Signature Kitchen Blog

December 09, 2021 - 3:49 PM

How to Cook at Home During a Kitchen Renovation

When renovating your home, you may find yourself stressed and feeling a little chaotic with the lack of structure in your living space, especially a highly used area like your kitchen. Ordering takeout from your favorite restaurant can be fun but is certainly not a long-term solution for every meal. Depending on the stage of your remodel, you can still whip up some quick and easy meals while waiting for your dream kitchen to be complete! Keep reading to learn some tips and tricks on how to set up a temporary kitchen as well as helpful tools to feed your family while your kitchen is under construction.

 

  1. Set up a makeshift station. Clear out a separate area in your home that can temporarily be used as your “kitchen” while your current one is being remodeled. This area should have a small prep table, outlets to plug in small appliances, and storage for grocery items if your current pantry isn’t accessible. You don’t need to move your entire kitchen into this area but think about items that will be used most frequently (eg: silverware, plates, bowls, pans, etc.). Place these items into plastic storage drawers so they are easily accessible yet stored away when not in use.

  2. Utilize countertop appliances. A few countertop appliances can make all the difference. Think about the appliances you already own or ones you would want to add to your new kitchen. An air fryer is a popular appliance that can cook a wide variety of dishes with less of the prep and cleanup. Do you know you can even cook steaks in it?! Check out this recipe here: https://bit.ly/3DLQEzr

Instant Pots or slow cookers also come in handy. There are a lot of things you can make right in one pot! Most models even have a mode where you are able to brown or sauté right in the pot.

Break out that old Panini maker or George Foreman grill and whip up some tasty sandwiches for the kids or have a family burger night! Microwaves are also great for quick meals, defrosting frozen options, or heating up those restaurant leftovers. Some other things that may also come in handy are an induction burner, tabletop griddle, blender, mini-fridge (if you can’t access your current fridge), and a toaster oven.

  1. Put in the prep. Another great option is to cook in advance! Bust out those saved Pinterest recipes and stock your freezer prior to renovation. Some freezer-friendly options include lasagna, soups or stews, and basic browned meat for tacos and salads, burritos, and pasta dishes.

  2. Take the shortcut. Our last tip for you is to shop smarter to minimize prep when it comes to cooking. Now is the time to buy those prewashed or pre-prepped fruits and veggies. Try out some of those pre-cooked dinner options or store-bought dips and sauces. Better yet, try out some easier no-cook recipes!

We hope these simple tips will make cooking a little easier on your family and save you from the dreaded endless line of takeout bags and boxes. Your renovation will be done before you know it, and you’ll be back whipping up your favorite recipes in a shiny new kitchen in no time.

August 25, 2021 - 4:09 PM

Creating a Beautiful and Highly Functional Pantry

Designing a custom pantry may seem like a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be. If you’re building your forever home or just want an upgrade in the kitchen, it’s important to have a pantry that’s not only functional but adjustable to your needs. Customizing means you can choose the layout and accessories that best fit your lifestyle while maximizing the space in your kitchen.

Some things to consider when designing your ideal pantry are storage space, shelving preferences, and what’s important to you (design, space, aesthetics, etc.). You also need to think about what items you want to store in your pantry. It could just be for food, but some also hold linens, small appliances, paper items, or whatever else you see fit.

Much like regular closets, there are many different shapes your pantry can take: wall closets, reach-ins, and walk-ins. It’s completely up to your preference, but if you have the room, a walk-in can be a nice use of space in the kitchen.

A great starting point is to think about your past pantries. What worked for you? What didn’t? It’s also good to consider the different shapes and sizes food packaging comes in. You will want your pantry to be flexible to your changing needs. Also, think about what types of shelves you would prefer. A really popular option is to get shelves/drawers that pull out so you can see what’s in the back of your pantry. And for the items that don’t stand up or store on a shelf correctly, it can be nice to get baskets to store them in.

Like any other room in the house, you can pull in design elements to bring in your personal style to the space. If your kitchen has a pop of color, bring that into the pantry as well. If you have sleek, minimalist cabinets, copy that style for the shelves in the pantry. You also have the option to choose whatever lighting best suits you. If you don’t like a harsh, bright light when making breakfast in the morning, go for a soft warm light. You should add whatever feature is needed to best fit your needs and lifestyle. Get creative with it! Signature Kitchens can help you with all the steps along the way.

August 25, 2021 - 4:04 PM

Custom Cabinetry: Sized with your stuff in mind

Whether you’re designing your dream house or looking to upgrade your foundation, custom cabinetry can elevate your space to the next level. If you think about the standard “kitchen” cabinet, those can be used in any room outside the kitchen to provide more storage space for your stuff. Customization throughout your house creates a more polished, cohesive look. Think about what you need to store and how much space you need to store it before starting this process.

Bathrooms

The bathroom is a great place to start when adding custom cabinetry to your house. You can always use more storage space for your various towels and toiletries. This is also a great time to add a custom vanity for yourself if that’s something you’re interested in. Think about the various cabinets you can use to store any makeup or beauty products. You can even take it a step further by creating a “his and hers” vanity set up with custom cabinetry on each side. Slide out drawers can be really handy as well as built in outlets for any hairstyling tools.

Dining Rooms

Another great room to add custom cabinets to is the dining room. Cabinets with a glass front are the perfect way to display fine china. Or, if your dining room is an extension of your kitchen, these cabinets can be used as extra storage space for your cooking utensils that don’t get used as often. The dining room is typically used to entertain/host larger crowds, so you can also use cabinets to store any special platters and dinnerware used in those circumstances as well.

Laundry Rooms

Cabinets can be used to make the laundry room a more appealing and functional space. You need somewhere to store all your soaps, fabric softeners, and cleaning supplies. Having a designated space for all of your supplies can remove a lot of unwanted clutter from the laundry room. Creating customized cabinets that frame your washer and dryer is the best way to make the space look more polished.

Entertainment Rooms

Creating a state-of-the-art entertainment room is easy with custom cabinetry. Much like the laundry room, it’s best to use the cabinets to frame the TV, making it the focal point of the room. Another great tip is to use cabinets for lowers and open shelving for uppers to store photographs and other décor or memorabilia.

The possibilities are endless with custom cabinetry. You can incorporate them into any room for added aesthetics and functionality. Not to mention, custom cabinets throughout the house will tie each room together for a more cohesive design. Connect with our design team by phone at (772) 234-0155 or by email at signatureinfo@signatureofvero.com to help bring organization and style to your space!