Our Top 10 Favorite Kitchen Cabinet Finishes

It can be somewhat confusing or overwhelming if you are shopping for new kitchen cabinets. From stained to painted, there are so many options to choose from. Here we would like to discuss out top ten favorite kitchen cabinet finishes with you. We'll start with some of our customer favorites and then work our way into individual fancies. Let's dig in.

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1. Painted Silk Cabinet Finishes

The next three, mind you, are all painted finishes. I was talking to one of our top designers and he told me that 75% of all his designed kitchens are accommodated by cabinets with painted finishes. Paint is just right now in the industry, across the board, and when in terms of color — neutrality is usually the go to. Painted Silk is an off-white color, perfect for most styles, designs, and blends beautifully in a kitchen space. On Waypoint’s website, they describe Painted Silk as follows: “This hushed silky finish, in hues reminiscent of vanilla ice-cream, serves as a versatile choice for any living space. With inspired hardware, furnishings and décor, this choice is anything but vanilla.” To me, it’s a finish that fits those who want to keep the neutral tone, but add a little bit extra. Vanilla-Ice cream, they said. Can’t help but to laugh at that.

2. Painted Linen Cabinet Finishes

Our customers are absolutely loving the all-white finishes these days, and it’s like I previously mentioned, it’s paint or nothing for folks, as of late. It’s just a hot commodity for a variety of reasons. It’s clean and exudes an “updated” appearance, if you know what I mean. It’s crisp. The same can be said for the Painted Linen cabinet finish. It’s a sharp-white color that paints, no pun intended, a pretty classic picture. White is as neutral as it gets in terms of style. It’s no surprise that this finish would be a customer favorite. It’s definitely one of mine. Waypoint speaks of its sophistication, saying, “A crisp, clean, ivory color that can create an open, fresh space, and when styled with monochromatic tones, can feel very sophisticated.” I couldn’t agree more. What do you think?

3. Painted Stone Cabinet Finishes

As far as these painted finishes go, this one is most definitely my favorite. The Stone finish is a lovely, light gray that, while still can be seen as neutral, has a bit of boldness to it that looks stunning in a kitchen space. If you want something edgy, but not overly so for your kitchen cabinets, I’d say this is your best bet. It’s one of those colors that can modify a mood as soon as you enter the room. I think it’s the uniqueness of it that brings this effect. It’s one of those colors that can modify a mood as soon as you enter the room. I think it’s the uniqueness of it that brings this effect.

4. Painted Cashmere Cabinet Finishes

Ah, the Cashmere color is a very alluring one. Once again, I have to reiterate, that the painted finish just gives off a very clean look. This color, as Waypoint states perfectly, looks like the finest, crisply-ironed pair of khakis that you’ve ever seen. In person, it looks like a very light butterscotch. Waypoint describes this finish with the following: “This smooth finish is reminiscent of a most exquisite neutral khaki. This versatile and inviting tone is the perfect canvas for styles from traditional to modern.” So, as you can see, it’s still one of those colors that will blend with any style. It’s as glorious as its name.

5. Painted Ember Glaze Cabinet Finishes

Classified as a taupe color, the painted ember glaze cabinet finish is one for the books. Do you see the running trend here? The neutrality of these painted finishes are so sought after because they allow room in design and detail, something that the more, outlandish colors cannot offer. Painted Ember Glaze falls in line with silk and linen in that respect. Waypoint describes this finish, “A deep taupe glaze warms our Harbor door’s painted finish. The glaze collects in the bevels and contours of the door cut to create a unique hand-finished artistic feeling. It can be dressed up or down depending on one’s taste.”

6. Antique White Cabinet Finish

The Antique White Cabinet Finish is one of our favorites here at Builders Surplus. It offers a high end look with an extremely affordable price. It’s a timeless style — hence the name — and looks absolutely breath-taking in a kitchen space. Much like Waypoint’s Silk, Ginger Creek’s Antique White has the off-white color tone. One of our classic finishes that continues to be a monstrous hit in the kitchen remodeling industry.

7. Divinity Java Glazed Cabinet Finishes

Wellborn Cabinetry has a beautiful glazed finish line featuring a number of gorgeous colors and finish techniques, like Heritage, Antique, Olde World, and Seaside. The Divinity Java Glazed, as you can see below, is a soft color that embellishes the darker tones around it. If you have a strong affinity toward dark browns in your kitchen, then I’d definitely check out this finish. It’s a brilliant one.

8. ColorInspire Glacier Cabinet Finishes

Wellborn has a pretty cool collective of vibrant paint finishes, ColorInspire, that may seem unorthodox by text, but truly amazing once seen in person. In the picture below is a room scene of ColorInspire’s Glacier look. This is where my quirky side comes into the mix of this blog post. Blue is undoubtedly one of my favorite colors. Again, if someone mentioned blue cabinets before I saw them, it would be give me pause, but seeing this finish in action, I’ve not only inspected further, but fell in love with the finish. What do you think?

9. Pebble w/ Carriage Technique Cabinet Finishes

Okay, so I know the name is a little bizarre, but bear with me, here. Hopping onto the Wellborn train again, we have a Pebble (painted finish) but with a bit of a twist. Wellborn has several finishing techniques, meaning additional cabinet work that makes the appearance look aged or Era-specific. This one, the Carriage technique, features a rub through, small dents, and worm holes — like an 18th century carriage would, perhaps. Beautiful technique. Marvelous in a kitchen space.

10. Glacier Fawn w/ Brush Technique Cabinet Finishes

Wellborn has another Finishing Technique that’s heavily adored — the brush finish. Looks and feels like someone just applied a coat of paint on the surface, texture and all. It’s a beautiful, authentic look. The technique features “hand applied glaze in a subtle brush stroke overlaying the paint, providing a depth to the finish not seen with standard glazing.” There ya have it, folks! Hope you’ve enjoyed reading this as much as I did putting it together. Don’t be afraid to tell us your favorite one in the comments!

Builders Surplus is a full service renovation company with locations in Louisville, Kentucky, and Newport, Kentucky, which also serves Cincinnati, Ohio. We are the leading provider of Bathroom Remodeling, Bathroom Cabinets, Vanity tops and backsplash tile in Louisville, Newport, and Cincinnati. We specialize in interior design, kitchen design, bathroom remodel, building materials, and home improvement. Interior Design and measurements come as a free service to our clients. We sell building materials ranging in every price point, from unfinished kitchen cabinets to top of the line Wellborn cabinets. In addition to interior design, we also offer installation services. If you have any questions or would like to set up a free design consultation with one of our interior designers, we would encourage you to do so. We love sharing our knowledge with clients & potential home renovators. We write about interior design, home decor, decorating ideas, and home improvement. We hope you’ll check back in for our next article! Happy Renovation! Written By: Chris Chamberlain

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October 11, 2019

What Are The Most Efficient Kitchen Designs?

Here we cover the 5 most popular Kitchen design layouts.

With lot’s of entertaining and cooking on the near horizon, this puts even the most efficient kitchen designs to the test! That means that everyone is going to be in their kitchens cooking up some wonderful meals.

Efficient kitchen designs, or lack of, can make or break a kitchen and one of the best feast days of the year. The best kitchen layouts will have enough space to prep, entertain, and generally do everything that you need to do without anything getting in the way, including yourself.

The easiest way to spot a kitchen that’s easy to work in is to use it. Ask yourself, am I able to get where I need to go quickly? Is anything in the way or placed awkwardly? Is there enough space for storage and prepping? An efficient kitchen should be able to accommodate however you use it, which means that each kitchen will be more or less efficient depending on who is using it.

Working Paths

There are really only two ways to travel in a kitchen. You can travel in a straight line, or in a triangle. These are mainly in reference to where your main appliances – refrigerator, oven, sink – are in relation to one another. These paths help to make your kitchen floor plan more efficient as you move about different steps during the cooking process.

The Line

This is a straight line that you travel in your kitchen, and it’s often found only in single wall or I-shaped kitchens. All of your appliances and working space are along a single wall and you work along with that line from the fridge to the open preparation counter space to the stove to the sink, going back and forth as you need to.

The Triangle

The triangle is found as the working path in just about every kitchen layout. It’s efficient in that it can allow your sink, stove, or refrigerator to be placed in a way where you’re covering less distance when moving around while still having a comfortable working area.

Work Zones

The triangle is a great option – it works just about anywhere and it’s great in small or large spaces. But as kitchens have gotten larger and more spacious. Sometimes the triangle gets to be too big and it’s just as cumbersome to get from one spot to another because they’re just too far apart. An efficient plan that’s becoming more popular in larger kitchens is work zones where appliances and prep space are grouped based off of what they’ll be used for. An example work zone would be a ‘Cleanup Zone’ – this would be dirty dishes and the like; in this part of the workspace you’d have a sink, dishwasher, and a waste can. This kind of organization and mind-set will allow this idea to work with both of the working paths mentioned above. Awkward placement of appliances can mess up these paths and can leave you cramming for more time as the spaghetti is boiling over so instead of having a path to travel in which it’s easy to get from one appliance to another you’re working path looks more like a child’s drawing.

Efficient Kitchen Designs

Different kitchen layouts fit different spaces and personalities. Some people desperately want an island in a small space which can interfere with traffic, and some want a single wall kitchen – leaving empty space that has no value. Here are the 5 most efficient kitchen designs and why and how they work!

Single Wall Kitchen

Also called an I-shaped kitchen this space fits along a single wall in smaller spaces. It uses a less efficient working path instead of the triangle, but it’s ideal for smaller spaces that want that open feel. Keeping work zones in mind will help to keep this floor plan more efficient. Stylistically you can treat this space as an accent wall that contrasts beautifully with the rest of the space!

Galley Kitchen

This is also called a corridor kitchen, and unless all of your appliances are one side it uses the triangle work path. Tt’s name comes from the small kitchen quarters in ships. This layout offers more counter space than the I-shaped kitchen and can also be well suited for small spaces. However, this is one of the few kitchen layouts where you won’t be able to use an island efficiently.

L-Shaped Kitchen

These kitchens take a Single Wall layout and add more counter space along a connecting wall- this particular layout includes an Island. Likely, you’d move one of your major appliances along this other wall in order to work with that triangle path. They’re great for small-medium kitchen spaces. An Island can be incorporated nicely as long as it doesn’t obstruct the triangle!

U-Shaped Kitchen

The other name for this design is a Horseshoe Layout. This layout ideally has one appliance on each of its 3 walls in order to maximize counter space and the working area around each appliance. This space can house an island if the area is large enough, however it can get in the way between adjacent prep areas.

Peninsula Kitchen

A Peninsula Kitchen is what happens when taking an L- or U-shaped kitchen and take away one of the walls, kind of creating an attached island. Sinks, seating areas, or a combination of the two are popular in this design. This layout allows spaces to feel and appear larger and more open without compromising on counter space.

