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Custom laundry room

WSJ Laundry-Closet

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The story behind our 5 minutes of fame with the Wall Street Journal.

The famous laundry-closet

We were pleasantly surprised recently when The Wall Street Journal contacted Walker Woodworking and spoke to Travis Walker about a particular laundry room.  The laundry-closet is one of many featured rooms on the Walker Woodworking profile site at Houzz.com and is how the Wall Street Journal found Walker Woodworking.

This particular laundry room closet combination has had over 454,787 impressions and over 5,193 adds to idea-books on Houzz in just the last year. Houzz is a website and online community about architecture, interior design and decorating, landscape design and home improvements.

With permission of the homeowner, we gave the WSJ the homeowner’s information and she was contacted for an interview. Shortly after being contacted, a photo shoot was scheduled at the home.

WSJ photographer getting photos of laundry-closet.

WSJ photographer getting photos of laundry-closet.

It’s not every day you can say your home was photographed and videoed by The Wall Street Journal, but that is exactly what happened to Mrs. Ellie Cartner.  At Walker Woodworking we are equally excited to say our cabinets have been featured in The Wall Street Journal.

We want to thank Mrs. Cartner and her family for allowing us and the WSJ into her home.

Click here to view our Houzz profile.

Click here to see the article from The Wall Street Journal – be sure to click the photo to see the video.

We also have this home featured on our website. Click here to see the photo gallery.

Today’s Laundry Rooms

Laundry rooms today are a HUGE deal to homeowners.  They are becoming the central work station for all members of the household.  

Design and function are important in the beginnings stages of new construction or a remodel.  With the many functions you can have in a laundry room, taking advantage of space is a MUST. Organized clean up can save you time.

Today the options are endless on the items that can be built into a custom laundry room:

  •    Docking drawers for technology devices, phones, tablets, etc.
  •    Desk area with mail sorters and dividers for family members.
  •    Built in message center with chalkboards or bulletin boards.
  •    Cabinetry positioned at a comfortable folding height.
  •    Built in storage bins for laundry sorters.
  •    Hanging rods for dedicates to dry, as well as pull out drying drawers with screens for sweaters and such.
  •    Pet centers are also being incorporated into the laundry rooms, with storage bins for food, beds, and feeding areas.
  •    Personal lockers for each family member to store book bags, coats & shoes.
  •    Craft supply storage, rods for wrapping paper & ribbon.

The possibilities are endless, especially with custom cabinetry. Good design and planning should start prior to construction to make the most out of your space, this will also save you time and money.

Wash, dry & repeat!  Laundry is a never ending thing in any house, so why not enjoy the command center of your home, with useful amenities, and beautiful cabinetry!

Thanks for taking time to read about our 5 minutes of fame, it was certainly an honor for us at Walker Woodworking. Jan Blanton – Walker Woodworking

2015 A Year In Review

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2015 A Year In Review for Walker Woodworking

As we reflect on the year of 2015, so much has happened, all of which we are truly grateful for. We would like to extend a very heartfelt thank you to all of our new customers, and to our loyal repeat customers we appreciate each of you! Being a custom cabinet shop, all of our custom cabinetry projects are unique, but occasionally some projects are outside our normal scope of work. We always welcome a challenge and love to explore our design possibilities that allow our creativeness to be seen.  You never know where you will see Walker Woodworking Custom Cabinets and wood crafted pieces.

Highlighted Projects:

Newgrass Brewing Company: Click here for more information.

Remilling the Dover Mill flooring and seeing how it is enjoyed at the local Newgrass Brewery really has a special place in my heart for many reasons.  My grandparents and father walked on this very floor during the textile days, as well as many other friends and family.  Now a new stage and walls of the brewery a taste of history can be seen in the brewery just as good as a taste of local beer, and the local food prepared at the Newgrass Kitchen which happens to be owned by my brother Chef Jason Walker.

