Renting vs. Buying - Which is Best??

There is a new post on zillow.com, a search engine for renters and buyers to find homes, that talks about buying a home verses renting one. Typically, people are quick to throw up their hands and immediately claim that owning a home is, of course, the best choice. But much more should be going into that decision such as location, how long you plan on living in the area, and of course, your income.

Zillow tells us that there is a magical number called the “break even horizon” - the number of years you need to own a home before you are actually saving money. For most areas, that amount of time is somewhere between 2-5 years.

What does this have to do with kitchen remodeling?

Making the switch from renting to buying, you may think that you will be spending more money initially and then completely forget about the saving money part a few years down the road. But after the first couple of years, you can start using the money you saved by making home repairs such as kitchenremodeling or cabinet installation. Both of these items provide a great return on investment for a home, which will save you even more money if you plan on selling the home in the future.

If you are moving into your first home and want to update your home with a kitchen remodeling project, rest assured that the money you will save in 2-3 years will pay for the kitchen remodel or cabinet installation. Moving into a home that has been around for some time, the owners will often choose kitchen remodeling as their first major project as that can be the most noticeably dated room in the house.

To learn more about our kitchenremodeling services in Northern Virginia, contact Signature Kitchens in Haymarket, Virginia!

Kitchen Design Ideas after the Storm

Storms have rolled through Northern Virginia in a big way the last couple of weeks, and combined with the worst heat wave the DC metro area has ever experienced, locals did all they could to stay inside during the 110 degree weather.

During that week, I spent as much time indoors as I possibly could and, maybe it was a bit of cabin fever, but I began fixing things that didn’t need to be fixed, cleaning things that I rarely clean, etc. It was also a great time, maybe for you, also, to assess the layout of your home and kitchen, and take note of some changes you would like to see.

Kitchen Design Ideas

Spending a week indoors, you will become much more familiar with your surroundings than you would ever like to be – even more so than Thanksgiving in the kitchen. That’s why it was the perfect opportunity to collect some unique kitchen design ideas.

Kitchen Cabinet Installation

Kitchen cabinet installation is often a much needed improvement to an outdated kitchen. Whether your kitchen cabinets appear worn down, or they have taken their toll physically, kitchen cabinet installation is a great way to give your kitchen a brand new look.

When searching for kitchen design ideas, it is always great to look at kitchen cabinet installation. This is your opportunity to change the location, size and color of the cabinets, and even the overall functionality, as well – if you need more drawers, larger doors, etc.

If you have a great kitchen design idea or want to speak with us about kitchen cabinet installation, we would love to hear from you at Signature Kitchens! Swing by our kitchen showroom in Haymarket, Virginia or give us a call.

Kitchen Cabinet Installation in Herndon, Virginia by Signature Kitchens

The "Work Triangle" for Your Kitchen Remodeling Project

Home values have increased again this month signifying an upswing in the housing market. As I stated in previous blog entries, kitchen remodeling projects create a highly-valuable return on investment for homeowners. These projects steadily increase in popularity as homeowners continue to sell by creating a memorable atmosphere at the heart of the home.

Layouts for Kitchen Remodeling Projects

Kitchen cabinet installation is one of the most important pieces to your remodel. Kitchen cabinets need to be durable, have ample storage space, and most importantly, they have to look good.

The Correct Location for Your Kitchen Cabinet Installation

In order to find the proper location for your kitchen cabinet installation, you need to understand how you want your kitchen to function. Depending on the size of your kitchen remodeling project, you may be looking for a complete overhaul – changing the location of your stove, cabinets, sink, etc.

A tried and true layout for a kitchen remodel is known as the Work Triangle. According to zillow.com, the triangle should have the stove, sink and refrigerator at its points. They should have plenty of space between each item without any intersecting inhibitors such as a kitchen island or counter. This is used to maximize efficiency in the kitchen and to create a space that promotes a seamless operation and room for guests and loved ones to gather.

Signature Kitchens has a fantastic showroom for everyone to browse through for their kitchen remodeling project ideas. You will be able to select the wood, finish and overall look of your new kitchen cabinets, and even see them paired with counter tops and appliances.

Visit Signature Kitchens in Haymarket, Virginia. We service all of Northern Virginia including Loudoun County, Prince William County, Fairfax County and beyond.

Going Green: Kitchen Renovation Ideas

Keeping up with the latest kitchen design trends can be a fun process. New designs are constantly emerging and everything from the economy and location of your home can impact the overall style of a newly built home.

One of the hottest topics for the last several years is “going green.” We hear about it from every company under the sun as businesses shift towards environmentally-friendly products and manufacturing processes.

