Here's What to Expect for the Cost of Kitchen Cabinets in 2025, According to an Expert  Better Homes & Gardens

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Here's What to Expect for the Cost of Kitchen Cabinets in 2025, According to an Expert - Better Homes & Gardens

Successful Kitchen Cabinet Refacing Involves Hacking Your Way to No Gaps  Domino

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Successful Kitchen Cabinet Refacing Involves Hacking Your Way to No Gaps - Domino

HGTV Star Mike Holmes Says To Do One Thing Before Replacing Kitchen Cabinets  House Digest

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HGTV Star Mike Holmes Says To Do One Thing Before Replacing Kitchen Cabinets - House Digest

Kitchen Tune-Up offers a more affordable option to create the kitchen of your dreams  Fox11online.com

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Kitchen Tune-Up offers a more affordable option to create the kitchen of your dreams - Fox11online.com

Keystone Wood Specialties offers cabinet refacing training  woodworkingnetwork.com

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Keystone Wood Specialties offers cabinet refacing training - woodworkingnetwork.com

Enjoy a stress-free home makeover this fall with Granite Transformations  ABC15 Arizona in Phoenix

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Enjoy a stress-free home makeover this fall with Granite Transformations - ABC15 Arizona in Phoenix

Kitchen Remodeling Franchise Continues Ongoing Success as it Continues to Transform the Industry

LA CROSSE, Wis., July 16, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Kitchen Solvers, America's premier kitchen remodeling franchise, is proud to announce its continued growth and commitment to franchisee success. A trusted name in the kitchen remodeling industry since 1982, Kitchen Solvers has built a reputation for exceptional quality, personalized service, and a commitment to the 'Pleasant Remodeling Experience' for over 50,000 satisfied homeowners. Their continued franchise success and growth are due to their latest cutting-edge implementations.

Revolutionizing the Kitchen Remodel with InnovationKitchen Solvers is solidifying its position as an industry leader with two exciting advancements:

"By integrating new technologies like AI into the remodeling experience, we're creating a seamless journey for homeowners, from initial concept to completion," said the President of Kitchen Solvers, Thomas Miskowski. "This personalized and efficient approach ensures every homeowner achieves their perfect kitchen."

Kitchen Solvers offers a unique franchise model that empowers individuals to enter the lucrative kitchen remodeling industry, even with no prior experience. The brand provides extensive training and coaching, ensuring franchisees have the tools and knowledge to deliver exceptional customer service and high-quality results.

"For over 40 years, Kitchen Solvers has thrived on strong partnerships with our franchisees," Miskowski added. "Our new advancements ensure our franchisees have the resources and support they need to succeed. We can't wait to work hand-in-hand with new owners and provide them with comprehensive support. Our commitment to collaboration makes our franchise opportunity ideal for both experienced business owners and individuals with a passion for creating dream kitchens."

Kitchen Solvers has the product depth and services to accomplish a full kitchen remodel or just an upgrade. Its services include custom kitchen cabinets, cabinet refacing, kitchen design, expert installation, storage solutions, countertops, backsplashes, and more. For further information on Kitchen Solvers and its robust offerings, visit http://www.kitchensolvers.com.

Kitchen Solvers is actively seeking qualified franchise partners to join its growing network. With a proven track record of success, industry-leading support, and a commitment to innovation, Kitchen Solvers offers entrepreneurs a compelling opportunity to build a rewarding career. To learn more about Kitchen Solvers Franchise opportunities, visit http://www.kitchensolversfranchise.com.

About Kitchen SolversKitchen Solvers has been building strong franchisee partnerships since 1984 and recognizes the value customers find in unmatched quality products and impeccable customer experience. We take pride in our 'Pleasant Remodeling Experience,' which takesall ofour home remodeling projects to the next level. Kitchen Solvers has had the pleasure of serving over 50,000 satisfied homeowners with full kitchenremodels,bathroom makeovers, and cabinet refacing projects. The Kitchen Solvers' hands-on approach to coaching and training has given each franchisepartnerand their employees trust, confidence, and integrity to provide remodeling services nationwide.Learn more about Kitchen Solvers Franchise at http://www.kitchensolversfranchise.com.

