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Month: November 2016

How to Choose a Kitchen Remodeling Contractor? Here are Some Tips!

How to Choose a Kitchen Remodeling Contractor? Here are Some Tips!

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Nina Hackel Dream Kitchens
  1. Find a Kitchen and Bath remodeler first and find the contractor last.

I find that the biggest mistakes people do is that they hire a contractor for a kitchen and bath remodel.  This is the easiest way to go over budget.  Contractor will give you a price before you have picked your cabinets, and your design.  The contractor will give you the lowest price and then when you pick out material you will be always over price because they price a product that no one would actually put in there house as it was poor quality.

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How To Choose Good Kitchen Cabinets

Choose Kitchen Cabinets For Your Needs

Choose Kitchen Cabinets For Your Needs
Nina Hackel Dream Kitchens

Do you know how to choose kitchen cabinets for your next remodel?

Kitchen remodeling is not a walk in the park. There are so many aspects to consider from choosing the paint color to implementing safety measures. Residents must consider the equipment and materials that goes into the remodeling process. Amongst all such aspects, choosing kitchen cabinets must be done meticulously to ensure that the functionality of your kitchen is enhanced. Make a note of the following tips:

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Bathroom Remodeling Ideas for the elderly

Bathroom Remodeling Ideas for the elderly

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Nina Hackel Dream Kitchens

Injuries taking place in the bathroom is a frequent occurrence among the elderly population. If you’re moving your elderly into your house, you must undertake certain bathroom remodeling steps to make the space safe and comfortable. Here are some simple bathroom remodeling ideas for the elderly

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New Trends in Kitchen Appliances

New Trends in Kitchen Appliances

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Nina Hackel Dream Kitchens

People are spending more on new appliances.  It is rare today to get a client who does not want a 36-inch cooktop and built in ovens and microwaves.
My favorite new appliance is the induction cooktop.  It is ideal.  This cooktop has completely even heat and can heat water in just 90 seconds. It is electric but it uses induction technology.  This mean you need have a pot or a pan that has metal in it.  (Great excuse for all new pans!)  Not only does the induction heat better because it is even and quicker to heat but you cannot burn your hand on the cooktop.  This means it is completely save for children.  In addition it will save you money.  Gas cooktops require very strong venting systems while the induction does not require it as there is no fire.

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What's New in Kitchens

What’s New in Kitchens?

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Nina Hackel Dream Kitchens

There are two looks that dominate the market today.
Paint it!  One is the pure white or with a touch of grey cabinets with a white marble-looking countertop.  Lots of pictures out there in the magazines are for this look.  This happens to be the best kitchen for the camera as wood is difficult to show the real beauty and requires special lighting to make it picture well.  These kitchen have beautiful tile backsplashes that are not subtle like white subway tile or maybe a marble wall tile.

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Painted Finish on Cabinets

Painted Finish on Cabinets
Painted finish on cabinets are in!  What do you need to know before you take the plunge into making your kitchen painted?

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Nina Hackel Dream Kitchens

Currently, grey and white kitchens are particularly in fashion and are in every magazine.  However, paint and wood always has had a difficult dance.  Wood expands and contracts with the changes of humidity in a room.  However, paint has not flexibility and will crack with changes of humidity.  That means all of your joints in your doors and drawers can end up with a line where the joint comes together.
In addition to paint not being flexible, you have the problem of people kicking the paint.  Paint will chip when it is kicked or brushed with a sharp object.  When you have a stain the color is through the wood so that you do not see a scratch.  However, with paint it is on the surface and the paint will come off.

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Cabinet Construction

Cabinet Construction Pressboard vs Plywood

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Nina Hackel Dream Kitchens

For many years it was clear that Plywood cabinet construction was better.  In the past, all pressboard was made with sawdust that was pressed and glued together, typically 3/8” thick or less.  Now pressboard can come in MDF – Medium Density fibers which is normally 5/8” or ¾”thick and compressed at a much higher pressure and heat.  These MDF fibers make the construction as strong as Plywood.  In addition, MDF

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Kitchen Cabinet Construction

Kitchen Cabinet Construction

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Nina Hackel Dream Kitchens


Kitchen cabinet construction is all about the thickness of the walls and construction of the cabinet’s box.  Cabinets should have 5/8” or thicker cabinet walls and have a 6” piece of wood in the top front and top back of the cabinet. Think of a cardboard box.  It is very easy to twist that box one way or the other with a very little pressure.  This is completely unacceptable in cabinet construction for obvious reasons.  Cabinets need to be strong and stable. Granite which weighs in the neighborhood of 2,000 pounds will either crack or put so much pressure on the box of a cabinet that the door and drawers will not function properly.  This is called racking.
When you are looking for a cabinet, put your hand inside the top drawer on the top.  If you can feel a strip of wood that is 6” than you can be pretty sure that it is quality construction.  However, if you feel air, this is a poorly constructed box and will not handle granite for any length of time.

Please take a look at some of our projects that feature superb Kitchen Cabinet Construction!
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What Makes a Good Quality Finish for Kitchen Cabinets?

What makes a good quality finish for kitchen Cabinets? 

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Nina Hackel, Dream Kitchens

The quality of a finish for kitchen cabinets is important.  Most people have seen cabinets in which the crown moulding and the area around the handles have lost their finish. Therefore they look prematurely aged and worn. I have kitchen cabinets in my house that are more than 27 years old. They still look brand new with very little signs of wear.  A good quality cabinet requires a finish that can last. We test our finish with a quick fire test, has the ability to even handle acetone (fingernail polish remover) for a minute.

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