gourmet kitchen – Page 9 – Fully Assembled Premium Cabinetry

Home Design: 5 Tips For Choosing The Perfect Paint Color

With endless shades to choose from, it’s easy to pick the wrong paint color. Even basic colors like white come in hundreds of different variations. You may even fall victim to a shade that looks lovely on its swatch but loses its luster once on your walls. To avoid paint color regret, follow these five tips when picking your next shade.

Weather the trends.

Kitchen trends come and go, so while the PANTONE Color of the Year may be exciting right now, you may not be thrilled with it in a few months or years. Paint is definitely something that is easy enough to change if you’re up for the task — but if you’re not, weather the trends by sticking to classic shades that you won’t grow tired of.

Stay away from store swatches.

Typically, a color will look much different on your walls than that white piece of cardstock at the paint store. While the swatches can give you a good idea of what the color looks like, expect it to appear much more saturated on your actual walls. Other factors can also affect what a paint color looks like, such as how much natural light the room gets.

Do your own test at home.

It may seem bothersome to buy those little sample cans of paint, but it will be well worth it in the end — Especially if you are indulging in one of those kitchen trends and giving 2018’s Ultra Violet a go. It’s important to live with a paint color before committing to it, and the best way to do that is by painting a small section of the room with your color of choice.

See how the paint color complements your furniture, cabinetry, and flooring. You’ll also want to take note of how the color changes from morning to night, as the amount of daylight fluctuates. After a few days, you’ll know for certain if you’re ready to welcome this specific shade into your heart and home.

Don’t overdo it.

It is absolutely possible to prefer a color in small doses. If you love a paint color but find it overwhelming on all walls, you don’t have to dismiss it completely. It might serve as the perfect accent wall to an otherwise neutral room. In fact, this approach can actually make a color more powerful, as it captures attention and becomes the room’s unique focal point.

Give it a second look.

As we mentioned before, the way the paint saturates on your wall, and even how much natural light it receives, can dramatically affect the way it looks. Interestingly, a paint color can also look different from various vantage points in the room. This can happen for a several reasons, including the artificial lighting in the room, or shadows from furniture and appliances. Before you decide you dislike the color completely, try adding or adjusting the lighting in the room. Something as small as adding an accent light or shifting a piece of furniture a few inches could make all the difference.

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

5 Tips For Designing A Better, More Functional Kitchen

In the movies, chefs glide seamlessly through the kitchen like ballerinas on a stage. But in your home, it may feel more like football practice — dodging left; ducking right and hoping you don’t drop the ball (or casserole) in between. While it’s easy to feel like you’re just “not good in the kitchen,” you may be less to blame than you think. In fact, successfully cooking at home is mostly dependent on the functionality of your kitchen. Let’s take a look at how a kitchen remodel could even the playing field and give you that home team advantage.

Design Bigger Walkways

You need space to shine in the kitchen, so how much is the right amount? The right size of the cooking zone depends on how many chefs live under your roof. If you usually cook solo, you’ll want your cooking zone to be at least 42” wide. If you have a sous chef, expand that to 48”. Keep this in mind when designing the layout for your kitchen remodel. A tight cooking zone makes cooking uncomfortable and less functional.

Organize Your Cabinets And Pantry Based On Your Layout

When thinking about which kitchen cabinets should go where and what you should store in them, think about how you naturally use the kitchen. For example, if you keep cereal in your pantry, it would be natural to have the nearest cabinets storing your cereal bowls. By eliminating “extra steps,” you will start to feel like a pro when navigating the kitchen.

Covet Your Countertops

One of the biggest complaints when cooking is not having enough countertop space, so definitely don’t skimp in this area. In fact, if you think you need more countertop space than the average cook, consider installing a kitchen island. This addition will give you more prep space and increase your storage capabilities at the same time. Islands are not bad to look at either, adding an interesting element to your kitchen design.

