The importance of blue can not be over looked this year; it captures the country’s mood of austerity. Greens, taupe, and adobe are comforting colors - spruced up with floral color accents. The emphasis is on calm and comfortable.
Diamond Cabinets has announced 5 new finishes for 2009. The most welcomed is the neutral medium brown Havan offered on maple and cherry. Havana is destined to be a timeless color staying in fashion for many years to come. Expanding on Diamond Cabinets off-white cabinets is the warm creamy yellow of Honeysuckle on maple. And for the designer set there are Portobello, Oasis, and Tidal Mist all offered on Maple. To see all of the new finishes offered by Diamond Cabinets visit this site, or for the full spectrum of finishes available from Diamond visit this page.
Hvana on Maple
The shaker cabinet styles are very popular this year, edging out traditional styles by a good margin. The clean understated lines of the shaker cabinet works well in most kitchen remodels or new homes. The style is well represented in the semi custom manufacturers lineups like Diamond Cabinets, Decora Cabinets, and Kraftmaid Cabinets, so there is plenty to choose from. Increasing in popularity is the shaker style with wider stiles and rails, giving a more contemporary look to a timeless classic. For a detailed discussion of cabinet styles visit our website.
Diamond Cabinets has released a new off white cabinet finish (Dover) for their maple cabinet line. The Dover finish is much warmer than a standard white finish. It is far 
easier on the eyes, more forgiving of smudges and very easy to decorate to. The off whites from Diamond Cabinets: Dover, Amaretto Crème, Toasted Almond glaze, and Pearl White should be top contenders for new kitchens for many years to come. See other finishes from Diamond Cabinets.
Glass Creek Inc. has just added Top Knobs to their offerings for decorative cabinet hardware to complement their existing lines by Berenson and Hafele. Top Knobs has hundreds of styles in 19 finishes, with matching back plates, push plates and appliance pulls. Cabinet knob displays should be in place in their showroom in Fullerton, CA by the beginning September.
I had never received a request for glass countertops until this last spring; and within weeks I had two clients request them. They are beautiful, however, rather expensive. I believe that the market will be for higher end trendy bathrooms, the mechanics for a custom kitchen may prove to be too complicated. This is a trend worth watching in case it does develop into a mainstream product. Or, it could be just like the concrete and soap stone countertops from seasons past.
Update Sep 2010
The votes have been counted - This was just another passing fad.
An often asked question is , what size of crown moulding should I use in my living room? Our general rule of thumb on remodeling projects is:
Smaller than these guidelines and the crown moulding appears out of proportion. Where as, using crown moulding larger than these guide lines risks looking gaudy.
Read more about crown moulding
We exhibited in a local home show over the weekend; and the attendance and homeowner interest was a surprise. Attendance was off a little from previous years, and some people could not get past our remodeling booth fast enough. However, about 25% of those which we had discussions with were interested in kitchen remodels. Our expectations were for nothing but small face lift and maintenance projects, apparently some homeowners are not restrained by the softening housing market.
The big hits for the show were convenience hardware and premade kitchen cabinets by Diamond Cabinets. The new turquoise rust finish from Decora Cabinets received a lot of interest; and to our amazement there was still a lot of interest in white cabinets. And the winner in the countertop area were quartz stones like Cambria.
The soft touch on cabinet drawers and doors has become the dominant hardware choice for homeowners. The hardware has matured to the point that it functions reliably and can be installed with confidence. Blum offers a very nice soft closing under mount drawer glide which is a must have for a new kitchen. The second generation of Blum Door closers has a very pleasing motion and should be considered for all kitchen cabinet doors. If you have already remodeled your kitchen, all is not lost, Blum offers a unit which will retrofit onto most of their European style hinges. Call your local cabinet shop and get retrofits for your doors.
For a new kitchen remodel the soft close hardware is available on custom cabinets and premanufactured cabinet lines like Diamond Cabinets Decora Cabinets, and Kraftmaid Cabinets.
Before running out and blowing your tax rebate check on the first big screen tv you see at Wallmart, let us consider how that money can feather your nest and also help your local economy. Spending the money on a big screen tv is almost like direct deposit into a foreign bank account; a small percentage will stay with the local retailer, and a smaller percentage will stay with the trucking company, but the majority of the money is going straight to a foreign manufacturer. Instead consider spending the money on locally manufactured goods and services with a large labor component. Buy a piece of art from a local artist, or a product made at a local manufacturer. Crown moulding in the living room will make a nice job for a local carpenter and painter while sprucing up the home. Or, the unemployed carpenter down the street could use a couple of days pay doing maintenance projects around your home. Money spent on local labor will circulate at least once locally before heading offshore to a foreign bank account.
The local businesses which are going to be the main benefactors of such spending need to do their part also. Invest the windfall profits on tools and equipment, software, and employee training; which will enhance your capabilities or increase efficiency. That way you will be in better shape to weather a recession. In addition, the money will circulate a second time through the economy and have a multiplying effect.
We all watch too much tv anyway!
Warmth and comfort from the familiar is being evoked in the latest trends for metal finishes. The aged and weathered look of rusted iron, and tarnished copper, are great finishes for hardware around the home. Natural oxidation comes from exposure to the elements over time and evokes longevity in our rapidly changing lives.
In times of economic uncertainty it is comforting to surround oneself with warm familiar furnishing. And nothing does it better than the aged natural look of metal.
Read more - Hot Remodeling Tips
When it comes time to make major purchases there still is nothing like touching and feeling in a brick and mortar store. As convenient as the internet is; customers still visit showrooms to purchase kitchen remodeling products and services. When we opened our kitchen showroom it was a major boost for business for several reasons. Firstly, it gives you a comfortable place to entertain clients, with all of your samples at hand. Secondly, it shows that you are a bonified player in the game. The obvious investment in time and money separates you from all of the other ‘home office’ interior designers and ‘pickup truck office’ contractors.
