Deck the Halls.... Kitchen & Baths too !

In a year like 2020 we all need a little extra Holiday Cheer & Happiness!

After you've climbed the ladders to decorate outside, the tree is trimmed, and the stockings are hung by the fire with care, make sure to add a dash of holiday charm to the hub of your house - the Kitchen.

The Kitchen is the heart of your home where hopefully you'll be spending a lot of time this Holiday season perhaps baking Christmas goodies or catching up with loved ones even if it is on Zoom, so why not make it a little Merrier and Brighter !

Carve out a little countertop space and set up a warm beverage station with coffee, tea, hot chocolate or other beverages of choice. Set out a tray of festive mugs and make a warm inviting place for everyone to help themselves.

While you're at it....set out a bowl or two of everyone's favorite Holiday treats!

Add a little fresh greenery to bring that Christmas Tree smell into the kitchen.  Hang some garland with pinecones and lights or small holiday decorations over your windows.  You can also hang some wreaths from your cabinets or windows too.

And don't forget your kitchen table!  Put out your best Holiday linens, candles, and proudly display your homemade Gingerbread House as a whimsical centerpiece!

Get creative and leave us a comment on what special way you decorated your kitchen or bath this year.  

HAPPY HOLIDAYS from Kitchen Concepts - enjoy  😊🎁

Road Trip?? Your Wish is Granted...or should we say Granite !!

Can you feel the excitement?  

You finally decided to give your kitchen a much needed makeover.  

You've decided on beautiful new cabinetry and complimentary flooring and now it is time to choose a countertop.  You like a few granite (or quartz) samples that were in your kitchen designer's showroom, but they don't really give you the full picture of what your countertop will look like.

Why not take a road trip to a nearby granite warehouse and pick out your own slab !

There is something magical about walking around a granite warehouse, looking at all the different slabs with their unique colors, patterns & veining.

Granite (and Quartz) feature amazing patterns and you can decide which area of the slab you want to show more (or less) of.  Professionals will guide you to minimize waste and showcase the best parts of your stone.

Here are a few tips to make your trip a successful one !

Remember to bring samples and measurements.  You'll want to bring a cabinet door sample (or a drawer), a sample of your flooring and maybe your paint samples if possible to help you decide which slab will pull everything all together to complete your beautiful new look.  It may also be helpful to know the size and shape of your sink and where the faucet should go.  Again, there are professionals on hand to help and guide you during your visit.

Indoor vs Outdoor slab yards.  Lighting makes a difference !  

If you visit an indoor warehouse, the weather and time of day won't affect your visit.  However, warehouse indoor lighting could distort the color of the stone.  If you fall in love with a particular stone, it may be a good idea to get sample of it and bring it home to see how it looks in your kitchen.

When visiting an outdoor warehouse be sure to go on a cloudy day.  However it is important not to go on a cloudy day after it has rained.  Natural stone is porous and will absorb water making the stone appear darker than it actually is.  Conversely, visiting on a sunny day may wash out the colors and natural patterns in the stone.  Again, a good idea if you find a stone that you like is to bring home a sample and see how it looks in your house.

Lastly, if you find a stone (or two) that you like put it on hold!  Putting a slab on hold will insure the particular stone you picked will be available when you are ready to complete your project.

So go for a road trip and have fun looking for that perfect stone. 

It may seem a little overwhelming but well worth the trip !

Home Office / Remote Learning Space

During these crazy times of living in the Covid-19 pandemic, many of us are working or learning from home and suddenly or unexpectedly need to set up a Home Office or Remote Learning Space.

So how do you go about setting one up?

First you need to pick a space.  

A lot of people think it would be great to set up their laptop and work from their bed, kitchen table or even on the couch using the coffee table as a desk!  But you'll probably be more productive and learn more if you set up a proper work station. Ideally an empty or unused room would be a great place to set up shop, but not everyone has an extra room available.  You may have to get creative when trying to find the right work station spot.  Look for space in the corner of a room, perhaps there is a large closet that can be converted into a work station, or finish off a portion of the basement?  A little imagination and rearranging is all it takes to find the perfect location.

Get a proper desk and chair !

Just like your regular office or school a proper desk and chair are essential to your comfort and ability to work and learn. You certainly don't want to use your kitchen counters or dining room table as a desk and have to work around your computer every time you make a meal.  Once you have picked out where your work space will be, it's time to look for a desk that will fit in the area and meet your needs.  You can even have one that hangs on the wall and folds up when you're done for the day!

And don't forget to invest in a comfortable chair, after all you'll be spending a good part of your day sitting in it.  When I first started working from home I used a folding chair (that didn't last long), then tried a kitchen chair with pillows and cushions then quickly realized that I needed to find a chair that I could adjust up and down and had a lumbar support.  My back thanks me and I'm now able to sit comfortably and work for long periods of time.

Organize Organize Organize !

Just like school or your desk in the office you'll have various papers, files, pens, pencils, books or notebooks and other supplies that you'll need in order to learn or do your job successfully.  You'll want to be sure everything is handy and neatly stored and organized.  Think both vertically and horizontally for storage solutions, perhaps using a nearby bookcase or shelves for storage or a small cubby system with bins.  And don't forget to neatly tie any cords for your computer, printer, charging devices etc. so that they are out of the way and you're not tripping over them. Like Mom always said..."Everything has a place and put everything in it's place".

A few miscellaneous tips:

If you are unable to set up your home office or learning center in a separate room, you might want to consider using a privacy divider or hanging a curtain to separate you and your work space from the rest of the house. This also provides a great backdrop for when you're on your Zoom conferences!

