Category Archives: Kitchens

Choosing Kitchen Cabinets

Home Building, Kitchens

When choosing kitchen cabinets, there are several key factors to consider. You want to make the best selection for your space and your family. Here’s a checklist of key features to consider while choosing cabinets for your dream kitchen.

Style

Shaker, flat, raised, made with glass panels… the style of cabinet doors can make a statement by being simple or very ornate. Consider timelessness, ease of cleaning, and, in the case of glass, your level of organization.

Color and Material

Cabinets come in every color of the rainbow and can come in a variety of woods with different stains and textures. There are a variety of materials to choose from, like classic wood, sleek laminate, and even shiny stainless steel — each of which comes with its own set of colors. Remember to choose your color and material with the bigger picture in mind. Don’t forget to pair your cabinet finish with your backsplash and countertops.

Hardware

While hardware is certainly a style choice, it’s also a functional choice! Think about how easy it would be for a belt loop to snag on drawer cabinet pulls or for your baby to grab onto them. Choose a shape and finish keeping in mind how they will complement the cabinet color, overall kitchen design, and traffic flow for your family in the space.

Organization

Don’t forget to consider adjustable shelves, drawers, pull-out trays, and specialized storage solutions for pots, pans, spices, and utensils. You may opt for a trash can drawer or big drawers sturdy enough to hold your counter top appliances when not in use. These solutions can make your kitchen much more functional for everyday use.

Aside from choosing the style and features of the cabinets themselves, you’ll also keep durability and affordability in mind. Cabinets and hardware come in a wide range of colors, materials, finishes, styles and price points. You’ll be happy you spent the time selecting just the right cabinets for your dream home.

Aspen Exterior

Meet the Aspen

Floorplans, Kitchens, Living Space

The Aspen floorplan is a 3 bedroom, 3 bath home with 1,977 heated square feet and a bonus room. It also comes with a spacious two-car garage, offering ample storage space for the whole family.  

 

Starting on the covered front porch, you enter the home’s foyer that contains a conveniently placed coat closet. Immediately to your left is the dining room. The dining room features a large window to offer plenty of natural light for family meals and more.   

 


Aspen-dinning-kitchen-area

 

The living room is just a few steps away and has an option to include a cozy fireplace to provide a lovely focal point in the open floorplan. The kitchen is spacious, featuring an island for additional storage and counter space. You can also entertain guests on the optional covered patio!  

 

   

 

To the right of the living space is the master bedroom. With three windows, an ensuite bathroom with a bathtub and double vanity, and an extremely spacious walk-in closet, it is the perfect escape from the busier shared spaces in the home.  

 

The other two bedrooms are on the opposite side of the house, allowing space for family while preserving the master suite’s privacy. These two bedrooms shared an unattached bathroom and are similar in size. They’re also near a laundry room and linen closet.  

 

Up the stairs, you’ll find another bathroom, a walk-in closet, and a bonus room. This room is perfect for a home office, game room, gym, or even as a guest bedroom! The Aspen is a wonderful option for families and has just enough space for room to grow.  

 

The Aspen Floorplan Rendering

Closet and Pantry Organization Hacks

Home Modifications, Kitchens

Organization is key to a functional home. Spaces like closets and pantries can easily become overcrowded and hard to navigate. How can you maximize your closet and pantry space to make your day-to-day life easier?  Here are a few clever hacks to help.

 

Drawers

Putting a small dresser or drawer unit in your pantry or closet is a great way to put your floor space to use. In a closet, they make so much sense under your hanging clothes. Use the drawers to store pants or folded tops in your closet, or to store snacks in your pantry.

 

Lazy Susan

A Lazy Susan in your pantry is a quick way to easily see everything in the space. Instead of pulling out cans and bottles one by one to view what’s tucked in the back of the shelf, place the items onto a Lazy Susan and simply rotate to find what you need.

 

Hanging Organizers

Use hanging organizers in your closet or your pantry!  In closets, use them to store shoes, accessories, or winter gear. Add a hanging organizer on the back of your pantry door to make spices, snacks or bottled drinks easy to access.

 

Hooks

Hooks are your friend! Hang belts, scarves, jewelry, and hats on small hooks in your closet, and use larger hooks to hang hoodies or jackets. Hooks can be added to wall space or the back of doors for easy access.  In the pantry, hang pots, lids, and utensils from hooks. You can even hang a caddy with hooks and fill it with spices, condiments, or other items.

 

Drawer Organizers

In the kitchen, place dividers and smaller bins into your drawers to separate your utensils, lids, or spices. In closets, use drawer organizers to separate underwear and socks.

 

Clear Containers and Bins

Investing in uniform containers for storage will make your life easier. Instead of trying to fit boxes and cartons that are all different sizes into your pantry space, invest in clear containers that are all the same size, which will stack easily and line up perfectly. This also makes it easier to tell when you’re running low on any pantry staples! Airtight storage containers will also keep your food fresher for longer.

Clear bins and containers can be helpful in closets, too.  Use them for easy viewing of supplies or to rotate seasonal clothing or other items. They make it easy to grab what you need quickly.

Clever Storage Options for Your Home

Bathrooms, Bedrooms, Home Building, Kitchens

You want to be able to enjoy every single space in your home. Here are a few clever storage solutions, some big and some small, to help you make the most of your home.

 

Clever Kitchen Spaces

Adding a pull out spice cabinet will save space by utilizing small vertical spaces between cabinets and appliances.  Wall spice units leverage space over counters and spice drawers keep spices handy and save cabinet spaces for other uses.  In any case, they add and create a practical way to store all the tiny bottles used for spices.

