There is something seductive about a gleaming kitchen with new floors, cabinets and fixtures. I look at magazines and yearn for the look only to see a price tag that makes my heart break (and that is not even mentioning what it would do to my budget). We understand that at Hardline Design and Construction and we know there is a way to work towards the bathroom of your dreams while working to stay within budget.
Resourceful homeowners know that first and foremost, nothing is a good deal if it isn’t made correctly, installed correctly or built correctly. Make sure you have a great team to pull your dream kitchen together. A good contractor and design team will also work with you to help you find fixtures and materials within your means.
Cabinetry:
Custom made cabinetry is built to fit the exact measurements of your space. What is great is you will have cabinets that should reflect your exact tastes and should be built to last. Because a kitchen usually has many cabinets the wait time could be 1 to 2 months for your cabinets to be finished. For custom cabinety think about areas where a custom built piece will have the most impact. We are currently working on a home where we are building a large custom entertainment center built-in. It makes sense putting extra resources into this type of cabinet because it essentually is furniture that will be used and looked at on a daily basis.
Research stock cabinetry for quality and price. Ikea has stock cabinets that actually rate very well and are made from the same materials as many stock cabinets. Sometimes stock cabinets are not always cheaper than custom so do your homework.
This Ikea kitchen image was found on the DigsDigs website.
Tile Backspash:
Beautiful tile is like the jewlery for the kitchen. Colors can sparkle or stay understated but no less dramatic. Beautiful tile can also be costly. Then, if it isn’t installed correctly it wont fulfill it’s potential for glammour. Adam at Hardline Design and Construction is a master at tile installation and will help you make any chosen tile a star.
We in Portland, Oregon are lucky to have Pratt and Larson Tile Company in the center of town on the East side. They also have a range of price options for tile for the kitchen. They key is to know how to shop.
The show room of Pratt and Larson is nothing short of stunning. Their tiles are hand made by artisans and are as unique as they are durable. You can have an exact color match made for the tiles you want
Pratt & Larson also has an outlet and this can be quite the treasure trove. Some of their items are overstock, some are 2nd but keep looking and you will find true gems. I once found enough honey quartz 4x4s to do my small bathroom (very small since it is 3′ x5′) and paid only $40 for enough tiles for the room. You can also mix and match pieces from the outlet and the showroom to get the quantity you may need.
I’m not going to lie…I love the look of a Wolf range. A beautiful range is the heart of any kitchen. If one fits into the budget you have and you love to cook this very well could be a splurge worth having. Even so, January clearance sales when appliances often go on sale could help ease the sticker price a bit.
The first consideration is gas or electric. Electric has an advantage of holding a steady heat but personal tastes and the type of energy source you have will be the biggest factors. Also look for ranges with a lot of rack placement options so you will be able to control your foods proximety to heat.
Pratt & Larson Tile. Image is from Pratt & Larson.
I’m not going to lie…I love the look of a Wolf range. A beautiful range is the heart of any kitchen. If one fits into the budget you have and you love to cook this very well could be a splurge worth having. Even so, January clearance sales when appliances often go on sale could help ease the sticker price a bit.
The first consideration is gas or electric. Electric has an advantage of holding a steady heat but personal tastes and the type of energy source you have will be the biggest factors. Also look for ranges with a lot of rack placement options so you will be able to control your foods proximety to heat.
Sears’ Kenmore Ranges often rate very well as to it’s performance and they have versions that are scaled-down compared to their super-high-end cousins but are still high functioning.
This is the Sears KenmoreElite 40″ Dual Fuel Self-Clean Range with Sealed Burners. Image from Sears.