Island Kitchen

An Island in the kitchen can be used in just about any layout so long as it has space, however, they can be cumbersome in smaller areas. So having an island for the sake of having an island is never the best way to go. Fixed islands can be used for seating, an extra prep zone, you can add a sink, or a range – an Island allows for so many different possibilities. As an alternative in smaller spaces try a smaller movable island, which is less for appliance and seating space and more for extra prep space so you don’t have to keep running from work zone to work zone. Island layouts are best used in larger areas that can spare the extra space and they pair best in L-Shaped or Single Wall kitchens, but absolutely have no place in the Galley. There is a lot of information that can go into creating the perfect kitchen for you and your home, efficient kitchen designs can sometimes make that a difficult challenge when what you want competes with what you’ve got to work with. Keeping space, paths, and usage of the area in mind will often help compromise and find the perfect kitchen!

Builders Surplus is a full-service remodeling company with locations in Louisville, Kentucky, and Newport, Kentucky, which also serves Cincinnati, Ohio. We specialize in interior design, which comes as a free service to our clients. We sell building supplies ranging from unused surplus to first quality in stock, to high-end custom order and everything in between. We also provide measurement and full installation services. If you have any questions or would like to set up a free design consultation with one of our interior designers, we would encourage you to do so. Happy Remodeling!

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September 11, 2019

Can You Keep Your Kitchen Remodeling Cost In Budget? ( and still get the kitchen you love)

Where Do You Start?

Lets face it, starting a kitchen or bath remodel can seem like an overwhelming mountain to climb. You know it will mean "down-time" for your normal daily family routine but if you are like most homeowners, the real fear begins with thoughts of the "unknown" kitchen remodeling cost. You've been told you should always get estimates but where do you start?

A kitchen or bath remodel is a BIG undertaking so you need to make absolutely sure you have a solid (and firm) remodeling plan in place BEFORE you start! Changes cost money! Deciding to move or add an outlet "here or there" is actually a pretty big deal for your contractor & perhaps your kitchen design layout & cost. If you have a remodeling plan then you minimize any surprises.

We will always recommend you sit down with a trained designer first to begin the process. Designers are not just interior designers... they are well trained professionals who will help you with the bigger picture; design, plumbing, electrical, etc. and above all cost!

They want to learn about you & your personal design taste. Dont try to hide your budget from your designer. They are your advocates, not your enemy! The ultimate goal is to get the BEST kitchen at the best possible price.

Kitchen Packages For Every Taste & Budget!

In an effort to help make the kitchen process easier for homeowners, we created our new "10 Kitchens Under 10K" packages. Each kitchen is based on the standard 8' x 12' kitchen size and includes your cabinets, countertops, crown moulding & toe kick. Each package can even be customized to find your perfect design. Prices shown are with laminate, granite or quartz countertops depending on the package but you can choose to customize each package within similar cabinet lines & countertop options.

Here are a few of our 10 Under 10K kitchen packages but we encourage you to visit our 10 Under 10K kitchen packages page to see them all here!

Alder Shaker (In Stock) with Laminate Countertops

Ginger Creek White Shaker Cabinets with Laminate Countertops

Ginger Creek Value White Shaker With Laminate

Ginger Creek Grey Shaker Cabinets with Laminate Countertops

Ginger Creek Shaker Grey with Laminate Countertops

Ginger Creek Dove Grey Shaker Cabinets with Granite Countertops

Ginger Creek Dove Grey Shaker with Laminate Countertops

Waypoint Maple Truffle Cabinets with Quartz Countertops

Waypoint Maple Truffle with Quartz Countertops

Waypoint 660D Cherry Slate Cabinets with Granite Countertops

Waypoint Cherry Slate with Granite Countertops

We hope our new kitchen packages (with prices) can help you make the big step to a beautiful kitchen remodel this year!

Schedule your FREE kitchen design consultation today & let us help you create your very own kitchen remodeling plan!

Happy Remodeling!

Builders Surplus

March 4, 2019

Two Toned Kitchen Cabinets: Get The Look

How To Make Two Toned Kitchen Cabinets Work For You!

The two toned kitchen cabinet trend is here, and I for one am thrilled to see it! With all of the incredible kitchen cabinet options available these days, it's such a shame to feel like you have to pick just one! But if you're thinking about using this design option in your home, you may be wondering what your options are and how to do it. Today, I'm going to go over all of them with you!

two toned kitchen cabinets in brown and white

If you read this and still aren't sure how two toned kitchen cabinets will work in your home, click here to schedule your FREE kitchen design appointment with one of our professional designers (or fill out the form at the end of this article!)!

Two Toned Kitchen Cabinets - Uppers and Lowers

The first way to utilize two toned kitchen cabinets is to do your lowers in one color, and your upper cabinets in another color. Typically you will always want to do the darker color on the bottom. That's because darker colors make spaces look smaller, so to make our kitchen feel as open and airy as possible, keep the lighter color up top. I love the way they've used black and white with the brushed gold hardware in this example below using Waypoint Cabinets! (Click here to see our awesome Waypoint Promotions this month!)

Those with small kitchens that want a darker color but don't want to make their space seem smaller are great candidates for this option. You get the best of both worlds!

Two Toned Kitchen Cabinets on the bottom

Mixing Materials

Two toned kitchen cabinets are not all about paint. You can mix materials or finishes instead of colors. The kitchen below uses a darker wood stain on the bottom with a totally different wood species and stain on the top! Different wood species can have very different looks, so try this out to see if it will work best for you! You can also try mixing MDF, Thermofoil, Or Laminate Cabinets with Wood for a similar pairing.

Island Front and Center

This is a really popular way to use the two toned kitchen cabinet look. Add your bold color or material on the island! That way the main kitchen area looks very cohesive and the island looks like it was made to stand out. I love the unique baby blue on the island below! It works really well with the more traditional antique white cabinets and stacked stone around the fireplace. This creates a really eclectic space from what could have been very standard.

A Focal Wall

The next way to add two toned cabinets into your space is to create a focal wall that features your accent cabinet color. That wall can be any space in your kitchen that you'd like to draw attention to. I love how they've added the floating shelves in the same Cherry Autumn Color as the Waypoint Cabinets! This is a very fresh, modern look.

Should You Try Two Toned Kitchen Cabinets?

Now you have seen all the best ways to use two toned kitchen cabinets in your home (click here to see more). I personally think they add real personality in any kitchen! So the next time you remodel your kitchen or build a home, decide which two toned cabinet idea works best for your style and kitchen, and just GO FOR IT! Click below to schedule your FREE Kitchen Design Appointment!

Schedule Your FREE Kitchen & Bath Design Appointment!

Builders Surplus is a full service renovation company with locations in Louisville, Kentucky, and Newport, Kentucky, which also serves Cincinnati, Ohio. We are the leading provider of Bathroom Remodeling, Bathroom Cabinets, Vanity tops and backsplash tile in Louisville, Newport, and Cincinnati. We specialize in interior design, kitchen design, bathroom remodel, building materials, and home improvement. Interior Design and measurements come as a free service to our clients. We sell building materials ranging in every price point, from unfinished kitchen cabinets to top of the line Wellborn cabinets. In addition to interior design, we also offer installation services. If you have any questions or would like to set up a free design consultation with one of our interior designers, we would encourage you to do so. We love sharing our knowledge with clients & potential home renovators. We write about interior design, home decor, decorating ideas, and home improvement. We hope you’ll check back in for our next article! Happy Renovation!

August 28, 2018

Greige Anatomy: The Hottest Color in Home Design

Today I'd like to dive into a trend that has swept across the home design in rapid fashion: The Wave of Greige.

Yes, that wondrous combination of gray & beige has captivated the eyes of our fellow homeowners and renovators for, quite honestly, the past few years. Its gentle, neutral tones make it a perfect option for any space or room. It's an enhancement to any look and appealing to the eye. Let's check out a few of our Greige products.

Greige in Flooring

If you haven't heard of Luxury Vinyl Tile, otherwise known as waterproof flooring, then I encourage you to check it out. I won't go into incredible detail about -- that' s a separate blog post, previously written, but it's essentially cutting-edge technology that provides a great many benefits. And it also comes in a couple of colors & variations that have ridden this greige wave, so to speak.

CoreTEC Blackstone Oak LVT - Click to shop LVT Flooring

Featherweight Stone Oak- Click to shop

CoreTEC Blackstone Oak - Click to shop

One can definitely understand the appeal of this trend. Gray has by-and-large been a go-to color in the industry. The color, with its neutral tones, sits beautifully within the confines of any space. Combine it along with beige, another neutral tone, and you're left with a brilliant combination.

Picture Blackstone Oak in a White Shaker kitchen with a pewter countertop, and you've got a masterpiece. Stone Oak would look absolutely riveting in a large space, say, a living room equipped with dark furniture, with natural light pouring in from the windows. Again, the versatility of this color is an ideal benefit.

Greige in Tile

Tile colors have also taken a liking to this stunning trend. I really wasn't kidding when I said it's taken the industry by storm, and not just flooring options as you'll soon see. The material, as well as the actual color, point out the finer details of greige. With gentle swirls and premium patterns, greige is not lost on this counterpart.

Carolina Timber Saddle - Click to shop tile

Imperial Rome - Click to Shop Tile

Carolina Timber Saddle - Click to Shop Tile

8x8 Kenzzi La Fleur Patterned Tile at Builders Surplus in Louisville Kentucky

Kenzzi La Fleur - Click to Shop Tile

See what I mean about these colors exhibiting everything that's so fantastic about greige. We'll start with the first, and first of all, isn't that tile piece so appropriately named, Imperial Rome. Legitimately reminds me of a cathedral in Rome circa 5 B.C.

The second is a wood-look tile, another trendy material that's well worth the hype. Timber Saddle is a top-pick for those who want to create that highly sought after rustic vibe. The last but certainly not least is Kenzzi La Fleur Patterned Tile. I've seen these pieces on backsplashes, which I personally think is the best place for them, but also on floors.

Greige in Cabinets

I stressed it in the beginning of this post, Greige's claim to fame resides heavily in its neutrality. Flooring and tile are one thing, but when it comes to a design element that's eye level, the stakes are considerably higher aesthetically. I think we can agree that kitchen cabinets are a monstrous component to the overall kitchen design, yeah?

Wellborn Pebble Cabinets - Click to shop Cabinets

Drift

Pebble

Now, I put Wellborn's Drift next to Pebble, so I could show you the variants of Greige. Obviously, Drift is darker than Pebble, it still has those gray and beige tones. Two gorgeous cabinets, nevertheless.

I hope you learned a bit about this hot new trend! For any greige home products, visit Builders Surplus today! We carry everything show in this blog, and so much more, for incredible prices! Our design services are always free, so schedule your design appointment below!

Schedule Your FREE Kitchen & Bath Design Appointment!

Builders Surplus is a full service renovation company with locations in Louisville, Kentucky, and Newport, Kentucky, which also serves Cincinnati, Ohio. We are the leading provider of Bathroom Remodeling, Bathroom Cabinets, Vanity tops and backsplash tile in Louisville, Newport, and Cincinnati. We specialize in interior design, kitchen design, bathroom remodel, building materials, and home improvement. Interior Design and measurements come as a free service to our clients. We sell building materials ranging in every price point, from unfinished kitchen cabinets to top of the line Wellborn cabinets. In addition to interior design, we also offer installation services. If you have any questions or would like to set up a free design consultation with one of our interior designers, we would encourage you to do so. We love sharing our knowledge with clients & potential home renovators. We write about interior design, home decor, decorating ideas, and home improvement. We hope you’ll check back in for our next article! Happy Renovation!

