The kitchen is the heart and soul of a house. If you keep statistics of your waking hours when at home, you will likely find that you and many members of your family spend more time in this room than in any other in the house. Here are some things to consider about cabinets, islands and the function of your kitchen.
The National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) has numerous kitchen design books and manuals. The primary one is 340 pages long! It must have 200 or more design ideas. Here are 20 ideas when designing a kitchen that I think are important.
If you are not currently disabled, but are past the age of 60, it might be a good idea to start thinking of what you would do in your kitchen in the event you start to lose your motor skills. The simplest tasks become tough or impossible! It will be worth your time and effort to explore all of the design options, called universal design, that will allow you to use a current kitchen if you are fully capable, but yet change it slightly to accommodate a person who becomes partially disabled.
The key to building and or remodeling a kitchen that will be barrier free lies in the planning and design phase. You should attempt to talk with physical therapists and occupational therapists who work to rehabilitate people who become disabled. They can be found in almost every major hospital and can point you in the direction of people who work in this field each and every day. Often they will be more than happy to share with you tips and the latest barrier-free suggestions/products in the marketplace.
Stencils are an inexpensive and impressive way to embellish many surfaces. Applying stencils to kitchen countertops and continuing the design onto the backsplash is a creative way to customize your kitchen. Be sure to seal your stenciling with at least 3 coats of clear urethane to protect the design for years to come.
From local craft stores to the Internet, stencil patterns can be found anywhere in a variety of shapes, sizes and designs. Here is a list of some well-known stencil companies.
The lives of many people are centered around television entertainment centers. All you have to do is observe my younger kids. Add to that the rich sound you get from compact discs and the clear picture you get using DVDs and it is easy to understand why entertainment centers are fast becoming the focal point of many American homes. How does the cabinetry in these units compare with kitchen cabinets?
Call the following manufacturers if you would like to receive some beautiful color literature illustrating all the colors, patterns, styles, etc. of plastic laminate and edge treatments. Be sure to ask for both pieces of literature. In almost all instances, they will tell you the location of their closest dealer.
Do you know someone who hasn't experienced or seen plastic laminate, especially in countertops? I can't think of a soul. Plastic laminate counters dominated the kitchen countertop market for years. They had virtually no competition. They are still immensely popular today, as they offer a durable surface which is quite affordable. Plastic laminate can also offer a huge return on investment. Recent published figures show that a minor kitchen remodeling job offers a 98 percent return on your remodeling dollar. A minor kitchen remodeling job almost always includes a new plastic laminate countertop.
While plastic laminate appears to be the wonder material, it requires care to keep it looking like new. As long as you follow a few easy steps, your laminate will look great for years to come. Pay particular attention to soaps. I was amazed at what I learned while researching this topic!
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