Are you looking for a great way to have fun in the kitchen with the kids? If yes, host a top chef showdown in your kitchen! All you’ll need are secret ingredients, a judges’ panel and be in the mood for daring cooking! Read now to learn how you can get all the kids involved in your top chef extravaganza!

You can bring the action from Iron Chef and Top Chef to your very own kitchen by hosting your own culinary showdown with your kids. This activity is not only fun but also educational for your future top chefs!

Columbia Kitchens is here to help you and the kids enjoy this activity by giving you a few tips on how to transform your kitchen into your very own kitchen stadium and get you and the kids eager to say ‘Ready, Set, cook!’ in no time. Here is how:

Form The Teams

Before you start your cooking competition, you need to form your cooking teams. Make sure all your little chefs have aprons. Let them put designs on their aprons to make them feel like special chefs. The aprons will also keep them clean.

Each team should have a least one teen or adult guardian to act as sous-chef and handle heavy knife work and stove usage.

The best team numbers to make sure all are involved are three teams of two or two teams of three. Do what works best for you.

Make The Rules And Check Them Twice

When you have kids in the kitchen, the last thing you want to do is wing an activity. Give your teams a game plan. You can do this by creating cards with simple recipes on them. Have a main dishes and desserts they should make on the cards. Let the teams decide which recipes they want to cook using the theme ingredients.

For example, you can have a theme of eggs. The kid chefs could cook classic cheese omelets or bacon and egg cups. A dessert theme could be indoor s’mores and cozy cocoa rice pudding.

Always try to pick easy recipes with familiar ingredients so you can keep introducing the kids to new dishes and flavors in a fun way.

Pick The Right Secret Ingredient

One of the best parts about having a top chef contest is revealing the secret ingredient. Unlike top chef, you will have to be careful about what secret ingredient you will use during your competition. Remember, children have diverse taste preferences and nothing is guaranteed to satisfy them all.

Some kid-friendly ingredients that rarely go wrong are apples, cheese, and bread. Have themes like smoothie showdown or a no-bake cookie contest. Tell your chefs to make quick applesauce, grilled three-cheese sandwiches, or no-bake chocolate crackles.

Form The Judging Panel

Lastly, form your judging panel by allowing the kids to take turns judging their food. Don’t forget to have an objective judge or two to keep the competition fair.  Award points for the dishes based on creativity, out-of-the-box thinking and presentation. The best scoring method is to use two 10-point scales. One scale will judge taste and the other creativity for a total of 20 points.

No matter who wins by point scales, make sure everybody knows they are winners. This cooking activity is sure to bring your family closer, while teaching the kids the basics of food preparation and kitchen safety. You can also use this activity to teach healthy eating and nutrition habits.

Start creating happy and tasty memories with your kids today! Columbia Kitchens is here to help.

Let us create a kids’ zone in your kitchen today for your top chefs!

Here are our Kitchen and Bath Remodeling Services:

At Columbia Kitchens we offer stock builder grade cabinets for immediate purchase or you can choose from our semi-custom and custom lines which are all displayed in our beautiful showroom. When you arrive, we will also show you our vast array of custom countertop options which include: Laminate, Corian, granite, marble, Vetrazzo (recycled glass), Silestone, Cambria, Zodiaq, Caesarstone, Eco, Hanstone, Swanstone, and cultured marble. Columbia Kitchens offers all this plus FREE estimates, FREE design services, and FREE in-home measuring all done by our friendly, creative staff of professionals. Let us create the design of your dreams today!

Contact us by calling 410.796.9090 or click here today!

Check us out on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn as well!

Read now to learn how to pull off this wonderful Mother’s Day surprise.

To successfully pull off this big surprise, you will need to find a way to get your mom out of the house so that her kitchen can be remodeled without her knowledge. You can do this by buying her a ticket to go on a little vacation for the amount of time it will take to have the new cabinets installed. She will think that her gift is the vacation, and will be surprised when she gets home. When the vacation is over, she will return home to find her real gift, making this Mother’s Day the best yet! She will be so proud that you took the time out to remodel her kitchen, while at the same time you will be adding value to her home. You can even include updated appliances and specific accessories in the cabinets that will best suit her needs. If she complains that she can never find her spices while she’s cooking, you can include a spice pullout or drawer to designate a specific area for them in the new design. She will be in awe that you remembered and even more impressed that you considered her work habits in the process. Get creative with your project and consider what features will work best for her!

