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You’ve just moved into a beautiful new house, but something about the kitchen doesn’t feel quite right. It doesn’t feel like home. So what’s the problem? And more importantly, how can you fix it? Fortunately, it’s not as difficult as you may think.

Kitchens are particularly prone to feeling cold and sterile. That’s because so many kitchens have harsh lighting, tile floors, stainless steel appliances, and plain cabinets. Thankfully, there are a few easy things you can do to give your kitchen the warm, welcoming feeling you’re looking for. Here are six ways to make your new kitchen feel like home.

1. Add a Fruit Bowl

Something as simple as adding a fruit bowl to your kitchen can inject a much-needed dose of cheer to the room. The great thing about fruit bowls is they also give you a chance to display your personality. If you don’t already have one, you can select a fruit bowl that fits your style and fill it with your favorite fruits. Then, whenever you look into your kitchen, you’ll see a beautiful display of delicious fruit inviting you to sit, have a snack, and enjoy your space.

2. Start an Herb Garden

Plants add warmth and a homey feel to your kitchen. Why not brighten up your kitchen window with an herb garden? You’ll impart a happy feeling to the room and have fresh herbs when you cook. There are many herb garden kits on the market, so you can choose a style you love. Or take it a step further and build your own hanging herb garden. Opt for natural wood, or personalize your planter as much as you like by painting the pots and boxes.

3. Include a Rug

A well-placed kitchen rug adds softness and texture to the room. Choose a rug that fits in with your overall color scheme, or select bright patterns to add a pop of color instead. If you have a favorite rug from your last home, placing it in the kitchen brings a touch of familiarity to the room. And if you have tile, you’ll appreciate the literal warmth of the rug on cold mornings, too.

4. Fix Lighting Issues

Having the right lighting in your kitchen is everything. If your kitchen is too dark, brighten it up by installing lights under your cabinets. You’ll be surprised at how much of a difference it makes. On the other hand, if your kitchen has harsh, bright lighting, choose softer bulbs or consider replacing your light fixtures with a style that fits your personality.

5. Show Your Love

It’s often said that the kitchen is the heart of the home. So doesn’t it make sense for your kitchen to reflect your love? Place items that make you feel good on display in your kitchen. This can be anything from the teapot you inherited from your grandmother, to your most-loved stock pot. Having a familiar item in sight helps your kitchen feel more like home. Alternatively, focus on items that show your personality, like favorite paintings, ceramics, or canisters. The more of yourself you put into your kitchen, the more it will feel like home.

6. Update Your Cabinets

Cabinets are a focal point in your kitchen, so making changes to them can give the room an entirely different appearance. Custom kitchen cabinets allow you to add style, warmth, and personalized functionality to your home. Brighten your kitchen or add an elegant touch with all-wood cabinets, or install a new kitchen island to create a cozy breakfast nook. Your kitchen will feel like home in no time.

Ready to update your cabinets? Edgewood Cabinetry has a plethora of design options, colors, features, and accessories so your cabinets can be truly personalized. And you’ll be able to customize as much or as little as you like, so whether you want to add a new china cabinet to display treasured knick knacks and fine china, or you want to replace all your kitchen cabinets and design every element, we can help. Contact us today to get started.

 

Changing the look of your kitchen is easier than you might think. If your kitchen is in need of a refresh, you don’t have to wait until you can do a full  remodel. Breathe new life into your kitchen with these seven simple DIY tips.

1. Add a Fresh Coat of Paint

Painting your kitchen is one of the easiest ways to give it a fresh look. Furthermore, it can be accomplished in a single weekend! Choose light colors to brighten your space. Or go for a two-tone look, with a dark color on the bottom and light on top.

2. Choose a New Backsplash

Adding a new backsplash will instantly refresh your kitchen. Bright colors and patterns will add a focal point and pop of color to an otherwise monotone kitchen. In contrast, if your kitchen already has a lot going on, choosing a more muted backsplash will lend a calmer vibe to the room. HGTV has some great ideas here.

