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A dream kitchen not only has to look fantastic, it also has to function as well as it looks. Those two goals are not mutually exclusive. Homeowners in Northern California are increasingly realizing the importance and benefit of storage and organizational solutions for their new kitchens and baths. Their preferences are mirroring a new national survey of homeowners who recently renovated their kitchens and baths, conducted by Kitchen and Bath Business magazine. Homeowners in Northern California understand that a well-designed kitchen is an organized kitchen. The KBB survey found that a median of 60% of homeowners are requesting more storage and organizational options for their new kitchens and baths. The most frequently requested kitchen storage and organizing tool is a built-in trash recycling option, requested by 99% of homeowners. The other most popular kitchen storage/organizational tools are: Under cabinet/in-cabinet lighting Pullouts/blind corners/lifts Stand-alone pantry Drawer inserts/dividers Wine/beverage storage In-cabinet outlets and USB ports Appliance garage Other popular storage solutions favored by homeowners in Northern California include knife block drawers, drawer peg systems, cleaning product and paper towel storage, composting stations, spice racks, double islands, hidden pantry drawers, pet-feeding stations, blind-corner pull outs, and toe-kick drawers. Demand for organizational tools, solutions, and systems among homeowners in Northern California have dramatically increased in response to the changing multifunctional role. Kitchens are now called upon to perform as offices, zoom backgrounds, classrooms, libraries, cafés, and dining rooms. Homeowners in Northern California are cooking more as well, highlighting the need and desire for a clean, well-organized space. Professional kitchen designers meet the new demands for more organization and storage solutions by maximizing cabinet storage, designing walk-in pantries, and recommending organizational dividers for kitchen drawers. Homeowners in Northern California find that specifying organizational and storage solutions as part of the initial design helps to determine how to best use the budget to not only create a kitchen that is the envy of the neighborhood, but also is easy to use, optimizes the available space, increases storage options, and easier to clean and maintain. What storage and organizational solutions will make your new dream kitchen function and perform better than it looks? Give us a call at 530-432-HOME or make an appointment to visit our showroom at 348 Idaho Maryland Rd. Grass Valley, CA 95945 and let us show you the organizational and storage options that will make your new kitchen a dream not only to look at, but also to use.

A dream kitchen not only has to look fantastic, it also has to function as well as it looks. Those two goals are not mutually exclusive. Homeowners in Northern California are increasingly realizing the importance and benefit of storage and organizational solutions for their new kitchens and baths. Their preferences are mirroring a new national survey of homeowners who recently renovated their kitchens and baths, conducted by Kitchen and Bath Business magazine. Homeowners in Northern California understand that a well-designed kitchen is an organized kitchen. The KBB survey found that a median of 60% of homeowners are requesting more storage and organizational options for their new kitchens and baths. The most frequently requested kitchen storage and organizing tool is a built-in trash recycling option, requested by 99% of homeowners. The other most popular kitchen storage/organizational tools are: Under cabinet/in-cabinet lighting Pullouts/blind corners/lifts Stand-alone pantry Drawer inserts/dividers Wine/beverage storage In-cabinet outlets and USB ports Appliance garage Other popular storage solutions favored by homeowners in Northern California include knife block drawers, drawer peg systems, cleaning product and paper towel storage, composting stations, spice racks, double islands, hidden pantry drawers, pet-feeding stations, blind-corner pull outs, and toe-kick drawers. Demand for organizational tools, solutions, and systems among homeowners in Northern California have dramatically increased in response to the changing multifunctional role. Kitchens are now called upon to perform as offices, zoom backgrounds, classrooms, libraries, cafés, and dining rooms. Homeowners in Northern California are cooking more as well, highlighting the need and desire for a clean, well-organized space. Professional kitchen designers meet the new demands for more organization and storage solutions by maximizing cabinet storage, designing walk-in pantries, and recommending organizational dividers for kitchen drawers. Homeowners in Northern California find that specifying organizational and storage solutions as part of the initial design helps to determine how to best use the budget to not only create a kitchen that is the envy of the neighborhood, but also is easy to use, optimizes the available space, increases storage options, and easier to clean and maintain. What storage and organizational solutions will make your new dream kitchen function and perform better than it looks? Give us a call at 530-432-HOME or make an appointment to visit our showroom at 348 Idaho Maryland Rd. Grass Valley, CA 95945 and let us show you the organizational and storage options that will make your new kitchen a dream not only to look at, but also to use.

