lifestyle Archives - Tri-Lite Builders

04 Jun 2023

Sticky Post By Steve Shinn, CR Posted in Blog, Design, Family, Home Improvements, Lifestyle, Trends Permalink

10 Tips for a More Peaceful Home

Sticky Post By Steve Shinn, CR On June 4, 2023

Maintaining a Zen-like space is about much more than style. It’s about cultivating a more peaceful home where each object has a reason for being present, whether for its beauty, utility, or both.

Here Are 10 Ways to a More Peaceful Home

1. Clear Surfaces Daily

Clutter is a visual distraction. Every time your eyes land on a stack of papers, a tangle of jewelry, or a pile of laundry, some small part of your mind is at work thinking about dealing with said items. If you want a calmer experience at home, a good way to begin is by making it routine to clear all the surfaces in your house daily. When your eye can skim across clean, clear surfaces throughout your home, it also becomes easier to stay focused on the present moment.

Kelly Deck Design

2. Declutter and Get Organized

It’s one thing to clear surfaces; it’s quite another to completely declutter your home. But when you have taken the time to go through every closet, drawer, and cupboard and whittle down your belongings to the ones you truly need, love, or both, a weight lifts. Daily tasks that used to take forever are streamlined; lost items are quickly found; important dates are no longer missed.

Tosti Design

3. Get Some Help if You Need It

Sometimes it’s best to admit you need help and let the pros do what they do best. Hire a professional organizer to help clear that clutter, a decorator to help you tap into your style and get your home looking and feeling just the way you want, or an architect to redesign your space.

Landed Interiors & Homes

4. Incorporate the Five Elements

Don’t stop with potted plants — to really embrace nature in your home, make sure all five elements are represented. They are water (images of water, a fountain, flowers in a bowl of water), earth (stone, plants), fire (candles, incense, fireplace), metal (furniture, tools), and wood (furniture, beams).

Why Slow Living is Good for You and Your Home Environment

The Sitting Room

5. Keep Floors as Clear as Possible

Similar to keeping surfaces clear (see item No. 1), having clean, clear floors is a way to streamline your life and keep your attention on the here and now. If piles of things tend to accumulate on your floors, perhaps it’s because there isn’t a better place for them — if that’s the case, make a home for these items so you won’t be tripping over them anymore. As for the floors themselves, keeping them fresh, clean, and dust free makes for a more pleasant space and helps improve indoor air quality.

Geoff Chick & Associates

6. Use Fewer But More Meaningful Decorations

Instead of binging on inexpensive finds, aim to reduce your decor items to include only the ones that you truly love and that hold meaning for you. A few beautiful objects carefully displayed can be so inspiring — reducing allows you to appreciate what you have even more.

Welbilt Supreme Craftsmanship

7. Soften Your Lighting

Learn to appreciate natural light and use it more. Even when the light starts to fade in the evening, consider sometimes lighting candles instead of flicking on the overheads. And speaking of overheads, if you haven’t done so yet, swap out all of your regular light switches for dimmers — it makes a world of difference to be able to control the glow.

Nanette Wong

8. Pay Attention to Texture

Do the objects in your home thrill your senses? Consider this as you declutter and whenever you are considering a new purchase. Think of how lovely a chunky, hand-thrown pottery mug feels in the hand versus a machine-made version. Natural materials have some of the best textures — bring more rough jute, nubby linen, cracked old leather, pure silk, and raw wood into your home.

Signature Designs Kitchen | Bath | Interiors

9. Use Natural Scents

Have you ever noticed that some of the most beautiful, inspiring shops usually also smell amazing? Or how just the first whiff of aromatherapy oils in a massage therapist’s office instantly puts you at ease? What you smell can have a surprisingly strong effect on how you feel. Create a purifying, calming atmosphere in your home by eschewing artificial fragrances and choosing natural scents like those from beeswax candles, essential oils, natural cleaning products, and fresh garden flowers instead.

Cohesively Curated

10. Use Everyday Reminders

In meditation practice sometimes a bell is used as a reminder to refocus your attention on the here and now. Create a list of some things you do multiple times each day and pick one of them to use as your own version of a meditation bell. It could be anything, as long as it’s something you do often — adjust the window shades, wash your hands, pour a glass of water, check your email. Whenever you find yourself about to do that thing, take a moment to stop, breathe and simply be present.

Blog is written by Laura Gaskill, Houzz Contributor. About Gaskill: I cover decorating ideas, Houzz tours & the monthly home maintenance checklist. My favorite pieces to write center around the emotional aspects of home and savoring life’s simple pleasures.

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For high-end home design, build, and remodeling in the greater Phoenix area that reflects your vision, Tri-Lite Builders will help you love your home again. Start your project by calling us at (480) 895-3442 or emailing [email protected] to discuss your remodeling project. We offer no-obligation in-home consultation. Our NARI-certified award-winning designers and craftsmen are eager to work with you to make your vision for your home a reality! See our portfolio here.

21 May 2023

Sticky Post By Steve Shinn, CR Posted in Blog, Design, Home Remodel, Lifestyle, living room, Trends Permalink

10 Living Room Features Pros Always Recommend

Sticky Post By Steve Shinn, CR On May 21, 2023

Kitchens and bathrooms get a lot of remodeling attention. But there’s been a surge of interest in living room updates in recent years. Many updates to living rooms are typically less expensive than the major changes often involved in kitchen and bathroom renovations. And the pandemic has changed the way many people want to live in their homes. That often starts with updating the living room.

With that in mind, we reached out to more than 50 home design and remodeling professionals and asked them which living room features they always recommend to homeowners. Here are the must-have living room features that came up again and again.

National Association of the Remodeling Industry

LIVING ROOM FEATURES THE PROS RECOMMEND

Connection to the Outdoors

By far, the living room feature pros most often recommend is a connection to outdoor spaces. This helps virtually and physically expand the living space and maximizes natural light and views. “Of all the spaces in a home, the living room is the one for which we strive the hardest to create continuity between the interior and exterior,” says Coby Linton of Linton Architects.

This approach can take on many forms. At the top of the list would be sliding doors that completely open the indoors to the outdoors, as shown in this San Diego living room by Jackson Design & Remodeling.

But large windows that offer a view to an outdoor space also get the job done. “Large fixed windows are inexpensive and can really open up your home to views and light,” says designer Justin Cipriani of Cipriani Studios.

Pure Salt Interiors

Performance Fabric

The next-most-recommended feature is performance fabric. This durable upholstery is stain-resistant and easy to clean, which also allows homeowners to feel a little more confident in choosing white and creamy colors for things like sofas and sectionals. “In living rooms, especially for clients with families or pets, I always recommend performance fabrics where possible,” says designer Natalie Meyer of CNC Home & Design. “Whether on sofas, chairs, or upholstered ottomans, a performance fabric will stand up to your family’s lifestyle and help protect against stains or spills so you can actually enjoy and live in your space.”

Omnia Construction

Comfortable Furniture

This is an obvious one but it’s worth emphasizing: Comfortable furniture is a must-have in a living room. That means using more soft fabrics, deep cushions, and rounded edges rather than solid, hard-backed pieces and sharp corners. “I always tell my clients that the most important living room feature is comfort,” says designer Lindsey Machado of Designed With Grace & Joy. “We will always make any space look beautiful, so it’s more important to me that they’re also happy with the way it feels. That not only includes actual materials — think plush rugs, soft pillows and throw blankets, a nice-feeling sofa — but also ambiance.”