August 21, 2018

Outdoor Kitchen Landscape Design: What to Know

A kitchen, no wonder, forms an indispensable part of any home. The latest landscaping trends talk about the concept of outdoor kitchens. The idea of not confining the art of culinary in the four-walled world has proved itself quite revolutionary. Most people now, prefer to have an outdoor kitchen set-up & why not given the flexibility it offers.

While having an outdoor kitchen can be rewarding but the decision can go haywire if not taken care of certain details. May it be the minute point like location or the overall functionality, there comes a number of factors to consider before planning an outdoor kitchen landscaping.

This article talks about all the key points that one must consider while getting yourself an outdoor kitchen & turn your backyard space into a lavish kitchen. Let’s have a quick look here-

Plan the landscaping right
Location- Choose the best
Be Curious- Ask Questions
Be handy with kitchen equipment
Different kinds of lights
Avoid the mistakes others already made

1. Planning the Right Landscape for your Outdoor Kitchen

The points of designing & landscaping become too important when you’re talking about a concept such as an outdoor kitchen. It decides the kind of ambiance your future dining & cooking space holds. It is essential to clear up details such as the size of the kitchen, the space to be used or the particular pattern to be followed.

Understand the functionality of this one will be similar to that of an indoor kitchen. See that there are different areas meant for cooking, serving, plating, cleaning up etc. with adequate space. The factor here to consider is the proximity and distance between these sections.

2. Location- Choose the best

The location & placement of your outdoor kitchen plays an essential role in the whole planning. It, of course, makes better sense if your outdoor kitchen is located near your home. As per a number of home experts, ideally, the landscaping of an outdoor kitchen should be such that it offers regular water supply. Considering the hygienic requirements, it is essential that both the inflow & outflow of water is maintained fine.

Other than these, factors such as proper ventilation & lighting are to be considered as well. See that there’s ample room for natural shade in the kitchen. The view, on the other hand, will be something your friends at barbeque will be looking forward to a scenic beauty outside of your kitchen. Check the placement accordingly.

3. Be curious- Ask questions

Yes, you got to ask questions about everything that’s being planned with the landscaping point of view. The contractors you choose must know everything and must be able to explain all the details to you with right directions.

Right from questions such as why would you need an outdoor kitchen to what should be an ideal kitchen size for your family, you must clear it all. It is indeed important the upcoming kitchen & dining space is made in such a way that you want it to be. For this to happen, ensure that you outsource the planning to trustable contractors such as Terra Nova. You can always expect better guidance from such firms.

When you are investing a considerable amount of time and money on something, the final product should hold a decent value. So, asking questions to be sure still remains a key point.

4. Be Handy with Kitchen Equipment

Depending upon your requirements, you have to take a keen look at the kind of kitchen equipment you’ll be installing. Make a list of appliances and accessories which will be needed to make it the ideal space you ever wanted. Most of it will depend upon whether you want things to be kept simple or give you an exclusive feeling.

It’ll decide the kind of storage you’d need, the countertop material to be added, the grills and the type of sinks to be added.

The overall budget tends to vary with the kind of material and brand you choose for your preferred appliances. So, it is important to strike off the things you won’t need much adding to the unnecessary spending. Instead, it is preferable to go with simple & required accessories.

These may include sinks, cabinets, in-built grills etc.

5. Different kinds of lights for your Outdoor Kitchen

May it be any area of your home, if the lighting is good, the place shines up right. Whether the kitchen is indoor or outdoor, its lighting carries a unique value. The correct lighting caters to various factors such as adding to the visual appeal or to brighten up the work surfaces. While the usual kitchen can have a similar lighting plan like that of rest of the house, an open-kitchen lighting scheme can differ a bit.

You can put your creativity to some good use here & plan the lights on trees and near bar styled stools. Having spotlights can fix a lot of related issues if placed correctly. Just a pro tip, you must have some extra set of the battery supported bulbs in case the electricity messes up.

6. Avoid the mistakes others already made

This is one special point to mention. We’re sure while preparing your own outdoor kitchen landscaping plan, you’d be taking a word of advice from people who have already built their own. The point is to learn from their mistakes.

The most common mistakes that we’ve survey are not keeping enough area for food preparation. While you plan most of dining & seating arrangement, the core area for food preparation gets mixed up a bit. Always ensure that there’s enough space around the grill & sink to maintain cooking.

The other mistake that people often tend to make deals with lighting. Indeed it is tough to plan the perfect lighting system for your outdoor kitchen but if it is not done right, the seating & cooking systems are going to have an adverse impact. See that you deal with issues beforehand so as to avoid problems later.

Final Thoughts

Having an outdoor kitchen can be thrilling and amazing at the same time but planning it up remains an essential point. If done right, this adds to the beauty of your home & delight for your guests.

Building an outdoor kitchen is a great idea to use up the extra space & get a relaxing change for yourself. Make sure that you keep a track of all the points mentioned above & get an open outdoor kitchen that you had always dreamt of!

Bio: Jean Francia is a business consultant at Terra Nova Landscaping. When she’s free, she’s usually on her bed, lazily cuddling with her Chihuahua Gemini.

Schedule Your FREE Kitchen & Bath Design Appointment!

July 30, 2018

Top Kitchen Remodeling Mistakes to Avoid

If you’re here, odds are you’re thinking of remodeling a kitchen, and you’re looking for the top kitchen remodeling mistakes to avoid. There are plenty of mistakes that can be avoided when it comes to kitchen remodeling in stages. Why use a kitchen designer, when you can find all the information here, so let’s get into it straight.

Don’t Dismiss the Details

When you’re planning your remodel, try to think ahead. How can you make your kitchen look great, but function just as well? Upon entrance, you’ll see a fabulous layout, a brilliant design, but does it comply with your daily routine?

A good place to start in terms of details is storage space. Don’t glance over this opportunity to start anew with your remodel. Include pantry pullouts if you can, contemplate that Lazy Susan in the corner.

Taking the time to go over how best to increase your kitchen storage efficiency will help you out in the long run. It may seem like an expensive addition, but if you put this off and then regret it later, you’re in for a much grander cost than you would initially.

Looking Over the Layout

There’s a common phrase spoken throughout the remodeling industry called, “the work triangle.” It’s the shape of your kitchen’s busiest zones: the sink, the stove, and the fridge. It’s commonly referred to as such because usual, efficient designs have these aspects placed in triangular form.

Why? It’s just easier that way. If you have to walk around an island to get something out of the fridge, it can get annoying really quick. Remember, appearance is a huge part of design honestly, but you want to be able to move & work in there, too.

Go It Alone

Listen, I know all too well how pricey a remodel can be. So much so that doing this remodel by yourself seems awfully appealing. You may already have it in your head that this is what you’re going to do. That’s fine. I get it and all, but before you make this decision I beg you to consult with a professional kitchen or bath designer.

Schedule Your FREE Kitchen & Bath Design Appointment!

In fact, I’ll make it easy for you. Here in store, at Builders Surplus, we offer FREE kitchen/bath design consultations. Fact is, this is no small feat. A full remodel encompasses an abundance of tasks, all broken down into steps and processes. Go it alone, it’ll seem overwhelming, and fast. The purpose of these consultations is to get everything in order, to extend a hand and lead the way during the entire project.

You and the designer will discuss budget, installation, designs, styles, and pretty much every component within your remodel. They’ll give estimates, and you’ll even be able to see your design onscreen using the latest design programs. It’s pretty legit. Interested? Sign up for a free consultation right here.

Bailing on Budget

When planning your remodel, there’s a variety to choose from. Type, style, color, design, all of the components of a specific product. With that said, it’s easy to get carried away on certain things. This is why it’s important to keep your budget in mind. Yes, a cabinet line might be a more high-end, but so is the price.

During the beginning stages, when you’ve set the budget, try to work around it. Meaning, prioritize your kitchen’s features and allocate your finances accordingly. You want more countertop space? Allocate more money into the countertop expense. Want waterproof flooring? Raise the budget up a notch. But it’s easy to want the best of everything and blow the budget out of the water.

savings, finances, economy and home concept - close up of man wi

You want a new remodel, yes, but you’d probably rather not break the bank for it. May not seem like it at first, but it’s kind of life-changing, a new kitchen remodel. It also increases your home value. These are good things to be sure, but if you’re overspending on things you don’t need, then it’s not cost-effective. Just a little, ya know, food for thought.

Alright, everyone, there you have it. Just a few things to think about before you tackle this thing on. Remember to plan, plan, plan. The more you prepare, the less you’ll stress or worry about things during.

Now, let’s go ahead and get you set up for your FREE Kitchen Design Appointment so you can avoid ALL of these!

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April 10, 2018

Timeless Kitchens Vs. Trendy Kitchens

The Trendy VS. Timeless kitchens decision has always been one to consider before remodeling or building a new kitchen.

Trends are fun, they’re hip, they’re new and fresh! BUT… will you still like them 10 years from now. THAT is the question.

Timeless kitchens stand the test of time. We all know that our style and taste will change over the years, but how do we create a space (especially one this expensive) that will change with us?

What elements will allow a quick switch, and what’s here to stay? Those are the questions to ask yourself before you decide which type of kitchen design you’re going for.

How do you achieve the perfect balance of trendy or timeless kitchens? That’s what we all want to know. And luckily for you, that’s what I’m going to show you how to do; achieve a timeless look, and still find elements that are on trend!

What is a Trendy Kitchen?

A trendy kitchen is one that uses the design elements of the moment, whatever is in style right now. As we all know, trends come and go. That’s why crushed velvet and chocker necklaces are back in style.

The 90’s is upon us again! But before this year, no one would have been caught dead in them, as they were clearly out of fashion. Clothes are one thing. They are typically $100 or less, and can be switched up every single day. You’re not stuck with one piece you have to wear for the next 20 years, so it’s ok to be trendy when it comes to clothing.

What’s no ok? Being stuck with a kitchen you stop liking 5 years after you spent 10 grand.

Sometimes, trends CAN be timeless styles as well, but if you want truly timeless kitchens in your future, you’ll be selective about which ones you choose to incorporate.

What’s a good example of the moment? Geometric tile or metallic tile. They are super hot and very in, but do you really want bright metallics or trapezoids on your backsplash for the next decade. That’s a question to seriously consider. Unique shapes like arabesque tile can also be seen as a trendy choice. It used to be trendy about 30 years ago, and has recently come back, but what about the time in between? Don’t be caught there.

Bright or unique colors can often be trending, and while I’m a HUGE fan of color, I don’t suggest getting cabinets painted the color of the moment. Those will get real old, real quick. If it’s your favorite color and has been for a decade? GO FOR IT! I’m all about personal style, but just not wishy-washy trendy style.

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What should you not go trendy on? The big stuff, or the hard stuff to remove, in my opinion.Cabinets for one are the single most expensive part of your kitchen. You NEED to like them for a few decades. Don’t mind painting them? Then you have so many more options over the years! Countertops can be trendy if you get a funky color, so just make sure you love it if that’s the case. Backsplash is also hard to remove without damaging cabinets or countertops, so be weary of that as well.