Flight paddles - newgrass by walker woodworking

Photo by Walker Woodworking Staff – All Rights Reserved

Mountain Homes & Rustic Lodges: Mountain Lake Home Photo’s

Becoming more popular are Mountain homes and rustic lodge style lake houses.  We had the pleasure of working with a few customers that were looking for this rustic look as if it had always been in their home!  When wood is supplied by the customer of over 200 plus years, we get one chance to make the custom cabinetry just right!  We constructed a lake house kitchen out of knotty heart pine.  The homeowner wanted a welcoming look of rustic and warmth.   Another  home was a lake cabin, used for family gatherings and vacations.  The look of live edge wood and rustic alder accented with twig like hardware can be seen throughout the home.   The drop zone is a popular area for the family to place lake items and get ready for a fun day on the lake.  

drop zone, mudroom, custom cabinetry projects

Photo by Walker Woodworking Staff – All Rights Reserved.

Community Involvement:

Community involvement with various organizations really allows Walker Woodworking to give back where it is needed most.  Walker Woodworking custom cabinetry projects can be seen in many places! Some you may recognize, and some you may not!

  • Crest High School – Cheer leading boxes
  • Stepping Out Dance Productions – Dance props
  • Dover YMCA – installed a coffee bar area Travis Walker has donated this coffee station in memory of Robin Hendrick, who was very instrumental in getting the YMCA started in Shelby. Now many faces of Cleveland County can enjoy a fresh cup of coffee at the Dover YMCA.  What a great way to rejuvenate before or after a workout!
  • Double Springs Baptist Church – installed a new kitchen for the youth minister home.
  • Pregnancy Resource Center – We made a desk from the flooring that was in the original home.  The desk is now a beautiful one of a kind working desk out of pine.  The desk was constructed out of the original pine floors which were naturally distressed and marked with worm holes. 

Travel the countryside:

We have had the opportunity to travel and explore new areas building new construction and remodeling for our many custom cabinetry projects .  We service many areas in both North Carolina & South Carolina.

A few of our favorites are:

What’s Trending in Custom Cabinetry Projects?

Design elements, favorite color choices, and hardware are always evolving with new design trends in your home, here are a few trends that we have seen over the past year. Be sure to visit our Photo Gallery, we are always adding pictures of beautiful custom cabinetry projects.

We have had a popular demand for entertainment centers, mainly due to those TV’s that just keep getting bigger & bigger!  

Closets & clever storage ideas have also been a popular request.  Rather it be for an “In-law Suite” or  to add more function and organization in your clothes closet or pantry, everyone has the need for more storage space.

Fire Mantles and Bookcases are back!  Technology has not replaced the fact that people still like to display a good book, a family photo, or a beautiful Christmas display of greenery on the mantle. Rolling ladders are an added feature to most of the bookcases we build.

Bringing the outdoors inside with the rustic look of a barn door.  It is a great way to close off the laundry room, playroom,  and home office.  Barn doors are just now approaching to the top of design ideas.  I expect we will make many more in the year 2016. They are also popular for entertainment centers to be incorporated into the design as a wall covering when the TV is not in use.

Color choices: Gray, Silver, and White have been the trend for 2015, we are exploring possibilities of new crackle finishes, that have a vintage look to them. Our finish experts are always researching new possibilities, in the paint room with colors and stains, after all it is the finish on our custom cabinets that enhances the style so beautifully!

We are so excited for 2016 and all of the new adventures for the Walker Woodworking Team! Stay connected with us.

photo of camera on a tripod at photo shoot

On a Photo Shoot

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On a Photo Shoot

Last week I went out to do a photo shoot at a beautiful home in Walnut Cove near Asheville, NC. with my side kick @Marie Walker. We got so carried away with snapping pictures in the kitchen that I forgot to get a few with my iPhone- which I really like to do. I just can’t explain how much fun taking pictures can be when the lighting is just right. It saves us so much time during the processing phase because we are – after all – just amateurs.

 

desk, crackled finish

Custom crackled finish, by Walker Woodworking

Here is a close up of the desk we did at Walker Woodworking. Yes, this finish is very detailed and required precise attention to get it just right, but overall it really adds character to the desk.

antique distressed mirror gold

Antique distressed mirror with gold, rocks out this custom wet bar.

This area was small and difficult to photograph, I was able to get a close up with my iPhone – this antiqued glass is awesome. It has gold and burnt orange coloring that looks great with the black cabinets.

white cabinets, inset, cup pulls, photo shoot

See the photo gallery for more pictures.

