Remodeling a Contemporary Country Kitchen

Complete kitchen remodel in Denver

A light, white kitchen is an eternal classic. By adding a few soft, neutral colors to break up the clean white cabinets, you soften the palette and make the kitchen warmer. White colors make a kitchen feel clean, thereby inviting guests to want to cook and eat, whereas warmer tones prevent the kitchen from feeling too clinical and cold. One of our kitchen remodel projects takes classic design elements and mixes them with a few modern touches.

Customizing cabinetry

Complete kitchen remodel

When we take on a remodeling project, we work with each client from the concept to the final installation of all products. The first step is to assess the space, and then we talk to the client to get an idea of their dream kitchen. Then the fun begins, choosing the perfect style of the cabinets, the countertops, the sink, the hardware, the lighting, and of course, all the fun aesthetic elements that will make this kitchen feel like home. For this recent kitchen remodel project, we chose to use a creative tile backsplash to add a little country charm to a contemporary kitchen.

Custom cabinets

The cabinets are going to be the biggest portion of designing a kitchen. They are the most visible, will take up the most space, and serve the biggest functional purpose. You want the cabinets to match your style and perfectly fit with the right dimensions, as well as be functional in storing all of your kitchenware. Custom designing your cabinets will give you the best results, utilizing all the space and creating the perfect storage unit or display cases to fit your kitchen.

Custom cabinets
Personalize your new home with custom cabinets.

Customize your kitchen cabinets to meet every function and style requirement. Raised panel cabinet doors

For this charming kitchen remodel, we used a raised panel cabinet door style. Instead of completely white cabinets, the cabinets feature a fine dark trim to give the cabinets a more rustic design aesthetic. Adding to the rustic theme, the cabinets are complemented with antique bronze hardware and knobs, which is both rustic and modern.

Quartz countertops

We’re big fans of quartz countertops. They’re durable, stain- and heat-resistant, and offer many more style and color choices than granite or marble. The only difference is that quartz is engineered, whereas granite and marble are made from solid stone. However, quartz can still give your kitchen an organic feel, adding to the theme of a contemporary country kitchen.

Tile backsplashes

We always focus on the cabinets and countertops when we’re designing a kitchen. However, when it comes to tying the whole kitchen design together, you have to think about the big picture, from floor to ceiling. Instead of white walls behind the cabinets and above the counters, we went with a more artistic and chic design choice and added a tiled backsplash. A tiled backsplash adds another textural element, making the design more exciting. By incorporating the colors and the tones from the quartz and the cabinets, we make the kitchen design feel cohesive and complete.

Remodeling your kitchen
Add a pop of color to your rustic kitchen.

Recessed ceiling lights and a pop of color

Mixing and matching design styles can make for a more personalized kitchen design, so don’t be afraid to add modern touches to a rustic kitchen. For this remodel, we used recessed ceiling lights, instead of hanging fixtures. We painted one wall a vibrant deep blue to add a pop of color to an otherwise white and neutral kitchen.

The Kitchen Showcase in Denver

When you work with The Kitchen Showcase on our complete kitchen remodel project, you get the best selection of kitchen products for any budget and any style. We will also pair you with a designer who can help you bring your vision to life.

Every home deserves a great kitchen, and TKS is the best place to make all of your kitchen dreams come true.

Three Simple Steps to Keeping Granite Countertops Sparkly and New

Choosing a kitchen island

When you get a brand new kitchen, it’s almost too beautiful to use. You don’t want to mess anything up. However, at some point, you’re going to have to start using your kitchen, and that includes getting the countertops dirty. Although there’s something cozy about a kitchen that has been through its share of dinner parties and bake sales, you can still take measures to keep your kitchen, especially the granite countertops, looking shiny and new.

Cleaning granite countertops
Wipe up spills and dry your granite countertops after use to keep them looking new.

Granite countertops are the number one choice

From the ancient pyramids to your new kitchen countertops, granite has stood the test of time. From the unique beauty of the natural stone to their durability, granite countertops continue to lead the pack. One of the biggest draws is that granite countertops are virtually maintenance-free – virtually.