3. Organize Your Counters

Clearing counter space will help your kitchen feel larger and more relaxing. Accordingly, you’ll want to store anything you’re not using out of sight. If you must store items on the counter, choose functional storage containers that are also decorative. Colorful canisters, decorative bottles for oil and vinegar, fun or sophisticated fruit bowls, and stylish bread boxes are all great choices to clear counter space while adding personality to your kitchen.

4. Bring the Outside In

Including plants or other natural elements in your kitchen is a wonderful way to increase the ambiance, to say nothing of the indoor air quality! There are plenty of plants that thrive in the kitchen, even if you’re not a master gardener. Good Housekeeping has an excellent list of hardy plants here.

Adding cut flowers is another excellent option. Alternatively, in the fall and winter, you can opt for decorative touches like dried corn, pumpkins, berries, and pinecones.

5. Put a Rug Down

Rugs have the ability to instantly transform the look of any room, and that includes your kitchen. If your kitchen has a neutral color scheme, a brightly-colored rug could be just the pick-up you need to lend a cheerful note to the room. Additionally, keeping a selection of rugs around allows you to refresh your room as often as you want simply by switching them up!

Remember that you should always choose rugs that have a rubber backing for use in the kitchen. Since most kitchens have smooth floors, a rubber backing is essential to prevent accidental slips and falls.

6. Change Your Window Treatments

Hanging new window treatments is one of the simplest ways to breathe new life into your kitchen. Sheer curtains add a light, flowy touch to your kitchen, while heavier fabrics like burlap can be perfect to offset dark colors, like navy. Or opt for blinds to add a clean look. Keep in mind that patterned window treatments may make small windows look even smaller, so save those for large windows instead.

7. Reconsider Your Lighting

Having the right lighting can make or break your kitchen. Consider adding a new light fixture to make a dramatic difference in the look and feel of your kitchen. Alternatively, just experimenting with different bulbs can give your kitchen a fresh new look. Keep in mind that counters look best with bright lighting, so something as simple as strips of stick-on lighting underneath your cabinets can really brighten up your room.

Breathing new life into your kitchen doesn’t have to break the bank or require an extensive time commitment. Try the above tips to quickly and easily refresh your kitchen.

While simple DIY projects can go a long way toward breathing new life into your kitchen, sometimes you need a professional touch. If you’re ready to remodel your kitchen with customized cabinets and kitchen solutions, check out just a few of the ways you can get the customized style and storage you need here.

Need help? Contact us today, and we’ll be happy to walk you through our options and design process.

Image: Pexels

7 Ways to Change the Look & Function of Your Kitchen

Changing the look and function of your kitchen doesn’t mean you have to start from scratch. Instead, custom cabinets give you an easier and more efficient way to transform your kitchen.

Whether your goal is storage, getting more organized or just making the kitchen easier to use, the right cabinets make all the difference.

When you opt for custom, you get full say over the entire design, ensuring the final results look just like you always dreamed of.

1. Get The Perfect Sizes For Your Kitchen

Stock cabinets do the job, but not always very well. You likely have left over space in corners, near ceilings and around doorways. Custom cabinets always fit the space you want to fill. Have a corner that you want to use for storing smaller items? A custom cabinet will fit perfectly.

No matter what size space you have, custom is the way to go. They’ll always fit much better and leave your kitchen looking more polished than stock and pre-fab cabinets.

2. Add Built-In Organization

Organizing your kitchen might seem like a nightmare right now, but after you’ve changed the look and function with custom kitchen cabinets, it won’t seem like such a chore. This is because you can have organization features built-in. Have your pots and pans in a cabinet designed to fit them well with room to store lids. A pull out base makes it easier to reach pots and pans without digging around.

The right organizers definitely help make your kitchen easier to use. Then, once you’re done organizing everything in your new cabinets you’ll find things easier, keep the kitchen cleaner and reduce counter clutter.