The first step is to speak with a designer at Columbia Kitchens. They will be able to assist you will all of your needs and be able to show you all of your options using our sophisticated design software. Once a design is agreed upon, you will need to hire a contractor who is licensed. He will take out the old cabinets, and replace them with the new ones. He will also be in charge of any other work that will be involved with the project, which could include the electrical/gas work, plumbing, flooring, or tiling. This is not a job that should be contracted out to a handyman, or anyone else who doesn’t have a license. You will want to ask for referrals to be sure that you are getting a professional person, with great experience. Make sure to discuss the deadline of the project, and make sure that they are able to schedule the project in the time frame that you are looking for. You will also want to discuss this with your designer so that they will be able to ship the new cabinets on a day that she is away.

New kitchen cabinets are a great gift to give to your mother because not only does she use the kitchen a lot, but she will remember you every time she goes to cook! Nobody accesses the kitchen more than her, and the new design will only be an improvement from what she had before. It will bring life to the rest of the house, and add value to the home at the same time. It is a gift that keeps on giving!

Whether she is in the kitchen to create a meal or to socialize with the family, the kitchen is a place where all of the family gathers. The kitchen is often full of great memories for a mom, and is a place to connect with the whole family at once. She will even use this intimate place to teach her grandchildren how to cook and bake hearty meals the whole family can enjoy, as she once did with you as a child.

So, give your mom what she really wants this Mother’s Day- a new kitchen. Call Columbia Kitchens today and speak with one of our innovative designers who will help make her dream a reality!

At Columbia Kitchens we offer stock builder grade cabinets for immediate purchase or you can choose from our semi-custom and custom lines which are all displayed in our beautiful showroom. When you arrive, we will also show you our vast array of custom countertop options which include: Laminate, Corian, granite, marble, Vetrazzo (recycled glass), Silestone, Cambria, Zodiaq, Caesarstone, Eco, Hanstone, Swanstone, and cultured marble. Columbia Kitchens offers all this plus FREE estimates, FREE design services, and FREE in-home measuring all done by our friendly, creative staff of professionals. Let us create the design of your dreams today!

Contact us by calling 410.796.9090 or click here today!

Check us out on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn as well!

Do you have young children in your home curious about their surroundings? If so, you may notice that they want to be a part of all family activities, including preparing meals in the kitchen with the rest of the family. Although this may concern you as a parent, you do not have to worry when you design your kitchen with your child’s safety in mind.

Our designers at Columbia Kitchens will be able to assist with your kitchen designs that will help you safeguard your children from being injured in the kitchen.  Kitchen Cabinets and countertops can be used in a range of ways to help enhance the safety of your children, while they enjoy preparing food in the kitchen with the entire family.

Read to learn about kitchen design tips you should include when remodeling your kitchen to accommodate young children in food preparation. Designate what they can have access to in the kitchen and what they must be restricted from using.

It is important for a home with young children to have a designated kids’ zone in the kitchen. Young children have a desire to explore the world they live in, but their coordination, balance and dexterity are still developing. Young children do not have the full reasoning skills and ability to pay attention to safety at all times in the kitchen. When a designated kids’ zone is created in the kitchen, access and safety need to be equally prioritized.

To start planning out your designated kids’ zone in the kitchen, you should first clarify what age and which children in the household should be included in the food preparation. Make a list that includes each child’s duties, according to their age, so that they know where their boundaries are, and what they are restricted from doing or accessing. You can add in more responsibilities throughout the year, and take out restrictions on their birthday.

Remember, every time you increase access for young children in the kitchen, you also increase their vulnerability to potential risks in the kitchen.

When setting an area for younger cooks in the kitchen, you must integrate that designated area with the work and traffic patterns of the overall kitchen space.

You should install cabinets and countertops in the kids’ zone in relation to the children who will be using this space heights and sight lines. Pay attention to the specific items that they will need to use and store them in a specific area that is height friendly to them. This will help prevent large messes, since they will be able to reach items that they will need. At the same time, it will prevent any hazardous accidents from occurring.

Here are a few design tips you should consider using in your kids’ zone:

-        Store food preparation items and table setting items in base cabinets.

-        Install an under counter refrigerator and child-friendly faucet in the kids’ zone. Children will have easier access to cold foods, that are specific to their diet (and allowed to have), and will have a designated sink with a specific faucet that will prevent any accidents from occurring. The child-friendly faucet should include anti-scald and motion sensor controls.

