Steam Ovens have been used as an essential tool in the restaurant industry for over a decade. We took a recent stroll through PIRCH at NorthPark and realized that consumers now have access to steam ovens for home use by Miele, Gaggenau, Wolf, Thermador, and other manufacturers.

If you’ve only equated steam cooking with vegetables; well, think again. According to home remodeler Bruce Graf, a steam oven can do anything a conventional or microwave oven can do with the exception of making popcorn and heating water. 

“Listen, steam ovens virtually eliminate the need to use butter or oil. The steam sets the crust on bread and retains the moisture in both your fish and rice. You can make a complete meal with this home appliance,” Graf said. “I had to see it for myself a few years ago in order to believe how both healthy and efficient steam ovens are for the homeowner. Sure, you can still steam your asparagus, but the steam oven does so much more.”

If you’re inspired to cook your Thanksgiving turkey in a steam oven or you’re considering a kitchen remodel in the near future, submit your request to Diane@DianeMarketing.com to attend the upcoming Steam Oven Presentation given by Graf Developments and the PIRCH Professional Chef on Monday, Oct. 5 from 1:30 to 3 p.m. Space is limited to 20 attendees. Light bites provided, all prepared through steam ovens on display at PIRCH NorthPark.

(A burst of steam makes all the difference in getting the crust on buns from good to golden.)

Diane Feffer, Special Contributor - article previously ran in Candy's Dirt and republished with permission. 

Those sprawling ranch homes from the 1980's - just ripe for renovation.  One-story ranch houses appeal to baby boomers who desire to 'age-in-place', living their senior years in their own homes.  Often these homes were constructed with what some term as unsafe building practices.  The sunken living room is such an example.  A design feature that was a 'must have' in past decades, the sunken living room is now seen as a catalyst for slips and falls for today's homeowners.   Raising a sunken living room is a recommended point to start your renovation, says Bruce Graf. 

Another aspect of renovating a home so it is ready for you to age-in-place and enjoy during your senior years is to widen doorways.   "Back in the 80's, or actually all years before, an average bathroom and closet doorway was 24 inches. That size is now seen as ridiculous as it won't accommodate a person on crutches, much less a wheelchair should that be a necessity for you or a family member,"  says Graf.     

Graf also points out that removing paneling from an older home is one of the cheapest ways to modernize it.  "When you remove paneling and paint the walls, you bring more light into the room, making it appear larger.  Often the process of removing paneling can benefit the homeowner, revealing carpenter ants, termites or other insects which need to be eradicated.  Sometimes these insects are not detected by monthly inspections," says Graf. 

Fireplaces are statement pieces within a home.  In the video below, you'll see that Graf intends to take a third of the brick off in order to open the wall up leading to the kitchen.  He will then update the fireplace by laying stone veneer over the brick.  This 're-clad' technique is cost-effective because you're not using labor to completely destroy and remove the old brick.  

When working with a home remodeler, be sure and conduct a room-by-room inventory, asking questions to make sure you are maximizing the use of each room.  Do you currently have a dining room that is used as a 'dumping' center?  A current trend is to take dining rooms and re-design these adding Butler Pantries which are usable for everyday living and entertaining guests.  You'll see this and other design plans explored further in the video below which highlights a home being renovated in North Dallas. 

A dated kitchen is one of the more popular rooms to renovate and happens to be one of Graf's favorite remodeling projects.  " The kitchen is where memories are made and families and friends like to gather.  If you look within your home, you'll probably agree that important “Life” decisions are made in the kitchen, concludes Graf.

Bruce has been remodeling homes consistently for over 30 years in the DFW area and has an A+ accreditation with BBB.  

Reach out to Bruce@GrafDevelopments.com  ~ 972-571-6076 ~ http://www.grafdevelopments.com  

We met up with Bruce Graf upon his return from summer trade shows showcasing the latest kitchen technology from General Electric to Gaggenau. 

Bruce has invited us to follow him via his video-tour of a North Dallas home renovation that he and his team just started a few weeks ago. 

"Your home is a very personal place and we take great pride in creating the space that is perfect for each homeowner.  

Through video we hope to educate consumers on what we love to do: renovate homes," said Bruce. 

Bruce will loop back with periodic videos, so that we can better understand how he approaches the home remodeling process and view the progress to the final home transformation.    

The third and final video will be a 'before-and-after' video illustrating how Graf Developments works equally with the homeowner and designer from the design phase to the final finish.  

So take a peek at the first phase of home remodeling shown above and stay tuned for updates.  

Bruce has been remodeling homes consistently for over 30 years and has an A+ accreditation with BBB.  His team members at Graf Developments have all been with him for at least 10 years. 

Consider renovating and revitalizing a part of your home. 

Reach out to Bruce@GrafDevelopments.com  ~ 972-571-6076 ~ http://www.grafdevelopments.com   

Follow Bruce on Twitter @grafdevelopment  and visit his website to view several before & after projects 

This bland kitchen didn’t fit the homeowners personalities at all, but because of great timing and flawless execution, Bruce Graf was able to transform it into a stylish space perfect for holiday entertaining.

By Diane Feffer
Special Contributor

It’s time to start thinking about the holiday season, and whether your kitchen and living areas are ready to play host. We met up with Bruce Graf, a home remodeler with 30-plus years of experience. He explains why July is the perfect month to start planning your home remodel project, so that you can gather family in your newly renovated kitchen by the holidays.

CandysDirt.com: Why is July a great month for planning a remodel?
Bruce Graf: Quite simply because the quality design process takes several weeks. By starting in July, it’s probable that your actual remodel could begin in September and be finished by November.

After a thoughtful and thorough planning stage, the remodel went off without a hitch, and now the homeowners have the perfect kitchen for preparing a holiday feast.

CD: What is the typical timeline for a basic remodel?
Graf: The timeline is relative to the size of the project. It could start out at four weeks and go from there just depending on the scope of the project.

CD: Sometimes, just starting is the hardest part. What is the first step for homeowners who want to remodel?
remodThe first thing on your list should be to connect with a good designer. More importantly, find a designer that has a good relationship with a contractor, because it’s a team approach. You have to have a good feeling for the people you are working with during this project.

Wondering what steps you should take to ensure your remodel goes off without a hitch? Graf offered this outline of goals and objectives to guide you to the perfect new space from start to finish:

1. Contractor and designer consult with homeowner; building the team from the beginning.
2. Establish a realistic budget. Most people feel like they have exposed themselves or that the contractor will take advantage of them if they reveal their budget. The budget is a key piece of information so that the designer and contractor don’t waste time and money in the design process. You don’t want them to build something on paper that is not realistic or that your budget won’t allow.
3. Invest planning time in July and August. Put together a file folder with clippings of your favorite colors, rooms, cabinets, styles or anything that speaks to you. We had one client who picked out a large planter that gave us direction on her style. We designed and remodeled a home theatre for another client; with the sole guidance being a swatch of carpet.
4. Designer starts driving the process; ideas can be formulated and colors can be pulled together so as to fit the homeowners’ personalities. Multiple drawings have been made for the homeowners to choose from. Ultimately the design has to fit the personality of the home. The designer is part of the project from beginning to end and they are worth every penny. If you are going to spend thousands of dollars, why skimp on this one detail? Investing in a designer makes a difference between having a nice or fabulous home remodel.

“Approximately 98 percent of our customers live in their homes during the remodel phase,” Graf added. “A quality contractor puts up a plastic barrier to separate the remodel project from the rest of the house. This ensures that you can survive the process and continue through your daily routine around the makeshift construction site within your home.”

* Article originally ran in Candy's Dirt on July 23, 2015.  Reprinted with permission.