Hi everyone,

Thanks for taking a moment to read this AND thanks to all of you that helped out last year. All the kids and parents @ Point Allerton CG Station could not believe that all of us as a group got together last year and helped their families out the way we did….. As you all know I hate to ask anyone for anything, but, this is my cause and I really believe in what these guys and girls do.

Christmas is fast approaching and I wanted to get a head start on collecting and buying gifts, clothes, diapers, etc  for all the kids at the station…. In total this year we have 16 children @ Point Allerton with only 2 kids being in diapers.

ANYTHING, ANYTHING, ANYTHING you can do is so appreciated. These guys and girls in our armed forces that keep us safe in the Boston area do not make a lot of money and most of the coasties that have small children of these  ages are just starting out in their careers and really struggle. If you can pick up a toy, or a sweat shirt, an outfit or diapers   ANYTHING, or send me $ 5.00 or $ 10.00 I will insure that every coastie kid has a great Xmas… If you pick something up call me and I will get it from you or you can drop it off in my garage as it is always open 183 Whiting ST Hanover MA 02339 I would love to see this done anonymously as everyone that gets this email blast will be added to the card. So whether you send something or not they will know that you got this email and as my friends, thought of them.

The response has been beyond belief….you guys are all the best… the garage has so many toys at this point that I have contacted the Commander in Sector Boston and we have added about 5 more units to our giving event. Hopefully with the amount you are all giving we will be able to even add more Coast Guard Units and Stations to our giving list. We are going to have a gift wrapping party in the garage  once we are loaded up. Hope you ALL can make it.

THANK YOU all so much for your help and your generosity.

Your Friend

Don Allan

How about a crazy faucet? There is a world of change going on in the faucet world. No longer do people want the standard hot and cold faucet. They are looking for something different.

The Embrace faucet from Lacava Bathroom Design is sure to add elegance to your vanity, and its distinct design will prompt guests to comment (if only because it takes them a minute to figure out how to turn it on). The faucet is available in two finishes, polished chrome.

Tired of that same old monotonous water? Bored with water that doesn’t look like futuristic alien mouthwash? Need to make your midnight bathroom appointments more exhilarating? Then you need to get the LED faucet light attachment

My favorite the beer keg faucet

There is a faucet for everybody at Allan Kitchen Gallery.

at the heart of your home is your kitchen. Franke appreciates how much time you spend at your sink and they understand that taste and work patterns are very personal.  That’s why they offer so many carefully considered options, from materials to styles to colors.

Glass Faucet

A search of the internet will bring up many different and unique designer faucets.

For a full line of faucets in every variety, stop by the Allan Kitchen Gallery showroom, where you can turn them all on and off. We have real working faucets that you can all be demonstrated. No picking from a picture on the box here.

real working faucets in our showroom

100's on display daily

Featured faucet March 2009

Design special in April

A faucet for everyone

There are three choices.

1. Cabinets
2. counter tops
3. appliances

Everyone has a different idea on this subject. There may be a forth component and that is your budget.

Outside of the budget, I would say to start with the appliances. Know what you want and then pick out the cabinets that compliment your appliances.

After choosing what appliances you need, work with your kitchen designer at Allan Kitchen Gallery to find out what works for you. Design something special and unique just for you. Our kitchen designers can make a CUSTOM kitchen for your space and needs.

The last item would be the counters and finishes. There are so many options today. You should have no problem blending in your kitchen counters to match your custom Allan Kitchen.

Allan Kitchen Gallery price $780.00

It is no wonder that Allan Kitchen Gallery in Canton was voted the #1 kitchen showroom in New England. From the time you drive up and enter the doors you are transformed into a literal “sea” of kitchens and baths.

With the Allan’s love for the ocean and their attention to detail comes a showroom that will take your breath away. The floor is painted in a replica of Boston Harbor. With every detail down to the correct positioning of every buoy and depth of the water. The walls are adorned with sailboats, the stern of a pirate ship and waves splashing a lighthouse that hangs vertically above a sink display.

If you think it is all about the sea, think again.

The showroom has over 20 kitchen displays. Over 300 sinks that are displayed on the walls like artwork at a show. Dozens of faucets run with water and the tubs are all in working order.

The rooms move you from one amazing display to another. There is the presidential collection with the actual seal painted on the floor. There are tubs that hang from the walls like mirrors.

They even have a toilet that does not require toilet paper, everything works from a remote control. This is a feature that I need to see, but I am intimidated to experience.

remote control toilet

This is truly more than a kitchen and bath showroom. It is a cross between an adventure at sea, and a destination.

After a walk through the showroom, you can feel the creative nature of the Allan’s and and their unique attention to detail.

Come aboard and cruise the showroom for yourself, or check out our photo gallery for pictures.

Dentil with Crown

Gallery Rails

corbels

Lattice

Rope and Crown

Fluted and beaded

These are all inexpensive options to spice up the look of your cabinets.