Here’s a sneak peek of the kitchen – we will have these photos added to our website very soon.  You will be able to view the entire project and all the unique details our custom cabinetry has to offer.

It’s always a treat for us to get out of the office and see the final product of our cabinets in the setting of a beautifully furnished home.  We get a chance to actually enjoy time with the homeowner in their atmosphere, rather than in our office always working and discussing details.

Check out our online photo gallery to see more great finished projects.  www.walkerwoodworking.com

Stacey Walker

 

Newgrass Brewery & Walker Woodworking

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Newgrass Brewing Company opened their doors in August of 2015. We were very proud to be apart of the project. Here is a timeline of our part of the project. We have updated this post with pictures from recent visits. We hope you will enjoy reading.

Spring of 2015 ~ The History.

We are so excited to be involved in this complete renovation in historic uptown Shelby, NC.  The renovation of the historic 1909 structure will preserve Shelby’s heritage for years to come.  The interior of the building will showcase heart pine reclaimed from Dover Textiles Mill.

Dover Wood 4

Photo by Walker Woodworking Staff – All Rights Reserved.

Dover Mill was the workplace of many people in Shelby, NC including the grandmother, and father of Travis Walker. There is a piece of history in every board from the mill, as there will be new history made at the Newrgass Brewing Co. The reclaimed wood from the floors of Dover Mill have been milled into the NEW floors and walls at the Newgrass Brewing Co. in Shelby, NC.

Dover Wood 3

Photo by Walker Woodworking Staff – All Rights Reserved.

(The original piece of wood was 3 1/2 in thick and 8 1/2 in wide. Each Dover piece now makes 5 pieces for the floors/walls at Newgrass.)

The ground floor will house the brewing area, highlighted behind glass walls.  The brewery will feature a stage area where local and regional artists will be able to perform. The stage floor and walls are made from reclaimed wood. In addition to the main floor the brewery will have a mezzanine level for additional seating, and the third level will host private parties and events. The building has an elevator (original to the Hudson’s store) which is also flanked by the reclaimed wood.

While machining the reclaimed lumber from Dover Mill, our metal detector found a 36 caliber musket ball from around the early 1800’s. It’s before they started putting tin in with the lead.  This created excitement around here at Walker Woodworking, and at Newgrass so much so that talk of naming a brew after the musket ball may seen on the future tap list.

Musket Ball

Photo by Walker Woodworking Staff – All Rights Reserved.

It has certainly been rewarding and exciting here at Walker Woodworking, to see all of this come together and help in the preserving process of this building.  The historic character of the Newgrass brewery as well as the transplanted history of the Dover Mill reclaimed wood will definitely be worth a visit in uptown Shelby, NC.

Newgrass is expecting to OPEN for business in August 2015,  just in time for the American Legion World Series Events including the 7th Inning Stretch.

Follow both Newgrass Brewery and Walker Woodworking on Facebook to stay updated with news and events.

Visit the Newgrass Brewery website to see what they are serving.

The Opening ~ August 2015

The final 3 things Newgrass needed before opening up was Flight Paddles and some Chalk Boards. As things were winding down for construction crews, employees at Newgrass were getting ready for an unannounced opening day, the last week was spent for them moving-in and for us – getting the flight paddles finished up and making and hanging the chalk boards. Since this is not something we do everyday, it was certainly a change of pace, and we enjoyed the excitement of seeing this local business open their doors with much success!

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Flight Paddles we made and branded. These are used to serve four 4oz samples of beer.

OPening dat

Opening Day! What a great turnout for an opening that was not even announced.

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Chalk board – shaped like a guitar pick. What a neat idea, this is for the stage area.

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Darin Aldridge & Friends ~ Blue Grass Music

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We also made the huge Chalk Board on the back wall. This pictures was made 2 weeks after the opening.

We wish the best to Newgrass Brewing Co. for much success for many years to come in Uptown Shelby, thank you for allowing Walker Woodworking to be apart of your project!

Charlotte Homearama at Cheval, Luxury Custom Home

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Charlotte Homearama at Cheval

This years Homearama is now over, but we have lots of pictures. Mary and Laura, with New Old Luxury did a fantastic job with all of the details, design and decor of the home, be sure to scroll down to see more.

