Sorry for such a long break in writing, but to be honest the season was pretty blah for new releases. We’ve seen a lot of replica duplication (variants of the same model) happen recently, such as the 10,000 versions of the Hublot Big Bang to show up in the past few months. Let’s not talk about the number of Bell & Ross replica variants on the market…
There have been some new models to show up, like the new Chopard Chronographs and some updates of old standards, like the new Rolex Seadweller replicas, but nothing really exciting.
I’m wondering if 2008 delivers on the promises that 2007 made. There have been several updates in technology and capability in the replica industry. We’ll see how that translates to product in the new year.
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Kitchen Cabinet Refacing
When remodeling your kitchen, an alternative to replacing your cabinets entirely, is to reface them. With refacing cabinets, you can achieve a beautiful new kitchen while spending half the amount of money. You will literally be giving your cabinets a face-lift!
In the refacing process, existing doors, drawer fronts and hardware are removed and replaced with new ones. For cabinet doors, a wide variety of veneers and laminates are available to cover old surfaces. Other noticeable surfaces such as cabinet ends and frames are finished to match. Cabinet interiors are either refinished or repainted. Cabinet refacing is available in a variety of styles, materials and colors.
Neither the kitchen layout nor the amount of space available is affected by refaced cabinets. Doors, drawer fronts, and hardware are refaced and then put right back into their previous place, leaving your current arrangement untouched. A beautiful new look will be created, but you will still be standing in the same kitchen. If you are looking for a more drastic change, consider installing a few new cabinets to alter the look a bit more. In addition, new pull out or swivel shelves can also be installed to enhance the appearance and feel.
Not only does refacing cabinets improve the overall look of your kitchen, but it also greatly improves the durability of your cabinets. It helps protect and lengthen the life of your existing cabinetry, adding overall worth to your home.
Looking For More Information About Kitchen Cabinets?
Kitchen cabinets are a great investment in your home. You’ll want to make sure you are choosing the right cabinets contractor for your new house and your budget. We offer Free Cabinet Price Quotes from local, prescreened contractors.
In the refacing process, existing doors, drawer fronts and hardware are removed and replaced with new ones. For cabinet doors, a wide variety of veneers and laminates are available to cover old surfaces. Other noticeable surfaces such as cabinet ends and frames are finished to match. Cabinet interiors are either refinished or repainted. Cabinet refacing is available in a variety of styles, materials and colors.
Neither the kitchen layout nor the amount of space available is affected by refaced cabinets. Doors, drawer fronts, and hardware are refaced and then put right back into their previous place, leaving your current arrangement untouched. A beautiful new look will be created, but you will still be standing in the same kitchen. If you are looking for a more drastic change, consider installing a few new cabinets to alter the look a bit more. In addition, new pull out or swivel shelves can also be installed to enhance the appearance and feel.
Not only does refacing cabinets improve the overall look of your kitchen, but it also greatly improves the durability of your cabinets. It helps protect and lengthen the life of your existing cabinetry, adding overall worth to your home.
Looking For More Information About Kitchen Cabinets?
Kitchen cabinets are a great investment in your home. You’ll want to make sure you are choosing the right cabinets contractor for your new house and your budget. We offer Free Cabinet Price Quotes from local, prescreened contractors.
Lowering Your Kitchen Refacing Cost with Laminate
by Kelly RichardsonFace Your Kitchen Columnist
When you consider that the cost of purchasing new wood cabinets for a 10×12-ft. kitchen can easily top $5,000 or more, refacing with laminate seems much more sensible. Lower your kitchen refacing cost and get the same great results in one quick project.
Perhaps you’ve heard the buzz about the value and durability of laminate. Laminate is made using several layers of various materials pressed together and sealed, typically with an adhesive. The advantage for you, aside from the lower cost, is that the materials are easy to use and come in a variety of colors and finishes. No need to stain or paint when you’re finished. Simply attach and let it set.
High Pressure Decorative Laminate. Examples of laminate materials include Formica and plywood, often referred to as high pressure decorative laminate (HPDL). Popular brands such as Wilsonart, Pionite, or Centuryply Mica are created with heat and pressure several times higher than basic kitchen refacing laminates. Tough and durable, these materials come at a much cheaper cost than real wood.