Contact: Tom Farrell, Franchise Elevator | (847) 945-1300 Ext. 270 | [emailprotected]

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Kitchen Solvers Strengthens Franchise Opportunity with New Advancements & Innovation - PR Newswire

The Event Extra podcast offers one-on-one interviews with some of the policymakers, practitioners and leaders who spoke at U.S. Institute of Peace events. Each episode highlights their ideas on areas of conflict and how to achieve peace.

Adam Gallagher: Welcome, let me introduce us. Youre Rina Amiri, the U.S. special envoy for Afghan Women, Girls and Human Rights. And I'm Adam Gallagher, managing editor for USIP.org. This week marks the one-year anniversary of the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan. Many expected that when they swept into power, the Taliban would reprise the repressive rule of the 1990s. Despite pledges of moderation and reform from some Taliban factions. One year later, those predictions have turned out to be prescient. They have swiftly reinstated many of their harshest policies pushing women out of public life and brooking dissent. Special Envoy Amiri, many of the hard-won gains made for Afghan women over the last 20 years are eroding before their eyes. Can you talk a little bit about how their lives have changed in the last year, and also what the picture is like for minorities and their rights?

Rina Amiri: Well, first, thank you very much, to you and to the U.S. Institute of Peace for continuing to keep the spotlight on the situation in Afghanistan. The last year has been nothing short of devastating for women, ethnic and religious communities. But I would say that for the population as a whole, I also hear from men, that, you know, that they're in a desperate situation. So it's, you know, it's a context in which is even more devastating, because I think that the population, what I hear over and over again, that, despite the tremendous devastation of war. Think how things have turned out. There is still some element of hope that the promise of a reform Taliban would materialize, and that they would be better than in the 1990s. And the last year, I think, has and many respects have been, the scenario that is far worse than any had had prepared themselves for, you know, for women and girls, I think that the whole world saw that overnight, they were stripped of their fundamental rights. You know, and of course, I want to qualify that. Certainly, the picture was very mixed. And that an urban centers, the women and girls had better opportunities, more advantages than those in the rural parts of the country. But when I talk to women, you know, from throughout the entire country, what I hear is devastation over the situation and that they've lost the right to work, they've lost the right to get their daughters educated, they have lost any sense of hope for the future. And for ethnic and religious communities, what they note is that they live under the shadow of threat. They don't feel safe in their communities, they don't feel safe in their homes. They don't feel safe sending their wives to give birth because of attack, the attacks on, terrible attacks that have taken place against maternity wards. They fear for their children when they send their children to school. That pervasive sense of threat is a shadow that has overtaken with their calculations and the way that they live their lives. And particularly for the Hazara community. You know, I read an assessment that there have been over 15 attacks. And it's not just the Hazara community as a religious community, but as an ethnic community where they are being specifically targeted and where they are, if they feel that they are being left as soft targets. And we hear the same thing from the Hindu and Sikh community, the Sufis, you know, just across the country of those that do not fit within the narrow confines of what the Taliban identifies as people that are aligned with what their view of the world that they are suffering tremendously right now.

Adam Gallagher: And yet over the last year, despite this sort of shadow of threat that looms over Afghan women and minorities, many have protested the Taliban rollback of their rights, including a demonstration over the weekend that was met with Taliban violence. I'm wondering if you can talk a little bit about what you see Afghan women and minorities doing to protect in their promote and promote their rights amid this sort of terrifying landscape.

