Tips for Maximizing the Benefits of the Kitchen Visualizer

MSI’s Kitchen Visualizer is an excellent tool for novice designers looking to find harmony among the basic material selections for the kitchen: countertops, cabinets, floors, and mosaics.  However, one could spend hours playing with the myriad options available in the Kitchen Visualizer – when a more strategic use can produce the best results.

It may be tempting to click away on the Kitchen Visualizer, randomly pairing beautiful materials in an instant. Nonetheless, when every variable is changed each time you try a design, it becomes very difficult to settle on any one design or make a decision. That’s where a little design know-how can help to bring a cohesive theme into focus. 

First, start with one element. Many designers start with the cabinets when styling a kitchen and work around them – for two specific reasons. One, cabinets will arguably be your most expensive, permanent investment. You may change the theme or motif of the room over time, but in general, cabinets will not be replaced until they need it. Two, design is all about contrast, so making that all important decision – dark or light with cabinetry – will then guide the direction for the rest of the kitchen.

Initially, you should decide if you like light or dark cabinets. Currently, the trend is dark cabinets with lighter countertops for contrast. This is a particularly practical trend because dark color cabinets will hide drips and splashes between cleanings, and countertops, which get cleaned more frequently, will highlight drips and splashes for quick, sanitary cleanup. Additionally, light countertops tend to show off colorful foods to their best advantage. Whichever you decide, light or dark, keep in mind that this will be one of your two dominant colors. In design, the formula is typically to select two dominants and one accent. As a dominant color, it’s usually best to keep it simple with a basic color and save the attitude for the accent. 

KITCHEN VISUALIZER TIP: The Kitchen Visualizer offers darker cabinet colors in Cherry and Coffee, a mid-option of Honey, and Maple and White for lighter cabinet options. If you have a non-traditional cabinet in mind, such as stainless steel, select White in place of stainless, as it most closely replicates the brightness in the room. Likewise, if you are looking at a bolder, non-traditional color for your cabinets, like a vibrant blue acrylic, choose Coffee – though it will not be the same color as your blue cabinet, the goal should be to replicate how the cabinet will affect the size of the room. 

Next, move on to the flooring. Your instinct may be to move right to the countertops to get that contemporary contrast you desire, but flooring is more likely your next dominant color. It should contrast with the cabinets, but complement them at the same time. Keep in mind that if the cabinets and the floor tile are too close in color, the look will be overwhelming, with too much of the same material in one area. If your floors will be wood, such as durable porcelain wood tiles, be sure that your cabinet wood and floor wood are of the same tone, though not of the same color. 

KITCHEN VISUALIZER TIP: The Kitchen Visualizer currently offers 6 options for floors. As you make your selections, it will help to consider what color will contrast nicely with the cabinets but will also be the best fit for your lifestyle. Alternate between cabinets and floors until you find a desirable and practical framework for your kitchen. 

When you have settled on the best cabinets and floors for your kitchen, move on to countertop selection. Countertops should not exactly match the floor at risk of appearing too busy, but should be similar enough so that the horizontal lines of the kitchen will feel in harmony; the rising vertical expanse of cabinets will provide contrast. Once you’ve settled on a countertop that works with the floors, then look at them in relation to the cabinets. Again, the contemporary trend is light countertops against dark cabinets – but light cabinets and dark countertops remains a timeless look as well. 

KITCHEN VISUALIZER TIP: Ubatuba granite and Black Galaxy granite are two popular dark countertop selections. If you are looking for a dark countertop contrast to light cabinets, consider starting with one of those dark neutral selections in the Kitchen Visualizer and move to more colorful tones as desired. Colonial Cream granite, White Ice granite, and Crema Caramel granite, in contrast, are some of the popular light countertop selections. Start with these and then warm up or down as needed. As countertops are often the most likely candidate for replacement to update the look of the kitchen, you may be doing a remodel of countertops only. If so, select the cabinets and floors closest in color and style to what you currently have and enjoy playing with the Kitchen Visualizer.

