Remodeling Your Kitchens by Going Traditional Now

Remodeling Your Kitchens by Going Traditional Now  - Dean Gammell

One of the most intriguing topics that most homeowners and business enthusiasts have is whether to remodel their kitchens with a contemporary or modern look or to try to redesign by going traditional and classical.

Remodeling kitchens has always been a challenge to every homeowner. The most decisive part of this is when the homeowner must look for a final design as part of a home makeover. Thus, before looking for materials, equipment, and other gadgets that will add a fresh look to your kitchen, you must first browse over various possibilities of a certain kitchen design.

The most common kitchen type is the traditional design with its formal and elegant look that resembles American or European home preferences for a kitchen way back in 18th, 19th, and early 20th centuries. This traditional kitchen will surely have fluting corbels, crown and rope mouldings, ornamentations and trims, cabinets with cherry design, drawers with walnut design, countertops made of mahogany, raised panel cabinet door styles, antique appliances and fixtures, natural materials, and stone fixtures.

Another kitchen design that closely resembles the traditional is the Victorian style. This kitchen style has cathedral arch doors, raised panels, ornate accents of mouldings and trims. Further, most of the kitchen fixtures are made of dark and heavy wood types. The Italianate design is similar to both the general style of the traditional and the Victorian style. Italianate kitchens are generally painted cream and most fixtures have carved designs of fruits and other images of nature.

Another variation of the traditional is the Georgian type with the signature look of square panel raised doors with the typical, heavily accented crown mouldings and stacked cabinetry that reaches the ceiling. A painted black island for the kitchen is also a common look.

Further, most traditional styles cover other European and American kitchen designs and structures. These include the Colonial, Edwardian, Farmhouse, Regency, Cottage, Plantation, Estate, Cape Cod, Federal, Bungalow, Queen Anne, Early American, Neoclassical, Shaker, and Manor looks.

A kitchen must have a cheerful and welcoming aura at all times for the household and for the guests. Choose a traditional kitchen style has always resembled a sense of comfort and order.

It is always invigorating for every busy household to have kitchens that are quite different from today's look of a modern kitchen. The traditional style of a kitchen shows that such area is filled with patterns that brighten the homeowner and add further appeal for the whole house or establishment.

Plan Carefully for a Dream Kitchen

Plan Carefully for a Dream Kitchen

By Mark Stein

When you are designing your dream kitchen there are some basic ideas to keep in mind to prevent that dream from becoming a real-life nightmare. Plan well first. Changing your mind partway through will raise costs considerably.

Perhaps an obvious, but not often considered idea is that you are designing a kitchen for your home, make it size appropriate. Consider the type of cooking you will be doing on a regular basis. If cooking isn't your thing then an intimate design where everything is handy may be just right for your home. On the other hand, if you have four kids, entertain half the neighborhood, and invite all the relatives for holidays, you may have need of larger appliances and work spaces.

Ask yourself if there is one person who does most of the cooking, or if it is a family activity. Consider what the kitchen will be used for: is it only for cooking, or is it a place where people hang out? You may only eat casual meals there, or perhaps it is the central gathering point for your whole family.

Good kitchen design still focuses on the basic triangle of stove, refrigerator and sink with 4 to 8 feet between units. But if you plan to have more than one person working in your kitchen, think of multiple triangles. An island work station with a prep sink, or dedicated spaces- perhaps for baking, or a desk / recipe storage area may help. Use plenty of lighting, and consider putting the sink in a center island if you don't have a nice view for that traditional over-the-sink window.
There are few things more bothersome in a kitchen with too little counter space, or cabinets that don't provide the kind of storage you need.

Pay attention to corners. Poor design makes them difficult to access or too dark to be useful. Cabinets with lazy susans or blind base pullouts can help. Think carefully about the sizes of the doors and the directions the doors and drawers will open or you may end up with years of annoyance. Consider whether you want the convenience of pull-out shelves in your base cabinets, or the extra storage you'll have on regular shelves.
Stock cabinets are the kind that you can choose and take right home from the store. Most everyone can use at least some of these standard sizes. Semi-custom cabinets are built after you place your order in sizes to fit your particular spaces. These cost a little more, but will give you more flexibility in creating storage that is perfect for your kitchen.

