You are here: Home / Archives for admin

Kitchen Cabinets Costs

April 26, 2011 by Leave a Comment
Kitchen Cabinets Cost

We can work with you to reduce your kitchen cabinets costs while giving you the kitchen of your dreams.

When planning a kitchen remodel, kitchen cabinets cost can account for about half of the total cost of your remodeling project. On the one hand, cabinetry seems the logical place to try to save money by choosing less expensive cabinets. On the other hand, however, it seems to make more sense to invest in the best cabinets so you will not need to replace them so soon.

It would be amazing and wonderful to be able to reduce the cost of your remodel by spending less on kitchen cabinets cost and getting better cabinets at the same time. The good news is that kitchen cabinets cost can be a pleasant surprise when you are dealing with the right cabinetmaker. The right cabinetmaker will have a purchase agreement with a cabinet distributor that provides a discount on high quality stock cabinets and the skill to customize stock cabinets to your specifications.

Here is an example illustrating a difference in kitchen cabinets cost. Stock drawers are available in various under-counter sizes. Drawer heights are available only in three and eight inch heights. What you have seen in a custom cabinet and want in your kitchen, however, is an eight-inch high drawer that is divided inside into a three inch top drawer nestled above a 5 inch bottom drawer, all accessed with a single set of pull handles.

A custom cabinet in the wood and finish you have chosen for your kitchen renovation will be costly. If you are working with a cabinetmaker that customizes stock cabinets to your specifications, you pay for the stock cabinet and the modification or customization of the drawer. If your cabinetmaker has a discount relationship with a distributor of high quality stock cabinets, you might pay about the same amount as the kitchen cabinets cost of the stock cabinet in a home improvement store.

What will you do manage kitchen cabinets cost for a kitchen renovation in a very old or historic house? It is common to find that measurements are not as accurate in old houses or that corners are rarely true 90° angles. In this case, your options are very limited: custom cabinetry or customized stock cabinets.

Kitchen cabinets cost can quickly become prohibitive if you decide you need custom cabinets to provide for other specialized needs in your kitchen. If, for example, you want a wine cooler in your kitchen and you want its outer face to match your cabinets, you need custom work. The same is true if you want refrigerated or freezer drawers that blend with your cabinets.

If there are two cooks in the family and the kitchen is short on counter or workspace, meal preparation can quickly resemble a game of Twister. Customizing a few drawers to include a pullout work area atop the items stored within can quickly restore harmony. The best news is that a cabinetmaker can help you manage kitchen cabinets cost by customizing a stock drawer to meet this need for a fraction of the cost of a custom drawer.

Some people find kitchen cabinets cost too high when they want to use spaces that otherwise would be wasted to make items available where they are most convenient. You would need to take on the added cost of custom cabinets to have a spice rack in the side of the island adjacent to the cook top or to have a narrow pullout system of racks for canned goods in the space beside the refrigerator.

All of these needs (and more) can be met by buying custom cabinets or by reducing kitchen cabinets cost with the help of a good cabinetmaker. Kitchen Cabinet Value can pass on our savings by buying high quality stock cabinets from a distributor who offers a discount and then customize those stock cabinets to meet your specific needs. Kitchen cabinets cost can be reduced while you build the kitchen of your dreams.

 

Filed Under: Kitchen Cabinets Tagged With: , , , , ,

Affordable Kitchen Cabinets

April 19, 2011 by Leave a Comment
Affordable Kitchen Cabinets

Kitchen Cabinet Value creates affordable kitchen cabinets by customizing stock cabinets in our shop.

Most people do not know there is more than one way to buy affordable kitchen cabinets that provide the beauty and functionality you want and the price you want to pay. Most people think there are only three price options: knock down, stock and custom cabinetry. You can take advantage of a little-known fact to get the beauty and flexibility of custom work for the same price as what most people think of as inexpensive kitchen cabinets.

The secret to affordable kitchen cabinets should not be a surprise to most consumers. The secret is to hire a top rated cabinetmaker with a purchasing agreement with a distributor of high quality stock cabinets. The cabinetmaker then customizes the stock cabinets, resulting in custom cabinets at the price of inexpensive stock cabinets.

