Articles about kitchens and kitchen design, of interest to homeowners. Get kitchen ideas to add both personality and practicality!
Kitchens and baths are the most important, the most expensive and the most complicated rooms to remodel in a home. These rooms where families spend so much of their time merit attention because they have to be functional and pleasant. Remodeling an outdated kitchen or bathroom is not only a smart investment, but will also bring your family more comfort than most any other home improvement.
This guide will review the many functions of kitchens. The goal is to open your mind to all possibilities so that you ultimately realize the full potential of your new kitchen.
Years ago, kitchens were considered messy areas for messy work and were hidden away from the rest of the house. Often cramped and plain, it's no wonder take-out and delivered food have become such a big thing! Attitudes about kitchens have been changing steadily. Each decade, we find we are adding more functions and more style to kitchens.
Nothing compares to tile for adding personality and practicality to a home. The results are immediate, the effects can be dramatic, and it is often inexpensive. But as with all home improvements, care must be taken to assure that each project turns out to be an asset to the property.
Q: I am installing a new stovetop and prefer a downdraft venting system. What is a good CFM rating for a kitchen vent system? I hate kitchen grease and odors all over my house, so I want a really effective vent system.
Here are some thoughts about Feng Shui in the kitchen.
People who remodel their kitchens often breeze past one of the most important concerns: the lighting. It's a common oversight because lighting technology isn't well understood. Homeowners mistakenly believe that they have to forego adequate lighting in their kitchen, in order to use it in a contemporary way. The truth is that with good design, common sense, and some of the latest lighting technology, your kitchen can remain the center of life in your house while providing plenty of light for your work.
Kitchen remodeling is cooking! It ranks among the most popular remodeling projects each year, as kitchens have become the functional and social hubs for many families. Good kitchen design has become more important than ever. The first element in design is the one that is the most fun for homeowners. It's exploring the many options you have when redoing a kitchen. In this stage, look at magazines, show rooms, builders' model homes and the homes of neighbors.
Q: I am looking for information on how to remodel the countertops in my kitchen. Could you provide me with step-by-step instructions on how to do tile countertops? I am also going to refinish the cabinets in our kitchen. I already have the stain picked out. What are the correct steps in doing this project?
The most important role of design is to make sure the project meets as many functional needs as possible. Therefore, the first step in designing your kitchen should be to list the things you want this room to do for you. Then brainstorm around these central uses. Having these two steps completed before you contact your remodeling professional will get your project off to a good start.
Years ago, the kitchen was considered a room for messy work and was hidden away from the rest of the house. Attitudes about kitchens have been changing. We are adding more functions and more style to kitchens, which are becoming hubs for modern families. As a result, kitchen remodeling ranks among the most popular projects each year.
Q: I would like to enlarge my kitchen by bumping out the exterior wall. How would the floor joists from the floor above be supported now that there is no structural wall for them to sit on?
I understand some sort of beam would be required. Would it be as simple as replacing the rim joist with a beam and then hanging the joists on joist hangers?
A modern kitchen serves as an ideal hub for the home. Whereas kitchens were once private places solely for food preparation and dishwashing, they are now often well lit, open spaces used for everything from entertaining to surfing the net. While nearly everyone would like an up-to-date, multi-purpose kitchen, many are overwhelmed by the prospect of major remodeling.
Kitchen remodeling ranks among the most popular remodeling projects each year, as kitchens have become the functional and social hubs for many families. Almost every kitchen has a design flaw or something that can be changed to make the space more workable. However, no challenge is quite as difficult as reworking a small kitchen space. If you are on a tight budget, have building restrictions, or own a condominium where you must work with the space allotted, there are options that can help transform your kitchen. Use the following tips as a guide.
This information can clarify and help answer some questions about countertops.
If you're looking to buy new countertops, the material you choose will depend on your budget and the appearance and serviceable qualities you want.
Laminate countertops can be repaired and resurfaced at a fraction of the cost of replacement.
Countertops are made from materials that are durable and, in most cases, easy to maintain. Most combine a base of plywood or particleboard that spans across the top of a cabinet and the finish surface material.
Q: I want to keep my cultured marble countertops because they are in good condition, but I want to change the color from tan to white. What kind of a contractor does this?
This information can clarify and help answer some questions about installing tile countertops.
Q: I am trying to remodel my kitchen into a vintage 1950's style. Our upper cabinets are a red oak. I stripped the bottom cabinets, which were painted white and my husband wants them left wood tone. They are pine. He also wants wood floors, but I wonder how three wood tones would look in an otherwise white kitchen?
Solid materials, including stainless steel, man-made products such as Corian and wood can be used for entire countertops. Sometimes solid materials are installed on just an island or other limited area in a kitchen with mostly tile or laminate countertops, for example, to provide a smooth surface for rolling dough or chopping.
Refinishing old, damaged or out-of-date bathtubs and other plumbing fixtures, tile and plastic laminate counter tops is the most economical and efficient way to revitalize your kitchen or bathroom, at a mere fraction of the cost of replacement. Replacement involves not only the cost of the new fixture, but also the time and money spent replacing the wall, tile, wallboard, tile floor and subfloor, plus pipes and hardware which are damaged during the removal of the tub.
Q: I am getting ready to totally remodel my kitchen and would like some advice about incorporating furniture into my kitchen design. Should I buy ready made furniture or have it custom built to fit the area in the design?
Q: Our house was built in the 70's, and I'd really like to change the look of my kitchen. The cabinets, although in good, solid condition, look dark and dated. What are my options?
Q: What is the difference in cost and quality between brand names and custom made cabinets?
You need to clean your over-the-stove vent hood periodically. Here are some pointers.