Sacramento Kitchen Design Blog
A Blog About Kitchen & Bath Design, Remodeling and This & That in Sacramento – by MrsNicolette
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The Importance of Professional Cabinet Installation
March 8, 2010
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A few months ago we received a call from a local Designer, Gail L. Diehl, ASID, CKD, of El Dorado Hills. She was in search of a cabinet installer for an upcoming Kitchen and Bath project that she had designed. It was a big project with lots of cabinetry, so Gail knew that her cabinet installer would need extensive knowledge and experience to take on such a project. She and her client ended up hiring Nar Fine Carpentry of Sacramento to do the install.
After a few weeks of installing, a beautiful kitchen had appeared.
Kitchen Design by Gail Diehl
Kitchen Design by Gail Diehl
Now let us talk about another approach. Some homeowners think about cutting corners with their cabinet install, and have their handy husbands or brothers take on the job. Even though we love your handy husbands as much as you do, in most cases we advise against this for several reasons; Time, Money, Liability and Quality.
Time; professional cabinet installers have methods and specialized tools for each task involved in a cabinet installation. The time it takes the average homeowner to do a mathematical layout, inventory of parts, leveling and squaring of bases and uppers, installation of sub-tops, trims and crown, and adjustments of doors, is usually double the time of that of a professional.
Money; it never fails that extra parts, pieces, doors or drawer fronts need to be ordered in absence of professional installers. Maybe a crown stick wasn’t measured properly or the filler material was used for trim to ceiling, and now there is no trim to ceiling.
Liability; most manufactured cabinetry has a warranty that depends on correct installation. For example, if a cabinet is installed on an un-level floor, and overtime, the drawer does not pull-out smoothly, this can be due to improper installation and may not be covered by the manufacturer’s warranty.
The last reason being the most important- Quality; if you are spending $20,000 on cabinetry, think about the install price as an insurance that your wonderful new cabinetry will be taken care of with finesse, and the finished product will be installed with as much care as it took to design the space. Expect to pay 15-20% of your cabinet cost for its install.
We have all seen big box store kitchen display where the crown molding joints have gaps and the doors aren’t hanging square, and some of the drawers don’t open smoothly. This is an example of how an expensive kitchen can be made to look cheap from install.
This post is not meant to scare those DIY gurus from installing cabinetry themselves, but it is meant as a warning to not cut one of the most important corners of your kitchen remodel.
As for Gail Diehl’s project, it came out smashing thanks to her creativity, an open-minded client, and expert installation by Nar Fine Carpentry.
Master Bath Design by Gail Diehl
Bring Plaster Inside to make a Statement
February 23, 2010
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A recent meeting with a very experienced plaster contractor got me thinking…. with all these beautiful plaster finishes that can be applied indoors or outdoors, why not plaster and color a wall instead of your standard drywall texture and paint? Especially in the kitchen where we are looking for rich and interesting color and texture, one could come up with several ideas on how and where to apply a plaster finish. The great thing about plaster is that it can be applied in several colors, textures, finishes and effects. I took a few photos of some of the samples that our plaster contractor, Melvin Starr of Melvin Starr Plastering, brought us.
So many ideas: a plaster could be used for an accent wall, backsplash, behind a stove/ cooktop, the back of an eating bar, and of course, a vent hood.
We have done several showers in the slightly textured finish, and just completed one shower that uses marble dust from Italy to create a sparkly effect.
Plastering is truly an art, it takes hours to apply, cure and mix, which doesn’t make it the most cost-effective wall finish, but it will guarantee a unique and brilliant style to your space.
I will be sure to use this more often in my designs!
Low-Cost Remodels, a Threat to our Environment?
February 5, 2010
Is this recession a wake-up call from reckless consumerism? Or an invitation to buy subpar quality items that will reflect badly on our environment?
Both. What we have here is a conundrum. We have an entire new dynamic that has created a brand new monster. The consumerism of the early 2000’s is what sent this country crashing down in 2008. Some people have taken the high road and chosen to look at our past recklessness as a learning experience of how better to live for our future. Others, have taken full advantage of the economic crisis by selling low quality products that may push us further into our next environmental crisis that is soon to come.
While recently touring a local Sacramento warehouse wholesaler of flooring, cabinetry and granite who advertise lowest prices, their formula was clear as day. Low overhead, imported prefabricated products and commission based salespeople is the key to their success. Looking closer with my seasoned eye, their formula was even more clear, the products were just the lowest quality imaginable. Kitchens cabinets for $1,500, flooring for less than .90cents per square foot, and granite slabs starting at $80. If being in the Kitchen Industry for 15 years has taught me anything, it’s that this place was nothing but a scam.
