Planning a kitchen or bathroom remodel can be an exciting design adventure, but with so many details to consider, the process can also feel a bit overwhelming. That’s why having a solid plan is essential to ensure everything runs smoothly—whether you’re a homeowner pursuing a dream renovation or a design professional helping a client bring their vision to life.

This guide will walk you through key steps to plan your remodel effectively while highlighting how MasterBrand Cabinets can support your project with a variety of cabinet brands designed to suit every style and budget.

Before You Begin

The foundation of any successful kitchen or bathroom remodel starts with careful preparation. Here are three things to consider before starting your project:

1. Define Your Vision

Think about what you want to achieve with your remodel. Are you looking for modern functionality in your kitchen? Or a spa-like retreat in your bath? Collect inspiration through Pinterest, design magazines, or even MasterBrand’s Inspiration Gallery to get ideas for your dream space.

2. Measure Your Space

Take precise measurements of your kitchen or bathroom to ensure everything fits perfectly. This step will make the design process more efficient and help you decide what’s possible in your given space. If you are not comfortable measuring your own space, a design professional is happy to help! We also have a handy blog to help guide you through taking measurements linked here.

3. Locate Trusted Dealers

Good news! MasterBrand Cabinets makes finding an expert designer easy with its Dealer Locator. Enter your zip code and connect with one of more than 4,500 trusted dealers across North America and Canada, ready to help with your kitchen and bathroom remodel.

Setting the Budget

No remodel is complete without a clear budget. Here’s how to allocate your funds wisely:

• Set Realistic Expectations

Be honest about what you can spend. The National Kitchen and Bath Association recommends setting aside 20-25% of the home’s value as your renovation budget.

• Plan for Surprises

Always keep 10-15% of your total budget for contingencies—it’s common for unexpected costs to arise during remodeling.

• Cabinetry that Fits Your Budget

MasterBrand offers cabinets for every budget, from affordable yet stylish options to custom-made cabinets for premium designs. No matter your price range, you’ll find something that doesn’t compromise on quality or design. Use our Budget Estimator to get an idea of the cost of your cabinetry.

Designing Your Space

Now that you have a clear vision and budget, it’s time to start designing! Here are some key tips and resources to help navigate each step:

• Consider Functionality

Think about how you use your kitchen or bathroom on a daily basis. What features and layout will make it more efficient? Consider storage needs, traffic flow, and ergonomics.

• Choose the Right Cabinets

Your cabinets will be one of the most prominent design elements in your space. Take into consideration factors such as cabinet brand, door style, material, finish, and hardware options to find the perfect fit for your vision and budget.

Timeline Expectations

Remodeling isn’t an overnight process, but knowing what to expect can help you plan:

• Consultation & Design Phase: 4-6 weeks. This includes working with your designer and finalizing your plan.
• Material Sourcing: 4-8 weeks. Cabinets, countertops, and custom pieces must be ordered in advance.
• Demolition & Installation: 2-4 weeks, depending on the scope of the remodel.
• Finishing Touches: 1-2 weeks for painting, hardware updates, and cleanup.

Being aware of these timelines can help you avoid surprises and set realistic expectations.

Must-Have Checklist

Don’t forget the essentials! Here’s a quick checklist to review as you plan your dream remodel:

• [ ] Establish a clear budget.
• [ ] Find a trusted designer or dealer to help with cabinetry selections and layouts.
• [ ] Choose the right MasterBrand cabinet style that fits your aesthetic and budget.
• [ ] Select your room finishes such as paint, countertops, flooring and backsplash.
• [ ] Select new appliances – determine before your cabinet layout begins.
• [ ] Plan a timeline and set realistic expectations. Delays and obstacles will likely occur.
• [ ] Book your contractor early.
• [ ] Plan logistics of your remodel.

Ready to Begin?

Planning a kitchen or bath remodel takes effort, but with the right preparation and partners, it becomes an exciting and rewarding process. MasterBrand Cabinets makes it easy to bring your vision to life with a variety of cabinet styles, quality materials, and reliable support for any budget size.

Use our Cabinet Dealer Locator to connect with experienced professionals near you and start bringing your kitchen or bath remodel dreams to life today.

Don’t wait to upgrade your home—start planning your perfect space!

The post Planning for a Kitchen or Bathroom Remodel appeared first on MasterBrand Design Blog.

Picture this: Your beautiful kitchen has been installed and you can hardly contain your excitement to start using it! But don’t forget one of the last items to check off your list…decorative hardware installation! But where do you place it? It seems like common sense once you’ve seen it installed, but when it comes down to making the decision – is it an easy one?

