About Author Katie Kuiper - MasterBrand Design Blog https://www.masterbrandcabinets.com/blog/author/kkuipermasterbrand-com/ Kitchen and bathroom cabinets with styles and pricing to match any taste at any budget. MasterBrand offers nine quality cabinetry brands for your home. Wed, 08 Sep 2021 18:54:26 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.1 https://www.masterbrandcabinets.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/cropped-favicon-32x32.jpg About Author Katie Kuiper - MasterBrand Design Blog https://www.masterbrandcabinets.com/blog/author/kkuipermasterbrand-com/ 32 32 Green Is In https://www.masterbrandcabinets.com/blog/green-trends/ Wed, 08 Sep 2021 18:54:25 +0000 https://www.masterbrand.com/blog/?p=870 It’s no secret that green is in and quickly taking over as the new “pop” of color in cabinetry or as we like to call it the new neutch (neutral). MasterBrand was recently highlighted by both Better Homes & Gardens and PureWow both featuring articles about my personal favorite color, green. Better Homes & Gardens ... Read more

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It’s no secret that green is in and quickly taking over as the new “pop” of color in cabinetry or as we like to call it the new neutch (neutral). MasterBrand was recently highlighted by both Better Homes & Gardens and PureWow both featuring articles about my personal favorite color, green.

Better Homes & Gardens Shines A Spotlight on This Year’s Most Popular Shade of Green with MasterBrand Cabinets

Soft and serene, sage green can add a subtle pop of color and transform any interior space.

Sage Green Cabinets

It’s official: green is in and here to stay. To help guide homeowners as they incorporate the new hue in their space, Better Homes & Gardens created an article including unique ideas for every room with help from Stephanie Pierce, director of design and trends at MasterBrand Cabinets.

Aptly titled “Sage Is This Year’s Most Popular Shade of Green: Here’s How to Decorate With It,” the article outlines the best ways to incorporate this trending shade throughout your home, as well as how to enhance its look with complementary tones.

On the topic of sage green’s versatility, Stephanie says, “how the color is paired with other colors, textures, and finishes will impact the mood that you create.” For a touch of sophistication, Stephanie suggests pairing the color with bright whites and a hint of gold. Or opt for a cozier feel when pairing sage green with darker tones.

Stephanie also highlights one of her favorite spots to integrate the trending hue – the bathroom. Reminiscent of eucalyptus leaves, introducing sage green can help create a relaxing, spa-like feel, especially when paired with fresh greenery.

With a wide variety of available colors and finishes, MasterBrand Cabinets provides on-trend cabinetry options for every design aesthetic. To view all available colors and styles, visit masterbrand.com/get-started.

Better Homes and Gardens is designed for people interested in making their home and family the focal points in their lives by providing content on home improvement, decorating, remodeling, food and recipes, gardening and more.

To read the full article, click here.

PureWow Says Green Kitchens Are Trending: What You Need To Know

Green is one of the most popular kitchen colors of the year and Stephanie Pierce, director of design and trends at MasterBrand Cabinets, is giving homeowners the green light on incorporating the trending hue – starting with cabinets.

Green Kitchen Cabinetry

When it comes to kitchen design in 2021, we’re seeing green. To celebrate the trending color in all its shades, PureWow sat down with Stephanie Pierce, director of design and trends at MasterBrand Cabinets, to discuss how to best implement the color throughout the kitchen in the article, This is the Hottest Color to Paint Your Kitchen Right Now.

When asked about incorporating green into the home Stephanie said, “Green is quickly gaining color confidence with homeowners who are realizing how well this color complements others and changes easily with the seasons just like in nature… when a color speaks to you as an individual, it will definitely enhance your love of your space.”

For homeowners considering green cabinets, Stephanie has a recommended color. “Foxhall Green is a bold and sophisticated evergreen hue that looks beautiful on cabinets or as an accent on a kitchen island. It’s a nice base color that others can build off of,” she says.

MasterBrand Cabinets design experts bring in new trends and colors through their product offerings to spark ideas with designers and consumers of all different tastes. To view all available colors and styles, visit masterbrand.com/get-started.

PureWow’s editorial team covers an array of women’s interests, including culture, health, beauty, fashion, technology, interior design, travel and more.

To read the full article, click here.

