kitchen design

5 Pro Tips for Remodeling Your Home

Posted on June 10, 2020October 14, 2020Posted in Appliances 101, How-ToTagged kitchen design, kitchen remodel, remodel, remodelingNo Comments

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic many Americans have spent a lot of time at home over the past few months, there have been plenty of opportunities to think about how that living space could be improved. While this may not be the ideal time to tackle a full gut and renovate project, it may still be possible to do some smaller scale remodeling projects that update and improve your home. For example, simple cosmetic repairs like painting and replacing vanities can make a noticeable difference with minimal work or investment. Or if you’re hesitant about bringing contractors into the house, outdoor projects like replacing fencing, adding paver stones or constructing outdoor living spaces may be a benefit for your family. Before you take on a project, consider these tips from Robi Kirsic, MCKBR, UDCP, chairman of the board of the National Association of the Remodeling Industry and co-CEO of TimeLine Renovation & Design. Define the Purpose The first consideration whether you’re making changes for yourself or for future resale is the purpose of your project. This determines everything from the budget to the materials you select. Remember projects in the kitchen and bathroom typically bring the greatest return on investment. It’s also a good idea to plan how you’ll use the renovated area. When possible, incorporate elements of universal design that don’t change how the space looks but will change how it works. For example, in the bathroom, install a curbless shower, taller toilet and block in walls to allow future installation of grab bars. Stick to a Budget Another early decision is your budget. It’s fruitless to spend time looking at materials and making design decisions based on products that exceed your budget or, conversely, fall below the quality level you prefer. Having a professional involved can help keep you from overspending and identify areas you may want to splurge or pull back. Select a Remodeler Friends and family can be great resources when it comes to choosing a remodeling contractor since they’re likely to give detailed and candid opinions about their experiences. When you begin interviewing companies yourself, verify they’re licensed and insured, and ask what they offer above those minimum requirements. Are they certified or accredited? Do they specialize in the type of work you’re considering? Also be sure to request and check references and search online for reviews. Conduct Virtual Meetings While some projects may require an in-person assessment, many planning sessions can be conducted virtually. You can even shop products to be used in your project virtually since online catalogs typically show a variety of colors and finishes along with prices. For items you need to see or feel to choose, like flooring, request samples to test in your home. To make your virtual meetings most productive, prepare by providing a detailed scope of work and be ready to provide measurements and show the space cleared of clutter. Keep it Safe For some families, sticking to outdoor projects may be more comfortable in the short term. For those who are ready to bring contractors inside, there are numerous steps you can take to create a safer working environment. Examples include asking everyone involved to wear face masks and gloves and using plastic at doorways to keep the work area separate from the living area. Regular disinfecting and a thorough cleaning at the end of the project are also important preventive steps. Find more remodeling resources, including certified contractors in your community, at RemodelingDoneRight.com SOURCE: National Association of the Remodeling Industry

Bakers Edition: How to Create a Better Kitchen

Posted on February 12, 2020October 14, 2020Posted in Appliances 101, Home, How-To, Kitchen, ProductsTagged bake, baking, double oven, food, kitchen, kitchen appliances, kitchen designNo Comments

