The Perfect Kitchen Layout For Your Lifestyle
By / May 18, 2016 March 17, 2023If there is one thing that relaxes me it is being in the kitchen. The kitchen is like the holy grail of the house. However, nothing is more frustrating than a kitchen layout that is difficult to maneuver around. You have to grab your eggs and milk from the refrigerator, which is on the opposite end of the kitchen from the mixers and the oven. Frustrating, right? The only way to fix this frustration is to change the kitchen layout to suit your space and have a better workflow. Listed below are four types of kitchen plans to create the perfect kitchen layout for your lifestyle.
Perfect Kitchen Layout Options
First is the galley kitchen layout. If there is not much room in your house, this kitchen layout is the best option for you. A galley kitchen includes two countertops, parallel to each other, to make the entire kitchen easily accessible. This layout is the best use of limited space. If choosing this layout, you want to select light colors to create the illusion of open space.
Next is the U-
shaped kitchen layout. The U-shaped layout is an ideal look for opening up floor space. It features three walls, which are lined with countertops, appliances, and cabinetry. When choosing this layout, homeowners should place their busiest appliances into a triangular workspace. There are many benefits to this kitchen layout, including a lot of counter space, and the ability to support a kitchen island.
The L-Shaped kitchen layout creates the feel of an open floor plan with two walls perpendicular to each other. This layout is perfect if you have more than one cook in the house. If eating space is what you are looking for, this layout is perfect for you! You can add an island to the center, or a table to accommodate your guests while you cook.
Finally, the single wall layout is typically found in small homes, because it works by keeping all appliances and ingredients in the same area with little reach and takes up as little space as possible. This design has countertops on both sides of the range oven. When choosing this layout, your best option would be to choose compact appliances to add extra counter space. This kitchen layout is ideal for loft and studio homes or apartments.
While these are not the only kitchen layouts you can choose from, these are the four most basic options. Deciding which layout to choose is going to be based off of a few things, including budget, how much storage space you will need, and how often or how many people you tend to entertain. Remember to take all of these into consideration, and LOVE the kitchen you choose. If none of these are to your liking, check out these other kitchen layouts we love.
Timeless White Cabinetry
By / April 13, 2016 February 25, 2023Over the years we have certainly seen our share of cabinetry fads, but one color has withstood the test of time – white cabinetry. Whether it is with a modern door style or fits into a traditional kitchen, customers still look to white cabinetry to provide them with a pure, clean space.
White Finishes
White finishes and glazes can be applied to any of our wood types to create a unique effect. You can choose white stained cabinets, or white painted cabinets for a different effect. White maple cabinets have a completely different look than white applied to cherry or knotty pine – and glazes can create a completely different effect. This color on distressed wood also has a unique appearance.
White cabinetry can truly help a small room look large. Adding white cabinetry will brighten up a room, enhancing the feeling of space in the room. Since white cabinetry can look cold, it is important mix up a variety of complementary shades of white in the paint, backsplashes, countertops, tile, flooring and cabinet stains. This can truly warm up a room and avoid a sterile feeling.
Warm Up a Kitchen
Another way to warm up a white kitchen is to add wood accents, on an island, or countertops, for instance. You can also add stainless steel pulls and appliances to a white kitchen to break up the white in the room, and hardwood flooring does a tremendous amount to warm up the space.
White can be made to fit into any design aesthetic – whether traditional, transitional, contemporary or modern. Cabinetry with full overlay doors can achieve a contemporary feel, while flat-panel inset doors, beadboard and rustic feeling knobs and accessories can give a kitchen a rustic farmhouse feel.
Over the years, we have created many beautiful white kitchens – like the beautiful white cabinets. This includes our slide show below designed by our friends at Stonington Designs in Madison, NJ and True North Cabinets in New Caanan, CT. With a wide variety of options available your custom white kitchen can have your own unique look and feel. You can also check out our Houzz projects for additional examples of white kitchens we love.
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Choosing A Cabinet Designer
By / March 2, 2016 March 8, 2023
Adding custom kitchen cabinetry to your home is a big investment, and for some it is something they will do only once in their lifetime. Making such a big commitment means you will want to make sure you are choosing a skilled cabinet designer who is knowledgeable and will listen to what you want. Finding that person requires careful research and investigation. Here are some basic tips to finding the right cabinet designer for you:
- Start by getting an idea of what you want – You know your kitchen isn’t working for you – now is the time to sit down to determine what you need to make your space more functional. Do you need storage? Do you want a space that doubles as a working kitchen and an entertainment space? Is having a high-tech kitchen important to you? Knowing what you want and need is an important part of the process. Visit Houzz.com and start your own idea books, pinning designs you like to help get your creativity flowing.