Where can you go trendy? Lighting is a great place to start, as it can easily be replaced. Hardware, faucets, sinks or accent pieces are all great ways to stay on trend without compromising your timeless kitchens potential.

What are timeless kitchens?

Timeless kitchens are anything that won’t go out of style any time soon. They are styles that you’ll love for years and years to come, which is exactly what we should all be looking for in a remodel.

What makes timeless kitchen timeless?

Timeless Kitchens Use Neutral Colors.

Neutrals can often be trendy, but they never really go out of style. One color may take over for a few years, but you’ll typically not ever really get sick of it. White, grey, taupe, or even black are you top neutrals for cabinets. Stick with one of those and you’ll be very satisfied long term.

Stained wood cabinets are kind of trendy in my opinion. It would seem like they would be timeless, but stained cabinets (unless it’s a taupe stain/paint combo) are completely OUT right now, so I guess that answers that.

Subway Tile Is Always In Style

Subway tile is a great backsplash due to it’s longevity. It has been in styles for what seems to be a century. There are so many colors, sizes (3×6, 4×16, and 2×4) as well as materials such as glass, hand crafted porcelain and even metal, that you can ALWAYS find something you love. Most buyers don’t hate it, so it’s great for resell purposes as well. It goes with virtually any cabinet style.

Stone Countertops Survive The Test of Time

Stone countertops CAN be trendy, like we mentioned above, such as bright orange or blue quartz. It takes a special person to love them for decades. But overall, granite or quartz is a win. Especially whites, greys or tan combos. They go with a ton of colors, so even if you paint your cabinets, you won’t need new tops. That’s a win in my book! Wood and concrete can be trendy, and while you may like them for many years, stone is typically a safer bet. Add them in small areas like shown below.

Shaker is so Chic

One cabinet style that is always in is the shaker style. Clean lines are never out. Slab doors can be very modern, and some raised or flat panel can look outdated pretty easily. Shaker style cabinets are a wonderful style to always keep you on the right side of kitchen design.

What are your favorite timeless or trendy styles? Let us know in the comments below!

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March 6, 2018

Top Home Trends from KBIS and IBS Shows

I had the pleasure of attending KBIS in January, and these are the top home trends that I spotted at the show this year!

One of the best things about going to this incredible kitchen and bathroom showcase is the ability to get to see all of the styles, materials and design elements that will be taking over for the next year in new construction and remodeling. It's great to know what will be coming and what we should offer our clients that's in line with the top kitchen and bath trends.

14 Top Home Trends: Kitchen, Bath, and More!

Slab Cabinet Door Styles

Slab doors are a type of cabinet door style. This is a style in which the entire cabinet door is flat, without any indentions or raised areas. This is a very popular door style in Europe, but American trends are always a few years behind. Now, they're finally making their way into American Culture! I saw slab doors everywhere at KBIS! This is one of the most important of our top home trends because if people adopt this look, it will make popular kitchen style much different than it has been in years past.

Black Framed Windows

For so many years, windows have had mostly white frames. It's been the norm. My home was built in the 70's, and the windows actually had black frames when they were installed. Although my windows are way past needing to be replaced, this decades old style has come back into style again and it one of our top home trends! It definitly speaks to the farmhouse look that's been all the rage this year.

Metallic Tile

Metallic tiles were a huge new product category at the KBIS and International Builders Show this year. It's a much different look that what I've seen in years past. Top home trends like this are fun and funky, but still elegant and stylish. You would primarily see these types of tiles in modern homes and they definitly make a statement!

Freestanding Soaker Tubs

Freestanding tubs are my absolute FAVORITE! They are not only totally stylish, and an art piece in their own right, but they are great for relaxation and healing. Soaker tubs allow you to submerge your whole body and let the hot water do it's thang. Who wants to be cramped in a tub or have to kink their neck just trying to soak an aching back? Not me!

Furniture Style Vanities

Furniture style vanities are all the rage right now. A furniture style vanity is one that has leg and looks more like furniture. Most regular vanities resemble cabinets, with a toe kick at the bottom. These have a much more high end feel and add an elegant touch to your bathroom!

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The Farmhouse Look

The farmhouse look is one of my favorites! What makes a look farmhouse? A few things tend to be used over and over in this look. First, metals. Especially black metal. Woods are another popular element, and is often paired with metal. The blue color shown here and the clean shaker style of this interior door have a very farmhouse feel as well. Lastly? SHIPLAP WALL! Gotta love them.

Quartz, Quartz, Quartz

Quartz has been the top countertop material for a few years now, but I have to say that I don't think I saw one single granite company exhibiting at this entire show. I was SHOCKED! Maybe they're just hiding, but quartz was definitly making the show it's own and standing out as the reigning king of countertops! Why? It's gorgeous, no maintenance is required, and it's the strongest and most stain resistant material around!

Patterened Tile

Patterned tile is so beautiful. So many of them are actually hand painted (although you will pay much more for those). They come in porcelain or ceramic materials and really add a unique personal touch to your bathroom floor, backplash or even in your laundry room or on a fireplace!

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Brushed Gold Fixtures

Some used to call it brass. But brass is SO 20 years ago. haha Now, we're calling it brushed gold. It's got a more brushed finish than typical bright shiny brass, but I've also seen glossy finish gold fixtures as well. This finish pairs great with blacks, greys, whites and navy. You can expect to see much more of it in the next few years, I'm sure!

Taupe and Grey

Taupe and grey cabinet finishes are taking over! Grey has been hot for the last 2 years, but now taupe is being added in the mix. Stained wood cabinets, which have been out of the spotlight for a while now, is getting a comeback as long as the stain is a taupe or grey mixture, which is sometimes called "drift". I for one love the color!

Geometric Tile

I've seen so many cool geometric shapes at the show this year, and it always makes a statement. Whether it's square and triangle shapes as shown below, hexagons or trapezoids as shown a few images above, the look is the same: stunning. It definitly gives a modern feel for the most part, but I've seen some great octagon flooring that worked perfectly in a farmhouse style room.

Still Subway Tile

Subway tile is just an old favorite that might never go out of style. I love the simplicity, but also the unique elements that have been added recently! You see a lot more colored tile, or those with texture. The one shown below is a handcrafted tile, and has a wavy finish as you can see. What do you think??

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Beautiful Barn Doors

Barn doors are still popular and they most likely will be for some time! I love the fact that any style door, modern, rustic, farmhouse, craftsman, old world or traditional can all be used as a barn door. The sliding aspect is more fun and it also can be a stunning statement piece in your home!

Click to shop barn door hardware!

In and Under Cabinet Lighting

Under and in cabinet lighting was a HUGE trend that I saw at KBIS and IBS this year. It's a great way to showcase beautiful cabinets and add an extra WOW factor to your kitchen or bath. It's also functional as it gives off light at night when you may not want all the lights on.

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February 20, 2018

Kitchen Faucet Options

Hello, homeowners! Hope everyone is enjoying their year thus far, despite this crazily chaotic weather we're having. Even right now, as I type this, it's a brilliant 71 degrees, yet overcast, with the threat of heavy rainfall and a twenty degree drop by the morrow. Nevertheless, the show must go on!

Today, I'd like to discuss an often overlooked aspect of your cooking space -- the kitchen faucet. What you may not know, friends, are the several different options you have to choose from when deciding on your faucet. We're going to discuss this by diving into three aspects of a faucet: The handle, the arcs, and finally, the sprayer. Let's dig in.

Kitchen Faucet Handles

When it comes to kitchen faucet handles, there are a couple you can choose from. As stressed later in this section, it really all comes down to preference and which functionality best suits you and your cooking habits. Here, let me explain:

Single Handle

The single-handle kitchen faucet provides a fresh, cutting-edge appearance. With the ability to control the hot and cold temperatures with one lever, its efficiency is bar-none.

Two Handled

If the single handle gives off a fresh look, the extra handle exudes a classic one. When it comes to a comparison of the single or dual, it's majorly defined by preference.

The two-handled approach is designed for those of us who don't want to fuss with controlling temperature and water pressure/flow together. To each his own.

Kitchen Faucet Arcs

It's a pretty simple question to ask yourself: Do you want a High Arc or a Low Arc? When it comes to this particular option, your eventual choice will be decided on visibility, but also, how functional you are in your kitchen. I'll explain.

High Arc Kitchen Faucet

In my opinion, this is the most appealing option. At least aesthetically. There's something about the high arch of your kitchen faucet that makes the area look exuberant, exciting. But there's a drawback, as well. If the faucet is too high, it may be blocking an otherwise stunning view of a gorgeously elaborate backsplash or a window that wishes to bring in natural lighting.

The last thing you want is for an aspect of your kitchen design to be taking away from another, especially when it comes to appearance.

Low Arc Kitchen Faucet

If you do just so happen to have a window above your kitchen faucet or a beautiful backsplash, you can always elect to have a Low Arc Faucet. This way, there are no obstacles in sight and you can visibly show off these attributes without delay or distraction.

BUT...like the aforementioned option, there's a drawback. If you consider yourself a foodie, a word which here means "a person with a particular interest in food; a gourmet," then this may not be your best option. When you're constantly cleaning pots & pans, room is a requirement. Scrubbing and cooking dishes is a cumbersome task as is without your wrists banging into your way-too-low faucet. So, how-low-can-you-go, is a question you should raise while shopping. You've been warned 😉

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Kitchen Faucet Sprayers

I think it's safe to say that no one likes cleaning dishes. It's just one of those constants in life, much like laundry or taxes, that's quite simply a pain in the butt. But, thankfully, there are some kitchen accessories that make the task a bit easier. One of these helpful gadgets is your kitchen faucet sprayer.

Pull-Down Kitchen Faucet

This type of kitchen faucet gets its name from its design. Whether it's fastened to a High Arc or Low Arc faucet, the detachment "pulls down," allowing for maximum reach and flexibility. May not seem like much of an improvement, but I can assure you it is.

Once you've washed dishes with any of these sprayers in this category, you'll grimace at a fixed faucet. Literally, you'll throw in the dish towel and call it quits, cursing yourself for not getting one.

beautiful kitchen with glass backsplash and granite counter

Pull-Out Kitchen Faucet

Personally, this is my favorite. Very similar to its cousin "the pull down," this type extends towards you instead of downward. I prefer this version only because I believe it provides more range. As one who is constantly cleaning pots & pans (but not necessarily a foodie), this kitchen faucet is extremely handy.

Plus, it seems there's a longer hose on this type, which is convenient when you need to fill larger pots, and you can do this away from the sink.

Side Sprayer Kitchen Faucet

Although this option requires an extra sink hole, it's reach along with still being able to use the main faucet is well worth it.

It's the perfect asset to your modern sink. Excellent for cleaning and keeping these tidy around your sink basin. Which, if your anything like my father, having a dirty is pet peeve #39.

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February 16, 2018

Create a Timeless Style You Won’t Get Tired Of

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Everyone should aim to achieve a timeless style. We all know how expensive and time consuming remodeling and decorating can be, so you should try and do them only once every blue moon. Here are 5 ways to achieve timeless style in your home!

