Category: Uncategorized

Current lifestyle trends, whether it may be empty nesters, first time home buyers, or the economy, have left people with smaller spaces. A solution to this mainstream problem is designing “smarter.” Many elements work together to construct a design that encompasses several ideas that not only look amazing but are very practical at the same time. Smart Design a way of incorporating great designs for all ages in smaller spaces using technology, organization and lighting to create storage solutions that make use of every inch of space.

The best part about Smart Design is that it’s not just limited to the kitchen. It can be used throughout every room in the home. This is important because the kitchen is not the only room that needs space maximized, and by excelling in technology, organization and lighting, a room’s accessibility can be transformed.

Technology

The advances in technology have opened up the opportunity to make life a little easier. Cooking, a lot of times, leaves you with your hands messy or full. With features such as touch to lift, touch to light, touch to open and touch to close, a solution is provided for this mainstream problem. Another neat possibility with technology is the ability to bring items down and up with the push of a button. This has been shown through countertops that lift and lower depending on the task at hand, cabinet shelves that lower to the countertop and lift back up for convenience and closet rods that lower and lift maximizing space that otherwise would go untouched.

Organization

Organization is key when making the most use of small spaces. With so many storage solution kits and accessories, there is guaranteed to be a place for every item! Also, when spaces are kept organized, locating items becomes much easier. Components such as drawer dividers, tray dividers, spice rack pullout cabinets and sliding shelves are only a few of the items that can aid in organization. Remember to be creative! Who says that a draw divider can’t be useful in a craft room? Find organization that works well for you and stick to it!

Lighting

The right amount of lighting not only complements cabinets to show the true beauty of the wood, but it also provides the function of making things easier to see. This alone can save space because it gives you access to locate items in all areas of the cabinets. Lighting is an element that is often overlooked, but really does provide function to cabinets.

Touch to Open

Another option for convenience is our Touch to Open feature.  Wellborn’s drawer base cabinet with touch to open technology allows users to simply touch the front of the drawer that they want to access, and it glides open, eliminating the need to grab any hardware. When the drawer is pressed in, a small motor activates the door to open. This makes this Smart Design feature the perfect solution for homeowners with mobility or motor challenges, or for those of us simply looking for a little extra help in the kitchen.

Electronic Charging Stations

It’s a technology filled world and all those devices need their own place to rest and recharge. So why not give them one? Include our Charging Drawer Station into your design and provide yourself with a dedicated area specifically for your technology. Many base, desk and vanity cabinets 21” wide or wider can get the Charging Drawer Station Installed. This option installs an in-drawer electrical outlet into the top  drawer and includes two outlets and two USB ports to charge most any personal technology device (phone, tablet, MP3 player, etc.) in the drawer.

When dreaming up your new home or remodel, try to think of ways that Smart Design can be incorporated in each space!

To see all of our product offerings visit www.wellborn.com

Krislyn Wellborn, Public relations and Social Media Specialist

kwellborn@wellborn.com

We have many different options to personalize cabinetry to each individual’s style and need. In this blog you will find the following in the same order as listed below:

1. You Draw It
2. Active Living
3. ColorInspire
4. Brush Finish
5. Islands
6. Hoods
7. Mouldings & Embellishments
8. Smart Design

You Draw It

Wellborn’s You Draw It program allows you to personalize or enhance your Estate or Premier cabinetry design with a stunning custom focal point or a custom cabinet designed just to meet your needs. You Draw It lets you create what your imagination has envisioned.

Some modifications include the following:

• Special Sizes
• Modifications
• Custom Options
• Special Cabinets

Below are a few ways that the You Draw It program has already been utilized to fulfill desired creations.

For more information on the You Draw It program, contact your local Wellborn Dealer. 

Wellborn Cabinet, Inc. reserves the right to determine if a special product will be built. 

Active Living

Click here to view our Active Living products on our website.

ColorInspire

The ColorInspire program allows you to choose paint colors form the paint decks of Sherwin Williams, Benjamin Moore, and Valspar. This program is available in all of our Estate Collection and Elegant Bath Inset cabinetry.

Below are some ways ColorInspire has been used.

For additional information on the ColorInspire program, contact your local Wellborn Dealer. 

