The Different Types of Kitchen Cabinet Hardware

When you work with Crooked Oak to design and build custom kitchen cabinets, you will have the ability to choose from an extensive selection of cabinet knobs and pulls. Understanding the different types of hardware will allow you to choose the type that fits your kitchen's aesthetic the best.

Cabinet Knobs

Knobs are probably the most common type of kitchen cabinet hardware. They come in many different shapes and can be made from brass, stainless steel, glass, stone and other materials. Knobs are attached to the cabinet with a single screw. They are often pretty small, about 1 1/4 inch in diameter, but can be larger. Knobs work great for upper cabinets, but can be used anywhere in your kitchen.

Cabinet Pulls

Cabinet pulls are similar to knobs in their function. They can be referred to as pulls or handles. They are larger and are often attached to the cabinet with at least two screws. Below are some of the most common types of pulls. Cup/Bin/Half Moon Pull This type of pull is often called a cup pull, bin pull or half moon pull. It's cup-like shape makes it easy to open draws, so they're often used on kitchen pull draws. Cup pulls can come in many shapes and sizes, including rectangular shaped. Flat Bar Pulls If you're looking for a simple, sleek design for your kitchen, flat bar pulls may work well for you. Flat bar pulls come in many shapes and sizes. They can be made from stainless steel, brass, wood, bronze and other materials. Bail/Drop Pulls If you are looking for a more decorative option for your kitchen cabinets bail pulls may be a good fit. Sometimes called drop pulls, bail pulls have a hanging handle that is used to open the drawer. It is a more traditional style that can add a great decorative element to your kitchen. Bail pulls come in many different shapes and styles. We have highlighted some of the main types of kitchen cabinet knobs and pulls. There are thousands of styles to choose from. Finding the right hardware for your kitchen can be difficult. When you work with Crooked Oak, our experienced cabinet designers will help you choose the hardware that suits your style and budget. Schedule a free kitchen cabinet consultation »

Chicago Theatre Bar Renovations

Crooked Oak recently helped the Chicago Theatre renovate its bar area. The legendary theater is one of the most popular downtown Chicago attractions. It is part of the National Register of Historic Places and is listed as a Chicago Landmark. Below are photos of Crooked Oak's work at the Chicago Theatre. If you are a builder, contractor or designer, we invite you to click here to learn more about our commercial work.

The Advantages of Choosing Custom Kitchen Cabinets

Choosing the right cabinets for your kitchen can be a difficult decision. In most cases, they are the center of attention. While high quality stock cabinets to exist, choosing to have custom cabinets built for your kitchen has many advantages.

Expert Advice

When you decide to use custom cabinets for your kitchen, you will benefit from the advice of Crooked Oak's experienced design team. We will help you decide the best style, wood type and color for your kitchen renovation project. Our designers can also help you determine what cabinet accessories would work best for your new kitchen.

Limitless Design Options

With custom cabinets, the design of your cabinets can truly be unique. Need your cabinets to be a particular color or finish? You can do that with custom cabinets. You can also add windows and other accents. Clients often ask how they can incorporate wine racks into their kitchen cabinets Crooked Oak has designed and built wine racks into kitchen islands, above cabinets and in other areas of kitchens.

The Right Size

Does your kitchen floor plan have unique angles or an unconventional set up? Because custom cabinets can be built to size, you will be able to reduce the amount of fillers needed. The result will be a more aesthetically-pleasing kitchen that provides more cabinet space. We can also adjust the height of the base cabinets to suit your personal preference.

Quality & Sustainability

Crooked Oak uses a variety of high quality woods and veneers to build our custom cabinets. Woods include Cherry, Maple, Oak, Mahogany, Walnut, Poplar and various exotic woods. We source materials locally as often as possible and utilize environmentally-friendly and sustainable products and practices. Schedule a free custom cabinet consultation with Crooked Oak today.

Keep Your Closet Organized With These Accessories

Closet accessories are a great way to add enhanced functionality and storage capabilities to your custom closet. When utilized effectively, accessories can effectively save space and keep items that typically cause clutter out of site. While you're probably familiar with tie racks and belt racks, there are many different types of closet accessories available. Below are just a few of the more unique options Crooked Oak has incorporated into closets for our clients.