While walking away, I was filled with dozens of conflicted emotions. Disgust was the first, because what I have grown to become as a Designer represents that of integrity, quality, and to be regardful of my clients best interests. Anger was the second, anger for the all of the jobs that have been lost to this, and alike companies simply based on price. And the last was regret, for all of those people who have purchased these crappy products who will have to replace them in 5 years because they fall apart, and for the poor slave-like laborers who make these dirt-cheap products for us Americans for pennies an hour.
My last emotion of regret is where the environmental issue comes into play- we all know that the construction industry creates the most waste over any other industry. When one buys a product that does not last (no matter what the product is), it is not “Green”. The “Greenness” of a product is based on its lifecycle. So if someone installs a kitchen with new sheetrock, paint, cabinets, countertops, flooring and appliances, but that kitchen only lasts them 5 years, that person is creating twice as much waste and environmental damage. If you do your kitchen the right way, using quality products and materials, chances are, that kitchen can last 30-60 years, and in some cases more.
Half of the problem is home investors or home “flippers”. Because our housing market is prime for these “flippers” they are renovating like crazy, and using the cheapest possible materials.
It is not just me that feels this way, it is all Kitchen and Remodeling Industry Professionals as a whole. In this economic climate, the best thing to do it what I do best, and that is design beautiful, quality kitchens and keep educating my clients, support quality products and keep designing and selling with integrity.
by Nicolette Patton
Bang-for-your-buck! Sacramento
January 13, 2010
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HGTV aired an episode of “Bang For Your Buck Kitchens” of Sacramento in 2009. One of the kitchens featured was a kitchen designed and owned by Paul Almond & Pam Whitehead of Sage Architecture. Their kitchen remodel encompassed a joint kitchen and living space that totaled $80,000. 
As architects, Paul and Pam have a sleek-contemporary design style that transferred accordingly to their own home. They used horizontal emphasis to create a larger feeling space for their smaller Sacramento home. Owner, Nar Bustamante of Nar Fine Carpentry had the pleasure of installing the cabinetry purchased for the home. The cabinets are from Crystal Cabinets in a slab veneer door style in Lyptus wood with a “Blackstone” charcoal finish. Paul & Pam combined their dark cabinetry with a light Caesarstone countertop in a honed finish and 3cm thickness. They also used three-quarter height cabinetry to house their oven and microwave, which is a great feature to include when using a darker finished cabinetry so the darker finish does not swallow up the space.
The program took 3 kitchen remodels in Sacramento and compared which remodel would receive the greatest return for the money spent. unfortunately Pam & Paul’s Crystal kitchen did not win the title of biggest bang-for-your-buck. The host reasoned that because Sacramento’s general design veers toward the traditional style, Paul & Pam’s remodel would be a hard sell to the average Sacramento home buyer. True or not, the kitchen remodel was a success, as it has left Paul & Pam’s life in their home more enriched, convenient and aesthetically pleasing.
If you would like more information on the cabinetry that Paul & Pam have, or talk with their expert cabinet installer, please contact us at Nar Fine Carpentry or call (916) 944-0906.
Photo courtesy of HGTV
by Nicolette Patton
The Corner Drawer System
December 14, 2009
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When the corner drawer system came out a few years ago, I put it in the first kitchen I could. It was perfect, my clients didn’t like the standard Lazy Susan, so it was a perfect opportunity to use the corner drawers. If you haven’t seen these in person, you are certainly missing out. 
The coolest one that I have seen was from Columbia Cabinets from Canada. The drawer fronts actually close in on each other in order for the drawers to open. They also utilize the back corner of the drawer (some companies only use a square back drawer box). Now this may seem like an odd shape that creates some dead space… BUT what corner cabinet isn’t an odd shape? You can always find stuff to fill these corner spaces, and since they are drawers, they have much better visibility and accessibility.
The corner drawer system comes in a 3 or 4 drawer stack.
Remember, if you are in the Sacramento Area and need help with a kitchen project, contact us at Nar Fine Carpentry.
by Nicolette Patton
Cutting Boards: Wood v. Plastic
November 18, 2009
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When designing kitchens, I usually try to get my clients to be open about using more than one cabinet or countertop material. I am a big fan of varying cabinetry colors, as well as countertop colors and materials. My first (and safest) suggestion is always wood butcher block. If the client likes that idea, it can go one of two ways. Either they are not going to use it for cutting, or they are. I am a true believer in function, so folks, if you are getting a butcher block countertop, please cut on it!
The reason people object to cutting directly on the wood, is because wood is porous and it absorbs bacteria, while plastic is a much better choice for cutting because it is impervious, right? Well, I too believed this to be true, until I read about a study conducted at the University of Wisconsin’s Food Research Institute, finding that wooden cutting boards kill food poisoning bacteria that survive on plastic cutting boards.
The study began as an investigation on how to “decontaminate” wood cutting boards to make them safe, like a plastic cutting board. What they found, when they placed food poisoning bacteria, on both the plastic and wood boards, was that 99.9% of the bacteria died off on the wood, and none on the plastic. Also when the boards were contaminated and left unwashed overnight, the bacterial count increased on the plastic, but the wood was mysteriously clean with no bacteria.