Whether you’re whipping up a big batch of extra fudgy brownies for a school bake-sale or crafting a delicate three-tier Orange Cardamom Cake with Rose Buttercream for a special occasion, we have practical tips and advice for the ultimate kitchen layout, tools, and equipment so you can turn your kitchen into a bakers dream. Do you love to bake? Here are some great ways to make your kitchen work for you. Custom Counter Heights Different tasks call for different countertop heights. Home cooks serious about baking may want to consider custom countertop heights to achieve the most comfortable height. A counter-height surface works fine when mixing or assembling recipes. For kneading or rolling out dough, most bakers prefer a lower surface to get the right amount of leverage. To achieve this, you can Install countertops at a custom height or lower a section of an island so it’s the right height. For a simpler solution, stand on a step stool and use a counter or use a kitchen table to achieve the most comfortable height. Previous Next Turn to Your Pantry Baking often requires lots of ingredients and bulky countertop equipment, so pantry organization is the key to maintain a pristine kitchen. Install pull-out and horizontal pantry drawers that help you easily access your baking supplies. If you have enough space, consider putting your baking station inside your pantry. Also consider extra shelving for mixer storage. Organizing the pantry into specific sections and using bins with airtight lids allow for easier access when you need the basics – flour, sugar, brown sugar, chocolate chips, etc. Previous Next The Right Work Station Granite and marble stay cool, making pastry dough easy to roll and clean up easily. Other baker-friendly countertops that can accommodate rolling, cutting and direct heat with no fuss are Quartz and Corian. If you can’t afford to install a whole slab, purchase a small marble section specifically for baking, or place marble on the kitchen island. Previous Next Double Ovens If what you are looking for is more baking and less waiting, double ovens are a bakers dream. They’re Spacious and versatile enough to accommodate your needs and allow a baker to cook two dishes at different temperatures at the same time. The double ovens, with convection are a must as the Convection ovens work with fans that recirculate heat, which evenly bake cookies and crusts. Even baked goods such as croissants develop a crispy, even texture with convection heat. An oven with a warming drawer or built-in Proof mode create the perfect oven environment for proving dough, you can also cook a variety of dishes in the warming drawer like meringues or melt chocolate. Extra Deep Sink The sink is an essential element to keep the kitchen clean. Clean-up will be a whole lot easier with a deep, wide more functional kitchen sink since baking often involves using odd-shaped pans, oversized cookie sheets and large mixing bowls – many of which can’t go in the dishwasher. Previous Next Stand Mixer Serious bakers have more than one, and double or triple up on the bowl attachments so they don’t have to stop to wash them before moving on to the next phase of a baking project. Previous Next Baking Supply Cart It’s easy to run low on countertop space and having your supplies within reach is essential when baking. With a rolling cart you can move around your kitchen more easily and have your baking essentials wherever you’re working. Tech Corner There are thousands of recipes and how-to videos online to access these you can wire in a TV, desktop or laptop computer or an iPad in a small corner next to your countertop. A kitchen desk area works well for multi-tasking bakers so you can monitor the oven when working or catching up on emails and social media.

Kitchen Remodel Ideas for Small Spaces

Posted on January 31, 2020October 14, 2020Posted in Appliances 101, Home, Kitchen, ProductsTagged design, design trends, inspiration, interior Design, kitchen design, kitchen remodel, kitchens, remodeling, styleNo Comments

Learning how to optimize your cooking space is the first step to remodel your kitchen cost-effectively. With limited space, trying to update your kitchen with quality products that work and fit into your home can be a difficult task to accomplish. Maximizing your kitchen space is a lot easier when you choose the right cabinet and appliance options. Kitchen cabinets can be the most cluttered space in any kitchen because of all the utensils needed for cooking. This is especially true with confined drawers because you end up putting all your eggs in one basket-so to speak! The good news is that there are simple and efficient ways to maximize your cabinet space. For quick and easy access having food items next to your cooking area is a must! With a spice filler kit, you can neatly place your spices in your drawers at any angle to see each spice or any other food items for easy identification and removal. Another useful way to organize your kitchen is with swing-out shelves that offer great visibility and easy access. These handy shelves remove the pain of having to search for hard to reach cookware and containers. Finding a place to store small appliances in small kitchens can be a huge challenge when you don’t want your counter space overrun with kitchen devices, you’ve got to get nifty. A kitchen with clutter-free counters is not only more aesthetically pleasing but also offer you the most cooking space possible. Over-the-range microwaves are the ideal choice for small kitchens, but very few can fit in a compact space. The perfect over the range microwave for limited spaces is the COS-2413ORM1SS by Cosmo without having to settle for low power. This microwave has an impressive 1000 watts for precise control to give you excellent results with a range of touch presets and 10 power levels and sensor cooking to prepare your favorite meals and snacks. Eliminate smoke, steam, and cooking odors from your kitchen with built-in exhaust fans. This OTR microwave’s sleek black glass finish brings an ultra-chic look to your kitchen, and it’s wonderfully complemented by convenient functions like the ability to disable the glass turntable and child locks for safety. To seal the deal it boasts a very affordable price tag. The refrigerator is the safeguard of produce, frozen foods, meat, dairy products to maintain the freshness of our food items 24 hours a day, but can also take up most of your kitchen space. For small kitchens, our French Door Refrigerator can make your cooking space feel larger and help improve mobility to be at eye-level with your food items. Here is a refrigerator to meet your everyday grocery demands, Cosmo’s FDR225RHSS 22.5 cubic feet 4-Door French Door Refrigerator. A Modern refrigerator that will make a statement but still takes up less space in your kitchen, so you’ll walk through it with ease. This refrigerator provides better storage for oversized and small items, its total storage capacity includes 15.9 cu. ft. fresh food capacity provides ample interior space, while 6.6 cu. ft. freezer capacity allows you to store plenty of your frozen foods with easy access. Sophisticated aesthetic features like a stainless steel finish that’s fingerprint resistant to keep your fridge looking spotless, and digital temperature controls and display for accurate monitoring. Our intelligently crafted refrigerator is here to provide you with easy access to your food items, ample kitchen space, and an automated ice-maker. A kitchen renovation is a formidable undertaking on its own with multiple areas to touch base. Especially choosing what appliances fit best with your cooking space. Cosmo offers a variety of products that make renovating for space easier with appliances that fit each unique kitchen area to maximize the utility and spaciousness of your kitchen.

