Cabinets – Page 5 – Fully Assembled Premium Cabinetry

6 Homemade BBQ Marinades And Dry Rubs

Things are heating up outside and that means one thing — it’s grilling season! With summer just around the corner, our mouths are watering for juicy barbequed chicken, steak, and ribs. Up your grill game with these homemade marinades and rubs made from simple ingredients found in your kitchen pantry cabinet.

Chimichurri

Chimichurri is a traditional South American sauce and marinade that pairs beautifully with all cuts of grilled steak. It features the bold and vibrant flavors of fresh garlic, cilantro, parsley, oregano, shallots, and chili or jalapeno peppers. To make this colorful marinade, click here for a delicious Chimichurri recipe from Bon Appetit.

Smoky Rub

This dry rub gets its intense flavor from a hefty dose of smoked paprika. To make it, you’ll need a few other seasonings from your spice rack, including onion powder, garlic powder, ground ginger, dry mustard, and salt. Sprinkle it on grilled corn, BBQ chicken, or pork. For the Smoky Rub recipe from Better Homes and Gardens, click here.

Whiskey Marinade

Did you know that the whisky in your bar cabinet can help to tenderize meat? This recipe for Honey-Glazed Baby Back Ribs uses a homemade marinade featuring honey, soy sauce, freshly grated ginger — and whiskey! Whip some up, add a few racks of baby back ribs, and let it soak in the refrigerator for 4 hours before grilling. For the complete recipe from Food and Wine, click here.

Herbes de Provence

A staple in french cooking, Herbes de Provence is a distinctive blend of dried summer herbs like thyme, marjoram, rosemary, tarragon, mint, lavender, and basil. To make this dry rub, you will need a spice grinder and an airtight container for storage. Click here for the recipe from The Spruce Eats. Use Herbes de Provence to season grilled chicken, fish and vegetables.

Hawaiian Marinade

This tropical marinade is easy to make and perfect for summer grilling. Ingredients from your kitchen pantry cabinet include unsweetened pineapple juice, soy sauce, fresh ginger, brown sugar, and sesame oil. Use it to marinate bone-in pork chops or chicken. For the full recipe from Food Network, click here.

Lemon Pepper Rub

For grilled fish like salmon, you can’t beat a lemon pepper dry rub. Click here for an easy recipe from Rachael Ray in Season that features fresh lemon zest, coarsely ground black pepper, cayenne pepper, and other tantalizing flavors from your spice drawer.

Whether you mix up a marinade using whisky from your bar cabinet or a dry rub made with flavorful herbs and spices, you’re sure to become a seasoned Grill Master this summer!

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!

3 Must-Haves For A More Functional Family Room

Is your family room feeling a bit cramped and disorganized? The key to designing a functional and comfortable living space includes durable materials, thoughtful details, and custom cabinets to keep clutter at bay. With that said, let’s delve a little deeper. Here are the three must-haves for a more functional family room.

Durable Materials

A family room sees a lot of traffic. From active kids and their toys, to spilled drinks and pet messes, a truly family-friendly space requires family-friendly flooring. While hardwood floors are beautiful and wall to wall carpeting is cozy, neither are exactly practical. Instead, opt for easy to clean, durable tile or luxury vinyl flooring. These strong materials are resistant to water damage, dents and scratches, and will stand up to the everyday wear and tear your family can dish out. Some styles even realistically mimic the look of hardwood! To browse the beautiful flooring options from Willow lane Cabinetry, click here.

Thoughtful Details

Speaking of durable materials, a family room needs to have comfortable furniture that can resist stains and tears. For sofas and chairs, opt for upholstery fabric that is easy to keep nice and clean. That delicate silk or linen may look lovely in the showroom, but give it a few weeks at home with Fido and the kids, and you may be regretting your decision. Instead, solid choices for a family room include faux suede, microfiber, distressed leather, indoor-outdoor fabrics, or washable cotton slipcovers, according to Architectural Digest. Other thoughtful details for a more functional family room include lighting, soft area rugs, throw pillows and blankets, window treatments, ottomans, end tables, and a sturdy coffee table.