Think for a moment about why people prefer custom cabinets when they remodel or upgrade from affordable kitchen cabinets. There are several reasons:

  • They want custom for the beauty of high quality natural wood.
  • They want cabinets made of a specific wood.
  • They want a particular door style not typically available in affordable kitchen cabinets.
  • They want a particular finish on the wood.
  • They want cabinets fitted with specific organizational or accessibility inserts.
  • They know they will want or need cabinets in sizes not available in less expensive kitchen cabinets.
  • They want facings for doors on appliances, specialized appliances, such as refrigerated drawers or under-counter refrigerators or wine chillers.
  • They want unique features for storage of pots and pans and lids or other custom storage and accessibility options.
  • They want to add small units for canned goods, soups, canned drinks, etc., not usually available except in higher priced cabinetry.

Kitchens are once again becoming the center of family life. This means kitchens serve multiple purposes in the home. The purposes for which each family uses the kitchen suggest different configurations of cabinets and islands and appliances.

When you use a kitchen for family gatherings and for time spent together, kitchen cabinets are often used to store other items than you might ordinarily expect to find. For example, there might be a cabinet for board games or video games; a place where art supplies are stored; there might be a set of cabinets, shelves and drawers where homework supplies and resources are stored when children do their homework at the kitchen table.

For a different family, their kitchen cabinets might be configured in a way that makes it easy and comfortable to entertain while preparing meals. This kind of usage suggests a floor plan that brings guests into the intimacy and warmth of the kitchen but still keeps them out of the way of the cook – with an island, for example. This kitchen might also include a snacks and drinks configuration in the outward-facing side of the island – an under counter refrigerator and a refrigerated drawer.

Still another kitchen designed for someone who does a lot of cooking and baking, or in which two people cook together, will typically include several work areas – such as a baking area and a food preparation area. Lower priced kitchen cabinets often do not offer these options. This kitchen will have ample storage, a large number of specialty cabinets and shelving areas, as well as sufficient counter space to accommodate all of the cooks’ needs. This kitchen will also typically have multiple sinks, refrigerated units and possibly warming ovens, as well.

What most people think of as affordable kitchen cabinets will not easily accommodate these special needs and demands. If, however, you know the secret of getting custom cabinets at the price of lower quality affordable cabinets, you can have a kitchen that provides the beauty you want with the functionality you need at a price you can readily afford. Kitchen Cabinet Value has distributor agreements that can provide all of the benefits of custom cabinetry at affordable kitchen cabinet prices.

 

Filed Under: Kitchen Cabinets Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Country Kitchen Cabinets

April 8, 2011 by Leave a Comment

 

Country kitchen cabinets determine design in creating the distinctive character of each kitchen. Everyone loves the warmth of a country kitchen. Whether this feeling comes from memories of a grandmother’s (or great-grandmother’s) kitchen or the style itself, the single design element that defines any kitchen will be the combination of cabinets.

The primary characteristic of a country kitchen is flexibility, uniqueness, ease of use and comfort. Cabinets are selected for character, usefulness and personal taste. Within the country kitchen style, however, there are several types, including

  • English country
  • Victorian
  • French
  • Cottage
  • Arts and crafts
  • Rustic cabin
  • American farmhouse
  • Old World style

The country kitchen style is eclectic in many ways. This offers the freedom to express personal style and taste, to design something truly unique and to ensure the greatest functionality. Cabinets are chosen to reflect these characteristics and to express individuality.

Country style cabinets are typically built with warm natural wood, sometimes with a “pickled” or “bleached” finish, or they are painted in cheerful colors. Cabinets are typically mismatched in color/wood tone and in style and often include an accent piece that might be a free-standing cabinet or a large table that functions as a work island.

Selecting country kitchen cabinets can be great fun because you can truly express the character of your family or the nature of family life in your home. The goal will usually be to create a kitchen that is warm, inviting and accessible. Kitchens are typically the place where the family gathers and where friends and family are entertained.

Cabinets are sometimes selected for elegance, in which cases, all of the cabinets will match in color. More commonly there will be at least one major piece of cabinetry made of a different wood or painted a different color. Open shelves, glass panel cabinet doors, storage bins, wood range/cooktop hoods and the like combine with exposed apron sinks, antique-style faucets and fixtures, and rustic floor coverings combine to create a lived-in look and feel.

The freedom in selecting country kitchen cabinets permits your unique personality to find expression and an opportunity to explore variations in door styles, knobs and drawer pulls and other touches that will make every kitchen unique. Beadboard panel, square raised panel, beaded frame and panel, reveal overlay-panel and frame, and panel are very popular cabinet door style choices. These styles can all be combined freely.