Tilt-Out Hampers

These closet hampers are hinged, so the items in them are kept out of view. They're great for socks or dirty laundry. We can customize the face and handle of the hampers to fit your closet's color and style.

Baskets

These baskets slide in and out for easy access. They come in multiple sizes and can be incorporated into multiple locations in your custom closet. They work well for socks, towels, laundry, belts, hats and even shoes.

Drawer Dividers

While the concept of drawer dividers isn't new, Crooked Oak can design and install dividers to suit your needs. Whether you want to section off your drawer into small sections for ties or larger sections for undergarments, we will make sure your drawers suit your needs.

Iron Away

This ironing board is called an "Iron Away". It is integrated into the closet to help save space and give our client a convenient place to iron clothes. The ironing board holder slides back into the closet to conceal it when not in use.

Valet Rods

These valet rods are simple and really useful. They can be installed anywhere in your custom closet, giving you a convenient place to hang robes, towels, jackets and other items. A sleek take on the conventional clothing hook, they add both style and functionality to your closet. Ready to start your custom closet project? Contact us today to set up a free in-home consultation.

Brighten Up Your Closet With Custom Lighting

One of the many advantages of designing and building a closet with Crooked Oak is the ability to add custom lighting. Integrating lights into your closet can brighten up a room or allow you to better display items on shelves. Crooked Oak has integrated lights into a variety of custom storage projects. From kitchen cabinets to built-in shelving to entertainment centers, we are able to integrate beautiful and functional lighting into all types of storage solutions. Below are some examples of our custom closet lighting work.

The Best Places to Put Your Wine Rack or Wine Room

A custom wine rack or wine room can be a beautiful and functional addition to your home. Whether you want a small rack to store wine in your kitchen or need a place to store a larger wine collection, the placement of your wine rack or wine room is important. Below are some suggestions for locations in your home for your custom wine rack.

Cellar

A dim, cool space that is stable in temperature and movement is ideal for wine, which is why cellars are considered the best places to store it.

A Large Closet

If you don't have a cellar, a large closet will work well for storing wine. The closet can be under stairs, connected to your kitchen or even a converted part of your garage.

Away From Kitchen Appliances and Sunlight

A small wine rack can be a great addition to your kitchen. If you're thinking about adding a wine rack to your kitchen, be sure to keep it away from your stove, refrigerator, toaster and microwave. These appliances make the temperature fluctuate around them, which effects the wine. Keep your wine rack away from your dishwasher too, as vibration can be harmful to wine and dishwashers can become warm. It's also best to keep the wine rack away from direct sunlight. Good locations for wine racks in your kitchen are above cabinets, above an island or nook or even inside a cabinet. Crooked Oak can integrate wine storage into your custom kitchen cabinets in many different ways. When you're deciding on the style for your new wine rack, remember that wine should always be stored horizontally. It helps to keep the cork moist so it doesn't dry out and allow air into the bottle. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation »

Why Choose a Custom Closet over a Do-It-Yourself System?

As designers and craftsmen of custom closets and storage, we obviously value the work we do. From time to time, a customer will ask us why it is more beneficial for them to choose a custom closet than one of the do-it-yourself systems that are available. Below are some of the reasons we give them.

Built Just For You

With do-it-yourself systems you're limited to a few options. If your home has nonconventional spaces or you have specific needs, it can be tough to make a do-it-yourself system work. Want to put a custom closet in a room with an angled ceiling? Want to create a custom shoe rack in your closet? Working with Crooked Oak will allow you to create exactly what you need. We create 3D renderings for each of our projects. Before we build your custom closet, we'll provide you with a rendering to review.

It Matches Your Home

Do-it-yourself systems are often only available in a few colors and styles. With Crooked Oak, we'll make sure that your new closet fits the aesthetic of your home. Whether you have a new modern home or a more traditional one, we'll work with you to ensure that the closet works well with the space it will be in.

Experience

Working with Crooked Oak allows you to take advantage of our years of industry experience. We work on custom closets on a daily basis and will use this experience to help you design just what you need. We'll provide insight and recommendations as needed so you're thrilled with the result. Our experienced installers will ensure that your new custom closet is installed correctly and efficiently.

