prelude. Making its comeback in the U.S. market in late 2024, the sixth-generation Prelude is set to advance the joy of driving into the electrified future with Honda’s award-winning two-motor hybrid powertrain.

The Honda Prelude

Originally introduced in November 1978, the Prelude quickly became a favorite among driving enthusiasts, known for its sporty looks and dynamic performance. Honda is set to honor this legacy by integrating innovative features into the new model, including the revolutionary Honda S+ Shift. This sophisticated drive mode enhances Linear Shift Control to ensure an engaging and responsive driving experience—perfect for both longtime fans and new drivers.

Jessika Laudermilk, Assistant Vice President of Honda Auto Sales, stated, “The return of the Honda Prelude as a hybrid-electric sports model demonstrates our continued commitment to offer a variety of exhilarating products to meet the needs of our customers.” With the Prelude joining the ranks of the iconic Civic and Accord, Honda is reuniting its classic lineup, all backed by hybrid technology.

This news arrives at a momentous time, as Honda celebrates 25 years of hybrid sales in America, proudly introducing the nation’s first hybrid-electric model, the Honda Insight, in 1999. Today, Honda is pushing further on its electrification strategy, striving for all battery-electric and fuel cell electric vehicles to make up 100% of their sales by 2040. Hybrids are a crucial part of this journey, and Honda has already achieved impressive milestones, with electrified vehicles accounting for over a quarter of their total sales in 2024.

The Prelude will make its North American debut following its global unveiling at the 2023 Japan Mobility Show, where it captured the hearts of many. Honda’s commitment to innovation is clear in the Prelude’s design and features, from introducing groundbreaking technologies like four-wheel steering and torque vectoring systems in its earlier iterations to the hybrid-electric capabilities of this new generation.

As Honda continues to pave the way for its electrified future with products like the Honda Prologue electric SUV and the forthcoming Honda 0 Series models, the return of the Prelude signifies not just a nostalgic revival but also a new era of exhilarating driving experiences.

Fair warning to enthusiasts: excitement is building as the Prelude prepares to hit the roads again, promising a blend of classic sports coupe design and the cutting-edge technology that defines Honda’s future. Keep your eyes peeled for more updates and prepare to embrace the joy of driving like never before!

Stay tuned for more updates and feel free to share your thoughts on the return of the Prelude below!

For more information on Honda next-generation technologies, click here.

About Honda
Honda offers a full line of clean, safe, fun and connected vehicles sold through more than 1,000 independent U.S. Honda dealers. The award-winning Honda lineup includes the Civic and Accord, along with the HR-V, CR-V, Passport, Prologue and Pilot sport utility vehicles, the Ridgeline pickup and the Odyssey minivan. The Honda electrified vehicle lineup, representing more than a quarter of total sales in 2024, includes the all-electric Prologue SUV, hybrid-electric Accord, CR-V, and Civic, and Fuel-Cell-electric CR-V e:FCEV, with a hybrid Prelude set to join the lineup in late 2025.

Honda has been producing automobiles in America for over 40 years and currently operates 18 major manufacturing facilities in North America. In 2023, more than 99% of all Honda vehicles sold in the U.S. were made in North America, with about two-thirds made in America, using domestic and globally sourced parts.

More information about Honda is available in the Digital FactBook.

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Consumer Corner

Tip pressure might work in the moment, but customers are less likely to return

Published

5 days ago

December 16, 2024

The Conversation

Nobody likes feeling pressured. lechatnoir/E+ via Getty Images

Sara Hanson, University of Richmond and Nathan B. Warren, BI Norwegian Business School

Have you ever hesitated at the register, uncomfortable as an employee watched you choose a tip? It’s not just you. The rise of digital tipping systems – from point-of-sale devices held by employees to countertop screens that clearly display your selection – is changing the dynamics of tipping, often in ways that make customers feel scrutinized.

As marketing professors who study digital tipping, we wanted to find out how customers respond to this sort of “tip surveillance.” So we conducted a field study analyzing 36,000 transactions and did four controlled experiments with more than 1,100 participants.

We compared tipping setups with less privacy – such as when firms use handheld payment systems, when employees are facing customers, and when apps immediately show tips to employees – with setups with more privacy, such as countertop payment systems, employees who face away from customers, and apps that disclose tips only after the service.

Our results were clear: High levels of surveillance are bad for business. Customers who felt watched while tipping were less likely to make a return visit or recommend a business. While privacy often made customers feel more generous and in control of their decisions, feeling scrutinized led to resentment and reduced loyalty.