Rina Amiri: I think what the world needs to take away from what we have seen from the Afghan population is that they are not a -- you know, we see that there's a narrative around Afghans as victims, but Afghans, I think are the most resilient people in the world. And the most, you know, some of the most courageous people in the world. And certainly we have seen that demonstrated, and foremost among them, I would have to say, have been Afghan women. They, we have seen over and over again, despite the tremendously harsh crackdowns by the Taliban against not just the women but against their families, that they continue to go out and protest. And they're not just protesting for their rights. They're protesting for the vision that all Afghans aspire towards, which is a peaceful Afghanistan and inclusive one on one which one which is going to be economically viable. You know, I spent a lot of time talking to Afghans both inside and outside the country and online. And they tell me that this is not this is not just a choice for them, you know, that it's not that they're not fearful. But there are some things that are more important than fear. And that is what gives them the courage that they go out. And what they're fighting for is they're fighting for the children, they're fighting for the future of the country. You know, and there are a lot of painful stories that I come across, I come across women who say that, you know, up until, like, a year ago, there were judges, there were parliamentarians, there were doctors, and now they have to go through the indignity of, you know, they put on a burqa, and they go out and they're looking for, they're put in a position of being beggars. And they know that the Taliban are more prepared to provide support for them as beggars than allowing them to be agents of their own future. And as active agents in society where they can contribute to the to the economy of the country. They're also, you know, they're incredibly pragmatic. They're not, they're not looking at this as a black and white situation. Where they find Taliban that are positioned are prepared to engage with them and to create entry points for them to work to get or to do anything constructive. They're willing to work with those Talibs. So I think beyond the, what we, what I take away is that their vision is both defined by pragmatism, as well as principles and tremendous courage. And they want the world to understand that they are not victims, that they need our support. They need us to engage them as agents of their own future, and to look at a very targeted way of how we can support them, whether that's through diplomatic engagement with the Taliban, or otherwise, but that it should not just stop just because the Taliban are being resistant to any type of movement in a positive direction.

Adam Gallagher: Yeah, and that's a good segue into my final question. But I also just want to mention that I think that point about pragmatism is so important. And you have to wonder why the Taliban can't sort of reciprocate that pragmatism, understanding that they're hamstrung, hamstringing their own economy by shutting women out of public life in this way. But to go back sort of on what you were closing there, and I'm just wondering if you can expand a bit more on how the United States and the international community can help Afghan women and minorities in this really, really tough situation. And then also, I'm wondering if you can touch a little bit on the U.S.-Afghan consultative mechanism that was launched at USIP in late July.

Rina Amiri: I think that those that understand the situation of why this issue of women's rights and human rights are important, don't approach it just from a moral or normative perspective, but from a strategic perspective, that the role of women -- we have the data, we have the data from just really very compelling evidence from all over the world. But the best way, the most economically effective way, the one that doesn't require a large intervention in the future is one in which we equip women to advance the society. And that's where we're coming from, I think, it informs why, you know, our approach. And the U.S.-Afghan consultative mechanism -- one, that it should be Afghan women and civil society, Afghan voices that are at the forefront of this discussion. They, we will be capable of making much better policies if their voices are in the lead. If they guide our assessment, if they guide our understanding. Our policies are grounded in a solid understanding and a solid engagement strategy with Afghans themselves. We seek to use their voices, to profile their voices to bring them in, in a consistent and systematic way. With the U.S. government officials across the government sitting across from Afghan women leaders, human rights, the human rights community, civil society, as equal actors trying to work together on what the specific challenges and identify solutions to develop a coherent approach to systematically engaging them, rather than having one-off consultations with Afghan women and civil society that, where the impact might be lesser than something that's more systematic.

Adam Gallagher: Thank you so much, Special Envoy Amira, for joining us this week, during this sort of somber anniversary. We really appreciate your time.

Rina Amiri: Thank you very much.

Watch the original event Engaging Afghan Women and Civil Society in U.S. Policymaking.

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Event Extra: Taliban Rule Takes Profound Toll on Afghan Women and Minorities - United States Institute of Peace

U.S. Institute of Peace experts discuss the latest foreign policy issues from around the world inOn Peace, abrief weekly collaboration with SiriusXM's POTUS Channel 124.

Julie Mason: Joining me now, Andrew Watkins is a senior expert on Afghanistan for the U.S. Institute of Peace. Here to discuss the one-year anniversary of the fall of Kabul. Andrew, good morning.

Andrew Watkins: Good morning. Thanks for having me.

Julie Mason: What a dire situation there. People are starving. Their economy is in ruins. The setbacks for women. Ugh.

Andrew Watkins: It really is terrible in so many ways. The Taliban are showing the world and the Afghan people that they understand the scope of the problems that they're facing. But they've also revealed, over the last year, just how little that they can do to grapple with the world's worst humanitarian crisis.