More Is More

A double oven, a mini refrigerator in your wet bar, or a second microwave can really make all of the difference. Have you ever had a holiday dinner where you were juggling to heat up multiple dishes at the same time? Or hosting game day and couldn’t get drinks cold fast enough? If your current kitchen is lacking, consider adding some extra appliances to your kitchen remodel.

Design For Your Family

Kitchen designs aren’t one size fits all, so when figuring out the blueprint for your new kitchen, keep your family in mind. For example, if you have young children that like to help themselves to breakfast or snacks after school, you will want to be sure what they need is in arm’s reach. This might mean a more expansive pantry, or installing your microwave a few inches lower. These kind of little details can make a huge difference in the functionality of your kitchen. When mapping out your new kitchen, make sure you are thinking about your everyday needs as much as your wants.

6 Genius Tips That Help Keep Dust Under Control

Want to stop dust in its tracks? You can, with these time saving tricks for keeping your home fresh and dust-free! Start with simple storage solutions that keep those dusting tools within reach, and utilize these genius tips that help keep dust under control.

Tool Time
When it comes to dusting floors and baseboards, essential tools include a broom and/or vacuum cleaner with a hose attachment. For more intricate, specific areas like blinds, ceiling fans, or lamps, you may want to consider a feathered brush or microfiber cloth. Don’t be afraid to try new things to find out what works best for you, and the unique fixtures in your home.

Always Within Reach
Put those storage solutions to good use! Take stock of your cleaning supplies to see what you already have and what you need. For light, daily dusting and quick touch-ups, be sure to keep a dust cloth on hand and accessible in each room of the home — whether it’s the TV room, home office, bathroom, kitchen, or lint-generating laundry room.

One Room At A Time

For a thorough and efficient cleaning, start at one corner or room of the house and work around the perimeter before moving on to the next area. Choose a starting point, and continue in one direction. You’ll complete a full circle and eventually end up back where you started. This will help you keep rack what you’ve already dusted, so you aren’t cleaning things twice and taking up more time. This hack can easily be applied to a single area or the entire house.

Always Dust First
Although you may be inclined to dust last, as the final touch to a freshly cleaned home, reverse your cleaning steps and always dust first. Despite your best efforts, you can’t defy gravity, and dust will always drift downwards to the floors or surfaces below. Skip that extra step of having to clean your floors or vacuum again after dusting by getting it gone from the get-go.

Work Vertically
Begin dusting from the highest point or part of the room, and then work your way down. As we established before, once gravity kicks in, the dust will move downwards. Continue to work vertically to eliminate dust as it drifts down. This technique will definitely come in handy, and and should cut your cleaning time significantly. The law of gravity is your friend and you should use it to your advantage.

Handy Dusting Hacks

The ultimate dusting hack for blinds is to use a pair of tongs covered with a microfiber cloth. This method collects the dust better, while cleaning both the top and bottom of the blind with one swipe.
Swap store-bought sheets for flannel rags. They are cost-efficient, environmentally friendly, washable, reusable, and require little time to make.
Clean lamp shades with a quick swipe of a lint roller.
Got extra dryer sheets? Use them for baseboards to help collect dirt.
No need to spend money on special cleaners for your keyboard when a paintbrush will do nicely.
Ceiling exhaust fans or vents can be dust-free by using canned air. The pressure repels the dust away.
Secure a pillowcase to a broom to make your ceiling and crown moldings look like new.

Dust your troubles away and reducing your cleaning time with these helpful tricks. When you think outside the box and stay one step ahead, it’s easy to keep your home spotless, sparkling and dust-free!

The Benefits Of Working With An Expert Room Designer

When taking on a big remodeling project in your home, wouldn’t be nice to have one-on-one design assistance every step of the way? We think so.

At Willow Lane Cabinetry, we offer a free room design service that is second to none. Our expert designers will walk you through your custom transformation, with a layout design that is both beautiful and functional, and a photorealistic 3D rendering to help you envision your new space. We also work with your unique budget to create an itemized list of what you will need and what it will cost. And in case you missed it, let us say it again — this service is free all our customers. Need we say more?

