#Fine living: Pros and cons of custom vs. prefab cabinets

Posted: 11/08/08, 12:01 AM PST | Updated: on 03/19/2015

Custom or prefabricated kitchen cabinets? That's the question that's stumping a Mill Valley home-owner who's planning and budgeting for an upcoming kitchen remodel. His architect is steering him toward custom cabinets on the premise that prefab cabinets compromise the quality and craftsmanship and, possibly, the overall value of the house itself.

The kitchen in his turn-of-the-century Mill Valley home has a fairly standard configuration for the cabinets, and the bid for the cabinets, with glass doors on the upper cabinets, comes in at about $32,000 including the finishing.

In a recent Fine Living column, he read about Robert Nebolon, the San Rafael architect who customized IKEA cabinets in the remodel of his Eichler home. Although the Mill Valley homeowner wasn't interested in IKEA cabinets, he would consider some from Home Depot or Expo Design, ... Read more »

#Fixing a Kitchen Base Unit

Summary: How to fit a kitchen base unit. Find out how to fix or fit a base unit from planning out your installation through to actually getting your units fitted. This project show you how to fit and fix base units to all types of wall including plasterboard.

Fixing kitchen base units is done using the same principle whether it is a 150mm wide drawer unit or a 1000mm wide sink unit. The basics of getting the unit in place and fixed to the wall are the same.

Firstly you must determine the height of your work top. Most work tops are set at 900mm above the floor to allow for kitchen appliances to be slid underneath. Mark the underside of the work top on the wall as this is the height of your base unit. Most base, sink and drawer units these days come with adjustable legs. If yours does not have these it is very important you get your floor level. This can be done with self levelling floor screed.

Put the unit in posi ... Read more »

#Fitting a Monoblock or Mixer tap

Summary: How to fit a monoblock tap to a kitchen sink, basin or bath. Learn how to connect, fit or replace a mixer tap in your kitchen or bathroom. And get some hints ideas which tools will make this project a little easier.

It has to be said that fitting a monoblock mixer tap is not the easiest operation in the world and can certainly be a bit fiddly. However, this project should go some way to making it a little easier.

If you do not have any isolation valves handy to cut off the water supply while you carry out your work then you will have to ensure that the water is turned off. Additionally, while the water is off it's a good idea to fit isolation vales for any work you may need to carry out in the future.

How do Monoblock Taps Work?

Top and bottom of a monoblock tap

The monoblock is a very clever piece of design technology which allows both the hot and cold feed to enter the b ... Read more »

#Frank Andrews Mobile Kitchen LLC

Here at Frank Andrews Mobile Kitchen LLC, our emphasis is on providing our customers with high-quality food that is prepared by our professionally trained and personable staff in a manner that not only reflects innovation but also demonstrates an appreciation for traditional Old World cooking techniques.

Our handmade, tossed Napolitano-style pizzas, calzones, and breads, are baked in our artisan wood-fired oven. We offer high-quality – yet competitively priced locally grown and prepared fresh food. As a mobile food vender, we have the unique ability to travel throughout Connecticut to serve customers wherever they may be located.

Wood Fired Pizza Catering

In addition to catering community-wide functions (e.g. sporting events, fairs, farm markets, festivals, concerts, etc.,) and corporate/business functions at local wineries or marinas, we cater private/residential functions such as weddings, birthday parties ... Read more »

#Five Ways to Update Old Kitchen Counters

Old counters can make a kitchen feel out-of-date, but replacing them with new, expensive materials isn't always an option. Here are a few less expensive ways to update old counters.

Give It a New Look with Paint

Assuming you're starting with standard laminate counters, there are a couple of different ways you can use paint for a new look. On the less-expensive end of the spectrum, there are products like Rust-Oleum's countertop paint. that are tintable to almost any color.

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In the image above, chalkboard paint and paste wax were used to make soapstone-like counters. You can see more on that transformation here.

Rust-Oleum also makes a Transformations product which is a three-step process that mimics the look of natural stone.

It's a three-step process which takes more time, and it's a little more pricey—upwards of $200 per kit—bu ... Read more »

#Flat Pack Kitchens

Delivery Information

Flat Pack Kitchens, Flat pack Cabinets and Flat Pack Wardrobes have been made by Tom Armstrong and the team working as Armstrong Custom Cabinets (est 1981)through the associated company Kitchen in a Box since 1999 .Originally Tom Armstrong and the team worked as a installed and complete kitchen manufacturing company but changed direction when the internet arose. We were the first Australian company to place our prices for our products on open display for everyone to evaluate prices within their own homes.

Based in Ipswich, South East Queensland, Australia, they have progressively continued to become one of the most respected Cabinet Makers in the area especially since the inception of their Flat Pack Kitchen range throughout Australia and the Asia-Pacific region.

Designing and installing many Award Winning kitchens and custom built cabinets over the last thirty three years, they have become ... Read more »

#Fitting a New Kitchen 4 - Where to Start

Last Update: Apr 23, 2015

Your new kitchen units have been delivered and the kitchen area is ready for the install, but where do you start ?

The first job to do is check the level of the floor, wherever the highest point is measure up 870mm and mark the wall, this measurement allows 720mm for the base unit and 150mm for the plinth.

From your mark draw a level line using your spirit level across the wall(s), this is the guideline for all your base units. Now measure up from the 870mm mark to the bottom of your wall units (this measurement is down to personal preference).

I would suggest 400 440mm. From this mark draw a level line across the wall(s).

Finally, measure up from the mark to the top of the wall units i.e. 720mm, and once more draw a level line across the wall(s).

(See the image above.)

Now double check your lines are all level.

Assemble the Units

Cr ... Read more »

#Franke Tectonite Kitchen Sink SID110-50 Carbon Black - Masters Home Improvement

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#Focus kitchen mixer, hand spray, swivel spout

Miracles of convenience with hand spray for price-conscious culinary enthusiasts

Chefs always want the best ingredients. Hansgrohe discovered that this starts with the mixer. Our Focus kitchen range has style, substance and functional solutions for any kitchen environment. Convenient: we can offer basic Focus variants featuring a high spout and long handle. We also have a budget sink unit mixer with 2-jet hand spray to offer you.

What Focus means for your kitchen:

• Intelligent functions and high-quality design at an attractive price: the Focus, Focus E and Focus S ranges can fulfil all your aesthetic and practical requirements.
• Focus sink unit mixers offer a wide range of combination options and are ideal for modern kitchens with clear, straight-lined furnishings.
• Chrome or stainless steel. Whatever colours your stove, refrigerator, extractor hood or handle in your ki ... Read more »

#Flat Pack Cabinets, DIY kitchen renovations, cheap wardrobes, storage solutions, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, Canberra, NSW, VIC, SA, WA, QLD

Surprise your partner by D.I.Y installing perfect custom made cabinetry.

Satisfaction quaranteed with RISK-FREE ordering, easy assembly, low cost laminate kitchen, laundry, wardrobe and general storage cupboards in both Standard AND Made-to-measure (custom sized) flat pack cabinets.

This is what some of our customers reported to Rod Tyson, our Production Manager: Hi Rod,

Just a note to thank you.

The kits were perfect.

My brother and I assembled and installed the kitchen and laundry in a day and a half and they look great.

We are very happy with our cabinets; by the way, they fit perfectly and were no trouble to assemble. My wife is thrilled with her new kitchen - the first brand new kitchen she has ever had. But all went together very smoothly and the resu ... Read more »