A complete kitchen remodel is not always the way to go, especially if you have budget constraints. In many cases, an upgrade will work quite well, and you will not have to deal with the stress of a full-blown remodel. An upgrade is also a practical decision, as small-scale remodels or upgrades increase the market value of your home up to 80% of what you choose to spend on it, so the return on investment is quite good. If you are doing home improvements in preparation for selling your home, that is something to think about.

The issue is deciding on the type of work you can do to upgrade your kitchen. This is not as hard as it looks. In most cases, all you have to do is choose one major thing in the kitchen you think will do with some improvement. Some people automatically think of putting in quartz countertops or granite countertops, and that works quite well. Another option is to replace kitchen cabinets. In terms of costs, there is not much to choose between the two.
If you decide that your kitchen cabinets definitely have to go, you should make the effort to ensure you choose the right ones. Kitchen cabinets are very prominent visually, but the right ones tend to blend in very well. Most people are not even aware that they have a drastic effect on the look and feel of your kitchen until they choose the wrong ones. Here are some upgrading tips for kitchens using kitchen cabinets.

Choose white

Small kitchens can seem a lot larger if the ceiling is high. If that is not the case in your kitchen, you can create the illusion of space with a low ceiling by choosing white cabinets that go all the way to the top. You can have regular wall cabinets or a combination of tall cabinets on either side of a bank of regular cabinets. Tall cabinets are cabinets that go all the way from the floor to the ceiling. The effect is a wall of white that seem to go high and deep.
The advantage of putting in tall cabinets is you can maximize your storage space. Tall cabinets typically serve as pantries or utility closets, and the way you use it will determine the types of divisions you want in there. Your cabinet supplier or remodeling contractor can advise you on the best way to use your tall cabinets.

If you already have white cabinets that do not go all the way to the ceiling, you should cover up the space. If it is a small gap, you can use MDF board and crown molding painted white, If the space is large enough, you can add special cabinets that will fit into the space and extend your storage capacity. You can then add tall cabinets if you want. You can also repaint non-white cabinets if they are still in good condition.

Go bold or go home

Blending in is fine, but sometimes making your kitchen cabinets stand out is the best move. This is a good way to make your kitchen look hip and updated.
Instead of choosing stained wood or other neutral colors for your cabinets, choose a bold one such as orange, yellow, or green. It might seem a bit of a risk, but these colors will definitely make a statement to anyone that walks in. Of course, you should choose a color that makes you feel happy and comfortable, and not just for the snazzy factor. You will need to tone down the colors of rest of the kitchen, as too much color can be overwhelming. For bold colors, choose a smooth and glossy finish.

Open and shut case

Most people prefer cabinets with a solid front to keep their contents hidden. However, you should consider mixing in some glass-fronted cabinets to add elegance to your kitchen as well as make it look bigger.

You can put your display-worthy items in glass-fronted cabinets and everything else behind closed doors. Add lighting inside your glass-fronted cabinets for dramatic effect, especially if you have some nice crystal glasses or dishware in there. Just make sure you keep them in pristine condition, both the glass and the contents.

In most cases, you can have glass fronts for wall cabinets and solid fronts for base cabinets. Alternatively, you can have sections of glass front and solid front wall cabinets, or intersperse open shelves with your closed cabinets. Open shelves are trending, and they are much easier to keep clean than glass-fronted cabinets.

Finish it off

Most kitchens have wood cabinets, and while classic, some styles do not always stand up to the test of time. You can update the look by choose less traditional finishes. For instance, choose a smooth veneer instead of a wood stain, especially for cabinets using MDF or wood with an unimpressive grain. You can also go for a distressed look, or milk paint. Some manufacturers offer cabinets using reclaimed wood for a rustic effect. If you are going for a modern look, mix it up with quartz countertops and glass shelving.

Conclusion

Kitchen cabinets can have a significant effect on your kitchen, so putting in new ones or upgrading existing ones are good ways to upgrade a kitchen on a budget. These tips can help you do that to maximum effect. However, you can get best results if you consult with a reliable remodeling company when planning your upgrade. Fairfax Kitchen Bath services the DC, MD and Northern Virginia metropolitan areas. We are a Class A, licensed and insured contractor, registered in the Commonwealth of Virginia. When you contract with us, you can be sure you will get a quick turnaround on your products, and receive it much faster than ordering what you need from big box stores. We specialize in carrying out kitchen remodeling projects within budget and on time

We sell only top quality products for all your kitchen upgrade needs, ranging from top brand kitchen cabinets to natural and engineered stone slabs. We also supply faucets, tiles, backsplashes, knobs and pulls, and hardwood flooring. We carry only the top brands for these products, such as Schrock Cabinetry, Silestone, Blanco, Kohler, and Mosaic Décor.

You can see the products before you buy so you can decide for yourself if the quality is what you expect. We have a showroom in Fairfax, Virginia, which houses all our products. Our products come with manufacturer warranties that ensure your satisfaction with the quality and installation.

Fairfax Kitchen Bath guarantees you will love you new kitchen for life. Contact us today to get a free quote for your kitchen upgrade project.

It is easy enough to say that kitchen remodeling is the best way to get the kitchen of your dreams. However, this is not an easy undertaking, and productive of quite a bit of stress. If you plan do any major work in your kitchen, you should know the basic steps to kitchen remodeling. This will help you prepare for what you are about to face, and take the necessary steps to make it go as smoothly as possible.

Kitchen design

The first thing you have to tackle for a major kitchen remodel is the design. You need to decide on what it will look like, how it will work, and where everything will go. Back in the day, you would need the services of an interior designer, which meant an extra expense. Today, you can choose remodeler such as Fairfax Kitchen and Bath that will offer you this service free of charge.

This will make it easy for you to decide on the best design for your lifestyle. In most cases, the remodeler will present you with a 3D design following tried and tested kitchen layouts that follow the kitchen work triangle. These include the one-wall, galley, L, double L, and U layouts. All you usually have to do is tweak the design to fit your preferences.

Building permits

Many homeowners are not aware that they will probably need to get building and other types of permits whenever they undertake any major changes in their homes. This means applying for permission from several agencies, from local building agencies to utility companies.
You can get around this inconvenience by employing a licensed and bonded remodeling company in your area. They will take care of all the required paperwork, and all you have to do is to pay for any fees.