Another study right here in the Sacramento Area, conducted by Ak, Cliver and Kaspar in 1994 at the University of California at Davis Food Safety Laboratory, also found that wood has anti-microbial properties that seemed to suggest that wood possesses anti-microbial properties that kill surface bacteria in minutes.
So the next time you buy a plastic cutting board, or try to decide whether wood on your island is the right choice, think about choosing the natural material, after all, trees have been here for thousands of years, they must be doing something right.
by Nicolette Patton
Don’t forget to visit us on our website http://narfinecarpentry.com for all your Sacramento Area Cabinet, Kitchen and Countertop needs.
Cabinet Compromise
November 15, 2009
My husband came in to the showroom yesterday and chose from our wall of Columbia Cabinet doors his favorite. It was a knotty alder, distressed, slat panel, shaker style door. 
And I thought… how could I have married this man and never realized that he had such bad taste? I mean, I like the door, but not for my own kitchen. This got me thinking, when it is my time to re-do my kitchen, how am I going to come to an agreement on style with my husband?
I help my clients through this predicament everyday, but of course I don’t know what goes on when they get home. My father always told me that he thought many marital problems begin when a couple is doing a remodel. I never really thought anything of it, until the slat panel door incident with my husband.
It is all about compromise! Remodels are not easy, so sit down with your partner and discuss style, colors, and materials prior to shopping. Buy some kitchen and home magazines. Make a scrapbook of ideas and compare these with your partner to understand why they are partial to certain characteristics. A few magazines later you will start to see clearly what your partner’s design style is.
So maybe my husband is a bit rustic and I am a contemporary. And my other client likes traditional, while her husband likes contemporary. 
The good news is, there is always a way to incorporate or compromise with both styles. Keep an open mind, and always keep your partner involved and don’t let one style or opinions take control of your design. You and your partner will be enjoying the kitchen for years to come!
by Nicolette Patton
we do kitchens!
Will I need a designer?
September 28, 2009
Many people that do a kitchen or bath remodel underestimate the time and effort they will spend researching products, comparing prices, and debating with their contractors about features they want to include in their projects. Even if you are doing simple replacement cabinets for the kitchen, or updating fixtures in your bathroom, a designer is always helpful to assist in pulling the project pieces together.
No matter if your project is low budget, or super high-end, designers help by educating their clients on which products will suit them best.
If you are thinking of doing a remodeling project, ask yourself these questions?
• Do you know about all available materials and fixtures?
• Do you know about color palettes, lighting, and traffic flow?
• Do you know what features will increase the resale value of your home?
• Do you know about building codes and regulations?
Your designer will address all of these issues. The fact is, many homeowners do remodeling projects on their own, and end up with updated homes, that could’ve been amazing projects with a little direction from a knowledgeable designer.
Designers are really there to be your friend. They will develop a relationship with their clients to precisely understand what that client wants to gain from the remodel, whether that is to gain more efficient storage, a trophy kitchen, or a more convenient bathroom space for guests. Designers are there with the interest of helping their clients generate a finished project that will be beautiful, efficient and well worth the time and money spent.
Who will not need a designer?
If you are looking to simply update your kitchen and replace cabinets, and countertops in the same position as your existing ones, you do not need a designer. If the intent of your project is to update before putting your home on the market, with the least amount of capitol and work, you do not need a designer. The fact is that many contractors will do whatever it is you are looking for, because of the competitive nature of the contracting business. On the other hand, if you are unhappy with your existing kitchen because; it doesn’t suit your household, there is not sufficient counter space or storage, the layout doesn’t complement your home, or you want a cohesive and stylish kitchen or bath to suit your style, you need a designer.
“The details are not the details. They make the design”
-Charles Eameshttp://www.narfinecarpentry.com
by Nicolette Patton
Be a good host; Design a beverage sink into your new kitchen
September 22, 2009
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Do you entertain at home? If you do, that means you have people in and out of the kitchen. Wouldn’t it be nice if you had a place to put a nice cold beer, or bottle of wine or maybe some juice bottles without your guests poping in and out of the frig? We have all seen those specialty sinks full of ice and beverages in the magazines, but here is an easy idea if you don’ t have space to design an extra bar or beverage sink; if you have a double bowl sink, just plug up the smaller side, fill with ice, and place your bevarages. It is that simple. I guarantee all your guests will be talking about how clever you are!
If you do have space for a second sink, but you want to try something different, try using a concrete with an integrated ramp and drain, for a contemporary look, photo courtesy of Crystal Cabinets.
If you entertain in the kitchen, be sure to design adequate space for guest to congregate, eat, help prep, and of course, access beverages.
by Nicolette Patton
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