Designer Krista McGrath of McGrath Interiors tells homeowners to get the best-quality seating they can afford. “They will spend hours sitting on their furniture,” McGrath says, “so it should be very comfortable and hold up well.”

Designer Sabrina Lowe agrees. “The sofa is the one item in the living room that clients should put resources toward,” she says. “Most people who invest in a good couch have it for decades.”

Jill Litner Kaplan Interiors

Multiple Seating Options

In addition to choosing comfortable furniture in durable fabrics, you should strive for plenty of seating options to accommodate family members and guests. Consider sofas, loveseats, ottomans, and armchairs.

Pros also recommend pieces that can be moved around, like accent chairs and footstools. Swivel chairs are another pro favorite. These allow the user to rotate to face a conversation area, a view, or a nearby room such as the kitchen.

And think about how window seats or a fireplace hearth might add to your seating arrangement.

Ryan Street Architects

Large Area Rug

One element you’re almost guaranteed to find in a professionally designed and decorated living room is an area rug. This helps anchor the room and provides a jumping-off point for building a cohesive color palette. “It adds warmth and coziness to a space and is a great way to tie furniture and decor together while also providing a way to add detail and texture to the space,” designer Anna Butler says.

Designer Allison Crawford always recommends an oversize custom or vintage rug. “When all four feet of a living room’s furniture can sit on the rug, the entire space is elevated,” she says. “It creates a sense of elegance and really pulls the room together.”

ORIJIN STONE, LLC

Fireplace

Many design and remodeling pros feel a fireplace should be a standard feature in a living room. It gives the space ambiance and provides a captivating focal point to arrange furniture around. “It allows for gathering and instinctually brings people together for conversation and creates memories,” says John Annis of Galbraith Carnahan Architects.

How to Decorate a Living Room

Cuppett Kilpatrick Architects

Layered Lighting

Pros can’t say enough about the importance of a layered lighting scheme in a living room. “We always recommend layers of lighting, such as overhead lighting like a chandelier and then sconces,” says Alexandra Ford of Cummings Architecture + Interiors. “Living rooms can be used for so many activities — socially for entertaining, reading, watching a movie — you want to be able to have a variation of the lighting based on the task.”

Layered lighting is the go-to living room feature for designer Virginia Betty of Betty + Co Design and Consulting. “It’s nice to have a combination of small can lights on dimmers, sconce lights on the wall, reading lamps, and art lighting,” she says. “You can have it bright for cleaning time, task lighting for reading, and dim, cozy lighting for evening relaxing.”

To create flexibility with lighting, designer Wendy Black Rodgers recommends that homeowners install floor outlets so lamps can be positioned next to seating pieces without worrying about tripping over cords.

Christie Sobran Designs

Built-Ins

Built-in cabinets give homeowners customized storage and display space while creating a finished look. “One of our top living room features that we recommend is built-in shelving or custom woodwork — cabinetry, built-ins, room dividers,” says designer Ivana Stojanovska of Arete Renovators.

Designer Christie Sobran added these custom built-ins flanking a porcelain fireplace surround in a Bridgeport, Connecticut, living room. A bar sits to the left, with additional storage on the right.

The Sitting Room

Open Floor Plan

Many family members and guests spend the bulk of their time at home in the kitchen or living room, so creating a connection between the two spaces makes sense. That’s why many pros recommend an open floor plan when it comes to living spaces.

Keep in mind that you can still have some delineation of space within an open plan. Furniture arrangement, ceiling treatments, and partial walls can give the feeling of separation between spaces while maintaining openness.

Beth Haley Design

Ceiling Treatment

A lot of living room design centers around elements close to the ground. But pros urge homeowners to consider what’s above too. Attractive ceiling features like coffered millwork, beams, or even statement light fixtures will make a room feel complete. “We always try to incorporate a generous ceiling height in a living space and include a special ceiling feature tailored to the homeowner’s style and design aesthetic,” says designer Jennifer Whisenant of Noble Johnson Architects. “This may include a wood ceiling, coffered beams, accent paint color, or heavy timber beams.”

The article was written by Mitchell Parker, Houzz Editorial Staff. Home design journalist writing about cool spaces, innovative trends, breaking news, industry analysis, and humor.

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24 Apr 2023

Sticky Post By Steve Shinn, CR Posted in Blog, client collaboration, Home Remodel, Lifestyle, NARI Certified, Professional Interior Designer Permalink

How to Work With an Interior Designer

Sticky Post By Steve Shinn, CR On April 24, 2023

When most people think about hiring an interior designer, they zero in on aesthetics: wall colors, window treatments, and pillow patterns. But that’s just scratching the surface of what a designer can add to a home. These pros go beyond cosmetic concerns to ensure that a space feels harmonious through and through, from its floor plan and architectural envelope to the last nailhead, tassel, and tuft. Many states have a certification process for interior designers.

What Does an Interior Designer Do?

A designer envisions, plans, and outfits spaces in a way that makes them both beautiful and functional. He or she balances aesthetic considerations with structural planning to reflect each client’s lifestyle, set the desired mood, complement the home’s architectural features and ensure that less glamorous details (such as electrical outlets and air vents) fit into the scheme. An interior designer also cultivates relationships with trusted contractors, artisans, vendors, and others who execute the design.

You may have a clear vision for your home, but an interior designer can help you bring it to life while making sure it satisfies nitty-gritty considerations such as space planning and functionality. A trained eye and a creative mindset allow for devising solutions that you might never have imagined, and attention to the tiniest details will transform your space into a haven that looks polished and pulled together.

Studio Dearborn

8 Tips for Working with an Interior Designer

1. Be sure the designer is a good match for your style. No two clients are alike, and good interior designers are nimble enough to hop from urban pied-à-terre to rustic farmhouse to beachside getaway without missing a beat.

Most do have a fundamental aesthetic that remains consistent throughout their work. When interviewing designers, ask them about their design approach, and look for parallels between their previous work and the design you want. Above all, look for someone you feel comfortable communicating with.

Finch London

2. Collect samples. Even if you have trouble articulating your desired look, pictures of rooms you love can instantly give the designer a sense of what you crave. He or she will ask you about specific points of the design that resonate with you and use those as guidelines. Fabric swatches, paint chips, furniture catalogs, and your own Houzz ideabooks are other good sources for showing items you like. On the flip side, pull examples of colors, motifs, and furniture styles that turn you off, which can be equally helpful.

Leah Ward Interiors

3. Decide in advance which pieces must stay. Not willing to get rid of your Biedermeier sideboard or your Majolica collection? The process will go more smoothly if you share that information with your designer during the initial site visit and consultation. That way, he or she can plan around the items that you don’t want to give up.

4. Involve the designer as early as possible in the building process. If you’re remodeling or building from scratch, include the designer in the planning stages with your architect, building designer, and contractor. This way, the pros involved will all be on the same page and can iron out any potential discrepancies — particularly those that involve the bones of a home, such as doorways, ceiling beams, or interior columns. It’s one thing to reorient a window on paper; it’s another entirely to move it after installation.

5. Try to have key household members present at the outset. Having all the adults’ input from the get-go helps to avoid potential conflicts down the road. If a spouse or loved one objects to a certain color or reveals that he or she just can’t part with Grandmother’s antique dining table, it’s easiest to work out those issues right away.

6. Ask the designer to clarify billing procedures. Find out at the beginning when you’ll be charged and what for. In addition to the design itself, you may be billed for travel time, site visits, shopping, phone conversations, and more. Also, ask how you’ll be billed for furnishings, accents, materials, or other items. This way, you’ll be able to anticipate fairly closely what and when to pay.

