Greige - The New Neutral

By now, you've probably heard the term "greige" used when it comes to interior design. In case you haven't heard, greige is used to describe a "new" color that is taking over homes across the globe. It's a mix between gray and beige - ultimately the perfect neutral. 

Greige is possibly the coziest color we've ever laid our eyes on. The most common use of greige is obviously paint. It brings this earthy, warm feel to any room, and you can decorate with any accent color under the sun because it's so versatile. At Woodmaster Woodworks, we like to think outside the box. So, we've gathered some of our favorite unique uses of greige that are NOT walls... 

Greige floors. If you can't decide between light or dark floors, go with greige. When choosing a floor color, keep in mind that there will most likely be a lot of it. It needs to be pleasing to the eye and match almost anything. If you're looking for a modern floor color, greige is your best choice, and there are so many variations of it!

Greige furniture is timeless. Especially if you have a stone fireplace in your living room, griege couches, chairs, and pillows will match perfectly. Griege is a stoney and earthy color, so if you're having trouble picking a color scheme for your living room, and you want it to feel welcoming, you can't go wrong with this new classic. 

Last but not least, we love these griege kitchen cabinets. To stand out from the white cabinets trend, choose this gorgeous tone with black hardware. It's totally different from your traditional cabinets, but safe at the same time. Greige cabinets are a fool proof way to cozy up your kitchen. We hope you enjoyed reading the Woodmaster Woodworks blog! See you next time.

Inspirational Kitchens

With just a little time spent on Pinterest, you can find kitchen inspiration for days! We have put together a list of some of our favorite looks. Which one best fits your style? 

Brick Back Splash: This rustic look is to die for; especially designed in a herringbone pattern. We have a feeling that this warm style is the new classic and it will be around for a while!

Glass Cabinets: We love the open feel glass cabinets give a kitchen. Paired with the marble counter tops and glamorous back splash, you can't go wrong with this look. 

Mint: If you find yourself pining over eclectic style homes on Pinterest, maybe a mint kitchen would be just right for you. Pair it with a butcher block island counter top to tone it down a bit. Classy yet fun and unexpected, this gorgeous color will definitely be a conversation starter in your home. 

Open Shelving: Are you a fan of the show "Fixer Upper"? If so, you've seen a lot of open shelving in their kitchens. This look will put the final touches on a farmhouse style kitchen. Open shelves are perfect for putting your best decor and china on display.

Two Islands: This is a rare kitchen feature, but who says you should stop at one island?! If you're an avid chef or entertainer, this would definitely come in handy. We say, if you have the space for two islands, go for it! 

Thanks for reading the Woodmaster Woodworks blog! We hope that we've sparked some kitchen inspiration for all of our readers. Check out some of our very own kitchen cabinets and other carpentry projects on our website:

http://woodmasterwoodworks.com/cabinetryphotos.html

Awesome Cabinet Hardware Finds

If you want to update your cabinets or furniture without having to refinish them or buy new ones, updating the hardware is an easy route! We have compiled a list of interesting knobs and pulls for your cabinets and furniture, along with the price and where we found them in case you find something you love. Take a look!

For just $7.92 you can score this beautiful hand-painted ceramic knob from Etsy, here. Because of it's color and pattern, this particular knob would look incredible on a piece of furniture. Try it out on your nightstand or side table in your living room. If you're going for an Americana or even eclectic vibe, this would be a great fit.

This more traditional knob can be found on HardwareResources.com under the Calloway Collection for $3.59. It's item number is 351SN and the finish is "Satin Nickel". We adore the lighter color of this one, as most metal hardware is often a darker color. This would go great with both light and dark cabinets, and it's a much safer choice for kitchen cabinets if you don't want to go too crazy.



This geometric knob can also be found on Esty (here) for $5.55. This is extremely modern and unusual which would really make a statement in your home. If you don't feel comfortable doing something like this in your kitchen, swap out your bathroom hardware for this. The gold touch is very unique. Etsy is a good place to look if you want one-of-a-kind hardware because they're not from chain type stores.

