Kitchen Remodeling: How to Choose a Countertop

Choosing a new countertop can make a huge difference in a kitchen. From granite and quartz to wood and stainless steel, there's a lot of kitchen countertop materials out there. Choosing the right countertop for your kitchen remodeling will call for more attention. Something which you maybe have ever given them before. There are seemingly endless materials, styles, and colors to choose from, ranging from quiet and unassuming to packed with natural character and unpredictable patterns. In fact, there are a huge number of popular kitchen features to decide on and evaluate in general, adding to the complexity of the process.

1.Granite

Pros: Each slab is unique, hard, durable, scratch-resistant, impervious to stains, heat, and water when sealed, relatively easy to clean, comes in all colors, still highly covetable with an even higher resale value. Polished and matte finishes resisted most stains when properly sealed, so pick the look you prefer.

Cons: Periodic resealing is needed to fend off stains. Like quartz, edges and corners can chip and must be professionally repaired.

2. Quartz

Pros: It mimics the look of stone yet needs less maintenance. Hot pots, serrated knives, abrasive pads, and most stains were no match for quartz, which is a combination of mineral, color, and resin. Practically maintenance free, engineered quartz countertops are stain, acid, scratch, heat and impact resistant and, thanks to their non-porous surface, don't need to be sealed like natural stone countertops.

Cons: Edges and corners can chip, and you’ll need a pro to repair them. Rounded edges help.

3. Soapstone, Limestone, and Marble

Pros: Soapstone isn’t as common as granite, and it’s superb at resisting heat damage. Small scratches can be repaired by sanding finely and applying mineral oil. Limestone and marble are classic materials. Limestone also has a natural-stone look without heavy veining or graining, and it resists heat.

Cons: Soapstone nicks, cuts, and scratches easily, and some stains are too tough to be washed away. Limestone and marble also have those drawbacks, and heat damaged our marble.

4. Laminate

Pros: Inexpensive, easy to install, and so much better-looking than you probably remember, thanks to new printing technology and decorative edges. Stains and heat didn’t damage the laminates we tested.

Cons: Cutting directly on it easily and permanently damages laminate, so use a cutting board.

5. Solid Surfacing

Pros: Available in a variety of colors and patterns, it can be used for the counters, sink, and backsplash, creating a seamless look because joints are almost invisible. And like quartz, its color won’t vary much from the store sample. Solid surfacing is resistant to most stains, and small nicks and scratches can be repaired.

Cons: It scratches and cuts easily, so a cutting board is a must.

6. Recycled Glass

Pros: Large shards give it a fun, contemporary look; finely ground glass makes it less busy. Most glass counters we tested resisted stains, cuts, scratches, and heat.

Cons: It’s the only material for which we found a difference among brands.

The right countertop can really enhance your kitchen design, so don’t rush to make a decision. If you’re still having difficulty deciding what countertop is right for you, then contact a professional remodeler near you.

Michael Nash Design Build and Homes
8630A Lee Highway Fairfax, VA 22031

703-994-4372
www.michaelnashkitchens.com

Kitchen Remodeling in Northern VA: Best Types of Wood for Your Cabinets

Kitchen is one place around the home, where furniture is likely to be exposed to water, and will keep on getting wet. So the plywood that we select for making the cabinets for your kitchen remodeling has to have the ability to withstand water. Most cabinets are made from hardwoods, but to reduce costs, these hardwoods are often applied as veneers over a substrate, such as plywood.

Wood warps easily as its moisture content changes. That's why it's important that the wood be finished on all sides before it leaves the factory. Unfinished cabinetry should be finished on-site as soon as possible to prevent warping. Veneered cabinets are more stable than solid lumber in high-humidity areas. Now let's look at the types of plywood available in the market. There are many types, but only out two of them are majorly used for making home furniture.

