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!

Attendees couldn’t resist stopping by the booth to check out the displays and participate in activities.  In the innovation zone we featured our latest products, the CoreGuard™ Sink Base, a smart solution that helps keep the cabinetry under your sink dry and clean.  We also gave a sneak peak of two products that will be available soon: CornerStore™, a solution to bring more storage and easy accessibility to the challenging corner cabinet area, and the CoreGuard™ Vanity, like the kitchen sink base, but special for the bathroom.

Special guests drew a crowd!

Our favorite Australian chef, Curtis Stone, was in the booth cooking up an all-time favorite, spaghetti and meatballs, and his delicious vanilla pana cotta.  Not to mention, some lucky audience members were able to sample his champagne cocktail with poached strawberries. Curtis also shared his favorite Merillat cabinetry features, while demonstrating how easy it is to cook in a Merillat kitchen. Visitors were also able to get autographs and pictures.

In addition, home improvement celebrities Eric Stromer from HGTV’s Over Your Head and Cindy Dole, host of CBS radio show “Home Wizards”, were in the booth discussing Merillat’s product innovations  and one of the most important design realities today – Universal Design. Cindy and Eric explained that since more and more families are living together in multigenerational households, it is important when building a new home or remodeling that the kitchen should accommodate different ages and abilities. Merillat kitchens at the show included many examples of how products and design come together to meet these needs.

Knowledge Leadership

Before KBIS, Merillat was part of a Masco Cabinetry study to gain insight into kitchen design as it relates to current generational needs. And Merillat, along with the other Masco Cabinetry brands, was excited to release the latest findings from the study, GenShift 2011: Lifestages Redefining the Kitchen.  The study illustrates how recent social, economic and generational influences impact kitchen design. The study was well received and attracted a lot of attention as homeowners, dealers, builders and designers are all noticing shifts in kitchen living and use.  For more information or to download a copy of the complete study, visit GenShiftKitchen.com.

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.

Well, at Merillat we’ve been thinking about the area under the sink – we’ve been thinking about it a lot! And this is how we came up with the new CoreGuard^TM Sink Base cabinet. It helps protect against under-sink damage, alerting you of minor leaks and keeping cabinets stain free. It’s durable and an overall great investment to add to your kitchen.

And because we think it’s so cool, we want to get the word out and build excitement around this innovative new product.  So, we’re launching the Merillat Down Under Promotion.

What’s the Down Under Promotion?

When you purchase Merillat Classic^® cabinetry and include a CoreGuard™ Sink Base in your new kitchen, you become eligible for a $100 mail-in rebate!  The promotion runs until May 28, 2011 at any participating Merillat dealer.

Wait, there’s more…

You know what else goes great in a Merillat kitchen – products from our favorite Australian chef, Curtis Stone.  So while you’re learning more about CoreGuard™ on Merillat.com, be sure to tell us what goes on Down Under your sink and you could win prizes from Curtis Stone’s must-have product line including:

• A copy of Relaxed Cooking with Curtis Stone
• Go With the Flow Oil Can
• Hold Me Mixing Bowls
• Flipper Cutting Board

We’re giving away prizes daily until May 1, 2011, so come back often!

ENTER NOW!

"Cook Like Curtis" - Curtis Stone National Consumer Gift Pack Promotion

Merillat turned up the heat this month with our first-ever Cook like Curtis National Consumer Gift Pack Promotion. Because of our relationship with renowned chef Curtis Stone, we’re offering homeowners free Curtis Stone kitchenware!  And just like our cabinetry, Curtis Stone kitchenware is designed to be both beautiful and functional and is the perfect complement to any dream kitchen.

All you have to do is purchase 14 or more Merillat Classic® cabinets, excluding Spring Valley, between November 1 and November 30, 2010 and you can receive a free Curtis Stone Gift Pack, valued at $297.

The Gift Pack includes a variety of Curtis Stone kitchenware such as an autographed copy of Relaxed Cooking with Curtis Stone, a baking mat, spoon rest, cutting board, oil can, coffee mugs, and more. And, as an extra bonus – each Gift Pack will also include a coupon good for 20% off the regular price of additional Curtis Stone product!

To be eligible, the mail-in form must be post marked by December 10, 2010, and received by December 31, 2010.

Hurry! Time is running out to get your free Curtis Stone Gift Pack! Click here to view the Gift Pack mail-in form for additional rules and regulations.

Guided by chef Curtis Stone, you’ll be asked a series of questions that will help you determine your specialized needs and preferences, covering everything from kitchen layout to paint palettes. Once you’ve completed the customized planning process, you’ll be able to review your kitchen choices in a virtual rendering and a mood board that can be printed at home and shared with your local Merillat dealer.

