Home Improvement Contractors

Organized Kitchen Unveiled – The Top Secret to a High Standard Organized Kitchen Renovation Project

So, this is the time of the year that you will do your kitchen renovation projects. However, did you already plan out how to effectively organize your cabinets? Generally, organizing a kitchen optimizes all available spaces. For high standard renovation projects, first choose the correct cabinet type for your kitchen.
Base Cabinets
These cabinets rest directly on the floor. They help to support the counter top. Typically, the sizes of the base cabinets are 34 1/2 inches to 36 inches tall and 24 inches to 30 inches deep. They also typically consist of one drawer with doors and shelves. Today, there are already specialized base kitchen cabinets. These include sinks and corner bases. The sink base has false drawer fronts. It has an open area below for storage and to accommodate sink plumbing. On the other hand, the corner base fits in a corner. For ease of access, it may include kitchen shelves.
Wall Cabinets
A typically organized kitchen has wall kitchen cabinets. These hang on the wall and are installed with or without wall soffit. The standard sizes for these cabinets are 12 inches to 18 inches deep and 12 inches to 42 inches high. When installing, these cabinets are typically placed 18 inches above the counter tops and 54 inches above the floor. However, the height will depend on your tallness and ceiling height.
Tall Cabinets
When your kitchen has limited room space, the tall cabinets are the most ideal. These are popular options for kitchen pantry storage cabinets. The typical sizes of these cabinets are 84 inches to 94 inches tall. Their standard base and wall depth is between 12 inches to 18 inches. This type of cabinets offers storage space for dry goods, and also cleaning appliances such as brooms and mops.…

Home Contractors

L Shaped Kitchen Designs

Today’s home decorating and designing ideas have definitely pushed the boundaries on what can be possible. Some of today’s modern designs were probably not easy to pull off during previous eras. One of the layouts that have been popular today are L shaped kitchen designs. For most people, they want to have a kitchen design that is pleasing to look at but has all the functions needed from a regular kitchen.
In order to create a kitchen that gives the user ease, you need to be able to create a good flow of traffic through the entire room. Some L shaped kitchen designs can provide you with a decent traffic flow through the entire kitchen. In designing a kitchen for your home, you always need to put practicalities and function first but make sure not to sacrifice the overall outlook. Otherwise you would be left with a design that you will eventually regret.
L shaped designs for kitchens are usually made in consideration with the space allotted for that area. There are certain floor plans that do not work well with an L shaped kitchen renovation simply because there is a lack in space. In these cases, you may want to try a different approach that fits your kitchen.
When you are planning to use an L shaped design plan in building your own kitchen, you first need to consider how much floor space you have. This type of kitchen design usually demands for a bigger central area in comparison to other types.
The good thing about L shaped kitchen renovation ideas is the fact that you can place a breakfast nook or a butchers table in the centre to make room or for additional workspace. This can also be a great area for a mini bar in case you do not want to put another simple counter top in the middle.
Whether you plan to add more counter top space or just a regular breakfast booth, an L shaped design is the best one to go with since you have more freedom with this design. Other designs have more restrictions especially when it comes to the amount of space you are working with.
One way to give more emphasis to L shaped kitchen designs is by adding on several accents and accessories. Proper lighting fixtures such as pin lights and cupboard lighting accents can really bring out the best out of kitchen area.…

Basement Renovations

Save Money on Your Kitchen Remodeling Project

Any household owner who has ever discussed a kitchen renovation jobs understands how rapidly the cost of the project can go out of control. For you to realize the kitchen of your dreams and not break the bank, it would be crucial to plan ahead of time and watch for things that have the potential to quickly drain your hard earned finances. The typical cost of a kitchen renovation project can be broken down into several areas such as lighting, countertops and cabinetry. Here are easy money saving tips that will help you reduce the cost of kitchen renovation without comprising your property’s resale value.
Cabinetry. Choose the right cabinets that will make your kitchen more functional and beautiful at the same time.
A� Try to look at your existing and present kitchen. Determine whether you can reduce the cabinetry in the area. It can be more cost effective if you have smaller number of big cabinets compared to many small ones.
A� Keep stock cabinet modifications to a minimum. These modifications can involve molding, adding many decorative materials and other changes are really budget busters.
A� Make sure you go for quality first. Do not leave yourself dazzled by a certain cabinet that looks beautiful aesthetically but poorly manufactured underneath. Picking high quality cabinetry will make your kitchen remodeling project more cost effective in the long run.
A� Make sure you consider a cabinet’s functionality aside from its form. The cabinets you select should be functional and should be something that matches your kitchen design concept.
Countertops. Another costly aspect of kitchen renovation projects is the installation of countertops. It would be vital to look into these money saving advices when selecting and installing brand new counters for your kitchen.
A� Carefully look at any countertop material you will be choosing since this will no doubt consume the largest portion of your budget. There are several affordable and efficient materials available today that will still look and perform like that of the most expensive ones. Know your options and make sure you canvass the prices of countertop materials that you can find.
A� When selecting a color pattern, make sure you take note of the price differences among styles and try to shop accordingly.
A� Before even selecting your final decision, make sure you have looked around and did competitive shopping. The prices of countertop materials may vary from one store to another.
Lighting is another aspect that will take a lot of chunk from this home remodeling project. And there are still ways for you to cut costs even without sacrificing quality.
A� Think closely on the total number of fixtures that you really need and cut back when you can.
A� Look at many lighting model and choices. Consider each one’s quality, price and total value.
A� Try to install energy saving lighting fixtures. These can be less expensive to purchase and install as well.
There are still so many ways for you to save on a …

