Update Kitchen Cabinets
Kitchen important feature of the kitchen and if a homeowner does not take the time to regularly update kitchen cabinets, the whole kitchen could quickly acquire an outdated look. Taking the time to update kitchen cabinets could save you the expense of renovating your whole kitchen. Kitchen cabinets are a central part of the kitchen and a focal point as they immediately draw attention. Getting a kitchen updated could involve no more than an update to the kitchen cabinets.
Updating your kitchen cabinets could also be a capital intensive project. But this will depend mostly on you and what you want to achieve. If all you want is to give your old kitchen cabinets a fresh and up to date look, there are a few tricks you could employ to achieve your objective without spending a lot.
One of the easiest ways to tell how up to date or out of date kitchen cabinets are would be through the kitchen cabinet handles or knobs.
Kitchen cabinet handles and doors follow trends and these features can quickly make your kitchen cabinets look old.
To update kitchen cabinets, all a homeowner might need to do would be to change the handles and knobs to more trendy ones. There are several hardware stores and home improvement stores that stock stylish and up to date kitchen cabinet door handles and knobs. You could also search online for the perfect door handle or knob for an affordable price. If you choose to go this way, try not to veer too far off the original intent or design of the kitchen cabinets. You could easily update kitchen cabinets by replacing old knobs with new knobs and old handles with new handles. It is not advisable to install handles where there were knobs.
Another option as you update kitchen cabinets would be to change the doors.
The doors of kitchen cabinets have a way of dating the cabinets. Heavily ornate cabinet doors might make your kitchen cabinets look outdated whereas, kitchen cabinet doors with slight detailing might be what is trendy. Study market trends and get an idea of what is current in kitchen cabinets and see how you can creatively implement these affordably.
Painting the doors in another way to update kitchen cabinets as a coat of paint in up to date colors can instantly transform your kitchen. A coat of white paint immediately adds a stylish and elegant feel to the whole kitchen.
As you update kitchen cabinets, you do not need to spend a whole lot of money. There is a lot that you can actually do yourself. If you need to call in a home improvement service to help update your kitchen cabinets, do a thorough research of the available services and ensure that they have a stellar reputation. It is possible to update kitchen cabinets in a hassle free way.
How to Paint Your Laminate Kitchen Cabinets
Too many homeowners deal with ugly laminate kitchen cabinets day after day because they do not know there is a cost effective way to improve their appearance. Paint, contrary to the belief of many, can be use on laminate cabinets to give them a new look. Though it takes a bit more preparation than painting wood, painting laminate is still a relatively easy do-it-yourself job. So take the time to read over these steps, so you can enjoy a new look with very little cost.
Remove Doors and Hardware
Before you pick up a paint brush, you want to get out the screwdriver. Removing doors and hardware from your kitchen cabinets will make your paint job easier in the long run. Place all of the hardware in a plastic container so it does not get lost and label each cabinet door so you know where it goes when you need to put them back on.
Clean and Dry
Once the doors have been removed, clean the cabinets and doors with a mild detergent and water. Even the most well maintained cabinets will have some grease and residue buildup that will prevent the paint from sticking properly. So make sure they have been thoroughly cleaned and dried before you do anything else.
Sand
Once your laminate cabinets have dried, it is time to pull out some 120 grit sandpaper and lightly rough up the surface of your cabinets. You can do this by hand or with an electric sander, just make sure you are not changing the shape of the wood. The goal is to simply rough up the laminate enough so the primer and paint have something to stick to. Once all of the doors and cabinets have been sanded, make sure to wipe off all of the particles from sanding so they do not get in your paint and ruin your finish.
Prime
Now that you laminate has been sanded, apply a quality primer with a paint brush or roller. If possible, choose a primer that is specifically designed to stick to laminate. The better the primer, the less likely your paint job will chip and peel. Make sure to apply the primer in a thin coat, as thick coats tend to promote peeling down the road. Let the coat dry completely before continuing.
