Our Blog Abington, PA

Remodeling baths is the ultimate opportunity to improve functionality, health, lifestyle and design. To help you prepare for a bathroom remodel, address the following questions with your designer or showroom professional.

Infrastructure: Can your existing plumbing system be modified to enhance the performance of your bath? For example, shower systems function considerably better if the supply line is ¾ of an inch versus ½ inch. Two-inch drains cost slightly more than a 1.5-inch drain, but reduce the possibility of clogging considerably. Can your new shower accommodate at 2-inch drain? Where are your supply lines located? If they run along an exterior wall and you live in a cold climate, can you move them to limit the possibility of freezing in winter?

Maintaining your new kitchen not only will increase the useful life of cabinets, appliances and floor and wall coverings; regular maintenance also will greatly enhance your enjoyment of the space.

Cabinet Cleaning

Grease and grime buildup can damage cabinets and destroy the look and feel of a new kitchen. To remove buildup wipe down cabinets using a soft cloth dampened with warm water and do so at least once every two weeks or more often depending on the amount of activity that takes place in the kitchen. If water alone does not clean cabinets completely, mix a little mild dishwasher soap with the water. Wipe down wood cabinets in the direction of the grain. Use a soft cloth to remove any residual moisture that may be left on the cabinets.

Most of our clients spend six months or longer conducting independent research before making an appointment to come to the showroom to discuss creating the kitchen of their dreams. We value our clients’ time. That’s why we offer the following advice to prepare for a showroom visit to not only save time, but also to ensure that our clients’ wants, needs and dreams are realized.

We know that the kitchen is the epicenter of the home, but the way that the kitchen is used varies greatly from one home to the next. Before you visit the showroom, consider who will use the space and how — will you use the space to prepare meals, entertain friends and family, etc.? Listing all of the uses and users enables your designer to not only determine how to meet your functionality requirements, but also why you are making the investment to renovate your home. The list of uses also enables us to determine the types and amount of lighting that you will need for reading, TV watching, baking, cooking, entertaining or just hanging out.

Open floor plan kitchens have been a hot trend for a number of years, but not all of our clients want or need an open floor plan, opting instead for an enclosed space that better suits their needs, lifestyle and preferences.

Why would anyone want an enclosed kitchen? There are many reasons. One is that you don’t have to worry about the mess when entertaining. There’s no need to wash dishes, pots and pans, put away spices and herbs or make sure that the counters are clutter free. You can spend more time entertaining instead of worrying what the kitchen looks like after preparing a meal.

Good lighting makes a new kitchen more enjoyable, and bad lighting does just the opposite. Lighting can make or break how a new kitchen looks, feels and functions. It is equally as important as cabinets, countertops, appliances and other fixtures.

Effective lighting illuminates a space in layers using different components and strategies to paint the final picture. You can buy a functional $70 faucet in a home center, but most likely that faucet will not add much to the beauty of the kitchen. A similar analogy holds true for lighting. Simply placing flush-mounted fixtures in the ceiling of the center of the kitchen can provide functional light, but recessed ceiling lighting may do little to beautify the space, create a mood or evoke a favorable emotional response.

A recent analysis of kitchen trends by one of the largest manufacturers of kitchen cabinets in North America offers some interesting insights to help you plan your kitchen remodel.

Pull-out waste and recycling bin cabinets were the top-rated storage solution in a recent Houzz.com survey of homeowners undertaking a kitchen renovation. This does not surprise us because of the heavy lifting recycling and garbage bins perform in a well-designed kitchen. Many of our customers prefer pull-out options to floor standing alternatives for the following reasons:

A large wooden cutting board is a kitchen essential. Here’s why. Almost everything that must be prepared for a meal starts at a cutting board. The first consideration is safety. That’s why you want a wooden cutting board that is at least 14 inches wide by 20 inches long. The bigger the better, because you want to have plenty of room on your work surface. When space is cramped, the likelihood of knife injuries increases dramatically, because you often have to adjust the slicing motion or hold your hands in an awkward way, writes food expert Becky Kristal in The Washington Post. Another reason for a large board is to keep