There are several questions to ask to set goals for a kitchen remodel. One set deals with functionality:

• Who will regularly use the kitchen, and for what purposes?
  • Cooking
  • Entertaining
  • Eating
  • Homework
  • Watching television
  • Reading
  • Paying bills
  • Searching the web
  • Washing the dog

The other set of questions deal with aesthetics:

• If you entertain frequently, do you want your kitchen to wow your friends and family?
• What feelings do you want the new kitchen to emit?
  • A comfortable space to relax;
  • A formal statement-making space for entertaining;
  • A reflection of your style and great taste; and or
  • A showpiece that enables you to showcase your gourmet talents?

When you determine the goals for functionality, look and feel, you save hours because those decisions will enable a talented, experienced designer to direct you to products, textures and colors that reflect your style and functionality goals.

Dream Big

Make a wish list of everything you want and prioritize what is most important. That may be a commercial quality range made for residential applications, in-kitchen wine storage or a statement-making island. Dream big. An experienced designer can help you budget appropriately to make those dreams realities.

Identify Budget-Friendly Opportunities

Everyone has a budget for their new kitchen. With every project, there are value opportunities depending on goals and priorities. If cooking is not your priority, then there might not be a need for an eight burner range, or multiple ovens. You might not be aware that tile manufacturers are producing slabs that resemble granite and quartz at a considerably lower price point. Determining priorities helps designers identify budget-friendly opportunities for components that might not be on the top of the wish list.

Laying Out Space

A professional designer approaches a new kitchen or a remodel by identifying zones that are used for meal preparation, cooking and clean up. Designers also create plans that allow users to effectively navigate the space without bumping into fixtures or other people. They help assure that appliances, cabinets and drawers can open freely and not bump into something or someone. Designers understand the proper distance required between countertop and appliances and countertops and islands.

Project Scope

A key consideration in any kitchen remodel is the scope of the renovation. Do you intend to increase the size of the space? Will the new plan require relocating plumbing, electrical, ductwork and registers? Do you want to add more natural light? These decisions will help determine if you will need a building permit. Your designer can advise you of changes that will require permits and those that don’t. Lighting can make or break the look and feel of a new kitchen. It’s not an area that you can gloss over because lighting not only makes meal preparation, cooking and clean up easier it also sets the tone. Plus, there are now options for integrating lighting in cabinets and drawers and underneath toe kicks, and there are incredible options for statement-making pendant hardware and chandeliers.

We understand that remodeling your kitchen requires several decisions, so with doing a little planning ahead of time it can eliminate many of the hassles that can come along the way. For additional guidance on preparing for your kitchen remodel or if you’re ready to jump right in, give us a call at (407) 629-9366 or come visit our showroom at 935 Orange Ave Ste 102 Winter Park FL.

Style Trends

A large majority of homeowners (85%) change the entire style of their kitchen when they renovate. In 2019, transitional was most popular, selected by 21% of homeowners, followed by contemporary (16%), modern (15%) and traditional style (11%). Transitional cabinets, fixtures and other kitchen staples combine both traditional and contemporary styles. Transitional has been the most favored style for three years now.

Cabinets are King

Cabinets are the number one choice for upgrading during a kitchen renovation. 94% of homeowners reported upgrading cabinets as part of their kitchen renovation with 68% opting to replace all cabinets.

White Remains Number One

White kitchen cabinets continue to reign atop of the color heap in kitchen renovations with 45% of homeowners selecting white cabinets for their new kitchens. Wood-tone cabinets were the second most popular cabinet option (22%) followed by gray as the third most popular color choice.

Shake, Shake, Shake, Shaker

More than six in 10 homeowners selected a Shaker-style door front for their new kitchens. The second most popular style was a flat panel at 21% followed by raised panel doors at 18%. A majority of those replacing their cabinets during their kitchen remodel selected custom cabinets (40%). Another 36% of homeowners opted for semi-custom cabinets with a much smaller percentage of homeowners selecting stock (12%) and even fewer choosing ready to assemble. The difference is in the quality.

