by Cornerstone Cabinet Company | Feb 20, 2025 | Architects, Contractors, Homeowners, Interior Designers
With the trend in adding a “work” kitchen to the “social” kitchen, let’s look at where kitchen appearance and function is headed. Last February, the Kitchen and Bath Show in Las Vegas showcased a plethora of new views. Many kitchen designers now incorporate fashion-forward features like glass fronts and LED lights on refrigerators. Appliances and cabinetry have chic leather and metal hardware. Back-splashes now feature unusual finishes like shagreen, metal, raw wood and artful murals. Tech is also the buzz and smart kitchens are definitely going digital. Currently Smart-touch faucets turn on and off with just a tap. Refrigerators feature integrated cameras that allow people to check their groceries from both inside and outside the home. Induction cook tops save energy with technology that changes heat settings instantaneously. Now think of dishwashers responding to voice commands and appliances that could communicate with each other to create shopping lists, meal recommendations and cooking instructions. Not only futuristic, these features dovetail with the trend towards Universal Design – the approach that makes living at home easier for everyone at every age. This is why experts believe innovations for the sake of technology alone will be weeded out. They see the market moving towards technology that not only looks sexy, but improves kitchen function and ease of food...
by Cornerstone Cabinet Company | Feb 12, 2025 | Homeowners, Interior Designers
When building your dream kitchen, first consider your storage needs, kitchen size and shape, and your family’s personal style. Then, keep the following cabinet design hacks in mind: Craft an eclectic look by combining a variety of cabinets such as natural wood, gray and white. Different cabinet sizes and door styles create depth in the room. With a two-toned kitchen, paint the inside shelves of the upper kitchen cabinets to match the cabinets under your counter-top. This contrast will create a cohesive space. Combine cabinets and open shelving to make the most of a small kitchen. Also use sliding doors to help your small kitchen feel less congested. Consider lining only one wall with cabinets. This should provide enough storage while keeping the rest of the room open and uncluttered. If you have a dark wood floor, use light colored cabinets and counter-tops to avoid the kitchen looking too dreary. Choose cabinets that have a red tint to add color to the room while still giving it a natural feel. Contrast glass cabinet doors with solid black cabinets to make a bold statement. White cabinets will reflect natural light and brighten up the space but be sure to spice up bland white cabinets by adding texture. For more storage in your kitchen, install shallow cabinets or modify the inside of the cabinet doors to stash thin items like condiments and paper products. If you plan on entertaining guests, wrap your cabinets around a corner and have the lower set double as a bar. Plan ahead for easy access by installing a cabinet directly above the dishwasher to make it...
by Cornerstone Cabinet Company | Jan 23, 2025 | Homeowners
The kitchen is often the connecting space between the dining room and the living room. Even with an open floor plan, you don’t have to limit yourself to one style. Mixing elements in the kitchen can create a cohesive flow in the entire home while incorporating every style that you love. In fact, the current trend is to mix rather than match. Add traditional touches by copying moulding details from other rooms in the kitchen (like on an island leg or around the windows) or showcasing antique glassware and china in a custom hutch with glass cabinetry. To incorporate modern elements, choose sleek, flat cabinets in neutral colors. Use handles and pulls that are not too fussy. Bring in traditional granite for the countertops, but choose a matte finish instead of polished, and have the granite honed. Look for new and unusual colors like blue and burgundy to contemporize your décor. Go for green or beige to make it more traditional. Black appliances can update a country kitchen without clashing. Just be sure to add a farmhouse sink and use plenty of wood accents around the appliances. Switch out the faucet to update the look of your kitchen without a big investment. Feel free to go for a terrifically traditional faucet in your contemporary kitchen but opt for an understated finish to keep the visual peace. Make your kitchen more masculine by adding bulkier elements such as a bronze range hood or a stone backsplash. Period lighting fixtures and vibrant Persian rugs bring some vintage flair to the mix. Choose the unexpected, like a chalkboard for one of your...
by Cornerstone Cabinet Company | Jan 16, 2025 | Architects, Homeowners, Uncategorized
Custom cabinets are not just for kitchens anymore! They can provide a polished look and efficient storage in any room. You can choose to keep the cabinetry consistent with the kitchen or mix complementary styles in each space. Since open floor plans are on trend, dining rooms are often an extension of the kitchen. Use cabinets with glass panels in the dining room to display fine china and collectibles. Create a buffet by joining several cabinets together or use frameless cabinets for a floating buffet. Matching cabinetry to your dining room set adds a refined touch. Consider installing a wet bar in your living area for entertaining. A mix of open shelving and cabinetry is best. Large cabinets can store anything from ice buckets to beer kegs, and glass racks keep all types of glassware handy. Cabinet doors can be used to cover the wine cooler and microwave for a flawless profile. Cabinets can help control the clutter in your home office, too. Add a custom bookshelf or build in a desk to finish the space. The playroom is another space that can benefit from the neat appearance of built-in cabinets. Floor to ceiling cabinets are not only stylish, but are best for optimizing wall space. Adding drawers, shelving and baskets make for easy toy access and cleanup. Since adults keep their “toys” outside, similar cabinets can also keep supplies and tools neat and tidy in woodshops and garages. Old-fashioned entertainment hutches are bulky and often do not accommodate large screen TVs and updated electronics. Build a state-of-the-art entertainment center in your family room with custom cabinetry instead. Be...
by Cornerstone Cabinet Company | Jan 2, 2025 | Architects, Contractors, Homeowners, Interior Designers, Uncategorized
We’ve talked before about the Great White Kitchen and how white stands the test of time. Whether you opt for white or choose another color, the fact is - color not only enhances the beauty of your kitchen…it makes it safer to use. Here’s why. The percentage of our population with eyesight challenges is probably much higher than most of us realize. Think about this - you don’t have to be blind or have cataracts to be sight challenged. Anyone with glasses, contacts…even corrective procedures like Lasik can leave you with less than perfect vision. This is where color comes in. Color creates contrast. Done properly, color separates objects which help you move around your kitchen with ease. We talked about how lighting adds ambiance along with safety. The same principle applies to color. It distinguishes where floors end and walls begin. It outlines doors and delineates how far cabinets stand out. Good color blocking minimizes the potential to bump into objects when you’re in a hurry to get food on the table! Whether you have perfect vision or even minimal vision correction, paying attention to the nuances of color makes time in the kitchen more enjoyable for everyone who uses it. If you’re not sure how to use white (or whatever color you choose), consider a color consultation with a professional designer. You’ll be amazed at how any color used wisely brings out the best in your...
by Cornerstone Cabinet Company | Jan 1, 2025 | Homeowners, Interior Designers
“Design is a constantly evolving thing. Not only does that keep things fresh (and keep stores in business,) but it also evolves as needs change. The kitchen used to be an industrial part of the house, where you would tuck away to do the hard work of cooking. But as the decades passed, it morphed into a communal space where family and guests can gather around and connect while dinner is being made. This has completely changed the look of the room, morphing it from a small, closed space in the back of the house to a large, open area in the heart of the home. But that doesn’t mean it has stopped evolving. The things that were important to us in 2024 are changing as 2025 quickly approaches, and because of that, certain trends are waning to accommodate new needs. To figure out what those trends are, we asked interior designers to share what is beginning to feel passé, and what is replacing them. “ Click here to continue...
