After the holidays, bid your home a vibrant "Happy New Year!" -- or "Felice Anno Nuovo!" -- by bringing a little Italy into your kitchen.

America's midcentury modern movement is making a comeback with the flowing curves and dramatic angles of Italian design that never went out of style in Europe, says Amir Ilin, director of North American sales for Pedini USA, based in Paramus, New Jersey. "Italy is the country that brings the world the sleek design of the Lamborghini and Ferrari automobiles, and that same design principle is found in the home," he says. "There is a small faction of Italian design that is traditional and rustic -- with carvings and gold leafing -- but today, when we talk about Italian design in America, it is contemporary and refined."

American kitchen trends, as released by the National Kitchen and Bath Association, based in Hackettstown, New Jersey, forecast design principles with streamlined spaces, which are emulated in Italian kitchens.

A clutter-free culinary space appeals to not only millennials, but active baby boomers -- or "zoomers," says Ilin. "As design in the home becomes more open, many people want the kitchen to look like the rest of the home, which is becoming more contemporary in design," he says. "This kitchen design style isn't new in Europe, but it has been catching on in the United States for the past five years."

With countertops and an island more akin to fine furniture than traditional American kitchen cabinetry, contemporary Italian style is often unadorned, featuring flush doors, natural materials and rich monochromatic colors.

Contemporary Cabinetry

Cabinets built by American manufacturers traditionally use framed construction, in which the rails and stiles form a "frame" on the cabinet front.

Conversely, Europeans employ frameless cabinet or "full access" manufacturing techniques, which offer greater accessibility by eliminating the front stiles and frame. In a technique that uses "thicker box construction" for stability, flat door and drawer fronts create a sleek, simple aesthetic.

Ilin cautions that not all installers are built the same. "It's important to not warp cabinets when installing on hanging rails," he says. "Also, larger standing cabinets need to remain square when adjusting legs."

Cabinet finishes can range from lacquer to high-gloss, using exotic woods or veneer. Shelving often rolls out for greater accessibility, with glass fronts that open at the touch of a hand.

Kitchen Island

If your home's floor plan is a vast sea of space, the kitchen shouldn't be uncharted territory for an island.

"An island can act as a buffer between the rest of the room and the kitchen itself," Ilin says. "Italian-inspired islands don't have corbels, but can be sculptural with angled legs and clean lines."

Countertops range from stainless to stone. Ilin says slabs of porcelain are the most popular countertop in today's Italian kitchen, which can be fabricated in all shapes and sizes, without the ongoing maintenance of sealing stone.

Ilin is a big fan of vented range hoods -- another sculptural element often set above the kitchen island -- that really clear the air in kitchen design. Also, a range hood is essential to remove moisture, grease and particulates from the home, and prevent these things from being breathed in and adhering to walls, cabinets and furnishings, which is especially important in an open floor plan.

Specialized Spaces

The idea of creating a breakfast bar -- stocked with conveniently located first-of-the-day foods, dining ware and appliances -- makes it easier for families to break-the-fast. Stocked and stored behind closed doors in an Italian-inspired kitchen, countertops pull out when in use and push back into a large cupboard when finished.

Often, this cupboard can house a complete coffee station, which can also be pressed into service at the end of an evening. The specialized cupboard is also the perfect place to house the blender, toaster and espresso machine.

To raise a glass to toast stylish epicurean endeavors, Ilin says a wine refrigerator is becoming a must-have appliance. Self-standing, temperature-controlled cabinets or credenzas made especially to store wine can start at $1,000, based on the design and the number of bottles they will hold.

Colorful Culinarian

When creating a sleek design in a thoroughly modern monochrome, an exciting way to color your kitchen is to allow small appliances -- such as a stand mixer -- and cast iron cookware in bright tones to reside on the corner of a countertop or cooktop.

In a more daring move, the kitchen island can be fabricated in a color -- such as a warm, yellowy "dune" hue. Ilin says the trend is shifting away from colorful islands, which are harder to swap out than kitchen accessories.

"Italian design has a timeless quality to it, in that it is pared down," Ilin says. "Good design should have beautiful form, but it must first be functional -- especially in the kitchen."

