Lumber Liquidators

The Dish on Butcher Block

New year, new kitchen! Did you know Lumber Liquidators has butcher block? Not only can you upgrade your floors with affordable tools, you can give your counters a makeover, too! Plus, they’re highly rated by our customers. 

Williamsburg Butcher Block Co. American Cherry Butcher Block Countertop was featured in Blog Cabin 2012!

See more photos of Blog Cabin 2012 on DIYNetwork.com.

In your kitchen, combine beauty and brains with a butcher block countertop that looks good and is functional for your everyday uses. Professional chefs all over the world use countertops like these because they can not only withstand direct knife impact over the years, but they can also keep cutlery sharper for longer! Plus, you can refinish butcher block whenever you want.

See some of the creative and beautiful ways our customers used Williamsburg Butcher Block Co.’s countertops, cutting blocks, backsplashes and butcher blocks.

Williamsburg Butcher Block Co. American Cherry 1.5 x 25 x 8

Pros: attractive, well built/quality, easy to use, convenient, easy to clean

Best uses: everyday use, large kitchen, small kitchen, chopping vegetables

 

Williamsburg Butcher Block Co. Maple Butcher Block Countertop

“What a great value! I've shopped around for a week before I finally purchased this one. This BB is 12' long and I needed 10' countertop, so my husband cut it into two pieces; 10' for the countertop and 2' for the over-sized cutting board which turned out to be a great of use. We cannot be happier with the new addition to our kitchen.”

Pros: attractive design, convenient, easy to use, great value, quality construction, solid construction

Best Uses: chopping Vegetables, everyday use, mix with granite

 

 Williamsburg Butcher Block Co. 11/2 x 25 x 12 American Cherry Butcher Block

   “This was easy to cut, sand and finish. Gorgeous finish and would buy again.”

Pros: attractive, well built/quality, easy to use, convenient

Best Uses: everyday use, large kitchen, small kitchen

 

Williamsburg Butcher Block Co. ¾” x 4” x 8LFT American Cherry Backsplash

“Great looking product installed easily. We had itVer professionally stained and finished and it looks great. We’re very pleased with the results of the finished product and would recommend it to anyone who wants it for a low use kitchen or bar area.”

Pros: easy to install, attractive

Best Uses: kitchen

Williamsburg Butcher Block Co. 1 ½ x 25 x 8 Maple Butcher Block Countertop

“We turned this into a 50 x 48 inch butcher block table but cutting it in half and gluing the two pieces together. We use it as our kitchen table and workspace. It turned out great. We were very happy with the price and quality of the product and have already recommended it to others.”

Pros: Quality

Best Uses: Everyday use

 

Williamsburg Butcher Block Co. 1 ½ x 25 x 8 American Walnut Countertop

“Having a small kitchen, my wife wanted a counter top which folded out of the way when not in use, but could swing into place when our daughters wanted to help out in the kitchen. Granite, quartz, or the like would be too heavy and too difficult to work with, but wooden butcher block was just perfect." 

Fast Fixes for Foreclosed Homes

Here is an ARA article where we are mentioned and I wanted to pass it along!

The high volume of foreclosed homes on the market is allowing some astute buyers to turn eyesores into eye-catching properties with only minimal investment. While not every property can be fixed up affordably, there are some common projects that dramatically improve a foreclosed home’s appeal and value.

“Many people are finding huge opportunities in fixing up foreclosures,” says Tom Sullivan, founder of Lumber Liquidators, the nation’s largest specialty retailer of hardwood flooring. “Most of these houses can be completely transformed with just a few improvements. Often, the fixes are easy enough to be do-it-yourself projects.”

Below are some popular cost-effective options for breathing new life into a home in need:

Add new countertops. The kitchen is one of the most important rooms in any home, since it is a space where people spend a lot of time—from cooking dinner to entertaining friends. One of the most dramatic changes that can be made to a kitchen is adding new countertops. It alters the appearance of the space by changing the color scheme, depth and texture of the whole room.

Countertops range in price depending on room size, type of material and mode of installation. In an average kitchen, a new laminate countertop starts at around $1,000, with granite or quartz ranging from $3,000 to $6,000. Butcher-block countertops are another attractive, yet cost-effective option. Williamsburg Butcher Block Company offers options in both Maple and American Cherry starting around $310.

Replace the bathtub. Foreclosed houses frequently come with water stains left by standing water in sinks, toilets and bathtubs. Updating a bathroom by installing a new bathtub not only removes the problem, but, because the tub is a core item, it creates a more pleasant feeling in the room. Bathtubs are available in many different styles and sizes, so there is likely to be one that suits any taste, from traditional to contemporary.

Bathtubs start at around $300, depending on the size and type of bathtub.

Trade carpeting for new wood flooring. Foreclosed houses are frequently abandoned with soiled carpet that continues to gather buildup over time. Mold is also common in homes that have been left bare for extended periods. To get rid of hidden odors, allergens, irritants and mold, replace carpet with wood, particularly in high-traffic areas such as living rooms and great rooms.

In addition to reviving these common areas, swapping carpet for wood adds style and creates a more spacious feel. The choice of wood can also make a big difference. Light wood colors can make a room appear larger, medium-toned woods can make a room appear more traditional and dark flooring can make a room appear warmer.

 “The introduction of so many new species, colors and types of wood flooring in recent years gives homeowners a lot of options when renovating a room at different price points,” says Sullivan.

 Laminate flooring can deliver the appearance of solid hardwoods, but costs less than $1 per square foot at places like Lumber Liquidators. This allows budget-DIYers the ability to transform a 400-square-foot area for as little as $750.

 In addition to making a foreclosed home look new again, completing these easy and affordable updates can go a long way in restoring the value of the property when it comes time to sell.

What Do You Need From a Home Office?

Now a days, people seem to have one room in their house devoted specifically to a home office.  But what does that mean?  Is it a room where the computer is or is it where the kids to their homework?  Is it a place to do crafts or is it truly a home office because you telecommute?  Whatever your office's function is, it doesn't have to just be a place where you play on the computer or where you work on scrapbooks.  Your office could be made to fit the rest of the decor in your house to be contemporary, modern, or traditional. 

Do you need more storage space?  Add some woven baskets.  Not only do they look good, they're a great way to hide some of that extra stuff you have lying around.  We use baskets on a book shelf and they hold games, sewing supplies, and old CDs.  Plus, they match the colors on our couch. Are there a couple of school aged kids in your house?  Try a long desk against a wall where two can work simultaneously.  Do you use a rolling chair to get from your desk to your filing cabinet 72 times a day?  Consider putting down a bamboo floor for easy rolling and a zen like atmosphere. 

The reason that this thought popped into my head is because I was on HGTV.com this morning looking for ideas to freshen up our office.  Some of the ideas were really great.  If it would fit our decor (and budget!) here are a few that I would love to have. 

Wood Paneled Walls

High Tech but Cozy

Geometric and Simple

Clean Spaces

Lots of Surface Space <---Plus, I couldn't resist this one because all I could image was Cherry Butcher Block as the counter!

What would be some of the things you would have in your perfect office?  If I could build a home office from scratch, my wish list would be at least a whole wall covered with bookshelves, enough space for two computer work stations, plus enough room to work on my sewing projects but also storage for the sewing machine and table to be hidden away when I'm not using them.  Hmm, maybe that's asking a lot.  One can always dream.