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Thinking about kitchen remodeling? Want to reface kitchen cabinets? Then this is a good place to start. Here you will find lots of tips, advice and help with planning, designing and buying your kitchen and kitchen cabinets.
Buying a kitchen is a major investment. To some it is the most important room in the house. Kitchen design trends are constantly changing, as are the choices of colors and materials. However, there are still some basic concepts that never change and hopefully you will find them here.
If you can’t find what you are looking for here then you should be able to find it either by using the Search box at the top of the page, or by clicking on the various links to other sites that appear on every page.
If you want to know more about just kitchen cabinets then we have also created a new Guide to Kitchen Cabinets and Kitchen Cabinet Refacing which you can find by clicking here: Guide to Kitchen Cabinets and Kitchen Cabinet Refacing.
When you are designing your new kitchen refer to these pages regularly as it will assist you with the design process and make your finished kitchen both functional and enjoyable.
And don’t just take our word for it; remember, when planning your new kitchen space, that consulting a kitchen designer or an interior designer who specializes in kitchens will enable you to get the latest advice on kitchen design ideas and guidelines. If you want to arrange a Kitchen Design Consultation visit us on our main site here: Kitchens Atlanta.
Thank you for visiting.
With so many choices in materials, appliances and accessories, sometimes it can be difficult to know where to start when choosing the components that make up your new kitchen.
A good designer should be able to point you in the right direction and sites such as this can give you some good hints, tips and ideas, but ultimately the choice of kitchen style is entirely up to you.
If you have any questions about kitchen design that are not covered in these pages then give us a call!
Planning
Obviously, planning is … (read more)
The next big step in the kitchen planning process is deciding what shape the kitchen will be, and determining who will use the kitchen and how often.
Although deciding on the shape seems restrictive, it actually narrows down the possibilities and makes the planning easier. The goal on deciding on a shape it to make your kitchen as efficient as possible, with the food preparation, sink and cooking areas close together. A good rule of thumb is to keep a piece of countertop between the sink and cooktop on which to prepare … (read more)
Think about what happens to your food and you will get a good idea how an efficient kitchen works. The steps are usually:
Purchase
Storage
Pre-preparation
Preparation
Service
Dish Washing
Bear all these in mind when planning and you won’t go far wrong. For example, put the fridge near the door where you bring in the shopping (to save you walking across the kitchen each time), put the baking supplies in a cupboard near the oven, the clean-up materials under the sink and snack items near the … (read more)
Your budget will normally dictate your choice of products but there are other considerations you need to take into account when working out how much your new kitchen is going to cost.
Prices vary quite a lot, so the figures given below are just a guideline and, as always, shopping around is the best bet.
But work out roughly how much money you want to spend and use this figure when talking to designers and contractors.
Below are some guidelines for establishing a realistic budget.
Budget Guidelines
First of all, if you limit … (read more)
The next step in planning your new kitchen is to plan enough storage to suit your needs.
As already explained in Kitchen Shapes, different shapes of kitchens automatically provide different amounts of storage space.
Although most of us think of plain cabinets when we think of storage, there are a lot more options these days.
In this section you will find solutions to various storage problems and useful tips to make the most of even the smallest of spaces. Cabinets will be discussed in the ‘Cabinets’ section.
Below The Countertop
It is obvious … (read more)
There are so many choices where cabinets are concerned, such as the door materials, style, color, frames, etc., and so much variation in price that the whole area can be confusing at times.
Hopefully, this section should give you a good place to start.
You may also want to consider the option of having your cabinets refaced. You will be surprised at the results you can achieve by doing this, and also how inexpensive it is, especially if you can find a good deal with a reputable company.
Definitely check it out first, … (read more)
The cabinets may be the face of the kitchen but the countertops are where all the action happens. A countertop will have to cope with hot pots and pans, knives, dirt and therefore needs to be durable.
So it is usually best to make your choice based on the performance of the material and ease of maintenance, as well as the sink mounting option.