Interestingly, research shows that people enjoy being watched when they donate to charity. So why does tipping feel different? Perhaps because tipping isn’t entirely voluntary – it’s often seen as an expectation. When customers feel pressured, they lose the sense of control that makes tipping a positive experience.

Welcome to the payment panopticon

While digital tipping can be convenient, it can also contribute to “tipflation” – the feeling that tipping expectations have gotten out of hand. If companies want to make sure customers keep coming back, our research indicates they would do well to give customers privacy to tip.

One issue might be that some employees think watching customers closely encourages them to tip generously. We didn’t find a straightforward relationship, however, between tipping privacy and tip amounts. While privacy empowers customers to tip less if they choose, we found it also often encourages them to feel more generous. These effects mean that customers tip similar amounts whether they have privacy or not.

For companies, striking the right balance between giving customers control and fostering generosity is crucial. A business that trains its employees to give customers privacy to tip – and makes sure to pay those employees fairly, so they don’t need to pressure customers in the first place – will likely develop a better reputation and a more loyal customer base.

The next horizons of tipping

Tipping can be a feel-good experience, enhancing feelings of generosity and social status. It can also be a source of anxiety. And for better or worse, digital technology is changing the way we tip. Today, people tip more money, for more services, and in more places than ever before.

As businesses, customers and even politicians debate how to best integrate digital tipping into our world, our research shows the importance of thinking holistically. In our view, the focus shouldn’t just be on boosting tipping revenue for employees but also on creating a positive experience for customers.

More broadly, customers, workers, businesses and society may want to consider how to create a system of tipping that protects workers’ rights and dignity while guaranteeing fair pay, and that allows customers and business owners to reward employees who contribute by providing great service.

Sara Hanson, Associate Professor of Marketing, University of Richmond and Nathan B. Warren, Associate Professor of Marketing, BI Norwegian Business School

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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Consumer Corner

Kia EV9 Crowned “2024-2025 Electric SUV of Texas” at TAWA Truck Rodeo

Published

6 days ago

December 15, 2024

Hal Machina

Kia EV9

Irvine, California – December 6, 2024 – Kia’s all-electric, three-row flagship SUV, the EV9, has made a significant mark in the automotive world, earning the esteemed title of “2024-2025 Electric SUV of Texas” at the recent Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) “Truck Rodeo.” This prestigious award highlights Kia’s ongoing commitment to innovation and excellence in the electric vehicle segment, proving once again that in Texas, bigger often means better.

The annual Truck Rodeo is a highly anticipated event in the automotive calendar, attracting over 40 TAWA journalist members who meticulously evaluate the top contenders among trucks, EVs, SUVs, and CUVs. This year’s competition featured an impressive lineup of 28 vehicles, all put through their paces across more than 260 rigorous driver and vehicle excursions. Journalists assessed each vehicle’s performance, comfort, technology, and overall driving experience, ensuring that the results accurately reflect the best-performing vehicles on the market.

“Kia has a long history with TAWA, and we’re thrilled that the EV9 has been named ‘2024-2025 Electric SUV of Texas’ by this distinguished group of journalists,” remarked Steven Center, COO and EVP of Kia America. “This award is further evidence that Kia builds vehicles held in high regard by the press and desired by consumers. Texans love their SUVs, and the EV9 resonates with TAWA members for its design, interior space, range, technology, and dynamic driving performance. Winning this award adds to the EV9’s long list of accolades and demonstrates its success as the first mainstream three-row fully electric SUV.”

The Kia EV9 SUV

During the event, TAWA members drove the EV9 on both predetermined off-road and street courses, simulating real-world driving experiences to evaluate how well the vehicle meets the needs of consumers. The journalists praised the EV9 for its spacious interior, advanced technology features, impressive range, and overall driveability. The acknowledgment from such a respected group underscores Kia’s growing influence in the electric vehicle arena and reinforces the EV9’s position as a leader in the evolving SUV market.

As the automotive industry continues to shift towards electrification, Kia’s EV9 stands out not just for its innovative design and functionality but also for its ability to cater to the diverse needs of modern drivers. With the recognition from TAWA, the Kia EV9 is poised to capture more hearts and minds in Texas and beyond, solidifying its place in the future of electric SUVs.

More information on the 2024 TAWA Truck Rodeo, including the full list of participating vehicles, can be found at www.texasautowriters.org.

Kia America – about us

Headquartered in Irvine, California, Kia America continues to top automotive quality surveys. Kia is recognized as one of the TIME World’s Most Sustainable Companies of 2024. Kia serves as the “Official Automotive Partner” of the NBA and WNBA and offers a range of gasoline, hybrid, plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles sold through a network of over 775 dealers in the U.S., including several cars and SUVs proudly assembled in America*.

Source: Kia America

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