If you still need convincing, here are a few more benefits of working with an expert room designer.

Bringing Your Room To Life

Whether you’re choosing cabinets for a kitchen, bathroom, laundry room, home office, home bar, entertainment room, or all of the above, a home project is always a large undertaking — both physically and financially. Naturally, you want to do it right the first time, and get the biggest bang for your buck. Working with an expert designer can help save you money, and take the guesswork out of your room remodel.

Focusing On Quality And Value

The secret to getting that magazine-quality look is just a few clicks away, and you don’t have to spend a fortune. By shopping online with Willow Lane Cabinetry, you will get high quality products at a fraction of the cost of big box stores. Our cabinets are custom made to order, and no detail is too small. Working with an expert designer can help you choose the perfect cabinets to compliment your home and maximize your space, plus accessories like backsplash tile, hardware, countertops, kitchen sinks, and hoods, to complete the look.

Knowing That Beauty Is In The Details

Our cabinets are set apart from the rest with solid maple doorframes, all plywood boxes, and I-beam construction. A beautiful, full overlay design encompasses every cabinet, while standard features include solid hardwood, dovetailed drawer boxes with under mount, soft close, full extension glides. But that is just the beginning. Working with an expert designer can help you personalize your space with customized touches.

Having Options

When choosing cabinets, it’s nice to have options. At Willow Lane Cabinetry, you’ll find the perfect cabinets to suit your own unique style — from Shaker and raised panel, to recessed panel and slab, in a variety of durable and beautiful finishes. Once you settle on your cabinetry, an expert designer can help guide you in adding personalized touches like glass doors, decorative molding, or a built-in wine rack.

Trending Now: How To Wallpaper Like A Professional

Of today’s bathroom and kitchen trends, wallpaper has become one of the most highly sought after looks. By adding interest to the room and complementing the surrounding elements, wallpaper is taking precedence over paint in many homes. If you’re on board and ready to add wallpaper to your kitchen or bathroom remodel, read on to learn the ins and outs of wallpapering like a pro.

Don’t skip the little steps.

Have you ever seen wallpaper that has been poorly applied? From ripples and bumps, to areas missing paper all together, there is a lot that can go wrong. If your wallpaper isn’t applied properly, it won’t matter how beautiful the design is or how perfectly the pattern enhances the room. When doing any DIY project, it can be tempting to skip a step that seems insignificant, but often the most miniscule steps have the biggest impact on the finished product.

Prep is as important as the paper.

You would think selecting the right wallpaper for your kitchen or bathroom remodel is the most important step – but prep actually takes the gold.

Instead of rushing into wallpapering, take the time to prep your walls before starting your project. Proper prep starts at least a day before wallpaper ever touches the wall. First, you want to clean the walls using a sponge and warm water. After they have dried, it is time to sand them down and buff away any imperfections that could cause bumps. If you encounter any dips or uneven areas, these will need to be filled in with drywall. When drywall is used, you need to let it fully dry for 24 hours before moving on to the next step.

Once dry, you will sand the wall again to smooth out the drywall application. Some dust can occur when sanding, so wipe the wall again with a sponge and warm water to remove any particles. When the wall is clean, even, and dry, you can apply primer. Primer takes a few hours to set, but you don’t have to wait idly while it does. You can take this time to mark and cut your paper.

These preliminary steps are the foundation to wallpapering and should be taken seriously!

Start your application in the right spot for your kitchen or bathroom.

With all bathroom and kitchen trends, it is important to remember that your project won’t look exactly like the picture you saw on Pinterest or in that magazine. The placement of wallpaper plays a big role in how it appears — so where is the right spot to start your application?

If the room has an obvious focal point, such as a large kitchen hood, you can put the first piece of wallpaper in line with it. Otherwise, just start in a corner.

Your hands are okay, but a wallpaper brush is better.