Christina Byers Design

7. Keep an open mind. It’s a rare client who loves 100 percent of a designer’s suggestions right off the bat. Your designer might recommend a piece of furniture or a wallpaper pattern you’re iffy about but don’t say no without giving the idea some time to sink in. Chances are that when you ask your designer why he or she chose it, and when you take a little time to live with it, you’ll appreciate the reason it works.

8. Look toward refreshing down the road. Even the best design doesn’t stay current forever. Ask your designer if tune-up visits in the future are an option, whether they involve simply swapping out a few accessories, reupholstering the furniture, or choosing new paint colors.

Blog written by Lisa Frederick, Houzz Contributor.

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07 Mar 2023

Sticky Post By Steve Shinn, CR Posted in aging in place, Blog, Design, Kitchen Remodels, Lifestyle, Universal Design Permalink

10 Ways to Design a Kitchen for Aging in Place

Sticky Post By Steve Shinn, CR On March 7, 2023

Maybe you’ve found the house you want to grow old in. Perhaps you foresee your elderly parents moving in with you one day. Or maybe you require wheelchair accessibility. With the following 10 ways to design a kitchen for aging in place, you’ll make your space safer and easier to navigate.

Design a Kitchen for Aging in Place

Pike Properties

1. Install a Pullout Pantry

Because it lets you see everything at a glance without having to shuffle items around, homeowners of all ages will find a pullout pantry useful. But besides being convenient, drawers that give you easy access to your canned goods and cereal boxes also put less strain on your back and knees.

You can even use the pullouts to store heavy portable appliances, such as blenders, slow cookers, and toasters.

Simmons STUDIO Architects

2. Keep the Sink Close to the Stove

As we age, it’s harder on our arms and backs to carry big pots full of water to and from the cooktop. If any spills on the way, it becomes a slipping hazard. Keep your sink close to your stove but be sure to leave workspace in between. It defeats the purpose if you’re forced to hold a pot longer than is comfortable because you can’t find a place to set it down.

Where it isn’t possible to have the sink on the same side as the stove (or if the layout won’t work for the way you cook), there’s another option. Place the sink across from the stove, and you’re only 180 degrees and a step or two away. This works well in galley-style kitchens.

FabCab

3. Opt for a Shallow Sink

While we’re on the subject of sinks, buy one that isn’t too deep (preferably only 6 to 8 inches). It’s much easier to rinse vegetables and dishes in a shallow sink bowl.

4. Place the Microwave at or Below Counter Height

Whether your microwave is free-standing or built-in, having it at counter height is best for your back since it minimizes bending and reaching above your shoulders.

The Kingston Group

If you don’t want to sacrifice counter space, the next best solution is to tuck the microwave under the counter. Why? For starters, it’s easier to set a heavy plate down below you than it is to lift it above your shoulders. And since spills are more likely when you have to reach up to remove hot food or liquid, having the microwave under the counter also prevents burns.

Yorkville Design

5. Choose Standard Counter-Depth Appliances and Cabinets Without Frills

Designing an age-proof kitchen isn’t the time to get fancy with decorative legs, ornate refrigerator panels, or angled counters. Though these eye-catchers add personality, they can transform your space into an obstacle course. You’re more prone to bump your knees, legs, and hips on appliances and cabinetry details that jut out from the counter.

6. Make Corners Accessible

Blind corner cabinets won’t cut it. Yes, they provide ample storage space, but too often they turn into unofficial junk bins when you tire of getting on all fours to fetch the dish you need. Performing that bend-reach-lift motion also isn’t good for aging backs.

Look for corner cabinet bases that effectively eliminate the need for rummaging and reaching. They aren’t all the same, though. You have options, be it a convenient three-drawer base (left) or a traditional Lazy Susan. You can also get corner cabinet organizers with a kidney-shaped, half-moon, and other creative sliding shelves.

Lane Homes & Remodeling Inc.

Don’t limit accessible corners to your lower cabinets. This easy-to-reach upper cabinet opens like an accordion and doesn’t waste any storage space.

Gilmore Kitchens and Baths

7. Choose Drawers, Not Doors

The best part about drawers is that they display all your flatware and utensils at once, which allows for easy grabbing. You don’t have to get on your knees and peer into the back of the cabinet to see what’s available.

You can also store your larger kitchen items in drawers. Drawers wider than 30 inches can stow plenty of pots and pans.

8. Round the Edges

Avoid 90-degree angles on countertops and open shelves. The last thing you want is to hit your hip or elbow on a sharp corner as you’re maneuvering in your kitchen. Round edges lessen the likelihood of bumps and bruises.

For U-shaped kitchens, ADA guidelines require at least 60 inches of clearance between opposing cabinets, walls or appliances.

Menter Byrne Architects

9. Focus on Clearance Space

The standard clearance between cabinets, walls, and appliances is 36 inches, which is enough room to comfortably pass in a walkway and have access to drawers and doors.

However, if you want a kitchen that can accommodate a wheelchair, you can use the Americans With Disabilities Act guidelines as a reference point for your design.

Kowalske Kitchen & Bath

10. Ensure That Floors Are Slip-Resistant

Materials that don’t get slick reduce the chances of falling when there’s a spill. Floor tile should have enough grout and texture to grip your feet. Porcelain tile absorbs less moisture than ceramic tile or other flooring types; it’s also easy to maintain and clean. Vinyl flooring, seen here, can offer good slip resistance too, and it’s softer on your feet.

Homework Remodels and Tri-Lite Builders have staff NARI certified as MASTER CERTIFIED REMODELER, CERTIFIED KITCHEN & BATH REMODELER, UNIVERSAL DESIGN CERTIFIED PROFESSIONAL, and GREEN CERTIFIED PROFESSIONAL. We can help you use universal design in your kitchen remodel so that you can continue enjoying your home as you age.

This blog was written by Sam Ferris, Houzz Contributor. I have more than seven years of experience in the design industry, including residential renovation, cabinet, and flooring design. I currently work for RVK Architecture, a professional design firm that delivers successful architecture, interior design, and landscape architecture solutions to public and private clients.

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05 Dec 2022

Sticky Post By Steve Shinn, CR Posted in Blog, Home Improvements, Home Remodel, Lifestyle, Trends Permalink

3 Ways Homeowners Are Getting Rooms Ready for the Holidays

Sticky Post By Steve Shinn, CR On December 5, 2022

Searches on Houzz show homeowners are looking to create homes that are comforting and fun for family and friends

Getting rooms ready for the holidays means creating a home that’s cozy, welcoming to guests, and ready for entertaining is a perennial goal for many homeowners. But as we head into a holiday season in which many are resuming gatherings after a long pause, it’s more important than ever. And a peek at recent searches on Houzz shows that many homeowners are looking for ideas to help them get prepared.

Here are the design features currently on their minds in getting rooms ready for the holidays.

Cathie Hong Interiors

Guest-Friendly Details

Hosting guests is often a given during the holidays. And certain design features can make that a more pleasant experience for guests as well as homeowners. As the population increases in a home, so too does linen use. With that in mind, homeowners are looking for ways to accommodate extra bedsheets. Searches on Houzz for “hallway linen closet” increased 994% between July and September 2022 compared with the same period last year. A kitchen coffee station is also a great feature for guests and homeowners. In this Saratoga, California, kitchen, designer Cathie Hong created a pullout coffee station housed in light wood cabinets. Searches for a “coffee station in the kitchen” were up 783%, while searches for a “coffee and wine bar” increased 228%.