The process is laid out in six easy-to-follow steps:

1. Getting Started. In this first section, you will be prompted to create or log in to your IdeaFolio™ account so your project can be saved, changed and shared. In this step, the planner also gathers information about you that could affect your kitchen design. For example, it asks if you are remodeling or building a new kitchen.
2. Inspiration. Here you will explore and choose the design style that fits you best. Once you have chosen a style, you will then be presented with a series of kitchen photos from which you can choose and “save” favorites, and learn about the features that make those kitchens special.
3. Door Style. In this step you will be guided through the process of choosing your favorite door style, wood species, finish and hardware for a finished look you will love.
4. Organization and Accessories. Based on answers provided about how you plan to live in your kitchen, the tool will then present a series of features designed to make life in the kitchen easier. From pull-out wastebaskets to wine racks, you can browse additional photos and videos about the features to learn more, saving your favorites to your project.
5. Planning Your Space. Next you will review major considerations you may want to discuss with your designer once you get to a Merillat showroom, such as sink and faucet types, counter top materials and appliance options, all of which can affect the kitchen layout.
6. Finishing Touches. This is where it all comes together with cabinetry accents like corbels and crown molding, paint color, flooring and counter tops.

Upon completion of the final step, you will be presented with “My Design,” a collection of your favorite products organized for easy sharing with your designer. Swatches and images are provided; including door styles, hardware, paint color, flooring and countertops.

The Kitchen Planner is designed to engage and inspire you, and make the planning, selection and purchasing process more efficient and streamlined so your dream kitchen can become a reality.

Want to learn more? Check out this video and then give the Kitchen Planner a try yourself and let us know what you think!

Merillat's Satellite Media Tour with Curtis Stone

You may have seen renowned chef Curtis Stone on your favorite morning TV news show earlier this month talking about the functional innovation of Merillat cabinetry.  The interviews took place at a studio in Los Angeles and were broadcast through satellite to news morning shows across the country in top markets like LA, Sacramento, Denver and San Antonio.

I was in the studio during the interviews and it was quite exciting!  We began the day at 3 a.m. PST (yes that is 3 a.m.!) with the first set of interviews airing in the east coast and we finished up at about 8 a.m. That’s after completing 25 TV and radio interviews that reached 8.9 million viewers! Be sure to check out our video summary of all interviews.

During the interviews, Curtis made a crab mozzarella salad, while demonstrating different functional features of the kitchen and discussed how these features can make life in the kitchen easier.  He highlighted great Merillat kitchen features such as the pull-out spice rack, cutting board kit, deep drawer peg divider, double base waste basket and recycle bin, and even SoftAction drawers. I mean, who better to illustrate kitchen functionality than a professional chef?

We’d love for you to share what makes life in your kitchen easier. Share your stories, tips or even recipes with our blog readers.

Merillat's New Television Commercial with Curtis Stone

We’re thrilled to announce the launch of our new national marketing campaign: The Dream Kitchen for the Real World. Why are we so excited?  Because, we’re determined to let homeowners know, “Merillat has the tools to help make prepping, cooking, entertaining and living in your kitchen easier!”

Through a variety of advertising and public relations efforts, this campaign shows homeowners firsthand how Merillat kitchens are highly functional, and jam-packed with a variety of smart storage solutions. Overall, Merillat can help turn your kitchen dream into a reality.

Tune in!

The campaign kicked-off July 1 with a national TV commercial that puts the “fun” in function and highlights what Merillat is all about — meaningful innovation and functional storage.  To illustrate this message, we’re partnering with renowned chef Curtis Stone. Who better to illustrate the importance of a well-designed kitchen than a professional chef!

The commercial will air for six months on select cable stations such as HGTV, Food Network, DIY and the Cooking Channel and during some of the networks’ most popular shows including House Hunters, Giada at Home, and Kitchen Impossible.

In addition to the TV commercial, you may be able to see Curtis Stone put a Merillat kitchen to the test LIVE on July 6. Curtis’ interviews will focus on tips to entertain and cook with ease, while pointing out Merillat’s great organizational features. Check out the air dates below to see if your favorite morning news show made the list:

• 6:10 CST KIMT-CBS – Mason City, IA
• 7:15 EST WMYA-MY NETWORK – Greenville, SC
• 7:20 EST WPMT-FOX – York, PA
• 7:40 EST WHAM-CW – Rochester, NY
• 6:15 MST KWGN-CW – Denver, CO
• 9:15 EST WTOL-CBS – Toledo, OH
• 8:20 CST WCIA-NBC – Springfield, IL
• 8:40 CST KABB-FOX – San Antonio, TX
• 7:45 PST KCRA-NBC – Sacramento, CA

Listen In!

In addition to TV, Curtis will be doing a number of radio interviews:

• 7:35 EST   WOBM-FM – OCEAN CITY, NJ
• 8:23 EST   USA RADIO NATIONAL
• 8:00 CST   KKVI-FM – DALLAS, TX
• 9:35 EST   WMZQ-AM BALTIMORE, MD

Stay tuned for more information on how Merillat can help make your kitchen dreams come true!

Watch our new TV commercial with Curtis Stone.

