Where the designers are pros, and the views are yours
Visit a Kitchen Views showroom to see and feel the quality of the cabinetry you’re purchasing, an important aspect missing from an online shopping experience. What looks good in a picture can be disappointing when seen in person. Kitchen Views sells quality brands that will impress you when you experience them in our showrooms. The construction quality of cabinetry differs, and you want your investment in this foundational element to stand the test of time with solid construction.
As children go back to school, every parent knows it’s time to make school lunches and do homework again. Large kitchen islands have become a favorite gathering place for families to enjoy time together while doing these daily tasks.
Involving children in meal preparation gives them important time together as a family, which not only teaches them about good nutrition, but provides them with emotional connections to each other. In our highly technological society, family time is more valuable than ever.
Sharing time together while doing homework is more emotionally rewarding than just learning their school lessons. Especially for young children, being sent to another room to do homework can feel like punishment. Interacting with parents while establishing good study habits can help them develop a lifelong love of learning. As children get older, they may require more solitude while studying, but they’ll be more productive because they learned these early lessons as a family.
Kitchen islands with seating for casual meals are not just convenient. While it may make meals easier to prepare, eat and cleanup all in one place, this family gathering place is about building happy memories together.
Building confidence is an important aspect of life skill lessons and leads to healthy independence. When children are old enough to handle a knife safely, cooking lessons get more technical. As with most learning, hands-on experience is the best way to learn.
It’s important to consider how you want your family to interact daily when planning a kitchen remodel. As a major family gathering space, the importance of a kitchen should not be underestimated. The best kitchen design is much more than the style and color of cabinetry and whether to include an island. An experienced kitchen designer will listen and learn about what works for your family. That allows them to design a living space that works well for you. Your designer will expertly handle the storage issues, appliance placement, and space layout so that you’ll simply enjoy using your kitchen for years to come.
When you’re ready to get started with the planning stage of a kitchen design, or remodel, start your research in the “Getting Started” section of our website. Then contact a Kitchen Views showroom near you to get the personalized attention you deserve.
Our designers work hard to exceed your expectations.
Contact Kitchen Views at 508-DESIGNS [337-4467] or visit our website for more information.
In this day of endless home improvement programs convincing homeowners that they can do it themselves from what they’ve learned on television, it’s important to know that designing a kitchen takes thorough planning. We all enjoy the inspiration of seeing what others have done to improve their homes. But that is not the same as having real life experience in planning and implementing an actual home renovation.
With the growing popularity of “tiny houses” with their own television shows, many people are thinking about how downsizing can free them for enjoying activities other than cleaning a regular size home. Whether you have a small condo that needs better space planning to make the best use of every inch, or find that your regular size kitchen is in chaos, careful planning can improve your everyday life.
One of our favorite contributors to the Kitchen Views blog recently retired, but her wisdom regarding good kitchen design is timeless. So we are sharing again her perspective on making the most of limited space.
“Making the Case for a Tiny Kitchen” by Pam Kuliesis
Originally published on November 26, 2013
Tiny kitchen 2020 layout by Pam Kuliesis
After turning a corner in life, I find myself living with a teeny, tiny kitchen. It’s a U-shape space. The working triangle is about 9 feet total, no more than 3 feet between the sink and the range to the left and the sink and the refrigerator to the right and just about 3 feet between the range and refrigerator across from each other. I can stand in the center of the room and reach all three without moving my feet. I pretty much don’t even have to lean. Very tight.
At first I couldn’t imagine being able to create anything in this “Easy Bake” kitchen that would be worth serving. But, a girl’s gotta eat, and take-out gets old pretty quick.
Once I started putting stuff away I was amazed at just how much storage this little kitchen had. And then I started cooking. Everything I needed was within arm’s length. Prep time was so much faster, not having to schlep across the room for the pepper mill that, in my old kitchen, I would leave way over by the sink. Also, I’m much neater. I don’t have the luxury of moving around the kitchen leaving a messy trail behind me. I clean as I go, making the final clean up a breeze!
There are so many great kitchen storage options available from all of the quality cabinetry brands we sell. Stacked wall cabinets maximize every vertical inch. Carefully planned base cabinet configurations and storage accessories make the best use of every nook and cranny.
Kitchen Views designers have the knowledge and the tools to create great kitchens in any space, big and small. Our designers are pros and the views are yours
Kitchen Views at National Lumber
71 Maple St, Mansfield, MA 02048
(508) 339-8020
www.kitchenviews.com
Kitchen Views at National Lumber enjoyed hosting our first EM NARI Networking event on April 16 along with co-host Allstate Glass. Two of our PRO Force salesmen, who specialize in working with remodelers, were there discussing current building projects.
