What Does "Custom" Kitchen Remodeling Mean?

Are you researching your kitchen remodeling project online? If so, you've likely come across certain remodeling companies claiming "custom" quality work. In the context of home remodeling, the word "custom" conjures certain connotations: unique, hand-crafted, built from scratch. Unfortunately, for many remodeling companies, the word is meaningless.

Like the word "natural" in the food industry,"custom" has no defined meaning in the remodeling industry. Companies simply use these terms to project a certain image--yet the "image" is often not reality.

For many companies, custom simply means "to your taste." your kitchen design is based on a mere template, replicated from prior projects. Likewise, most remodeling companies build "custom" kitchens with prefabricated materials.

"To your taste" is anything but unique. Those beautiful kitchen cabinets? They're likely a dime a dozen.

Worse, as we note on our website, "the supposed advantage of standardized materials - low cost - is actually a disadvantage: low cost usually equals low quality."

In light of the misuse of the word "custom," MKBD suggests asking any prospective remodeling company a simple question: "What does 'custom' mean to you?"

The answer should be revealing.

At MKBD "custom" means designs and fixtures created from scratch, explicitly for you. Depending on your budget, you may choose certain "custom" fixtures and some standardized fixtures. When you work with MKBD, though, your design will always be unique, and each fixture will be installed by expert craftsman.

For a preview of our "custom" approach, please take a look at our gallery below.

Custom white cabinets

Custom Cabinets

In the world of kitchen cabinetry "custom" means built to specific dimensions. Since each kitchen is different, custom cabinets can be made to meet the unique size demands of your space. We build cabinets to fit any number of nooks and crannies--and, really, any space requirements. In the project above, the cabinets were built extra deep--13 inches--to accommodate our client's storage needs.

Custom Shaker cabinets with wine rack

Custom cabinets can also refer to any stylistic detailing, like dovetail drawers or knife hinges, or unique additions like the custom wine rack in the project above.

In addition to custom cabinets, you are likely to find "semi-custom" cabinets which refer to a standardized selection of prefabricated cabinets, and "stock" cabinets for a one-size fits all, budget fixture. At MKBD, we build custom cabinets exclusively.

Custom Flooring

A custom floor means you choose the exact flooring material as well as the stain. The key here is in the handiwork: a custom wood floor is cut and installed by hand with special attentiveness to any details you might desire.

In this Glenside project, the customer preferred a durable Brazilian redwood floor. 

A custom floor means that you take advantage of every square inch of floor space. Each board is cut to size to fit your needs, a boon for homeowners with odd kitchen layouts. 

Custom also means that you can choose the exact right fit for your family's needs: some wood floors offer more support; some offer better sound-proofing. When you go custom, you design the floor to your exact requirements. 

Finally, for some projects a "custom" floor means restoration-getting back to the original flooring, which often requires a fair amount of handiwork.

 In this Fort Washington MKBD project, we refinished the original hardwood floors. 

Custom Details

At MKBD, we pride ourselves on solving problems. Each new project presents a set of challenges--and we aim to answer each challenge with a custom solution. Small or large, a custom solution requires inventive thinking and cutting-edge design.

In this MKBD project, a growing family required more kitchen space. We fused the small kitchen with a dining room to create an open floor plan that could accommodate a busy family of five.

FREE Kitchen Appliances with any Full Kitchen Remodeling Project

At MKBD, we partner with our customers to provide competitive prices. And now, for a limited time, we’re leveraging our buying power to offer you a tremendous deal: FREE kitchen appliances with a full kitchen remodeling!

To qualify for this offer, you simply have to schedule a FREE, no obligation kitchen design consultation—a value in itself! During our brief consultation, we will help you draft the kitchen design and layout of your dreams. Best yet, all consultations include a FREE, no obligation estimate.

Call now to take advantage of this limited time offer: 215-355-474.

Black Friday Weekend Special: Free Appliances with Your Kitchen Remodeling Project

Some homeowners delight in the details of kitchen remodeling: the floors, the backsplash, the countertops! For some homeowners, however, the devil is in the details.

Whatever your inclination, there's no doubting the challenge of planning a kitchen remodeling project. The sheer diversity of choices can stymie even the most enterprising homeowner. And then there's the challenges of the project itself!

MKBD writes this blog to simplify the process. Please browse our archives for a collection of blogs about bathroom and kitchen remodeling. And if you'd like to suggest a topic for a future blog, please do leave a comment.

Our goal to ease the remodeling experience does not end with this blog. As a full-service professional remodeling company, we strive to make the home remodeling experience fruitful and enjoyable!

Whether you want a strikingly contemporary kitchen, a bathroom fit for a spa, or an entire house remodeling, we can help! We employ designers, suppliers, installers, and contractors to create unparalleled value. We finish our projects on budget and on time.

How do we succeed while so many other remodeling companies fail?

The answer is simple: we value customer service.

Every member of our team is guided by one goal: to provide every customer with a stress-free remodeling experience. We understand your time is precious; your ideas are unique. We want to help you accomplish your remodeling dreams.

