Home Kitchen

Home renovation 101

With the plethora of home and garden TV shows on the air, many of us have caught the “renovation bug,” that inexplicable desire to destroy and rebuild our homes and create the home of our dreams. Whether you are contemplating renovating, restoring or redecorating your home, in essence what you are really striving to do is create the right setting for your lives and the lives of our families and friends.

Changing your home can be an incredibly enjoyable process that unleashes your inner creativity while expanding our understanding of ourselves, our families, and our aspirations. The key to a successful renovation can be divided into your planning, adaptability, and research.

Of course, the big question everyone asks before a renovation is “Will my renovation wreak havoc on my life and my family?” The honest answer to this is “Yes”, but often in a cool and unexpected way! Renovations or redesign of our homes allow us to grow, learn more about ourselves, and create the right environment for our lives that we imagine living inside.

HOW TO APPROACH YOUR RENEWAL

o Be realistic: If you live in a bungalow and are remodeling the basement family room and you love urban loft living, 14 ‘ceilings, and downtown views, you won’t get it. However, if you want it to be contemporary in style with warmth, sexiness, and avant-garde, then that’s completely achievable.

o Have a detailed budget for your project. – Calculate EVERYTHING from nuts and bolts to silks and lightweight plates. Make sure your Designer and / or Contractor knows what the budget limit is for each project and item and if you exceed one of them, that means you will have to cut elsewhere or accept the budget increase.

o Find the best contractor for you. – Find the best contractor that suits your project, your personality and share your design vision. Make sure you meet with at least 3 designers or contractors before making a decision.

o Understand lead times – custom sofas can take 12-14 weeks. Custom cabinets typically last 10-16 weeks; some fabrics may take up to 3 months. RESEARCH your selections so there are no misunderstandings.

o Put a positive spin on the process: the reality is that there will be uncomfortable and ugly days without water or without a kitchen or both. If you have children, make it a fun experience, set up a tent and go camping in an area of ​​the house to make it fun for them and budget for a hotel suite for the worst period and do all the ugly things during your absence. Be sure to think creatively about how to put the best “spin” on tough times for yourself and your family.

o Don’t worry about the little things – if for some reason something is delayed beyond someone’s expectations, it won’t do you any good to explode and send your blood pressure through the roof. For the “no show” item, re-select the item or accept that it is overdue. Literally those are the only options, so make life easier for yourself (and your family) and learn to adapt your design plan (I always recommend having a backup selection just in case to avoid wasting time and money).

Of course, before ANY renovation can begin, you need to find out “who are you” and “what is your style”. Are you passionate about Traditional, Contemporary, Transitional, Modern, Urban, Zen, Ethnic or Eclectic styles? You cannot successfully begin this process without being able to firmly affirm what your style is and what is the goal of your renewal and how you live your life. You will also need the help of a good designer to perfect what you are trying to create. Be sure to go out and see what is available; go to as many showrooms and vendors as possible. You will find these trips inspiring and also a great learning experience.

As we all know, the biggest, most expensive, and most detailed project in your home renovation is your Kitchen. When planning the design of your new kitchen, determine what suits your lifestyle; your growing needs and your aesthetics. Always keep in mind also that your kitchen is critical to the resale of your home, so plan wisely. Plan not only for high-value items like appliances, floors, cabinets, and counters, but also for the little details that really make a design great, like hardware, lighting, concealed and recessed storage, and items that reflect your personality and style. Think about whether you LOVE to cook (then add a faucet over the stove), if you entertain frequently (then put a sink on the island), if you have a large family (then open up some walls and really make it the heart of your home. The accessories and appliances you choose for your kitchen will guide these questions.

When mapping out your kitchen layout, don’t just take the kitchen planner or designers word for it that the space is ideal for you and your family. Take a good look at your plan and think of the best way to maximize your kitchen space and make your life easier. No one knows your needs and those of your family as well as you. How about adding a multipurpose island with sink and seat storage preparation? What about the awesome new professional sinks with built-in pasta cookers?

When we talk about kitchen design, we are really talking about options, hundreds and hundreds of options for every aspect of your kitchen. For example, when selecting your countertops, you can have tile, granite (designer’s favorite), marble (impressive but not kid-friendly), solid surface, stainless steel (sleek and modern), wood, concrete (perfect for an ultra-modern condo. ). or home), glass, laminate (the most affordable and available) and many more, not to mention the hundreds of options within each material. Don’t be overwhelmed with the options, always keep in mind what works best for your style, your lifestyle, and your BUDGET.

A small kitchen can be both a work of art and a large family kitchen. It just means you need to plan and research twice as hard, but they can often be the most dramatic because you can spend more money per square foot and make higher-quality selections than with a large, barn-sized kitchen. The details are what will make a small kitchen sizzle. Add pulls to our drawers with stainless steel sliders and removable components and a double door pantry with full interior access.

An often forgotten but critical component to a great design, in your kitchen, bathroom, or anywhere in your home is your lighting plan. Good lighting is what separates a beautiful room from a spectacular room. Incorporating under-counter lighting discs, overhead lighting in a cove molding, lighting in glass-fronted cabinets, a beautiful fixture over the island or table, hidden string lighting in a recessed ceiling tray detail, the options are infinite. Remember when talking about lighting, you need to consider the 3 components of a great lighting plan: task lighting, accent lighting, and ambient lighting.

TIPS ON KITCHEN DESIGN

o Use quality materials whenever possible

o Determine your cabinet heights, floor to ceiling whenever possible

o Paint or stain

o Select the best countertop you can afford

o Install a kitchen island

o Don’t go overboard with decorations or details

o Add interest: add your personality

ECONOMIC KITCHEN “QUICK FIXES”

o Paint your kitchen: walls, ceiling, trim, cabinets

o Change your backsplash

o Change all the hardware in your kitchen

o Change the kitchen faucet

o Add crown molding and reinforce joinery

o Update your accessories and small appliances

o EDIT – EDIT – EDIT clutter and garbage

The next most important area in a home renovation and almost as complicated as a kitchen with its endless options, selections and style is your bathroom.

WHEN PLANNING YOUR BATH, REMEMBER

o Doors should never prevent the use of any accessory.

o All receptacles must be GFCI

o Allow a min. 6 “between fixtures

o Select non-slip floors

o Provide ambient, task and accent lighting

o Designate storage areas

o Consider how to foster a sense of privacy

Our baths are our personal refuge to rejuvenate our spirit and our energy; They are home spas that act as a refuge after a tiring day. Fundamental to this is the design of your shower, now the most coveted look in a great bathroom design and an important detail on resale. Don’t forget that “SPA” is the keyword. Go to a variety of showrooms, the options are endless, from steam, waterfall, multi-jet, and massage options. Remember to pamper yourself and pamper yourself just as well as you do with a guest. Always select the best accessories that your budget allows and really look for the best deal. I’ve seen products in showrooms for $ 2,500 for a product and then shopped online and got the exact same product for less than half! Look around you, do your research and shop wisely, and don’t forget to always sit in your bathtub or hot tub before purchasing. What is comfortable for one is not always comfortable for another.

Always keep in mind when renovating your kitchen, bathroom or any other room in your home that the goal is to create the right setting for our lives, our family and friends that best exemplifies your spirit and expresses who you want to be and what you are like. want to live. Get inspired, challenge yourself and ENJOY yourself and your loved ones and never fear change.

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