Designs by D

This drink station off a Minneapolis kitchen by Designs by D includes items for making coffee. But there’s also a beverage fridge, microwave, sink, and plenty of storage and style.

Marina Rubina, Architect

When short on space, many homeowners find combining functions is the way to go. A home office is a natural function to combine with a guest bedroom, and searches for “office guest room” rose 151% year over year.

In this Philadelphia accessory dwelling unit (ADU) by architect Marina Rubina, a second-level guest room also functions as a quiet home office.

Another smart investment when it comes to guests and holiday entertaining: a washable rug. Searches were up 74% this year compared with last year.

ORIJIN STONE, LLC

Cozy Living Room Features

A fireplace is a nice living room feature any time of year, but during the winter holidays, it’s especially desirable — and useful. Searches on Houzz for “living room fireplace” climbed 395% year over year. And searches for “cozy living room” rose 39% in 2022 compared with last year. This Minneapolis living room features an inviting fireplace with hand-carved limestone surrounded by Orijin Stone. Creamy white walls, a wood ceiling, and slip-covered furniture add to the cozy atmosphere.

Le Belle Maison Interiors Inc.

Several elements can contribute to a cozy living room feel. Among them: living room pillows, for which searches increased by 303%, and living room lamps, up 228%.

This Dallas living room by Le Belle Maison Interiors has a stylishly cozy look with an upholstered coffee table, footstools, and other furniture, as well as patterned pillows, a white floor lamp, and a large fireplace.

Julie Coppa Designs, Inc.

Entertaining Elements

Entertaining at home looks different to different people. But there are a few elements that are bound to foster a lively atmosphere. A basement can offer a world of entertaining possibilities. And searches for a “basement games room” jumped 1,267%, while “basement entertainment spaces” rose 247%. This Washington, D.C.-area basement games room by Julie Coppa Designs features several game tables and a home bar.

Sharp and Grey Interiors

When hosting larger dinner parties, sometimes a round table can encourage more intimate — or energetic — interactions. Searches for “dining room round table” increased 222% year over year.

Meanwhile, a dining room buffet can make serving meals more efficient. Searches for a “dining room buffet” rose 108%.

This Philadelphia dining room by Sharp and Grey Interiors features a classic tulip table for six. Black built-ins span a wall and include a countertop area that serves as buffet space.

Zawadski Homes Inc.

Few things make a home party more functional than a wet bar where family and friends can mix up their own beverages away from the bustle of the kitchen. Searches for “wet bar” rose 45% year over year.

This Minneapolis wet bar by Zawadski Homes beckons with glossy blue backsplash tile, stylish cabinets, warm wood and brass details, and a beverage fridge and bar sink.

Red Hills Construction, Inc.

Perhaps one of the ultimate entertaining features is a dedicated home theater. And this Portland, Oregon, space from Red Hills Construction is a bold example, with plush furniture, moody colors, a freestanding bar behind the sofa, and a large TV. Searches for “home theater” were up 44% year over year.

This blog was written by Mitchell Parker, Houzz Editorial Staff. Home design journalist writing about cool spaces, innovative trends, breaking news, industry analysis, and humor. November 2022

Premier Home Remodeling in the Greater Phoenix Area

For high-end home design, build, and remodeling in the greater Phoenix area that reflects your vision, Homework Remodels will help you love your home again. Start your project by calling us at (480) 895-3442 or emailing [email protected] to discuss your remodeling project. We offer no-obligation in-home consultation. Our NARI-certified award-winning designers and craftsman are eager to work with you to make your vision for your home a reality! See our portfolio here.

Find more informative blogs and articles on HOUZZ and on our website www.trilitebuilders.com

08 Oct 2022

Sticky Post By Steve Shinn, CR Posted in Blog, Home Improvements, Home Remodel, Lifestyle, living room Permalink

5 Stylish New Living Rooms with Personality

Sticky Post By Steve Shinn, CR On October 8, 2022

A well-designed living room often reflects the people who use it. And design and remodeling pros are good at teasing out homeowner preferences to create a special mix of color, pattern, decor, and architecture that feels full of personality. Here, pros share details about how they did just that in five stylish new living rooms with personality.

Amy Pigliacampo Interiors

Midcentury Mood

Designer: Amy Pigliacampo
Location: Boulder, Colorado
Size: 450 square feet (42 square meters); 18 by 25 feet

Homeowners’ request. “The architecture of the space was so special,” designer Amy Pigliacampo says. “It’s a midcentury home designed by Thomas Nixon and Lincoln Jones that incorporates indoor-outdoor spaces with large windows and design elements that continue past the glass. But the homeowners had dark, heavy furniture from their old home that didn’t do the room justice. So the goal was to highlight the beauty of the space by utilizing elements that felt complementary and like a natural extension of the design.”

Main feature. “Every space should tell the story of the people that live there — what’s important to them, how they live their lives, and how they come together to celebrate moments big and small,” Pigliacampo says. “So my aim is always to highlight the key features of the home while optimizing the space based on the realities of their day-to-day.

“This home has so many unique architectural elements, and while we wanted the room to have a curated look, we didn’t want to compete with those strong details,” Pigliacampo says. “The use of indigenous flagstone throughout the home also served as a major inspiration for the palette and design.

“By layering creamy whites with the grays, terra cottas, and pink tones found in the rock, we created a cohesive concept that complemented the original structure. We chose contemporary furniture with clean lines and brought in warmth with soft texture by using natural materials like jute, wool, and clay and a vintage Acrosonic walnut piano.”

Other special features. “The accent chairs are pretty special,” Pigliacampo says. “They were much bolder than anything we initially discussed, but when I showed the client, she loved them immediately — and they really tied everything together in an amazing way.”

Designer tip. “Floating furniture,” Pigliacampo says. “There’s a tendency to want to push furniture up against walls and oftentimes it creates awkward proportions. But you can actually create a much more intimate setting when large pieces ‘float’ in the room. This is also a great way to delineate spaces within a large room, using rugs to anchor the various zones.”

Mark D. Williams Custom Homes

Coastal Character

Designer: Kate Regan of The Sitting Room
Construction: Mark D. Williams Custom Homes
Location: Excelsior, Minnesota
Size: 399 square feet (37 square meters); 19 by 21 feet

Homeowners’ request. “The clients wanted an approachable yet classic-inspired great room that overlooks the lake,” builder Mark D. Williams says. “The intent of this room was to be used and yet also be dressed up and inviting for guests. They also wanted to hide the screen porch and grilling area from the main views.”

Main feature. “The coffered ceiling beams really accent the great room from the rest of the main level,” Williams says. “We also designed the south-facing windows with a hidden remote blind in the bottom of the beam to be used for privacy and to help on sunny summer days. For the flooring, we went with classic 5-inch white oak with an almost clear stain that was really light and played on the natural beauty of the wood.”

Other special features. “The clients wanted to feel very sunny and joyful in their home, so we made sure to incorporate a lot of colors into the furniture selections to play off the neutral tones,” designer Kate Regan says.

CMC Designs Charleston

Pattern Persona

Designer: Catherine Carabello of CMC Designs Charleston
Location: Charleston, South Carolina
Size: 270 square feet (25 square meters); 15 by 18 feet

Homeowners’ request. “The homeowners purchased the home in September and needed a small renovation and a complete face-lift,” designer Catherine Carabello says. “They are a young family and needed a home that they could entertain in but also allow their 2-year-old son the freedom to play and feel comfortable.”

