Columbia CabinetWorks Wins the CRBRA’s Best Kitchen Remodel Award

Let me just start off by saying that this has been one extraordinary week for CCW! From exciting projects underway to our most recent award, we have a lot to celebrate. CCW was recently honored to win the Best Kitchen Remodel at the Capital Region Builders and Remodelers Association’s (CRBRA) first annual Best in Building Awards!

So which project was the winning kitchen remodel? Well, it was a previously shared project designed by Ray and featured on our blog: A Design Upgrade on the Classic White Kitchen. This space is simply incredible! The CRBRA was impressed by how Ray took a simple classic white kitchen request and added excitement, beauty and functionality all in one amazing kitchen.

A few of the well received details included the kitchen’s maple wood cabinetry with a Nordic white finish and Rockport Recessed doors. Also, who could forget the massive island featuring four solid wood turned legs and wainscot panels that truly anchors the space. This feature alone paved the path for casual dining and ample seating when hosting family and friends.

Ray had been extremely excited for this project from the first day he met with the homeowners and we couldn’t be more proud of the final outcome! Thank you so much CRBRA for recognizing our talented team!

-Laura

The Transitional Kitchen

Dine By Design

The transitional kitchen is all about a mix between modern and traditional looks. It’s a wonderful opportunity for homeowners to choose the elements they love, without being locked in to one particular style.

Before Photo

Recently, Ray met with a couple who were looking to update their kitchen. They really enjoyed the seminar that our Chief Cabinet Officer gave at the Home Show last year. (Include link to that blog article). Ray noticed from the start that these homeowners were engaged in and excited about the design process.

The homeowners had been looking to create a kitchen that would have a refined, yet modern country feel. After visiting their home for measurements, Ray knew what needed to be done. He removed the raised breakfast bar which made the space feel much more open. Knowing that the couple wanted a white kitchen, his suggestion for Nordic White on Bridgeport was the obvious winner. The cabinetry would also include framed drawer fronts and be topped with a soapstone countertop.

Lastly, there was one special detail Ray added to this transitional kitchen. He completely custom designed a decorative hood for over the oven area.

Bravo Ray for combining so many stunning elements in this kitchen. Not only was the client thrilled with the renovation, but the customized touches truly enhanced the overall kitchen design!

-Laura

Evolve Your Kitchen With Glass

If you’re exploring for ways to improve the look of your home in 2013, have you considered glass? The material may not be a homeowners first choice for the kitchen, but can be a great idea to brighten and enhance the space. Glass is already prominently used in the home within its windows. However, we’re beginning to see glass used in kitchens and furniture pieces. Whether you choose to add it in your kitchen in cabinetry or even countertops, here are some inspiring ideas on how to use glass.

Glass Backsplash

If you’re in love with modern design, installing glass tiles can be a great option for your kitchen backsplash. There are an array of colors and shapes to choose from that will create an ultra-sleek look. Another bonus is that glass is super easy to clean.

Glass Cabinets

Do you have dinnerware or collectibles you wish to show off? If so, having your cabinet doors installed with glass may be for you. The look will certainly enhance your kitchen by making the room feel larger and lighter. You could also install lighting inside the cabinets to illuminate special pieces.>

Glass Countertops

Design something unique for your home. Glass countertops made from recycled materials can create a one-of-a-kind focal point in the kitchen. Also, the glass holds reflective properties that can bring in light from surrounding rooms as well as any natural light.

Designing A Happy Home On Kitty Lane

After Photo

When it comes to the initial discussions of kitchen design, there are some homeowners who haven’t really thought about what they want and others who definitely have. Jean falls in this second category, having given plenty of thought to exactly what she wanted in her kitchen.

Before Photo

Our designer Amy went on a visit to Kitty Lane to speak with Jean about custom cabinetry. Amy soon learned that Jean wanted white French Vanilla cabinets, a butcher block, soapstone countertops and a height functional dishwasher. In her original kitchen she had a hole, but no dishwasher. Jean made it clear that she didn’t want to bend down and that the kitchen was going to be all about her and comfort. Well Jean, we couldn’t agree more with you there. A kitchen should cater to the homeowner’s needs and wants. Amy planned to raise the dishwasher off of the floor so there was no back-breaking hassle. To this day this feature is one of Jean’s favorite parts of the kitchen.