When designing the layout of the room, a country kitchen generally includes many different specialty cabinets, drawers and cupboards to maximize space and function for the cook and for the entire family. Glass panel vegetable bins combine very nicely with specially fitted pull out spice shelves, refrigerated drawers, warming ovens, wine coolers and storage units.

The great freedom and flexibility presents the greatest opportunity and the greatest challenge in kitchen design, especially if the remodeling budget is limited. The first thought about country kitchen cabinets is often “custom cabinets.” For many families, however, the cost of custom cabinetry is prohibitive.

Kitchen Cabinet Value works with high quality stock and semi-custom cabinets and customizes them to your specifications. We can often create the country kitchen you want at about the cost of some semi-custom cabinetry. At an affordable price, you can have the high-quality cabinet styles you want and have them customized to serve specific purposes and make a specific contribution to the total design of your kitchen.

Country kitchen cabinets can be easier to combine and select that you might think. Kitchen Cabinet Value can save you time, money and provide exactly what you want in your kitchen.

 

Filed Under: Kitchen Cabinets Tagged With: , , , , ,

Kitchen Cabinet Pulls

March 28, 2011 by Leave a Comment
Kitchen cabinet pull

Satin nickel kitchen cabinet pull

What are kitchen cabinet pulls? They are the handles on drawers and knobs on cabinet doors. They can be added to all types of kitchen cabinets because they protect the wood from water and stains. They also make it easier to open and close drawers and cabinets.

Kitchen cabinet pulls are made of almost any kind of material one can name. The material and the design – shape, color – make some more appropriate in some kitchens than others. Some people even keep scraps and broken pieces of tile and use the pieces to make matching kitchen cabinet pulls.

Among the most popular materials for pulls are:

  • Chrome
  • Wood
  • Pewter
  • Nickel
  • Brushed nickel
  • Brass
  • Bronze
  • Porcelain
  • Ceramic
Kitchen cabinet pull

Bright copper kitchen cabinet pull

When choosing kitchen cabinet pulls, it is important to consider how the material will hold up amid the steam of cooking and doing dishes. Some materials cannot be considered because they would rust or calcify. Because they are used heavily, kitchen cabinet handles and knobs must be durable, as well.

Many people select kitchen cabinet pulls to match something else in the kitchen. For example, if they have stainless steel appliances, they might choose nickel, brushed nickel, pewter or chrome. If they want handles and knobs for utility, but want them to be less visible, many people choose wood.

Kitchen cabinet pull

Rubbed bronze kitchen cabinet pull

Often, people who prefer the look of gold, choose brass. Similarly, people who install dark wood cabinets (cherry, mahogany) frequently choose bronze because it is less obvious. Porcelain and ceramic kitchen cabinet pulls can be a good choice if one wants to match sinks or white appliances.

Most knobs are simple round items that screw into the cabinet door. There are styles that include a pendant to make them more elaborate. Knobs range from a simple round metallic piece with a flat end that attaches to the wood, to intricately carved and shaped styles.

Drawer handles are usually wide enough for at least three fingers to go through. They can also be wider. The appropriate size depends on the size of the drawers.

Kitchen cabinet pulls

Weathered brass kitchen cabinet pull

The choice of handle shape will be determined to some extent by the style of your kitchen. For example, a contemporary kitchen with smooth, flat surfaces and simple lines needs simple kitchen cabinet pulls. Similarly, in a traditional kitchen, one would probably use more elaborate shapes and designs.

Kitchen cabinet pulls go in the lower corner of the cabinet door (on the edge that opens). Drawer pulls belong in the center of the drawer face. If your cabinet doors attach to the cabinet box in a way that leaves them visible from the outside, it will be important to match the kitchen cabinet pulls to the hardware.

Instead of being overwhelmed by the vast array of kitchen cabinet pulls, one should be thrilled that so many options are available to meet one’s needs. Even the mix-and-match style of a country kitchen, with its unmatched cabinets and cupboards, can be fitted out with the perfect porcelain or ceramic handles and knobs.

 

Filed Under: Kitchen Cabinet Accessories Tagged With: , , , ,

Kitchen Cabinet Pantry Trends

March 21, 2011 by Leave a Comment

 

It is time to take a fresh look at home design and consider the kitchen cabinet pantry. There was a time when every home built had a large pantry off the kitchen. In many average homes, the pantry was the size of a small to mid-sized room.

