Neal's Home Remodeling and Design Blog

Symmetry is a vital component of formal design and works well in many areas of the home. When applied to the kitchen, symmetry helps to identify where items should be placed in order to create a balanced plan that feels orderly and elegant. In this Indian Hill project, an eye for symmetry in an asymmetrical space helped define and improve the kitchen's relationship with the connected rooms. We spoke with Neal's Designer Cyndi Kohler about how she merged formal principles with practical space planning to create a new welcoming and comfortable kitchen.

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Kitchen hardware has the distinction of being one of those important elements that are as important for function as for style. Hardware is a key piece of the design scheme of a kitchen, often helping to bring together the color palette or style direction of the whole space. It's also the way in which drawers and cabinets become easier to use in the most literal sense. It's no wonder, then, that kitchen hardware is one way that trends and popular design concepts are expressed. Though trends may or may not always work in any given kitchen plan, knowing what's popular can be a good place to start when figuring out what you want for your own space. Here are 4 kitchen hardware styles that are hot right now.

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Even when we have a lot of inspiration images on hand for our remodeling ideas, it can be difficult to picture the new space as it will exist in our home. If we can't fully visualize what's being planned, it can be a source of concern and anxiety. So designers utilize various tools to be able to communicate their vision for your remodel in more than just words. We asked Neal's Designer Jodi Smith to walk us through the various ways she guides clients through "seeing" their project so that they can feel confident about the direction their project is headed.

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If you're planning a new kitchen or thinking about the possibilities, it can sometimes help to zoom in and look at some of the details and ideas that make a kitchen unique or practical. Rather than taking a broad view, we've looked through our library of local kitchen projects and found 10 detail-oriented ideas, from stylish to practical, that may have a place in your new kitchen plan.

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