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Home Kitchen Makeover On A Budget

Home Kitchen Makeover On A Budget

A kitchen makeover doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg. In fact, you’d be surprised at how much you can change and still come in under even the tightest budgets.

While you may not be able to do a full-scale remodel, your kitchen can look new and fresh. You can even create an entirely new theme for the room.

All it takes is a little planning and knowing what to replace to create the kitchen of your dreams while still making your wallet happy.

Repaint Or Refinish

Did you know a full kitchen remodel can cost anywhere from $20,000 to $80,000? That’s just not in most people’s budgets, especially if the kitchen is still fully functional. The good news is you can spend significantly less and still get a newer looking kitchen by repainting or refinishing your cabinets, walls and ceiling.

Maybe you have painted cabinets right now, but want a more natural look. Remove the paint, sand the cabinets and stain them. Suddenly, everything looks drastically different and you only spent a little on each cabinet, coming in at less than $1,000.

Get Custom Cabinet Doors

If your cabinets are still in great shape, don’t replace them. Instead, get a new look by having custom cabinet doors made. Your doors are what everyone notices most. Replace them and you have an instant kitchen makeover.

Replace Cabinet Pulls

While you might not think your cabinet pulls make much of a difference, try changing them and see what an impact they actually do have. Want a more modern looking style? Replace old bronze or silver colored pulls with black matte. Go with ceramic pulls that feature a beautiful pattern. Depending on the type of pull and how many you need, you may only spend a few hundred dollars at most.

Look For Discount Countertops

Countertops change the entire look and feel of your kitchen. However, they’re not the cheapest component. The good news is you can purchase discount countertops for a fraction of the price. Looking for styles and colors that are being replaced helps you save.

Discount home building supply stores may have countertops with a slight scratch or dent that costs hundreds less than a new one. Depending on the size of your cabinets, you could easily cut the damaged part off. No one but your bank account needs to know that it’s a discounted countertop.

Add Organizational Upgrades

Sometimes a kitchen makeover isn’t about the outside look, but the functionality. Maybe you want better storage for your pots and pans or slide out shelves to reach things in the back. You don’t have to buy completely new cabinets. Instead, you just need to add some organization upgrades. Of course, you can also add just one or two custom cabinets to have built-in organization features.

Between a few added features, such as slide-out shelves and hooks under upper cabinets to hang often used items, simply reorganizing your cabinets helps to change the functionality.

Change Or Add A Backsplash

A backsplash is a fairly inexpensive upgrade that gives your kitchen a fresh makeover. Add tiles, ceramic, glass, stone or anything else. While backsplashes do vary greatly in price depending on the material, they are a simple way to add more color, make the space seem larger or just give the kitchen a cleaner look and feel.

Upgrade Your Appliances

This is probably one of the most costly ways to do a kitchen makeover on a budget. However, think about much your refrigerator and stove stand out. If your appliances still look like they’re from the 70s, maybe it’s time to consider a more modern look. You don’t have to go with the most expensive options. Instead, go for more budget-friendly models, especially those with energy saving features.

Add An Elegant New Faucet

A new faucet doesn’t cost much, at least in comparison to a full kitchen remodel. From less than a hundred dollars to several hundred dollars, you can add an elegant new faucet that becomes a new focal point for your kitchen. You can even add a new sink if you want. Changing your faucet works well if you’re trying to create a new theme.

Change Lighting

Lighting has a major impact on your kitchen. The good news is you don’t have to start rewiring anything or hire an electrician. Instead, buy a new light fixture that brightens the room. Add an LED light strip under your top cabinets to better light your stove and countertops. You can even get battery operated versions if you don’t want to deal with cords.

On a tight budget, but ready for a kitchen makeover? Call Edgewood Cabinetry today to see how we can help make your kitchen dreams come true.

Image: Giovanni_cg

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Renovating Your Kitchen

Renovating Your Kitchen – This Is The Process

Renovating your kitchen can be an exciting time. You’re eager to get the cabinets of your dreams, more space to cook and a completely new look to your kitchen.

However, all of this doesn’t happen overnight. It takes time to plan, coordinate contractors and turn your current kitchen into a dream come true.

Don’t let the process deter you from remodeling your kitchen. However, before you get started, take a quick look at the process itself so you know what to expect.

