General Woodcraft Blog

Secrets to an Amazing Kitchen Design: Step One

Congratulations! You’ve decided to redesign your kitchen. For a brief blissful moment you imagine the sweet sounds of sledgehammers tearing into outdated cabinetry and popcorn ceilings. Rather quickly and cruelly, giddy anticipation often turns to panic in the face of SO MANY impending renovation decisions. The kitchen design process can be a little overwhelming. We will show you in this article where to begin.

FIND YOUR STYLE - Deep breath. The best place to start when embarking on a kitchen redesign is to determine your style. Traditional kitchen? Contemporary style? Something in between? OK, you may think you know, but try this: collect photos of kitchens and spaces that speak to you. The resulting “albums” will uncover common threads to help you select cabinetry profiles, lighting, colors, and so much more. What you didn’t know about your tastes might surprise you.  Jot down your ideas. Make a folder. Have some fun!

WHERE TO LOOK - Magazines, pictures of friends' kitchens, Instagram, newspapers, Google image searches, cabinet manufacturer's websites. These are all good tools and places to start your kitchen planning. Websites like Pinterest and Houzz offer great collections of gorgeous kitchen photos. Create “books” and “boards” of what piques your interest while familiarizing yourself with kitchen design trends. Discover what you love about kitchen cabinetry, island design, custom molding and more. Find a gorgeous color that makes your heart race? Save it. Could be the show stopping paint color for your new kitchen island.

LOOK WITHIN – How, and who, will use your new kitchen? Are you and your spouse 6’-3” entertainers that need extra tall cabinets and ample space for dining and parties? Do you bake so much your friends call you “Cake Boss”? Have a houseload of kids? Teenagers? Empty nester? Maybe you have a dog at your feet for whom you’d like to carve a little under counter space. Consider too what’s working (or not) in your current kitchen. 

When you are ready for professional help, all of this information and your photo homework will be used by an experienced kitchen designer to help create the kitchen of your dreams. 

Stay tuned for our next installment - how to identify the right designer for your kitchen project. 

We love what we do ... and you will too.

A great way to personalize your kitchen cabinetry is with custom glass front cabinet doors that showcase your style and your treasures. Glass options abound and styles vary to suit your taste: traditional, transitional, contemporary, etc . This photograph features Greenfield Cabinetry's full inset shaker style kitchen cabinets with opaque reeded glass.  If you want some sparkle on your kitchen cabinets, while maintaining some privacy, opaque glass is a great alternative to clear. Other popular glass choices include bubble, etched, clear, leaded, patterned and more. 

We love what we do ... and you will too.

This modern custom kitchen by the General Woodcraft design team in New London, CT was wholly inspired by its dynamic homeowners. Our kitchen designers fell in love with their client's creative spirit and were driven to create a space that was unique and stylish without any hint of fuss or pretense.

Kitchen design features custom cabinets by Signature Cabinetry. Lower: quarter sawn white oak with horizontal graining and nickel drawer pulls. Upper: stainless framed white upper cabinets with frosted glass. General Woodcraft Inc installed the polished Cambria countertops which also laminate the vertical ends of the custom kitchen island.

Let our kitchen design team help you express your personality with a beautiful new kitchen.

We love what we do ... and you will too.

Of all the places we can spend our renovation budget, once again kitchen remodels and deck projects are at the very top of the list of cost versus value. Kitchen remodels and deck projects provide the best return on investment of all remodeling projects. When you invest your remodeling dollars in these two spaces, the paybacks are the greatest.  Not only do these two projects top the list of best remodeling investments, they are definitely the most fun! 

Think about it. If you are entertaining guests during beautiful weather, where does the party usually end up? If you have one, outdoors on the deck is typically the “go to” gathering spot. Cookouts, delicious food, cold beverages, great music and fun for all.  Being outside and at one with nature and the great outdoors is only a few steps away. Some of the best memories can be created right outside the door of your home. With today’s fast paced lifestyles, peace and relaxation can be yours without having to travel at all.

Kitchens are often called the ‘heart of the home’ and for good reason. Kitchens are where families gather together and spend the most time with one another.  Kitchens are intimate and personal. When you have friends and family over for dining or entertaining, where does the core group often end up? In the kitchen of course! Even if the gathering doesn’t start in the kitchen, it will often end up there because kitchens are a fantastic place to gather. Kitchens evoke a feeling of warmth and hominess like no other place on earth.  It’s no wonder kitchen remodels top the list of best renovation values.

Feast your eyes on this magnificent custom kitchen situated along southeastern Connecticut's shoreline. Completed in 2014, General Woodcraft kitchen designers worked with clients to create this sophisticated and inviting kitchen with traditional coastal roots, elegant custom details and transitional accents. No surprise, it's one of our favorite designsx. 

Custom white kitchen cabinetry by Signature Cabinetry features a flush inset raised-panel design, furniture-style baseboards, mullion glass display cabinets and Top Knob hardware in mixed finishes and styles. The over sized custom kitchen island, painted Willow Green and glazed in charcoal is perfect for food preparation and entertaining. Moldings and coffered ceilings by General Woodcraft’s mill-work department create architectural interest and provide continuity throughout the first floor. 

We love what we do ... and you will too.

General Woodcraft can help bring your project to life. To find out more about 

Custom Moldings and Millwork contact us today.