Timeless Style Means Staying Away From “Trends”

Trendy is the opposite of timeless. Trends come and go, while timeless style lasts decades. That’s not to say that elements can’t be “In Style” but also be classic, like white cabinets or subway tile. These things have always been popular, but come to the forefront in design some years more than others. Themes, bright colors, certain patterns or shapes can be trendy items. In the end, it’s YOUR home, so if you love it and it’s on trend, don’t let that stop you. What you want to stay away from is remodeling to the design trends of the moment, just because it’s popular. As your 90’s wardrobe will tell you, we all go through phases. Make sure your kitchen or bathroom aren’t one of them.

Incorporate History

Incorporating history can be a great way to achieve timeless style. The styles of the past influence design in the present, so adding elements of greek architecture like arches and columns will always be timeless. Adding vintage pieces and antiques is another way to carry your look through decades. Antiques get better with age, so you won’t have to worry about growing out of them! Crown moulding and nice trim will work well to create a timeless look.

Research your style

Ultimately, the most important part of creating a timeless style is to make sure that it’s YOUR style. You’re the one living in this home, so make sure that you follow your gut on things that you believe you’ll like for years to come. Go with colors and decor that make you feel like yourself, that put your at ease and lift your mood. Good interior design should always do that. Visit Waypointlivingspaces.com to check out their awesome “Find Your Style” quiz!

1964_Waypoint_02_HR_2 TIMELESS STYLE BATHROOM

Neutral Is Key

Unless you have a life long love of the color aqua (like I do!) It’s a good idea to keep your main colors neutral. Your kitchen cabinets for instance, are something that is difficult and expensive to replace. If you go with neutral colors like white, grey or even black for your cabinets (which are also in style) you can replace other options if you ever feel bored and can rest assured that most of your choices will still coordinate with your cabinets. Countertops are similar, although easier to replace than cabinets. Choosing a bold orange quartz countertop might be modern and cool today, but you don’t know how you’ll feel down the road. Or, you could love it forever. Again, knowing yourself and your style is key.

Let Fabrics & Accent Pieces Go Bold

When your main items or walls are neutral, you can let your fabrics or accent pieces be what brings in color, pattern, texture and personality! You can choose a fun accent tile, paint a wall or add a fun wallpaper, or choose amazing bar stools! These are the things that really bring your design together. If you decide this look is getting old, you simply change them up, and you don’t have to touch those core pieces. You wouldn’t believe what a difference some paint, cabinet hardware or backsplash can do to totally change up the look of a kitchen or bathroom!

I hope this has been helpful in your journey to create a timeless style within your home. If you have any more questions, let us know in the comments below!

Builders Surplus is a full service renovation company with locations in Louisville, Kentucky, and Newport, Kentucky, which also serves Cincinnati, Ohio. We specialize in interior design, kitchen design, bathroom remodel, building materials, and home improvement. Interior Design and measurements come as a free service to our clients. We sell building materials ranging in every price point, from unfinished kitchen cabinets to top of the line Wellborn cabinets. In addition to interior design, we also offer installation services. If you have any questions or would like to set up a free design consultation with one of our interior designers, we would encourage you to do so. We love sharing our knowledge with clients & potential home renovators. We write about interior design, home decor, decorating ideas, and home improvement. We hope you’ll check back in for our next article! Happy Renovation!

Written By: Allie Bloyd

Want to learn more about kitchen & bath remodeling?

November 28, 2017

Create a Timeless Style You Won’t Get Tired Of

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Everyone should aim to achieve a timeless style. We all know how expensive and time consuming remodeling and decorating can be, so you should try and do them only once every blue moon. Here are 5 ways to achieve timeless style in your home!

Timeless Style Means Staying Away From “Trends”

Trendy is the opposite of timeless. Trends come and go, while timeless style lasts decades. That’s not to say that elements can’t be “In Style” but also be classic, like white cabinets or subway tile. These things have always been popular, but come to the forefront in design some years more than others. Themes, bright colors, certain patterns or shapes can be trendy items. In the end, it’s YOUR home, so if you love it and it’s on trend, don’t let that stop you. What you want to stay away from is remodeling to the design trends of the moment, just because it’s popular. As your 90’s wardrobe will tell you, we all go through phases. Make sure your kitchen or bathroom aren’t one of them.

Incorporate History

Incorporating history can be a great way to achieve timeless style. The styles of the past influence design in the present, so adding elements of greek architecture like arches and columns will always be timeless. Adding vintage pieces and antiques is another way to carry your look through decades. Antiques get better with age, so you won’t have to worry about growing out of them! Crown moulding and nice trim will work well to create a timeless look.

Research your style

Ultimately, the most important part of creating a timeless style is to make sure that it’s YOUR style. You’re the one living in this home, so make sure that you follow your gut on things that you believe you’ll like for years to come. Go with colors and decor that make you feel like yourself, that put your at ease and lift your mood. Good interior design should always do that. Visit Waypointlivingspaces.com to check out their awesome “Find Your Style” quiz!

Neutral Is Key

Unless you have a life long love of the color aqua (like I do!) It’s a good idea to keep your main colors neutral. Your kitchen cabinets for instance, are something that is difficult and expensive to replace. If you go with neutral colors like white, grey or even black for your cabinets (which are also in style) you can replace other options if you ever feel bored and can rest assured that most of your choices will still coordinate with your cabinets. Countertops are similar, although easier to replace than cabinets. Choosing a bold orange quartz countertop might be modern and cool today, but you don’t know how you’ll feel down the road. Or, you could love it forever. Again, knowing yourself and your style is key.

Let Fabrics & Accent Pieces Go Bold

When your main items or walls are neutral, you can let your fabrics or accent pieces be what brings in color, pattern, texture and personality! You can choose a fun accent tile, paint a wall or add a fun wallpaper, or choose amazing bar stools! These are the things that really bring your design together. If you decide this look is getting old, you simply change them up, and you don’t have to touch those core pieces. You wouldn’t believe what a difference some paint, cabinet hardware or backsplash can do to totally change up the look of a kitchen or bathroom!

I hope this has been helpful in your journey to create a timeless style within your home. If you have any more questions, let us know in the comments below!

Builders Surplus is a full service renovation company with locations in Louisville, Kentucky, and Newport, Kentucky, which also serves Cincinnati, Ohio. We specialize in interior design, kitchen design, bathroom remodel, building materials, and home improvement. Interior Design and measurements come as a free service to our clients. We sell building materials ranging in every price point, from unfinished kitchen cabinets to top of the line Wellborn cabinets. In addition to interior design, we also offer installation services. If you have any questions or would like to set up a free design consultation with one of our interior designers, we would encourage you to do so. We love sharing our knowledge with clients & potential home renovators. We write about interior design, home decor, decorating ideas, and home improvement. We hope you’ll check back in for our next article! Happy Renovation!

Written By: Allie Bloyd

Want to learn more about kitchen & bath remodeling?

November 28, 2017

Bold Kitchen Design: Make a Statement!

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A bold kitchen design isn’t for everyone. But, even if you like to play it safe in interior design, there is something to behold about a kitchen that takes a risk. You can create a bold kitchen design using many different techniques, which we’ll explain below by showcasing some truly remarkable kitchens!

8 AMAZING BOLD KITCHEN DESIGNS

1. Black and White Beauty

This kitchen is bold and contemporary, while also giving off a slightly traditional feel. The Black and white cabinets contrast beautifully. An island is always a great place to add contrasting cabinets. The waterfall Torquay quartz countertop from Cambria edge give it a dramatic look and the brass hardware and light fixtures really set off this design!

2. Monochromatic Craftsman

This kitchen is striking! The monochromatic look works so well, especially when contrasted with the dark kitchen island. It evokes the feeling of the woods with the green handcrafted Wellborn Cabinets and natural looking wood floors. The quartz, glass subway tile and chrome hardware give it a modern feel without feeling too cold.

3. Middle Eastern Elegance

This neutral kitchen makes a bold statement with a pink arabesque accent tile and fun pink lantern pendants. The 42″ cabinets give a dramatic look and the gold hardware brightens up the space. The Ocean Jasper Silestone Countertops tie it all together. This is a great look for those who want different, but not too crazy.

ocean-jasper quartz in bold kitchen design

4. Coastal Cool

This crisp white kitchen makes a bold statement with bright blue subway tile and brass hardware next to stunning Wellborn Cabinets. The reflective countertops and bead board ceiling draw your eye across the space with ease. This is a fun, airy design that would work great in a coastal home or anywhere in the country!

5. Detailed Dome

This bold kitchen is incredible! While most of us don’t have this incredible ceiling to tile, they made the most of this space with the stunning herringbone brick pattern. The grey and navy coordinate so well, and the Cambria Seagrove Quartz Countertops feature both colors, streamlining the design. The cream hearth above the stove adds the perfect bit of contrast. The details such as corbels and a stunning farm sink take this design to another level.

6. Red Victorian

This quirky red victorian kitchen brings the best of the old world into this century. The contrasted island and classic Victoria Quartz Countertops make it sight to behold. The carved detailed accents and copper hardware pulls it all together and make this bold kitchen a space to remember.

7. Funky Contemporary

This fun contemporary kitchen features things a little bit outside of the norm. The fun green glass subway tile is in a vertical pattern, making is more unique. The Slab style Waypoint Cabinets are paired with open shelving made of glass, so it really opens the space up. The bar is almost restaurant style and the addition of the fun thimble shaped barstools really sets the design off. It goes to show you the most unexpected elements can make up a stunning and bold kitchen!

8. Cool Urban Eatery

This contemporary style bold kitchen features slab cabinet doors in a rich espresso. The bar pulls keep the lines clean, as seen in the rest of the space. The open shelving is modern and trendy, while the red mosaic backsplash is unexpected. A crisp Coswell Cream Silestone quartz countertop is the light neutral this space needed to come together.

Builders Surplus is a full service renovation company with locations in Louisville, Kentucky, and Newport, Kentucky, which also serves Cincinnati, Ohio. We specialize in interior design, kitchen design, bathroom remodel, building materials, and home improvement. Interior Design and measurements come as a free service to our clients. We sell building materials ranging in every price point, from unfinished kitchen cabinets to top of the line Wellborn cabinets. In addition to interior design, we also offer installation services. If you have any questions or would like to set up a free design consultation with one of our interior designers, we would encourage you to do so. We love sharing our knowledge with clients & potential home renovators. We write about interior design, home decor, decorating ideas, and home improvement. We hope you’ll check back in for our next article! Happy Renovation!

Written By: Allie Bloyd

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November 24, 2017

The Best Way to Remodel for Disabilities

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Hello, everyone! So, today, I’d like to talk a bit about how to remodel for disabilities, albeit yourself or precious loved ones that may live with you or maybe visit on the regular. The focus of this blog post will be to adhere and to accommodate to the needs of these individuals to make their daily lives easier to both maneuver and get the items they need in their kitchen. Wellborn Cabinets has a line of accessories, Active Living, that successfully caters to those with disabilities. This is exceptional for a couple of reasons, one being that they’re an extremely well-known and renowned cabinetry company that prides itself on an exceptional product. And with that said, secondly, one can rest assured that these accessories match that extravagance. Let’s begin, shall we?

Wellborn Cabinets Acting Living Accessories

Dishwasher Base Now, we all know that loading and unloading the dishwasher can be a pain in the butt (quite literally) and this is one of the reasons why it is and is widely considered a chore. For those in a wheelchair, Wellborn has implemented what’s known as a dishwasher base, a cabinet set off the ground that allows for easy access in both retrieval and otherwise! Pretty nifty, if you ask me. A perfect fit in your remodel for disabilities.