Paint
After the primer dries, it is time to apply two to three light coats of acrylic based latex paint. This type of paint will provide the durability kitchen cabinets need, while still adhering well to the primed laminate. Apply each light coat with either a paint brush or a roller, making sure to let each coat dry completely before applying the next. Let the final coat of paint sit overnight to allow it to cure. This drying time will ensure that the paint has had time to bond itself to the primer, which is essential when painting laminate.
Replace and Enjoy
Once the paint has had time to set overnight, it is time to put the hardware back on the cabinet doors and hang them back in their respective place. Make sure to check and make sure you are hanging the correct door in the right place to avoid headaches. Once your painted laminate cabinets have been rehung, all you have to do is sit back and enjoy.
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Coordinating Finishes With Black Kitchen Cabinets
Black kitchen cabinets have become an increasingly popular trend over the last few years. It can be a very sleek and sophisticated look, but only if you do it right. Too many people decide they want black kitchen cabinets with no plan on how to coordinate finishes so the kitchen does not become too dark. However, with some simple finish choices, you can keep your black cabinet from overwhelming your space without it seeming too cookie cutter.
Hardware: Contrast the Cabinets
When you are working with black kitchen cabinets, avoid choosing black hardware as it will only blend in. Instead, choose a hardware finish that will stand out from the cabinets and complement them. Brushed nickel, copper and even brass can look beautiful next to sleek black cabinets. Simply choose the hardware finish that best fits your personality and the kitchen style you are going for.
Lighting: Choose What to Match
When it comes to lighting in a kitchen with black cabinets you have two choices of what to match: the cabinets or the hardware. When you want the lighting to feel subtle, it is best to choose a black finish so it blends in with cabinets. If you would prefer your lighting to make more of a statement, choose light fixtures in the same finish as your hardware. This will allow them to standout by contrasting the cabinetry while still feeling part of the design because it is a color that will be repeated.
Counters: Keep them Light
Black kitchen cabinets can be very overpowering in a room if you do not balance them with lighter finishes elsewhere. That is why when you are choosing kitchen counters, it is best to keep them light. That does not necessarily mean you have to go with white or tan unless you want to. Other color options can be light blue, green or even a stainless steel depending on the look you are going for. So long as the counters do not further darken the room and you like the way it looks, it is a good choice.
Flooring: Don’t Go Dark
Whatever you do when you are choosing flooring, do not go dark. Like countertops, the flooring needs to be used to lighten up the room. Stick with colors that are significantly lighter than the cabinetry and preferably stay neutral so you do not take away from the drama of the black cabinets. As for the material, you can use ceramic, granite or even wood can be beautiful with black cabinets.
Appliances: Stainless Steel
Your final finish to choose with your black kitchen cabinets is your appliance color. If your budget can afford it, stainless steel appliances are stunning with black kitchen cabinets and almost any other colors you have to go with them. If you cannot afford stainless steel, cover a less expensive finished appliance with a peel-and-stick stainless steel film that costs around a roll. The end look will be the same but for significantly less.
So when you are remodeling your kitchen with black kitchen cabinets, there is no reason to fear it looking too dark if you follow these steps. Just remember to add accessories to your kitchen that will put your personal touch on it. The end result should be a sleek design that is as unique as you are but still visually pleasing to those you entertain.
Bamboo Kitchen Cabinets
Bamboo kitchen cabinets can appeal to homeowners who are gravitating toward having a “green” home. Bamboo is an attractive alternative to traditional woods, and can be used for cabinets and furniture. It has been used for flooring since the early 1990s. More recently, it has been used instead of wood surfaces throughout the house.
Bamboo is a grass – not a wood – and when harvested properly, will replenish itself within 3 years (unlike oak, which will take at least 30 years). Bamboo kitchen cabinets are considerably more durable than hardwoods. In fact, bamboo has a level of hardness which is 15% greater than hard maple, and 25% harder than oak.
Bamboo has the same natural coloring as pine (light shades with yellowish tones, normally referred to as “blonde”). It is possible to buy it after it has been carmelized to create a deeper brownish coloring (normally referred to as “amber”).
Both these options are considered “natural” coloring. It can also be stained to introduce just about any color you can think of.