Identify Your Ideal Kitchen Design Style

Posted on August 5, 2019October 14, 2020Posted in Home, KitchenTagged color, decor, design, design trends, inspiration, interior Design, kitchen design, kitchen remodel, kitchen styel, kitchens, remodeling, styleNo Comments

While you may see kitchens in a variety of styles and find them all beautiful in their own way, finding inspiration for your dream kitchen often requires sorting through many different considerations. From transitional to modern and every style in-between, these ideas can help you decide what suits your home while also fitting your personal tastes. Transitional Transitional style is a mix of traditional and modern furnishing. Blending the comfort and warmth of traditional design with the clean profiles and understated colors of the contemporary look. The result is often elegant, sleek spaces that radiate harmony. Taking advantage of this style offers creative freedom when looking to decorate your home with ease. Transitional styling is perfect when you like some characteristics of traditional style but enjoy the simplicity of contemporary. Why We Love This Style? Transitional style encompasses the best of both worlds and fits the style of many homes because of its versatile traits. Modern Modern design emphasizes clean lines and efficiency– with elements of contemporary, modern and industrial influences. Sleek is a collective term to describe modern design. Every element exudes crispness in shape, simplistic décor in generally muted color and fundamentals in materials such as glass, metals, and wood. Open and airy modern kitchens. Colors are explored in soft tones with an accent or two taking center stage. Why We Love This Style? The modern style embraces simplicity, clean lines, technology and the bare minimum required to appropriately handle functional and aesthetic demands. Industrial With its raw, utilitarian appeal, an industrial design style can give modern homes a sophisticated edge. The main feature of industrial styling is the unfinished look that focuses on combining bare and rough surfaces with a clean and flat finish. Industrial style delights in the drama of opposing materials such as wrought iron accents, glass doors, and exposed brick. One of the most obvious traits of an industrial kitchen is open space and high ceilings. Why We Love This Style? Industrial kitchens edgy and elegant and make a huge statement when planned and executed properly. Mediterranean Rustic and warm – but with an edge – the Mediterranean design style blends harmoniously with an exotic feel. Mediterranean styling is characterized by wrought iron, exposed wood beams, multi-colored cabinetry and a mix of metals providing its unique flare. To tie it all together it calls for pleasant, cozy and comfortable earthy shades and natural wood and stone hues. Color palettes may vary from darker shades of brown to whitewashed tones of neutral colors. Common accent colors of teal blues and greens reflect the spectacular colors of the Mediterranean waters. The décor typically features hand-crafted, salvaged or repurposed items made of wood, leather, natural fibers, wicker, and wrought iron. Why We Love This Style? Mediterranean Kitchen style is warm, inviting and a stress free design. Whether your preferences fit perfectly into one category or a combination of several, the goal of creating your dream kitchen is to listen to what style speaks to you.