Cabinetry Facts for Your Kitchen Remodeling in New Orleans

If you are planning a kitchen remodeling in New Orleans, it is important to put thought towards your cabinets and how you will need them to both look and function. Your cabinetry can be one of the largest investments you make in your kitchen, and it will have a dramatic impact on how the entire space looks, perhaps the largest impact, in fact.  Additionally, your cabinets need to be uber functional, making your life easier rather than simply enhancing the clutter.  As such, here are some things to keep in mind when creating your dream kitchen:

• Layout matters. In order for your kitchen cabinets to make your life easier, they need to do more than help you to stay organized.  In this vein, layout is extremely important.  You must consider the foods you like to cook and how you cook so that what you need is readily available without having to leave your cooking space.  For example, do you bake on a frequent basis?  If so, your cabinets should be designed so that your measuring cups and spoons are stored near your mixing bowls, baking trays and baking supplies like sugar and spices.  This is all possible by planning ahead for how you want your kitchen to function. 
• Interior features are important.  When planning a kitchen remodeling in New Orleans, keep in mind that a cabinet is no longer an open hole with a shelf in it.  They are now incredibly detailed and can include the type of storage solutions that you may have only dreamed of. Things like built in silverware organizers and a pull out spice storage are all possible.  Let us know about the type of features you are interested in, regardless of how complex they seem, and we will look for a way to produce it. 
• There are multiple design options.  Kitchen cabinets are a design feature just like the type of flooring you select and the paint color you put on the walls.  They should be selected to enhance the overall design and décor of your home, rather than stand out as an isolated object.  With so many options to choose from, there is no need to settle for cookie-cutter or boring cabinetry.
• Buy hardware that pops.  The hardware you place on your cabinets will make a major impact on how your entire kitchen looks.  Your hardware is the finishing touch that screams country kitchen or minimalist space.  Regardless of what your taste are, we can suggest hardware that matches it. 
• High-tech features.  We can now incorporate high-tech features in your space.  When thinking about your kitchen remodeling in New Orleans, consider what electronics you use and how many people are in the family.  We can do things like include a charging station for smartphones and tablets in the kitchen island.  This makes it possible to look up your favorite recipe while cooking dinner or listen to music while helping kids with homework.  We can also install electrical outlets into your cabinets so that things like a toaster can be hidden and out of view. 

We encourage our clients to have fun with their remodeling projects and let their creative side out.  We are here to provide design guidance and to turn your dreams into a beautiful reality. 

Surprises You Don’t Want to Find in a Bath Remodel

We work with homeowners on their bath remodel and can create spa-like, storage-filled, glamorous spaces.  At times, we run into a homeowner that is interested in completing their bathroom remodel themselves.  It is normal to get the DIY bug from time to time, but we do want to point out that when remodeling something that is used as much as a bathroom, and involves plumbing, working with a professional is ideal for ensuring that your important space is not out of commission for a prolonged period of time.  Unfortunately, the bathroom is one of those spaces that you can’t live without but is often full of surprises during a remodel, surprises that can cause delays.

Here is what you don’t want to find in the middle of your project.

The missing leak.  This is a big one.  Bathrooms are notorious for developing leaks in unidentified places.  Given the number of pipes and features in the bathroom this is easy to do.  For example, a five piece bathroom may have a leak in the plumbing leading to the tub but because of the location the leak may appear to be by the shower.  This can lead to many frustrated homeowners making holes and searching unsuccessfully for the missing leak.  As a contractor, we know where to look and can get to the bottom of leaks much faster. 

Mold.  Yikes!  Mold can be a major issue, and as the existing cabinetry or tub surround is removed during a bath remodel, it is fairly common to find mold behind these spaces.  Since there is so much moisture in the bathroom, there must be clear ventilation options.  Unfortunately, many older homes weren’t built with a fan or a window, and while this may seem crazy today, this common practice makes for a moldy situation.  When mold is identified, it may be possible to clean the area with bleach and treat it with a special type of paint.  In many cases, however, we recommend replacing the drywall in order to be safe.  Since mold can make your family sick, this is not something that you want to mess around with.  We also install proper ventilation to ensure that the problem won’t develop again. 

Electrical issues.  Many of the homeowners we work with have challenges with their existing electrical. When older homes were built there simply weren’t the same amount of appliances, televisions, hair dryers, machines and electronics needing constant electricity.  Our world runs on the electrical grid, and if the wiring in your home has not been updated in some time, it may not be able to support the demands that you are placing on it.  This can lead to outages at the most inconvenient of times, for example, when trying to curl your hair.  With that in mind, we recommend having a contractor complete your bath remodel so that we can update your electrical as needed.  If, however, you have started a project and see fraying or damaged wires when you open the wall up – call us immediately so that you can stay safe.