- Understand the process – a kitchen renovation is a huge undertaking. Be prepared to have your kitchen completely demolished and rebuilt. This does not take a week, and depending on the amount of work being done could take several months. Research the process, watch videos, and get a realistic sense for the work that will be involved.
- Ask for recommendations – while you can’t rely solely on recommendations from friends, having cabinet designer recommendations is helpful in narrowing down the pool of available options – and may help you know what and who to avoid.
- Search for professionals on Houzz – not only is Houzz a great place to get design ideas – it’s also a great place to search for professionals in your area, read reviews, and look at their designs to see if their style matches your own. Does a designer keep up with the style and trends? This will be important to know that you are getting the most current design and technology that will last for years to come.
- Do your homework – when you’ve narrowed down a short list of designer, make appointments to meet them and go see their work in person. Ask for references, and check them. Find out how long they’ve been in business, how many kitchens they design in a year, and their certifications so you have a sense of their skill level and experience.
Next Steps
Once you’ve selected a cabinet designer the next step is to set up an initial consultation. You’ll want to find a designer who makes time for you, answers all of your questions, and meets face-to-face to discuss your project. This is like a job interview – and should leave you feeling secure in knowing that the designer you’ve selected can handle your project with expertise. If you leave that meeting with any doubts, then it will be best to choose another professional from your list.
Our Team
At Kountry Kraft we are proud of the incredibly talented group of cabinet designers we work with. We have added a dealer locator to our website to make it simple to search by zip code for a designer near you. We also feature photos of real designs our dealers have created in our website gallery as well as on our Houzz page, to give you glimpse of some of the amazing work cabinet designers have done with our custom cabinetry.
Building a custom kitchen can be a daunting task – but with the help of a talented kitchen designer it can be a very rewarding experience, and one that will add to the function and comfort of your home.
Custom Stain Matching
By / December 16, 2015 March 20, 2023
When creating a custom cabinetry plan, people often overlook the impact custom stain matching can have on the finish of their cabinets. They take great care selecting the wood and door style that most appeals to the décor of their home, but often neglect to consider how cabinet finishes such as paint, stain and glaze will enhance the overall look of their cabinetry.
Often, when adding custom cabinets to a room, there is a need to custom stain match the new cabinetry with existing cabinetry within the adjacent space. Many people don’t realize that Kountry Kraft offers custom stain matching to your existing cabinetry as an option. It’s important to us that you love your Kountry Kraft cabinetry – and to ensure your satisfaction we are willing to take the time needed to custom match the stain on your cabinet order. The better your cabinetry fits into the décor of your home, the more satisfied you will be. And a satisfied customer is a happy customer, which is important to our company. This is just one of the many services that Kountry Kraft offers that many of our competitors do not.
The process for custom stain matching on cabinetry is relatively simple for us given the skill level of all of the craftsmen here at Kountry Kraft. We will create our own mix of stain that most closely matches your existing cabinetry using our wide selection of stain colors and glazes, and can create a nearly perfect match to your existing cabinetry. Our knowledgeable designers can also suggest other solutions that will complement your existing cabinetry– such as painted wood cabinets in a coordinating color, or antiqued finishes that add depth to the room.
With Kountry Kraft, your options are only limited by your imagination. We offer custom cabinetry solutions for every room in your home, and custom stain matching is a unique service that our highly skilled kitchen design experts can offer that is not found in some other cabinet lines. At Kountry Kraft we work with you to truly bring out the design potential in your home. Check out our gallery for cabinetry design inspirations, and get started on your custom cabinet project today.
Remember When – The Evolution of Kountry Kraft
By / December 10, 2015 November 22, 2016A living legacy woven from one family’s deep commitment to remarkable craftsmanship
Early on as Elvin and Helen were establishing Kountry Kraft, they developed four guiding principles for success:
- Craft the highest quality custom product
- Kountry Kraft workshop circa 1961
- Deliver it on schedule
- Price it fairly
- Be honest, genuine and friendly
By staying true to these values in all of their dealings, Kountry Kraft soon became widely known for top level craftsmanship and impeccable service. The company soared, rapidly expanding from the small workshop in the Hurst family garage to a new 96,000 square foot facility built on the family 
farm, where the company still resides today. Elvin and Helen spent their lives running their business while raising their four children and managing an
80 acre farm.