Drawer Base Pullout This nifty mechanism has an additional cutting board at the appropriate height. So, slice-and-dice away, folks! I also really like this concept because, where it may not seem like much, it gives you more counter space to work on, and that is ALWAYS ideal.

Microwave Base Coolest thing. As you can see, this cabinet is designed to fit the average-sized microwave in its niche. I told you — Wellborn has essentially thought this line all the way through, and we all know the importance of being able to get to the microwave. Outstanding.

Sink Base Fit for the appropriate level, this cabinet design allows those who are wheelchair-inclined complete and total access to their sink. Everything is measured in a height-conscious manner. Now, it doesn’t completely get rid of the tiresome task of washing pots and pans, but still.

Sidenote: If you have an island, make sure the spacing between it and the rest of your cabinets is wide enough for a wheelchair to comfortably get through. It may seem like a silly thing to forget, but it’s best to be conscious of space during this entire process. And to avoid catastrophe!
Kitchen & Bathroom Lifts On Wellborn’s website, they provide a little bit of info, along with some contract information, about Universal Design Products, the North American distributor of accessible kitchen and bathroom lifts designed by Granberg of Sweden.

Here’s what they say about their products: “By installing automatic accessibility lifts, the height of sinks, cabinets, worktops and appliances can be adjusted to accommodate the needs of all users. Most importantly you can design beautiful efficient kitchens and bathrooms that maximize the independence, convenience and changing abilities of all household members.” Personally, I think this is a really cool, really inventive tool that can be used for the disabled, as well as those preparing for the future. A most excellent system in a remodel for disabilities.

Remodel for Disabilities: Flooring

Some people tend to skip over this part of remodeling for those with disabilities, but it is a vital step in the process. Ideally, you want a floor that has a hard, non-porous surface, slip-resistant for obvious reasons, but has decent traction for wheelchairs to roll on. My suggestion?

It’s a hard surface and we definitely carry products that are slip-resistant. Wheelchairs will glide across the perfectly, and you won’t hear the constant “thud” of the wheel sliding over the grout lines. I know that tends to be people’s concern with putting tile in a kitchen.

And if we’re going to get specific, I recommend CoreTEC LVT. It is a 100% waterproof flooring that both pleasing to the eye and well worth it’s very-low price of $2.99/sf, especially from an engineering standpoint. So, if you had cause for concern in putting anything other than tile in your kitchen, worry no more. This stuff is legit.

Builders Surplus is a full service renovation company with locations in Louisville, Kentucky, and Newport, Kentucky, which also serves Cincinnati, Ohio. We are one of the leading providers of kitchen cabinets, tile, flooring, windows and doors in Louisville, Newport, and Cincinnati. We specialize in interior design, kitchen design, bathroom remodel, building materials, and home improvement. Interior Design comes as a free service to our clients. We sell building materials ranging in every price point, from unfinished kitchen cabinets to top of the line Wellborn cabinets. If you have any questions or would like to set up a free design consultation with one of our interior designers, we would encourage you to do so. We love sharing our knowledge with clients, home improvement pros & potential home renovators. We write about interior design, home decor, decorating ideas, and home improvement, we hope you’ll check back in for our next article! Happy Renovation! Written by: Chris Chamberlain

Want to learn more about kitchen & bath remodeling?

September 19, 2017

Homearama Kitchens: Trends in 2017

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Today we’ll be covering the best of the best Homearama Kitchens! Homearama this year at Poplar Woods in Goshen, Kentucky was incredible. The homes were perfectly decorated, impeccably built, and showcased the hottest trends in home design for the year. This post will focus on the kitchen design trends that we noticed to give you some ideas for your new construction home or your next kitchen remodel! Some trends have been consistant for the last few years, and others seem to be new. What they all have in common? They’re simply gorgeous.

Featuring Our Favorite Homearama Kitchens

Open Concept Kitchens

Every one of the homearama kitchens that I saw was open concept. Open concept living spaces are definitly what’s in, and has been for several years. This is for good reason. It gives you sight lines into your living room and dining room, allowing whoever is working in the kitchen to keep an eye on or interact with family or guests. It’s the perfect setup for get togethers and allows for a great dinner party.

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Extra Large Kitchen Islands

This is a stunning trend that we saw in so many of the homearama kitchens. These are not your typical islands with seating for 2. These took up so much space and were the perfect gathering space for friends and family, as well as a dream come true for the home chef. Without the open concept, these ginormous kitchen islands wouldn’t have been possible. Islands have been in style for a while, but islands of this magnitude was definitly new on the scene in my opinion.

Quartz Countertops

Quartz is top of the line in terms of countertop materials. While it can be pricey, it is often comparable to granite, but has many more benefits. It never needs to be sealed, it’s antibacterial and approved for safe food preparation. It’s the most heat, scratch and stain resistant of any countertop material. Quartz was taking over the homearama kitchens! We did still see granite in a few of the homes, but quartz, white in specific, was the most popular kid in class this year. But remember, because quartz is manmade, you don’t have to stick to neutrals! Quartz colors range from firey red to deep blue and everything in between!

Subway Tile

Subway tile was everywhere in homearama kitchens this year! White subway tile is still the predominant color of subway tile that you’re going to find, but definitely not the only one. As you can see above, one trend is the large format (4×16 subway tile) and grey is another popular color. Below you’ll find a variation on the classic white subway tile by using marble. The brick tile is still considered a subway tile, which is a style that I really love! Subway tile has been popular the last few years but they’re always finding new ways to mix it up.

brick-subway-tile granite countertops White-quartz-subway-tile kitchen homearama 2017

Pot Fillers

Pot fillers were present in almost half of the homearama kitchens. They are faucets that are installed right behind your stove to help you fill pots easier, as the name suggests. They are very useful, but not necessary! Most of the time I find they are as much for the aesthetic than for the function.

pot-filler-glass cabinet doors kitchen homearama 2017

pot-filler, subway tile, white cabinets kitchen homearama 2017

Painted Cabinets

As you can see, just about every image in this post features white or cream colored cabinets. This was definitly the main trend in homearama kitchens. You just don’t see wood toned cabinets anymore. Grey painted cabinets are also a big trend but we just didn’t see them much at homearama this year. White cabinets were also popular at the last two homearama’s that I’ve attended.

Glass Cabinet Doors

Glass cabinet doors are coming back, people! I love glass doors on cabinetry. It gives it a much more upscale look, and for not a huge price tag. There are many different styles of glass doors that you can choose from, and several types of glass. You can add in cabinet lighting, which most of our homearama kitchens had, to add an extra focal point and pop to the space!

Farmhouse Sinks

Farmhouse sinks were the sink of choice in this year’s homearama kitchens. They are functional, they are HUGE and they are so beautiful. They usually come with a higher price tag, but I’ve never met anyone with a farmhouse sink that’s regretted the choice. They give such a cute cottage feel to the kitchen and make washing dishes so much easier (as if that’s possible.)

Farm-Sink white cabinets brick-subway-tile granite countertops White-quartz-subway-tile kitchen homearama 2017

There you have it! Our favorite trends from Homearama kitchens in 2017. What do you think? Is there anything that you love, hate or wish you saw more of? Let us know in the comments below!

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Builders Surplus is a full service renovation company with locations in Louisville, Kentucky, and Newport, Kentucky, which also serves Cincinnati, Ohio. We specialize in interior design, kitchen design, bathroom remodel, building materials, and home improvement. Interior Design and measurements come as a free service to our clients. We sell building materials ranging in every price point, from unfinished kitchen cabinets to top of the line Wellborn cabinets. In addition to interior design, we also offer installation services. If you have any questions or would like to set up a free design consultation with one of our interior designers, we would encourage you to do so. We love sharing our knowledge with clients & potential home renovators. We write about interior design, home decor, decorating ideas, and home improvement. We hope you’ll check back in for our next article! Happy Renovation!

Written By: Allie Bloyd

Want to learn more about kitchen & bath remodeling?

September 8, 2017

What to Expect When You’re Expecting a Kitchen Remodel

If you’re reading this, you’re most likely considering a kitchen remodel, or you’re about to begin one. Either way, being prepared is always the best way to go. Some people have an idea of what they expect to encounter in a kitchen remodel, but it’s not always accurate. So, we’re going to go over exactly what you can expect when working with a designer and getting a kitchen installation.

Using a Designer for a Kitchen Remodel

You may think it’s expensive to use a professional kitchen designer for your kitchen remodel. That’s not the case, at least when you work with Builders Surplus! Our design services are FREE! So, unless you’re an expert, there is no reason not to use these amazing services. They will help you find the product lines that fit your wants and needs, help you stay within budget, and alert you to any issues that may arise with any desired layout changes and help you find solutions. Here’s how the process works.

1. Initial Consultation

This meeting occurs in Builders Surplus location. In this meeting, budget is determined, as well as cabinet door style and what kind of design aesthetic you’re looking for, if you have not already decided. Product lines will be discussed and you will learn the differences in them. What is most durable, eco-friendly, budget friendly, etc.

2. Measurements

If you have your own measurements, we can get started on your design, but measurements will need to be done by us for us to guarantee the fit. If you are using your own installers, they will need to guarantee the fit for you. Measurements are VERY important in making sure your design comes out perfectly.

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3. Design is Generated

Depending on kitchen size, complexity and number of people ahead of you waiting for designs, your time frame for receiving this can vary between 1-3 weeks. Initial layout is generated based on the info given in step 1 and 2. This is done in a computer system that allows you to see a 3D image of your desired kitchen with the products you choose for your kitchen remodel. HOW COOL!

4. Reviews and Changes

You could have 1 to 2 additional rounds of changes and revisions. The more up front information you can give your designer about your preferences and budget, the more accurate your initial design will be, meaning there are fewer changes to make, and you can start your kitchen remodel sooner.

5. Products are Ordered & Delivered

Take home your in stock products or arrange for quick pickup. The rest will be delivered to your home or to our store (Depending on your cabinet line) in around 4 weeks. About 1 week before your delivery, your designer will be in touch with you to make sure your installation or pick up/delivery are on schedule. During delivery, it is possible that damage can occur to your products. Please be aware of this. This could delay your kitchen remodel a bit as the manufacturer will need to send replacements. Manufacturer backorders do happen occasionally as well.

- TIP: While you are waiting for your cabinets to arrive, start preparing your temporary kitchen or easy to prepare meals (if you are also ordering custom countertops).
- TIP: Please have cabinet hardware in your possession before your cabinet installation date, otherwise we will not be able to install.

Kitchen Remodel Installation

Many people aren’t really sure exactly what takes place during an installation. The most important thing I can tell you is that this is a PROCESS, not an EVENT. Keeping that in mind will put your expectations in the right place and allow for a more enjoyable remodeling experience.

6. Installation is Scheduled

It is not necessary that you be home during the entire installation process, but you will be required to be there to let the team in and at the end of the process for the final walk through so that you can verify the job is completed to your standards and sign the final paperwork. Please note that because unforeseen issues can arise, it could change the install date, so keep this in mind when deciding to use vacation days or take off work for the entire process.

