Kitchen Design

As we wrap up this blog series on range hoods, a few final aspects to consider are:

• Range Hood Width -- Regardless of the type of range hood chosen, the range hood should be as wide ... or slightly wider ... than your cooktop. This provides a canopy, or capture area, that effectively traps the heat and impurities as they rise. For a 30" stove, the range hood width needs to be between 30" and 36."

When choosing appliances for a kitchen remodel, the range hood can often be overlooked. Not spending enough time understanding the purpose of range hoods, various hood designs, CFM requirements, and venting options can result in buyer's remorse. Read on to learn more about the specifics of range hoods.

A kitchen remodeling project represents a significant of your time and money.  At various times in the planning process our clients ask a version of the following question … “What should I expect during the project?”

If you have looked even casually at kitchen cabinets, you already know that there are more than a few options available to you in everything from style to color. Another option to consider is the choice between Inset, Full, or Partial Overlay cabinet doors.

Depending on the style you want and the options you choose, a significant chunk of your kitchen remodeling budget will be applied towards the purchase of cabinets. Industry benchmarks have cabinetry making up approximately 40% of the project costs.  Many factors affect cabinetry’s portion of the budget. Knowing a few of these factors will arm you with the basic knowledge you need going forward.

In many areas of life, we tend to think in terms of the here and now. This is often evident in the areas of buying, building, or remodeling a home. We seek out design elements that are representative of our current stage of life. Life, as we know, is fluid and ever changing. Our situation today may not be our situation tomorrow. That is where Universal Design comes in.

When it's time to choose the perfect cabinets for your kitchen, one of the decisions you will have to make is whether to choose painted or stained cabinets. Maybe that decision is one you have already made, and you know exactly which you will choose.  Perhaps you are still debating which option suits you best. If so, this information will hopefully make your choice a little clearer.

With today's busy lifestyles, microwave ovens are an important and frequently used kitchen appliance. Microwaves come in four basic designs ... portable, microwave/hood combination, built-in, and drawer microwave. Determining the best microwave for your kitchen or remodeling project needs to balance a number of factors, including cost, convenience, usage, and aesthetics.

We don’t often think about the kitchen sink in terms of anything glamorous. After all, its purpose is almost entirely utilitarian. It washes everything from dirty dishes to dirty hands. You may use your sink for basic things, but that doesn’t mean the sink itself has to be basic. Today’s kitchen sinks are created to not only look appealing but also make your time in the kitchen more enjoyable. With options in accessories and sizes, your sink can have its own sense of style.

If you are considering a kitchen remodel, you are probably giving a lot of thought to how much it will cost and what you can afford to spend. It is crucial to keep the project affordable so that your budget is not depleted before the work is finished. With this in mind, here are ten steps to help you manage spending during a kitchen remodel.