Steven Kaitz (right), owner of National Lumber at the EM NARI Networking Event in the Kitchen Views showroom, Mansfield, MA
Many demonstration areas were available, including:
• Allstate Glass frameless glass shower enclosures and back-painted glass backsplashes
• Schrock and Dynasty representatives showed our vignettes of their cabinetry products and answered questions
• Häfele introduced their new cabinet lighting that is installed in our two new kitchen vignettes
• One of our Mansfield designers introduced our new cabinet re-facing program
• Closet Factory showed their new finishes for custom closet products
Look for more photos in our Facebook and Google+ albums.
The night was filled with food, drinks and fantastic company. We had big winners too! Nancy from Masters Touch won a gift certificate to Closet factory. Dave from Home Repairs Carpentry in Norwood won a gift certificate to Allstate Glass, and Dave from Miller Construction won a Häfele tool kit and gift certificate for their product line.
But the biggest winner is the EM NARI scholarship fund. Annually, a scholarship is awarded to an immediate family member of an EM NARI member who is a high school graduating senior who has been accepted as a full-time student to an accredited college or university in any program of study. Thanks to everyone who attended we collected $800 for the scholarship fund.
Builders had a chance to see many of the new products going into kitchens now. Many of them feel the market for remodeling is strengthening. Adding these products to any renovation is sure to add value to a customer’s home.
Mike McDole, National Lumber’s Senior Vice President of Sales, speaking to a guest at the EM NARI Networking Event in the Kitchen Views showroom.
We are looking forward to another networking night! We invite you to check National Lumber’s website Events page, national-lumber.com/events, periodically to see what’s coming up.
In the meantime, we invite you to visit a National Lumber location near you to find out about the PRO Force Remodelers program. Feel free to visit a Kitchen Views at National Lumber showroom and speak to one of our designers about your next project.
Brandy Souza
General Manager of Kitchen Views
Schrock Thermofoil White Cabinetry
An important consideration when planning to remodel your kitchen is how much time you plan to spend cleaning and maintaining the cabinetry. It will only look beautiful for years to come if you care for it on a regular basis. With today’s hectic lifestyles, few people want to spend their precious free time cleaning. Of course, if you can afford it, you could hire someone to do this work. But for the moment, let’s say that’s not an option.
White cabinetry is very popular, and one type of white cabinetry is particularly easy to clean. Thermofoil cabinets are an easily maintained product. Sleek and smooth-surfaced, Thermofoil cabinetry from Schrock offers a sophisticated appearance along with exceptional durability and ease of maintenance for today’s hard-working kitchen. You should be aware that White and Cashmere color may change slightly over time, depending on environmental conditions.
Thermofoil is a process where heat and pressure are used to bond a thin layer of PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride) film to a shaped and glued component made from MDF (medium density fiberboard). The result is a seamless surface that covers a panel’s face and edges. The component back uses a white, seamless melamine surface – excellent for easy cleaning.
Cleaning guidelines from Schrock Cabinetry:
A soft cotton cloth dampened with warm water is usually sufficient to clean your cabinets. If more thorough cleaning is required, please use a fresh solution of mild hand dishwashing liquid mixed with warm water. After cleaning, wipe all surfaces with a clean, damp cloth. Dry immediately using another soft, clean cloth. Click here to read more, such as cleaning products to avoid.
Next time, we’ll talk about easy to clean and maintain countertop material.
Kitchen Views
www.kitchenviews.com
OK, your kitchen has been designed, your order has been placed and you are anxiously awaiting your new cabinets. In the meantime, you should make sure that there is an open channel of communication between your designer and your installer.
Now sometimes the installer and designer have worked together for years and can practically finish each others’ sentences. Other times they may have never met or even spoken on the phone. Each kitchen is different, especially in New England, where some homes are quite old or have been renovated. This can mean that a design may have some quirks or unusual design elements that could surprise even a veteran installer when it is time to begin installation.
The floor plan and installation instructions should cover most if not all site issues, but nothing is better than a quick conversation between the designer and installer ahead of time. If they can touch base during the design process or while waiting for the order to arrive, it will allow the installer more time to become familiar with the design and the designer to get a better feel for how the installer works.
The initial conversation might be little more than a thirty second introduction on the phone or it could be a thirty minute strategy session on how to work around an uneven floor. Either way, once the channel of communication is open it will speed the resolution of any questions that arise once the cabinets have arrived at your home.
John Allen, Showroom Manager
Kitchen Views at National Lumber
15 Needham Street, Newton, MA 02461
Phone: 617-244-8020
Email: jallen@kitchenviews.com
Web: www.kitchenviews.com
Remodeling a kitchen is a long process, and Kitchen Views has 10 tips to help your kitchen design journey go as smoothly as possible.
