Just a short post for those of you who are tired of the boring chrome extractor fan. Elica have some really nice extractors if your willing to pay the price!! An extensive range can be viewed here on the KAL site. Falmec have also launched a beautiful range of extractor fans with images of major city skylines embedded into the glass features of their hoods. Further images of these can be found here at the Drumm site.
Radiator Covers have become a huge seller for us since the credit crunch. The fact that they are an affordable piece of furniture for the house is factor. We try to offer designs that are that bit different from the norm, with wooden vents being used rather than the metal mesh used in almost every rad cover you see these days.
Our radiator covers offer easy access to the valves used to turn on and off the water supply, we do this by having small doors on the left and right of the cover. On the bottom and top of the radiator cover we have curved vents cut out for air circulation this allows cold air to be taken in from the bottom and releases the hot air through the top vent.
People nowadays have become very clued in when when getting quotes for their kitchens and bedrooms… Or so it seem. I have noticed from being in the showroom that they know all the different phrases that we use in the industry. This of course only means that they have probably trawled through twenty different kitchen showrooms previous to ours. It could not be a better time to buy a kitchen or anything for that matter. The main problem I am seeing is that people are not pricing like with like. What I mean by this is that they (you) call to one showroom, get a design drawn up with price, choose a colour or wood then move on to the next showroom. They in turn give you a design with price and without paying too much attention to advice, quality, design, or features automatically go with the cheapest price.This does not make any sense to me. Why not choose a design that you like and get each company to give you a quote on this exact design. This gives you a far better idea of what you are getting for your money. I see people coming into us on a daily basis asking for a price on a cream kitchen more than likely Prague ivory, this is one of the more expensive Pvc kitchens out at the moment. Then off they go to the next supplier, have a look around and pick something that resembles the Prague kitchen but which is 20% cheaper. People need to be armed with the relevant information that they need in order to get a competitive price and value for money. Here are a few points to help you make the right decision.
I know a lot of this may be a bit confusing to you but its is so important nowadays when deciding on your dream kitchen.
Kitchen design and layout is just as important as your choice of kitchen. While the kitchen triangle plays an important part of your design layout, you also need to feel comfortable with the location of your cooking and preparation areas, appliances and storage solutions.
The Kitchen Triangle: The three points of which you work most with in your kitchen, ie. the sink area, cooking area and fridge area. These three points make up the kitchen triangle. This area realistically needs a clear passage but with island designs being incorporated into almost every kitchen design this can sometimes be an impossibility.
The Kitchen Layout: There are four main kitchen layouts which will be generally used depending on the size and location of doors, windows, etc. These are:
So whats next in Kitchen Design??
High Gloss kitchens are extremely popular at the moment but in my opinion will soon date and phase out over time. Painted kitchens to me are the one kitchen that will stand the test of time and continue to create the wow factor in your new home. They can be designed in traditional or modern styles with a choice of many neutral colours ensuring the kitchen will fit with any personal interior design scheme. Our solid oak kitchens still seem to be a firm favourite amongst many clients and again can be another timeless classic when designed properly. Character oak has been introduced in recent years which offers a more stressed look with a warmer grain. Walnut kitchens will always be a favourite amongst clients. We have been mixing walnut and painted kitchens for years and if done correctly can be a uniquely beautiful kitchen that can become timeless.
Its difficult to say, every company has its own style when it comes to creating that dream kitchen.Painted kitchens are by far our biggest seller at the moment. In saying this, clients are looking for unique design features such as different colour islands, high rise chimney breast features and curved corners on end units rather than the conventional straight gable finish. Kitchen islands play an important part in creating the perfect design. There is nothing worse than a well designed kitchen with a boring rectangular or square island sitting on the middle of a kitchen floor. Why not build the island at split level. Maybe curved ends on either the work surface or unit ends. Solid granite worktops with a solid wood feature attached. You could also include lighting into the design, just give it a different look to the traditional island. Solid wood worktops are a really nice touch, they can really create the look you want when added to kitchen dressers or islands. Kitchen appliances also play an important part of your new kitchen. Gorenje have some very nice affordable appliances at the moment with some really nice chimney hoods to compliment any design. Elica have some amazing chandelier extraction hoods, they may not be the most practical but look great and add a touch of class. Larder presses can be one of the most useful storage solutions for any kitchen design - All the storage you need and a nice feature.
It seem the Christmas rush has already begun for us. Our factory is currently running 14hour days to keep up with the demand. Its amazing even to us how busy we are at the moment. I have said before people are a lot more careful when it comes to choosing a design and budget for their new kitchen but life goes on regardless of a global recession.