-        If a microwave is needed in the kids’ zone, make sure it is at a safely accessible height for the children who will frequently use it. A freestanding microwave placed on a shelf or countertop can work wonders. However, including a built-in microwave in a base cabinet would be much more ideal for their height since it will be directly in front of them, and out of the way of the cooking surface. It is also safer and out of the way of the prep and cooking area.

-        Install a school lunch station to store lunch boxes, bags, snacks, or anything else needed, so that the school age child can access these items on their own, and even make their own lunch. Make sure to include a trash pullout for waste and recycling as well.

-        Install pullouts or lazy susan carousels in any cabinet that is hard to reach so that they do not have to worry about using a step stool, and potentially harming themselves. These can always be removed or changed, as your child continues to grow.

-        Make sure to set lockout features on ovens, cooktops and dishwashers. Install locks on cabinets that you do not want the young children to have access to.

-        If you need more information on kitchen safety for kids and want to learn more about how the kitchen provides a family fun environment for all, read our article on Family Benefits of The Kitchen .

When kitchen safety for children is needed, a child-friendly design is too! Let us create a kids’ zone in your kitchen today!

Here are our Kitchen and Bath Remodeling Services:

At Columbia Kitchens we offer stock builder grade cabinets for immediate purchase or you can choose from our semi-custom and custom lines which are all displayed in our beautiful showroom. When you arrive, we will also show you our vast array of custom countertop options which include: Laminate, Corian, granite, marble, Vetrazzo (recycled glass), Silestone, Cambria, Zodiaq, Caesarstone, Eco, Hanstone, Swanstone, and cultured marble. Columbia Kitchens offers all this plus FREE estimates, FREE design services, and FREE in-home measuring all done by our friendly, creative staff of professionals. Let us create the design of your dreams today!

Contact us by calling 410.796.9090 or click here today!

Check us out on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn as well!

Cabinetry used in living room.

Designing your house can become difficult and overwhelming when trying to figure out how to compliment each room with one another. Most go directly to an interior designer without knowing that a kitchen designer can help them with the majority of the work.

Our designers at Columbia Kitchens will be able to assist with designs for all rooms of the house. This is because wherever furniture is needed, cabinets can be used. Cabinets are made of wood just as furniture is, and are used in all rooms of the house, not just for kitchens and baths. This means that all rooms of the house can include cabinetry for all types of storage. It is less than custom furniture, and you will be able to see each room in 3D perspective before making your purchase.

Bar area cabinetry.

Besides kitchen and baths, the top 6 rooms/areas that clients have chosen to include cabinetry in are:

The Bar Area

Incorporating a bar area in the home is very common nowadays. Most homeowners like to store and hide alcohol away in a designated area for many reasons. It is used for display purposes, as well as entertaining.  Large bars, for larger entertaining purposes, are typically designed to go in the basement area. However, you can plan for your bar to go in the dining room or across from the kitchen area, as others have done. No matter what room you decide, it will provide storage, display, and flair to any home.

The Living Room

Almost every living room has an entertainment center in it. You will typically find a stand for the lamp or pictures as well. These are all standard options using cabinetry. If you need a place to store the flat screen, DVD/blue ray player, stereo and other entertainment devices, order an entertainment center with open shelving for all of your best display items and pictures to be displayed.

The Bedrooms

Dressers are a must for any bedroom, just as much as closets and night stands. In every bedroom, there needs to be an area for clothes storage and personal items such as jewelry. This can all be done using cabinetry, which one of our professional staff will show you using our design program. This helps in planning out the best use of the space, and shows how the area will look ahead of time.

Foyers/Hallways

Use cabinetry to create an area to organize and store your coats, games, and shoes. Instead of leaving the shoes at the front door, you could design an area with cubby slots to have them easily accessible, or hide them away in a cabinet or drawer. Your coats could be organized to hang above the shoes and game area. You can also include a place to sit while you are taking off or putting on your shoes.

The Laundry Area

Besides adding in a countertop to fold the clothes, you will need to include cabinets to store dirty clothes, detergents and other items affiliated with the area.  This is also a great place to store pet needs, sports equipment, or infrequently used kitchen items.

The Office

With the rising cost of fuel, it is a great idea to work from home and a home office is a perfect place to add extra cabinets.  Whether it is used for work, kid’s homework, family businesses, or just entertainment, a computer is a major part of the home and having a designated space makes the whole home more efficient.  Cabinets can be used to create desks, book shelves, and additional storage for office supplies.

