Kitchens in the Honeymoon Capital of the World

If you live in the Poconos, you know that the small towns of the region offer just about everything: scenic beauty; historic sites; charming shops, art galleries, restaurants, and inns; events and festivals; golf courses; adventure; camping; fishing; and so much more.

But if you were to poll people across the country – especially Boomers and Post War babies – they likely remember the Poconos as “The Honeymoon Capital of the World.”

The Pocono Mountains got its reputation as the world’s greatest honeymoon destination when resorts catering to honeymooners started springing up after World War II in the late 1940s and early 1950s. The moniker “Honeymoon Capital of the World” followed in the 1960s after Life Magazine featured a photo of the heart-shaped tub at Ceasers Cove Haven in Lakeville, PA.

By the 1990s, many of the honeymoon resorts had shuttered their doors, paving the way for a new era of the Poconos as a tourist and conference destination. But for some, the nostalgia of the Pocono Mountains as a honeymoon destination still looms large.

You may be wondering what this has to do with new kitchens. Well, more than you might think. Just as honeymooners once flocked to the area, today professionals, families, and retirees are settling into the charming small towns that dot the region.

Award-Winning Poconos Builders

Award-winning builders, RGB Custom Home Builders, have seen this phenomenon firsthand. Building homes in the Poconos since 1986, the company has been voted “#1 Best Builder in the Poconos” eight years in a row. And they have the honors to prove it. At the 2021 Poconos Builders’ Association (PGA) Awards alone, RGB won fifteen awards for architectural design, interior design, residential new construction, multi-family new construction and whole residential house renovation. These properties ranged in size from less than 1,500 square feet to over 4,500 square feet, but they shared at least one thing in common: new kitchens by Swartz Kitchens & Baths.

new kitchens by Swartz Kitchens and Baths

Like relationships, the building or renovation process is a rollercoaster for the emotions with highs and lows leading up to the completion date. When all is said and done, and residents finally can move into their brand-new kitchen, a honeymoon phase begins – that blissful period when everything is new, shiny, clean, and uncluttered. You can’t stop wiping and cleaning every surface, even though nothing’s dirty.

Eager to make the kitchen feel like one’s own, occupants start to add a few touches – a favorite bowl in the center of the kitchen island to hold fresh fruit; the coffeemaker ready-to-go on the counter; a few herb plants in the windowsill. But the honeymoon phase is… well, a just a phase. Fast-forward several months and suddenly the once ‘naked’ kitchen is now over-accessorized with small appliances, spices, cookbooks, paper clutter, phone charging cords, plants, paper towels, canisters, and more.

Having kitchen counters that are completely empty is both unrealistic and perhaps even undesirable. But, to keep your kitchen looking its very best, it is a good idea to curate a short list of what is allowed to live on the countertops and what isn’t. And, as the designers at Swartz Kitchens & Baths and the pros at RGB Custom Home Builders will tell you, the best time to make that list is when the kitchen is being built.

Making the New Kitchen Honeymoon Last

Today, cabinetry manufacturers offer a wide range of options to help keep kitchen clutter at bay. Here are 7 ingenious kitchen cabinetry solutions that will help the kitchen honeymoon last:

  1. Small Appliance Garages: Toasters, coffeemakers, blenders, juicers, air fryers, InstaPots, and slow cookers rank among the most frequently used small kitchen appliances. But start lining them up on your kitchen counters and your kitchen will start to look a little too lived in.
    If you haven’t shopped cabinetry in a while, the term “appliance garage” may bring to mind outdated louvered rolling doors, but the new generation of appliance garages are sleek, seamlessly integrating into cabinetry design. Rather than leaving the coffeemaker, toaster or blender on display, an appliance garage can conveniently store and conceal the machines you use daily, so you don’t have to leave them sitting out or continuously move them around. In fact, many appliance garages also have built-in lighting and outlets so the appliances can even stay plugged in between uses.
  2. Pull-Out Shelves: Fully extending pull-out shelves offer a great degree of flexibility, allowing you to make the most of the space they occupy.
  3. Built-in Lazy Susans and Spice Racks: Salt, pepper, garlic salt, vinegar, olive oil – some spices and seasonings get used all day, every day. While it may be tempting to leave them sitting out on the kitchen counters, they’re better off tucked away. (Olive oil, for example, should be stored in a cool, dark place.) Built-in Lazy Susans or spice racks allow you to keep spices and seasoning out of sight while still easy to access.
  4. Built-in Knife and Cutlery Organizers: Knife blocks and cutlery organizers take up valuable counter space and create visual clutter. And let’s be honest – how many of the knives do you use on a regular basis? In-drawer knife storage keeps knives tucked away, out of sight and out of the reach of curious children and pets.
  5. Utensil Organizers: A pull-out drawer adjacent to the stove or cooktop can hold easy-to-remove canisters for cooking utensils, keeping them close at hand yet easy to put away when the cooking is done.
  6. Mixer Storage Cabinet: Depending on the size and measurements of your mixer, you might want to tuck your heavy standing mixer in a base cabinet with a heavy-duty mixer lift. With one simple motion, the mixer simply swings out and up from the cabinet to match the height of your countertops.
  7. Under-Sink Cleaning Storage: Under-sink cleaning storage keeps cleaning supplies – including paper towels – in one place. They often come with a removable slide-out feature yet so you can easily take the wire caddy from the cabinet with you while cleaning other parts of the house.

Sure, it’s okay to keep a few kitchen canisters or a cookbook stand on your new kitchen counters. You can even keep bread, phone chargers, keys, and other items within reach. Just remember to corral them together – tuck all your fresh carbs in a breadbox or place small personal items in a decorative basket. Display a few key items like your favorite candle or a beloved pot (like your colorful Dutch oven) that bring you joy.

wood kitchen countertop maintenance tips from Swartz Kitchens and Baths

But, to keep that new kitchen honeymoon going, take the advice of author, coach, and speaker Tony Robbins: “Do what you did in the beginning… and there won’t be an end.” In other words, look at your kitchen with fresh eyes, ruthlessly curate the objects that get to enjoy countertop real estate, and let your cabinetry, finishes, and surfaces shine.

If you’re thinking of building or remodeling a home in the Poconos, reach out to RGB Custom Home Builders and then give us a call to talk kitchens and baths. We’ll help you plan a space that will make you fall – and stay – in love!

Kitchens in the Honeymoon Capital of the World

If you live in the Poconos, you know that the small towns of the region offer just about everything: scenic beauty; historic sites; charming shops, art galleries, restaurants, and inns; events and festivals; golf courses; adventure; camping; fishing; and so much more.

But if you were to poll people across the country – especially Boomers and Post War babies – they likely remember the Poconos as “The Honeymoon Capital of the World.”

The Pocono Mountains got its reputation as the world’s greatest honeymoon destination when resorts catering to honeymooners started springing up after World War II in the late 1940s and early 1950s. The moniker “Honeymoon Capital of the World” followed in the 1960s after Life Magazine featured a photo of the heart-shaped tub at Ceasers Cove Haven in Lakeville, PA.

By the 1990s, many of the honeymoon resorts had shuttered their doors, paving the way for a new era of the Poconos as a tourist and conference destination. But for some, the nostalgia of the Pocono Mountains as a honeymoon destination still looms large.

You may be wondering what this has to do with new kitchens. Well, more than you might think. Just as honeymooners once flocked to the area, today professionals, families, and retirees are settling into the charming small towns that dot the region.

Award-Winning Poconos Builders

Award-winning builders, RGB Custom Home Builders, have seen this phenomenon firsthand. Building homes in the Poconos since 1986, the company has been voted “#1 Best Builder in the Poconos” eight years in a row. And they have the honors to prove it. At the 2021 Poconos Builders’ Association (PGA) Awards alone, RGB won fifteen awards for architectural design, interior design, residential new construction, multi-family new construction and whole residential house renovation. These properties ranged in size from less than 1,500 square feet to over 4,500 square feet, but they shared at least one thing in common: new kitchens by Swartz Kitchens & Baths.

new kitchens by Swartz Kitchens and Baths

Like relationships, the building or renovation process is a rollercoaster for the emotions with highs and lows leading up to the completion date. When all is said and done, and residents finally can move into their brand-new kitchen, a honeymoon phase begins – that blissful period when everything is new, shiny, clean, and uncluttered. You can’t stop wiping and cleaning every surface, even though nothing’s dirty.