Another obstacle that needed to be overcome was to have more counter surface for Jean’s work stations. To achieve this we relocated the stove and the refrigerator to allow a prep surface between the range & the sink and also worked in a Booz butcher block that was a must have! By moving the appliances to other locations, we created more nooks for storage. We built in the refrigerator with a turned pantry to store brooms and box food items.

After the range was relocated across the room, the old vent was removed and mid-install Jean cleverly decided to turn this ordinary hole into a focal point in her kitchen. She had a port hole shipped over night for the installer to put in the very next day. This is another part of Jean’s kitchen that is unique to her.

Jean says, “My new Kitchen has changed my life! No more messes on the counters or sink! A place for everything, a bread drawer, cutlery drawer, lazy susans, a broom closet and pantry! Just fantastic! So totally NOT out of the box! Beautiful!”

Thank you Jean! Also, thank you Amy for assisting with the layout and design of this eclectic and beautiful kitchen!

-Laura

8 Kitchen Renovation Splurges

The kitchen is the centerpiece of a home, so why not give it the love and attention it needs and deserves? For your next renovation, show your kitchen some love with these designer favorites.

Natural Light

Add a feel of cheerful richness into your kitchen with sunlight. Your space will be brighter than ever before. By working through design elements, you can incorporate new windows, skylights or French doors into the kitchen area.

Butler’s Pantry

Fuse old-world elegance and new-world practicality by creating a butler’s pantry. This small area between your kitchen and dining room is great for prepping tableware and food courses.

Custom Cabinetry

Forget store bought and have the kitchen fitted with cabinetry. No kitchen is the exactly the same, so the space will be customized based on your needs. Your room will not only be designed to handle daily functions, but will also look stunning through the years!

Marble

For an elegant and subtle look, marble is a beautiful addition in the kitchen. The material can be used in various areas, including backsplashes and countertops.

Lounge Life

When you design the kitchen to also act as a great room, you have a space that’s truly welcoming. Create an inviting space by incorporating a fireplace, multimedia entertainment system and/or cozy seating area.

Multiple Work Stations

Work where you want by creating multiple work stations throughout the kitchen to extend its versatility and flow. Each area would be fitted with separate sinks, counters and storage.

Walk-in Pantry

Outfitted to house nonperishable food, extra serving pieces, and miscellaneous odds and ends, having a large walk-in pantry is the perfect home luxury.

One of a Kind

Every kitchen should have a distinctive element. Whether it’s a handcrafted stone countertop, Portuguese-tile backsplash or an antique hanging light fixture, incorporate at least one captivating object in your kitchen.

When A Kitchen Is No Longer A Kitchen

With a new year already underway, I’m excited to announce that our Chief Cabinet Officer Evan Levey will be guest writing for our blog. Evan is a phenomenal guy whose knowledge about design and functionality in the kitchen, especially cabinetry, makes him a real go-to resource here at CCW. I hope you enjoy his first article today. You can expect his articles to appear quarterly, so be on the lookout for them. I know I will be!

Laura

Happy New Year!

I hope everyone had a great holiday season. As things became mercifully still over the final weeks of the year, I began reflecting on what the number one trend in kitchen design is today. My conclusion agrees with many experts who are writing on the topic in publications ranging from Architectural Digest to the Wall Street Journal. The number one trend is the kitchen is no longer just the kitchen and is taking up more square footage in the home than ever before.

The kitchen today plays a host of functions from a place to prepare meals to an entertaining space, from a spot to work on homework to an extension of the living room. Our clients have been working with our designers on ways to integrate their lifestyle into the room that they love. In a recent project, a client wanted an island where he could be cooking and guests could be enjoying wine and hors d’oeuvres. The trick was to maintain a clear distinction between the cook and the guest sides of the island while at the same time making everyone feel they are together. As the kitchen becomes more and more a “living” space, paneling appliances, seating areas and entertainment nooks are becoming even more popular.

