5. Equipment: PRO Finally, sometimes a job looks simple to do but you don’t have the tools necessary to get the job done right. Never be afraid to ask for help. There are ways to cut costs in your budget if you are worried that hiring a professional is going to cost too much. See if there is another way you can get the renovation you want, done right, but at the right cost.
Key Elements to an Entertainers Dream Kitchen
The holiday season is right around the corner and with the oncoming festivities, the large family parties and the friendly get-togethers tag along. On a normal day the kitchen is the heart of the home, but during a soiree it is the belle of the ball so what can you do to make your Kitchen look and feel like a high end hosting destination. Whether you are in the market to design a Kitchen renovation or make simple changes here are some Key Elements to an Entertainers Dream Kitchen:
- Open Concept:
The draw to open concept floor plans is the way it makes small rooms seem big, not to mention you can be everywhere without having to move. During parties it is essential to not break up the group. Having an open concept gives the area a larger feeling and leaves your guests feeling less cramped and able to move around and visit without having to move room to room. - Musical Chairs:
Although the open concept makes it easy to move around it is also important to have plenty of seating areas. Many of the designs we are seeing and implementing today include large sit-at islands or bar seating for guests to relax and enjoy the aesthetics of your party and your kitchen. - Plenty of Food:
The key to a good party is the food and having enough of it. Whether you are catering or enjoying some home cooking, having double ovens, large pantries, and spacious refrigerators are the key to keeping the menu simple and easy to execute. - Clean Up:
After the party is over and the memories have been made there will still be dishes to be done and trash to be thrown away. Hidden trash cans are a large trend that we are seeing and trash compactors are making their vintage debut. Farmhouse sinks are known for their stylish flair, but they also have large basins for hard to tackle cleaning.
If Entertaining is something you love to do, but you are restricted by your kitchen amenities, give us a call. Let one of our talented designers meet with you to discuss building that dream party kitchen that will leave your guests coming back holiday season after holiday season.
Functional Home Office Space Ideas
Functional Home Office Spaces became a necessity in 2020 due to “Work from Home Mandates” and long quarantine periods. A year later, many companies have prolonged their working from home periods and other have done away with corporate office space all together. In response many homeowners have decided to create better workspaces or upgrade their existing arrangement. Whether the space is small, has a multiuse purpose, or is a dedicated large room here are some keys to designing a functional home office space that will keep you excited to go to work.
Plenty of Storage Space:
The Home Office is a central location to a hub of technology, piles of paperwork, and every office supply accessory imaginable. Having dedicated storage space to keep files, conceal cords, and hide the clutter creates a more productive work and headspace. Arizona’s Interior Innovations Custom cabinetry can fit your unique needs for storage and create a durable workspace built to last.
Large Work Area
Whether your work area is a dining room table, a small corner in the bedroom, or a private den your actual desktop space is important. Once the clutter is cleared and assigned its designated space your desktop should be durable and have the ability to hold more than just a laptop. Creating expandable desktops has allowed many work-from-homers to use a large space and hide it away during times of un-use. This concept has grown in popularity with homeschooling moms. The ease of creating a focused workspace for children to complete their schoolwork and then the ability to hide the mess and the clutter during afterschool hours and over the weekend has made the adjustment to homeschooling easier on a lot of families. Arizona’s Interior Innovations can help design this creative space with our dedicated team of innovative designers.
Displaying Personal Mementos
Creating an office space that features personal touches provides motivation and positive reinforcements throughout the workday. Bulletin boards featuring photos, custom shelves to hold personal books and photo frames are just a few examples of the little touches that you can add to your home office to make it a space you enjoy being in.
Flexible Sitting or Standing Availability
Research shows that sitting at your desk for long periods of time contributes to weight gain, back problems, and increase blood sugar whereas standing periodically can help reduce all of those and increase productivity. Higher desktops are one way to help with the versatility of sitting and standing for long periods of time. Meanwhile some home offices are welcoming treadmills and bikes to help with increased movement during the workday and reaching fitness goals while on the clock.
Gone are the days of long office hours in a cubicle surrounded by fluorescent lighting. Custom home offices provide a more productive workspace and add value to your home. If you are thinking of customizing your office space or looking for inspiration for a functional home office space contact Arizona’s Interior Innovations and set your appointment with one of our design experts to create your ideal office workspace.
How to Choose the Right Hardware for Your Cabinets
People spend a lot of time choosing the ideal cabinets for their kitchens, bathrooms, and other rooms in the house to make sure the style of cabinets suits the overall interior design of the house. When it comes to choosing hardware, the choices can be overwhelming: all pulls? All knobs? A mixture of both? What’s the correct way to use hardware on cabinets? We’ve pulled together a few basic suggestions on how to choose the right hardware for your cabinets.
Mix and match or matchy-matchy?
The biggest question we get is about whether to use all knobs, all pulls, or mix it up. The answer is, there is no right answer! This is strictly a personal preference though there are some details to keep in mind when deciding, which we’ll go into more detail later in this article. However, there is no real “right way” when it comes to knobs over pulls, so rest assured that whatever you choose, you’ve made the right decision. It’s OK to mix and match, and it’s OK to use all knobs or all pulls.