All Wood Cabinetry

The family room is a place to gather and spend time together, whether it’s cuddling on the sofa for a movie night or playing family video games. From Blue Ray players and other electronics, to board games, books and throw blankets, calm the clutter and maximize your storage capabilities by adding TV room cabinetry. With an attention to storage, you can hide these necessary items behind closed doors to help keep your home organized and looking tidy. Imagine never having to search for a lost remote control again! Custom cabinets are not only practical, but they are also a beautiful focal point of your room design that helps to anchor your television. Click here to see our selection of durable, stylish all wood cabinetry for the home.

If you are ready to make your family room a more functional space, let us help! Our designers will walk you through your TV room transformation with a free custom layout and photorealistic renderings, plus a detailed list of what you’ll need and what it will all cost.

A Guide To Nature-Inspired Hues For The Home

If you are longing to bring a touch of the outdoors in, consider painting your walls in an on-point color inspired by Mother Nature. Here are a few contemporary, organic hues that will compliment your all wood cabinetry and natural stone countertops beautifully.

Natural Beauty

When you gaze out the window, what do you see? From the azure blue sky above to the rocks and grass below, there is a world of color right outside your door. Sunny yellows, mossy green, and watery shades of aqua and dark blue are all trending on Pinterest boards and the covers of your favorite home magazines.

There is a reason Behr chose Back to Nature as its 2020 Color of the Year. Such nature-inspired hues work well in traditional and contemporary kitchens alike, and are timeless choices for fabric and walls. Why? Because they pair perfectly with other natural elements, like all wood cabinetry, quartzite and granite countertops, and marble flooring and backsplash tile.

Earthy Neutrals

For homeowners who prefer a neutral color palette, earthy shades of beige and gray are the natural choice. Whether you opt for a deep gray like Stormy Monday by Benjamin Moore or the soft and subtle Agreeable Gray by Sherwin Williams, with warm brown undertones, gray is a timeless neutral for contemporary kitchens and other interior spaces throughout the home. In fact, some of our most popular cabinet styles come in a gorgeous gray finish!

Brown hues are also a classic yet contemporary choice for the home. From creamy white and sandy beige to the rich and leathery Tanner’s Brown by Farrow and Ball, brown is one of our favorite neutrals. You’ll also see brown pop up in on point accessories, like oil rubbed bronze hardware, copper kitchen sinks, rustic wood furniture, and wood-look tile flooring. And don’t forget all wood cabinetry!

Jewel Tones

If your tastes lean more towards the bold and bright, you’ll find an abundance of vibrant color in nature — especially when you turn your attention to jewel tones. These gems work well for accent walls, fabric and accessories, and offer a gorgeous pop of vivid color that can liven up any space. Or, feel free to surround yourself in sumptuous color, like emerald, turquoise, amethyst, or jade! From Ruby Red glass backsplash tile to moody, dark blue decorative accents, jewels tones are an unexpected and lovely way to invite Mother Nature inside.

Smart Lighting Tech Features For The Home

If you’ve been wanting to introduce smart lighting features into your home but aren’t sure where to start, let this guide light the way! Technology is taking lighting to a whole new level, and we’re sharing four of our favorite features to set up in your home today.

1.Kitchen Lighting

Smart features are becoming a staple in modern kitchen design. We have ovens that can be turned on from our phones and refrigerators that you can see into without opening the door. It’s really incredible how technological advancements are simplifying our lives and helping us save energy in our homes.

Smart lighting is another feature that you can incorporate into your modern kitchen design and the kitchen is a great room to introduce smart lighting for the first time.

Anywhere you have a light bulb — from under your custom cabinets to above your kitchen island — you can have a smart light bulb. Switching out the bulbs in your kitchen is a great first step. These smart bulbs can be connected to your WiFi so that you can control them from an app.

This power comes in handy if you forget to shut off the lights after leaving the room. It’s also wonderful if you want the brightness over your custom cabinets to be more intense than other lighting in the room when cooking or preparing meals.

2. Smart Switches And Plugs

If you’re sold after testing out smart lighting in the kitchen, consider installing smart switches and plugs throughout your home. This will transform all of the lighting in your home into smart lighting.