3. Custom Cabinets Give You The Perfect Design

The easiest way to change the look of your kitchen is to have your cabinets built with the exact design you want. You don’t have just settle for what’s available at the local hardware store. Instead, you get to choose:

  • The type of wood (natural woods last far longer)
  • Door style
  • Hardware
  • Stain or paint color
  • Size/shape

All of this contributes to the final look of your kitchen. For instance, switching from painted to stained cabinets or vice versa makes a drastic difference.

4. Adjust Your Kitchen Layout

Is your kitchen difficult to use? Clunky stock cabinets can actually make it more difficult to use your kitchen. In smaller spaces, you might not have enough room to move around. Or, in larger kitchens, it’s hard to reach what you need.

Custom cabinets for your kitchen let you adjust your kitchen layout to meet your needs. If you often have guests, you can create more space for socializing or customize the cabinets near your oven to quickly reach anything you need.

5. Add Extra Features Using Custom Cabinets

Custom cabinets aren’t limited to just storing dishes and cooking utensils. Change the look and function of your kitchen by adding some extra features. Consider adding in a wet or dry bar. Add in a media area for watching cooking videos or watching TV and listening to music while cooking.

You can even add display cabinets to show off favorite items. Maybe you keep your pet’s water and food in the kitchen. Add in a special area for them to eat.

6. Hide Appliances With Custom Cabinets

Ideally, you should design your cabinets before adding appliances. This is because you can use custom cabinets to hide appliances. Often, creating a pantry area helps you hide major appliances. It’s also common to build cabinets around your fridge to create a more seamless look and keep down on fingerprints.

Naturally, smaller appliances are much easier to hide. If your countertops are so cluttered with small appliances that it’s hard to find any prep area, build in storage for those appliances. Custom shelves help you store things safely out of the way. Or, add a kitchen island for even more storage.

7. Get Added Storage

When your cabinets fit your space better, you gain more storage. Building cabinets that go to the ceiling lets you take advantage of extra inches. Or, transform the baseboard into storage for pans and other thin items. Use gaps for a slender cabinet that pulls out to store spices, sponges and small items.

Custom cabinets give you endless possibilities. Contact Edgewood Cabinetry to start changing the look and function of your kitchen.

Image: Christa Grover

Kitchens have long since been a place where you go in, cook and get out. But, when you design a social kitchen, you turn your kitchen into the entertaining hub of your home.

Instead of spending the evening away from your guests, they get to join you in the kitchen for drinks, snacks and conversation.

From gathering the family together for meals to hosting events with friends, turn your kitchen into a truly social area. While your living room might get jealous, your kitchen’s going to love the attention.

Islands Are Ideal To Gather Around

For a truly social kitchen, you need an area for everyone to gather around. That’s why you need a kitchen island. They provide a central area to gather and plenty of space to sit drinks and snacks. Plus, it also helps keep people out of the cook’s way if you’re trying to socialize and prep a meal.

Plus, islands also give you a place to add stools or chairs for people to sit. Think of it like a mini-dining room table. Larger islands actually work well to replace your dining room, allowing you to expand your kitchen.

Keep The Room Open

If you’re trying to keep the kitchen cozy, but not crowded, opt for an open floor plan. The more space you have between your cabinets, island and walls, the better. This gives everyone room to mingle around freely. Even with a small kitchen, you could opt for a smaller island to give everyone more space.

Keep The Cooking Area Free

Odds are, you’ll still need to cook when using your social kitchen. Maybe you’re prepping more snacks or even the main meal. However, it’s hard to get things out of your oven with several people right in front of it.

Instead of getting frustrated, design your kitchen to keep the cooking area free. The kitchen triangle design works best and keeps everything within easy reach. Your social area is then just outside your triangle, making it easy to socialize and cook at the same time.

Add A Bar Or Drink Cart

A great addition to any social kitchen is a custom bar or a drink cart. Everything you need to make drinks is in one place and easily accessible. Plus, it creates a dedicated social area. Some people actually add a bar to their kitchen island to conserve space in small kitchens. You can even have a pull out area in your island just for this.