Keeping cabinets, floors, and countertops simple allows you to change your kitchen’s theme more often by tweaking the accent color. The best way to accent is with mosaic wall tiles, as they add both color and practicality as a backsplash, followed by accessories like window coverings and small appliances. (If you choose not to use a wall tile in your kitchen, consider the countertop as your accent against the two dominants of cabinet and floor.) Here bold colors against your more simple choices in cabinets, floor, and countertops will work wonders for giving the room personality. Mosaics are also a great opportunity for showing off countertops, so pick a color or tone within the countertop and exploit it in your backsplash tile for both interest and continuity.

KITCHEN VISUALIZER TIP: Remember that your mosaic tile will be your accent, your attitude, so don’t be afraid of a statement wall that stands out. Going too neutral here can have the result of looking like more of the same. If you don’t see a mosaic tile in the Kitchen Visualizer that speaks to you, MSI offers an expansive wall tile and mosaics collection. Be sure to investigate all your options by fully exploring our website. We offer glass, porcelain, stone, metal mosaics and combinations of all material types.

Matching your cabinets, floors, countertops, and mosaics isn’t all about coordination and contrast. It also involves matching materials to your lifestyle and overall theme of your home. We hope these tips will help you to utilize the valuable Kitchen Visualizer tool quickly, to lessen the amount of time you spend considering your design and move you forward to the fun part – implementation of your beautiful new kitchen!

Statement Floors are a great way to feature a special tile or other flooring material – from mosaics to porcelain wood tile, any room in a home (or office) can be amplified by flourishes that enrich the overall design.

Not every floor is a statement floor. A statement floor, by definition, is one that says something to the viewer. The true meaning of the terms is this: a statement floor is unique from the everyday floor. It is the visual expression of the unexpected, a non-traditional placement of material that catches the eye and elevates it beyond what is necessary for a stylish or functional floor.

There are many statements to be made with a statement floor, but we offer 5 reasons to consider one for your next project:

1. A statement floor is a permanent piece of artwork. Whether it is the arrangement of tile on a bathroom floor to look like an antique rug or the use of mosaics to create a garden of flowers in the mud room, unusual tilework can be a talking piece just like a piece of art on the wall – a frame that will never tilt out of place, a picture that will never fade. For those who love to surround themselves with the finer things, an artistic floor creation is the perfect way to translate the love of art into home design.

2. A statement floor will add character to a small bathroom. In a small space, it’s difficult to make a statement with wall color or decorative elements without giving it a cluttered feel. The addition of a statement floor means a small space can enjoy a clean feel with minimalist design on top and a creative touch on the bottom to keep it fun. Conversely, a statement floor can also expand a large bathroom – the arrangement of long vertical borders, for example, will make the space seem even larger, and thus, more indulgent.

3. A statement floor in the entry way is inviting to guests. While a solid wood floor with a brilliant shine is beautiful and eye catching even in simplicity, a more complex pattern can create a cozier feeling, especially in foyers and other entry ways that draw visitors in. A herringbone pattern of porcelain wood tile, for example, creates interest. Used sparingly as contrast with expanses of traditional lays, such a design element will stand out even more. Likewise, a herringbone or other design used generously in large, uncluttered spaces where the workmanship can standout also make a luxurious statement.

4. Statement floors say customization. Read, upgrade. For art lovers, statement floors are an extension of artistic design; but for others who also view their homes as a place of both enjoyment and equity, a statement floor says something bolder – investment. It also says things like “resale value” and “desirable”. Though such details are not always found in real estate ads, agents will tell you that the homes that go the extra mile to employ the finer touches will sell faster. For homeowners who choose the best upgrades or top-tier design elements to raise their homes to the highest level, the addition of complex mosaic tile schemes tastefully throughout the home will increase its value as a place to live until it is time to sell. 