Ad hoc kitchen

One of the most stressful steps in kitchen remodeling is living without your kitchen for the duration of the build. This can take a few days to a few months, depending on the extent of the remodel. Your contractor or remodeling company will advise you the need for preparing an area to serve as a temporary kitchen in another room, such as the dining. If you’re lucky and have an outdoor kitchen, then you will not have too much of a problem. Otherwise, resign yourself to a lot of takeout, cooking on a portable stove, and disposables. You can save a bunch of money by cooking up a lot of food and freezing it to be reheated later, and angling for dinner invitations with friends and family.

Demolition

When work begins on your remodel, expect a whole lot of dust and noise from the demolition. This is usually the first stage of the remodel after the workers relocate all your appliances to a safe place. You also have to do some prep work by clearing out and storing all your kitchen stuff.
Depending on your renovation plans, demolition might involve removing cabinets, breaking down countertops, and removing tiles, walls, and floors. It is dirty and noisy work, and might even be dangerous if you live in an older home, as the wall insulation might have used asbestos.
In most cases, your remodeling company will handle everything, including carting off and disposing of all the debris in a legal manner. Your part is to stay out of the way, so you might want to designate a safe zone for everybody and stock up on earplugs. Alternatively, you might want to arrange to be away from home during demolition.

Building out

After demolition, the next step is the structural build out, which is putting up the frames of your kitchen design. The extent of the framing will depend on the level of restructuring you have planned. If you plan to put in a new window, for instance, the build out is quite complicated. Once the build out is complete, you will have a good idea of what your new kitchen will look like.

Roughing in

Roughing in starts right after the build out, and involve spouting in the ducts, vents, wiring, and plumbing. This stage of the remodel takes quite a while as different professionals work on it at the same time.

The time it will take to complete the rough in will depend on the extent of the restructuring. If you are rerouting pipes, for instance, this might mean breaking up concrete or drilling through walls, which can be a long business. Building codes might actually require you to install new lines for your plumbing and electrical wiring. You will need plumbing and electrical wiring rough in work done by licensed plumbers and electricians in these instances. This typically involves getting an inspector to sign off on the work before you can close it up.

Closing up

If all goes well with the rough in, the remodeling company can go ahead with the rest of the work. This includes putting in insulation before closing it up with drywall. The drywall will then have to be prepped with plaster to accept paint or other finish, which will not take too long unless the weather is wet, as this will keep the plaster from drying properly. In such cases, you contractor will probably use portable heaters to dry out the plaster faster.

Flooring

The next step in the process is the flooring if your plan requires changing your existing ones. Since demolition should have taken care of the old floors, all that needs to be done is cleaning the prepping the subfloor for the new floors, and typically takes between three and five days, depending on the area and the type of flooring.

Cabinets and counters

With the new floor in place, the cabinets and countertops can come in. Installation can take just a few hours if you have RTA cabinets as long as you have them on hand, and your remodeling company has already fabricated your kitchen countertops. If you choose the DIY route, this can take a few weeks and a lot of hassle. Do yourself a favor and have pros do the work. In either case, the cabinets have to go first, as it will support the sink and countertops.

Final touches

The last step in the remodeling process is cleaning up the work area before putting in fixtures and the appliances. Make sure you are on hand when this happens so you can ensure everything is in good condition and goes to where you want them.
Do not hesitate to ask questions or express any concerns you might have about the work. Your contractor has an obligation to follow the terms of your agreement. Inspect and test everything to ensure they work before you complete payment and sign off on the work.

Conclusion

Kitchen remodeling is no joke, so it is a good idea to have some background on what to expect during the process. It also helps a lot if you have a reliable remodeling contractor to handle the work for you. Fairfax Kitchen Bath services the DC, MD and Northern Virginia metropolitan areas. We are a Class A, licensed and insured contractor, registered in the Commonwealth of Virginia. We have a showroom in Fairfax, Virginia, which houses all our products.

We are experts at kitchen remodeling, and sell only top quality products for all your renovation needs. We have top-brand kitchen cabinets of all type materials and natural and engineered stone slabs from Schrock Cabinetry, Fabuwood, Silestone, Blanco, Kohler, and Mosaic Décor.
Contact us today to get free in-home design consultation and quote for your home renovations!

Deciding to put in new kitchen cabinets or replacing existing ones is a big decision. Kitchen cabinets tend to cost up to 50% of a kitchen remodeling or design budget, so choosing the right ones is obviously an important one.
However, most people tend to think of kitchen cabinets as a pair of wall and base cabinets, and not separately. While this is true for most kitchens, base cabinets can work quite well alone. Wall cabinets are primarily for storage, so open shelves can work in its place. Base cabinets, on the other hand, serve many more functions.

You will realize this best when In the middle of kitchen remodeling, and you have to choose between wall and base cabinets. Aside from providing storage, the availability of base cabinets also determine the layout of the kitchen as they provide support for the sink, kitchen countertops, and the space for other appliances such as your cooking range, dishwasher, and refrigerator.
Fortunately, even RTA kitchen cabinets come in many styles, sizes, and configurations. You will be able to find base cabinets for any type and size of kitchen, so you will not have to go through extraordinary lengths to accommodate them. Even if you did, you really need to do so, because the importance of based cabinets cannot be overstated. Here are some of their uses.

Provide storage

Kitchen cabinets are primarily for storage, so no surprise base cabinets provide quite a bit of that. While most people use wall cabinets to store glasses, plates, and food, base cabinets can store a wider array of items. For one thing, drawers only go into base cabinets, so your cutlery and cooking tools go in there. You can also put in organizers such as rollouts to store everything else that the wall cabinets cannot accommodate, such as large pots and pans, baking sheets, and cleaning stuff.

Base for kitchen countertops

The term “base” cabinet rather than “floor” cabinet is used mainly because it provides a base for many things in the kitchen. Among these are the kitchen countertops, which cannot stand alone. They need substantial support as the countertops are quite heavy, and people work on them regularly. Technically, you can create build a table to support the countertops, but that would be less space efficient than using base cabinets, which can also provide storage and hide plumbing.

House sinks and range ovens

The sink is an essential element in any kitchen, and base cabinets are peculiarly suitable for providing the housing for it. They provide a frame for it and a hiding place for the plumbing at the same time. Additionally, the base cabinets provide storage space for your cleaning products. You can also use base cabinets to allot a space for a standalone oven or house a wall oven if you have one.

