Take a good look around your kitchen. If you’re like most American homeowners there are several things you’d like to change about its functionality and appearance. And if you’re like most American homeowners, you’d rather make these changes than buy a new home.
“Decision number one with any kitchen remodeling project begins with the cabinetry. Cabinets and cabinet accessories set the tone and personality of the entire kitchen and in some cases, up to 60 percent of the remodeling budget may go towards cabinets,” said Connie Edwards, Certified Kitchen Designer (CKD) for Timberlake Cabinet Company, Winchester, Va., one of the nation’s leading cabinet manufacturers.
“Today, many manufacturers offer semi-custom cabinet lines and coordinating accessories,” said Edwards. “These cabinet lines are quite popular with homeowners because you can specify sizes and interior fittings for a customized look at an affordable price.”
According to a National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) survey, nearly 30 percent of all cabinets chosen by homeowners are from semi-custom lines. “Semi-custom cabinets and accessory lines afford homeowners options not available with mass-produced stock cabinetry lines,” said Ed Pell, executive director of Kitchen & Bath Business, an industry trade publication. “Semi-custom lines offer many, many more design options and sizes. And most importantly, you get a customized look at a semi-custom price.”
To compliment semi-custom kitchen cabinets, many cabinet manufacturers also offer a range of decorative accessories. These accessories may include moldings for above and below the cabinets, valances for areas between cabinets, curved end panels and decorator doors.
Semi-custom cabinet accessories provide furniture quality accents and allow homeowners to create a variety of kitchen styles to match the decor of their home by blending with adjoining living areas. For example, roe moldings can be installed above wall cabinets to accent a crown molding and create a southwestern or country flair for the kitchen.
Semi-custom kitchen cabinet accessories also include open frame decorator door designs that accept glass inserts … countertop edge moldings … and counter supports which provide added design detail for today’s style-conscious kitchen remodelers. Counter supports can be used for open shelving and are great for island snack bars.
Semi-custom kitchen cabinents and cabinet accessories are typically available in oak, cherry, maple and other popular hardwoods. Choose a hardwood and a finish that reflects your style and taste. A finish that accents an existing favorite feature in your kitchen, like an appliance garage, cookbook rack, message center, bread box, wine rack or bookcase.
An added benefit which was not true of semi-custom cabinet lines a few year’s ago is that most are available for delivery within two to three weeks after an order is placed, compared to a typical order-to-delivery cycle of up to several months for fully custom made cabinets.
