Don't Leave Your Child Out On The Curb

When attempting to make pita chips to go with supper, you open your too small cabinet, and a bunch of spices come tumbling down. As you are scrambling around to pick them up, you forget about the pita chips in the oven and burn them to the point that the fire alarm is triggered. When the fire alarm goes off, your dog goes crazy and starts racing around the house, barking hysterically. As you try to let your dog out, the dog trips you and you crash into the chair and hit your head. When you go to the freezer to get some ice for your head, the doorbell rings. You answer the door and find some random jogger guy standing there holding your dog telling you your dog was chasing him.
As you apologize profusely and take your dog back in the house, you see the mail truck across the street and you realize you forgot to put an important check in the mail- and it's due TODAY- so you scramble to get your check in the envelope. You open your overstuffed drawer in the kitchen and ransack through it to find a stamp and after 5 minutes of not finding one, you see the mail truck pass your house.
As you realize you now have to make a trip to the post office AND you'll need to swing through the drive-thru to pick up dinner, the phone rings. It's the school. You have forgotten to pick up your child. Because, let's face it- it's time for a new kitchen.
Don't leave your child out on the curb; remodel your kitchen with Bella Domicile.

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Your Remodeling Project

Step 2: The Design Process

After putting thought into Step 1 of your remodeling project that was discussed in our last blog posts, you should be more prepared to proceed with the rest of the design process.  Step 2 gets into the nitty-gritty details of your project, and encompasses everything from determining specific door styles and finishes to signing off on labor contracts and beginning to make payments.  This part of the process can be one of the most meticulous, but here are the main steps to be aware of.

1. Review plans and drawings.  After listening to your project scope, ideas, wants, and needs, your designer will prepare a preliminary drawing for you to review.  Remember that nothing is set in stone at this point, although it will usually give you a general direction in terms of design and layout.  When reviewing these plans with your designer, keep in mind the way that you intend to use the space, and make changes accordingly.  Don't be shy if you have questions or changes that you would like to see.
2. Make first payment(s).  Step 2 of the process also involves collecting the first payments for the project.  This is often in the form of a design retainer in the early stages, and later will require a down payment to begin ordering materials and scheduling project labor.  Your designer will better educate you on the timing and amount of these payments.
3. Choose materials.  Begin to think about the specifics of your project.  Now is the time to make selections regarding finishes, wood species, countertop material and color, door hardware, and tile.  Keep the design style and priorities you set during Step 1 of this process in mind.  Making these choices helps to further set your vision for the space and helps your designer to give you the most accurate drawings and quotes possible.
4. Revise plans and drawings.  More often than not there will be changes to the original design.  Your designer will help you think about accessories and other options that are right for your lifestyle.  Think about how you want to store certain items: pots and pans, knives and other cutlery, even kitchen towels and linens. 
5. Sign off and release drawings.  Usually when making the down payment you will also be asked to sign off on the quote, drawings, and other paperwork.  At this point, most decisions have been made, and the order is ready to be placed.  Your designer will also release the drawings to you, which you can take home and show off to all of your friends and family! 

Keep in mind that the timeline for the above steps depends on how quickly decisions are being made and when meetings can be scheduled.  Being decisive is to your benefit if you have a specific project timeline in mind.  Also remember that the more prep work you can do during Step 1 is to your benefit, as it should continue to influence your design and decisions during this phase of the process.

Lori's Weekly Bella Bling- Rollout Tray Storage

Base cabinet rollout trays offer convenience, maximal storage capacity

Standard base cabinets produced by most manufacturers have one adjustable shelf at about the midway point. Combined with the cabinet floor, that provides two levels of storage.

To add some “bling” to your kitchen, any adjustable shelf can be replaced with a rollout tray. As you open the base cabinet door and pull out the sliding tray, everything at that level suddenly is within easy reach.

The photo on the left that is rated 1 carat features a standard mid-level rollout from Kabinart. Its sides, front and back are 2½ inches high.

You can install a single rollout tray at the bottom of a base cabinet, allowing the mid-level fixed shelf to remain, or you can install two adjustable rollout trays: one at the cabinet bottom, and one at the midway point. Either option provides better accessibility to stored items than does simply a shelf, whether fixed or adjustable.