Custom cabinetry is made by hand so that each component is built exactly to your specifications. These are the most expensive, and take longer, but will allow you to make the best use of your space.

Specialty inserts, trays or racks can make your cabinets serve in particular ways.
And don't forget about finishes and hardware. The same cabinets can look quite different with light or dark color finishes. Even a change in hardware can change a look from casual to formal or bold.

Plan carefully and you'll enjoy your kitchen for many years.



Five Things to Consider When Designing Your Dream Kitchen

Five Things to Consider

When Designing Your Dream Kitchen

By Jodi Leedy

Are you planning on purchasing new kitchen cabinets? Whether for a newly constructed home or for a remodeling project, consider one important factor, your kitchen is the heart of your home! It is not just a place to dine; it is also the main gathering place for family and friends and a place for entertaining. This is particularly true with today's popular open floor plans and great room designs. Because your kitchen plays such an important part of your home there are a few things to consider in your planning process.

1) Kind in mind future buyers

Even if you are currently building your dream home, it is possible that someday you will have a need to sell your home. Or, if you are remodeling your existing home to make it more comfortable for you and your family, you may still find the need to sell it someday. Because of this, even if you aren't ready to sell your home today you should always ponder what potential buyers would think of your kitchen cabinet selection and layout because opinions of your kitchen can drastically either increase or decrease your selling price. A practical kitchen layout is typically everyone's goal, but cabinet styles and finishes are more of a personal choice. Are you attracted to traditional styles or more modern styles? Do you like kitchen cabinets with distinct wood grain or ones with nearly no grain? Whichever you personally prefer always keep future buyers in mind as it can play an important part in your bottom line.

2) The Work Triangle

All homeowners seek a functional workspace in the kitchen. In planning your kitchen layout it is important to consider the distance between your sink, stove and refrigerator in relationship to each other. Connecting these three workstations from their center points should create an invisible "work triangle." According to the National Kitchen and Bath Association the sum of the three distances should be no more than 26 feet, with no single side of the triangle being less than four feet or more than nine feet. There are a couple things to consider with planning a well-designed work triangle; watch out for any triangle legs that may intersect an obstacle like an island, and make sure that no major traffic patterns cross through the work triangle. Proper planning of your "work triangle," taking all obstacles and limitations into review, will help create a functional workspace that will be both practical for you and your future buyers.

3) Kitchen cabinet storage is key

When designing your dream kitchen it is key to consider your storage space, along with ample countertop space. Kitchen cabinet layout services are available to help you maximize your space and create the best flow of cabinetry. The first place to look for extra storage space is your corners. In small, tight kitchens a blind corner cabinet can be used to get the most use out of the corner. However, to get the most efficient use of the corner space a lazy susan corner cabinet or easy reach cabinet should be used. These cabinet options maximize the corner space while allowing easy entry to it contents. Or try adding rollout trays in your base kitchen cabinets to help access your pots and pans, or in your pantries in order to reach cans and dry goods more easily. Another suggestion would be to include a 24" deep bridge cabinet in your kitchen cabinet layout above your refrigerator. Most people keep unused or seasonal items above the refrigerator for the simple fact that they can't reach the cabinet. Therefore, consider a 24" deep refrigerator cabinet for easier access.

4) Use kitchen cabinets to create islands or peninsulas

Kitchen cabinets can be configured to create center islands or peninsulas. These cabinet configurations are very attractive to homeowners with an open floor plan. Using kitchen cabinets this way creates an area for a breakfast nook with the ability to pull up stools. Kitchen cabinets used in this manner instantly increases seating space, which is ideal since kitchens are typically gathering places. Islands and peninsulas also create more storage space.

