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Kitchen Cabinet Remodel Myths, Debunked

Are you dying to remodel your kitchen cabinets but worried about some of the things you’ve heard? Don’t give up yet. The truth is myths and misconceptions abound in home remodeling. That’s why it’s so important to separate fact from fiction before making remodeling decisions. Let’s talk about common kitchen cabinet remodel myths, debunked.

You Save Money by Doing Your Kitchen Cabinet Remodel Yourself

It’s true that the initial expense of doing a kitchen cabinet remodel yourself is less than paying a professional. However, you sacrifice quality. Plus, it’s possible to encounter problems you’re completely unprepared for. For example, do you know what to do if you find mold or rotted wood behind your old cabinets when you remove them? It’s a real possibility.

Any time you remodel your kitchen, there is a potential to find unexpected problems. And that means the entire project quickly goes wrong. So unless you are very skilled, leave your kitchen cabinet remodel to the pros. Otherwise, you may spend far more to fix your mistakes than it would have cost to pay a professional from the beginning.

It’s a Good Idea to Hire a Handyman Instead of a Contractor

Like attempting to do a remodel yourself, it’s often tempting to hire a handyman in order to save money. After all, a handyman charges less than a contractor. So it’s a good deal, right? Wrong. Handymen are typically skilled at a variety of simple projects. But they don’t have the same level of experience and skill as a contractor. It helps to compare them to doctors. Handymen are like the primary care physicians of the home improvement world, while contractors are the specialists.

When it comes to remodeling your kitchen, you definitely want a specialist. That’s because they’re prepared to handle any problems that arise. And they make sure all the work in your kitchen is up to code, too. Plus, home inspectors and insurance agents often want proof that anyone working on your home is licensed. So save yourself the hassle. Hire a contractor for your kitchen cabinet remodel.

A Kitchen Cabinet Remodel Isn’t Worth the Investment

Some people believe that a kitchen cabinet remodel isn’t worth the investment. That’s because trends change so quickly. And since you typically don’t get a 100% return on your investment, a kitchen cabinet remodel doesn’t always seem to be worth the cost. However, this is a myth. You just need to look at the big picture.

First, think of the benefits you receive from a kitchen cabinet remodel. Your entire kitchen looks better. You get more storage. Your cabinets are more functional. And if you choose high-quality cabinets, they last for many years to come. As it turns out, those are all qualities potential buyers look for, too. So your kitchen cabinet remodel also helps your home fetch a higher selling price when the time comes.

Custom Storage Options and Accessories Are a Waste of Money

When you’re trying to stick to a budget, custom storage options and accessories feel like frills. And that leads many homeowners to opt out of including them. But that’s a mistake. After all, the Research Institute for Cooking & Kitchen Intelligence surveyed homeowners and found that the thing they most regretted about their kitchen remodel was not adding more options for organization. Don’t make the same mistake.

Instead, think carefully about the options and accessories you want to include. Those that save you time or bring you a sense of peace are well worth the investment. For example, pull-outs that store trash out of sight help your kitchen feel more serene. Lazy Susans give you easy access to jars. And corner cabinet organizers provide a way to keep your plastic dishes and lids tidy. Remember, you never regret including options you love.

Need more help separating remodeling myths from facts? Check out our FAQ page to learn more or contact us to discuss the project you have in mind. We look forward to speaking with you soon!

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kitchen cabinets

Everything You Need to Know About Shaker Cabinets

Are you thinking about updating your kitchen with new Shaker cabinets but aren’t sure if they’re the right style for you? Don’t worry, we can help! Here’s everything you need to know about Shaker cabinets.

Shaker Cabinet Design

Above all, the design of new cabinets is usually the first priority for homeowners. After all, you want your new cabinets to look good and fit in with your decor. Thankfully, Shaker cabinets are one of the most popular cabinet designs for a good reason. They work with almost any decor!

Shaker cabinets are so named because they were first designed by the religious group called the Shakers. Shakers believed in living a simple life. And they felt that too much decoration could lead to the sin of pride. So they developed the simple, utilitarian cabinets we know today as Shaker cabinets. And that design has endured for hundreds of years!

Honesty and integrity were also important to Shakers. And that applied both to their beliefs and their cabinets. The Shakers spurned modern elements, like veneer, deeming them dishonest. Instead, they focused on high-quality workmanship and durability. And that’s something Shaker cabinets are still known for today. Talk about a lasting design!