Eager to make the kitchen feel like one’s own, occupants start to add a few touches – a favorite bowl in the center of the kitchen island to hold fresh fruit; the coffeemaker ready-to-go on the counter; a few herb plants in the windowsill. But the honeymoon phase is… well, a just a phase. Fast-forward several months and suddenly the once ‘naked’ kitchen is now over-accessorized with small appliances, spices, cookbooks, paper clutter, phone charging cords, plants, paper towels, canisters, and more.

Having kitchen counters that are completely empty is both unrealistic and perhaps even undesirable. But, to keep your kitchen looking its very best, it is a good idea to curate a short list of what is allowed to live on the countertops and what isn’t. And, as the designers at Swartz Kitchens & Baths and the pros at RGB Custom Home Builders will tell you, the best time to make that list is when the kitchen is being built.

Making the New Kitchen Honeymoon Last

Today, cabinetry manufacturers offer a wide range of options to help keep kitchen clutter at bay. Here are 7 ingenious kitchen cabinetry solutions that will help the kitchen honeymoon last:

  1. Small Appliance Garages: Toasters, coffeemakers, blenders, juicers, air fryers, InstaPots, and slow cookers rank among the most frequently used small kitchen appliances. But start lining them up on your kitchen counters and your kitchen will start to look a little too lived in.
    If you haven’t shopped cabinetry in a while, the term “appliance garage” may bring to mind outdated louvered rolling doors, but the new generation of appliance garages are sleek, seamlessly integrating into cabinetry design. Rather than leaving the coffeemaker, toaster or blender on display, an appliance garage can conveniently store and conceal the machines you use daily, so you don’t have to leave them sitting out or continuously move them around. In fact, many appliance garages also have built-in lighting and outlets so the appliances can even stay plugged in between uses.
  2. Pull-Out Shelves: Fully extending pull-out shelves offer a great degree of flexibility, allowing you to make the most of the space they occupy.
  3. Built-in Lazy Susans and Spice Racks: Salt, pepper, garlic salt, vinegar, olive oil – some spices and seasonings get used all day, every day. While it may be tempting to leave them sitting out on the kitchen counters, they’re better off tucked away. (Olive oil, for example, should be stored in a cool, dark place.) Built-in Lazy Susans or spice racks allow you to keep spices and seasoning out of sight while still easy to access.
  4. Built-in Knife and Cutlery Organizers: Knife blocks and cutlery organizers take up valuable counter space and create visual clutter. And let’s be honest – how many of the knives do you use on a regular basis? In-drawer knife storage keeps knives tucked away, out of sight and out of the reach of curious children and pets.
  5. Utensil Organizers: A pull-out drawer adjacent to the stove or cooktop can hold easy-to-remove canisters for cooking utensils, keeping them close at hand yet easy to put away when the cooking is done.
  6. Mixer Storage Cabinet: Depending on the size and measurements of your mixer, you might want to tuck your heavy standing mixer in a base cabinet with a heavy-duty mixer lift. With one simple motion, the mixer simply swings out and up from the cabinet to match the height of your countertops.
  7. Under-Sink Cleaning Storage: Under-sink cleaning storage keeps cleaning supplies – including paper towels – in one place. They often come with a removable slide-out feature yet so you can easily take the wire caddy from the cabinet with you while cleaning other parts of the house.

Sure, it’s okay to keep a few kitchen canisters or a cookbook stand on your new kitchen counters. You can even keep bread, phone chargers, keys, and other items within reach. Just remember to corral them together – tuck all your fresh carbs in a breadbox or place small personal items in a decorative basket. Display a few key items like your favorite candle or a beloved pot (like your colorful Dutch oven) that bring you joy.

wood kitchen countertop maintenance tips from Swartz Kitchens and Baths

But, to keep that new kitchen honeymoon going, take the advice of author, coach, and speaker Tony Robbins: “Do what you did in the beginning… and there won’t be an end.” In other words, look at your kitchen with fresh eyes, ruthlessly curate the objects that get to enjoy countertop real estate, and let your cabinetry, finishes, and surfaces shine.

If you’re thinking of building or remodeling a home in the Poconos, reach out to RGB Custom Home Builders and then give us a call to talk kitchens and baths. We’ll help you plan a space that will make you fall – and stay – in love!