Tips for Getting your Garage Organized for the Summer

The weather in Chicago is finally starting to get warm. It was a rough winter, but now it's time for barbecues and outdoor projects. Over the winter, your garage may have gotten crowded and unorganized. Getting it organized will make working in your garage more enjoyable, give you more space for picnics and will allow you to know where everything is. Here's some tips for organizing your garage:

Declutter

Start by cleaning out your garage. You might find many things you no longer need. Decide what you're going to keep in the garage and what you're going to store elsewhere or get rid of.

Grill Storage

If your garage is attached to your house, don't store your propane grill in your garage. Sparks can ignite the propane and start a fire. It's best to keep your propane grill outside or in a shed.

Make a Plan

Here's where Crooked Oak comes in. Crooked Oak's designers are experts in helping clients come up with the best storage solutions for their garage. We'll help you determine just what type of cabinets or storage system will work best for your garage.

Storage Installation

Once we've designed a plan for your new garage storage solution, our millworkers will build it. We'll then install it in your home. All you'll need to do is add your items.

Enjoy!

Enjoy finding what you need in your garage quickly and easily, having room to work, and being able to use your garage for parties. Ready to get started? Contact us today for a free garage storage consultation.

Know Your Woods: A Wood Type Identification Guide

What type of wood best suits your home improvement project? Cabinets, custom closets,, entertainment centers, or other projects can be built with a variety of materials. Deciding on the right material can be daunting! Understanding the unique benefits and natural differences of each will help you choose the finest material possible for your custom project. When beginning a new interior design project, the designers and custom builders at Crooked Oak understand that it’s important to choose the best materials at the right price, and will work with you every step of the way to achieve the look and functionality you want, without going over budget. Crooked Oak offers a variety of woods and other building materials, and will help you choose the options that best fit your project and budget. Woods include Cherry, Maple, Oak, Mahogany, Walnut, Poplar as well as a variety of exotic woods. If you have questions, or want to learn more about how Crooked Oak’s team of builders and craftsmen help you achieve your home improvement goals, while adding equity to your home, contact us today for a free consultation. Read about the wood materials that most frequently used in custom woodworking, from the most expensive material to the least expensive.

Exotic Woods

Mahogany - $$$- Like Cherry, Mahogany is a popular wood used in furniture building and home improvement projects. Also known as Honduran Mahogany, this medium textured, straight grain hardwood has a reddish brown to deep red tint. While it does stain well, it also finishes nicely with just a coat of oil. A drawback of Mahogany is that, unlike Cherry, it is not generally able to be sourced sustainably.

North American Hardwoods

Walnut -$$$ - Walnut is easy to work with, and has a gorgeous, rich, brown hue, which makes it highly sought after. Unfortunately, it’s popularity also makes it very expensive and increasingly difficult to find. Due to its cost and scarcity, we generally recommend using Walnut for home accenting projects and adding a touch of sophistication to furniture inlays. Cherry - $$ - Cherry is a popular wood used in furniture building. With a reddish heartwood, and nearly white sapwood, it finishes beautifully with oil alone, and can be easily machined or carved. Cherry is an excellent option for the environmentally conscious, because it can be sourced from sustainably grown forests. Maple - $$ - Maple comes in both hard and soft varieties, both of which are harder than many other North American hardwoods. Hard and soft maple have a fine, straight grain, and tend to be more stable than other types of wood popular in furniture construction. Though it’s more difficult to work with, hard maple has excellent screw and nail holding properties, and also finishes beautifully. “Soft” maple, while still very much a hardwood, is considerably more manageable, and therefore preferable to hard maple. Soft maple is not only beautiful and sturdy, it’s also considerably less expensive than many other hardwood options, including hard maple, for which is is frequently used as a substitute. Oak - $ - Oak is one of the most widely used types of wood in furniture making. Oak is strong, malleable, and available in both red and white. While both varieties have an attractive grain pattern, white oak is the more preferable of the two for furniture making because of its figure and water resistant quality, which make it ideal for outdoor furniture. While not inexpensive, Oak is considerably less expensive than comparable hardwoods, like Cherry. Besides furniture construction, Oak is recommended for use in kitchen cabinets, home interiors, and wall paneling. Poplar - $ - Poplar is one of the less commonly used hardwoods in furniture making because, with it’s greenish brown streaked heartwood, it’s not terribly attractive. However, as one of the least expensive hardwood options, it shouldn’t be completely written off, as it is both incredibly stable and easy to work with. Poplar is an excellent choice for drawers, cabinet or closet interiors, or any project that is intended to be painted or stained, rather than oiled.

