Cube Built- Ins

Woodmaster Woodworks, Inc. would like to spend this week focusing on modern built-in designs- not something that you see everyday but certainly an increasing trend. So many of the built-ins that people are used to seeing have a traditional theme with old-fashioned architectural elements. But the truth is that sleek, modern, built-ins are on the rise in popularity. And the great thing about modern built-ins? They are often cheaper than traditional built-ins because they don't include the bells and whistles that traditional built-ins allow. 

Today- we'd like to focus on the cube built in design. Modern built-ins often are designed in the form of architectural cubes. They definitely are an interesting look and theme, but it is important to point out that shelf cubes do tend to take away from some of the shelf space of traditional shelves given the dividers. 

Cube shelving can be used in lots of different spaces- living rooms, mantels, and desks. They are adorable additions to any space and can add a dramatic element to a room while still maintaining the architecturally modern style.  

Tune in tomorrow while chat about some of the other ways to add modern flare to your home with built-ins, even when you're on a budget. And we will include some awesome DIY projects! 

Updating Hardware!

Woodmaster Woodworks, Inc. obviously specializes in lots of of cabinetry restoration. We're always excited when we get to go into a homeowner's home and help them totally re-envision their space and make it just what they've always wanted. But not everyone has the money to totally re-do their cabinets, and some people I'm sure would love some tips on how to spice up what they already have without spending too much money.

Today, we're going to talk about something that's small, but that can totally make a difference with your cabinets- or hardware all over your house for that matter. If your home pre-dates the 1990s then it's very likely that all the hardware throughout your home is gold! And gold can be lovely in some homes- adding a touch of class and richness to the aesthetics. But in other homes, gold can sometimes look cheap and retro. 

Well- obviously you could make small changes by replacing all the gold hardware throughout your home and particularly on your cabinets, but truthfully (assuming your hardware is structurally sound) there's another, even more economical, way to  transform your space. 

Paint your hardware! That's right. Paint metal, you say? Absolutely! Paint it! 

Here's what you'll need:

Steel Wool

Next Liquid Deglosser

Rustolem Metal Paint and Primer in One Spray Paint

Cardboard

Six Hours

1. Start by using steel wool to very lightly rough up your hardware (I'll emphasize lightly here- LIGHTLY!).
2. Next, soak down all your hardware with the Next! (Great Product)- and let everything dry completely. 
3. After you've picked out your paint color (the options are endless) set all your hardware outside in a well ventilated area (preferably in sunlight). As a trick- poke your screws (if you have any) through the hardware so that they all come out looking the same like this: 

1. Apply three very light coats on the hardware, being sure to thoroughly coat them. The lighter coats make it more likely for the paint to stick like glue! Wait about 30 minutes between each coat.
2. Allow the hardware to dry for 4 hours before attaching everything back to the doors. 

Obviously- at Woodmaster Woodworks, Inc. we would always like to encourage you that the BEST way to transform your cabinets is to REPLACE them- but we know not all our customers have that option. Hopefully this allows for a helpful hint about how to update hardware all over your home without spending much of anything! 

(PS- I've done this before, and the finish has been holding strong now for years!) 

Cinderella Closets

So, in order to wrap up the conversation this week about bedroom built-ins, we'd be amiss at Woodmaster Woodworks if we didn't touch on a subject that we hear from homeowners about ALL the time. Just as yesterday was spent talking about built-in wardrobes to solve the lack of closet problem, the other (and sometimes much more easily accomplished) fix is to simply reconfigure your closet so that it maximizes space. 

So you're closet is lack-luster? Doesn't serve the needs that you have as a lover of designer shoes? You need some place to store your glass slippers, Princess? Well don't give up on your closet space just yet, because it might just be a Cinderella closet waiting for it's big break. You would be amazed at what some appropriately outlined built-ins can do to even the worst space. 

Walk-in closets need built ins in order to be successful just like you need your red heels with your favorite black dress. So if you've got a walk-in closet devoid of built-in units that are specifically in place to tackle things like sweaters, shoes, accessories, purses, etc- then your closet is a fail. The good news? It can be a Cinderella closet. 