Specialty Storage Draws A Crowd

A well-designed kitchen is an organized kitchen. More and more clients are starting to appreciate the benefits of drawer and cabinet organizers. Cookie sheet or tray organizers were most popular, selected by 50% of homeowners upgrading their cabinets. 63% of homeowners selected drawers with pull out waste and/or recycling drawers. Lazy Susans were also popular organizers picked by 40% of homeowners renovating their kitchens. Another 36% of remodelers featured pullout or swing-out drawers. Nearly half of homeowners that renovated their kitchen upgraded their pantry as well.

What’s the right style, cabinet color and door front and organization tools for your dream kitchen? Give us a call at (407)629-9366 or visit our showroom at 935 N. Orange Ave Ste 102 Winter Park FL 32789 and let us show you how we can make your dream a reality! 

When planning the kitchen of their dreams, homeowners often wonder if they should select painted or stained cabinets. There is no right answer. The choice of stained or painted cabinets depends on the look and feel that a homeowner desires. Both paint and stain have pluses and minuses. The choice really depends on the style statement that you would like to make.

Paint offers a smooth surface with options for a glossy, matte or satin finish. There are unlimited color options, and paint can be applied to solid wood, plywood and medium-density fiberboard. Paint hides the features or grain of the wood used to make a cabinet. 

Unlike paint, stain allows the natural beauty of wood to shine through. While paints come in every color in the rainbow, stain options are not as plentiful. The most popular stain choices among homeowners are brown, red and gold tones. Occasionally, we specify kitchen cabinets with blue, green or grey stains. 

There is a cost difference between painted and stained cabinets. Paint is typically 15% more due to a more labor-intensive application process to cover the entire surface of the cabinet to achieve a smooth, clean, consistent look. 

Cabinet Cleaning and Preservation

Stained wood cabinets should be cleaned semi-annually or quarterly if you are an avid cook because wood grain tends to absorb grease and dirt. We advise our clients to clean their stained cabinets by mixing seven parts distilled vinegar with one part rubbing alcohol and a few drops of dish soap. Using a microfiber cloth, wipe down cabinets with the alcohol, vinegar, soap mixture, and then rinse with warm water. Seal the finish with furniture oil to keep your sealed wood cabinets looking like new.

Painted cabinets should be wiped down with a damp microfiber cloth weekly. If you find that the cabinets still require TLC, then use the same alcohol, dish soap and vinegar mixture and approach recommended for stained wood cabinets.

Black and white cabinets serve as repositories for fingerprints, dust, dirt and grime. They should be wiped down weekly with a damp microfiber cloth. If you order white painted cabinets, request the showroom provide a small container of matching white paint that you can use to repair the chips and scrapes that often occur with regular usage.

The following products and ingredients can damage cabinets so avoid using them or any product that contains them:

• Petroleum-based products
• Solvents
• Bleach
• Strong detergents and soaps
• Nail polish remover
• Paint thinners
• Plastic brushes
• Steel wool
• Scoring pad
• Ammonia

Is paint or stain the right choice for your new kitchen or bath? Give us a call at (407)629-9366 or visit our showroom at 935 Orange Ave Ste 102, Winter Park FL 32789 and let us help you select the perfect paint or stain for your new kitchen or bathroom cabinets.

Change your mindset.  Instead of eliminating foods such as those high in complex carbs, add foods that you will enjoy eating such as snacking on more fruit or drinking more water.

Ask a nutritionist or your physician to develop an eating plan that is right for you.

If you subscribe to a particular diet or simply elect to eat healthier, there are certain kitchen tools that can help guide your way and make dieting easier.

One of the first appliances that people turn to when starting a diet is a blender. We prefer blenders with high-torque motors that can easily convert solids into liquids in a few seconds to create healthy shakes, smoothies and other drinks that the entire family can enjoy.  

