Custom Kitchens

When considering remodeling or renovating your kitchen, there are some questions that you should ask yourself. Are you planning to live in this house for another twenty years, or only for another two? Do you really care how the countertops will look, or are you more interested in the flooring? These questions can change how we design your kitchen.

If you plan on moving soon and want to raise the price on your home, bright green cabinets and red walls are probably not the best choice. While you may really enjoy the colors, your potential buyers may not. Choosing a neutral or classic design for your home will make it easier for buyers to see the potential of your home. A new kitchen will raise the price and appeal of your home, but only if it is applicable to most. Our designers can help you decide on the best design for your home that will sell on the market.

However, we understand that you don’t want to live in a house that you hate, even if it’s only for a few years. If you have your heart set on an expensive tile, we can adjust some of the other aspects of your kitchen so you stay on budget. For example, we can install different cabinets to save money for the built in refrigerator or granite counter tops.

Our styles can please both you and your future buyers.

Spacious and beautiful: perfect for the market!

This Tuscan style kitchen will help raise the price on your home.

This kitchen is something that your guests can talk about.

This unique, modern style is not for everyone!

This bright color may be perfect for your lifestyle!

For some, the home they live in now is the home they plan on living in for the rest of their lives. If this is you, then go ahead and dream up the kitchen that you want! We have a wide variety of tiles, woods, cabinets, hoods, fixtures,  countertops, and so much more. We would love to explore your options and create the perfect room for you. Our licensed and experienced designers can help you decide on products and design while keeping your dream in mind.

Our goal is to create a custom kitchen for you, that is “As Unique As You Are”. Even if your kitchen needs to be market ready, we can still design it with your needs in mind. Come in or call today for your free consultation!

http://www.kccabinetry.com

– Cassandra Cordova, KC Cabinetry intern

Cleaning and Maintaining Wood Countertops and Cabinets

Wood cabinets and countertops are a beautiful addition to any Colorado kitchen remodel. There are so many different styles, types, and stain colors that the possibilities are endless. Keeping up with the maintenance of wood cabinets and countertops is easy, and keeping it clean will ensure that your cabinets stay as beautiful as the day you first installed them.

Even with a finish, wood can absorb liquid and cause it to deteriorate. This can be avoided by wiping up spills immediately after they happen, and paying attention to surfaces near sinks. When cleaning, simple soap and water is enough. Make sure to dry the surfaces with a lint-free cloth. Never use abrasive cleaners, scouring pads, powdered cleaners, or aerosol sprays containing silicones or paste waxes. These destroy the finish make it easier for moisture to enter the wood.

Spots can be cleaned with soap and water or with special wood cleaner. Gum or wax can be easily cleaned by placing an ice pack over the spot until it is cold and brittle enough to chip away. Scratches, dents, burns, and nicks can be repaired using a cabinetry care kit. If you do not have one, they can be purchased, or you can try these home remedies.

White spots on your wood are caused from wet spots not being cleaned up. They can sometimes be removed by wiping a wood polish on it, or lightly wiping the surface with denatured alcohol (too much will damage the wood). If the stain is still there, use a gentle abrasive to wipe against the grain. Wipe up with a dry cloth, then place wax and polish over the spot. Black spots and ink stains are integrated deeply into the wood and the entire piece might need to be refurbished.

For scratches, rubbing the meat of a walnut or pecan on a shallow scratch can darken it. Deep scratches can be filled with wax furniture sticks (found at hardware stores) that match the color of your wood. Fill it in, remove the excess wax and buff lightly with a soft cloth

KC Cabinetry -Littleton, Colorado, offers Spekva cleaning and polishing products for an even better experience. These products are made from all natural products such as bee’s wax, carnauba wax, soya soap and coconut soap. They are tested to ensure that their products do not harm the environment or humans. By using Spekva’s natural soap, you can not only clean your woodwork, but also protect it as well as make it dirt-resistant. If you have light-colored wood, the white pigmented soap will bring out the light tints in your wood.

Spekva also has polishing oil with wax to keep your wood looking shiny and striking. The neutral kind can be used with all types of wood to give the surface a silky smooth feel and look. Like the soap, it makes the wood dirt-resistant, all while bringing out the natural shades of the wood. The white polishing oil does all of this but is designed specifically for lighter shades of wood to bring out the light tint.

Here is a video that shows how Spekva can transform your cabinets and countertops.

These products can be applied using Spekva’s polish cushion. This helps the soap and oil to soak into the wood, better protecting the wood. We sell these and other custom design materials to make your home as unique as you are.

http://www.kccabinetry.com

– Cassandra Cordova, KC Cabinetry intern

Granite Countertops in your Home

We have covered lots of different types of countertops, but here in Colorado one type remains a favorite for homeowners renovating their kitchens: granite. This hard, durable natural stone is used in many kitchen and bathroom remodels. There are many good things about granite, but as with every product there are some down sides.