We recently came up with the idea of sending our clients workshop photos of their kitchens as they progress through the different stages. Its gives the customer an idea of how their design is evolving. People also tend to take pictures of the house build at the different stages of construction so its nice to add the kitchen pictures to their album.
What a busy week! We are adding the finishing touches to some of our most recent projects and just about to start some very nice kitchens. Clients are coming from all over Ireland and we seem to be going further afield this last few week. Our next project is a large painted kitchen in Dublin, one which I am personally looking forward to starting.
I will be posting pictures of the manufacturing of each of the kitchens above. And more inportantly showing you all the finished product…
Our global recession has really changed the kitchen industry here in Ireland. The larger kitchen chains are really starting to feel the pinch while companies such as ourselves are still as busy as ever. People are no longer throwing money away when it comes to their new kitchen. They really are doing their homework and shopping around to get value for money while not necessarily choosing the cheapest price or style. A new kitchen should last a minimum of 10-12 years. People now realise that money is tight and their kitchen needs to stand the test of time both design and quality wise. A big question asked of us is whether our not we use our own fitters or freelance our fitting to a different company. The fact that the people who manufacture the kitchen ad then fit it seems to be a big plus in our favour. Another common question now asked is how long we have been in business. Again with 25 years behind us we are not going anywhere regardless of a recession. Times may have changed but they seem to be in our favour.
Our kitchens are fitted throughout Ireland.
Granite worktops are an essential part of creating you perfect kitchen design. Another bit of good news is that prices have dropped - around €42 per sq ft. Something else to point out is that the majority of the granites are the same price ie. Venetian gold, galaxy star black, madura to name a few. We use a company called Enniscorty Stone to supply our customers with granite worktops. In 7 years of dealing with them we have never had one issue as far as their work. Their fitting is next to none, all joints bonded with two pack resine of the same colour. No use of silicone in the worktop joints except as a sealant for the sink. We get so many calls looking for replacement worktops for kitchens so here is the number of our supplier. You get to deal directly with them and I will personally vouch for them. 087 7970926 Martin
We are adding the finishing touches to our new Wardrobe showroom in Carlow town. Our sliderobe range is a huge success. Sliderobes tick every box, with space being a concern in almost every bedroom sliding doors solve this dilema. Adding mirrored sliding doors can make a room seem more spacious while adding light. If mirror isn’t what you are looking for we also offer a wide range of wood finishes - Walnut, beech, oak to mention a few. Another nice touch within our range is mirror and coloured glass.
The same goes for the actual framing of our sliderobe systems. While we carry the usual range of metal framing we also have wood effect frames. Our door widths can be as much as 1200mm wide with standard heights of up to 2450mm and the option of reaching 3000mm high.
At Woodale Design Centres we try to add variation to our designs mixing wood with mirror, colour glass panelling to name but a few options - You choose a design we manufacture!
Your Kitchen is one of the main expenditures in your home, we all want to make a statement with it. The first thing everyone wants to hear when a visitor enters the kitchen is “Wow your kitchen is beautiful, who did it for you?” - The question all kitchen designers and manufacturers love to hear being asked.
Obviously the style, design, layout and size you have to work with are an important element to consider when choosing your desired kitchen but colour plays an important part of any design.
One of the obstacles we encounter when designing a kitchen is that the client has left it to late. What I mean is that the house is already structurally complete. The ideal time to start considering your kitchen is when you have received your house plans from the architect. While an architect is highly skilled he or she is more focused on light, space and design. This is where the kitchen designer comes into play. Having a window moved 300mm is not a big deal to the design of a house but can make a huge difference to the overall kitchen design. It can make the difference between having a chimney breast effect or turning a corner with kitchen cabinets, moving a door can also have the same desired effect. When your new home structure is complete and the plumber, electricians want to know where the cooker switch, power points, light switches are to go this this is where your early planning comes into play. Having the answer to all your tradesmen questions can save money in the long run.
The bulk of our customers seem to be traveling from Dublin for their kitchens. Country prices are a lot more competitive to those in cities like Dublin offering more value you for more and true bespoke kitchen designs. When the celtic tiger hit Ireland its seem people wanted to say how MUCH a kitchen cost now it seems that the average person is happier to tell everyone about the bargain they just got. The conversation usually start with “We’re are coming to Carlow for a quotation because we don’t want to pay Dublin kitchen prices”. People now want value for money bespoke kitchens at a fraction of the cost. Getting that dream kitchen doesn’t have to cost the earth it couldn’t be a better time to shop around and obviously we would advise you all on calling down to see us!!
Woodale Designs, Lower Pollerton Road, Carlow
Opening Hours : Monday - Friday, 9am to 6pm & Saturdays, 9am to 1pm