We love this pull that's $19.98 for a set of two from World Market. The metal and glass materials will match anything, and the feminine shape will make cabinets or furniture look absolutely lovely. Hopefully our suggestions have led you in the right direction, and if anything, showed you some good places to look for hardware online. Thanks for reading!

Play With Color!

At Woodmaster Woodworks, we love color! Sure, all- white cabinets are in right now, but here’s an idea if that’s not your style. A new take on the plain white cabinets is an off-white color with a black or brown glaze. The glaze gives your cabinets a sense of dimension and darkens the color a little. We can accommodate any color you want done.

You can do any combination of paint and glaze! For example, blue kitchen cabinets are trending right now so you could add a black glaze on that, or a black cabinet with a white glaze. The option of a glaze allows for more variety in color and design.

If you don’t think a glaze will give you the look you need, we can still give you an unconventional look through paint. Navy, seafoam green, gray, light powder blue, etc. are all gorgeous cabinet colors! If the idea of colored cabinets scares you, start with a small space such as a half bathroom or laundry room to get a feel for it. Why should we stick with the traditional browns, blacks, and whites when we can do a fun color?

Another trendy use of color at the moment is to do two-toned kitchen cabinets! Whether you do different colored uppers and lowers, or just a different colored island, we think this style does so much for a space. It’s good to break up the space and add a focal point or contrast.

Choosing an eccentric paint color can do wonders. Get creative and don’t be afraid to do something out of the ordinary anywhere in your home or kitchen! After all, the kitchen is the most used room in the house, so it should definitely be eye-catching! 

Refinishing Laminate Cabinets

Want to redo your kitchen cabinets without spending a fortune? I know the feeling. I moved into a house that was screaming 1985 every time I walked into a kitchen or bathroom. So, being a penny pincher, I turned to the internet for affordable options that would give me a better look. The biggest challenge that I faced was the material. My house has laminate counter tops and cabinets - which you can't just paint or stain. Here's my step-by-step guide to doing what I did. I only spent about $300.00, and that includes all of the hardware, paint, drop-cloths, etc. You may already have some of these materials at your disposal.

1. Decide the color choice for your new kitchen/bathroom. 
Keep in mind, if you have white cabinets and very little sunshine, that the color could really change the mood of your room and make it much darker. Also, it's terrible to have to get half way through your project and start over because the color isn't right...not that I did that more than once...

2. Clean your cabinets.
I used hot soapy water to clean the dirt off of the cabinet doors. We also had some issues with mold inside our cabinets due to a water leak, so I made sure all of the cabinets were cleaned inside and out with mold spray.

Before

 3. Take down the doors
This is a surprisingly difficult process if your doors have been up there for a long period of time. Don't forget to take the drawer fronts off - otherwise the whole set up may look funny. The clutter can be overwhelming, but I chose to see it as inspiration to finish faster! **If you have as many doors and drawer fronts as I do, you should probably write on the inside of them where they go, that way you don't spend extra time trying to figure out where they go when hanging them back up.**

4. Sanding Time
This is so much fun. At least pretend, because you have a lot to do! Sand every door, drawer front, and face frame. Make sure to get all of the edges/sides so that the paint wont chip. Don't peel the laminate off if it's stuck on there pretty well, otherwise you may have bumpy paint.

 

If the laminate is peeling off of the boards, this step is the most important. Take your time and make sure that the surface is completely smooth. You may need to apply a thin layer of putty to the door if it's really rough, that way you don't sand into the door too deeply. You want the surface to be as smooth as possible, otherwise every little imperfection will show in the paint job. 

It's best to do this outside, otherwise you'll have very dusty furniture. You may also want to wear a mask because if you have as many doors to do as I did, you'll be breathing in a lot of dust. 

5. Paint Party
Time to grab your rollers and get to painting. Depending on how your painting your project, keep in mind that there are rollers specifically made to paint cabinets. These are very helpful if you're not doing a design or if you just want a really good base coat. You don't need any special paint finish because you will be painting a sealant on top of the paint, so get whatever is cheapest. The only thing you should care about at this stage is the color!

