It’s always great to read a local story about people who have served our country and the paths that led them to where they are today. These Army lifers have spent their lives all over the world on our behalf before deciding it was time to settle down.

When you decide to remodel a bathroom, you can’t help but get excited. Even a small bathroom design can be transformed with the right choice of cabinets, countertops and fixtures. Get it right and all of sudden it just might be the most popular bathroom in the house.

The care and details that go into preparing a Thanksgiving dinner are not unlike the care and detail that goes into planning a kitchen remodeling project. Cooking that Thanksgiving meal is a team effort of family and friends, just like planning a kitchen remodeling project is a team effort, bringing you and your designer together to create your dre...

Honoring our Veteran’s is something that we should be doing every day. And in Chesapeake, VA we are getting a very special opportunity to work on a kitchen remodeling project with our own group of “veterans”. Two of them are military veterans and one of them is a “veteran” of the kitchen and bath industry. How did they come together to be working o...

In the mid-70’s the Starland Vocal Band recorded the number one hit “Afternoon Delight”. It instantly skyrocketed up the charts with its’ strong harmonies. And while kitchen remodeling or bathroom remodeling may not be as glamorous as a hit song, when it comes to choosing a painted cabinet these skyrockets truly are in flight.

Kitchen Cabinet Accessory Ideas - Glass and Vertical Cabinet Doors Two of the simplest ways to change the look of your kitchen can be achieved simply by changing the look or function of some doors. Glass Doors – Easily change the look of your kitchen. Glass doors can be a bright contrast to a darker finish or add a focal point to a wall of ca...

Store your baking pans and trays with ease Cookie sheets, lasagna pans, pizza stones, large cutting boards….we all have them in our kitchen along with the make shift storage solutions we come up with that either waste valuable space or are located in less than easily accessible locations. A simple solution is to incorporate a kitchen cabinet...

Pull out your storage with Cabinet Roll Out Trays Are roll out trays are really better than shelves? Being able to pull your storage to you and access from 3 sides is a lot easier then bending over or getting on one or both knees to dig through what you have on the shelves or in the very back of the cabinet (don’t forget your flashlight!). A ...

We recently completed a kitchen remodeling project using soapstone kitchen countertops (and one kitchen sink).  As you can see from the picture, with it's medium gray cast and distinctive veining a soapstone kitchen countertop can create a unique look that can really make any kitchen pop!

Last week, we shared results on the most desired kitchen trends based on a survey given to Kitchen & Bathroom Designers by the Research Institute for Cooking & Kitchen Intelligence (RICKI). This week we wanted to share the results of what consumers are asking for most when remodeling their bathroom. Here are the top 5 most desired bathroom design t...

The Research Institute for Cooking & Kitchen Intelligence (RICKI) gathered feedback from kitchen design professionals indicating what consumers ask for most when they want to start remodeling their kitchen. Here are the top 5:

One of the early choices to make in kitchen cabinets when remodeling your kitchen is choosing a door style.  There are 3 main kitchen cabinet door styles: traditional, full-overlay and inset.

Ok, I admit that this likely comes as no surprise to anyone reading this since I work for a kitchen company (I’m also thankful for bathrooms but that’s a whole other discussion).

We’re down to the Sweet 16 of NCAA basketball’s March Madness. Every decision, every play, every result hinging on other decisions, plays and results. While many teams are evaluated by their overall depth, it is typically the starting five that sets the tone for the game and the success of the team. Working together, a Center, 2 Forwards and 2 Guar...

Close your eyes. Imagine the kitchen you grew up in. The table you ate it. The area your mom cooked, baked and whipped up seemingly magical meals...and similarly dreaded meals (I still don't care for Salisbury steak to this day...). Focus in a little more and picture the countertop. Can you see it? What is that? Plastic? Laminate. But then a few ye...

Never underestimate the importance of lighting for your kitchen. Whether you’re cooking, eating, cleaning, or organizing, you will need plenty of light in the right places. Otherwise, you risk misplacing key items or leaving crumbs and liquids lying on the counter, where they can attract bugs and germs. It’s not hard to see why lighting matter...

One of the main areas most exposed to bacteria, dirt and grease in your home is your kitchen cabinets. Grease from cooking, condensation from external temperatures and children opening and closing your kitchen cabinets constantly throughout the day calls for routine upkeep.  We want to help you master the maintenance and let your cabinets...

When you look at your bathroom, do you go “blah?” Maybe you’re not too excited about the boring old decor you’ve seen every single day in there for years. But you spend a lot of time in your bathroom - getting ready, showering, and you know, doing business. It’s about time that you gave your bathroom some TLC. And you&...

A kitchen remodel may be an exciting prospect, or it may feel littered with landmines. How are you supposed to get what you want without compromising your ability to sell your home later? Is it true that all remodels are basically wasted money, funds you’ll never recoup on the sale of your home? Should you just give up right now, crawl under a rock...