White kitchens will never go out of style and will continue to be the color of choice for many homeowners in Northern California. However, we are seeing increased demand among our clients to bring more of mother nature into their home, especially in the kitchen. Green tones are hot, from mint and sage to emerald and deep forest, almost every shade of green is finding its way into kitchens and other parts of their home. One of the reasons why homeowners in Northern California are attracted to green-toned kitchens is the color allows them to bring a natural vibe into the space. Many homeowners in Northern California find green to be refreshing and organic. Green enables homeowners in Northern California to make a bold statement in their new dream kitchen. Dark green painted cabinets provide great depth and is particularly suited in kitchens with lots of natural light that are connected to outdoors. Other shades of green create the same effect of bringing more natural elements indoors in rooms that do not have a lot of natural light. Green is a great option for homeowners in Northern California that want to make a distinctive and personal design statement without overwhelming the space. Because green is associated with nature, it provides a calming effect without losing its richness. We have helped homeowners in Northern California bring green elements into their home in a variety of options. Green tiled backsplashes, green laminate cabinets, green porcelain floor tile, green light pendants, green paint and green painted cabinets are a few examples. Green tones are a natural partner to yellow tones that are present in many different types of wood and metal finishes such as brass and copper. How can you use green to make a distinct and personal design statement in your new kitchen? Give us a call at 530-432-HOME or make an appointment to visit our showroom at 348 Idaho Maryland Rd. Grass Valley, CA 95945 and let us show you how to make your dreams become a reality.

Homeowners in Northern California spend months, if not longer, researching options to create the kitchen of their dreams. This research is invaluable because it provides insights into what is most important and also enables a professional designer to curate information, desires, wants and must-haves to develop a design and specification that enables homeowners in Northern California to have it all. We encourage homeowners in Northern California to think big when they envision the kitchen of their dreams. In every product category, there can be tradeoffs based on performance, functionality and price. However, there may not be a need to compromise. Here are several ideas to help you think bigger. Quartz is the number one preference for kitchen countertops in Northern California and for many good reasons. Quartz looks comparable to granite and marble however, it is not porous and won’t stain, making it easy to maintain and clean. There are an almost limitless number of colors, patterns and finishes available. With quartz, you can even incorporate veins in interesting patterns to resemble marble and natural stone. Typical quartz slabs are the same thickness as granite, 3cm. However, quartz is heavier than granite and much stronger, allowing for larger tops and longer overhangs. Attention to detail is essential to creating a dream kitchen. To get exactly the look, feel and functionality that you want, gravitate to custom cabinets. As the name suggest, custom cabinets provide a blank canvas to get whatever size, wood type, color and finish that you desire. Most custom cabinets are built to order on a project-by-project basis. If you plan to stay in your home for an extended period of time, custom cabinets will provide multiple returns on your investment. Custom cabinets also provide a blank canvas for appliance selection because the cabinets will be constructed to fit whatever size refrigerator, range, oven, dishwasher, wine fridge or other appliance that you want. This will allow for a clean and cohesive look in your kitchen and account for the variation in depth among appliance manufactures that often can result in a counter depth appliance exceeding the depth of the countertop. Speaking of appliances, a welcome new trend favored by homeowners in Northern California is a drawer dishwasher that is more environmentally efficient, easier to use and provide more flexibility. You don't use as much water or energy because you can wash one drawer while the second drawer stays idle. It's a great feature for everyday life and dinner parties and family gatherings. Multifunctional ovens are another investment that provide multiple returns. Today’s multifunctional ovens offer different cooking systems that deliver healthier meals by maintaining more nutrients in the foods being cooked and make cooking easier and more uniform. Ask your designer about the benefits offered by ovens with convention, steam, air frying and conventional functionality. Invest in a deep and wide sink, especially if you enjoy cooking and entertaining. Larger single bowls have been dominating the primary sink market. Today’s homeownersin Northern California like the ability to place dishes, pots and pans, and large trays into the sink simultaneously. These sinks make it easy to lay a large tray or pan flat in the bottom of the sink to be able to soak, making them easier to clean. Most of these sinks are large and rectangular, ranging from 28” to 36” wide and 10" deep. Similar to cabinets, you can order a custom sink to fit any space or size that you desire. The most used appliance in the home is the kitchen faucet. Once you have experienced the joy and ease of using a smart faucet you will never return to a conventional model. Smart kitchen faucets can activate the flow of water by touch or voice command, which is a welcome feature of home bakers who want to rinse hands covered in dough. A secret to designing a great kitchen is to account for your storage needs and desires in the initial planning phase. A storage plan will address how often you cook, entertain and hold gatherings. A great kitchen must not only look out of this world, it also must incorporate the best functionality that meets your needs. What other features do you want in the kitchen of your dreams? Give us a call at 530-432-HOME or make an appointment to visit our showroom at 348 Idaho Maryland Rd. Grass Valley, CA 95945 and let us show you how you can have it all!