Carry out a layout

Since base cabinets go directly on the floor, they virtually carry out the kitchen layout you want for your new kitchen. It does not matter if you choose a one wall, galley, L, double L, or U layout. In any of these cases, your base cabinets will trace the outline of your layout.
This is the reason remodeling contractors position the base cabinets first. Precise placement of the base cabinets will dictate the smoothness of installing everything else, as base cabinets just a tad off from the layout will disrupt the placement of your appliances. If you have tall cabinets to serve as utility closets or pantries, you have to plan it carefully as well as these are going to affect your layout horizontally as well as vertically.

Create kitchen islands

While kitchen islands might be in a category of its own, most are actually just a set of base cabinets arranged strategically and placed in the middle of the floor rather than against the wall. Some contractors might build a kitchen island if you ask them, especially if you need a full kitchen island with sink, but they are still base cabinets essentially. If you want to save some money, eschew custom kitchen islands and use two or more RTA base cabinets to build your island, and top it with a granite or marble countertop. You have an extension of your workspace as well as added storage. Put in an overhang and use the island as an eating area to make it even more space efficient.

Conclusion

The importance of base cabinets from a functional and esthetic perspective is significant, which makes including them in your kitchen remodeling design essential. You can install them on your own if you have some DIY experience, although that might turn out to be a bit more difficult than you think if your floors or walls are not perfectly level. It might be a better idea to simply have the pros do it for you.

Fairfax Kitchen Bath is the one for you in the DC, MD and Northern Virginia metropolitan areas. We are a Class A, licensed and insured contractor, registered in the Commonwealth of Virginia. We have a showroom in Fairfax, Virginia, which houses all our products.
We sell only top-quality products for all your kitchen remodeling needs, from top-brand kitchen cabinets of all type materials to natural and engineered stone slabs. We carry products from Schrock Cabinetry, Fabuwood, Silestone, Blanco, Kohler, and Mosaic Décor.

We offer free 3D design consultations, so you can be sure we will be able to address all your cabinet needs and concerns as well as any remodeling issues you may have. Contact us today to get free in-home design consultation and quote for your new base cabinets and other remodeling projects. We guarantee you will love it for life!

Kitchen cabinets today typically consist of fixed wall and base cabinets. These have finished fronts and sides, but any side that is not visible is often unfinished. This includes most of the sides, as the cabinets join end-to-end, leaving just one side on each end exposed. They also stand on their own legs, so they are seldom fixed to the floor.

Freestanding cabinets are different, as all sides, including the back, are finished. Popular during the 1950s, it has since made a comeback as more people are looking back to the past to improve their future. Here are some interesting things about freestanding cabinets.

A history of kitchen cabinets

Prior to World War II, all kitchen cabinets were freestanding. People would make or buy freestanding cabinets and place them in different areas of the kitchen. The only fixed type of cabinet would be the one that held the sink, as the plumbing is not movable.

Wraparound metal cabinets became popular in the 1940 because the technology and materials were readily available due to wartime activities. This made it easy to produce postwar, much easier than making freestanding cabinets as these were made by hand and usually with wood. In other words, it was just more practical to make and buy this type of cabinets, so freestanding kitchen cabinets slowly and quietly faded from the picture.
By the 1950s, metal cabinets were no longer affordable, so homeowners began to choose mass-produced and affordable stock cabinets. They began to take more control over the design of their kitchens, and this meant readymade cabinets installed by contractors.

The old is now new

Freestanding cabinets were popular back in the day because it was convenient. When it was no longer so, new styles came into fashion. As kitchens became bigger, and homeowners more interested in everything retro, freestanding cabinets became more desirable.

In fact, freestanding cabinets are highly functional. Kitchen islands, for instance, are typically freestanding, and provide a lot of badly needed additional storage. Some homeowners even put kitchen islands to better use, putting in either the primary or secondary sink or cook top as well as additional workspace and eating area. Saving space and adding storage are always good ideas.

Don’t think that fixed cabinets are on their way out, however. Wall and base cabinets are still pretty much part of the modern kitchen, especially kitchens that do not have the space for freestanding cabinets on the perimeters. That said, freestanding cabinets still have its place, and cabinetmakers make it their business to have freestanding cabinets in various configurations available to clients. Since these are no longer handmade, they are much more affordable, and a definite choice many homeowners can make.

Freestanding cabinets do still tend to cost a bit more because the materials are ready for a show-ready finish on all sides. This is why many freestanding cabinets have solid wood on all sides, although laminated plywood and particleboard are also acceptable.
Should you choose freestanding cabinets for your kitchen? Consider the pros and cons.

Pros

Freestanding cabinets appeal to homeowners with an eye for the classic and traditional styles. However, the best thing about freestanding cabinets is most are moveable. With all sides finished, you can put them anywhere in the kitchen, or the house for that matter, and it will work. All you have to do is to choose countertops to match whatever room in which you plan to put them.

This also makes them much easier to install because it does not need to be. In most cases, you simply unpack them, and you can easily put several units together to form a whole in different considerations. You can even adjust the height of most freestanding cabinets by fiddling with the leg screws and using a level to make sure the top is straight. This is an obvious advantage if your floor is not completely true.
Cleaning freestanding cabinets is also much easier, even if they are a full-function island and fixed in place. You can go around them to clean each side, not missing any spot as you might with regular cabinets because they are stuck to the walls. The fact that they are usually on legs means you have a clear space underneath the cabinets, so you can clean it more thoroughly.

Cons

The real problem with freestanding cabinets today is that they tend to be a bit more expensive than regular base cabinets, and they are not available in the same range of designs and styles. That will probably change in the future as their popularity grows, but in the meantime, you have to work with what you have. You can choose to have them custom built, but that makes it even more expensive.
Freestanding cabinets also rest on the floor, although it can be base or tall cabinets. However, if you want wall cabinets, freestanding cabinets are not for you.

Conclusion

Quality might also be an issue, as some cabinetmakers produce poor quality cabinets. You have to make sure you get your cabinets, freestanding or otherwise, from a reputable supplier. Fairfax Kitchen Bath is the one for you in the DC, MD and Northern Virginia metropolitan areas.
We are a Class A, licensed and insured contractor, registered in the Commonwealth of Virginia. We have a showroom in Fairfax, Virginia, which houses all our products.