The most defining feature of Shaker cabinet design is the framed flat-panel doors. These classic frames consist of two horizontal pieces, called rails, and two vertical pieces called stiles. Ultimately, they create a simple, appealing design that fits well in almost any kitchen. Additionally, while traditional Shaker cabinets had wood knobs, today, you can choose any cabinet pulls you wish.

Shaker Cabinet Materials

Due to the Shaker values of simplicity and quality workmanship, Shaker cabinets were traditionally made from local American woods. Other cabinet makers of the time imported mahogany and rosewood. But the Shakers used pine, maple, and cherry, which were abundant near their homes.

Today, those same species of wood are still the most common materials used to make Shaker cabinets. They provide solid construction and beauty. So they are perfect if you prefer a traditional choice. However, it’s fine to use any species of wood you like in custom Shaker cabinets.

Shaker cabinets are also often painted or stained. If you prefer stained wood, choose the species that appeals most to you. Pine cabinets are lighter in color, while cherry and maple are darker. However, if you prefer to paint your cabinets, maple is a good choice. That’s because it’s smooth and easy to paint.

Benefits of Shaker Cabinets

The Shaker focus on quality, simple design, and utility creates a top-notch cabinet. So expect your Shaker cabinets to be strong, long-lasting, beautiful, and functional. And isn’t that what we all want from our new cabinets?

Today, we reap the benefits of the attractive yet hard-working Shaker design. But we also have the freedom to add as many modern touches as we wish. That way, it’s easy to make Shaker cabinets as useful as possible. And that’s important because your cabinets should work for you.

Edgewood Cabinetry offers a variety of cabinet accessories and options that work well with Shaker cabinets. For instance, hide a pull-outs for your trash behind your stylish Shaker cabinet doors. Or tidy the inside of your cabinets with Lazy Susans, spice racks, and drawer inserts.

Want a home bar tucked behind a simple Shaker cabinet facade? We can do that, too! Today, there’s no limit to the useful features available for Shaker cabinets. So if you love the Shaker cabinet design, we’ll make all the custom features you want work for you! After all, style plus function is a clear win when it comes to new cabinets. And we want you to win!

Would you like to learn more about Shaker cabinets? Or are you ready to design the kitchen of your dreams with new Shaker cabinets? Great! Give us a call at (919) 339-7300 or contact us here. We’re happy to answer all your questions and help you begin the design process.

 

 

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Custom Cabinet Ideas When You’re on a Budget

You may think that custom cabinets are out of reach if you’re on a budget, but that’s not the case. If you’ve been dreaming of adding custom cabinets to your home but putting it off because of budget concerns, this is the post for you. With a little creativity and focus on priorities, you can stick to your budget and get custom cabinets you love. Here are some ideas to consider.

Opt for Stock Cabinets

Stock cabinets are the cheapest way to update your space. Since they’re already finished and come in standard sizes, they don’t cost as much to produce. And if the term “stock cabinet” conjures up cheap pressboard covered with veneer, be reassured that’s not the case for all stock cabinets. At Edgewood Cabinetry, we only offer all wood stock cabinets, so you can rest assured your new cabinets will be high quality and durable.

If you want to go with stock cabinets, you’ll need to choose cabinets that fit into your existing space. But stock cabinets can be an affordable option that allows you to choose a style you like. And remember, you can always add elements to the inside of your cabinets later on. They just won’t be built-in.

Choose Semi-Custom Cabinets

Sometimes, you want more customization than stock cabinets offer. That’s where semi-custom cabinets come in. With semi-custom cabinets, you can choose stock cabinets you love and add custom accents and accessories. So if you really want spice racks in your kitchen cabinets or a makeup organizer in your bathroom, you can add those options.

Instead of having custom cabinets built to specification, semi-custom cabinets allow you to include the elements you want most while saving money by working within stock cabinets. This is a great option if you want to get a few custom touches while saving on overall expense.

Add Fully Custom Cabinets in Select Spaces

One of the most frequent reasons homeowners want to install custom cabinets is to make better use of their space. It can be frustrating not to have adequate storage, especially in areas like the kitchen and bathroom, where accessories and appliances often just don’t fit. You don’t have to choose all custom or all stock cabinets. Instead, try working with stock cabinets where you can and adding custom cabinets where you need them most.

Maybe you can get away with stock cabinets in your laundry room, for example, but the single vanity in your bathroom just isn’t cutting it. In that case, it may make sense to invest in a custom vanity that has spaces for all your small appliances while saving money by using stock cabinets in another area of your home.