When storage is needed, cabinets are the answer. Let us create a design for any or all rooms in the home!

Here are our Kitchen and Bath Remodeling Services:

At Columbia Kitchens we offer stock builder grade cabinets for immediate purchase or you can choose from our semi-custom and custom lines which are all displayed in our beautiful showroom. When you arrive, we will also show you our vast array of custom countertop options which include: Laminate, Corian, granite, marble, Vetrazzo (recycled glass), Silestone, Cambria, Zodiaq, Caesarstone, Eco, Hanstone, Swanstone, and cultured marble. Columbia Kitchens offers all this plus FREE estimates, FREE design services, and FREE in-home measuring all done by our friendly, creative staff of professionals. Let us create the design of your dreams today!

Contact us by calling 410.796.9090 or click here today!

Check us out on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn as well!

Here at Columbia Kitchens of Maryland, we are here to help you make food preparation, storage and cleanup much more functional for those with special needs, simply by using kitchen modifications made for universal accessibility.

Kitchen Cabinet Modifications

One important modification you will want for your kitchen is built-in accessories to help your love ones access items more comfortably. When you have carousels inside your kitchen cabinets, it will make reaching items in your cabinets easier, especially if your loved one uses a wheelchair. They would not be able to reach items further in the back of your kitchen cabinets if it weren’t for this feature.

This is also true of the sink, which will be difficult to reach if not planned for. You will want to incorporate a handicap sink front to allow for their wheelchair to roll underneath the sink as they wash dishes.  There are also cabinets made to house the microwave beneath the countertop, so that it is more easily reached.

Cabinet hardware is also a place to think about those with dexterity issues.  Simply choosing larger knobs or wider pulls for the cabinets will make opening the doors and drawers easier and less painful.  Also having self-closing mechanisms on the cabinets will help close the doors and drawers with very little effort.

Another great feature you should install in your kitchen cabinets are accessories that slide out. Roll-out trays, deep drawer storage, door shelving, and pullouts are all options to plan for when easy access is required. These features are extremely useful and prevent hard and heavy objects from falling and possibly injuring your loved one. This eliminates the need to bend and reach in the lower cabinets to retrieve the items you need. You should also avoid storing objects very high up or far back in the cabinets to prevent a potentially harmful situation from occurring.

Kitchen Countertop Modifications

Once you have made your kitchen cabinets more accessible, you will need to remodel your countertops.

One useful kitchen countertop modification could be to include a cooking surface that is flush with the countertop and features the controls near the front.  This feature will help elderly relatives, who are in a wheel chair or have difficulty walking, continue to independently prepare meals.

You can also install a lower kitchen countertop behind or next to the island or peninsula area. This would be a perfect work surface to sit and prepare meals and a great area for them to dine without having to carry heavy dishes so far. You could also include a TV in one of the wall cabinets so that they are entertained as they are cooking and/or eating.

When planning a kitchen it is important to fit the needs of the homeowner, today and going forward into the future.  There may be an individual with special needs living in the home at the time, a parent that may eventually come to live in the home, or perhaps the homeowner is preparing for a time when they themselves may have mobility issues.  In any case, Columbia Kitchens would be happy to create a kitchen which promotes independence while providing the needed accommodations for your situation.

Here are our Kitchen and Bath Remodeling Services.

At Columbia Kitchens we offer stock builder grade cabinets for immediate purchase or you can choose from our semi-custom and custom lines which are all displayed in our beautiful showroom. When you arrive, we will also show you our vast array of custom countertop options which include: Laminate, Corian, granite, marble, Vetrazzo (recycled glass), Silestone, Cambria, Zodiaq, Caesarstone, Eco, Hanstone, Swanstone, and cultured marble. Columbia Kitchens offers all this plus FREE estimates, FREE design services, and FREE in-home measuring all done by our friendly, creative staff of professionals. Let us create the design of your dreams today!

Contact us by calling 410.796.9090 or click here today!

Check us out on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn as well!

If you are thinking of remodeling your bathroom, stop in to Columbia Kitchens so that we can help guide you step by step into making your dream bathroom a reality. One of our professional designers will start off by showing you the plethora of vanity cabinet options available, and guide you into making decisions which follow your vision for the bathroom. It can be overwhelming picking the right bathroom cabinets for your home, but Columbia Kitchens is here to help  make those hard decisions much easier.