We sell only top-quality products for all your kitchen remodeling needs, from top-brand kitchen cabinets of all type materials to natural and engineered stone slabs. We carry products from Schrock Cabinetry, Fabuwood, Silestone, Blanco, Kohler, and Mosaic Décor.

Contact us today to get free in-home design consultation and quote for your RTA kitchen cabinets and other remodeling projects. We guarantee you will love it for life!

Upgrading a kitchen instead of a full remodel is a less expensive way to improve the home and its market value if budget is an issue. A good way to do that is to replace kitchen countertops with granite, marble, or quartz, or replace kitchen cabinets, or both. It might also pay to add new lights, which can dramatically change the look and character of the kitchen.

Quite a few options are available when it comes to lighting fixtures. Here are a few types of lighting for kitchen upgrades you might want to consider.

Under cabinet lights

An easy and clever way to light up your kitchen is with under cabinet lighting. Wall cabinets often cast a shadow directly beneath them, an strong central lighting only makes it worse.

Under cabinet lights provide illumination for the kitchen countertops, making this a practical choice for additional lighting. Additionally, you can choose what areas you need to illuminate, and may not even need to put on the central lights, helping you save some money on utilities. This is especially true if you use LED lights.

Aside from these practical considerations, under cabinet lighting can bring out the best features of your granite, marble, or quartz countertops and blacksplashes. In some instances, it can even give your kitchen a dramatic ambiance.

The great thing about under cabinet lights is that you do not need a professional to install it for you. You can do it yourself if you choose one of the various LED light types available for this purpose. Of course, you can include this in your design when doing an upgrade, and mist contractors will not charge you extra to install them.

LED lights come in strips, ropes, and bars that you can simply stick to the underside of your wall cabinets, and plug into a regular socket. These LED light types are readily available from hardware stores and home depots in any length you need.

Floor lights

Floor lights can be a bit like under cabinet lights but attach to the toe kick of base cabinets rather than the underside of wall cabinets. These are very dramatic, providing you with illumination at night and during parties. You can use any of the LED variants described above to achieve this effect.

Another type of floor light is those you install in the floor itself. You can put them in different areas of the kitchen, not just under the base cabinets. However, this does require the services of a professional remodeler, so expect to pay a hefty price for this upgrade. You might get a break if you are doing a kitchen remodel that includes replacing the floors, so definitely include it in your design.

Recessed lights

Recessed lights, as the term implies, go into some surface. It could be the ceiling, floor, or walls, but it is usually in the ceilings. The main purpose of recessed lights is to provide lighting without getting in the way. What you get is a sleek, uncluttered look to your ceiling. These are particularly useful in kitchens with low ceilings.

Some people call these can lights because the housing of some variants resembles a can. However, since this is mostly out of sight, recessed lights are a more obvious term.

In most cases, you will need a professional to install these types of lighting, as it requires creating holes on the surface. You will also have to arrange for a power source, so you probably need an electrician as well.
Take note that since most of the light fixture is inside a surface, the light can only shine directly down, rather than down and out like with non-recessed lights. You will need to put several of them together to give off enough light to work.

Side lights

One type of recessed light are sidelights, which are precisely like those that go into ceilings, but they typically go into walls. Sidelights provide a narrow area of illumination directly beneath it, so you will need a series of these lights in one area to get a good amount of light. Aside from the kitchen, which gives it an attractive light-washed look, sidelights also work well in hallways.

Tray ceiling lights

Tray ceiling lights are also hidden, but they are different from recessed lights. These light bars or strips go into a type of ledge in the ceiling called an open soffit, providing indirect lighting to a room. This is a common lighting type in hotel lobbies, paired with larger central lights such as chandeliers.

When used in the kitchen, you can choose to put in a soffit in the center of the room, or all around the sides. A central soffit works if you have an open layout, while a perimeter soffit is appropriate for a closed off kitchen.
Tray lights give a look of elegance and luxury to any room, including the kitchen. However, it should not cost you too much with a little strategy.

Obviously, you will need a professional to put in tray lights if your kitchen does not have an existing soffit, because you will need to create a space for the tray lights. The best time to do this is during a remodel. However, if you have an existing soffit, you can put in your own tray lights using LED strips or bars.

Conclusion

Different lighting types can have varying effects on the kitchen, but it is an easy way to upgrade your kitchen. If you need professional help to do this, make sure you consider Fairfax Kitchen Bath if you are in the DC, MD and Northern Virginia metropolitan areas.
We are a Class A, licensed and insured contractor, registered in the Commonwealth of Virginia. We have a showroom in Fairfax, Virginia, which houses all our products.

We sell only top-quality products for all your kitchen remodeling needs, from top-brand kitchen cabinets of all type materials to natural and engineered stone slabs. We carry products from Schrock Cabinetry, Fabuwood, Silestone, Blanco, Kohler, and Mosaic Décor. We would be more than happy to advise and assist you in putting in better lights for your kitchen upgrade.

Contact us today to get free in-home design consultation and quote for your RTA kitchen countertops, cabinets and other remodeling projects. We guarantee you will love it for life!

The importance of kitchen cabinets cannot be overstated, and neither is the amount of thought you need to put into choosing the right one for your kitchen cabinets. Kitchen cabinets take up a lot of visual and physical space, so you can be sure they will have a big impact on the look and function of your kitchen. Aside from style and design, which takes up a lot of decision juice right there, you also must think about the base material.

Traditionally, kitchen cabinets are solid wood, and they are very durable. However, those are expensive, and all solid wood cabinets are typically for bespoke or custom cabinets. You will rarely find them in mass-produced products such as ready-to-assemble, stock, and semi-custom models. These may come with solid wood, but only for the cabinet doors and drawer fronts.

Generally, cabinet manufacturers turn out products where the cabinet boxes are plywood, particleboard, or a combination of the two. When deciding on the cabinets for your kitchen, you need to know which one works best for your needs. Here is a comparison of particleboard and plywood kitchen cabinets.

Particleboard

Particleboard, frequently called furniture board or pressboard, is a type of engineered wood meant to provide an alternative for solid wood. The composition of particleboard includes wood dust, shavings, chips mixed with polymer resin to bind them.

Manufacturers apply high pressure to the “press” them into a solid piece before putting it between two sheets of melamine and cutting them into standard 4-foot by 8-foot sheets. Melamine is a type of hard, durable plastic made from organic compounds that gives particleboard a smooth, paint-ready surface. Most melamine sheets are white, but they may also come in solid colors or mimic wood grain.