Tour our 14,000 SF Facility

We moved into our new 14,000 SF facility in Broadview, IL, last year. We've been enhancing our showroom and upgrading machinery since the move. We're pleased to provide you with this photo tour of our new space. We encourage you to schedule a visit anytime!

Mudroom Flooring & Lighting

While flooring may not be your favorite part of the design process, it is integral to building a lasting and polished mudroom, and can mirror some of your favorite design elements from the rest of the room. Try flooring that’s weather proof and sturdy but blends seamlessly with the rest of the space. Chicago mud season can be messy! For more natural, rustic spaces, a cherry, oak, or walnut wood with a weatherproof finish adds to an already relaxed style. If the space is modern, a darker wood or painted concrete floor will echo the contemporary look. Vinyl plank floors are a great new weatherproof option, but tile and painted concrete offer different aesthetics with the same resilience.

Mudroom Lighting

Overhead lighting is another easy way to play around with design in your mudroom. Recessed lighting makes for a streamlined look, but if minimalism isn’t your favorite look, try something a bit more glamorous and charming. For those who love a bold statement piece, try a miniature chandelier. These glitzy light sources aren’t just for the ballroom, and come in a range of sizes and prices suitable for anyone. Fixtures with exposed light bulbs are also having a trendy moment, if an industrial-vintage look is your thing. And if all else fails, Pinterest has ideas for every style under the sun whether you love kit lights or lanterns.

Organizing your Mudroom

When planning your mudroom organization, ease of use should be the priority, followed closely by a pleasing façade. Creating individual, personalized cubbies for each family member is a simple way to keep messiness in check and bring charm to the mudroom. Each cubby should have a hanging space with coat hooks for storing outer layers, shelves for scarves and other cold-weather accessories, and a drawer for other odds and ends. For a fun extra, hang placards coated in blackboard paint on each cubby, to be labeled and personalized in chalk by each family member. Crooked Oak can help you choose durable mudroom flooring for your family's lifestyle.

Mudroom Flooring

While flooring may not be your favorite part of the design process, it is integral to building a lasting and polished mudroom, and can mirror some of your favorite design elements from the rest of the room. Try flooring that’s weather proof and  sturdy but blends seamlessly with the rest of the space. For more natural, rustic spaces, a cherry, oak, or walnut wood with a weatherproof finish adds to an already relaxed style. If the space is modern, a darker wood or painted concrete floor will echo the contemporary look. Vinyl plank floors are a great new weatherproof option, but tile and painted concrete offer different aesthetics with the same resilience.

Mudroom Lighting

Overhead lighting is another easy way to play around with design in your mudroom. Recessed lighting makes for a streamlined look, but if minimalism isn’t your favorite look, try something a bit more glamorous and charming. For those who love a bold statement piece, try a miniature chandelier. These glitzy light sources aren’t just for the ballroom, and come in a range of sizes and prices suitable for anyone. Fixtures with exposed light bulbs are also having a trendy moment, if an industrial-vintage look is your thing. And if all else fails, Pinterest has ideas for every style under the sun whether you love kit lights or lanterns.

Organizing your Mudroom

When planning your mudroom organization, ease of use should be the priority, followed closely by a pleasing façade. Creating individual, personalized cubbies for each family member is a simple way to keep messiness in check and bring charm to the mudroom. Each cubby should have a hanging space with coat hooks for storing outer layers, shelves for scarves and other cold-weather accessories, and a drawer for other odds and ends. For a fun extra, hang placards coated in blackboard paint on each cubby, to be labeled and personalized in chalk by each family member.

Spring is Mudroom Season in Chicago!

Soccer cleats, bicycle helmets, umbrellas, oh my! (And, don’t forget the backpacks, coats and shoes in a haphazard pile.) If this scenario sounds familiar, then you know that today’s households require a hardworking organization system to keep doorways welcoming. Enter a design trend that’s here to stay — the mudroom. Whether your entry consists of a corner, a hallway, or a room to buffer the inside from out, a mudroom or custom-designed storage area can wrangle even the most active family’s belongings. Often all it takes is a designer’s eye to maximize the potential of your space and clean up the clutter. At Crooked Oak we can provide your family with a complimentary design assessment aimed at updating your entry with custom cabinetry that increases storage, usability and organization.