Main feature. “The jumping-off point was definitely the wallpaper,” Carabello says. “We felt it was fun but also classic enough that they would not get tired of looking at it.”

Other special features. Brown Tuxedo-style sofa. Boucle accent chairs. White beadboard wainscoting (Cloud White by Benjamin Moore). “It’s a wonderful color for both traditional and contemporary spaces,” Carabello says. “The natural shades added the softness and texture needed to balance the white wainscoting and the wallpaper.”

Designer tip. “Texture and layering are always needed to complete a design,” Carabello says.

Wallpaper: Thibaut

10 Living Room Features Pros Always Recommend

Alison Kandler Interior Design

Cottage Collection

Designer: Alison Kandler Interior Design
Location: Los Angeles
Size: 255 square feet (24 square meters); 15 by 17 feet
Homeowners’ request. Play down the home’s Spanish Colonial Revival architecture with a colorful cottage style. “It’s a fun mesh of styles,” says designer Alison Kandler, who used photos of colorful rooms found on Houzz as inspiration.

Main feature. “The fireplace is symmetrical in the room so everything is designed around that existing, very large fireplace,” Kandler says. “Also, the ceilings are tall — 10 feet — and they had dark-stained beams. To play down the Spanish Colonial Revival style, I painted the beams white and added wallpaper between the beams to make the room feel more playful and cottage-like.”

Other special features. “The white sofas, covered in outdoor fabric, and black furniture pieces are great neutral backdrops to all of the colorful accessories,” Kandler says. “The window coverings are sheer, allowing for privacy and softness but still maximizing the natural light. The colorful vintage rug helps tie the room’s colors together. I always mix in one-of-a-kind vintage pieces so each room feels unique.”

Designer tip. “Adding built-in bookcases at the end of a long room helps shorten the overall look, which makes the room feel cozier,” Kandler says.

“Uh-oh” moment. “My client really wanted a large TV in the living room over the mantel, since there is no separate den in this house, but also wanted the room to feel elegant,” Kandler says. “We agreed on a TV with fine art screen savers so the room would never sit empty with a big black TV on the wall.”

Wallpaper: Quadrille; blue sofa fabric: Jaali in Iznik Blue, Peter Dunham Textiles & Wallpaper

Moore House Design

Barn Beauty

Designers: Blair Moore and Bromley Moore of Moore House Design
Location: Cutler, Maine

Homeowners’ request. “This was a relatively unconventional and labor-intensive barn overhaul,” designer and homeowner Blair Moore says. “It’s the original barn of an old stick-and-shingle Colonial cottage by the name of Coasters’ Chance that’s been in our family for a few generations. The goal was to extend the livable space of the cottage to turn it into an entertaining paradise. What is now the great room was originally the cottage’s barn and was filled with horse stalls. If you look closely, you’ll see the wide planks on the floor and hints of hydrated lime. We wanted to highlight these hints of the structure’s history throughout the design. Making this space functional, inviting, comfortable and of course beautiful were our top priorities.”

Main feature. “The barn used to be totally limewashed and filled with horses and hay, so we really didn’t want to lose that rustic character,” Moore says. “There was a fair amount of old limewash still covering some of the walls and flooring, so adding plaster walls was a sensible material choice for us that we felt would help blend the old with new.

“After much deliberation with the family and our design team, we made the decision to only bring the plaster halfway up the walls. The original vaulted barn ceiling and beams were simply too wonderful to cover up. They’re the real McCoy that everyone always tries to replicate in new builds — covering them up was a no-go for the family. We also enlarged and rebuilt the windows using traditional techniques and old ripple glass to add more light. The final product is a barn that feels modern but still has ties to its traditional Colonial heritage.”

Other special features. “Since this space was so large, we knew that filling it would be a big undertaking,” Moore says. “Step one was adding a massive, cozy sofa that would almost wrap around the room. We also layered in some of our favorite pieces, like the 1970s Hunter easy chair by Norwegian designer Torbjørn Afdal, a vintage rug and our newly designed Passerine daybed.

“We found this wide-planked table with the most incredible patina and we immediately knew it needed to live in Coasters’ Chance. Obviously, we wanted an equally massive coffee table to go with the sectional, so we added two modern-feeling legs with perfectly placed cutouts so that the table actually slides into them on either end. This gave way to a sleek design without any exposed screws or weird joint plate supports.”

Moore House Design

“Uh-oh” moment. “Our team began by pulling up the gorgeous old wide-plank flooring only to reveal a foundation in worse shape than we had expected,” Moore says. “The foundation was cracked to bits and most of the beams under the floorboards had a significant amount of rot due to a large amount of water. This meant we were going to have to put the barn up on jacks.

“When a structure this old has to be put up on jacks, there is always a possibility that it will collapse on itself. This was super stressful for our team, as we were being filmed and needed this to work in order to renovate the space. After the foundation was dug out and the chimney base repaired, we began the delicate process of replacing the beams. Then, much to our relief, we took the barn off the jacks and relaid all those old floorboards. This was a little more than our design team had bargained for amid a three-month, 3,500-square-foot turnaround, but we love learning on the job and were lucky to have some solid, highly experienced contractors to help us through the process.”

Custom furniture and lighting: Moore House Coasters sectional, Passerine daybed, The Sabi coffee table and Steampunk sconce, Moore House Design; plaster: Dillon Construction

By Mitchell Parker, Houzz Editorial Staff. Home design journalist writing about cool spaces, innovative trends, breaking news, industry analysis, and humor.

Premier Home Remodeling in the Greater Phoenix Area

For high-end home design, build, and remodeling in the greater Phoenix area that reflects your vision, Homework Remodels will help you love your home again. Start your project by calling us at (480) 895-3442 or email [email protected] to discuss your remodeling project. We offer no-obligation in-home consultation. Our NARI-certified award-winning designers and craftsman are eager to work with you to make your vision for your home a reality! See our portfolio here.

Find more informative blogs and articles on HOUZZ and on our website www.trilitebuilders.com

10 Sep 2022

Sticky Post By Steve Shinn, CR Posted in Blog, Build/Design Process, Home Remodel Permalink

6 Ways to Cool Off Without Air Conditioning

Sticky Post By Steve Shinn, CR On September 10, 2022

Having an air conditioner is a near-must in climates where months-long heat waves are a summer norm. And with that comes an equally scorching energy bill. Even in regions with gentler climates, homeowners can still experience enough hot days in a row to nearly go mad. It doesn’t have to be so hard. Whether you want to save money by running your air conditioner less or brave the heat without one, here are six ways to cool off without air conditioning.

SALA Architects

Block the Sun From Reaching Your Windows Energy-efficient houses depend on well-designed shading systems because the best way to avoid summer heat is by blocking the sun’s rays from ever reaching the windows. It’s a simple concept that we regularly employ with beach umbrellas to protect our skin and carports to shade our cars. Yet when it comes to houses, for some reason people tend to believe that interior drapes are as effective as exterior shading. It’s simply not true.

The Landing Company

The more shading you can include on the outside, the better. If you can’t afford a new matching set of shutters, consider a simple overhang made with brackets and timber slats to block your windows from the intense summer sun.

Sun Control of Minnesota

Solar-control window films can offer UV protection and reduce the amount of heat gained from solar radiation. Compared with some elaborate shading systems, these could be a less expensive alternative.

CMB Construction

Even simple and very inexpensive bamboo blinds can block a good portion of sunlight without completely sacrificing daylight.