Air bubbles and ripples can really take away from the beauty of your wallpaper. Instinctively, we want to smooth out the paper with our hands, but this is not the best approach. Specially made wallpaper brushes are used by professionals and provide you with a soft, even tool that will effectively remove any inconsistencies in your wallpaper application.

Wallpapering like a pro really comes down to a few small things that are often overlooked, but make a big difference. Be patient, follow the rules, and your kitchen or bathroom remodel will look beautiful with its flawless wallpaper application.

Give Your Home A Mod Makeover With Euro Slab Cabinets

When undertaking a long-overdue kitchen remodel, why not embrace your modern sensibilities and design a dream custom kitchen anchored by Euro Slab cabinetry? Of all the current kitchen trends, there is none quite so sleek and sophisticated as flat panel cabinet doors. With a frameless face frame, Euro Slab cabinetry allows you to craft a seamless kitchen that is perfect for the modern homeowner. Here are our favorite cabinetry styles that feature Euro Slab doors for your mod kitchen makeover, and why you should choose them!

Urban White

The Urban White collection lends a modern look to any kitchen (or bathroom)! The white, high gloss finish will brighten up your space, while the frameless design ensures full access and maximum storage space. These cabinets also feature soft close hinges and full extension, soft closing drawer glides. Made from 3/4″ MDF, they are equally strong and stunning. Add aluminum frosted glass doors to your design for an extra mod touch.

Vero Espresso

If you love contemporary design, look no further! The Vero Espresso collection features Euro Slab doors made of ¾” birch, with a 14-step finish process for rich color. The epitome of mod simplicity and design, the espresso finish allows the birch wood grain to show through, for a unique and elegant look. The frameless doors feature 6-way, adjustable, concealed, soft-close hinges. The 5/8″ solid wood dovetailed drawer boxes feature steel, under mount, full extension, soft close glides.

If your design tastes lean towards contemporary, you’re not alone. With simple lines and a clean aesthetic, many homeowners find the minimalist, mod look appealing, especially in the kitchen. Modern cabinetry is one of the top kitchen trends today, and will likely continue to be on point into the future.

With a no-frills approach to kitchen design, you can create a stunning space that adds style and value to your home. Euro Slab cabinetry works perfectly in the modern home, complementing other components, such as the countertop, backsplash, and lighting fixtures. It’s like a blank slate that lets your own personal style shine! Just remember — when opting for Euro Slab cabinetry, it’s best to stick with contemporary hardware and accessories for a cohesive look.

Great Design: How To Create A Cohesive Great Room Space

In the past, rooms were mostly closed off and kept completely separate from one another. This meant if you wanted a blue living room and a red kitchen, you could have a blue living room and a red kitchen.

Today, the goal is bright, open spaces and the result is often a great room. Also referred to as an open kitchen or open concept design, this style brings multiple rooms (the kitchen, living room and dining room) together. Because each room is visible from the other, cohesiveness becomes key to achieving a successful design. In other words, you’ll probably have to decide between that blue living room and red kitchen.

A great room is one of the wonders of the modern day design world, so if you find yourself seeking this style in your home, know you’re not alone. Here, we’re going to share a few tips that will help you achieve that allusive cohesiveness we mentioned before.

Cohesiveness is about complementing not matching.

One common great room design fail is mistaking cohesiveness for matching. These two terms are not one in the same. When thinking about creating cohesiveness, think about complementing elements.

For instance, when choosing cabinets in the kitchen, you don’t want to select a finish that will clash with the living room hutch only feet away — but they don’t have to be identical either. Pick a few common elements and then play with them. Maybe navy, metallic, and white wood can be found in each space, but they are all dressed up in different ways.

The spaces in your great room live in the same city but have different zip codes.

Keep this in mind when considering a theme, such as modern, country, or industrial. Each space may live in the same city (have the same theme) but they each have a different zip code (defining elements).

This analogy is to guide you, so that you don’t end up with an Old World kitchen and a super contemporary living room. You should maintain the same theme throughout all of the spaces in your great room, but don’t be afraid to color outside of the lines.