Wood Veneer. If you’re simply dead set on wood, a new type of decorative laminate is available using real wood veneer or multi-laminar veneer as a cover surface. Veneer is thin slices of wood, usually thinner than 1/8 inch, glued and pressed onto core panels. Wood veneer panels can be beaded into decorative edging without skyrocketing your kitchen refacing cost. Alpikord, produced by Alpi spa, is one of the more popular wood veneer options.
Many homeowners find that customized laminates can save them thousands of dollars in kitchen refacing costs. And anything that stretches your home design dollar is worth checking into.
About the AuthorKelly Richardson covers the home improvement scene in between his seasonal projects. His articles appear wherever intelligent interior design is valued.
When you consider that the cost of purchasing new wood cabinets for a 10×12-ft. kitchen can easily top $5,000 or more, refacing with laminate seems much more sensible. Lower your kitchen refacing cost and get the same great results in one quick project.
Perhaps you’ve heard the buzz about the value and durability of laminate. Laminate is made using several layers of various materials pressed together and sealed, typically with an adhesive. The advantage for you, aside from the lower cost, is that the materials are easy to use and come in a variety of colors and finishes. No need to stain or paint when you’re finished. Simply attach and let it set.
High Pressure Decorative Laminate. Examples of laminate materials include Formica and plywood, often referred to as high pressure decorative laminate (HPDL). Popular brands such as Wilsonart, Pionite, or Centuryply Mica are created with heat and pressure several times higher than basic kitchen refacing laminates. Tough and durable, these materials come at a much cheaper cost than real wood.
Wood Veneer. If you’re simply dead set on wood, a new type of decorative laminate is available using real wood veneer or multi-laminar veneer as a cover surface. Veneer is thin slices of wood, usually thinner than 1/8 inch, glued and pressed onto core panels. Wood veneer panels can be beaded into decorative edging without skyrocketing your kitchen refacing cost. Alpikord, produced by Alpi spa, is one of the more popular wood veneer options.
Many homeowners find that customized laminates can save them thousands of dollars in kitchen refacing costs. And anything that stretches your home design dollar is worth checking into.
About the AuthorKelly Richardson covers the home improvement scene in between his seasonal projects. His articles appear wherever intelligent interior design is valued.
Lowering Your Kitchen Refacing Cost with Laminate
by Kelly RichardsonFace Your Kitchen Columnist
When you consider that the cost of purchasing new wood cabinets for a 10×12-ft. kitchen can easily top $5,000 or more, refacing with laminate seems much more sensible. Lower your kitchen refacing cost and get the same great results in one quick project.
Perhaps you’ve heard the buzz about the value and durability of laminate. Laminate is made using several layers of various materials pressed together and sealed, typically with an adhesive. The advantage for you, aside from the lower cost, is that the materials are easy to use and come in a variety of colors and finishes. No need to stain or paint when you’re finished. Simply attach and let it set.
High Pressure Decorative Laminate. Examples of laminate materials include Formica and plywood, often referred to as high pressure decorative laminate (HPDL). Popular brands such as Wilsonart, Pionite, or Centuryply Mica are created with heat and pressure several times higher than basic kitchen refacing laminates. Tough and durable, these materials come at a much cheaper cost than real wood.
Wood Veneer. If you’re simply dead set on wood, a new type of decorative laminate is available using real wood veneer or multi-laminar veneer as a cover surface. Veneer is thin slices of wood, usually thinner than 1/8 inch, glued and pressed onto core panels. Wood veneer panels can be beaded into decorative edging without skyrocketing your kitchen refacing cost. Alpikord, produced by Alpi spa, is one of the more popular wood veneer options.
Many homeowners find that customized laminates can save them thousands of dollars in kitchen refacing costs. And anything that stretches your home design dollar is worth checking into.
About the AuthorKelly Richardson covers the home improvement scene in between his seasonal projects. His articles appear wherever intelligent interior design is valued.
