Author: The Kitchen Showcase

Unique and Sustainable Wooden Counter Tops

Spekva wooden kitchen countertops in Colorado

Wood countertops are like snowflakes or fingerprints. No two pieces of wood are ever the same! And that’s their beauty! Wood countertops are trending in Colorado country kitchens for their sustainability, durability, individuality, and warmth.

One-of-a-kind beautiful wooden countertops from Denmark

We aim for quality, aesthetics, and functionality! That’s exactly why, for our wooden countertops, we head to one Scandinavian country where one man’s passion for quality craftsmanship, sustainability, and love of all things wood has made him and his company, Spekva, the leading force behind quality wooden countertops.

Hand craften wooden kitchen counter tops — Photo by: Spekva

Scandinavian design is known for beautiful handcrafted wooden furniture, with a sleek modern warmth. Danish design is a true example of a functional aesthetic.

Environmental factors of wooden countertop

A love of carpentry is rooted in a love of nature. Spekva is a proud member of the FSC® (Forest Stewardship Council®) and Rainforest Alliance, and their products are made from 100% FSC® certified trees. Even after being cut, a piece of wood will continue to store the CO2 it has sucked out of our atmosphere, and with each tree cut, at least one new tree is planted to help fight deforestation, unethical lumber practices, and global warming. Each unique table or countertop is a symbol of environmental responsibility, and it sends a message that you want to help protect our planet, as well as ensure good working conditions for the men and women who tend and care for our forests.

Commitment to environmental responsibility is just one of the benefits of buying a Spekva product. Another is their personal attention to each client. Products are built with your individual needs in mind to help you fulfill your kitchen dreams.

Sustainable materials for Colorado kitchens — Photo by: Spekva

Kitchen design and renovation experts in Colorado

The Kitchen Showcase has been helping Colorado homeowners, builders, and interior designers fall in love with their homes for over 30 years, and we’re proud to offer Spekva wooden countertops to our customers.

Colorado kitchen design Spekva wooden countertops Colorado

The Stone Cold Truth About Soapstone Countertops

The gray trend isn’t slowing down. It’s a beautiful neutral color, and it appears in a lot of materials naturally. In the kitchen, using natural stone countertops will give the grays an organic feel. Soapstone is a natural stone that is usually dark gray and is a beautiful alternative to granite countertops.

Soapstone countertops

We’re always talking about granite and quartz, but soapstone has been around for ages. Many historic homes will use soapstone countertops. The dark gray natural stone color of soapstone has allowed this material to transition to the modern kitchen, but still keeping the rustic qualities of a classic home.

Remodeling your kitchen in Denver — Silky smooth, dark gray soapstone countertops

Characteristics of soapstone

Soapstone has a smooth and silky surface, which makes it a great natural stone countertop material. As the soapstone ages, a beautiful patina will appear, giving it a bit more texture and character. It will give your modern kitchen a nod to antique and historic homes, while still maintaining it’s contemporary flair.

Color

The color of soapstone is a dark gray, and as it ages and settles, the color will become a bit darker. That is important to consider when you are designing your kitchen. If you are trying to match other gray tones to your soapstone countertops, be aware that the original color, when first installed, will turn a shade (or half a shade) darker over time.

Visit a kitchen showroom to compare countertop materials.

Heat and scratches

Since it is natural stone, it is quite resistant to heat and to stains. However, the smooth surface can become scratched over time if you work directly on the soapstone countertop. The good news is that any scratch can be sanded, a bit like sanding and refinishing hardwood floors. Of course, just like hardwood floors, a few scratches and some wear and tear can add to the appeal of the countertop.

Visit our kitchen showroom in Denver to check out all our countertops.

Clutter Can Make You Feel Tired

Eliminating clutter in your life could help you feel better, more organized and in-control of your daily life. Too much clutter could be affecting both your emotional and physical health. Remodeling and organizing your kitchen is one step towards a more serene lifestyle.