Rollouts available in two heights
Now let’s compare a standard rollout with a deep rollout. Dura Supreme’s version of a standard rollout, shown at the photo on the right and rated 2 carats, has one top rollout that is 4 inches high above a deep rollout that is 8 inches high. The higher sides, front and back keep stackables such as bowls, pots and pans or plastic ware from tipping over or falling out.

Whether you choose the standard rollout or deep rollout, any existing base cabinet can be retrofit with rollouts.

If you’re tired of getting on your hands and knees to search for items in your base cabinets, call us today at 608.271.8241 to order rollout kits. 

Next week, we’ll take functionality one step further with specialty rollouts.

Lori's Weekly Bella Bling- 3 Carat Knife Accessory

  Here is my selection for the last knife holder accessory we will be looking at, rated at 3 carats, the pullout knife holder.  I give it the highest rating because it fits in a 3”, 4” or 6” wide space.  Instead of designing a 3” filler, make the space accessible and usable.  The unit is also available as a pull out cabinet – 6” or 9” wide, further stretching the possibilities.  Place a 3” pullout on either side of the cooktop and you have easy access to the knives where they are needed most.

  

Dura Supreme's version of this pullout also offers four front decorative options.  An overlay (plain) panel, a ¾” thick column, an overlay that is styled like the cabinet door, or a pilaster/post.  Their unit is constructed of natural maple and pulls out on a full extension ball bearing system.  There are 18 slots for knives, varying in size, including a square hole for the sharpening file.  An added bonus, there is a small “tray” at top for excess knives, long meat forks, or short spice containers.  Again, all organized in as little room as 3”.

 I’m going to give you 2 disadvantages.  The first is that the slots are predetermined, so if some of your large chef knives don’t work, you are out of luck, unless you cut larger slots.  Second, if you have small children, I do not recommend placing knives in base cabinets that are easily opened.

Next week we will continue focusing on accessories for bases – specifically rollout trays.  

Lori's Weekly Bella Bling- Knife Organization

I have missed a few weeks of Lori's Bella Bling, but am back and ready to give you my second choice on knife storage.

My 2 carat rated knife accessory "bling" is a drawer knife holder. Dura Supreme makes their holder of 1" thick solid maple with groove cuts for each knife blade and a cork pad underneath for the knife handle to rest on. In a standard base cabinet, the unit will hold 7 knives (paring, boning, bread, chef, etc). In a larger width drawer, it can hold a maximum of 10 knives, enabling you to also store the (4) four steak knives in your set.
The reason I gave this a 2 carat rating is because it is great for organization, but not as flexible I would like it to be. The big disadvantage of this knife holder is that it requires permanent installation. Once the unit is installed, it must be uninstalled to move it from drawer to drawer.

Next week we will look at my 3 carat rated knife accessory- one that actually pulls out of a space that is often ignored.

Lori's Weekly Bella Bling- The Knife Drawer

We are starting a new series of accessories this week and turning the focus to knife storage. 

My choice for the 1 carat rated knife storage is the carved knife insert from Dura Supreme. You order the wood insert and then the knife set. It is a good quality knife set – J.A. Henkel’s 8 piece Twin Four Star II knife set, but the insert lacks flexibility.

 What if you already have a favorite chopping knife? – will it fit in one of these already carved out shapes?  What if one of these matching knives goes missing? You will have to buy another one that fits into its “shape”.  I am not a gourmet cook by any means and I own 15 knives (a set of steak knives is included in this count), so this accessory would not work in my household. But, for that very neat, orderly person, the knives all match and have a “place”. This set made it on my “bling” list because of its great quality and a great way to organize in one convenient drawer. 

 

Next week we will move on to the 2 carat rated knife insert.  Again, it is one that fits into a drawer.

Diagnosis from the Kitchen Doctor

Ever notice how it’s the small things that bother us the most?  My world is designing spaces (especially kitchens) that work for the people that use them.   

The best place to start?  Letting clients tell me what they don’t like, what isn’t working for them. These answers give great insight into the scope of the project that can make a difference for them. In some cases it may be a brand new addition with a kitchen remodel, other times a new counter top makes the grade, but in many cases their issues can be addressed with some simple fixes. I had a recent client that didn’t like the hollow sound her cabinet doors made when they closed. Her problem was solved with a nominal piece of hardware she had no idea was available--total project under $100.