The size of the kitchen continues to grow and is taking up more square footage of the first floor than ever before. Additionally, our designers are coming up with more and more creative ways to design an open floor plan, where the kitchen appears to melt into surrounding rooms but maintains its unique identity.

Finally, although the kitchen is playing a host of roles, its primary function is still connected to food and the kitchens we design need to be ready for all different types of chefs. Whether someone enjoys preparing gourmet meals for friends, simple comfort food family dinners or warming up Chinese take-out, the kitchen needs to be properly designed and equipped.

Please be in touch with any projects you are considering. We would love to make a difference in your home.

All the best for a happy and healthy New Year,

Evan
Columbia CabinetWorks

Designing a French Country Farmhouse Style Kitchen

As most of you may already know, we have been thrilled to be a part of the Saratoga Showcase of Homes this year. We have enjoyed working with Witt Construction on the award winning bathrooms, but also in the kitchen. Yes, we were thrilled to also design the kitchen in the home at 61 Granite Street! Set in Saratoga Springs, NY, the kitchen was planned with a French Country farmhouse theme. Anna designed the kitchen with a balance of masculine and feminine styles to match the area known for its beautiful Victorian architecture. Although the home is a completely new construction, it looks like it could have been built a century ago in the historic city. Anna made it her mission to ensure that the design would fit the architecture of the home, the rich history of Saratoga Springs and the needs and wants of the client. Since the kitchen has gorgeous high ceilings reaching 115”, Anna planned to use stacked cabinetry with small windows in the upper layer of cabinets for display. The client fell in love with Wood-Mode cabinetry’s copper chicken wire inserts, so the material was used in the windows instead of glass to create a homey farmhouse feel. To play up the farmhouse details, we also used a 3” wide beadboard in the backs of the open display cabinet over the refrigerator, the bookcase cabinet to the right of the refrigerator, and the back of the island. Anna was smart to incorporate a gorgeous black soapstone countertop (a product that was used quite a bit in the Northeast a hundred years ago) which elevated the Victorian feel. We also chose to use a medium stained glazed maple finish on the main kitchen cabinets, complemented by a large distressed black island that gives the space an unfitted look and also helps ground the tall space with the dark color. The worn through corners and edges on the island perfectly match the color of the rest of the maple cabinets in the kitchen. To continue with the rustic elements in the kitchen, Witt Construction planned and built a gorgeous stucco hood as the centerpiece of the kitchen. To add some elegance to the space, we planned an oversized crown moulding around the tops of the wall cabinets and the custom stucco hood. We also added hand carved onlays on the repeated columns on either side of the range and also on all four corners of the island. Anna’s favorite details were these columns because they actually opened to reveal custom tray, cookie sheet and cutting board storage. I also loved the mail center on the right of the refrigerator. The bottom base drawers are file cabinets and the upper section is perfect for showing off the client’s large collection of cookbooks.

We also used some repeated elements from the architecture of the home. The arch over the refrigerator was custom designed to match Witt Construction’s arch for the pass-through into the dining room. To help tie in the chicken wire from the upper cabinets, the birdcage handles and knobs were installed. The beadboard detail was carried into the beaded frame of the inset cabinets, the bead around the opening of the arched display cabinet over the refrigerator, and the bottom of the crown moulding detail. Lastly, Anna chose traditional mouldings in various sizes to create some interest and allow the eye to move up to the large crown moulding at the ceiling. You should also note the rustic farmhouse pendants that hang over the island. Our client found them at Barnyard Lighting, and I don’t think she could have chosen better! Again, we have enjoyed working on this stunning project. Anna, the work you accomplished in this home has been superb! Remember there’s still time to tour the home as the showcase runs this Saturday and Sunday from 11am-5pm each day. Hope to see you there! -Laura

Saratoga’s Best Master Bathroom

As most of you already know, we had the privilege to work with our friends at Witt Construction for the Saratoga Showcase of Homes. We worked on the home located at 61 Granite Street and provided the Brookhaven cabinetry in several rooms of the home, including the kitchen and three bathrooms. Not only did the home win the “Realtor’s Choice for Luxury Home,” but also “Best Luxury Master Bathroom”!!

