Completely Personal Kitchens

(In-home Design Review and Consultation)

 

You may be considering a kitchen remodel for a number of reasons:

• Many of your neighbors have already done so.

• If you're going to have to remodel anyway, you want to do it when you can enjoy it.

• Dysfunctionl design or products make working in the kitchen a chore.​

• If your home is going to take a price hit in the resale market, you know that doing nothing is not without cost.

 

If you're like most people you may find the following:

• You and your family's needs and personalities have changed over the years and a space that might have been a good fit once, now seems sterile and stifling.

• You can look around to see the problem areas, but can't begin to envision the untapped potential.

• Your kitchen is part of a larger social gathering area, so if you are looking just at your kitchen your are probably looking at the wrong space

 

A (NO OBLIGATION) two-hour appointment is usually all it takes to help you get a sense of the possible, the practical, as well as some context and perspective on how to think about and evaluate the pros and cons. 

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(Plan Review of Conceptual Drawings)

 

With preliminary architectural drawings (concept drawings) or early kitchen layouts done by a potential vendor you will likely find yourself with the following questions:

 

• Are the ergonomics and flow well thought out?

• Does the design complement the architectural integrity of the home?

• Does the design work to socially connect friends and family?

• Does the design take proper advantage of natural lighting and sight lines?

• Are their extra costs built into the design that could be modified for greater value?

• Is the design as good as it can be? Are critical elements missing?

• How will it feel to be in this space?

 

If you're like most designers, builders or end-users, you may find the following:

 

• Identifying issues early is cost- and time-effective. Adding a window or moving an opening a few inches can make a huge impact; and its so much easier to do on paper than during construction.

• Your resources for getting these answers are limited because they benefit from experience with interior, kitchen and architectural design; and questions of value and cost can best be addressed with a background in construction.

• Moving from how something works and looks to how it is going to feel relies upon a knowledge of design's psychological impact.

 

Designs can be submitted electronically (.dxf, .dwg, .jpg, or .pdf). After 15-30 minutes of questions, reviews usually take three to five hours. Results are put into a written report.

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(CAD Renderings of Kitchen and Interiors)

 

Your kitchen remodel will require kitchen design drawings and more often than not these will include 3D drawings to help you visualize. Here's what you will likely find:

 

• Big Box stores and some smaller vendors will provide you with drawings an no cost. Too often however they are worth what you paid for them and getting the design back on track will cost you time and effort.

• Higher-end cabinetry suppliers will either want to charge you a non-refundable fee in advance of drawing work and/or you may find that you are not entitled to the drawings until you have ordered the cabinetry.

• In either case, if your new kitchen is part of a larger social-gathering area (family room, nook, etc), then you will have started design on the wrong space.

 

The advantages to having your design done independently are several:

 

• You need the design work done very early in the process and this is well in advance of when you should be making product selections.

• You can focus your design on the larger gathering area that is going be defined by social connections and activities.

• Your drawings can better help you visualize your new environment by going beyond cabinetry to include furniture placements, window treatments, lighting, flooring and textures and finishes.

• Seeing the entire design area as an integrated whole will allow you to make more informed decisions when you are considering the separate elements.

 

 

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(Product and Interior Finish Selections)

 

If your like most people starting a kitchen remodel, you are probably harboring the common fear of "What if I do everything right and it still doesn't turn out the way I hoped?". This feeling is never more evident than when you are faced with the prospect of making product and interior finish selections. The common questions facing most people at this stage include the following:

 

• What selections do I need to make first? People begin conversations with a cabinet supplier, but this is not always the best place to start when deciding on finishes.

• How do I judge a products suitability for my needs?

• What about durablity over time?

• What do I need to know to evaluate quality and performance?

• How can I protect myself from paying too much or too little?

• Just because I like individual selections, how can I be sure they will work together?

• What things do I need to know to get right look and the right feel?

• Will one product have a higher residual value? If so, how much?

• How do I balance the amount I spend on appliances vs cabinetry?

 

Helping clients in this area usually involves  five to seven two hour meetings, often at showrooms. Helping  you to understand the underlying patterns that determine likes and dislikes goes a long way toward providing a surety that comes making selections from mind and heart. Selections have to feel right and not just look good. Explaining the interconnections between products and finishes and establishing clear criteria in each area for what a good decision will look like go hand in hand. Covering common pitfalls as well as how to avoid them is addressed throughout.

 

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