Blog

How Mid-West Family Helped Priebe’s Become Top Of Mind

Discover how Priebe’s Creative Woodworking partnered with Mid-West Family to increase business awareness and sell more custom and semi-custom cabinetry.

Priebe’s is now a well-known local brand that customers seek out thanks to our stunning work and over a decade of marketing with our media agency partner Mid-West Family Southwest Michigan.

Read the Full Case Study

Pat Moody talks about Preibe’s Creative Woodworking

Check out this article written by Pat Moody of Moody on the Market:

CRAFTED FOR YOU, BUILT FOR GENERATIONS

I sat down with Jeff and Lillian recently to help find the best way to tell their truly unique story and Jeff immediately suggested, “Really there’s nothing magical about our story in any way other than we work hard and have been blessed to be a part of many homes.”

It might not be magic itself, but the end results are decidedly magical to those who sign on to obtain the full measure of what the Priebe team brings to the drawing table every time.

In any industry, a key element is consistency, and Jeff & Lillian are privileged to tell us that they have a vast majority of the same employees on staff—they are family. As Jeff notes, “Some of our team members have been here for 20-plus years. That’s been a real key advantage for us. The craftmanship of building, finishing & installing cabinetry takes years to learn we would love to see the younger generations take an interest in learning this trade.”

>>Read the rest of the article HERE

Remodeling Revolution: Changing Routines and Changing Spaces

 

Homeowners everywhere are not only adapting to changing routines right now, but some are actually using this opportunity to embrace change, by refreshing and renovating their living space.

Priebe’s Creative Woodworking has built our reputation as the premier cabinetry firm in Southwest Michigan project by project, having transformed thousands of living spaces over the past 25 years.  Some would say when it comes to cabinetry and countertops, we are “Change Experts.”  Our entire in-house team is truly invested in helping our clients realize their vision every step of the way, taking great pride in designing, crafting, installing projects to perfection.

Below you will find inspiration in some completed projects by Priebe’s that resulted from our clients wanting to spruce up their space:

 

Bathroom Oasis

More than any other room in your home, your bathroom serves as an oasis for privacy.  Your bathroom is a haven for relaxation; a place you can truly spend time alone, free of distraction.  Create a space that is your ideal escape…

bathroom remodeling by Priebe's Creative Woodworking

Wine Time

Have you been working on your wine collection more lately?  If wine is a simple pleasure that enriches your life, a beautiful wine display may be equally important in your home.  Whether you need an entire wall devoted to your collection or an intricately designed wine cabinet, we know when wine matters, wine storage matters too.

Kitchen remodeling Priebe's Creative Woodworking

Work from Home Haven

Working from home may not have initially been in your plans when you purchased your home, so it may come as no surprise that we have seen an increase in requests for home offices recently.  If your kitchen table isn’t providing you with the privacy you need, our team loves to brainstorm ways to craft functional, yet stylish home offices to help you work more efficiently. Below, are some space-saving home office ideas:

When your home office needs to double as an extra sleeping space:

bedroom and office remodeling Priebe's Creative Woodworking

When you both are working from home and need an office for two:

home office remodeling Priebe's Creative Woodworking

Space-Saving Bunk Beds

If your home could use more sleeping space but is lacking additional room, bunk beds are a permanently fun solution!  As a bonus, we added storage space below each bunk bed, perfect for personal items, devices, or nighttime reading material!

bedroom remodeling Priebe's Creative Woodworking

Family Room Fun

Having the family all together in one space more often may have you considering a family room or living room renovation. In the family room below, our client loved the idea of using pops of color to create a modern room that makes a statement, perfect to brighten any family gathering!

living room remodeling Priebe's Creative Woodworking

Raising the Bar

Bring the “Cheers” vibe to your home with a fun, bar space, perfect for friends and family to enjoy without the big crowds.  Whether serving classic martinis for a couple friends, or having a Shirley Temple game night with kids, a cozy bar area can safely bring the excitement of going out into your home.

kitchen design Priebe's Creative Woodworking

Contact:

If any of these projects sparks your imagination for a room in your home, Priebe’s Creative Woodworking would be honored to work with you to make your vision come to life.  Please feel free to contact us by e-mailing Lillianp@priebeswoodworking.com or calling 269-926-2469.  We look forward to working with you however you are comfortable to create a space that fits your budget and lifestyle!

 

 

What To Consider Before Choosing Cabinetry for Your Kitchen

For nearly 25 years, our team of craftsmen at Priebe’s Creative Woodworking has designed, built, and installed well over a thousand kitchens and baths. With this experience comes the knowledge to help our clients make the best decisions possible with their hard-earned investment so they can have the kitchen of their dreams that is built to last for generations.