Once assembled, you can particleboard with a table, rotary, or hand saw into any shape and size you need to make furniture, hence the term furniture board. Cabinetmakers use it to make the shelves, frame, and box for cabinets as well as drawer boxes.

Modern particleboard is very durable and easy to use, but that was not always the case. When the product first came out in the 1960s, it was so flimsy that it fell apart very easily, especially when it got wet. This understandably led people to form a bad impression about particleboard and avoid it for their homes.

If you do decide to consider particleboard, you should know that manufacturers produce particleboard in several grades. Top brand cabinet brands use only furniture-grade board, which is dense and strong enough for use as furniture, including kitchen cabinets. The material allows a good grip on screws and does not typically contract or expand significantly with fluctuations in humidity and temperature. This is obviously an important characteristic for kitchen cabinets, where heat and humidity are a constant issue.

Plywood

Plywood is like particleboard in that it is a manmade wood product meant to replace solid wood in durable construction. However, the composition of plywood is slightly different. In place of loose wood detritus such as shavings and chips, plywood uses several pieces of very thin layers or plies of wood glued together in alternating orientations, and then cut into standard 4 by 8 feet boards.

Alternating the orientation of each ply makes the product stronger, although the number of plies is also a factor. Commercial ½-inch thick plywood, for example, could have between 9 and 13 plies, and a 9-ply piece would be less durable than a 13-ply one, all things being equal.
The best cabinet brands use only high-quality plywood to make the boxes and frames for the cabinets, and in some case use it for the doors as well. Plywood is generally stable, lighter than particleboard, and easier to cut and manipulate, which makes it a favorite with cabinetmakers. The only problem with plywood in relation to particleboard is that it is up to 20% more expensive.

You should understand this, because some cabinet brands stay competitive by using thinner plywood for their products. You need to check this to avoid ending up with an inferior set of cabinets. Cabinets using ½-inch plywood is fine, but if you paid for cabinets that should have 5/8 or ¾-inch thick plywood, you should get it.

Water damage is a real issue with plywood and particleboard, although particleboard absorbs water much more readily. Nevertheless, you want to make sure you protect cabinets made with either of these engineered woods from water exposure.

Conclusion

Overall, plywood tends to be a more durable material than particleboard, although the difference in price may offset that considerably. Plywood also mimics the look of solid wood more closely as it has a grain, so you can stain it. This is not possible with particleboard. On the other hand, you may not need a finish for particleboard because of the melamine cover.

If you have the budget for either material for kitchen cabinets, then your personal preference will decide the matter. What you do need to do in either option is to get kitchen cabinets from recognized brands (which also typically have the best warranties) from a reputable supplier.

Fairfax Kitchen Bath is the one for you in the DC, MD and Northern Virginia metropolitan areas.
We are a Class A, licensed and insured contractor, registered in the Commonwealth of Virginia. We have a showroom in Fairfax, Virginia, which houses all our products. We can advise you on the type of kitchen cabinets you need for your remodel or upgrade, as well as other remodeling concerns.

We sell only top-quality products for all your kitchen remodeling needs, from top-brand kitchen cabinets of all type materials to natural and engineered stone slabs. We carry products from Schrock Cabinetry, Fabuwood, Silestone, Blanco, Kohler, and Mosaic Décor.

Contact us today to get free in-home design consultation and quote for your RTA kitchen cabinets and other remodeling projects. We guarantee you will love it for life!

Storage is usually a premium in most kitchens, so kitchen cabinets are essential. The fact that nice looking kitchen cabinets add to the esthetic value of the kitchen is an added bonus. Its main function is to keep the tools, implements, and supplies in the kitchen organized and out of sight.

However, few homeowners can maximize the space provided in standard kitchen cabinets. The solution is to put in optional features on which reputable remodeling companies can advise you. To get you started, here are some ideas on how to accessorize kitchen cabinets to maximize space.

Drawer

Most people are not aware that drawers are accessories you need to specify when ordering your kitchen cabinets. You have to indicate how many drawer-cabinet combination and three-drawer stacks you want, and you use your kitchen design to guide you.
Drawers are versatile accessories for your kitchen cabinets, and few kitchens can function well without them. You pull them out and find almost anything you need at a glance if it is well organized.

You would typically store cutlery and smaller implements in top drawers, which are usually 6 inches in depth. If you have a drawer set of one top drawer and two lower drawers, which are 12 inches in depth each, you can also store pots and pans, bake ware, and small appliances in the lower drawers.

Putting in drawers is an excellent way to make your kitchen more efficient, mainly because they pull out and easy to access. They are also an attractive feature in the kitchen of any style.

Dividers

You have quite a few choices when it comes to the dimensions of your kitchen cabinets, but these are still standard. However, some of the stuff you use in the kitchen may not conform to these standard dimensions, so you need to divide the space in nonstandard ways to make the most of it.
For example, cookie sheets and trays are long and flat, and do not stack well in a cabinet or drawer for easy access. The best way to store them would be on their side so you can find and pull them out easily. Vertical dividers provide you with a way to store them in this way without falling all over the place every time you use one. The same principle applies for lids, cutting boards, drying racks, and the like.

In most cases, you can specify the number of vertical dividers you want for your cabinets when ordering them, or you can put them in afterwards. Vertical dividers typically go on the top end of tall cabinets, or in cabinets over refrigerators and other built-in appliances. You can also put them in cabinets between 9 and 12 inches in width, usually to fill in awkward spaces in the kitchen.

Spice pullouts

Most kitchens have at least a few spice bottles, and they can be hard to keep organized in a cabinet or drawer for easy identification and access. If you have just a few spice bottles, an ordinary spice rack might be enough to satisfy your needs. However, if you have quite a few of them, you might want to invest in a spice pullout.

Several variants of the spice pullout are available. The most popular one is a tiered unit 12 inches wide, and slips snugly between the stove or cook top and a regular cabinet. Standard spice bottles slip into one of three or four shelves in a single layer, so it is easy to find what you need at a glance.

The spice pullout unit is a built-in accessory, so you would ideally order it with the rest of your kitchen cabinets. In many cases, the cabinet manufacturer can provide a matching front for the spice pullout unit so it blends in with the rest of the kitchen cabinets. It might be a good idea to have a pair of spice pullout units installed as they can also hold some smaller bottles of sauce and other cooking ingredients.