Over the years, the pantry disappeared from the average American home. At about the same time, people migrated from rural areas to the suburbs. The migration, more than a change of address, brought a change of lifestyle.

People did not have space in the suburbs to maintain small family orchards or vegetable gardens. They stopped growing and canning or freezing their fruits and vegetables. They also stopped making their own jellies and jams.

Another lifestyle change occurred during the same time that people moved to the suburbs – the two-career family. When Mom began working outside the home, there was no time for canning and freezing. In fact, there was far less time for meal preparation.

Trends in home design and kitchen preferences led to smaller kitchens, larger major appliances and a smaller number of cabinets. The great proliferation of small appliances in the kitchen followed. Soon people needed more cabinets to store the food processor, coffee maker, mixer, electric can opener, waffle iron, toaster, etc.

With the renewal of interest in gourmet cooking, there was also a perceived need for all manner of gadgets, tools and the like. As people became invested in preparing meals, the kitchen began to recover its status as the center of family life. Today, kitchens are the center of a family’s life – eating, talking, entertaining, food preparation and cleanup.

Although designers began to design larger kitchens with space for top-of-the-line appliances, they did not include a kitchen cabinet pantry. People today are busier than ever, making shopping one more time-consuming chore. Because many people want to shop only weekly (instead of daily), it seems that the time has come to consider the kitchen cabinet pantry.

The kitchen cabinet pantry is available in a range of sizes, styles, woods and configurations. A kitchen cabinet pantry can be free-standing, wall-mounted or slide between two cabinets (or a cabinet and a refrigerator). In fact, a custom kitchen might have more than one “pantry” modified for specific uses.

Today’s kitchen cabinet pantry is used for storage of any number of items. It also can be customized for specific types of storage and items. A kitchen cabinet pantry can be organized in any number of ways, as well.

Many pantries have a number of shelves and organizational units to store canned soft drinks, soups, canned vegetables and canned fruit. They can be customized for roll-out shelves and slide-out baskets. All or part of a kitchen cabinet pantry can be built to store almost anything in a way that is organized, neat and accessible.

Some people organize their kitchen cabinet pantry alphabetically; others put items together that are used together; still others group items by size of container. A growing number of homeowners are also designing kitchens for multiple single-use pantries –

  • one beside the stove and oven for spices
  • one near the stove for canned goods and
  • another in a corner with bins for potatoes, onions and large fresh vegetables, glass or heavy plastic containers for staples like flour, sugar, brown sugar, etc., containers for pastas, and containers for grains and beans

A kitchen cabinet pantry can be used for any number of other items, including

  1. table linens
  2. dishes
  3. cookbooks
  4. flatware
  5. light bulbs
  6. candles and matches
  7. baskets
  8. pet treats
  9. serving trays

The recent housing crisis has caused us to leave the huge houses and think about smaller homes. These homes will also have smaller kitchens. In small kitchens, it is essential to maximize space with storage options that include the kitchen cabinet pantry.

Thinking about all of our “stuff” and our need to reduce visible clutter to make the room look larger, we need organized space-saving storage options. Clearly, it is time to consider the kitchen cabinet pantry. Call us to create the pantry (or pantries) you need and match your kitchen cabinetry.

 

Filed Under: Kitchen Cabinets Tagged With: , , , , ,

Kitchen Cabinet Styles

March 14, 2011 by Leave a Comment

 

Many homeowners are surprised to discover so many kitchen cabinet styles when they visit a home improvement store or a cabinet shop. The great variety and the number of available cabinet options can be overwhelming. This variety, however, also ensures that every homeowner can find kitchen cabinet styles to meet his or her personal taste.

We define kitchen cabinet styles by several components. The first is the wood used in construction. Homeowners choose the wood for their cabinets based on primarily color and grain. Some styles are also painted. The options include:

  • Oak
  • Maple
  • Cherry
  • Walnut
  • White
  • Espresso (black)

Most wood can be finished either natural or glazed. White cabinets can also be painted and glazed in an antique finish. The grain of the wood differs from one to the next. Oak, for example, has a very prominent grain. Cherry and walnut kitchen cabinet styles are recognized by both grain and color of the wood. The wood used for most cabinets built in the U.S. is maple.

