At SENCE ARCHITECTS, we know in utilizing every square meter of a home efficiently. With this philosophy in mind, we designed the Harmony home with a focus on rational thinking to maximize the use of every zone of space. Our idea aimed to keep things simple yet striking. We used a light natural color palette to evoke a sense of tranquility, and the clean flowing lines of the interior create a seamless transition between different areas of the home. The light camel-colored sofa group and coffee tables with natural textures contribute to the overall atmosphere of the interior. For the materials used in the home, we chose ones that were as close to nature as possible. This means that all the materials visually and to the touch were like they were from nature. For instance, we used stone travertine textures for the kitchen worktop and apron, while porcelain tiles were used on the floor, and the fronts themselves are natural wood. ​Finally, we incorporated rounded shapes into the design of the sofa, armchair, and partition between the sofa group and the entrance area to emphasize the visual softness of the interior. Size / 150 sq.m. Year / 2023 Location / Cyprus, Limassol

Driftwood Custom Home was constructed on vacant property between two existing houses in Chemainus, BC. This type of project is a form of sustainable land development known as an Infill Build. These types of building lots are often small. However, careful planning and clever uses of design allowed us to maximize the space. This home has 2378 square feet with three bedrooms and three full bathrooms. Add in a living room on the main floor, a separate den upstairs, and a full laundry room and this custom home still feels spacious! The kitchen is bright and inviting. With white cabinets, countertops and backsplash, and stainless steel appliances, the feel of this space is timeless. Similarly, the master bathroom design features plenty of must-haves. For instance, the bathroom includes a shower with matching tile to the vanity backsplash, a double floating vanity, heated tiled flooring, and tiled walls. Together with a flush mount fireplace in the master bedroom, this is an inviting oasis of space.

The chance to build a lakeside weekend home in rural NC provided this Chapel Hill family with an opportunity to ditch convention and think outside the box. For instance, we traded the traditional boat dock with what’s become known as the “party dock”… a floating lounge of sorts, complete with wet bar, TV, swimmer’s platform, and plenty of spots for watching the water fun. Inside, we turned one bedroom into a gym with climbing wall – and dropped the idea of a dining room, in favor of a deep upholstered niche and shuffleboard table. Outdoor drapery helped blur the lines between indoor spaces and exterior porches filled with upholstery, swings, and places for lazy napping. And after the sun goes down… smores, anyone? John Bessler

Driftwood Custom Home was constructed on vacant property between two existing houses in Chemainus, BC. This type of project is a form of sustainable land development known as an Infill Build. These types of building lots are often small. However, careful planning and clever uses of design allowed us to maximize the space. This home has 2378 square feet with three bedrooms and three full bathrooms. Add in a living room on the main floor, a separate den upstairs, and a full laundry room and this custom home still feels spacious! The kitchen is bright and inviting. With white cabinets, countertops and backsplash, and stainless steel appliances, the feel of this space is timeless. Similarly, the master bathroom design features plenty of must-haves. For instance, the bathroom includes a shower with matching tile to the vanity backsplash, a double floating vanity, heated tiled flooring, and tiled walls. Together with a flush mount fireplace in the master bedroom, this is an inviting oasis of space.

A transitional townhouse for a family with a touch of modern design and blue accents. When I start a project, I always ask a client to describe three words that they want to describe their home. In this instance, the owner asked for a modern, clean, and functional aesthetic that would be family-friendly, while also allowing him to entertain. We worked around the owner's artwork by Ryan Fugate in order to choose a neutral but also sophisticated palette of blues, greys, and green for the entire home. Metallic accents create a more modern feel that plays off of the hardware already in the home. The result is a comfortable and bright home where everyone can relax at the end of a long day. Photography by Reagen Taylor Photography Collaboration with lead designer Travis Michael Interiors

We put quite a lot of detail in otherwise neglected areas such as the hallways. In this piece for instance we replaced all the doors with rich, heavy mahogany doors of good quality. We put a chandelier in the corridor, used wallpaper on the walls and broke that with exquisite wall hangings. The ceiling also had decorative mouldings and cornices installed for that modern contemporary feel.