The most critical issue faced by most of the designers or individuals is the choice of granite color. As granite has a wide array of color options starting from the blacks, whites, browns, blues, greens and the variations thereof. With such subtle variations it increases a challenging task to freeze upon the right granite color and hue. It has been often seen that black and blue granite is much more in demand and so are its prices. Brown and beige on the contrary give you a lot of variety to work with the combinations in your kitchen. Dark counters for light color cabinets and light counters for darker color cabinets is an accepted norm. What would be the factors which one would need to bear in mind while choosing granite color for a kitchen counter top?

Beginning off the first factor would be to walk in to a near-by granite supplier or warehouse which stocks, imports and deals with a large selection of granite slabs and not just a few samples of granite stuck on to a board. Ideally you would like the granite color to match up with your kitchen’s cabinets, hence it would be advisable to carry a cabinet sample along. The same would apply in case of your granite color having to match with your existing flooring. In case of new house you could have your granite counter top selected first and then decide on the flooring, the flooring too can be of granite. Ideally run through the slabs which are a near match or a perfect combination before you intend to freeze on the granite color, as it is an one time affair and you need to make the most perfect selection which won’t make you repent later.

granite color choices

Your Allan Kitchen gallery design professional will work with you and the supplier to make sure that the colors match and the edging is consistant with the style of your cabinet.

Once you have done with your color selection you could request the granite supplier to draw out a couple of similar slabs to check for variation in color tones. Prior to running through this exercise it would also be worthwhile to visit a few online granite stores which display granite colors along with the names or the codes and the country of origin. With a bit of online search and local market granite supplier or warehouse visit, you would be able to get hold of the right granite color that you are looking out for.

Check with your kitchen designer for other counter top options. Granite is “hot” now, but there are other choices.

The focus should be to improvise on the functionality while keeping the aesthetic part in mind. There are some really old tried and tested kitchen design plans that work. You should choose one from amongst these based on the size and shape of your kitchen.

For long and narrow kitchens

If you have a long and narrow kitchen then you might want to opt for the one wall kitchen design. This is one of the most effective and inexpensive designs. Unlike the kitchen triangle, which is a very popular design this one has a linear design. It paves way for smooth functioning and flow of work in the kitchen.

But if you want to maximize the storage space, then this is not the very best design. You might have to use the L shaped design plans along with this one.

The classic triangle

The classic triangle is undoubtedly one of the most famous kitchen designs to have been ever invented. A triangle is formed with the sink, the oven/stove and the refrigerator at each ends. The distance between these three is maintained at optimum levels. Several designs like the corridor design use the classic kitchen triangle to maximize its effectiveness. It brings in more storage space into the kitchen.

The L shaped design

The L shaped design is perfect for large kitchens that always seem crowded. It does away with the storage woes completely and the most important part is that it still uses the classic kitchen triangle.

For more info, contact your Allan Kitchen Gallery represenative

Paint Grade
Paint Grade wood can really consist of a wide range of wood types. Most stock and semi-custom cabinet companies that apply a painted finish may even use MDF or Particleboard instead of wood. The most common paint grade woods will be Birch, Poplar, or Maple.

Oak
Oak is probably the most widely used wood for cabinets. Most contractor grade cabinets, and more economically priced cabinets will be made of Oak. Oak is available in over 200 different species and is grown all around the world. The most common finish for Oak cabinets is just a natural or honey finish. Oak is a strong, dense wood that will hold up to everyday use and can accept stain well.

Pine
Pine comes in three different versions- white, yellow, or ponderosa. White pine can be very easy to work with and will accept stain easily, while ponderosa will require some special attention because of the resin that may still be concentrated in the wood. Pine is great for creating a rustic feel for your home.

Maple
Maple is another widely used wood type and can be found in a wide variety of species. This is probably the most common wood found in RTA Cabinets, because it is grows abundantly in Northern China and most RTA cabinets come from China. There are also more than 10 species of Maple that come out of the US, so there is a wide variety of grains. Most maple is very easy to work with and will accept stain easily. Maple finishes well in any color- from a Honey Finish to a Chestnut Glaze.

Cherry
Cherry is typically used in the mid-priced to higher end cabinets. The unique feature about Cherry is that with a light stain applied, it will actually get darker with time. As the wood ages

Medallion Cabinetry

and is exposed to sunlight, it will change to the reddish brown color most people associate with antique cherry furniture.

Bamboo
With the push towards becoming eco-friendly, more and more cabinets are being designed using Bamboo. Bamboo is a hearty plant that grows rapidly. The biggest drawback to bamboo is that it has to be veneered over another wood, since Bamboo plants do not grow thick enough to cut into planks. Right now, you will only find Bamboo being used by custom shops primarily on the West Coast

Mahogany
Mahogany creates a very rich look, and the wood itself is reddish-brown. Aside from exotic woods, this is going to be one of the most expensive options in the common wood types. Mahogany accepts stain very well, but is not an overly strong wood.

Whether you are building a high end kitchen, or just updating a rental unit, there are a wide variety of wood types to select from. Selecting a wood type that will hold up to the amount of use and abuse it will incurr is just as important as how the finished product will look, so keep that in mind when shopping for kitchen cabinets.