Try to get as much natural light into your work space as possible and use proper lighting to reduce glare on your desk and computer screen to reduce eye strain which may cause headaches and irritability.

Let us know if these tips were helpful so you are able to successfully get off on the right foot to comfortably and safely work and learn from home.....welcome to.....

 

Larder - What is it?

What is a Larder you ask??  Good question....I was asking myself the same thing !

A traditional Larder is a cool room or area for storing food prior to use.  Originally it was where raw meat was Larded (covered in fat) to be preserved.  Larders were commonplace in houses before the use of refrigerators.

These days a Larder is more commonly known as a Pantry.

They are available in all shapes & sizes depending on your storage needs.

Adding a free standing Larder/Pantry Cabinet in your kitchen can increase your storage capacity, be more organized, and free up some wall cabinet space for artwork or perhaps some floating shelving.

Try adding a painted Larder/Pantry for a splash of color !





The best way to maximize your kitchen space would be to have a walk-in Larder/Pantry if you have space available. Use pull out drawers and a variety of shelving to customize your pantry to fit your needs. It can be hidden behind solid doors or make it feel like part of the kitchen by using frosted sliding doors.





Do you have a Larder/Pantry?  What do you keep in it?

Share your feedback with us!

Shiny & Bright....or Not??

There are a lot of decisions that go into a kitchen or bath remodel including the finish on your new counter or vanity top.  

Should you go with a beautiful High Gloss finish or maybe a trendy just as beautiful Matte (or Honed) finish?  Decisions....Decisions !  Your countertop finish can make a big difference in how your countertop looks, feels, and performs.  But it's all a matter of personal preference.

If you have a kitchen or bath with a lot of light fixtures or is very bright you may want to consider a matte finish for your countertops (and cabinets?).  A matte finish is much less reflective and will create a soft satiny look.  It is subtler and gives your stone a more natural look.  It slightly mutes the stones natural color.  But keep in mind that a matte finish absorbs the light and makes spaces feel smaller - not larger.

If, on the other hand, your kitchen or bath is on the smaller side, you might want to consider a High Gloss finish.  A High Gloss finish will reflect the light and make spaces look and feel larger.  A polished stone brings out its luxurious color and beauty creating a highly reflective finish and highlights the colors and patterns of the stone.  It will also be less porous than a matte finish, very smooth and easier to clean, prevent stains and won't need to be resealed as often.  But because it is so reflective it can be tougher to clean, leaving streaks, smudges and will shows scratches and accentuates flaws in the stone.

A Honed (matte) finish won't show scratches and will conceal flaws and natural imperfections.  But it is also more porous, more susceptible to staining, and a little more difficult to heavily clean and maintain.  A matte finish tends to conceal messes which could lead to oil, grease and other materials building up over time requiring tougher cleaning if they are left too long.  It will also require more frequent resealing.  

But not matter what finish you decide on, you should ALWAYS seal your Granite !!

A little tip:  Using microfiber cloths to clean your matte finish countertops and cabinets won't scratch and keeps them looking clean!

Talk to your Kitchen Design expert to determine the right finish for your project !

Kitchens that will have people "Green" with envy !

With Saint Patrick's Day fast approaching I thought it might be fun to talk a little about the color GREEN and the beauty it can bring to your kitchen.

The color green is the color of life! It can give you a sense of renewal and energy.  And what better place to bring life and energy into than your kitchen!

A lot of people think of their grandparents avocado colored stoves and refrigerators when you mention using the color green in the kitchen.  But adding green to your kitchen can bring a vibrant modern look that you will love for years to come.

Your Irish eyes will be smiling every day if you go bold with jewel-toned cabinetry like emerald green.

  

Not quite that daring?  Maybe a little more warm inviting choice for you would be green/gray cabinetry.  It adds some green yet is still very neutral.

Still "green around the gills" at the thought of changing your cabinetry but still would like to add a splash of green?  How about a "Backsplash" of green?  A soft green tile adds just the right touch of green to this beautiful kitchen.

You don't have to spend a lot of "Green" to bring some green into your kitchen. Perhaps you have a "Green Thumb" and want to showcase your gardening prowess?  Adding plants and greenery to your kitchen adds color and life.

So off to "Greener Pastures" and a "Greener" Kitchen this Saint Patrick's Day !

Ins and Outs in 2020

Like Heidi Klum would say "One day you're in, the next day you're out"!

Sleek, simplistic kitchens seem to be trending to start the new decade. " Out" are ornate cabinetry and over designed kitchens.  "In" are flat panel cabinets with minimal detailing.  We are seeing less and less crown molding being used and even cabinetry without handles or pulls all in an effort to keep the kitchen looking clean and simple.




"Out" is the All White sterile looking kitchen.  "In" is adding an expected pop of color.  Popular painted cabinet colors trending in 2020 are Gray, Green and Blue.  You can also add a pop of color with a colored appliance (stove or stove hood), flooring, colored chairs and window treatments.  Also consider the ceiling as a 5th wall and don't be afraid to add a little color.  Have an island with a colored cabinet and different countertop than the rest of your kitchen.  Have fun experimenting to see what fun pop of color you can add to your kitchen to make it stand out.



On their way "out" are boring subway tile back splashes.  Trend"IN"g in 2020 are back splashes with different shapes, bold colors, glass or custom made back splashes.  Add interesting texture to your kitchen with a metal back splash or a slab of stone.  Set your kitchen apart with a back splash statement!




Hopefully we've inspired you to make some bold new choices when remodeling your "out"-dated kitchen.  Share a story or a picture of your trendy new 2020 kitchen !