One of the largest considerations that can challenge kitchen renovations is food storage.  And sometimes food storage can include a whole lot more than food, large bags of pet food, bulk paper products, shelves of water bottles and lunch boxes, the odd Tupperware, cookbooks as well as the soup cans and cereal boxes. A pantry is often a dream list item for a kitchen that can tackle storage needs.

Now an ideal pantry can be a small room outfitted with shelving and its own door.  A ceiling light that provides ample illumination is a terrific addition.  Wood shelving or wire shelves can run from floor to ceiling and provide a home for a multitude of things. Not all kitchen footprints can accommodate this much designated square footage and a built-in cabinet can provide the answer.  Cabinet companies, both custom and stock, typically offer several pantry cabinets in their lines.  Some considerations may be rolling shelves to access items in the back of the cabinet.  Another feature may be to design a wider cabinet, but one that is not so deep-preventing those lost items in the back.

Some spaces and budgets don’t really allow any of these options.  But with some creative thinking, this need not hold you back.  Sometimes an unexpected piece of furniture can provide the storage you need.  Maybe there is an old armoire or bookcase hiding somewhere that can be repurposed with some baskets and attractive glass jars with handmade labels.  Serenity in organization can be just around the corner!

Whether you are considering a renovation, or are building a new home, you will almost always become intimately familiar with the budget.   This is particularly true when considering all of the components of a new kitchen.  The budget is one of many areas of any design/build projects that the Home Rebuilders team pays special attention to throughout the process.

Kitchens are traditionally one of the most expensive rooms in your home, but typically have the greatest impact on your every day life.  Although there are many line items that can be broken out of the overall kitchen budget, one that will almost always be the most significant is the cabinetry budget.  According to the National Kitchen and Bath Association most cabinetry budgets represent about 50% of the entire materials budget for a kitchen.  Although this is sometimes shocking, it is usually very representative of the amount of material and labor associated with constructing the boxes, the level of detail involved with the finish, and how sophisticated all of the internal gadgets and gizmos are.

For a design team that not only understands the components of a new kitchen’s budget, but also cares about making sure your design goals and aesthetics are met, be sure you give Home ReBuilders a call.  We will work with you during every step of the process to make sure you are maximizing value with each decision and selection.

When designing a new kitchen you want to select materials that are not going to need to be replaced only a couple of years down the road.  You want to make decisions that will result in a space that is easy for you and your family to live with.  Oftentimes, with SO MANY options available, particularly when it comes to countertops, it’s virtually impossible to settle on one material.  That’s where the Home ReBuilders design team can make the difference between a scenario where you want to pull your hair out & one where you KNOW that you have made the very best decision.

There are literally hundreds of options when considering replacement countertops – and the price range is just as diverse.  But if you’ve already decided that granite and quarts based materials just aren’t your style, why not consider wood!  Wood is one of the most versatile building materials and will always be a classic option for kitchen countertops.  When considering wood for your kitchen countertop it is important to keep in mind several key factors.  First, wood countertops can vary dramatically in price depending on wood species.  A standard maple countertop will be much more economical than an exotic wood like Iroko or Mahogany.  Another important detail to consider is the finish of the wood.  Because kitchen countertops typically need to stand up to a lot of wear and tear, a good natural oiled finish – much like your favorite butcher block – is usually the best option.  Furniture finishes and stains will not usually meet the demands of a functional kitchen.  Also, you will want to consider maintenance.  Wood countertops will need to be oiled every three to six months to keep the bacteria out and the wood grain beautiful.  The oiling process, fortunately, is pretty simple.  Many homeowners choose to oil their countertops just before they go to bed so the oil can really penetrate the wood well and then the next morning any standing oil can easily be wiped up with a clean paper towel.  And because wood is both self-healing, small bacteria harboring cuts will naturally close themselves, and has inherent bacteria reducing properties; they will help keep you and your family healthy for years.

For the most functional, most beautiful, most value conscious selections let Home ReBuilder’s help with the design of your home.  We will explain the benefits, the drawbacks, and all the considerations that you NEED to know about when choosing the best materials.

Steaming, Convection, Steam/Convect™ combo cooking, or microwave cooking, Viking’s new VSCO210- Combi-Steam/Convect™ oven brings a unique combination of the healthiest and most convenient ways to cook, all in one oven.

Home Chefs can utilize the Steam function of this new oven as an extremely healthy method of cooking that reduces fat and sodium in foods while preserving a higher percentage of nutrients as well as refreshing of cooked-ahead meals for the multiple schedules of today’s busy families. The Steam/Convection function provides excellent browning all while preserving natural moisture and flavor. Need a secondary oven? Try the Convection only function for excellent baking results of everyday foods, while the speed of the microwave function works as a traditional microwave.

The convenience and ease of use of the VCSO210 oven features over 40 automatic settings as well as instant sensor settings for cooking, reheating or even making popcorn a breeze to enjoy, while a child safety lock provides ease of mind for unwanted operation.  Flexibility and low cost of installation allows for this unit to be installed as a built-in oven with optional trim kit or even as an auxiliary countertop unit for every day convenience with a 110V electrical supply.  This auxiliary product provides you the ability to enjoy meals on the run, refreshing leftovers and pre-prepared foods without sacrificing taste – food tastes like they came out of the oven for the first time!

As you would expect, Viking offers this with their 3 year full signature warranty, an industry best!

Whether your kitchen just needs to be freshened up with a simple facelift or it needs a full renovation, Home ReBuilders is the best option for design, construction, and value in the Atlanta Metro area!

For more information on this and other great Viking products, please visit www.vikingrange.com .

Home Rebuilders offers many full design/build renovation services for your home, including full kitchen renovations as well as existing kitchen facelifts.  In addition to assisting with cabinetry, countertop, tile and lighting selections, the Home ReBuilders design team works directly with a wide range of wonderful appliance suppliers to provide our clients with the very best value.  This guest-blog comes from one such supplier, HADCO – the Atlanta area distributor for Viking appliances.