There was a time in the not-so-distant past when the phrase “more is better” actually made sense to people. We understand now, of course, that more of anything can become a problem. Most of us live busy, complex lives and simply adding more to the mix makes our lives feel cluttered.

If you’re dreaming of designing your bathroom with a spa-like aesthetic, then a wet room is certainly an option worth considering. So, what exactly is a wet room? It’s a bathroom where the shower is open or placed behind a single wall, and the floor space of the shower is leveled with the entire room, with the water draining through an opening infu...

Redoing a bathroom requires making a thousand decisions, but none is arguably so impactful on the overall effect as tile. It is the foundation on which you walk and the covering that protects your shower. Frequently it also forms part of the wall or a backsplash around the sink. Your tile choices, in other words, have considerable bearing on your w...

As you prepare to design or remodel your bathroom, don’t overlook the importance of saving space. Maximizing your use of the available area isn’t just about convenience; it’s also about safety, as the more room you have to move around and reach things, the less likely you are to strain yourself or fall. Thus by designing in a way that wastes as lit...

What’s the most dangerous part of your home? If you guessed “the kitchen,” you’re not far off: this one room is responsible for nearly half a million knife injuries a year, to say nothing of falls, burns, strains, and other potentially serious injuries. If you want to protect yourself and your loved ones from these mishaps, you have to design a kit...

There’s something sacred about food. No matter who we are or where we come from, we all love food. And when we’re sitting down to a meal with someone or a group of people, we’re all sharing in a communal experience, and gathering to sit down and reflect on our day.

You walk into your kitchen, thinking about how you’re going to prepare yourself a meal fit for a king. But then you actually get inside your kitchen. You look around and realize that your kitchen couldn’t make a meal fit for a king, because it’s too tiny. Your kitchen might be small, but you can still make it feel like home. And y...

It doesn’t even have to be around the holidays for you to have a wishlist. There are things that you want in your master bathroom year round, because you’re going to be using your bathroom year round. Here’s some things to keep your eye on if they’re not already on your list.  

You love to entertain. And you’ve been entertaining the idea of getting a wet bar or a dry bar.  Your house is known as the place where people go to gather. Maybe you love hosting a small, intimate gathering. Or maybe you love to get a big group together and call it a party.

The kitchen is a great place where people can come together and make a meal and talk about their day...except for when you’re cramped when there’s more than one person in the space. Or you keep bumping your elbow on that poorly placed counter. And you are constantly wrestling those pots and pans out of your cupboards. Yes, kitchens can ...

Step inside your kitchen. If you’re not home picture it in your head. How’s it looking? How does your kitchen make you feel? If you had a less than a positive answer to those questions, then you probably already know something needs to change. Your kitchen should make you feel warm and relaxed. You should be ready to whip up a dinner or...

When you’re planning a kitchen remodel, it’s an understatement that there’s a lot to do. You have to think about when you want to do your remodel, what you want to remodel, what style it should be, and more. But perhaps the most pressing thing on everyone’s mind? The budget. Don’t stress about how much everything is go...

Are you thinking of entertaining for the holidays, but look at your kitchen and think twice about having people over? You want to cook and have a place for your friends to stay, but envisioning having to prepare all the food in your tiny kitchen is making you want to suggest having a party somewhere else.

So you’re in the bathroom squinting at yourself in the mirror and it dawns on you: your bathroom is just...dim. Even if your bathroom is large, when it’s not bright, it can feel smaller. And that’s the opposite of what you want. But you don’t have to be afraid of the dark. There are some surefire ways that can lighten up you...

The kitchen is an intimidating place for some people. For others, it’s where they go to make masterpieces. Whatever level of kitchen aficionado you are, everyone can agree they love food.  If you want to be a master chef, you need a master kitchen. Here are some ways to bring your cooking and your kitchen design to the next level.

It’s the start of a new year and the buzz around kitchen remodeling is louder than ever. Is it time for you to consider kitchen remodeling? Here’s a “list” of fun clues that can help you determine if the time is right for you to remodel your kitchen:

One of the goals of clients remodeling their kitchen is for the new kitchen to be more organized and offer storage than the current version. A good designer will ask you to list your most used kitchen items and discuss placement and storage ideas based on your list.

We’ve all heard the saying “It takes a village…”. With kitchen design, it does not quite take a village but there is no doubt that it is a team effort. Not only a collaboration between designer & client, but with a support team ready to assist to turn great kitchen ideas into great kitchens.

It's a new year! Thinking about remodeling your kitchen? You are not alone! Many homeowners are considering kitchen remodeling in 2013. According to a survey on 2013 kitchen remodeling trends by Russell Research, the most popular choices for updating the kitchen are countertops (76%), wall coverings (70%), cabinetry (67%) and flooring (64%).