February 2020 – Fully Assembled Premium Cabinetry

How To Host An Elegant Baby Or Bridal Shower At Home

There are so many advantages to hosting a baby or bridal shower at home. You are able to enjoy the intimate occasion with the utmost privacy and not be bothered by rental time restraints. To plan a special event that your guest of honor will remember forever, follow these tips for hosting an elegant baby or bridal shower at home.

Plan a menu that doesn’t require reheating.

When serving a large group from home, it’s important that the majority of menu items do not require reheating. Not even dream kitchens can compete with their commercial counterparts. A menu that is easy for a restaurant to prepare and serve can be a nightmare in a home kitchen.

Focus on foods that can be served cold or room temperature like quiches, sandwiches, different varieties of salads, and pastry items like muffins, scones and croissants. You can create a delicious and versatile brunch that doesn’t require you to shuffle dishes in and out of the oven.

Hire a bartender.

While you know your wine storage cabinet better than anyone, it’s best to surrender your home bar to a professional. Even if their job is simply managing the mimosa station, it will be a weight off your shoulders knowing someone will be there constantly uncorking the champagne.

When hosting a shower at home, it’s likely that your refrigerator and freezer will be at max capacity, so it’s smart to fill a large cooler with ice before the big day. Keep a few extra bottles of alcohol and juice chilled to make sure you never run out of drinks. Store your backup cooler out of sight but close by, preferably in a no-traffic area like your kitchen pantry, garage or laundry room.

Set up the perfect gifting spot.

Opening gifts is often the highlight of a shower. As the host, you want to designate the perfect spot for gathering gifts and viewing the unwrapping. If you have an open concept kitchen, the kitchen island can be an ideal area to organize gifts. Since it’s up a little higher, even your guests in the back of the room will be able to see clearly. Alternatively, set up your gifting spot at a buffet table that can be pushed against a wall with plenty of open space in front of it.

Make sure you also designate a gifting assistant, whether it be yourself or someone else at the party, to pass gifts to the mother or bride-to-be and take notes on each gift that is received. This is one detail that can be overlooked in the moment, so it’s best to plan in advance.

Keep decorations to a minimum.

You might feel like you need to overcompensate with decorations to make your home shower feel more festive, but this is not the case. There’s no need to cover your entire kitchen island with confetti or construct seven diaper cakes.

When planning your party, remember that the room will not look as it does right now. It will be filled with your friends and family and overflowing with gifts and delicious food. Use decorations as an accent instead of a focal point by incorporating subtle details. Elements like the cake or cookies, servingware, and even the cocktail napkins can be great opportunities to showcase your theme without making an overwhelming statement.

If you want to create the perfect photo op, convert one wall or area of the room into a photo station. Hang a sign, backdrop, or letter balloons against the wall, and set up a portable cart with accessories that guests can pose with. Since it will be off to the side, it won’t interfere with the party, and guests will be able to capture a fun memory of the shower.

Welcome to Willow Lane Cabinetry — the #1 place to buy affordable, semi-custom cabinets online! Let us help you create the kitchen, home office, home bar, laundry room, TV room or bath of your dreams with our 100% free room design tool. We offer all wood cabinetry, fully assembled and delivered for free, plus all the accessories needed to complete your remodel. Visit our website to see our products today!

5 Backsplash Tiles For A Spring-Inspired Bathroom Remodel

Spring is in the air, and there is no better time to freshen up your home. However, we’re not talking about a typical spring cleaning. If your bathroom has lasted one too many seasons, hop to it and give your dated space the light and airy makeover it deserves, complete with beautiful bathroom cabinetry and all the accessories you need to complete a dream bathroom remodel — including a spring-inspired backsplash! Here are a few of our favorite picks for this bright and cheerful season of new beginnings.

Arabescato Carrara Hexagon Tile

Arabescato Carrara 1″ Hexagon Honed Tile features 1-inch hexagons on an easy to install, mesh-backed sheet that measures an even 12×12 inches. This beautiful marble tile has a honed finish with a medium sheen and features a contemporary gray and white color scheme with random variations in tone. It is also NSF Certified® and Greenguard Indoor Air Quality Certified®.

