Giveaway~The Last Step In A Worry-Free Makeover

At the end of this post, please leave a comment for a chance to win $100 Visa gift card!

 

Welcome to the last post in my series titled, "Four Steps To a Worry-Free Kitchen Makeover."  As a design professional, I know firsthand that for many homeowners the thought of a kitchen renovation is accompanied by anxiety over all the decisions that need to be made.  I'm teaming up with Sub-Zero and Wolf to share my tips for each stage of a kitchen renovation to help put your worries to rest. 

 

Here is a look back at the other three posts in this series:

Step One: Define Your Goals. 

Step Two: Find Inspiration and Create Your Design Plan.

 Step Three: Executing Your Design Plan.

Today's post will address the last step: Living in Your New Kitchen and Making It Yours.

 

 

 

 

 

Hiring a design professional right from the beginning stages of your project will automatically reduce anxiety associated with a kitchen remodel.  In the end, they've helped you make all the big decisions and together you have created a kitchen that will stand the test of design time.  When the time comes for the contractors to pack up their tools go home, it would seem like the time to consider your project complete. At this point the main design elements are in place and your beautiful new space is by professional standards considered "installed".  However, be prepared that it may not feel like it's really yours until you begin the very last step of the makeover process.  Breaking in your new kitchen.  Entertaining family and friends, cooking and living in your new kitchen will create memories that bond you to the shiny new space.  Here are three ways to get started...

 

 

Add Personal Touches

 

One of my favorite ways to bring an instant dose of familiarity to a brand new space is to incorporate family heirlooms or treasured items.  Some of the first things I introduced to my new kitchen after the makeover were my favorite cookbooks, our Grandmothers dishes and a treasured family photo.  Not only do we use these things daily, but they double as decorative accessories that give the brand new space a personal touch. There are so many fun and attractive ways to display items such as these.  Browsing through kitchen photo galleries or sites like Houzz.com, you can get a lot of ideas for staging personal items.  For example, I typed in "cookbooks" in the Houzz search bar and found some great inspiration.  I love the way they have the cookbooks styled in this image...

Contemporary Kitchen by London Interior Designers & Decorators Amory Brown

 

 

Here is a great example of vintage dishes displayed in fresh, updated, modern day kitchen…

Traditional Kitchen by Decatur Kitchen & Bath Designers Renewal Design-Build

This is fun use of photography in a kitchen…

Traditional Kitchen by Wallingford Interior Designers & Decorators Hartley & Hill Design, LLC

 

 

 

Cook Your Favorite Meal

  During every stage of my own kitchen makeover, I envisioned myself cooking for my family.  Each design decision was made with this vision in my mind.  As soon as the contractors left, I began cooking one of our favorite meals right away.  My brand new kitchen and I instantly bonded. Putting your new appliances to use has to be one of the most exciting points in a kitchen makeover.  If your new kitchen features Sub Zero and Wolf appliances the Sub-Zero and Wolf website offers exclusive tips to help you master their products and create delicious meals. In addition, industry professionals share their passion for the perfect food and the experts at Sub-Zero and Wolf have created a library of recipes tailored to their appliances.

Contemporary Kitchen by Madison Appliances Sub-Zero and Wolf

Host a Family Party

 

  Another way to instantly bond with your new space is to host a family get together as soon as the space is complete.  Shortly after my kitchen renovation, I hosted a big family gathering.  Of course I enjoyed showing off my new kitchen, but having my family share a meal together christened the space. The time we spent preparing our food, eating and cleaning up afterwards marked the end of my kitchen makeover project and the beginning of many new memories to be made in my new space.  Seeing the new kitchen you love packed with people you love is the best part of a kitchen makeover.

 

 

Join in the conversation and follow Sub-Zero and Wolf on Facebook. For more information on their appliances, visit Sub-Zero or Wolf online, or view their Kitchen Design Planner kit here.

To enter for a chance to win a $100 Visa gift card, leave a comment below letting me know how you would upgrade your kitchen!

 

Sweepstakes Rules:

No duplicate comments.

You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:

1. Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post
2. Tweet (public message) about this promotion; including exactly the following unique term in your tweet message: “#SweepstakesEntry”; and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post
3. Blog about this promotion, including a disclosure that you are receiving a sweepstakes entry in exchange for writing the blog post, and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post
4. For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.

