Here Are Some Tips to Buy a Kitchen Cabinet

Kitchen cabinets not just add manner and classiness to your kitchen but also add value to your home. They are to be considered and invested into as a major purchase. Therefore, make sure that while buying new kitchen cabinets, you buy the best ones available. Also ensure they are all worth every penny spent.

You might consider several steps that may be noted in the process of buying a kitchen cabinet:

• Firstly, decide upon a budget for the kitchen cabinet as these cover about fifty percent of the kitchen remodeling expenses. And not just decide upon it but also try and stick to it when buying the cabinets.
• Next, you need to measure the space that is available in the kitchen for the cabinet. This is to decide upon the size and number of cabinets required or that might fit in. This helps you get a rough estimate of the price.
• You then have to decide upon whether you want a stock cabinet, semi-custom cabinet or a fully customized one. Stock cabinets being less expensive are restricted in terms of style, shapes and size choices. Semi-custom ones are standard sized but offer design and styles varieties. Custom cabinets are expensive but built as per customer design and style specifications.
• Also, choose and select options with regards to custom items that include wine racks, cabinet pantries, pullout shelves and knobs or maybe handlers. Herein, while stock cabinets offer limited options, semi-custom and custom cabinets provide limitless solutions. Choose the kitchen cabinets on their usability. The more the usability the better it is.
• Also, you will have to choose the quality of the cabinets that you want from solid frames to reinforced corners and also closed backs and solid frames.
• And finally, there is style and color that you will have to decide upon. For this you can look upon magazines, online galleries or even personally visit the cabinet stores. Again, stock cabinets are available in limited styles while semi-custom and custom cabinets offer a lot more.
• Most importantly, the cabinet should probably match the architecture and the interior design of your home. It should not look out of place as it mars the beauty of your kitchen.

Also, while looking for and buying kitchen cabinets, you should always consult a hardware specialist. This is because there are numerous manufacturers of decorative hardware. Therefore, as we look to buy those with the best quality and reputation, a specialist could certainly be very helpful. Also visit the stores or warehouses and take a look at the cabinets and their prices before you decide to purchase any.

Another thing is to do research well on the internet for reputation of the manufacturers and the quality of cabinets made by them. You might also look for cost effective deals that might be available online.

www.LKNcabinets.com is the home for LKN Cabinets and Remodeling. We are an affordable quality cabinet provide to the Charlotte, NC area.

Kitchen Design Basics – Cabinet Drawer Hardware

Cabinet drawer hardware is one aspect of cabinet design where there are many options. In this article we will outline some of the more common option for cabinet drawer slides.

Epoxy Coated Drawer Slides

These are the most common type of slide and ones you will see on all the inexpensive cabinets available at the large home improvement centers. These are the default slide that you will also see in most new subdivision developments. Available for as little as $2 in bulk, they are serviceable, but do not provide any of the desirable features of the hardware listed below.

Side Mounted ball-bearing slides

These are a good mid-range option. Much stronger than the epoxy coated slides, they also add a substantial feel to the drawer slide operation. These are available with a full access option, meaning that the drawer will pull out the full depth of the drawer, unlike the the epoxy slides which only partially open.

Under mount Slides

These are the most popular slide upgrade. They are the most visually pleasing as all of the hardware is out of sight since its mounted under the drawer. These too are available with a full-extension option. Many also feature a soft-close feature which has become quite popular. When paired with a dovetailed drawer, these are synonymous with the highest quality cabinets.

While the drawer slide selection may seem like a minor consideration, in reality spending an extra few dollars on upgraded hardware can greatly improve the utility and convenience of your cabinets.

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The Kitchen Cabinets of Your Dreams on a Budget

Last month, The Boston Globe asked it’s readers a $10,000 question: “Is it possible to gut-renovate a 50-year-old kitchen without spending so much that you’ll never eat again?” To answer it, the article posed this query of an area architect and designer, who offered up his very own kitchen “as a lesson in where to splurge and where to save.”

What advice did this exert serve up? To stay under the $10,000 mark, his plan of attack was simple: to buy ready-to-assemble or pre-assembled kitchen cabinets. That decision set him back just under 15% of his budget, leaving him plenty of room to splurge on appliances and other personalized finishing touches.

The architect was quick to point out that “Expensive doesn’t have to embarrass cheap.” Indeed, assembled and ready-to-assemble kitchen cabinets from a leading manufacturer often rival custom designs. Constructed using the latest methods and styles, as well as superior materials, assembled and ready-to-assemble kitchen cabinets are an investment you’ll be more than satisfied with for years to come.They also offer some other kitchen remodeling perks:
• You can get started (and finish) more quickly with pre-assembled cabinets.
• You can eliminate manufacturing and home assembly wait times, so you can see your cabinet style, finish and dimensions sooner.
• Assembly is simple using the quick attach fasteners that come with your kitchen cabinets.
• Flat packaging reduces shipping costs and makes transport more convenient.
• A variety of door styles and finish options are always in stock.
• Pre-assembled and ready-to-assemble kitchen cabinets make it easier to stay within your remodeling budget.

What was The Boston Globe’s expert’s final word of advice for achieving the kitchen of your dreams on a limited budget? “Trust your instincts but think differently. You know what it is you want. You don’t have to accept the standard out-of-the-box kitchen, when a little creativity can make it seem like so much more.”

That advice rings true even if you opt to go with out-of-the-box pre-assembled cabinets. With so many options to choose from, you can get the look and feel you’re yearning for off the shelf, without breaking the bank. But if you’re the crafty type, you can get even more personalized bang for your buck.

That’s because assembled and ready-to-assemble kitchen cabinets are perfect for customization with your preferred finishing touches. Take the architect highlighted in The Boston Globe article. He “made the cabinet moldings himself, using scraps from a [discount warehouse’s] ‘as is’ room at a cost of about $125.” It helped, of course, that he “did most of the work himself, including customizing the cabinets,” but even if you bring in a cabinetry expert to attend to the final details, you’ll still save money on your kitchen cabinets over the long run.

Why not take those savings and run with them? Use them to purchase the stainless steel refrigerator or the two-drawer designer dishwasher you’ve been eying up. Better yet, put them away to cover your heating bill this upcoming winter. Come oil, gas or electric bill time, you’ll thank yourself for selecting affordable assembled or ready-to-assemble kitchen cabinets.

www.LKNcabinets.com