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

Kitchen Renovations: Prioritizing What Matters to You

Let me just start off by saying thank you to everyone who visited CCW at the Great Northeast Home Show last weekend. As always, it’s a pleasure to meet homeowners and learn how they want to redesign their kitchens to fit their lifestyles and personalities.

During the Great Northeast Home Show, we enjoyed having our chief cabinet officer, Evan Levey, present a seminar on kitchen renovations. Evan is passionate about kitchen design and planning, and shared with homeowners the importance of identifying the components of a renovation, asking yourself a bunch of questions about each component and then prioritizing which components are most important to you. This will ultimately help you choose the trades best suited to work with you on your project. Overall, we were glad to hear that people found our seminar to be informative, and welcome you to read Evan’s presentation to gain insight into a successful renovation.

Kitchen Renovations: Prioritizing What Matters to You 

View more PowerPoint from Columbia CabinetWorks

If you’re in the Albany area, I welcome you to visit our main showroom on Route 4 in North Greenbush, and see how we can help you create your dream kitchen.

-Laura

Great Northeast Home Show 2012 Seminar

With the Great Northeast Home Show just one week away, we’re excited to announce that our very own chief cabinet officer, Evan Levey, will be presenting a seminar on kitchen renovations Saturday, February 11th at 12 PM. Evan will be discussing how to outline components of a kitchen renovation from timeline to budget, from environmental concerns to functionality. Attendees will gain an understanding on how the priority of these components play into critical decisions a homeowner needs to make throughout the renovation process.

We hope you all will attend CCW’s seminar on February 11, at 12PM, at the Empire State Plaza in Albany, NY.

Looking forward to seeing you at the Home Show!

Evan Levey’s Bio

-Laura

Investing in Your Kitchen

Yesterday, I happened to be searching on Google for current home design trends and came across a blog called NY Homes Decor. As I read several articles from the blog, I saw that our own chief cabinet officer, Evan Levey, was quoted with the #1 tip: invest in your home. I was tickled to death to read this because the article restated tips Evan offered in a YNN-Albany news segment about completing a successful kitchen renovation.

Visit NY Homes Decor 12 Tips and Trends for Home Renovations

If you have read our blog before, you have heard me mention plenty of design trends that will help increase the value of your home. And despite the current housing slump, the benchmark of kitchens equaling 10% of a home’s value still applies. Quality cabinetry, such as Wood-Mode or Brookhaven, comes with a lifetime warranty and will continue to show a pristine and beautiful look throughout the years. Compared to refacing or installing factory cabinets, it’s the only option that will have a return on your investment.

To learn more ideas for investing in your home, checkout Evan’s interview with YNN-Albany below!

-Laura

10 Ways to Save to 10% on Your Kitchen Renovation

This past weekend, our own chief cabinet officer, Evan Levey, held a seminar to discuss creative ways to save 10% when renovating the kitchen.  Kitchens can be costly and after setting a budget, the homeowner may get an estimate that’s more than expected.  That’s why it is good to meet with a designer who can help give you ideas to lower your cost.  Check out these recommendations that can help save you money when designing your dream kitchen.

1. Cut down on built-in accessories you don’t need
2. Keep the details where they show the most
3. Use glass doors but don’t divide them with mullions
4. Consider one big cabinet rather than two small ones
5. Swap the tall chef’s pantry for one with simple interior pull-out drawers
6. Nix the appliance garage
7. Pick a free-standing range rather than a separate cooktop and wall oven
8. Consider larger mouldings rather than smaller stacked ones
9. Ask the kitchen designer questions
10. Research what you like

For a more detailed guide to cut-back expenses, click through Evan’s presentation provided below:

What a Great Weekend!

Thank you everyone for stopping by our showroom at the Times Union Center this weekend.  We had another successful year at the Great Northeast Home Show and couldn’t have done it without you.  I always enjoy meeting people who are interested in renovating their homes and seeking design ideas.  It really gets my juices flowing.

With today’s economy, we were thrilled to see many homeowners at Evan’s seminar to learn creative ways to shave 10% off a kitchen renovation, without compromising on design or function.  After the presentation, it was great to hear that people found it informative and to the point.  I really enjoyed it when Evan told home owners they should consider the things they need, the things they want and the things they cannot live without in the kitchen.  Like I have said before, you should renovate a room to fit your tastes and lifestyle.  Designing and installing what you really want in your home will make you happy and make the project a success.

I would also like to give a special thank you to Ali for helping with the crowds this weekend and making sure the heaters were plugged in!  After last year’s chilly weather, we thought ahead and brought two to the arena showroom.

So whether you stopped by to grab a cookie or to discuss cabinets, we’re glad to have met you and hope you visit our main showroom in North Greenbush!

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-Laura