The winning master bathroom, was created with his and hers vanities separated by a middle bookcase and TV cabinet. Our designer Anna wanted to create a spa like feel with rich, dark cherry cabinets. However, she wanted the cabinetry to be simple and compliment the light Carrera marble and soothing colors. At the client’s request, storage was a must. Anna designed the vanity with a large center bank of drawers which resembled a Victorian apothecary.

For the powder room, we created a rustic piece that was like an antique washstand. By using a black distressed finish that was similar to the kitchen island, we were able to tie the rooms together. However, CCW wanted the piece to also stand on its own in the home so a different door style and furniture details were used. The white vessel sink really pops off the color of the black countertop. It continues to enhance the rustic feel in the room as it relates more to a wash basin than to a standard sink.

Lastly, the second master bathroom on the second floor had to be equally stunning. As you enter the bathroom, we planned for two vanities, each on either side of the door. The vanity on the right was to be used as the main sink and faucet area, while the one to the left provided the perfect amount of space to sit or apply makeup. The home had beautiful heart pine floors on the first floor, so we incorporated Heartwood Maple cabinetry into the vanities. We felt this would be a great option to continue with the rustic theme throughout the home. It also added a warm feel with lots of color variation.

Remember there’s still time to tour the home as the showcase runs this Saturday and Sunday from 11am-5pm each day and also the following weekend at the same times.  Be sure to check back on our blog next week as we share the details of the kitchen!

-Laura

Saratoga Showcase of Homes 2012

Mark your calendar because the Saratoga Showcase of Homes returns this September! The showcase celebrates and recognizes Saratoga County’s most exceptional homes built by the finest builders in the Capital Region.

Now in its 17th year, the event will display the latest in building techniques and products for the home. Homeowners can also explore beautiful, high-quality furnishings and fixtures from the area’s top interior designers.

There will be three consecutive weekends to join the showcase tours: September 15th-16th, 22nd-23rd & 29th-30th. The showcase home tour hours are 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM. Also, be sure not to miss the exciting Chefs “Saratoga Style” at participating showcase homes. These delectable evenings will take place September 14th and 21st!

To purchase your tickets, visit the Saratoga Showcase of Homes website. All proceeds from the event will benefit Rebuilding Together Saratoga and Habitat for Humanity of Northern Saratoga, Warren and Washington Counties. Be sure to grab your tickets and visit the showcase home on 61 Granite Street to explore the kitchen CCW designed with Witt Construction!
- Laura

A Design Upgrade for the Classic White Kitchen

It was June 2011 when the Elarios walked into our CCW showroom. One was a professional photographer and the other a floral designer. They met with our designer Ray and said they wanted a “classic white kitchen.” Those three little words have been mentioned by so many people over the years that Ray has lost count. However, as a few months passed, the Elarios began to expand their vision and Ray saw that they were looking for something quite dynamic.

Ray visited their home and everyone agreed that the kitchen needed a cleaner palette that would reflect the light and the seasons through the expansive windows overlooking the stunning property. Keeping things light and airy, maple wood cabinets with a Nordic white finish were installed. The recessed doors added to the clean beauty of the design that manages to avoid distraction.

For the kitchen island, four solid wood turned legs and wainscot panels anchored the space and provided plenty of seating for a host of sous chefs!

Because the couple had a love for cooking and entertaining, we knew that Sub-Zero would offer superb and functional appliances for their kitchen. The Sub-Zero bottom freezer refrigerator, Sub-Zero under counter drawer refrigerator and the Wolf range with char grill and ventilation hood were beautiful additions!

No kitchen is complete without the details! Ray recommended a subway tile backsplash and exposed stainless steel that would elegantly reflect the changing light throughout the day. Lastly, 15 mullion glass doors were included to complete this modern kitchen.

Ray, as I watched you design this kitchen, I knew you were creating something special! You took a basic request for a classic white kitchen and turned the project into an exciting and fresh space. Bravo!

-Laura