A cart works well if you need to save space when you’re not entertaining. They also serve as a good alternative to an island if you don’t have room.

Storage Keeps Counters Clean

Obviously, you want your social kitchen to look amazing. Cabinets piled high with clutter aren’t going to do that. Keep your counters clear and clean by optimizing your storage space. While you can buy all types of organizers, it’s usually easier to design custom cabinets that cater to your storage needs. For instance, you might need storage for special types of small appliances or a display cabinet for special dishes.

Make Room For Seating

While standing and mingling is nice, seating is a good idea. This is especially true if your social kitchen is mainly used for your family to eat. You don’t need large, clunky chairs though.

Design a kitchen island with an overhang for stools to sit under. This keeps the stools out of the way until you need them. Some people even have small benches instead that slide against the island.

If you have the space, you can even add a bench or some stools along a free wall along with a shelf for holding drinks and food.

Brighten The Space

It’s not unusual for kitchens to focus all of their lighting specifically around the stove and refrigerator area. But, with a social kitchen, you need to brighten the space. Get creative with light fixtures throughout the kitchen. You might also want to opt for lighter countertop colors to reflect the light and make the space look larger and more welcoming.

Ready to design your dream social kitchen? Contact the pros at Edgewood Cabinetry today to get started.

Image: Lisa Fotios

7 Tips For An Efficient Kitchen Installation

No one wants a complicated kitchen installation. However, it’s easy to draw out the process for weeks, leaving you without a usable kitchen. The good news is it doesn’t have to take this long. It just takes some planning to ensure the process goes smoothly from start to finish. In most cases, the planning should take longer than the kitchen installation itself. This is a sign you’re doing it right and you’ll likely enjoy your kitchen even more without having to deal with installation stress.

1. Plan What You Want Before You Start

7 Tips For An Efficient Kitchen InstallationNothing sets a kitchen installation back worse than having to make changes throughout the process. For instance, you might suddenly want to change the layout or want larger appliances. This means all the work done so far has to be re-done to accommodate the changes.

Create a clear plan of exactly what you want. This includes your kitchen layout (which determines how everything will fit), appliance sizes, kitchen purpose and more. You’ll even need to plan out whether new wiring is necessary to fit a new layout, such as adding outlets to an island or moving your stove to the other side of the room.

2. Organize What You Need To Do

A common mistake is trying to do everything at once. For example, you might tear down your old cabinets the same day you hire someone to build new ones. This leaves you without cabinets until your new ones are finished.

Look at everything that needs to be done. Stagger the process so there’s a smooth flow. For example, if you want custom cabinets built, it’s a good idea to start here. Then, while the cabinets are being built, you can pick out new appliances.

The week before your cabinets are ready to be installed, consider what else needs to be done. If you’re remodeling your entire kitchen, you might need to have your floors redone and the walls painted. Schedule both of these to be done during that week. You’ll also want to hire an electrician for any major re-wiring that may need to be done before your cabinets are installed. Of course, you can save time and money on your kitchen remodel by skipping certain things. Instead of having to wait around, you only end up without a kitchen for about a week. That’s much easier to deal with.

3. Determine Appliance Spaces

what-to-consider-before-replacing-your-kitchen-cupboardsAlways determine how much space you’ll need for appliances before measuring for cabinets. Wanting that extra-large refrigerator after you’ve decided on cabinets that definitely won’t leave space for that will lead to a more complex kitchen installation.

Pick out the appliances you want first. If your kitchen can only support a certain type of layout, you’ll want to pick your cabinets first and then pick appliances that fit those spaces. This is usually a common issue when using stock cabinets as they don’t come in custom sizes.

4. Opt For Custom Cabinets

For an efficient kitchen installation, opt for custom cabinets. You won’t have the usual trouble that comes with trying to make things fit. After all, custom cabinets are designed to fit your space, not vice versa. Plus, you can get the appliances you want. Just make sure you give the cabinet builder your appliance dimensions and the kitchen layout to avoid any issues.