For this MKBD project in Fort Washington, PA,  we removed a load-bearing wall in a century-old home. In the hands of MKBD, what might've been a kitchen remodeling nightmare turned into a pleasant dream: today everyone who enters this home is drawn to the kitchen.

A stress-free experience is the inspiration behind our new deal: FREE KITCHEN APPLIANCES with a full kitchen remodeling project!

Just in time for the holidays, we're offering all the appliances you need for a fully-functioning kitchen FREE! Why FREE kitchen appliances, you ask?

 Most kitchen appliances are dramatically overpriced. When homeowners shop for appliances they're subject to mark-ups--mark-ups that MKBD is not subject to. With our extensive industry experience as well as our connections with premier appliance manufacturers and distributors, we've learned how to procure the best appliances at the best prices--and we pass the savings to our clients. 

For this Philadelphia-area MKBD project, our clients specified professional grade appliances to complement the luxury materials: the maple kitchen cabinets, the solid granite countertops, and the natural stone backsplash and floors.

Te true value of a kitchen remodeling project is expert craftsmanship. Appliances are made in industrial factories by nameless workers. Your new kitchen floors, cabinets, and countertops, however, will be built and installed by expert craftsmen familiar with your unique needs. Even then, you can be sure our FREE appliances will exceed your expectations. As the examples above prove, we deal only with quality manufacturers and suppliers. 

Prefer to Source Your Own Appliances?

If you're interested in sourcing your own appliances, we recommend choosing the best appliances for your specific needs. Do not pay for what you do not need--or want! Let us help you find the best appliances for you.

We understand how to match each individual with the most suitable appliances for his/her unique lifestyle. Today, most appliances come with a variety of features. Of course, these features boost the price. We partner with our client's to make sure they're not paying for needless bells and whistles.

For this MKBD project, the family choose their own appliances, including a Wolf range, replete with five burners for some heavy entertaining!

FREE Kitchen Appliances with any Full Kitchen Remodeling Project: The Details

At MKBD, we partner with our customers to provide competitive prices. And now, for a limited time, we’re leveraging our buying power to offer you a tremendous deal: FREE kitchen appliances with a full kitchen remodeling!

To qualify for this offer, you simply have to schedule a FREE, no obligation kitchen design consultation—a value in itself! During our brief consultation, we will help you draft the kitchen design and layout of your dreams. Best yet, all consultations include a FREE, no obligation estimate.

Call now to take advantage of this limited time offer: 215-355-474.

Five Signs You Need to Remodel Your Kitchen

Some homeowners make a decision to remodel or renovate after years of deliberation. For others, the decision is relatively spontaneous. In both cases, a certain event usually inspires the final decision: a windfall of money; a change in lifestyle; or, perhaps, a structural issue that needs immediate attention.

At MKBD, we're happy to educate our clients about all aspects of the remodeling process. (This blog is a perfect example). However, we do appreciate deliberative clients. Whatever the instigating "event," deliberative homeowners often enjoy an easier remodel. In remodeling, of course, studious planning translates to success. 

While "deliberating" is not the same as "planning," homeowners who have thought about remodeling for some time usually come to the design table equipped with knowledge and studious opinions. 

On other hand, some clients come to the design table with problems that need immediate attention. Often, these clients have ignored the slow deterioration of their kitchen--and then, suddenly, the deterioration hits a peak! 

To avoid this unhappy circumstance, we suggest looking out for possible signs that you will want or need a remodeling project soon. 

Five Signs You Need to Remodel 

Old Appliances

Old appliances offer a clue to the general condition of the kitchen. If the appliances are old, the floors, cabinets, and countertops are likely old, too. As a cue, then, old appliances are simply one easy-to-discern sign of an outdated kitchen. 

But outdated appliances don't merely look old; they act old. Do you have an old, noisy refrigerator? Well, noise is the least of your problems. An aging refrigerator wastes excessive energy while providing lackluster service.

The same is true of most outdated appliances, including your oven, dishwasher, and microwave. New, energy-efficient (Energy Star) models can provide substantial savings in energy while offering a new, refreshing level of functionality (no more spoiled veggies).

Ahh, new appliances. In this MKBD project, the new refrigerator and Bosch double oven provided a new level of functionality--and pleasure.

Improperly Grounded Outlets

In older kitchens, improperly grounded outlets pose a safety (and efficiency) concern. Unfortunately, many homeowners are not able to easily discern this potential problem.

To test your outlet, purchase a circuit tester or a multimeter set to an AC voltage appropriate for your outlet. You want to make sure, too, that all wall outlets are equipped with GFCI outlet protection. To ensure safety, you need one GFCI outlet as the first outlet of a branch--the outlet closest to the breaker.

At MKBD, we can easily address any electrical safety concerns. Give us a call: 215-355-4747.

Like old appliances, improperly grounded outlets are clues to the general condition of the kitchen: if they're old, the kitchen is likely old.

Old Floors

Your kitchen floor is the literal and figurative foundation of your kitchen. Cracked tiles or warped floor board will effect not only the function of your kitchen but the aesthetic appeal of the space.