Like anything, it has some negatives, but easily solvable ones. Being a grass, it is more fibrous than woods and is likely to create splinters. This is solved by properly sanding and finishing the surface.
The other negative is that bamboo is best used on flat surfaces because it is pressed into panels or blocks, and the edge (or cross-grain) has a completely different look to it. Therefore, raised panel, or recessed panel, doors would look a bit strange along the edges. So you will be restricted to using bamboo when contemporary (of flat door) designs are preferred.
Another reason that can explain why bamboo is becoming a more commonly selected material for homes is the fact that bamboo is dimensionally stable.
It is so strong because each strand of the grain is perfectly straight. No other wood grows as straight. Therefore, even though bamboo is a light material, it has less contraction and expansion than wood.
With bamboo kitchen cabinets, you can bring the beauty of the outdoors into your home and create an exotic look at the same time. In conclusion, this environmentally friendly product is a great building material which will enhance the value of your home and should be considered when designing your new or renovated space.
Watch the evolution of the installation of their cabinets. It went really well, that company did a good job of designing them. It’s easy to do.
Video Rating: 4 / 5
How to Keep Your Kitchen Cabinets Closed
Step 1
Door Ajar
Velcro brand hook and loop tape can be found for purchase by the yard in many fabric and craft stores. You want the STICKY BACK type. The “hooks” and the “loops” are sold separately – so be sure to pick up both.
Velcro is also sold in packaged quantities and is available in different strengths. Most cabinets will be fine with a 3/4″ or 1″ sticky back tape. A heavy door, or one that has a large gap may need a better grip. Velcro Industrial Strength, found in most auto parts or hardware stores, contains 2 sets of 4” x 2” super strong rectangles.
Step 2
Industrial Strength Velcro
For most doors, You want to cut the Velcro into 1″ x 1″ or smaller squares. Use as many squares as needed along the length of the door. Just popping the tape on without cutting often causes it to buckle.
Step 3
Velcro Package
Close the door and lightly run a pencil along the outer edge. Clean this line off later. (When placing the Velcro, you don’t want it to show outside the door.)
Clean the area where the tape is to be applied with rubbing alcohol.
We’ve found that applying the Velcro “hooks” to the cabinet and the “loops” to the door works best.
Step 4
When the clean surface is thoroughly dry, remove the backing and place your Velcro “hooks” tape 1/2″ inside the pencil line that you drew earlier.
Place a stubby pencil, point side out against the Velcro square you just placed on the cabinet. Close the door slowly and make a mark where the pencil touches the door. Now you know where to center your “loops”.
Step 5
IMPORTANT – leave the cabinet door open for the day to give the adhesive backing a chance to dry. If you close the door right away, one side of the Velcro will pull off.
That’s it – a simple, inexpensive solution to an annoying problem.
Better To Buy Or To Reface Kitchen Cabinets?
What’s better – refacing kitchen cabinets or going for new ones? Even though price is certainly an issue, it isn’t the only question to consider.
Refacing Kitchen Cabinets
Refacing kitchen cabinets is gaining a lot of popularity these days as everyone is trying to cut costs. Basically, refacing kitchen cabinets gives them a new look, like a new paint job on a car. Additionally, the look of the cabinets can be changed by buying new doors and new decorative handles for the doors.
Kitchen cabinet refacing involves matching the new doors and the existing cabinet frame with a veneer. When it is all said and done, the end result is a kitchen that looks like new, for a fraction of the price of buying all new cabinets and hardware.
Buying New Kitchen Cabinets
Buying new is pretty self explanatory. The drawback with this method is that the old cabinets need to be removed, and then replaced by new cabinets. Buying new cabinets almost always costs more than refacing old cabinets, but may be the best alternative if the existing cabinets are damaged or inherently unattractive.
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Refacing or New?
Ultimately, the decision has to be made by the homeowner – it may be better to invest in new kitchen cabinets than to spend the time and energy involved in refacing them? While the obvious choice seems to be refacing, purchasing new kitchen cabinets can be much more affordable in the long run.