We all love stuff, we love gadgets, and many of us have a hard time getting rid of the stuff we no longer need. We all have that “messy drawer” with miscellaneous items, but when that drawer spills over onto your counters, cabinets, closets, bookshelves; it’s time to take a step back and think how you can de-clutter your life. Start throwing away stuff you no longer need. All that physical clutter could be cluttering up your brain.

Throwing things away can seem overwhelming; take it one step at a time. Or in this case, one room at a time, maybe even one counter or cabinet at a time.

Clutter affects your mood and the ability to focus

Denver kitchen design experts — You can still have a lot of great cookware, but we’ll help you get it organized and off of your counters giving you room to breathe.

We all know we have too many clothes, too many gadgets, too many trinkets cluttering our home. But, we always forget about the kitchen. And, the kitchen is so easy to fill with toys and tools, big and small. Before you know it, your counters are filled with KitchenAids, juicers, toasters, blenders, espresso machines, etc. And when it comes to cooking that healthy meal you’re hard pressed for a little space to lay down a cutting board and dice up some organic veggies.

Then there are the drawers. The amount of fancy cooking utensils that we have these days is insane. Whatever happened to just having a few premium knives and chopping your garlic or slicing your onions. Why do we need separate tools for each step? And, why is it so hard to throw out old equipment, or old utensils. How many peelers does one person need?

And, don’t even get us started on the cabinets. They quickly fill up with so much stuff we have a hard time finding anything, let alone taking it out to use without having to shuffle around a bunch of other stuff that is standing in the way.

Clutter affects your physical and emotional health

Before you know it, you don’t want to cook in your kitchen. The clutter makes you anxious and if prolonged – then emotionally drained. That anxiety leads to eating take-out at the counter or on the couch. So, not only is your clutter making you stressed out and jittery with anxiety, it’s now making you eat unhealthy foods.

If you feel like you’re turning into a lunatic with a little extra junk in your trunk, it could be because of the clutter in your kitchen, and the rest of your home.

A well-organized drawer can help your sanity.

Denver area kitchen design and remodeling

We’re experts at helping our customers design a kitchen that can house all of their favorite cookware, tools, and utensils in an organized manner. Designing a kitchen to fit your space, your appliances, and everything in your kitchen can free up space and make your kitchen the center point of every party, and a pleasure to be in.

Take back your kitchen, and your sanity, and talk to us about a kitchen redesign.

What Is The Most Profitable Home Remodel Attracting Buyers?

Being a homeowner means that you’re always looking to upgrade rooms, remodel, and making it homier and more functional. A home is a constant work in progress. Unless you have an unlimited supply of time and money, you want to choose projects wisely. Some home improvements and renovations will increase the value of your home, and giving you a high return on your investment when it comes time to sell.

Most profitable remodel project

Any upgrades to the kitchen will give significant ROI.

The most profitable renovation project is the kitchen. Just a few minor upgrades and you can expect to get more than 50% back in resale value. If you are looking to sell immediately, there are a few small changes you can make to give the home more in-house appeal to buyers. Not only will the new upgrades be attractive to buyers, but knowing that they won’t have to embark on remodeling projects right after they buy, will also add some appeal.

Full kitchen remodel

There are two ways you can tackle the kitchen. The first is a complete kitchen overhaul where you gut the kitchen and put in all new custom cabinets, efficient and functional storage spaces, countertops, and appliances. For a complete kitchen remodel, you can expect to get up to 60% ROI. One thing to consider is whether your style is going to be the same as potential buyers. You may want to consider choosing a style that is relatively neutral and appealing to a larger crowd than something highly personalized.

New drawer and cabinet fronts will appeal to potential buyers.

Kitchen face-lift

The second way to upgrade your kitchen is to give it a quick face-lift. That means that you change out the appliances to be newer and more efficient, but instead of gutting the kitchen and replacing the cabinets, you replace the cabinet doors. Small upgrades, like a new faucet and hardware for your cabinets and drawers, can also give your kitchen a newer look that will appeal to buyers. With just a few small changes to the surface of the kitchen, the ROI can be as high as 80%.