We understand that not all homeowners in Northern California have the footprint in their kitchens for long islands, endless countertop space and walk-in pantries. That does not mean that homeowners in Northern California can’t create the kitchen of their dreams. In fact, smaller spaces can outperform their larger counterparts, because smaller kitchens tend to maximize every inch of space. Designing a smaller kitchen for homeowners in Northern California requires determining how to best use cabinets, maximize countertops and develop a flow that makes it easy to use the kitchen for multiple purposes. Smaller kitchens by their very nature tend to be more efficient spaces. Efficiency translates to less waste. Because storage is typically limited, food in the fridge or pantry areas does not get overlooked, misplaced or allowed to go bad. Similarly, smaller kitchens required homeowners in Northern California to prioritize their tools, gadgets and countertop appliances. Every item in smaller kitchens tend to be used frequently. You may not have space for the sandwich press or apple slicers. Less clutter is another benefit of a small kitchen because most of the items in the kitchen have been curated to maximize their use. Smaller kitchens also tend to be cleaner, because there just is not room to stack dirty dishes, groceries or cookware. A smaller space does not have to appear or function as small. Open shelves provide the flexibility to change the look and feel of the space whenever you want, thereby maintaining a fresh new look all the time. We often recommend to homeowners in Northern California who opt for open shelves to paint them the same color as the wall. This allows homeowners in Northern California to create focal points with the items they place on shelves. Eliminating cabinet hardware is another technique to make smaller space function and look larger without compromising functionality. Drawers and cabinets can be opened using a lip or touch latch. You also don’t have to worry about bumping into a knob or pull in tighter quarters. Maximizing the use of corner spaces can help enhance the look and performance of a smaller kitchens either for storage or as the location for sinks. Other techniques to make smaller spaces appear and function as larger is to use light colors for cabinets, patterned floor covering and running backsplash from the counter to the ceiling. If you would like to know how you can create a dream kitchen in a smaller space, please give us a call at 530-432-HOME or make an appointment to visit our showroom located at 348 Idaho Maryland Rd. Grass Valley, CA 95945.

