When I’m shopping for big ticket items such as appliances, computers or furniture, I always shop in the bigger stores. Like most people my thinking was they would have more to choose from, the price would be lower due to their volume and the sales people would be more knowledgeable. I thought I was an informed consumer, a price comparative shopper, that I always got good value for my money and the "big box" stayed in business because I was right.
It’s interesting to me why some things are thought to be better because they are small but others are not. I would like to meet the guy who thinks a classroom with 50 students is taught as well as a class of 30, that tomatoes shipped in by the truck load are as good as the ones I pick fresh out of the little garden in my yard, that if you made a trip cross country in a bus loaded with tourists it would be as enjoyable as the same trip in your car or that the meal from the local buffet is as good as mom’s home cooking. You get the point.
Then I compared my business to theirs.
They have better prices? The big box store has more overhead so their prices are normally higher. This has been proven over and over again with jobs we’ve done & I’d be happy to prove it with your project.
Their employees are more knowledgeable? Their employees are not there because they are experts in their field, most only know what the manufacturer's sales rep told them about the product. We have more than 25+ years in this field. We also have worked hands on with dozens of different cabinet lines before choosing the ones we wanted to offer and we are so particular about how our projects turn out we are personally on site at every job.
Their product selection is bigger? Not really. We limit the selection based on QUALITY. We can’t base our reputation on a inferior product and just "good enough" is not what we want as a referral.
The service issue could be a subject all it’s own. Go into a big box store and ask the sales person about the guy they will be sending to your home for installation or to do service work. Most can’t even give you the name of the company let alone the individuals who are going to knock on your door because the work is performed by outside contractors.
I hope you give all of these points some thought the next time you’re faced with a purchasing choice. So visit the little guy, get personal 'one on one' service, meet the people you are inviting into your home and get some real value for your money or call me, I do house calls at no charge.
Friday, July 31, 2009
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Farmhouse/ Apron Front Sinks
The Farmhouse Sink Resurgence.
The apron sink as it is sometimes called is a traditional Farmhouse style. Normally a single deep bowl, mounted under the counter top to be lower in front for easy access. These sinks are gaining in popularity due to their versatile nature. The only sink I know of that depending on the sink material can be adapted to any style from Rustic to Contemporary. From the traditional look of china, fireclay or cast iron to sleek stainless, hand forged copper or natural granite and soapstone, the sinks of today will retain their quality and beauty for years. They have deep basins, usually from 9-15 inches deep and can handle those bigger stock pots and kettles.
What you need to consider is how uncomfortable it can be to be bent over a sink that’s too deep. What you will find is the price goes up nearly $50.00(sometimes more) per inch in depth. This holds true for your standard double bowl top mount as well. The added depth can also make your plumbers job a challenge. Don’t forget, there’s a disposal under there for your dish washer and if your have a water filtration system the interior of your sink cabinet gets real crowded.
As far as the aesthetic factor of your decision, once you make the decision to have this type of sink there’s no going back. A standard sink cabinet is not built to accept this type of sink. To reconfigure the existing cabinetry is a matter of replacing two doors and some filler but changing back to a traditional double bowl will require counter top and cabinet replacement.
A restored farmhouse sink can be a rather expensive to retrofit with today’s plumbing. It may be better to go with contemporary versions for new materials options and the added accessories.
These kinds of Farmhouse or Apron Front sinks can be expensive with prices ranging from $299.00 to more than $3,000.00
The apron sink as it is sometimes called is a traditional Farmhouse style. Normally a single deep bowl, mounted under the counter top to be lower in front for easy access. These sinks are gaining in popularity due to their versatile nature. The only sink I know of that depending on the sink material can be adapted to any style from Rustic to Contemporary. From the traditional look of china, fireclay or cast iron to sleek stainless, hand forged copper or natural granite and soapstone, the sinks of today will retain their quality and beauty for years. They have deep basins, usually from 9-15 inches deep and can handle those bigger stock pots and kettles.
What you need to consider is how uncomfortable it can be to be bent over a sink that’s too deep. What you will find is the price goes up nearly $50.00(sometimes more) per inch in depth. This holds true for your standard double bowl top mount as well. The added depth can also make your plumbers job a challenge. Don’t forget, there’s a disposal under there for your dish washer and if your have a water filtration system the interior of your sink cabinet gets real crowded.