Choosing between American framed cabinets and European frameless renditions often boils down to personal preference.

While the American framed counterpart emerges as an immensely popular choice, classic white European kitchen cabinets exhibit a timeless charm that one can't ignore.

It's pretty easy to distinguish a framed and a frameless cabinet as one pays close attention.

The American framed cabinets typically have wide gaps around the doors showing the face of the wood.

In comparison, the European frameless cabinets have much smaller gaps (less than a quarter-inch or more). Moreover, they also carry a matching edge band which is visible on the cabinet box, when its doors are left open.

Well, that's there with the basics and many more subtle differences that distinguish one kind from another.

In this post, we take a closer look at both frameless and framed cabinet styles, their merits and demerits, and help you make an informed decision to buy one.

The American Style Face Frames

As the name suggests, face frame cabinets dominate the structure of a cabinet and use comparatively thinner materials for the cabinet box.

One can find additional frame pieces (mullions) that rest right between the door and the face of the drawer.

One of the standout features of American framed cabinets is the doors that remain attached to the face frame and carry hinges concealed within. In such structures, the shelves are generally of half depth and can be hung side up or down according to one’s need.

Face frame cabinets are known to sport doors that are not classic or pure square in shape. Also, they use a trim mold for their finish which measures just about an inch, but wide enough to press on the wall contours. Thus, they are nailed right on the face of the cabinet as well as to the sides to even out the gaps following the installation.

In essence, this particular style of cabinetry is geared towards keeping things under budget and allows the makers to work persistently and create a specific line of products.

The European Frameless Style

Taking a different stance from American face frame cabinets, we have the European Frameless style that views the cabinet box as the main structure.

It goes to work with a thin edge connected to the cabinet box matching the exteriors. The material used for the cabinet box is also thicker and carries quite a bit of weight.

Also, instead of the face frame, the glides for the door and the drawers stay attached to the cabinet box itself. The white European kitchen cabinets also use concealed hinges, which is again chunkier compared to its American counterpart.

While such frameless cabinets can be easily ordered by referring to a catalog, most buyers opt for a custom made product.

Another glaring difference between the two cabinetry styles is how the European frameless renditions work with cabinet doors that are perfect squares, and all lines between the drawers and doors are straight, imparting consistency throughout.

Furthermore, the finishing detail instead of using trim molds are scribed and further cut to fit within the walls.

Delightful enough, one can have a European frameless cabinets customized to their liking, mood, and style. White European kitchen cabinets, unlike framed ones, can be made to look rustic, transitional, modern, or traditional, and could be even a blend of any two styles.

How Do You Know Which Is The Right Style For You?

As mentioned earlier, choosing a particular style of cabinetry is all dependent on your personal preference. However, there are a few merits and demerits to each style.

For instance, the white European kitchen cabinets are extremely high in demand and can offer a rich look and elegant feel to any space.

Even if you go for any other color other than the classic ones, it is the flexibility, the visually stunning appearance, and precise carpentry that goes in its favor.

Come-of-age cabinet makers have a wide range of white kitchen cabinets for sale to choose from. Cabinet DIY is one such professional and passionate cabinet maker that has helped many homeowners pick the right piece for their place. One can order from their website and get it shipped to their doorstep.

It's only evident why this carefully cut and sculpted cabinetry finds its place across leading home decor magazines and websites around the world.

The American face frame cabinets can seldom claim to match the elegance and timeless beauty of white European kitchen cabinets. Also, given the choice, European frameless cabinets have multiple doors and wide drawer banks offering adequate room for storage.

