Kitchen Dreams Remodeling Blog

Dec 1, 2014 3:06:00 PM

Banana River Kitchen

One more room - the kitchen was the last room these homeowners had to renovate. And it was one of their favorite places to gather, with views on two sides of the Banana River just a few feet away. They wanted a classic look with a bit of a beach/waterfront flair and added space for entertaining.

The homeowners had been remodeling the 70's era home for the past few years on their own. By now they were old hands at the ins and outs of demolition, electrical and plumbing. They were ready to work hard on their own, they just needed a plan.

Oct 6, 2014 1:03:00 PM

Renovating a Kitchen with Elise Connor, CKD - Planning

Sometimes a customer just wants a bit of an update. Marlene and Steve wanted to reface their cabinets and replace the countertops. They had built the home in the 1980s. What designer Elise Connor, CKD saw were some major problems with an over-sized island that blocked the use of many of the cabinets and a pass-through over the sink that did nothing to open the space to family and guests. In addition, there was almost no prep space - a real drawback for entertaining the quilting club the customer loves!

Sep 18, 2014 1:14:00 PM

The Tale of Two Kitchens… and Two Baths and a Laundry Room

Designer Chris Druschel

Two kitchens – a social and a prep kitchen, were the main event in this home renovation but smaller side projects help bring the whole house into harmony.

Sep 17, 2014 4:25:00 PM

The Tale of Two Kitchens… The Big Reveal

Designer Chris Druschel

The first two blogs on this project started with the original kitchen layout and some of the major choices that were made regarding cabinets and counter tops. So here they are: The Social Kitchen

Sep 16, 2014 12:51:00 PM

The Tale of Two Kitchens… the Hunt

Designer Chris Druschel

We continue the The Tale of Two Kitchens with the chapter on finding just the right finishes - a daunting task!

With the wonderful floor plan agreed upon it seemed like the renovation could move forward quickly. However, the clients had very specific ideas about the finishes they wanted. They liked white, but not stark white, for the cabinets and they wanted soapstone counters, but they had to be black.

Sep 15, 2014 1:12:00 PM

The Tale of Two Kitchens… in one house

Designer Chris Druschel

It was the best of homes for them; it was the worst of kitchens. Ok, not the worst, but these clients really wanted a space that met their family and entertaining needs… which turned out to be two kitchens: a social kitchen - where family and friends end up spending time and a functional prep kitchen, smaller but where everything is within easy reach for the primary cook.

Aug 30, 2013 8:28:00 AM

Technology in your Kitchen

What will they come up with next? Probably in your lifetime you've been told that in the future we'll all have cars that drive themselves or fly or or robots that will keep your home spotlessly clean. Sadly, none of these magical futures have come true... yet. Still, the pace of technology in our lifetimes has been staggering on many levels.

Mar 7, 2013 2:40:00 PM

Remodeling Your House with Your Whole Family in Mind

The latest extended recession has had consequences for people at every social and economic level. According to a new study from the Pew Research Center, 47% of adults in their 40s and 50s have a parent aged 65 or older and are also either raising a young child or financially supporting a child aged 18 or older. The new term for this situation is the "Sandwich Generation"!

Nov 9, 2012 12:12:00 PM

Kitchen Storage - Open or Closed?

This just in from a major home design magazine:

Oct 22, 2012 3:38:00 PM

Prevent Water Intrusion

Many of our clients are renovating their existing master bathroom and updating the showers. In this example we have removed the old 4 x 4 tiles and will replace with an 8 x 16 brick pattern and a nice glass mosaic accent band. It will be beautiful when complete and a huge improvement over the old tile design.

During the demolition of the showers, in many instances, we find water damage because of poor installation and the use of sub-standard materials. Water leaks cause mold accumulation and attract termites, carpenter ants and worse.

The proper building techniques and materials used are of paramount importance. What is equally important is the preparation for the installation. This photo is a great example of the added measures we take to be certain that there will not be any water intrusion. In the photo, it can be seen that we have used Durarock cement board for the substrate. The cement board is essential for wet areas. The red “paint” seen in the photo is actually an elastomeric membrane that is applied over every screw hole and seam in the shower.

The cement board and tile alone would be sufficient to prevent water intrusion. The “Red Guard” sealant will ensure it.