As far as the aesthetic factor of your decision, once you make the decision to have this type of sink there’s no going back. A standard sink cabinet is not built to accept this type of sink. To reconfigure the existing cabinetry is a matter of replacing two doors and some filler but changing back to a traditional double bowl will require counter top and cabinet replacement.
A restored farmhouse sink can be a rather expensive to retrofit with today’s plumbing. It may be better to go with contemporary versions for new materials options and the added accessories.
These kinds of Farmhouse or Apron Front sinks can be expensive with prices ranging from $299.00 to more than $3,000.00
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
I Have To Go Here
I have to put in my two cents about the common practice of putting a make-up table in the master bath. I do it all the time. In fact the majority of Master bath's with the room to accommodate the feature will in fact have one. My concern is, I hear the line "it's for the re-sale value" more often than "she will use it". If you are not going to use the area for it's intended purpose than change your layout. You are going to live here right? If the next person to own your home wants to have a make-up table it's easily accomplished. To design your home around a pre conceived idea of what the next person might want is silly. You don't design anything else in your home with anyone other than you in mind so why are you giving up valuable space in your master bath to a catch all table you won't use. On the other side of the coin. If you've been applying your make up while leaning over your bathroom vanity and you're starting to feel it in your back then maybe it's time to make room for a vanity table. Your space can be as narrow as 24 inches and is normally 27-30 inches to the top of the counter (the same as your kitchen table). The vanity cabinet (with the sink)height in this photo is 36" to the top of the counter and the make up table is at 30 inches to the counter. The single wide drawer at the table is convenient for your war paint but the deeper drawers of the vanity cabinet located next to the table will store brushes, curling irons and all the stuff you need to have handy as you prepare for battle, after all staying beautiful in spite of not having a vanity table is a battle.
5 Herbs and Spices You Must Get To Know!
Food being one of those things I'm good at, I found this article and thought I'd share the insight. Todays kitchen recipes seem to be to bland for me. I think in an effort to appeal to everyone most recipes and most resturants keep their offerings on the simple side and it's almost a given we'll "kick it up" on our own. So here's to adding life to your favorite dishes.
5 Herbs and Spices You Must Get To Know!
Diane Gray/ Associated Content
Using herbs and spices in your diet and in remedies to alleviate ailments, will help you to eat and live a more healthy life. Herbs and spices are fragrant and delicious additions to your foods, and also can help you to sooth your physical maladies. Use these wonderful plants in your dishes for both extra nutrients, and pretty garnishes! Here are some of the most popular.Parsley has been known for more that 2,000 years and was best known as a medicinal herb. It originated in the Eastern Mediterranean region, and was used by the Ancient Greeks for kidney and bladder ailments. We still use parsley as a diuretic. It also helps with stomach and liver problems. For women, it can ease the bloating that some experience before their menstrual cycle.But parsley is also a good source of many vitamins and minerals especially iron. It is mostly used as a garnish for dishes, especially in restaurants. Don't throw it away! Eat it! The sprigs as we've explained are very good for you. It's best not to cook parsley because the heat destroys many of its valuable nutrients. If you want to use it in soups and stews, just chop it up and add it at the last minute.Oregano is a sweetly scented spice and was valued by the Ancient Egyptians. They used it as an antidote to poison and also as a preservative. But oregano is most popular for its spicy, minty flavor. Used in the kitchen, it is sprinkled on pizza, and stirred in spaghetti sauces and soups. Oregano is also delicious in egg and cheese dishes. One of the most flavorful types of oregano is Mexican Oregano. You can store the fresh leaves in the refrigerator in a zip-lock bag. If you want to dry oregano, tie the stems together and then hang in a dark, well-ventilated place. After they're dried, store the leaves in an airtight container.Cayenne or red pepper is a member of the pepper family, which includes the familiar bell pepper and the hot and green chilies. Mexico alone grows over 150 varieties of chilies, and the cayenne pepper is one of the hottest. We use it mostly in our recipes calling for a hot, spicy flavor, especially in Mexican dishes.But did you know that peppers were once only used as ornamental plants and not eaten? They were also used in medicinal purposes externally to stimulate the circulation in the skin. The symptoms of rheumatism could also be soothed using the red pepper.Today we use this pepper typically as pepper spice or pepper flakes to zip up the flavor in our foods. Also these peppers are used whole in many Tex-Mex and New Mexican cuisines. The hottest part of the pepper is the seeds and white ribs. If you want your food milder, but still have that pepper flavor, scrape out the seeds and white ribs. If you want it real hot, leave them in!Chives are a member of the onion family and they grow from small bulbs. In the Middle Ages chives were once thought to drive away evil spirits! The stems and even the chive flowers (you can eat them!), are high in vitamin C, folic acid, and potassium. Chives are a great addition to recipes as they help restore the nutrients that may be lost in cooking. When you use chives in your dishes, try not to heat them, as they will lose their vitamins and minerals. Sprinkle them instead on any dish that you would like a nutrient boost. And a sprinkling of chives also makes a pretty presentation! We hope that these little tips and hints will encourage you to use these wonderful, healthy herbs and spices every day in your cooking!