Choose More Affordable Options

Custom cabinets come in a range of options. The species of wood, style, size, stain, paint, hardware, and accessories you choose all impact the overall price. So if you want custom cabinets but need to lower the overall pricetag, consider choosing more affordable options. For example, instead of choosing a more expensive wood species, like cherry or mahogany, you may find that stained oak or maple could give you the look you love while being more cost effective.

Cutting out some of the frills, like specialty hardware, choosing simple shaker doors, and being selective about the custom accessories you include will also help you stick to your budget. Don’t be afraid to explore your options. You may find that some simple adjustments to your design will make your new cabinets much more affordable.

Custom cabinets don’t have to be out of reach just because you’re on a budget. Prioritizing your needs and working with your designer will help you choose the cabinets that work best for you. And remember, we don’t charge for design consulation, so it never hurts to explore your options.

Ready to learn more? Contact us today.

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The Ultimate In Cabinet Accessories

The Ultimate In Cabinet Accessories

When you think about cabinets, you might not immediately think of anything other than boxes with doors and some drawers. However, cabinet accessories let you get so much more from your custom kitchen cabinets.

Forget about just having to make do with general storage. Instead, use cabinet accessories to store what you need in a much more convenient way.

Just think about how great it would be not to have to just cram everything on a shelf or in a drawer. You can finally organize your kitchen just the way you want.

Pull Out Trash Cans

The Ultimate In Cabinet AccessoriesIf you don’t want anyone seeing your trash can and/or recycle bin, hide them behind a cabinet door. Your kitchen looks clean and neat. Nasty trash is securely hidden behind a cabinet door that looks just like all the rest. It’s a great way to store your trash cans out of the way. You might want to put a towel near the door so you can wipe your hands off before opening and closing the cabinet door.

Hinged Shelves

One of the more unique cabinet accessories is hinged shelves. These shelves typically look like their own cabinet, but without a door. They have one or more shelves. As you pull them out to the side using the hinged feature, you can easily reach other smaller items stored on the shelves behind this one. These are ideal for storing smaller items, such as spices or commonly used accessories.

Roll-Out Shelves

Roll-out shelves are always a great idea. They’re one of the most popular cabinet accessories because they make it easier to reach things. In fact, you can customize these roll-out shelves to organize pots and pans with easy to use racks. Then, the shelves work similarly to a drawer. Roll-out the shelf, get what you need and you’re done. This is just one way to maximize your kitchen storage.

Drawer Organizers

Drawer organizers are nothing new and they can be used to increase your storage space. You don’t have to stick with just those plastic compartment organizers either. Instead, add a peg system to easily stack plates, lids and containers. For deeper drawers, add racks to store pots and pans. You can even have wooden dividers to use baking pans, muffin tins, cutting boards and more. Good Housekeeping has some great ideas to inspire you.

Spice Rack Pull Out

It’s easy for spices to get lost in cabinets. Shelves are usually too tall to store them effectively without wasting space. A Lazy Susan might not the right choice either. If you have the space, add a spice rack pull out cabinet. The cabinet is only slightly wider than your average spice container. The cabinet pulls out for you to neatly arrange your spices on long shelves. You can easily store dozens of spices and hide them out of sight in the space between two other cabinets.

Corner Cabinet Pull Outs

Corner cabinets seem like a great idea until you actually try to use them. Then, they become a challenge. How do you reach all the way back into the corner? What about the stuff stored along the back edges? A functional kitchen shouldn’t be difficult to use. That’s why it’s a good idea to corner cabinet pull-outs. Shelves pull out at various angles so you can reach everything easily. These are often called blind corner pull-outs.

Lazy Susans

The most well known of all cabinet accessories is the Lazy Susan. If you can’t reach something, add a Lazy Susan to simply spin everything around to get to what you need. You see these often when it comes to corner cabinets or for storing smaller items like seasonings and spices. They’re a classic for a reason, so don’t be afraid to use them.

Pull Out Pantry

Pantries are great, but it’s not always easy to reach what you need. Pull out pantries work much like a pull out spice rack, but on a much larger scale. Think of these are smaller pantries that fit between other cabinets. You pull it out to reach larger items, such as drinks, cleaning supplies, jars, cans, cereals and much more. Of course, you can always opt for pull out shelves and baskets to use in your larger pantry.

Feeling inspired to use more cabinet accessories in your kitchen or even bathroom? Contact us today to start designing your custom kitchen cabinets complete with the perfect accessories.

Image: Pixnio

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