by Cornerstone Cabinet Company | Oct 17, 2024 | Architects, Contractors, Homeowners, Interior Designers
Several of our blogs talk about how the kitchen is the heart of the home. More and more families want to encourage interaction using multiple islands, banquette seating and more space. This means taking down non-supportive walls and removing big over-the-island hoods. It utilizes cabinets designed to both maximize storage and integrate with the rest of the home. Nearly half of current remodel projects make kitchens more open to adjacent spaces and it requires more thought to how finishes and materials for the added rooms work together. Again, cabinetry is the key to function and appearance. We discussed changes in cabinetry in Remodeling trends for kitchen islands in 2020. One way is to contrast island cabinets with perimeter cabinets using different shades of one color; or a different color altogether. Another is to make cabinets more colorful as stated in the latest styles and color for kitchen cabinetry. Kitchen lighting is also seeing a change. While recessed lights are still popular; pendant lighting along with under-cabinet and toe-kick lighting works together to create a warmer atmosphere. This combination eliminates glare and shadows. And don’t forget the rooms the kitchen opens up to. Whether a dining room, living room or great room, it takes more planning to pull the entire area together. One way is to have square and rectangular cutout shelves in the adjacent room echo the shapes of the kitchen cabinet panels. Another small but important detail is hardware. Matching - or better yet – using complementary finishes for door and drawer handles throughout is a great way to pull the rooms together. Because open kitchens are more...
by Cornerstone Cabinet Company | Sep 5, 2024 | Architects, Contractors, Homeowners, Interior Designers, Uncategorized
Make the best of your cabinets by selecting a finish that enhances your kitchen style. Painted finishes come in a wide variety of colors. Paint can be used to accent or fully cover the cabinetry. It works best for maple cabinets because the wood is smooth and uniform, but be aware that the natural grain often shows slightly through the paint. Paint finishes chip, hairline crack, and rub off in high use areas. Adding a tinted varnish to natural wood cabinets can create a look that is similar to painted cabinets, but shows more wood grain and is more durable. Staining enhances the wood pattern, but always has a slightly irregular look. Although the variations seem noticeable on individual pieces, when the cabinets are installed, the total effect is complementary and brings extra depth to the design. However, here are fewer choices in stain colors and finish types. Glaze is a finish type that has some color, but glazes are transparent or semi-transparent, so the color is lighter rather than opaque. Glazes are brushed on over paint or stain, then rubbed off by hand so the color remains in the corners, recesses, and imperfections of the wood. Glazing creates a unique look, but it can be expensive. Most cabinet manufacturers finish all of their natural cabinets with polyurethane varnish to make them harder and more corrosion-resistant. Polyurethane varnishes create a glossier appearance. Some green manufacturers now offer a water-based, ultra-violet (UV) cabinet finish that contains virtually no volatile organic compounds, and emits no toxic fumes or chemicals into the air. The look is basically the same as polyurethane and...
by Cornerstone Cabinet Company | Jul 25, 2024 | Architects, Homeowners, Interior Designers, Uncategorized
When it comes to storage, it’s easy to overlook the half-bath. Since the available space is often measured in inches, it’s even more important to utilize what you do have. Happily, customized cabinetry is versatile enough to fit into any space so there’s adequate storage for important items like soap, toilet paper and towels. Pedestal sinks are popular in half baths due to their size. They also come in a variety of styles. One way to get the best look and utility is to add a pedestal sink cabinet. It snuggles in beneath the sink without adsorbing extra floor space and has the added advantage of covering pipes or valves going from the sink to the wall. Mounted sinks are more popular than ever and create space below. Get the most from that space with a custom cabinet. Narrow cabinets may look inefficient but they store more than you think. Place them right beside the toilet or sink or up against a wall where there’s a little extra room. Corner cabinets are another option and utilize floor space that might otherwise go to waste. Instead of a standard medicine chest over the sink, think custom cabinet. Depending on the layout, one with less depth but taller and wider still provides storage with that personal touch. Cabinets with towel bars look good and allow for additional towels to be handy. This is a good place to mix open shelves and glass doors. Finally, cabinet vanities are a sure thing for half baths. Customized vanities can be built to any style with either a drop sink or an above-the-counter bowl. There’s...