Did you know that cabinet manufacturers typically do not pre-drill your cabinets for hardware? This is because hardware is an essential style component for functionality purposes and aesthetic reasons. Because all hardware styles range so drastically from sizes to finishes and style, the manufacturer doesn’t want to limit a homeowner from choosing their perfect match.

It’s important to understand that once your decorative hardware is in place, it most likely cannot be moved. Don’t find yourself having to reorder cabinet doors because the hardware placement isn’t what you had in mind. Follow these simple recommendations and tips and tricks when determining where and how to place decorative hardware.

Decorative Hardware Placement on Base Cabinet Doors

To find the correct placement for hardware on a standard base door, follow this simple process:

If your doorstyle has a profile, locate where the rail and stile meet in the inside top corner of the door.

Then, after deciding placement on the left or right side, place painter’s tape along the stile to allow for pencil marks. Do not mark on the finished cabinet. Starting from the inside profile, draw a straight line to the outer edge of the door as a guide. Typically, it would look best not to install your hardware above that area.

Next, find the center of the flattest space on the stile and mark with your pencil. You will then measure the distance from the center of one of the drill holes to the center of the other hole (this measurement is commonly called center-to-center or c/c) of the drawer pull you want to install.

Finally, mark your c/c on the tape and lay the decorative hardware over on its side. Line up the screw holes with the pencil marks for a final check before drilling. If you are installing knobs, you’ll find the center of the straight line and drill your hardware in that location.

This is a great general guide for knobs and pulls as this allows for plenty of clearance around the decorative hardware and is both functional and aesthetically pleasing.

When installing on slab doors, a general rule to follow is to place knobs and pulls 1 inch over and 3 inches down from the top of your base cabinet door.

DESIGNER TIP: Typically, a hardware template works well for cabinet doors if you are wanting to place all pulls or knobs in the same location throughout the kitchen. But placing hardware on drawers can have challenges from a consistency standpoint. Typically, not all drawers are equally sized. This requires hardware placement to vary throughout the kitchen. A template might become more of a frustration than helpful in this case.

DESIGNER TIP: When placing hardware on wall cabinets, follow the general guide for base doors, but reverse the rules. You’ll find where the stile and rail meet in the bottom left or right corner as the decorative hardware will be towards the bottom of the door for functionality purposes.

Hardware Placement on Drawers

Drawers come in all different shapes and sizes, so it’s important to keep that in mind when determining the best hardware placement. Before you start, the most crucial detail is adjusting all your drawer guides throughout the kitchen. Ensure that each drawer is perfectly plum and all are aligned to fit your needs. If this step is missed, you risk the misalignment of your hardware once installed. Check out this quick video tutorial to learn how to properly align your cabinets.

The most appealing place to install hardware on drawers is in the center, but ensure that any interior storage won’t interfere with that placement.

To start, remove the drawer box from the cabinet and stand upright on a flat surface. Place painter’s tape in the approximate center of the drawer and then use a tape measure and pencil to mark the center. If you are installing a single knob, that is the drill location. If you are installing a pull, you will measure the hardware’s center-to-center. Once that measurement is determined, divide that number by two. Find the center mark again and measure out to the right and then to the left to mark the screw holes.

Don’t forget to then check if your hardware is straight by either measuring from the top of the drawer down to your pencil mark or by using a small level.

Keep in mind that the screw length needed when installing hardware on drawers is typically longer as it needs to go through the drawer front and drawer box. Typically, the screws included with the hardware will have multiple locations to snap off excess length as needed.

DESIGNER TIP: If your drawer is 12″ to 30″ across, typically one decorative pull will suffice. If your drawer width exceeds 30″, place two pulls or one longer pull on that drawer to allow for proper weight distribution when opening. Plan ahead to determine how many pieces of hardware each cabinet needs before ordering. You can also add painter’s tape to each cabinet where the hardware will be placed to visualize whether a pull or a knob is needed, especially if you are mixing hardware in the space.

Wall and Base Pullout Cabinets

The popularity of base and wall pullout storage is growing rapidly and because these function differently than regular base cabinets, the guideline differs on hardware placement.

Waste and recycle bins are in the top five of cabinet must-haves. When installing decorative hardware, it’s always best to consider using a drawer pull on the top rail of the door. A knob is more difficult to use as it’s a heavier cabinet door, so a pull makes it easier and more efficient.