Benefits Of Adding or Enhancing A Mudroom

1. Everything In Its Place Providing a space for everything means no more tripping over piles of gear. Dedicated hooks and cubbies minimize time spent looking for necessities — niches for keys, wallets and purses enable you to grab and go. 2. More Power To You Now that we all have multiple technological devices keeping us connected, it’s time we found a central place to “power up”. A mudroom is an excellent place for a charging station for phones, tablets and other devices. An added bonus — mudroom charging areas encourage family members to “unplug” from technology when they walk in the door. 3. Corral the Kid-Clutter Sometimes all the kids need is a space of their own. A locker or cubby system is a great way to instill organizational habits for all. From snow pants to swimsuits, hockey sticks to homework, we can create a stylish system that will clean up everyone’s act. 4. The Sky’s The Limit Well, actually the ceiling is! When designing a mudroom, the entire wall, top to bottom, is usable space. Crooked Oak specializes in creating storage where you least expect it. Where better to tuck away your off-season items than up, up and away? 5. It’s Okay To Get Benched A feature sure to please you and your guests is a custom-made bench. A comfortable space to relax and untie shoes, a bench can be an attractive focal point that seamlessly complements your existing decor and trim. 6. Let Us Hook You Up Hangers and formal closets are great for guests and parties, but for every other day of the year, it’s hooks over hangers. Coat hooks are time-savers that encourage everyone to hang up and clean up. Crooked Oak will work with you to ensure every backpack and jacket has a hook to hang on, keeping your floor and bench clutter-free. Mud is on the ground and spring is in the air. There is no better time to invite Crooked Oak’s experienced designers to customize your new mudroom. Call 708-344-6955 to schedule your free estimate and to take advantage of our 10 year anniversary promotion. Let us transform your entry from ordinary to extraordinary — today!

Simple Ideas for Designing an Entry Closet

Reach-in closets are common in many houses, but can often be difficult to keep organized. However, a little creativity can transform any entry or reach-in closet into a functional yet stylish part of your home. Keep in mind these simple ideas when considering redesigning your closet:

Divide and Conquer

It’s actually easier to maximize space than you think because most people organize their closets into with shoes on the floor, coats hanging in the middle and hats or other storage on a simple top shelf. However, if you split the closet vertically and horizontally – yes, literally divide to conquer -- you can often double the storage space. One side of the closet can be used for long coats and guests’ coats, while the second side can be divided horizontally with short adults’ coats on the top and kids’ coats on the bottom, providing easier access for them. Designed to your specifications, this concept still allows space for shoes and storage.

Think Outside The Box

Since you are now in the mindset of viewing your closet space in a non-traditional way, you can go even further. Consider what you store in your closet and how you can maximize the functionality of this often used space. For example, you may want to consider having storage drawers in the center of the closet and space for coats on either side if you have a lot of coats. There are many, many ways to create the perfect closet to meet your needs!

Got Kids?

Got kids? Their closets are usually the most challenging to keep organized…but if you have their needs in mind, a more functional, clean closet is just steps away! A closet for kids should be customized for their height so they can reach and put away clothes, sports equipment, shoes, etc. Baskets are a great way to organize your child’s closet…they are easy to open and close…and items are in clear view. You can also delegate storage space – out of their reach – for seasonal items or clothing. If you keep these thoughts in mind when considering re-organizing a closet, more than likely you will end up with a space you love that is both functional and neat!

Melamine or Wood for your Custom Closet interior?

Have you always thought real, hard wood was the best material for your closets and mudroom cabinetry? Real hard wood may look terrific in beginning, but the wear and tear in highly utilized spaces can show quickly.

What is Melamine?

Melamine is a term that refers to a manufactured type of plywood. Sheets of paper are mechanically injected with a type of resin that can bond to the surface of particleboard without the use of an adhesive. The material is used to make everything from kitchen cabinets to residential and commercial furniture and shelving. For high traffic areas,  it offers some distinct advantages.

What are the benefits of Melamine?

• The hardened resin in the melamine sheets creates an impenetrable outer layer that resists chipping, scratches and dents. Melamine cabinets can stand up to heavy usage, and the surface wipes clean.

• If you have children, mudrooms and closets can take a beating.  Hangers, baskets, boots, and drawers being used every morning and night can easily scratch beautiful hardwood.  This material is more duarble.