5. Clean Out Space

While you don’t have to take down your cabinets yourself, clean out your kitchen as much as possible before anyone arrives to work on it. This applies even if you’re doing everything yourself. Trying to constantly move things in and out of cabinets, move around chairs and stacking things in the corner just gets frustrating. Instead, make the kitchen installation easier by moving everything that’s not a major appliance or cabinet out of the kitchen.

6. Let Professionals Handle The Installation

In most cases, it’s easier and more efficient to let professionals handle the installation of your cabinets and even appliances. First, it’s easier on you as you’re not having to lift and tug heavy appliances and cabinets. Second, they’re less likely to make a mistake.

All it takes is a single measuring mistake to make you start over. For instance, you might measure 5″ from the window and start your upper cabinets when you should have measured 4″. That simple mistake might leave you without room for your refrigerator and having to take your upper cabinets down.

7. Install Cabinets First

Finally, install your cabinets first. Obviously, flooring and walls technically come first, but it’s easier to install cabinets before appliances. There’s more room to move around and the appliances aren’t getting scratched or dented.

Ready for a more efficient kitchen installation? Start with custom cabinets from the cabinetry pros at Edgewood Cabinetry.

Image: Creatv Eight

7 Considerations For Your Custom Kitchen Design

Choosing a custom kitchen design isn’t as simple as just gathering a ton of Pinterest kitchen pictures. While all of them might look like your dream kitchen, you still have to customize it to your needs. It’s always a great idea to look at other kitchens to get great ideas. After all, you never really know what’s possible until you step outside of your own kitchen. However, a custom kitchen has to be perfect for you. Take what you love about other kitchens and use the following considerations to create a design you’ll love for years to come.

1. Choosing A Comfortable Cabinet Size

7 Considerations For Your Custom Kitchen DesignOften times, you hear people talking about cabinet sizes in relation to what they can store. This is an important consideration. A custom kitchen design means you can adjust cabinet sizes to best fit your needs. One thing you don’t hear about often is adjusting the size to your height. Yes, you should focus on storage, but if you can’t comfortably use your cabinets, you won’t like your kitchen.

Ensure your cabinets are at a comfortable height. Even if your top cabinets should be easy to reach. You can even have a stool built-in to your kitchen to make it easier to reach things. If you opt for completely custom cabinets, you can get everything you need.

2. Customizing Storage

No kitchen design is complete without custom storage. Standard shelves and drawers aren’t always enough. In fact, most kitchens need customized storage. From built-in organizers to pull-out shelves, there is a way to store almost anything without compromising. Figuring out all the innovative options isn’t always easy, but searching for kitchen storage ideas on Pinterest is a great option. By building storage into the original design, you won’t have to adjust your cabinets after they’re installed.

3. Creating A Work Triangle

You work in your kitchen in a specific way. Most people don’t really think about it. However, experts refer to this as the kitchen work triangle. You’ll want to incorporate this kitchen work triangle into your custom kitchen design. It makes using your kitchen so much easier. The idea is to ensure optimal productivity between your sink, stove and refrigerator. By getting the spacing just right, you never have to move too far nor feel too cramped.

4. Picking The Right Countertop

Home Kitchen Makeover On A BudgetWhile you should definitely consider looks when it comes to your countertop, there’s so much more to it. For instance, do you want a material that’s difficult to clean, even if it looks amazing? What about how difficult it is to maintain, such as adding new seals every year? Another consideration is your budget. Thanks to all the varieties of countertops available, you can pick a budget-friendly option that looks and functions almost like the more expensive options.

5. Customizing With Modern Conveniences

It’s easy to get caught up in the layout and cabinets for your custom kitchen design, but what about customizing your kitchen with modern conveniences. For instance, why not have a fold-down panel that hides all your outlets? Or, what about a charging drawer to keep your phone and tablet protected while you’re using the kitchen? For amazing ideas to create a more functional and innovative kitchen, Victoria Elizabeth Barnes has a great list divided into categories.