It is important to know that your cabinet style choice can affect the look and feel of your entire bathroom because bathroom cabinets set the tone of your bathroom theme. Your bathroom cabinets are not just medicine cabinets. They are a reflection of your taste and creativity.

Before picking out your bathroom cabinets, you need to first consider how you will use your bathroom space. When you decide how the space will be used, you can decide on the best way to configure your bathroom, materials and style for your new bathroom cabinetry. For example, if you enjoy soaking in your bathtub for long periods of time, you could incorporate an open shelf area in your vanity bases to accommodate a place for a TV. Others have even included a feeding area for their pets.

If you look through design books and magazines, you can come up with a variety of ideas on how different styles and color combinations will complement one another. However, every bathroom is unique in size and style, which is why you would need a designer to advise you on what options fit you and your bathroom more personally. Your designer will help you understand how to use your bathroom space more effectively, so that you will leave with a design that fits your specific needs.

Bathroom cabinets are one of the least expensive items on the list of materials to expect when remodeling the bathroom. This is why you should request high quality cabinets. Vanity cabinets are very affordable and the upgrades are minimal since there are only a few cabinets in the bathroom. This allows you to create the most unique bathroom without having to worry about a budget.

Bathroom Cabinetry Style

There are so many options when it comes to choosing the color and style of your new bathroom cabinets, and can sometimes become overwhelming. Columbia Kitchens will help you figure out what look and feel you are trying to achieve, and will help you figure out how to compliment it with the rest of the house at the same time.

Your style options range from Classic to Contemporary; Modern and European, and Sleek or even Shabby chic. After figuring out which one to go with, your designer will show you the applicable doors to reflect that specific style.

You could end up with a simple vanity base and countertop, all which can be enhanced with simple fluting and/or clipped corners. You could also dress it up with legs or bun feet to give it a more furniture type feel.

Your countertop options will be solid surfacing like granite, Cambria, Silestone, or Corian; all which would be your most durable types. However, we also offer laminate and cultured marble, all which can be made to look like solid surface materials.

The tops would be topped off with an undermount, integrated, drop-in, or vessel sink, all which could add another dimension to the feel that you are going for- as well as dictate the maintenance. These are all things that would need to be considered when making your purchase as well as what you would be storing.

Deciding what you would be storing is crucial to choosing the types of accessories to go with in the cabinets. You could designate an area for a hamper, towels and linens, trash, make-up, and even jewelry. You could otherwise include roll-out trays for easy access to emergency items such as toilet paper or first aid kits.

Bathroom Cabinet Trends

It’s good to know what trends are in or not when making decisions for your bathroom. Style choices affect the resale of the home, and need to cater to the general public if you are looking to get the best bid. Ongoing trends that appeal to many and that are safe to go with are:

• Cabinets with furniture feet.
• Cherry and Maple woods
• Clipped and/or fluted corners or fillers

For high quality, stylish and affordable bathroom cabinetry, Columbia Kitchens of MD is here to help you create the bathroom of your dreams. Here are our Kitchen and Bath Remodeling Services.

At Columbia Kitchens we offer stock builder grade cabinets for immediate purchase or you can choose from our semi-custom and custom lines which are all displayed in our beautiful showroom. When you arrive, we will also show you our vast array of custom countertop options which include: laminate, Corian, granite, marble, Vetrazzo (recycled glass), Silestone, Cambria, Zodiaq, Caesarstone, Eco, Hanstone, Swanstone, and cultured marble. Columbia Kitchens offers all this plus FREE estimates, FREE design services, and FREE in-home measuring all done by our friendly, creative staff of professionals. Let us create the bathroom design of your dreams today!

If you have any questions about our quality bathroom cabinets and countertops, or need assistance with your kitchen or bathroom project, please contact us by calling 410.796.9090 or click here today!

Check us out on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn as well!

Yes, it is possible to get creative for Easter dinner with staples such as pancake syrup, spices, and apples to make exceptional dishes that your family will love every Easter, or at any other family gathering.

Planning a holiday meal can be extremely stressful but your kitchen cabinets can give you the inspiration you will need to make unique and delightful meals for your family and guests.  Making your kitchen both beautiful and user friendly will entice you to stay in the kitchen and prepare meals.   Better organization and increased storage space will help you with meal preparation as well.  The kitchen will become a gathering point for guests in your home.  At Columbia Kitchens, we can design a new kitchen that will take the stress out of future holiday get-togethers.

