Blog

Your 2012 Remodeling Resolution

We hope all of our readers enjoyed a fantastic holiday season, full of family, friends, and fun and we hope that your upcoming New Year celebrations are equally wonderful. If you are like us, you are already thinking about your New Year resolutions for 2012---and if you are like us, there are more than a few remodeling resolutions on your list. We know how hectic, and even intimidating, planning big projects can be so we have compiled some suggestions to help you organize your thoughts and make 2012 the best year your home has ever seen.

Storage Solutions: Using Vertical Space

Vertical space is often unused space. Take a slow walk around your house; observe the vertical space available in each room, including bathrooms and closets. Think about each room, and take note of places where you think the room could benefit from additional storage using the available vertical space. What does each room need, or how could each room benefit, from the increased use of space? Using vertical space is great for spaces like high rises or small kitchens, where going “up” with cabinetry is beneficial for additional storage, particularly if you do not have a lot of closet space, or a basement, attic, or garage.

Transgenerational design and your home

According to Transgenerational Design Matters, the concept of “transgenerational design” means: The practice of making products and environments compatible with those physical and sensory impairments associated with human aging and which limit major activities of daily living. We think you can take the concept of transgenerational design a step further, and apply it as it pertains to homes in which multiple generations live and use the same space in different ways. How can you design your kitchens and bathrooms so they are safe for children, functional for parents, and usable by grandparents? TDM Principles says it best: “In short, transgenerational designs accommodate rather than discriminate, and innovate rather than replicate.” Let’s talk about that a bit further... 

The Forgotten Room: The Laundry

Most of us don’t do much in our laundry room besides the laundry, right? Even if it is a combined space—like a laundry/sewing room or laundry/bathroom—most of us think of the laundry as a work area; like most work areas, a few thoughtful updates can make that area work for you. 

Pantry Systems

In last week’s blog we talked about some of the latest interior features for cabinetry. This week we’re talking about pantries: styles, features, options and the specialized storage and organization they can offer you when designing--or redesigning--your kitchen.

New Cabinets, New Feature

A beautiful new exterior isn’t the only design improvement you get when upgrading cabinetry; advancements in interior design features have improved efficiency, organization and accessibility for interior cabinet spaces. From kitchen remodels to home offices and media rooms, modern cabinetry can offer you improved space utilization in just about any room in your house. In the Bedroom

Ask The Expert

We have received so many great questions on our ASK THE EXPERT page on our website that we thought we would share them with you.  We figured if one person had a question, surely someone else would be wondering the same thing.  We hope you find our answers helpful and informative.

Create a Kid Friendly Kitchen In Time For Summer

For many of us the kitchen is the real “family room” of our homes. It’s important to remember that when kids spend time in the kitchen, safety is important. That doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice style for safety. This checklist of suggestions can help you incorporate kid-friendly features into your kitchen space. Use these ideas to help you create an accessible space that is safe and comfortable for users of every age. Keep the kids safe and make them feel like the kitchen is theirs, too, with these kid-friendly kitchen tips.

The 3 C’s of Working with Your Designer: Collaboration, Communication and Clarity

When you are embarking on a new home construction or remodel project it is important to communicate clearly with your designer. Communication is the cornerstone of any project, and when it comes to renovating your home openly conveying your ideas is crucial; after all, these changes are not only an investment, they are decisions that you will have to live with every day.We’ve compiled a list of suggestions and tips to help you and your designer collaborate on your home renovation. It’s not just about communication, but effective communication. Read on:

Green Gadgets for Your Kitchen

We’ve decided to share some of our favorite green gadgets for your kitchen and where you can find them.Wood-Mode’s Recycle CenterWood-Mode makes dividing your recycling easy with their four compartment recycling center. This one unit has sections for paper, glass, plastic and aluminum.Bamboo Cutting BoardsBamboo is all the rage for those seeking a renewable, sustainable alternative to wood. Some of our favorite bamboo items for your kitchen are from the Malibu Company. This company uses the Moso strain which yields a durable bamboo tube, 16% harder than maple wood. It is a fast growing bamboo, no reseeding is required and all parts of the plant are used.GreenPanThe GreenPan is the first environmentally friendly non-stick pan. Conventional non-stick pans and cookware are coated with PolyTetraFluoroEthylene, a synthetic substance which starts to degrade at temperatures over 260 degrees. GreenPan’s non-stick surface is made of Thermolon which can be heated to 450 degrees. It also uses fewer toxic chemicals and emits 50% fewer green house gas emissions during production. You can find a wealth of information about the environmental benefits of this product on the GreenPan website.Hand Crank Coffee GrinderSave electricity and boost your morning workout by grinding your own coffee. The Bodum grinder holds enough coffee for an 8 cup coffee maker.Hand JuicerHand juicers use no electricity and preserve the nutrients in your beverage. The citrus juicer is probably the first to come to mind. However, manual crank-style juicers are perfect for wheatgrass or carrot juice. Best of all, if a storm knocks out your electricity, you can still enjoy the health benefits of fresh juice.Owl Electricity MonitorThe Owl electricity monitor is the perfect kitchen gadget for getting real-time information on your home’s overall energy use. You’ll know at a glance how much electricity you are using, what it is costing you, and your home’s CO2 emissions.Water Powered ClocksThese clocks use the electrolytic power of water to generate enough energy to display the time on a digital face. Best feature, you can even use the water cell for fresh flowers to brighten your kitchen!Filter AeratorsLow-flow aerators are the easiest, most cost-effective way to reduce your home’s water consumption by 50%. They are available at any hardware store and screw easily onto your existing kitchen faucet.Induction CooktopsThese are the most energy efficient cooktops on the market. Electromagnetic elements allow the cooktop to heat almost instantly and perfectly evenly. They are so fast, they can even boil a pot of water in 3 minutes.WaterWeek Water BottlesThese reusable water bottles come in five different colors so you have water ready for every day of your work or school week. Just fill with water at the beginning of the week, pop the bottles into the included tray, and place in the fridge. You’ll no longer feel guilty about throwing out hundreds of plastic bottles a year.One of our other favorite stores for green products is Crate and Barrel. They have a great selection of bamboo, recycled paper napkins, glass, and other eco-friendly products. 

What Is A Lifestyle Showroom?

If a picture is worth a thousand words, then a Lifestyle Showroom is worth a thousand images. Our lifestyle showroom is where your vision meets innovation, and design begins. Cabinets & Designs is Houston’s largest showroom currently displaying cabinetry and related products for every room in your home. We showcase kitchens, bathrooms, dressing rooms, study/office areas, entertainment centers, and wet bars. While we do have hundreds of pictures and samples to inspire your design, we most enjoy witnessing your surprise when you encounter our many ingenious interior cabinet storage options.  Here are a few of the surprises you’ll find in our Lifestyle Showroom:

Keeping a Shared Closet Organized

Many of us get used to having our own personal closets when we live alone.  Life does not always remain the same and we may go on to share our rooms with friends, colleagues, or significant others. Transitioning from having your own closet to sharing a closet with someone can be difficult.  You may need to adjust the way you organize to make space for two where there was once only one!Start by each person designating a personal storage space within the closet. Try to make this as fair as possible while keeping in mind one person may have more to store than the other.  Consider yourself lucky if your partner does not require much storage space and allows you to have the lion's share. Following the division of storage space, you should clean up the clutter. You have to be ruthless in this case. Just do away with items that you are not using anymore; some of them might be useful to others.  You can always donate items to friends, family, or those less fortunate than you.  Cleaning the clutter is an activity that should be redone periodically otherwise you will find your closet getting filled with things you do not need or use. Now comes the organizing part.  Invest in shelf dividers, hangars, shoe-holders, hanging sweater organizers, and other compartmentalized products; they are extremely useful in keeping your closet organized.  Consider storing items that are not used very often (holiday decorations or seasonal clothing) in a different place, such as in suitable containers under the bed. 

