Month: October 2017

So you’re feeling a little blah with your kitchen and you feel like it’s time for a change. We understand. In fact, the kitchen is generally remodeled about every 5-7 years. That may seem a little surprising, but it’s true. Let’s look at a few different things you can do to turn your blah kitchen into an amazing family hub of excitement and food.

• Newly Designed Kitchen Island: Everyone loves a well-designed kitchen island. Many of the kitchen islands we’re replacing have limited functionality. They’re simple boxes with cabinets and a countertop. We’re replacing them with kitchen islands that improve the functionality and layout of the kitchen.
• Monochromatic Color Scheme: In terms of color, many homeowners are choosing to go with the idea of less-is-more. They’re choosing to use a solid color like white for the entire kitchen, and it’s pretty amazing. Texture always adds to the color and decorative pops of color make all the difference in the world.
• Simple Cabinets: Simple and sleek tends to be the cabinet design of choice these days. Simple cabinets with decorative pulls and knobs will help transform your kitchen. Sometimes it’s the small details that win.
• New Countertops: Again, many homeowners are installing new countertops in the same base color they’ve chosen. White, for example, looks amazing in granite and marble and adds a bit of subtle color without taking away from the monochromatic color scheme. New countertops can match the new kitchen island or complement it.
• Additional Lighting: Ambient lighting, task lighting, and pendulum lighting are extremely popular for today’s kitchen. Windows, skylights, and sun tunnels help a lot with natural lighting during the day. A sun tunnel allows you to enjoy skylight-style lighting even in a room that doesn’t have direct roof access.
• New Fixtures: A new faucet, light switch plates, and electrical outlet plates really do a lot to dress up a kitchen. Choose decorative fixtures that add to the overall decor instead of plain, solid colors.
• Make it Smarter: Choose appliances that will make life easier and turn your kitchen into a smart kitchen. Smart home technology is in full swing and many homeowners enjoy the ability to turn the lights on as they pull into the driveway, check the coffee pot to make sure it’s off, and change the thermostat remotely.

Kitchen Remodeling in Phoenix

We’re happy to help Phoenix-area homeowners with their kitchen remodeling tasks. Give us a call at 480-895-3442 to schedule an appointment with our kitchen designer. We’ll help you make the tough decisions and make sure that your project stays on track to turn your blah kitchen into an amazing hub of fun!

We want to start by saying that this is your home we’re talking about. We want to help you maximize space and create an amazing before and after story with your whole home renovation. We’ve seen some pretty serious home renovation mistakes and stories online, so we want to help you avoid those. Let’s take a look at 9 whole home renovation mistakes to avoid.

1. Not Thinking about the Future: This is a big one! Renovate your home with space to spare – think wide hallways and doorways, and a roomy kitchen and bathroom. Failure to think about the future could mean another remodel is required if you become reliant on a walker or wheelchair.
2. Lack of Planning: Lack of proper planning or rushed planning means mistakes will be made. Planning is the most important first step of any project.
3. Skipping Prep Work: We get it. Prep work takes time. But the problem comes down to the fact that experience can only take you so far in a project. Proper prep work can mean the difference between a successful project and complete failure.
4. Cheap Materials: You aren’t really saving money if those cost-saving semi-custom cabinets wear out quickly or the cheaper flooring shows wear within a year. Avoid cheap materials, but look for good bargains and inexpensive prices on quality materials. The difference between cheap and inexpensive is astronomical.
5. Inaccurate Measurements: You’ve probably heard a carpenter use the phrase, “measure twice, cut once.” That simply means that you have to be accurate in your measurements or the entire thing will be off.
6. Early Demolition: A whole home remodeling project doesn’t mean everything has to be stripped out. This goes back to lack of proper planning and preparation.
7. Small Bathrooms and Closets: It’s great if you can renovate your home to include another bathroom, half bath, or closet. But don’t build a 3×5 foot bathroom just for the sake of adding a half bath. You barely have the room to install a toilet and sink in a room that size and it hardly suffices for a relevant closet space.
8. Overlooking Lighting: Properly lighting your home is extremely important. Modifying a wall creates new lines of sight and shadows as well. Make sure you’ve also modified the lighting to work with the new rooms.
9. Following Too Many Trends: We understand wanting to go with the flow and use trendy items in your renovation. But choose trends that have some staying power or you’ll be ready to renovate again next year. Keep in mind that “trendy” often means short term.

We enjoy helping homeowners renovate and improve their home. It’s what we do and it’s what we’re good at. Give us a call at 480-895-3442 if you’re currently unpleased with your existing floor plan and would like to schedule an appointment for a consultation with our designers. We will help you choose the best route to take when renovating your home.