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How To Start A Vegetable Garden In Your Own Backyard

If you’ve ever considered starting a vegetable garden, now is the time to test out your green thumb and get in on one of the most popular outdoor kitchen trends today. Step into spring and enjoy a taste of Mother Nature from the convenience of home! Adding a vegetable garden can be a welcome addition to a backyard of any size, and is something the entire family can enjoy. Bring your DIY vegetable garden to life with these helpful tips.

Picture The Possibilities

First, figure out what you want to accomplish with your vegetable garden. Is it for aesthetic beauty, for culinary purposes, or both? Do you want it to be located towards the middle, back, or front of the yard? Will it work best as one large garden, or divided into small sub sections? Once you decide what type of vegetable garden will work best in your yard, you can move on to the planning stage.

Foundation First

Whether you plan to plant directly in the ground or use raised planting beds, there are important factors to consider that could impact the health of your vegetable garden in the long run. Your best bet is to keep the beds between 12 to 18 inches above the path. Allow enough space to fill the beds with a good amount of soil (suitable for growing vegetables), and room for future growth. Keep beds no longer than four or five feet, so you have space to reach every inch without stepping into the garden and crushing delicate greens.

A Heavenly Harvest

When your vegetable garden is properly planted and cared for, you can look forward to a bounty of fresh seasonal veggies — but first, you need to decide what you want to plant, and what is feasible in your climate and time frame. There are many types of vegetables to consider, with many different colors, textures, sizes, and flavors. Once you’ve narrowed down your selection, research when those vegetables are in season, how long they take to grow, how much sunlight do they need, and what is the required water and maintenance for each.

Try Adding A Trellis

If you long for a vegetable garden but your yard has a limited amount of space, think vertical. You can easily take your garden to new heights with support from a simple structure, such as a trellis, tepee, gazebo, or garden cages. These helpful accessories can even help you grow a successful potted vegetable garden on a patio or deck.

Pointers To Ponder

Reach Beyond The Rectangle: When designing your vegetable garden, you can reach beyond the traditional rectangular shape, either out of necessity or to add visual interest. Create a garden to custom fit your backyard – your personal design choices will bloom into a beautiful focal point, and will maximize the space you have for planting.

Frame Fabulously: If not using raised planting beds; keep in mind that gardens need to be at least slightly raised from the flat ground. Choose complimentary materials and colors to frame your space, such as stone and brick (for a traditional charm), or rot-resistant wood (for an earthy, contemporary or rustic look).

Plan In Patterns: Bring dimension to your garden by arranging each item in a pattern. Alternating different types of vegetables and herbs can add a lovely patchwork of color and texture to your garden, and the end result will be a more attractive presentation in the yard.

Don’t Be Afraid To Mix + Match: It’s okay to have a backyard landscape made up of different types of plantings, including vegetables, flowers, herbs, trees, and shrubs. Research what goes well together, and arrange them how you see fit. Add in complimentary accessories like birdbaths, sundials, stones, fountains, garden flags, and sculptures for a personal, decorative touch. Remember that you can always change and rearrange.

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 Great Tips For A More Organized Garage

The intent of a garage may be to park cars, but we all know they are used for much more. From doubling as a laundry room to serving as a storage unit, the garage can wear many hats in the home.

While utilizing the extra space to serve your needs is often necessary, leaving the garage in a constant state of disarray is not. Here, we’ll share five tips and storage solutions for a more organized garage.

Stop thinking of the laundry room as just “part of the garage,” and give it its own designated nook.

When a single space serves more than one purpose, it’s important to create clear divides. If you have a garage laundry room, you can do that by adding some laundry room cabinetry.

Not only will this laundry room cabinetry help create more division between your “laundry room” and “garage,” but it will also serve as additional storage solutions. You’ll now have a designated place for your detergent, dryer sheets, iron, clothespins, and any other laundry-related odds and ends.

Décor can also help you create division. Paint the section of the wall behind your washer and dryer a different color than the rest of the garage, and put a matching indoor/outdoor area rug in front of your appliances. These little touches will remind you to keep your laundry room out of your garage and your garage out of your laundry room.

Hang your tools up rather than lean them against the wall.

It’s likely you have a plethora of tools to keep your driveway and front lawn in pristine shape. You also probably prefer to have that broom, rake, and shovel in arm’s reach. But rather than rest these tools against the wall or pile them up in the corner, install an easy tool rail to hang them on.

Building a simple DIY rack with hooks can create an easy, organized option for storing your lawn and gardening tools. Pegboard can also be installed on walls for hanging smaller tools.

Let open shelving solve the mystery of missing things.

We’re all guilty of purchasing those oversized garage totes to store everything, from holiday decorations to old photo albums, and stacking them in the attic. They may be great for a quick pickup, but they’re pretty terrible storage solutions.

When it finally comes time to decorate, or you get that yearning to flip through old pictures, you have to get them down, and sort through at least three bins before you find what you’re looking for.

A more organized solution is keeping clear bins on open shelves in the garage, so that you can literally see through the clutter. You won’t have to do any heavy lifting either, looking from one bin to the next.

Assign children their own locker for sports equipment.

