Kitchen Remodeling Archives - Page 6 of 6 - Bruzzese Home Improvements

As the season changes, many of us will get the itch to tackle any number of home improvement projects before winter. For some, a complete remodel is in the works. For others, just a few quick fixes are needed to make the home a more enjoyable space during the long winter months or in preparation for holiday entertaining.

With the kitchen at the heart of the home, it’s an obvious place to take time for a few updates this season. Here are a few ideas to help give your kitchen a fresh look without spoiling the budget.

Overhaul cabinetry without breaking the bank

Although replacing kitchen cabinetry may seem to be a major project, it usually makes the biggest impact. With unlimited options to choose from and varying price points, it’s easy to become overwhelmed and discouraged. Even if your budget is small, don’t give up on the idea of updating your kitchen cabinetry because there are plenty of affordable solutions. Contact us for a free consultation for idea’s to update your kitchen no matter what your budget is. We are currently offering 10% off labor costs (new customers only) through December 25, 2012 so now is a great time to take advantage of this great discount!

Add some personality and shine

Hardware and faucets are touched every day, and wear and tear are inevitable. Just switching out these pieces can make a dramatic difference by adding a fresh shine, some personality and even greater functionality to the space. If your cabinetry hardware seems a bit dated, opt for one of many modern options for an instant, low-cost update. Replace the kitchen faucet with a sleek, better-functioning style to elevate the kitchen design, but also introduce a newer water-saving solution.

Don’t underestimate the power of paint

With color trends constantly changing, and the focus on color in the home becoming more prominent, a fresh coat of paint can change the look and feel of a space almost instantly. With the changing season, opt for colors that add warmth and comfort or choose a bright color to combat the gray of winter. Paint can also help cover up unsightly wall marks and stains and provide the backdrop for new decor and furnishings for a whole new look. To ensure your new look has staying power, make sure to purchase a quality paint specially formulated for the kitchen.

Lighten up in the kitchen

Kitchen lighting is easy to overlook. If there are outdated lighting fixtures in your kitchen, or simply not enough light, consider adding new whimsical pendant lights or splurge on a stunning chandelier to create a focal point. Simply adding lighting under the wall cabinets and dimmer switches can introduce a new ambiance to the space. A visit to your local home center or lighting showroom will give you plenty of ideas.

Do you have any idea’s to add to give your kitchen a face lift? We’d love to hear them!

*10% off all labor costs now through December 25, 2012. (new customers only)

Eric and Cortney Auletta live in a great apartment in Hastings, New York. Problem was, the kitchen was cramped and needed a make over. I was delighted that they contacted me for the project! Eric was kind enough to send me these pictures:

We love our customers! If you live in the Lower Westchester area of New York, please contact us to discuss your home improvement/home renovation project. We’d love to hear from you!

– Gary Bruzzese, Owner, Bruzzese Home Improvements.
914-576-2572

Kitchen makeovers remain popular as homeowners continue to invest to create a warm, stylish, comfortable, and efficient heart of the home. In addition to improved aesthetics and organization,kitchen remodels also hold reasonable resale value.

According to Remodeling magazine’s 2011-2012 Cost vs. Value Report, midrange minor kitchen remodels — new countertops, appliances, cabinet fronts, and hardware — have an average national cost just shy of $20,000 and get 72% return on investment. Midrange major remodels, which include new appliances, cabinets, countertops, flooring, and lighting, have a mid-range average of $57,824 and a nearly 66% return. High-end renovations can easily cost $100,000 and up.

Though aesthetics are important, the driving remodeling force is functionality. Start by doing some research and tour show houses and kitchen show rooms to see product up close and personal. Next, set a budget that reflects your main priorities for the new space and familiarize yourself with basic elements of design. Read more…

Source: Zillow Blog, By Bob Vila

Bruzzese Home Improvements specializes in kitchen remodels. Contact us today for your free in home consultation!