Increasingly, homeowners in Northern California who continue to spend most of their time in their homes, want their homes to perform better. The desire for better home performance has caused home renovation and remodeling in Northern California to boom. As a leading expert on kitchen and bath renovations in Northern California, we help homeowners create new spaces that not only improves their homes’ performance, but also improves their family members’ lives and happiness. Many homeowners in Northern California need a space in their home that they can call their own; a space where they can take a few minutes of the day all to themselves, devoid of texts, tweets and even small feet to relax and wash away the stresses of the day. That space can be the primary bath. A good starting point to creating the bathroom of your dreams is to determine how you would like the finished space to look, perform and feel when the project is completed. The first step is to determine priorities: Do you and your family prefer to take long soaks in a tub? Would you and your family prefer a high-performing multifunctional shower? Can the space accommodate both tub for soakers and a high-performing shower? Are you interested in taking advantage of the health benefits of water massage, color, light, aroma and steam therapies or combinations thereof? Do you plan to age in place in your existing home? How many sinks do you prefer? Are you aware of the benefits of a high-performing toilet? How smart do you want your bathroom to be? Does a heated floor on cold winter nights and days have an appeal? How much storage to you require? What other functions and fixtures are most important? After you prioritize functionality, the next step in planning the bath is to determine the look and feel you want to achieve. Of course, you want your new primary bath to be beautiful. That’s a given. Determine the style that is best suited to your tastes and existing décor. What color schemes make you smile? What textural elements do you want? Our most successful projects don’t necessarily reflect the hottest trends. Instead, we work with homeowners in Northern California to provide a primary bath that makes them smile every time they cross the threshold. Space can be a challenge. Many primary baths in Northern California are not in large spaces but that does not mean you can’t create a primary bath that wows. We often can find and create space by identifying opportunities from unused work areas or adjoining rooms. Lighting is often a key component to achieving homeowner goals, especially where space is at a premium. How can you take advantage of the most successful bath renovation practices to create the bathroom of your dreams? Give us a call at 530-432-HOME or make an appointment to visit us at our showroom and let us show you how your new primary bath can become a personal refuge from the stresses of the day.

There is a reason that more than 50% of homeowners in Northern California and nationwide choose white as the primary color for their new dream kitchens. White offers a bright, crisp look that can make a kitchen space look more expansive and provide a feeling of calm and serenity. Several reasons why white kitchens are the go-to option for so many homeowners in Northern California include the timeless nature of a white kitchen. White is never out of style. Additionally, because of white kitchens’ ability to withstand the test of time, your new dream white kitchen increases the value of your home when you are ready to sell it. Predominately white kitchens have the potential to emit a cold and sanitary feeling. This can be avoided by selecting the right shade of white and strategically incorporating pops of color in your backsplash, countertops, lights, cabinet hardware, appliances, sinks or fixtures. We often encourage homeowners in Northern California that want a predominately white kitchen to select primary hues for their pops of color. When it comes to color, red, blue and yellow are the source of all other colors and black and white are typically used to create tone and value. A key to incorporating pops of color into a white kitchen is to achieve the right balance to elevate and energize the look and feel of the most used room in your home. What are the right pops of color that can energize and inspire your new dream white kitchen? Give us a call at 530-432-HOME or make an appointment to visit our showroom at 348 Idaho Maryland Rd. Grass Valley, CA 95945 and let us show you how you can make a distinctive, personal design statement in your new dream kitchen.

The kitchen sink is the most used fixture in your kitchen. Think about how many roles your sink plays. It’s the place for dirty dishes. It’s where you wash fruits and vegetables. It’s where you fill pots and pans. The list can go on and on. And there is no shortage of options. Kitchen sinks come in an infinite number of sizes, textures, materials and depths. Which one is right for homeowners in Northern California? That depends on several; factors and questions that homeowners in Northern California need to answer to specify the perfect sink for their lifestyle and family. It may seem like common sense, but the size of the kitchen sink should be proportional to the size of the kitchen. Homeowners with a large kitchen that can accommodate multiple countertops, have more options than homeowners in Northern California with smaller sized kitchens. A smaller footprint generally calls for a sink that will meet most kitchen requirements without compromising countertop space or storage areas. As a rule of thumb, if you place your kitchen sink in front of a window, the sink’s width should be no wider than the window. Many homeowners in Northern California who entertain and cook frequently often are attracted to the idea of making their sink a focal point in the kitchen by selecting