I recently had the pleasure of going on a cabinetry factory tour at Crown Point Cabinetry in Claremont, New Hampshire. I spent the day exploring the factory floor, observing the machinery and the systems, and taking a closer look at everything they have to offer in their gorgeous showroom.
As an experienced Kitchen and Bath designer, factories and showrooms are nothing new to me. But, especially with the pandemic, it’s been a while since I had the pleasure of walking through one. I couldn’t help but notice how much factories have changed in just the past 10 years with machinery innovation.
Our industry is constantly changing and it’s up to us to stay on top of it all. That’s why today, I want to share with you the top 3 things that I found most interesting and compelling on my Crown Point Cabinetry Factory Tour.
Here are 3 exciting new things I observed while touring the Crown Point Cabinetry Factory in Claremont, New Hampshire.
- The machine used to cut the cabinet pieces out of the wood is so smart! I was truly amazed. The machine is able to maximize the use of the product and minimize the waste of material. The worker programs in what needs to be cut. Then the machine comes up with the most efficient way to do it! This leads to lower emissions and waste and makes for a more environmental process. Plus, at Crown Point, they make all scraps available for free pickup so locals can use them to heat their homes.
- While at the factory, I observed a mist coming down from the ceiling. I asked my tour guide, Brian, what it was. He explained how they use a humidification system to keep the wood at proper moisture levels. How cool is that?
- Remember, back in the day, when you would open a cabinet and immediately be assaulted by THAT smell. Well, at Crown Point, they line all interiors of boxes and drawers with walnut veneers. You can say goodbye to that foul and lingering odor. Plus, the veneers feel great, I just love touching quality materials. I’d even say they feel “sexy”.
Plus, gorgeous details in the showroom…
- I was so impressed with all of the customization options in the Crown Point Cabinetry line. And also with how versatile the Crown Select line is. The crown select line is a lower price point but still offers so many options for quality, fit, and finish.
- On my tour of the showroom, I saw many creative uses of space for corner cabinets. You might think corners aren’t the most efficient use of space – and you’re right, but, there are many different shaped and layered pull-outs available. Not every client will want to “kill the corner”. The key to using these features is to make it as easy as possible for the client and to add in lighting!
- My tour guide, Brian, showed me some gorgeous hinges that allowed for the cabinet doors to open as wide as possible. I was interested to find out that these hinges used to be their most popular. But, in recent years the most popular hinges have become the European style. This is an interesting trend to be aware of.
One last little piece of advice about choosing quality.
As a designer, I’m sure you’ve heard this before but it bears repeating because it is so important. YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR! When you pay for quality, you only pay once. If you want your kitchen to look good 10 years down the line (not just 10 minutes after showing up), quality is key!
To catch the whole live cabinetry factory tour, you can watch part 1 here and part 2 here. It was SO FUN and I hope to bring you more content like this in the future.