Bigger isn’t always better in the real estate world, and what’s more, it’s not always possible. With more baby boomers downsizing from McMansions to smaller, more manageable houses, and a growing number of people opting to rent rather than buy, many families are looking for new ways to decorate, design and work with smaller spaces.

Kitchens sell homes, but this most-used room in the house hasn’t escaped the “less is more” trend, either. Interior designers, decorators and home product makers are responding to the growing demand for practical, beautiful options that make sense in smaller kitchens.

If you’re looking to make a big impact in a small kitchen, here are a few ideas to get you started:

Work the walls – You may love your cozy kitchen, but that doesn’t mean you want to make it look or feel any smaller than it already is. Lighter wall colors can help a little kitchen feel more open and airy. One winning decorating technique for small kitchens is to paint the majority of the wall space in a light neutral tone, like a pale cream or taupe and then add a pop of brighter or darker color to one accent wall or area. You can edge up the excitement of this technique by using a mural for kitchens on the accent wall, rather than just a different paint color. Have an oddly shaped niche in your kitchen? You can turn that problematic space into a design statement with custom, repositionable wallpaper that can be custom-sized and custom-colored to fit your specifications. This unique product can be adhered and re-ahered hundreds of times so you can take it with you to your next house if you choose.

Smart-size your appliances – Sure that 30-cubic-foot stainless steel refrigerator is beautiful in the showroom, but how much will you love it when you can’t fully open the door in your small kitchen? Refrigerators come in several sizes, so you should be able to find one that will fit your space. The same is true for stoves, microwaves and dishwashers. Choosing appliances that make size-sense for the space you have not only improves the livability of your petite kitchen, it can improve your efficiency as well.

Get creative with storage – One of the biggest challenges of a small kitchen is finding space for everything from pots and pans to flatware, dishes and foodstuffs. Small spaces call for storage creativity. Whether you hang some pots and pans overhead, replace traditional cabinet shelves with pullout drawers or use special racks to store plates vertically, you can find plenty of creative small-kitchen storage solutions.

Liven things up with light – Often, a small kitchen will have just one window – or no window at all. Yet light is an important way to make a tight space feel more expansive and inviting. Task lighting is essential for work areas in small spaces. Pendant lights can create ambiance and provide practical illumination without sacrificing any wall space. And if you crave natural light for your windowless kitchen, consider installing a skylight. Tubular skylights can bring sunlight into your ground-floor kitchen even if there’s a second floor above it.

Small kitchens are here to stay, whether as part of the trend toward smaller, more efficient homes or the reality of rental unit life. With some decorating creativity and practical design tactics, you can ensure your small kitchen yields large benefits – both in terms of enjoyment and resale value.

Bruzzese Home Improvements specializes in kitchen remodeling and kitchen renovation. Please give us a call at 914-576-2572 or send us an email to bruzzesehomeimprovements@gmail.com for your free in home design consultation.

We love a good challenge and we love our customers (like Linda Pallini & Arnie Fleischer)! Linda & Arnie were kind enough to take some pictures of us remodeling their kitchen and send them our way. They were also kind enough to say this about Bruzzese Home Improvements:

“Thanks again to you, your guys and Richie for going above and beyond to solve a tough issue! Genius does not depend on the school…experience and “smarts” count for more!” L & A.

Thank you Linda & Arnie for the kind words and thank you for choosing Bruzzese Home Improvements for your kitchen remodel project!

Linda Pallini & Arnie Fleischer Kitchen Remodel — Day 4: hood issue being resolved by carpenters, plumbers, cabinet guys

day 4: hole above range hood to be fixed! — Day 4: hole above range hood to be fixed!

genius solution to hood issue — Genius solution to hood issue

Stylish new kitchen additions take a dramatically dark turn

Love the way you feel after slipping into your little black dress, or donning a well-tailored black suit? Black is not only a great shade on you – it’s also a great shade for your home. The stylish finish is especially perfect in the kitchen – and can be seen in everything from kitchen appliances to hardware, and now even faucets. Make your kitchen feel just as good as you do in your go-to outfit with the magic of black.