Whisper White Beveled TIle

These 2-inch by 6-inch ceramic subway tiles have a soft and sleek look. The classic white color and high sheen makes Whisper White Beveled Tile highly versatile, whether it’s being used as an accent wall in the bathroom or as a backsplash for bathroom cabinetry and walk-in showers. This timeless tile is easy to clean, low maintenance, and slip resistant. It features a mesh backing for easy installation and is NSF and Greenguard Indoor Air Quality Certified®.

Morning Fog Subway Tile

This handcrafted ceramic tile is simply stunning, with soft and sophisticated gray tones that make it ideal for a shower surround or backsplash. Morning Fog 3”x6” Subway Tile features a glazed finish and glossy sheen that will compliment any spring-inspired dream bathroom remodel, and it pairs beautifully with bathroom cabinetry in both light and dark finishes. Like our other spring selections, this tile is also NSF Certified® and Greenguard Indoor Air Quality Certified®.

Greecian White Marble

This unique 4”x12” marble subway tile features different textures for added visual interest, including polished and honed finishes, with a primarily white palette. It is suitable for a range of design styles, from traditional to modern. Greecian White Marble Subway Tile is a lovely choice for an accent wall behind a garden tub, as pictured here, or a creative backsplash behind your new bathroom cabinetry.

Bianco Dolomite Polished Tile

This gorgeous 4”x12” subway tile features a creamy white background with subtle swirls and veins. Made of natural marble imported from Turkey, Bianco Dolomite tile has a smooth, polished finish that adds a touch of refinement to a bathroom makeover. Like the previous four on the list, this timeless selection coordinates perfectly with other elements and accessories in a spring-inspired dream bathroom.

Tips For Designing A Functional And Efficient Galley Kitchen

If you live in the city, there’s a good chance your home has a galley kitchen. This layout is popular when square footage is scarce, but just because architects love it doesn’t mean homeowners do.

Having a galley kitchen can bring upon a lot of frustration — most commonly, the lack of work flow and storage options. So how do you maximize the space in your galley kitchen to make it more functional and efficient? Here are a few tips for you to try.

Take advantage of vertical space by installing custom cabinets that will meet your storage needs.

In a galley kitchen, every inch of your walls should be utilized. This often means extending your all wood cabinetry upwards to the ceiling, so that no wall space is visible. Some homeowners choose to install custom cabinets that completely cover their galley kitchen. Thanks to sleek, modern designs like Shaker or slab cabinets, this approach can actually be quite stylish while also solving your small-kitchen storage issues. To see what your new all wood cabinetry will look like in your home, try out our free design services. One of our experts will prepare a free custom layout and photorealistic renderings for you that bring your design to life.

Evolve your galley kitchen into an open concept floor plan with a kitchen island.

A big complaint of those with a galley kitchen is that the room feels very small and closed in. You can alleviate this crampedness by replacing one of the runs with a kitchen island. This is a great option when doing so opens the kitchen up to your living room or dining room. It instantly makes the kitchen appear larger and more spacious, while also allowing for more social gatherings. Depending on what appliances will live on your island, you can also add stools to the opposing side to create a comfortable breakfast bar.

Stagger appliances so that they aren’t side by side or facing each other.

When there’s too many cooks in a galley kitchen, prepping meals can be troublesome. You can avoid bumping into your sous chef by spacing out appliances from one another. Stagger your refrigerator, oven, kitchen sink, and dishwasher so that appliances don’t mirror each other. This placement is much more conducive for families or couples that enjoy cooking together.

Extend your kitchen outwards to create more space.

If you still find yourself stuck in a small kitchen after adding vertical storage, you might want to consider extending your layout horizontally. With an open-ended galley kitchen, it is often possible to extend your cabinets and countertop outwards. Many homeowners are willing to forego a little wall space in the adjoining room in order to increase the size of their kitchen.

Use inside cabinet accessories to make the most of your storage.

We can all benefit from a little more organization, no matter what style or size kitchen we have. In a galley kitchen, inside cabinet accessories are especially beneficial, because they help you to take advantage of every inch and corner of your cabinets. Some of our personal favorites include base filler organizers and a Lazy Susan in a corner cabinet.