And even built-in closets can be done budget consciously, so don't think that just because you want fabulous storage in your closet that you'll have to pay premium for it. Obviously you can pay premium if you want to- start adding beautiful details like crown, glass doors, and lots of covered cabinet space, and yes, you'll pay a premium for sure. But if you're okay with cubbies instead of cabinets and you'll be satisfied to do without the molding, you can still get a closet that incorporates wonderful storage while still being budget conscious. 

Built-ins Wardrobes

While this post it for everyone, it's probably going to be most appealing for our girl readers out these- because honestly, what girl doesn't get excited about something that might allow her to have more clothes! I know I do. 

Continuing with our theme this week- we're talking all about bedroom built-ins. And while we've chatted about kid rooms, and master bedrooms, and built-in beds and surround furniture, we haven't touched on perhaps one of the most important aspect of bedrooms- clothing storage. And honestly- who has enough? My husband and I-granted we live in a small townhouse and are dying to upgrade soon!- simply can't share our closet! Seriously ya'll- all his stuff is in the hall closet (it's really big) and it is so annoying for us both. 

Something like this would definitely solve our storage woes: 

You know it! A built-in wardrobe- basically a closet without a closet. I cramped spaces, you can take a few feet from along a wall and add a built-in that can give you tons of clothing storage even when you don't have any feasible way of making your closet any bigger than it currently is. 

Built in wardrobes can be great in any space. Not only do they do wonders for people like me, whose master closet just leaves some to be desired (even if my husband would blame the space issues less on the closet and more on my clothes), they also do wonders for people who have spare rooms (like offices) who would like to turn their room into a bedroom but don't have a closet already incorporated into the space. 

That's what this homeowner did with a small upstairs bonus room that they had been using as a spare office until their baby girl came along. They added these built-ins in order to transform the space from office to nursery, and the great thing is that these built-ins provide plenty of space for the child to grow in the room. 

Built-in wardrobes can even add better organization that simple closets have, and they can tuck away seamlessly into the room- allowing the built-in to look like an original part of the home and less like an addition. 

Just keep in mind that just because your room doesn't have enough storage doesn't mean that the problem is un-fixable! More closet space is a possibility! And if you have any questions or would like a free estimate on your project, give us a call at Woodmaster Woodworks, Inc. or access the estimate request page at the top of this blog! We can't wait to hear from you :) 

Children Rooms!

Continuing with the theme for this week, today we wanted to focus on some of the other bedrooms in the house. Yesterday we went over some exquisite wall unit ideas for master suites. Today, lets talk about the kids rooms! 

Kids rooms are naturally intended to be fun! And built-ins can be a great but simultaneously functional way to add some fun to your kids room while also incorporating efficient storage. Take a look at some of these ideas: 

Talk about a fairy tale room! These built-ins coupled with the exquisite wall mural turn this little girl's room into a princess' paradise! As you can see, the bed cubbies also provide built-in night stands for books, or favorite stuffed animals! 

Little girl's also love bunk beds! I mean what child doesn't! And these built-in bunk beds provide extra shelving in each of the nooks- making for a great home for an overflow of fuzzy friends, or bedtime story favorites! 

This little boy's room incorporates a built-in bed that adds lots f extra storage. The bottom drawer actually pulls out to reveal a trundle mattress! Perfect for sleep overs, but easily tucked away! 

And of course boys love bunk beds too! (This one is currently missing it's ladder) but it's important to note the sleek lines of this built-in. Built-ins, though often chalked full of traditional molding and detail can also be finished (and often are) with very sleek, modern, and sophisticated lines. And often those sleek lines come at a better price point than their traditional counter parts. 

Lastly- thoughtfully designed children's built-ins should be able to make the transition from child to teen. This is a great example of wall built-ins that were functional from child to young adult. 

And of course your young adult might need some storage that the kiddos don't. We love the built-in desk in this teen's room and appreciate the curtain covers for the bed- adding an almost canopy effect that any girl is sure to love. 

Check in tomorrow as we continue to go over some awesome bedroom designs! 