Planning

The first step is probably the most important – the planning phase. Take as long as you need to figure out exactly what you want. Visit home improvement stores, watch kitchen and home remodeling shows, get lost on Pinterest and think about what’s most important to you.

Also, think about how big of a kitchen renovation you want to tackle. Do you just want new cabinets? What about a completely new layout? Do you need new plumbing or electrical outlets? The bigger the renovation, the more planning involved.

It doesn’t hurt to talk to friends or family who’ve renovated in recent years to get an idea of how they planned and what the finished product actually looked like.

During this phase, try to balance what you want with what’s realistic. No matter how hard you try, you only have a set amount of space, so you have to plan based on what you can realistically do.

Budgeting

Now that you have an idea of what you want, it’s time for the compromising portion. Go ahead and get estimates for what you’re looking to do to see if it fits your budget.

If it doesn’t, it’s time to decide where you can make some changes. For instance, choosing a different type of wood for your cabinets or opting for a different type of kitchen flooring can drastically change your costs. Leave some wiggle room in your budget for unexpected costs, such as discovering a weak spot after your kitchen flooring is removed.

Choosing Contractors

The next step is probably the hardest. You have to decide who will renovate your kitchen. It’s vital to be careful as choosing the wrong contractor not only makes renovating your kitchen a nightmare, but destroys your budget quickly. Carefully review your options and don’t just go with the cheapest or fastest available. Sometimes it pays to spend a little more for higher quality work, even if you have to wait a little longer to get your dream kitchen.

Make sure you choose contractors that are able to work together. For instance, you don’t want to have your cabinets being installed before your floors or walls or finished. You need to coordinate a team to handle everything. Ideally, you want to renovate your kitchen starting with the plumbing and electricity. Then you’ll renovate the walls and floor. The final step is appliances and cabinets.

Choose Your Layout

Before your contractors get started, you have to determine the final layout. Your contractors can help with this. For instance, if you’re wanting a wall removed or added, they can tell you what is and isn’t possible. They can also show you examples of other kitchens they’ve done to give you an idea of what yours might look like when completed.

Designing Cabinets

Now that you’ve gotten the layout out of the way, it’s time to start designing your cabinets. Your contractors for everything else, need to know the specifications of your cabinets. After all, the placement and sizes of your cabinets determine where your major appliances will go and how electrical and plumbing needs to be done.

For instance, if you’re wanting an island as part of your kitchen renovation, your electrician will need to rewire your kitchen to add power to the oven in your island.

Setting Timelines

This part will be tricky, so be prepared. It’s hard for contractors to give you an exact date sometimes. After all, they are all working together. Rushing them won’t work and will just result in poor quality. However, it’s reasonable to set realistic deadlines. You don’t want your remodel to take years.

Instead, insist on regular communication with everyone to ensure the project is staying on schedule and no one is slacking off.

Overcoming Obstacles

There will be obstacles, so be prepared. Even with the best contractors, you might run into issues such as the wrong parts coming in or not being able to get an inspector to come in when necessary. Don’t let this get you down. Just be ready to roll with the punches.

Enjoying The Finished Product

Now for the part you’ve been waiting for – sitting back and enjoying the finished product. Renovating your kitchen might be stressful at times, but it’s all worth it when you walk in and see a completely new room.

Want to learn more about our part in your kitchen renovation? Check out our FAQs to learn more about our process and what to expect.

Image: Carl Gartman

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The Top 3 Benefits of Working Directly with a Custom Cabinet Manufacturer

If you are building a new kitchen or upgrading an existing one you will need to have new cabinets installed.

You can select to go through a contractor or designer who will work with the cabinet manufacturer on your behalf.  We believe it is better to work directly with the custom cabinet manufacturer however and want to provide you three reasons why.

More Likely to Get Exactly What You Envisioned

Imagine this scenario, you envision what you want your cabinets to look like and you communicate it to the contractor who then communicates it to the cabinet manufacturer.  Remember the game of ‘telephone’ you used to play as a child where one person would tell the next something and it would get passed down the line?  In the end it would come out a completely different word.  The same thing could potentially happen with your contractor.  Although the contractor has good intentions they may not completely understand or visualize what you are desiring and therefore may not communicate it properly to the cabinet manufacturer.  When the project is completed you may be disappointed with the results but at this point it is too late.  If you communicate directly with the cabinet manufacturer you are much more likely to be pleased with the final result.