What’s bugging you? Poor lighting on a work surface, a door that doesn’t close, a drawer that doesn’t open (or is completely falling apart), your favorite pan that doesn’t fit, or the “Tupperware” cabinet…I won’t even go there. Maybe it’s organizing the spices, silverware, utensils or recyclables. We don’t have to throw out the baby with the dishwater.

Low profile LED under cabinet lighting can be installed to illuminate work surfaces. Cabinet doors can be retrofitted with soft close feature hardware, drawers can be replaced with glides that perform and give full access to the contents. Think you’re limited to the existing hardware pull sizes? Even laminate counter tops feature undermount sinks now. Decorative backsplash tile, new stools and maybe a glass accent door can round out your look. 

Don’t suffer in silence, see the kitchen doctor, make your kitchen the space you want to go home to tonight.

written by Dondi Szombatfalvy

Lori's Weekly Bella Bling

This week I am reviewing tray storage with a 3 carat rating. These dividers are very universal and can either be factory installed or job site installed.  When ordering, you can specify to Dura Supreme Cabinetry how many dividers you want, the spacing of the dividers and placement in the cabinet. Since these dividers can be installed at any time (available in kit form), it is very easy to retro-fit them into an existing kitchen. The partitions can go in a wall cabinet (shown in the photo), a base cabinet, or in the upper door area of a tall pantry cabinet.   

Added to this, the dividers can be placed in the entire wall cabinet above the refrigerator – which is usually a useless cabinet for storage. Put the dividers in, and you have an organized, useful area for all your trays, boards and platters.

This accessory has ENDLESS possibilities for flexibility in the amount of dividers based on the cabinet size and type of items you can organize in it.  Large platters, thicker muffin pans, thinner cookie sheets, jelly roll pans, cutting boards, serving trays and broiler pans to name a few.  OK, here is the icing on the cake; the dividers can be installed in a U channel that allows them to be removed for ease of cleaning.

Next week we will be moving on to accessories for knife storage.

Lori's Weekly Bella Bling- 2 Carat Tray Storage

Continuing on the topic of the ever popular tray divider, I offer this week my 2 carat choice.  Dura Supreme offers a base pullout in either a 6” or 9” width.  It is a great option for organized tray storage in a small space and even fits muffin and bar pans.  The dowels shown can be moved up or down, depending on the height of the trays you wish to store. An added bonus is the small shelf above the pan storage for pizza cutters and spatulas, etc. (pizza pan is handy below it).

The pullout feature of this cabinet makes the pans visible, but it doesn’t give the best accessibility. With the door on the front and the shelf above it, the pans may be hard to remove. This is not an accessory that can be added easily to an existing kitchen and once installed it cannot be expanded.  The accessory does have an excellent use of space, convenient pull out, and flexibility with the dowel configuration.  That is why I give it a 2 carat rating. 

Next week, 3 carat tray storage…hint hint…ideal for the cook that has more trays and cookie sheets than shoes.

Lori's Weekly Bella Bling

This week I would like to start discussing an accessory that can prevent a lot of frustration in the kitchen, tray storage units. Have you ever struggled trying to find your cookie sheets under the muffin pans? After several minutes, you finally pull all items out of the cabinet for that one cookie sheet. Fight with the trays no more!

Shown this week is my choice for the 1 carat rating – the fixed tray divider kit. Shown to the left is Dura Supreme’s tray divider kit, which can be installed at the factory or on-site. Shown to the right is Dura Supreme’s tray divider pull-out, which is installed at the factory and rolls out of the cabinet for ease of use. The width for both is fixed, thus giving it the 1 carat rating. This limits you as to how many (and what thickness of platters/trays) you can place in the unit. I included it on my bling list as it is a great way to organize all the cookie sheets, muffin pans, pizza stones and serving platters that may otherwise get lost at the bottom of a cabinet shelf or drawer. As an added bonus, this accessory can be ordered separately to retrofit it in your existing kitchen. 

Next week, I will show you another tray storage element that fits in an otherwise useless 3-6” space.