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Comparing Custom Cabinets – Shaker versus Raised Panel

By / custom cabinets, Kitchen Remodel / Comments Off on Comparing Custom Cabinets – Shaker versus Raised Panel

When it comes to renovating Orange County kitchens, most homeowners split their preference for custom cabinets. Shaker door fronts remain popular, but raised panel custom cabinets are popular as well.

Let’s compare the two custom cabinet styles.

Green & white custom cabinets with black quartz countertops

Shaker Custom Cabinets

Shaker cabinets date back to the early 1800’s. The cabinet aesthetic grew from the Shaker’s commitment to designs that exhibited their belief in simplicity. The clean lines represent the purity that the Shakers sought in all corners of their lives – including their cabinets and furniture.

A simple center recessed panel sets Shaker cabinets apart from all others. At a glance, you recognize the Shaker style.

Teal and white custom cabinets in kitchen with white countertops and backsplash

On the plus side

Shaker custom cabinets offer the opportunity to customize by adding ornamental hardware. You can swap the look of the door by simply swapping out the hardware.

In addition, Shaker-style cabinets have a timeless appeal that won’t go out of style and will be a draw when selling the house.

Modern coastal kitchen design with black and white custom cabinets

On the negative side

Let’s face it, Shaker-style cabinets are popular. Really popular. Really, really popular. That means if you want your kitchen to stand out or you are a fan of Avant Garde design, stay away from these cabinets.  While Shaker custom cabinets can be finished in amazing colors, that recessed panel will still be an obvious design element.

Raised Panel Cabinets

Where Shaker cabinets feature a center recessed panel, raised panel cabinets veer into the more ornate. Think shaped, raised center panels accentuated by grooves and additional molding. They instantly add a more formal feel to any kitchen.

Raised panel-style cabinetry is newer than Shaker-style cabinetry. It only gained popularity at the beginning of the 21st century, when the modern kitchen was born. Artisans carefully routed and carved doors to create the iconic raised panels we treasure today.

On the plus side

Raised panel custom cabinets certainly elevate the look and feel of any kitchen. They provide an avenue for creating a posh, upscale feel to the room. In addition, you get the ultimate in customization. Bespoke panels and molding make your cabinets like no other.

On the negative side

All that ornamentation adds to the cost of materials and labor that go into the custom cabinets. That makes the price for raised panel cabinets generally higher than their Shaker counterparts. In addition, the nooks and crannies created by the ornamentation capture grease, dust, and food particles. This means they are slightly more difficult to clean.

Custom Cabinet Pop Quiz

Inspired Remodels works with all types of custom cabinets. Take a look at these kitchens and see if you can identify the Shaker cabinets from the raised panel cabinets.

 

Kitchen backsplash

Orange county general contractor adds fireplace to San Clemente bathroom to match black and white theme

Orange County General Contractors Create Fireplaces with Flare

By / Bathroom Remodel, Home Improvement / Comments Off on Orange County General Contractors Create Fireplaces with Flare

Does the thought of fall and cooler temperatures have you dreaming of curling up by the fireplace? Fireplaces add an unmistakable warmth to any room. Today’s fireplaces complement rather than dominate a room.  That’s because modern fireplaces no longer act as a home’s main source of heat. Check out what happens when one set of Orange County general contractors play around with fire. The results are fabulous.

Old World Charm in Modern Home

This room received a total makeover. It’s easy to imagine yourself in a pub in any town in Ireland (or the rest of the European continent).

Orange County general contractor creates the feel of a European pub in a modern house with stone fireplace and wood bar

Somehow, that Irish whiskey or red ale just tastes better when enjoyed by a fire. The same stone used in the bar area extends out to create a home for the fireplace and a TV. This space was made for enjoying a pint of Harp while the Shamrock Rovers tear it up on the telly.

 

Why General Contractors Recommend Gas Fireplaces for Orange County Homes

Where you find new fireplaces installed in Orange County, you’ll find the fireplaces are gas-burning appliances.