Solutions For Any Budget

We offer a variety of materials, finishes and accessories to match your budget. We'll work with you to ensure that your new closet makes the most of the budget you have available. Whether you need a fairly simple reach-in closet or a more elaborate walk-in closet for your master bedroom, we'll provide you with a custom solution at a price that works for you. Contact us today to schedule a free in-home consultation.

Make the most of your spare bedroom with these custom storage ideas

Spare bedrooms can have many uses. For some, their spare bedroom is also a home office or space to work on crafts and hobbies. Others use it to display memorabilia or family treasures. Even if you reserve your spare bedroom for accommodating guests, custom storage can help add space and beauty to the room. Below are some ideas for spare bedroom custom storage.

Wall Bed/Murphy Bed

Wall beds, also known as Murphy beds, are an excellent option for anyone looking to increase the usable floor space in a room. With a wall bed, you can pull down or fold up the bed as needed. If you are accommodating guests in your spare bedroom, you can keep the wall bed hidden so you have room for other activities. Crooked Oak has designed and built many different types of wall beds. Whether you're looking for a contemporary design or a more traditional look, we can provide just what you need. Click here to learn more about our custom wall beds.

Custom Built-Ins

The options are endless when it comes to custom built-ins. The photo to the right is of a built-in closet we designed for a client who wanted room to store clothes and other items, but also wanted to be able to iron their clothes. We included the ironing board in the closet to save space. Having a built-in in your spare bedroom is great for storing crafting materials, off-season clothes and other items you may not need on a daily basis.

Display Cases

No matter what you collect, you probably want to show it off. With a custom display case you can show off your prized collection in a beautiful manner. Below are a couple of examples of custom display cases Crooked Oak has designed and crafted for our clients. Want to make the most of your spare bedroom? Contact Crooked Oak today for a free consultation.

Home Office Design: Customize Your Space to Boost Creativity

Whether you use your home office to run your own small business or to put in a few hours of work after hours, the right space can greatly improve productivity and creativity. Customizing your home office can be a really enjoyable process. You'll be spending a lot of time in it, so you might as well create a space that fits your style and needs. Here are some tips for customizing your home office:

Optimize your space

No matter how large or small your home office is, optimizing storage and desk space is important. Crooked Oak's designers are experts at helping clients determine how much desktop space will be helpful for them. We'll also help you determine the best storage solutions for your specific needs. With a beautiful custom desk and the right storage solution, you'll have a work space that you'll enjoy working at.

Choose calming colors

Use colors in your office that allow you to focus on your work and be creative. For some that may mean bright pastels or bold reds. For others it could be dark grays or blues. You can use accent colors in your custom office desk to give your room a more stylish look. The goal is for the room to be a place that you want to spend a lot of time in, so you should be the one making the final decision on the colors used.

Keep your space uncluttered

It's hard to focus around a lot of clutter. Keep your office organized and uncluttered so you aren't too distracted. Depending on the work you do, Crooked Oak can help you create a custom storage solution to ensure that your office remains free of clutter.

Keep some inspiration nearby

Make sure your home office includes the things that keep you inspired. Whether that means having a good stereo in your work space, some of your favorite artwork on the walls, your favorite books and magazines, or an acoustic guitar. Keep things around you that will allow you to take breaks from the work you are doing, but not get too unfocused. Click here to view more of Crooked Oak's custom home office work. If you need any help creating your perfect home office, contact Crooked Oak today. Our designers and craftsmen will work with you to craft a space that helps you be more productive and creative.

Be Bold: Using Colors in your Custom Closets and Cabinets

Bold colors are becoming more and more popular in closets and custom storage. Whether you want to match your closet's wood tone with colorful accessories or you want to use one of a variety of laminate color options for your custom closet or cabinets, creative use of color can really make a room pop. Below are a couple of examples of bold colors used with custom closets. This orange built-in closet was custom made for a condo in the Chicago Loop. The orange panels compliment the room's furniture and create a beautiful modern setting. In Crooked Oak's shop kitchen we combine gray wood cabinets with orange countertops to create a strong, modern look. If you like the idea of bright colors but want some flexibility for color changes in the future, you can use your walls for the primary color and use black and white for your cabinets or closet. Black and white finishes will still look strong and give you the ability to change the primary color more easily. This home office is a great example. They went with black and white cabinets and used green on the wall to attain the bold, colorful look. Looking for some design ideas for your room? Contact us today for a complimentary consultation.