Bedroom Built-ins!

This week we wanted to do a run down of some of the awesome built-ins that can be incorporated into a bedroom. Whether your bedroom is small and cozy, or luxurious and large, there's a built-in out there that can work for you and perfectly meet your needs!

For today, lets talk about grow up spaces- the master bedroom. Master beds are supposed to be comfortable retreats for any homeowner, and having the appropriate storage and set up to make that the case is super important to any space. Let's take a look at the way that built-in bed wall units can bring organization and tranquility into the one place of the house that's solely for you. 

Clearly these wall units can bring sleek sophistication to a space, but it's also important to note that the bedroom pictured above isn't very large but non the less feels spacious. A lot of that is a result of a fantastic color pallet that is designed to make the space appear larger, but it also has a lot to do with the incorporation of the wall built ins- which allow the homeowner to have less floor space dominated by other pieces of furniture. These ceiling height night stands allow for extra storage that could accommodate smaller accessory clothing pieces and help alleviate the need for a large dresser. 

This built-in takes the previous design to a whole new level. Instead of simply incorporating the wall until into the space, this homeowner went so far as to include and entire built-in bed unit. As you can see, the bed-frame in this room is literally connected to the wall unit. And while this homeowner opted for shelves instead of cabinets on the sides of the bed, they also added some other wonderful features. You can see that the cabinetry extends across the whole top of the built in unit, allowing for extra shelving and decorative highlights. They've also wired in lighting above the bed for easy reach bed side lamps and recessed lighting. 

Lastly, we also love the cottage effect of this built-in. There are things we would certainly change- for instance the built-ins above the bed are not designed in a way to make them effective for holding much of anything, but that being said, this homeowner made one very good decision when designing this built in unit. If you'll notice in the left hand corner, there is a small lip overhang on the built in. When designing a wall unit, incorporating this sort of lap and overhang allows for the unit to have more of  night stand feel than it otherwise would have and it makes things (like a glass of water) more easily accessible from the bed. We also love the built-in wardrobe incorporated in this room on the right wall. 

Check in with us tomorrow as we continue to go through lots of wonderful options for bedroom built-ins. 

Kids Step Stool Storage Solutions!

For our final post this week, we came across something fantastic that we just had to share with our readers! Yesterday we talked about built-in knife blocks- and what wonders something like that could solve for a family with little ones who needed the knifes out of reach but not inaccessible. Well on a different note, today we wanted to discuss something that your kids need to have access to, but that is so often in your way! What on earth could we be talking about if it's not their latest toys strewn across the living room? Oh you know- what is always in the middle of their bathroom floor? How many times have you stubbed your toe on it in the middle of the night? That's right! Their step stool! 

Step stools are great and obviously no child can do without them when it comes to washing their hands or brushing their teeth- you know, all the hygiene activities that you want to encourage as a parent. But still- how annoying is that step ladder? Wouldn't it be nice if there was a way that you could keep the step ladder always accessible to them but simultaneously always out of your way? Luckily, we've got a solution! 

That's right! A built-in step stool. I mean lets be honest- all the non- drawer cabinet space under the vanity in your bathroom becomes a little be useless unless you also have the built-in cabinet organizers that we wen't over the other week. So who cares if you take away a little of that space in order to incorporate this! Talk about easy, efficient, and totally doable! 

I'm telling you, this idea is ingenious, and it the best part? It doesn't have to be permanent. You only have to keep the step stool drawer for as long as you need one, and when your little girl grows into a teenager that no longer needs that step-ladder for her incessant primping, then you can turn that step ladder back into a fully functioning drawer! Super awesome, right?  

Obviously, you should be aware that the hardware required to operate and accommodate the weight of a child won't be cheap. You'll need full extension drawer hardware with a heavy duty weight rating- but still- what parent wouldn't love something like this in their home?

Woodmaster Woodworks, Inc. would like to wish you all a great weekend. We hope you'll join us again next week as we continue with our happy blogging! 