You’ll be able to control each room in your home from an app, even before walking in the front door. The benefits of this are endless. For example, imagine you’re heading out for the evening, it’s dark, and you’re trying to navigate your exit. With smart switches and plugs installed, you can leave the lights on while you leave, and then shut them off from your phone once you’re safely inside your car.

3. Digital Assistants

For even more ease of use, smart lighting can be synced with your favorite digital assistant, such as Amazon Alexa or Apple Siri. Rather than controlling your smart lighting from an app on your phone or tablet, you can ask Alexa or Siri to do so for you.

Picture you and your family are settled in for movie night in your TV room. The film is about to start but the lighting is leaving a little bit of glare on the screen. When your smart lighting is synced with a digital assistant, you can simply ask Alexa or Siri to dim the lights for you.

4. Intuitive Functions

Beyond app and voice control, smart lighting can even make decisions without you. Let’s say you prefer waking up to a well lit room than a blaring alarm clock. You can set your lighting to turn on at a certain time in the morning just like your coffee machine.

Smart lighting can also react to certain triggers. Maybe you do like waking up to your alarm clock, for example, but you’re a bit groggy crawling out of your bed. If you use a fitness tracker, you can sync it to your smart lighting. When your fitness tracker learns that you’re awake for the day, your kitchen lighting will turn on, so that you have an easier time finding your favorite coffee mug in the morning.

Creative Ways To Color Easter Eggs Naturally

There is no need to buy artificial food dye to color hard-boiled eggs this Easter. Here are some creative and organic ways to color easter eggs naturally with common ingredients found in your refrigerator and kitchen pantry cabinet — whether your favorite color is yellow, pink, blue or green!

Yellow/Orange

Start by boiling a quart of water and two tablespoons of white vinegar in a medium saucepan on the stovetop. Stir in three tablespoons of turmeric from your spice drawer, reduce the heat, and simmer for 30 minutes. Cool the water at room temperature (about two to three hours) before dying your eggs, or try this trick from A Tasty Adventure. You’ll need red and yellow onion skins for color, plus a pair of nylons and fresh herbs to make a pretty pattern. For detailed instructions with photos of Onion Dyed Easter Eggs, click here.

Pink/Red

Again, start by adding a quart of water and two tablespoons of white vinegar to a medium saucepan. While you are waiting for the water to boil on the stovetop, chop two large beets and add them to the pot. Once boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer, and let the beets soak for at least 30 minutes or until you achieve your desired color. Strain out the beets and begin coloring your eggs. Remember, the longer your eggs sit in the liquid, the deeper the hue.

Blue/Purple

Finely shred a large red cabbage (about a pound) with a chef’s knife, and add it to a medium saucepan. Top the shredded cabbage with a quart of water (or grape juice for deeper color). Add two tablespoons of white vinegar and a tablespoon of salt. Bring the saucepan to a boil on the stovetop over medium heat. Reduce the heat, cover the pot with a lid, and simmer for 30 minutes. Strain the cabbage and cool the liquid before dying. Blue takes a little more time to achieve than other colors, so be patient.

Green

Boil a quart of water with six cups of fresh spinach leaves. Stir in two tablespoons of white vinegar and let the water simmer on the stovetop until you achieve a deep shade of green. Strain out the spinach and allow the water to cool completely before dipping your eggs. Like blue, green can be tricky. When in doubt, add the dye to covered mason jars and soak your eggs overnight in the refrigerator.

When using natural dyes, it’s best to wear disposable gloves to avoid staining your hands. Whether you set up your egg dying station at the kitchen table or on the countertop of your kitchen island, be sure to cover the surface with a plastic tablecloth or kitchen towels for easy cleanup.

How To Turn A Bonus Room Into A Teen Hangout

Does your home have a bonus room that is currently unused? Whether your kids have outgrown their old playroom or you have a finished basement waiting to be repurposed, turning a bonus room into a teen hangout is a fabulous idea. You’ll love that they have a safe place to hang out at home, and they’ll relish in the privacy of their exclusive space. Here’s what to include on your renovation project plan when transforming a bonus room into a teen hangout.

Opt for a flooring material that is durable and easy to maintain.

You might as well hang a “NO CARPET” sign on the door of a teen hangout, because it won’t last a week. Whether it’s dirty shoes or spilled soda, floors are bound to get messy. (Sidenote: Apply the same principle to couches and make sure you’re choosing functional fabrics that are spill and stain resistant!)