Before you make any changes, visit our showroom to see all your options for materials and colors. Talk to our designers about what will give you the best return on your investment.

The Many Benefits of Beautiful Laminate Kitchen Cabinets

Choosing the right gray for your kitchen

Not every renovation budget will allow a person to choose natural wood cabinets. Fortunately, getting laminate kitchen cabinets can still give you the beautiful effect that you desire. Laminate cabinetry may have gotten a bad rap, but there is no shame in choosing laminate cabinets to complete your dream kitchen.

Benefits of laminate kitchen cabinets

Besides being cost-effective, laminate kitchen cabinets have a number of benefits. Most importantly, laminate kitchen cabinets come in a myriad of styles and colors. They are customizable, so you can have your laminate kitchen cabinets built specifically for your kitchen and your needs.

Laminate cabinets are durable

The biggest advantage of laminate kitchen cabinets is their durability. Every kitchen should have great ventilation to create a consistent and healthy indoor air quality. However, the moisture content in the kitchen will vary from dinner to dinner. Laminate kitchen cabinets are resistant to changes in moisture. Laminate cabinets won’t warp or crack from the steam of a kettle or pressure cooker. You can safely let that stew “stew” on the stove all day without worrying about the condition of your cabinets.

Laminate cabinets are easy to maintain

Benefits of laminate kitchen cabinets — Aristokraft Cabinet
Door style: Durham
Color: Toasted Antique

Laminate kitchen cabinets are easily maintained. Splashes, grease, and dirt can quickly be wiped off of your cabinets, leaving them good as new. The color won’t fade with time, so refacing your cabinets won’t be necessary. Unless, of course, you’re just switching up your style. However, you won’t have to reface due to wear and tear.

Laminate cabinets fit every style

Persona style is important when choosing cabinets. Of course, you want them to be affordable and practical. However, if you don’t like the look, then it’s not worth your money. Laminate kitchen cabinets come in every style and color. You can even get laminate kitchen cabinets that imitate natural wood.

Laminate kitchen cabinetry in Denver

At TKS, we are picky about the brands that we recommend to our customers. If you are looking for laminate kitchen cabinets, check out Aristokraft Cabinetry. Aristokraft Cabinetry has the style, selection, and value you need to bring your vision to life.

Stop by our Denver kitchen showroom and talk to a designer about the right cabinets for your style, budget, and timeframe.

Aristokraft Cabinetry Laminate kitchen cabinets

The Stone Cold Truth About Granite Countertops

Countertops come in many materials and colors. Your style and your lifestyle should both be taken into consideration when you choose a countertop. One of the more popular countertop materials is stone. Stone surfaces have many pros and a few cons. Let’s take a closer look at some of the pros and cons of granite countertops.

Stone countertops

Overall, stone countertops are solid, durable, easy to maintain, and resistant to all the elements that come with a kitchen, like heat and moisture. Stone countertops will mostly allow you to work directly on the countertops, eliminating cutting boards and hot pads. There are a few differences that could impact your enjoyment, and whether they are befitting to your kitchen, as well as your budget.

Granite

When money is no object, granite is the countertop material of choice. Granite countertops will add beauty and natural elegance to your kitchen, as well as real estate value to your home. Having granite countertops is like having hardwood floors; potential buyers will love them, so that’s something to consider if you are remodeling before selling. However, granite countertops have a long lifespan. So, even if you aren’t remodeling to sell right now, the granite countertops will keep on giving value to your home for years to come.

Considerations for granite countertops

Gray and white kitcheb — Photo: St. Cecilia granite countertop.

One thing to consider with granite countertops is that the surface is imperfect. If you’re looking for a smooth surface, granite may be too rough for your taste. The higher quality the granite is, the fewer imperfections there will be and the smoother the surface. However, the subtle imperfections of granite can also add a wonderfully rugged and natural texture to your kitchen.

One of the pluses of granite is the ability to work directly on the countertops. But you do need to be aware that your knives will dull more quickly from cutting on granite.

Check out granite countertops and other stone countertops at our kitchen showroom in Denver.

