Archive for the 'Cabinets' Category

Mar 03 2010

How to Build Kitchen Cabinets – First Things First

Published by ShreveportDesigner under Cabinets

Do you remember the old TV shows that depicts mom in the kitchen (almost 24/7) shooing the family out of the kitchen so that they won’t be in her way while she cooks their meals (which usually consist of four or five courses)? Well, times have changed dramatically and often the kitchen is the heart of the home, where the kids eat their snacks while doing homework and where friends and family gather when they all get together. If your kitchen is in terrible shape, however, you may be too embarrassed to let your friends in. If you are a do it yourselves, however, you should consider choosing the best kitchen cabinets designs for you to build.


If you know how to build kitchen cabinets or you are handy and you can take on a building project yourself, then you are in the perfect position to getting the kitchen cabinets of your dreams at a fraction of the cost of purchasing it in the store, even if you were purchasing wholesale cabinets. The great thing about choosing the best kitchen cabinets to build is that you can choose the materials that you love as well. It doesn’t matter if you love bamboo or hickory cabinets or if you want to use particle board so that you can do the project on the cap and then paint is white, or whatever color that you love, doing it yourself means that it is all about your choices.


Choosing the best kitchen cabinets is easy if you know what you love, not just the materials, but the designs as well. Before you start building your cabinets, make sure that you know the look that you are going for. You have many resources at your fingertips for finding designs that you love. You can purchase kitchen design magazines, check your local hardware or home improvement store for design ideas, watch design shows and use the Internet. If you have never built your own cabinets before, you can also use the Internet to find DIY videos or purchase books from some of the resources mentioned above.


Whether you need new kitchen cabinets for your whole kitchen or you simply need more storage space in your kitchen, a do it yourself project may be the perfect solution. Choosing the best kitchen cabinets doesn’t have to be about finding the right cabinet in stores, it can be about what you can build for yourself.

Jason Whitney writes about how to build kitchen cabinets–and more–at http://www.squidoo.com/kitchencabinetexpert

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Feb 15 2010

Tips to Make Your Any Kitchen More Colorful

Published by ShreveportDesigner under Cabinets, DIY, Interior Decorating, Kitchen Remodeling

If you’re like most families, you probably spend quite a bit of time in the kitchen. So why not make it more interesting by adding some color to the room? You probably don’t want your kitchen to be dreary and drab, but you may not be sure how to add the right touch. Consider some of these easy ways in which you can add color to your kitchen, making it go from boring to beautiful.

Add Color by Dressing Up Your Table
Dress up your kitchen table as an easy way to add color to your kitchen. Add a colorful tablecloth or placemat set, or display some colorful dishware. Add flowers in a vase or basket to the center of your wood dining table to add some instant color to the room. Try to find colors that will add some interest but also complement your kitchen’s décor.

Add Color with a Backsplash
Don’t let your kitchen backsplash be boring. Although you can always keep it simple with a neutral-colored tile or laminate, why not choose a colorful backsplash instead? You should be able to find tile and laminates for your backsplash in a variety of different colors. If you want a totally unique look, try arranging colored glass that’s been broken up in a random pattern on the wall. Whichever way you decide to go, not only will you add some color to the décor, but you’ll end up with a personalized, one-of-a-kind backsplash.

Paint an Accent Wall a Different Color
Is your kitchen painted a neutral color? Paint an accent wall a different color to add some more color to the room. Choose the wall that’s the least covered with cabinets or appliances. When you select the accent color, be sure it will work well with the rest of your kitchen’s décor. For a more subtle look, go with a matching color. But if you want the wall to really stand out, pick a color that’s complementary.

Take the Doors Off the Cabinets
Showcase your colorful dishes and other tableware by taking the doors off your kitchen cabinets. If you have neutral dishes, add some pop by painting the insides of the cabinets a contrasting color. This doesn’t mean you need to take every cabinet door off. But choose a couple of prominent cabinets about the countertops to be your “color cabinets.”

