5 Steps To Accomplishing Your Dream Kitchen

Many times, a full kitchen remodel can be a daunting task for a homeowner.  From demolition to construction to the finished product, kitchen projects can be out of their comfort zone.  Here at DSC, we like to make that process a smooth transition.  We achieve this by breaking down your remodel into a simple step by step method:

Once a customer has shown interest in DSC creating their kitchen design, we send out experienced professionals to measure the existing space.  Many times, we work with homeowner before construction has begun.  In this instance, we work off of the blueprints provided until the space can be field measured.

Once measurements have been acquired, we begin to work with our clients to discuss the wants and needs of their cabinet design.  What kind of look are we going for? Contemporary? Traditional? How is the space going to be used?  Will the kitchen need to accommodate specialty appliances? What kind of cabinet construction is preferred?  We are committed to being very thorough in this part of the process to ensure the finished product suits the needs of our clients.

Now that we have all of the pertinent information, we can begin the layout design process with our computer rendering programs.  This program gives us the ability to send color renderings and elevations of the layout through email, allowing us to communicate visually with our clients to achieve the kitchen of their dreams.

Many times arriving at a final design means checking with plumber, electricians, contractors, etc.  We make sure to communicate with all the experts involved on any particular job to ensure fluidity through the installation process. Once everything in the design checks out, we move forward by ordering cabinetry and all components needed.

Finally, the construction process begins! Construction can become very overwhelming for the homeowner therefore communication with the client is key.  We keep our clients informed of any surprise bumps in the road, installer arrivals times, and stay honest with progression timeline.  We are committed to giving our homeowners the quickest construction turn around time as possible!

5 Steps To Accomplishing Your Dream Kitchen

Many times, a full kitchen remodel can be a daunting task for a homeowner.  From demolition to construction to the finished product, kitchen projects can be out of their comfort zone.  Here at DSC, we like to make that process a smooth transition.  We achieve this by breaking down your remodel into a simple step by step method:

Once a customer has shown interest in DSC creating their kitchen design, we send out experienced professionals to measure the existing space.  Many times, we work with homeowner before construction has begun.  In this instance, we work off of the blueprints provided until the space can be field measured.

Once measurements have been acquired, we begin to work with our clients to discuss the wants and needs of their cabinet design.  What kind of look are we going for? Contemporary? Traditional? How is the space going to be used?  Will the kitchen need to accommodate specialty appliances? What kind of cabinet construction is preferred?  We are committed to being very thorough in this part of the process to ensure the finished product suits the needs of our clients.

Now that we have all of the pertinent information, we can begin the layout design process with our computer rendering programs.  This program gives us the ability to send color renderings and elevations of the layout through email, allowing us to communicate visually with our clients to achieve the kitchen of their dreams.

Many times arriving at a final design means checking with plumber, electricians, contractors, etc.  We make sure to communicate with all the experts involved on any particular job to ensure fluidity through the installation process. Once everything in the design checks out, we move forward by ordering cabinetry and all components needed.

Finally, the construction process begins! Construction can become very overwhelming for the homeowner therefore communication with the client is key.  We keep our clients informed of any surprise bumps in the road, installer arrivals times, and stay honest with progression timeline.  We are committed to giving our homeowners the quickest construction turn around time as possible!

We love designing funky little powder rooms for our clients.  This tiny little room is a great opportunity to have fun infusing personality into your home.  So, paint your walls that deep blue green you've been dying to use.  Go for the colored light fixture.  Have fun with that scalloped tile that reminds you of underwater sea life.  Install that impractical vessel sink.  The sky is the limit on what you can do!

Here are a few of our favorite ways to create a lavish experience for your guests in the powder room:

1. Wainscoting gives the appearance of a taller room.

2. Exotic or unusual wood veneers have the feeling of a luxurious destination hotel.

3. Metallic finishes and reflective surfaces make the space feel larger.

4. Ditch the standard ceiling mount light for stylish wall sconces on either side of your mirror.

5. Pedestal sinks, vessel sinks, and furniture vanities are all great alternatives to boring basic vanity cabinets.

6. Designer mirrors are functional pieces of art for tiny powder rooms.

7. Bold patterns and rich colors create an eccentric atmosphere.

8. Whether marble or onyx, take this opportunity to splurge on the high end countertop of your choice.

9. A little bit of contrast goes a long way to make a big impact in powder rooms. Black and white is a classic and timeless choice.