This is also the case with most other base pull-out cabinets. Since the components on the interior add extra weight, always consider a reasonably sized pull placed horizontally in the center like the images below. The same rule applies to wall cabinet pullouts. Be extra cautious that you don’t interfere with any of the interior components before you choose the location and start drilling.

Hardware, in most circumstances, is a functional piece of your cabinets. It adds character and can be a great design element to any space. Our Masterbrand website has plenty of inspiration to get you started and our designers are ready to help! Click here to find a designer near you today!

The post A Guide for Decorative Hardware Placement, from a Kitchen Designer appeared first on MasterBrand Design Blog.

The home is always evolving. How people use their living space is unique to each individual. And these needs have nuances depending on culture, regionality, and proximity to populated areas. But one thing we all have in common is the desire to feel comfortable and organized in a functional space. Over the last decade, we have seen the evolution of an open concept floor plan. As we continue into the next decade, here are five trends we’re seeing on the evolution of common-use spaces in the home.

Nature’s Influence Is Coming Indoors

The future is a seamless integration of indoor and outdoor environments where nature’s influence brings a sense of peace and mindfulness to our homes. Many new construction or renovation projects are designed to enhance the connections of the natural environment with the indoor living space. More windows that are bigger in size, larger patio doors, light, and landscape are becoming desirable interior requirements. In relation to cabinetry use, this means less space for wall cabinets so the few there are, tend to be more accessible and better organized with the same utilization logic applied to enhanced functions in base cabinets.

The Multiple Stages Of Life

Homeowners are getting more settled into their spaces. Market volatility and economic uncertainty have consumers nesting into longer-term investments. This has homeowners looking at the functional aspects of their current space and considering future uses. Finding the right functionality for multiple stages of life can be tricky. Talk to friends and family in different stages of life to find out what is working for them. Then, take those “must-haves” and consider adding other tried and true features to your home. We love roll-out tray storage as well as food and beverage storage that easily converts from kids’ snacks to grown-up entertainment zones. Another great rule of thumb to future-proofing your space is to make sure your cabinets have more drawers than doors.

Design for Flexibility

The open concept floorplan is still widely popular but consideration is certainly being given for a clearer designation of spaces. Many homeowners today are finding that working, studying, and enjoying hobbies at home are more common than before the pandemic. This calls for the separation of spaces through either permanent or temporary means. It often also requires that these spaces be multifunctional as their use may evolve throughout the day or week. Hybrid spaces, unique storage solutions, and designs with every inch of living space having an intended purpose are rising in popularity. We are seeing walk-in pantries becoming double-use home management areas. Kitchen islands are doubling as office space. Cabinet storage is integrating office and school supplies. Hard boundaries for spaces and their “typical” uses are evolving into more creative uses.

Make Your Space Your Own

Styles are evolving quickly from simply stark, white shakers that now seem too sterile, to bringing in warmth and subtle details. This acceptance of a style shift really opens the door to adding in personal and uniquely appealing details. Beyond lifestyle and functional needs, the kitchen is a place to set the backdrop that represents the homeowner and who you are. Color, texture, design, and décor all mesh together in this space to create the scene. Now is the right time to bring that personalization into the home.

Prioritize Organization

There is no shortage of storage or home organization ideas out there. Depending on your budget and needs, there truly is a solution to tailor to any new cabinet project. In a recent study, more than half of homeowners polled said they regretted not spending more on features in their cabinetry. We continue to see a rise in this type of regret when it comes to organization. It can be avoided by identifying your pain points in your living space and purposefully setting some of your project budget aside to solve them. Each problem is as unique as the possibilities for a solution. Working with a designer or checking out one of our brands like Diamond Cabinets, can help guide you to the right products.

Find a MasterBrand kitchen and bath designer near you by visiting https://www.masterbrand.com/dealer-locator.

The post Living Space Trends To Watch appeared first on MasterBrand Design Blog.

Starting a kitchen renovation raises the age-old question, “What comes first…the door style or the finish?” There’s no right or wrong way to start getting inspiration for your space. But what if Masterbrand could help you visualize how your kitchen could look before the design process even begins?

Research shows that for many homeowners, the ability to visualize their project is key to helping guide them to the cabinet brand of their dreams. Many of our brands have thoughtfully created a kitchen visualization tool to do just that. These tools help you explore the potential of your space, allowing you to mix and match styles, finishes, and material selections. Learn more about some of our brand’s kitchen visualization tools below.

