Inspired Remodels, Author at Inspired Remodels

custom kitchen remodeling job added blue lights for accent color to an otherwise neutral kitchen

Kitchen Remodel Company Brings Function to Beauty

By Inspired Remodels / Kitchen Remodel / Comments Off

When you remodel any room in the house, you want it to look awesome. But when you remodel a room as important as the kitchen, it needs to look good and work well. After all, a kitchen is as much a workroom as a hobby garage. You need room to store the tools of the trade, do your work, and share your masterpieces. Any kitchen remodel company worth their salt (pun intended) can install attractive cabinets and counters. But it takes a special kitchen remodel company to create a space that’s a treat for the eye and the cook. Inspired Remodels does it on a regular basis. Here’s how.

The Kitchen Triangle

No, the kitchen triangle isn’t a sordid affair between the lime, salt, and chili powder. The kitchen work triangle refers to the arrangement of the major work stations in the kitchen. That’s the sink, the refrigerator, and the stove/oven. Each makes up one point of the triangle. No leg of the triangle should be more than 9 feet long. The sum of all three sides should be somewhere between 13 and 26 feet to be ideal. There are just too many steps if it’s larger.

This is some serious stuff. It’s based on time-motion studies on the most effective way for a one-cook kitchen to achieve true efficiency. While today’s kitchens often have more than one cook, the kitchen triangle or it’s cousin, the kitchen zone still creates a game plan for efficiency. The kitchen zone concept creates zones for food preparation, cleaning, baking, and cooking. These zones usually end up in a variation of the kitchen triangle.

Kitchen Remodel Company Deploys Kitchen Triangle

Putting the Triangle into Action

Take a look at the lovely kitchen above. Pay particular attention to the stove in relation to the refrigerator. Next, see how the fridge is across from the sink? Can you see the triangle in this kitchen?

Now can you see it? It might have been tempting to use the space next to the cooktop for the refrigerator and use the refrigerator wall to create a large work space. But the savvy kitchen remodel company understands that fridge door needs to be opened and closed several times during meal prep.

Had it been located next to the stove it would have saved steps, but it would have been awkward.

A functional kitchen flows. You move smoothly and without friction from one area to the next.

Can you see yourself working in this kitchen?

And speaking of working, notice the work area station to the right of the stove. When you take a hot pan out of the oven, there’s a place for it.

There’s ample room for the traditional 3 step breading station. And it looks great!

Inspired Remodels is the Kitchen Remodel Company to Call

When you are ready to put kitchen remodel dreams into action, call the kitchen remodel company that will ensure you get a kitchen that works hard and looks good doing it. Call Inspired Remodels.

Inspired Remodels is a full-service design and build remodel company. From the initial design stage to polishing the chrome on the new kitchen faucet, they’ll be with you every step of the way. Call (949) 716-1938 or Contact Us online today.

Kitchen and Bath Remodeling with Shaker Cabinets

By Inspired Remodels / custom cabinets / Comments Off

There once was a tune that had a refrain, “Everything old is new again”. That ditty from the past might have been referring to the resurgence in popularity of Shaker cabinets for kitchen and bath remodeling. Match this clean, classic look with almost any decor.

Understand Shakers to Understand the Furniture

The cabinets that are so popular with kitchen and bath remodeling projects are just a take on classic Shaker furniture. To understand Shaker furniture, you’ve got to understand the Shakers.

The Shakers were members of the United Society of Believers in Christ’s Second Appearing. The religion was first organized in England in 1847 and members crossed the Atlantic Ocean in the 1780’s to set up communities in the new colonies.

Shaker is a shortened version of Shaking Quaker. The name refers to their movements during worship. As spiritualists, Shakers believed that they received messages from God as they moved during worship. Shaker furniture doesn’t shake however, it is rock solid and simple.

That’s because simplicity, utility and honesty guided their core beliefs. Instead of being adorned with ornate decoration, Shaker furniture was simple and functional. Those core beliefs are embodied in today’s Shaker cabinets, that aren’t made by Shakers.

While the Shakers had a very successful furniture empire by the 1860’s there is only one Shaker community left today. However, their timeless designs live on today.

Shaker Cabinets in the Bathroom

Recessed panels give Shaker cabinets their distinctive look. Clean and simple. Function fused with beauty that’s perfect for a variety of decor.

Use Shaker cabinets in a spa bathroom and they’ll contribute to the serene look.

Use a dark stain, match with brushed nickel and you’ve got a modern vibe from a very old design. It’s the simplicity of Shaker cabinets that make them so appealing.

Think of Shaker cabinets in the bathroom as a blank canvass. Different stains and different hardware make the same cabinet look completely different.

Ready for a new look? Switch out the hardware and the cabinets look different. Now that’s the easiest kitchen and bathroom remodeling project you will ever do!

Shaker Cabinets in the Kitchen

Shaker cabinets in the kitchen? Yes, please! Those clean lines that shine in the bathroom do their magic in kitchens too.

Shaker cabinets are showing up in kitchen all over Orange County. They are one of the most requested design elements when it comes to kitchen remodeling.

