On a recent episode, sweepstakes winners Kim and Josh Osburn of West Bloomfield, Michigan saw their crowded galley kitchen transformed in both style and function.

Of course, we can’t give everyone a kitchen makeover. But we do hope that seeing the Osburns’ kitchen transformation will help inspire some ideas about the hidden potential in your own!

As you watch, here are a few key features to look for:

A clear sense of style. Merillat Classic® Fusion maple cabinets with a deep Kona finish and sleek nickel hardware are the perfect complement to the contemporary style throughout their home. Whatever your style, consider how the kitchen will affect adjoining rooms.

Accessorize appropriately. Storage solutions make it easy to customize cabinets by lifestyle. Rollout shelves and garbage/recycling bins are a plus in any home. SoftAction™ drawers and doors mean a quieter kitchen and protection against pinches. For an avid baker like Kim, a specialty item like Merillat’s base mixer shelf is a dream come true—keeping her heavy stand mixer off the counter, and yet still within easy reach.

Cabinets outside the kitchen. The Osburns replaced their dining room table with a granite-topped island for additional storage as well as seating. A home office area in the dining room is made of matching cabinets and a granite work surface—keeping the couple connected during daily tasks, while  still looking elegant enough for company.

Beauty+Duty. The old bar area had style, but no storage. Adding wall cabinets and replacing the bar’s glass block base with cabinets and a wine cooler created a fun, functional hub for entertaining.

Twice can be nice. At first, the Osburns worried that a bar/prep sink just around the corner from their kitchen sink might be overkill. Now they’re wondering how they ever got along without it.

Keep it the same, but different. Encompassing both the kitchen and dining rooms, the Osburns’ design needed both consistency and variety. The glass tile backsplash in the kitchen gives way to stainless tile in the bar, and the wall cabinet doors in that area are replaced with frosted glass inserts. The dining room bar, island, and desk area feature the same granite surface, but at different heights (36”, 42” and 30” respectively) for both functional and aesthetic reasons.

To see the Osburns’ complete kitchen makeover, watch the full episode here.

Then, watch our video below to learn more about how this kitchen, and this episode, came to life.

Now comes the hardest part of all. Waiting while it happens!

Tearing out the old kitchen and installing a new one can disrupt your home for weeks or even months, depending on the extent of the work, and the people and products involved.

Kimberly and Josh Osburn had a slight advantage in their project. As the winners of Today’s Dream Kitchen Sweepstakes, their kitchen remodel would be featured on Today’s Homeowner with Danny Lipford.  Suffice it to say, knowing lots of cameras and producers would be around has a way of helping to keep everyone on schedule!

But even the smoothest projects can be seem frustratingly slow when it feels like your home has been turned inside out. So it’s important to work with strong partners (like KSI, the Merillat dealer overseeing the Osburn kitchen project) and to go into the process with realistic expectations. Here are some tips to help make the waiting game smoother and more enjoyable.

Ask about lead times upfront.
A new kitchen isn’t a single purchase. It’s an entire process, involving numerous manufacturers, retailers, inspectors and tradespeople. Some products have longer lead times than others—like cabinets. Ask about lead times when you order. Some cabinet manufacturers may require 4-6 weeks for delivery. However, Merillat’s Kitchen-At-A-Time process allows each kitchen featuring Merillat Classic or Essentials cabinetry to be built to order in just 5-6 days.

Be prepared to be flexible.
Plan ahead for how you’ll handle daily kitchen activities from your morning coffee to making meals. Decide which daily essentials you’ll want close at hand, and pack the rest away. (But label the boxes clearly, just in case!) Since eating out can really eat into your budget, find a temporary location for your refrigerator and microwave that lets you manage some meals at home. Stock up on paper goods if you won’t have easy access to a sink.

Expect the unexpected.
Especially in older homes, the tear out process can reveal unanticipated issues that result in delays or other adjustments. If challenges arise, take comfort in the fact that your crew is making sure the job is done right.

Pay it forward.
Before your old cabinets or appliances are destroyed or discarded, ask around. Many charities are able to put them to good use! Other components and materials may be able to be reused or recycled. The Osburns donated their old cabinets to a local chapter of Habitat for Humanity and recycled the glass block removed from the bar. You could make a difference that goes well beyond your own four walls!