Maintaining granite countertops

Granite countertops are made up of many different crystals that give it that distinct look that varies from stone to stone. The blend of crystals that make up your countertops is what gives each slab unique characteristics. Because of the blend of crystals, the first thing you need to make sure is that your granite countertops are properly sealed. Whereas most countertops come pre-sealed when they are installed, you will have to reapply sealant from time to time. If you notice that moisture is being absorbed into your countertops rather than beading up and remaining on the surface, it may be time to reapply another coat of sealant.

Removing stains from granite countertops

Removing stains from granite countertops
Remove stains and watermarks with baking soda and water. Photo Credit: Silestone – Ink

Baking soda is one of the most useful items that we all have in our kitchen. Plus, it’s a natural, non-toxic product that you can use to rid your countertops of unwanted stains and watermarks. Make a paste of baking soda and water and spread it over the stains. Leave the paste to absorb the stain. Sometimes, this method can take a few days. If you’re impatient, you can add a bit of hydrogen peroxide to speed things up.

Regular maintenance of granite countertops

Of course, daily maintenance is your best weapon against premature wear and tear. After each use, be sure to wipe down your granite countertops using water and a mild soap. Try to avoid acidic liquids, as these could damage the sealant. When you’re done, dry your counters completely and you’ll be rewarded with years and years of gorgeous granite countertops that keep looking as good as new.

Kitchen showroom in Centennial

Contemporary or traditional? Modern or vintage? Large or small? If you’re looking to remodel your kitchen or simply replace your countertops, make an appointment at our Denver kitchen showroom. We’ve got the largest selection of top brands for every style and budget. Plus, we’ll match you up with a designer to help you turn your dream kitchen into a reality.

Customizing cabinetry

Bringing the Kitchen Outdoors

your dream kitchen in Colorado

‘Tis the season for BBQs and backyard parties. However, homeowners aren’t just looking to get a great grill and some patio furniture; they’re looking to take the BBQ area to the next level by designing a fully functioning outdoor kitchen.

Design solutions for an outdoor kitchen

Design an outdoor kitchen in Denver
Take your grill area to the next level by designing a fully functional outdoor kitchen.

The demand for functional space has made the outdoor kitchen a growing trend. When you are BBQing and entertaining in your garden, it’s really annoying to have to keep running back and forth from your kitchen to get supplies or finish your cooking. You end up missing out on the whole party. Homeowners are getting fed up and have started to look for ways to turn the BBQ area into a fully functional outdoor kitchen.

Planning the layout

When you design an indoor kitchen, the walls will naturally help you determine the layout of the kitchen, as well as create boundaries to help define the space. In an outdoor kitchen, you need to define the space with your layout. The shape and structure of your counters are going to define the space of your outdoor kitchen. An L shape or a U, depending on how much counter space you are going for, are the most classic shapes of an outdoor kitchen.

Placement of appliances

Outdoor kitchen designHow you design your outdoor kitchen will have a lot to do with where there is sun and where there is shade. When you are placing appliances, like the refrigerator, you want to make sure that it is not going to be sitting in the glaring sunlight. If you don’t have a place for shade, you’ll want to incorporate ways of creating shade into your outdoor kitchen design.

Grill placement

The grill is often the focal point in an outdoor kitchen. Think about the perfect place for the grill and then design your outdoor kitchen from there. Make sure you don’t place the grill so that you end up standing with our back to your guests the whole time.

The right materials for an outdoor kitchen
Find durable materials for your outdoor kitchen.

Durable materials

The biggest consideration you have to make when you design an outside kitchen is the materials you’re going to use. For the casework and the countertops, stone, quartz, and granite are great options. Not only are they beautiful, but these materials are tough and can stand up to the elements and the weather conditions.

Water and electric

There are also practical considerations when you design an outdoor kitchen. You’re going to want to charge your phone and plug in a blender, so make sure you add electrical outlets. You need water, so be sure to plan the layout of the kitchen accordingly to sources of electricity and water. Needless to say, installations are to be handled carefully and best done by a qualified professional.