When you consider that the cost of purchasing new wood cabinets for a 10×12-ft. kitchen can easily top $5,000 or more, refacing with laminate seems much more sensible. Lower your kitchen refacing cost and get the same great results in one quick project.
Perhaps you’ve heard the buzz about the value and durability of laminate. Laminate is made using several layers of various materials pressed together and sealed, typically with an adhesive. The advantage for you, aside from the lower cost, is that the materials are easy to use and come in a variety of colors and finishes. No need to stain or paint when you’re finished. Simply attach and let it set.
High Pressure Decorative Laminate. Examples of laminate materials include Formica and plywood, often referred to as high pressure decorative laminate (HPDL). Popular brands such as Wilsonart, Pionite, or Centuryply Mica are created with heat and pressure several times higher than basic kitchen refacing laminates. Tough and durable, these materials come at a much cheaper cost than real wood.
Wood Veneer. If you’re simply dead set on wood, a new type of decorative laminate is available using real wood veneer or multi-laminar veneer as a cover surface. Veneer is thin slices of wood, usually thinner than 1/8 inch, glued and pressed onto core panels. Wood veneer panels can be beaded into decorative edging without skyrocketing your kitchen refacing cost. Alpikord, produced by Alpi spa, is one of the more popular wood veneer options.
Many homeowners find that customized laminates can save them thousands of dollars in kitchen refacing costs. And anything that stretches your home design dollar is worth checking into.
About the AuthorKelly Richardson covers the home improvement scene in between his seasonal projects. His articles appear wherever intelligent interior design is valued.
The Real Beginning of 2008 - Replica Watches after Chinese New Year
Now that the Chinese New Year is finally almost behind us I expect to see some very interesting things coming out of the far east as far as replica watches go. During the month of February the entire nation of China (and with it most of the replica watch manufacturers) goes on extended holidays and shuts down most businesses as people go to spend time with their family. Janurary is spent in preparation for this, so very little in terms of innovation comes out until March. Now we have seen some interesting peices come early this year, like a very accurate Graham Oversize. I hope to post photos of this on the Replica Watch Report soon.
Beginning in March I expect a variety of new models to come out. The factories HAVE to have exhausted their supply of Hublot Big Bang cases. Look for more accurate Rolex sports watches (more accurate cases, and properly shaped crown guards I’m seeing) as well as new brands such as the Graham mentioned before. Each generation of replicas is getting more and more visually accurate. Still, they are fakes, and do tend to suffer from horrible quality control in a lot of instances. One watch may work perfectly, and the exact next watch on the assembly line (well, that’s a stretch. Some of these watches are assembled on people’s kitchen tables) may be an absolute piece of shit.
Some dealers, like TTK, spend time testing each watch they get before they ship them out. But many are under pressure to get inventory to the masses (by the buyers) who will brook no delay in getting their goods, even if it’s in their best interest. This makes second-hand replica watches an even greater hazzard.
Beginning in March I expect a variety of new models to come out. The factories HAVE to have exhausted their supply of Hublot Big Bang cases. Look for more accurate Rolex sports watches (more accurate cases, and properly shaped crown guards I’m seeing) as well as new brands such as the Graham mentioned before. Each generation of replicas is getting more and more visually accurate. Still, they are fakes, and do tend to suffer from horrible quality control in a lot of instances. One watch may work perfectly, and the exact next watch on the assembly line (well, that’s a stretch. Some of these watches are assembled on people’s kitchen tables) may be an absolute piece of shit.
Some dealers, like TTK, spend time testing each watch they get before they ship them out. But many are under pressure to get inventory to the masses (by the buyers) who will brook no delay in getting their goods, even if it’s in their best interest. This makes second-hand replica watches an even greater hazzard.
Soggy cold cereal, warm memories
“The floor was linoleum, and there would always be dogs on the floor. There was a big, faded green sofa, and Floyd the farmer would smoke a lot in there. The kitchen had the smell of leather, manure, baking bread and yeast, always the smell of maple syrup and wood from the wood stove.”– Christopher Kimball, editor of Cook’s Illustrated magazine, remembering the kitchen he spent summers in as a young boy in Vermont.From “Cooking Spaces,” by Helen Thompson and Anna Kasabian, 2002.