Once again, it’s because of their clean lines. You can take a Shaker cabinet and change the countertop and the entire room looks different.

Shakers never gazed on the Mediterranean Sea, but Shaker cabinets go perfectly with this kitchen remodel. The whimsical tile backsplash isn’t overwhelming because the cabinets are subtle. The subway tile replicates the lines of the recessed panels.

Shaker cabinets are at home in a traditional, modern, Mediterranean, ranch or farmhouse style kitchen. Where French Provincial is limiting, Shaker design is only limited by your imagination.

Inspired Kitchen and Bath Remodeling

Does the thought of new Shaker cabinets in the kitchen or bathroom inspire you? Then talk to Inspired Remodels and turn those kitchen and bathroom remodeling dreams into reality.

Complete design and remodeling services at your fingertips. With the honesty and integrity of Shaker cabinets, Joe and Jason Mueller transform your living spaces. Call (949) 716-1938 or Contact Us online today.

General Contractors Guide to Tile

It doesn’t matter if you are thinking of updating one room or the whole house. Chances are you are thinking about tile. With so many types of tile on the market, picking the right tile is tough. Inspired Remodels takes the headache out of picking the right tile. Take our advice as general contractors, decide on the tile material first and then the design of the tile. It makes the job of selecting tile much easier. Here’s a general contractors guide to the different types of tile.

Ceramic Tile

Ceramic tile has been popular for hundreds of years. It is a clay-based product. You’ll find ceramic tiles in the bathroom and kitchen. They are on walls, floors, backsplashes and showers.

Ceramic tile is an easy care material. Like other hard surface materials, you can wipe up spills easily, vacuum and wet mop tile. Glazed tile doesn’t normally stain and it doesn’t absorb water. However, like with all tiles, you’ll want to seal the grout to protect staining, but ceramic tile itself does not need sealing. Because it is impervious to water, it’s perfect for bathrooms.

Ceramic tiles are made in squares, hexagons, circles and more. It is a relatively inexpensive tile. It is also not the hardest clay tile. So, it’s not the best choice for high traffic areas.

Porcelain Tile

There is a difference between ceramic and porcelain tile. Yes, both are clay-based products. But, there is a difference in the clay based used to make the tile. With porcelain, the clay is highly refined and much more purified than the clay used to make ceramic tile. In addition, porcelain tile is fired at a higher temperature. The result is a tile that is more durable and stronger than ceramic tile.

Don’t use the terms ceramic tile and porcelain tile interchangeably. They aren’t the same. Porcelain is more expensive than ceramic because it is more durable. Like ceramic tiles, it is glazed and will not absorb water. It’s equally at home in the bathroom as in the kitchen, hallways, mudrooms or other frequently trafficked areas.

If you pick ceramic or porcelain tile, when choosing the actual tile color or design, make sure it is a through-tile. This means the color is not only applied to the top of the tile but permeates through. This is a very important feature. Surface colored tile shows every chip and ding.

Satillo or Terracotta Tile

When you think satillo or terracotta tile, you usually think of patios and entryways. But it can be used indoors as well. This clay-based tile is not glazed and needs to be resealed every few years whether installed inside or outside.

It’s a warm looking and feeling tile. Satillo tile doesn’t get as cold underfoot at ceramic or porcelain. But, because it absorbs water, you don’t want to use it in the shower. But it’s perfect for sunrooms and transitional spaces.

Stone Tile

Limestone, marble and slate are all popular tiles for use throughout the house. Each type of stone has its challenges when it comes to installation. Installing stone tiles isn’t a DIY undertaking. This is one place where the work is best left in the hands of general contractors.

That being said, stone tiles are popular on bathroom floors, in showers, on walls and backsplashes. Depending on the stone you pick, it may need sealing periodically. Granite floors can be slippery and limestone is easily damaged by the wrong pH cleaner.

Talk to your general contractor about how you will use a space and who will use a space to determine if the stone you have in mind is a good match for your application.

Stone tiles can look warm (think limestone or slate) or cool (think granite or marble). When it comes to cost, stone will be more expensive than ceramic or porcelain. But with the proper care, it will last much longer.

Glass and Metal

These two materials get an honorable mention for their decorative applications. They are not suitable for floors, but make lovely accent tiles on walls, fireplaces, and backsplashes. Glass and metal may be mixed with other materials in a mosaic design. Both materials are easily scratched, so take care when cleaning.

General Contractors Make the Difference

When it comes to new tiles for the floors or walls, the general contractor you pick does make a difference. General contractors that have your best interest in mind will let you know if a material you pick isn’t the best material for the application. Respect their expertise and listen closely to their recommendations. When it comes to making dreams a reality, turn to Inspired Remodels. They will guide you through the design process and make sure the remodel is not only beautiful but functional.

Call (949) 716-1938 or Contact Us online today to talk about your next remodel or renovation. And if you decide to move instead of remodel, we can help with that too. Inspired Realty is our complete real estate brokerage firm.

Author: Inspired Remodels