(Sarah Reep, Design Expert)

In an effort to call attention to these findings, Merillat cabinets and Masco Cabinetry (Merillat’s parent company) teamed up with Building Women magazine for the article titled, “What today’s woman wants from her kitchen and how builders can best deliver it” for the Winter 2012 issue. The tips below serve as a handy checklist for kitchen design remodels to ensure your wants are met in your home, and especially in your kitchen.

1. Start Off on the Right Foot. First impressions are everything. Look for a designer who is professional and organized, and ready to help answer your questions.
2. Kicking Things Off. After first impressions are made and you’ve chosen a designer, set up an interview with them to determine basic things like preferences, style, taste, trends and other fundamental elements you are looking for in the design.
3. Prioritize. Then, define what the kitchen needs. Make a list of the “must-haves” and include things that will make your life easier and fit your lifestyle. Consider questions like: Would a double sink be helpful? Do I prefer to wash dishes at an island facing into the home or at a window so I can look out?
4. Build the Roadmap. Next, commit your ideas to paper to ensure all communication is clear between both parties. Tools like the Merillat Kitchen Planner and the IdeaFolio can be helpful in completing this part of the process.
5. Time to Focus. Finally, after all of the ideas and preferences are captured, narrow down the options into one solid final design plan.

Next step? Begin designing!

In February, home improvement expert Danny Lipford will start a new project to help first-time homeowners get a handle on home remodeling. The project will span six episodes of his television show, Today’s Homeowner with Danny Lipford (check your local listings) and follows his daughter, Chelsea Lipford, as she remodels her first home. Danny and Chelsea will use with these five tips to navigate the remodeling process.

1. Assess the Space

Understand exactly what you have to work with in your space, and be realistic about the changes you can make. Learn tips and tricks to take advantage of useful resources that help you visualize the space’s potential.

2. Identify Your Style

Look through magazines, blogs, store catalogs and other visual resources to find things you like and capture them in a single location like the Merillat Ideafolio. This includes furniture, accessories, cabinetry and more.

3. Determine the Scope of the Project

Consider time line, budget and design needs when beginning a project.

• Time line: As exciting as it is to start a project, keep in mind that the process takes time. You may have limited use in certain areas of your home until it’s finished.
• Budget: Set one and stick to it. Don’t be tempted to spend more than the money you’ve allotted.
• Make two lists: Make a list of “must haves” and a list of things that would be nice to eventually add. Focus on the “must haves,” and over time, add the other pieces to your design.

4. DIY vs. Professional

Certain projects can be completed on your own, but others should be left to professionals. If you aren’t an expert plumber, hire an expert to do it correctly. Hiring a designer can also be a very helpful resource, as he or she can help you figure out how to make your space work well and assist you in determining your personal style.

5. Make Time for Fun

Remember that this is an exciting time! Celebrate each step of the process, especially when the details become overwhelming. This is your house and you’re making it your own home!

Go white.

Many, though certainly not all, cottage kitchens are built around white cabinets. White is traditional, looks fresh and clean, and gives you maximum flexibility for changing up accessories either seasonally or whenever the fancy strikes.

Details matter.

Plate racks, glass doors or open cabinets and shelves that show off bright dishes and heirloom treasures add color and a sense of history. Cabinets are often accented with corbels and crown molding, and hardware is more likely to be door pulls rather than knobs.

Gather around.

Even the tiniest cottage kitchens often have a breakfast nook or a couple of stools pulled up to an island or peninsula, because cottage style is all about welcoming friends and family.

Incorporate nature.

Because cottages are on the small side, cottage life often extends to the outdoors with patios and flower and vegetable gardens. Bring the outdoors in with fresh flowers, houseplants, dried herb bouquets or bowls of fruit.

Layer comfort.

Rag rugs or other floor coverings add color and warmth, as do curtains or Roman shades. Top chairs and barstools with cushions, and prop a pillow in the breakfast nook or windowseat.

That’s all it takes to start your cottage kitchen makeover! Leave a comment and let us know what you love about cottage style.

The key to keeping a white kitchen vibrant and not boring is to pay attention to texture and color variation in your design. Here are a few tips:

1. White is a range, not a color.

There are hundreds of shades of white, from cool to warm. Don’t go for the exact same white on your walls, cabinets, and ceiling. Instead, select coordinating whites for added depth.

2. Focus on texture.

If your cabinets have a smooth finish, use a rustic white tile for the backsplash. If your white cabinets have more of a vintage look, play them up with sleek subway tiles. Many of Merillat’s door styles are available in Dove White and Vintage Dove White finishes, both of which are perfect for an all-white kitchen.

3. Warm it up.

Warm up all that white with a ceramic tile floor in gray, or tiles that mimic wood flooring (real wood is not recommended for kitchens and bathrooms because of the potential for water damage). Hang wooden or bamboo blinds or shades. Install a pair of floating shelves or an island end cap in a contrasting wood finish.

