It’s taken months and months of hard work, but I am pleased to say The Kuppersmith Project is complete and looking better than ever!  You have been able to witness the full transformation of this 1920s Tudor style house in Mobile, Ala. on my show, Today’s Homeowner with Danny Lipford.  Now it is time to see the final reveal of the entire home, including the Merillat cabinetry and DeNova countertops used throughout the home.

As you know, at the start of the project the Kuppersmith home was a 1900-square foot home without central heating or air-conditioning, the plumbing and wiring were outdated and the kitchen and bathroom were small, outdated and needed to be completely redone.

We were lucky to work with our friends at Merillat and DeNova to provide cabinetry and countertops solutions for various rooms throughout the home.  Even though the Kuppersmith house was a huge undertaking, in fact my biggest yet, Merillat and DeNova’s integration made for quick and easy installation.  We used this cabinet + countertop combination all over the house to help simplify the remodel and make each room beautiful and more functional.

Merillat cabinetry, filled with innovative storage solutions, brings a new dimension of style and functionality to the Kuppersmith kitchen.  Some of my favorites are featured in the kitchen and include the CoreGuard™ Sink Base—there is no better way to help avoid under sink damage, plus it is durable and easy to install.  The cutting board kit and deep drawer peg board are perfect and convenient for keeping your kitchen organized while you cook. This is a family friendly kitchen that will be easier and more enjoyable to work in.

The Kuppersmith Project is a great example of how Merillat kitchens are more functional with ingenious features that make life in the kitchen easier.  Plus, the integration of Merillat cabinets with DeNova countertops lends itself to a more seamless remodeling process.  I’m speaking from experience and know that all contractors will appreciate this!

Check out my web site for more information about the Kuppersmith home.  And if you missed the unveiling of the home or any of the other Kuppersmith episodes, you’re in luck because we are re-airing the 13-part series.  Click here to find out when the shows air in your area!

At our company, we like to say that “every top has a bottom and every bottom has a top.” That allows us to match our cabinetry brands exclusively with our DeNova™ countertop brand.  In the Kuppersmith Project, we deployed our own process that uses laser, electronic data transfer and computer design to make countertop templating and fabrication easier, faster and more accurate. It replaces the tedious (and often inaccurate) paper, cardboard or plywood templating normally used to measure countertop spaces.  This can be used on both new construction or remodeling projects for measurements at the drywall or stud stage, or even when the cabinets are already in place.

Laser measurements can be taken very quickly, and will take into account all the nuances of the room – imperfections in the walls, and the different turns and levels of the countertop space. The data gathered by laser and computer are immediately transferred electronically to the fabricating facility, where the templates are developed and the countertops produced. In some cases, the countertops, sinks and cabinets can be delivered together and installed by one crew on the same day – saving installation time and expense. This process also can reduce callbacks.

In the Kuppersmith house, the Merillat cabinets were already in place when we began our laser templating. Our process captured precise cabinet and wall measurements and all the character and imperfections of an 84-year-old house.  The end result? The cabinets and countertops became one very coordinated element of the kitchen – from color and style selection to measurement, fabrication and installation.

To see out laser templating process in action, please watch this video.

Countertops today are available in more colors and materials than ever before, and can be used in almost every room of the house. This may make selecting the perfect countertop seem like a daunting task, but we’ve made it easy to combine function with beauty in almost any room.

The first step in countertop selection is to determine the function of that space and countertop. Will the countertop be used for food preparation, for a gathering space (such as a kitchen island area) or for a hard-working utility room or other workspace?

DeNova™ countertops provide a range of styles and colors that fit any work or visual requirement:

• Looking for a hard-working, food preparation countertop? Natural quartz is a beautiful, hard working surface that’s perfect in a food prep setting. Because it is completely non-porous, natural quartz is highly stain, mold, mildew and bacteria resistant. It doesn’t require regular resealing and resists chips, cracks and heat. It’s available in a wide range of colors and patterns that will match any cabinetry and other surfaces you’re using in the space.
• For a dramatic statement, combined with a hard-working surface, select natural granite. Because each slab has its own distinctive character and tonal qualities, natural granite is a beautiful addition to any room. It’s also heat and scratch resistant, so it can be used for a variety of food service duties. Natural granite should be periodically resealed to maintain its appearance, and you should limit exposure to highly acidic foods and other staining substances.
• How about a custom countertop or work surface? Choosing a solid surface countertop will give you a range of color choices and the option of building in unique molded features, such as sinks, backsplashes and drain boards. A solid surface countertop offers extremely consistent color and high durability in a non-porous surface that is resistant to bacteria and stains and easy to keep clean.
  

DeNova countertops work beautifully together in a single setting. In the kitchen at the Danny Lipford Kuppersmith project house, for example, we used Tuscan Gray natural quartz countertops and a natural granite island in DeNova Golden Hill. Not only do the surfaces complement each other, but the colors are a natural highlight to the Merillat cabinets chosen for the room.

The DeNova collection offers complementary colors and styles in multiple surfaces that can be combined with a wide range of cabinetry choices so homeowners have the best of both worlds – function and beauty! To learn more, visit the DeNova website.

A "before" shot of the Kuppersmith House

Danny Lipford has asked Merillat and DeNova to be a part of his biggest project to date—and we couldn’t be more excited!  This ambitious project is a top to bottom remodel of a 1920s Tutor style house in Mobile, Ala.  The Kuppersmith Project, named after the family who lived in the home for about 50 years, is a collaboration to remake the traditional American home.

The renovation will include a beautiful Merillat kitchen and bathrooms and features DeNova countertops.  In addition, Merillat will be featured in the home’s living room and laundry room.  The transformation of each room will be documented throughout a 13-part series on Today’s Homeowner with Danny Lipford; airing will start, the week of January 31, 2011.

With Danny at the helm, viewers will learn practical, realistic approaches to remodeling while addressing the top 50 challenges average homeowners face.  Plan now to join Merillat and DeNova as we work with Danny to transform the Kuppersmith house into practical, timeless, beautiful rooms designed for the way people live.

Watch a sneak peek of the project and keep track of the progress on Danny’s Facebook and Twitter pages as well Merillat’s Facebook and Twitter pages.  We’ll also be sure to keep you posted about the project’s status on Merillat’s Round Table.

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!

Merillat Cabinets + DeNova Countertops = ProCision

Builders will find an exciting new way to way to streamline their kitchen projects when they visit the International Builder’s Show in Las Vegas January 19-22, where Merillat is introducing ProCision™, a fully coordinated cabinet and countertop installation process.

ProCision is offered exclusively with three Masco Builder Cabinet Group (MBCG) brands: Merillat and QualityCabinets, and the premium DeNova countertop brand, which joined the MBCG family in 2008.

ProCision integrates factors like cabinet design, countertop templating, coordinated cabinet and countertop scheduling, and facilitates same-day delivery and installation. A precise digital measuring and templating system covers cabinets and countertops at the same time, so there’s no need for a traditional plywood countertop template.

Karen Strauss, MBCG President, thinks builders will love ProCision. “One of the most frustrating issues for builders is to install cabinets and then have to wait several days for the countertops to be delivered – hoping they will install smoothly.”

Builders who use ProCision can expect some positive developments:

• A kitchen installation cycle that’s 8 to 15 days shorter
• Fewer trips to the jobs site
• Fewer “competing” subcontractors on the job site
• One single point of contact for sales, service and support

Stop by the Merillat booth at IBS and see how your installation process can look as smooth and coordinated as your finished product, thanks to ProCision.