kitchen additions | Colony Home Improvement

Designing an Eco-Friendly and Energy-Efficient Kitchen

October 28, 20140

Learn how your kitchen remodeling can be eco-friendly and energy-efficient.

One of the most popular trends when it comes to kitchen remodeling is being eco-friendly and efficient. Creating a green kitchen offers many advantages, including eliminating waste, conserving natural resources, reducing landfill waste and helping you save money. There is no single design choice when it comes to making your kitchen eco-friendly; it’s all about your personal style and taste. Here are some tips for choosing materials, features, fixtures and other kitchen additions that best fit your kitchen remodeling plans.

Countertops

Your kitchen remodeling plans should include sturdy, easy-to-clean countertops. Green and eco-friendly options include IceStone, a combination of concrete and recycled quartz that comes in a variety of colors. You can also use quartz, hemp, recycled paper or other all-natural materials.

Stainless steel is another eco-friendly option for your countertops. It requires little maintenance, is ideal for cooking and lasts for years, making it a durable choice.

Lighting

Reduce your electric bill by adding more windows to your kitchen. This will fill the space with plenty of natural light, while conserving resources. Ensuring your new windows provide adequate ventilation will give your kitchen an improved indoor air quality.

When planning a kitchen remodeling project, you may want to consider investing in high performance replacement windows. This could help you save money on your heating bills by providing increased insulation. These windows can also make your kitchen feel warmer and more inviting, especially on those cold winter mornings.

Kitchen remodeling can help you save energy and the environment.

Your home improvement contractor can help you make the right choices for kitchen remodeling.

Cooktops and Ovens

Consider an electric-induction cooktop for your kitchen upgrade. This kind of stovetop helps heat your food quickly and evenly by transferring the electronic magnetic energy right onto your pans. While shopping for appliances, keep in mind purchasing an oven with the Energy Star label will help you save as much as 80 percent on your energy bills.

Refrigerators

Refrigerators are the second largest energy consumers in a household. If your kitchen additions include a new refrigerator, look for one with an Energy Star label. According to Energy Star, most refrigerators with the label use 10 to 50 percent less energy than regular models. Another tip for conserving energy with your refrigerator is to avoid anything larger than what you truly need.

Flooring

Though perhaps not the first upgrade you think of when it comes to the kitchen, flooring is an important part of kitchen remodeling. You want to choose materials that are safe for the environment and cohesive with the style of the home.

A good choice for eco-friendly flooring is linoleum made from all-natural materials. Wood flooring, or flooring from a renewable resource, such as bamboo, is another green flooring option. Cork and concrete floor tiles are great sources as well because both use natural pigments.

Sinks and Faucets

When upgrading fixtures in your kitchen, consider a sink that uses recycled material, such as stainless steel or copper. Browse salvage yards for used material, which can help you save money on kitchen remodeling plans.

Look for a faucet with an aerator, which will inject oxygen into the water stream. This helps produce less water than traditional faucets, decreasing wasteful overuse and saving you money on your water bills at the same time.

If you are looking for a Massachusetts home improvement contractor for a kitchen remodel or other project, contact us. Our experienced team can help you transform your vision into reality.

When It Comes to Kitchen Remodeling, Which Is Best…Open or Closed?

September 23, 20140

Do you want an open or closed kitchen remodeling project?

Open or closed….these are your options when it comes to kitchen remodeling.

If you are currently making kitchen remodeling plans, you may have spent some time researching the latest looks and trends in home renovation. Kitchens can have a variety of features, including the ability to be open or closed. If you are having a difficult time deciding whether to add more walls for a closed look or tear down a few for a more open space, there are some advantages and disadvantages to both types of kitchen additions.

Closed Kitchens

When it comes to kitchen remodeling, many homeowners are looking to convert their current kitchens into open living spaces. Creating an open kitchen could mean major construction and tearing down your existing walls, which could greatly increase the cost of your kitchen remodeling plans. If you would rather focus on upgrading other features, such as appliances and cabinets, a closed option could save money.

Other advantages of a closed kitchen include:

· More walls mean more room for cabinets and other storage options

· Messes are easily hidden because your kitchen isn’t so open

· Cooking odors are contained

While closed kitchen additions provide more storage, they do have some disadvantages. For example, if you have small children or pets, it can be more difficult to keep an eye on them if you need to stay in the kitchen. Adding or having more walls in your kitchen remodeling plans can also take up more of your current square footage than an open floor plan.

Your kitchen remodeling options include open and closed designs.

Which design do you prefer? Open or closed kitchen remodeling.

Open Kitchens

Open kitchens are currently one of the most popular home renovation trends. Many new homes already include these open spaces, but if you have an older home and are looking for the same design, kitchen remodeling can help you get the kitchen of your dreams. Along with tying all of your living spaces together, open kitchens:

· Provide a full view into other rooms, such as the family area

· Create a social hub for parties and entertaining

· Allow conversation while cooking

· Bring in more light from windows

Open kitchen remodeling plans can help your family stay connected throughout your home, even when you are busy cooking. Open plans let you keep an eye on small children and pets without leaving the room. Unfortunately, if you don’t currently have an open space and are looking to add one, wall demolition may be needed, which will add to your kitchen additions cost.

