Granite | Kitchen Cabinet Guide

Lance Armstrong’s Kitchen – Get The Look!

A few weeks ago, Kathy Price-Robinson, a writer, knowledgeable on many and varied remodeling topics, asked me for comments on how to get the look, for less, of Lance Armstrong’s kitchen.

I proceeded to write paragraphs (and paragraphs) on elements that I observed that one could replicate fairly easily. I’m thrilled to have been quoted in AOL for this feature, but, unfortunately, many of my paragraphs did not make the cut. There were some good points!

BUILT IN BANQUETTE

One could buy short stock refrigerator cabinets that are 24″ in depth, mount the pieces on a platform of studs, put a sturdy top on top of them, and wa-laa you have storage and seating. Those cabinets should be somewhere between 12-15″ tall depending on the structure below and above the cabinets and the height desired for the bench. Take a look at this earlier post I did on banquette seating.

COUNTERTOPS

There are GORGEOUS laminate countertops now that truly look identical to granite or other stone except for the touch. They are worth a serious look. Alternatively, in one of my own kitchens, years ago, I used granite tile and wood [...]

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Kitchen Blog Notes

Just a little blog housekeeping to do and to turn you on (do people still say that?) to a few things you may want to take a look at.

First, you’ll see a new look for this blog. It’s actually an update that I did myself. I may continue tweaking a bit here and there, but I needed a change, and to do a big change requires time that I just do not have right now to work with a professional graphic designer. So, much like organizing the kitchen, my new post on the really great blog, Hatch, here’s a small update. I’m open to constructive suggestions too!

NOTE: There is a new share button at the end of every post. Please share! I’d love for you to share my posts wherever and with whomever you feel it is relevant for. Sharing is a good thing.

INTERIOR DESIGN CHAT – LIVE ON TWITTER – THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 8-9pm

My great new interior designer friend, Wanda S. Horton, from North Carolina, came up with this very cool and fun idea to have a live chat, open to any questions at all on interior [...]

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Unold 4-in-1 raclette fondue

This multi talented 4-in-1 raclette is perfect for those who like to have friends over for a ball game and want to treat them with something a bit more substantial and tasty than beer, pizza and chips. Also perfect for a nice cozy evening for just two of you, especially if you want to impress her with your culinary skills. You can use both grill and fondue simultaneously. Designed for up to 8 people, the 1.3 kW Unold 4-in-1 raclette comes with fondue pot, a splash guard, forks and granite hot stone. Main features and accessories include variable temperature, nonstick pans and pot, special grease receptacle, 8 raclette pans, 8 wooden spatulas, dust cover and scraper for cleaning the stone. Easily dismantled for quick cleaning, the 4-in-1 Unold raclette sells for around 100 €. Unold.

New Products for the Kitchen! Take a look…

Here is what’s catching my attention…new and/or interesting products you need to know about.

Blue Star is sort of a lone wolf (no pun intended) in the pro range category. A somewhat silent player, it’s a product that deserves more attention. Blue Star says that they are the only genuine restaurant range for the home due to their open burner system, producing 22,000 btus of power, resulting in shorter cooking times and an even simmer. BUILD YOUR OWN Blue Star range (that’s what I built in the image) to reflect your personal style and preferences.

Miele hasjust redesigned their CombiSets, or modular cooking pieces. I LOVE modular pieces. It’s a super flexible, super functional way to precision-design your cooking needs. The new line includes an induction cooktop and Japanese Tepan Yaki. The design of these pieces are gorgeous, with controls that are slanted in an ergonomic way. A slightly larger 15″ size is available for some models and that really makes sense to me.

I’m crazy about sink accessories! In my new home, I have this one small built-in cutting board, and it’s so incredibly useful to have [...]

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Kitchen Accessories

Furniture and accessories add the finishing touches to your kitchen and help to enhance its overall effect. Buying new accessories is the easiest way to change the look of your kitchen.

However, it is important not only to choose items that complement the style and feel of your kitchen but also ones that meet your needs.

Appliances and accessories made of stainless steel are very popular right now, such as blenders and toasters, refrigerators and pro-style oven ranges. To get the all-steel look without the price, look for steel finished appliances and accessories.