Mantra Cabinets is sure to have on-trend, readily available products for your future kitchen project. Mantra Marketing Manager Evan Pitman explains why this brand is the right choice for stock consumers and how he envisions homeowners using the kitchen visualizer tool.

Why Mantra?

“Mantra cabinets offer tremendous value for consumers. It is a product line designed to simplify the consumer decision-making process and offer the most mainstream, on-trend styles with today’s desired features and short lead times. These products are built using plywood cabinet boxes which deliver a high level of quality and durability, coupled with premium painted finishes and soft-close for doors and drawers. It is difficult to find better value for your dream kitchen.“

How do you envision Mantra customers using the kitchen visualizer tool?

“The Mantra Kitchen Visualizer is a great idea tool for consumers to use at the early stages of the decision-making process. It helps users who are trying to envision what their new kitchen could look like and doesn’t require a lot of pre-work or hassle to get started.  The user can select from the most popular kitchen layouts while customizing the finish colors of cabinets, countertops, room colors, and backsplashes so that they can get a real sense of what their kitchen could look like.  The decision-making process can get overwhelming, but tools like this one can really simplify this process and give consumers confidence that their style choices make sense for them.“

Next up is the Omega visualizer! This custom brand has truly endless options. We talked with Omega Channel Marketing Manager Brooke Garrett to understand why this brand could be the right choice for you!

Why Omega?

“Omega Cabinetry is custom and can be designed to perfectly fit all spaces. Airy kitchens, petite baths, charmingly quirky nooks—Omega does it all! Designers can modify cabinets in a number of ways, and also specify custom units. We offer so many cabinet colors and interesting finish techniques, plus, a custom color program. Omega has each person’s perfect shade. Each door style—and there are dozens—can be created with a custom profile edge.  Omega kitchens are as unique as their owners and that is something to be proud of!”

How do you envision Omega customers using the kitchen visualizer tool?

“Homeowners tell us they struggle to picture a potential kitchen in their head. Now they don’t have to! The Omega visualizer shows a homeowner what a kitchen will look like with a variety of wall colors, flooring, cabinet colors, backsplashes, and countertops. A pleasing flow is critical, and being able to visualize that is helpful in making design choices.”

Aristokraft has recently launched their own visualizer tool and Marketing Director Christina Zazzetti tells us why this platform is the perfect tool for homeowners.

“The ability to visualize the potential outcome of their newly designed space is key to confidence and peace of mind for a cabinet buyer. Combinations on the new Aristokraft visualizer are virtually endless and provide customers the opportunity to “try on” style, finish, and surface options with an ease previously unknown within the confines of the traditional cabinetry showroom. The ability to create a PDF of their favorites makes it easy to share their ideas on everything from cabinetry and countertops to hardware and flooring choices. Envisioning the possibilities using the Aristokraft kitchen visualizer gives our customers a fun way to get excited about a new build or remodel using our brand.”

Kitchen Craft’s visualizer engages the user with their impressive door style and finish combinations sure to please everyone. Senior Marketing Manager Deana Johnson explains this full access brand’s uniqueness.

Why KitchenCraft?

“ At Kitchen Craft, you do not have to sacrifice quality for price. Our cabinet collection offers a vast array of cabinet door styles and colors – over 4,000 possible combinations to choose from! The best news is, within this style spectrum is a variety of price points. This allows you to find the look that best fits your style and budget. As a semi-custom cabinet line, Kitchen Craft offers a great deal of design flexibility allowing you to create whole home storage solutions. Beyond beautiful kitchens, our cabinetry can also aid in creating an efficient laundry room, a well-appointed home office or a dreamy spa bath.”

Why do you feel the visualizer tool is beneficial?

“When it comes to choosing the overall look of your kitchen, it can become overwhelming when selecting cabinets, countertop, appliances and flooring. All of these elements must complement each other to create a cohesive color palette. With the kitchen visualizer tool, the customer has a live mood board to plug and play with décor selections to find their personal look.”

“The best part of this tool is how you can select different finishes for specific zones in your kitchen. An all-white kitchen is one look, but why not try warm wood for your base cabinets or see what a deep blue paint would look like on your island. The kitchen visualizer allows you to see how unique your kitchen can be by using points of punctuation with different colors and textures.”

With so many of our brands offering these great kitchen visualizer tools, it’s never been easier to find the perfect finish and style combination for your next kitchen project! To explore all of our brands, visit www.masterbrand.com to get your project started.

The post Visualize Your Dream Kitchen appeared first on MasterBrand Design Blog.