Like improperly grounded outlets, old floors can present safety concerns, like slips and falls. On the other hand, old floors also pose aesthetic concerns; in a word, their ugly.

A new kitchen floor can be one a beautiful and enduring investments. For the kitchen area, especially, new floors provide a new "foundation" to build upon.

In this Bucks County-area project, hardwood floors replaced old cracked tiles--the result is a safe, beautiful, and durable new floor. 

Old Style

While not necessarily a functional concern, old style can compromise your well-being. A frumpy, old kitchen with outdated cabinets and old, dull paint does not necessarily send an enticing welcome. Does our kitchen bore you? Do your elements feel frumpy?

In recent years, manufacturers have developed new, intriguing materials for your countertops. Over time, tastes in paint color change. Old floors might speak of a different era. All of these style problems can be addressed by a remodeling project.

When you update your style, you inject new life into a space.

Old Design

Today's kitchen often function as the center of family activity, a place to meet and eat. Current designs promote this function, opening the space, and often combining dining and cooking areas.

An older design might feel cramped in comparison. If you find yourself avoiding your kitchen, you're probably not simply avoiding of cooking and cleaning--you're avoiding the claustrophobia of your outdated design.

 In this Bucks County MKBD project--the open floor plan created a dynamic space to cook and eat.

FREE In-Home Remodeling Estimate!

If you have any questions about your next kitchen remodeling project, please feel free to call MKBD for an individualized consultation. Let's talk budget and more! Call now! 215-355-4747.

Better yet, check out our Free In-Home Remodeling Estimate on this very blog!

Why Choose MKBD for Your Next Kitchen Remodeling Project?

If you're planning a kitchen remodeling project, you've likely performed more than a few online searches. This is great. Unbridled browsing can inspire enthusiasm--and more than a few ideas. A site like Pinterest, for example, offers page after page of beautiful images, remodeling tips, and links to quality products.

Yet even for the most industrious browser, the sheer quantity of kitchen remodeling information can prove to be stultifying. Sooner or later, you have to move from inspiration to planning. This is when you want to employ a more tailored approach to your remodeling research.

MKBD has performed successful kitchen remodeling projects since 1983. During that time, we've come to value the knowledge of the famous idiom: too many cooks (spoils the broth). In kitchen remodeling, too many ideas can derail a project.

Once you've exhausted your capacity for inspiration, then, we suggest reaching out to a few reputable home remodeling companies.

To learn more about searching for a home remodeling company, please read: "How to Choose the Best Kitchen Remodeling Company."

If you've landed on this blog, however, we do hope you will consider MKBD, a kitchen remodeling company that services the Greater Philadelphia Area.

To learn more about our company, please read below!

MKBD specializes in kitchen remodeling projects with an emphasis on quality and unique materials and fixtures. We're proud of our results. In this custom kitchen project, everything is new, from the cabinets to the new luxury oven.

Experience

When searching for a remodeling company, never discount the value of experience. Longevity itself is often an endorsement. There is a reason businesses stay around. MKBD has been a fixture of the Philadelphia-area remodeling scene for over thirty years.  Family-owned and operated, the business recently transferred from father to son without the slightest hitch.

We owe our longevity to reputation. Word-of-mouth is important in the remodeling industry. Never trust a company who does not enthusiastically supply references. We happily provide references for all projects.

Our experience has also taught us a lot about trends and styles in kitchen remodeling. Rest assured, we can design your kitchen to meet any style, yet we also understand that each and every customer will bring different ideas to the design table. You want a traditional kitchen? No problem. You want a fireplace in the kitchen? Of course! Experience has taught us to work with all sensibilities.

For evidence of the breadth of our work, just take a look at our Kitchen Showroom.

In this MKBD project a fireplace is seamlessly integrated into an otherwise elegant kitchen. For more fantastic projects like this, please visit our Kitchen Showroom.

Attention to Detail

Of course, experience is often not enough. After many years, some businesses become stale or rote. Not MKBD. Our leadership today is just as inspired, industrious, and inventive as the leadership that built the company, in 1983.

Today, our new owner is often found on site, overseeing the intricate details of each project. Beyond the owner, however, each project receives a dedicated project manager from start to finish. It is attention to detail that has distinguished MKBD as a premier kitchen remodeling company.

Do you want a unique fixture or material? We source our supplies from the most reputable brands worldwide, and we're not averse to searching high and low for the right product.

Because we never use subcontractors, you can be sure that we truly take ownership for the success of each and every project. Most of our kitchen remodeling projects include hand-crafted details, from custom-built cabinets to inventive backsplashes.

Working with MKBD, you will feel confident. All of our work is licensed, insured, and warranted in PA, NJ, and DE.

In this MKBD project, the Shaker cabinets reveal the industrious nature of the Shakers themselves: hand-built from scratch, the cabinets are simple, durable, and timeless. 

Communication 

From the planning stages of your project through demolition and construction, we strive to make sure that you feel comfortable. To facilitate your stress-free experience, we believe open and frequent communication is a must.

Our interior designers will listen a commitment to your ideas.