Make sure to go in the same direction each time you roll your paint, otherwise you will be able to see lines. Also, it's very easy to mess up the edges while painting because many laminate cabinets have round edges at the tops and bottoms so there is no stopping point when painting, so make sure you go completely under the door if that's the case. Make sure to use thin, even layers. I recommend doing at least 2 layers of paint, I did 3 on my cabinets. I also had paint/primer in one, so if you don't buy that type of paint, you should probably use a primer, especially if you're going from dark to light or light to dark. Be sure to read the label on the paint can and give it sufficient time to dry and cure between coats. Otherwise it wont dry or it will get bumpy.

I'm not sure how much space you have to paint, but this is the only system that worked for me (space-wise). I didn't want the paint to get everywhere, but I also didn't want what I've painted to get smudged, so I placed each door on a ladder so that the paint wouldn't get messed up and I could paint the edges at the same time.

6. Seal It
 This is the most important step. Don't forget to seal your doors. I highly recommend using Johnson's Water Seal on your cabinets because it's nearly impossible to scratch. I have redone my bathroom cabinets and my kitchen cabinets, and so far nothing has scratched or chipped! This is exterior, oil-based sealant, so be sure to purchase the proper brushes for the job. I couldn't find rollers for oil-based paint, so I had to use a brush. The finer the bristles the better - it makes for a much smoother finish. Be careful in selecting your sealant because many of them are tinted and it can throw off your paint color. You can pick any finish - I chose satin and I love it!

I applied two coats on my cabinets just to be safe. The key to a smooth sealant is to make sure your brush/roller is completely saturated. If there is any beading on your doors, it will dry that way and give a texture that you don't want. Don't forget to let it cure between coats or before hanging. I waited at least 24 hours between coats, usually 48 hours (unless it was raining). If you don't, you risk scratching and smudging your work - and at this point it's worth the wait not to have to redo them!

7. Pick your Hardware
This is where most of my budget went. I spent about $150 on hardware. To me, this was completely worth the cost because it gave my cabinets a whole new style. Depending on what hardware you choose, the price can be much higher or lower than mine. I chose knobs and pulls that were between $3.00 - $3.50 each.

Installing the hardware was tricky because it's very difficult to drill evenly into plywood. I ended up making a template out of some old cardboard and using that to guide me in the installation process.

8. Hang the Cabinets!
 This is the most fun because you get to see all of your hard work pay off!

Sneaky Kitchen Spaces! Fantastic Extra Storage Built-ins

Ahhhh, the kitchen....

Many say it's the most frequently used space in the house.

 This is a main source for food storage, preparing meals & grabbing a quick snack. It's a universal spot in each household.  Although kitchen design can vary, the overall function remains constant.

One of these functions is STORAGE!

Storage for food

Storage for utensils

Storage for pots and pans

Storage for dishes, glasses, bowls

Storage for kitchen appliances

Storage for food
Storage of appliances

Well you can catch our drift.

With so many items to store, it's a wonder we have any counter space at all to 

cook with or even decorate a kitchen theme!  

This is why cabinetry and built-ins 

are so key in not only creating storage for 

these items but also hiding them from plain view. 

 Most home owners would like to keep a clutter free kitchen that utilizes as little counter space as possible 

while allowing all of your important kitchen items to have a home of their own.

Organization is KEY!  Many of these built-in's create and allow for extra space so that pots pans, dishes and any other items that are normally found in the kitchen

 are not piled up or easily lost. 

At the end of the day (and the beginning) the kitchen is where the heart of the home is.  

A place where families gather for breakfast or a cup of coffee to start the day 

or a family meal when the day is done.

Even for gatherings in the homes of families and friends it is widely seen that the kitchen is the hub of the home.

A natural gathering place where people feel comfortable.

So it only makes sense to invest in gorgeous built-ins to save space and organize so there is more livable usable space to make memories that will last longer than any kitchen!