If you are looking to add a beautiful open or closed kitchen to your home, contact us. Our Massachusetts design and build contractors have the experience you need to make your dream home a reality.

Custom Cabinets Can Add Character to Your Kitchen

August 28, 20140

Custom cabinets are an easy way to change the look of your kitchen.

Add style with custom cabinets for your kitchen remodeling.

It’s true, the kitchen is the heart of your home. You might be thinking about remodeling so your kitchen better matches the warmth and love your family represents. If you can’t afford full kitchen remodeling, it’s amazing what change something like new kitchen cabinets can make to your space. Whether it’s the color, material or positioning, custom cabinets can be an easy way to improve your kitchen and the value of your home. There are a few things to think about if you’re debating between custom and semi-custom cabinets to add character to your kitchen.

Freedom of Choice

You may be wondering whether it’s worth the cost of custom cabinets over stock cabinets you could pick from a catalog. Included in the higher cost is the ability to customize cabinets to fit your ideal dimensions and storage purposes. With custom cabinets, you are able to select:

the finish
the crown molding
the colors
the trim

If you opt for lighter woods, your kitchen will appear brighter and more cheerful. If you prefer bolder colors, choose darker woods. For a particular color you want in your kitchen, you have the option to choose custom paints or stains for your cabinets. All of the unique characteristics you prefer can be included in made-to-order cabinets, crafted with your creative ideas in mind. You can also easily change a traditional kitchen into a modern one with the help of your custom cabinet choices or visa versa.

Change the look of your kitchen with kitchen remodeling.

Choose the right custom cabinets to suit your kitchen’s new style.

Quality Matters

The kitchen is a valuable part of your home, so why not update it with the best quality material? With custom cabinets, you can have the quality you desire because your options are limitless. The purpose of your cabinet upgrade is not only to change the atmosphere in your kitchen, but to create a user-friendly addition that allows for comfort and fits your family’s style. And don’t forget about the wear your cabinets experience from heat in the kitchen, water droplets from the dishes or the occasional food transfer from a spill or a dirty hand. Purchasing custom cabinets that withstand everyday wear can make the difference in the durability you wish to maintain with your customized cabinets.

Although there is a lot that goes into the kitchen remodeling process, planning for, purchasing and installing your custom cabinets doesn’t have to be a headache. When you finally decide to go with custom cabinets, bank on Colony Home Improvement in MA for the complicated installation process. With more than 40 years of experience under our belts, you can tell us what you want and rest assured your vision will come to fruition. Contact us when you’re ready to get started.

Kitchen Additions Are Money Well Spent

August 26, 20140

Custom cabinets can transform your kitchen.

Change the look and style of your kitchen with custom cabinets.

With all the home improvement television shows about remodeling and renovation and the housing market constantly changing, many homeowners are concerned about investment. Where is a homeowner’s money best spent? This can be a tough question to answer, especially if you are looking to sell your home. It seems the answer may lie in your kitchen.

Kitchen Additions and Remodeling

Many real estate agents will tell you just how important the kitchen is when trying to sell a house. Buyers often look for a kitchen they love and don’t have to spend a lot of money to fix up. That’s why many kitchen makeovers have a return of more than 60 percent. The kitchen is often seen as a style focal point of the house, and a kitchen that isn’t updated will not entice people to buy. Anything that can be done to bring the kitchen up to date will greatly increase the value of your property.

It may sound like a scary and expensive job to take on, but the result will be more than worth it for you in the long run. Be sure to take a good, objective look at your kitchen before deciding how to proceed. What does it really need? You may discover certain elements are perfect the way they are. If your kitchen needs a full overhaul, it is best to put in the work for a greater return on investment. If only part of the kitchen needs updated, you can save time and money with somekitchen additions, such as custom kitchen cabinets, and still get the look the buyer wants. You can even update the existing cabinets by adding a fresh coat of paint, re-facing old, worn cabinets and adding under-cabinet task lighting for better functionality.

Custom kitchen cabinets can be a beautiful addition.

Create the look you’ve always wanted with custom kitchen cabinets.

Custom Cabinets

Cabinetry is the first thing many people notice about the kitchen. In fact, it can make or break the entire style of the room. Luckily, there are many ways cabinets can be customized to fit in with the style of your kitchen to bring them into this century. The simplest choice for custom cabinets is a coat of paint. A bright color can make the kitchen look modern and vibrant if the space seems dreary. Darker cabinets, on the other hand, can bring in the right amount of contrast for light-colored countertops. Try crown molding on your cabinets for that extra touch of elegance. It can really pull a space together and give your kitchen an appearance of luxury, even if the rest of the house is simple in comparison.

When it comes to making over your kitchen, there are an endless number of possibilities. If you are trying to add value to your home, you can count on Colony Home Improvement. Our home improvement services will help you with the perfect plans and materials for your new kitchen. To begin designing custom kitchen cabinets or other kitchen additions for your Massachusetts home, contact us today.

Tag: kitchen additions