4. Bring in spot color.

Add pops of color with a stand mixer, vibrant cachepots with kitchen implements, window valances, rugs, dishtowels and art. Pile a bowl with apples or other seasonal fruit as a centerpiece for your island or peninsula. Put a colorful collection of dishes on display in a plate rack or cabinets with glass inserts.

Visit a certified kitchen designer to get more ideas for how to build or remodel a beautiful white kitchen!

We have taken the latest styles and trends and put a Merillat twist on them.  Our new door styles reflect the emerging design trends toward Heritage, Modern Farmhouse and Soft Modern decorating styles. These three trends come to life in the Merillat Masterpiece line and are customizable to fit every homeowner’s needs.

Merillat Masterpiece® Temora™ door style with a Cherry Kaffe finish.

Heritage

A Heritage style home is one where homeowners enjoy the finer things in life and might choose to entertain guests with fine food and wine. Embellished with details, the home is classically elegant and tailored. Heritage door styles commonly have heavy frames and molding, mitered corners and raised panels that can be accentuated with a luxurious glaze and other finishes to create a traditional, high-end look

Perfect for a Heritage style home, the new Merillat MasterpieceTemora™ door style offers a “flat edge” on the stiles and rails.  Notice the clean and elegant lines here that give this traditional look a modern twist.

Modern Farmhouse

Modern Farmhouse designs infuse metropolitan and suburban homes with diverse icons of industrial living, family tradition and the great outdoors. The style emphasizes the charming contrast that contributes to a casual family setting. Door styles that typically fit this trend have wider stiles and rails, a cope and stick construction with a flat center panel.

Merillat Masterpiece® Gallina™ door style with Maple and Parchment finish

Two Merillat Masterpiece door styles complement this trend. The Gallina™ door style is an eye-catching transitional approach that fits anything from a casual country look to a more contemporary feel depending on the finish. The combination of the wide outside bead, partial-raised center panel, and clean stiles and rails adds a sophisticated touch to the Gallina door style shown here.

The Lucca™ door style presents another option for homeowners who want a more elegant look for their Modern Farmhouse kitchen. The delicate pearl bead outlining its recessed center panel gives the Lucca door style a gentle highlight, suiting this trend perfectly.

Merillat Masterpiece® Lucca™ door style with Maple and Parchment finish

Soft Modern

Homeowners with an appreciation of art, travel and current fashion might be attracted to Soft Modern designs that mimic a Zen, spa-like retreat.  Clean, contemporary lines pair with an organic palette of wood, stone and metal to create a warm and inviting atmosphere. Characteristics of the Soft Modern trend often feature a clean slab door, veneer finish, sloped frame or pillowed edges. The crisp lines of the Breland™ door style create a trendy metropolitan look with a warm appeal for today’s Soft Modern homes.

Merillat Masterpiece® Breland™ door style with Oak and Onyx finish.

When it comes to kitchen design, we know homeowners want styles that offer longevity and versatility.  The Merillat Masterpiece line is another example of how Merillat cabinetry strives to provide beautiful, functional products for the way homeowners live; all while allowing you to customize your cabinetry to fit your personal taste.

Make sure you visit the Masterpiece product page to see what’s new and to find your cabinetry style.

Entering is fun and easy; here’s what you have to do:

• Go to Merillat.com and upload a photo of your current kitchen.
• Write a brief essay telling us why you need a kitchen makeover.
• Let Curtis Stone walk you through our Step-by-Step Kitchen Planner to design your Works Like a Dream kitchen!

Once you’ve completed the three steps, you’ll be entered for a chance to win one of these prizes:

• Grand Prize: $30,000 kitchen makeover, $1,500 in Curtis Stone products and a $3,000 Open House party to show everyone your new kitchen.
• First Prize: Two winners will get a $5,000 credit toward the purchase of Merillat cabinetry.
• Second Prize: Five winners will get $500 in Curtis Stone products.

Merillat is passionate about helping homeowners find a kitchen design that’s right for them. And by encouraging interaction with the Step-by-Step Kitchen Planner we hope more and more homeowners will learn the most appropriate kitchen styles, products and features for their specific lifestyle.

So what are you waiting for? Give us the chance to make your dream kitchen a reality – ENTER NOW!

Sarah Reep speaks at the Dealer Symposium

As part of that experience, Merillat designers discussed new design techniques that allow homeowners to see the intelligent and functional design of their new space. Participating designers also explored the many ways a kitchen can be designed to fit the everyday personality and way of life of clients.

With the help of a functional and innovative designer using Merillat cabinetry, you can design dream rooms for the real world. Merillat designers truly are great designers, but don’t take our word for it, meet our designers for yourself on our Facebook page and see how they’re making dream designs come to life!

