Home Improvement » Kitchens

How to create a custom kitchen without the custom price

Author — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 20:08:36 +0000

Adding decorative touches to cabinetry such as open shelves, crown molding and contrasting finishes can make any kitchen look custom.

(ARA) – Forget about the living room. The kitchen is the social hub of a home.

Today’s homeowners update their kitchens to reflect their personal tastes and add visual appeal their guests can enjoy when they entertain. But how do you get a custom look in your kitchen without the hefty price tag?

“By adding just a few decorative accents, homeowners can not only create a custom-looking kitchen, they can create a space that reflects a specific look — from Art Nouveau to French Neoclassical,” says Paul Radoy, manager of design services for Merillat, a cabinet company specializing in kitchen design.

If you think updating your kitchen is out of your budget, here are some cost-effective renovation tips that can help you live the good life and entertain in a stylish kitchen that is a perfect reflection of your personal taste.

1. Cabinetry accents

While there will always be a place for custom cabinetry, there are more sensible and affordable options. Cabinetry accents work to enhance any kitchen’s style with details such as feet, corbels, ornamental onlays and molding inserts. These decorative details can change the look of ordinary cabinetry into heirloom furniture, while allowing the homeowner to express their own personal style.

In addition to cabinetry accents, many common cabinetry options can be creatively incorporated. Decorative hardware is one small detail that can make a big statement. Pulls and knobs can complement the cabinetry style, or they can be used to create a refreshing contrast.

Adding decorative touches to cabinetry such as open shelves, crown molding and contrasting finishes can make any kitchen look custom.

2. Add color and contrast

Adding splashes of color is a great way to create a fun, vibrant look while keeping the kitchen functional. Try adding tile details such as a colorful backsplash behind the stove. Or, purchase fresh towels and accessories for your kitchen in a coordinated, colorful design.

Using color as an accent on crown molding also adds a personal touch, while molding build-ups and dentil molding create intriguing visual effects. Cabinetry molding in a contrasting finish creates an entirely different look, and including under-cabinet molding can add even more personality to your kitchen.

3. Make it your own

Displaying decorative items is an easy way to add your own personal touch. Options like pigeon holes, plate racks and glass front cabinet doors can be used to display these special items. Things like porcelain collectables, wine bottles or fine china are all types of decorative items that help create a personal space that sparks conversation with guests.

“People are spending more and more time in their kitchen, and whether they are using it for everyday activities or for entertaining, they want it to be beautiful,” says Radoy. “The kitchen is a space that should make the homeowner proud, a place they love to be in, and by incorporating just a few design details any homeowner can accomplish this.” For more kitchen design ideas visit Merillat.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Five Kitchen Fix-ups for $500 or Less

Author — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 02:09:56 +0000

(ARA) – After years of telling yourself you can live with the outdated hardware, the ugly orange laminate countertops and the daffodil-yellow wall paint, you’ve finally admitted to yourself that your love affair with your kitchen decor is over.

But leaving is simply out of the question and you don’t have the budget for a complete makeover. What can you do?

Fortunately it is possible to rekindle your love for your kitchen, improve your home’s value and accomplish it all on a modest budget. Here are some common kitchen complaints and hints for how you can resolve them — and learn to love your kitchen again — for less than $500 per fix.

Cabinets

Replacing outdated cabinets or even just refacing them can cost thousands of dollars. A more budget-friendly, simple solution is to repaint them and swap outdated hardware for a newer, more contemporary style. Even if you have 20 cabinet door handles to replace and you opt for pricey $5 knobs and pulls, you can still dramatically upgrade your cabinets’ appeal for around $100.

Painting is another, easier option that helps change the style and appeal of your cabinets. Virtually any kind of cabinet can be painted. Just go online or consult an expert at your local home improvement store to be sure you’re using the right kind of paint for your cabinet’s material.

Walls

When it comes to budget redesign, paint and wallpaper can be your best friend. Pick a fresh, neutral color to paint the walls. Then spice things up with an easy-to-hang wallpaper mural that evokes your fantasy kitchen. You may never have the breezy, open kitchen in a villa in Tuscany that you dream of, but you can adorn a wall of your kitchen with a wallpaper mural that looks like an open window onto the Tuscan countryside. You’ll find plenty of kitchen-appropriate wallpaper murals for under $100 at www.DecorPlace.com.

Countertops

Replacing laminate countertops with another material can be costly. Few homeowners have the resources to install granite themselves. While replacing laminate with ceramic tile may be more practical for some savvy do-it-yourselfers, an easier option for many people is to simply paint over the laminate they already have.

Even if your laminate is scratched, gouged or faded, it’s possible to paint it. Use a good quality spackle to fill in cracks, chips, scratches or gouges. Be sure the entire surface is clean and dry, and then apply a coat of bonding primer to help ensure the paint adheres to the laminate. Next apply two or three coats of paint in your chosen color. Finally, seal the counters with polyurethane. You can get creative by stenciling designs on the surface or faux painting to make the laminate look like granite.