1. Find an experienced kitchen designer with whom you feel comfortable sharing your ideas, practical needs, and construction concerns. Kitchen Views designers are chosen for their expertise in project management as well as having design talent. On our website you can learn more about each of the talented people in our team and see pictures of the designers’ work. If you would like to make an appointment for a complimentary consultation, call 508.337.4467 or your nearest Kitchen Views showroom.
2. Be prepared by bringing room measurements, photos of kitchens that represent your taste & style, and an appliance “wish list” to your appointment. No artistic skill required, just a measuring tape. You can use the Measuring Guide sheet available in the Getting Started section on our website for clear instructions on how to measure a space and sketch a floor plan.
3. Offer as much information as possible about your lifestyle and budget to your designer so they can help you to make good decisions about the design and selection of products. For example, the types of meals you serve (home
cooked or take-out?), entertainment style (casseroles or caterer? frequent or occasional?), storage and display needs (Tupperware and/or Wedgewood?), and what you love and hate in your current kitchen
4. Determine what you need versus what you want. Make a “must have list” and a “wish list” to determine what is essential to those who will spend the most time in your new kitchen. Remember to include information about pets. Make added convenience a focus.
5. Give yourself enough time to enjoy the experience. Become an educated consumer and allow time to make thoughtful decisions. This will enable you to work within a comfortable budget. Late changes are likely to escalate the cost.
6. Don’t get hung up on the little things. Along the way minor details may not work out as planned due to issues you can’t control. Be creative. Work with your designer and your installer to find solutions to whatever pops up that will enhance your beautiful new kitchen.
7. Create a “temporary kitchen” in another room with your refrigerator and a place for the microwave. Gather paper plates (etc.) and groceries in the same place. You will be without your sink and possibly your stove and oven, possibly for weeks, during the installation. There are ways to get through the inconvenience — from grilling to ordering take-out. Think of it as camping, but with better sleeping arrangements.
8. During the installation, keep your designer’s phone number on speed dial and try to stay available to the installer. There will be unforeseen issues along the way that will need to be dealt with and decisions that will need to be made, sometimes quickly. It’s much better to be a part of the decision making, understanding why something needs to be done differently than planned instead of having the decision made (or not made) for you and wondering what happened after everyone is gone.
9. Patience is a virtue – a difficult concept to grasp in this day and age of well choreographed HGTV episodes. Rely on your designer and your installer to give you a realistic time table and know that unexpected problems and unforeseen roadblocks are going to happen. Stay flexible. While our professionals can give you a pretty good idea – know that there are a lot of moving targets. Things can change quickly, be prepared for the time “table” to become a time “estimate”.
10. Keep your eye on the prize – imagine waking up and walking into your beautiful new kitchen!
Kitchen Views
www.kitchenviews.com
This article is from Kitchen Views Magazine’s Premiere issue, Fall 2008:
“Look outside the box – literally! No one says you have to use a wall cabinet on the wall,” says designer Bob Russo. He knows that innovative ideas can make any budget go further, whether you’re spending $3,000 or $30,000.
“If you know the ins and outs of cabinetry construction, you can use them in different ways,” he says, excitedly drawing an example. “Say you need a 12″ base cabinet for a narrow passageway. Don’t pay extra to modify a base cabinet, which is 24″ deep, use a wall cabinet, which is already 12″ deep and therefore costs less.”
With 33 years in the business, Bob has a long history of helping homeowners create their dream not only on paper, but within their budget.
“One customer came to me frustrated because she wanted an island in her new kitchen. Her architect, contractor and designer told her it would be too costly – her kitchen was too small and they’d have to knock out a wall or add on. By moving things around, I found a way to make it work without changing the project scope,” he says modestly.
One of Bob’s favorite budget exercises is to split your wish list into two columns: “must have” and “nice to have.” By helping people prioritize, he can figure out how to help them save money and still have an amazing looking kitchen.
“For example, you can use detailed cabinets with a rich finish for an island with a complementary but simpler look on the periphery. Or, use the new Formica that looks like granite instead of paying for stone. We have a full palette of options and even a few tricks,” he reveals.
Another way Bob helps homeowners is by showing them the pros and cons of different options so they can make informed decisions.
“When you’ve crossed as many bumps in the road as I have, you know how to find a way around them,” says this veteran designer and Air Force Vet. “I like to do everything I can to exceed my customer’s expectations.”
Bob Russo, ACSD/PKBP
Kitchen Views at National Lumber
15 Needham St. Newton, MA 02461
Phone: 617-244-8020
Email: brusso@kitchenviews.com
Web: www.kitchenviews.com
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