Charles Di Piazza Architecture

I can’t stress enough that the best way to beat the heat is to block the sunlight before it reaches your house. Whether you do that by hanging shades, installing awnings, or even planting trees, the most effective use of the funds in your home-cooling budget is in this first step.

When you’re planting trees for shade (or installing any kind of shading), think about the sun’s path through the sky. It may help you to check out an app called Sun Surveyor (or a similar one) that can help you track the sun’s path and how its rays hit your house.

Sarah Dippold Design

Add Interior Drapes, Blinds, or Shades Once the heat from the sun’s rays passes through the glass of a window, that heat is in the house and will need to be ventilated to escape. To keep your floors and walls from soaking up that heat from direct rays and emitting it throughout the day, it can help to add another layer of protection between the window and the main thermal mass of your home. Sheer window treatments are a nice way to mitigate direct sun rays to the floor but maintain soft, natural daylight. Plus, white reflects sunlight better than colors.

MSiegel Design

There are a couple of tricks that you can employ with sheer drapes that you can’t pull off with interior blinds or shades.

My favorite thing to do is throw my sheer drapes in with my laundry the night before a really hot day. (They don’t take up much room, because they are super thin, but you could just as easily dunk them in a bucket of water and ring them out.) I set my machine to finish about the time I get up in the morning, and I put four or five drops of tea tree oil in with the load. When I get up in the morning, I take the drapes directly from the washer (still damp) to the rod and clip them in place. The open windows let the morning breeze pass through the drapes, cooling the air before it reaches me and filling it with the fresh smell of tea tree oil.

By the time the drapes have dried out, it’s about time to shut my windows anyway, before the intense heat of the day starts. You could do the same routine in the evening, but I wouldn’t recommend the washing machine version because of the heat it generates (see No. 4).

Allen Construction

Get the Air Circulating Air will flow only if it is forced (via a fan of some sort) or if there is a large temperature difference with a neighboring body of air. Night cooling is a great way to naturally decrease the temperature in your house and exchange hot interior air for cooler outdoor air. As I mentioned before, I have my windows open only in the early morning, at night, or late in the evening when it is cooler outside than my ideal temperature indoors. You may need to do some testing to see what works best for you, depending on your climate and the orientation of your house toward the sun. For this to work, there needs to be a substantial difference in temperature between the inside of your house and the outside. Once the outdoor air starts to heat up, I close my windows to try and keep as much of that heat out as possible.

Jette Creative

Ceiling fans and standing fans placed near windows at night can help force air movement when there is no breeze and a small temperature difference. During the day the added air movement from fans can help the perception of heat, which is tied to humidity.

Peter Dolkas

The reason everyone loves misters in the summer is not for the humidity of the water in the air, but for the evaporative cooling effect of water being lifted off the skin. In fact, I always keep a couple of plant misters around the house, hidden near the fans, for a quick spritz as I pass by (our dog loves it too).

Another evaporative cooling tip, borrowed from history, is to set a big chunk of ice (or ice packs) in front of a fan with a tray underneath to catch the water as it melts. It makes for a really cheap and fairly effective DIY air conditioner for small rooms. I recommend closing off the space as much as possible, so you don’t lose that great cool air.

Adams + Beasley Associates

Turn Off Major Appliances During the Day To help maintain those cooler temperatures during the day, reduce anything that generates heat in your house or apartment. For example, don’t use the dryer or oven and try not to open the fridge too often. The more you open it, the more the motor has to work to cool it down again, and the heat generated from that work will be released back into your apartment.

Steve Masley Consulting and Design

Try fresh summer salads to avoid using your oven and stovetop.

Kasha Paris

Transition Your Bed Into Summer Mode I don’t know about you, but I feel summer heat the most when I’m trying to sleep. Reduce the amount of bedding you have and stick to natural fabrics like linen or 100 percent cotton. Synthetic blends don’t breathe enough to release all the heat we generate during the night.

Michael McKinley and Associates, LLC

Sleep on the porch or balcony. “Outdoor sleeping has come to stay, so let us recognize the fact and build our houses accordingly.” This declaration appeared in the magazine Decorative Homes of Moderate Costs in 1921, responding to the widespread fad of sleeping on screened porches. Sleeping al fresco was considered, in the time of diseases like tuberculosis, to be a reasonable health measure. As such, for many years, sleeping porches were an integral part of home designs.

Depending on your home or apartment and security concerns, you may have a little exterior screened-in space that can be used like a sleeping porch. You could have a little daybed with light linens for nights when it’s comfortable enough to sleep in the open air.

Phi Builders + Architects

Or, hey, forgo the linens altogether and sleep in a hammock for the summer!

Beckwith Interiors

Stay Hydrated Everyone knows that staying hydrated in summer is extremely important. But did you know that drinking water also helps regulate your body temperature?

by Mariana Pickering July 27, 2022, Houzz Contributor; Owner/CEO of Emu Building Science; LEED AP BD+C. After spending many years as an architectural designer in the high-efficiency residential Italian market, I now run a company that specializes in advanced construction science and Passive House design. We are located in Denver, Colorado, and Northern Italy, and we work internationally with builders, designers, and manufacturers of high-performance projects and products.

Premier Home Remodeling in the Greater Phoenix Area

For high-end home design, build, and remodeling in the greater Phoenix area that reflects your vision, Homework Remodels will help you love your home again. Start your project by calling us at (480) 895-3442 or email [email protected] to discuss your remodeling project. We offer no-obligation in-home consultation. Our NARI-certified award-winning designers and craftsman are eager to work with you to make your vision for your home a reality! See our portfolio here.

Find more informative blogs and articles on HOUZZ and on our website www.trilitebuilders.com

05 Sep 2022

Sticky Post By Steve Shinn, CR Posted in Blog, Build/Design Process, Home Improvements, home organization, Kitchen Remodels, Lifestyle Permalink

Pros Share 6 Must-Have Kitchen Design Features

Sticky Post By Steve Shinn, CR On September 5, 2022

Design and remodeling pros recommend focusing on these must-have kitchen design features to create a functional and stylish kitchen

Countless decisions go into designing a beautiful and functional kitchen — so many that it’s hard to know what to focus on. We asked several design and remodeling professionals what they consider the must-have kitchen design features, and the following elements came up again and again. Give these areas adequate attention when planning a kitchen and you’re almost guaranteed to end up with a space that makes you happy.

Stonington Cabinetry and Designs

1. The Right Storage

Your kitchen cabinets make up the bulk of what you see in your kitchen, so your choice of cabinet color and style is a major, consequential decision. But the components inside your cabinets are equally important, if not more.

Your storage solutions determine how functional your kitchen is. When you’re at the peak of cooking a large meal, you care less about the look of your cabinets and more about the ease of grabbing the right tools, spices, pots, and other supplies.

A kitchen designer will often take an inventory of all the utensils, dishes, small appliances, and pantry items in your kitchen to figure out the right storage components for you. Pullouts, rollouts, and swing-outs will efficiently organize your stuff and make things easier to find and grab.

“When budget allows, we always, always recommend drawers or pullout shelves on the lower cabinet level,” designer Lisa Janzen of KC Interior Design says. “There is nothing worse than having to get on your hands and knees to see what is shoved to the back on your bottom shelves. Drawers make it so much easier to access and more efficient use of space.”

The New York kitchen shown here by Stonington Cabinetry & Designs is a good example of how hard your kitchen cabinets can work for you.

