Five Things to Consider Prior to Your Kitchen Cabinet Installation

When planning your kitchen cabinet installation, it is time to think about the details. Remodeling your kitchen can be exciting, especially when thinking about the colors and textures you want to use and the overall design concept. Given how frequently the kitchen is used, remodeling it can make a significant impact on the look and feel of your home.

Beyond the basic design concept, you should take the time to really think about how you use the kitchen, so your remodel will provide you with a space that is as functional as it is beautiful. Here are five things to consider prior to your remodel and kitchen cabinet installation.

#1 - Where do you want your appliances to go?

The layout of your kitchen should be set in stone before demolition and certainly prior to installing any of your cabinets. Your major appliances will need a set spot, including your refrigerator, dishwasher, and sink. You should also consider where you want your small appliances to go. Things like a toaster oven, microwave, coffee pot, toaster, etc. can all have a set place in your new kitchen design and do not have to be simply sitting on the counter. Instead, they could be built-in to your cabinet design (this is often the case with the microwave). We can even create appliance cupboards for things like your coffee pot. This way, they are hidden out of view and can remain in position and plugged in for convenience's sake.

#2 - Do you entertain?

If you like to host parties, let us know. We can design your kitchen cabinets to house the items you use on a daily basis and also to store your extra plates, cups, napkins, serving platters and anything else you use in the course of entertaining.

#3 - What do you use when cooking?

If there is a certain type of cuisine that you cook or certain types of cooking utensils you use on a regular basis, these things should be easy to access and easy to reach. For example, if you use your wok daily, there should be a place for it near the stovetop. If you use your kitchen to bake, you should have storage for all your baking utensils and supplies next to each other to make your baking preparations more convenient.

#4 - How many cooks are in your kitchen?

When cooking is a family affair, it is wise to design the space to allow for multiple people to participate. Your kitchen cabinet installation plays an important role in this because we can create multiple stations that have a cooking or prep surface while providing storage space for the tools that will be needed in that area. For example, a prep station should have access to cutting boards, mixing bowls, and knives.

#5 - What else do you use your kitchen for?

We can install things like a built-in desk or place charging outlets alongside your cabinets so you can watch your favorite cooking shows on your iPad while making tomorrow's dinner. The possibilities are endless.

To get ideas for your kitchen cabinet installation, call our office today.

Tips for Picking Out Wood Cabinets

Our wood cabinets are made from select hardwoods that will last a lifetime. If you are remodeling or building a kitchen or multipurpose room in your home, there will come a time when you must pick out what type of wood cabinets you would prefer. We recommend only choosing cabinets of the highest quality materials that will perform well and look classy for years to come. Some of the categories you should take into consideration during your decision process are hardness, grain, and color.

Hardness

The hardness of your wood cabinets is important, because when you invest in an attractive, long-lasting wood option, you want it to withstand the damage from daily use, children, and even moving appliances around. While Brazilian walnut wood is the hardest you can find; the commonly used white pine is the softest. You will want to consider how trafficked your kitchen is when you determine the hardness of your wood cabinets. The hardest wood option may not be necessary for your uses, but you could instead choose a wood of medium hardness. Some popular options that fall into this “medium” category that are often chosen for cabinets are yellow pine, American walnut, cherry, silver maple, and African mahogany. A widely popular hardier option is either the white or red oak. When you visit to discuss your wood cabinets with us, we can help you scale out what level of hardness you need so you can more easily narrow down your choices.

Grain

Our solid wood cabinets and even our veneers have variations of grain. Different trees are unique in design and beauty, and our fine wood cabinets created from these trees carry on their attractive attributes. Some grain is strong, colorful, and distinct, and it will show through any finish you put on it— This is common with oak cabinets. Other options like walnut or maple wood will have fine grain patterns that are lighter in color. The grain you choose depends entirely on your taste. With some woods, the grain can be muted down quite a bit by the shade or finish you choose.

In addition to grain, all of your wood cabinets will come with their very own unique characteristics like small holes from bird pecks or worms and knots. These characteristics are not only interesting to admire, but they are also proof that you have chosen a sophisticated and genuine solid wood option for your cabinets.

Color and Shade

While choosing a color for your wood cabinets is important, even if you decide on an option like yellow pine, which is lighter in color, you can stain and finish it to look darker. Some woods even darken over time rather than fade. For example, a cherry wood will already have a reddish, dark hue to it, but it will also soften and become darker with age. In this case, you should choose a lighter finish as to not overpower the color. As you are narrowing down your wood cabinets, ask for more information about how the wood will fade or darken with age. This will help you better determine an appropriate stain and color choice. Some woods may even require a heat shield to keep them from changing color due to radiation from the oven and stove.

While you are considering your options for wood cabinets, you may have more questions. You can call or visit us for more information about all of your options so that you can pick the best choice for your home.