Granite is extremely durable and strong. You can use it as a cutting board without worrying about chipping or denting the surface (but the damage can transfer to your knives). Granite is formed by heat and pressure, so a hot pan or plate will not damage your countertop . Cleaning is easy: a simple, gentle cleaner is enough to clean up any mess. It lasts for a very long time and comes in so many beautiful colors that choosing just one is difficult.

One of the biggest down sides of granite countertops is the price. Even for a small space the cost of granite is expensive, and because it can be so difficult to install, the cost of labor can become pricey as well. Granite is extremely heavy, so extra support must be added to keep the cabinets holding it up from collapsing. It is extremely difficult to remove once glued. Granite can stain, and must be sealed periodically to keep stains and bacteria growth away.

Come in to KC Cabinetry’s kitchen remodeling showroom today to see our granite samples and to talk to one of our designers about installing granite into your home.

The following is from Daltile’s line of granite countertops. KC Cabinetry in Littleton, CO  is a dealer of these beautiful granite tiles. If you see any that interest you, come in today and ask about them.

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– Cassandra Cordova, KC Cabinetry intern

Bamboo and Cork Flooring in your home

With our rainforests growing smaller and the Earth’s ecosystems dwindling, finding “green” products that will help sustain our environment is very important. When introducing wood floors into your home, it can be difficult to install products that do not deplete forests. That is why KC Cabinetry recommends bamboo or cork flooring for the environmentally friendly home.

Bamboo has been used for thousands of years as a food, clothing, and building source. It is extremely durable, strong, can release 35% more oxygen than other trees, and can grow almost anywhere. For these reasons, bamboo is a growing product in the flooring and cabinetry business. Its fast growing cycle ensures that if some are cut down and replacements replanted, the replacements will be fully mature four times faster than newly planted pine trees.

High quality bamboo from a reputable dealer holds a Forest Stewardship Council certification. It is a non-government, not-for-profit, independent organization that was established in 1993 as a way of determining responsible forestry consumption. If the bamboo flooring you’re looking at has this certification, it means that the bamboo has been harvested in a way that ensures long term protection, were not harvested immaturely, have respected the indigenous rights, and have legal right to the land. When making the bamboo for flooring, some manufactures use dangerous chemicals such as urea-formaldehyde to bind the bamboo. Be sure to ask for a FloorScore certification, which means the flooring has been tested for dangerous chemicals and creates optimal indoor air quality.

While these products are great for the environment, some may be worried that they do not have the same feel and look as regular wood. However, with finishes bamboo can look just like regular hardwood. There can be bamboo nodes in the flooring if it is cut vertically, but horizontally cut bamboo does not have the nodes. It is durable, but can be chipped and dented just like hardwood floors.

There are different ways of putting bamboo in your home. If you want a durable product completely made of bamboo, the best options are either solid or distressed bamboo flooring. This can be attached to plywood or nailed directly to concrete. Strand bamboo products are made by shredding the bamboo and gluing it together. It is difficult to install with nails and often cracks while installing, but once installed it is the most durable. Engineered bamboo is not necessarily 100% bamboo: the top part is bamboo and it is connected to another type of wood underneath. It is more durable and stable, and good for places with high humidity.

Bamboo is also fire-resistant and up to 50% less than normal hardwood flooring. However, you may not necessarily like the look of hardwood floor and might want something different. Here at KC Cabinetry, we also offer cork, another environmentally friendly option for flooring.

Cork is made from the bark of trees. This bark is naturally shed, which means that harvesting it does not harm the living tree, and is absolutely replaceable. When the bark is removed, the tree absorbs up to five times more carbon than normally, helping reduce our carbon footprint. Some flooring is recycled from wine stoppers, making it even more environmentally friendly.

The air trapped inside the cork creates a cushiony floor that is easy on the feet, which is perfect for high traffic areas. The trapped air also makes the floor shock and sound absorbent. If a dish is dropped on the floor, it won’t break and the noise will not hurt your ears. It is hypo-allergenic, as the natural properties the cork used to protect the tree are transferred into your home. It can resist mold and mildew, as well as certain types of bugs. It is fire resistant, and is bound with materials safe for indoor use. Cork is extremely durable, and comes in a variety of colors and patterns.

These patterns are a bit busy, so if you’re looking to have a simple design, cork may not be for you. Also, the cushiony attributes of cork can be a drawback. If used with heavy furniture, the cork can dent and there can be imprints. This can be avoided by placing coasters beneath the furniture, but if something heavy is dropped on the floor, it can dent. Cork is not water resilient, even with protective finishes. If water is spilled and not cleaned up promptly, it can warp the floor. Sunlight can also damage the coloring of the cork. Cork is not the most expensive flooring material, but it is significantly more expensive than linoleum or carpeting.

Whatever you choose, KC Cabinetry can help you decide and install the perfect floor for your home. Come into our kitchen remodeling showroom today to see samples and talk to one of our designers!

– Cassandra Cordova, KC Cabinetry intern