Creative Cutlery

Continuing with this week's theme, Woodmaster Woodworks Inc. will be spending the next two days talking about simple, but super awesome built in kitchen storage that most of you have probably never heard of. At least, I had definitely never heard of today's subject: built in knife blocks!

Not only do I love the fact that built-in knife blocks are obviously a space saving idea, but they can also add a degree of safety in the kitchen, that traditional store-bought knife blocks just can't provide. I mean, think about it- if you have a knife block sitting out on your counter top I'm going to bet it's because either you don't have kids or your kids are old enough to be trusted. Any of you who have little ones running around have probably tucked the knife block into a cabinet that is out of their reach. And let's be honest- that's super annoying when you're cooking. 

A great thing about these built-in knife blocks is that they can be done in such a way as to virtually eliminate the child safety fear. Often time, homeowners will choose to have their knife block inserted horizontally across the top of the counter top where the counter top meets the wall or back splash  which places these utensils safely out of reach for most little ones. 

Obviously, it's not necessary to place your built in knife block at the back of your counter tops. If you are more worried about functionality than safety, and you don't have little ones running around, you might be a big fan of this option. There's definitely something to be said for convenience when your knife block is right next to the sink. That way, as soon as you are done washing them off you can pop them right back in their spot- and avoid the temptation to place your high end cutlery in the dishwasher! 

This last option is definitely not something that I would recommend to people that have little ones or are planning to start a family, but if you're passed that stage of your life and you are looking for an awesome organization area for your knives- this will definitely do the trick and it keeps everything at the perfect reach for people that love to cook! 

Hidden Passages! Exposed Storage!

Today we wanted to follow up on our theme this week of talking about fun and unique storage ideas for the home, and today is definitely a super cool idea. This is something honestly Scooby Do episode worthy- the kind of thing we thought about as a kid! And the best part?- it's not just a joke or a fairy tale idea! Woodmaster Woodworks has honestly done this in homes before! Stop thinking this kind of built-in is only for Hollywood, because we've done it for homeowners in the local area! And then end result is always fantastic.... 

That's right! We're talking about hidden doors here! Nothing like an awesome built-in that also doubles as a door into another room of the house (maybe even a hidden room if your home is super castle-esque! Ha!) In all seriousness though, hidden doors aren't as impossible to incorporate into your home as you might have thought. 

And another obviously great thing about hidden doors is that they can often take the place of closet doors- in which case that closet becomes a wonderfully smart place to store valuables! Hidden doors can essentially turn closets into built-ins safes, because they definitely aren't something that the average intruder is going to think to check out!

And then best part of hidden doors? They also provide ample storage space because they are usually made out of a built-in bookshelf or cabinetry! We just had to share this idea with you guys because really- who didn't want to grow up to live in a castle? 

Check in tomorrow as we continue to cover awesomely unique storage possibilities! 

Stair Storage

This week we wanted to target introducing our readers to some really unusual space saving built-ins that can be incorporated into any home! There are just so many clever ideas out there, that today, built-ins is a word that just means so much more than bookshelves next to the fireplace- although- who doesn't still love those! 

For today, we're just going to explore some awesome options that Woodmaster Woodworks, Inc has discovered for hidden storage! I bet you never realized that a staircase could be this practical and useful!

Talk about functionality and utility! Something like this in my home would solve a serious problem that drives my husband nuts! He (completely resistant to ever being cold) cannot possibly understand why I always have a blanket with me when I'm cuddled up on the couch. And he HATES that I so often forget to put them away. If only I had this in my home! And this could be used for anything- kid's book bags, shoes, scarves and gloves, its options are endless! 

How about these.....

Shoes in the stairs storage! Amazing. If you're building a home and want to make sure that you have lots of extra storage in places that most people would never think to utilize then this is your solution! And it tucks away so that you will really never notice it at all! 

And lastly, of course there is always the option to add stair drawers from the side of the stairwell also. While these drawers are a little more obvious (people might know they are there) They can still add great utility to a space that is otherwise empty. The real necessity with stair drawers is to make sure the treads on your stairs are thick and durable enough to accommodate the hollow frame of the drawer.

