Mr. Jackson
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Guiding Clients To The Right Hardware For Their Kitchen

by | Apr 3, 2018 | Architects, Contractors, Interior Designers

  The head-spinning number of decisions needed to model the kitchen makes it the most complex room in the home to design. In “The Kitchen Island“ post, we pose a number of questions to consider before designing what’s often the ‘heart’ of the kitchen. The same goes for choosing hardware. Some may like the look of doors and drawers with no hardware - and think they’re saving money. But over time, especially in active kitchens, oil and dirt from hands can eat away the finish (even when home owners are fastidious about washing their hands!). Narrow down the possibilities by learning how the kitchen will function. When cooking’s a passion, easy-to-grasp hardware that doesn’t snag clothing works best.  This style also applies to older residents and anyone who experiences sore or stiff joints. Knob styles work well in kitchens mostly used as a place to gather or where cooking isn’t a priority. The choices range from minimal design to ‘bling’. Here’s where individual taste really makes a statement. For families with toddlers, drop down handles are a good choice as they’re harder for little ones to operate. Another consideration is how wide drawers are. Hardware that’s too small not only gets lost, but may be inadequate to open the drawer. The accepted rule of thumb is to use two knobs or pulls for drawers 18 inches or wider. The alternative is to use oversized bar pulls. Where To Start Living in a desert doesn’t limit choices to just Southwestern or Contemporary. Different kitchen styles help determine what type and size hardware complement the overall look. But this still leaves a...
Cabinet Door Shapes

Cabinet Door Shapes

by | Mar 7, 2018 | Architects, Cabinets 101, Contractors, Homeowners, Interior Designers

When the time comes to give your kitchen a facelift, the first place to look is the cabinetry. If the wood species and stain of the cabinet denote the color and feel of the room they inhabit, then the door style is what lends an overarching sense of style and refinement. There are multiple construction types, finishes, and wood species to choose for your kitchen cabinets, but you may not have realized that there are also more than one cabinet door shape. The cabinet door shape that you choose for your cabinet can solidify the design theme of your kitchen and bring thoughts of style and theme to life. Types of Cabinet Door: While there are many individual options when it comes time to choose a door shape for your home cabinets, there are basically three main types of cabinet door shapes: slab door, recessed panel, or raised wood. The slab, also know as a flat panel door, is a frameless cabinet door. The wood grain and the colors may not always match perfectly across slab doors, but it is perfectly ideal if you are looking for a more rustic theme for your home design project. If you are trying to achieve either a classic or traditional style in your kitchen, then the raised panel door may be the best choice for you. Among the raised panel cabinet door styles, there are also choices of cathedral, arched, or square shapes to determine the shape of the raised panel. This gives you a few more options to make your kitchen cabinets as custom as possible to your original ideas without...

Custom, Semi-Custom and Modular Cabinets

by | Jan 30, 2018 | Architects, Cabinets 101, Contractors, Homeowners, Interior Designers

When you think of remodeling, one of the first items to consider is your kitchen. Statistics suggest that a quality kitchen remodel can actually help to increase the value of your home. When selling your home, an updated kitchen with modern conveniences can attract more buyers and set your home apart from other similar homes in your neighborhood. Cabinetry is typically one of the more expensive items in your kitchen remodel project, so choosing the right type of cabinetry for your home is very important. Custom Cabinets What you want is what you get, and what you imagine can appear in reality. Custom cabinets are typically manufactured by local craftsmen, tradesmen with honed skills, and sometimes by expensive automated equipment. Custom cabinets offer you a wide variety of wood species, the biggest selection of door styles, an assortment of options and modern conveniences, and a vast array of stains and finishes. Unlike modular cabinets, which are cabinets made in 3″ increments, custom cabinets are made to fit and are often made in the dimensions used by “Big Box” construction methods. Door and drawer combinations are no problem, and custom sizes, angles, differing height dimensions, special finishes, stains and glazing are all traits of custom cabinetry. A buyer must be careful though: just because someone builds custom cabinets doesn’t mean the craftsmanship is of the highest quality. In choosing a custom cabinet manufacturer, always look at the manufacturer’s portfolio, ask for references, and take a tour of their shop. There are also several national companies that build custom cabinets, but add shipping costs, and the possibility of damage normally means...

Why The Cabinets Around Your Sink Are So Important

by | Jan 4, 2018 | Architects, Contractors, Interior Designers

On September 6th we reviewed the trends in laundry (or utility) rooms and their versatility. Like garages, laundries are now an extension of a home’s living space - and options are plentiful when it comes to re-modeling.    Instead of just a nook to do wash, laundries now have windows, décor…even furniture…and cabinetry is the key to setting the atmosphere. Here are some ideas about the cabinets around your sink.    A Sink Is Only As Effective As The Cabinets Surrounding It Laundry sinks or tubs differ from other sinks due to their large size. With wide, deep basins, they’re perfect for a number of tasks such as hand washing delicate clothing, bathing small pets, emptying the mop bucket, even cleaning garden tools. For the all-purpose sink, it’s best to have a combination of closed cabinets and open shelves for easy access to soaps, disinfectants, sponges and baskets. Closed, overhead cabinets work well for storing cleaning agents out of the reach of children. Open shelves placed on either side or underneath accommodate laundry baskets where kids can toss in dirty clothes and bathing suits. Keep Maintenance As Easy As Possible Since this is a busy area, the best way to maintain a clean, orderly appearance is to keep it simple. Shaker cabinets, time tested and always popular - are a great choice around the entire laundry. For those cabinets immediately around the sink…think of simple, functional hardware. Whether you prefer cups, knobs or handles – larger, easy to grasp hardware makes more sense when your hands are wet or soapy. Regardless of whether you have lots of space or...