Everything you need for your outdoor kitchen

The Kitchen Showcase (TKS) only carries proven brands that lead their price category for quality and value. We can help you design an outdoor kitchen that matches your style and your budget. With TKS, you get higher quality and better-looking products at incredibly competitive rates. Your neighbors will be peeking over the garden fence at your new outdoor kitchen and wonder how you did it.

 

Drawers Are Replacing the Base Cabinets in Modern Kitchens

Custom kitchen drawers

contemporary classic kitchen, custom cabinets colorado
Custom cabinets are one of the biggest aspects of remodeling your kitchen. You want to create a storage space that fits your sense of style, but also your lifestyle. Something may look good on the outside, but if it isn’t practical or useful, then the outer beauty quickly begins to fade. Even with a kitchen remodel, it’s what’s on the inside that counts. Many homeowners are looking at their kitchen cabinets and thinking, “there’s gotta be a smarter way to store all my stuff!” There is! You can switch out your base cabinets with roll-out drawers.

Modernize your kitchen
Large kitchen drawers instead of base cabinets are a great modern touch.

Customize your kitchen drawers for a seamless fit

You can customize cabinets and put in great lighting so that it’s easier to see what’s in the back, but being able to pull out a drawer all the way is going to make it much easier to reach the things that you’ve stored in the back. You can make some drawers deeper and longer, depending on your needs. Just like the classic cabinet, you can also customize kitchen drawers.

Drawers make your kitchen more efficient

Drawers can still have a surface that is cozy and rustic, even if having drawers in your kitchen is ultra modern. The brilliance of drawers isn’t in their outer appearance; it’s in their super-efficient design, and how they make organization so much easier. When you have drawers, you’ll never have to bruise your knees or knock your forehead when digging for a bowl at the back of a bottom cabinet. When you have a large drawer that you can pull out, exposing everything that you have in there, it’s going to make your kitchen so much easier to be in.

Modern kitchen design trends
Drawers are efficient and easy to organize.

Drawers keep the design clean

Clutter is never a good thing in a kitchen, which has lead to a much cleaner and more simplistic design style in modern kitchens. When you are choosing a front for your drawer, think about a simple clean slab in a light neutral color. If you need a pop of drama, you can go for bold hardware and pulls. When you choose drawers, it’s much easier to keep the design clean.

Visit our kitchen showroom for inspiration

We invite you to stop by our new beautiful kitchen and bathroom design showroom, located in Centennial, Colorado. Get inspiration from some of the best brands in the industry, and work with a professional design expert to design your dream kitchen.

Transform Your Kitchen with Smart Storage Spaces

How much kitchen counter space do you need?

The functionality of a kitchen is the biggest trend that we have to think about as designers. People love to gather in the kitchen, so homeowners are looking to turn it into a space for entertaining as well as cooking. Hence, the rise of the big open plan kitchen. If you’re a foodie who loves to cook and entertain, then this trend makes total sense. To make the kitchen efficient as well as functional, you need to customize your cabinetry to be smart about storage.

Customize smart storage space in your kitchen
Having big drawers instead of bottom cabinets is huge in modern European kitchen design.

Smart storage spaces

Of course, you want your cabinets to look good in your kitchen, but they need to help you organize all your stuff so that you can move about comfortably and find everything easily. Organization is the biggest consideration when you are customizing your cabinets.

Big drawers

When we talk about custom cabinetry, we’re not just talking about the size and the color. You want to think of custom kitchen cabinets as custom storage units for your kitchen. We’re so used to the traditional layout of drawers lining the bottom of our countertops, and then having cabinets under the drawers. This layout is a classic look for a traditional kitchen.
A modern twist to the classic kitchen is to build rows of big, deep drawers all the way from your counters to the floor.  Having drawers instead of traditional cabinets is a smart way of keeping all of your kitchen items organized. For some reason, we’ve grown content with only using drawers for utensils, but you can customize your kitchen drawers to accommodate just about anything.
Another added bonus of having drawers instead of cabinets is that you won’t have to crouch down and use a flashlight to see what you put in the back of the cabinet. With drawers, you can just pull them all the way out for easy access to all of your kitchenware.

