Blog, Kitchen Styles
Everyone we speak to in Michiana wants to do their best and take prudent measures to keep family members safe. The coronavirus pandemic has placed a premium on disinfecting and cleaning. Think about the empty shelves in the grocery store where cleaning supplies typically are stocked.
The Center for Disease Control has issued guidelines for cleaning and disinfecting your home. A tool that may help keep your family safe is the sanitizing cycle found on many dishwashers, washing machines and dryers. The ability to kill germs on clothes, cutlery, dishes and glassware depends on water temperature. Appliances with sanitization cycles meeting National Sanitation Foundation standards are tested to ensure that they can eliminate potentially harmful allergens, some microorganisms and bacteria. Dishwashers that meet NSF standards have rinse water temperatures of at least 150 degrees, and the water temperature of washing machines that meet NSF standards must reach a minimum of 131 degrees. Concerning clothes dryers, the heat from a normal cycle is not sufficient to sanitize laundry. However, the sanitizing cycle increases dryer temperature to one that can kill germs or bacteria lingering on your laundry.
A best practice for protecting your family is to rinse and load dirty dishes into your dishwasher immediately. Leaving dirty dishes in a sink, countertop or elsewhere creates a ripe environment for the growth of E. coli, salmonella and listeria, and those harmful bacteria increase the longer dishes sit in an open-air environment. If dishes sit long enough, it may be difficult for a regular dishwasher to disinfect them.
There’s more incentive to be vigilant today. Before the outbreak of COVID-19, most appliance experts recommended sanitizing cycles on appliances as an effective tool to help allergy sufferers. According to the World Health Organization, the coronavirus can live on plastic and metal surfaces for several days, even though the CDC says the virus does not spread easily from contaminated surfaces. Why take the risk if you have appliances with sanitization cycles?
Other appliances that can help you keep your home safer include air purifiers, HEPA vacuum cleaners and steam convection ovens. These appliances are all designed to eliminate bacteria and sanitize hard-to-clean items. If you want to take the natural path consider an air-purifying plant for your kitchen.
If you are in the market for a new washer, dryer, dishwasher or oven, and would like to know which appliances have NSF compliant sanitation cycles, give us a call at (574) 533-0597 or send an email to info@leathermansupply.com make a virtual or face-to-face appointment at our showroom.
Blog, Kitchen Styles, Resources
There’s a misconception among homeowners in Michiana. We find several homeowners don’t commit to a kitchen remodel because of their kitchen’s smaller footprint. Size does not matter. Lifestyle, enjoyment, and family do. Regardless of the size of the kitchen, the most important factor in renovating or creating new space is to determine how space will be used. That’s why we ask our clients how often they prepare meals, entertain, and host family celebrations. We also want to know who uses the kitchen and what activities generally take place in the area. Additionally, we want to understand how homeowners in Michiana would expand their kitchen use if it were a more enjoyable and welcoming space.
We know how to expand the look and feel of a smaller kitchen without actually increasing the size of the footprint. Here are several ideas to create the illusion of a larger space without compromising the look, feel or functionality.
Thin Is In
Most homeowners in Michiana may not realize that specifying smaller and thinner appliances creates additional countertop and cabinet space. A standard dishwasher is 24 inches wide, but many of our clients find an 18-inch model that serves their needs and helps provide the space for bigger cabinets elsewhere. The same logic can apply to refrigerators. Many homeowners believe they need the largest fridge that they can fit in a space. A thinner model may serve your purposes if you don’t cook or go to the grocery store daily. We often recommend refrigerators that are 30 or 28 inches wide versus the more popular size of 36-inch+ models.
Specifying panels that match your cabinetry is another trick to make a smaller kitchen appear larger because it creates a consistent flow throughout the space.
Lifestyle choice also will influence the sink that we specify. Most clients come to the showroom with the desire for a double sink. Double bowls are great if you cook a lot. They may not be needed if you don’t. A double sink typically requires 36 inches of space. Single bowls require 24 inches. The extra space provides for an additional standard size cabinet.
Along with slimming appliances, specifying slimmer cabinets can help open up a kitchen. Many manufacturers offer thinner versions of the standard 24-inch depth cabinet. Using 12- or 15-inch deep cabinetry creates more floor space and a more open feel.
Make it Light and Bright
White or lighter shades of cabinets will provide a more open feel to a smaller space. Lighting is equally important. Installing interior cabinet lights, undercabinet lighting, and in-drawer lighting will make your kitchen look brighter and much larger. The same effect can be achieved by opting for glass door cabinets that can showcase your crystal, fine china, or other items that have special meaning to you and your family.
Mirrors help to make smaller rooms larger, and the kitchen is no exception. We will often recommend a mirrored backsplash or stainless steel if the stainless steel is the preferred appliance finish. Mirrored surfaces provide a sense of depth to any room, making the space look and feel larger.