But first, here are just a couple recipes we would like to share with you to help you complete your Easter Dinner menu this year:

 Maple Glazed Pork Tenderloin

If you want to serve pork for Easter, you cannot go wrong with this maple glazed pork tenderloin meal that serves four. Look for the following ingredients already in your pantry:

-  1 teaspoon of dried thyme leaves (crushed).

-  1 teaspoon of dried marjoram leaves (crushed).

-  ¼ teaspoon of salt.

- ¼ teaspoon of onion powder.

- ¼ teaspoon of garlic powder.

-1 pound of pork tenderloin (sliced).

- 1 tablespoon of butter.

- 2 tablespoons of pancake syrup.

Once you have all your ingredients, put the thyme, marjoram, salt, onion powder and garlic powder in a resealable food storage bag. Shake the bag up well and add pork slices. Shake until all the pork slices are coated.

Next, melt your butter in a skillet and add the pork to the skillet to cook and stir for 8 to 10 minutes (until browned and with no pink center). Lastly, glaze your pork using the syrup.

Spinach Salad with Warm Maple Dijon Vinaigrette

If your family enjoys eating salad, they will enjoy this spinach salad with homemade maple Dijon vinaigrette.  This dish serves a family of four with the following ingredients:

-  ¼ cup of pancake syrup.

-  3 tablespoons of cider vinegar.

- 4 teaspoons Dijon mustard.

-  1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves or ½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves.

-  2 cloves garlic, minced.

- ½ teaspoon salt.

-   ¼ teaspoon pepper.

-  ½ cup extra virgin olive oil.

-  ½ crumbled blue cheese.

- 2 tablespoons crumbled cooked bacon or real bacon bits.

- 1 small unpeeled red apple sliced.

- A bag of fresh baby spinach.

Start making your salad by whisking together your syrup, vinegar, mustard, thyme, garlic, salt and pepper. Next, whisk these ingredients in oil until the mixture thickens.

Combine the spinach, apple, cheese and bacon in a bowl. Right before serving; heat up the vinaigrette in a microwavable bowl for 30 seconds. Drizzle on salad and eat.

Here are few tips on storing valuable ingredients in your kitchen cabinets:

- Make your dry spices last by buying whole spices like cinnamon, cayenne pepper, cumin, nutmeg, and cloves and grinding small batches, as you need them.

-Use resealable storage bags and containers to save room and keep dry goods fresh.  Label, date them, and store in your kitchen cabinets using a spice rack.

-Keep your spices away from direct light or heat for better efficacy.

You can also read our previous article on the Family Benefits of The Kitchen which has tips to have the children involved in preparing and making Easter dinner to make it a family affair.

If you need durable, stylish, kitchen cabinets today to store all of your family dinner ingredients, Columbia Kitchens of MD is here to help you create delightful family dinners for the whole family.

At Columbia Kitchens we offer stock builder grade cabinets for immediate purchase or you can choose from our semi-custom and custom lines which are all displayed in our beautiful showroom. When you arrive, we will also show you our vast array of custom countertop options which include: laminate, Corian, granite, marble, Vetrazzo (recycled glass), Silestone, Cambria, Zodiaq, Caesarstone, Eco, Hanstone, Swanstone, and cultured marble. Columbia Kitchens offers all this plus FREE estimates, FREE design services, and FREE in-home measuring all done by our friendly, creative staff of professionals. Let us create the kitchen design of your dreams today!

If you have any questions about child-friendly kitchen cabinets or need assistance with your kitchen or bathroom project, please contact us by calling 410.796.9090 or click here today!

Check us out on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn as well!

Quality Time with the Family

One of the wonderful things about having a kitchen is that you can cook and eat together with your family. By cooking with your children you can teach them life-long skills to select and prepare healthy foods. This allows for the quality time that is sometimes hard to find during the week, bringing families closer together.

Healthier Lifestyles

Homemade meals tend to be healthier than store bought and fast food meals. When children are involved in the preparation and cooking process, they tend to like the nutritious foods that they are learning to prepare. There is more sentimental value behind the food, leading to healthier choices as they grow.

Cabinets Prevents Accidents

When your children are more interactive in the kitchen, you want your kitchen to be as organized as possible. Smaller children tend to be curious and can pick up hazardous objects left out on surfaces and potentially harm themselves. Your kitchen design must focus on keeping them safe at all times. One way to keep them safe is by installing child safety locks on the cabinet doors and stove to prevent them from being hurt.