The most visible part of a cabinet is the door. However, the side of the “box” is visible on the end of a group of cabinets. Doors are made either with raised panels or with recessed panels. Some contemporary style cabinets are made of flat door surfaces. The difference between these kitchen cabinet styles is whether the center of the door is raised above the level of the frame or is recessed below the frame.

The next consideration in choosing kitchen cabinet styles is to choose the wood, the finish and the door type that is the best fit for the architecture and décor of the home. For example, a Southern colonial with traditional décor is the perfect match for the antique glazed white finish with raised panel doors. A mountain cabin would be ideal for oak or walnut with recessed panel doors.

Most new homes built today are a “traditional” style of architecture, modeled on the two-story Georgian home or the ranch style one-level home popularized in the early subdivisions of the 1950s. These homes are well suited for kitchen cabinet styles in oak, maple, walnut and cherry cabinetry. Either of the door styles is appropriate.

White and black kitchen cabinet styles are a good choice in most homes. The styling of the doors and the choices in handles and knobs can make them blend well with almost any style home and any décor. In fact, many homeowners install all kitchen cabinet styles without handles and knobs.

There are two ways of thinking about handles and knobs (pulls). On the one hand, the handles and knobs protect the wood of the cabinets. Wet or dirty hands do not stain or damage the wood. On the other hand, some believe the knobs and handles detract from the beauty of the wood and serve no important function. Handles and knobs are available in a range of materials and styles to fit any taste.

Whatever your opinion about handles and pulls, kitchen cabinetry has become a work of art. Kitchen cabinet styles are available to suit any personal taste, any architectural style of the house and any interior décor. White and black contrast beautifully with stainless steel or colored kitchen appliances.
There is something very warm and beautiful about natural wood in any home. The choices available in the various wood colors and grains, makes it possible for everyone to find what they like among the many kitchen cabinet styles.

 

Filed Under: Kitchen Cabinets Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Custom Bathroom Cabinets

March 7, 2011 by Leave a Comment
Custom Bathroom Cabinets

Custom bathroom cabinets can enhance the value of your home.

Custom bathroom cabinets are the essential decorative item for the perfect bathroom remodel or upgrade. There can be little doubt that beautiful and luxurious bathrooms are now as important in selling a house as the kitchen. Today’s bathrooms are larger, more beautifully designed and decorated and include many fixtures and appointments typically associated with a spa. Custom bathroom cabinets are the natural choice for any bathroom remodel.

Your bathroom design might call for a new vanity. You might have decided, instead, to use a pedestal sink to make the floor look larger. In this case, you will likely include wall-mounted cabinetry to provide the needed storage.

There are many new styles and designs in vanities and other cabinets for the bathroom. The size and design of your bathroom will be important factors in your choice of cabinetry. You might choose the classic or traditional style or contemporary, or something between the two.

You can choose a style anywhere along the continuum between ornate and simple. You can also make a design statement with the wood chosen for your cabinets. The warmth of natural wood tones looks beautiful in any bathroom.

You might choose black (espresso) or white custom bathroom cabinets. You can also paint cabinets any color you wish. Finding the right cabinetry for your style and décor will be easy.

Custom bathroom cabinets can meet a large number of storage and decorating needs in any bath.

  1. The traditional vanity provides some surface area around the sink and flexible storage space.
  2. A long counter provides a place for toiletries, decorative items and some storage.
  3. A cabinet (made for use as a pantry in a kitchen) can provide all the storage space you might otherwise gain from a closet.
  4. Matching wood trim on a medicine cabinet is a very nice touch in any bath because it ties all of the wood together.
  5. Open shelving or cabinets with glass in the doors provides a combination of storage and visible display space for decorative items.
  6. If your bathroom includes a whirlpool or soaking tub, you might want a wall-mounted cabinet near it for storage of a small television or a sound system.

Unlike stock or knockdown cabinets, custom bathroom cabinets enable you to get exactly what you want. Because space is typically at a premium in bathroom design, the flexibility of custom work enables you to have the storage areas you want in an appropriate size. Custom work matches the wood and the finish with the size and detail you want in your custom bathroom cabinets.

The cost of custom cabinetry is prohibitive for many families. Kitchen Cabinet Value, however, delivers custom cabinetry at a lower price than most stores and cabinetmakers. Working directly with distributors, we are able to buy cabinets at amazing prices and customize them to meet your needs.