Let your cabinet style help choose your hardware style
There are many different types of cabinet styles, from ornate to modern. Based on your cabinet design, you may want to choose a style of hardware that suits the cabinet. If your cabinets are heavy and ornate, a sleek, thin, modern pull or knob might look out of place. On the other hand, if your cabinet style is more modern and minimalist, bulky or ornate hardware may really stand out like a sore thumb. When choosing hardware, actually hold it up against your cabinets and envision a whole room with that hardware. Does it complement the cabinets, or does it look out of place? We love eclectic, but don’t allow your hardware to detract from your cabinets!
Look at your cabinet colors
Consider the color of your kitchen cabinets. The color of your cabinets is as important as the style when choosing hardware. With white and painted cabinets, almost any finish will work, but some shades of brown are not as flexible. Contrasting colors will make the new hardware stand out and give some visual breaks to a kitchen or bathroom full of cabinetry.
Look at your faucets and other appliances in the room
You don’t have to match your faucets or your refrigerator, though many people find this to be the easiest choice. Want to be different? You don’t need to match your faucet or other appliances as long as the finish complements other finishes in the design. There are finishes that go well with brushed nickel or brushed stainless faucet: antique pewter, bronze (light to dark), satin brass, oil-rubbed bronze, aluminum, black matte, and rust. Finishes that go well with a chrome faucet are more limited, such as white, black, dark bronze, pewter, or clear glass.
Keep your hardware finishes consistent
It’s generally a good idea to keep the finish of your hardware consistent. Brass knobs and brushed nickel pulls in the same room might really look odd. On the other hand, there are all kinds of fun, unique cabinet hardware options out there, including glass, ceramic and more, many that offer a variety of looks within a set. Go ahead and be creative as long as it doesn’t end up looking like a mishmash of choices! Not sure how to mix metal finishes? Check out these ideas.
Don’t cheap out
We get it. Installing a room full of cabinets is not an inexpensive endeavor so oftentimes by the time choosing hardware comes around, the less money spent the better but don’t sell the concept of quality hardware short! There’s a certain amount of comfort as well as wear and tear resistance that comes with quality hardware. While you don’t have to spend a fortune, take the time to test out what the hardware feels like when you grab it or pull it. Make sure the finish is quality and that your brushed nickel knobs don’t turn black over time (or come off on your hands). Not sure where to find quality hardware that goes with your cabinets? Ask a design professional to help you!
Knowing how to choose the right hardware for your cabinets can make a big difference in the overall look and functionality of a room. Take the time to do your homework, shop around, and test out your choices before installing your hardware. You’ll love the results!
How to Choose the Perfect Cabinets for Your Kitchen
Whether you’re doing a complete kitchen remodel, or simply looking to update the look of your current kitchen, cabinets are a great way to add style and personality to your kitchen. With so many choices, it’s difficult to know how to choose the perfect cabinets for your kitchen. We’ve pulled together a few tips to help make the process easier.
Choose a cabinet door style
Cabinet doors are the most visible design elements in your kitchen, so your door style is one of the most important decisions you will make. There are various styles of cabinet doors available, and since cabinetry doors are so prominent in kitchens, it’s a good idea to start by looking around your home in general. What is your style overall? Modern? Traditional? Do you prefer a more ornate style, or do you like basic, clean lines? While your style doesn’t have to exactly match your overall décor style, it helps to make sure whatever style you pick doesn’t stand out for the wrong reason. Here are the basic cabinet door styles to choose from:
- Mission
- Raised panel
- Beaded
- Shaker
- Arched cathedral (single arch)
- Double arch
- Flat panel
- Mullioned
Take the time to not only look at the style, but what kind of maintenance each will require. The more ornate, the more nooks and crevices there is to clean, yet more decorative cabinets add a very distinct design style to a kitchen and can really make a statement!
Consider your budget
Kitchen cabinetry can vary widely when it comes to cost. Try to work with a cabinet company that offers a wide range of cabinet styles and budgets. Try to narrow down your 2-3 favorite styles, then look at the cost for each. You’ll be surprised how some of the most beautiful cabinet doors can actually be affordable. Work with a designer to help you determine style and budget if you’re unsure; this is a big choice to make!
Know what color you’re looking for
Are you looking for a deep, rich, elegant-looking kitchen, or something more bright, fresh and sleek? Not every cabinet style may come in the wood finish you want, so having an idea ahead of time may help narrow the choices a bit.
Understand the flow and function of your kitchen
If you’re keeping the existing cabinetry footprint in your kitchen, this is an easy step to check off the list. If you’re doing a full kitchen renovation, you need to consider the overall flow of the kitchen and how that works with your family’s lifestyle. What kind of kitchen do you want? Consider how you currently use your kitchen and what would make your life easier and more functional. Maybe it’s adding or expanding an island. Perhaps it’s additional storage. Where should these items be and what’s the overall flow of the kitchen area to best suit that? Do you need more drawers, less shelves, a pullout spice rack? These decisions will impact cabinet choices. This is one area that definitely requires a kitchen remodel specialist to help you with. Space planning when you’re doing this kind of remodel is critical to get just right. A functional, well-organized kitchen is the most important feature, so you want to choose your cabinetry wisely to accommodate this. You want to maximize your space as much as possible to talk with a professional cabinet designer about shelf, drawer and pullout options.
These tips will help you choose the perfect cabinets for kitchen and help you create the kitchen of your dreams!
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