Archive for the ‘kitchen plan’ Category
April 27th, 2011 | 
Author: Remodelling your kitchen is a big decision to make and requires professional consultation. The budget, scale and type of renovation that you are looking to undertake are best discussed with a construction company that is well-established and reliable. First Team Construction Inc. is one such company. They are a third generation construction and remodelling company based in South Carolina. Their services extend from Charleston to Berkeley and Kiawah to Summerville. They can help you estimate the cost of the project, suggest more efficient storage methods and designing the kitchen regions according to the amount of space you have to work with.
The kitchen is one of the most central components of a house. It is the place where the cooking gets done, where the household members gather to chit chat while having a snack or entertain their guests. Since all these activities depend on the sort of lifestyle you and your family live, it is crucial that you have a functional and well-designed kitchen to suit it.
There are many sources of inspiration you can look to for kitchen remodelling ideas, including the resource-rich internet, interior design magazines and home design TV shows. Have a clear vision of what you want changed in the kitchen; that is, what you want to add or take away from the current kitchen structure. Consider all aspects of reconstruction – the flooring, the counters, lighting, windows, the kitchen appliances and sinks.
Do the walls need new wallpaper or fresh coats of paint? Is it time to install more cabinets to house your ever-expanding collection of bone china? Do you want a new way to seat more people along the island counter? All these points should be present in your checklist when planning to remodel your kitchen. Keep updated with the latest trends and product information that are relevant to the new kitchen features you have in mind.
Is the current style of your kitchen boring you? Think out of the box and consider designs you never have before; urban-chic contemporary, clean-cut modern, whimsical kitsch or even ethnic and traditional. Trying something different will keep your new kitchen look stay fresh and interesting to you and your family. Decide on a central design theme or style and let the experts at First Team Construction Inc. help you come up with plan ideas, all while keeping your budget and personal preferences in mind.
First Team Construction Inc. operates on a basis of strong client-team relations and as a result, all members of the kitchen remodelling process are much more engaged in the project. First Team Construction Inc. provides top-notch levels of communication, management and coordination with an emphasis in team involvement. Thanks to their team-intensive work ethics, all contributing parties churn out more ideas to make the kitchen remodelling as efficient and close to the customer’s requirements as possible. This makes it that much easier for you as a customer to get the exact look for your new kitchen. This company does not simply work towards a deadline; it strives for complete client satisfaction.
Do you want to jazz up your bathroom with the coolest bathroom remodel plans? Then it s high time you got off the sitter and did something about it. The bathroom comes with different significance to different people. therefore the ambiance you want to create may be of someone wanting to do some leisure read up – a place to practice your philosophical thoughts or even a place where you could start day dreaming at. The bottom-line is that if you re someone who just realized all this and desires assistance in making the coolest bathroom remodel plans, then this is a site for you to pee… I mean see.
Our coolest bathroom remodel plans aren t only about the pizzazz. We understand and know that the basics are always a prime function that should be concentrated on. Number one on the list of your coolest bathroom remodel plans should be, lighting. And yes, this isn t only a job for your electrician. Be the judge of your self and utilize you choice of lighting to set just the right mood that you wish to create within your bathroom.
Create a harmonious blend of color in your bathroom by matching and mismatching just the right amount of paraphernalia. Color, is an important addition to include in to your coolest bathroom remodel plans. For example you might consider having the basic equipment in your bathroom like the shower curtains, towels, rugs, toilette cover, soap holder and even toothbrushes if you want to match whilst contrasting harmoniously with the shade of the walls and other accessories.
Accessorizing your bathroom with little frills and fancies should also be on the top five in your coolest bathroom remodel plan. This is important because the right accessories always add personality and personality is exactly what the doctor orders for your personal space. Try to come up with a theme if possible. If you dare, you could come up with more than one theme that you can choose intervariably from time to time as you become bored of one theme. So get hold of those trinkets like decorative holders and miniature soaps with a bowl of potpourri, now!.
Incorporating a surrounding that you are most comfortable in is the essential finish for your coolest bathroom remodel plans. For example if you are partial to nature you may incorporate natural elements for decoration and even on the items in your bathroom. Deco is essential for your bathroom so be it ner the bath tub or neat a stoned wall, add that special little art work or the charm to add a personal touch to your bathroom!
Just like the living or the bedroom, you can also do a lot of things in your kitchen in terms of design. You can use a simple design if you are the conservative or traditional type but you can also adopt an elaborate and complicated design if you are adventurous or spunky. A popular option for many people, which you can also do with your own, is to choose a central theme. You can for example have a contemporary theme wherein you can choose a metallic look. You can choose a country theme where you can bring in a lot of colors. Others even go through the extent of having a medieval look. Still others go for classic Tuscan effect or French villa design.
After you have decided on a design or theme for your kitchen, your next step is to select the kitchen appliances and equipment that will fit your chosen design. There are available tables that are already designed to follow a specific theme. For example, there are tables that will perfectly match a French villa theme. There are also available backsplash designs that will match your chosen theme. There are for example designs to match a Tuscan motif. They come with guides for easy installation so you shouldn’t have problems installing them.