Cooking Spaces, a new book by veteran writers Helen Thompson and Anna Kasabian, is filled with such reminiscences as the above passage. You’ll find plenty of practical advice and tips on everything from backsplashes to kitchen organization, but the real appeal of the book lies in the exploration of what makes a kitchen the heart of the house.
Kasabian talked to a number of world-class chefs on both kitchens past and their current home kitchens. She and Thompson offer some sound advice on designing a kitchen that is more than just a place to prepare food. These excerpts are from their book, Cooking Spaces, available in The Old House Web Restoration Bookstore.
This kitchen has it all — a large work island with storage, a pot rack for practical storage and visual interest, and a nice integration of hardworking stainless steel with country style wood cabinets.
Cooking spaces that work make life easier, whether you are an ambitious home chef or a busy professional who dines on take-out food. The first step to an efficient kitchen is to think about your cooking lifestyle and how you use your kitchen. Start by deciding what you will be doing in your new kitchen, and then calculate how much time you will want to spend in the kitchen.
There are five functions that a well planned kitchen must make room for:
Storage
Food preparation
Cooking
Eating
Clean-up
Storage
Often used pots and utensils are within easy reach on these restaurant-style open shelves.
Keep often used pots within reach of the stove and oven. A cluster of pots hanging above a counter is both easy to reach and visually interesting. Do not suspend pots directly above a stovetop, where grease and dust will collect more easily.
Arrange storage for easy access. Frequently used items should be kept somewhere between knee height and eye level.
Restaurant-style trays outfitted with canisters keep beans, rice, flour and sugar dry and neat. They can be installed in a drawer and free the counter of clutter.
Think vertically as well as horizontally. Incorporate vertical slots in a cabinet near an oven to store large flat baking pans and cutting boards.
Display everyday items on open shelves above the countertop. This arrangement works best if the dishes are used and washed daily. If not, store them behind glass doors, which prevent dust collection and show off the colors and patterns of dishes.
Don’t settle for the ordinary, such as stock cabinets. Scour junk and salvage shops, restaurant supply companies and auctions for furniture and accessories that can be adapted to kitchen use.
Since the kitchen is an all-purpose space, especially if you have children, bring order to the chaos by including a pull-out drawer where toys can be quickly stowed.
Slides, shelves, hooks and sealed mini-cabinets make pantry systems adaptable to the kind of food storage a cook really needs.
The kick plate under the cabinet doesn’t have to be wasted space. Drawers can be added to hold stepladders, accessories and kitchen hardware.
Food preparation
Don’t settle for stock cabinets, instead think of innovative uses for yard sale treasures. This metal topped table makes an interesting all purpose work area.
Consider the kinds of foods you prepare, how many people you cook for and whether you share prep space with others.
Islands are the workhorse of the kitchen and are worth having even if it means reconfiguring space to fit them in. They offer well-organized storage and a roomy work surface for everything from meal prep to informal dining. They are always a handy spot for friends to gather.
Islands work best when unencumbered by appliances. With legs, they appear lighter and less blocky.
Place the island in the middle of the room so the cook can interact with family members and guests.
Incorporate stove burners, work counters of varying heights and a small appliance center so that key activities can be focused in one area.
Squared-off edges block pathways: Round off kitchen islands and cabinet edges to make the kitchen more user-friendly.
Take a tip from restaurants: Stainless steel is a workhorse material for any kitchen, residential or commercial. Keep a cutting board handy to prevent scarring and scratching countertops.
Awkward cabinets in narrow spaces become useable when they are outfitted with pullout shelves to hold spices and condiments.
Cooking
Colorful tiles, rather than a clutter, make this backsplash interesting and practical to clean.
A stove hood can easily become a major design element in a kitchen. Although some cooks prefer the extra headroom a downdraft system installed at the back of a stovetop allows, a stove without a hood often looks bereft.
Adding a second stovetop for specialty cooking, such as grilling or broiling, is realistic for serious and frequent meal preparation.
Keep frequently used utensils in plain view and within easy reach.
Consider designing in a special kitchen nook to pursue a hobby like baking or wine tasting.
