Your Remodeling Project

Step 1: Getting Started

One of the things I hear most often from people who walk through the doors of our showroom is "I don't even know where to start!" True- a designer's dream can be everyone else's nightmare! Trying to begin a building or remodeling project is a daunting task, which is why breaking it down into baby steps helps make everything more manageable. Here are a few ways to prepare for your next project today, so you don't have to put it off any longer.

1. Determine project scope. Chances are that there are a few- or many- things you would like to change about your home. However, for most people an entire home remodel isn't feasible, either financially, logistically, or both. Try starting with the more public areas of your home: the kitchen, main living area, and even bathrooms. These are the areas that guests will typically see, and the ones that you will be the most excited to show off! These are also the spaces that you will be using most often yourself, so being happy and comfortable in these areas is crucial. 
2. Figure out your design style. Gather ideas and images from a variety of sources: magazines, television shows, and websites. One of my favorite resources is Houzz.com, which has a treasure-trove of photos from real-life projects done by designers, remodelers, and builders. Once you have a collection of images, you will often notice a common theme. This will help you determine what to look for in furnishings and materials. These images are also invaluable to your designer when you begin discussing your wants, needs, and overall vision.
3. Set priorities. Most people don't have the luxury of an empty, clean-slate of a room to work with. View the space with a critical eye for what can and can't be re-used. Maybe your cabinets are in great shape, and your kitchen just needs a face lift with new countertops, hardware, and fresh paint. Or maybe your kitchen needs a complete overhaul now, while your bathroom can wait a few years. 
4. Create a budget. Too often a budget isn't even considered, and ends up either draining your bank account or stalling the project altogether. Determining a reasonable budget is helpful to everyone involved- you know what kind of investment you are willing to make and so does your designer. This helps your designer further in steering you to the right kinds of products and materials for your specific project. When a budget isn't specified, it often ends up wasting time and resources for everyone involved. 

While your designer can help you with the above steps, these are great things to have considered before your first meeting. It's always helpful to have a general idea and project scope in mind from the beginning, while the details will be worked out later.

Want to take the first step with your design project? Call us at (608) 271-8241 or stop by our showroom to get started!

What I Would Change

As a designer currently living in a rented apartment, there are lots of things I would change about my living space if given the chance. Perhaps unsurprisingly, most of these things are in the kitchen. My guess is that it's the same for a lot of people out there-whether renting or not. And, being a designer, I get to see the possibilities for what could be on a daily basis. Here are five, fairly basic things that I would change about my current space if my lease (and budget!) allowed:

Drop-in on the left, undermount on the right

1. The sink. Our current sink is a drop-in, stainless steel sink. Nothing fancy. I would love to be able to make the switch to an undermount sink. We would gain precious counter space (even inches matter in a small space!), and not have to deal with cleaning the unsightly top lip of stainless steel. An undermount sink also provides a cleaner, seamless look.
2. Soft-close drawer glides and door hinges. No more rattling drawers and banging doors? Yes, please.
3. More drawers. Speaking of drawers... I could use more of them! I only have 3 measly drawers right now, which is hardly enough to hold all of my dish towels, flatware and miscellaneous cooking utensils. Plus, I would much rather pull open a drawer than be digging in the depths of a cabinet every time I need a pot, pan or mixing bowl. 
4. The layout. Okay, this is not actually a minor change. However one of my biggest frustrations is not being able to open the refrigerator door when the dishwasher is open (or vice versa). Why? The appliances are located directly across from each other, with minimal clearance between. It's impossible to have both appliance doors fully open at the same time. This would be a big change that would save myself and my husband a lot of time and irritation. 
5. The hardware. The knobs on all of the doors and drawers are a bright, shiny brass. While I don't personally care for brass, what's more annoying is that they show every fingerprint, mark, and drip they come in contact with. Switching out the existing knobs would give the kitchen space a little more personality, and be easier to take care of, too. 

Ready to make some changes to your own kitchen? Call us at (608) 271-8241 or stop in our showroom to set up your consultation today!

Diagnosis from the Kitchen Doctor

Ever notice how it’s the small things that bother us the most?  My world is designing spaces (especially kitchens) that work for the people that use them.   

The best place to start?  Letting clients tell me what they don’t like, what isn’t working for them. These answers give great insight into the scope of the project that can make a difference for them. In some cases it may be a brand new addition with a kitchen remodel, other times a new counter top makes the grade, but in many cases their issues can be addressed with some simple fixes. I had a recent client that didn’t like the hollow sound her cabinet doors made when they closed. Her problem was solved with a nominal piece of hardware she had no idea was available--total project under $100.

What’s bugging you? Poor lighting on a work surface, a door that doesn’t close, a drawer that doesn’t open (or is completely falling apart), your favorite pan that doesn’t fit, or the “Tupperware” cabinet…I won’t even go there. Maybe it’s organizing the spices, silverware, utensils or recyclables. We don’t have to throw out the baby with the dishwater.

Low profile LED under cabinet lighting can be installed to illuminate work surfaces. Cabinet doors can be retrofitted with soft close feature hardware, drawers can be replaced with glides that perform and give full access to the contents. Think you’re limited to the existing hardware pull sizes? Even laminate counter tops feature undermount sinks now. Decorative backsplash tile, new stools and maybe a glass accent door can round out your look. 

Don’t suffer in silence, see the kitchen doctor, make your kitchen the space you want to go home to tonight.

written by Dondi Szombatfalvy

Design Flaws

This past weekend, my family and I rented a condo on the grounds of a water park resort. The view was beautiful and the space of the condo was just the right size for 6 adults and 3 children under the age of four. Being a kitchen designer, you notice everything that has to do with cabinetry, including the bolted drawer head that can not open because the range handle sticks out to far. As lovely as the resort is (and yes we will go there again) the kitchen layout bothered me all weekend long. I decided to replicate the layout and point out what I think are great design features and flaws.