Monday, May 21, 2012

Kitchen Cabinets: Choosing Your Door Style

If you’re considering new kitchen cabinets, it can helpful to learn some of the terms you’ll see when reading about cabinet options. Kitchen cabinet doors can be mounted in different ways which is what creates the distinct look of certain cabinet collections. The face frame is the cabinet foundation. Overlay describes how much of the face frame is visible, while the covered portion is referred to as the reveal.

Full overlay raised panel
  • Partial overlay is the most common door style option. This is where the doors are mounted on the face frame, leaving one inch of reveal.
  • A full overlay is designed to have the doors almost entirely cover the reveal. This is more common in frame- less or “European” kitchen cabinets but it can also be seen in framed cabinet units. With a full overlay, hinges are concealed and less than an eighth of an inch is left between doors.
  • Another option for your cabinets is the flush inset. This is where the doors are attached within the rails and stiles, and lie even with the front portion of the cabinet box. If you choose this option you should be aware that a common problem with a flush inset this is that humidity and changes in temperature can cause rubbing between the stiles and the door.
Full overlay slab door/drawers
Choosing your new cabinet doors can be a   challenge. There are many styles and of panels and finishes you can choose. The following list will help you select your door style:

  • Slab displays clean lines and simplicity.
  • A recessed panel door has a picture-         frame look with a flat panel fixed within           a mounting constructed with mortise and tenon joints.
  • The raised panel door has panels that measure between ½ and ¾ inch in height, which creates a bulging quality to the doors. This is then made more dramatic by a routed edge profile that gives the door a distinct elegance.
  • Curved panel doors have decorative raised panels that loop upward in gentle arches.
  • The cathedral panel can either be raised or recessed, with a cathedral-type arch crowning the door.
  • A bead board panel is typically found in recessed panels and makes use of routed beaded details which gives a casual country look.
Flush inset flat recessed panelshaker panel
Your kitchen design and décor should be chosen to compli- ment the architectural style of your home. There are contemporary cabinets for the more modern  house as well as designs that can be used for a variety of architectures from traditional, cottage, transitional or modern kitchens like Shakerand Missiondoor styles.                                 
If you are planning on a kitchen remodel, call Kruse Home Improvement at 860-584-8784 for more information. We can help you design your dream kitchen.

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

KHI Quarterly V3 Q2 - Spring 2012

Enjoy the Summer in Your New Outdoor Kitchen
For entertaining friends, hosting the family, or just having more time in the fresh air, outdoor kitchens are becoming one of the hottest items in home building. Outdoor kitchens offer all the features of your indoor kitchen except the outdoor appliances, counters, and cabinets are weather proofed to withstand anything Mother Nature can throw at them. Features of most outdoor kitchens include a grill, fireplace or pit, counters and cabinets, and of course a kitchen sink.
When it comes to an outdoor grill, there are several options. Depending on your needs, you can get something that is prefab, semi-custom, or fully customized. You can purchase something extravagant like a drop-in stove with six burners and a gas kit but if you only barbeque once a week, a grill with a counter and storage cabinet, covered with tile or stucco, should do it. The cabinet will protect supplies from the weather and the countertop will provide work space when you get down to cooking. Other outdoor cooking options include a fireplace, oven or firepit. A fireplace is a great place to congregate while you cook and it really adds an outdoor room feel. A firepit can be used to cook with a rotisserie, skewers or simply grill over the open flame. An outdoor oven is like a traditional oven but can include wonderful features like a brick or stone pizza oven.

Since your family will enjoy spending time in your outdoor kitchen, you'll want storage space and a counter or table for dining, along with a sink and refrigerator. Some additional considerations include brick or stone countertops which can also be used to eat on. Storage cabinets must be made of waterproof materials or stainless steel. Stainless steel that matches your grill is a great option for cabinets.
No kitchen would be complete without a sink. Outdoor sinks are  either fed with a hose or connected to the home's water supply. Good choices for your outdoor sink would be either stainless steel or ceramic.

You might want to consider a roof to keep your kitchen sheltered from the elements but you’ll have to keep the grill exposed to  properly ventilate the smoke.

Finally, it's important to consider the proper flooring. You’ll want to avoid using flooring that is slick, which eliminates tile or marble right off the bat. Good choices for flooring include pavers, composite decking, exotic hardwoods such as Ipe’ or Teak, or cellular PVC tongue and groove porch flooring.

Designing your outdoor kitchen can be a fun experience. Once it’s complete it will provide your family with years of outdoor enjoyment. For more information or to schedule an appointment to design your outdoor kitchen, call Kruse Home Improvement at 860-584-8784.


Looking to add the perfect outdoor living space?  
You may want to consider adding a screened in porch.
Screened porches allow homeowners to enjoy the outdoors while being sheltered from the sun on a hot day. You can still relax and avoid the sun's harmful UV rays in your screened in porch. Getting drenched from the rain and avoiding those pesky insects and bugs can ruin the enjoyment of outdoor plans. Spending more time outdoors is possible with an enclosed porch. Along with offering shelter, you will be able to capture a breeze or entertain regardless of the weather. It is also cooler than entertaining on an outdoor porch and there is no need to cancel your plans if it rains.

Another great benefit of adding a screened porch is that it can be built on a budget. For a low investment,  homeowners can add an increased value to their home. A porch that is enclosed will add more value when the house is on the market than a porch which is not enclosed.

You will need to consider a few things when designing a screened in porch. There are many great designs that can add additional, stunning living space to your home. To decide on the size of your enclosed porch, consider the furniture you will be putting in the room and how many    people you plan to gather in the room. Be sure to match the trim details of your house including the roof. This means deciding between aluminum and 
wood-framed porches depending on the design of your house. 
A nice feature to the porch is the addition of a ceiling fan. This will allow for nice airflow on a warm summer day. Skylights are very common on screened in porches.  They are a great way to bring natural light to the room during the day and keep it warm enough to be comfortable.  You can even place glass panels over the screens to help keep the porch warmer and if you want to take an extra step to make the room useable even in the winter, you could install a heating system in the room.

Screened in porches are built solely for enjoyment and as you can see there are many benefits to having a screened in porch. An enclosed porch allows you and your family to spend quality time together playing games or eating dinner. It is also a great way to relax in a peaceful environment. You will be amazed at how much everyone enjoys it!