If possible, put water where you need it most. Overhead faucets over stovetops save cooks the unpleasant task of toting heavy stock pots from stove to sink and back again.
Eating
Banquette seating in the dining nook and open storage of everyday dishes maximize the use of space in this kitchen.
If you have children, a bar area for quick meals may be your best option.
A central cooking island is a good place to include a child-height counter. Run a low shelf across the length of the island for a good spot for kids to pursue their own cooking interests or enjoy meals.
For small spaces, a banquette or window seat will free up room for extra seating.
Displays of favorite collections can make the kitchen a place to relax and enjoy dining.
Kitchens are intensely personal spaces. The best of them have the mark of their owner indelibly expressed within.
Cleaning
Make dishwashing and food recycling simple by choosing the sink, drainage space and dishwasher based on the amount of work you do.
Do not stint on the space needed to do the job right.
To keep backsplashes from looking cluttered remove as many of the electrical outlets as possible and run them under cabinets.
Extend solid surface counters all the way up the wall. These integral backsplashes eliminate seams and crevices where dirt and grease collect.
Wood floors are warm and easy to keep clean. But they require extra protection around wet areas, and may be too much of a good thing if you also have wood cabinets.
Vinyl is soft underfoot and absorbs sound, but can discolor with age.
Linoleum is made from natural materials, is soft underfoot, sound absorbent, durable and low maintenance. Unsealed seams can become conduits for water seepage.
Properly sealed slate and limestone floors will wear well over the years and come in many appealing colors. But these materials will be cold underfoot and they reflect noise. Light colors also show dirt easily.
Ceramics and concrete are the most durable of flooring materials. However, they can be hard on the feet and legs, brutal to dropped dishes and slippery when wet.
Anna Kasabian has written about interior design and architecture for The Old House Web, Country Living, Yankee, Coastal Living and other publications. Helen Thompson is an editor, writer and photo stylist for Metropolitan Home Magazine. They teamed up to produce “Cooking Spaces.” The above excepts and photos are published with permission of Rockport Publishers, Gloucester, Massachusetts.
Cooking Spaces, a new book by veteran writers Helen Thompson and Anna Kasabian, is filled with such reminiscences as the above passage. You’ll find plenty of practical advice and tips on everything from backsplashes to kitchen organization, but the real appeal of the book lies in the exploration of what makes a kitchen the heart of the house.
Kasabian talked to a number of world-class chefs on both kitchens past and their current home kitchens. She and Thompson offer some sound advice on designing a kitchen that is more than just a place to prepare food. These excerpts are from their book, Cooking Spaces, available in The Old House Web Restoration Bookstore.
This kitchen has it all — a large work island with storage, a pot rack for practical storage and visual interest, and a nice integration of hardworking stainless steel with country style wood cabinets.
Cooking spaces that work make life easier, whether you are an ambitious home chef or a busy professional who dines on take-out food. The first step to an efficient kitchen is to think about your cooking lifestyle and how you use your kitchen. Start by deciding what you will be doing in your new kitchen, and then calculate how much time you will want to spend in the kitchen.
There are five functions that a well planned kitchen must make room for:
Storage
Food preparation
Cooking
Eating
Clean-up
Storage
Often used pots and utensils are within easy reach on these restaurant-style open shelves.
Keep often used pots within reach of the stove and oven. A cluster of pots hanging above a counter is both easy to reach and visually interesting. Do not suspend pots directly above a stovetop, where grease and dust will collect more easily.
Arrange storage for easy access. Frequently used items should be kept somewhere between knee height and eye level.
Restaurant-style trays outfitted with canisters keep beans, rice, flour and sugar dry and neat. They can be installed in a drawer and free the counter of clutter.
Think vertically as well as horizontally. Incorporate vertical slots in a cabinet near an oven to store large flat baking pans and cutting boards.
Display everyday items on open shelves above the countertop. This arrangement works best if the dishes are used and washed daily. If not, store them behind glass doors, which prevent dust collection and show off the colors and patterns of dishes.