Most importantly, the hardware that goes into the making of a frameless cabinet has everything attached to the cabinet box which promises more longevity, compared to face frame renditions. While the former is more likely to stay the same over several years, the latter is prone to cracks appearing in places now and then, with slides and hinges fitted with screws.

Nevertheless, one of the standout reasons that might give American face frame cabinets an upper hand over European frameless cabinetry is budget.

American framed cabinets using much thinner finish material attributes to lower pricing. Also, given the fact that there isn't much room for exquisite designs, the budget is often an overpowering factor for many buyers.

Wrap up

For anyone who would like to order a cabinet that is aesthetically pleasing and promises endless customization and longevity will side with European frameless cabinets.

In doing so, it is quite probable that pricing won't be a hindrance as one wages the investment for the value the furniture adds to a living space. Something that American face framed cabinets can't seem to match up.

Designer: Joe Inscoe Location: Cabinet Discounters – Annapolis Specie: Maple Finish: Oatmeal and Zinc Overlay: FOLC Doors: Hillsbrad Drawer: 5-pc Flat Start your New Year with a New Kitchen! With the New Year finally here, it might be time to freshen up that outdated kitchen. Brighton Cabinetry offers custom cabinets across the Midwest and the East coast. Finding a dealer near you is easy! Just check out our Find a Dealer Page by clicking HERE. Not sure if you want light or dark colors on your cabinetry? Why not try using both? By accenting your kitchen with darker colors it will help certain pieces’ pop in color. For instance, in our shown kitchen you will see that the perimeter cabinets are painted in our Oatmeal finish, and the island and coffee bar are done in the contrasting dark color of Zinc. Brighton offers many ways to dress up your cabinetry to give it that extra flair. In the pictures you might have noticed the bun feet on the island. Bun feet give that chic look that will most likely never go out of style. With a bun foot you can give your kitchen a bit more of a comfortable feel, and a look that is like furniture style which is a design that people are looking for. Don’t forget about your accessories and storage! There are many different options that allow you to conveniently place away your items. From your pots and pans down to your spices, Brighton offers different choices to fit your needs, and if we don’t have it as a standard, your designer can custom quote an item to specifically fit your cabinetry needs. Some examples in the pictures are: Drawer Plate Organizer Double Knife Blocks Pullout Spice Racks Deluxe Rollouts Cutlery Dividers

Minimalist dining room photo in Miami

The full view Avante sectional overhead doors can be used in other places besides the garage. In this instance, they are used in family room to provide light but also allow the room to open up to outdoor living space.

Bright, blonde spruce stockade has become one of our most popular installations going into the fall season. This is our Signature Stockade Installation, which uses #1+ Top Grade Spruce Stockade from PF in Canada. We use custom-made chamfered top treated posts (4x4 in this instance) between each section. This gives the stockade fence a bold, finished look.

Driftwood Custom Home was constructed on vacant property between two existing houses in Chemainus, BC. This type of project is a form of sustainable land development known as an Infill Build. These types of building lots are often small. However, careful planning and clever uses of design allowed us to maximize the space. This home has 2378 square feet with three bedrooms and three full bathrooms. Add in a living room on the main floor, a separate den upstairs, and a full laundry room and this custom home still feels spacious! The kitchen is bright and inviting. With white cabinets, countertops and backsplash, and stainless steel appliances, the feel of this space is timeless. Similarly, the master bathroom design features plenty of must-haves. For instance, the bathroom includes a shower with matching tile to the vanity backsplash, a double floating vanity, heated tiled flooring, and tiled walls. Together with a flush mount fireplace in the master bedroom, this is an inviting oasis of space.