Teaches Organizational Skills

Cabinets can be used as a solution to store away objects so that they are not left out in the open. They can solve many other solutions and can be used as furniture in other rooms such as the living room, foyer, bedroom, hallway, or basement. Our professional staff can design solution ideas to store TVs, DVD’s, and entertainment areas; shoes and coats, toys, beauty products, wine, fine china and other display items.

Ideal child friendly kitchen cabinets will save space and help your children and you find what you’re looking for exactly when you need it. This will also help your children become confident in their organizational skills.

Organize your kitchen cabinets to create a child friendly kitchen by following these tips:

Child Safety for Top Kitchen Cabinet Shelves

Do your best to avoid putting heavy items on your top kitchen cabinet shelves. The best items to put on the top kitchen cabinet shelves are items that are lightweight and will be rarely used such as fine china. This will decrease the chances of accidents occurring in the kitchen and the breakage of fragile items. You can store seasonal candy for the children as a reward for being clean and safe cooks in the kitchen.

Child Safety for Middle Shelves

The middle shelves in your wall cabinets are the perfect heights for most children. Place your most frequently used dishes, cups and snacks in these cabinets. You should also store the most used cooking items in this section. Some frequently used cooking items are canned goods, flour, sugar and salt. This is the perfect height for children to easily lift items for cooking and dining.

Child Safety for Bottom Shelves

The bottom shelf of your wall cabinets are perfect area to devote to cooking tools that are not sharp. Tools such as measuring cups, spoons, oven mitts, aprons, tiny cutting board, and plastic spatulas are just some of the non-harmful items to be considered here.

We Will Meet ALL of Your Needs at Columbia Kitchens of MD 

If you need durable, stylish, child friendly kitchen cabinets today, Columbia Kitchens of MD is here to help you get the whole family to take part in cooking and enjoying your kitchen! Here are our Kitchen and Bath Remodeling Services.

At Columbia Kitchens we offer stock builder grade cabinets for immediate purchase or you can choose from our semi-custom and custom lines which are all displayed in our beautiful showroom. When you arrive, we will also show you our vast array of custom countertop options which include: laminate, Corian, granite, marble, Vetrazzo (recycled glass), Silestone, Cambria, Zodiaq, Caesarstone, Eco, Hanstone, Swanstone, and cultured marble. Columbia Kitchens offers all this plus FREE estimates, FREE design services, and FREE in-home measuring all done by our friendly, creative staff of professionals. Let us create the kitchen design of your dreams today!

If you have any questions about child-friendly kitchen cabinets or need assistance with your kitchen or bathroom project, please contact us by calling 410.796.9090 or click here today!

Check us out on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn as well!

Installing granite kitchen countertops is easier than ever.  The total turn-around time from purchase can be less than 2 weeks.  Granite slabs are unique and sturdy kitchen remodeling solutions because they are one of the toughest, most sophisticated natural stone materials you can use in your home. You can create a one of a kind luxurious countertop for your kitchen without sacrificing easy maintenance.

Here are four benefits you will gain as a homeowner when you choose granite countertops:

Granite Adds Home Value

Upon installing an elegant granite countertop, your kitchen will be instantly improved, but will also add value to your property. The kitchen has the greatest potential for returned investment in your home.  So, whether you are preparing your home for the market or are planning to live in it for years to come, you will definitely get your money’s worth.

Granite is A Sanitary Material

Every kitchen is prone to harboring dangerous bacteria, so it is important to keep your kitchen as safe and clean as possible.  If kept properly sealed, your granite tops will be resistant to both bacteria and moisture.  Sealing your granite needs to be done every 1 to 3 years, depending on usage.  You can tell when it needs to be sealed by dropping water on the surface.  If the water beads up on the top, then it is sealed, but if the water is absorbed, then it is time to seal the stone again.

Granite Countertops Are Family-Friendly

When there are children in the home, there is potential for accidents. With Granite countertops, there is very little damage children, or even adults, can do to the material.  Granite is both heat and scratch resistant, so it is extremely durable.

Daily cleaning only involves a few quick wipes with a kitchen rag or paper towels. You do not need any special products to clean your granite countertops.  In fact, you should avoid any strong cleansers with citrus, ammonia, or any kind of acidic solvent.  All you will need is soapy water because staining is not a major problem for granite countertops. Its durability and easy clean-up make granite great for a busy family.