Peg dividers for drawers can be customized so you can fit your pots and pans however you like.

If cooking is a hassle for you, it may be time to do some reorganizing. Curtis Stone, star of the reality cooking show “Take Home Chef,” thinks that a beautiful, well-organized kitchen can make a world of difference to home cooks.

Chef Curtis Stone

“When I was doing ‘Take Home Chef’ and cooking in all these different houses,” says Stone, “I was thinking, why is it so difficult to cook in people’s homes? It was so easy in a professional kitchen. Well, one of the main differences between a professional kitchen and residential kitchen is organization. But with the right organizational features, cooking can be fun and relaxing.”

Get in the Zone

According to Paul Radoy, manager of design services for Merillat, the best way to approach kitchen organization and storage is to look at the room in sections. “All kitchens have a cooking zone and a cleanup zone,” he says. “And some kitchens may have an island or pantry. Each of these areas lends themselves to various storage opportunities.”

The Cooking Zone

Food preparation and cooking are the primary functions of a kitchen, which is why keeping cooking items organized and within easy reach is key. The National Association of Professional Organizers recommends observing the flow of activity in your kitchen and organizing around it. Stone agrees, saying, “I believe the kitchen should be designed for the way you live.” Whether you’re installing new cabinets or working with your existing units, try to optimize your space by creating specified storage areas.

• Group objects by purpose and dedicate specific storage areas for them. Having all the bakeware together  or all the pots and pans together lets you get to what you need quickly and efficiently.
• Store pots and pans as close to the stove as possible.
• Keep utensils where you can reach them easily while cooking. A utensil hanging system on the backsplash,  or a pull-down knife rack under the wall cabinet next to the cooktop keeps you from digging through  drawers.

“Now I know almost everyone has a pots and pans cabinet, and most of them are a mess,” says Stone. “Well, Merillat has come up with an ingen- ious solution. Peg dividers for drawers can be customized to neatly fit all your pots and pans as you like them. It’s not one-size-fits-all, so it can be nicely organized.”

Awkward items can be stored on a Lazy Susan or a swing-out base cabinet, both of which take advantage of a tricky blind corner situation. The swing-out base cabinet allows full access to the entire cabinet with its two adjustable roll-out trays.

The Pantry Zone

If you’re tired of hunting through a dozen canned goods to find the one you really need, or if you end up buying items you didn’t know you already had, then it’s time to reorganize the pantry.

Turn a tight fit into plenty of storage with a swing-out system.

Group similar food items together, the way you see them on grocery store shelves. Keep canned goods on one shelf, breakfast foods on another, baking ingredients on another. If you don’t have a lot of built-in storage space, look for ways to maximize what you do have.

• Individual turntables are great for organizing and storing spices and  smaller pantry items. They can be put inside cabinets or on your  counter to give you easy access.
• Stacking platforms can go in taller shelf spaces to eliminate wasted  space.
• Pullout shelves or baskets can utilize even more space in a  cupboard.

The Cleanup Zone

Stone says that organizing the cleanup zone can minimize clutter and make cleanup easier. From the location of the sink and dishwasher to various organizational accessories, any cleanup zone can shine. Things like a tilt-out sink tray, which keeps soaps and sponges out of sight, an under sink tote and a base waste basket help keep things well organized. Also, a cutting board kit close to the sink makes for easy cleanup during food prep.

“From a chef’s perspective, and from a home cook’s perspective,” says Stone, “when you’re working in a kitchen that makes sense, it makes the whole cooking experience much easier — and more fun.”

For more on the latest kitchen storage solutions, visit www.merillat.com.

Traditional Design Style

Identifying your design style is an important first step in any kitchen remodel or new construction. Are you drawn to sleek modern design, or a relaxed and rustic country aesthetic? Are your tastes more eclectic than traditional? Or maybe you prefer some combination of these looks.

Another consideration is the style of the other rooms in your home, and whether you want your kitchen design to stand apart from or blend seamlessly with adjacent rooms.  Some design experts say your style should be consistent throughout your home, while others believe the kitchen is a great place to make a statement.

Eclectic Design Style

Need some help figuring out which design style fits you best? Merillat has some great tools to help point you in the right direction. Explore the Your Design Style section of our website to find the look that appeals to you most, and then view the Merillat products that will help bring that vision to life. To help you along the way, here are some high level descriptions of four popular design categories:

• Eclectic: We like to describe this style as a “free spirit” attitude. Perhaps a bit quirky and unconventional – you think its okay to color outside the lines and scream chartreuse when others insist on boring beige! This style is a celebration of colors, styles and textures combined with casual comfort. Think Dali meets Rachel Ray…
  

  Country Design Style

• Traditional: For those who are a bit more formal, the Traditional design style can range from a more relaxed, less formal interpretation to high-end, embellished sophistication, but is always elegant and timeless. If resale of your home is a consideration, adding some traditional touches is a wise choice.
• Country: If you prefer a more “rustic” aesthetic, this style exudes warmth and comfort. The Country design style is all about softening the edges of life for an inviting and “lived in” feel. For some, this looks includes traditional silhouettes adorned with turned legs and feet, patterned or floral fabrics, and often a bright coat of paint and heirloom detailing. For others, a mountain retreat is the look you’re going for, with open-grained, knotty or rough-hewn woods, and old-world accents of stone, iron and copper. Can’t you already hear the fire crackling?
  