Corner units

All kitchens have corners that present a dilemma for remodelers, as these are difficult spaces to use. Cabinet companies do offer corner cabinets that slip neatly into these spaces, but they are necessarily deeper and more difficult to access than standard cabinets. To get around this difficulty, you can opt for or add one or more of the following accessories:

Blind corner cabinets

Installers position these types of cabinets in the space where two rows of cabinets converge, partially blocking access to the contents. These cabinets are often equipped with shelves that swivel and/or pull-out to provide access to the contents.

Lazy Susan cabinets

Most people are familiar with this turning accessory for tables. However, in terms of kitchen cabinets, these are corner units, usually 36 inches in width, which turn 90 degrees when you push or pull on the door. Most Lazy Susan cabinets have two carousels that turn full circle to display its contents, usually supported by a central pole.

Corner drawers

These are special drawer with an L-shaped front, making it a good fit for corner areas. The angle may range from 39 to 45 degrees, and they may look a bit odd, but they do serve the same function as standard drawers.

Conclusion

These are just some of the more useful accessories available with your kitchen cabinets. Many more ingenious storage solutions are available that will make your kitchen all that much more efficient. Ask a reputable remodeling company in your area about these options.

Fairfax Kitchen Bath services the DC, MD and Northern Virginia metropolitan areas. We guarantee you will love it for life. We sell only top-quality products for all your kitchen remodeling needs manufactured by leading brands in the industry. We are a Class A, licensed and insured contractor, registered in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

When you contract with us, you can be sure you will get a quick turnaround on your products, and receive it much faster than ordering what you need from big box stores. We specialize in fabricating kitchen countertops to specifications, and installing them within budget and on time.
We carry the products you need for your kitchen renovation, including kitchen cabinets and accessories, sinks, faucets, natural and engineered stone slabs, shelves, tiles, backsplashes, knobs and pulls, and hardwood flooring,. We carry only the top brands for these products, such as Schrock Cabinetry, Silestone, Blanco, Kohler, and Mosaic Décor.

You can see the products before you buy so you can decide for yourself if the quality is what you expect. We have a showroom in Fairfax, Virginia, which houses all our products, including actual granite, marble and engineered stone slabs from which you can choose.
Our products come with manufacturer warranties that ensure your satisfaction with the quality and installation.

Contact us today to get a free quote for a space efficient kitchen remodeling project!

Many homeowners take a kitchen-remodeling project very seriously, especially with their choice of kitchen cabinets. Cabinets represent a major investment, so they want to make sure they choose the right ones.

That said, it is perfectly possible to stretch your remodeling budget by choosing to ready-to-assemble or RTA kitchen cabinets without compromising quality and design. Many top cabinet brands such as Schrock, Forevermark, and Fabuwood carry RTA cabinets in many colors and styles.
RTA cabinets are generally more cost-effective than semi-custom or custom cabinets. This is not a reflection on the quality of the materials or construction, but rather a result of lower costs for shipping them. The come in convenient, flat packages that make it easy to transport large numbers of them at one time, and this savings trickle down to end users.

You may also realize additional savings with RTA kitchen cabinets, as they are relatively easy to assemble. If you have any DIY skills, you might even install them on your own. Of course, it always pays to have a pro do it for you, just to be on the safe side.
If you are still doubtful about the wisdom of choosing RTA kitchen cabinets for your home, here is what you should know about RTA kitchen cabinets.

Definition

The ready-to-assemble of RTA cabinets is largely self-explanatory. The cabinets are broken down into sections so the manufacturers can lay them out flat. That said, you could easily assemble them because they should come complete in the box. You need to check these first thing to make sure everything is there.

You should see the panels that make up the door, box, and drawers (if any). These will all have the necessary holes predrilled, so all you have to do is line them up. The package should also include all the nuts, bolts, screws, hinges, rails, and plates you need to put them together as well as any pulls and knobs you chose.

Where to buy

RTA kitchen cabinets are easily available from big box stores and online stores. You simply choose the ones you like and they will deliver them to your home, usually with a small shipping fee.

However, you will probably have a smaller selection if you buy from big box stores because of limited space they tend to keep to just the most popular models. You can order from a catalog, but it may take some time before they get to you.
Space constraints are not a problem with online stores. However, you may not get what you expect in terms of quality and design. This is especially true if you choose the cheapest options, as these are often very poor quality.

You can minimize this risk by choosing from recognized brands, but there is always the problem of reliable after sales service in case you receive defective products, or they ship you something other than what you chose. Most online stores are not great at customer service, and the wait for reasonable action can take a while.

Your best bet is to get your kitchen cabinet from a local outfit and authorized distributor of these top brands with a showroom. You get to inspect the samples before you buy, and they are much easier to pin down when you need some assistance, before and after sales. It is even better to deal only with reputable companies such as Fairfax Kitchen Bath in Fairfax, Va. They will respond quickly to any issues you may have with your
RTA kitchen cabinets.

What to expect

You can expect to pay significantly less for RTA kitchen cabinets compared to semi-custom or custom cabinets because of mass production. This does not mean you should expect inferior quality, though.

While some RTA cabinets may be of poor quality materials, the same might be true for custom cabinets. It depends on where you get it. For good quality RTA cabinets, opt for ones from recognized brands. They might cost a bit more, but it will be a good investment as these often come with quality assurance seals and warranties.

Why cost varies

The price you pay for a set of RTA cabinets will depend on a few things you choose. These include the design, finish, hardware, and level of completion.

For the cheapest alternatives, opt for flat panel particleboard construction with a melamine finish that you can paint yourself. The most expensive ones may involve solid wood front panels in an inset style, plywood boxes, and a catalyzed lacquer finish. You might also pay more if your kitchen requires non-standard dimensions, and you opt for optional features such as crown moldings.

How suppliers estimate price

Generally, cabinet suppliers will give a cost estimate based on the area, usually in sets of wall and base cabinets. The supplier will measure the wall the cabinets will occupy in inches, and divide it by 12, so you will get a quote per linear foot.
For instance, if your wall is about 60 inches, this means 5 linear feet multiplied by the cost of the RTA cabinets you choose per linear foot. The unit price varies, but the minimum per linear foot is $250.