5 Benefits Of A Granite Countertop For Your Denver Home

Upgrade The Value of Your Home

Countertops are one of the most utilized surfaces in the house and a significant part of your kitchen. By choosing to invest on granite countertops for your home, you are not only adding beauty but value as well. If you were to sell your home, or you are in the re-selling market, a granite countertop is an investment the will payoff down the line.

Stain, Scratch & Heat Resistant

Granite is very resistant to the wear and tear of everyday life (including food preparation), unlike other natural stones like marble. Cook, clean and chop without the stress of staining or damaging your new granite countertops from the Kitchen Showcase. Depending on the stone, some granite does require sealing once or twice a year.

Natural Stone

There are some things only nature can do. There is no matching the look and feel of natural stone. Granite has the benefit of requiring less maintenance and being more resistant than other natural stone alternatives.

Color Range

At our Denver Showroom, we have a vast array of colors, ranging from off-white to dark grays (almost black). So you can pick your stone to compliment or accent other details of your home. It is important to see granite color and tones in person, to get a real grasp of the final product.

One Of A Kind

Granite Countertops are not only practical and beautiful, but they are also one of a kind. No matter how much you look, two granite slabs will never be alike. When purchasing your Granite Countertops, you will be investing in a one of a kind masterpiece.

Granite Countertops in Denver at The Kitchen Showcase

We invite you to stop by our new and beautiful Kitchen and Bathroom Design Showroom, located in Centennial, Colorado. We are open Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm. Evenings and Saturdays by appointment. Also, you can send us your questions through our website, and we will answer. We offer nearly 40 room displays, where you can see, touch and experience all the different options we have available for your remodeling project. Our designers will guide you through the rooms and work with you as a team, making sure you choose the best option for your kitchen based on your preferences and needs.

Granite countertops Natural Stone The Kitchen Showcase Denver

Choosing the Perfect Kitchen Cabinet

Kitchen cabinets are the star of any kitchen, so you need to make smart choices. The cabinets will take up the most space in the kitchen, so they’ll automatically be a major focal point. Here are some steps to help in choosing the perfect kitchen cabinets.

Understanding kitchen cabinets

The first step to choosing the right products, whether it’s the kitchen cabinets or the kitchen sink, is to understand the various styles and materials. Knowing the benefits of each species of wood and the color you can expect is a significant factor. Considering the function of each cabinet, as well as the style, are the determining factors in choosing the perfect kitchen cabinet.

Function and Purpose

Forget about the color and the style. The first step to choosing kitchen cabinets should be purpose and function. If a cabinet isn’t functional, if you can’t store all your kitchen gadgets, tools, flatware, and stemware, then the cabinets are useless. Start by figuring out the right measurements, and functions that each cabinet needs to serve. From there, you can start to look at the fashionable aspects.

Type of Storage

You should also familiarize yourself with the various types of way to store things in the kitchen. Not everything has to be stored in traditional cabinets. Many are turning to big deep drawers and shelving to mix it up and create some design intrigue. The type of storage you choose is going to help make the kitchen more functional.

Custom vs. Semi Custom Kitchen Cabinets — Mix and match custom and semi-custom kitchen cabinets.

Fashion and style

Once you have the functionality of the cabinets in place, you can start to look at the style. The architecture of your home can help guide you in the right direction. If you’re only replacing your cabinets, the rest of the kitchen design should also be taken into consideration.

Materials

Wood cabinets are a classic, but there are many types of wood, and each has its unique coloring. You could also stain wooden cabinets to get the exact color you want, but that will require you to understand what types of wood are best for staining. Even a stained wood is going to change a bit over time, so you need to like the starting color, but also be prepared to love the color that the wood will settle on.

Door Style

Once you have the color and material, the style of the cabinet door is the final piece of the puzzle, almost. For a modern kitchen, look for sleek minimalistic door styles. For a more traditional and country style kitchen, look for doors that are a bit more ornate, with a design pattern.