5) Bells and Whistles

Just like purchasing a new vehicle, there are upgrade options to consider when purchasing your new kitchen cabints. For example, what type of drawers do you want in your base cabinets? Will the standard particleboard drawer secured with glue and staples be sufficient? Or would you prefer an all-wood drawer constructed with dove-tailed joints? Or better yet, would you want the all-wood, dove-tailed drawer with full-extension drawer glides that include a silent close feature? Other construction upgrades can include all plywood construction, and custom depth cabinets. Besides construction upgrades there are accessory cabinets that provide you with some "bell and whistle" qualities that can give your kitchen a custom and personalized look. Give consideration to glass door cabinets for displaying your keepsakes or china dinnerware, an appliance hutch for hiding small appliances on your countertop, roll out trays for base cabinets, integrated waste baskets, corner shelves, and wine racks. When selecting your bells and whistles keep in mind both your budget and overall functionality and flow of your kitchen for optimal results.

Remember, your kitchen is the heart of your home! Success in constructing a timeless, comfortable space is creating a balance between an efficient layout and design with your personal tastes, while keeping with the end goal of adding value to your home.

Remodel A Kitchen

Remodel A Kitchen



Does your kitchen need a change? Are you ready to update the room where family and friends tend to spend the most time? Then go ahead and do it! A kitchen renovation is a great way to give your home an entirely new look and even increase your home's overall value. But, how do you get started on such a project?

Although a kitchen remodeling project may seem like a major task, following a few practical tips can help ensure your project is a smooth process and the final product is exactly what you want.

First, be sure there is a strong plan in place. Although it seems quite logical, it is often disregarded which turns out to be quite a big mistake. Be sure to create an all-inclusive plan for your home renovations before starting any work. An effective ways to picture your new kitchen is to use computer software to help you create a virtual kitchen so you can view the room three-dimensionally.

These software packages are marvelous ways to help you achieve the final results you want and are fairly economical when it comes to ensuring you will have all of the products and supplies you may need for a pleasing result. These programs can also help you form a realistic budget and effectively communicate to contractors exactly what your final expectations are.

Secondly, take time to consider the space you are working with. The general principle in kitchen designing is to imagine a triangle between the refrigerator, sink and stove which should be a maximum of twenty-six feet for optimal efficiency in the kitchen. Also, be you're your appliance and cabinet doors can be opened easily in the room available and that there is sufficient room to prepare food and cook. If there are two people generally cooking, be sure to take this into consideration also.

Finally, try to coordinate the various surfaces in the area, such as the cabinets, countertops and flooring. This may be easier for some than others. If you are not all that sure of your ability to picture these surfaces together, you may want to speak with an professional specializing in home designing who can help you maintain style and personality yet convenience and smooth coordination. Fortunately, you have a wide selection of colors and materials to choose from when planning your kitchen design. Another useful tip in kitchen renovations is to keep in mind the general style you want for your kitchen. This will help you in narrowing down your choices when it is time to make a decision on certain design elements.

For any homeowner, remodeling the kitchen is a major endeavor and can often be quite an overwhelming process. But, by following these tips above, you can be on your way to a smooth, successful kitchen makeover and be one stop closer to having the kitchen of your dreams. Good luck!

Leroy Calstard

Kitchen Remodel Ideas

Kitchen Remodel Ideas

Kitchen Remodel

Kitchen Remodel

Luxury Kitchens - Kitchen Remodel Ideas

Luxury Kitchens

Kitchen Remodel Ideas to make your home look beautiful

Luxury kitchens like all things luxury are beautiful, luxurious, bespoke and a talking point for all onlookers. Luxury Kitchen style however does not have to come at the high prices usually associated with luxury items. Luxury kitchen style and average priced bespoke kitchen service can created a luxury kitchen worthy of envy. Check out the kitchen remodel ideas below to inspire your own luxury kitchen design ideas.

Futuristic Kitchens - Kitchen Design Ideas

Futuristic Kitchen Design Ideas

If modern kitchen design ideas lack enough inspiration for your creative and innovative minds then futuristic kitchen design ideas will really get them going. If you are seeking out of the box design ideas for you kitchen remodel then check out the following kitchen remodel ideas:

Kitchen Design - Learn about Kitchen Design

Kitchen Design - The Art of Kitchen Design

Small Kitchen Ideas - Kitchen Design Videos 2

How to Maximise a Small Kitchen Space

Kitchen tap photos 1 - Kitchen Accessories

Kitchen Tap Photos 1

Looking for ideas for those perfect kitchen taps for your new kitchen remodel?