Need additional suggestions on how to create a dream kitchen with a limited footprint? Call our showroom at (574) 533-0597 to make an appointment to visit us at 2423 Peddlers Village Rd, Goshen, IN 46528.
Bathroom Styles, Blog, Kitchen Styles, Resources
Why should you rely on a designer to create your dream kitchen or bath in Michiana? Renovating an existing space or building a brand new kitchen, bath, closet or laundry room is a major investment of time and resources. The internet is both our friend and foe. While the internet provides access to every product and service that you could ever need for a renovation project, the amount of information available online can be overwhelming and is likely to cause analysis paralysis. You might find inaccurate information online, which can contribute to unrealistic expectations and elevates stress levels. A professional designer can help you avoid those pitfalls. Showroom professionals can be your greatest asset because they know how to make order out of chaos.
Trust is a key component of project success. Whenever we design a project in and around Michiana, we take the time to interview our clients to gain an understanding of their priorities and wish lists. We pick their brains to better understand and deliver on their dreams. Every project is unique and there should never be a cookie-cutter approach. Our goal when designing a space is to create something new. There are no standard recipes. That’s what makes design fun, exciting and so rewarding for our clients and our team. It’s the creative process, and we love converting Michiana -area homeowners’ dreams into a reality.
When looking for a designer to create a dream space in your home, make sure that you understand the designer’s style and approach to the design and building process. This understanding almost always creates a comfort level. It does not matter the size of the budget or scope of the project, if you and your designer are not on the same page, problems are likely to follow. With any project, there are lots of decisions to be made, and there is always a need to compromise. A good designer knows the right questions to ask to not only determine your style, but also to direct you to product and design choices that complement your existing home décor (as applicable) and personal style and to ensure a consistent flow and look throughout your home.
We often advise our clients in Michiana to trust in the process. Regardless of how much time you invest in research before coming to a showroom or visiting virtually, professional designers have a vast amount of experience and knowledge that is critical to project success. We often find that clients will balk at something new or an out-of-the-box approach. One of the primary reasons to hire a designer is to provide the freedom to use their talents and experience to design and direct the project and to create something that is uniquely yours. Every one of our clients has opinions and goals for their project. Designers translate those ideas and goals to create something exceedingly special.
For additional guidance on working effectively with designers and showrooms even remotely, give us a call at (574) 533-0597 or send an email to info@leathermansupply.com
Blog, Kitchen Styles
We wish nothing but the best for homeowners in Michiana during this challenging time. We realize that many of you are spending more time in your home than ever before. You might be noticing more, examining things closer and taking stock. Perhaps your kitchen isn’t quite the way that you wish it were. That’s where we come in. Currently, we are offering virtual consults to share ideas and help you imagine a new kitchen beyond your wildest dreams and expectations.
Color plays an important role in this your kitchen design, and our team can help you identify the color scheme best suited for you and your space. White cabinets continue to dominate remodeling, accounting for more than 40% of all kitchen remodeling projects. Blue and green tones are trending in new-kitchen design and mixing these into your new kitchen either as base or upper cabinets, as appliance colors or as accents provides a monochromatic effect that can be electric.
If you are drawn to white, you can offset its potential to feel cold and clinical by mixing in different colors and materials. You can accomplish this with wood floors, countertops or a butcher block either as standalone or incorporating a wood cutting board into a countertop. Another option to consider is white upper kitchen cabinets with black or darker lower cabinets. Imagine a white onyx countertop contrasting against black lower cabinets. Classic and gorgeous.
If you want to incorporate different colors beyond a black and white palate into your new kitchen, look to mother nature for inspiration. We often are drawn to colors found in food, ranging from olives and champagne to blood oranges and eggplants to make a dramatic statement and focal point when used as a backsplash or wall color.
Mixing off white with white is another option if you want to break up the stark feel of an all-white kitchen. The end result is a calm feel to the room.
Red, white and blue as a color combination can be perfect for a kitchen to generate a vibe that combines cleanliness, softness, and vibrancy. This color combination typically works best when red and blue are used as accent colors that can really pop when used next to one another.
What colors would work best, and where they should be incorporated into your new kitchen? Find out by giving us a call at (574) 533-0597 or email us to arrange a free virtual conversation with one of our talented designers:info@leathermansupply.com. For additional inspiration and budget ideas, visit our website atLeathermanSupply.com.
Blog, Resources
In light of COVID 19, we understand many homeowners in Elkhart, Kosciusko, and St. Joseph County, Indiana are working from home. That’s a compelling reason to make sure that your home’s most important room – the kitchen – looks, operates and feels great. It’s easy to overlook kitchen clutter during the hustle and bustle of the average day when everyone in your family seems pulled in different directions. However, if you are spending most of your waking time at home, reorganizing and refreshing your kitchen not only will make you happier, it’s also likely to make you more productive.