Open shelves

Designing smart storage in the kitchen
Open shelves can give your kitchen a little dimension for a great visual, as well as make it more efficient.

Since we’re mixing up the traditional cabinetry design, why not switch out a few of your hanging cabinets with some open shelves? Having open shelves will create dimension in your kitchen for a visually interesting effect, but when you’re juggling dinner and guests, it’s way more efficient to be able to see everything instead of having to play a game of memory and open all the cabinets looking for a dish or appliance.
Of course, there’s also a downside to seeing everything out in the open. If you have mismatched items, the visual effect can appear cluttered, so think about the types of things that you’ll be storing on open shelves. Keep the odd-shaped items in cabinets and put the matching items out in the open.

Visit our kitchen design showroom in Centennial

Whether you’re renovating a tired kitchen or creating the home of your dreams, there is no better feeling than knowing you made great decisions, selected the best products for your budget, and avoided costly delays. Come to our kitchen design showroom in Centennial to find design solutions, ideas and inspiration for every style and every budget.

Kitchen Tips: Clearing Up The Counter Space

Quartz Countertops

Kitchen cabinets and counter tops

Kitchen Designer Expert Tips: Storage For Your Kitchen

New Kitchen project Colorado
Check out the latest kitchen project by our kitchen designers.

When you don’t have enough storage space in your kitchen, you end up cluttering up your counters. Once you’ve filled up all the counter space, you start piling things on the floor. Before you can’t stand to be in your home due to all the clutter, talk to our design specialists about incorporating these storage and organizational tricks into your kitchen design.

Hang in there

Instead of using your counter space or any horizontal space to store more gadgets, tools, appliances, and utensils, take a look at your walls space or any vertical free space where you could hang a few of your items. We know you can’t hang your Kitchen Aid from a hook on the wall, but all of your pots, pans, and utensils all come with convenient little “hang from here” handles. So, go ahead and hang the things that can be hung.
You can even hang stuff from the ceiling. What’s a kitchen island if it doesn’t have a canopy of overhanging pots and pans?

Denver kitchen design experts
Don’t put it ON our kitchen island, hang it ABOVE your kitchen island.

Get rid of the knife block

It may not seem like much, but the more you can take off your counters, the more open and light your kitchen will feel. With a lot of open counter space, you’ll feel much more free to cook and move about in your kitchen. The magnetic strip that you hang on your wall is the perfect answer to the counter-hogging knife block, and you’ll get to display all of your sharp, shiny knives.

Utilize the top of your cabinets

If there is space between your cabinets and the ceiling, choose your best-looking items to place on the “top shelf.”

Kitchen cabinets and storage
Talk to our experts about cabinetry and storage when designing your dream kitchen.

New kitchen cabinetry and countertops

Our designers can also help you pick out new cabinetry and countertops to give you the storage space you need. We work with top cabinetry makers giving you a variety of choices regarding style, color, and materials.
We can also help you with organizational units so that you don’t just clutter up your new cabinets and drawers.
Get started on your dream kitchen today!

Proportion Plays a Principal Role in Interior Design

kitchen remodelling and design

Proportions matter regardless of your kitchen’s size

When you’re designing a big kitchen, you may have a tendency to match the proportions of your cabinets and kitchen island to match the size of your kitchen. However, this could lead to you feeling like a dwarf in your own kitchen. A kitchen should be both visually appealing, but it should also be functional. Proportion is one of the main principles of interior design.

Proportionate and functional kitchen design
Playing with proportion can make your kitchen visually interesting.

Customize cabinets to human scale

Customizing oversized cabinets for your grand kitchen remodel may be tempting, but you have to keep functional space in mind. Rather than building giant cabinets that fill the space of the kitchen, you want to design your cabinets to be proportionate to the people who are going to use the kitchen. Functional scale means that your cabinets are designed to be useful to the people that will be using the kitchen. When it comes to the right proportions in your kitchen, make sure that they are customized to human scale so that people can use them.
A large floor to ceiling cabinets may look grand, but the top of the cabinet is just wasted space because no human is going to be able to reach the top shelf.