One of the most important factors to consider with your kitchen remodel is how your cabinetry is constructed. While cabinetry may look similar on the outside, not all cabinets are built the same. This is why it’s important to know your options for cabinetry construction before deciding on the style of your cabinetry and the material used.

Face-Frame vs. Frameless Cabinetry

fixing kitchen cabinets Priebe's Creative Woodworking

 

Face-Frame Cabinetry

Face-frame cabinetry is commonly known as American-style or traditional cabinetry because cabinet boxes are traditionally built with a wood face frame (typically 1-1/2 inch) on the front side of the cabinet box. As its name inherently states, face-frame cabinetry box construction resembles a picture frame and offers more rigidity because the doors of the cabinet are attached to the face frame itself.

Frameless Cabinetry

Gaining in popularity, frameless cabinetry is often used in modern or European-style kitchens for a simple, sleek look. Also called full access cabinetry, frameless cabinets do not have a face frame on the front of the cabinet box. This frameless construction offers more interior space and closer reveal lines between the doors and drawer fronts. If you’re trying to conserve space in a smaller kitchen, going frameless can increase your storage capacity by up to 10%!

Cabinetry Material

You may have heard the saying, “It’s what’s on the inside that counts.” This definitely comes into play when choosing what material to use for the sides of your cabinet boxes. The most common materials used are Plywood, Particle Board, and MDF (Medium Density Fiberboard).

kitchen cabinets materials Priebe's Creative Woodworking

Plywood

For most cabinet companies, plywood constructed cabinet boxes typically cost about 10-15% more than particle board cabinetry. Plywood is made with thin layers of wood glued together, alternating the grain of wood for stability. If you desire the beauty and feel of natural wood, plywood displays the intricacies of the wood grain, knots, and mineral streaking that you won’t find with particle board or MDF constructed cabinetry. Plywood is also known for being stronger than other cabinetry materials. It’s durable enough to withstand encounters with water and frequent use over time, holding screws, nails, and mechanical fasteners more securely than particle board and other cabinetry materials.

Particle Board

Particle board is made with compressed wood chips glued together into panel sheets. Generally, particle board is a practical option if you’re looking for a more short-term solution and trying to keep costs down. Based on appearance alone, particle board and plywood cabinetry may look similar, but there is a vast difference in how long they’ll last. The difference in quality can become visible even after just a few years of daily use, as you may start to notice the hinges and drawer guides loosening in a particle board cabinet side. Most of us have experienced trying to tighten a screw into a particle board shelf or cabinet side, and it essentially becomes “stripped out.” The screws no longer hold into the cabinet sides because the particle board (constructed of wood chips) begins to crumble. Particle board cabinets also can easily be damaged by water and steam since the material will swell if exposed to water for an extended period of time. For this reason, it’s best to avoid installing it under kitchen or bathroom sinks.

sink cabinetry Priebe's Creative Woodworking

MDF (Medium Density Fiberboard)

MDF cabinetry is engineered from dense wood fibers and adhesives being compressed. MDF is denser, stronger, and more durable than particle board. MDF is typically vulnerable to water damage in areas with frequent exposure to water. However, you can ask for moisture-resistant MDF in areas exposed to moisture, like under a sink or near a dishwasher that emits steam. One area where MDF excels is that it provides a smooth surface for painting since it does not have a noticeable wood grain or knots that will show through a coat of paint.

What Type of Cabinetry Construction is Best?

All materials used in cabinet construction have their advantages and disadvantages, depending on your unique goals for your project. When choosing your cabinetry cases, it’s important to consider the following:
1) Your goals for longevity. Is this a solution for now, or do you want your kitchen to last for decades?
2) How moisture-resistant do you want your cabinets to be to protect your investment?
3) Your budget. A kitchen remodel is one of the most expensive investments you can make in your home. So it’s incredibly important to start by setting a realistic budget for your project. Generally for cabinetry and countertops, it’s recommended you should plan to spend at least 12-15% of the total value of your home if you want to get a 1:1 return on your investment when reselling your home.

If you’re thinking about new cabinetry for your home and have any questions about your unique project, please feel free to contact us – We’d love to have the opportunity to help any way we can!

The Most Costly Kitchen Remodel Mistakes – Part One

As one of the longest standing woodworking firm in Southwest Michigan, Priebe’s Creative Woodworking has built a reputation for crafting the most beautiful custom and semi-custom kitchens in the area for over two decades.  With our in-house team of esteemed kitchen craftsmen having designed, built, and installed well over a thousand kitchens and baths, our collective experience has allowed us to prevent our clients from making costly mistakes with their projects.  Unfortunately, too often, potential clients come to us for the first time after already having made these mistakes, not only setting them back on their timeline for completion but also causing them to go significantly over their initial budget.

