Cabinetparts.com Makes Granite Look for Countertops Easier

Laminate for Countertops has come a long way in the past 2 years. With the introduction of High Definition laminate, Wilsonart created a product that mimics the look and feel of real stone. A new process called Aeon Enhanced Performance "dramatically improves wear and scuff resistance on Wilsonart HD and Premium laminate designs."

Changing the look of your countertop can increase the value of your home whether you are improving to sell, or just want to enhance your space. "The large-scale granite look remains in high demand among budget-conscious homeowners remodeling their kitchens and baths, and new designs from Wilsonart Laminate fill that need in spades."

Laminate for Countertops is readily available, ships and installs easily and has literally thousands of colors and designs to choose from. "No matter what your budget or style, whether you are a design professional or consumer, we have a product to fit your needs."

GE Unveils “Net Zero Energy Home” Concept

A leader in Smart Grid solutions, GE today unveiled plans for a “Net Zero Energy Home” project which combines GE's most efficient appliances and lighting, the company's new energy management systems, and GE power generating and storing technologies in new home construction. When applied together, the system would enable a homeowner to achieve net zero energy costs by 2015. The Net Zero Energy Home project -- and new smart grid consumer poll data from the U.S. and the U.K. -- were introduced at GE's smart grid symposium at its Global Research Center in upstate New York.

As part of the company’s ecomagination strategy, the GE Net Zero Energy Home offerings will be comprised of three major groups within the product portfolio: energy efficient products including appliance and lighting products that will reduce energy consumption in the home; energy management products that will enable consumers to manage their costs and energy consumption; and energy generation/storage products like solar PV, advanced energy storage and next generation thin film solar that will play an integral part in the net zero energy home.

“Much of today’s electrical grid dates back to the days of our founder Thomas Edison," explained Mark Little, senior vice president and director, GE Global Research. "And while that grid has served us well for decades, we recognize that by investing in technologies to transform the current electrical infrastructure, GE will be able to provide powerful solutions for customers around the world for the next 100 years. We’re working with our utility and government partners to deploy energy-efficient technologies today, in a way that will empower consumers without compromising their lifestyle.”

One new product that will give consumers more control will be available as early as 2010, when GE will introduce the Home Energy Manager, the central nervous system for the Net Zero Energy Home that will work in conjunction with all the other enabling technologies in the home to help homeowners optimize how they consume energy. GE will also introduce a line of smart thermostats in 2010 that, together with the Home Energy Manager, will inform consumers on their energy use and empower them to make smarter decisions on their energy consumption. The smart thermostats can help consumers significantly save on their energy bills.

Kitchen Enhancing Ideas from the 2008 Design Lab Competitions

Electrolux has long been known as among the leaders in appliance solutions for the home and at the 2008 Design Lab Competition which showcased some fancy designs from undergraduate and graduate students in industrial design that can be future home kitchen appliances that are sure to hit the market.

Here are some of the Finalists:

1. The Flatshare Fridge from Austria by Stefan Buchberger

2. The Drawer Kitchen from Korea by Nojae Park

3. Sook from USA by Adam Brodowski

4. The IBasket from China by Guopeng Liang

5. Stratosphere from Hungary by Atilla Safrany

6. Vesta Cooktop from Germany by Matthias Pinkert

7. The Coox from France by Antoine Lebrun

8. The Scan Toaster from South Korea by Sung Bae Chang

9. The E-bag from Hungary by Apor Pupsoki


(Source) InventorSpot