In Orange County, CA these are some of our favorite showrooms:
Glass Creek Inc. in Fullerton - A full service Kitchen remodeling showroom with cabinet and countertop displays. Featuring Diamond Cabinets and Decora Cabinets.
Tuscany Tile in Brea, CA - A stylish tile showroom which carries more upscale tiles.
Central Plumbing in La Habra, CA - A plumbing fixtures showroom.
To find these remodeling showrooms in Google maps or , please follow this link: Remodeling Showrooms Placemarks.
Styling and warmth on the outside; convenience and function on the inside. Soft closing door and drawer hardware is a must for any new kitchen, ending door slams and utensil crashes. Pullouts and rollouts are a great way to store and access those larger pots and pans. To accommodate the bulky Costco items there is nothing better than a pullout pantry, or a pantry loaded with rollouts. And drawers still rein king for ergonomic access instead of large door cabinets. Then of course, there is the required deep lazy susan in the blind corner and the recycling trash pullouts.
Hot door styles are the wide stile and rail shaker look; or a classical raised panel profile for timeless elegance. Bucking the popular trend with the rustic look, stay away from the heavily grained and charactered species, such as, hickory, alder, birch, pine, and oak. Unless it is a vacation home, then definitely use the local wood species. The beautiful grain of cherry or clear maple underneath a semi transparent stain can not be beat. Medium light to medium brown stain colors (shifting more green than red with just a touch of black pigment) is a good choice. The slight grey cast from the black pigment yields the coffee, espresso or mink looks. A burnt umber or raw sienna glaze can give credit to detailed door styles while adding some warmth. Black and chocolate should be used sparingly as accents. If it has to be white, a cream or amaretto with a glaze can not be beat. Decora Cabinets new Honeycomb on maple would be wonderful in a sunlight starved kitchen or bath.
Read the full article.
I am collecting ten bids, do you want to come take a look? Yeah, Mrs. Jones - I’ll be right there! It takes a great deal of time and energy to accurately bid a job, so, most reputable remodeling contractors are not going to be very interested. I am not suggesting not getting multiple bids, however, apples to apples bidding needs to be done with your short list of contractors, from a common set of plans. All too often the same project with the same materials is not being bid. Are you getting what you think you are from the low bidder, and is there a perfectly good reason the other guy is higher?
My preferred approach is:
1- An initial discussion with the remodeling contractor to see if things click (Remember, you are going to be dealing with this individual on a very personal basis for potentially a long time.)
2- Discuss the project, is this the right company for your project.
3- Discuss the budget. Most remodeling contractors can give you a reasonable assessment of what can be done with the available budget.
4- Draw up plans. This part is going to start to cost. So engage a third party for your design work which can be used for your bid request to your short list of contractors. Or,
5- Go with the contractor that you liked, whom seemed reasonable during the budget discussion. Engage them to draw up a design and submit a bid. If it is close to your budget discussions you there.
Most remodeling contractors are going to cluster pretty close on price for the exact same project. Rarely is a reputable remodeling contractor in business long charging an unfairly high price for his services. So, the low guy missed something in the bid to become the low bidder, which means that they will be trying to make up lost money on your project.
This year it is all about green and blue. The Marie Antoinette rich jewel colors of the last several years are over. The slow down in the economy is promoting feelings of austerity, and a need for comfort and security in the home. Thus, look to the earth tones, greens, and blues for common areas in the home, such as, the kitchen and living room. The young children’s rooms still need to be fun with the popsicle and candy colors. Sunny yellows and comfortable sage are still good choices for the master suite. And for goodness sakes stop using Swiss coffee.
Read the complete article.
Diamond Cabinets has announced 3 new finishes and new cabinet types for 2008. The Palomino Glaze is a light brown with an espresso glaze, creating a warm comfortable feel. There are also new offerings for the home office in the Diamond Cabinets line. Check out the details at Glass Creek’s website:
Homeowners - Are you looking for a reputable remodeling contractor?
Glass Creek Inc. - remodeling contractors.
We will work with you to design your project using state of the art computer design software, then build it to meet your expectations. Kitchen and bath remodeling is our specialty. We can supply manufactured cabinets by Diamond or Decora, or build custom cabinets to your specifications. Check out Glass Creek’s website at www.glasscreek.com.
So, you want to be a contractor. What else do you do when the economy is tough and nobody wants to pay for your talents? All that it takes is a cell phone, business cards, a pickup truck, and two hammers. As I reflect back upon this never ending adventure; what did it take to get started? Well, guys here it is:
Get a license; you ain’t no contractor without a license. A license is like a college degree, it does not mean that you can do anything, it only means that you have done something. It is that pseudo credential which you need for that all important credibility factor.
Get insurance, not a lot, just enough to cover yourself. Accidents do happen. And a large loss is a rough way to start a business. At the minimum get some liability and workman’s comp ( I hate to even type that word, it will be a good future rant.) Savvy customers actually ask for insurance certificates, and as of late, it is becoming more common. Another plus for the credibility factor.
Next, get a job. I have not tried standing out in front of Home Depot yet, although I have given it serious consideration. And if this current trend continues I just may be doing it by years end. Seriously, I would start with the friends and family circuit, it can give you good exposure to the neighbors for your next job. However, wean yourself off of them as soon as you can. Though easy to get they are tough and unprofitable.
A lot of wasted years later, several trucks, and more tools than a man should have; I can not remember all of the happy customers, employees, or subcontractors. However, I remember that one customer which I managed to piss off.
I also still carry those first two hammers.