Our construction team will take care to make your remodeling experience quick and stress free.
All along, our owner is open and available to talk to you about any aspect of your project.

Call MKBD Today!

Many homeowners choose to call a remodeling company at the very beginning of the exploration process. We believe this is the best option--and not simply because we are a remodeling company! A remodeling company can guide you in your exploration, saving you time. A remodeling company can also help you set reasonable parameters for your project.

How long might the project take to complete?

What are the best materials for your lifestyle?

And how about the cost?

At MKBD, we offer a FREE In-Home Remodeling Estimate

If you have any questions about your next kitchen remodeling project, please feel free to call MKBD for an individualized consultation. Let's talk budget and more! Call now! 215-355-4747.

Better yet, check out our Free In-Home Remodeling Estimate on this very blog!

A Handy Kitchen Style Primer

In the kitchen remodeling industry, we talk about design in terms of certain "styles." Although these styles are not clearly defined by the industry itself, we nevertheless associate loose themes with each respective style.

Traditionally, kitchens were separated from the rest of the home. The room's purpose was explicit: a place to cook and clean. In today's homes, the kitchen is not merely a place to cook and clean: it is a meeting space, too, an entertainment venue, the center of the action.

To speak about a specific kitchen "style" in this context is to also admit that the kitchen itself can (and often should) simply match the style of the home. That said, it does help to understand a few industry-specific terms.

A Handy Kitchen Style Primer

Traditional styles do not necessarily equate to a country or Old World theme. Instead, a traditional kitchen will likely emphasize warm, down-to-earth elements.

A traditional kitchen design creates a cozy ambiance with ornamentation and detail. Think decorative design and vintage-inspired elements. A traditional kitchen is not necessarily "simple"; on the contrary, a traditional kitchen often utilizes elaborate design features.

In this kitchen, a fireplace is merely one element of a cozy, traditional design. 
Note the warm cabinet color; the ornate woodwork; the vintage pieces (like the copper kettle and vintage plates): all hallmarks of the traditional style.

If the traditional style is not your thing, you might be a candidate for a contemporary style. While a traditional style populates a kitchen with elaborate details, a contemporary kitchen strips away all but the most essential elements.

Think light and airy, like a spa. Think clean lines, a simple color palette. If you prefer a minimalist design, you would do best with a contemporary kitchen. In a contemporary kitchen, uncluttered simplicity is the name of the game.

Clean lines and a simple, two-tone color palette make this Shaker-inspired kitchen "contemporary," although our clients simply desired, "a simple, streamlined space."

As the project above proves, a style can borrow elements from any time period to achieve the desired effect. Shaker-inspired cabinets are anything but "contemporary," yet their simple, timeless appeal works well with the contemporary style. That said, the contemporary style only borrows from elements that match the aesthetic.

If you like to mix and match aesthetics, you might prefer the transitional style, which combines both traditional and contemporary elements. A transitional kitchen streamlines the traditional style. Put another way: it "complicates" the contemporary style with a few, carefully-selected traditional elements.

Most transitional kitchens maintain the clean lines of the contemporary kitchen, yet add certain details to create a more "homey" feel.

In this transitional kitchen, the contemporary elements (the clean lines are black and white palette) are softened by the green accent wall and the traditional elements: the pendant light and glass-paneled cabinets.

The most common kitchen styles are traditional, contemporary, and transitional, but you're also bound to hear any number of other "styles," most notably the modern style which is defined by the hallmarks of modern art: geometric shapes or patterns and neutral colors. A modern design will also take advantage of any number of eclectic fixtures. Modern styles might include artistic elements, like sculptures or paintings, or glass tables, or intriguing cabinetry.

A modern style kitchen can celebrate unique or quirky design--like this custom backsplash.

Free In-Home Remodeling Estimate

If you have any questions about your next remodeling project, please feel free to call MKBD for an individualized consultation. Let's talk bathroom design and more! Call now! 215-355-4747. Better yet, check out our Free In-Home Remodeling Estimate on this very blog!

The Top Three Benefits of the Open Floor Plan

In many of today's homes, the kitchen is the central room, the place where the family congregates to talk and relax--and, of course, eat. To accommodate this new role, many homeowners choose to increase the kitchen size by combining the room with a dining room and/or living room.

Traditionally known as the "great room," today this combination is more often called, simply, an "open floor" plan. The open floor plan is a mainstay of today's remodeling industry.

As John Petrie, of the National Kitchen and Bath Association, says, "The kitchen was really a closed-off spot for a long time. Now people want the kitchen to be an active part of the family home." [Source].

Below we offer the top three benefits of the open floor plan.

More Room for the Cook

In its most basic sense, an open floor plan refers to a combination of several rooms, most often achieved by eliminating impeding walls or other obstructions.

The most obvious advantage of an open floor plan is increased space. Many cooks complain about crowding in the kitchen; by opening the space, family and/or guests can hang around the kitchen, in the adjoining dining room, without getting in the way.

An open floor plan also gives you the option of enlarging the kitchen itself, creating more counter space and/or room for additional appliances.