To view only the photo’s  Visit Our Online Project Gallery

Walker Woodworking is proud to announce their custom cabinetry will be featured in this years Charlotte Homearama at Cheval.
Open to the public July 18 – August 2. Custom Home Tour open in Mint Hill.

Homearama has something new and exciting for everyone to see. Whether you are looking to build new or remodel, you will find design trends, and decorating ideas from all the homes. You can shop for furniture and artwork while browsing too!

Cheval is located in Mint hill, NC 4 homes will be presented in the tour, which is one of the most celebrated home tours in the Southeast. More Photos Coming Soon!

Walker Woodworking HOR

Unique Oven Wall Featured in Homerarama

 

The “The Welsh House” constructed by New Old Luxury Custom Homes features 5 Bedroom – 5 1/2 Bath, 4, 879 sq. ft home with the charm of an English Countryside equestrian setting.

Walker Woodworking Custom Cabinetry can be seen throughout the home, in the kitchen, his & hers dressing rooms, the family command center, media center and more.

His & Hers dressing room has unique built ins for organizing accessories and clothes. The family command center is the central location for laundry, dog bed, feeding station and craft room all in one! This room is blended with painted custom cabinetry as well as reclaimed lumber to add a distinct feature in the laundry room.

The home has a build method of Inset cabinetry. The inset door gets its name because it is set inside of the cabinet frame, typical cabinet doors rest on the outside of the frame. The door is designed and constructed with extremely precise measurements so that it nests inside the frame and opens and closes properly.

Walker Woodworking HOR1

Kitchen Hutch

The media room displays cherry counter-tops along side of the charcoal painted cabinetry and the office bath has a cozy feel with rustic alder cabinetry that has a black-wash rub through.

Contractor Information:

New Old’s roots run deep. Mary Ludemann’s passion for designing and building high-quality custom homes with timeless period details comes from generations worth of experience. Mary’s father, Tom Murtaugh, began building custom homes in upstate New York in 1978. His drive and passion for impeccable quality is still felt at New Old today. Mary gained years of valuable experience and craftsmanship by working alongside her father.

new-old-logo
New Old Luxury Custom Homes Founder, Mary Ludemann
Mary Ludemann has been designing and building homes for the past 10 years. She has an acute eye for detail and specializes in new home space planning as well as built-ins, cabinetry and interior trim. She loves a wide array of design style ranging from Coastal Cottage, Farmhouse, Nantucket, European, Craftsman and High Country to name a few. She strongly believes in keeping design fun and simple; designing in a casual setting to eliminate as much of the pressure homeowners feel when designing their custom home. She’s known for intently listening to her clients to discern how their family lives and helping them discover their personal style. Happy to lend as much or little design help as each of her clients prefer, she narrows down the daunting array of custom selections and ensures that each of her homes reflect that client’s personal style in a balanced and beautiful way.

Walker Woodworking has worked with New Old on many projects and most recently on the “Welsh” Home for the 2015 Homearama in Cheval (Mint Hill). https://www.charlotteobserver.com/living/home-garden/article27434743.html

Contact Information:
Located in South End at 1920 Abbott Street, Suite 300, Charlotte NC 28203
Phone: 704-975-5196
E mail:building@newold.com

 

 

 

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Her dressing area.

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Pantry

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Laundry Room

The Marble in this kitchen was beautiful as well as the French Brass fixtures.

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Kitchen Island & Sink

 

 

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Master Bedroom

 

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Office

flat surface cooktop,stainless hood,contemporary kitchen,custom cabinets

Jeneane Beaver Kitchen Remodel

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Kitchen & Bath Designer Jeneane Beaver Creates contemporary look for her own 1980’s home.

As a kitchen and bath designer, Jeneane Beaver loved making her clients dream come true.  It was her job to create beautiful and functional spaces every day.  The home her and her husband live in was built in 1980 and the kitchen was not ideal for a person who cooks, nor did the room offer much storage.

Before Photo

Photo by Walker Woodworking Staff – All Rights Reserved.

The renovation process began April 12th, and was completed May 18th.  Follow this link to see more before and after photos of this contemporary remodel.

