Plywood vs Particleboard Construction

There are many variables to consider when shopping for kitchen cabinets.  One of the things you will come across is what cabinet box material to select.  A common misconception we hear all the time from customers is that a plywood cabinet box makes a better cabinet and ultimately superior product. What they are talking about is which material the cabinet box (top, bottom, sides and shelves) is constructed of. Most commonly cabinets will either be constructed from plywood or particleboard. Both materials have their strengths and weaknesses.

Plywood Constructed Cabinet Box

The biggest pro to plywood would be its overall holding power; a screw going into plywood has a more dense material to bite into and thus can hold more weight.

The biggest con to plywood would be its ability to cup and twist. A piece of plywood can cup (the board is not straight with opposite edges of the board pulling towards each other) and twist (opposite corners of the board going in opposite directions). Both of these problems result in a board that is not perfectly straight. This can become a problem when using frameless cabinets (we'll get into this in another post) as there is no margin for error between the cabinets.

Particleboard Constructed Cabinet Box

The biggest pro to particleboard would be that the board is always perfectly straight. This is great for veneering exposed sides and, as mentioned above, makes frameless installation a breeze. Another pro would be that particleboard usually costs less than plywood.  This allows manufacturers that offer both materials to lower the price of particleboard, potentially saving you thousands!

The biggest con to particleboard would be the overall strength of the material.  This encompasses both the holding power (as listed above if not properly compensated for), and stability, as some may experience sagging shelves if a lower grade particleboard is used.

Customers will usually ask us about how exposure to water will affect the cabinetry with both plywood and particleboard. While it is true that particleboard is more affected by water than plywood, in our experience neither material holds up well if water were to flood into the kitchen.

So now that we have the basics of two cabinet box materials, which one to choose? This is personal preference but at our company we usually recommend particleboard construction for our kitchens. The cost savings and ease of installation, for us, offsets any negatives between the two materials and besides, can you tell which is which?

The Veneered Sides of Both Particleboard and Plywood Cabinet Boxes

The Veneered Front Edges of Both Particleboard and Plywood Cabinet Boxes

Gimme Some Greek!

Some Greek Quinoa Salad, that is. 

This is another one of our favorite recipes that we especially love for weeknights because it's so easy to make.  It's also a great source of protein (quinoa has been called the "queen of grains" as it provides about 9 grams of protein per cooked cup and is a "complete protein").  Plus, if you make a big batch (like we do), you'll have plenty of leftovers for lunch the rest of the week!

Gimme Some Greek!  Greek Quinoa Salad
Served on a bed of greens.

Ingredients:

• 2.25 cups (dry) quinoa (plain)
• 1 cup pitted kalamata olives, sliced
• 2 pints cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 red onion, diced
• 2 jars marinated artichoke hearts (note: definitely spring for the marinated version as you can pour the entire jar into the recipe so they oil/vinegar/spices marinade becomes the dressing for the salad!)
• A few handfuls of spinach
• 1 pint feta cheese
• Delicious additional ingredients that you can add if you'd like:  chopped cucumber, sliced ripe avocado, 1-2 cans of chick peas (drained), roast chicken (shredded into bite-size pieces)

Cook the quinoa per the directions on the package (the type we use calls for 2 cups of water for every 1 cup of dry quinoa, so we used just over 4 cups of water for this recipe).  While that's cooking away, slice the olives, tomatoes, and red onion and toss into a large mixing bowl.   Add the spinach and mix together.

Once the quinoa is ready, add it to the bowl.  Pour the marinated artichoke hearts (with marinade) into the bowl.  Use a knife to cut the artichoke hearts in half, if desired.  

Mix everything together thoroughly (I usually grab two spoons for this part to help the marinade coat all ingredients evenly).  

Using two spoons to toss everything together helps coat all ingredients evenly.

Scoop the quinoa salad onto serving plates (I like to put mine on top of a small bed of greens) and top with feta cheese.  Once the quinoa salad has cooled a bit, you can stir the rest of the feta cheese into the mixing bowl (but, warning, it will melt if you add it too soon!).  

Enjoy!

A colorfully healthy and protein-packed salad.

