Easy and Affordable Steps to Add Life to a Dated Kitchen

Is your kitchen looking a little tired and dated? Kitchen cabinets take a lot of abuse throughout their lifetime, with lots of banging and closing of doors and drawers. And, just like any other room, kitchen decorating has trends and phases. What was hot 10 years ago might seem a little common place. If your kitchen needs a new look it may be time to think about kitchen cabinet resurfacing.

It’s expensive to completely replace your old kitchen with kitchen cabinets. But kitchen cabinet resurfacing is an affordable way to completely change the look of the kitchen, without ripping cabinets of the wall and disrupting your kitchen for months.

Resurfacing is a fairly simple process. You choose a kitchen cabinet look – the type of wood or material, the color or finish, and style of the cabinets and doors. You replace your old cabinet doors and drawers with the new style, and you trim the exposed surfaces of the cabinets – the framework with a veneer in the desired style. Instead of replacing the old doors and drawers, you can also apply the same veneer to the surface of the drawers and doors.

This option is both easy-to-do and affordable. You spend a fraction of a kitchen-remodeling budget when you opt for kitchen cabinet resurfacing. The team that resurfaces the cabinets can usually finish in one or two days – compare that with weeks of a torn up kitchen for a major remodel!

Sometimes a good update for a kitchen starts with the countertops. Just like cabinets, kitchen countertops can become quickly dated and worn looking. Both the kitchen cabinet and counter can become stale looking, or less than fashionable.

Some kitchen cabinets and counters really show the decade of their installation. For instance, Formica countertop material is one of the least expensive countertop options. Unfortunately, it’s one of the surfaces that show its age quickly. It’s easy to burn or scratch, or simply wear after years of use. Another popular surface was manufactured counter tops that resemble stone. These days it’s almost the same price to get granite countertops as manufactured stone – but you get that natural beauty.

There are a lot of other popular kitchen cabinet and counter styles to change your kitchen looks. Natural stone is very popular – with granite taking the lead as one of the most coveted surfaces. Polished concrete, stainless steel, and glass tile are also popular options to update a kitchen look.

If the current economy makes you think you’ll stay in your home for a while, give some thought to updating your kitchen. Kitchen cabinet resurfacing, or changing the kitchen cabinet and counter will make your home feel fresh and updated, without a big investment. It will make a huge difference to the value of your home, and you get the satisfaction of a beautifully updated kitchen.

James Mahoney is the owner of Kitchen Designers Ideas.com. He has written many articles on kitchen design and puts out an information packed newletter. Learn about kitchen design ideas and trends by visiting his site at http://www.KitchenDesignersIdeas.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=James_J._Mahoney

www.LKNcabinets.com

How Do I Install Under Cabinet Lighting?

Have you asked yourself “How do I install under cabinet lighting?” It’s a lot easier than you might think. Just take a trip to a home improvement store and you’ll find a plethora of under cabinet lighting options. Under cabinet lights have come a long way from the hardwired custom built units of a few years ago. Today you can find small compact xenon lights that just tack into place and plug into a wall outlet.

The great thing about the under cabinet lighting kits is you can fit kits to expand the number of lights on a circuit to fit any sized cabinet. All you have to do is add more lights to the string. Since the xenon lights are low voltage you’ll run out of cabinet before you reach the electrical capacity of the wall socket.

Measure out how many lights you need. You want to shoot for about a 2 foot space between lights.

Next measure the depth of the cabinets as you will want to center the lights.

To keep the lights from wandering during the install use a straight edge and mark the centerline of the cabinet with a pencil. At the same time you can mark out exactly where the lights will be placed.

Grab a hammer and some nails. Be sure you’re using a nail that won’t poke through into the cabinet. A few taps of the hammer is all it takes and your lighting bases are up in no time.

Now it’s time to run the wire between the lights. Some of the easier kits will let you just run the cable between each light in series. They have a small blade built in that will cut into the wire completing the circuit.

After the last light continue running the cable back to the wall socket. Use a staple gun to tack up the cable and prevent drooping.

You want to staple the cable as far back towards the wall as possible so you have a nice clean line running down to the outlet.

Now it’s time to make up the electrical plug. Wire up the hot, neutral, and ground wires then screw the plug together.

Now you can go back and snap in the light covers on all the lights.

Next install the xenon bulbs. Be careful not to touch the bulbs with your bare hands. Your skin oil can damage the bulbs. Use a paper towel instead when holding the bulb.

Now place the lens cover over the lights.

Staple up any of the wires that are sagging, you’re shooting for nice clean lines that aren’t visible when looking directly at the cabinet.

Plug in the lights and turn on the switch. Hopefully everything turns on! If not check each bulb for proper seating.

All that’s left is clean up of any construction trash and to put up your tools.

When asking “How do I install under cabinet lighting?” Just keep a few things in mind. The kits are easy to use. They come with great direction and once finished you’ll have a great set of lights that will set off any counter top.

Author Jennifer Akre is an owner of a wide variety of online specialty shops including that offer both items and information on how you can easily furnish and decorate your space. Whether it is knobs for your bathroom or cabinet hardware for your kitchen there are many tips you can use to make those spots both functional and beautiful. Click today and indulge your senses.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jennifer_Akre

www.LKNcabinets.com

Kitchen Remodeling Help – Super Tip to Help You in Your Quest to Remodel Your Kitchen

Don’t let anyone discourage you from remodeling your kitchen. I know it might be discouraging when you are given the bill necessary to remodel your kitchen, but don’t let that get your down. It’s not as bad or as expensive as everyone says it is.

If you know what you are doing, you can get loans from the right sources for the purpose of remodeling the kitchen you have. The fact that you are getting the money in advance, as a loan, can help you get the best from remodeling your kitchen.

If you look closely at your kitchen and consider the needs you have for it, re remodeling, all of a sudden you must realize that there is a whole lot going on in your kitchen than you thought in the first place. Taking out a home improvement loan just to modernize your kitchen is certainly worth the effort, especially since it’s now available and possible from lots of sources in the United States and lots of other countries in the world.

But of course, if you want to save costs but still get the kitchen of your dreams, you can do it yourself if you feel like it, but there really is only so much you will be able to achieve on your own. You are going to need some specialists to come in and offer their input such as an architect or draftsman, a bricklayer, carpenter, plumber, electrician, etc. to name but a few. Better still, you may just hire an entire home improvement company to take the entire project off of your hands for a reasonable fee.

www.LKNcabinets.com