Notes on edge styles and backsplash options are given at the end of this page (click here).
The countertop choices are listed below very roughly by price … (read more)
Now you’ve chosen the design of your kitchen cabinets and worktops, the next thing is to choose the materials and the colors of your walls.
The most common materials for the kitchen walls are paint, wallpaper and tiles.
Paint
Paint is the cheapest and fastest way to transform the feeling of your kitchen, however, you need to have good surfaces to paint on (i.e. no holes or cracks which will show through the paint).
If your walls aren’t smooth enough, then you can line the walls with lining paper first (a special … (read more)
Choosing flooring is a lot like choosing countertops. Which type you choose depends on the style of your kitchen, the amount of use it will get, and the price. Each type has its advantages and disadvantages.
Vinyl, linoleum and carpet are the most comfortable underfoot. Laminate, vinyl and polyurethane-treated wood are the most durable. Stone and concrete look good and are also hard-wearing, but are also harder to clean.
Decide whether you want to install flooring under your removable appliances or around them (whichever you choose, make sure you can roll them … (read more)
A fridge is one of the most important appliances in your home, influencing your eating habits and ensuring food hygiene and taste.
Refrigerators are available with different door configurations, with either the doors side-by-side, or with one door on top of the other, or as drawers.
In a top/bottom unit the freezer can be on either the top or the bottom. In a side-by-side configuration the freezer is on one side.
Some are available as built-ins, which can be disguised to look like just another cabinet. Others are the same depth as … (read more)
Ovens are available in gas or electric, and using a number of heating methods, conventional, convection, microwaves or combination oven/microwave.
They come in many shapes, sizes and finishes. Your choice will be influenced by the design of your kitchen, the space available and what you enjoy cooking.
A single oven can be placed in a cabinet below the counter top or in a tall cabinet. A regular double oven or an conventional/microwave double oven combination will be placed in a tall cabinet.
Wall ovens are either 24, 27, or 30 inches wide.
… (read more)
One question that often comes up is, should you buy a range or a cooktop?
In short, it is really a personal choice, based on your budget, space limitations, looks, and needs.
Budget
Prices for cooktops, ovens and ranges vary a lot because the prices are changing constantly due to special offers and sales, brands are priced differently to start with, and they also depend on which of many different features they offer.
However, a separate cooktop and wall oven will always cost more than a range, and will also require electrical … (read more)
Dishwashers are a great time-saver and are also more hygienic than washing dishes by hand, due to the higher temperatures involved during the wash cycle.
There are a number of factors to consider when choosing a dishwasher, for example, unit type, how many place settings you can fit inside, control type and the number and type of wash cycles.
Unit Type
First decide on the type of unit. Dishwashers are available as freestanding (portable) or built-in (under the counter) models.
They come in two sizes, 24″ and 18″
Portable dishwashers
As the … (read more)
There are many new looks and styles for sinks that depart from the typical bowl configuration.
Newer designs include geometrically shaped sinks made from glass, and stainless steel sinks with long, narrow stream-shaped basins.
A distinctive, contemporary sink gives a stylish flair and becomes a striking attraction in your kitchen, while still remaining functional. There are just a few things to consider when selecting a kitchen sink.
Size and Shape
Sink sizes range from S to XXL, so there’s a model to fit every kitchen. If space is an issue or if … (read more)
You can cook without a hood or a vent, but moisture, grease, odors, and heat from cooking on a cooktop can damage the rest of your kitchen.
Also, steam from cooking condenses on windows and walls, and in some cases carbon monoxide from the burning of gas can build up.
A range or cooktop hood or vent will remove most if not all of the above problems.
Hood Styles
Hood choices range from basic ductless wall-mount units, to systems with lights, timers, and easy-clean surfaces.
You can buy hidden slim-line hood designs … (read more)
Furniture and accessories add the finishing touches to your kitchen and help to enhance its overall effect. Buying new accessories is the easiest way to change the look of your kitchen.
