Posts

Organize Your Kitchen

January 23, 2016/in Consumer Information /by Stacey Walker

Start Your New Year Organized!

With so many unique storage options available to organize your kitchen, here are a few ways that Walker Woodworking can help you get your kitchen organized. Our team of experts were really creative with making some of these storage options work to the homeowner’s very specific requests and needs.

An organized kitchen helps things run smoothly so that you can focus more on creating great meals. When planning your new kitchen, take time to plan your space fully; even measuring cutlery, plates and platters to create spaces within the kitchen so that everything has a place in which it belongs.

The Pantry

Photo by Walker Woodworking Staff – All Rights Reserved.

Light up your pantry! This is a simple yet bright way to be able to see what you have hiding in your pantry. Another great idea is keeping the pantry area shallow, sometimes its hard to reach all the way back for your favorite snack. If you have the wall space in your kitchen, having adjustable shelves or pull out drawers behind cabinet doors is a great way to keep all of your grocery’s organized and easily accessible.

Organize your space – trim back the contents of your pantry until you have some open space on each shelf. Organize what’s left into a set of matching food storage containers or open baskets. This may mean removing excess food. Remember that a staged kitchen is not necessarily a practical kitchen!

Large Pullouts – Get your storage and great looks.

Vertical storage – the possibilities for pullouts go beyond traditional pantry-style drawers. These special decorative pullouts for specific items can boost the functionality of your kitchen. Groceries are easy to see and the shelves in this unit are adjustable. This is an great option for using absolutely every inch of your kitchen.

Shallow Cabinet Shelves

This homeowner wanted to make use of every possible space available so we added panels on the end that open into shallow adjustable shelves. This is ideal from storing spices to multivitamins and other small items that tend to get lost in larger pantries. This is one of the many ways you can design custom cabinets to help you organize your kitchen.

Custom Drawers

Divide and conquer – taking it to the extreme. One of the things only a custom cabinetry company can provide – custom drawers. It’s always a challenge to make the best use to the space under a cook-top. This dovetail U shaped drawer is just one of several options that we can do. Many of these details are discussed during the design phase. We factor in appliance specs as well as the homeowner’s preferences when planning space under the cook-top.

Double Decker Drawers

This is always a client favorite! Double-decker drawers are most often used to store utensils. With more and more kitchen gadgets available, more space is needed to store these items for easy access. These double-decker drawers have been used in many of our client’s kitchen designs over the last few years. We use heavy duty Blum Soft Close Undermount Drawer Slides in all of our drawers.

Mixer Lift

Clutter-free counters provide space for food prep and entertaining. An appliance pullout provides easy access to everyday items like toasters or coffee machines, which can slide out in a snap and just as easily be hidden away when not in use. The mixer lift is a popular item for our clients who really love to bake. Most mixers are really heavy and a hassle to get out and put away. The mixer lift storage unit is perfect for making the mixer very easy to access when needed. The hardware does the heavy lifting for you, all you have to do is pull the leaver and the lift comes right up, when you’re all done just push the unit back in place and close the door.

Silverware Dividers

Keep things in order with drawer organizers – cluttered drawers can alter the functionality and efficiency of a kitchen. All of our new kitchens come with a complimentary silverware tray divider. This is how you make use of all the space in a large drawer. Keeping your silverware organized is a must. Sometimes one is not enough, these are easy and inexpensive to add to your drawers during the design phase of your kitchen.

Did you know that we have an entire photo gallery dedicated to the many storage options that can be incorporated to your design? Click here to dive in.

Diverse Woodworking solutions for your home.

May 14, 2015/in Custom Projects /by Stacey Walker

Our services offer all types of custom cabinetry.

Since Walker Woodworking is a custom cabinetry shop, our main market is kitchens and these rooms do account for 75% of what we build. However, by not limiting ourselves geographically to areas between Charlotte and Shelby we have been able to expand our services to offer all types of custom cabinetry. When working on a new construction project we have opportunities to fill an entire home with cabinetry that includes: bathrooms, offices, laundry rooms, custom closets, desk and work areas, entertainment centers, fireplace mantles, built-ins and even pet centers. We offer diverse woodworking solutions for your home.

The process is much longer when planning a new construction project vs. a remodel. Since this is the case we invest longer periods of time pouring over the design details with these clients and as a result, stronger bonds are made as we grow accustomed to their tastes and style. Such was the case with this couple who was building in Lexington. Our designer got to know them very well and understood the way they wanted their home to function, far reaching from just the kitchen space.

One area of their home that was of the utmost importance to them was the master closet. They wanted to have one large room with an area for exercise equipment, and a separate his and hers dressing area. Drawing on her experience of planning a previous job, our designer suggested to these homeowners that they change the layout of the space to also include a washer and dryer, doubling their main laundry capacity. The homeowners loved the idea! After all, who wants to walk around your entire home with piles of laundry?

In the end they have a functional dressing, exercise, and laundry room all in one! The closet is right off the master bath, which provides a tranquil retreat for the retired couple.

Custom Cabinets, Kitchen and Bath Design, Remodeling projects,cabinetry, design, and installation. In house design consultations with free estimates!

They share a bathroom, but she has her own vanity seating area, so they aren’t always rubbing elbows while getting ready!