  Modern Design Style

• Modern:  A contemporary kitchen is flexible and functional with clean, uncluttered lines. Modern doesn’t have to mean “cold”; with a simple punch of color, your modern kitchen can become warm and inviting. “Techy” kitchen gadgets and appliances are often a part of this design theme. Contemporary kitchens are very popular in lofts, modern, and city living homes.

So which design style fits you and your home best? Are you traditional to the core? Perhaps you’re a modernist with a touch of eclectic whimsy. Our maybe a casual country aesthetic is what speaks to you. We’d love to hear which style appeals to you most!

Now that you know what look you’re drawn to, you can begin planning your remodel by browsing and saving your favorite Merillat products, accessories and room images from our Inspiration Gallery to your personal IdeaFolio account. You can even start to define your kitchen floor plan within IdeaFolio so you can share your ideas with your designer when you’re ready to bring your dream kitchen to life!

Merillat Masterpiece Fairlane in Maple Burnished Praline

If your family is like most, your kitchen is more than just another room. These days, life happens in the kitchen. The kitchen is the hub of your home, the center of all the day’s activities. And even if you have a showcase dining room, you may actually eat most meals in the kitchen.

With your family’s busy schedule, things tend to overlap. Cooking, homework, bill paying, small talk…it’s all going on across the kitchen counter or at the kitchen table. The eat-in kitchen is the new normal, and when renovating your space you need to design accordingly to make it as family friendly as possible.

To begin, put some thought into how you want your kitchen to function – your lifestyle will dictate the design.  Ask yourself what will help make your space operate efficiently and comfortably. Consider all of the ways in which you currently use your kitchen, where your children or other family members hang out, and then develop your solutions around these factors.

For example, how much seating do you need to accommodate your family members? What kinds of activities are performed in your kitchen? Do you do a lot of cooking? Do your kids like to help?  Who else spends time in your kitchen? Don’t forget to consider how your needs may change over the years.

Whether accommodating little ones, hungry teens, busy parents, seniors, or physically challenged persons in your space planning, there are many ways to create an environment that works for everyone.  Here are a few ideas to help you along the way:

• If small children are a consideration, install countertops with rounded corners to prevent painful bumps and bruises.
• Incorporate a lower height area of counter space that provides easier access for children – and also seniors or physically challenged family members.
• Choose cabinets with durable finishes that will take the bumps in stride.
• Consider cabinetry options like Merillat’s SoftAction™ drawers that help slow down the moving parts as excited kids open and shut them. Self-closing concealed door hinges help prevent pinching and keep doors from hanging open.
• To help keep things clean, choose higher gloss furniture finishes that are easy to wipe off. This concept applies to walls too: “the higher the sheen, the easier it will clean.” Satin or semigloss wall paints are going to be your best bet.
• Upholster chairs with washable fabrics or slipcovers for those eventual spills. Plan on replacing in five years or so.
• Make your kitchen warm and inviting with bright, cheerful paint colors and fabrics.
• Microwave ovens, foods and dishes can be positioned at a lower level where less reaching is required.  Installing our Masterpiece® base microwave cabinet is one great way to put that appliance within easy reach.
• Carve out a comfortable niche for homework, games and just hanging out. This might also be a great spot for bill paying or plugging in a laptop.
• For toddlers you might set aside a small area for their own little table and chairs to keep them occupied and within sight while you’re cooking.
• Varnished hardwood flooring (like maple) will stand up to the abuse of an active family. Linoleum and sealed cork are other good options.
• Make the seating area in your kitchen welcoming by providing plenty of room to spread out for the whole family.
• Hang a pendant lamp over your breakfast nook or table to make a focal point that provides task lighting.
• An island or peninsula is a great way to combine informal dining with ample storage space.  Or you might invest in a rolling island to increase storage and work space.
• With so many people coming and going, you might also consider an entryway area or “drop zone” for things like keys, mail, coats, backpacks and purses. Merillat offers a number of family-friendly accessories to help you customize your space, including drop zone and entryway ensembles.

Ultimately, what you’re striving to create is a space that everyone feels comfortable in and can easily utilize on a daily basis. These are just a few ideas to help get you there.  Have additional ideas you’d like to share? We’d love to hear them!