However, it is important not only to choose items that complement the style and feel of your kitchen but also ones that meet your needs.
Appliances and accessories made of stainless steel are very popular right now, such as blenders and toasters, refrigerators and pro-style oven ranges. To get the all-steel look without the price, look for steel finished appliances and … (read more)
The Boxer Plus fireplace from Harrie Leenders is available in two styles, the original with silver sides or the Boxer Black with anthracite sides. Both, of course, are the high performing fireplaces this manufacturer is known for. In fact, they claim this is the most advanced fireplace they have ever offered with the benefit of 30 years of research and development behind it. (The starting point for this design is their original ‘Boxer’, unveiled in 1980.) Built from 5mm steel, this model has an 80% efficiency rate and … (read more)
Top-rated healthy gifts
Have your friends and family been eating more and exercising less because of the holidays? Help them reverse that trend with some healthy gifts. Here’s a roundup of top products, from our experts.
For fitness buffs
Activity trackers. Exercise fanatics on your list will appreciate this gift because trackers are smarter, more accurate, and do a whole lot more than measure how much one walks. The Fitbit One is a CR Best Buy. The Nike+ FuelBand is Recommended.
Heart-rate monitor. Vigorous exercisers … (read more)
This highly efficient contemporary pellet stove offers modulating heat output in the range from 3.2 kW to 9.1 kW. Automatic start up cycle, built-in room thermostat and automatic chimney cleaning cycle make operating and maintaining the Fusion from Waterford Stanley a simple task.
Clean lines and compact design of this modern pellet stove, combined with 81% efficiency, clean burning and automatic control, bring warmth and comfort of wood heating as well as modern minimalist look.
Other key features of Fusion contemporary stove include optional remote control thermostat, 7-day programmer, 2 on/off periods … (read more)
Located in Toronto, Canada, Loft 002 is a small one-bedroom apartment with wall-to-wall views of the trendy King West area down below. Rad Design’s brief was to add some of that “trendy” King West vibe into this small scale apartment and with not much floor space to accomplish the client’s design aesthetic, their approach was to select pieces that where necessary to day to day living while at the same time adding in the coveted “Wow” factor. The colour palette was kept mostly neutral, allowing the odd … (read more)
GE dishwasher’s bottle-washing jets speed cleaning
Baby bottles that rolled under the car’s back seat, energy-drink bottles left in a gym bag over the weekend, and other artifacts from our busy lifestyles are the obvious inspiration for a new feature found in some GE dishwashers. In the top rack of select models, you can put containers with small openings, such as baby and sports bottles and other tall, narrow items, over four upright jets positioned on the right side. GE says the jets direct water deep inside the bottles during … (read more)
Morso 2B Standard is a modern wood burning stove, based on 1930s Morso Forest model. The 2B Standard wood stove has the latest combustion technology, greatly reducing smoke emissions to just 4.1 gram per hour. Its air washed glazed door offers a comfortable unobstructed view of the fire and the long, spacious firebox burns wood briquettes and logs up to 18″ long.
The 2B Standard produces up to 35,000 BTU per hour, supplying enough heat to warm up to 1000 sq. ft. at 75% burning efficiency. This radiant heat stove comes with 10 year … (read more)
What a natural beauty! This one-of-a-kind wreath is made using branches from different woods. The different species of tree and different size branch slices create a stunning effect. The slices are baked to dry them out, then glued to a wreath shape and there you have it – add a funky looking ribbon and hang it on your door. Its a rustic, back to nature Christmas! This piece would look great at the cottage or the chalet – or in the middle of the city for that … (read more)
Created by interior designer Cecconi Simone for a community of residences in Toronto, Canada, this this model interior is based on the principle of healthy and sustainable interior environments. The model occupies the ground floor of a townhouse, a long and rather narrow rectangular space. The day area is organized lengthwise and occupies the whole left side of the rectangle. The open plan space is divided into cooking area, dining area and sitting area. As the space is very narrow and in order to ensure … (read more)
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