Appliance accents
Stainless steel appliances exude the aura of a high-end, professional kitchen. But the modern stainless appliance wouldn’t be complete without rich, black accents. From ironwork grates and griddles on stainless stoves to refrigerators with black ice makers and handles, the combination of black and stainless conveys professionalism and power. Not in the market for new major appliances? This same feeling can be conveyed with smaller ticket items, from the coffee maker to the toaster oven.

A dramatic finish
The sink is, without a doubt, the most used area in the kitchen. From filling cups to washing dishes; rinsing fruits and vegetables to replenishing Fido’s bowl, the sink is used dozens of times per day. That said, it should be the first place we consider when it comes to decor, not just an afterthought. Since it’s such a central area, why not give your sink a bit of character by adding a dramatic black faucet? The Arbor kitchen faucet in a Matte Black finish from Moen provides a streamlined appearance that coordinates perfectly with black or stainless-and-black kitchen appliances and accessories. The collection also features the Moen Reflex system on pullout and pulldown kitchen faucets. Reflex allows for unmatched performance that offers smooth operation, easy movement and secure retraction.

Pair your bold, black kitchen faucet with a professional-grade stainless steel sink, like a Moen Lancelot Professional undermount sink, to create a look that blends a high-end chef’s kitchen with a touch of signature style.

Sophisticated surfaces
Countertops play a large role in the function of a kitchen, setting the stage for food preparation, the use and display of everything from toasters to teapots, and activities from surfing the internet to entertaining guests. Black granite countertops can be a great addition to an already sophisticated kitchen. The options are far more extensive than basic black, ranging from midnight black to a more mixed shade, with secondary colors of grey, white, or even bolder hues, like sapphire. If your budget doesn’t quite leave enough room for granite countertops, solid surface countertops offer a look that mimics stone, at a lower price point. With a durable, non-porous surface and a seamless appearance, solid surface countertops are the perfect solution for busy families.

Dramatic radiance
Light fixtures can often set the tone for the entire room, both by the light they give off and the look of the fixture. Create a new appearance for your kitchen and dining area by adding a bold choice in lighting. Chandeliers with vintage-style ironwork, strings of black glass or crystal beads, or even dramatic black prints, can be a beautiful accent to an elegant kitchen – the piece de resistance to tie the whole room together.

With just a few stylish, dark-hued accents, you can create a kitchen that stands out, instead of simply blending in.

Bruzzese Home Improvements specializes in kitchen home improvement projects and remodeling. Please click here for more info!

What’s the Kitchen’s Look?

The addition of the Eddie Bauer line has given Valspar’s collection a new dimension. Now, you can choose ready-made kitchen paint color schemes that look like a mountain cabin, a bungalow, a farmhouse, and more.

Here, the relentlessly sunny look of Eddie Bauer’s Daffodil is punctuated–and kept in check–with the darker Pine Needle kitchen island.

Restrained Farmhouse Yellow Kitchen — Valspar/Eddie Bauer Kitchen Paint Color Idea: Farmhouse Yellow Copyright Valspar

Kitchen Paint Tips and Tricks

Don’t stress about kitchen paint colors. Cabinetry covers at least 50% of most kitchen wall-space, leaving the other 50% to be used for backsplashes, trim, and other non-paint areas. That leaves a smaller area than you might think that needs paint. Click here to continue reading…

By Lee Wallender, About.com Guide

Call Us

Give your kitchen a fresh face

Kitchen remodel in Hastings, NY

Tips for Your Kitchen Remodel

Big design ideas for small kitchen spaces

Kitchen Remodel for Linda & Arnie

Black is ‘in’ for up-to-date interiors

Stylish new kitchen additions take a dramatically dark turn

Easy Kitchen Paint Color Designs You Can Copy

What’s the Kitchen’s Look?

Kitchen Paint Tips and Tricks

Bruzzese Home Improvements

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