Remodeling Contractors

Deciding on Glass Kitchen Doors

It sounds simple enough, pick out a set of glass doors for the new kitchen, I mean, how many different kinds of glass kitchen doors can there possibly be. The answer, of course, is a lot. To the mind of many, an image of a set of wood framed doors set with clear glass will probably be the first thing though of, but the range is far, far wider.
There is a wide variety of tastes and styles catered to when it comes to glass. The traditional country style doors with or without a stained-glass look is only one option. You could change the clear look with a frosted glass appearance or go with tinted glass to really set the tone of the kitchen. Also, you don’t necessarily need frames in your doors with unframed glass doors really giving the kitchen an ultra-modern look.
Whatever style you choose you may want to give serious consideration to investing in tempered glass, particularly if you have young children in the house. Tempered glass is a safe option to go for because if it were to break the glass breaks into safe pieces that won’t leave jagged edges that can cut.
All of the choices available to you seems to be a real positive, but when you are starting off your kitchen renovation and are suddenly faced with the daunting range of choices, you may feel a little overwhelmed. Make sure you do your shopping around so that you can view each type of kitchen door in all of the various configurations available. Decide whether you’re after a traditional or contemporary look and you will find that your choices are narrowed down to a more manageable level.…

Home Remodeling

A Great Kitchen at a Small Price

These days, so many of us are struggling with our bills and trying to make cutbacks. We’re often only doing the most necessary repair work on our homes, and anything that is an enhancement is being postponed for being too expensive. However, every kitchen needs a revamp from time to time, and you don’t need to spend a fortune to do it. If you’re on a limited budget you might be surprised at what you can achieve for very little.
The main feature of any kitchen of course will be the kitchen units. It will be very expensive to replace them with brand new units, but perhaps you can get a second hand kitchen that is in better condition that your current one? People are often replacing their kitchens and generally they have no use for their old one. These days many people who would previously have taken them straight to the tip are now trying to recoup a little of their costs back and are advertising them in the local paper or selling them on eBay. You could find a real bargain if you look for a second hand kitchen. Don’t forget, you could always paint it or change the handles if the kitchen isn’t entirely to your liking. If the units are solid enough you could get many more years of use out of it, at a fraction of the cost of a new fitted kitchen.
If your current kitchen is in decent condition, but simply looking a bit tatty or dated, you could think about painting the doors and replacing the handles, or replacing the doors entirely with new ones if your budget will stretch to it. Don’t dismiss painting, you can get a really nice finish, and a whole new look. I once moved into a house with a small galley kitchen. For some reason the previous owner had thought it a good idea to put in a dark oak coloured set of units. It really made the room feel small and claustrophobic. However, instead of replacing the kitchen units, I simply painted them a very pale blue. They looked amazing. They looked like new, and the room immediately felt bigger and lighter.
You can get some really nice handles too. A new set of stylish handles will change the whole look of an old fashioned kitchen.
Some clean fresh cheap floor tiles and kitchen wall tiles will also make a world of difference. If you’ve got dated patterned tiles, replacing them will give the room a crisp clean look. Plain tiles look stunning and you can pick them up very cheaply.
Paint is cheaper than paper and works well in a kitchen. Kitchens can get a lot of moisture in the air, so paper in a kitchen can soon get damp and start to peel. Paint is a much better option. It also happens to be the cheaper option.
Accessories for your kitchen needn’t cost a lot either. These days you can pick up some …

