Helping You With The Most Valuable Project In Your Home
The kitchen is one of the most essential rooms in your home. You want these spaces to be comfortable and welcoming while reflecting the needs of your lifestyle and personality.
This lens focuses on the essentials of Kitchen Design. For the homeowner this is a valuable source of what to look for in your design and designer to provide you with an educated look at your large project.
With 5 years in the Kitchen Design field I will share my expertise in design, common mistakes, what to avoid and how to find the best value for your money.
I will expose the Kitchen Design industry so you get the best value for your project by providing price points for wood species, upgrades and the hidden costs
I will also point out the upgrades that I recommend spending your money on
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Choosing Cabinets Is Only A Tiny Fraction Of Kitchen Design
Choosing the cabinets is the easiest part of the overall project.Please view the checklist below and bring this with you to your design consultation to make sure every topic is discussed and incorporated into your final design
Elements To Your Kitchen Design Project
- New Construction, Re-Design or Remodel?
- Make A Thorough List Of What You Love About Your Current Kitchen
- Make A Thorough List Of What You Hate About Your Current Kitchen
- Know Your New Or Existing Appliances Before Design. Include Specification Sheets Or Have Complete Measurements Of Each Appliance
- Have Your New Sink and Faucet Chosen Before The Design Process
- Know Beforehand How Many Drawers You Need or Want In Your New Kitchen
- Make Sure Your Designer Covers Door Swings Of Each Cabinet With You
- Make Sure You Are Not Oversold. See Section On Custom Cabinets Below
Design Related Lenses by Amandaquerque
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Interior Design Made Simple
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Interior Design has always been my passion. I am obsessed with the history of it and focus on bringing everyone's individual taste into the home with any size budget (even none!) My focus has previously been Kitchen Design and I strive to provide the...
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Door Hardware
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Add value at discount prices! Satin nickel, oil rubbed bronze and more! Something as simple as door hardware can easily change the look of your home. As a real estate investor, I can never find a better price or selection as I do on eBay. Especiall...
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Bedding and Bed Sets
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The fastest way to change the look of your bedroom is changing your bedroom set. Change it with the season or just when you feel like it. A new bedroom set enhances your way of life in a cost effective way.
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Cabinet Hardware
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Cabinet hardware is the fastest and easiest way to add appeal and an updated look to your kitchen and bathroom! Scroll down for the best in discount cabinet hardware and add your link!
Kitchen Design Literature
Design Ideas for Kitchens (Design Ideas)
Amazon Price: $7.49 (as of 10/11/2008)
Kitchen Design Guide (Better Homes and Gardens)
Amazon Price: $13.57 (as of 10/11/2008)
The Smart Approach to Kitchen Design, Third Edition (Smart Approach)
Amazon Price: $14.93 (as of 10/11/2008)
Classic Kitchen Style: The Essential Handbook for a Timeless Design
Amazon Price: $11.55 (as of 10/11/2008)
Great Kitchens: Design Ideas from America's Top Chefs
Amazon Price: $18.45 (as of 10/11/2008)
Kitchen Design Inspiration From Flickr
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lantlivsdrommar.blog...
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Cote Sud
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Reputable Kitchen Design Links
- NKBA - National Kitchen and Bath Association
- The kitchen & bath are the most essential rooms in your home. You want these spaces to be comfortable and welcoming while reflecting the needs of your lifestyle and personality. From choosing a designer to picking out colors, the NKBA is your source for design ideas, expert remodeling tips and advice.
- Kitchen cabinets, design, remodeling from Kitchen Tune-Up | Kitchen Tune Up
- Specializing in kitchen cabinet refacing, design and remodeling, Kitchen Tune-Up is a national franchise system started in 1988.
- HGTV Kitchen Design
- Ideas and video for designer kitchens, including kitchen backsplashes and countertops.
- Kitchens.com
- View photos of dozens of kitchen design projects, get remodeling ideas and information on products, countertops and cabinets.
Cabinet Installation Videos On YouTube
Have A Kitchen Design Question? Feedback?
If you have a question, someone else may have the same one! Post it here and I will post a public answer or feel free to contact me with any question you may have!
Discount Quality Cabinet Hardware on eBay
Quality cabinet hardware can be found at an extreme fraction of the cost that cabinet showrooms will sell you.
No matter what the scope or budget of your project, and in any project I am involved in. We always search for the desired hardware on eBay.
It could save hundreds of dollars of your overall project cost
Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand by
NKBA Kitchen Design Standards and Guidelines
The National Kitchen and Bath Association sets the standard for the highest level of kitchen design service.The NKBA is your source for design ideas, expert remodeling tips and advice
Checking your kitchen remodel project against these standards will provide you with the highest quality in design
NKBA Kitchen Planning Guidelines With Access Standards
Custom Cabinets vs. Semi-Custom Cabinets
You hear it often..."I have Custom Cabinets" but what are they really?Custom Cabinets are featured by cabinet manufacturers that can build anything you want. In my experience, this is a service that is rarely needed.