Why You Should Use Frameless Cabinets in Your Kitchen

Kitchen cabinets add definition to your kitchen and also help in maximizing utilization of available space. This comes in handy particularly if you have a habit of keeping your kitchen chock full of supplies at all times. Cabinets will play an even bigger role in keeping your kitchen organized if you have a smaller kitchen with limited available space. There are two main kinds of cabinets that you can have in your kitchen, with face frames or frameless. Both will serve you well, but frameless cabinets have some significant advantages over cabinets with face frames. These include:

Keeping Bathroom Cabinets Organized

Cluttered bathroom cabinets are a frequent sight. Not only do they look bad but they can also make it difficult for you to locate required items especially when you are in a hurry. Moreover, people with cluttered bathroom cabinets sometimes repurchase items that they already have but were not able to locate. However it is not very difficult to organize a bathroom cabinet in a useful manner and keep it neat with a little conscious effort. The first step towards organizing your bathroom cabinet is to take out all the stuff and then sort them into similar categories. For example, the razor, shaving cream and after-shave would belong to the same space. Next you should scrupulously discard anything that you are not using as well as those items that are way past the expiration dates. This step would alone reduce a lot of clutter and make space for the required stuff.After you have sorted all the required items into groups you can begin the process of arranging them in the cabinet. One useful tip in this step would be to place things that you use more frequently in the lower shelves and those that you use less frequently to rarely in the upper ones. If you have under-counter storage, then you should invest in boxes or bins - whichever fits best in the available space. A three-drawer plastic unit can be very useful, as it will help you keep three groups of items neatly organized.After you have successfully organized your bathroom cabinet, you should keep in mind that in order to maintain it that way you should develop the habit of keeping items back in their designated places after using them. Also keep track of expiration dates, other than needlessly occupying space; they can also be harmful if used.  When it comes time to remodel your bathroom, consider integrating organization options into your new cabinets.  Our expert designers can help you find the right cabinets to fit your needs.   

How to Choose Custom Kitchen Cabinetry for Your Kitchen

When planning to revamp your kitchen, remember to pay special attention to cabinets. When planning to revamp your kitchen, keep in mind that custom cabinetry can transform your entire space, and increase the value of your home.Choosing the perfect custom cabinetry to match your kitchen décor is not an easy task. You need to consider the construction, color, and design of the cabinetry. Here are some pointers to help you choose the perfect cabinet for your kitchen.Making sure the designers know what they are doing

Get more out of your media center by better organization

Media centers are a source of great joy to movie and sports buff. They provide endless hours of entertainment whether the owner wants to use them alone or share the experience with like-minded friends and family members. But behind all this fun lies the reality of a tangled mess of wires and cables and discs scattered here and there separated from their cases, or worse, placed in the wrong cases. All this can dampen the enjoyment home media centers can provide. If you are someone who is facing the problem of a disorganized media center, then you might be familiar with instances when you couldn't find the remote or the DVD that you wanted to see. The only way to prevent such undesired occurrences is to keep the media center well-organized. In order to optimally organize your home media center you would need to buy a few things. These are mostly storage boxes meant for DVDs, CDS and video games; also you can get a media rack. You would also need to purchase cable/wire tubing and ties. After you have purchased all this stuff, you can set about getting your media center organized. Begin by unplugging all wiring and cables and then untangling them. Once you have untangled the mess of wires reconnect them to the various devices and pass the wires/cables through the slit in the wire tubing. This will prevent the wires and cables from entangling in future.

Effective tips for organizing a kitchen

The kitchen might just be among the most difficult spaces to organize, but it is certainly not unconquerable. In this article we will show you how the application of some simple strategies will transform even the most badly organized kitchens into the most well organized ones. The most important principle that one should keep in mind while organizing any space is to discard stuff that is not required. A lot of us have the tendency of keeping items that we don't use and probably never will, so even if these things are in a working condition they are effectively useless and taking up unnecessary space. It's a lot better to donate such items to people who might use them.