Brush Finish – A Hint of Brush Stroke

Brush Finish is a hand application designed to give depth and movement to the base color. Brush Finish is available on Elegant Bath Inset door styles and in the Estate Collection. This hand applied glaze in a subtle brush overlaying the paint provides depth to the finish not seen with standard glazing.

• Available on Maple
• Brush glaze color in Fawn, a very light tan color
• Available on Creme, Divinity, Glacier, Pebble, Sandstone, and Vanilla paints (on Maple)
• Not available with any other glaze or finish technique

Below are some examples of Brush Finish.

For more information on Brush Finish, contact your local Wellborn Dealer. 

Islands

Islands are one of the most requested items in kitchen design today because of aesthetics and functionality. Some islands may be designed to create a beautiful focal point in the kitchen while other islands are chosen to add seating, storage, work space, and convenience.

See below for island ideas.

To find the island that meets your needs, contact your local Wellborn Dealer. 

For more tips on choosing your perfect island, check out our blog, Islands- The Heart of the Kitchen.

Hoods

Click here to view hoods on our website.

Mouldings & Embellishments

Click here to view mouldings and embellishments on our website.

Smart Design

Smart Design is not just about filling a room with beautiful cabinetry. It is about maximizing your rooms’ storage space through organization and convenience through technology and lighting. Smart Design is a way to make a home more custom to each family based on the ergonomics of their personal needs.

For more information on Smart Design, check out our blog, How To: Incorporate “Smart Design” In Your Home.

For more information on Wellborn customizable options and products, please contact your local Wellborn Dealer. 

Ashley Robinson, Public Relations and Social Media Specialist

arobinson@wellborn.com

Moving into a new state, new town, and a new home meant getting a new kitchen. A kitchen that happened to be remodeled in the early 80’s on a thrifty budget. Rather than starting out with a kitchen remodel, I decided to make it my own by utilizing accessories and wedding gifts to add personal character. These are quick and simple improvements that can be applied to any room of the home.

Being someone who LOVES to cook and spend time in the kitchen, my small amount of countertop space and cabinetry really limited the excitement of my hobby. A small amount of space meant I had to be very selective on what I was going to let live on the countertops and in the cabinets. So, what are those necessities? My Kitchen-Aid mixer, recipe stand, canister set, spice rack, butcher block cutting board, knife block, and a few mason jars are, on a good day, all you will find on the counter. These are my most used items, so they really make me feel at “home” in my kitchen.

As far as cabinet space goes, I found that removing cabinet doors from wall cabinets make a kitchen feel larger and more open. This helped out more than just for looks because now my plates fit on the open shelves where before my cabinet doors would not shut. Aesthetically, my clear glasses, mason jars, and dishes add to the character of the kitchen, and that I love. This also helps in making me more organized with those items knowing that they are a large part of the visual of the kitchen.

I have tried finding ways to add charm to my small haven with functionality in mind. So far, it has been a success. Only having certain items on the counter gives me an adequate amount of workspace. The shelving by the sink window houses some mason jars which are great for storing utensils and other items. They even add a unique touch to the space and are VERY convenient.

These are a few small improvements that really go a long way. Next will be to throw some paint on the walls and cabinets, add new window treatments, and build a shelf to hold my cookbooks!  

Ashley Robinson, Public Relations and Social Media Specialist

arobinson@wellborn.com

This week we are discussing Whole Home Design and illustrating how Wellborn Cabinetry can be used in every room of your home and sharing our ideas  – design ideas from our dealers and other resources.

You might ask, “Why does Whole Home Design Matter to me?”.  If any of the statements below are a major concern to you while building or remodeling then you need to consider “Whole Home Design”.

• work with fewer suppliers for cabinetry and storage needs
• create design consistency
• organized spaces is a must
• maximize space (every inch of space is important)
• design smarter in all ways
• designing for the future – aging in place
• own a quality product that lasts

So join us here and across all our social sites for a look into Whole Home Design and how this concept can help you design spaces that are made just for you!

3rd Place in the Large Kitchen Category goes to Crystal Kennedy; Pacific Northwest Cabinetry with her amazing transformation of not just a kitchen but an entire space for one happy family. Please enjoy her story below.

This beautiful 90’s home had been updated throughout except, notably, for the kitchen. The home housed
many a family gathering for up to 20 and they were ready to create a space they could proudly host and cook
for everyone in. We were excited to help give them their dream kitchen.
Problems/Challenges

• Dated oak cabinetry and granite tile tops.