7. Cabinet Installation

Installations are typically completed within 2 days, depending on size of kitchen. Please note that we do not connect or disconnect plumbing for appliances. Our installers are not certified plumbers, so take care of this beforehand.

NOTE: Door and drawer fronts will typically be crooked and not lined up during installation. They will fix this at the end of the process.
NOTE: There will be dust, debris, and trash. Your installer will do their best to limit this, but is a part of the process. A good installer will clean up at the end of each day.

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8.Countertop Template

When your cabinet installation is completed, your countertops can be templated. The installer will let your designer know what date the cabinet installation is being done so that templating can be set up. It could take up to 2 weeks to get your template done depending on which countertops you’re getting. Your sinks and faucets will need to be in your possession and all cabinets must be attached to the walls in order for this step to take place.

NOTE: Because templating cannot be done until every cabinet is installed in it’s final position, if any of your cabinets were damaged in transit, this can delay this step.

9. Countertop Installation

Time frames can vary depending on the countertop you’ve chosen for your kitchen remodel. In Stock granite can be installed within 1 week. In Stock laminate is installed by kitchen installer during cabinet installation. Custom countertops are installed anywhere from 10 days to 4 weeks. This depends on the season and the schedule of the installers. Be prepared to live without countertops for a month. See our blog on setting up a temporary kitchen. Preparing in advance can make this time much easier and eliminate stress for your family. Sinks and faucets will still need to be connected by a plumber after this step.

10. Backsplash Installation

This typically takes another 2 days.
After Backsplash is installed, you should be complete, unless your installers would be installing your cabinet hardware. If you are getting flooring installation done, that would be your first step before any of this occurs.
That’s about it folks! I hope we’ve covered this process to your liking and that it makes your kitchen remodel go smoother knowing what to expect!

Builders Surplus is a full service renovation company with locations in Louisville, Kentucky, and Newport, Kentucky, which also serves Cincinnati, Ohio. We are the leading provider of Ledge Stone, wall tile and backsplash tile in Louisville, Newport, and Cincinnati. We specialize in interior design, kitchen design, bathroom remodel, building materials, and home improvement. Interior Design and measurements come as a free service to our clients. We sell building materials ranging in every price point, from unfinished kitchen cabinets to top of the line Wellborn cabinets. In addition to interior design, we also offer installation services. If you have any questions or would like to set up a free design consultation with one of our interior designers, we would encourage you to do so. We love sharing our knowledge with clients & potential home renovators. We write about interior design, home decor, decorating ideas, and home improvement. We hope you’ll check back in for our next article! Happy Renovation!

Written By: Allie Bloyd

July 20, 2017

What to Expect When You’re Expecting a Kitchen Remodel

If you’re reading this, you’re most likely considering a kitchen remodel, or you’re about to begin one. Either way, being prepared is always the best way to go. Some people have an idea of what they expect to encounter in a kitchen remodel, but it’s not always accurate. So, we’re going to go over exactly what you can expect when working with a designer and getting a kitchen installation.

Using a Designer for a Kitchen Remodel

You may think it’s expensive to use a professional kitchen designer for your kitchen remodel. That’s not the case, at least when you work with Builders Surplus! Our design services are FREE! So, unless you’re an expert, there is no reason not to use these amazing services. They will help you find the product lines that fit your wants and needs, help you stay within budget, and alert you to any issues that may arise with any desired layout changes and help you find solutions. Here’s how the process works.

1. Initial Consultation

This meeting occurs in Builders Surplus location. In this meeting, budget is determined, as well as cabinet door style and what kind of design aesthetic you’re looking for, if you have not already decided. Product lines will be discussed and you will learn the differences in them. What is most durable, eco-friendly, budget friendly, etc.

2. Measurements

If you have your own measurements, we can get started on your design, but measurements will need to be done by us for us to guarantee the fit. If you are using your own installers, they will need to guarantee the fit for you. Measurements are VERY important in making sure your design comes out perfectly.

3. Design is Generated

Depending on kitchen size, complexity and number of people ahead of you waiting for designs, your time frame for receiving this can vary between 1-3 weeks. Initial layout is generated based on the info given in step 1 and 2. This is done in a computer system that allows you to see a 3D image of your desired kitchen with the products you choose for your kitchen remodel. HOW COOL!

4. Reviews and Changes

You could have 1 to 2 additional rounds of changes and revisions. The more up front information you can give your designer about your preferences and budget, the more accurate your initial design will be, meaning there are fewer changes to make, and you can start your kitchen remodel sooner.

5. Products are Ordered & Delivered

Take home your in stock products or arrange for quick pickup. The rest will be delivered to your home or to our store (Depending on your cabinet line) in around 4 weeks. About 1 week before your delivery, your designer will be in touch with you to make sure your installation or pick up/delivery are on schedule. During delivery, it is possible that damage can occur to your products. Please be aware of this. This could delay your kitchen remodel a bit as the manufacturer will need to send replacements. Manufacturer backorders do happen occasionally as well.

- TIP: While you are waiting for your cabinets to arrive, start preparing your temporary kitchen or easy to prepare meals (if you are also ordering custom countertops).
- TIP: Please have cabinet hardware in your possession before your cabinet installation date, otherwise we will not be able to install.

Kitchen Remodel Installation

Many people aren’t really sure exactly what takes place during an installation. The most important thing I can tell you is that this is a PROCESS, not an EVENT. Keeping that in mind will put your expectations in the right place and allow for a more enjoyable remodeling experience.

6. Installation is Scheduled

It is not necessary that you be home during the entire installation process, but you will be required to be there to let the team in and at the end of the process for the final walk through so that you can verify the job is completed to your standards and sign the final paperwork. Please note that because unforeseen issues can arise, it could change the install date, so keep this in mind when deciding to use vacation days or take off work for the entire process.

7. Cabinet Installation

Installations are typically completed within 2 days, depending on size of kitchen. Please note that we do not connect or disconnect plumbing for appliances. Our installers are not certified plumbers, so take care of this beforehand.

NOTE: Door and drawer fronts will typically be crooked and not lined up during installation. They will fix this at the end of the process.
NOTE: There will be dust, debris, and trash. Your installer will do their best to limit this, but is a part of the process. A good installer will clean up at the end of each day.

8.Countertop Template

When your cabinet installation is completed, your countertops can be templated. The installer will let your designer know what date the cabinet installation is being done so that templating can be set up. It could take up to 2 weeks to get your template done depending on which countertops you’re getting. Your sinks and faucets will need to be in your possession and all cabinets must be attached to the walls in order for this step to take place.

NOTE: Because templating cannot be done until every cabinet is installed in it’s final position, if any of your cabinets were damaged in transit, this can delay this step.

9. Countertop Installation

Time frames can vary depending on the countertop you’ve chosen for your kitchen remodel. In Stock granite can be installed within 1 week. In Stock laminate is installed by kitchen installer during cabinet installation. Custom countertops are installed anywhere from 10 days to 4 weeks. This depends on the season and the schedule of the installers. Be prepared to live without countertops for a month. See our blog on setting up a temporary kitchen. Preparing in advance can make this time much easier and eliminate stress for your family. Sinks and faucets will still need to be connected by a plumber after this step.

10. Backsplash Installation

This typically takes another 2 days.
After Backsplash is installed, you should be complete, unless your installers would be installing your cabinet hardware. If you are getting flooring installation done, that would be your first step before any of this occurs.
That’s about it folks! I hope we’ve covered this process to your liking and that it makes your kitchen remodel go smoother knowing what to expect!

Builders Surplus is a full service renovation company with locations in Louisville, Kentucky, and Newport, Kentucky, which also serves Cincinnati, Ohio. We are the leading provider of Ledge Stone, wall tile and backsplash tile in Louisville, Newport, and Cincinnati. We specialize in interior design, kitchen design, bathroom remodel, building materials, and home improvement. Interior Design and measurements come as a free service to our clients. We sell building materials ranging in every price point, from unfinished kitchen cabinets to top of the line Wellborn cabinets. In addition to interior design, we also offer installation services. If you have any questions or would like to set up a free design consultation with one of our interior designers, we would encourage you to do so. We love sharing our knowledge with clients & potential home renovators. We write about interior design, home decor, decorating ideas, and home improvement. We hope you’ll check back in for our next article! Happy Renovation!

Written By: Allie Bloyd

July 20, 2017

Home Value: 5 Easy Ways to Increase It

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What’s going on, everyone? I do hope you’re well and enjoying the much-anticipated warm weather. Where it seemed like it was a rather mild winter, it felt like ages to me. If you’re a summer baby like yours truly, then you literally countdown the days until April or May, where you can enjoy a nice drive with the windows down and music up. Plus, now that it’s warm, we can all start working on the most important asset we have — our home. In this blog post, I’ll discuss five ways to easily increase home value. May the warmth inspire and spark creativity, y’all. Let’s begin!

The Best Ways To Increase Home Value

Focus on the Entry Door

So, it shouldn’t be a surprise that curb appeal is a monstrous factor when it comes to home value. The front door simply further emphasizes this incredibly significant factor. Essentially, it pulls the eye in and acts as a main focal point to the entire house. Think about it, when you have guests over, what is the first course of action? Walking through the front door. So, naturally, that’s what the eye is going to be attracted to.

Don’t be afraid to get a little quirky when it comes to your front door, either. Want to make it a crazy-cool color? Do it. Want to splash some sort of design on it? Go ahead. I encourage you to make it your own and let it standout. Because, honestly, it’s going to anyway.

Upgrade the Kitchen

Now, listen, I know those three words can seem a bit vague, and even once it’s broken down, it can still be a bit overwhelming. So for all intensive purposes, I’ll just name two components of a kitchen. Also note that your kitchen is arguably (but who would argue) the most important room in the entire house. Because of this, simply renovating a few things will no doubt increase home value. For sure. Cabinets: You may be surprised to know that simply switching out the cabinets in your kitchen will do wonders as far as aesthetics. Maybe you’re tired of the type of cabinet and color, or you’re like me and get antsy when you’ve staring at the same scenery for far too long. I encourage you to take a good, hard look at your cabinets and see if you’d like to make some changes. Remix it up.

Countertops: In my opinion, countertops can make or break a kitchen’s overall look. With this in mind, if you’ve been preparing your meals over, say, formica countertops then I think you’d really enjoy a granite or quartz countertops. They’re both sleek, modern-looking, and the characteristics for both are far more superior — in strength, durability, accident-resistance, and maintenance.

Beautify your Bathroom

Kitchens and baths, y’all, that’s where it’s at for value’s sake. These rooms allow a person to express themselves artistically and make a style their own. Like I mentioned before, don’t be afraid to go above and beyond. After all, IT IS your home. Do what you will. However, if you’re going to be selling in the near future, keep the style one that will appeal to a broad range of buyers. Vanities: A bathroom doesn’t call for as much space as a kitchen does, sure, but I’d be lying if I said that these pieces aren’t essential to your bathroom design. Take the same advice I gave you about your kitchen cabinetry and recreate a different design — use interesting colors, textures, and styles and make things harmoniously blend.

Vanity tops: Much like your kitchen countertops, a vanity top can make or break the design. Now, if it were me, I’d take a look at our cultured marble tops, in addition to our large selection of vanity tops. We truly have some beautiful colors that will blend nicely with any design. I promise you.

