As with so many things at home, the kitchen is often the starting point; bathrooms are the other remodeling mainstay. In the past, updating kitchen or bath began with a trip to the home improvement store or even meeting with a designer. However, there's also a wealth of online resources to help you plan, purchase, and execute any project from a simple kitchen color change to a complete bathroom renovation.
Building Beauty and Value
The kitchen is the starting point for a reason: it's the big game in the home remodeling hunt. According to a recent Better Homes and Gardens' survey (www.bhg.com), almost 70 percent of Americans have completed a major remodeling project within the last five years, and 42 percent plan a major remodel in the next five. What's the top remodeling priority for the 60,000 homeowners who responded to the survey? You guessed it -- the kitchen.
This focus on kitchen renovation is simple economic pragmatism; a similar equation applies to baths, though the numbers are slightly smaller. In most cases, kitchen and bath remodels increase the value of a home more than any other improvement project. That's why real estate agents counsel homeowners that they'll recoup about nine of every 10 dollars they spend upgrading a kitchen or bath when they sell their home.
MSN House and Home (www.lifestyle.msn.com) provides information about different types of remodeling projects including the average amount of the investment home owners can expect to recoup. The data about kitchen and bath projects makes a compelling case.
? Minor kitchen remodel ($2,000 to $8,500 project cost): 94-102% return on investment
? Major kitchen remodel ($9,000 to $25,000): 90%
? Bathroom addition ($5,000 to $12,000): 92%
? Bathroom remodel ($8,500): 77%
The Kitchen is the Key
In addition to bolstering home value, the other motivation behind the mania for kitchen remodeling is social. Kitchens have become the nucleus of many homes, often supplanting the living room or family room. No longer just places to prepare meals, kitchens today are often the central gathering point of the home. As a result, they're growing in size and adding amenities -- bar seating and entertainment centers -- that accommodate not only more people, but also more functions.
One tenant of conventional wisdom about kitchen design is the work triangle. In theory, arranging the stove, sink, and refrigerator in a triangle allowed efficient movement between each. Several sites that track trends in kitchen design and d?cor, such as Kitchens.com (www.kitchens.com) address how homeowners and designers are now thinking outside the triangle. With more users and uses in the kitchen, the traditional geometry is obsolete. Many kitchens now have multiple work triangles, quadrangles or even hexagons that adapt to changing needs and multiple people to participate in food preparation simultaneously.
The Master Bath Retreat
Bathrooms are getting bigger, just like kitchens, but for different reasons. Baths are becoming more private, whereas kitchens are becoming more social. In particular, the master bath has emerged as the sanctuary of choice for many homeowners, a place they retreat for solitude and relaxation.
The style gallery at the Bathroom Design Guide site (www.bathroom-design-guide.com) offers glimpses of many different approaches to the master bath sanctuary. These getaways within the home can come in any style from sleek, ultra modern to Victorian.
Regardless of the style choices, the emphasis is on luxury and comfort with features such as cavernous showers with four, six, and even eight or more jets and whirlpool spa tubs that can easily accommodate two or three people. In pursuit of comfort, master baths are adopting kitchen-style amenities. Mini fridges, wet bar sinks and microwaves are now commonplace in luxury homes and are showing up in more modestly priced homes; eliminating a trip to the kitchen for a midnight snack further bolsters the concept of sanctuary.
Faucet Fascination
Though the d?cor for kitchens and baths is different, there are common traits. The common element to both is, of course, water. As a result, many of the materials and trends are similar.
As the primary source of water, faucets are the iconic fixture for both kitchens and baths, often setting the tone for d?cor throughout the room. For years, stainless steel has been the go-to choice in the kitchen whereas chrome and more recently satin nickel finishes have dominated baths. A great place to review the universe of choices is FaucetDirect (www.faucetdirect.com), where you'll find faucets organized by brand, style and finish. The finish currently in vogue is oil-rubbed bronze, a dark, nearly black finish reminiscent of wrought iron. As often happens, after gaining popularity as a faucet finish, oil-rubbed bronze is now showing up in other kitchen and bath d?cor including cabinet hardware and light fixtures.
Fine Flooring
Flooring is another point of commonality for kitchens and baths. They need to withstand water, yet look and feel clean without being slippery. Tile is the time-honored standby for both. Though tile remains popular in its many different sizes, styles, and colors, don't overlook other materials. Granite, slate, and marble are among the most popular and are often match or complement the same material used for countertops. The flooring section of SuperKitchens.com (www.superkitchens.com) provides extensive information about the benefits and pricing of different materials.
Traditionally not used in kitchens and baths, wood and laminate flooring are another viable option. Laminates, sealed woods and bamboo withstand moisture and change the tone of the room. The flooring material generating buzz most recently is cork, which provides superb cushioning, scores of color options, and durability. A British site, Tubz (www.tubz.co.uk) is an excellent resource for in-depth reviews and comparisons of the advantages and liabilities of different flooring types. | 