Follow up tomorrow as we discuss more awesome and functional ways to incorporate unique storage into your home!

Why You Should Replace Your Cabinets

As we wrap up this week's discussion of cabinet modification options, we obviously need to touch base on the final (and admittedly most expensive) option. But we'd like to point out that just because this is the most expensive option available to homeowners doesn't mean that the cost isn't worth it. 

In the United States, a return investment on bathroom modernization is approximately 102% of the cost of the renovation. That means that if you renovated your bathroom, your could add the cost of the renovations AND some to the overall value of your home. Kitchen renovations also rank high in marks at about 90% of the cost for the renovation. This means that with either of these projects, you are likely to get almost every penny of your renovation back in the equity that you add to your home. 

It's for this reason that we get so many homeowners at Woodmaster Woodworks that are happy to invest in cabinetry refacing or replacing as opposed to refinishing existing cabinets. It's usually just worth the money in the long run. 

So now for the sticker shock. Realistically, replacing all the kitchen cabinets in your home can run anywhere between $4,000-$20,000 depending on how much emphasis you put on upscale cabinetry and quality and what kind of finish and wood product you use. Holy Cow!, huh? Obviously, 20 grand is on the WAY upper end of things, and 4 grand is the economical route, but their are lots of amazing kitchens that can but purchased and custom made in any of the prices in that range. 

The nice thing about replacing your cabinets rather than refacing them is that it gives you the option to reconfigure your kitchen entirely- meaning that if you don't like the layout of your space- the time to fix it is during a kitchen cabinet replacement job. You could change the entire set up of your kitchen (more difficult to do in bathrooms) if you go the route of custom cabinet replacement. 

Furthermore, lots of older cabinets were constructed with too much dead space in the cabinetry- space that is essentially unusable and overly inefficient. If you go the route of replacing your cabinetry with custom cabinets, you can fix this problem entirely. Custom cabinets are made specifically for your space whereas factory made cabinetry is designed to fit in any space. Ultimately, this results in lots of dead space. Custom cabinets are great because they allow for all the space in your kitchen to be utilized according to your specifications and ultimately you get more storage because of it.

Well thanks for sticking with us this week as we explored the options in cabinet renovations for homeowners. If you have any questions or would like answers to your specific job, give us a call at (919) 554-3707 to set up a FREE estimate! Happy blogging! 

Plan Your Kitchen Reno

So let's take a brief halt in our renovation option breakdown in order to cover something that anyone who is planning a kitchen renovation should be aware of. If you're thinking about changing out your cabinets, countertops, kitchen floors, paint colors, etc. and you're a little concerned about what the final product will look like after you combine all those options, you should be aware that there are tools out there to help you.

The internet can be such a wonderful place, and lucky for you, it's chalked full of lots of free room design programs! That's right, you can build your kitchen in one of these programs and get a 3D idea of what you're final product is going to look like. At Woodmaster Woodworks, Inc we create one of these drawings to accompany every estimate that we put out for our customers. We like for you to have a good idea of what you're getting before we move forward with your project. If you're a DIYer then you should be taking advantage of the design programs that are available to you and trying to come up with a similar image (even if it isn't quite as professional as actually custom creating the images from design software.)

So we've compiled in today's blog a list of FREE online room planners that you can use in order to plan any renovation in your home! Particularly kitchens and bathrooms! 

1. My Deco 3D Home Planner- this program allows you to add walls, select floor plans, add furnishings, and change the coloring of those furniture pieces as well as the colors of walls or floors. You can move the camera on the page around in order to get a 3D image of the final product from every angle.

1. Ikea Kitchen/Home Planner: this program allows you to upload your own floorplan or start from scratch with one already included in the layout. From there you can add cabinets of any color or style and in any pattern. When you're all done you can view your finalized room in 3D. 

1. Design My Room by Armstrong is definitely a life saver of a program. If you've ever gone out to different stores and collected samples of different things- cabinets, flooring, paint color, etc. and then tried to see what it would look like in your own space then you already know that it can be a challenging task to say the least. Design My Room allows you to select different color combinations all on one program and see what the final product looks like without all the hassle of driving around. 