For instance, if you were choosing cabinets that have a rustic, country vibe you wouldn’t want a matte black TV stand in your living room. But it doesn’t have to be made of barn wood either.

Maybe your theme is country — but your kitchen is a little more rustic and your living room is a little more modern. That’s okay. Remember: same city, different zip codes.

Give each space a unique “wow” factor.

In many cases, homeowners fall into the matching trap because they aren’t sure how to make each room individual despite being connected. The best way to accomplish this is by allowing each space to shine in its own way.

That may be a chandelier over your kitchen island or an incredible floor to ceiling mirror in your dining room. Whatever that “wow” factor is, it’ll give each room its own individuality despite having similar features with its neighboring spaces.

5 Trendy, Contemporary Wallpaper Ideas For The Kitchen And Bath

If you consider wallpaper something that should stay in the past, your vision might be incredibly dated. Do you imagine an entire room covered in tacky prints, the paper pealing at the edges, and the colors faded with age? That’s no longer the norm.

It’s time to discover today’s wallpaper options, which are surprisingly modern and much more versatile. From patterns that appear to have texture and dimension to wallpaper that you can actually wash; let’s take a look at five trendy, contemporary wallpaper ideas for the kitchen and bath.

Wallpaper? Just a drop.

Let’s begin by eliminating the notion that wallpaper must cover all of the walls in the room. As part of a kitchen remodel or bathroom remodel, many designers are choosing to use wallpaper strategically. Some bathroom and kitchen trends include using wallpaper to create an accent wall. You can also make a large room feel more intimate by dividing the walls with a chair rail and wallpapering only the top or bottom half. This allows wallpaper to be purposeful, and adds an interesting element to the room without appearing overwhelming.

It’s the digital age.

When it comes to wallpaper, we are no longer restricted to what can be painted by hand. With all of the advancements in printing, the wallpaper patterns available are so intricate and diverse that there is something for everyone — and every room. If you’re embarking on a kitchen remodel or bathroom remodel, consider using wallpaper in a tile-inspired pattern, or one that features a really interesting and unexpected design. Printing offers so many possibilities, there’s no reason to limit your creativity.

Add some texture.

It’s incredible how dimensional modern wallpaper can appear. When shopping styles, you’ll find woven grass, wood grain, cork, and more. Each of these unique materials is able to create a stunning, textured look. There are wallpapers that so closely mimic wood paneling, stone and other natural materials that it is almost impossible to detect any difference compared to the real thing.

Keep it clean.

When you have wallpaper in a room like the kitchen, there is a good chance it will be splattered with food at some point. This used to be a wallpaper tragedy, because cleaning the delicate fabric was anything but easy. Today, you’ll find a vast selection of wallpaper in washable materials that are perfect for applying in the kitchen.

Consider metallics.

We’ve already learned that modern wallpaper offers more options when it comes to prints and patterns, is much more durable, and can even appear textured and dimensional. Even more exciting are the color options, which now include shimmering metallics.

Replicating the beauty of gold, silver, and bronze, this beautiful wallpaper can really bring life to a contemporary kitchen or bathroom. If including metallic wallpaper in your kitchen remodel or bathroom remodel, remember to add some task lighting to highlight each glimmering detail. Bonus: this light reflecting wallpaper can also brighten up the room and make a smaller space feel much larger.

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

6 Efficient Tips For Properly Loading A Dishwasher

Household chores don’t have to be a bore — improve your dishwasher’s performance (and cut back on your cleaning time) by loading your dishwasher in the best possible way. For utensils, glassware and dishes that truly sparkle, you can’t just pile it all in and hope for the best. Instead, think outside the box and be methodical with your placement, just as you would with your kitchen design. With a little strategic know-how, you can help your dishwasher reach its full potential in no time.

Compartmentalize

Most dishwashers have three separate compartments to safely hold items — the top rack, bottom rack, and utensil basket. The top rack holds glasses, mugs, bowls, dishwasher-safe plastic, and other delicate items. Larger and heavier items have a home on the bottom rack, such as dinner plates, bakeware, serving bowls, platters, and pots and pans. Like the name implies, utensils go in the utensil basket.