With regards to kitchen cabinets, you can choose to make your own so you can have exactly what you want. There are how-to-build-kitchen-cabinets guides in magazines and on the internet to help you. If you are not very confident in creating your own from scratch, you can also buy kitchen cabinet kits. These kitchen cabinet kits come with how-to-build-kitchen-cabinets procedures to guide you in assembling them. Furthermore, these how-to-build-kitchen-cabinets were written such that they are simple and easy to follow.
Designing your kitchen requires imagination and creativity. For ease and safety just follow the guides like those for installing backsplashes and how-to-build-kitchen-cabinets tips.
Designing a small kitchen is no joke. Getting the family together for a meal may feel like someone has stuffed all of you into a clown car at the circus. Sometimes when in this predicament it feels as if there is little to nothing to work with. As long as you have time and a little bit of space; you can always maneuver designs one way or another. There are tricks, trips and tips to designs in a small kitchen.
One of the keys to a design in a small kitchen is counter space. Although limited, there is a solution. A deeper space will help maximize the use of what you have and enable you to use deeper cabinets for more storage space. The ceiling is the limit for cabinet space in a small kitchen design; even though deeper, ceiling to floor cabinetry will help organize a small kitchen better. If you feel those wood cabinet doors closing in on you, try glass-front or etched glass cabinet doors, this should alleviate that problem.
Another thing that you might want to consider is having your appliances built into the wall or counter top. Such as a counter top stove, a built in oven and a recessed refrigerator. The less that is actually out on the floor, the less cramped a kitchen will seem. Islands, however beautiful, take up way too much area in a small kitchen, so let’s not think about putting one in.
You might want those pretty hunter green designs in the kitchen, but it might just make small designs oppressive. Try going for a nude, neutral or beige color scheme in your design. These colors will make an tiny design seem more open. When it comes to flooring go for the larger tiles or squares, believe it or not this will make that little design seem that there is more floor area than it would if the tiles were smaller. When thinking of designs, think of leaving as much open space as possible, even if it’s on the counter-tops. You will thank yourself for this later as you stand and look at what your ideas and designs have made from a little space.
Utilizing the area you have to your advantage is the greatest key to unlocking the mystery of small designs. Make it a unique design and your own and there is no going wrong. Ultimately, design for yourself and that space will feel more like home every time you walk into it.
You can get more kitchen design ideas at Kitchen Design Ideas.
Article #1-Defining Goals-Storage Capacity.
This is the first in a series of articles about designing your own new or remodel kitchen. I will cover creating written plans and drawings, cabinet types, after-market hardware, ventilation, trim elements, plumbing, countertops, electrical / lighting systems, windows and contractor selection among other goodies. In other words, most of the topics that would be covered by a kitchen design professional during a design / remodel process.
The articles in the series proceed in logical order from basic design considerations to installation tips. You do not have to be an uber handyman to understand the concepts I’m presenting. On the contrary, a lack of initial knowledge on the part of the reader might be a good thing. Such a reader might be more inclined to actually consider some of the ideas presented without pre-conceived notions or prejudices. Some of the best kitchens are designed by artistic types who know little to nothing about construction but are clear about their needs.
I spent almost 10 years as a full-time commissioned kitchen designer. In that time I designed hundreds of kitchens and oversaw the installation of virtually all of them. I no longer work in the field so I have no financial incentive to recommend any particular products or methods. My sole intention is to show you what works and to help you through the process. Whether you design / install your own kitchen or have the work done by a studio, independent contractor or other source, I hope you find this information useful in planning a well thought out and workable kitchen design.
Once the decision is made to remodel or install a new kitchen the tendency is to jump ahead and immediately start looking at catalogs and visiting showrooms for “inspiration”. My advice: resist the temptation. Why? Because you must define the workspace functionally in a very specific way before you even start thinking about “product”. At this point, showrooms are a distraction. Function drives form, not the other way around-so let’s take things in their logical order, plan first, shop later.
First, a little requisite lingo to get you talkin’ the trade. Cabinets on walls over the countertops are referred to as “walls”, cabinets sitting under countertops are called “bases” and “talls” are cabinets that run from floor to ceiling, generally as pantries or similar. A commercial order for cabinets will list them in that order; Wall, Base, Tall. Sometimes cabinets are also called “boxes” for short, as in “How many boxes in this order?” or “These boxes are really nice…” Makes you sound like you are in the know…
Your absolute, don’t skip, must do-first step is to take inventory of your anticipated storage needs. If you fail this step, you could end up spending mucho bucks for a kitchen that does not have enough cabinets to store all your cooking equipment and food. A distinct bummer, as they say in the trade.
If you’re remodeling, you’ll measure the existing kitchen. If you are starting from scratch, go find a kitchen that looks about right and measure it. You’re going to quickly learn the difference between what a kitchen with 150 cubic feet of storage looks like and one with 300 cubic feet. Forget about door styles, island designs and fancy stoves. For now concentrate on understanding the key measure of storage capacity-cubic footage. We’ll get to the other stuff later, I promise.