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“Must Have” Kitchen Features https://www.masterbrandcabinets.com/blog/must-have-kitchen-features/ Wed, 01 Sep 2021 18:54:55 +0000 https://www.masterbrand.com/blog/?p=866 Insights from a Kitchen Designer Being a designer is a core part of my being, it allows me to fall in love with all the styles, explore the latest trends, brainstorm the inevitable floor plan flaws and in the end, I get to make kitchen dreams come true. But, the hardest part of my job is being asked about my ... Read more

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Insights from a Kitchen Designer

Being a designer is a core part of my being, it allows me to fall in love with all the styles, explore the latest trends, brainstorm the inevitable floor plan flaws and in the end, I get to make kitchen dreams come true. But, the hardest part of my job is being asked about my own kitchen. I know this sounds ridiculous, but the expectations are unreal and I just can’t commit! Why? Because I’m on the cutting edge of what’s coming out next and it seems so hard to settle in and embrace the now when you know what the future holds! So, while I’m dreaming about my next kitchen remodel, I just had to ask Stephanie Pierce, our very own director of design and trends, all about her own new kitchen and what made her “MUST HAVE” kitchen features list!  

Insights from a kitchen designer

Before we start, do you find you have this challenge as well?  

Absolutely! I think most people in design love creating new spaces but often find it challenging to complete their own, it’s likely more of an ever-evolving space. But the concept of laying down a good foundation that gives you the freedom to change over time is a problem designers and homeowners can both relate to. Recognizing that you don’t have to follow rules laid out by someone else, but rather, relate your home to your personal experiences, lifestyle and even design preferences and no matter what you commit to in the end, it will likely be a space that works great for you and is a place where you can be happy and confident with your decisions. 

Must-Have Kitchen Feature 

For me function was where I started because I do have some of those spacial challenges. My kitchen is long and on the narrow side but also opens up to a living space. We are a multi-cook household with teenagers so I knew the kitchen was going to get a lot of traffic so making the design accessible and functional for everyone in and out of the space came first. I chose to go with open shelving for everyday use dishes. For me, this was the perfect decision since most of the dishes go through the dishwasher a couple times a week and in previous kitchens, I often found myself walking into a kitchen where half the cabinet doors were left open. Open shelves give my crew immediate and quick access to common dishes, no one has to remember to close the cabinets as they breeze through and it provided a perfect opportunity to add a personal décor accent with my recycled green glassware on display. For me, this was a universal win that I have not once regretted. 

Floating Shelves are a must-have kitchen feature.
Most used space or Most Functional Must-Have? 

My husband and I are both avid morning beverage people. It could be a coffee or tea or even a morning workout booster. And going back to my preference of minimal countertop clutter, I knew we needed a designated space where these items could stay out, be organized and highly functional for our needs, and so another one of my favorite spaces in the kitchen ended up being our beverage center…. which gets used more often than just the mornings.  

Most Functional Must-Have Kitchen Feature

Most Underrated Must-Have? 

Islands are widely popular in kitchens today and for a variety of reasons. In my own kitchen, I knew the island and dining needed to go together since I did not have the luxury of a good traffic flow if I separated them. That would have required sacrificing space for one or the other, but together, the eating and working parts of my ‘dining’ island function beautifully in the space we have. Since the back of the island would be one of the first things people would see entering the kitchen, it was important to finish it with a decorative solution. This is often simply door panels or other decorative panels to highlight the island as a feature point. I chose to use doors but rather than make them static, I added 6” deep cabinets to the minimal island depth I had, and this gave the decorative door feature a functional purpose and delightful canned-good storage that is easy to access and keeps my inventory highly visible. 

We recently featured dine in kitchen islands on the blog and I know you have one yourself, why was this the right solution for your space? 

This was one of the space challenges where I had to get creative to get everything I wanted. Prior to the renovation, a 6 top dining space may have been about as much dining as I was able to get, but my average family gathering sees 10-13 people. I wanted an eating space incorporated into the kitchen because often the finishing touches of meal prep and the start of the gathering overlap and this gave me the chance to visit while getting food ready to bring to the table. As I just mentioned, I wanted to maximize those requirements but was dealt with limited ability to “create” more room, so the built-in table, which seats 10, is attached to the small island that still gives me extra storage, prep space and then serving space when the table gets full. I have an extension I can bring in when more dining is needed and have easily sat 15 people at my dining island when the occasion calls for it. And when we are not dining as a large group, the table gives me bonus kitchen space for baking and canning, not to mention I often also work there. 