If your children play sports, your garage may feel like a locker room already. Assigning each child their own locker to keep cleats, uniforms, and other gear is one of the best storage solutions, because it will encourage them to put their things away at the end of each day — rather than drop it on the garage floor.

Put a makeshift mudroom near your door.

Not all homes have a mudroom, and the garage can become the place to leave muddy rain boots and wet coats. Prepare for the inevitable by setting up a shoe and coat rack near the door to your home, and make it the first stop before heading inside.

5 Fresh And Delightful Cocktails For Spring

Having a wet bar is one of those unique kitchen trends we all can celebrate. After all, who wouldn’t want a kitchen designed for entertaining? So give the neighbors a call, fire up the grill, and let’s get social! Spring is the perfect time to host a casual get-together with friends. Here are five delightful spring cocktails to get the party started, with fresh ingredients like garden herbs and seasonal fruit.

Mint Julep: A Mint Julep is the quintessential spring cocktail for sipping out on the porch. If you’ve planted herbs this spring, you’re in luck! You can find several recipes online, but we like this one from Food Network star, Alton Brown. Muddle up 10 mint leaves with 1 ½ teaspoons of fine sugar. Pour in 1 and ½ ounces of Kentucky Bourbon. Add ice and top your glass off with seltzer water. Then sit back, relax, and enjoy!

Mojito: Another cocktail starring mint, the Mojito is easy to make and easy to love. All you need is sugar, lime, and mint, plus some light rum and seltzer water. Muddle your mint and sugar, then add the rum and seltzer, and serve over ice. For a complete recipe from Real Simple, click here. For a large party, whip up a big batch ahead of time (minus the mint – add that as your guests arrive), and serve in pitchers.

Mango Mojito: This recipe from Martha Stewart adds a fruity twist to the traditional Mojito described above. For entertaining, you can make the base the night before, and pulse or muddle the fresh mint before serving. You’ll need a blender to puree 4 cups of chopped fresh mango with sugar, rum and lime juice. Again, top with seltzer water for added fizz.

Strawberry Peach Sangria: This creative cocktail comes from Bon Appétit, and features a plethora of fresh fruit favorites in addition to spring strawberries and peaches. Ingredients also include white wine, peach liquor, lemons, oranges, and strawberry syrup. Strawberry syrup can be found at most supermarkets, or make your own by sautéing frozen strawberries with equal parts water and sugar (until sweet to taste), and pureeing with a hand blender. For the Strawberry Peach Sangria recipe, click here.

Carrot Cooler: This cooler recipe from Coastal Living will brighten up any spring fling. Light and refreshing, it has a lovely orange hue, thanks to freshly pressed carrot and orange juice. You’ll also need some limes, ginger ale, tequila and a pinch of turmeric. Click here for the full recipe. If you don’t have a juicer, there are several brands gracing grocery stores shelves, as naturally sweet carrot juice is growing in popularity.

Kitchen trends come and go, but everyone loves a kitchen designed for entertaining — and they always will. If you dream of having your own wet bar in the kitchen, contact the designers at Willow Lane Cabinetry, and check out our vast selection of beautiful bar room cabinetry.

Outdoor Kitchens and Patios: 5 Culinary Herbs That That Naturally Repel Mosquitos

With spring officially here, you’re probably looking forward to warm days spent in the great outdoors. Of all the kitchen trends for spring and summer, an outdoor kitchen or patio is probably pretty high on the popularity list. Many homeowners consider the backyard an extension of the home — the perfect place to create an additional living and dining space. And while relaxing in the yard and enjoying a meal al fresco sounds delightful, mosquito bites are anything but. Keep your patio free of pesky insects by potting these culinary herbs that naturally repel mosquitos.

Lemon Balm

This plant is a powerful insect repellent, and has a lovely lemon scent. Since it is an invasive species, it does well when contained to a large pot on the patio. For culinary purposes, lemon balm has a delicate lemon flavor. You can use it to sweeten iced tea and homemade jam, or add this herb to salads and marinades.

Rosemary

Rosemary thrives in containers, and has a woodsy scent that keeps mosquitos and other insects away. Rosemary can be grown in containers on the patio, and can be pruned to add visual interest. As an added bonus, this herb is a great addition to homemade bread. It can also be used for seasoning meats on the grill.

Lavender

This fragrant herb is quite popular with homeowners for several reasons. Lavender has a pleasant aroma and pretty purple flowers that can add a touch of color to the patio. Best of all, bugs despise its scent. Opt for a culinary variety for your patio pots, and use a dash of lavender to infuse simple syrup for sweetening lemonade and tea. You can also grind Lavender into sugar or butter for baking, or to flavor homemade vanilla ice cream.

Basil

Basil is a handy herb to have in your patio garden, and not just for culinary use. Not only does it repel mosquitos, but it also wards off houseflies too. For the best results, plant basil in large containers by your patio door. Basil can be used to top salads or pizzas on the grill, or use it in a homemade marinara with fresh garden tomatoes.