How to assemble

If you have all the parts you need, it is easy to assemble RTA kitchen cabinets. The pieces are clearly marked, and the holes are pre-drilled. Each package will come with a list of parts and assembly instructions, so if you follow this carefully, it should take you as little as half an hour to assemble one set.
For tools, you will probably just need a screwdriver, hammer, and glue. The hammer only becomes necessary if your kitchen cabinets use dowels for some areas.

Conclusion

Choosing RTA kitchen cabinets for your home is a good move in many respects as you can see from these facts about them. if you are still unsure, consult with a reliable remodeling contractor in your area for some advice. Fairfax Kitchen Bath is the one for you in the DC, MD and Northern Virginia metropolitan areas.

We are a Class A, licensed and insured contractor, registered in the Commonwealth of Virginia. We have a showroom in Fairfax, Virginia, which houses all our products.

We sell only top-quality products for all your kitchen remodeling needs, from top-brand kitchen cabinets of all type materials to natural and engineered stone slabs. We carry products from Schrock Cabinetry, Fabuwood, Silestone, Blanco, Kohler, and Mosaic Décor.

Contact us today to get free in-home design consultation and quote for your RTA kitchen cabinets and other remodeling projects. We guarantee you will love it for life!

Kitchen cabinets are in all kitchens today, yet most people know next to nothing about the technical side of it. In most cases, it might not seem important to you when you think about replacing your kitchen cabinets. Your contractor or remodeling company will probably handle the details for you.

That said, it does help to have some idea of the standard dimensions for kitchen cabinets when planning a remodel. Kitchen cabinets have a big effect on design, and that means you need to know how much space you need for just the right amount of storage you want. This is especially true if you have custom cabinets and plan to put stock or RTA cabinets in its place.
Kitchen cabinets may be a base, wall, or tall cabinet. Here are the standard dimensions for each one of them.

Base kitchen cabinets

No modern kitchen can function well without at least one set of base cabinets. Some kitchens may have open shelves in lieu of wall cabinets, and there is actually a trend in that. You can actually do the same with base cabinets, but a bare frame and support structure would not be ideal for most kitchens.

Base cabinets do the bulk of the work in the kitchens. Not only do they provide storage space, they also provide support for kitchen countertops and sinks, and framework for appliances. You can also only put kitchen drawers in base cabinets, usually top drawers that are 6 inches in height, or a set of three drawers, with the two bottom drawers about 12 inches each.
In many cases, they also house the plumbing and some of the electrical wires that powers your kitchen. They need to be quite sturdy to serve all these functions effectively.

Cabinetmakers typically make stock or RTA cabinets 34 ½ inches high from the floor. This does not include countertops, which is usually 1½ inches, raising the total height to about 36 inches. You also have to option to choose base cabinets with a top drawer, usually 6 inches in height, or a set of drawers, with a top rawer of 6 inches, and two bottom drawers of 12 inches each.

This is the recommended height for workspaces for most people, although you might need something a little higher or lower, depending on your own height. Fortunately, some cabinetmakers offer base cabinets ranging from 32 to 38 inches in height, including the countertop.
You should also not neglect the importance of toe kicks, which are the spaces provided by cabinetmakers at the bottom of the base cabinets to accommodate feet when working in close quarters on the countertop or stovetop. The standard height of a toe kick is 3½ inches and a depth of three inches. It slightly decreases the storage capacity of base cabinets, but they are often quite necessary. This is even more so when the kitchen user requires a wheelchair.

The width of base cabinets vary much more than the height as it may be anywhere between 12 and 48 inches. The width you should choose will depend largely on what you want to put in them. Narrower cabinets (between 12 and 24 inches) are filler cabinets, usually with pullouts, and ideal for storing cleaning supplies, spices, pots, and pans. To accommodate a sink, you need at least a 30-inch wide cabinet for a single sink and a 33-inch one for a double sink. Ultra-wide cabinets (48 inches) may be the ideal choice if you only have space for one set of cabinets. This will make the most of the space for storage.

While the height and width of base cabinets may vary, the depth is typically 24 inches. This makes most of the interior of the base cabinet accessible for most people. Any deeper and it would be hard to reach the contents at the very back.
Kitchen countertops will also have some effect on the depth. A typical countertop will push you out one or two inches away from the interior, making the effective depth between 25 and 26 inches.

Wall kitchen cabinets

Wall cabinets are lightweights in the kitchen. Because they have to hang on the wall, it cannot handle as much weight as base cabinets, which sit squarely on the floor. In most cases, you use wall cabinets for food, some kitchen tools, glasses, plates, and decorative items.
That said, wall cabinets tend to hog the limelight in terms of design because they are at eye level, serving as the focus of the room. This is the reason most people choose fancy wall cabinets and plain base cabinets.
Dimension wise, wall cabinets tend to vary much more than base cabinets. The ones you choose will depend on the height of your kitchen and the available wall space.

Standard kitchen ceiling heights is 8 feet (96 inches). Since the bottom of your wall cabinet should be at least 18 inches from the countertop, you need to add that to the height of your cabinet to find out the ideal height of your wall cabinet. For example, if you have a 36-inch high base cabinet, the maximum height of your wall cabinet is 42 inches if the kitchen floor-to-ceiling height of 8 feet.
Standard heights for wall cabinets are 12 inches (for going over wall ovens or microwave ovens) and 36 to 48 inches (for kitchens with higher-than-standard ceilings). The width is between 12 and 36 inches, although the standard is 30 inches, which might have one or two doors. The depth cannot be more than 24 inches to keep it accessible, but it can be as shallow as 12 inches.

Tall cabinets

Tall cabinets are great space savers if you do not mind giving up some countertop space. These are basically base cabinets that go from the floor to the ceiling.

They come in 84-inch and 96-inch variants, where the shorter ones allow for about 12 inches of open space at the top if you have a standard kitchen ceiling height. The 96-inch tall cabinet will have no such space. The width can be anywhere from 12 to 36 inches, while the depth is between 12 and 24 inches. The ones you choose will depend on your available space.
Most people use tall cabinets as a pantry or utility cabinet. You might want to choose a shallow cabinet (12 inches) for storing food, so that you can easily see what you have, although you can get deeper ones to make it more multi-purpose, and just use pullouts for foodstuff.

Conclusion

Knowing the standard dimensions of kitchen cabinets can help you choose the right ones for your kitchen design. Fairfax Kitchen Bath can help you love it for life as well.