Fixtures

Replacing outdated faucets and sinks is one of the easiest, most cost-effective ways to update the look of your kitchen. You can find styles and designs to match every décor and taste for less than $500. For timeless style and lasting durability, stainless steel sinks are a great choice and many models are available for a few hundred dollars or even less. Visit your local home improvement store to get some ideas for what style will suit your taste and needs. These stores are also great resources for advice on installing your new faucets or sinks — or go online to find tips in DIY installation.

Appliances

If your appliances look shabby but still work well, refinishing them can be a more cost-effective alternative to replacing them. A stainless steel refrigerator can costs thousands of dollars, but you can actually put a fresh coat of stainless steel paint on your old, scratched stainless steel, or even your black or white enamel refrigerator for far less. Or, if your enamel appliances better match your kitchen décor, consider repainting them in a designer color using products specially made to bond with the appliance’s metal or enamel finish.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

2009 Design Trends Help Homeowners Relax, Connect and Reboot

Author — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 23:30:28 +0000

Moen's Level kitchen faucet features a pulldown wand to make everyday tasks easier.

(ARA) – Economic uncertainty. A changing political climate. Decreasing consumer confidence. Americans today have a lot to be anxious about — and the need for escape is greater than ever. No place is this need more evident than in the home.

According to Judy Riley, Moen’s vice president of design, the home is looked to as the primary place for comfort and serenity during times of unrest. “With decreased entertainment budgets and the growing trend toward entertaining in the home, Americans are spending a lot more time indoors,” says Riley. “Today’s home is for much more than eating and sleeping — it is an escape from the outside world.”

What are the latest trends in the modern escape home? More importantly, how can you transform your home into a safe haven with both style and smarts?

The Hub of the Home
Kitchens have come a long way in the past several years, and they continue to evolve more into the family gathering place than ever before. “The kitchen is the center of connectivity for today’s family — not only physically, but also digitally,” says Riley. “The kitchen is where we socialize, check email, surf the Web, watch television and charge everything from the cell phone to the iPod.”

With the kitchen as the home’s nucleus, it’s important to incorporate design elements that fit this specific purpose. Today’s kitchen lends itself to a more flexible, open plan than ever before, with ample counter space and wiring to support all of the family’s gadgets. It also requires more seating, from high-top bar stools to casual table dining.

As the most frequented space in the house, it’s important to incorporate items into your kitchen that fit your family’s personality — items that are both functional and fashionable. Moen’s Level kitchen faucet features sleek and contemporary lines that help to make a bold statement at the sink. Plus, the faucet’s pulldown wand simplifies everyday tasks, such as filling large pots, pitchers and vases, making your work that much simpler.

Serene and Green
Like the kitchen, today’s bathroom is taking on a variety of functions, acting as a setting for both wellness and rejuvenation. Consumers aim to achieve a peaceful environment by staying conscious of their impact on the environment and considering potential energy and cost savings in the bath.

Green has become part of the dialogue for homeowners as they weigh product features and functions, with many seeking to understand a product’s impact on the environment before making a purchase. “Although consumers want to do their part to be green, they aren’t willing to sacrifice a product’s performance to do so,” Riley says. “For example, they might want a low-flow showerhead, but not a weak shower experience.”

Moen’s Envi Eco-Performance showerhead takes both of these desires into consideration. With three unique spray settings and a flow rate of 1.75 gallons per minute (gpm) — 30 percent less than the industry standard 2.5 gpm — homeowners can have a guilt-free, superior shower experience every day. Modified spray formers increase the velocity of water streams hitting the body, which allows Envi to treat users to a full, satisfying and relaxing spray — all while saving water. “Achieving both a greener and more relaxing shower has never been easier,” says Riley.

Party Central
Entertaining and dining are coming home this year, and spaces need to be adaptable in order to accommodate multiple functions and different types of get-togethers. Transforming products, such as a dining room table that rises to bar height and expands for entertaining, like the Lexington Zacara Movida Bistro Table, gives an ordinary object a greater purpose. It’s suitable for both family meals and celebrations at the lower height with a leaf extension in place, and can also serve well for a wine tasting, cocktail party or a night of poker when set higher and more bistro-like. “Flexibility within the home allows you to create a variety of moods and settings for entertaining,” says Riley. “The goal is to be able to easily transition from casual to formal, while maintaining a style and comfort level that’s suitable for each occasion.”

What will tomorrow bring for your home? By incorporating 2009’s best trends into your living space, you can ensure it remains your refuge for years to come.

For more information on Moen’s Level kitchen collection or its new Envi Eco-Performance showerhead, visit www.moen.com or call (800) BUY-MOEN or (800) 289-6636.

Courtesy of ARAcontent