There are a lot of flooring materials to choose from other than carpet. Tile and vinyl floors are both great options that come in a variety of different colors and styles. These materials are both super durable and easy to clean, so they will definitely hold strong against a pack of teenagers.

Build the ultimate entertainment center with all wood cabinetry.

Your renovation project plan is not complete without the installation of an awesome entertainment center. If you have teenage children, you know how they are when it comes to technology. Whether they are binge watching their favorite show or playing video games, life tends to be centered around screens. (Let’s not even get started with the phones!)

Ensure everyone is happy by building a custom entertainment center with all wood cabinetry that will showcase that big screen TV and also provide ample cabinet storage for their games and electronics. The more storage, the better. If there’s not a place to put it behind closed cabinet doors, you know where it will end up.

Include not-seated activities like table sports.

You don’t want any rough housing, but you also don’t want your kids sitting in front of the television every minute they’re at home. Table sports like pool, foosball, and ping pong are the perfect compromise. They encourage teens to get off the couch without things getting too rambunctious.

Table sports are a great addition to a teen hangout or TV room because they provide hours of entertainment for your family and their friends. They also double as pretty cool decor that helps give the room the right vibe.

Keep teens out of the kitchen with a mini fridge and snack station.

If your bonus room has the right layout for it, definitely consider installing some bar cabinets to house water, soda and snacks. We love our teens (and their dozens of friends) — but preparing dinner with kids running in and out of the kitchen can be a challenge.

A few simple bar cabinets with a mini fridge and snack station is the perfect solution. Include a mix of items of after school favorites like yogurt and trail mix plus some classic movie staples like popcorn and candy. Just don’t forget to install a pull out waste container in one of the base cabinets to collect all of the trash and recycling that will accumulate!

Smart Lighting Solutions For Every Room In The Home

Lighting should not be overlooked. While this is one home improvement that may seem pretty straightforward, it actually takes a lot of thought and planning to achieve optimal lighting in each room.

Would you want the same bright lights from your bathroom in your bedroom, or a beautiful house plant that casts a horrible shadow over your favorite chair? We think not. Here are some smart solutions for your top lighting concerns.

Lack of lighting in work stations.

Do you find yourself squinting when writing at your desk or while chopping veggies at the countertop of your custom cabinets? This is a result of poor task lighting. Task lighting adds an extra layer of light in work areas, so that you can see clearly.

In your home office, task lighting can be as simple as a small desk lamp. But in the kitchen, you’ll need more than a plug-in solution. Installing under-cabinet lighting below your custom cabinets is the best way to illuminate your kitchen countertops. If you’ve never had under cabinet lighting before, you’re missing out. This tiny home improvement will completely change the way you feel about prepping food in your kitchen!

Too many shadows.

Is there a room in your house that seems to be draped with shadows? While completely shadow-free lighting is hard to achieve, you can get pretty close by layering the room with different types of lighting. We just talked about task lighting, now let’s move the conversation to ambient and accent lighting.

Ambient lighting is your first layer and this simply refers to ceiling lights. It’s necessary, but on its own it will create a room filled with shadows. That’s why accent lighting is so important. Accent lighting helps to highlight certain parts of a room and eliminate the shadows that furniture and decor can create. You can use floor lamps, recessed lighting, and wall sconces to achieve accent lighting in different areas throughout the home.

Lighting rooms that have multiple functions.

When a room’s layout and function are always the same, like in a dining room for example, lighting choices can be easier. But when a room is used for different activities, such as in a family room, maintaining good lighting through these shifts can be a challenge. The room might serve as a playspace or after school hangout and also be used for watching TV or reading at night.

Track lighting can help you combat a room that’s purpose is always changing — or that is used by different family members at different times of the day. Track lighting is a smart choice, because it provides ambient, accent, and task lighting in one. Since each light is movable, you can swivel or rotate light to focus on different areas of the room as your activities change.

Another smart solution for multi-use rooms is dimmable lights. This feature allows you to easily soften the lighting as you wind down in the evening or to set the mood for a specific event like Friday movie night.

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.

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.

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.