Kitchen Renovation Ideas for “Going Green”

A trend that continues to gain more steam is incorporating renewable or recyclable products into home building, according to zillow.com. Homeowners are now requesting flooring materials that are environmentally-friendly. The most common solution to that request is bamboo. Since bamboo is considered grass and grows rapidly, it is also considered a renewable option for flooring, and a kitchen renovation idea worth remembering.

Going Green with Cabinet Installation

Gone are the days of lugging armfuls of plastic bottles and cans out to the green recycle bin in your garage. With a society that is more sensitive to recycling and reusing than ever before, homeowners are finding new ways to incorporate the process into their homes through cabinet installation. Separate receptacles for recycling are now hiding underneath kitchen islands and unassuming cabinets. Often found next to the trash can inside the cabinets, recycling bins are conveniently located and at the top of your mind while you dispose of waste.

Courtesy Flickr user erin lanigan

Incorporating the going green process into your kitchen renovation ideas can be a great benefit to the environment and your home. For all of your home’s cabinet installation and kitchen renovation needs, visit Signature Kitchens in Haymarket, Virginia.

Kitchen Renovation Ideas: The Trends are Shifting!

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about some of the latest trends in kitchen remodeling. With such a dramatic shift in the housing market, the way our country is building and using homes has dramatically changed over the years. With this post, I hope to give you a few more kitchen renovation ideas and keep you educated on the latest trends.

Zillow.com cites another big change in kitchen remodeling. Separate dining rooms and living rooms are becoming extinct as homeowners are requesting more open floor plans. As a child, and even now, I know of very few families who still eat around the table in their dining room. In my eyes, the dining room has become just as formal as the “formal living room.” It’s hardly ever used as families are busier than ever, and do not have time to set up an elaborate meal. If they are eating together, it’s most often around the kitchen table.

An open floor plan appears to be more “free” and welcoming. If the kitchen is the central hub of the home, why not enjoy your meals in it, too? Keep this tip filed under your kitchen renovation ideas.

Kitchen Remodeling for Baby Boomers

Home building is starting to reflect the needs of the Baby Boomer generation. Having been settled in their home, these homeowners are looking towards kitchen remodeling to bring new life to their house. With that in mind, their kitchen remodeling requests are often for accessibility, wider doorways, and even lower countertops.

If you have no plans to move out of your home, remember some of these kitchen renovation ideas as you take the next step towards your kitchen remodeling project.

Call Signature Kitchens for any of your kitchen renovation needs, or stop by our showroom in Haymarket, Virginia!

Kitchen Design Ideas: The Latest Trends

Recently, Zillow, a real estate focused website, wrote an article outlining the latest kitchen design ideas and trends. As I have mentioned before, they too state that the kitchen has become so much more than what it used to be. It functions not only as a place to prepare food, but as your entertainment hub during social events, your workspace, and also a dining room. With this trend taking a drastic shift from previous years, now is a great time to consider kitchen remodeling.

Why Kitchen Remodeling in This Economy?

According to the American Institute of Architects (AIA) the current economic market has lead to cutbacks in other areas of home design and overall room size, but kitchens continue to see more attention in both design and use; one reason being that kitchens, along with bathrooms, are an essential part of the home. New kitchen design ideas are taking hold as home offices become less popular, and desk work is being done around the kitchen table. The AIA says that 43 percent of architects polled saw an increase in demand for computer areas in the kitchen. Here is a home we remodeled in Herndon, Virginia.

Kitchen remodeling projects and new homes are seeing extended countertops to handle other non-typical-kitchen tasks and floor space is being added to expand the overall size. The kitchen is becoming the main source of foot traffic in the home and the room where residents spend the most amount of time.

If you see that your own lifestyle reflects the current trend, now is the perfect time for kitchen remodeling. You’re spending the most time in your kitchen, so it requires the most upkeep and attention! Call Signature WoodCrafters for affordable solutions for your kitchen remodeling project!

Kitchen Remodel/Recraft: Warrenton, VA

Before Picture of Kitchen: Warrenton, VA, originally uploaded by lauren_taggart1.

This kitchen was a standard 14-yr old builder grade kitchen from 1994. The cabinets were a gold flat panel oak and the oak wood veneers on the side of the exposed ends had faded from exposure to the natural sunlight, which is very typical in such an old kitchen. The laminate countertop was also the same countertop that had been in the house for 14 years, and while it had held up extremely well for all that time, it was time for a new, updated look.

The kitchen after being recrafted by Signature WoodCrafters. The cabinet boxes were kept in place, but the existing face frames, doors, and drawers were replaced with custom-manufactured Natural Maple Raised Panel doors. The exposed ends, which used to be covered in wood veneers, were replaced with finished door panels. Crown moulding and a valance were added to give a polished, continuous look to the top of the cabinets. The old white laminate countertop was replaced with a Baltic Brown granite countertop. The end result is a stunning difference.

Before

After