Add a Lazy Susan in a corner cabinet or shelves that pull out like drawers to utilize every inch of useful cabinetry space.  Use stacking shelves, wall shelves or other creative storage ideas in pantries and kitchen spaces to increase storage capacity and ease of access.

Photo https://www.homecrestcabinetry.com/products/cabinet-interiors/wall-spice-pull-out-cabinet

 

A Christmas Tree Closet

Does your Christmas tree take up a lot of space?  Do you dread assembly before the holidays and disassembly in January? Plan a large closet for your tree in or near your living room. Then just roll your Christmas tree out in December and back into the closet in January.  Done.

 

Mirror Mirror on the Wall

You’ve heard of barn doors? Well how about a barn door mirror?  Extra storage can be tucked behind a sliding vanity mirror or full length mirror in bathrooms, closets, bedrooms or virtually anywhere you want to hide shelving for small storage.

 

Virtues of Going Vertical

Don’t forget to utilize vertical space! You may need to invest in a ladder or a good step stool, but using vertical space can help with space and efficiency in living spaces, storage spaces and garages. Items stored vertically are take up less space overall and are easier to access.

Photo: homedit.com/cool-firewood-storage-designs/    Photo:https://hips.hearstapps.com/

While you’re thinking vertical, also look for high points in closets, nooks or walls that can be leveraged with wall shelves or other forms of storage to keep items you don’t use everyday up and out of the way.

 

Clear as Mud (Rooms)

Finally, a great place for families to add storage is in a well-equipped mud room. Having a place for coats, hats, gloves, shoes, backpacks and purses to live when not in use will keep this clutter out of your own closets. It’s also easier to grab everything that everyone needs in one place, rather than stopping in several bedrooms and closets looking for each item. This can be as simple as a bench that doubles as storage with hooks hanging above it, or as elaborate as a small room with shelving, a shoe rack, coat closet, etc.

photo: https://www.thisoldhouse.com/entryways-mudrooms/21372103/mudroom-storage-ideas

How to Care for Your Countertops

Bathrooms, blog, Home Building, Kitchens, New Home, Residential, Uncategorized

How to Protect Your Countertops

There are some general rules of thumb you can follow to protect your countertops, no matter which type you have.

  • Wipe away spills as soon as possible, especially if spilled food is acidic or has coloring or dyes
  • Avoid standing or sitting on stone countertops
  • Always use a cutting board when preparing food
  • Use trivets to protect your counters from hot dishes while cooking

How to Clean Your Countertops

Granite

Granite is one of the most popular choices for kitchen counters. It is resistant to bacteria, comes in a wide variety of styles and colors, and is a beautiful addition to any new home.

  • Clean daily with warm soap, water, and a microfiber cloth or sponge
  • If stained, make a paste out of baking soda and water and use a microfiber cloth to remove the stain – don’t scrub
  • Don’t use vinegar, windex, or bleach on granite (this will dull the granite and weaken the sealant)
  • Plan on having a professional reseal your granite countertops every 2-4 years

Quartz

This increasingly popular option is engineered to be durable and doesn’t require a sealant because it is nonporous.

  • As one of the easiest countertops to care for, quartz resists stains and scratches, and is not negatively affected by acidic foods.
  • Clean daily with warm soap, water, and a microfiber cloth or sponge
  • Gently scrape any excess buildup of dirt or food with a putty knife
  • Don’t use bleach or harsh chemicals because it may damage the surface

Cultured Marble

Cultured marble is a more affordable counter option than natural stone and it beautifully imitates natural marble. Like quartz, cultured marble is manufactured to be durable and doesn’t require a sealant.

  • Clean daily with warm soap, water, and a microfiber cloth or sponge
  • For gloss finishes, completely avoid abrasives
  • For matte finishes, abrasives are ok when you’re trying to get rid of a stain
    • If stained, make a paste out of baking soda and water and use a microfiber cloth to remove the stain – don’t scrub
  • To maintain the surface’s shine, apply a protective coat of wax every few months

Formica (Laminate)

 The most common brand of laminate countertops is Formica. With laminate countertops, you have more freedom in choosing cleaning products and they are typically easier to maintain than natural stone countertops.

  • Clean daily with warm soap, water, or household cleaner and a microfiber cloth or sponge
  • Avoid acidic cleansers or bleach
  • If stained, make a paste out of baking soda and water and use a microfiber cloth to remove the stain – don’t scrub

If you’re not sure which type of countertop you have, regular dish soap and water will work on almost any surface. The most important thing you can do is clean spills right away to avoid long-term staining or damage to the surface’s finish. Also always avoid scouring pads if you’re unsure of your counter’s surface.

If your countertops are shiny, they are likely sealed so you should avoid using harsh abrasives. You can use baking soda and water for tough spots rather than a scouring pad, but we recommend taking it slow and being careful not to scrub.

For more home maintenance tips, visit our blog.

Thank you for visiting Horizons East Building Co

Bathrooms, Bedrooms, Commerical, Custom Homes, Home Modifications, Kitchens, Landscaping, Living Space, Neighborhoods, Outreach, Residential, Semi-Custom Homes, Uncategorized

Horizons East is a residential and commercial building company located in Jacksonville, NC. Horizons is your go-to builder for all things construction related. Whether you are looking to build the brand new custom home of your dreams, purchase a new home already under construction, remodel your current home, or build your new office, Horizons is the company for you. Continue reading →