Use Window Treatments to Add Interest
Chances are, your kitchen has at least one window. Why not utilize that window area to add color? For your valance or drapes, choose a color that will really stand out in the décor. Red or purple window treatments would be a great way to add color to the room if you have, for example, a black-and-white or otherwise neutral kitchen.

You don’t need to redecorate the entire room in order to add color to your kitchen. Rather, build upon what you already have to add your own colorful touches here and there.

About the Writer….
Leon Tuberman has four decades of experience in the furniture and interior decorating industry. He owns and manages his family owned furniture store. They carry a large selection of Amish made solid oak furniture for your living room, bedroom and dining room furniture. It doesn’t matter whether you’re shopping for a dining set for your dining room or a love seat for your family room then they carry everything you need.

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Dec 21 2009

Cabinet Hardware – Switching to Steel

Published by ShreveportDesigner under Cabinets

Whether you are looking for a more modern look in the kitchen or you just want some cabinet hardware that will stand up to the abusive use of your family, you may want to consider steel.

Once you hear the name, you likely understand that steel cabinet hardware is stronger than many other pieces of hardware you would select for your home. Being a tough metal, steel hardware will be able to handle the kids running through the house hitting things against it, banging the cabinets together, and the other trials they are going to put it through.

Additionally, the silvery metal of steel is at the top of today’s trends for kitchens and cabinets, being marvelously modern pieces. If you have already purchased or are considering purchasing steel appliances, think of how well matched your kitchen will look when your cabinet hardware matches the appliances.

Before you start shopping for steel hardware, you have to make a list of what you need to get the job done right:

Type – There are many types of cabinet hardware out there. From knobs to pulls and handles, you have a few decisions to make on the type of hardware you want for your kitchen. If you are renovating, and adding these pieces on to cabinets that are already in place, you will need to go with pieces that will fit the old cabinetry unless you want to do some refinishing work.

Style – While cabinet hardware is made to be functional, these days it is just as much about décor. Look around at the other items in your kitchen and make sure the hardware pieces you are considering will suit the rest of the feel. For example, if you are going for a modern décor style, you are not going to want ornate steel hardware; you want something crisp and sleek.

Measure – If you are retrofitting new hardware on existing cabinetry, you must know what size pieces you need. If you have knobs, this is not much of a problem, as there is only one. But, if you have handles or pulls, you will have two holes that need to be lined up. Therefore, you must take a measurement of the space between those two holes. This is the same amount of space to be between the entry points on the new pulls. One smart rule of thumb is to take one of the old pieces of hardware with you and compare it to the new pieces under consideration.

Numbers – This may seem like a common sense thing, but many people forget to take an accurate count of the number of knobs and pulls they need before they leave for the store. Once they get there, they guess how many, and often get home to start installing their hardware and find out there aren’t enough pieces to complete the task. Start at one side of the room and count all of the pieces. Write this number down and take it with you.

A modern and sturdy set of steel cabinet knobs and pulls is not far away. With just a few screws and a little planning, you can have a kitchen that looks new again and is stronger than ever.

Author Jennifer Akre is an owner of a wide variety of online specialty shops that offer both products and information on how you can easily furnish and decorate your space. Whether it’s your living, bedroom, or even your deck or patio, there are many tips you can use to make your space both functional and beautiful. Today, she offers advice on how to create a fabulous kitchen area by using sleek cabinet hardware, glass cabinet knobs and steel drawer pulls.

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Dec 20 2009

Free Kitchen Cabinet Plans – A Real Help In Constructing Your Kitchen Cabinets

Published by ShreveportDesigner under Cabinets

Whether you are in the market for giving your kitchen a slightly new look or you are starting from scratch with a blank kitchen, finding free kitchen cabinet plans is a venture worth your time. The preparation and installation tips you will gain along with the pictorial inspirations are good reasons to start your kitchen cabinet planning online.