Choose Cherry Wood for Your Cabinets

Cherry finishes darken with age, bringing out the varied grains and patterns. Cherry wood is a classic and one of the most popular choices homeowners choose for their cabinetry. Cherry has a smooth, close-grained appearance with a fairly uniform texture and random markings. The even grain allows finishes to be applied with ease.

Choose an Oakwood Cabinet  for Your Kitchen Remodeling

Oak has a very strong, open-grain pattern and tawny patina, from salmon red to dark cinnamon. It may include random worm holes, mineral deposits, knots and wild-grain patterns. Oak is a durable hardwood suited to traditional, casual or rustic looks.

Choose Maple for Your Cabinets

Maple has a smooth and even grain, light in color with a reddish tone, giving it a very eye-pleasing appeal. And since it can take another color brilliantly, they can be stained to resemble a more expensive wood like a walnut or a cherry. It is also very versatile.Maple gives you the total liberty to be completely in charge of your kitchen’s appearance. How? Maple takes all kinds of stains, glazes and paints. So, whatever designs or color scheme you might have in your mind, maple can bring it to life.

Choose Pine for Your Cabinets

Pine is the only softwood species commonly used for cabinetry, and it dents more easily than hardwoods. Pine is an inexpensive, lightweight wood that can be yellowish or whitish with brown knots. It's often used for rustic pieces, like farmhouse-style tables. It's low-cost, and it takes paint well, so it's great for kids' furniture. (The same holds true for birch and poplar.) This pale yellow wood can be stained, and it often features knots used to underscore traditional and country styles. Eastern white pine and Western white pine are found in select semicustom lines

Choose Hickory for Your Cabinets

Hickory kitchen cabinets feature a smooth, extremely strong, close-grained wood with a heavy, flowing grain pattern. Hickory is a wood species growing in the eastern part of the United States. There are more than fifteen species of hickory but not all of them are used for commercial purposes. Hickory is recognized as the hardest, heaviest and strongest American wood.

Choosing the right wood species for your cabinetry largely depends on your personal style preferences and budget. Wood cabinets are appealing because of their distinct and unique character especially if you want a natural look, nothing compares to the beautiful color variations and grain patterns found in real wood. Choosing the right wood species for your cabinetry largely depends on your personal style preferences and budget.

Michael Nash Design Build and Homes

703-994-4372

8630A Lee Highway Fairfax, VA 22031

www.michaelnashkitchens.com

Best Ideas for a Kitchen Remodeling of Your Floor

Embarking on a kitchen-remodeling project can be intimidating task. Starting with floors can have many drawbacks. For starters, installing the floors throughout the kitchen, even under the cabinets, wastes flooring materials. Floors are a beautiful addition to your home during a kitchen remodeling project. All kitchen floors should be durable and easy to clean, but some households are tougher on their floors on a more frequent basis. The most important decision when thinking about kitchen flooring ideas should be the function of the flooring.

The kitchen is a high-traffic area, prone to spills ranging from water to oils, dishes and wine. You want to look for kitchen flooring materials that are low maintenance and can withstand use over time. A family with a 1.5 kg chihuahua, for instance, won’t be as hard on a floor as one with a 90 kg male great dane. Similarly, the floors in a household with many active children will likely take more of a beating than those in a kitchen belonging to a single senior.

Choose Bamboo

As the name suggests, bamboo flooring is made from… bamboo. It has emerged as a popular alternative to hardwood flooring – praised for being strong, durable, and naturally resistant to insects and moisture. It’s also largely considered to be an eco-friendly choice. Bamboo flooring that is of high quality will wear as well and last about as long as traditional hardwood floors. (Of course, as is the case in every industry, the “high quality” characteristic is key.) In particular, un-carbonized bamboo can as strong, hard, and durable as red oak, and certain strand-woven bamboo can be even harder.

Choose Vinyl

Vinyl flooring is able to reduce noise while providing a comfortable underfoot. Unlike other flooring types vinyl flooring provides a nice flexible padding and is referred as a resilient flooring choice. Vinyl flooring is a good choice for your kitchen remodeling especially for a large family home. It is incredibly durable and resistant to dirt and damage so it will withstand the pressures of daily life and ease.