As the company flourished over the years, two of Elvin and Helen’s four children, Elvin Hurst Jr. and Dolores Hurst-Funk worked alongside their parents to learn the business before purchasing the company from them in 2003. This experience gave them a strong desire to guide our company into the future. Elvin Jr. and Dee continue to operate the company today with a staff of over 100 skilled craftsmen who have over 1500 years of combined experience.
Today, Kountry Kraft’s technologies and systems are kept current to ensure efficiency and accuracy in order processing, design and accounting. To maintain a focus on detail and craftsmanship, the factory is tooled with the newest and most accurate industry equipment such as computerized panel saws, dovetailing machines, pneumatic assembly systems, and the latest in high-quality finishing equipment.
For over 55 years Kountry Kraft has experienced steady growth due in large part to our commitment to quality. We are proud of our company heritage – starting with our first Craftsman saw – which still stands in the lobby of the company today as a testament to the value of hard work and craftsmanship that withstands the test of time.
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Remember When: The Humble Beginnings of Kountry Kraft
By / December 2, 2015 February 22, 2023
It All
Started With A Saw
In our last blog post, we discussed the challenges Elvin and Helen Hurst had to overcome to launch their own cabinetry business in 1959. But the humble beginnings of Kountry Kraft are a great holiday story reminiscent of The Gift of the Magi –a tale of how a thoughtful gift can make a huge difference in many lives and become the impetus for something big.
Once we started telling our story it gained momentum, and when the folks at the Sears Craftsman Club heard about it, they clearly agreed. We are thrilled to say they liked it so much it is featured in this month’s Craftsman Club blog. Click here to read more about how Helen Hurst’s thoughtful Christmas gift opened up a path success for the Hurst family and the hundreds of skilled craftsmen who work here at Kountry Kraft – and created a pioneering business in the custom cabinetry industry.
The Future of Custom Cabinetry
The Hurst Family has a lasting commitment to hard work and fair business, and in next week’s blog we’ll follow the explosive growth of their custom cabinetry company over the past 50 years, and tell you about the 2nd and 3rd generation of our family members who are running the company today.
Interested in custom painted cabinets for your kitchen, wet bar, or other space in your home? Get started by finding a Kountry Kraft dealer near you!
Stock Vs. Custom Cabinets – The choice is yours.
By / October 16, 2015 March 20, 2023
It’s time to redo your kitchen and you think you may want custom cabinets. Take a deep breath.We can help make your decisions without getting in your way. We have 1,500+ combined years worth of quality custom cabinetry behind our name and our quality speaks for itself
As you plan your kitchen, you may be factoring in the pros and cons of Custom Cabinets and Stock Cabinets.We understand that it’s a big decision and you want to get good, quality cabinetry. Here’s some information that you may find helpful.
CUSTOM CABINETS
Custom cabinets are mostly constructed by regional cabinet manufacturers much like Kountry Kraft. Our cabinetry is built by master craftsmen and is designed to fit into your space.
We are proud to say that our products are delivered on time nearly 100% of the time – so there’s no costly time delays that can put a monkey wrench in your project.
Kountry Kraft empowers our customers with the resources to design their dream cabinetry, whether that be in their kitchen, office, bathroom, etc. We work with highly skilled dealers and designers who will
come to your location, measure your space, draw up a schematic, make product recommendations and give you general pricing – making your cabinet shopping experience as simple as possible.
When you choose custom cabinetry, know that there are no rules. There is no standard 3” cabinet size. Sometimes people have unique spaces that normal stock cabinets just don’t accommodate. Custom cabinetry offers much greater flexibility and capacity for storage. This is where we excel. There may be a price differential between custom and stock cabinetry, but the value that you receive will be well worth the expenditure.
STOCK CABINETS
Stock cabinets are pre-manufactured, cartooned, and stored in a warehouse until they’re ordered. The industry standard sizes are based on multiples of three. They are very cut and dry when it comes to what’s available. There’s a standard width, height and depth to these cabinets. If your space is unique in size or shape, it is likely stock cabinets will be difficult to install.
Since the cabinets are manufactured prior to your order, the specific cabinet that you need may be unavailable. For the most part, no modifications can be made to pre-ordered stock from a catalog.
You may think we’re biased toward custom cabinets, and the truth is, we are. That’s because for over 50 years Kountry Kraft has been listening to what our customers tell us, and using that information to make our products and services better. We could always produce stock cabinetry, but that’s not what our customers want. They want our designers expertise when re-imagining a room that they will “live” in and they don’t want to settle for compromised quality and installation. We pride ourselves in the quality of our fine custom cabinetry and our impeccable customer service – and we think everyone deserves that kind of experience when planning their cabinet purchase.