 In this Bucks County MKBD project--the open floor plan created space for the cook. Note the dining room table in the foreground, close enough (but not too close) to the hustle and bustle of the kitchen.

More Room to Hang Out 

By creating more room in the kitchen, an open floor plan can accommodate a kitchen island, the perfect spot for hanging out.

Fit your kitchen island with cozy chair for your guests to hang out.

The island can be practical, too. Most notably (for cooks, at least), the kitchen island creates a barrier between the entertainment and cooking areas. Also, the island top can be used for prep work; some cooks even enlist the help of a few industrious helpers.

You likely know the type of antsy mother-in-law who just can't help but ask, "What can I do?" Well, just sit her away from the action, at the kitchen island, and give her a small task: chop the nuts, make the salad dressing, pluck the thyme!

In this Fort Washington MKBD project, the kitchen island separates the kitchen from the dining area. It also creates a space for prep work--for the cook and his helpers! 

The Eat-in Kitchen

Instead of maintaining the relative relation between the kitchen and dining room, some open floor plans combine the two, creating a tremendous kitchen space with eat-in facilities.

The great advantage of an "eat-in" kitchen is the ease of serving and cleaning. The distance from oven to table is reduced; likewise the distance from table to sink.

This Richboro area family really took the idea of "eat-in" to heart. Here the island is really a dining room table right in the middle of the kitchen. Happily the open floor created more than enough space to accommodate the diners and the cook.

In this MKBD remodeling wonder, the dine-in area is an elegant 
addition to a stylish kitchen. 

Free In-Home Remodeling Estimate

If you have any questions about your next remodeling project, please feel free to call MKBD for an individualized consultation. Let's talk bathroom design and more! Call now! 215-355-4747. Better yet, check out our Free In-Home Remodeling Estimate on this very blog!

Six Key Questions for Your Remodeling Company

When working with a professional remodeling company, communication is the key to a successful project. A good remodeling company knows how to ask the right questions; a good company, too, will set appropriate expectations for each project.

Of course, communication is a two-way street. A homeowner should also ask the right questions; and even before the work begins, a homeowner should state his expectations explicitly.

Bad communication leads to unclear (or unfair) expectations. The distance between a remodeling company's and client's expectations can create scheduling chaos, price disputes, and disappointment about the finished project.

There is a danger in choosing a inexperienced or unproven company. To stick around in this business is a sign of success. By nature, an experienced company will communicate successfully.

MKBD is proud of its experience: we've served the Greater Philadelphia area since 1982. We're proud of our work, too. We refer all potential clients to our previous customers for feedback. We want to make sure a client feels good about hiring our company.

Our formula for success is simple: tedious planning and a studious devotion to detail. If you're thinking about your own kitchen remodeling project, we urge you to embrace this formula. To facilitate a communication that will achieve this goal we suggest asking your remodeling company the following key questions.

This Abington area kitchen remodeling project was a testament to good communication: only by asking the right questions, did MKBD learn that the family desired maple cabinets. For your project, take the initiative: ask the key questions below.

How Will We Communicate Once the Project Starts?

Remodeling companies are usually accessible for clients before the project begins. Unfortunately, many clients complain that this accessibility ends during the project. The trouble is the varying roles at most remodeling companies. The project designer is often not the same person who will visit your house to perform the work each day.

At MKBD, we urge our clients to communicate with the project lead at any stage of the project. Our project lead is the owner of MKBD, who is often part of the work; if not, he is keeping daily tabs on the work. Of course, too, he is easily accessible by phone.

We suggest you ask for the same accessibility from your remodeling company. At the very beginning, ask if your project will have a dedicated project lead from start to finish. And of course, ask about his or her accessibility.

Questions about the work itself: When will the project begin? What are the worker's daily hours?  And what is the estimated completion date? 

A kitchen remodeling project can disrupt your family's routine. It is crucial that you appropriately schedule.

Working with your kitchen remodeling company, schedule a specific date for your project's start date. Also note the worker's daily hours, and, of course, the estimated completion date.
One important caveat here. The completion date is always an estimate; the date might change once the project begins. This is one area where flexibility is crucial.

For this two-tone kitchen, MKBD removed the wall between the dining room and living room. Major changes like this often present unanticipated complications (see below). For this reason, it's best to be flexible about the completion date.

How Can Confirm the Project Will Meet my Expectations?

In some ways, this is the most important question. A bad remodeling company will dodge this question. For a good remodeling company, however, this question is the very essence of the work. From planning to design to the actual remodeling, confirming and meeting expectations is the key to success.

Before your project, your designer should provide you with a layout of your new kitchen. Scrutinize this layout; ask questions. Confirm the details--twice. You want to make sure that your vision matches your designer's vision precisely.

In the end, if you've confirmed all the details, the project should meet your exact expectations. If not, you can return to the original layout and ask, "What happened?"

Do you Expect any Complications?

Complications are a necessary part of all remodeling work. Once you get into the guts of a house, you might begin to discover unforeseen challenges. All good remodeling companies account for potential complications. The goal is not to avoid complications entirely, but to minimize the impact--in time and money-- of any complication.