Feedback is Possible During the Process

The custom cabinet manufacturer will have a consultation directly with you to find out what your specific needs are.  Any questions you have about the process are answered.  Information will be provided so you can make informed product decisions.  Measurements of the space will then be taken.  At this point you will meet again with the manufacturer where you will be presented the design options.  Based on your feedback the cabinet manufacturer will create a final design.  The cabinet manufacturer can provide you a visual design to show what your kitchen will look like when completed.  Details such as wall and floor colors and even pictures on the wall can be included so you can really envision what the final result would be.  The project will not start until you are completely satisfied with the design.  This means the final layout will be exactly what you approved and you know you will be happy.  There won’t be any unexpec ted surprises upon completion.

You Should be the Ultimate Decision Maker

By working directly with the the custom cabinet manufacturer you will be able to prioritize your design so your result fits in your budget.  The manufacturer can work with you to determine how many cabinets you need and what style you like.  In addition the wood species and finishes can be selected.  You will work directly with the manufacturer to determine which features are important to you.  Having a close relationship between the cabinet manufacturer and the customer is vital.  The customer should be the ultimate decision maker and will be if working directly with the cabinet manufacturer.

At Edgewood Cabinetry we prefer to work directly with the customer so we can ensure complete satisfaction with the final result.  Contact us for your cabinetry needs.

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Five Tips on Designing a Kitchen With Personality and Functionality

Your kitchen is where memories are made, home cooked meals are shared and the family gathers to share their day. The design itself can make the room appealing, easy to use and spacious looking. While designing a kitchen may seem overwhelming here are five tips on designing a kitchen with functionality and your own personality.

  1. Include something unique. Whether it’s a certain non-traditional color scheme or adding your grandmother’s pots and pans to a pot rack, including a piece of yourself to the design will make it more comfortable and appealing. Don’t feel that you have to make it look like everyone elses kitchen, go with what you feel makes it your kitchen.
  2. Don’t Overcrowd. Part of making any kitchen spacious is by not adding too much to the equation. Even your countertop area can add a sense of roominess by not putting too many things on it. Add the essentials but don’t create an area that looks cluttered; areas that have more space typically look cleaner as well.
  3. Utilize Cabinet Space. Cabinets that reach all the way to the ceiling have two important functions – they create more storage room and keep the kitchen clean. Not only is trying to reach the tops of the cabinets to clean awkward but you’ll enjoy having more room to store kitchen items. It not only looks great but is functional as well.
  4. Consider a Transitional Kitchen. A transitional kitchen combines two important elements of any kitchen – traditional and contemporary. By merging both elements you get a kitchen area that not only has balance but allows for each family member’s likes to be included. A good example is stainless steel appliances with natural wood cabinets; a man-made product and a natural product in harmony.

No matter how you want your kitchen to look, the perfect look is one that incorporates your unique tastes and decorating preferences.
For a free quote on your new kitchen design, contact us. Our work is professional, timeless and elegant.

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Customize Your Backsplash With Accessories

So, you’ve decided to remodel your kitchen to give it a more modern, traditional, or just different, style. It will be important to ensure that all elements of the space, from the floors, countertops, cabinets, and appliances, work together to create a functional and beautiful kitchen. Often an afterthought in the kitchen remodeling process, the backsplash can lend a sense of elegance and chic style to the space. You might ask, and the answer is simple: a backsplash is a panel behind the sink, stove, and counters, that protects the wall from splashes. The backsplash is usually left the same color as the rest of the walls in the kitchen, but there are so many design options available that the backsplash should never be neglected. Below are some examples of backsplash designs and backsplash accessories.
Designs: The traditional material for a backsplash is tile. Tile is versatile, with stone, ceramic, and glass options, you can choose multiple colors and types to create your own patterns. Some other ideas could be wallpaper, cork, acrylic, stainless steel, or paint.
Accessories: Add storage space to your backsplash with items such as a cookbook holder, a towel bar, spice rack, utensil storage, or a paper towel holder.
If you’re in the Clayton, NC, area, and you want to remodel your kitchen, Edgewood Cabinetry wants to help. With more than 30 years of experience in the business, the design process coupled with superb craftsmanship will get you the perfect kitchen, with custom backsplashes, cabinetry, and backsplash accessories. For more information, contact us.