A Contemporary Kitchen

To find one of 20 Italian-inspired kitchen showrooms near you, go to PediniUSA.com and select SHOWROOMS.

(For editorial questions, please contact Clint Hooker at chooker@amuniversal.com.)

A home's fireplace is a hot spot. A natural focal point of any room, a fireplace is a space around which families can chill out, especially during the holidays.

"A roaring fire in a room draws people together," says Chris Muller, senior "fire buyer" of the Omaha, Nebraska-based Hayneedle Inc., an online home store started in 2002. "Instead of having just a hole-in-the-wall for a fireplace, a mantel hung above it completes the picture."

A mantel is most easily described as the shelf above a fireplace. Muller says there are two types of mantels: a free-hanging shelf and a surround, in which the mantelpiece is attached to vertical pieces that frame the firebox.

"With a design movement toward the more contemporary and clean lines, mantel shelves -- without the surrounds -- are most popular," Muller says. "Mantel surrounds require more measurements and tend to be in traditionally decorated homes, which is not the most popular design trend right now."

If you find your existing fireplace design has fizzled out, the easiest way to reignite it as a focal point is to add or replace the mantel. Whether you're renovating an existing space or contemplating creating a new fireplace, it's never been easier to pass the mantle on hot design.

A zero-clearance fireplace -- made of metal with a masonry lining -- is a self-contained fireplace, which allows homeowners to have a gas-burning fireplace that can be directly vented through an outside wall. This option eliminates the need for a chimney and flue, as it is vented through a horizontal pipe that exits an outside wall.

"To install a fireplace in a home isn't the major construction project it once was," Muller says. "Also, if people are painting an existing red-bricked fireplace white, it's time to update the mantel shelf."

The mantel should complement a home's design and style -- so don't place a multi-tiered traditional mantel into a home with a modern, minimalistic vibe.

While mantels can be made of metal and stone, the most popular material is wood. "People are wanting a simple shelf that looks like a rustic piece of pine or barnwood," Muller says. "A simple wooden mantel is the style that can be at home in a contemporary space or farmhouse, alike."

After determining the style of mantel, it's important to select the proper size for the mantel, based on the dimensions of the firebox itself and the hearth room.

Mantels are typically a standard 60 to 72 inches wide. The height of the shelf can vary from 5 to 10 inches tall.

"Rooms with large fireplaces and vaulted ceilings can accommodate a bigger mantel," Muller says. "The mantel is the focal point of the fireplace, and it's important to get the proportions right, without being too under- or overwhelming."

Muller suggests making paper templates of mantel shapes, taping them above the fireplace and stepping back to assess different choices before buying.

To install a mantel shelf requires securing a notched hanging board into the studs or masonry above the firebox. After the hanging board is installed, the mantelpiece then snugly fits onto the secured, customized board. If installing a surround-style mantel, the vertical pieces attach to the hung shelf on either side of the firebox and are secured at the bottom.

Some mantels hold secrets and conceal more space than meets the eye. Pearl Mantels' Abingdon fireplace mantel shelf contains a secret drawer in which a homeowner can stash candles, fire-starters or the television remote.

"Often, people hang their flat-screen television above the mantelpiece, but the decoration of the mantel can be year-round," Muller says. "Even though the fireplace isn't in use in July, you can still display a patriotic theme on the mantel. In the winter, the mantel can be covered in pine boughs and is used as a place from which the stockings are hung."

As families and friends gather around the hearth and home, a warm mood is created with a mantel that matches your house's design aesthetic.

"Starting around $200, a new mantel shelf is a way to give your fireplace a facelift," Muller says. "Add personal touches to the mantel decor, such as photos, candles and small family heirlooms and your fireplace will be glowing, with or without a fire."

Hot Spot

For more mantel ideas, go to Hayneedle.com or visit YouTube and search "Hayneedle Decorate Mantel."

(For editorial questions, please contact Clint Hooker at chooker@amuniversal.com.)

More homeowners are claiming the home court advantage. For some, getting court time for a soccer match or pickup basketball game is as easy as stepping into the backyard or basement.