Choose Concrete

Concrete can be a beautiful, low-maintenance and sustainable option for residential kitchens. Concrete flooring is tough. While it’s possible to scratch or chip a concrete surface, you’d have to work pretty hard at it. A sealed and properly maintained concrete floor can last indefinitely. Concrete can be mixed and set to achieve an endless variety of color and textural effects.

Choose Hardwood

Hardwood flooring, with its unmatched warmth and visual appeal, is a great choice if you want to create a look that never really goes out of style, giving you a good return on investment if you ever sell your home. Hardwood is very versatile. It is just as happy in an ultra-modern kitchen design as it is in a traditional farmhouse kitchen remodeling project.

The kitchen floor has a pretty tough job, having to take muddy shoes and spilt milk in its stride while still looking fresh and stylish. So choosing the right material for your space and lifestyle is crucial. From classic stone and wood to practical porcelain to slightly more edgy resin and concrete, there’s a dizzying array of options to choose from, all with advantages and disadvantages.

Michael Nash Design Build and Homes
703-994-4372

8630A Lee Highway Fairfax, VA 22031

www.michaelnashkitchens.com

Points to Consider Before Having a Kitchen Remodeling Project

Has it always been your goal to open spaces in your kitchen to each other and turn it into a warm and elegant entertaining area. Sometimes that jumble of work surfaces made cooking prep and socializing difficult. Make a specific timeline for the kitchen remodeling project. This way you'll know exactly how long you’ll be without a working kitchen. If remodelers you speak to cannot give you a timeline, that’s a red flag that should get your attention.

Once you have decided on the design of your new kitchen and chosen all your finishes, fixtures and appliances, it’s time to place your orders. The lead time for the manufacture of new cabinets, for example, will vary greatly depending on the supplier and the materials you choose. Off-the-shelf standard-sized cabinets will obviously be available to you straight away, however made-to-measure custom cabinets can take up to six weeks to be ready for delivery. Make a list of kitchen features you would like to consider upgrading during the remodeling process, and number them based on importance to you. This will help you during your budgeting step.

Areas to consider during this process include appliances, cabinetry, countertops, lighting, backsplashes, hardware and flooring. However, each homeowner will have different ideal upgrades. For some, they may have always dreamed of that built-in wine refrigerator. For others, it may be a single-bowl sink or an island.

Gather all the supplies. You will need boxes, newspapers, packing materials, packing tape, masking tape, quart size and gallon size plastic storage bags and markers. Conveniently place items that you use every day such as the coffee maker, tea kettle, pots, skillets, mixing bowls, can openers, vegetable peelers, cooking utensils. Collect items you use infrequently such as holiday dinnerware, specialized bake ware, punchbowls, platters, etc. Pack, mark and store these items in a closet or basement

Leave access to the items you’ll still be able to use during the project when packing. This can also be a great time to purge old kitchen gadgets and supplies that have outlived their usefulness. During the course of the remodeling project you will need these essentials. To make life easier, use disposable cups, plates and dinnerware. Set aside storage containers for leftovers, food storage bags, foil and plastic wrap. Also, make sure that you have cleaning supplies on hand.

If you want to expand your kitchen – try stealing from an adjacent space. Try to clarify with your remodeler about which areas of the house will be impacted by the project by the project and how that will affect your use of the space. Remember, even with a project in the kitchen, it’s likely that crew members will need access to your water and electric shutoffs during construction.

Above all else make sure you have reasonable expectations when it comes to your kitchen remodel. Talk to people who have been through the process before.

Enjoying your new kitchen! Gather friends and family around, use your new appliances to prepare and cook up a celebratory meal, and enjoy your wonderful new kitchen.

