Customizing Your Cabinets Tips
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Customize Kitchen Cabinets to Hold Decorative Items
If you are planning a new kitchen, you might be bored with picking out custom cabinetry designed for storage. These new features in the kitchen industry are fun and solve many kitchen dilemmas, but you also want to show off some decorative items in your newly remodeled room.
Did you know many kitchen manufacturers can give you lots of ideas for customizing your kitchen cabinetry in such a way that incorporates displaying your favorite decor? This might include a plate collection, a vase or trivet collection, a wine rack, or custom shelving for figurines or framed photos. If you go online you can view many completed kitchens that incorporate some of these custom kitchen cabinet ideas. Room for wine storage can be created with criss-crossing wood slats that match or contrast your custom-built cabinetry. The same is true for shelves.
You might also create a custom-made cabinet with glass facing and glass shelves to showcase treasured investment items you brought back from a trip. Glass works well for such a display because it is reflective and draws the eye inward. You can also install special lighting for an even more dramatic effect. Or, you can install rounded shelves made of wood to contrast the other straight edges in your kitchen. When planning for these custom features make sure you keep them clear of routine traffic areas and place especially important items on a higher custom shelf feature.
Use Custom Cabinet Features to Store Tableware
If you're in a hurry to set the table, and your kitchen cabinets are not customized, you probably spend a lot of time digging for bowls stored behind plates and trying not to break mugs that are stacked on top of each other. If you're in the middle of a kitchen remodeling project, consider solving these problems with custom cabinet features.
By using a floor cabinet, and customizing it with an simple slide-out, durable metal shelf unit, you can store tableware in such a way that makes setting the dinner table quick. Because the unit slides out, you can see all your tableware at once -- plates, bowls, mugs and dessert ware. Also, if you have young children and they have the responsibility for setting the table, you can avoid accidents in this easy-to-reach custom cabinet feature.
When you pick a location for such a roll-out storage option, try to keep it away from the work triangle so the table can be set without interruption to food prep. Drawer inserts can help keep flatware organized without extra effort. Additional drawer inserts can be purchased to hold and organize other cooking tools and knives. Many homeowners with kids like getting knife blocks off their counter tops. It prevents accidents and keeps cutting knives protected from harm. Additional metal racks can be installed in cabinets to hold pots, pans -- even non-perishable food jars. Finally, you can create a snack slide-out with these types of racks so kids can get after schools snacks easily and on their own.
Roll-Out Shelves Prevent Back Strain in the Kitchen
The amount of ideas for customizing your cabinets in the kitchen are virtually endless, especially when you consider that many of them can be used in a variety of spaces and come in a variety of sizes. Pull-out shelves are quite popular among those who are currently remodeling their kitchen.
How many times have you wished you could reach all your bake ware without getting on your hands and knees, straining your back or digging through a deep space for something you know is hiding in the back? If you have this problem, talk to your kitchen designer about it and ask about options. Roll-out shelves operate like drawers but store a lot of items in one place. They work especially great for bake ware and cookware. When opened you can see all contents at once.
Another option great for baking is a fold-down mixer shelf, which can be built into your new kitchen cabinets. This is a spring-loaded shelf that swings up and out of a base cabinet then back down and in again. It is a great option for heavy items. If you don't have space for a walk-in pantry -- and many kitchens don't -- there are other ways you can conveniently store pantry items in built-in pantry units. These can be either slide-out or fold-out units and can be placed in narrow spaces that are often overlooked when it comes to custom-made kitchen cabinets.
Consider Custom Built Kitchen Cabinets as a Style Statement
If you have a large budget for your kitchen remodeling project, you might consider custom-built kitchen cabinets. This means your cabinets will be specially made just for and your kitchen according to your own design specifications. Your cabinets are the most noticeable feature in your kitchen, so if you'd like you can choose them to make a strong style statement.