Again, the key is proper planning and attention to detail!

In this Fort Washington, PA kitchen, MKBD removed the entire kitchen, down to the studs, and built the new kitchen from scratch. Such work can create unforeseen complications. The key to minimizing complications is proper planning!

Free In-Home Remodeling Estimate

If you have any questions about your next remodeling project, please feel free to call MKBD for an individualized consultation. Let's talk bathroom design and more! Call now! 215-355-4747. Better yet, check out our Free In-Home Remodeling Estimate on this very blog!

How to Preserve the Charm of an Old Kitchen

Older homes have their charms: sturdy construction, vintage details, and original hardwood floors, to name a few. People who buy older homes love these details.For all the vintage allure, however, older homes also present certain remodeling challenges.

The difference between vintage and outdated is subtle, yet important. "Vintage" is timelessly appealing, but "outdated" just feels stodgy and tired. Sadly, the latter is often the case with the kitchens in older homes.

Today the kitchen is the center of the home, a place for the family to meet and eat. In the past, the kitchen was the provenance of the family chef, the space designed for a specific duty: to cook.

Old kitchens are smaller; and without the benefit of any serious remodeling, these kitchens often display outdated materials and appliances. Old kitchens also often share the charm of the home--even if its buried under laminate. A good remodeling project transforms an outdated space to new without losing the vintage charm.

Over the years, MKBD has remodeled more than a few outdated kitchens. For pictures and remodeling tips, read below.

 In this Fort Washington MKBD project, we refinished the original hardwood floors. 

New Floors or Refinish old Floors? 

Some older kitchen benefit from timeless materials; some do not. In the project above, we discovered beautiful hardwood floors--a perfect option for refinishing. Whether to refinish or replace is personal preference, but timeless materials like wood can often be refinished with relatively little hassle.

Beyond wood, most other old materials, like linoleum or tiles, are best replaced. Old linoleum can look stodgy, and most tile floors suffer from cracks. Ceramic tiles are prone to cracking when the floor below has structural movement. For some kitchen updates, then, we recommend replacing the subfloor, too.

A tri-color tile floor, imported from Italy, is a perfect addition to this older kitchen

New Cabinets or Refinish old Cabinets?

Like wood floors, refinishing can be a good option for cabinets, too, which are often made of wood, yet have suffered from wear and tear over the years. Some wood cabinets can look "outdated"; often a simple refacing is all that is needed to revive the vintage appeal.

The timeless simplicity of wood Shaker cabinets, which are an excellent option for refinishing. On the other hand, new Shaker cabinets like these are an investment that will last for decades.

Many older cabinets are actually more durable than today's pre-built cabinets. (At MKBD, we build our cabinets from scratch, so this is not an issue).

In many older kitchens. however, the cabinets are beyond a simple refacing. If you plan on living in your home for more than five years, new wood cabinets will evoke vintage charm yet provide years of durability.

New wood cabinets, like these cherry cabinets, are a great investment. After years of wear and tear, they might be in need of a simple refinishing.

Replace Those old Countertops

Countertops are often the stodgiest part of old kitchens. Standard laminate counters can look worn after years of use, and are good candidates for replacement.

Here's what the National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA) has to say about laminate replacement:

"If your countertops are old and generally worn over a large area, the best repair is to recover them with new laminate. While the job is not particularly difficult, it does require a wide variety of skills new to most homeowners. You'll have to disconnect the plumbing, remove the sink, and cut, apply, and trim the laminate. Then the sink has to be replaced and reconnected, and some trim may be required."

Another option, of course, is replacing the laminate altogether with a durable material like granite.

In this MKBD project, we replaced the old laminate with beautiful granite.

Free In-Home Remodeling Estimate

If you have any questions about your next remodeling project, please feel free to call MKBD for an individualized consultation. Let's talk bathroom design and more! Call now! 215-355-4747. Better yet, check out our Free In-Home Remodeling Estimate on this very blog!

The Wow-Factor: Bold Backsplashes

At MKBD we love a good kitchen backsplash. It may be a cliche, but a good backsplash can really "tie a room together." In our kitchen remodeling projects, we install each backsplash to complement or contrast--depending on the client's preference--the kitchen's theme. In either case, a backsplash adds a stylish appeal that never fails to inspire a favorable comment.

Wow--check out that backsplash!

Of course, the backsplash is not merely a stylish element. As the name suggests, a "backsplash" serves as a guard against splashes: all those tomato, oil, and wine splatters that can easily damage the kitchen wall.

A backsplash can be made in a variety of materials, such as natural stone or ceramic tiles, granite, limestone, soapstone, plate or mosaic glass, even beaded board, stainless steel, and more. Whatever the material, the backsplash is meant to be more durable and easier to clean than your ordinary run-of-the-mill kitchen wall. Most backsplashes require a mere wipe..and voila, no more wine stain!

Are you thinking about a backsplash for your kitchen? To facilitate your research, MKBD posts occasional "Kitchen Lookbooks" with details from our prior projects. Today, with a nod to the inimitable backsplash, we're talking WOW factor--those kitchen backsplashes that turn heads, that inspire a genuine, "Wow!"