Distributing lighting accordingly

Once you’ve gotten your counters, cabinets, and islands in the right proportion to make your kitchen functional, it’s time to think about fun, creative, and aesthetically exciting elements that will help fill the space of your large kitchen.
The right lighting can help fill the space between the ceiling and the top of your cabinets, but you also have to consider lighting that hangs a bit lower so that you can see when using your counters and cooking in the kitchen.
Think of a grand chandelier or ceiling lamp. By itself, it would look silly, but once the whole kitchen comes together, each element will be proportionate to the next, mixing style, function, thus giving a special character.

Stunning kitchen design in Colorado
As long as it’s proportional, an architecturally interesting island will add drama to your kitchen. design.

Architectural elements

You can also add a few creative and bold design elements that may not serve any other function than to create something visually interesting.
When you design a large kitchen, you have the luxury of adding more creative elements to give it personality, but just be careful that you don’t overdesign your kitchen so that the functional aspect is lost.

Design a functional and creative kitchen

Our design experts know how to apply every principle in interior design to help you design the perfect home.
For inspiration and the latest product in kitchen design, stop by our showroom in Denver, Colorado.

The Beauty of the Transitional Kitchen

Transitional kitchen design in Denver

When we design our homes, we no longer look at each room individually; we look at the whole picture. Since the open plan home isn’t going anywhere, the transitional design style is more prevalent than ever.

Transitional kitchen design in Denver
Clean lines and cool colors are big in transitional kitchen design.

What is transitional kitchen design?

The transitional design style came about when homeowners started looking at the big picture when remodeling. Although each room can still have individuality and personality, designers are starting to take a few design elements and mimic them from room to room.
The transitional kitchen will take a page from your living room, dining room, even your bedroom and create a cohesive design that will transition perfectly from room to room. The transitional design style connects each room in your home.

Modern muted colors and clean lines

Most homeowners will want to make the kitchen look bigger and brighter. Cool color choices will still dominate the kitchen, but instead of the classic white, color trends are leaning towards light shades of gray, blue, and green.
Minimalistic design is a big trend in the modern kitchen and it is one of those timeless trends. Using natural materials and letting them maintain their natural beauty and shape like quartz and granite countertops will make your kitchen feel clean and modern. To break up the simplicity and the color palette, a kitchen island in a contrasting or bold color will add a little life and vibrancy to your kitchen.

Transitional kitchen design trends
Choose a kitchen island that contrasts the cool colors of your cabinets for dramatic effect.
Credit to Daydream Designs

Matching and balancing the rest of the home

Whatever colors and design aesthetics that you choose in your kitchen can be carried over into the rest of the home, and vice versa. Having a color story for the whole house will make everything feel like it was meant to be, and it will add a sense of calm.

Transitional kitchen design in Denver

At The Kitchen Showcase, we have a wide variety of products to help you transition perfectly from room to room when you are remodeling your Denver home.
For inspiration, visit our showroom or contact a designer.

A New Kitchen Will Increase the Value of Your Home

Denver kitchen remodeling services

There is one renovation project that every homeowner should consider, and that’s upgrading or remodeling their kitchen. Even if you’re not looking to sell your home right now, know that a new kitchen will add instant value to your home. If you are looking to sell, a kitchen remodel will yield the best return on interest, and may even help you sell your home faster.

Kitchen remodel gives a great return on investment
The kitchen is the heart of the home and one of the first rooms that potential buyers will want to inspect.

Everyone looks at the kitchen first

When people are looking at homes, the first room that potential buyers will beeline to is the kitchen. That’s because the kitchen is the heart of the home, and is the most frequently used room in the home. A kitchen is multi-functional, being both a place to cook, but also a place to entertain and spend quality time with family. Remodeling your kitchen is a great investment for homeowners who are looking to put their home on the market.

Increase resale time with a new kitchen

Sure, there are those people that are looking for a fix-me-upper, but most homeowners aren’t looking to get down and dirty remodeling a new kitchen. They just want to move in and start putting personal touches on their new home. A new kitchen with new cabinetry, countertops, and smart appliances that are energy-efficient and will save water will be a big selling point to buyers.