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Options in Kitchen Appliances

Cooktops; ranges; wall ovens and warmers; grills; hoods and vents; refrigerators and freezers; microwaves; dishwashers; disposals and compactors; there are many, many options to consider when you’re looking into kitchen appliances. The above named are just the major appliances. You also have to decide on countertop appliances such as toasters; blenders and food processors; coffee makers; slow cookers like crock pots; and griddles and waffle makers. The great thing about your kitchen appliances is that they can become elements of the design style of the kitchen, for example stainless steel refrigerator and a oven with dark colored cabinetry creates a modern feel of the kitchen; or can blend in with the cabinetry, such as a hideaway dishwasher and trash compactor.
Regardless of the design style you choose, Edgewood Cabinetry is in the business of building and installing beautifully crafted custom cabinetry, islands, and storage options that will fit any décor and appliances in your kitchen. During the design process, advise the craftsmen of the options you want to implement in your kitchen, whether it be framing for your major appliances and storage for your small appliances, and they will work to bring your vision to life. If you like to shop around, feel free to take on the Price Match Challenge: check a different store to find out the total price of the stock cabinets of your choice, including installation, get a quote for custom built and installed cabinets from Edgewood Cabinetry, and see which option holds more value for you. Contact us for more information today.

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Designing a Kitchen: Which is the Right Wood for You?

Designing a kitchen is a complex process.  From the floor to the backsplash, the appliances to the lighting, there are a great many style considerations to think about.  But perhaps the most important choice you’ll make in designing your dream kitchen is the cabinetry, the heart of your room.
Here are some tips on choosing the right wood cabinetry for your unique design style:

  • If you’re designing a sleek, modern kitchen, then walnut or dark cherry cabinets are the way to go.  The warm, rich tones of walnut cabinetry will complement a kitchen design that favors clean lines and a minimalist aesthetic, while deep cherry cabinets are a perennial favorite for achieving a luxurious effect, especially when coupled with cream tones elsewhere in the room.
  • Maple is a consistently popular choice for a bright, welcoming kitchen.  It’s neutral hue makes it a versatile cabinet selection and allows you to incorporate a bold, colorful backsplash.
  • For a rustic, country feel, nothing beats hickory.  Its beautiful tones and medium color allow it to match well with a wide array of countertops, including many varieties of granite.
  • Colored wood cabinets are making a major style comeback these days.  Of course, white cabinets have long been a favorite in classic, country-style kitchens, but we’re now seeing a resurgence in stained or painted cabinets that make a strong design statement.

Edgewood Cabinetry has the experience and skills to turn your vision into reality.  Contact us to see samples of our fine kitchens from around the Triangle area, and for a free quote for your dream kitchen!

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Innovative Wine Storage for the Kitchen

Wine bottles can be many things: collectable treasures, sentimental objects, or even just simple refreshments.  But when you incorporate beautiful wine storage into the kitchen, they can also become art.
Built-in wine storage can be stained to fit right in with existing cabinetry, or it can be painted or finished differently to create an accent piece.  Let’s look at some examples of different types of wine storage to see the variety of styles being used.
Some homeowners prefer to have their wine storage high up, such as in this traditional kitchen, which is still convenient for adults, but mostly inaccessible for curious children.  The criss-cross design offers a generous amount of bottle storage, and the bright labels add a punch of color to the room.
In this very contemporary kitchen, the built-in storage is lower to the ground, and purposefully does not match the all-white cabinetry that surrounds it.  It helps break up monotone, and also accentuates other decorative wooden elements in the kitchen.
This country kitchen epitomizes the notion that a wine storage can become decorative art in the right space.  The ornate details and geometric design draw the eye right to the wine rack, which matches perfectly with the rest of the elements in the breakfast nook and makes great use of an otherwise under-utilized corner.
These are just a few examples of how built-in wine storage can elevate your kitchen design, while also providing a practical, organized space for favorite bottles.  Contact us to learn more about designing the perfect wine storage for your home!

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Breakfast Nooks & Islands

Open kitchens with connected dining areas are a signature feature of the modern home.  Most families choosing a more comfortable dining environment for the family on the go.  This new living style puts an emphasis on having features like kitchen islands and breakfast nooks.

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