Julie Mason: What is the situation there? What are the conditions?

Andrew Watkins: The conditions are pretty horrific. And it's only due to the intervention of Western powers like the United States and European allies, that the country hasn't reached a critical mass of starvation everywhere. But the United Nations and other aid organizations say that there are more people going hungry in Afghanistan than anywhere else in the world in Asia and Africa. This is a result of an economy that completely collapsed. When the U.S. left Afghanistan, it wasn't just our military presence, it was all of the aid and the economic assistance that had been turning their whole economy into one giant bubble.

Julie Mason: The Taliban have consolidated, sort of, security in the country. They do have that on lockdown. No major threats to their rule of the country.

Andrew Watkins: It's true. A lot of what we're seeing in the news usually has to do with fighting that's still going on in Afghanistan. There are a lot of people, for maybe obvious reasons, who don't like the Taliban, and they're trying to do something about it. But to put it in perspective, all of this is really small scale. The fact is there are people trying to resist the Taliban. From the left and the right, you have people affiliated with the former government, you have our former Afghan allies, and then all the way on the other side of the spectrum, you have terrorists who are part of the Islamic State network around the world. But the Taliban have consolidated control around the country, and they're going to control it for the foreseeable future.

Julie Mason: And the Taliban hiding al-Zawahiri or giving him safe haven in Kabul, what is your interpretation of the relationship now, between those two groups?

Andrew Watkins: Yeah, I mean, the Taliban themselves have really been caught between a rock and a hard place. It's always been a complicated relationship. You can go back to 2001 and if you look at interviews and cables from the State Department, there were a lot of people in the Taliban who didn't agree with their leader's judgment to keep bin Laden protected. And there are a lot of people in the Taliban for the last 20 years who have kind of resented the relationship with al-Qaida. Because why should they have lost everything and had to suffer through 20 years of war just for the sake of keeping a lot of people from the Arab world safe when their fight is a different fight? But at the end of the day, as a friend who's very close to people in the Taliban told me, if there are some people in the Taliban who don't like that relationship with al-Qaida, there's one thing that everyone in the Taliban likes less. And that's the idea of helping their former enemy, the United States, hunt al-Qaida down.

Julie Mason: Very interesting, because I mean, after all that money, after all those lives lost, after all those U.S. promises, to have withdrawn and then al-Qaida still operating in Afghanistan. Like what exactly was achieved?

Andrew Watkins: Yeah, I mean, that's especially hard to ask when we look at everything else, right? There were a lot of mistakes made and there was, you know, countless corruption, from the money that we spent, to what Afghan politicians did with it, but there were improvements made and we're seeing even those erode, you know, across Afghan society.

Julie Mason: Right? Exactly. Everything we said like, If you just vote. If you just turn out. If you just you know, do this, then you're gonna have all these benefits. And now, people are starving and there's nothing. That's really grim on a Monday morning but tell us about the supreme leader of the Taliban, Andrew.

Andrew Watkins: Yeah, so this is the most interesting thing we've gotten to see over the last year. The Taliban calls their government the Islamic Emirate and the head is a leader called the emir that they say has supreme authority. He acts with the authority, you know, of God himself. The reality is, though, for the last 20 years, to survive in their war against the U.S., the Taliban had to grow very flexible. They've always said in theory that their leader had supreme authority. But in reality, if you wanted to sign up with them to fight against the Americans, they were pretty flexible. They gave you a lot of autonomy to do things in your little corner of Afghanistan the way that you wanted. Since taking over the country last year, the emir has been trying in a lot of different ways to reassert his authority and become that supreme leader that they've always said he is.

Julie Mason: And how does he occupy that job? Like, what are his edicts?

Andrew Watkins: Well, the most interesting thing is that he doesn't occupy that job with the rest of the government that's based in the capital, Kabul. He sits down in the southern city of Kandahar, which now kind of has a mystique in the Taliban because it's where their first emir, and the guy who founded the Taliban, Mullah Mohammed Omar, it's where he sat for over four years. He had this attitude, you know, not that much different than how some Americans might feel about Washington D.C., that the capital, as the hub of politics, was a corrupt and sinful place. And so, he avoided it entirely. So, this guy is styling himself in the same way, there's a lot of mythology that the Taliban tell about themselves.