Emersion or hand blenders enable you to mix, chop, whisk and blend, at the stove, countertop or anywhere else in the kitchen that you prepare meals.  If you don’t already have a hand blender, look for one with multiple speeds.

A food processor can slice, dice and chop foods in a matter of seconds.  Food processors are great for making healthier snacks and appetizers such as fresh hummus or homemade granola.  

An air fryer gives you the taste and crunch of fried foods using approximately 75% less oil than a conventional fryer.  An air fryer is a convection oven that circulates hot air around food to cook it.  Air fryers come in a variety of sizes.  The largest of which can cook a meal for a family of four looking to reduce fat and calories. 

One of the cool new gadgets for dieting is a spiralizer that takes vegetables such as zucchini, squash and carrots and turns them into spaghetti.  

Cooking beef, duck and chicken in a rotisserie convection toaster oven will help reduce fat and calories. 

A slow cooker prepares food as its name implies slowly.  Slow cooking preserves nutrients in the food thereby making your meals healthier, tastier and easier to digest.

A good quality kitchen scale can help with portion control.  Portions are based on weight and not size.  To get in the habit of eating the right portions, you need to weigh what you will eat.  

A brand new kitchen, organized and designed personally for you, will make meal preparation easier and more enjoyable.  We can help with that as well.  Please call us at (407)629-9366 or visit us at 935 Orange Ave Ste 102, Winter Park FL 32789 to determine how a new kitchen for your home can help you live a healthier and happier lifestyle. 

Kitchen design often begins with cabinet selection. The options are nearly unlimited. From wood species, to paints and stains, your kitchen designer can help you sort through it all. Some of the terminology can be confusing. Here’s a guide to some of most popular cabinet terminology.

Cabinet Construction:
Framed Cabinets

Framed cabinets have what are called rails and stiles that form the frame at the front of the cabinet box. Commonly referred to as the “face” frame, it is built as part of the cabinet box and the door is attached to the frame giving the cabinet extra strength and dimension. Common door types found on framed cabinets include standard, full overlay, partial overlay and inset. (See below for more on this)

Frameless Cabinets

Frameless cabinet construction, while popular among those seeking simple, more contemporary cabinet designs, it can be used to create designs from contemporary to traditional. This construction eliminates the cabinet face frame, and a stronger box is used to achieve necessary stability. With frameless cabinets, only full overlay doors can be used with hinges attached directly to the sides of the cabinet box. This is often referred to as “European Style” due to the fact that that is where it originated. Some also call this style “Full Access” because it eliminates the wasted space that you have with framed cabinets. When space is a premium, we recommend frameless cabinets, because they provide the maximum amount of storage space and easy access.

Cabinet Door Types

Overlay Cabinet Doors

Overlay refers to how much of the cabinet door covers the (face) frame. Cabinet doors come in full or partial overlay versions.

Full overlay doors cover the entire cabinet box and create a nearly seamless and streamlined look, similar to a frameless style. Double doors when used with full overlay style can provide even more flexibility because they do not require a vertical face frame stile between the two doors. We often recommend this approach when our clients need to store larger items such as serving platters and cookware.

Partial overlay doors cover part of the cabinet frame, with a small portion of the face frame still showing, providing a more traditional cabinet look. The doors and drawers of a partial overlay cabinet often overlap the cabinet box evenly around the opening of each cabinet but will very based on the Partial Overlay chosen. This type of cabinetry door style is one of the most traditional and common, and it is also typically a cost-effective style. (Think less door/less cost)

Inset Cabinet Doors

Inset cabinet doors fit inside the cabinet face frame openings, making the door flush with the front of the cabinet instead of on the top of the cabinet box. Decorative hinges can used to fit the door precisely into the frame opening. We sometimes recommend inset cabinet design for larger kitchens as inset cabinets offer less usable interior space with the door sitting inside the frame. The clean lines and elegant look of inset cabinets more than compensate for the loss of a little interior space.