Many kitchen cabinet retailers actually work with kitchen cabinet wholesalers and it’s possible to find new kitchen cabinets that are on sale, or even on clearance. This may allow for getting new cabinets while still keeping costs under control. However, that still doesn’t address who will take out the old kitchen cabinets and who will put in the new ones.
That said, it would be a mistake to think that refacing kitchen cabinets is an easy project for anyone to do. There are many nuances that can make the job a lot more challenging than a novice might think. What might initially seem like a money saving option can quickly turn into a complete waste if the end result is a kitchen that looks as if an amateur installed the cabinets.
Explore the Options
Exploring all the possible options is the best remedy for this quandary. By looking at all the pros and cons on both sides of the fence it’s easier to decide which direction to take any kitchen remodeling project to get the best results possible.
Kitchen Cabinet Organizing Tips
Having your own house and kitchen is such a great idea. However, before you can enjoy preparing and cooking all-time favorite dishes for your family, you have to make sure that your kitchen shelves and cabinets are well organized. A kitchen full of clutter is not a good place to work in, so if you wish to keep the kitchen cabinets arranged in a way that you can easily access your cooking tools, read along.
Designing the kitchen on your own has a lot of advantages. First, you will be able to estimate how much space youre going to allocate for which kitchen accessory or gadget. Second, you can have the kitchen set up in the favor of your preferences. And third, locating the accessories and tools you need will be a lot easier since you know exactly which cabinet should keep them.
As you begin to organize your kitchen cabinet, put into consideration first the idea that there are some accessories you wouldnt be needing anymore. These are the items that you should be removed to get rid of clutter. On the other, the items that you are using frequently should be placed in the front of the cabinet and those that are seldom used in the back.
Consider also the fact that some of your kitchen accessories are too heavy to be kept in the overhead cabinets. Place them instead in the cabinets at the bottom or in a separate shelf where they can be safely removed. Likewise, keep items near the spot where they are usually used. For example, keep cooking pans near the stove or the oven.
When keeping glass and other breakable china, find a good spot where the kids wont easily find and play with them. Do the same thing with sharp kitchen items such as knives and can openers. However, if you decide to simply keep them on regular cabinets, make sure that are securely locked so that both your kids and the items are safe.
There is no better way to keep the whole family safe from any kind of injury than keeping every area of your house including the kitchen, well arranged and organized. If however you find it too difficult to sort out items due to lack of space in the kitchen, buying extra cabinets made of plastic material will also do the trick.
Calgary kitchen cabinets
Are you planning to renovate your kitchen cabinets in Calgary and want to give a fresh look to your house, stop searching anymore! Here you can find a wide range of stylish kitchen cabinets in Calgary. The design and style of your Calgary kitchen cabinet is an imperative factor and must not be overlooked. Before taking any decision about what kind of Calgary kitchen cabinets you are choosing for your kitchen must keep in mind what kind of style you want to give to your house. Whether you want to give a modern look to your use or you are more traditional and want to give a classic look to your kitchen.
It’s a really great experience when you are restyling and redesigning your Calgary kitchen cabinets. It gives you huge pleasure and thrill when you are renovating or redesigning your Calgary kitchen cabinets. There is a great range of kitchen cabinets available in the market and there are lots of options available from which you can choose. Take a greater care and do a great research on all the options that are available because kitchen cabinets are the most used cabinets in the home so no compromise should be made on the quality, style and design. As it is a costly item and needs big budget so consider all the aspects including the material, color, style and design. It is difficult to change or modify kitchen cabinets within short period.
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You might be interested in knowing what are new trends or styles of Calgary kitchen cabinets that are most popular in the Calgary. One of the most popular styles is shaker cabinets and probably it is because of the very simple and clean design of shaker cabinets that make it is to clean the cabinets. The structure of the shaker cabinets is very organized, in addition to this there are special built in features like special places for spices, racks for the plates and other customized Calgary kitchen cabinets that make it easy to manage all the kitchen items.
Antique style cabinets are also widely used in the Calgary kitchens. If you belong to the group of people who possess a good aesthetic sense and want to decorate your home on antique theme, then the antique style Calgary kitchen cabinets are the best option to opt for. Antique style cabinets along with antique theme add to the beauty and value of your house by giving a unique classic touch.