Another view of the same backsplash above: mosaic glass

Subtle or Bold

In the backsplash above, the homeowner chose a distinctive mosaic glass to contrast the granite countertops and chocolate maple cabinets. However, to simplify the matter many homeowners simply use the same material for the countertops and backsplash.

AT MKBD, we source a variety of materials from trusted vendors who offer the best prices. Often, we can find a distinctive backsplash material that costs the same as the countertop materials. In this case, our clients almost always prefer contrast, both subtle and bold.

In this Center City project, we installed a simple palette with subtle backsplash contrast

A contemporary  kitchen in Richboro, PA offers another example of a subtle backsplash contrast--the elegant grey backsplash blends well with the black quartz countertops

Subtly is the name of the game for simple, clean palettes, like the projects above. If you're looking for a bold approach, however, you can certainly go for more vibrant or richer color combinations.

This tile mosaic backsplash is a bold yet complementary contrast to the cherrywood cabinets and lime green wall paint.

In this MKBD project, the decorative backsplash is a fusion of glass, stone, and porcelain crafted into a harlequin mosaic tile. Some homeowners prefer a bold contrast in small doses.

With a seemingly endless variety of patterns and colors, and a variety of finishes, you're sure to find a backsplash that matches your vision.


Why MKBD? 

We hope our website can provide you with all the information you might need about our company. If you're thinking about remodeling your kitchen or bathroom, please do not hesitate to call us: 215-355-4747.

Some homeowners choose to call a remodeling company only after they have spent countless hours researching their project. We're all for research, but including a home remodeling company at the very beginning of the exploration process can increase your chances of success. A remodeling company can guide you in your exploration, saving you time. A home remodeling company can also help you set reasonable parameters for your project.

How long might the project take to complete?

What are the best materials for your lifestyle?

And how about the cost?

Remember: Take advantage of our FREE In-Home Remodeling Estimate

And if you have any questions about your next kitchen remodeling project, please feel free to call MKBD for an individualized consultation.

Call now! 215-355-4747. Better yet, check out our Free In-Home Remodeling Estimate on this very blog!

A Transitional Style Kitchen Remodeling Project

According to Harvard University's Joint Center for Housing Studies, the remodeling industry is poised for a "pick-up." After a bit of slump, the JCHS notes, "the LIRA [Leading Indicator of Remodeling Activity] projects annual spending growth for home improvements will accelerate to 4.0% by the first quarter of 2016."

With the acceleration, no doubt, will come a wave of advertising. In the upcoming months, the remodeling industry will try to sell you products and ideas with promises of quality and durability and even happiness. From your kitchen floor to your cabinets, you will be offered a seemingly endless variety of choices--a variety that can leave even the most industrious and organized homeowner feeling bewildered.

At MKBD, we believe less is more. We're all for bountiful options, and of course we pride ourselves on the quality of our work, the durability of our supplies.

When it's time to design your space, however, a little pruning can go a long way. One of the easiest ways to simplify your home remodeling project is to limit your choices. And the easiest way to limit (or, if you prefer, refine) your choices is by choosing a specific design style that suits you temperament.

If you're remodeling your kitchen, for example, you might choose a traditional or contemporary style--or, if you can't decide, you might choose a transitional design, with both traditional and contemporary elements combined.

A contemporary  kitchen with transitional elements in Richboro, PA

A Transitional Style

MKBD recently had the privilege of designing a contemporary kitchen with transitional elements for a busy family in Richboro, Pennsylvania. This unique blending of design styles created an attractive space for the family to meet and eat after a long day.

If you browse photos online, you're likely to confront some form of a transitional style in most kitchens. Transitional is the bridge between traditional and contemporary, between the warm, nostalgic kitchens of yesterday and the sleek, minimalist kitchens of today.

By blending elements of both styles, you can create a style uniquely suited to your family's personality. In the upcoming weeks, we will explore in more depth traditional and contemporary design, respectively. For now, however, we wanted to show you what a transitional kitchen can look like.


Clean, Seamless Design

One great advantage of the contemporary style is the focus on clean, simple lines. To achieve this look, we build the appliances into the cabinetry, creating a seamless, elegant look. Clean lines aren't simply about elegance, however. In a contemporary kitchen, efficiency is key, and clean lines promote ease-of-movement.

Note how the appliances are built into the cabinetry, creating
a clean, uncluttered appearance.

Clean lines mean ease-of-movement, too

Update a Traditional Style

One way to create a seamless transitional style is to take a traditional element and update it with contemporary features. We love the timeless look of Shaker cabinets with their flat-paneled doors and rail frames. However, for a subtle touch of the contemporary, in this project we added glass doors to some of the cabinets.

Shaker cabinets with glass panels

We also love Shaker cabinets for their sturdy wood, often sourced locally to MKBD. We sourced these cabinets from Diamond Cabinetry, one of the top purveyors of fine cabinetry.