Keep It Together

Stay organized by grouping like utensils together. This allows for easy sorting later, when putting clean knives, forks, and spoons back in the cutlery tray drawer. When loading the dishwasher, rotate pointing spoons and forks down and up to prevent sticking, and keep knife handles up for safety.

Check Your Filter

Filters are very important and usually are overlooked. Many modern dishwashers have filters to trap food particles, helping to keep the main compartment clean. It’s best to regularly clean out any filters, to keep your dishwasher running smoothly.

Skip The Pre-Rinse

Although this has long been a controversial cleaning debate, and a matter of preference, pre-rinsing is not necessary. Most modern dishwashers are equipped with sensors that measure how dirty your dishes are, and adjust the cleaning process accordingly, saving you time and water usage. With that said, a quick rinse is okay — you should make sure large food pieces are gone before loading the dishwater.

5. Don’t Be Scared Of Stemware

You wouldn’t want to put your fine crystal stemware in the dishwasher, but everyday wine glasses should be perfectly safe. Keep them tilted inside the holders on the upper rack to get a thorough clean. Just beware of the bottom rack, since the water temperature is hotter there, and the cleaning detergents are thicker.

Don’t Over-Use The Detergent

Too much of anything is bad; so don’t go heavy on the detergent. Instead of leaving your dishes clean, too much detergent wastes money and leads to slimy dishes. Read the product label on the back and stick to the recommended amount, or opt for pods instead.

Think of your dishwasher like you would a good kitchen design, with thoughtful consideration for placement and practicality, and then put your newfound knowledge to the test. By incorporating these easy and efficient tips for loading your dishwasher properly, you can help to achieve organization from the inside out.

Storage Solutions For A Splendidly Organized Kitchen

Want your kitchen to run like a well-oiled machine? Then you need to get organized! There are many parts that come into play in the busiest room of the home, including overlooked spaces like your cabinets and drawers. Learn how to maximize space, and transform your kitchen into an efficient, functional space, with the help of these smart storage solutions from Willow Lane Cabinetry.

Kitchen Cabinets

Most kitchen cabinets contain adjustable shelves that can be reconfigured, based on need. Make the most of the vertical space you have by moving shelves up or down to fit short items like dishes and bowls, or tall items like glassware and cake stands. Be sure to group like items together, such as baking pans stacked neatly in tray dividers, or cookware in a two-tier organizer.

Your cabinet doors are valuable real estate. Don’t let it go to waste. Instead, install a door-mounted cutting board, a door-mounted spice rack, or a vertical door rack for housing foil, plastic wrap, and zip-top baggies.

If you’re lucky enough to be undertaking a kitchen remodel, consider incorporating shelves in your kitchen island for cookbooks, or a built-in wine rack, plus roll out trays, Lazy Susan inserts, and pull out filler organizers that take advantage of every inch of your cabinetry. You could even add a double pull out waste container to hide unsightly trash and recyclables behind base cabinet doors.

Drawers

Drawers tend to become the catchall of the kitchen, where utensils and other items become a jumbled mess, and it’s impossible to find what you need without doing a bit of digging. Don’t get caught in this vicious cycle. Simply install drawer dividers to keep like items tidy and easily accessible.

A trimmable cutlery tray is ideal for keeping your forks, spoons, and butter knives separate, while a trimmable utility tray is suited for organizing larger utensils like whisks and spatulas. Safely store knives inside a drawer with a trimmable knife block. Not only does it hold more knives than a traditional knife block, but it also keeps your countertops free of clutter, and fits in any size drawer.

These and other splendid storage solutions can be found online at Willow Lane Cabinetry. Let us help you design the kitchen of your dreams with our free room design service. Our experts will work with you to create a customized layout, photorealistic renderings, and an itemized list of what you need and what it will cost.