Kitchen seating and lighting is covered below. Also, there are some hints and tips on kitchen cleaning and suggestions on what to look out for when choosing a kitchen to make these tasks easier.

Tools and gadgets are a personal choice and should reflect your personal taste.

Kitchen Seating

With many people spending significantly more time in their kitchens these days, this room has now become one of the most lived in rooms in the home.

Seat Height Selection

Choosing the correct size stool or chair is very important as there are several seat heights available. Remember, stools and chairs usually come [...]

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Kitchen Floors

Choosing flooring is a lot like choosing countertops. Which type you choose depends on the style of your kitchen, the amount of use it will get, and the price. Each type has its advantages and disadvantages.

Vinyl, linoleum and carpet are the most comfortable underfoot. Laminate, vinyl and polyurethane-treated wood are the most durable. Stone and concrete look good and are also hard-wearing, but are also harder to clean.

Decide whether you want to install flooring under your removable appliances or around them (whichever you choose, make sure you can roll them out for repairs). Talk to your designer about this.

Vinyl

The most common kitchen flooring material, vinyl offers the best value and versatility. It is available in many patterns and colors, either inlaid, where the pattern and color runs through the material (most durable, works well in high traffic areas), or a with a surface-only printed design which is not as lasting. Make sure you buy the appropriate grade for the area it will be used in. It is easy to clean and is stain- and water-resistant. It comes in either sheet or tile form.

Advantages:

Nice ‘bouncy’ feel underfoot (dependent on thickness). [...]

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Kitchen Countertops

The cabinets may be the face of the kitchen but the countertops are where all the action happens. A countertop will have to cope with hot pots and pans, knives, dirt and therefore needs to be durable.

So it is usually best to make your choice based on the performance of the material and ease of maintenance, as well as the sink mounting option.

Notes on edge styles and backsplash options are given at the end of this page (click here).

The countertop choices are listed below very roughly by price (least to most expensive). If you are replacing countertops measure the tops at the wall edge (not the front edge) and make a rough drawing when you go to the kitchen store to get a quote. Also measure the depth and indicate how the ends need to be finished, meaning whether there is a wall, an appliance or a walkway. Draw your plan from above, as if you were on the ceiling looking down.

Laminate Tile Wood and Butcher Block Stainless Steel Corian, Avonite and Other Solid Surfaces Swanstone Granite Quartz Surfaces: Cambria, Zodiaq and [...]

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Kitchen Costs

Your budget will normally dictate your choice of products but there are other considerations you need to take into account when working out how much your new kitchen is going to cost.

Prices vary quite a lot, so the figures given below are just a guideline and, as always, shopping around is the best bet.

But work out roughly how much money you want to spend and use this figure when talking to designers and contractors.

Below are some guidelines for establishing a realistic budget.

Budget Guidelines

First of all, if you limit your spending to 15% of your home’s value you should recoup 90% of the costs when you sell. Try to keep your investment relative to your homes worth, but at the same time make it worth your while by spending on the items that you really want.

Second, figure your product costs to be 1/2 to 2/3 of the total remodel. Choose your appliances, cabinets, countertops, flooring and all other fixtures first. The remaining money will go towards installation and design.

Third, if you become overwhelmed with selection choices hire a design consultant to help you. A designer can save you money [...]

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Kitchen Design Basics

With so many choices in materials, appliances and accessories, sometimes it can be difficult to know where to start when choosing the components that make up your new kitchen.

A good designer should be able to point you in the right direction and sites such as this can give you some good hints, tips and ideas, but ultimately the choice of kitchen style is entirely up to you.

If you have any questions about kitchen design that are not covered in these pages then visit our Kitchen Design Guide site here.

Planning

Obviously, planning is the first and most important part of buying a new kitchen.

The main steps involved are usually the following:

List the reasons you want to remodel, or the problems with your current kitchen. These can be such things as: old cabinets limited storage old style too cramped Measure it fully and accurately. Remember to include the following: the width of all windows and doors the position of the window or door from the corners of the room the height of the bottom of the windows above the floor the height of the ceiling the height, width and depth of [...]

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Kitchen Cabinet Guide

You May Also Be Interested In:

Lance Armstrong’s Kitchen – Get The Look!

Kitchen Blog Notes

Unold 4-in-1 raclette fondue

New Products for the Kitchen! Take a look…