Don’t settle for the ordinary, such as stock cabinets. Scour junk and salvage shops, restaurant supply companies and auctions for furniture and accessories that can be adapted to kitchen use.
Since the kitchen is an all-purpose space, especially if you have children, bring order to the chaos by including a pull-out drawer where toys can be quickly stowed.
Slides, shelves, hooks and sealed mini-cabinets make pantry systems adaptable to the kind of food storage a cook really needs.
The kick plate under the cabinet doesn’t have to be wasted space. Drawers can be added to hold stepladders, accessories and kitchen hardware.
Food preparation
Don’t settle for stock cabinets, instead think of innovative uses for yard sale treasures. This metal topped table makes an interesting all purpose work area.
Consider the kinds of foods you prepare, how many people you cook for and whether you share prep space with others.
Islands are the workhorse of the kitchen and are worth having even if it means reconfiguring space to fit them in. They offer well-organized storage and a roomy work surface for everything from meal prep to informal dining. They are always a handy spot for friends to gather.
Islands work best when unencumbered by appliances. With legs, they appear lighter and less blocky.
Place the island in the middle of the room so the cook can interact with family members and guests.
Incorporate stove burners, work counters of varying heights and a small appliance center so that key activities can be focused in one area.
Squared-off edges block pathways: Round off kitchen islands and cabinet edges to make the kitchen more user-friendly.
Take a tip from restaurants: Stainless steel is a workhorse material for any kitchen, residential or commercial. Keep a cutting board handy to prevent scarring and scratching countertops.
Awkward cabinets in narrow spaces become useable when they are outfitted with pullout shelves to hold spices and condiments.
Cooking
Colorful tiles, rather than a clutter, make this backsplash interesting and practical to clean.
A stove hood can easily become a major design element in a kitchen. Although some cooks prefer the extra headroom a downdraft system installed at the back of a stovetop allows, a stove without a hood often looks bereft.
Adding a second stovetop for specialty cooking, such as grilling or broiling, is realistic for serious and frequent meal preparation.
Keep frequently used utensils in plain view and within easy reach.
Consider designing in a special kitchen nook to pursue a hobby like baking or wine tasting.
If possible, put water where you need it most. Overhead faucets over stovetops save cooks the unpleasant task of toting heavy stock pots from stove to sink and back again.
Eating
Banquette seating in the dining nook and open storage of everyday dishes maximize the use of space in this kitchen.
If you have children, a bar area for quick meals may be your best option.
A central cooking island is a good place to include a child-height counter. Run a low shelf across the length of the island for a good spot for kids to pursue their own cooking interests or enjoy meals.
For small spaces, a banquette or window seat will free up room for extra seating.
Displays of favorite collections can make the kitchen a place to relax and enjoy dining.
Kitchens are intensely personal spaces. The best of them have the mark of their owner indelibly expressed within.
Cleaning
Make dishwashing and food recycling simple by choosing the sink, drainage space and dishwasher based on the amount of work you do.
Do not stint on the space needed to do the job right.
To keep backsplashes from looking cluttered remove as many of the electrical outlets as possible and run them under cabinets.
Extend solid surface counters all the way up the wall. These integral backsplashes eliminate seams and crevices where dirt and grease collect.
Wood floors are warm and easy to keep clean. But they require extra protection around wet areas, and may be too much of a good thing if you also have wood cabinets.
Vinyl is soft underfoot and absorbs sound, but can discolor with age.
Linoleum is made from natural materials, is soft underfoot, sound absorbent, durable and low maintenance. Unsealed seams can become conduits for water seepage.
Properly sealed slate and limestone floors will wear well over the years and come in many appealing colors. But these materials will be cold underfoot and they reflect noise. Light colors also show dirt easily.
Ceramics and concrete are the most durable of flooring materials. However, they can be hard on the feet and legs, brutal to dropped dishes and slippery when wet.
Anna Kasabian has written about interior design and architecture for The Old House Web, Country Living, Yankee, Coastal Living and other publications. Helen Thompson is an editor, writer and photo stylist for Metropolitan Home Magazine. They teamed up to produce “Cooking Spaces.” The above excepts and photos are published with permission of Rockport Publishers, Gloucester, Massachusetts.