4 Basic Knives Everyone Should Keep In Their Kitchen

Without a doubt, knives are the most important tool in your kitchen arsenal. Whether you’re an avid foodie or a novice home chef, here are the basic knives everyone should keep in their kitchen. Be sure to store these essentials safely within a knife block, conveniently located inside a drawer of your custom cabinets and close to all the cooking action!

Bread Knife

Bread lovers, rejoice! As the name implies, a bread knife is the ideal tool for cutting bagels and baguettes and slicing loaves of bread. This specialty knife is long and has a serrated edge that can cut through the crusty outer layer of a loaf of bread or sandwich without damaging the soft inside. Unlike straight-edged knives, a bread knife can also be used to cut through delicate tomatoes and tough melons alike.

Paring Knife

This essential kitchen knife is small but mighty. Perfect for delicate tasks that need a precise hand, a paring knife is the perfect tool for deveining fresh shrimp, removing the tops of strawberries, peeling and paring fruit, and intricately removing seeds from jalapeno peppers and lemons. Look for an all-purpose paring knife that is around three and a half inches in length and has a comfortable, durable handle.

Carving Knife

A carving knife (also known as a kitchen knife) is a home staple, especially around holidays. This large knife is used to carve and slice meats, such as ham, poultry, beef, and pork. It’s extra-long length and ultra thin blade allows you to make precise, thinly sliced cuts of meat. Look for a strong steel carving knife with a narrow edge. A tapered, sharp point is best for cutting through bone or fileting, while a rounded tip is a good choice for slicing and serving tender turkey and roasts.

Chef’s Knife

This kitchen mainstay is perhaps the most important knife on this list, thanks to its ample size and versatility. According to Good Housekeeping, “if you invest in one cooking tool, this should be it.” A chef’s knife is indispensable and can be used for slicing meat, dicing vegetables, and even finely mincing fresh herbs. A chef’s knife needs to be super sharp and durable. When shopping, test how it feels in your hand before you buy.

Of course, this is just a sample of the many knives available for home cooks to try. In addition to a drawer knife block for your custom cabinets, invest in a quality sharpener to keep your knives cutting with ease, whether it’s a simple steel honing rod or a top of the line electrical model.

Top Trending Ways To Design A More Productive Home Office In 2020

Working from home can be full of distractions. Have you ever been sitting at your desk, ready to knock out your “To Do” list, and then somehow found yourself in the laundry room folding clothes?

It happens to the best of us. Even with the greatest intentions, maintaining productivity in a home office is not always as simple as it sounds. If you’re ready to make 2020 the year you finally focus on those goals, try incorporating these three design trends into your home office.

Get creative with your location.

Today, we’re seeing home offices that step outside of the traditional mold. Not only are they more inspiring, but they are also more imaginative.

Where does this new vibe originate from? It might be because work is no longer regarded as a boring or necessary task. People are pursuing passion projects and turning them into full time jobs. There is more interest and excitement around the work we do and as a result, home offices have become more inspiring than functional.

When deciding where to set up your desk, homeowners are choosing the room with the great light and high ceilings. The goal is to find a space that invites you and inspires you to do great work.

And when lofty rooms are unavailable, that’s when the imagination kicks in. From corner nooks to closets, innovative offices are popping up in the most unexpected places. Don’t let size deter you from designing an office in your home. No matter how much square footage you have to work with, it’s enough. In fact, our design team loves a challenge and is seasoned in making big dreams come true in small spaces.

Maintain minimalism with custom cabinets that fulfill all of your home office needs.

It doesn’t matter if your home office is large or small. Clutter doesn’t discriminate. Strategic storage choices are crucial if you want to maintain productivity in your home office. You know what they say, “Cluttered desk, cluttered mind.”

The minimalist trend is aesthetically pleasing but it can also have a deeper effect. Organization can positively impact your mental health and allow you to feel more calm and focused. Utilize vertical space by installing custom cabinets in your home office. Office cabinetry can be used to organize your books, files and folders, but it is also great for discreetly storing printers, cable boxes, and other office equipment.

Since our all wood cabinetry comes in a wide range of colors and finishes, it is also easy to achieve that clean, monochromatic look that we all lust after right now. Less breaks in your design creates a sleek, modern style while also minimizing distractions in the room.