Remodel Kitchen

Common Mistakes of Renovating a Kitchen

If you’re preparing to renovate a modern or retro-styled kitchen, you want to make certain it gets done properly and to a high-standard. A competent kitchen renovation can be quite lengthy and expensive, so it helps to take a moment to do the necessary preparation work at the start to ensure things go smoothly. Some of the common mistakes to avoid in renovating a kitchen might include –
Budget – first start out by determining the available budget and go from there. With the modern styles of kitchens and the innovative features available it can be quite easy to get carried away. Renovating a kitchen is often very pricey, so it is important to first look at the main structures of the design, such as the cabinets or worktop, which is where the majority of the money goes. And then look at items that aren’t so important. A well-designed kitchen can increase the value of a property, but it is still important to stay within budget, as only so much can be recuperated once a property is sold.
Poor Planning – one of the most common errors to make in any renovation project is no or poor planning. A major kitchen renovation can be quite a complicated process, and can take a great deal of planning, what with the large number of cabinets, drawers, worktops, etc to plan, there is quite a bit of room for error. A simple way to ensure a kitchen is well-planned is to use the services of a professional kitchen design service, which should ensure everything goes well once the construction phase starts.
Design Style – another mistake seen with kitchen renovations is to just go with one of the latest trendy-styled kitchens, without giving too much thought as to how well it will look once installed in your home. What looks impressive in a catalogue or showroom might not really translate that well once in place in your own home, especially if it is not able to coordinate with the surrounding decor. When redesigning a kitchen make sure to pick a design which goes with your existing home set-up; go with a design that isn’t going to look dated after a short period of time, wont clash with the rest of the home, and isn’t likely to get on your nerves within a month or two.
Contractor – when it comes to the stage of installing the newly design kitchen, you want to be sure of using a reliable and experienced kitchen contractor. Before employing a particular contractor, be certain to check them out, get references, and make certain the person is fully qualified and insured to do this type of work. Make sure from the start that the kitchen installer is aware of your available budget and want you require and things are likely to go more smoothly.…

Home Remodeling

Does Kitchen Cabinet Refacing Make Sense?

There are a number of situations where cabinet refacing is a very practical and affordable solution to change the look of the cabinets in your kitchen. The process of refacing cabinets can be completed much more quickly than a replacement project and the cost can be as much as half the price of having brand new cabinets installed. The caveat is that you must be happy with the current layout of your kitchen because the cabinets cannot be moved to a new location.
Cabinet refacing most often involves replacing doors and drawer fronts and putting matching wood veneer pieces over other exposed areas. The installer will use your existing cabinet framework for the project so as long as your current cabinets are structurally sound this type of kitchen remodeling will work. Once all of the drawers and cabinet doors have been removed, the pieces of wood veneer are cut to size and affixed to all of the parts of the cabinet frame that can be seen. The veneer pieces are very thin and have a self-sticking back so that they adhere well to the surface. Matching strips of molding are often used to cover the area where the cabinet meets the wall to cover any gaps.
There are a myriad of choices when it comes to the type of wood and stain for refacing your cabinets. Major manufacturers boast of over 400 selections of solid woods, door styles and finishes to suit your taste. They also offer the latest options for outfitting your cabinets that were not available when your old cabinets were made 15 or 20 years ago. Pull out shelves for base cabinets will add to the functionality of your kitchen and give you more storage space, lazy susans will make things stored in corner cabinets more accessible and you can have one of your bottom cabinets outfitted with a stow away trash bin.
There are other modern conveniences that can be brought into your kitchen while you are having kitchen refacing done. Want a microwave that hangs over the stove? Your installer can retro-fit the current cabinet structure to accommodate that. Contractors can also rework your current layout to turn a set of existing cabinets into a large pantry. If you have the room, the contractor will also be able to add an extra cabinet or too as part of the project. If you have always wanted an island in your kitchen for entertaining and food preparation, this is the time to do it.
One of the major advantages of going the route of cabinet refacing is that the entire job can be completed in less than a week. Instead of losing the use of your kitchen for weeks, a refacing job can be done in a matter of days. There also is not the hassle of figuring out where to go with everything that is stored in your cabinets when the kitchen is gutted. When you do cabinet refacing, most of the things in your cabinets …

Kitchen Remodel

Kitchen Decorating Ideas and Themes

Kitchen decorating ideas allow you to transform your room without spending a lot of money. You might want to give your space a fresh new look every few years. You use your kitchen every day in some aspect so you want to make sure that it’s a space that you truly enjoy. Here are a few tips for kitchen decorating ideas.
Start off with one item that you truly love and then work on from there. This could even be the jumping off point for the rest of your room. Mosaic glass tile comes in a variety of colors and finishes and it has a very contemporary or modern feel to it. You could add in a backsplash to give a little character and color to a room that is completely neutral. This allows you to put your personal stamp on the space without it being a complete remodel. The tile that you choose will completely affect the rest of your design style. For instance, you could choose a hand painted Spanish tile for more of a warm feeling by bringing in a lot of beautiful cobalt blues and terra-cotta colors.
Pattern is used in a lot of different design styles but for some reason it’s almost always left out of the kitchen. You can bring it in several different ways to really give a little bit of life to your room. For instance, you can try using a very subtle stencil on your cabinets. You could also go with a raised stencil that will really give you more of the look of an architectural element. These are often made from plaster. If you do go with something like a stencil you want to make sure that you change out the colors so you keep it sophisticated. Stencils aren’t just for the country design style; they add a very custom touch to your cabinets or walls.
Another popular theme for kitchens is just to go with a specific design style. This would be a lot more sophisticated than a basic theme room. It will also have a lot of versatility and a lot of different color palettes and styles that you can go with in each design style. Some basic design styles are shabby chic, country, French country, classic, Art Deco, modern, contemporary, and Tuscan. Any of these design styles will help you choose items in a specific color palette. It will also give you some direction to really create a cohesive space in your home that speaks to who you are.…