What You Should Know About Fuel Tanks Home heating solutions can encompass electrical, gas, solar and oil based systems. When one talks about oil tanks that are used as home heating systems, there are a few important things to keep in mind. Start with the installer A high-quality, professional and expert installer of oil or fuel tanks can certainly help you make the decision on which type of tank is the best for your property. When you decide on underground fuel tanks, you should make sure that they are: • Compliant with all statutory requirements. • Made of steel and polyurethane. • Covered by guarantee. • Supported by backfill material, leak detection systems and tank supports. Aboveground fuel tanks are easier to maintain simply because they are more accessible. Even the smallest of oil or fuel leaks can be detected almost immediately. But even here, an installer should give you premium quality tanks. These tanks: • Should have secondary containment. • Should be corrosion resistant. • Should have proper support as well. Installation Installation for both – underground and above ground tanks is a technical and complex process. The installation process for both will start with a technician visiting your home and making an assessment of aspects such as: • Measuring the space. • Taking stock of the distance from your home to the tank, pipes and so on. • The supports needed for the tank and so on. If it is an above ground tank, then it may also need bollards to protect it from vehicles. An underground tank will need containment sumps and drop tubes and so on. The combination of components will be decided by the installer and you can certainly ask for a complete breakup of the same and get the costs for the same as well. Remediation Repair and remediation of above and underground tanks is a critical task. In fact, many problems associated with underground fuel storage tanks can be eliminated if the home owner invests time and resources into periodic analysis and examination of the same. A fuel tank that has been installed above the ground will be easier to access but repair and remediation of both types of tanks will entail: • Soil sampling. • Extent of oil contamination. • Assessment of leaks and the extent and number of the same. • Drawing up a plan for dealing with all problem areas. Removal Every fuel tank has a shelf life. At some point of time or the other, the fuel tank will need to be removed. When it comes to above ground installations, the removal company will need to assess the type of fuel and the knowhow on emptying the tank completely. The tank will also need to be cleaned completely before being loaded on to a vehicle that can take it away to a recycling unit or disposal unit. Underground tanks can be removed or closed or treated as abandoned depending on the condition of the tank and official licenses. For instance, a tank can be treated as closure in place if the removal of the same is going to compromise the safety of structures above the ground.

Our clients each have a desk with elegant white quartz desktops. And when their team visits, they can all sit around the large custom, organic shaped table for meetings or in the cozy side chairs we designed for this space. We didn’t want to over-decorate the office and detract from the stunning lake views, so we carefully designed storage options that blend into their surroundings. For instance, the printers are tucked away above a black mini fridge that blends into the cabinetry.

Open shelves, cornices, top boards and the gently rounded edges discreetly emphasise the country cottage character of our rondo kitchen. Small playful details such as solid wood cookery book holders and niche elements complete the charming appearance of the rondo kitchen. The emphasis here is placed on manageability and functionality. For instance, there is a top cabinet with generous storage space for kitchen tools and other utensils concealed behind a practical roll door.