6. Budgeting While Getting What You Want

Budgets are important for your custom kitchen design. Before you get too attached to any ideas, set a solid budget. Decide where you will and won’t compromise. For instance, if you’re married to a granite countertop, you might have to compromise when it comes to appliances or flooring. If you’re having custom cabinets built, talk to the builder about your budget to begin with so you can plan together the right custom cabinetry plan for you.

7. Building In Storage For Small Appliances

People are relying more and more on small appliances in their kitchens. All-in-one appliances are even popular now to combine several smaller things into one. However, these all take up valuable counter space. When creating your custom kitchen design, consider how you can build in storage for these specific appliances. You might create a dedicated cabinet with shelves sized for those appliances or have cubbies built into your island to store often used appliances.

Eager to design your custom kitchen? Contact us today to learn how we can help you create the perfect custom cabinets for your new kitchen.

Image: House Method

How To Choose The Best Kitchen Cabinets For Your Needs

A large part of getting the kitchen of your dreams is being able to choose the best kitchen cabinets for your needs. Picking the cheapest or quickest available isn’t always the best idea in the long term.

You’ll want to think carefully about how you use your kitchen, what theme you’re going for and how long you want them to last. After all, you probably don’t want to go through a full kitchen remodel every 3-5 years.

By picking the right kitchen cabinets for your needs, your kitchen is easier to use. You’ll spend less time searching for what you need and more time cooking and entertaining.

Consider Your Overall Theme

The first step is to choose your kitchen theme. This will help you choose the best kitchen cabinets to fit your theme. For instance, if you’re thinking of a more rustic theme, you probably won’t want bright white cabinets with an ornate raised door design. You don’t actually need a theme, but pick kitchen cabinets that fit the overall style and look you want. Countertop Epoxy and HGTV have a variety of themes to inspire your own kitchen.

Choose A Door Profile

You want to think about function and style to choose the best kitchen cabinets for your needs. A good place to start when it comes to style is choosing a door profile. Do you want a flat slab, recessed miter, raised arch or something else? Odds are, you probably aren’t sure what most of those terms even mean, so the best idea is to take a look at cabinets and take pictures of what you like. This helps you figure out your options and if you’re having custom cabinets built, you can show the builder exactly what you want.

Pick A Wood And Finish

Particleboard might sound like a fabulous idea, mainly because it’s cheaper. However, it’s not so friendly when it comes to wet areas, such as around your sink. This is why if you want your cabinets to last longer, you’ll want to consider a hardwood instead. We’ve created a guide to helping you choose between different types of wood.

Of course, you’ll also want to think about your finish, such as stained, natural or painted. Each has its advantages and disadvantages. For instance, paint tends to peel over time, but stain typically soaks in deeper, making it harder to change later.

Think About Unusual Spaces

When you choose the best kitchen cabinets for your needs, they should fit your space perfectly. This means cabinets that fit in those odd corners or even around doorways. Instead of just going with the standard kitchen cabinet layout, think about how you could fit cabinets into more unusual spaces to create more storage space.

This even applies to how you use your kitchen. For instance, small custom cabinets around your range hood give you access to the utensils you use to cook with most often. Or, add extra space for moving around by creating a cabinet that folds out into a table and stores the chairs.

Skip One Size Fits All

Pre-fabricated cabinets are great for quick remodels, but they only come in a select few sizes. Your kitchen is unique and isn’t going to feel like yours with one size fits all cabinets. You’re severely limited in how you place the cabinets, how much you store in them, types of organizational features and so much more. Custom gives you the best variety of options as you can get the exact cabinets you need to fit any space or function.

Consider Function As Well

It’s easy to get hung up on the looks. However, to choose the best kitchen cabinets for your needs, you have to think about function. For instance, a standard cabinet with one or two shelves might not be the best option for storing numerous cans of food. A cabinet with pull out shelves that can handle heavier weights allows you to pull out the shelves and reach exactly what you need without any hassle.

Picking the perfect kitchen cabinets might seem difficult, but don’t worry. Look at your friends’ and family’s cabinets. Visit a custom cabinet builder to see samples of what’s possible.