Home Improvement Contractors

Different Kitchen Backsplash Options

The area between your countertops and the bottom of your cabinets draws a lot attention, and can be a focal point of your kitchen renovation. The backsplash is both functional and decorative and deserves a lot of consideration when you are designing your new kitchen.
The backsplash is designed to protect the walls from water, grease, and other cooking foodstuffs that can damage a bare drywall surface. The backsplash should be a minimum of 4 inches above your countertops, but for an elegant look, the entire area between the counter and cabinet should be covered by your backsplash material. The waterproof surface of the backsplash not only protects the wall surface from damage, but it also makes your kitchen more sanitary by limiting the growth of mold and mildew associated with waterlogged surfaces.
You have a wide variety of choices for your backsplash material when you remodel your kitchen. It is important that your backsplash choice complements both your countertops and cabinets to display a consistent theme to your kitchen. The backsplash should tie the design elements of your kitchen together, and if it doesn’t, the entire feel of the kitchen just won’t be there.
Using rough, natural stone tiles in earth tones will give your kitchen an ‘Old World’ feel. Combined with natural wood cabinets and slab granite countertops, your kitchen will have an elegant feel to it. For a more contemporary look a sleek, stainless stain backsplash coupled with clean, smooth faced cabinets and a Corian surface countertop will fit the bill. Hand painted tiles to create a pattern or mural on your backsplash will give your kitchen a country or Mediterranean feel. You can use the same material for your backsplash that you use for your countertop for a modern sophisticated look. Glass block, metal sheets, or even cork can be other options that you can use for your backsplash material. You can be as extravagant or simple as you want with your backsplash material and design. If you are on a tight budget, there are a couple of ideas that you should consider. A cheap way to provide the protection that a backsplash provides your walls is a waterproof, vinyl wallpaper backsplash application. If you want the look of any more traditional backsplash, you can install your backsplash on the wall behind your sink only, and not worry about the surface on the other wall of your kitchen, or add the backsplash to those walls as your budget allows.
With all the design choices available for your backsplash, you should consult with a kitchen designer, who will help you make the right choices for the feel you are trying to achieve with your kitchen remodel. They will be able to assist you with your choice of material and the installation through the contacts that they have established. While the installation of most types of backsplashes in relatively straightforward, and can be accomplished by most do-it-yourselfers, an experienced installer will ensure that you have a professional looking …

Home Repair

Kitchen Cabinet Ideas – Affordable Ways to Give Your Kitchen a New Look

Every spring, most families find it the right time to also help their kitchen turn a new leaf. Hence, they try to think of a lot of kitchen cabinet ideas that would not be so expensive but still be able to implement some change to the overall look of the kitchen.
It is not kept from anyone that the cheapest way to do this is by just painting your old cabinets new. You must expect that through time, your cabinets may have built up enough amount of grease and grime that it would definitely need some thorough cleaning.
So one of the most effective kitchen cabinet ideas is to clean them first with an all purpose cleaner and give it some good amount of scrubbing. Then allow it to totally dry up. Before you start with the painting job, cover first all the other parts of the kitchen like the flooring, the countertops and other appliances for stain protection.
You can also settle for just giving your kitchen cabinets a brand new finish. Remember that refacing is a much convenient way to give your kitchen cabinet a fresh look. You can settle for the oak or maple finish if you want a traditional look since pine is a successful tool in bringing in a country feel to your home.
To change your kitchen cabinet hardware is also one of the most effective kitchen cabinet ideas that you can consider doing. The hardware in the kitchen can be found tarnished, damaged or outdated through time. This cannot usually be helped.
So if you would try to change the hardware, it can already have a new appeal. Just make sure that what you will get would still match and complement the original design of the cabinets and the kitchen. As a golden rule, remember always that dark toned hardware goes well with the light touches and finishes.
Another possible kitchen cabinet ideas is the replacement of kitchen countertops. If you still want to do this task yourself, then you can just simply resurface it with the use of some plastic laminate. This would even protect your countertop from the cuts that the kitchen knife can do each time chopping is done over it.
But if you have the budget, then do not hesitate to get someone to really replace the entire countertop for this would surely add aesthetic value not just to your kitchen but to your home.…