Review and refresh how you use your kitchen. Do you need to take a deep dive into your refrigerator? Has your cutlery drawer become a tangled web of utensils that you rarely, if ever, use? Make a plan of attack to refresh your kitchen to help it function more effectively and simply make it more enjoyable to use and be in the space.
Clean out your fridge. Take everything out of your refrigerator and freezer, shelf by shelf. Throw out anything expired as well as anything that you haven’t used for more than three months. You know what we are talking about – that jar of pickles, jellies, salad dressing, etc.
Clean other appliances. Run your dishwasher with nothing in it. Rinse your waste disposer with white vinegar. Ten minutes later, pour boiling water down the drain. Then run your waste disposer with ice cubes and lemon rinds. Degrease your cooktop. Use the self-cleaning function on your oven. Empty the crumb tray on your toaster. Clean your microwave. Replace the filters on your coffee maker and refrigerator. Run only water through your coffee maker. Clean other countertop appliances used regularly.
Declutter drawers and cabinets. Tackle one drawer and cabinet at a time. Remove everything, and wipe down the drawer and/or shelves. Determine the contents that are used regularly, used rarely or not used at all. For the later, either dispose of those items or donate them to a charity. For rarely used items, e.g., the turkey roaster used only on Thanksgiving or Christmas, consider another location in your home to free up counter or cabinet space. Donate or toss duplicate items – how many peelers and melon ballers do you need? Inventory your knives. Sharpen those that you use frequently, and consider a new home for those that you rarely use.
Tackle the pantry. Pull out each item and ask, “how does this item make me feel?” If the response is not positive, either toss the item in the trash bin or donate it to a food bank. When you restock the pantry, replace items in a logical order. Put all canned goods together. Designate a separate area for baking ingredients, spices, grains, nuts, etc. Reorganizing your pantry by category not only will help you to eat healthier, but it will also save time for meal preparation and cooking. When you empty your pantry, it’s a perfect time to clean shelves and containers.
Take care of your sinks and faucets. Wash your sink and pay attention to joints and seals where grime can accumulate.
Clean countertops and open shelves. Take everything off your open shelves and countertops. Do a thorough curation. For each item, ask if this is something that you want to look at every day. If not, donate or relocate.
Don’t ignore windows, walls and floors. Vacuum your ceiling, walls and the floor. Wipe down walls and cabinet exteriors with dish soap and warm water. Send your window covers to a launderer or dry cleaner, or if they are washable, throw them in your washing machine.
If you would like additional tips and tricks for making your kitchen look, function and feel the best it can be, please give us a call at (574) 533-0597 or arrange for a virtual visit to our showroom. 2423 Peddlers Village Rd, Goshen, IN 46528
Blog, Kitchen Styles
You have heard the horror stories from friends and neighbors in and around Granger, Indiana when their kitchen, bath or home remodel spun out of control. Perhaps it took twice as long as expected or it cost considerably more than budgeted. Ugh! More often than not, you can avoid most remodeling problems with proper preparation and realistic expectations. Those are two deliverables you should expect when you work with a professional designer and showroom.
Budget Realistically
Researching costs online and relying on home and garden television are recipes for disaster. While HGTV is a wonderfully useful source of inspiration and ideas, it is horrendously unreliable as a source for timing and budget. Have you ever noticed on home improvement television there’s an initial meeting and then work begins? What’s missing are the many hours needed to develop designs, select, order and quality control products, obtain permits (if required) and schedule labor. HGTV also fails to mention the cost of labor, and that can be more than 50% of the overall expense.
A professional designer and showroom is involved in hundreds of kitchen projects a year and knows what a remodel should cost. It would be best if you depended on your showroom professional to develop a realistic budget and timetable for your project. Even the best-laid plans can encounter the unexpected. That’s why we recommend to our clients in Michiana to budget a 20% contingency.
The Lowest Bid Rarely is the Lowest Cost
Homeowners in Granger and the surrounding region who believe that the lowest bid and the cheapest products will deliver the best results are the ones who almost always are disappointed with results.
Instead of the lowest cost, you should be looking to obtain the highest value. Value differs for each homeowner. Many of our clients who love to cook, want appliances that provide professional chef functionality. Other clients can’t live without quartz countertops and custom cabinets. In every phase of a kitchen remodel, there are value opportunities. That’s why it is critical to identify the design and product features that are most important to you and your family. To do so, we recommend clients create idea books on Instagram, Houzz.com and other idea-generating websites.
Design Makes Huge Difference
Your new kitchen or bath should make you smile every time you cross the threshold. A professional designer can convert your vision into reality and provide a finished project that functions as well as it looks. That’s why the planning stage of a project is critical to a project’s success. It’s where we take a deep dive into the details that make all of the difference.
If you would like additional ideas to reduce the stress of your renovation project, please give us a call at (574) 533-0597 or visit our showroom at 2423 Peddlers Village Rd, Goshen, IN 46528.