Even if you are not confident in your woodworking abilities, browsing through these free kitchen cabinet plans will give you ideas for styles and types of materials available-from the traditional solid wood to the sleek stainless steel modern kitchen cabinetry. You can also learn what is available near you from your local suppliers. In terms of planning, consulting the free kitchen cabinet plans online (just use any search engine) gives you an overview of how simplistic or complicated the whole installation process can be.

If you decide to do it yourself, you will need even more gratuitous online help in your planning. For example, have you already measured your kitchen to determine the length of the cabinets you intend to install? If so, did you remember to consider the design, usually a straight line, an “L,” or a “U”? Did you also consider the space and ease-of-installation for large and small appliances, like your refrigerator, stove, dishwasher, and even your toaster and under-cabinet electric can opener? Are you planning on including an island or not? In addition to these technical details of design, many style elements are discussed in the free plans. Do you prefer decorative or merely adequate panels? How about your preference in hardware like knobs, hinges, and slides? These pre-planning tips and other details you may not think about on your own make these free kitchen cabinet plans worthwhile.

While beginning carpenters probably won’t be creating beautiful, louvered detail work in their cabinetry and drawers, everyone can gain from perusing the free kitchen cabinet plans available online. An overview will give you great ideas for your future doors, drawers, layout design, types of material available, and installation tips. Only, be sure your dream design comes from a trusted expert with credibility and proven experience since construction materials are costly. Be sure to get free kitchen cabinet plans from experts. There are some who provide support if you have any questions or encounter any problems in following their plans. Or you may want to hire an expert either to help you install or to consult with on the soundness of these free kitchen cabinet plans.

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Dec 19 2009

Hinges – There Are A Lot of Options, So Make Sure You Know What to Buy

Published by ShreveportDesigner under Cabinets

One of the most misunderstood cabinet hardware selections are hinges and if you, like most people, think there are only one or two different kinds available, think again.

Really, there are tons of different hinges to choose from that you, or a builder, can install on your cabinetry. It is important to get the right ones for not only aesthetic purposes, but so that things operate to point. Like, when you reach to open that cabinet, you want it to open in a smooth, swift motion. So, to make sure you get the right ones, here is a quick and easy guide into the world of this interesting hardware option.

The first and most basic type of hinges that are out there are surface mounted ones. They are for cabinets that have a face frame where both side of the hinge will be visible from the front of the cabinet. They are available in different style from those that are plain to others that have a highly decorative, ornamental feel.

Another type of hinges available are those of the semi-concealed variety. They are built for cabinets with a face frame where half the fixture is visible on the face frame and the other half is mounted on the back of the cabinet, where you cannot see it.

A third style of hinges that you could go with are ones that are overlaid and have insets. Ones of this kind have a wrap around style that show the hinge pin from the front of the cabinet. They include both partial and full wrap version that can be attached to the back of the cabinet and on the edge or the back of the face frame or side panel.

And, those three options that are mentioned are just the start as to the many that are available since there a plethora of options. Now, it would take forever to go into all the additional options, so here is a list of them that you could easily look up and research on your own on the Internet. They include demountable versions, fully concealed options, European styled selections, butt hinged options, and many, many more.

Speaking of the Internet, it is also a convenient way to do your shopping. How so, well it is because just by the click of the mouse you can have all of these selections right in front of you. It makes it a breeze to compare everything and once you do decide on something, it will be conveniently shipped right to your house. Shopping has never been so easy.

Now that you have a working knowledge when it comes to hinges, you will be able to easily get the right ones if you decide to take on some remodeling projects in your kitchen or bathroom. Remember, there are many to choose from and getting the right ones are important because if you don’t, things might not only look bad, but they might not work right either.

Author Jennifer Akre is an owner of a wide variety of online specialty shops that offer both products and information on how you can easily furnish and decorate your space. Whether it’s your living, bedroom, or even your deck or patio, there are many tips you can use to make your space both functional and beautiful. Today, she offers advice on how to create a fabulous indoor area by using beautiful cabinet hinges, stunning door hinges, and sturdy hinges.

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