Curtis Stone cooking demo at Merillat's 2010 KBIS booth

For the first time ever, Merillat invited a celebrity chef to KBIS!  On Friday, April 16, renowned chef Curtis Stone put the on-site Merillat kitchen to work with some cooking demonstrations and autograph sessions.  This lively event put the “fun” in function by demonstrating a number of organizational features of Merillat cabinetry, not to mention three of Curtis’ mouth watering recipes.

For those who are unfamiliar, Curtis is a wildly popular Australian chef who has become a bit of a phenomenon here in the U.S. with his reality cooking show, Take Home Chef, and appearances on shows like NBC’s Today Show, The Biggest Loser, The Oprah Winfrey Show and The Celebrity Apprentice.  You can learn more about Curtis at CurtisStone.com.

His appearance at KBIS was Curtis’ first introduction as Merillat’s new spokesperson, and marked the beginning of a new advertising and public relations campaign coming this summer that recognizes life happens in the kitchen.

So, who better than a professional chef to illustrate the importance of a well organized kitchen by putting Merillat’s KBIS kitchen to the test?  Equipped with some of our coolest cabinet accessories and technologies, and the new prototype CornerStore™ cabinet, Curtis testified that the conveniences and smooth work flow found in a Merillat kitchen make a big difference in creating a great environment for cooking and entertaining.

According to Curtis, after visiting hundreds of real kitchens while filming Take Home Chef, “Domestic kitchens aren’t always so practical. It makes cooking a hassle. What (Merillat does) is produce beautiful kitchens, as you can see. To me, kitchens should be the sexiest room in the house. And not only do (Merillat kitchens) look amazing, but they’re super practical. From a chef’s perspective, and from a home cook’s perspective, when you’re working in a kitchen that makes sense, it makes the whole cooking experience much easier.”

Curtis, of course, makes cooking look effortless.  Several lucky audience members got to get their hands dirty in the Merillat kitchen, helping Curtis whip up steamed mussels with chorizo (see below for the recipe!), a pesto linguine with shrimp, and – best of all – several variations on a divine chocolate sauce.

If you didn’t get to attend KBIS and would like to see Curtis in action, we’ll be posting videos of these demonstrations in the next few weeks, so stay tuned!

Steamed Mussels with Chorizo and White Wine

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 pound / 500 grams  Spanish chorizo, cut into bite-size pieces
4 shallots, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
4 pounds / 2 kg mussels, bearded and scrubbed
1 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro / coriander , plus more for garnish
6 tablespoons / 80 grams butter, chopped
1 baguette, torn into large pieces

Method

1. Sauté the chorizo for about 8 minutes, or until they are golden brown.
2. Add the shallots and garlic, and sauté for about 2 minutes, or until fragrant.
3. Add the mussels and toss quickly to coat.
4. Add the wine.
5. Cover and cook over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes, or until the mussels begin to open.
6. Discard any mussels that do not open.
7. Add 3 tablespoons of cilantro and toss to combine.
8. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the mussels and sausages to a warm large serving bowl.
9. Cover to keep warm.
10. Boil the juices remaining in the pan for 1 minute.
11. Whisk in the butter.
12. Pour the sauce over the mussels, sprinkle with the additional cilantro and serve immediately with the baguette pieces.

Check out other recipes by Curtis on his website: http://www.curtisstone.com/Recipes.aspx.

Merillat Classic Avenue in Maple Chiffon

Attendees of the K∙BIS Kitchen & Bath Industry Show in Chicago April 16-18 aren’t going to want to miss the new innovations, functionality and exciting new looks we have on display. Here are just some of the Merillat product introductions and events taking place at K∙BIS:

Cooking Demonstration with Celebrity Chef Curtis Stone
Celebrity Chef Curtis Stone is cooking LIVE today, April 16, from 12:00 noon to 4:00 p.m. in Merillat’s booth #S1217. Curtis will put our kitchen to the test, demonstrating how important a well-designed, functional space really is. In between demos, he’ll be signing autographs and taking photos, so be sure to stop by if you’re at the show!

Over 100,000 New Merillat Classic® SKUs
Get a sneak peek of some of the great new products and product enhancements that will be available on April 27, including our new Chiffon and Amaretto finishes, new Desert, Tuscan and Java glazes, the new Merillat Classic® Tolani door style, decorative accents and lots of storage solutions.

Revolutionary New CoreGuard^™ Sink Base Cabinet on Display
We’ll also be showing off our exclusive new CoreGuard™ water resistant sink base that re-thinks base cabinet construction by specifically addressing issues such as spills and plumbing leaks. Available this fall, CoreGuard makes detection and cleaning of leaks and spills a breeze.

Corner Storage Made Easier with CornerStore^™ Cabinet
Check out cool new storage options like the CornerStore^™, our prototype corner access cabinet. Available December 2010, this product brings more storage and easy accessibility to that notoriously tight corner cabinet area and provides a high capacity alternative to the traditional Lazy Susan.

Plan Your Space with Our Virtual Selection Center
Envision your kitchen before you build with our new interactive planning tool, the Virtual Selection Center, which we’ll be unveiling at the show.

If you’re at the show, come by booth #S1217 and say hello as you browse our latest trends, styles and designs!