Pick the perfect paint color for you and your mood.

You’ve probably heard of color symbolism or psychology, and that different colors have different meanings. For example, red is commonly associated with love and feelings of intensity and passion while blue is considered calming and serene.

Knowing the power different colors possess can be extremely helpful when designing your home office. To decide which color will best support your productivity, think of what’s missing in your work life. Do you feel unmotivated and lacking energy? Are you uninspired to create? Or is your work very detail orientated and you have trouble focusing?

Once you address what’s missing, you can fill the gap by painting your home office a color that specifically evokes the emotion you need. Whether it’s energy, motivation, or focus, pick the perfect paint color for you and your mood.

Mix and Match Interior Design Secrets

Perhaps the trickiest of all current home design trends, mixing and matching can be simply stunning when done correctly — and downright disastrous when not. Whether you are pairing prints in the bedroom or an open concept floor plan, or choosing complimentary custom cabinet finishes for the kitchen, here are the design secrets to creating successful mix and match interior spaces.

Pairing Prints

When working with multiple prints, decide what interior design style you are going for and don’t stray too far from that theme. For example, delicate florals and French toile patterns would not be suitable for a modern aesthetic, just as animal prints and bold geometric patterns would look out of place in a traditional or country home. Here are some perfect print options for wallpaper, fabric and upholstery, from the classic to the contemporary. Use this list as a guide when decorating your unique space.

Classic:

Stripes (Pin, Ticking, Rugby)
Floral
Greek Key
Damask
Brocade
Toile
Plaid (Tartan, Buffalo Check, Gingham, Argyle)
Houndstooth
Jacobean
Chinoiserie
Fleur-de-Lis
Trellis & Quatrefoil

Contemporary:

Chevron & Herringbone
Polkadots
Ikat
Paisley
Ogee
Faux Animal Prints
Geometric Shapes
Harlequin
Swirls & Squiggles
Abstract
Crosshatch

When working in an eclectic or transitional theme, feel free to pull from both lists. Regardless of your personal style, stick with no more than three complimentary patterns and include a few large-scale solids for balance. Keep in mind that throw pillows and drapes are easy to swap out in contrast to costly elements like sofas and area rugs. You should also take color into careful consideration when decorating with more than one pattern. Choose a palette of one or two hues in varying shades for pattern and anchor the room with a neutral base.

Customizing Cabinet Finishes

Mix and match cabinetry is right on point in high-end kitchen design. When opting for custom cabinet finishes, select two contrasting colors in the same door style, for example, timeless white Shaker cabinets paired with a dark Shaker kitchen island as pictured here. For a more modern approach, alternate sections of dark and light all wood cabinetry for a high-contrast look.

To see how these mix and match cabinetry options would look in your kitchen, browse Willow Lane Cabinetry’s wide selection all wood cabinetry and take advantage of our free room design service. The secret to getting that magazine-quality look is just a few clicks away with a custom layout and photorealistic renderings.

How To Transform a TV Room Into A Home Theatre

Microwave the popcorn, grab the blankets, and cuddle up. It’s movie night! And how much more fun would it be if watching the big screen in your TV room felt just like going to the theatre?

Whether you love watching the Oscars during award season or your kids are always down for a Disney movie marathon, everyone wins with this TV room transformation.

From new custom cabinets to frame your television to the best seating in the house, here’s your one-stop guide to designing the home theatre of your dreams.

Pick the perfect room.

When deciding which room in your home will serve as the TV room, here are a few things to keep in mind.

Darkness: If possible, avoid a room that has windows. While natural light is normally a desired feature, it is not ideal in a home theatre. To have the best viewing experience, and recreate that true movie theatre effect, you will want the room to be very dark.
Shape: Did you ever notice that movie theatres are rectangular in shape? This is because sound projects much better in rectangular rooms than square.
Walls: Your typical drywall is great for a home theatre. No need to do more. But if you’re transforming a basement surrounded by concrete, you’ll have to make some adjustments. Just install studs and drywall. Sound absorption panels can also be added to reduce echoing.
Flooring: We know you love hardwood floors, but the TV is room is one place in the home you should opt for carpet. Carpeting absorbs ambient sound better than hard surfaces.

