Kitchen Remodel Archives - Page 17 of 32

Kitchen Contractor Tips for a Great Kitchen

By Inspired Remodels / Kitchen Remodel / Comments Off

What makes a great kitchen great? Is the the gleaming floor, the smudge free fridge, or the whimsical backsplash? All of those elements may be present in a great kitchen. But you don’t need them to have a great kitchen. A great kitchen is great because it’s got an easy-to-use design and no space is wasted. Inspired Remodels is the Orange County kitchen contractor that knows what makes a great kitchen. Here’s a few tips to make your kitchen great.

Let There Be Light

You never stumble around in the dark in a great kitchen. A great kitchen makes the best use of natural light and adds in room lighting and task lighting.

Recessed lighting brightens the kitchen. Lights under the upper cabinets sneaks in additional task lighting. Who doesn’t want to see clearly when you’re slicing, dicing, and chopping?

Decorative lighting helps set the mood. Dimmer switches are great when your kitchen is part of an open concept area.

This kitchen uses decorative pendant lights to provide task lighting. Now that’s a lighting two-fer. Two-fers are great in the kitchen; they are the antithesis of the unitasker loathed by TV chef and cultural icon, Alton Brown. Unitaskers serve one purpose and take up valuable space.

Great Kitchens Make Great Use of Space

There’s not an inch of wasted space in a great kitchen. It’s one of the things that makes it so great.

Above, the slender space between the custom cabinets and stove was used for a small pull-out cabinet. Now you aren’t storing 10 pounds of rice here, but what are you doing with 10 pounds of rice any way?

It’s size and location make it perfect for salt, pepper, and any other spices and seasonings you might want to grab while using the cook top.

Another place space is frequently wasted is the lower cabinet kick space. But it doesn’t have to be that way.

A savvy kitchen contractor knows one way to turn a kitchen into a great space is to add a pull out step in place of a kick space.

This is particularly helpful for reaching the top shelves of upper cabinets. Even those that aren’t vertically challenged appreciate this type of convenience.

Or how about a kitchen island that doubles as a table? Once again, this kitchen contractor slayed the evil unitasker by making the island large enough to double as a table. A normal island doesn’t seat 6 comfortably. This one does.

The eat-in kitchen isn’t dead, it just looks different. It’s one of those things that makes a great kitchen great.

A Great Kitchen Contractor Crafts Great Kitchens

Inspired Remodels is a great kitchen contractor serving the Orange County area. They design and build great kitchens. And, they turn your inspired kitchen dreams into inspired remodeled kitchens.

Ready for your great kitchen or want more ideas? Call (949) 716-1938 or Contact Us online today.

Custom Cabinets for Orange County Remodels

Nothing sets the tone of a room like the cabinetry. If you’re remodeling an Orange County kitchen or bathroom, the cabinet choice is a big decision. The big box stores like Home Depot generally offer stock cabinets while the Ikea’s of the world sell ready-to-assemble cabinets. Choosing cabinets isn’t a conundrum. Semi-custom or custom cabinets offer maximum flexibility and value.

Schrock Semi-Custom Cabinets

Schrock is part of the MasterBrand family of cabinet companies. This American-based company has been making cabinets since 1926. Beautiful, functional, and durable describe their product line.

Currently, you can pick from 3 lines: Entra, Trademark, and Boutique. The style and level of customization vary with the line. If simple, modern, or industrial describes your taste, the Trademark series is for you. If you need high customization or want an artisanal look, Boutique is for you. Entra features fresh and clean lines and is the perfect choice for Shaker-style cabinets.

Semi-custom cabinets are factory-built to your specifications based on stock sizes. This holds down the price, so they cost less than completely custom cabinets. Think of them as a mid-range choice. They make modifications to create cabinets that fit the space you need. Semi-custom cabinets provide you with a selection of fronts and finishes.

Omega Custom Cabinets

Omega Custom Cabinets is also a member of the MasterBrand family. They build custom cabinets in the United States. As true artisans, they take raw hardwood lumber and convert it into cabinetry to your exact specifications. They bring your custom cabinet ideas to life through the Pinnacle and Dynasty series platforms. Pinnacle provides inset and framed styling and Dynasty provides the ultimate in flexibility in design.