When you’re ready to choose the best kitchen cabinets for your needs, contact Edgewood Cabinetry. We’ll help you design the right cabinets for your kitchen.

Image: Pixabay

Renovation Tips - Kitchen Cabinets Buying Guide

A large part of renovating your kitchen means buying new cabinets. While you can repair or reface, sometimes it’s time to start from scratch for the look and feel you want.

To better understand what your options are, it’s a good idea to use a kitchen cabinets buying guide. You’ll learn the types of cabinets and what factors to consider before you buy.

From storage options to the color, picking the right cabinets drastically changes your kitchen and makes it perfect for your needs.

Decide On Your Budget

The first thing to consider is your budget. For most people, you’ll want to strike a balance between cost and quality. You have three main options to choose from:

  • Stock – Pre-fabricated cabinets that often use cheaper materials. You can buy and install them quickly, but you’re limited on options. They also may not last as long as custom or semi-custom.
  • Semi-custom – These offer a bit better construction and materials and allow you to customize some features. This gives you a better fit if you have odd spaces or non-conventional measurements in your kitchen.
  • Custom – These offer the most flexibility for customizing the look, feel and function. Plus, they’re made from superior materials. The downside is they do cost more and take longer to make.

We’ve provided a kitchen cabinets buying guide that compares these three types in more detail to give you a better idea of the differences. We’ve also detailed the benefits of going with custom kitchen cabinets.

In most cases, semi-custom and custom are your best options. They’ll last longer and offer you the chance to customize your kitchen. You can save money on both by choosing different types of wood and finishes. Cutting your budget in other areas allows you to buy higher quality cabinets that will last much longer. Some people opt for a mix of cabinet types, such as using custom hardwood around the sink and in odd spaces, while buying stock with custom doors for the rest.

Consider Construction Quality

No matter what type of kitchen cabinets you choose, always check for construction quality. For instance, if you’re opting for stock, check to see how edges are fastened, how thick the wood is, how easily the doors and drawers open and so on. Some stock cabinets are made fairly well. However, they typically use particleboard or a medium-density fiberboard that doesn’t last for the lifetime of your kitchen.

Even with custom cabinets, enquire about how they’re made. Ask about the materials used. If you visit in person, reputable builders should have samples to look at and pictures of past projects.

Think About Color

The next part of any good kitchen cabinets buying guide is choosing your color. You usually have three main options. Lighter woods, darker woods and painted. For a natural wood look, choose between lighter or darker woods. These are then stained to protect the wood and customize the final finish. Painted can be any wood type, but painted a non-natural wood color, such as red or white.

Painting works well, but be careful about your color combinations so you don’t make your kitchen look too dark or dingy. HGTV offers advice on picking the perfect color based on the theme of your kitchen.

For stained wood, darker woods like mahogany look beautiful, but opt for lighter floors to prevent your entire kitchen from looking too dark. With lighter woods like oak, accentuate with darker elements, like countertops and backsplashes.

Think About Extras

Sometimes, it’s easy to think of kitchen cabinets as just a box, but they can offer so much more. As part of this kitchen cabinets buying guide, stop to consider built-in storage and organization options. For instance, you may want to buy cabinets with slide-out shelves or a Lazy Susan. While you can’t always get these extras with stock, semi-custom offers some additional options. Custom cabinets are still the only option that offers fully customized built-in storage.

Choose One You Can Trust

Finally, no matter what cabinets you choose, always opt for a brand and/or builder you can trust. Beware super cheap brands and cabinetry services. The prices sound great, but do they have a solid reputation and positive reviews? Research brands, stores and services before buying. This ensures you’re getting the best quality for your money. Plus, look for cabinets that come with a warranty. After all, you don’t want to have to renovate out of pocket in a few months if something goes wrong due to poor construction or bad materials.

Interested in renovating your kitchen with custom cabinets? Contact us today with any questions and to find out how we can help.