1. Lowes/Home Depot Virtual Designer is also an option (although it has the least amount of customization available). With this program you can select from basic cabinet styles and colors and basic flooring and paint colors and add them together in a pre-arranged floor plan (they only have certain stock floorplans) and see what the final product will look like. 

I just wanted to use today to notify you guys of the awesome tools that are available to you online for FREE! Obviously professionals can put together these CAD images for you that are a bit more catered to your specific space, but these are great options for people that are just trying to figure out what they are wanting in their kitchen or bath renovations and aren't sure where to start!

Cabinet Refacing Possibilities

Yesterday we talked about painting cabinets (particularly laminate cabinets) yourself. It's definitely not a job for the faint of heart and it's certainly no where near as wallet impacting as some other potential options. This week we are focusing on the possibilities for cabinet renovations, and we're going in order of cheapest to priciest. Obviously, doing the work yourself is always going to be the most economical option. 

But if your kitchen looks something like this, and you aren't up for DIY renovations, there's still hope for you!

Kitchens aren't cheap. Most of us know that kitchens and bathrooms are the most expensive rooms in our homes. So when you think about overhauling your kitchen and ripping out cabinets (which will likely impact your flooring and countertops) it can be daunting on the pocketbook. Luckily- you can reface your cabinets instead. 

The kitchen above underwent refacing, and the final product was pretty great. Check it out: 

Talk about a heck of a difference! Obviously this kitchen also underwent appliance and countertop replacement as well, but the point is well taken. 

So you might be wondering exactly how kitchen cabinet refacing works? Well here's a break down of the steps. 

• Remove all doors, drawers and special moldings and dispose of them
• Measure all openings to ensure an accurate cut for all new coverings
• Custom-make all new doors, drawers and moldings from your pre-selected materials and colors
• Laminate all exterior surfaces of your existing cabinets to match the color and style of your new doors and drawers
• Affix your new coverings and moldings to the openings and ensure your satisfaction
• Replace appliances and countertops for larger scale projects

Talk about an amazing difference at about HALF the cost of replacing your cabinets entirely. And the end result might as well look like you have brand new cabinets!

If you're interested in refacing your cabinets give us a call at Woodmaster Woodworks or reference the estimate request page at the top of this blog. This is the sort of work we do everyday! We can help you make your dream kitchen a reality even if you don't have the budget to rip all your cabinets out! 

Updating Laminate Cabinets

Do any of you all have horrid, disgusting, laminate cabinets that you just absolutely hate? Do you wish there was a way that you could update them without literally replacing them? They are boxy, flat, and don't even remotely look like wood. If you were being honest with yourself, you truly hate them, but you just can't afford the couple thousand it would cost to reface your cabinets, much less replace them entirely. It seems like there's nothing you can do but just live with them. 

Gross laminate cabinets

Well, you might just be wrong. Laminate cabinets have historically been close to impossible to update because not many paints out there bond well to laminate. Often times the result looks anything but factory finished. It generally looks like a middle school art project gone bad. And it's for that reason that many homeowners who can't afford the full on kitchen redo have been living with their lack-luster laminate for many outdated years. 

Well, modern day paint products might just have the solution you are looking for, and it's called Cabinet Rescue and is available at your local Home Depot (I had a hard time finding it at Lowes.) 

Cabinet Rescue

Cabinet Rescue is specifically designed to bond to laminate without the need of a primer. It promises (and has very good reviews to back it up) to deliver a factory like finish that has lasting longevity. It also promises to dry quickly without overwhelming fumes. Check out this kitchen's before and after shots:

Fairly amazing difference, huh? I was pretty shocked myself. Cabinet Rescue comes standard in white, but it can be tinted just like any other paint. So essentially the possibilities are endless. Also, it's worth noting that sometimes nothing more than a little hardware will also help spruce up plain cabinets. Generally speaking, cabinets these days do not come without hardware- and a lack of it leaves cabinetry feeling old and outdated. 

Check in with us throughout the week as we go over other ways to fix a floundering kitchen through refacing, refinishing, and replacing!