Julie Mason: Other matters, meanwhile, the Taliban stalling out in critical aspects of government. As we mentioned, [there is] near universal poverty in the country. And it's an interesting policy question, right? Because, Andrew, no country really seems to want to have any sort of diplomatic relationship with the Taliban, but there's still a great deal of sympathy for the people there.

Andrew Watkins: It's true. I mean, looking forward, this is really the United States struggle: how to continue to provide support for the Afghan people and completely work around the government, you know, the political force that's running the country. It's an unprecedented situation. The Taliban can't seem to make up their mind on some of the most important issues to run the country. And where they do seem to have made up their mind, it's making the wrong decisions, like hosting al-Qaida. And so, you've got a United States, and of course, we still have this huge obligation to the Afghan people with everything we invested, but trying to figure out how to remain engaged without it benefiting the Taliban, while they still figure themselves out on their path to becoming a really kind of warped version of government.

Julie Mason: Andrew Watkins is senior expert on Afghanistan at the U.S. Institute of Peace. Andrew, thank you so much for your time this morning.

Andrew Watkins: Thanks for having me.

Julie Mason: Really great to talk to you.

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Andrew Watkins on the One-Year Anniversary of Taliban Takeover - United States Institute of Peace

California residents have great choices when they are thinking about renovating their homes. They can replace old kitchen or bathroom cabinets or choose to have them refaced and save money. Finding one company that can deal with either choice and provide new granite countertops is a good decision.

Choosing a Remodeling Company

In California, residents have many remodeling companies to choose from. But, those remodeling companies are not all equal. It is important to check different remodeling companies out online and with rating services to find a company that does a good job for a reasonable cost. Granite Transformations is one company to check out for home renovations that take less time and result in less mess while providing great results.

They offer kitchen and bathroom renovation services that are cost effective and beautiful. Start the research process by going to https://www.granitetransformations.com/ and finding out about the company and its locations and services. Any company chosen for kitchen and bathroom renovation projects should offer design services to the homeowner along with no-cost, in-home consultations. A visit to the showroom to choose materials in person is also important.

About Granite Transformations

Go to https://www.granitetransformations.com/about-us/ to find out important information about this company. They have been in business since 1996 and have served over one million customers in that time. They have the experience to get the kitchen or bathroom remodeling job done quickly and right. Granite Transformations has joined with TREND to become Granite and TREND Transformations. they specialize in kitchen and bathroom transformations that involve little or no demolition.

Refacing Existing Cabinets to Save Money

One way to save money is to reface existing cabinets rather than replace the cabinets with new ones. For this method to work well, the cabinets need to be well-constructed and in usable shape. Refacing existing cabinets is also a good idea when the existing cabinet layout works well.

Though there are limits to what a homeowner can do with cabinet refacing, a company such as Granite Transformations has the know-how and products to make the most of this renovation option. When refacing the cabinets that are well-constructed, they can entirely change the door style, finish, and hardware.

What is the Cabinet Refacing Process?

During the cabinet refacing process the cabinet doors and drawer fronts are removed. Then, the face frames and side panels are cleaned and roughed up so they will accept the new finishes. Next, a new finish or veneer is glued or nailed over the old finish, and nail holes are filled and all edges are finished. The cabinet undersides and the base cabinet toe kicks get new finishes. Finally, the cabinets get new door and drawer fronts with new hardware. When the job is done, the cabinets look new.

One problem to consider is if the renovated kitchen needs additional matching cabinets. The kitchen renovation contractor should be able to furnish new cabinets to match the newly refaced ones. All the cabinets should get new countertops that match. When the kitchen or bathroom is done, it should be exactly what the homeowner asked for.

Media ContactCompany Name: Granite TransformationsContact Person: Media RelationsEmail: Send EmailPhone: 707-200-4813Address:3485 Airway Dr., Suite A City: Santa RosaState: CaliforniaCountry: United StatesWebsite: https://www.granitetransformations.com/

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Refacing the Cabinets Can Enhance the Most Important Areas of the Home - Digital Journal