Peppermint

This herb has a heavenly scent that homeowners love — and mosquitos hate. It is best to contain Peppermint in pots, since it can grow aggressively in a garden. Use the aromatic leaves to flavor iced tea and mojitos — perfect for sipping while relaxing in the backyard on a warm, sunny day.

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!

How To Entertain With Ease By Adding A Wet Bar To Your Kitchen

One of our favorite kitchen trends is an open concept design. It makes the home feel brighter and more welcoming — and creates a seamless flow of space to entertain.

If hosting friends and family is one of your most adored pastimes, you will love an open concept design and all of the great add-ons you can incorporate. One of our personal favorites is a wet bar. Having a designated space for mixing cocktails and pouring drinks will radically change the way you entertain.

Depending on the design of your home, you can install a wet bar in the kitchen, living room or dining room. But “where” is not the only question that needs to be answered. From logistics to choosing cabinets, here are a few things to consider so that you can entertain with ease with your new wet bar:

Plumbing: You will want your wet bar to have a sink, so be sure to check with a plumber before starting your wet bar installation.

Electricity: If you’re considering adding a wine cooler, ice maker or mini fridge to your wet bar, make sure you can run electricity to the installation area.

Cabinets: When choosing cabinets for your wet bar, make sure you are selecting a design that complements those in your kitchen. While mixing and matching cabinets is one of our favorite kitchen trends, you don’t want to choose a style that clashes with what’s in your kitchen. Choose a similar style in a different finish, or a different style that falls within the same design theme (for example, modern or traditional).

Noise: Try to avoid installing your wet bar right next to another high traffic area. People tend to congregate around the bar, so if yours is right next to the television, breakfast bar, or anywhere else guests gather, you’re likely to have a noise issue. Try to spread out these party “hot spots,” so your guests can enjoy each other’s company (or the TV, if it’s game day) without too much shouting.

Size: Your wet bar can be restricted to a small corner in your kitchen or an expansive space in your living room. The size is completely dependent on your preferences, and how much of your home you can dedicate to a bar.

If you are going with a larger design, you might want to add an island or other dividing element. This will help maintain cohesiveness in the room while also creating clear distinction between the bar and the adhering room.

Storage: From traditional cabinets, to glass doors and open shelves, there are many different ways to store your barware. Don’t be afraid to think outside of the box so that your final design is as interesting and eye-catching as the rest of your home.

Inclusiveness: While a kitchen island helps to create clear lines around your wet bar, it can also encourage conversations and create inclusiveness. Making guests feel comfortable is key to throwing a successful event. But not all wet bars will have space for an island. As an alternative, install mirrors along the back wall of your wet bar (for example, where a kitchen backsplash traditionally goes). The mirrors will make the bar area feel more inclusive, even if it is in a lonely corner.

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.

How To Infuse Your Bathroom With Fresh Farmhouse Style

A fresh take on Farmhouse style is right on trend in the home, thanks to popular interior designers like HGTV star Joanna Gaines. And according to Houzz editor and writer Mitchell Parker (who was recently interviewed by the Washington Post), “The modern Farmhouse style will continue to flourish in 2018 and spread to the bathroom.” We couldn’t agree more! If you love the look, we’ll show you how to infuse your bathroom with fresh farmhouse style.

Dull and Dated

It doesn’t matter if you own a brand new home or an actual farmhouse with 100 years of history. If your current bathroom needs a style update, a farmhouse makeover can be the charming yet contemporary update your home needs.

New construction often leaves homeowners with dull spaces waiting for personalized touches. This has its advantages. A newly built home is the perfect blank canvas for creating a bathroom with modern Farmhouse style and character.

Historic homes, while already rich in character, tend to show their age. This also has its advantages. When completing a bathroom remodel, you can stay true the age of your home without sacrificing style by opting for a contemporary take on the classic Farmhouse look.

Here are a few key elements of modern Farmhouse style:

Paint: When giving your bathroom a Farmhouse makeover, stick with a soothing, neutral color palette. Soft greens, blues, pale gray, and creamy beige hues all lend themselves to the modern Farmhouse look.

Pattern: Country toile saw resurgence in the early 2000s, but it’s a bit stuffy for the modern take on Farmhouse décor. With that said, wallpaper is back as one of the top trends for 2018. When working with pattern in your Farmhouse bathroom remodel, opt for small touches of plaid, Buffalo check, or gingham.

Paneling: In the past, beadboard was the go-to wall treatment for country flair. Made popular in 19^th century cottages, this classic paneling style was ideal for informal spaces like the bathroom. Today’s modern Farmhouse style takes it up a notch, with shiplap and board and batten wainscoting replacing traditional beadboard paneling.

Tile: If you like to watch Joanna Gaines work her magic on HGTV’s Fixer Upper, you may have noticed she is fond of subway tile. This classic look often gets a modern update with variations in size and color. For the modern farmhouse look, opt for light, neutral shades of Cristezza Club Glass Tile, such as white, light taupe, gray, or baby blue.

Cabinetry: When choosing cabinetry for your Farmhouse bathroom remodel, you could opt for traditional raised panel details or clean Shaker design. White cabinetry is ideal for the modern farmhouse look, but gray, black, or off-white shades work equally well, especially when paired with an antiqued glaze.

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.