Jeneane Beaver has been designing kitchen and bath cabinetry for Walker Woodworking since 2008. She gained her foundation in cabinet design by earning her Bachelor’s Degree in Interior Design at Western Carolina University and is certified as an Associate Kitchen and Bath Designer through the NKBA. With 6 years of design experience Jeneane is able to truly create unique, user-friendly spaces and educate consumers on the many different cabinetry options available.

“It was hard to see all of those beautiful and functional plans I work on everyday, then go home to a decrepit outdated kitchen in my own home.” says Walker Woodworking designer Jeneane Beaver.

Walker Woodworking Custom Cabinets

Photo by Walker Woodworking Staff – All Rights Reserved.

Planning a budget became a top priority, for the project to move forward. Cabinets, granite, electrical, floors, plumbing, and eating out all became part of our budget.

The wish list:
*drawers around the prep area
*a vented hood
*built in trash and recycling area
*more storage
*space for brooms and ladders
*better functioning cooking appliances
*more countertop space and improved workflow

custom storage,drawer style,utensil storage,double decker drawer,dovetail drawer

Photo by Walker Woodworking Staff – All Rights Reserved.

flat surface cooktop,stainless hood,contemporary kitchen,custom cabinets,kitchen island

Photo by Walker Woodworking Staff – All Rights Reserved.

“We are absolutely thrilled with the results. Keeping in style with the house and leaning towards a more contemporary look we went with simplistic darker cabinets and lighter floors to contrast.”

“We know this will greatly add value to our home and it is definitely much nicer to use.  I can now say with pride that I love my kitchen!”  said Jeneane Beaver, Kitchen & Bath designer for Walker Woodworking.

Walker Woodworking can help you make the most of your space and design your Dream Kitchen, give us a call today 704-434-0823! There is no charge for us to provide you with an estimate and set of drawings.

Make the most of your Home Show Experience

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Planning your Home Show Day

No matter what type of show you are attending it’s almost impossible to see everything there! Here are some helpful tips to plan your day!

When you’re attending a home show it is easy to walk in the door and be overwhelmed by the sheer volume of exhibitors and beautiful displays that are vying for your attention. Here are a few tips that will help make your experience enjoyable and assist you in getting the information that you went to the show to find. We want you to leave feeling knowledgeable about any project you have in mind to conquer in your home.

1. Before you go make a list of projects you want to look into.

Having specific places to go will help you save time and not be overwhelmed by the numerous exhibits. You should take a list of questions with you for the vendors you plan to visit so you’ll be doing an even comparison – booth by booth.

For example, if you are looking into cabinets it may be important to you if the product is made by American employees using US materials. You could ask questions such as the following: Do you use solid wood construction? Do you offer free estimates? Is the installation cost included in the pricing? Having questions in mind that are important to you and specific to you project will help you keep the conversation focused. You will quickly determine the product you are most interested in pursuing, which will allow you to compare and eliminate prospects.

2. Get a show program and map out you vendors.

When you start going through the show, begin on a specific route with your planned targets and stick to it. That way you’ll be less likely to be pulled in multiple directions and miss a whole row of vendors completely.

3. Don’t be afraid to ask for advice.

Many companies that work with different sectors of the remodeling industry are knowledgeable in various topics and trades of the home industry. The key staff work the shows and network with other vendors. Their knowledge and resources are extremely valuable.

4. Dress for comfort.

Remember if you want to get the most out of your show experience then expect to do lots of walking and standing. There are few sitting areas available unless you are sitting down to eat or hear a presentation.

5. Bring cash with you.

Many displays will offer samples. Food booths have items available for purchase. Most will accept credit cards but it’s nice to have cash to purchase a bottle of water and you always need cash to pay for parking.

Walker Woodworking has had a booth at numerous shows over the last 10 years. We have talked to many consumers, as well as other vendors at these shows. We enjoy meeting new people and have had positive feedback over the years from show visitors. We hope these tips will make your show visit a pleasant one and hope to see you at our next show.

For more information about Walker Woodworking or our upcoming home shows, be sure to visit our Website. Our design experts will be happy to assist you.

 

Remember to take breaks, have fun and enjoy the show! Visit us at our next show The Southern Ideal Home Show, August 22, – 24.

Post by: Jeneane Beaver

 

 

 

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