20 Kitchen Design Guidelines
20 Kitchen Design Guidelines
Many of these ideas I have developed from 20 plus years of installing kitchens. Most of these ideas are not new - they are just overlooked by ambitious homeowners eager to get the job done. Avoid the temptation of instant gratification. Spend the time to look for errors in your kitchen design. It will be worth it!
Sizing Your Kitchen
If you have the luxury of designing a new kitchen where walls can move, then make sure you have enough space! Use you existing kitchen as the benchmark. What don’t you like? Where could you use extra space? Make a list of all current space defects in your kitchen. Solve these defects on your new plan.
The 26 Foot Work Triangle
Don’t overlook this critical concept. It can get complicated with certain designs. If you have any doubts, consult a CKD on this one!
Doorways and Walkways
Make sure that entrances into and out of a kitchen are at least 36 inches wide if at all possible. The NKBA says 32 inches. However, I have found in practice that the 36 inch width is really preferable. It is easier to move appliances in and out of the kitchen for one. People such as my mom who use walkers find these openings more user friendly too.
Eating Area Clearances
If you have a table or eating bar in your new kitchen, make sure that the edge of the table or bar is no closer than 36 inches from a wall or other object. You will need every bit of this room to move the chairs in and out and for people to navigate around a person who is seated.
Dual Sinks
The last 10 kitchens I have built or remodeled all have a second sink. Most are smaller bar sinks on a secondary wall. Homeowners love them! It is a great place to clean vegetables or get a glass of water if the other sink is busy.
Dishwashers
These appliances need to be close to the primary sink. The NKBA suggests a 36 inch maximum distance from the edge of the sink. I feel that 24 inches is a better number. They work best when they are immediately adjacent to the sink.
Ventilation
You should have an exhaust fan in the kitchen. Cooktops need at least 150 CFM capacity. Whole kitchen fans are rated according to the size of the room. See Builder Bulletin #98 on sizing kitchen fans.
Roll Out Shelving
This is an old idea but one that is very useful. Roll out shelving is excellent for pantries and canned food storage. It really saves you from getting on your knees or reaching over objects to get to those things deep in a cabinet.
Stenciling
Keep the thought of wall stenciling in the back of your mind as you select cabinets and countertops. A painted wall with a stencil can really pull out some of the colors in the cabinets or counter top. If you paint the stencil on a separate background border color, you can then successfully paint the walls at a later date without compromising the stencil.
Appliance Counterspace
Make sure that you have adequate counterspace on the sides of appliances. The NKBA seems to gravitate towards a minimum of 15 inches. This is an OK guideline. Shoot for 18 inches if you can.
Appliance Barns
Who wants to see the toaster sitting out, or the can opener? Try to select an appliance barn that sits on the countertop but is connected directly to the wall cabinets.
Dynamic Ceilings
Can you tray or create different levels in the ceiling? Do you own a ranch home? If so, you can build a sloped roof or even a cathedral ceiling in the kitchen. It is an awesome touch, especially if you can include several skylights.
Indirect Lighting
If you can create some hidden lighting on the top of your cabinets that washes the ceiling, you will be amazed at the look. It is soft and adds a unique touch of class after dark. Under cabinet lighting will do the same but for the full effect get lighting on top of the cabinets.
Flooring
Your floor is a major design item. It is a large visual target. Be careful that the flooring doesn’t clash with the cabinets! Give cork flooring a serious look! It is PERFECT for kitchens! See Builder Bulletin #183 about this fantastic material.
Natural Light
Sunlight will change the complete look of your kitchen. Try - at whatever cost - to enlarge windows or open walls into other rooms so that more natural light enters your kitchen space.
Garbage / Recycling
You now need space for both. You can get cabinets that accept cans for both. Hide these cans within slide-out cabinets.
Drawers
You can’t have enough drawers. I happen to like the ones beneath cooktops that accept all of our pots and pans!
Electricity
Be sure that you have plenty of electric outlets. You want at least three separate 20 amp circuits for just the countertop outlets!
Countertops - Edges
Eliminate sharp corners. Make all outside corners a radius.