Cottage style Calgary kitchen cabinets dramatically change the ambience of your home by giving very comfortable and warm touch. The charm of cottage style cabinets is unique and only one of its kind. Cottage style cabinets give brighter look to your kitchen because these are in white color and perfectly match with other decoration pieces of any style and color.
Calgary kitchen cabinets not only improve the functionality of your kitchen by meeting your storage needs it also gives modern look to your house. These are durable, give a fresh look to your kitchen and lasts for long time.
Kitchen Cabinets Design Ideas
The design of kitchen cabinet plays a major role in the decoration of your kitchen. If you go about scouting the markets, you’ll be astonished to see the amazing variety of styles and colors. The choices that the furniture shops offer these days will leave you pondering as to what kind of cabinet you should go in for. In terms of material, styling, color and frames, there are large number of options available to you.
Kitchen cabinet design can add charm to your kitchen, thus making it appear more appealing. It is always better not to compromise on the quality, even if you have to pay a little extra price. You can construct your kitchen cabinet using distinctive kinds of woods like Pine, Cherry, Oak, Poplar, Alder Maple, Hickory, and Birch. Amongst all, oak and Hickory are the hardest as well as the heaviest. For the purpose of cabinetry, it is usually cherry, maple and birch that are considered to be the most suitable.
However, the most pocket friendly options are Alder and Poplar.
There are different kinds of kitchen cabinets for different purposes like plate and wine rack cabinets, tall wall cabinets, corner wall cabinets, larder cabinets & shelf packs, corner wall cabinets and many more. You can design your kitchen with these different kinds of cabinets according to your suit.
If you happen to catch a glimpse of the kitchens in the neighborhood, you’ll find that one thing is common in almost all the kitchens. Well, it is none other than the kitchen cabinet. The cabinet occupies most of the space of the kitchen, thus enabling you to make maximum usage of the available space. When cabinet is such an important piece of furniture in the kitchen, it becomes necessary to give due consideration to the kitchen cabinet design.
Before & After: How a soft glaze and inked cabinets transform a kitchen.
Video Rating: 5 / 5
Refacing Kitchen Cabinets
No other task can be quite as daunting as kitchen cabinet refacing if you are not sure what needs to be completed. If you are completely at a loss for how to reface your cabinets then your best bet is to hire a professional. The refacing of kitchen cabinets is vital to keeping up the appearance of your kitchen and having it look its best. Cabinets can be defaced for many reasons such as chemical damage, bumps, or scratches.
As you start on your cabinet refacing journey, you will have many choices to make: what colors and styles to use and what parts need to be thrown away, which can be a very tiring task and requires some knowledge about the task ahead. These tips will help you with how to go ahead and reface your cabinet if you’re doing it alone.
Identifying the parts – Remembering which parts are what and what parts go where can be another hard task to endure when you start refacing cabinets.
Remember, you are doing this yourself and unless you’re a pro, labeling the parts will save tons of time and hassle. All you need is some tape and a pen. You should also mark the insides to avoid leaving marks behind on the outside.
Put your screws in a safe place – Nothing is more annoying than losing screws when building or rebuilding anything. Feel free to use a small bowl, cup, or even a magnet to hold the screws in place. This is an important step to keep your cabinet refacing on the easy path to refacing success.
Buy a compatible cleaner for your cabinet – Cleaning and scrubbing comes with the territory of kitchen cabinet refacing. Scrubbing well does not matter here; there will be some places that will ultimately not be touched. Right here is where the compatible cleaner comes in handy; you won’t have to stress about ruining your kitchen cabinets with an appropriate cleaner.
The right cleaner for your cabinets will go deep into the joints you wouldn’t normally get to with a different cleaner and leave you with a finished cabinet.
Quality versus pricing – The saying goes: you get what you pay for. That is no exception to kitchen cabinet refacing. High performing materials will simply lower the amount of times you will need to reface your kitchen cabinets. It will be expensive in the short run, but in the long run it will save you money.
You can learn more about kitchen cabinets design, and get much more information, articles and resources at Kitchen Cabinet Designs
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