Image: Fran Hogan

7 Common Mistakes In Kitchen Design And How To Avoid Them

You want the kitchen of your dreams, but some common mistakes in kitchen design could ruin everything. Don’t let this happen to you.

It’s easy to avoid mistakes and create a kitchen you’ll love to use. Whether it’s large or small, the right design can completely transform the space into something perfect for your needs.

The best part about these common mistakes is they have easy solutions as well. If you get it right the first time, you can go years without remodeling and still have a kitchen you enjoy.

1. Limiting Your Space

It’s far too easy to try and cram too much into too small of a space. This is obviously more of an issue for smaller kitchens. Instead of just trying to fit everything and having no room to move, get creative with the kitchen design. For example, skip a dining room table and have a slide-out table under the counter of a small kitchen island. You get extra storage and counter space with the island. Sit a few chairs near the island or even have foldup chairs nearby. Then, slide out the tabletop, grab the chairs and enjoy.

Use simple hacks to make the most of your space. Suddenly, a smaller kitchen has ample space.

2. Using Cheap Materials

Saving money is great, but not if you have to keep replacing broken kitchen cabinets, sagging shelves and water-logged doors. One of the worst mistakes in kitchen design is sacrificing quality to save a little. There are cost-saving options available. However, custom hardwood cabinets will far outlast cheaper pre-fabricated cabinets, meaning you’ll have a kitchen that lasts decades versus 5-10 years. The same goes for cheap fixtures that fall apart in no time, such as sinks and lighting.

3. Using The Wrong Colors

The wrong colors can make your kitchen look much smaller and dreary. Of course, going with a stark white makes your kitchen seem like it’s unusable. Instead, go with a blend of shades. Using a brighter floor and countertop along with darker cabinets works well and vice versa. The idea is to make your kitchen look welcoming.

4. Opting For Too Much Open Shelving

Open shelving is one of the top mistakes in kitchen design. A little goes a long way, but many people make the mistake of getting carried away. If some look good, why not skip cabinets and stick with open shelving? The problem is your kitchen will quickly look cluttered, things fall off the shelves and it’s difficult to keep everything clean. It’s much better to put most of your dishes and cookware in closed cabinets. Leave open shelving for decorative items or a few items you use all the time.

5. Cabinets/Drawers That Open Into Each Other

Sometimes your kitchen design gets away from you and it’s not until everything is finished that you realize opening doors and drawers is like a strange puzzle. Often times, this happens due to poor measurements or using cheaply built pre-made cabinets that open at weird angles. It also happens when corner cabinets aren’t carefully done and end up not opening without scraping against surrounding cabinets.

6. Restricting Lighting

Your kitchen needs to be one of the most well-lit rooms in your home. It also needs a variety of lighting. However, many kitchen designs make the mistake of restricting lighting. Cabinets may cast large shadows or block light entirely in some areas. Ensure lighting is placed so it lights the entire kitchen. Also, ensure there is ample space for under cabinet lighting around your stove.

7. Not Making It Your Kitchen

Trends are wonderful and give you ideas to update your kitchen, but don’t become a slave to trends or even classics. Incorporate trends if you like them, but don’t just use them to be stylish or for resale value years down the road. Remember, trends change, so you don’t want to be stuck with something that you hate and that’ll be outdated in a few years.

Instead, make your kitchen your own. It’s your space, so make it look like it. Use the colors you like and the design that works best for your needs.

8. Limiting Storage Space

Out of all the mistakes in kitchen design, limiting storage space is the worst. For instance, if you need more space, why only have bottom cabinets? Build cabinets above your counters too. Also, use as much vertical space as possible versus leaving large gaps between the ceiling and cabinets. This is lost storage space. You don’t have to just stick with standard cabinets. Gain more space by having custom cabinets built for your needs, such as more drawers or a tall pantry versus sectioned cabinets in one area. We have some great ideas for making the most of your space.

Kick kitchen design mistakes to the curb and prevent many of them with custom-built kitchen cabinets. Contact Edgewood Cabinetry today to make your dream kitchen come to life.