Michael Nash Design Build and Homes
703-994-4372
8630A Lee Highway Fairfax, VA 22031
www.michaelnashkitchens.com

Stay Clear from These Regrettable Kitchen Mistakes

Plan out that kitchen remodel carefully, include all your must haves to minimize renovation regret. From creating a crowded kitchen to getting too luxurious to forgetting proper ventilation. Here is our guide for you to follow on staying clear from such regrets!


Michael Nash Design Build and Homes703-994-43728630A Lee Highway Fairfax, VA 22031www.michaelnashkitchens.com

Kitchen Remodeling Northern VA: Remodeling Your Kitchen with Style

Bring a refined style to your kitchen! Call a professional remodeler and show him or her your portfolio of collected kitchen designs. You've got great ideas the only way to turn them into reality is by hiring someone with expertise.  When your kitchen remodeling is finished! Enjoy the new space and convenience, and feel good about having made one of the better home renovating style choices!

Michael Nash Design Build and Homes 703-994-4372 8630A Lee Highway Fairfax, VA 22031 www.michaelnashkitchens.com

Kitchen Remodeling: How to Choose Your Flooring

Whether you’re just moving in or looking to sell, all homeowners beg the question: What’s the best flooring for resale value? We’ve answered that question and more including trends, colors and styles.

Have you ever considered kitchen remodeling? For some, they can tell you first hand, it is a totally, completely, utterly overwhelming process. These individuals have made so many decisions to: floor, paint, counters, cabinets, lighting, the list goes on!

They have also considered greatly the return of investment. Do you want to spend $5,000 redoing your floors if it is going to bring your home value down? I didn’t think so.

How long do you see yourself living in this house? This is the important query that you should ask yourself. The typical resident stays in a house for 5-7 years. If you’re planning on flipping the house, you will (likely) be looking for the cheapest option with the best resale value; whereas if you’re planning on living in the house for several years, you’re better off considering what will bring you a happiness.

Porcelain for Your Floor Kitchen Remodeling

Want easy cleanup that comes in a variety of colors and textures? Consider a porcelain tile floor. The downside to a tiled floor is that it’s cold and hard underfoot and grout lines can attract dirt and grime. Also, they are prone to chipping or cracking if heavy items are dropped.

Hardwood for Your Floor Kitchen Remodeling

Wood floors with a light texture and a polished finish are gorgeous, if you want a warm look in your kitchen, consider installing hardwood flooring. Solid wood floors shrink, usually in the winter when there’s less moisture in the air. Likewise, they expand during the spring and summer when there’s more humidity in your home. A home humidifier can help maintain appropriate moisture levels. However, kitchens with wood floors will likely need buffing and a fresh coat of polyurethane every few years. Unless you select a particularly soft wood, such as pine, most hardwood floors are pretty good with dropped pots and won’t dent or scratch too easily. That said, hardwood will scratch and dent and lose its luster over time, so you’ll need to consider whether or not refinishing the floor in the future is in the budget.

Linoleum for Your Floor Kitchen Remodeling

You should! Linoleum is a vintage flooring option due for a major resurgence. The limitless design possibilities of linoleum leave potential for funky and unique styles that could make your kitchen truly one of a kind. Installing kitchen linoleum flooring is a sure way to add value to your home, as the cost is minimal and the end result is transformative! As an oil-based product, linoleum is good at repelling water, but to maintain its look (and repellency), linoleum floors need to be maintained over time. Also, expect to pay more for sheet linoleum (both in material and installation costs) than with tile linoleum. That said, linoleum is durable, naturally anti-static and anti-microbial, over 1OO+ colors and designs to choose from, non-toxic, biodegradable, made from renewable resources, easy to install and maintain, colors deepen and patinas get richer when exposed to sunlight.

Conclusion:

The kind of flooring you choose will affect what you have to do prior to a renovation. A floor kitchen remodeling will have a huge impact on the overall look of the whole room. And whatever material you choose—is a chance for your kitchen to make a statement.

Michael Nash Design Build and Homes
8630A Lee Highway Fairfax, VA 22031
www.michaelnashkitchens.com
703-994-4372