Panel Types
Recessed Panel Cabinet Doors

Recessed panel cabinet doors have a center panel that is lower than the rest of the door and a higher outer edge. Sometimes referred to as a Flat Panel. We often specify recessed panel doors for more modern designs. The outer part of the door is can be the same style that is used with a raised panel.

Note: Some doors will only work with a recessed panel.

Raised Panel Cabinet Doors.

Raised panel cabinet doors are mainly used for more traditional styles. They have a center panel that is raised from the rest of the door and often feature a edge treatment that gives it a specific style.

Cabinet Styles
Transitional design is characterized by clean lines that add depth and interest without being visually overpowering. The most basic design is the Shaker style a five-piece door with a recessed (flat) center panel and no additional edge detailing.

Contemporary design is known for having slab doors that do not have panels, molding or detailing to produce a clean minimalist look. These doors can be any finish from stain wood to high gloss acrylic.

Traditional design often have raised panel doors and can include arched doors on the wall cabinets that have a curve at the top that is either recessed or raised within the door panel.

Cathedral arch doors a more pronounced arch at the top.  Beaded cabinets feature decorative wood paneling with vertical grooves on the interior panel. Glass inset cabinets refers to the center panel of the door and often feature a clear or frosted piece of glass that allows you to see the contents of the cabinet. Of course, most any kind of glass can be used.

This is not meant to be an inclusive list but a starting point on some of the terms used in the cabinet industry. If you would like to learn more, contact us at info@centralkitchen.com

Paul Greenspan is a 30+ year Veteran of the Kitchen and Bath industry and has been published in a number of local and national magazines. He has taken leadership roles with the National Kitchen & Bath Association, Bath & Kitchen Buying Group, and others. He is currently the General Manager for Central Kitchen and Bath in Winter Park Florida. If you would like more information on Kitchen or Bath remodeling check out his website: www.centralkitchen.com or call 407-629-9366

Outdoor kitchens once thought to be a fancy place to barbecue, have evolved to a place of it’s own where one can entertain and interact with friends and family. Thanks to technological advances and increased product options made specifically for outdoor use, the possibilities are endless, you to create a space as unique as you are. One that reflects your taste and includes the feature you want. Within the last five years, we’ve seen so many more choices for outdoor cabinetry and counters as well as the addition of outdoor appliances, smokers, and refrigeration that enhance your experience.

Many of our clients believe that an outdoor living spacesare a must-have. We’ve designed outdoor spaces that include stylish cabinetry and counters, space-saving refrigerators, and beer taps. Engineered stone manufacturers have developed lines specifically for use in outdoor spaces.

Product advancements allow for an outdoor space that is comparable in quality, design and efficiency to indoor kitchens. In fact, it seems that outdoor kitchens are becoming an extension of indoor spaces. Seamless transitions between indoor and outdoor space can be enhanced by new door and window options. To complement the interior, we often specify porcelain floor coverings that look like stone or wood but have the texture to reduce slip-and-fall hazards caused by rain or snow.

Outdoor furniture is no longer confined to wicker or metal. There are new outdoor-rated fabrics that offer the look, feel and comfort of indoor pieces. Similarly, lighting has improved for outdoor kitchens, and sound systems and televisions enhance the space.

Outdoor kitchens create new and exciting entertaining spaces for families and friends. It does not matter if you like to grill, but do you know anyone who would not enjoy a pizza baked in your outdoor wood-burning oven?

If you would like to know more about outdoor kitchens, give us a call at 407-629-9366 or visit our showroom located at 935 Orange Ave in Winter Park, Florida

 Paul Greenspan is a 30+ year Veteran of the Kitchen and Bath industry and has been published in a number of local and national magazines. He has taken leadership roles with the National Kitchen & Bath Association, Bath & Kitchen Buying Group, and others. He is currently the General Manager for Central Kitchen and Bath in Winter Park Florida. If you would like more information on Kitchen or Bath remodeling check out his website: www.centralkitchen.com or call 407-629-9366