Yancy Interiors + Home, LLC

“I always recommend custom cabinetry with pullouts, built-in cutting boards, etc. to keep the jumble of everyday life to a minimum,” designer Yancy Dearinger Bonner of Yancy Interiors + Home says. She included a pullout cutting board next to the range in the kitchen shown here.

Innovative Construction, Inc.

BSW Design

2. Hardworking Sink

Designers often recommend giving extra consideration to elements that you interact with the most. In a kitchen, that can be a lot of things, but the kitchen sink is one area that always sees a lot of action. So it makes sense to put a little more effort into designing the sink area and choosing components. These days, many sink manufacturers offer designs called workstations, which feature add-ons such as cutting boards, strainers, and prep bowls. “I always recommend a sink with gadgets,” designer Brittany Steptoe-Wright of BSW Design says. “For example, the sink in this project [shown here] is a single, large under-mount sink, but it has a colander, cutting board, and drying rack that sit inside on a small lip and provide so much function. It’s a game changer.”

Kitchen Design Gallery

The Galley Workstation shown here is a popular hardworking sink that includes several inserts for prepping and cleaning.

KE Interior Solutions

3. Layered Lighting

Different tasks in a kitchen call for different kinds of lighting. Cooking at the stove, chopping vegetables, washing dishes, chatting with friends, doing homework, displaying collectibles — these all require a specific light source. “I recommend layers of lighting and multiple fixtures to cover every area,” designer Debbie Turner of Debbie Cahill Turner Design says. This might include recessed ceiling lights for ambient light, spotlights to illuminate important work areas like the sink and range, pendant lights to light an island or peninsula, and windows to let in natural light during the day. Designer Donna McMahon of KE Interior Solutions used a layered lighting approach in her own kitchen in Denver, shown here. Several recessed ceiling lights provide overall lighting, while undercabinet lights help with cooking tasks. McMahon even installed light strips below the base cabinets to create ambient lighting at night.

Ourso Designs

This New Orleans kitchen by Ourso Designs is another example of good lighting design. There are recessed ceiling cans, a pendant over the sink, pendants over the island, under cabinet lighting, and sconces over the floating shelves flanking the range hood.

Stonington Cabinetry & Designs

Of course, you shouldn’t forget to factor in natural lighting whenever possible. Architect Chris Dorman of Dorman Associates recommends that homeowners consider reducing the number of upper cabinets if needed to allow room for more windows to bring in natural light. “The kitchen is a place where people can spend hours, so maximizing natural light is key,” he says.

Wills Design Associates

4. Island

Perhaps no design feature in recent memory has changed kitchen design more than the island. Indeed, it’s hard to deny the benefit of a kitchen island. It adds an extra countertop surface and storage and creates a spot for conversation, homework, and meals. It can be a location for a cooktop, a dishwasher, or a prep sink, and it often provides that crucial touch point that completes an efficient work triangle. An island is a must-have kitchen feature for builder Kenneth Keating of Camlin Custom Homes. “A large kitchen island is a fantastic gathering place in any open-plan kitchen and gives the homeowner a flexible space to use for dining, entertaining, or cooking,” he says.

SV Design

An island is also a favorite feature for designer Tina Rodda of Eyder Curated Kitchens. “My must-have amenity is a workstation on the island for food prep and serving and a large butcher block at the end for carving and serving fabulous roasts,” she says.

This Boston kitchen by SV Design shows an example.

BASCO Builder’s Appliance Supply Company

5. Quality Cooking Appliances

A kitchen is meant for cooking. And your range — or cooktop and oven — will be the most important component for cooking meals. Think about how often you interact with a range and how its function affects the quality of your meals and the ease with which you create them. That’s why many pros suggest you don’t skimp on quality when it comes to selecting a range and other cooking appliances. Designer Karen Parks of Associate Interiors puts a lot of focus on selecting high-quality ovens and cooktops. Shown here is the GE Cafe series.

Dorman Associates, Inc.

“I think that having a good stove is critical,” architect Dorman says. He used a Monogram Pro range in this Northern California kitchen.

Julia Chasman Design

Designer Julia Chasman makes vintage stoves a key component in her kitchen designs. For her own kitchen, shown here, she used a vintage O’Keefe & Merritt stove built in 1952 that provides function and style. “I have often used vintage stoves in homes of different eras,” she says. “They require some extra love and care. This one needed to be converted for use with propane gas as well, but the amount of charm and warmth they provide is incalculable. I also find them to be excellent stoves to cook on — perfect for cooking meat. It’s become one of my signature looks, and when I’m asked to source a vintage stove I know exactly what to look for to find one that will continue to serve its owners well for another 25 or 30 years.”

Julie Rootes Interiors

6. Custom Vent Hood

A ventilation hood removes cooking odors, steam, and grease from the air in your kitchen. But because the appliance sits at or just above eye level, it’s also an important visual element in the space. Many designers take it as an opportunity to create a stylish focal point, and going custom is often the way to go.“I am a big fan of a custom metal hood,” says designer Julie Rootes of Julie Rootes Interiors, who used a custom hood in the San Francisco kitchen shown here. “There are so many details you can pull in. It is one of the most important features of an elevated kitchen design. It’s like the jewelry of the kitchen.”

Heritage Homes of Jacksonville

Designer Jason Ulm of Heritage Homes of Jacksonville created the custom maple hood shown here in a kitchen in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. Arched molding coordinates with the arched mullions on the cabinet doors to create an alluring focal point.

Written by Mitchell Parker, Houzz Editorial Staff. Home design journalist writing about cool spaces, innovative trends, breaking news, industry analysis, and humor.

Premier Home Remodeling in the Greater Phoenix Area

For high-end home design, build, and remodeling in the greater Phoenix area that reflects your vision, Homework Remodels will help you love your home again. Start your project by calling us at (480) 895-3442 or email [email protected] to discuss your remodeling project. We offer no-obligation in-home consultation. Our NARI-certified award-winning designers and craftsman are eager to work with you to make your vision for your home a reality! See our portfolio here.

Find more informative blogs and articles on HOUZZ and on our website www.trilitebuilders.com

22 Aug 2022

Sticky Post By Steve Shinn, CR Posted in Award-Winning, Blog, Home Improvements, Kitchen Remodels, Lifestyle, sink Permalink

Where Should You Put the Kitchen Sink?

Sticky Post By Steve Shinn, CR On August 22, 2022

Where should you put the kitchen sink in your remodel? Do you put it facing a window or your guests? In a corner or near the dishwasher? Here’s how to find the best place for the kitchen sink.

To find your dream kitchen sink, you will likely spend a good amount of time browsing sink photos and kitchen sinks in the Houzz Shop. But don’t forget to think about where your sink will be located in your kitchen. If you’re remodeling an existing kitchen on a tight budget, you may need to leave it where it is. But if you can, consider where you’ll want to be standing while working at your kitchen sink, as well as what other appliances or elements should be nearby.

Here are 10 considerations to help you figure out the best place for the kitchen sink.

Northland Design and Build

Use Existing Plumbing

If you are undertaking a low-cost renovation or simply looking for areas where you can cut costs so you can splurge on your countertops or backsplash tile, consider reusing your existing plumbing as much as possible. If your kitchen layout is truly dysfunctional, this may not be an option. But I always consider leaving the plumbing alone to save money.

Jenny Martin Design

Give Yourself a View

If your kitchen is part of a new construction project, or you are either unable or disinclined to keep the sink where it is, then do yourself a favor and give yourself a nice view. I am not a fan of washing dishes by hand but would gladly take on the chore if I had this fabulous view to take in.