5 Herbs and Spices You Must Get To Know!
Diane Gray/ Associated Content
Using herbs and spices in your diet and in remedies to alleviate ailments, will help you to eat and live a more healthy life. Herbs and spices are fragrant and delicious additions to your foods, and also can help you to sooth your physical maladies. Use these wonderful plants in your dishes for both extra nutrients, and pretty garnishes! Here are some of the most popular.Parsley has been known for more that 2,000 years and was best known as a medicinal herb. It originated in the Eastern Mediterranean region, and was used by the Ancient Greeks for kidney and bladder ailments. We still use parsley as a diuretic. It also helps with stomach and liver problems. For women, it can ease the bloating that some experience before their menstrual cycle.But parsley is also a good source of many vitamins and minerals especially iron. It is mostly used as a garnish for dishes, especially in restaurants. Don't throw it away! Eat it! The sprigs as we've explained are very good for you. It's best not to cook parsley because the heat destroys many of its valuable nutrients. If you want to use it in soups and stews, just chop it up and add it at the last minute.Oregano is a sweetly scented spice and was valued by the Ancient Egyptians. They used it as an antidote to poison and also as a preservative. But oregano is most popular for its spicy, minty flavor. Used in the kitchen, it is sprinkled on pizza, and stirred in spaghetti sauces and soups. Oregano is also delicious in egg and cheese dishes. One of the most flavorful types of oregano is Mexican Oregano. You can store the fresh leaves in the refrigerator in a zip-lock bag. If you want to dry oregano, tie the stems together and then hang in a dark, well-ventilated place. After they're dried, store the leaves in an airtight container.Cayenne or red pepper is a member of the pepper family, which includes the familiar bell pepper and the hot and green chilies. Mexico alone grows over 150 varieties of chilies, and the cayenne pepper is one of the hottest. We use it mostly in our recipes calling for a hot, spicy flavor, especially in Mexican dishes.But did you know that peppers were once only used as ornamental plants and not eaten? They were also used in medicinal purposes externally to stimulate the circulation in the skin. The symptoms of rheumatism could also be soothed using the red pepper.Today we use this pepper typically as pepper spice or pepper flakes to zip up the flavor in our foods. Also these peppers are used whole in many Tex-Mex and New Mexican cuisines. The hottest part of the pepper is the seeds and white ribs. If you want your food milder, but still have that pepper flavor, scrape out the seeds and white ribs. If you want it real hot, leave them in!Chives are a member of the onion family and they grow from small bulbs. In the Middle Ages chives were once thought to drive away evil spirits! The stems and even the chive flowers (you can eat them!), are high in vitamin C, folic acid, and potassium. Chives are a great addition to recipes as they help restore the nutrients that may be lost in cooking. When you use chives in your dishes, try not to heat them, as they will lose their vitamins and minerals. Sprinkle them instead on any dish that you would like a nutrient boost. And a sprinkling of chives also makes a pretty presentation! We hope that these little tips and hints will encourage you to use these wonderful, healthy herbs and spices every day in your cooking!
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