Hardware

The final piece de resistance when choosing kitchen cabinets is to look at the hardware. The knobs, pulleys, and hinges should enhance your kitchen design. Cabinet hardware can be both fashionable and functional. Before you settle on the hardware, we suggest going to a kitchen showroom to see and feel the hardware to make sure it feels good.

Visit The Kitchen Showroom in Denver. Talk to a design expert about your kitchen renovation or remodel.

How to Clean your Garbage Disposal Unit

Extra tips for a spotless and germ-free sink!

In one of our previous posts we talked about the importance of deep cleaning your kitchen sink from time to time and gave you some tips to do it effectively. The sink is an indispensable item in any kitchen and as such, it needs some TLC once in a while if you want it to last and look as new for a long time, and most importantly, to safeguard your family’s health by preventing germ buildup.

One common accessory in most American kitchens is the garbage disposal. These scrap-eaters are normally self-cleaning, but they need some more detailed care from time to time as well. So today we’ll give you further tips on how to safely clean your garbage disposal.

3 Easy steps to clean your garbage disposal

The most important part of this process is your safety, so never take any action that’ll compromise your well-being when cleaning your garbage disposal! The materials you’ll need are: distilled white vinegar, baking soda, boiling water, ice, sea salt, and a lemon or lime.

First, sprinkle a 1/2 cup of baking soda down the disposal. Add 1 cup of white vinegar and allow the mixture to fizz and make a bit of noise. Let the mixture sit and work for a few minutes. Then, boil a kettle of hot water and pour it down the drain.
Fill the drain with two cups of ice. Pour one cup of salt over the ice cubes -rock salt is great if you have it- and run some cold water. Then turn on the disposal until the ice is gone. The mixture of ice and salt will help loosen the grime and debris from the grinding elements.
Cut the lemon in half, turn the water on and run the garbage disposal while adding the fruit halves one at a time. And that’s it folks! The lemon will clean and deodorize your drain!

Even though everyone knows how to clean a kitchen sink, we hope you find these steps to clean your garbage disposal useful. And if you are thinking that it is time to remodel your old kitchen in Denver and give it a new look, we can help!

Stop by our new and beautiful Kitchen and Bathroom Design Showroom located in Centennial, Colorado, to talk with our professional kitchen & bath designers to start planning your new, dreamed kitchen or bathroom! We are open Monday to Friday from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm. Evenings and Saturdays by appointment.

3 Easy steps to clean your garbage disposal cleaning your garbage disposal remodel your kitchen in Denver

Build Your Dream Kitchen & Bathroom in Centennial

Since 1984 The Kitchen Showcase has been helping homeowners design the kitchen & bathroom of their dreams and increase their property value. Our company focuses on the design and installation of cabinets, countertops, hardware, and accessories for kitchens, bathrooms, entertainment centers, home offices, libraries, and even closets.

All About Quality and Customer Satisfaction

Our customers are our most valuable asset, so we pay attention to every single detail from start to finish, never leaving a job site until the client is completely satisfied. It doesn’t matter if you’re remodeling your kitchen or building a custom home, we are committed to offering exceptional products, service, and design, so you make the most of your budget.

At The Kitchen Showcase, we take quality very seriously, so that is why we only carry brands whose price category leads in the best quality and value. With that being said, you will get higher-quality and better-looking products at incredibly competitive rates.

We have a world-class showroom located in Denver that has nearly 40 room displays, where you can see, touch and experience your design choices first-hand, side by side with our designers who will help you make the decisions for your preferences, budget, and needs.

Kitchen & Bathroom Remodeling in Centennial

Visit us so we can show you why we are the best kitchen & bathroom remodeling company in Colorado. Our staff will inform you every step during the process and will ensure that your project is finished on time. They will always treat your products exactly as they treat you, with the utmost care for all of our customers and their kitchen & bathroom remodeling in Centennial.

We can say proudly that we are the number one Crestwood cabinet dealer in the country, and one of the top five Kitchen Craft cabinet dealers. So if you need help with your custom kitchen & bathroom design in Denver, or with your remodeling project in Colorado, we are your best option.