Kitchen Remodeling Advice from Acclaim:

Over the last 23 years, we have created thousands of beautiful kitchens and baths for Tampa Bay Area homeowners.  Here are a few things that we've learned.

Kitchen Planning Made Easy

October 2009

We are proud to offer a FREE Kitchen Planning Guide. This useful document will make designing your new kitchen easy. It has 4 simple sections that will help you maneuver the process of planning, budgeting, measuring and designing your new kitchen.

By answering a few questions in Section 1 and 2, you will gather the necessary information for a smooth kitchen transformation. Section 3 will help provide information about your kitchen and instruct you on proper measuring techniques.

Section 4 gives you an area to draw your kitchen and help you visualize the final product. This is helpful to make sure your vision is clear to everyone that will use the kitchen. Many times members of the same household will have differing ideas of what they want from a new kitchen. This guide will help clarify everyone's wishes, dreams and ideas by "getting on the same page."

This guide will help you and us make the best possible kitchen. Sometimes ideas for a better kitchen come from unexpected places. When one of our clients was redesigning their kitchen, they had originally planned to stick with the basic "u-shaped" layout of the kitchen. It was functional and had served their needs for many years. It wasn't until they showed their Kitchen Planning Guide to a friend that they realized an island would be more useful. Their neighbor pointed out that she often felt trapped in their kitchen when she would attend parties. It didn't occur to the homeowners because they had gotten used to the layout and it "worked" for them on a daily basis. This perspective of what was an awkward bottleneck in an otherwise ideal kitchen came to light because of the use of our Kitchen Planning Guide.

Download your guide now. It's free, and will help make your kitchen better - guaranteed.

Of course we want to help. Even though we've made this convenient guide available to you, it doesn't mean we don't want to help. Our designers are always available to assist you at every step of the kitchen makeover process. Use this guide as much or as little as you like. When you're ready, call for a free, no-obligation design session with one of our kitchen designers.

Kitchen Remodeling for Less Money and Less Effort

June 2009

Everyone wants to save money on a new kitchen, but sometimes homeowners don’t consider the effort. Remodeling a kitchen is a big job. We’'ve remodeling kitchens for over 20 years, and we still are amazed at the number of things that have to be done to get it right: Planning, Design, Measuring, Ordering, Demolition, Plumbing, Wiring, Preparing, Installing and Finishing are some of the general steps in completing a kitchen remodel. Some customer’s think they can go buy flat-pack cabinets from a “home furnishings store” and do-it-themselves.  Jeff Brattain, Manager at Acclaim Kitchen Design says, “We get some customers that think they can assemble the cabinet pieces out of a carton and install them over the weekend.” We encourage our customers to consider all of the elements. “There’s more to it than just the cabinets,” adds Jeff. Acclaim’s kitchen designers take the time to learn about how customers use their kitchen. What they want it to look like, and demonstrate the steps required to accomplish their goal. Once they see the big picture and look past the slick “easy to do-it-yourself” marketing, they realize hiring a professional kitchen designer is best.

Need help planning a new kitchen? Looking for design advice? Searching for just the right countertop? Acclaim can help. Our kitchen designers will make your “kitchen fantasy” come to life. Call Acclaim for Free Kitchen and Bath Design Advice.

Buy Kitchen Cabinets Where the Builders Buy

April 2009 

Shopping for a new kitchen?  Of course you are that’s why you’re here. Once you have had a chance to look around at our beautiful kitchens, make sure you call for a free quote. If you don’t, you’'ll likely pay too much.  Acclaim has been making beautiful kitchens for Bay Area home builders for over 20 years.  With new- home construction down, Acclaim can make a new kitchen for you at builder prices.  That’s right. You will get builder-pricing and quick service and get the newest styles.  Save thousands, plus, with available financing, there’s nothing stopping you.  Call Acclaim today for a free quote.  813-242-4000. Buy where the builders buy.   

Kitchen Remodel For Less Money

February 2009

Party Makeover for Your Kitchen

January 2009 

Most homeowners know that improving or remodeling their kitchen is one of the most valuable improvements to a home.  The return on investment is higher than any other home remodeling project.  That being said, most homeowners that have remodeled their kitchen say that their return on family fun is even higher.  “When we remodeled our kitchen, it was like we added another room for entertaining,” says Melinda Ranieri, homeowner and recent customer of Acclaim Kitchen Design.  “We had no idea how many of our guests would enjoy being in our kitchen,” Melinda adds.  “We always thought of our kitchen as a place to prepare meals and hide the dirty dishes,” adds husband Frank Ranieri.  “Now, the party seems to begin and end in the kitchen.  It's so much more enjoyable.  When we're preparing food, we don't have to miss any of the action.  And when the party's over, more people are likely to help us clean-up because there's room for everyone.” 

“Kitchen remodels are very rewarding,” says Jeff Brattain, General Manager at Acclaim Kitchens.  “We get to see the pride and enjoyment of our customers when the project is complete.”  Frank Caballero, Owner of Acclaim says, “Sometimes we get invited to parties after a kitchen remodel, and witness firsthand the pleasure derived from a new kitchen.  Both the host and guests really enjoy a new kitchen.”   

Learning how a homeowner uses their kitchen is the first step in creating a great kitchen.  Then, designing a plan that makes the best use of the kitchen space is where a talented kitchen designer gets to blossom.  There are so many clever products available today that take advantage of every nook and cranny in a kitchen.  Plus, with space saving storage devices like appliance garages and pull-out shelves, you can store more stuff in less space.  Even spices and cookie sheets have their own space now, so a kitchen can be more organized.  “We are able to free-up so much space these days, homeowners feel like they've been given a larger kitchen just by utilizing good planning and design,” says Kitchen Designer Barry Lauver.  “Everyone wants more storage space. With the new cabinet designs by Cardell and Merillat, we're able to make that happen.” 

Being able to create a more useful workspace and gain a more enjoyable space for entertaining while improving the value of your home is the best of many worlds all in one project.