Unexpected design details
Unexpected design detail?

 As a designer, many of us “collect” pieces along the way that we think are just too cool to pass up and know “someday” we will use them. For me, it was a set of antique swing arm stools that were salvaged from an old sewing factory. I didn’t know how I would use them in my home someday but I just knew I would find a way. When we bought the house we renovated, I had many people try to discourage the purchase because they couldn’t see what I could see. The narrow kitchen seemed hopeless and although we tore out and added walls to other parts of the home, the kitchen footprint was pretty much locked in. However, it turned out the swinging, wall mounted bar stools were the perfect solution. It keeps me from having chairs interfere in a high traffic walkway and it allowed the long trestle style table solution that gained me extra seating. The end result is a perfect match of form and function. 

Storage sku you weren’t going to live without it? 

That is an easy one. For me, countertop clutter is a big no. A little bit leads to a lot piled up in no time since the people living in my house seem to have an innate ability to just not see messes. I designed a pantry for small appliances and the microwave, and I added the universal knife block pull out & utensil holder so all the knives, cooking utensils and measuring devises could all be stowed away yet kept very close at hand. This not only keeps my countertops clutter free but it gives a very clearly designated space for storing those items so they can always be found when needed by anyone cooking in my kitchen. 

Must-Have Storage- Pull Out Knife Block and Utensil Holder
Must-Have Storage Pull Out Knife Block and Utensil Holder
Anything you incorporate in the space that you always dreamed of having in a New Kitchen? 

When we renovated, we combined the dining area with the kitchen to maximize the space and flow. In doing so, I ended up with a low window that is essentially still within the space defined as the kitchen. I’ve always loved window seating for plants or creating cozy nooks so extending the cabinetry beyond the necessary space for the kitchen and creating a little window seat in the dining section of the space worked out perfectly. 

Must-Have Kitchen Feature

If you were remodeling today, anything you would include as a Must-Have? 

We did not have the above the fridge pullout storage when I remodeled, so my cabinet space up high is still challenging to access and I know that would be a great solution I would have opted for. There are other great must-have storage options that I just didn’t have the space plan to incorporate but would have loved to include like a pantry with roll trays or even more drawer organization, all of which are high demand storage options. 

Must-Have Kitchen Feature

Stephanie Pierce is the director of design and trends for MasterBrand Cabinets, North America’s largest cabinet manufacturer. As an expert on cabinetry design for the home, she is responsible for trend analysis and development of styles and finishes for multiple leading cabinetry brands. She leads a staff of talented designers and marketing experts who create beautiful cabinetry, creative visual assets and stunning print and digital media for residential kitchens, bathrooms, offices and beyond. Pierce supports MasterBrand’s new product launches and works collaboratively on innovation initiatives, including the development of new marketing resources or tools, cabinet materials and organizational SKUs. In addition, she captures and presents industry trends for product development, media, designers and customers. Pierce, who holds a bachelor’s degree in interior design and is a member of Color Marketing Group, began her career of increasing responsibilities at MasterBrand in 2002. Having always worked with the entire scope of products within the portfolio, she is enthusiastic about delivering attributes of cabinetry design, presentation, or training for corporate and select retail showrooms, national and regional events and new product launches, all with the intent to bring education and inspirational design to the consumer.

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Why Choose Inset Cabinetry? https://www.masterbrandcabinets.com/blog/why-choose-inset-cabinetry/ Wed, 25 Aug 2021 18:31:07 +0000 https://www.masterbrand.com/blog/?p=780 Inset cabinetry doors are located inside the cabinetry’s frame instead of being applied to the face of the frames like the common standard overlay cabinets you often see. This integrated door adds character to the design, making your cabinetry feel more like high end furniture. Inset cabinets have a famed and elegant history, having been ... Read more

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Inset cabinetry doors are located inside the cabinetry’s frame instead of being applied to the face of the frames like the common standard overlay cabinets you often see. This integrated door adds character to the design, making your cabinetry feel more like high end furniture. Inset cabinets have a famed and elegant history, having been inspired by the work of skilled craftsmen and artisans. Though they’re often a little more expensive than the more common overlay cabinets, the higher price point is due to the precision required for fitting the door inside of the frame leaving little room for error.