Granite Countertops Withstand Heat

If you plan on cooking plenty of hot meals in the kitchen, Granite Countertops can withstand moderately high temperatures. It is always best to use trivets, but don’t panic if you have to set a hot pot on the surface temporarily.  However, it is recommended to never use a crock pot directly on the surface.

Now, get ready to reap the benefits of solid granite countertops with Columbia Kitchens!

Cut on your countertop with out damaging the surface. Place a hot plate of food on the countertop with no worries. Let your children help you cook for the family.

You will discover that the whole family can take part in cooking and enjoying your kitchen!

Columbia Kitchens is here to help you get the look you want!

At Columbia Kitchens we supply custom made countertops featuring laminate, solid surface, and manufactured stone, natural granite, as well as cultured marble. We also we stock builder grade cabinets for immediate purchase or you can choose from deluxe or semi-custom lines of cabinetry all displayed in our beautiful showroom. We offer all this plus FREE estimates, FREE design services, and FREE in-home measuring all done by a capable, friendly staff of professionals.

Let us create the kitchen design of your dreams today!

If you have any questions or need assistance with your kitchen or bathroom project, please contact Columbia Kitchens by calling 410.796.9090 or click here today!

Check us out on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn as well!

Remodeling

Sometimes, your kitchen just doesn’t function and needs to be changed.  Maybe it needs to be bigger or just reconfigured to better suit your lifestyle.  Remodeling can be accomplished on a budget.  Cut costs by paying only for the options and features in cabinetry that you will actually use, and by upgrading only exposed cabinets, while utilizing all available space.  Many cabinet features look great in the showroom, but look at how they will function in your house.  Columbia Kitchens offers quality cabinets at reasonable prices and our designers can create a new kitchen layout to work with your family and your wallet.

Replacing

In many cases, homeowners are content with the layout of their kitchen and choose to just replace the old or damaged cabinetry with new, improved cabinets.  You can choose from stocked cabinets available for immediate purchase or you can order cabinets to truly customize your kitchen.  With so many different cabinet lines, there are hundreds of styles to choose from in all price ranges.  These new cabinets can also contain upgraded wood drawers, soft close options, roll-outs, and other desired accessories without changing the original footprint of your kitchen.

Of course, this option is less than a complete remodel, but very often it is also less than “re-facing” which is when the existing cabinet doors and drawer fronts are refinished to look new, but the inside of the cabinet remains the same.  Let Columbia Kitchens surprise you with how affordable it is to replace rather than re-face and enjoy your new kitchen cabinets inside and out.

Countertops

Even if new cabinets aren’t in the budget, you can still transform your kitchen into a beautiful room by updating your chipped, stained, or outdated countertops.   The best kitchen countertop selections are usually neutral tones that will work with any décor.  But, if you are adventurous, there are many eye-catching top surfaces using bold colors and wild patterns, which you can choose from to make a statement with your kitchen.  Custom made countertops featuring laminate, solid surface, natural granite, and manufactured stone are all great choices to consider.  Select the best surface for your lifestyle, design preference, and price point, but don’t forget to tie it in with your existing cabinetry so it doesn’t look out of place.  No matter which surface you choose, Columbia Kitchens is here to help you get the look you want.

Details

The smallest change can still make a big difference in the appearance of your kitchen.  Adding or replacing the hardware on your cabinets is one of the most affordable and easiest ways to change the entire look of your space.  Switching from brass to stainless steel knobs will instantly modernize your kitchen.  Another mini-makeover for your kitchen is adding a glass door to accent a cabinet.  Pick an opaque or patterned glass to conceal the contents of the cabinet while giving a sleek, new look to the kitchen.  These little changes can really refresh your kitchen without spending a fortune.

Whether you want to create a place for family fun or endless entertaining, Columbia Kitchens can help to transform your kitchen using affordable upgrades without breaking the bank.

At Columbia Kitchens, we supply custom made countertops featuring laminate, solid surface, manufactured stone, natural granite, as well as cultured marble.  We also stock builder grade cabinets for immediate purchase or you can choose from deluxe or semi-custom lines of cabinetry all displayed in our beautiful showroom.  We offer all this plus, FREE estimates, FREE design services, and FREE in-home measuring all done by a capable, friendly staff of professionals.

Let us create the kitchen of your dreams today!

If you have any questions or need assistance with your kitchen or bath project, please contact Columbia Kitchens by calling 410-796-9090 or click here today!

Check us out on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn as well!