For spouses with different tastes, planning your living space may seem a challenge. Find out how by visiting Heart Kitchens of Holmdel, NJ online.

With the holiday season in full swing, you might be thinking about how to celebrate. Undoubtably, the holidays will look different this year. No matter what you’re doing, it’s likely a holiday meal is still on the agenda. And even if it’s just with the people in your same household, a large meal can wreak havoc on your kitchen. Even worse? If you’re the one in charge of cooking, you could easily spend the entire day over the stovetop, missing out on the gathering completely! Having a well-organized kitchen can help ensure your holiday efforts are executed flawlessly. In fact, your kitchen can even be a source of comfort and joy when intelligently designed. Getting it ready for the holidays doesn’t have to be difficult. Here are our best tips: Maximize Storage When new clients call us, it’s often because they’re short on storage space and unable to work effectively in their kitchen. Finding creative ways to make the most of the space you’ve got is crucial, especially during the holidays. • Store flat items such as baking sheets and cutting boards vertically to maximize space • Place dry goods in glass canisters to make for an attractive display on open shelving • House small appliances, such as the toaster or blender, in the pantry to keep counters clear • Add function to the pantry and cabinets with shelf dividers, spice racks, or pull-out bins to increase accessibility and organization • Upgrade your refrigerator to a model with organization features such as adjustable drawers or a built-in wine rack

An organized, expertly designed laundry room can make all the difference when performing this tedious routine. Find out more online at Heart Kitchens of Somerset, NJ today.

Creating a beautiful kitchen requires proper planning, time, and effort – and, of course, an eye for design. But when it comes to the heart of the home, style isn’t everything. Functional choices are more critical in the kitchen than in any other room of the house, especially when you’re working with a small space. Anyone who’s worked in a poorly designed kitchen knows this. When we first met John and Christine Mormile, they were seeking a more functional kitchen. As first-time home buyers, they purchased their traditional Cape Cod-style house knowing it would need renovation. Their biggest complaint? With everything jammed onto one wall, the kitchen felt closed-in and suffocating. This is what we did: Bigger Isn’t Always Better Just because your space is smaller doesn’t mean you can’t have the kitchen of your dreams. In fact, some of our favorite makeovers are smaller kitchens like Christine and John’s. They force us to get creative about making the limited amount of space work. “ Our new kitchen feels like much bigger room with more space than it actually is. ” – Christine Mormile One of the most important things we’ve learned over the years is that lack of space doesn’t have to mean lack of style – or functionality. Designing a New Kitchen When we first meet with a new client or prospect, we start with a series of questions to determine their wants and needs. For example: • “How do you use your kitchen? Cooking? Baking? Entertaining? Homework or business?” • “What don’t you like about your current kitchen?” • “What would you want to see in your dream kitchen?” Many times, when a prospect contacts us, it’s out of frustration with their current kitchen. They want to know how they can make the space work. The Mormiles needed more storage and functionality out of their small space. They didn’t care about having an eat-in kitchen, but they did want to get rid of the outdated appliances. Like all clients, our initial discussion was all about finding solutions.

Whether Thanksgiving dinner or a Christmas feast, a kitchen island is an invaluable asset during the holidays. Find out more by visiting Heart Kitchens of Holmdel, NJ online.