For this reason, we’re doing a blog series about the Most Costly Kitchen Re-model Mistakes we’ve seen over the years, with hope that it helps you make decisions that result in the kitchen of your dreams being completed on time and on budget. We’ll be covering different kitchen re-model mistakes every week for the next few weeks, so stay on the lookout for tips on avoiding expensive pitfalls with your upcoming project.

 

Not Choosing a Reputable Designer/Contractor

modern kitchen design Priebe's Creative Woodworking

When it comes to re-modeling your kitchen, we know you have a lot of options besides Priebe’s Creative Woodworking.  There’s small home improvement stores, big box stores, design firms that order cabinets and sub-contract the installation, and the list goes on.  But when the time comes to re-model your kitchen, whether you choose to come see us or someone else, we can’t stress enough how important it is to do your research.  With such a big investment, you have to be responsible and make your decision based on the reputation and experience of the company handling your project. In addition, it’s always a safer choice to hire a company that is vertically integrated, handling every step of your project entirely in-house without having to sub-contract any work out to someone who doesn’t have a vested interest in your project.  Thankfully, these days you have the internet at your disposal to seek out reviews on Google, Yelp, Facebook, or even websites geared towards interior design and home improvement, like Houzz.

modern kitchen design Priebe's Creative Woodworking

Along with consistently great reviews, make sure the company has full support and service warranties to provide service after the installation in case anything in your kitchen needs service later on.  For instance, at Priebe’s, we take great pride in our work and want our customers to enjoy their kitchen for generations to come.  So whether it’s weeks or years after we’ve installed it,  if a customer tells us that a door is out of adjustment or a drawer has fallen off a track, we will always  repair it at no cost.

Last but not least, when doing your research, look into how many years the company has been in business.  A company with decades of experience most likely has been in business that long due to high customer satisfaction.  Having been in business for over two decades, at Priebe’s Creative Woodworking, we know that no project ever goes 100% according to plan.  It’s advantageous to have a company that has plenty of experience in problem solving in order to make sure your project stays on budget and on time.

 

Unrealistic Budget

modern kitchen design Priebe's Creative Woodworking

Re-modeling your kitchen is the most expensive investment you can make in your home and one of the biggest purchases you’ll make in your lifetime.  With that said, it’s incredibly important for any homeowner to be smart and responsible with their hard-earned money, and that begins with setting a realistic budget for your project.   When determining your budget, there are several factors to consider, but generally you should plan to spend at least 12-15% of the total value of your home. By Southwest Michigan realty standards, if you invest properly in the right design, cabinetry quality, and installation, you should be able to get close to a 1:1 return on investment on your kitchen re-model investment when reselling your home.

Additionally, instead of setting an unwavering budget that’s set in stone, it’s actually better to give yourself a window, allowing yourself approximately a 10% margin.  Moreover, when setting your budget for your kitchen re-model, you should never just consider the costs of the cabinetry and countertops.  Make sure you think of every aspect you need to budget for, including electrical, plumbing, flooring, appliances, and hardware  – all of which are big investments that can increase the overall cost of your project substantially.

modern kitchen design Priebe's Creative Woodworking

Last of all and most importantly, if you’re making any investment in your home, invest wisely, considering quality and longevity.  If you don’t feel confident that you have the budget necessary to complete your re-modeling project to your expectations, it’s always smarter to wait until you can invest the proper funds, rather than cutting corners and sacrificing overall quality and sustainability just to have a quick completion.  Why buy discounted, low quality particle board cabinetry from a box store when the cost variance is only slightly higher to have solid wood cabinetry built to last?  You’re living and working in your kitchen every single day, and your kitchen cabinetry is a permanent purchase that should last decades.  At Priebe’s, we feel it’s incredibly important to protect your hard earned money and make an investment in quality cabinetry  that will truly last for generations.  If you don’t have the appropriate budget right now, it’s always better to wait and save than risk buyer’s remorse.

Contact Information:

If you’re thinking about re-modeling your kitchen in the near future and have any questions for us that we didn’t cover in this article, please feel free to send your inquiry into our kitchen design specialists by e-mailing Lillianp@priebeswoodworking.com or calling 269-926-2469.  We’d love to have the opportunity to help you with your project any way we can!

 

Priebe’s Creative Woodworking
2113 Plaza Dr.
Benton Harbor, MI 49022
Phone: 269-926-2469
www.priebeswoodworking.com