Spin Room: "Custom"

Like many young adults, I paid more attention to the Presidential elections this year than ever before.  One of the revelations that I had during the process is that no matter what either candidate said, particularly during the debates, the media could “spin” the dialog to have a thousand different meanings.  What was especially amazing was the fact that this information came from the “spin rooms”, so basically by labeling these rooms as such they were admitting that the information that they were conveying had been filtered and “adjusted” to convey any point that they wanted to make…usually with very little association to the original context.  Maybe it’s just me, but I found myself wondering on many occasions exactly why I was even paying the media any attention at all. 

Anyway…getting to the point of this blog, the kitchen and bath industry professionals are sometimes just as guilty of taking words and phrases to their own “spin room” in order to make themselves more appealing.  One of the most notorious of those is the word “CUSTOM”!  In an industry with so many options, how does this word really fit, particularly when it comes to cabinetry?  On top of that, how does “semi-custom” fit?  And the biggest question, who has the right to define those words for our industry? 

Here are some of my…..ummm, opinions about “CUSTOM” cabinetry.  There are basically three options to consumers: 

     Custom Factory Built: (my preference 90% of the time)

Advantages:

o   The very best quality finishes available, particularly when it comes to painted finishes, due to the larger factories’ ability to procure the best finishing equipment.

o   Scheduling – Because these factories operate on very regulated schedules, our ability to deliver product on time with fewer “surprises” is greatly improved.

o   Talent Pool – With many wood-workers, finish specialist, and other craftspeople, these factories can produce almost anything I can draw while maximizing quality and efficiency. 

o   If a part becomes damaged, you can rest assured that there is someone behind the scenes that can match and replace that part perfectly, even decades later.  (Warranty!!!!)

Disadvantages:

o   Sometimes perceived as lower quality because the cabinetry is often produced on an assembly line (I don’t agree with this)

o   Price point – sometimes higher than the alternatives (sometimes true, but you certainly get what you pay for)

o   A perception that problems on the jobsite take longer to fix.  This is really more about the quality of the installers putting the cabinetry in verses that actual quality of the cabinetry.

2.     Custom Local Shop:

Advantages:

o   Sometimes faster production cycle (sometimes not – depending on the workload at any given time)

o   Sometimes a 10-12% cost savings (for certain lower traffic areas this may be an option that allows you to put your resources in factory cabinetry where there will be a greater chance of product or finish failure)

o   Excellent local craftsmen – I work with several local woodworkers that would give Norm a run for his money….availability sometimes is a problem though

Disadvantages: 

o   Sometimes unreliable when it comes to delivery schedule and product quality (having a bad day Mr. Woodworker?)

o   Less buying power often results in inferior construction or material selections to stay competitive

o   It’s up to YOU (or me, if I’m your designer) to make sure the craftsman CLEARLY understands your design intentions so that you don’t end up with something that only resembles your drawing.

o   Finish – Stains….a good local guy can do a good stain on a good day, Paint – very iffy, glazed or artistic finishes – forget about it, hire your own faux finisher. 

 

3.     Jobsite built Cabinetry:

Advantages:

o   Usually most cost effective option for Custom cabinetry

o   Ummmm…. I can’t think of anything else

o   I just added this line to make it look more fair

Disadvantages: 

o   Just trust me, you don’t wanna go down that road unless it’s something like a pantry or other secondary area that you just want something fast and inexpensive & don’t care about the quality that much. 

 

I think it’s pretty obvious which of these options that I am partial to, but I am open to any discussions or debate concerning the three.  These are my opinions based on my experience with cabinetry manufacturers over the past decade.  Of course there are exceptions to every run….but I would put money on most of these opinions.  

Countertops, Countertops, Countertops {Wood}

As promised, here's the deal with wood chop blocks and countertops. Truly, there is so much information about this topic that this blog could easily border on "informing you against your will", so I will try to keep it as brief as possible. However, don't hesitate to ask questions if I leave something out of if you have been advised differently.

Basically, I classify countertops into two broad categories - those that easily retain their "like new" appearance no matter how much you abuse them, and those that age gracefully and develop a patina with regular use. Wood countertops generally fall into the latter of those two categories because they are naturally produced products (as opposed to human engineered). Another factor that pushes wood tops into this category is the fact that different wood species, such as maple, cherry, teak, etc, have their own individual quirks that respond differently depending on the environment. As an example, maple - traditionally used for heavy food preparation - is often used for heavy traffic areas that one might use on a daily basis for actual chopping and dicing. Because of its natural density and hardness it can take a lot of abuse and still remain presentable. For those of you out there searching for that perfect well used former butcher's chop block, you're most likely going to stumble across a maple one. Other woods, such as pine, are less common for actual preparation surfaces because of its very loose and soft grain. In a high traffic area pine will start to show wear and tear much more quickly.

In the past decade, as we have begun to exhaust our options for that perfect countertop option, many have turned back to wood. This demand has pushed the industry in a whole new direction, one that includes a vast variety of interesting and beautiful wood species. Again, each of these types have their good qualities and their drawbacks. In the photo above from the King Street Kitchen Company showroom, you will see an island countertop constructed from a wood called Iroko, a wood very similar to Teak. What makes this species a wonderful choice for kitchen countertops is its naturally dense grain and high oil content which reduces the possibility of staining. Maintenance is very user friendly, only requiring an occasional rub down with a penetrating mineral oil to further reduce the possibility of staining. Another property common to Iroko, much like cherry, is its tendency to change color over time. Typically, fresh planks will have a distinctive yellow hew, but will transition to a beautiful rich brown over several months, particularly when exposed to direct natural light.

One of the most common misconceptions about wood countertops and chop blocks is that they are less sanitary than alternatives. This theory was introduced in the 1970's at the same time that many of the man-made countertop options, such as corian and formica, started being produced. Studies done during this period claiming that wood was a breeding ground for bacteria eventually lead to heavy government restrictions for commercial use of wood surfaces, however later studies have discredited these claims and have proven exactly the opposite in many ways. A solid wood surface in good condition without heavy cracks actually helps kill bacteria because the surface is self-healing, meaning any cuts close back on themselves and eliminate the opportunity for bacteria growth. In many of the man-made materials, scores created during food prep remain open and provide a perfect environment for bacteria to fester and grow. That being said, the logical question remains, much like eggs and milk being good for your one day and bad for you the next, who do we believe. My personal and professional opinion is that, assuming we respect basic kitchen cleaning routines, wood is the winner and is my choice to not only provide practical functionality, but to provide a physically and psychologically warm alternative for everyday countertops.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at info@kingstreetkitchencompany.com

A couple of great resources for more information are:

Craft-Art / J Thompson Tops / Spekva

Each of these resources produce high quality wood products for kitchen use and are available at the King Street Kitchen Company showroom.