Bria Hammel Interiors

Think About Lighting

You need plenty of light when working in the kitchen, and that’s especially true while at the sink. Natural light from a big window or skylight above the sink is fantastic during the day, but be sure you also have adequate task lighting above and around the sink at night to safely illuminate the work area.

How to Properly Light Your Kitchen Counters

Design Interiors Ltd.

Center on the Window – or Not

Speaking of windows, if you can place your kitchen sink under a window, try to center the sink on the center line of the window. Sometimes, however, this is just not feasible. For example, in this kitchen there isn’t enough room to center the sink under the window and also squeeze in the dishwasher. I find you can make it work if you center the sink or faucet with a component of the window. Here the sink is centered under one of the windowpanes, a good solution that brings a semblance of symmetry.

BR Nelson Designs LLC

Partner With the Dishwasher

This one is a no-brainer. You want your dishwasher and sink to be next to one another. This will make loading the dishwasher easier and more efficient; you can just scrape or rinse off your plates in the sink before setting them in the dishwasher. It’s also useful when you are emptying the dishwasher and need to dump out any water that has pooled on your dishes.

Jackson Design & Remodeling

This classic setup with the dishwasher on one side of the sink and a pullout cabinet for compost, trash and recycling on the other side makes kitchen cleanup easier. I highly recommend this layout if you can swing it. It does require a pretty long bank of cabinets to make it fit, because you need 24 inches for a standard-size dishwasher and at least 12 inches for the trash pullout. It’s also nice to have a buffer cabinet on the outside edges of the dishwasher and trash cabinet so the doors can open without running into a perpendicular cabinet or wall.

Sunstone Interiors

A Word About Corner Sinks

I generally don’t recommend corner sinks in a kitchen. They can cause traffic jams and make it difficult to access a nearby dishwasher. But if you are forced to work with existing plumbing or the location of the only window in the kitchen, consult with a design professional who can help you figure out the correct size and placement of the sink, and the dishwasher if you install one, to ease the squeeze around the sink area as much as possible.

Huntsmore

Give Yourself Work Zones

If your kitchen layout includes an island, you might find it nice to put either the cooktop or sink in it to create an efficient workspace. I’m personally not a fan of having a hulking vent hood smack dab in the middle of the kitchen, so I prefer seeing the sink there instead.

Jay Reinert Architect, LLC

Keep a Connection

Don’t turn your back on your guests if you don’t have to. If you plan to entertain often and have an open kitchen, this is an ideal layout. It allows the cook to prep in the kitchen while still conversing with guests or keeping an eye on kids.

swa.studio//Sebastian Wiedemann Architektur

For those who want to see their family and friends while cooking and cleaning but don’t necessarily want kitchen messes to be on full display, there are many ways to design the sink area to get the best of both worlds.

Case Design/Remodeling, Inc.

A cased opening or raised countertop above the sink can act as a visual barrier to disguise any messes in or around the sink. It provides a nice buffer to the area beyond where kids might be doing homework or guests will be hanging out having a drink and chatting with you while you finish dinner prep.

Studio Steinbomer

Be Social and Enjoy a View

If you are fortunate to have a large open kitchen that looks out onto a nice vista, think about orienting your sink toward the dining area and the pleasing view. Yes, everything is on full display, but this would be a fun kitchen to work in when you’re able to entertain large crowds of friends and family.

Soorikian Architecture

Work With Multiple Sinks

For those with large households or who entertain often, multiple sinks are definitely an ideal setup. Of course, you’ll need the space and budget to accommodate such a design.

Typically, there is one larger main sink placed under a window or facing an adjacent dining room or great room, and the dishwasher is placed next to it for easy cleaning and loading. The second sink may be a smaller prep sink in the island or a peninsula, and it is used more for hand washing and food prep. This configuration allows several people to use the kitchen at once without getting in one another’s way.

Jennifer Ott, Blog contributor for Houzz

San Francisco-based architectural color specialist and design writer. Jennifer’s work has been featured in many print and online publications. Her recently-published book, “1000 Ideas for Color Schemes,” is a beautifully illustrated and easy-to-navigate guide that takes the guesswork out of selecting the perfect color palette for your home or special event. For more information on Jennifer Ott Design, visit http://jenottdesign.com/.

Home Remodeling in the Greater Phoenix Area

For high-end home design, build, and remodeling in the greater Phoenix area that reflects your vision, Homework Remodels will help you love your home again. Start your project by calling us at (480) 895-3442 or email [email protected] to discuss your remodeling project. We offer no-obligation in-home consultation. Our NARI-certified award-winning designers and craftsman are eager to work with you to make your vision for your home a reality! See our portfolio here.

Find more informative blogs and articles on HOUZZ and on our website www.trilitebuilders.com

09 Aug 2022

Sticky Post By Steve Shinn, CR Posted in Blog, Design, Kitchen Remodels, Lifestyle, sink Permalink

Single Bowl vs. Double Bowl Kitchen Sinks

Sticky Post By Steve Shinn, CR On August 9, 2022

Top designers weigh in on the merits of single and double bowl kitchen sinks

Since the invention of the kitchen sink, homeowners and designers have been debating the merits of a single bowl vs. a double bowl. On the one hand, a double basin makes washing dishes a snap. One side serves to hold soapy water and dirty dishes while the other side is reserved to keep them clean. On the other hand, single basins can be real space savers. They often come in a wider range of sizes than their divided counterparts. They can also be roomier for washing pots and pans. We could make endless arguments for both sides but truthfully it comes down to personal preference. Need some inspiration to make your choice? See below for some of our favorite single and double bowl installations and hear what some of our favorite designers have to say about each.

“I always go for a single bowl sink. I think it feels more modern, and in my personal opinion functions better. We have a lot of large plates and pans that we use in the kitchen, and it’s nice not to have a partition when we have a ton of stuff to wash. A bonus with a deep single sink is if you have dishes in there you do not notice them until you’re standing over it!” Raelyn Woltz, @westend.interiorsDesign by West End Interiors
Featuring Quartet farmhouse kitchen sink in Slate

“One of the characteristics I love about my oversized double bowl sink is I have the functionality of a large single bowl on the left side, as well as the easy use of the smaller right side to hand wash or soak items. I especially like that the smaller side has the perfect capacity for my use to fill quickly with water.” Jennie Wunderlich, @studio.h2oDesign by Studio H2O
Featuring Cocina Duet Pro in Brushed Nickel

“Less is more and a streamlined sink, preferably an apron front, is not only the workhorse of the kitchen but a piece to enjoy that is visually appealing.”Kate Marker, @katemarkerinterirosDesign by Kate Marker Interiors
Photograph by Stoffer Photography
Featuring Farmhouse 3018 in Slate

“I actually prefer a large single bowl for the versatility of being able to wash large pots, cutting boards, babies and dogs, etc in the sink! This client preferred a double bowl, so we went with it!” Design by Andrea Browning, Model Design
Photograph by Chipper Hatter
Featuring Farmhouse Duet in Brushed Nickel

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From Native Trails Home Blog

Home Remodeling in the Greater Phoenix Area

For high-end home design, build, and remodeling in the greater Phoenix area that reflects your vision, Homework Remodels will help you love your home again. Start your project by calling us at (480) 895-3442 or email [email protected] to discuss your remodeling project. We offer no-obligation in-home consultation. Our NARI-certified award-winning designers and craftsman are eager to work with you to make your vision for your home a reality! See our portfolio here.

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