10. Your powder room usually doesn't see a lot of traffic, so have fun with your flooring choices.  The options are endless, including wood, mosaic tile, slate, etc.

11. Make your guests feel pampered by going for a little bit of extravagance.  Floor to ceiling tile, plush guest towels, and designer faucets can accomplish this impression.

We all love the rich look of hardwood.  The texture and woodgrain have been a flooring classic choice for centuries.  Although beautiful, wooden floors are not always the most resilient option.  When used in wet areas in the home (kitchen, bathroom, mudroom), wood soaks up the water like a sponge. This causes expansion and contraction, which makes the flooring buckle.  Wooden floors can accumulate unsightly blemishes under high traffic when not properly cared for, therefore many homeowners are looking for more resilient flooring options.

The days of racing to clean up that sippy cup spill or monitoring the amount of Tonka truck traffic on your hardwood flooring are finally over!  Many flooring companies are creating product lines to mimic the look of hardwood without all the fussy maintenance.

The buzz words are Luxury Vinyl Flooring.

Known for its versatility in wet and dry areas of the home, luxury vinyl flooring has come a long way in the last few years in their performance and aesthetics.  Luxury Vinyl comes in planks with beveled edges to look more like actual wooden planks.  With interlocking technologies, gap-proof guarantee, scratch resistance, and realistic patterns, our homeowners can feel comfortable putting luxury vinyl in their home as an alternative to wooden floors.

We carry several lines of luxury vinyl flooring at our Little Rock Showroom on Interstate 30.  Come out and view our large selection of luxury vinyl flooring!

White is a great color inspiration for a kitchen design.  We are seeing white used in all areas of the kitchen, but the latest trend movement is in the direction of white countertops.  Whether it is a contemporary or traditional kitchen, white countertops seem to be on the front of every home design magazine.  And for good reason! White has the ability to make the usually busy kitchen feel light, airy and significantly larger.

When discussing white countertops, the coveted Carrara Marble with its elegant grey veining is the first to come to mind.  While there is no disputing the timeless look of marble, this highly prized stone comes with a substantial amount of maintenance.  The porous quality of marble makes it prone to staining and requires frequent sealing.

For the everyday cook, granite and quartz are more suitable options.  White granite is wildly popular because it offers the same grace of natural stone as marble, but with slightly less maintenance.  Granite is far less porous than marble and only requires sealing every 15-20 years.  It is also more stain, heat and scratch resistant.

Manmade quartz stone is the most durable option for white countertops.  These nonporous, heat and scratch resistant countertops require no maintenance.  With countless pattern options, white quartz is a great fit for any kitchen style.

Come in to our Little Rock showroom on Interstate 30 to work with one of our experienced kitchen designers to see all of the white stone options available to you for your next kitchen countertop!

We are so excited about the new line of glass linear tiles we just got in the store! Great mixtures of pinstripes, natural stones, frosted glass and stainless steel.  Come by our 6,500 square foot showroom in Little Rock to check out the new Bliss line of glass linear tile.  We are located off of the McDaniels exit on I-30. 

Thank you for making 2013 a great year at DSC cabinets! We look forward to what the new year will bring! Happy New Year from Panama!

Best Wishes,

Don and Tammy Splawn, DSC Owners

As 2013 comes to an end, many of us are looking to make changes.  Some of us are looking to commit to healthier lifestyles, more success in the workforce, pick up new hobbies, or even start that long-awaited kitchen remodel.  Here are some of the top kitchen concepts to get those creative juices flowing in 2014.

One of the most commonly renovated spaces in a home is the bathroom.  Whether you are looking to add value to your house or want to create a spa-like escape, the market is saturated with plenty of options.  Here are some of the elements to be considered in bathroom design.

After much discussion, you've finally picked out your cabinet style and finishes. Now you can order your cabinets, right?

Wrong.  While you are almost there, one very important element to your kitchen design remains: appliance selection.  Appliance selection is a crucial component to be considered before pulling the trigger on a kitchen design.  Standard appliance sizes can be built into the design of and project, but if these dimensions are not communicated to the client, the finial appliance selection can de disastrous. Clients can often fall in love with a specialty refrigerator with extra large dimensions.  If the decision is made after the cabinets are built, there may not be ample enough space to accommodate such a refrigerator. Such predicaments can be avoided by early appliance selection.  We don't want you to end up in a sticky situation, so here are a few guidelines to consider.