Our carpenters deliver the beauty and workmanship of custom bathroom cabinets at prices that will delight you. Whether you want your cabinets modified in size or appearance, we can deliver the custom bathroom that will make your bathroom unique without breaking the bank. It is possible to get custom cabinetry at the price of stock cabinets.

 

Filed Under: Bathroom Vanities Tagged With: , , , , ,

Black Kitchen Cabinets

March 1, 2011 by Leave a Comment

 

The Awe-Inspiring Beauty of Black Kitchen Cabinets

Are you considering the awe-inspiring beauty of black kitchen cabinets? Black is the new “in color” in kitchen design and décor. The effect can be very dramatic or even breathtaking – but only if it is done well.

You can use black for contrast in many kitchen styles. You could use a large black cabinet to offset and provide contrast in a predominantly white kitchen. You could also use an island with a base of black cabinets for contrast with cabinets made of almost any wood or finish.

Choosing ebony kitchen cabinets for a kitchen remodel could produce an exceptional result. It could also be costly. The alternative would be to use cabinets painted black, which could cost less than most other wood styles and finishes because the grain of the wood would not matter. This means you can expect to find black cabinets in a range of prices.

Before you decide to use all black cabinets in designing your kitchen, there are several things to consider. Here are some things you should think about in your planning.

  • Your kitchen cabinets can account for as much as 75 percent of all visible surface areas in your kitchen.
  • Black can be perfect for a contemporary style kitchen, with its sleek smooth lines and minimal ornamentation.
  • Black in perfect if you are trying to achieve a high-tech look in your kitchen.
  • Black goes with any other color.
  • Black cabinetry is a stunning contrast to stainless steel appliances and plumbing fixtures.
  • Gray, cream, white or other light earth tones can work well as contrast to black cabinets.
  • White can be a perfect choice for ceilings, walls and or floors.
  • Black and white is a perfect combination, but white appliances do not work with black cabinetry.
  • Countertops in silver, white, cream or butcher block are very attractive.
  • Combining black cabinets with a black floor will make the room look small and cramped.
  • Black cabinets will work best in a kitchen with a large amount of natural light – large windows, etc.
  • If a kitchen using black cabinets does not have natural light, you will need several lighting fixtures and over-counter sources that supply bright artificial light.
  • A light-colored tile floor is perfect with black cabinets.
  • Use of darker colors for walls, floor or ceiling will make the room too dark.
  • Light and bright colored small appliances (blender, toaster, coffee maker) provide spots of color that break the dark cabinets and offer focal points in your kitchen.

Use black cabinetry in kitchens of any style. Country style kitchens can also use distressed black cabinetry. Black can provide an accent or a focal point in your kitchen or it can define the background for your countertops, appliances and plumbing fixtures.

If you are planning to remodel, upgrade or add a kitchen in a contemporary style, especially if you are considering the “high-tech” look, consider black kitchen cabinets. Use black for accent or for background. It is perfect in combination with stainless steel appliances, sinks and lighting or with light colors. By providing plenty of light, you can create a spectacular and unique kitchen design.

 

Filed Under: Kitchen Cabinets Tagged With: , , ,

Custom Kitchen Islands

February 21, 2011 by Leave a Comment

 

Custom Kitchen Islands: The Center of Kitchen Design

The right island will make any kitchen both functional and beautiful. They can form the center of a kitchen design. The challenge is to learn where you can find custom kitchen islands to meet your needs at an affordable price. The answer is to work with the right cabinetmaker.

Many cabinetmakers charge a small fortune to build an island that meets your needs. Most pre-designed and pre-fabricated kitchen island designs will not provide the combination of features and dimensions you want. Your options are to use something you do not want or to pay for the custom island.

There is a very good option. By working with a cabinetmaker that has a relationship allowing him or her to buy cabinets directly from a manufacturer, it is possible to customize affordable standard-size cabinets into the island you want for your kitchen. Even the kitchen island cabinet offered by the manufacturer can be customized for your needs.

Kitchen cabinet islands actually offer the greatest flexibility in island design and construction. Your island can hold a cook top, a work surface or a sink. It can combine an informal dining space with a cooking area or a clean-up area.