When you visit a showroom, you'll see just how many new features you can add to your cabinets today to customize their appearance. Examples include fluted pilasters, corbels, moldings, rope motifs, gingerbread trim and composition ornamentation, which looks like carved wood. Laminate cabinets, while they are associated with older styling and less expensive kitchens, are now offered in many different and unique colors. Believe it or not, you might even pay a cabinet maker to use special tools that make your cabinets look old! This process is called distressing.
In addition to wood custom cabinets, you can order shiny lacquered ones. Other techniques similar to distressing are aimed at adding dimension and interest for the eye. One such finish is created with a wire brushing technique. If you are reluctant to spend too much money on custom cabinets, consider adding special accents on your molding, door trim or island.
Accent Custom Wood Kitchen Cabinets with Unique Flooring
If you've ordered custom cabinetry or semi-custom kitchen cabinets as part of your kitchen remodeling project, you've likely invested a fair amount of money. But you've also added significantly to the overall value of your home. Real estate agents know that both kitchens and baths are key ways that home prices can be increased, so if you decided to spend money in the kitchen, you made a wise choice.
Beautiful cabinetry is best showcased against attractive flooring. It also makes sense to consider how best to accent your new kitchen with the right flooring choice. There are all types of flooring materials available based on your budget, lifestyle and personal tastes For example, ceramic floors work great in larger kitchens as you can utilize ceramic tiles to create a unique pattern with accent tiles throughout, or a straight lines of tiles that frame your room. Ceramic tiles are made from baking shale and clay in a kiln. Glazed ceramic tiles are easy to maintain but wear quicker over time than unglazed tiles.
If you have a more traditional home, you might have hardwood flooring installed in your kitchen and surrounding areas to add warmth and character. There are many species of hardwood flooring, some with uniform grain style and others with attractive grain patterns. However, consider that hardwood flooring can scratch. If you have pets, a laminate look-alike may be a better choice for you.
Make Room for Trash and Recyclables in Your New Kitchen
Some people like as little clutter in the kitchen as possible. They want to avoid unsightly trash receptacles and recycling bins in their new custom kitchen. But they want easy access to these bins for everyday use and disposal.
Lucky for these people, you can customize your kitchen cabinetry so trash, recycled items, used kitchen towels and even some foods can be stored out of sight but within easy reach. By using a simple chrome insert, you can have a space designed for trash bins that simply slides out and back in -- the same is true for recycling containers. These custom cabinet features work best along base cabinets near the sink but you can put them anywhere it works for you.
If you want more decorative slide-out containers for foods like potatoes and apples, you can use the same concept with attractive rattan baskets that slide under your counter space but are still visible. These give your kitchen a rustic appearance popular among many homeowners right now. You'll be surprised to find out how many unique ways you can customize your cabinets to make life easy in the kitchen. For example, you can place a cutting board on top of a drawer that slides out when you need it. You can even buy a custom drawer built for an iron board so you can iron a few shirts while you are cooking a pot of soup. Now that's multi-tasking!
Customize Your Kitchen Cabinets with Pull-Out Drawers
There are so many ways to make your kitchen less cluttered and your cooking more efficient. Armstrong, a manufacturer of kitchen cabinets and accessories, recommends utilizing pull-out drawer space as best you can.
First, start with your sink area. Want a neat way to hide your clean up tools, sponges and brushes? Simple pull-out drawers can be installed in front of the sink in what would be typically wasted space. You can search for these under 'tip-out trays' on Armstrong.com. You can also buy special drawer inserts so you can just open a drawer and easily grab any spice you need. Some of the most interesting and unique ways to utilize pull-out drawers include installing taller, rectangular pull-out drawers next to your cook top or along your base cabinets in previously wasted space. These cabinet pull-outs are available in various sizes so that you can order what you have space for. They are also great for cooking oils and spices.
One of the best places to find such ideas is by looking through kitchen design magazines. Cut out space-savers you like the best and show them to your kitchen designer. He or she will likely know how to design your new kitchen in such a way that these custom features can be worked into the plan.
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