In the kitchen industry, storage capacity is measured in cubic feet. Cubic footage is calculated as width x height x depth of a cabinet or cabinet run, in that order. You’re going to measure the storage capacity of your base, wall and tall cabinets in your current or someone else’s kitchen. Since almost all cabinets that you will be encountering have standard depths and heights, all you have to worry about is the total run of cabinets being measured. I’ll show you how and give a couple of examples to ensure that you’re doing this correctly.
Remember to do all calculations and descriptions of cabinet dimensions in the order wide, high, deep (WHD). To keep things simple I like to do all my capacity calculations in feet, but I’ll show both ways.
Wall cabinets are generally 12” deep and either 30”, 36” or 42” tall. Therefore an 11’ run of 30” high wall cabinets, using inch calculations, would be:
132” x 30” x 12” = 47,520 (132” is 11 feet x 12” per foot)
47,520 / 1,728 = 27 ½ cubic feet of wall cabinets (1,728 is the number of cubic inches in 1 cubic foot or 12” x 12” x 12”)
So your 11’ run of 30” high wall cabinets is 27 ½ cubic feet of storage.
Calculated in feet rather than inches, the following would be correct for the above:
11’ x 2.5’ x 1’ =27.5 cubic feet.
Base cabinets are just the same only they are 34½ ” high x 24” deep. I typically round the 34½” value to 3’ when doing calculations in feet-close enough.
Example: 16’ run of base cabinets, calculations in inches:
192” x 34½” x 24” = 158,976
158,976 / 1,728 = 92 cubic feet.
Calculated in feet:
16’ x 3’ x 2’ = 96 cubic feet.
Tall cabinets are either 12” or 24” deep depending on the design.
The calculation of the storage capacity does not have to be exact, within 5% is good enough. Here are some things to keep in mind when running your measurements:
Do not include the cabinet door in the depth measurements, you’re only measuring the “carcase” or actual box dimensions. Keep it simple! When measuring an “L” shaped run, do not measure the inside of the “L” twice, measure the entire length of one side, measure the total length of the other side and deduct either 24” for bases or 12” for walls. Do not include the width of appliances in the measurement in a run, i.e. deduct 30” for a stove and 24” for a dishwasher in a run. Include the width of all sink cabinets in a run. Don’t forget the cabinet over the refrigerator. Bottom line, if it’s a cabinet, include it in the run. If it’s empty space like a refrigerator, stove or dishwasher bay, leave it out of your storage measurements.
Let’s assume you’ve just finished measuring your existing layout that you plan on remodeling and it came in at 225 cubic feet. This is your benchmark number.
Here’s what you do next. Round up all the loose items presently stored oustide the kitchen that you want to include in the new design; extra canned food in the garage, brooms or perhaps a vacuum in the hall closet, cooking tools you’re lusting after, roaster pan presently stored in the tool shed, you name it. Now go get yourself some cardboard boxes, store all that stuff and measure the cubic footage of the boxes. Be sure to load the boxes in a similar manner as you would load a kitchen cabinet-no cramming allowed. Add your extra cubic footage requirement to the existing kitchen and you now have the real number. Congrats! You’ve completed step one. Now it’s time to think about possible solutions.
So, how much capacity are you adding to the existing layout? 10-25-50%, more?
The question becomes; “Where will the extra capacity come from?” To meet your goals you either optimize the existing space or configure a new floor plan.
Some possible answers to consider, organized from lowest to highest cost:
The over-fridge cabinet should be 24” deep, bet yours is 12” deep. There’s 3 additional cubic feet. Many kitchens with 8’ ceilings have 30” high upper cabinets. These can be expanded to 36” or even 42” high cabinets. A 42” high cabinet has 1 extra cubic foot of storage per lineal foot compared to a 30” high cab, this adds up if you have a lot of wall space available. Hang double-sided cabinets over an existing peninsula. Base cabinets with half-depth shelves waste tons of space. Retrofit with ball-bearing rollout trays everywhere. Countertop cabinets called hutches can be used to fill odd counter spaces, they are 12-15” deep and in a kitchen with 8’ ceilings could be 48” to 54” high. That’s 4 cubic feet per linear feet of run. Many kitchens have “blind” interior corners in the base and wall runs. A base lazy susan reclaims 12 cubic feet. A “pie cut” wall cabinet gets you 3 additional cubes. Consider replacing part of a wall / base run with an 8 foot tall, 24” deep pantry unit with rollouts in the bottom and tray dividers up top. You can even get these configured to hold a broom or vacuum. If the kitchen abuts a garage wall, build a bay into the garage space and stuff it full of pantry storage. Reorganize the kitchen into a Double L or L with Island configuration. Done correctly, these are very efficient uses of space. Annex part of an adjoining room as new kitchen space. Move walls, doors, windows and partitions to claim more real estate for a modified floor plan. Expand the floor plan into new territory by building a bay, a new room or similar. Involves a new foundation, walls and roof line. Sell the house, buy a bigger one. Really.
Congratulations, you’re well on the way to mastering the process.