Transitional Materials

In this project, the customer wanted traditional materials that satisfy the contemporary appeal of simplicity. The wood Shaker cabinets painted white are the essence of traditional simplicity.

We also used black granite countertops--instead of quartz--to create a solid color palette. The grey backsplash is a traditional marble tile that offers subtle contemporary texture.

And of course, the wood floors are the essence of traditional, a perfect addition to this simple, elegant kitchen.

Wood, quartz, and marble--transitional materials

Why MKBD? 

We hope our website can provide you with all the information you might need about our company. If you're thinking about remodeling your kitchen or bathroom, please do not hesitate to call us: 215-355-4747.

Some homeowners choose to call a remodeling company only after they have spent countless hours researching their project. We're all for research, but including a home remodeling company at the very beginning of the exploration process can increase your chances of success. A remodeling company can guide you in your exploration, saving you time. A home remodeling company can also help you set reasonable parameters for your project.

How long might the project take to complete?

What are the best materials for your lifestyle?

And how about the cost?

Remember: Take advantage of our FREE In-Home Remodeling Estimate

And if you have any questions about your next kitchen remodeling project, please feel free to call MKBD for an individualized consultation.

Call now! 215-355-4747. Better yet, check out our Free In-Home Remodeling Estimate on this very blog!

Kitchen Lookbook: Two-Tone Designs

One the challenges of a kitchen remodeling project is perfecting the palette. The right colors will unify the kitchen elements, creating a warm and inviting theme. The wrong colors, however, can feel jarring, making each kitchen element appear out of place.

To simplify the challenge, many homeowners prefer a single-color theme with subtle or striking accents. Some homeowners, however, prefer a two-tone theme, with subtle or bold combinations.

To achieve a balanced two-tone look, you might paint your cabinets a light shade, like bright white, and ground the palette with darker countertops and floors.

Or, if you paint your cabinets a light creme, you might add a darker backsplash to cut the monotony. 

Looking for two-tone inspiration? Recently, MKBD had the privilege of creating two-tone kitchens for three happy homeowners.

Take a look at our Two-Two Kitchen Lookbook below.

A Tasteful & Practical Design

In our first project, the homeowners preferred a tasteful and practical design that would suit the family's personality.

A tasteful and practical design from MKBD with a little nook for eating.

Like many MKBD projects, this space experienced a total transformation. To make room for double ovens, pantry closets, and extra cabinets and counter tops, we moved the fridge from the window wall to a more convenient spot across the kitchen.

The refrigerator and stove are paired together for easy cooking access.

To perfect the two-tone look the kitchen required a central piece, which turned out to be the kitchen island. Painted a deep cherry red with an exotic stone countertop, the island provided a bold contrast to the white cabinets finished with an espresso glaze and the gold wood floors.

A Two-Tone Shaker Kitchen

Officially known as The United Society of Believers in Christ’s Second Appearing, the Shakers are known for the ecstatic nature of their services. Still, the church is where the ecstasy begins and ends. Simplicity defines the Shaker lifestyle and the sect's famous furniture and architecture.

A two-tone kitchen with Shaker-inspired cabinetry

For this MKBD project, our clients desired a simplicity of Shaker craftsmanship and the elegance of modern design. Happily, the Shaker-inspired cabinetry is a good match for any style or fashion--this is, after all, the utility of simple and timeless design.

Maple cabinets finished white with white beveled ceramic backsplash

In this project, a shift of tone is seen the subtle granite in "Bianco Antico"--a greyish white melange--but, like the project above, the real distinction is the darker kitchen island cabinets.

Cherry Shaker cabinets finished in a cherry stain provide a bold contrast to the white Shaker cabinets and white backsplash.

Both of the MKBD projects above adhere to the same principle: the kitchen island, the centerpiece of the kitchen, provides the bold second tone to offset the neutral cabinetry and countertops.


A Traditional Two-Tone Kitchen

In this traditional kitchen, the floor is a bit darker shade of walnut, a nice contrast to the maple cabinetry finished in white and the island cabinetry finished in cherry.

A quartz kitchen island countertop provides yet another distinction; note the cooktop with range hood, a unique design in a traditional space

This project required a lot of planning. By removing the wall between the dining room and kitchen, we created an "open floor" plan. In such a large space, the two-tone effect makes each distinctive space come alive.

A perfect two-tone effect

Why MKBD? 

We hope our website can provide you with all the information you might need about our company. If you're thinking about remodeling your kitchen or bathroom, please do not hesitate to call us: 215-355-4747.

Some homeowners choose to call a remodeling company only after they have spent countless hours researching their project. We're all for research, but including a home remodeling company at the very beginning of the exploration process can increase your chances of success. A remodeling company can guide you in your exploration, saving you time. A home remodeling company can also help you set reasonable parameters for your project.

How long might the project take to complete?

What are the best materials for your lifestyle?

And how about the cost?

Remember: Take advantage of our FREE In-Home Remodeling Estimate

And if you have any questions about your next kitchen remodeling project, please feel free to call MKBD for an individualized consultation.

Call now! 215-355-4747. Better yet, check out our Free In-Home Remodeling Estimate on this very blog!