Home products manufacturers' Web sites now let your fingers do the kitchen remodeling ... and much more!

(ARA) - You can't stand the look of your "old" kitchen, but dread the thought of going from store to store, looking through samples of color chips, wood grains and faucet finishes. Wouldn't it just be easier to simply click and print your choices to create the kitchen (or other home improvement project) of your dreams?

According to Allison Beatty, RenovatorsPlace.com founder and regular real estate contributor to the Chicago Tribune, many consumers now prefer to do their shopping or research on the Internet because they can shop at their convenience without feeling pressure from a salesperson. "Consumers can pull together a vast amount of research online, sort through it, save it, or print it for future reference," says Beatty. "Then, when they do go into a store, they are better prepared to make decisions. In essence, it gives them greater control over the decision-making process."

"The Internet also saves time," she says. "People lead busy lives -- the last thing they want to do is drive around to five stores to comparison shop. Instead, they can do their research online, and then narrow down their selections before driving to a store."

Beatty says consumers will continue to spend money to improve their homes. They want to make their space more personalized, even if that means taking a 5-year-old kitchen and remodeling it to match their lifestyle. "I think we will see the slowing economy shifting more people toward fixing up their existing homes rather than buying newer, more expensive residences," she says.

So if a kitchen or other room remodel is in your future (or at least in your dreams), what are some of the best manufacturer sites to check out? Here are a few:

Moen recently launched its latest Web site module, "Design Your Own Kitchen," which allows users to create different design and color schemes for the kitchen. This module complements existing sections for consumers to "Design Your Own Bathroom," "Design Your Own Vertical Spa," "Design Your Own Faucet," as well as view other tips and trends in remodeling.

This latest addition to www.moen.com allows users to choose from more than 60 Moen faucets and seven different colors of MoenStone sinks to see what each would look like in their kitchen. The faucets include all of the company's most popular models, including PureTouch filtering faucets. In addition, users can choose their faucet finish, including new copper and stainless steel, to create a host of different looks -- from traditional to modern to country. Users also can see different combinations of kitchen cabinets, countertop and wall colors with their faucet selection with this unique visualization tool.

"We are continually expanding the user experience and moving beyond the typical manufacturing site to provide more interactive and design flexibility," says Ginny Long, Moen director of Public Affairs. "With the new functionality of our site, consumers and trade professionals can now actually see what the products will look like before they are installed."

And what's a new kitchen faucet and sink without some new cabinets as well? Check out www.schrock.com to evaluate and plan a kitchen remodel. Schrock.com shows consumers various cabinet styles and colors, shows them how to measure their kitchen and even sets up the design process. Homeowners can then take these measurements and selections into a designated dealer for a free kitchen design.

"Our site starts with an area called 'Your Master Plan' that includes a variety of worksheets to help consumers design their kitchen while at home, says Stacie Gilles, Schrock marketing-communications manager. "The site also includes important planning and starting points, like budgeting, selecting your layout and design, and making your kitchen more functional with storage accessories."

Another helpful site for consumers is www.GELighting.com/virtualhouse. As visitors navigate through each room of the Virtual House, they can stop on special "hot spots" that highlight featured products or lighting techniques. The "Designer Notes" section offers a detailed account of the design process, tips and an overview of the final lighting effect. For those who'd like to try different techniques for themselves, visitors can click on the "Virtual Lighting Designer" option to compare lighting options through online, interactive product demos.

"The Virtual Lighting Designer was developed with exact configurations for each room -- particularly the kitchen -- of the Virtual House, so the comparative lighting techniques are rendered as they would appear in real life," says Joel Hutt, GE Lighting's general manager - marketing and communications.

And since we've covered the kitchen from top to bottom, how about the flooring? A good Web source to "walk on" is www.armstrong.com. It has a colorful "step-by-step" tour of the floor purchasing process including choices in vinyl, laminate or hardwood. Your choice is then put into a realistic residential kitchen setting.

The site's "Room Viewer," for example, lets you pull up a sample kitchen setting, choose wall and cabinet colors, browse flooring by color and pattern families, then select your choice of complementary or contrasting floor products.

"Our site's Room Viewer is designed to take the guesswork out of the purchase decision by letting consumers see an entire floor pattern as it would appear in a real room, rather than just one small sample piece," said Thomas A. Cook, Armstrong corporate design manager,

And finally, Beatty recommends consumers visit her site, www.RenovatorsPlace.com. It is filled with information on topics from financing and budget issues to advice on selecting kitchen cabinetry and making product and design decisions. There also are graphic images of room designs and household products. This allows visitors to go from A to Z in planning a remodeling project.

The site also has project cost analysis and planning tools, such as the Renovators Portfolio. Visitors can save pertinent information in a personalized portfolio for easy reference later or to print out and give to a contractor and architect.

The site is also an objective resource for consumers trying to select materials and products from the vast assortment on the market. It offers advice from people who have been through the process and can offer an informed perspective. The site is updated frequently, as information is gathered on new products and trends in the industry. In many cases the updates are daily to reflect the need for current information.

"Web sites have to do more than just list store locations or showcase pretty pictures of a manufacturer's latest products. These sites should include helpful information that will guide the consumer in understanding the products and making decisions about which products to buy," says Beatty.

She also pointed out that overall, sites should be easy to navigate and quick to load, taking into account varying computer and modem speeds, and should have good visuals. Interactive tools that let consumers estimate the cost of a project or select a retailer that sells a particular product are also helpful, so that you can start your remodel project with the right products, at the right cost and be headed to the right place.

Courtesy of ARA Content