P.S.  A great way to finish the meal after a heaping plate of quinoa salad is with homemade Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies and a glass of milk.  Yum!  Maybe we'll share the cookie recipe in a future blog post, if you're lucky.  ;)

Chocolate chip oatmeal cookies and a glass of milk are the perfect way to end this meal!

Before and After: More Counter Space, Please!

We often hear from our customers that it’s hard to envision what a redesigned kitchen will look like in their space. To help, we offer the following before and after story based on one of our real-life customer installations.

John and Denise first came to our showroom with the specific goal of increasing their counter space. 

After looking at the room, it became clear that we couldn't add counter space by leaving the room exactly as is. In order to create space for an island, we knew we had to move the table.  We proposed taking down the wall that separated the kitchen from the family room, moving the exterior door into the family room, and shifting the placement of the window above the kitchen sink.

By making these changes, we knew we could significantly increase counter space and incorporate the island John and Denise always wanted. Plus, with additional counter space, comes added storage.  

Here are some before and after shots to take a look at:

Before: Looking from the original kitchen into formal dining room.

After: Looking from the new kitchen into formal dining room.

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Before: Kitchen window wall.

After: New kitchen window wall. We removed the door from the kitchen to allow space for the new cooktop.

After: A close-up of the hood and tile backsplash.

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Before: The original closet next to the fridge.

After: We removed the closet and replaced it with a combination of tall pantry cabinetry with rollouts and double ovens. We added custom made wine cubes to the left of the microwave and a glass door cabinet for wine glasses on the right side.

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Before: Looking from the family room towards the original kitchen.

After: Looking from the new family room towards the new kitchen. The wall between the rooms was removed and the original window was replaced with French doors. The removal of the wall was necessary to accommodate the island.

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Happy Big Game Sunday!

"I-don't-care-how-many-layers-it-is-just-give-me-the-bowl" 
Mexican Layer Dip

In honor of today's big game, we thought we'd share one of our all-time favorite game day dishes.  We typically call this dish the "I-don't-care-how-many-layers-it-is-just-give-me-the-bowl" Mexican Layer Dip.  It's something we've been making for years and we love it because you can add or eliminate some of the layers, depending on what ingredients you have on hand.  And did we mention that it's super easy to make and completely customizable based on your family's preferences?  It's a win-win dish!

Ingredients:

• 1 can refried beans (we used the Vegetarian version for this recipe, but any style will do!)
• 1 can black olives (large, pitted), drained and thinly sliced
• 1 can (4oz) green chiles, with some of the liquid drained
• 1/2 cup sour cream (or more, depending on your family's preference)
• 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
• Guacamole:  2 ripe avocados, 2 minced garlic gloves, splash of lemon juice
• 2 ripe tomatoes, diced
• 1 big bag of tortilla chips
• Plus, extra sour cream or salsa for dipping (as desired)
• Other layers that could be added as well include: chopped lettuce, scallions/green onions, sliced jalapenos, or ground meat (beef, turkey, or veggie protein)

Here are all the ingredients you'll need
(except for the big bag of tortilla chips).

To begin, spread the refried beans along the bottom of your dish (for today's dip, we used an oval ceramic dish, probably about 10" long and 5" wide, but we've also used rectangular Pyrex dishes or deeper round bowls).  Then spread a layer of thinly sliced olives across the beans.

Next, add the green chiles.  As you scoop the chiles out of the can, press the spoon against the edge to remove some of the excess liquid before adding to the dish.  

Now it's time for the sour cream.  Our family has always been split on this ingredient.  Half of us just can't get enough of the deliciously creamy component, while the other half could do without it entirely.  Remember what I said about customization, though?  That's right, you can create this dish so it meets the exact tastes of your family.  That's why we've spread the sour cream over exactly half of the dish:

Then comes a layer of grated cheddar cheese.

Finally, make the guacamole in a separate bowl before spreading it across the dip dish.  Combine the 2 ripe avocados with 2 cloves of minced garlic and a splash of lemon juice and mash together with a fork. 

Spread the guacamole across the dip and then top with freshly diced tomatoes.  Grab a tortilla chip from the bag and take a big scoop of dip to taste (you wouldn't want to serve something that hasn't been taste tested, now would you?).  

Enjoy!

"I-don't-care-how-many-layers-it-is-just-give-me-the-bowl" 
Mexican Layer Dip