Framed cabinetry
Framed Cabinetry
Full access cabinetry
Full Access Cabinetry
Inset cabinetry
Inset Cabinetry

Must Have Inset Cabinet Details

Inset cabinets can also take on unique details. To accentuate the edges of the cabinet’s frame you can customize to a “beaded inset”, this modification will feature a beaded detail that wraps around the opening of your cabinet enhancing the features in your selected door style. In custom lines, like Omega Cabinetry, you can highlight the beaded detail with a contrasting color elevating the overall design.

Non-beaded
Non-Beaded Inset
Beaded inset with contrasting colored bead
Beaded Inset with Contrasting Colored Bead

European-style barrel hinges can add to the quaint nostalgia of your kitchen or use a concealed hinge to simplify the face of the cabinet if you prefer a cleaner design aesthetic. Inset cabinetry can be styled from craftsman to modern, as it’s all about the added style details.

Barrel hinge shown with inset cabinetry
Barrel Hinge shown with Inset Cabinetry
concealed hinge
Concealed Hinge shown with Inset Cabinetry

When designing with inset it’s important to think about where seams will fall within a design. Unwanted seams can be eliminated by using cabinet combining modifications or consider breaking up long cabinetry runs with varying depths of cabinetry. Finally, inset panel ends provides the finishing touches at the end of any cabinet run or island end.

Inset panel ends for inset cabinetry
Inset Panel Ends for Inset Cabinetry

Designing with Inset Cabinetry

The last thing you want from your inset cabinet doors are doors that you can’t keep from jamming and sticking. If you live in an area where the temperatures may range to extremes, you might be all too familiar with this problem. This kind of jamming is often the result of fluctuations in a room’s humidity, where high humidity causes the doors to expand and dry climates may cause slight shrinking. Your home’s temperature and humidity should always be moderated for proper inset cabinet door function.

Inset cabinetry is available in MasterBrand’s following brands: Decora Cabinetry, Starmark Cabinetry, Fieldstone Cabinetry and Omega Cabinetry.

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Defining Style with Kitchen Range Hoods https://www.masterbrandcabinets.com/blog/defining-style-with-kitchen-range-hood/ Wed, 09 Jun 2021 19:49:00 +0000 https://www.masterbrand.com/blog/?p=413 Today’s kitchen isn’t about a grand, style-defining focal point, but that doesn't mean you don’t need a visual landing space to attract the eye when you walk into your space. One of the best opportunities to capture attention with kitchen features is the range hood area.

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Today’s kitchen isn’t about a grand, style-defining focal point, but that doesn’t mean you don’t need a visual landing space to attract the eye when you walk into your space. One of the best design opportunities to capture attention with kitchen features is the range hood area. This is a critical, functional feature within every kitchen design and can be used to transform the space from Modern to Farmhouse or from Traditional to Minimal with an ease of effort.

Current trends support the built in style or a freestanding hood that does not attach to the cabinetry next to it, but wood hoods over a metal appliance tend to blend better into the landscape of the other cabinetry and look more integrated with the kitchen. Minimizing the impact of metal appliances in the space also makes it easier to mix alternative metals that are popular like champagne, gold and matte black.

We recommend dressing up your range hood to mimic other complimentary tones in the cabinetry. This can be matched and stylized or is can be minimal but accented with using a pop of color or a change in species.

The associated images show how easy it is to alter the kitchen’s overall style by swapping out only one feature, the hood. Every designer will have their own process, but the range and sink are the first two areas I always start with in my designs and then, the rest of the space just seems to fall into place. Depending on the overall style, I like to use the hood as the primary design feature and really let it be the heart of the kitchen. I may even pull out design aesthetics from the hood and add them into the details of an island or a feature sink cabinet. The flexibility of hood configurations also work great for minimal designs, when the style is more modern, I may instead blend the hood into the rest of the cabinetry in the space, as if it doesn’t even exist. You can’t go wrong when you make sure the range hood looks and feels like the finishing touch.

Below are a few of my favorite ways to style a range hood.

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