Islands
What can I say? You NEED one, and a big one at that!
Many of these ideas I have developed from 20 plus years of installing kitchens. Most of these ideas are not new - they are just overlooked by ambitious homeowners eager to get the job done. Avoid the temptation of instant gratification. Spend the time to look for errors in your kitchen design. It will be worth it!
Sizing Your Kitchen
If you have the luxury of designing a new kitchen where walls can move, then make sure you have enough space! Use you existing kitchen as the benchmark. What don’t you like? Where could you use extra space? Make a list of all current space defects in your kitchen. Solve these defects on your new plan.
The 26 Foot Work Triangle
Don’t overlook this critical concept. It can get complicated with certain designs. If you have any doubts, consult a CKD on this one!
Doorways and Walkways
Make sure that entrances into and out of a kitchen are at least 36 inches wide if at all possible. The NKBA says 32 inches. However, I have found in practice that the 36 inch width is really preferable. It is easier to move appliances in and out of the kitchen for one. People such as my mom who use walkers find these openings more user friendly too.
Eating Area Clearances
If you have a table or eating bar in your new kitchen, make sure that the edge of the table or bar is no closer than 36 inches from a wall or other object. You will need every bit of this room to move the chairs in and out and for people to navigate around a person who is seated.
Dual Sinks
The last 10 kitchens I have built or remodeled all have a second sink. Most are smaller bar sinks on a secondary wall. Homeowners love them! It is a great place to clean vegetables or get a glass of water if the other sink is busy.
Dishwashers
These appliances need to be close to the primary sink. The NKBA suggests a 36 inch maximum distance from the edge of the sink. I feel that 24 inches is a better number. They work best when they are immediately adjacent to the sink.
Ventilation
You should have an exhaust fan in the kitchen. Cooktops need at least 150 CFM capacity. Whole kitchen fans are rated according to the size of the room. See Builder Bulletin #98 on sizing kitchen fans.
Roll Out Shelving
This is an old idea but one that is very useful. Roll out shelving is excellent for pantries and canned food storage. It really saves you from getting on your knees or reaching over objects to get to those things deep in a cabinet.
Stenciling
Keep the thought of wall stenciling in the back of your mind as you select cabinets and countertops. A painted wall with a stencil can really pull out some of the colors in the cabinets or counter top. If you paint the stencil on a separate background border color, you can then successfully paint the walls at a later date without compromising the stencil.
Appliance Counterspace
Make sure that you have adequate counterspace on the sides of appliances. The NKBA seems to gravitate towards a minimum of 15 inches. This is an OK guideline. Shoot for 18 inches if you can.
Appliance Barns
Who wants to see the toaster sitting out, or the can opener? Try to select an appliance barn that sits on the countertop but is connected directly to the wall cabinets.
Dynamic Ceilings
Can you tray or create different levels in the ceiling? Do you own a ranch home? If so, you can build a sloped roof or even a cathedral ceiling in the kitchen. It is an awesome touch, especially if you can include several skylights.
Indirect Lighting
If you can create some hidden lighting on the top of your cabinets that washes the ceiling, you will be amazed at the look. It is soft and adds a unique touch of class after dark. Under cabinet lighting will do the same but for the full effect get lighting on top of the cabinets.
Flooring
Your floor is a major design item. It is a large visual target. Be careful that the flooring doesn’t clash with the cabinets! Give cork flooring a serious look! It is PERFECT for kitchens! See Builder Bulletin #183 about this fantastic material.
Natural Light
Sunlight will change the complete look of your kitchen. Try - at whatever cost - to enlarge windows or open walls into other rooms so that more natural light enters your kitchen space.
Garbage / Recycling
You now need space for both. You can get cabinets that accept cans for both. Hide these cans within slide-out cabinets.
Drawers
You can’t have enough drawers. I happen to like the ones beneath cooktops that accept all of our pots and pans!
Electricity
Be sure that you have plenty of electric outlets. You want at least three separate 20 amp circuits for just the countertop outlets!
Countertops - Edges
Eliminate sharp corners. Make all outside corners a radius.
Islands
What can I say? You NEED one, and a big one at that!
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