• Melamine cabinets can also stand up to heat and will not fade or crack over time, so they continue to look good year after year.
• There are many options that truly resemble the look of high quality wood products. There are some terrific wood grain options, so the overall appearance will not be compromised.

• Melamine is typically applied to particle board. This product , as opposed to solid wood, is made from recycled material and tree products that would otherwise be wasted. It has a very low impact on our forests.

Man Caves that Rock

Ladies, is your husbands’ sports memorabilia collection overtaking your family room? You might need a "man cave". Guys, do you crave Sundays of uninterrupted football on the big screen? You might need a man cave. Does your family have an empty or dated space above your garage or in your basement? Call Crooked Oak, because — and this is just a suggestion — it could be a man cave! While a typical man cave resides in the basement, a vaulted space above a garage, a shed workshop or even a garage itself are all viable spaces. Placement depends largely upon your house, your family’s space needs, and if you’re married, the ever important spousal approval. Once you’ve crossed that hurdle, it’s time to relax and have fun. “Tricked out” manly spaces are not just home improvement fantasies of the rich and famous. We’ve all seen the television programs… Your man’s a little bit country? Surprise him with a Western saloon. Former hair band fanatic? Turn that extra bedroom into a music studio. Rooms for the men of the house come in all shapes and sizes, and one gentleman’s dream space varies greatly from his neighbors’. The common denominator is thoughtful design and custom cabinetry — and we’ve got that covered. Crooked Oak’s custom promise means we will work with you to ensure that your design is a true reflection of your personal style. For some clients, this brand of household retreat has been fully sketched in their minds for years; for others a meeting with our designers gets creative juices flowing. A surround sound theatre for movie screenings; a bar replete with darts and a card table for guys’ night; or a larger than life sports den for a Chicago-style memorabilia collection are just the tip of the iceberg. We will help you discover your dream space, while carefully quantifying your storage and display needs, and making cabinet and color suggestions along the way. Plus, all the little details that make a space spectacular are always on the minds of our skilled designers and installers. From professional television mounting to a lighting plan that incorporates recessed cans on dimmers and spots to set any mood, we’ve got you covered. Want your cave to live up to it’s name with stone walls and accents? No problem. Need museum-quality glass showcases to house signed guitars? Rock on. Customization like this is what we do. What can we say — we love this stuff. If a man cave is on your “honey-let’s-do-this” list, now is a great time to get started. Let’s build something beautiful and fun.

Make Your Mudroom Unique

The mudroom often gets a bad reputation as a bland, utilitarian space to take off your shoes and shake the snow off your coat. But it’s also the first room in the house you see coming home during the winter months, and the last one you glance at before you fly out the door in the morning. So why not design your mudroom so that is as chic and elegant as it is utilitarian? Organization and functionality shouldn’t come at the price of style, especially when a few personal touches can take your room from boring to beautiful. Crooked Oak of Chicago specializes in mudroom ideas. This built-in cabinet was designed by the professionals at Crooked Oak in Chicago.

Make it YOURS

The first step in designing a mudroom—or any room, for that matter—is picking an aesthetic that reflects you and the vibe of your home. Because it’s a serviceable space already, personal touches are absolutely essential to make it feel cozy and welcoming. If your house is a blend of rustic, Provencal accents, try a warm, light yellow shade for the walls and painted white cabinets with a rough, antiqued finish. Wrought iron hooks and wicker baskets will add to the allure. If streamlined and modern is your aesthetic of choice, use with unobtrusive, sleek shelving and mesh baskets for storage. Blue-grey and white are perfect base tones for a modern mudroom, but black and white is an equally striking color combination.

Jazz it up with Color

Adding fun, playful accents will jazz up the more functional elements of your mudroom and give it a homier feel. Storage may be the main focus for a mudroom, but keeping the room organized doesn’t mean you can’t have a bit of fun with the design. If you love a bold print, try decorating the drawers of your cabinets with a simple floral print or color-blocked stripes. Alternatively, choose a neutral base shade of cream, white or blue for the walls and cubbies, and add bright accent colors to make certain design features pop. Don’t be intimidated by adding splashes of gold, orange, or red to draw the eye to your favorite elements of the room. Radiant Orchid is Pantone’s color of the year, so throwing a deep purple or pink shade into the mix is a trendy way to incorporate color into your mudroom.