Your island can even be a self-contained food preparation area. You can include an under-counter refrigerator or freezer, refrigerated drawers, food storage, storage for pots and pans, a food preparation sink, an oven, a microwave or a quick-access beverage and snack area. You can use anything from butcher block or a cook top to stainless steel for the surface.

You can also combine two or more surface heights in your custom island. In a large island, it is possible to combine a food preparation area, a quick-access snack and beverage area, and a casual dining area, each at a different level above the floor.

If you are designing a highly functional gourmet cook’s kitchen, you might be planning several distinct work areas in your kitchen. Your island can form the third point of multiple work triangles and connect the parts of the kitchen, or it can separate the areas of the kitchen. For example, an island with a gas range can connect a baking area a clean-up area and a food-preparation area for salad making, etc.

Alternatively, you can position your island to create a barrier between the dining and entertaining area of your kitchen and the work area. Refrigerated drawers can be used to make snacks and appetizers available, as well as cold drinks. Your island could also include an under-counter wine cooler or refrigerator. By including a microwave and a small freezer, you can make snacks available to your children in an area that keeps them away from the dangers of the stove.

Custom kitchen islands have become an important element in kitchen design. They can serve a range of functions in your remodeled, new or upgraded kitchen. Working with a good cabinetmaker to customize affordable kitchen cabinets can create exactly what you want in your finished kitchen at a price that will not break the budget.

 

Filed Under: Kitchen Cabinets Tagged With: , , ,

Investor & Foreclosed Home Kitchens

February 14, 2011 by Leave a Comment

 

No matter how advantageous prices might be for buying, investor home kitchen upgrades are likely to be necessary. Bathrooms and kitchens are the most expensive remodeling projects per square foot. This makes it understandable that current owners have not made these renovations or upgrades, especially if they were struggling just to make the mortgage payments.

One common challenge in getting an investment home ready for the market is assessing the damages done by previous owners or tenants. Frequently, investors discover that all of the cabinetry has been ripped out of the kitchen. Investors know kitchens are the most expensive rooms to remodel and upgrade. They also know that cabinets account for about half of the cost of a kitchen upgrade.

 

Before an investor can begin the effort to flip a home, kitchen upgrades will probably be necessary. This has come to be part of the landscape of investment property. Nevertheless, there is some good news – there are intelligent ways to install high quality cabinets at a deeply discounted price.

There are several ways to buy kitchen cabinets:

Custom cabinets, completely made to order, are the most expensive option.

  • Semi-custom cabinets are only available in standard sizes, but there is a good bit of variety in terms of styles, interior options, finishes, accessories and wood choices.
  • Stock cabinets offer much more limited options. They will be available only in a limited number of styles, finishes and woods. They also come only in standard sizes.
  • Knock-down cabinets are ready to take home from the store and install. There will be relatively little variety in sizes, finishes and styles.

The size and value of the home will ultimately determine the amount you are willing to invest in upgrading the kitchen of any home. Custom kitchens are certainly desirable; but they might not be cost-effective. On the other hand, you might want more flexibility than you can expect from knock-down or stock cabinets.

The challenge when upgrading a kitchen on a budget is limiting the cost and getting the best cabinetry you can afford. Virtually every survey done about why people do or do not buy particular homes indicates the importance of the kitchen and the bathrooms. Because cabinetry defines the style and design of a kitchen, it is of vital importance when potential buyers view a home.

There is a way to save a bundle when you upgrade the kitchen in an investment property. Kitchen Cabinet Value can install cabinetry that has all of the characteristics of custom cabinets for less than the average price of semi-custom work. We work with direct-purchase stock or semi-custom cabinets and customize them to meet the needs you have for a high-quality kitchen in an investment property.

We will be glad to help you design the kitchen upgrades and remodel using stock or semi-custom cabinets wherever possible. Then we will customize other cabinets to fit unusual spaces, to include accessibility and organizing features, and even to offer specialized storage options. Because we buy directly from the manufacturer, the price of the cabinets will often be less than the price of lower quality cabinets in a home improvement store.

By working closely with us, you can remodel every  kitchen in investment homes, rentals, repossessions and HUD homes with beautiful cabinetry that will enhance the value of the home when you are ready to sell it. Because we customize cabinets to meet your needs, you can refurbish your investment properties with higher quality cabinets and add unique customized features that will help the kitchens sell your properties.

 

Filed Under: Investors Tagged With: , , , , ,
« Previous Page
Next Page »
Google+