Watch your Windows

Windows may seem like a small aspect in home design, but I’m telling you, replacing the old with the new will greatly increase your home value. At Builders Surplus, we carry Silverline by Andersen windows, and they’re true beauties. Available in different designs and styles, these babies will quite literally make each room brighter.

Another thing I kinda like about windows is that they’re two sides of the same coin. We talked about the importance of curb appeal before, and windows sort of add to that enhanced focus, but they’re also very endearing on the inside, as well.

Plus, if you’re kinda crafty, you can enrich the look and put a beautiful set of moulding around each window, achieving that ‘craftsmen’ style perfectly. Just a little food for thought if you want to really increase home value.

Spruce Up the Outside

This probably goes without saying, but a well-maintained, neat, and even colorful yard is going to get some looks. If you want to increase home value, this is definitely an area I’d focus on. Curb appeal, remember? If your grass is as green as a golf course, there’s a nice blend of trees, flowers, and bushes — all neatly clipped — and everything looks proper and perfect, don’t be surprised to see a car come to a slow crawl, peeking in.

Having a yard that’s pleasing to the eye is going to get you those seriously-this-just-went-on-the-market kind of offers, and who doesn’t want to be in that driver’s seat, no pun intended. Just don’t make it TOO busy, you know what I mean. Keep it nice. Keep it neat. Keep it complete.

I hope these five things gave you a bit of insight and, hopefully, some inspiration to make some renovations to increase home value. Change isn’t all bad, people! Remember that, and keep on enjoying this weather! Hope to see y’all in here soon, but until then be safe and stay blessed!

Builders Surplus is a full service renovation company with locations in Louisville, Kentucky, and Newport, Kentucky, which also serves Cincinnati, Ohio. We are the leading provider of Ledge Stone, wall tile and backsplash tile in Louisville, Newport, and Cincinnati. We specialize in interior design, kitchen design, bathroom remodel, building materials, and home improvement. Interior Design and measurements come as a free service to our clients. We sell building materials ranging in every price point, from unfinished kitchen cabinets to top of the line Wellborn cabinets. In addition to interior design, we also offer installation services. If you have any questions or would like to set up a free design consultation with one of our interior designers, we would encourage you to do so. We love sharing our knowledge with clients & potential home renovators. We write about interior design, home decor, decorating ideas, and home improvement. We hope you’ll check back in for our next article! Happy Renovation! Written By: Chris Chamberlain

Want to learn more about kitchen & bath remodeling?

May 2, 2017

Eco-Friendly Flooring Ideas That Get the “Green” Light

There are many eco-friendly products that are made throughout the world that people choose to buy simply because of its roots, that the product they chose shied away from causing the world harm. Plastic bottles, food wrappings, and now, even vehicles have become a part of the side of consumerism that maintains an environmentally-conscious mind. Well, that also extends to home renovation products, as well! Today, I’m going to discuss three eco-friendly flooring options, including CORK, that are apt in both style and functionality, providing a classically unique look. Let’s dig in!

Eco-Friendly Cork Flooring

This material is relatively new to the world of flooring. Seriously, who would have thought that the thing you pop off to pour champagne or a glass of wine could – or – would ever be used to blanket the floors of a household. Fascinating, really. Anyway, cork is taken from the bark of a cork oak tree, which is commonly found in the Mediterranean forests. The best part about the process is that these lovely trees are not cut down to harvest this material – they are simply stripped. But even then, the bark regrows after three years, making cork a – you guessed it – renewable resource.

For this reason, it is undoubtedly my all time favorite as far as eco-friendly flooring options go. Crazy unique, visually stunning, and truly one-of-a-kind. What’s more is of its chemical properties! It has anti-microbial properties that reduces allergens, is fire-retardant, AND it repels insect. Seriously, though, can it get any better? Actually, yeah. With cork, you’re able to stain it, paint it, and make it any color you want so you’re not so limited. Lifespan of this material? It can last for up to 30 years with the proper maintenance, which by the way, is stupid low. Excellent product right here.

Eco-Friendly Bamboo Flooring

If you know anything about bamboo, you’ll know that it’s strong, intensely durable, and not one of those twigs you can just bust over your knee and walk away happily. Similar to wood as far as its species, bamboo has been gaining wild popularity as a flooring option. It’s very, very easy to maintain, as easy to install as regular hardwood, and will last you an exceptionally long time. Best thing is, it’s sustainable and only takes a few years to reach its full maturity. Again, much like the above, this material is available in a variety of colors, so you’re not limited to just one design or one style. Options are pretty endless in terms of bamboo’s versatility.

Along with its color variety, is its grain! You know how would may have a certain grain you like depending on the direction of it, or maybe the pattern of dark knots? Well, bamboo, more or less, acts the same. This is one of the reasons why this type of flooring is on the up-and-up! You’re able to make this flooring your own, customizing it to your wants and needs.

Eco-Friendly Concrete Flooring

Now, I’ve wrote about concrete flooring before, and I still think it’s crazy (in a cool way) that it has has slowly crept its way from commercial properties and into the confines of residential households. Usually, this sort of material is used as a sub-flooring, in which case people would just put tile or linoleum or hardwood for their floor. But, it’s 2017, and there are all kinds of things happening, so let’s run with the innovative ideas, shall we?

In all seriousness, concrete can be polish and tinted to make it look completely different than your standard slab of concrete. You can create tiles from it or design a cool pattern yourself using glass and mosaics to really give your style the emphasis you’d like. In any case, this material is extremely eco-friendly. No chopping up trees to lay these floors down. No. Sir.

It is in my extreme hopes that this post helped you realize that there are in fact some environmentally-friendly flooring options that have been tried and true, proving to be very sustainable, highly efficient, extremely durable in strength, and versatile in style and design to keep the options endless. We also have one of these materials in-store now at any of our two locations in Louisville and Cincinnati! I encourage you to give us a call or stop by soon to check out our Cork Flooring options and see if this eco-friendly material is right for you and your home. Until then, be safe and stay blesssed!

Builders Surplus is a full service renovation company with locations in Louisville, Kentucky, and Newport, Kentucky, which also serves Cincinnati, Ohio. We are the leading provider of Ledge Stone, wall tile and backsplash tile in Louisville, Newport, and Cincinnati. We specialize in interior design, kitchen design, bathroom remodel, building materials, and home improvement. Interior Design and measurements come as a free service to our clients. We sell building materials ranging in every price point, from unfinished kitchen cabinets to top of the line Wellborn cabinets. In addition to interior design, we also offer installation services. If you have any questions or would like to set up a free design consultation with one of our interior designers, we would encourage you to do so. We love sharing our knowledge with clients & potential home renovators. We write about interior design, home decor, decorating ideas, and home improvement. We hope you’ll check back in for our next article! Happy Renovation!
Written By: Chris Chamberlain

April 18, 2017

Eco-Friendly Flooring Ideas That Get the "Green" Light

There are many eco-friendly products that are made throughout the world that people choose to buy simply because of its roots, that the product they chose shied away from causing the world harm. Plastic bottles, food wrappings, and now, even vehicles have become a part of the side of consumerism that maintains an environmentally-conscious mind. Well, that also extends to home renovation products, as well! Today, I’m going to discuss three eco-friendly flooring options, including CORK, that are apt in both style and functionality, providing a classically unique look. Let’s dig in!

Eco-Friendly Cork Flooring

This material is relatively new to the world of flooring. Seriously, who would have thought that the thing you pop off to pour champagne or a glass of wine could – or – would ever be used to blanket the floors of a household. Fascinating, really. Anyway, cork is taken from the bark of a cork oak tree, which is commonly found in the Mediterranean forests. The best part about the process is that these lovely trees are not cut down to harvest this material – they are simply stripped. But even then, the bark regrows after three years, making cork a – you guessed it – renewable resource.

For this reason, it is undoubtedly my all time favorite as far as eco-friendly flooring options go. Crazy unique, visually stunning, and truly one-of-a-kind. What’s more is of its chemical properties! It has anti-microbial properties that reduces allergens, is fire-retardant, AND it repels insect. Seriously, though, can it get any better? Actually, yeah. With cork, you’re able to stain it, paint it, and make it any color you want so you’re not so limited. Lifespan of this material? It can last for up to 30 years with the proper maintenance, which by the way, is stupid low. Excellent product right here.

Eco-Friendly Bamboo Flooring

If you know anything about bamboo, you’ll know that it’s strong, intensely durable, and not one of those twigs you can just bust over your knee and walk away happily. Similar to wood as far as its species, bamboo has been gaining wild popularity as a flooring option. It’s very, very easy to maintain, as easy to install as regular hardwood, and will last you an exceptionally long time. Best thing is, it’s sustainable and only takes a few years to reach its full maturity. Again, much like the above, this material is available in a variety of colors, so you’re not limited to just one design or one style. Options are pretty endless in terms of bamboo’s versatility.

Along with its color variety, is its grain! You know how would may have a certain grain you like depending on the direction of it, or maybe the pattern of dark knots? Well, bamboo, more or less, acts the same. This is one of the reasons why this type of flooring is on the up-and-up! You’re able to make this flooring your own, customizing it to your wants and needs.

Eco-Friendly Concrete Flooring

Now, I’ve wrote about concrete flooring before, and I still think it’s crazy (in a cool way) that it has has slowly crept its way from commercial properties and into the confines of residential households. Usually, this sort of material is used as a sub-flooring, in which case people would just put tile or linoleum or hardwood for their floor. But, it’s 2017, and there are all kinds of things happening, so let’s run with the innovative ideas, shall we?

In all seriousness, concrete can be polish and tinted to make it look completely different than your standard slab of concrete. You can create tiles from it or design a cool pattern yourself using glass and mosaics to really give your style the emphasis you’d like. In any case, this material is extremely eco-friendly. No chopping up trees to lay these floors down. No. Sir.

It is in my extreme hopes that this post helped you realize that there are in fact some environmentally-friendly flooring options that have been tried and true, proving to be very sustainable, highly efficient, extremely durable in strength, and versatile in style and design to keep the options endless. We also have one of these materials in-store now at any of our two locations in Louisville and Cincinnati! I encourage you to give us a call or stop by soon to check out our Cork Flooring options and see if this eco-friendly material is right for you and your home. Until then, be safe and stay blesssed!

Builders Surplus is a full service renovation company with locations in Louisville, Kentucky, and Newport, Kentucky, which also serves Cincinnati, Ohio. We are the leading provider of Ledge Stone, wall tile and backsplash tile in Louisville, Newport, and Cincinnati. We specialize in interior design, kitchen design, bathroom remodel, building materials, and home improvement. Interior Design and measurements come as a free service to our clients. We sell building materials ranging in every price point, from unfinished kitchen cabinets to top of the line Wellborn cabinets. In addition to interior design, we also offer installation services. If you have any questions or would like to set up a free design consultation with one of our interior designers, we would encourage you to do so. We love sharing our knowledge with clients & potential home renovators. We write about interior design, home decor, decorating ideas, and home improvement. We hope you’ll check back in for our next article! Happy Renovation!
Written By: Chris Chamberlain

April 18, 2017

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