Fairfax Kitchen Bath services the DC, MD and Northern Virginia metropolitan areas. We are a Class A, licensed and insured contractor, registered in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

When you contract with us, you can be sure you will get a quick turnaround on your products, and receive it much faster than ordering what you need from big box stores. We specialize in supplying and installing kitchen cabinets to specifications, in budget and on time.

We carry the products you need for your kitchen remodel, from cabinets to natural and engineered stone slabs, including shelves, sinks, faucets tiles, backsplashes, knobs and pulls, and hardwood flooring. We carry only top brand products, such as Schrock Cabinetry, Silestone, Blanco, Kohler, and Mosaic Décor.

You can see the products before you buy so you can decide for yourself if the quality is what you expect. We have a showroom in Fairfax, Virginia, which houses all our products, including actual granite, marble and engineered stone slabs from which you can choose.
Our products come with manufacturer warranties that ensure your satisfaction with the quality and installation.

Contact us today to get a free quote for your trendy kitchen remodeling project.

Using Granite Color Psychology in Kitchen Remodeling

One of the biggest decisions you must make for kitchen remodeling is your color palette. This seems obvious, as the colors of your kitchen have a major impact on the design of your kitchen, and it is an excellent opportunity for you to express your personal style.
However, most people are not aware that colors have a significant psychological impact. Since you will probably want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen, you want to make sure it affects you in a positive way. Choosing the right colors can be quite challenging, as it is tempting to go with what happens to be trending in kitchen now. You can do this, certainly, but you must be careful. You will have to live with your choices for a long time.

If you want granite countertops, many people use this as a jumping point for this, choosing the cabinet colors, appliances, tiles, wall paint, and fixtures to either match or complement them. Fortunately, granite comes in a wide variety of color combinations, and this gives you some flexibility in your color palette. You can go with the dominant color or choose to tease out the subtle highlights. The point is to choose granite colors that will put you in a good mood.

Important notes

The psychology of color works for most people, but there are deviations. The effects can vary from person to person, depending on their life experiences and peculiarities. For example, red is usually a high-energy color, but it may have a depressing effect on people with red-green color blindness, who might see the reds as dark blues.

The classifications below are only a guide to psychological effects of basic colors as it affects most people. Use your own reactions to colors to help you decide if you are the norm or the exception. Look through design magazines and sites to help you identify colors that please you. This can help you decide on the granite colors you will choose.
Once you have established the colors you want, strive to keep your color palette down to less than four colors. This will make your kitchen design cohesive.

Granite color psychology

Granite comes in a wide variety of colors, and the color combinations can be quite extensive. However, due to its composition, some colors are much more prevalent than others are. You will find below a description of the typical effects of these colors.

Gray

The most recognizable granite color is gray, and as a neutral color, it is very popular with interior designer. In terms of psychology, gray tends to reflect existing personalities. The strength of this effect will depend on the shade of gray, of which there are far more than 50. Lighter grays tend to be more reflective than darker ones.
If you have a managing disposition, gray tends to make you feel more authoritative. If you are a happy person, it makes you even more so. On the flip side, if you tend to be morose, gray will make you feel glummer.

Brown

Another common color in granite is brown. This is particularly ideal in rustic or country kitchen styles because it goes well with many wood species for kitchen cabinets.
As with gray, shades come in a large variety of shades. Generally, brown induces a sense of warmth, reliability and dependability. Lighter browns emphasize nature and resilience, and medium browns a sense of sophistication. However, darker browns tend to look brooding, and a predominantly brown kitchen in darker shades can easily feel isolated, so it is important to lighten it with other colors.

Yellow

Yellow evokes happiness, as most people associate it with daytime and smiles. Some studies suggest t purifies the body and stimulates nerves.
Yellow has a lighthearted energy that uplifts the spirits. In small doses, yellow is an excellent choice for kitchens with little or no natural light. However, stronger shades of yellow can also be too bright for most people. It stimulates rage in some people when in large quantities. Fortunately, solid yellow granite is very rare, so you are most likely to find predominantly yellow granite with a judicious sprinkling of other, less enraging colors.

Red

Red tends to be exciting and dramatic. If you want to make sure people remember your kitchen, this is a good color choice.
However, unadulterated red may not be very comfortable. The intensity of this color raises the blood pressure of most people, and induces quicker breathing, so too much red might not be a good idea in a kitchen.
If you want to raise the energy level in your room without passing out, choose red granite with black veins or streaks to keep it to an even keel. This color combination is interesting ad elegant, especially with the right light.

Blue

Blue is rather rare in true granite, but if you find one you like, know that it will have a calming and relaxing effect in your kitchen. Blue keeps your blood pressure low and breathing and pulse rates slow. This effect will depend on the shade of blue, with the medium blues having the most impact.

However, lighter blues tend to feel stark and cold, while darker blues evoke feelings of sadness. You can counteract these negative effects by choosing blue granite interspersed warm browns, golden yellows, and sparkling white.

Conclusion

The granite color you choose for your kitchen can affect your mood and health, so make sure you consider the psychological effects. This guide can help you make that choice, but only as far as it conforms to your own reactions to certain colors. You can do that in a practical manner by visiting the showroom of a reliable remodeling contractor and looking through available granite slabs.

Fairfax Kitchen Bath services the DC, MD and Northern Virginia metropolitan areas. You can see the products before you buy so you can decide for yourself if the quality is what you expect. We have a showroom in Fairfax, Virginia, which houses all our products, including actual granite, marble and engineered stone slabs from which you can choose.

We guarantee you will love it for life.
When you contract with us, you can be sure you will get a quick turnaround on your products and receive it much faster than ordering what you need from big box stores. We are a Class A, licensed and insured contractor, registered in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

We specialize in kitchen remodeling and carry the products you need, including natural and engineered stone slabs, sinks, faucets, shelves, tiles, backsplashes, knobs and pulls, hardwood flooring, and cabinets. We carry only the top brands for these products, such as Schrock Cabinetry, Silestone, Blanco, Kohler, and Mosaic Décor.

We sell only top-quality products for all your kitchen renovation needs, manufactured by leading brands in the industry. Our products come with manufacturer warranties that ensure your satisfaction with the quality and installation.

Contact us today to get a free quote and design consultation for your kitchen upgrade!