Kitchens are a hard-working space in the home! The countertops take a beating from spills, dropped pans, and the occasional nick of a misplaced knife. Not to mention water and grease – not that anyone reading this article ever spills water or grease out of a cooking pot! But someone else in the family might…

Do you have a “thing” about clutter? You don’t have to be OCD to appreciate a pristine countertop. Whether your kitchen is large or small, that countertop clutter can sneak up on you. Small appliances are one of the culprits; ask yourself how often do you use that item? If infrequently, store it in a…

You have probably heard the term “functional” thrown around a lot if you are researching ideas for your kitchen remodel. What it really means is just this; are the elements that make up the kitchen arranged conveniently for the cook? Is the faucet easy to use, when you are holding a heavy pot, or your…

It’s no fun to scrub bits of food off the painted wall behind the kitchen faucet. Sometimes when you work a bit too enthusiastically on that, the paint even comes off in bits! Then what can be done? That would definitely be time to call your favorite contractor and have some backsplash tile installed. You…

Maybe it’s all that sunshine coming through the windows, pointing out any flaws in the walls, floor or counters. It tells us it’s time to paint, refinish and maybe . . . just maybe, have that kitchen remodeled. Wood floors can be refinished, brought back to their initial shine, and walls do need re-painting every…

I had family visiting last fall, and I assumed they would want to sit on the comfy chairs and couch in the living room; but no, they all gravitated to the kitchen (which is tiny) and the dining room, with it’s hard wood chairs! So think about your own experiences with company. Make the best…

Crown molding on upper cabinets add style to a kitchen, and backsplash tile are not only a great focal point, but are easier to clean than painted walls, and keep the drywall, well, dry! If a completely new custom cabinet set up is not in your budget, new finishes on the cabinets can work wonders…

Uh-oh, Thanksgiving is not far away, and right on it’s heels is Christmas! If you’ve been putting off the kitchen remodel you need, and now it’s too late for the full-meal deal. But what can you do? A lot, as it turns out. A new refrigerator can do wonders for food prep; getting all the…

If you like the look of something different, then you may be on the front of the trend to oil-rubbed bronze and yes, even black kitchen faucets. Why are so many faucets chrome? Well, they just are; but now you don’t have to have a shiny chrome faucet installed in your new kitchen, you can…

If you can reorganize and equip your kitchen for it’s maximum utility, you may not need to expand the square footage. You can start by having the shelves replaced with cabinet height pullout drawers only 8 inches wide, which can contain your canned goods and other small items.  Have the most efficient kinds of cabinets…

After reading numerous articles on the joys of removing a wall or portion therof, to make a kitchen brighter and open to family, along comes an article telling us the opposite. Isn’t that just like professional advice? Hah! Oh well, homeowners are individuals, as everyone knows, and what one person loves, another will love just…

Ah, there’s nothing like a beautiful countertop to set off a new kitchen or bath! They don’t have to be expensive, but the upside of paying more for a more durable (and let’s face it – gorgeous) material is that you will be happy with it, and it will last as long as you have…

Painting the bedroom is nice, but you mostly sleep there. The room that gets the most time-spent points is the kitchen. The largest areas you see when walking into the kitchen is the floor, followed by cabinets and the countertops coming in third. So the upgrade option that will serve you best every day and…

The basic types are Stock cabinets, Semi-custom, and custom cabinets. Stock are the basic cabinets that every major hardware store carries. These cannot be customized and must be purchased to fit the existing kitchen footprint. There may be a gap here and there that needs to be filled in. Semi Custom are ordered to size…

You know that old saying “You can never be too rich or too thin”? OK, you can be too thin, but it’s just a saying, don’t analyze it. The analogy for your home is, you can’t have too much counter space. Have you ever heard a friend say, “My countertops are just too big! It’s…

Moving a doorway or removing a wall to improve layout is always a better investment than splurging on high end appliances or even custom cabinets. While your kitchen serves various purposes, it’s important to design appropriately for the way you use your kitchen. You’ve no doubt heard of the “work triangle”; it’s the concept that…

Any room can get old, and although it’s parts and pieces may not be worn out, so you don’t feel justified to really renovate the space, here are some things you can have your contrator do in the interim. Paint the cabinets and replace their hardware. Design a new pantry storage to clear up the…

The kitchen is one of the most used spaces in your home. Sooner or later, depending on usage, your kitchen will need a refresh or remodel for repairs and to keep it up to date. Even in if you are more the practical type and less concerned about esthetics, there are many parts of the…

The transition from fixed to adjustable, and then to roll-out cabinet shelves has forever changed the way homeowners view storage in their kitchens. Whether you utilize roll-outs, pull-outs, or blind corner storage solutions, the list of options that can enhance storage is virtually endless.  Today’s homeowners are looking for more exposed storage, such as open…

When updating your kitchen, you probably want new lighting fixtures – maybe even a complete change in the way the room is lighted. Older kitchens often only have a ceiling light, which too often leaves parts of the kitchen counter somewhat dark.  Task lighting is important, both for safe working in the kitchen, as well…

Pull out drawers in the kitchen island. Islands are for more than prepping dinner; be sure that your contractor builds in plenty of storage under that counter. Wine storage in the pantry. Keep your wine at it’s best and most convenient; have some wine storage racks built in a convenient location in your kitchen. Keep…

Here are some great ideas to consider while planning your Fall kitchen remodel: Use patterns in your kitchen backsplash tile. This can be prominent, or subtle, as in using subway tiles. They are all the same color (usually), but they create a pattern due to the “grid” between each 3 by 6 tile. If you…

A few hundred years ago, homeowners had less “stuff” to store, but no one seems to want to go back to those “good old days”, so we need to tackle the storage problem. Kitchens are notorious for poor storage options, and many kitchen remodels are done expressly to tackle this problem. So here are some…

If your kitchen just doesn’t work for hosting dinner guests, maybe it’s time to renovate; if your kitchen layout, appliances and even the faucet are so unappealing that the thought of planning and preparing a party menu is off-putting, then it really is time to update that space. Opening the kitchen to the home’s main…

Not every home has an ideal spot to plop a kitchen pantry in; however with some thought, there are many clever ways to create pantry space.  Reclaim room from a hall closet that is next to the kitchen and turn it into a pantry. Some older homes have “utility closets” right in the kitchen, which…