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!

You can enter online at DannyLipford.com now until July 25, 2010, and have the opportunity to win a complete kitchen makeover including countertops, flooring, appliances and, of course, Merillat cabinets.

The contest theme is focused on, you guessed it, function.  Because we know with just a few Merillat storage accessories and some savvy design tips, a well-organized kitchen is easy to achieve.  So be sure to enter a photo of your non-functional kitchen and tell us why you deserve a new kitchen full of Merillat’s functional accessories.

The grand prize winner will be chosen based on a number of criteria including appropriateness to theme and creativity, and will be announced at the end of August.

And even if you aren’t the grand prize winner, stay tuned because we’ll keep you posted on the remodeling so you can learn how to make your own kitchen more functional.  Plus, the newly remodeled kitchen will be featured on a special episode of Today’s Homeowner.

So what are you waiting for?  Enter for a chance to win your dream Merillat kitchen at DannyLipford.com!

With so many flooring choices available, it can be overwhelming to come up with the best fit for your kitchen and your needs. To help you along the way, we have created this handy two-part post describing the advantages (and disadvantages) of various types of flooring on the market today. So take a look and see which floor might work best for you!

Wood Flooring
Popular wood flooring choices include maple, oak, pine, and bamboo. Wood floors are installed before cabinets and often laid out in narrow strips, planks or patterned parquet squares.

Advantages

• Available in a variety of colors, looks and finishes
• Simple to keep clean with broom or vacuum (if the floor is polyurethane-coated)
• Quite durable

Disadvantages

• Fading: must be careful where rugs and mats are laid out.
• Warping and buckling when moisture is contained between boards
• Often expensive
• Needs to be refinished to eliminate major marks and scratches
• Can be slippery

Tile Flooring
Many different styles of tile flooring are available including ceramic, porcelain, mosaic and quarry tile.  These tiles are laid and assembled using grout.

Advantages

• Comes various colors, designs and sizes
• Durability
• Stain resistant (if glazed)
• Suitable for radiant heat

Disadvantages

• Can be hard on the feet
• Slippery and more dangerous to fall on
• Can be pricey
• Individual tiles can crack over time
• Unglazed tile needs to be treated periodically with sealants

Vinyl Flooring
Vinyl is a good budget-conscious alternative. It is scratch resistant and softer than tile or hardwood, easier on the feet and gives dropped dishes a better chance for survival!

Advantages

• Variety of colors and designs
• Less expensive than alternatives
• Soft on feet and dishes
• Requires very little maintenance
• Scratch, scuff and stain resistant

Disadvantages

• Easily dented by furniture, heels and other objects
• Peeling can occur
• Cheaper look and feel than more expensive alternatives

Stone Flooring
The stones that are often used for kitchen floors include slate, marble and granite. They offer an elegant and durable look, but often come with a hefty price tag.

Advantages

• Very durable
• Can be used over a radiant heat system
• Elegant and high quality look and style

Disadvantages

• More expensive
• Slippery and can be dangerous to fall on
• Stones can chip
• Stains and dirt often show on light colored grout between the stones
• Must apply sealants periodically to prevent stains
• Stone can be cold and uncomfortable on the feet

Check out Part 2 of this series for information on additional flooring types!

On a recent episode, sweepstakes winners Kim and Josh Osburn of West Bloomfield, Michigan saw their crowded galley kitchen transformed in both style and function.

Of course, we can’t give everyone a kitchen makeover. But we do hope that seeing the Osburns’ kitchen transformation will help inspire some ideas about the hidden potential in your own!

As you watch, here are a few key features to look for:

A clear sense of style. Merillat Classic® Fusion maple cabinets with a deep Kona finish and sleek nickel hardware are the perfect complement to the contemporary style throughout their home. Whatever your style, consider how the kitchen will affect adjoining rooms.

Accessorize appropriately. Storage solutions make it easy to customize cabinets by lifestyle. Rollout shelves and garbage/recycling bins are a plus in any home. SoftAction™ drawers and doors mean a quieter kitchen and protection against pinches. For an avid baker like Kim, a specialty item like Merillat’s base mixer shelf is a dream come true—keeping her heavy stand mixer off the counter, and yet still within easy reach.

Cabinets outside the kitchen. The Osburns replaced their dining room table with a granite-topped island for additional storage as well as seating. A home office area in the dining room is made of matching cabinets and a granite work surface—keeping the couple connected during daily tasks, while  still looking elegant enough for company.

Beauty+Duty. The old bar area had style, but no storage. Adding wall cabinets and replacing the bar’s glass block base with cabinets and a wine cooler created a fun, functional hub for entertaining.

Twice can be nice. At first, the Osburns worried that a bar/prep sink just around the corner from their kitchen sink might be overkill. Now they’re wondering how they ever got along without it.

Keep it the same, but different. Encompassing both the kitchen and dining rooms, the Osburns’ design needed both consistency and variety. The glass tile backsplash in the kitchen gives way to stainless tile in the bar, and the wall cabinet doors in that area are replaced with frosted glass inserts. The dining room bar, island, and desk area feature the same granite surface, but at different heights (36”, 42” and 30” respectively) for both functional and aesthetic reasons.

To see the Osburns’ complete kitchen makeover, watch the full episode here.

Then, watch our video below to learn more about how this kitchen, and this episode, came to life.