Enjoy the ride!
Remember, construction is temporary. So approach it with a sense of adventure. Take pictures. Start a journal or a blog. Documenting the process can help you appreciate progress along the way, and provide a keepsake to look back on—as you enjoy your fabulous new kitchen!

Merillat offers online tools that can help make it fun and easy to define your style, find inspirational design ideas, and experiment with a variety of door styles and finishes, counter tops, flooring, and other features. Doing your homework here saves you time in the showroom and gives your designer the information he or she needs to take your kitchen to the next level.

Today’s Dream Kitchen Sweepstakes winner Kimberly Osburn envisioned a dramatic color change for her new kitchen: going from bright white cabinets in her existing kitchen to Merillat’s new Kona finish—a bold, espresso-colored brown.

The Osburns’ vision also included making better use of the space available in her narrow galley kitchen. An avid baker and host, Kimberly craved an efficient work triangle and improved traffic flow for entertaining. Her husband Joshua needed a generous workspace with ample storage to contain plenty of paperwork.

With a clear vision of what they hoped to achieve, Sandra set to work.  Since cabinet space and storage features are a top priority among today’s homeowners, she developed an innovative floor plan to maximize every available inch. Base and wall cabinets extend the functional space of the kitchen into the adjoining dining room, creating a stylish bar and perfect gathering place—outside the kitchen—as well adding valuable counter and storage space.  A multi-purpose island and generous desk area provide extra space to work, eat, prep, or entertain, as the occasion demands.

By combining the couple’s tastes and lifestyle with a designer’s understanding of flow and function, the Osburns’ new kitchen is a makeover that’s much more than skin deep.

“Must be nice,” you think, “but I’m footing the bill myself. I have to work within a budget.”

When it comes to remodeling, there’s always a budget. And whether yours is half of the Osburn’s—or even twice as much—chances are, you’ll have to make some tough decisions about where to save and where to splurge. But when cash-strapped homeowners look for ways to save on remodeling, professional design services are often the first to go. And that can be a costly mistake.

Here are a few reasons to go pro.

Kitchen professionals can help you get the most for your money. They understand what today’s homeowners are looking for and what options are available for each budget. With access to the latest product and design innovations, they can help spot tomorrow’s trends today, so your kitchen will feel current for years to come.

Your kitchen has huge impact on the value of your home. Merillat research has shown that the kitchen is a deciding factor for most home buyers. A pro can help you understand how the many decisions involved in your new design may help or hinder your home’s appeal and resale value later on.

Kitchen renovations are more than skin deep. Carpentry, plumbing, gas and electricity may be involved, putting more your financial resources, as well as your safety, at stake. Certified design professionals, dealers, and installers are trained to ensure quality, and code compliance, and to help protect your remodeling investment.

It helps to have a roadmap. With endless choices at every turn, it’s easy to lose sight of the big picture. An objective partner can be a huge asset in keeping you on course. To get the most for your money, be honest about your budget. And keep in mind that major changes can be phased in over time. Just because you can’t afford your dream kitchen today doesn’t mean you have to give up on it entirely. A design professional can help you develop a plan for bringing your vision to life over time—step by affordable step.

Today’s Dream Kitchen Sweepstakes winner Kimberly Osburn poses with husband Joshua in front of their pre-renovation kitchen.

From Mark Ayers, Vice President of Marketing

We recently partnered with Today’s Homeowner and Danny Lipford for a 24 week period and concluded the first-ever Today’s Dream Kitchen Sweepstakes which ran from August 9 – September 20, 2009.

With nearly 10,000 entrants from all over the U.S., Kimberly Osburn of West Bloomfield, Mich. was the sweepstakes winner. As a result, her kitchen was transformed by our design partners at KSI (Kitchen & Bath showroom in Birmingham, MI).

The remodeling is complete and the unveiling took place on the Today’s Homeowner show during February sweeps.  For a behind the scenes look at this kitchen makeover, we’ve documented the entire renovation process and will be bringing you a photo and video blog update in the days ahead.

It’s such a fantastic feeling to be able to give the Osburns their dream kitchen! And it’s an even better feeling to know we’ve transformed a space in their home that will be enjoyed and appreciated to the fullest.

Stay tuned!  We’d love to hear your thoughts on the project.