Americans have had a love-love affair playing tennis and other outdoor sports at home since the early 20th century, but today's residential courts aren't just a numbers game for the wealthy, says Anthony Cordova, regional Salt Lake City sales director of Sport Court International, a company founded in 1974 that installs modular multigame surfaces with about 300 certified contractors worldwide. "The evolution of our market closely follows that of families who have backyard pools," he says. "It used to be a status symbol of the wealthy, but our Sport Court growth is spreading to more modest neighborhoods, too."

Friendly competition aside, a homeowner has to plan ahead if the name of the game is family fun on a backyard or indoor court. Before bringing your A-game to home turf, Cordova says have a game plan.

"The minimum space requirement is 900 square feet, for a 30-by-30-foot court," he says. "Indoor courts are new construction, because they ideally require a 30-foot ceiling." The most common court space is one that is at least 30 feet wide by 60 feet long, according to Cordova.

It's easier than ever for family and friends to play in the zone with a multigame court, as long as long as homeowners have secured the proper permits before construction begins. "Before assembling your dream team, you need to apply for local building permits, which often means disclosing to neighbors your plans for an outdoor court, or construction can become a nightmare," Cordova says. "Landscaping, fencing, netting and lighting add to the aesthetics of a court and are often part of the construction plan."

While prices differ from region to region, Cordova says expect to pay at least $8,000 for a small 30-by-30-foot court, with costs that can exceed $100,000 as courts become larger with more sporty extras.

While homeowners don't need regulation-size courts to enjoy backyard sports, it's imperative the site be smooth and graded away from a home's foundation to drain properly, so rain doesn't pool on the court surface or run into the basement.

"After the size of the outdoor court is determined and graded properly, the site is prepared by pouring a concrete pad, on which we build the court," Cordova says. "For optimal play, you want a stable subsurface."

At the same time concrete is being poured for the court pad, Cordova says homeowners may also pour on creativity with hardscaping that may include lights, fencing and seating courtside. Indoor, below-grade courts need to have a vapor barrier installed before the court flooring goes down.

As for court surfaces, forget the indoor-outdoor carpet image. For the look of a grassy Wimbledon court or a putting green without the upkeep, synthetic turf is a less labor-intensive alternative. Today's fake turf is made of knitted nylon with tufted fibers colored to look and play more like the real deal. Indoor court flooring can also be made of wood, but is more expensive in terms of upkeep and maintenance.

Today, the residential court market is dominated by a surface made of high-impact interlocking polypropylene flooring tiles with an open grid design to provide cushion for athletes. Because of the court's design, there are no cracks in the playing surface, so an athlete doesn't have to worry about balls bouncing unevenly.

The popular multisport game court accommodates different net systems, adjustable basketball hoops, and multi-colored basketball, volleyball and tennis lines printed onto tiles that are durable and fade-resistant. Other residential court companies -- like Flex Court and VersaCourt -- have their own proprietary synthetic tile systems.

Cordova estimates at least 20 game options can be played on the multisport court, which can also include badminton, paddle tennis, pickleball, roller hockey, lacrosse and shuffleboard. "Little kids also have a nice, flat surface on which to ride their bikes and scooters," he says. "Falling down on a Sport Court surface is better than taking a tumble on concrete or asphalt -- for both athletes and little ones."

A Sport Court surface comes with a 15-year warranty, according to Cordova, and only requires keeping the surface cleared of tree debris, through the use of a leaf blower or broom. "If a tile should happen to become gouged, the beauty of this modular system is that it can be removed and replaced," he says. "Some homeowners in northern climates create a rink and flood it during winter for ice hockey and skating."

Friendly and familial competition on the court can also be fun for spectators. A home court can serve as a congregating place for those who "got game," and if you build it, folks will come, says Cordova.

"It can be said, the family that plays together, stays together, and good-natured sporting competitions are a way to build closer relationships," he says. "Even though the court surface on which people play games at home has evolved, it's still about creating a field of dreams."


The Home Team

For more information, go to SportCourt.com. For a local dealer, fill in zip code in the "Contact Us" prompt.

(For editorial questions, please contact Clint Hooker at chooker@amuniversal.com.)