Because these are completely custom cabinets, the cost is higher than semi-custom cabinets. The lead time is much longer as well. But, you will get completely bespoke wooden cabinetry that will last almost as long as your house. No matter the shape of the room, your cabinets will fit.

toe kick drawers in cabinets

Compare to Stock and Ready to Assemble with Custom

When you compare custom and semi-custom cabinets to stock or ready-to-assemble, the differences are clear. You may be able to get stock and ready-to-assemble cabinets quickly, but that is because they are mass-produced. If you need customization, you’re out of luck.

Stock and ready-to-assemble cabinets may be available very quickly, but custom work is worth the wait. Higher quality, more options, and greater satisfaction with the installed product.

Inspired Remodels Helps With Orange County Cabinets

Need help with cabinetry? Call the remodel experts Inspired Remodels. They can help you design a kitchen or bathroom that is beautiful and functional. Their expertise is bring dreams to life. Call (949) 716-1938 or Contact Us online.

Remodeling Contractor Uses Lighting for Ambiance and Function

By Inspired Remodels / Bathroom Remodel, Kitchen Remodel / Comments Off

You spend a considerable amount of time in the kitchen and bathroom. When the lighting is poor, it totally spoils the visual appeal of the room. Even worse, it makes using the room for its intended function a nightmare. Who wants to shave or cut up vegetables when you can’t see what you are doing? You must choose lighting options carefully. One sign of a competent remodeling contractor is their ability to incorporate creative lighting. How does your contractor stand up?

Creative Bathroom Lighting Ideas

Bathroom lighting sets the mood for the room. It should also provide enough light to perform personal hygiene routines safely. You need several types of lighting in the bathroom. Try these creative ideas.

Use dimmers

You want bright light for shaving, showering, or applying makeup. But that’s not the light you want soaking in the tub. Dimmer switches allow you to adjust the intensity of the light to suit your moods and needs.

Task lighting

For task lighting, you divide the bathroom into zones. This allows you to focus illumination where you need it. For example, the vanity zone is equipped with a brighter task light than the water closet or toilet zone. The bathing zone utilizes separate task lighting. This approach allows to illuminate each zone with the appropriate amount of lighting, or the tasks performed in the zone.

Focused lighting

Recessed lights are another great idea. The lighting cans are installed flush with the ceiling and flood light downwards. They are excellent for lighting up the entire space. Install this style of lighting by mirrors to enhance the effect.

Layer lighting for a dramatic effect

Layered lighting is a lighting system that incorporates three different kinds of lights: overall, task and accent. Overall lights are generally recessed lights that illuminate the room, while task lights illuminate zones based on function. Accent lights in the bathroom might be pendant lights, profile lights, or backlit mirrors.

Kitchen Lighting Ideas

The kitchen is a room for gathering and working. Whether you are prepping a meal, enjoying a bite with family or friends, or cleaning up, it’s important to see what you are doing. Talk to your kitchen remodeling contractor about using some of these “bright” ideas.

Brighten up the kitchen island

If the kitchen island is your pride and joy, show it off with ceiling lights. Use hanging lights to provide task lighting and give the space an industrial vibe at the same time – perfect for modern kitchens.

Create a vintage vibe

All pendant lighting doesn’t need to look industrial. Milk glass and tulip style shades provide a very subtle vintage vibe. Even if you are going for a farmhouse look, the vintage aura makes the kitchen warm and welcoming. Rubbed bonze is a great metal for creating that vintage vibe.

Pendant lights for all kitchens

No matter if your kitchen is modern, traditional, rustic, vintage, or farmhouse, pendant lights suit all styles. Space them evenly and either hang them at the same height or varying heights depending on the look you want.

Inspired Remodels – The Inspired Remodeling Contractor

Ready for an inspirational kitchen or bathroom? Want a spa in the master bath or a space to craft culinary creations? Turn to Inspired Remodels to taking your inspiration and turn it into a design that looks beautiful and functions flawlessly. Call