a larger fashion-forward sink made from copper, fireclay, composite or another material. Your kitchen sink should not only look beautiful, the sink should also meet your functional needs. Homeowners in Northern California who are avid cooks often prefer double or triple bowled sinks. These sinks are generally wider than standard sizes requiring wider sink bases that are generally more appropriate for larger kitchens. Multiple bowl sinks allow more than one person to use the sink at the same time without getting in the way of one another. Sink depth is another important because it affects ease of use. If the main users of the sink are less than 5 feet 6 inches tall, a shallower depth may be most appropriate because family members won’t have to lean into the sink to use it. Deeper sinks typically are preferred by more avid cooks because they tend to use a lot of dishes, pots and pans when preparing meals and deeper sinks allows them to hide dirty dishes from the view of guests and others. Bakers also prefer deeper sinks because they can easily accommodate sheet pans and cutting boards. Increasingly, homeowners in Northern California are attracted to workstation sinks. A workstation sink resembles a standard sink but comes with an array of accessories and options that not only enhance its functionality, but also makes it easier to prepare meals and helps overcome potential space problems. Most workstation sinks serve multiple functions that convert the sink into a countertop, food prep areas and drying rack. Accessories such as cutting boards, drying racks, colanders make meal preparation and clean up faster, easier and more efficient. Another attractive feature of workstation sinks is their multifunctionality. Homeowners in Northern California can simultaneously defrost food, wash fresh veggies and clean dirty dishes in their workstation sinks. It’s also a more sanitary option because it allows you to keep fresh food, dirty dishes and other items completely separate thereby avoiding the possibility of cross contamination. What’s the perfect size, material and configuration of the sink for your dream kitchen? Give us a call at 530-432-HOME or make an appointment to visit our showroom at 348 Idaho Maryland Rd. Grass Valley, CA 95945 and let us help you determine what’s best for you and your family.

Many homeowners in Northern California spend many hours researching different options, styles, colors, textures and products for the kitchen of their dreams. Thankfully, many homeowners in Northern California create idea books and save pictures of kitchens and products that they like. This information can make your customer journey a lot easier and less stressful and time consuming. The style of cabinet door that homeowners in Northern California select for their dream kitchen sets the tone for the space and generates the vibe that determines how a kitchen will look and feel. Door options are almost unlimited depending on your style, taste and budget. The following guidance can help you determine the right door for your dream kitchen. Door Types The two most common types of kitchen cabinet doors are overlay and inset. Overlay cabinet doors come in full or partial overlay versions. Full overlay doors and drawers completely cover the face frame. When two overlay cabinets are viewed side-by-side, only a very small portion of the frame is visible, creating a nearly seamless and streamlined look. Partial overlay doors and drawers partially cover the face frame and are typically associated with more traditional decor. Inset doors fit inside the face frame. This type of cabinet construction gives a full view of the cabinet frame, with only minimal spacing or gaps between the cabinet components. Inset cabinetry offers clean lines, flush inset doors and features that can change the look of a standard cabinet with a full overlay door. With inset cabinets, you can personalize the design with either beaded or non-beaded inserts to create your own look and complement your home’s décor. Cabinet Door Styles: Shaker design is the most popular type of cabinet door for homeowners in Northern California. Clean lines that add depth and interest without being visually overpowering characterize Shaker doors. The most basic Shaker style is a five-piece door with a recessed center panel and no additional edge detailing. Slab doors are simple and stylish. They are devoid of panels, molding or detailing to produce a clean minimalist look. Slab doors typically are made of wood or laminate. Arched doors have a curve at the top that is either recessed or raised within the door panel. Cathedral arch doors have a medieval arch at the top. This style is almost always limited to wall hung cabinets. Beaded cabinets are often associated with the cottage look feature decorative wood paneling with vertical grooves on the interior panel. Glass inset cabinets feature a clear or frosted piece of glass that allows you to see the contents of the cabinet. Mission-style cabinets are usually made from oak and stained to highlight the grain of the wood. They employ a square frame molding to produce a simple elegant style. Thermafoil doors are molded from medium-density fiberboard (MDF) that are wrapped in a coating and then baked under extremely high heat to create an impervious seal. Thermafoil doors are extremely durable and budget friendly. This type of door only comes in solid colors or imitation wood grain. Custom doors provide a blank pallet for homeowners in Northern California to create a unique design that is all their own. What is the right door for your new dream kitchen? Give us a call at 530-432-HOME (4663) or make an appointment to visit us at our showroom at 348 Idaho Maryland Rd. Grass Valley, CA 95945 and let us help curate many different options to identify the perfect door type, style, color and texture for your dream kitchen.