by Cornerstone Cabinet Company | May 23, 2024 | Architects, Contractors, Interior Designers
As stated in our previous blog about Shaker cabinets, the trend in cabinet design continues to lean towards beauty, simplicity, and functionality – a perfect formula for this style. Around since the 1800’s, the Shaker profile stays true to its generations-old simplicity. Not surprisingly, it’s as popular as ever today. But what if your client doesn’t follow the crowd? Not everybody wants the same as everyone else. Therefore, we adapt these cabinets to fit modern tastes with some twists. Whether your clients prefer country, contemporary, even an industrial look – the squared off shape easily adjusts to changes using different cuts, finishes and hardware. It starts with the characteristics and styles of the cabinetry itself. Shaker cabinets offer a number of options. Due to the frame and panel profile (also known as rail and style construction), pure Shaker style cabinetry is very plain. Adding a slight beveled finish keeps the cabinets simple, yet gives them an elegant touch. Larger units can be divided into sections with pieces known as mid-rails, mid-stiles…or strips of wood or metal known as muntins. Some clients need lots of storage and using rows of big drawers maximizes storage space. For added flourish, we can include design features such as beaded or raised panels. How to differentiate Shaker cabinets with finishes. Before the introduction of various finishes, cabinet craftsmen relied on the quality of wood…like maple, birch and chestnut. The various characteristics of the grain defined the cabinet’s beauty. In addition, we offer woods like cherry and walnut for an even richer look. When it comes to an antique or simply unique version, we can...
by Cornerstone Cabinet Company | Apr 25, 2024 | Architects, Contractors, Homeowners, Interior Designers
Home owners are “personalizing” and turning to placing lights beneath their cabinets for more atmosphere. If you decide to go that route, here are a few things to keep in mind to get the best effect without creating problems. LEDs are the best option for under-cabinet lighting for a number of reasons. They produce the least amount of heat, provide good lighting for activities and come in a variety of colors. Traditionally more expensive, costs have come down considerably recently. This, along with their long life makes LEDs a good choice for the long term. Fluorescent lights are almost as energy efficient as LEDs but they do produce more heat. Another option is Xenon lights that emit some heat but they can be dimmed to create an attractive, warm glow. Halogen lights are still possible but the heat they throw off can affect food or drinks stored above them. When selecting lights to go under your cabinets, determine what kind of effect you want but keep in mind what you plan to store in each of those...
by Cornerstone Cabinet Company | Apr 11, 2024 | Architects, Homeowners, Interior Designers
The Home Office Trend Is To Customize Space For The Entire Family There was a time when the ‘home office’ applied solely to corporate executives. Traditionally defined by wood-paneled walls, large oak desks and leather-bound chairs; this space was dedicated to the head of the household as his “office away from the office.” With the explosion of remote employees and work-from-home businesses, this once ‘exclusive’ room is now used by any family member. More than employment, it’s the family place to do everything from paying monthly bills to homework assignments. Custom cabinetry is the best option to increase both safety and efficiency. Let me explain… Safe and Secure, or Open to All? The business office: How cabinets are placed for security is more important than ever. They may need to be high enough to stay of children’s reach, or come equipped with locks for sensitive documents and files. To maximize efficiency, office cabinets can be customized with built-in file dividers and holders…and have as many drawers as needed for whatever ‘tools’ the work requires. Some businesses decide to use an electronic filing system instead of having paper files as they can be easily organized and accessible. That way, it doesn’t matter if you run out of space in your filing cabinet as it is all done on your computer. By checking out a company such as FilecenterDMS can offer an alternative solution if you start to run out of space in your cabinet. The family office: Where the home office is multi-functional; parents and kids may share the same space. Here’s where cabinets with open shelves, glass-paned doors and...
