Who doesn’t love a good cup of coffee or a gourmet hot cocoa? Many of us spend a lot of time and money relaxing in our favorite coffee shop enjoying that coffee or hot cocoa.  While the coffee does taste good for many of us it is more than that. It is the atmosphere that makes that coffee that much more enjoyable to enjoy and relax or just chat with friends.  

When it comes to shopping for new cabinets there seems to be so many different terms for different things.  It can be a little overwhelming as you are doing your research. It’s important to make sure you truly understand what you are getting. 

Many people tend to confuse door styles with overlays. The term “Overlay” refers to how much of the cabinet face frame the doors and drawers cover. You will mostly hear three different terms when it comes to overlays:  Inset, Partial Overlay, and Full Overlay doors. So what do they mean?

Close to 8 million homeowners will choose to remodel their kitchens this year. Most homeowners are remodeling because they are looking to not only update their kitchen, but because they are looking for a kitchen that helps their household function better. We felt it was important to point out a few key things that will help you in getting the kitchen you want.

We all know the effect and value remodeling a kitchen can have on not only the look, but value of a home.  When updating or building a new home people don’t always consider all the different places in the home that cabinets can be used in addition to the bathroom and the kitchen.  Now more than ever cabinets have been made to look more like furniture and can be used in pretty much any room of the house.  We wanted to share with you a few ideas to help you make the most of your home renovations.

If you are looking for cabinets for your home, you’ve probably heard people talk about these terms, “Stock”, “Semi-Custom” and “Custom” cabinetry.  Although they are common terms in the cabinet industry, many do not understand the difference between them.  Many think they understand the difference, but are confused by what the different manufacturers try to say the definition is.

We’ll explain them for you clearly here so you can go into your new home or remodel with a true understanding and ability to get what you really want.

A lot has changed in the cabinet industry over the past several years.  One of the big changes is the way we design our kitchens for our customers.  It used to be that you would look at a hand drawn design and try and envision what your kitchen would look like when it was finished.  

If you were lucky you had a kitchen designer who was actually an artist and could draw a pretty accurate sketch.  Most were just quick hand drawn sketches and didn’t even come close to really resembling the finished product.  Customers had to use their imagination more times than not.   Too many times people ended up disappointed because the drawing might have been similar but the kitchen didn’t turn out quite like they envisioned.

          Sketch Drawing                           CAD Design                             Actual Kitchen

Who doesn’t wish for an organized kitchen pantry? There is nothing worse than being in the middle of your favorite recipe and you can’t find that one ingredient.  So you stop what you are doing to run to the store to get what you need, only to find three cans of the same item a few days later.

We can all relate to this story.  Utilizing tools to have an organized pantry will not only save money, but time and frustration as well.

People underestimate how cabinet knobs and pulls can affect not only the look and feel of their kitchen, but how well they function in their kitchen.  They are the one item we put in our kitchen and bathrooms that can either add the perfect finishing touch or in some cases distract from the look we are going for.

Most people are looking for that extra little effect that will “knock your socks of” in their kitchen remodel. Hiding appliances through the use of appliance panels, appliance garages, or built-ins may be just what you’re looking for to create a kitchen free of clutter and one everyone will admire.

Over the years the use and function of kitchens has changed. Kitchens have become an extension of our living areas.   With this in mind more and more homeowners are choosing appliance panels and other options for a more inviting and polished look. Kitchens are becoming a part of our living and entertainment space and some appliances can interrupt that flow.

No one wants a kitchen where the appliances jump out at you and scream, “Here I am!” unless you have that amazing “Rolls Royce” of an appliance, which most people can’t afford. Nor do they want the distraction of clutter and unnecessary stuff on their countertops. By choosing to use appliance panels or other methods your appliances can intermingle with your kitchen cabinets and living space and can bring a sense of “ooh, ah” and elegance without a lot of effort.

While kitchen and bath remodels are more work than most of us like to admit, there is one thing we forget and that is the happiness and sense of contentment that comes when it is finished.

Those who take on the task of a kitchen remodel experience many unexpected positive outcomes. 

Suddenly they are faced with a new exciting kitchen that better meets the needs of their household, and it becomes a new hangout for those who come to visit.

As a bonus it becomes a refuge for family and friends, and everyone seems to be a lot happier because of the new environment in the home.