Most semi-custom cabinet companies work in 3 inch increments. You can make a cabinet 3 inches deeper to add effect or 3 inches wider or narrower to achieve a look.
Custom cabinet companies can work out of that 3 inch guideline by making them any size. They can also produce any color as with semi-custom, you get a choice of what is already produced.
The main difference is price. Custom cabinets are typically 50 percent higher in cost then semi-custom so you really have to have that special color or size to justify that cost.
Quality? Typically the exact same. So what are you really paying for?
Make sure that when you seek cabinets and you do not need anything obscure that your designer is not quoting you from a full custom cabinet line.
Semi-custom is typically a perfect choice for 90% of consumers
Are Custom Cabinets A Waste Of Money?
Common Wood Species, Cabinet Selections, Price Points and Hidden Costs
Below are sections on the most commonly used wood species in cabinet doors. If you want information on another style not listed, simple contact me with any questions.Price Point Scale $ - $$$$$
Price Points Reflect Wood Species Only
Add $$ For Each Specialty Door Style and Finish:
Adding Glaze To Your Cabinet Adds $$
Using A Door Style With Raised Molding Adds $$$
Using A Door Style With Mitered Corners Adds $$
Other Hidden Costs:
Kitchens will cost a lot more if you choose to add certain features, so if you are looking to stay within a certain budget, think about what you REALLY need and keep the prices below in mind when you add certain features:
(Prices are typical and average, each cabinet manufacturer will have a different cost)
Each Lazy Susan - $1000.00
Each Pull Out Drawer - $50 - $75
Each Drawer Organizer - $50
Crown Molding - $500 - $2000
Each Matching Door Side Panel - $150
All Plywood Construction - $100 - $200 Per Cabinet
Items I Recommended Upgrading and Costs:
These items and upgrades below are ones I always recommended
Upgrade to Dovetail Drawers - $50 - $75 Per Cabinet With Drawers
Flush Finished Ends For Exposed Cabinets - $100 Each (This is more cost effective than getting the sides covered with matching doors)
Cherry Wood Cabinets
Cherry may contain some sapwood (white wood from the outer section of a log). Grain and color are matched to form a reasonable blend. Exposure to light causes cherry to darken with age, revealing a deep reddish brown tone. Gum pockets are a natural characteristic of cherry. Natural cherry darkens into a beautiful red tone. Cherry is not recommended in kitchens with patches of direct sunlight.Price Point - $$$$$
Maple Wood Cabinets
Maple is a light brown to creamy tan wood with a subtle grain pattern and is suitable for natural finish as well as light to dark stains. Some mineral is acceptable. Maple will lighten or "yellow" over time with exposure to light.Price Point - $$$
Oak Wood Cabinets
A tight open grained wood with light brown to greenish gray color tones. Pin knots and burl are allowed. Not selected for color. Panel rips are arranged to form a reasonable blend of grain matching and color tones. Oak cabinets are often considered "out-dated" and are not recommended for homes that will be sold in the near futurePrice Point - $
Quarter Sawn Oak Cabinets
Quartersawn is different from plainsawn only in the way it is cut at the sawmill. Quartersawn is cut radially to the rings or parallel to the rays and produces an edge-grained appearance and is especially suited for reproductions of furniture or cabinetry. Quartersawn oak is a little more expensive than traditional oak, however the look is completely different and is highly suited for a mission style decorPrice Point - $$$
Alder Wood Cabinets
Alder is a soft wood and is currently in high style. Alder will darken slightly over time and light exposure. Reddish-brown to pale yellow wood with soft, straight grain, even texture, and a subtle figure. Alder will have small knots, under 1/4" diameter, and backs of doors and drawer fronts. Plywood has mostly closed knots of various sizes.Price Point - $$$
Hickory Wood Cabinets
A dense, tough, coarse-textured wood with white sapwood and reddish-brown heartwood. The color and graining patterns will have variations from black to brown in the heartwood to yellow in the sapwood. Certain stains will amplify this effect. The finished look of a hickory kitchen is usually described as "Rustic", "Wild", or "Natural". Hickory will only lighten slightly over time.Price Point - $$
MDF and Thermofoil Cabinet Doors
MDF (Medium Density Fiberboard) is a material used for inside panels of painted cabinets or wrapped in thermofoil to give the cabinets a smooth color and texture. MDF consists of wood pulp and glue formed into sheet goods by high pressure. It is heavy and strong. If you choose Thermofoil cabinets, be sure your designer adds heat shields around the stove for protection. These are typically available in white or ivoryPrice Point - $ - $$
Painted Cabinet Doors
Painted cabinet doors are typically carry the highest cost of all selections, however you can achieve a unique look. Painted doors are typically made of a hardwood like beech or maple and often have a MDF center panel for a smooth look. Distressed style cabinets always feature a wood center panel, which adds to the cost.Price Point - $$$$$
Sample Door Styles
Cabinet Hardware Lots On eBay
Quality cabinet hardware can be found at an extreme fraction of the cost that cabinet showrooms will sell you.