Of course, the kitchen was a large part of this custom home as well. We worked diligently with the clients to plan the large angled peninsula and corner pantry so that they were all in alignment and nothing inhibited the work flow throughout the room. We wrapped the pantry and paneled the appliances to give the kitchen an integrated appearance and make it feel warm and inviting. The painted finish of the perimeter compliments the stained island beautifully and the traditional styling lends itself to the French Country flair, without being to ornate.

The desk we created, wine nook, and entertainment center all lend to the owners relaxed lifestyle in this one of a kind home. If you’d like to incorporate some of these touches into your home, or if you are ready to begin planning the home of your dreams please contact us today to set up a time for a design consultation.

Go ahead and think about more than just kitchens when it comes to custom cabinetry.

But if you are thinking about what’s for dinner, imagine how nice it would be to prepare dinner in a custom built kitchen from Walker Woodworking.

Explore all the possibilities browsing our website by room or by style. Click here to see the entire gallery of photos from this French Country Home Project.

www,walkerwoodworking.com

Jan Blanton – Walker Woodworking

Living the Easy Life

May 4, 2015/in Consumer Information /by Stacey Walker

Of course, we all know the “Easy Life” is with a book in our hand, toes in the sand.

Then reality hits us right smack in the face! We are micro managers of our household! What could make life easier is organization. Seems simple enough right? A kitchen well designed from the beginning will make for an easier life!

So, let me explain how it is you can have the“Easy-Life” with custom cabinets.

If you are considering building new or remodeling a home in the near future, you should consider custom cabinetry.

There are many more reasons to consider custom cabinetry than you might realize.

Cabinet organization can reduce clutter, make things easier to store and find–which makes cooking more enjoyable!

Organization built into your design might just begin to create the “Easy -Life” for you!

Benefits of working with a custom cabinet shop:

Built to last
Local sourcing
Elements you NEED, and none that you don’t
Personalization
Built to fit
Not mass produced
Space planning and functional design

At Walker Woodworking we have a talented designer who can guide you through all the options of custom cabinets with your best interest in mind. Custom design elements will increase the value of your home. “Cookie-cutter” or boxed cabinet manufacturing cannot offer the elements of a custom shop.

Your kitchen design is often based on the purpose of your kitchen. That may seem crazy to say, but not all kitchen owners actually cook; therefore, perhaps pan dividers and spice racks are not needed. Your lifestyle is important to the design of your kitchen. Does the whole family cook? Do you need more counter space for preparations? Do you eat in the kitchen? Do you have large serving pieces? All of these questions and more will help the design process be most efficient for you and your family.

Here are a few suggested kitchen design ideas that will help you begin the “Easy Life”.

Tray dividers:

Not a new concept to the kitchen, but new ideas in the design area. Tray dividers can store various items such as: Cutting boards, cookie sheets, & serving trays. Placement for this type of storage will give your kitchen more function without compromising space.

Base wall and pullouts:

Pullouts are perfect to fill in a space and use for storage of spices, oils, cooking utensils & other small items. When closed, the pullouts will blend with the kitchen design and sometimes go unnoticed. Maximize your storage and get the most out of your space.

Pantry & roll-out drawers:

Adjustable roll-outs are perfect for canned goods and dry food storage. This helps eliminate the problem of never seeing what’s in the back. Everything is easily accessible and at your fingertips!

Appliance garage:

The mixer now has a place to be stored.
No heavy lifting just to make a cake! Coffee makers, blenders, toasters and small appliances can be stored with convenience; thus making your life easier and your back stronger! Frees the counter top of clutter and begins to make life easier!

Recycle bin:

Recycling is important. But really who likes having the three large ugly plastic storage bins at your garage door entrance? Now you can get the family involved in recycling. Recycling can be stylish and functional. Custom cabinets will allow you to have more than one area of trash bins in your home.

Rustic Home, alder wood,bar stool,cabinet covered appliances,rustic style kitchen

Picture shows a two-can trash pullout recycle bin to the left of the sink

and to the right, is a paneled dishwasher!

Docking drawer & drawer dividers:

Free up your counter space–custom drawers, docking drawers and cutlery drawers will certainly help with the clutter of small items. Several of our home owners need storage for various things including: hair dryers, curling irons, DVD’s, jewelry, guns, serving utensils, tools and so much more!

A designer will provide answers to your questions that will allow us to design cabinetry that is best suited for your lifestyle.Docking drawers are becoming more and more popular in today’s households. A docking drawer has the electrical components inside the drawer which can charge your electronic devices without clutter on the countertop.

Refrigerator drawer and warming drawers:

Like the look of a mini bar, wet bar or need extra refrigerated space for the kids to have easy access to after school drinks and snacks? A refrigerator drawer is functional and stylish. Custom cabinet appliance panels can be placed on the outside to have the drawer look as if it was part of the cabinetry. Warming drawers also can be incorporated into your kitchen design to blend with the cabinetry.

We understand kitchen and home remodels or new construction can be a daunting experience. It is our intention to assist you each step of the way. At Walker Woodworking, our focus is on creating high – end custom made products to enhance your home and lifestyle. We believe that our quality, custom, hand-crafted woodworking makes the difference between an ordinary house and an extraordinary home. Quality is the foundation for everything we do.

Go enjoy the “Easy life” and call us when you need custom cabinets!

Jan Blanton – Walker Woodworking