Example of a trendy family room design in Calgary

In this beautiful Houston remodel, we took on the exterior AND interior - with a new outdoor kitchen, patio cover and balcony outside and a Mid-Century Modern redesign on the inside: "This project was really unique, not only in the extensive scope of it, but in the number of different elements needing to be coordinated with each other," says Outdoor Homescapes of Houston owner Wayne Franks. "Our entire team really rose to the challenge." OUTSIDE The new outdoor living space includes a 14 x 20-foot patio addition with an outdoor kitchen and balcony. We also extended the roof over the patio between the house and the breezeway (the new section is 26 x 14 feet). On the patio and balcony, we laid about 1,100-square foot of new hardscaping in the place of pea gravel. The new material is a gorgeous, honed-and-filled Nysa travertine tile in a Versailles pattern. We used the same tile for the new pool coping, too. We also added French doors leading to the patio and balcony from a lower bedroom and upper game room, respectively: The outdoor kitchen above features Southern Cream cobblestone facing and a Titanium granite countertop and raised bar. The 8 x 12-foot, L-shaped kitchen island houses an RCS 27-inch grill, plus an RCS ice maker, lowered power burner, fridge and sink. The outdoor ceiling is tongue-and-groove pine boards, done in the Minwax stain "Jacobean." INSIDE Inside, we repainted the entire house from top to bottom, including baseboards, doors, crown molding and cabinets. We also updated the lighting throughout. "Their style before was really non-existent," says Lisha Maxey, senior designer with Outdoor Homescapes and owner of LGH Design Services in Houston. "They did what most families do - got items when they needed them, worrying less about creating a unified style for the home." Other than a new travertine tile floor the client had put in 6 months earlier, the space had never been updated. The drapery had been there for 15 years. And the living room had an enormous leather sectional couch that virtually filled the entire room. In its place, we put all new, Mid-Century Modern furniture from World Market. The drapery fabric and chandelier came from High Fashion Home. All the other new sconces and chandeliers throughout the house came from Pottery Barn and all décor accents from World Market. The couple and their two teenaged sons got bedroom makeovers as well. One of the sons, for instance, started with childish bunk beds and piles of books everywhere. "We gave him a grown-up space he could enjoy well into his high school years," says Lisha. The new bed is also from World Market. We also updated the kitchen by removing all the old wallpaper and window blinds and adding new paint and knobs and pulls for the cabinets. (The family plans to update the backsplash later.) The top handrail on the stairs got a coat of black paint, and we added a console table (from Kirkland's) in the downstairs hallway. In the dining room, we painted the cabinet and mirror frames black and added new drapes, but kept the existing furniture and flooring. "I'm just so pleased with how it turned out - especially Lisha's coordination of all the materials and finishes," says Wayne. "But as a full-service outdoor design team, this is what we do, and our all our great reviews are telling us we're doing it well."

This park-side cottage needed an update. Susan Currie Design gave it a sophisticated transitional facelift. Inspired by two pieces of modern art the homeowner loved, Susan set to work on the sunny living room. The owner wanted to keep her vintage sofa, so we restyled the arms, added a bench cushion, and reupholstered it in taupe velvet. Purple is this room’s strongest pop of color, wowing visitors and feel fresh. Modern quartz lamps, a sleek black console table, and geometric wallpaper on one wall keep the space from feeling too traditional. In the guest bedroom, a custom headboard makes guests feel like royalty. Plenty of pillows, embroidered bedding, and crystal lamps complete the luxurious look. Three full baths were all treated in elegant white and gray. These rooms are deluxe, with Calacatta Gold marble countertops and shower walls and inset cabinet doors and drawer fronts. Sara Essex Bradley

Designer: Joe Inscoe Location: Cabinet Discounters – Annapolis Specie: Maple Finish: Oatmeal and Zinc Overlay: FOLC Doors: Hillsbrad Drawer: 5-pc Flat Start your New Year with a New Kitchen! With the New Year finally here, it might be time to freshen up that outdated kitchen. Brighton Cabinetry offers custom cabinets across the Midwest and the East coast. Finding a dealer near you is easy! Just check out our Find a Dealer Page by clicking HERE. Not sure if you want light or dark colors on your cabinetry? Why not try using both? By accenting your kitchen with darker colors it will help certain pieces’ pop in color. For instance, in our shown kitchen you will see that the perimeter cabinets are painted in our Oatmeal finish, and the island and coffee bar are done in the contrasting dark color of Zinc. Brighton offers many ways to dress up your cabinetry to give it that extra flair. In the pictures you might have noticed the bun feet on the island. Bun feet give that chic look that will most likely never go out of style. With a bun foot you can give your kitchen a bit more of a comfortable feel, and a look that is like furniture style which is a design that people are looking for. Don’t forget about your accessories and storage! There are many different options that allow you to conveniently place away your items. From your pots and pans down to your spices, Brighton offers different choices to fit your needs, and if we don’t have it as a standard, your designer can custom quote an item to specifically fit your cabinetry needs. Some examples in the pictures are: Drawer Plate Organizer Double Knife Blocks Pullout Spice Racks Deluxe Rollouts Cutlery Dividers