No matter what the scope or budget of your project, and in any project I am involved in. We always search for the desired hardware on eBay.
It could save hundreds of dollars of your overall project cost
Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand byCountertops - The Finishing Touch Of Your Kitchen Design
There are so many choices out there for countertops...so how do you choose?Do you want a natural stone? Or a stone look that requires no maintenance?
Are you aware of the advancements in Laminate countertops?
Do you like the smooth cleanlined look of corian? Are you aware of the maintenance?
Check into all of the lenses below to help you make a decision on a countertop and find a distributer near you.
These lenses explore the pros and cons of each product type, price points and more!
Countertop Lenses by Amandaquerque
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Corian Countertops
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No matter what your style-or lifestyle-there are a lot of possibilities with Corian®. DuPont Corian® solid surfaces can be defined and interpreted in many ways. Our customers tell us we've developed quite a personality. Colorful. Fun. Versatile. Sty...
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Silestone Countertops
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The Cosentino tradition began 70 years ago in Almeria, Spain, where the Cosentino family began operations in the stone industry. Sixty years later, the advent of the natural quartz surfacing industry added a new dimension to the company and would eve...
The Most Common Mistakes In Kitchen Design and How To Avoid Them
No matter the level of experience or trust in your designer, it pays to be aware of the most common mistakes in kitchen design and how to avoid them The Pesky Over The Refrigerator Cabinet
Before you go into any design project...keep this in mindThere are NO Standard Size Refrigerators
Ok..there are, however not as common in new kitchen remodels
With that in mind, we explore the over the refer cabinet. These cabinets come in many heights, however most people would like for the cabinet to fit as close to the top of the refrigerator as possible.
When achieving a design layout, clients often don't know their refrigerator measurements or plan to buy a new one.
Never order cabinets until you have selected your final refrigerator and have a specification sheet in hand
It sounds common sense, however I have seen the mistake many many times. Ordering a cabinet that is too short, or worse, too tall for the refrigerator. This will result in a re-order which can take weeks and weeks and the installer will almost never install the cabinets without all of them in hand.
If your designer tells you "We will just order the shorter cabinet to be safe". Say NO. This will result in a possible space in your kitchen which will be an eyesore
The 96" Tall Cabinet and the 8' Ceiling
An 8 foot tall cabinet will NOT FIT into your 8 foot tall ceiling height
Another mistake that can cause a re-order or more cost for your installer to cut off the toe-kick
It will not fit because you can not stand it up
This is a detrimental mistake. Most cabinet companies make a removable toe-kick standard however...
Some cabinet manufacturers require that the removable toe-kick be specified in the order
So if you are trying to pack a 96" tall cabinet run with 96" tall ceilings (which looks fantastic by the way)....Make sure the removable toe-kick gets specified in the order to avoid a costly mistake!
Staggered Cabinets And Crown Molding
The problem when you stagger your cabinets, the opposing cabinets MUST be ordered at 15" deep instead of the standard 12" deep to achieve a finished look
Installing crown on staggered cabinets of the same depth to me looks terrible and looks like an afterthought.
Below are some examples of the different looks so you can make your own opinion
Example of crown molding where installer has made attempt to wrap on same depth cabinet
Another attempt to me looks choppy and unfinished
Last example of crown molding that just has no place to go
A finished project which I call the "right way". Opposing cabinets are 3" deeper than the others giving the crown molding something to "run in to"
A rendered example of cabinets designed correctly
Custom Appliance Panels
This one is short and simple. Don't ever trust the designer to pull the proper specification sheet for your appliances. Whether it is for your dishwasher or refrigerator, make sure you bring the exact specification sheet for your appliance.Appliance panels are very expensive and replacing them can be very costly.
Often when you sign a final design, you the client are responsible for the final order of the appliance panels
Do your homework and make sure the order matches your appliance specification sheet before placing the final order
Faucet Extensions
This is a VERY common mistake that doesn't cost a whole lot of $$$ but what it does cost is timeWhen you order a new faucet and are installing it on a new granite, stone or solid surface countertop, ESPECIALLY with an undermount sink, make sure you order the "Faucet Extension"
Most faucets are made for standard 1 1/2" countertop thickness, however some countertop materials are thicker making your faucet too short.
So simply, just make sure you find out if you need to order that one little part to finish your kitchen project on time!