Choosing the right style for your home

Kitchen design and remodeling services
If you live in a rustic Colorado mountain home, be sure to remodel your kitchen in the style that is befitting the style of your home.
Photo Credit: Daydream Incorporated

However, you need to be careful when you remodel your kitchen. You may appreciate the sleek, clean lines of a Scandinavian-style modern kitchen with flat surfaces, minimal flair, and fancy appliances. However, if you are living in an old, rustic, mountain home, you should talk to a designer about matching your aesthetics and your vision with a design that is also befitting the style of your home. Cohesion between the architecture of the house itself and new kitchen design is key to creating a consistent feel in your home.

A few upgrades go a long way

Refinishing your old cabinets, or replacing worn, weathered, and damaged countertops are small improvements that will give you great ROI without having to pay for a full kitchen remodel.

Kitchen design and remodeling services in Denver

The Kitchen Showcase has been helping Colorado homeowners, builders, and interior designers fall in love with their homes for over 30 years. We are a family-owned business that specializes in best-in-class brands and expert service and design.

Eco-Friendly Kitchen Cabinets for Christmas

Custom kitchen cabinets in Denver

One of the biggest trends in home design is eco-friendliness. From the rise in solar panels on the roof to energy-saving appliances, homeowners are always looking for ways to make their home energy-efficient and environmentally friendly. You don’t think about your kitchen cabinets having an effect on the planet, but everything you buy has a carbon footprint, so here are our tips to making the green choice in kitchen cabinetry.

FSC or KCMA certified cabinets

Many quality cabinet makers have taken steps to make their cabinets environmentally friendly. Look for manufacturers that use wood that is certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC,) or is part of the Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association’s (KCMA) Environmental Stewardship Program.

Eco-friendly kitchen cabinets
The Morley residences kitchen featuring FSC-certified Crestwood cabinets.

Cabinets from Crestwood, Tidwell, Decora, Koch, and Elmwood Cabinets all have green cabinet options. Whether FSC- or KCMA-certified, these manufacturers have pledged to minimize their carbon footprint and make environmentally responsible choices.

A commitment to an environmentally friendly manufacturing process means:

  • Wood from sustainably managed forests
  • Materials sourced in an environmentally friendly way
  • Using VOC-free or eco-friendly finishes
  • Reusing, reducing, and recycling
  • Minimizing waste
  • Conserving energy
  • Conserving water

Quality cabinets reduce your carbon footprint

Eco-friendly kitchen cabinets
Decora cabinets are trendy, timeless, built by hand for lasting beauty, and part of the KCMA’s Environmental Stewardship Program.

Choosing custom cabinets ensures quality craftsmanship. Quality craftsmanship will last a long time, reducing the time between having to replace your kitchen cabinets.

Choose a local cabinet manufacturer

If you can choose a local custom cabinet manufacturer, then you will also reduce your carbon footprint by cutting out a big chunk of transportation. Every time your cabinets have to be moved and transported from the manufacturer to a warehouse, to the store, or to your home, you are building up your carbon footprint. Anytime you can eliminate a step, you are minimizing your carbon footprint.
Custom cabinets from a local vendor mean that cabinets and materials only have to go from the manufacturer to your home, skipping over a few transportation steps, and thereby helping you get the most eco-friendly kitchen cabinets.

Environmentally responsible kitchen cabinets in Denver

We are proud to be associated with first-class cabinet manufacturers whose commitment to quality matches our own. Tell your designer that you want your kitchen to be environmentally friendly, and we’ll help you make choices that are environmentally sound, as well as speak to your personal aesthetic.
When it comes to cabinetry, the dry Colorado climate can be tricky. Our designers will help you understand how each material will work in your home. Our professional kitchen design services are complimentary and will ensure that you make informed decisions with no surprises. We can also help you find solutions to specific nuances in your home, like small spaces or odd angles, that we need to consider when choosing kitchen products.
Get a quote on your new kitchen!
Custom kitchen cabinets in Denver