• Rooms lacked adequate lighting and made the kitchen appear dingy.
• Cooktop on the island chopped up their prep space and didn’t have proper ventilation.
• Wanted at least 2 ovens for multiple people to be able to help cook.
• Countertops were cluttered; they wanted more storage to hide appliances.

• Space was not used efficiently making it hard to store everything away.
• They had many devices to plug-in and currently had to plug them in their main work areas.
• No seating in the kitchen.
• Wanted a warm and inviting kitchen – not too formal.
• They wanted a ‘wow’ factor somewhere in their kitchen since it was open to most of their home.
• They wanted to tie together their adjacent Family room and the kitchen to make it feel like one space.

Solutions:

• Moved the cook surface to the back wall – creating a beautiful focal point, providing more than adequate ventilation and opening up their island for more work space

• Madison Maple cabinets in the Crème Mocha  provided a bright, yet warm and traditional feel to the kitchen. It paired perfectly with the Sienna Cherry kitchen island and Sienna Mantle and built-in cabinetry in the adjacent room.
• Bringing the cabinetry to the ceiling provides a more grand feel. The upper cabinets are all fitted with glass doors and interior lighting to provide a more open feel and a beautiful ambient light.

• Paneling on the refrigerator and dish washer helped hide some of the stainless steel and give a homey, furniture feel to the space in general.
• Cottage mullion glass doors on the pantry storage provided a beautiful accent and gave a wall of cabinetry. a varied and open feel while providing them with lots of much-needed storage and a place for their appliances.

• The Titanium antique granite countertop gave them a durable solid surface with a softer, lightly textured finish. that gave the kitchen a much more natural and comfortable feel over highly polished granite.
• A farmhouse sink provided a large single sink for cleanup of even the biggest stock pots and added to the warm and homey feel of the kitchen.

• Adding seating to the end of the island gave family members a place to pull up a chair.
• A built-in charging drawer gave them a perfect space to hide their devices but still have them in the kitchen the hub of their activity.

Functional storage including 2 bin wastebasket with servo drive for hands free use, spice pullouts, base
corner pullouts and deep drawers made much better use of the space they had.
A full 36” range, separate oven and convection microwave gave them effectively 3 ovens and a microwave
and cooktop to work with – allowing many family members to cook at once.
Interior, undercabinet and recessed ceiling lighting with a better layout provides much better lighting throughout the space.
Installed stained oak floors in the kitchen and family room made the 2 spaced feel more cohesive.

The finished kitchen is a wonderful, open kitchen with a warm traditional feel and elegant touches – perfect
for this family.

 Creative Design Construction, Northvale, New Jersey

Glen Lumia & Sarah Cassidy 

Wonderful Work!

One of the most rewarding aspects of Social Media is the connections that you make along your journey. The interesting thing about these connections is that they are from all over the world, different industries and at times even our own competitors, we all want to share our knowledge and experiences not only to promote ourselves — but to learn and grow more in our businesses and as individuals.

One of the wonderful connections that we have made along the way is Konstadina; an interior designer from Greece who’s unique stylist abilities on Olioboard and her blog captured our attention. Not only does Konstadina promote herself very well across Social Sites she fully embraces the fact that connections are key to learning, growing and nurturing your online presence.

Konstadina created a few Wellborn Cabinet, Inc. Olioboards gathering images from our website and other sources to accessorize the spaces. We just had to share!

I love her two kitchen setting choices with “Accents of Color” on the Islands. The island is a perfect place to add that “Dash of Color” that will truly personalize your kitchen.

Details, Details and more Details 

While styles may come and go, there are certain details that people will still want to add to create a style all their own!

Bookcases or Open Shelving, Mullion Doors, Interior Storage Solutions and Drawers for every space possible!

Plate Racks, Cup Holders, Wine Glass Holders  – cabinetry created to make life easier and beautiful!

Author Bio:

My name is Κonstadina Nastou. I live in Greece and I am an interior designer but I prefer interior stylist.
I have worked with architects and civil engineers mainly in the design part of an architectural study.
I am really excited with the products of Wellborn Cabinet, even more so since it is a family run business. With the companyʼs products we are able to design the kitchen that we dream of, adapted to the needs and necessities of each household. The possibilities though do not stop in the kitchen area; any room in the house requiring cabinets can be thoroughly addressed by the companyʼs products.