General contractors install gas burners over wood burners for many reasons. To begin with, a gas fireplace saves a renovating homeowner money. Adding a fireplace after construction costs much less because a chimney doesn’t need to be added as well. As long as the fireplace has ventilation, it is safe.

dark wood custom cabinets built-in next to white stone fireplace

Many gas-burning fireplaces feature a tempered glass front to create radiant heat. Homeowners use this radiant heat source to take the chill off one room without the need to heat the entire house.

Eco-warriors love gas-burning fireplaces as well. They don’t create soot or ash emissions, so they keep the air clean. No trees are harmed when enjoying a gas fireplace.  

Unusual Fireplaces

A creative general contractor knows how to incorporate fireplaces into just about any space.

This fireplace makes good use of limited space in the bathroom. As a bonus, two-sided fireplaces provide two heating surfaces and more angles from which to enjoy the fire.

Orange County house remodeling project after picutre with blue glass fireplace in bathroom

Bathroom fireplaces offer the ultimate luxury touch. Elevate your soaking tub experience with an exquisite fireplace in your bathroom.

Orange county general contractor adds fireplace to San Clemente bathroom to match black and white theme

General Contractors for Fireplaces and More

Trust Inspired Remodels with all your remodeling needs. From adding a fireplace to a full room, Inspired Remodels offers full design/build services for the Orange County area.

Tips from Kitchen and Bath Contractors Make Holiday Guests Feel at Home

By / Home Improvement / Comments Off on Tips from Kitchen and Bath Contractors Make Holiday Guests Feel at Home

Holiday guests en route to your house? Use this as an opportunity to spruce up a few things in the kitchen and bath. Inspired Remodels, the Orange County kitchen and bath contractors, knows how to create comfortable, beautiful, and useful spaces.

Use their tips to create spaces that help your holiday guests feel right at home.

kitchen and bath contractors after photo of kitchen with white marble counters and oak cabinets with stainless steel appliances

In the Kitchen

Clean out the inside of your refrigerator. There’s no time like the present to toss out those unidentifiable leftovers or that condiment you’ve had for so long you can’t remember when or why you purchased it.

Wipe down countertops and appliances so the kitchen sparkles.

Leave coffee mugs out by the coffee pot. If you have a single-serve (Keurig-style) coffee pot, make sure it’s filled with water and the K-cups are next to the pot. Want to wow guests? Toss in a few pods of apple cider or herbal tea.

 Create a snacking station.  Whether you set out a few local delicacies on the kitchen island or assemble a tray of cookies by the coffee pot, make grabbing a snack easy.

kitchen and bath contractors after photo with Grey quartz countertops with white cabinetry and black accessories

In the Bathroom

Even rooms that lack frequent use still get dirty. Make sure to go over the guest bathroom quickly with a dusting cloth.

Dust settles on even the cleanest vanity tops, mirrors, and the backs of toilets. So, send the dust bunnies scurrying to another house.

Give your guests a 5-star hotel feeling by leaving a carefully curated selection of luxury soaps, lotions, and other toiletries.

Set out plush, absorbent towels for guests.  You can place these on the edge of the bathtub or at the foot of the bed in the guest bedroom.  

Make sure at least one cabinet or drawer is empty, so guests have a place to store their own personal care items, medications, and hygiene items.

Master retreat room expansion

In the Bedroom

Carry that luxury hotel feeling from the bathroom into the bedroom. Splurge on high thread count sheets. These days, most fine bed linens are permanent press. But, for an over-the-top experience, iron pillowcases and the top edge of the flat bedsheet.

Clear out some room in the closet to hang clothes and store luggage. If you have a dresser or chest of drawers, provide ample room for guest to stow their clothing.

Leave a slip of paper with the wi-fi name and password, operating instructions for any heating or air conditioning in the room, and key codes for entry doors.

Special Message from Inspired Remodels, Orange County Kitchen And Bath Contractors

Inspired Remodels wants our customers to know we appreciate their business.

This Thanksgiving and all year long, we are thankful for the opportunity to serve Orange County homeowners and property managers.

From dream kitchens to the bathroom of your dreams, you can trust Inspired Remodels.