Finalize the layout.

Once you have the room picked out and your foundation formed, you can move on to the layout of your home theatre. Plan to put your custom cabinets and TV on one of the shorter walls in the room. As we mentioned before, the benefit of the rectangular room shape is that the sound will project better, but this only works if your TV and speakers are on the shorter wall.

Even if you want surround sound, the majority of your speakers and subwoofer should be placed in front with your TV. The typical set up is three speakers in front and two behind your seating (one on each side).

For the best TV placement, you want the center of the screen to be at eye level. That means our all wood cabinetry should be customized with your display size in mind.

If you need support sorting through our all wood cabinetry and finalizing your layout, feel free to contact our design team. We offer free room design services — and that includes TV rooms. From the initial design stage to putting together an itemized price list, our team is here to help every step of the way.

Find furniture that is functionable.

Comfort should definitely be the driving force when making furniture decisions. Your home theatre is a place to relax and unwind, so keep that in mind when shopping for your couches and any other furniture.

Many homeowners prefer the luxury theatre approach and opt for recliners. This allows your guests to sit up or lay down without disturbing their neighbors. You can easily find standard three or four seat recliner sofas. But if you prefer divides between each seat, look at seating specifically designed for a home theatre or media room.

4 Impressive Italian Dinners You Can Make In Your Own Kitchen

Who doesn’t love a big bowl of pasta? According to a recent survey conducted by YouGov, an international research data and analytics group, Italian food tops the list as the World’s most popular cuisine. And we’re not surprised. From simple favorites like Fettuccine Alfredo and Chicken Piccata to masterpieces like Penne alla Vodka and Fettuccine alla Carbonara, there’s a lot to love. Best of all, unlike other regional favorites, most Italian dishes are surprisingly not that difficult to make at home. Here are four impressive yet easy Italian dinner recipes you can whip up right in your own kitchen.

Penne alla Vodka

This recipe starts with penne pasta cooked al dente. As the name implies, you’ll also need to grab a bottle of Vodka from your bar cabinet for the sauce (plan on using a little less than ¼ cup per pound of pasta). While this spirit adds a flavorful kick, it’s also fine to omit the Vodka altogether. Additional ingredients include heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, and crushed red pepper flakes from your spice drawer . Most recipes call for fresh Roma or crushed tomatoes, but we like this Penne Alla Vodka from Delish that uses tomato paste for a bright touch of sweetness.

Fettuccine alla Carbonara

Close your eyes and imagine fettuccine noodles smothered in a rich and creamy, Parmesan cheese-based sauce, with prosciutto and bacon. Have we piqued your interest? Carbonara is perfect for a special occasion like Valentine’s Day, and it’s easy to make at home. This recipe for Fettuccine alla Carbonara from Better Homes & Gardens adds dry white wine from your bar cabinet, and rivals any Italian restaurant. For a full list of ingredients and an instructional video from BHG, click here.

Fettuccine Alfredo

Like spaghetti and meatballs and lasagne, Fettuccine Alfredo is one of the more popular Italian dishes on restaurant menus. Rich yet simple, this easy homemade Fettuccine Alfredo recipe from Bon Appétit has just five ingredients that are commonly found in the refrigerator and kitchen pantry cabinet. After gently simmering the sauce to ensure even melting, add cooked fettuccine pasta and toss to coat. Serve topped with fresh ground pepper and even more grated Parmesan.

Chicken Piccata

This Italian dish features tender, thinly sliced chicken breasts dredged in flour and sauteed in a buttery lemon-based sauce. The use of flour gives chicken a nice coating and helps to thicken the sauce. For an easy to follow recipe from Italian chef and Food Network star Giada De Laurentiis, click here. When cooking at home, top Chicken Piccata with brined capers and chopped fresh parsley and serve with a side of linguini. If you’re in the mood for seafood, swap out chicken for freshly peeled and deveined shrimp.

Regardless of the recipe, remember this rule of thumb for professional results when cooking pasta at home. Always salt your water (around 2 tablespoons should do for a pound of pasta), and use coarse sea salt, which is considered less bitter when boiling.