5. A statement floor is a demonstration of traditional workmanship. If you’ve ever wondered why anyone would endure the inconveniences of a historical home, it is for the workmanship. I.e., the touches that were once standard in homes and are now considered unique to moderns constructions, like crown and chair moldings, archways, stained glass and muntin windows, and lead glass doors. Statement floors belong to this group as well, as they are also traditional to historical homes. They are achieved in intricate mosaic bathroom floors, Versailles pattern hearths, and checkerboard, brick, herringbone or other custom natural stone floor designs in kitchen and living areas.

Not every floor can be a statement floor. If every floor in a home makes a statement, it takes away from the surprise a truly creative floor can affect. Poor execution can be a cacophony of voices struggling to be heard. On the other hand, most homes can benefit from creative tile work in more than one room, particularly in homes where the rooms are structured as clearly defined spaces. An open floor plan, for instance, can appear confusing with statement floors in both the designed living and kitchen areas, whereas a closed floor plan with divided rooms can easily have their own voices.

For more on statement floors and unique tile choices, check out a few related blogs: Tile Floor Designs – Beautiful, Classic Patterns, The Redwood Series: Naturally Respectful Porcelain Wood Tiles, Botanica – Porcelain Tile with Exotic Wood Appearance, and In the World of Natural Stone, Rectangular Tiles Go to Great Lengths.

What do you think of when you think of porcelain? Do you picture fine vases, priceless figurines, a claw-foot bathtub or even the gorgeous bone China passed down in your family from generation to generation? It’s very likely. What if we told you that porcelain is more versatile than you can possibly imagine, that it has excellent applications for both indoor and outdoor use? What if we told you the same stuff you take a hot bath in or serve Christmas dinner on has the strength, hardness, resonance and durability to serve equally as well as your outdoor deck – and the versatility to look just like wood?

It’s not unusual to refer to porcelain as “china”, as China is the birthplace of porcelain making. Likewise, it’s not unusual to think of porcelain as a delicate material as it’s widely used to make items we think of as fragile, like decorative items. Nonetheless, the earliest porcelain makers used it in abundance – despite the fact that it required very high temperatures to fire, making it the most-time consuming of materials to make – because they knew it wasn’t a delicate material at all. In fact, they knew porcelain to be the perfect marriage of purpose and design. Their creations would last a lifetime and still look amazing, too.

Durability is the hallmark of porcelain. It’s extremely resistant to water, rust, scratches and stains, with low permeability and elasticity and high resistance to chemicals and extreme heat. Today we see the evolution of porcelain in everything from dental work and terminals for high voltage cables to the lining of outdoor grills and inside subway tunnels.

Porcelain is also amazingly versatile. If it can withstand the rigors of outdoor use, imagine its durability on the floor of a high traffic kitchen. Because it is man-made, it is available in a vast array of styles and colors. In fact, porcelain tiles can actually be manufactured to look just like natural materials, even stone and real wood. The Sequoia Series of porcelain tiles is the perfect example – available in Coal, Moka, Natural or Tobacco, these tiles look just like wood with their rich, variant color and realistic wood grains. But unlike real wood, the Sequoia Series tiles have all the power of porcelain!

Just when you think you’ve considered all the uses for porcelain, let’s revisit that idea of porcelain as an outdoor deck. Consider what porcelain won’t do and what it can do for you:

Porcelain won’t…

·         Fade from the sun.

·         Absorb moisture from precipitation.

·         Blemish from active use of the grill or fire pit.

·         Require re-staining.

Porcelain will…

·         Look like fresh wood for years to come.

·         Turn aside dirt and stains.

·         Clean up easily.

·         Stay cool and work well in a non-temperature controlled environment.

Forget fine vases and family china. Instead, picture kicking back to enjoy a grilled dinner out on your beautiful, “wood” deck – in actuality, the easy-maintenance porcelain deck you created with the wood looks from the Redwood or Sequoia Series of porcelain tiles – overlooking your “stone” patio that’s actually porcelain, too!

Whatever your design aesthetic, porcelain tiles have the style to create almost any look and the function to meet your indoor and outdoor needs. Don’t underestimate the power of porcelain!