This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older. Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. The notification email will come directly from BlogHer via the sweeps@blogher email address. You will have 72 hours to respond; otherwise a new winner will be selected.

The Official Rules are available here.

This sweepstakes runs from 11/6/14 – 12/4/14.

Be sure to visit the Sub-Zero and Wolf brand page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggers’ posts!

Giveaway~Third Step In A Worry Free Kitchen Makeover

 

At the end of this post, please leave a comment for a chance to win $100 Visa gift card.

Welcome to part three of my series titled, "Four Steps To a Worry-Free Kitchen Makeover."  As a design professional, I know firsthand that for many homeowners the thought of a kitchen renovation is accompanied by anxiety over all the decisions that need to be made.  I'm teaming up with Sub-Zero and Wolf to share my tips for each stage of a kitchen renovation to help put your worries to rest. 

 

Here is a look back at the other two posts in this series:

Step One: Define Your Goals. 

Step Two: Find Inspiration and Create Your Design Plan.

 Today's post will address the third step: Executing Your Design Plan.

 

In my experience the main topics that cause anxiety for homeowners at this stage of the game are; choosing the right professionals, making final decisions, balancing the budget and living through the actual remodel.  The design board shown here is from a client project I'm currently working on.  Using this project as an example, I would like to walk through the process of executing a design plan and offer my advice on each of these anxiety-inducing topics.

 

 

 

 

 

1.  Choosing The Right Professionals

  

The design board shown here is from a client project I'm currently working on.  Using this project as an example, I would like to walk through the process of bringing a kitchen design plan to life.  These particular clients are undergoing a complete kitchen remodel.  They hired a local architect to design the new kitchen layout and a cabinet maker to build new custom cabinetry according to the architect's plans.  They asked me to assist with material selection, finishes, paint colors, hardware, furniture, lighting, etc. 

 

 

 

 

 

In Step One and Step Two of the Worry-Free Kitchen RenovationI I mentioned, it's important to have the right professionals involved in your project from the beginning.  In this case the homeowners have had previous experience working with the three of us and knew we were right for their project.  If you are contemplating a remodel and aren't familiar with any local design professionals, trusted resources like Sub-Zero and Wolf's website can help.  Their "Locate a Designer" feature can quickly provide a list of award-winning kitchen designers in your area. 

 

 

 

 

2.  Making Final Selections

Once the plans from the architect were squared away it was time to start making final selections.  First we met with the cabinet maker to choose the cabinet style and finish.  Then it was time choose their new appliances.  My clients visited our local Sub-Zero and Wolf showroom where they met with a kitchen specialist and selected their brand new rangetop and refrigerators.  Visiting the showroom allowed them to experience and get hands on with Sub-Zero and Wolf appliances in full scale kitchen settings before they prurchased.
Here is a look at their selections…

 

The refrigerator they chose is the 42" wide Sub-Zero Over-and-Under with French Door.  This particular model has the most interior capacity of any counter-depth French door model.  In addition to a full size refrigerator, they also selected the Sub-Zero UC-24BG Beverage Center.  This beverage center will be perfect for when they are entertaining as well as everyday family life.  It offers built-in refrigeration for their new custom bar area.  For the cooktop, they selected the Wolf 48" Sealed Burner Rangetop.  They love to cook and this gas range offers everything a chef could want including dual stacked sealed gas burners that offer two levels of heat control. 

 

 

After checking appliances off the list, it was time for the three of us to start shopping for materials.  The photos used throughout this post were taken during our shopping trips to local tile and granite suppliers Ciot and Gennesse Cut Stone.  The first selection we made was the granite. Choosing an important, main element like countertop material first can help make all the other selections easier. 

 

 

 

 

 

   Using the granite as our color guide, we were able to narrow down our backsplash options. 

 

 

 
3.  Balancing The Budget

 

Since countertop material was one of the biggest expenses, choosing the granite right away gave us a place to start the budget management process.  If sticking to a budget is a priority in your kitchen makeover, having your project managed by a kitchen design professional from the early stages will help keep you on track.   

 

 

 

 

 

 

Balancing the budget in a remodel is all about give and take.  If you find a slab of granite that you are in love with, but it's pricier than your original granite allowance, you may be able to make up the difference in other areas.  For instance, using budget friendly, off the shelf hardware as opposed to custom order could save enough money to make up for that more expensive granite.  If making decisions like this on your own has you worried that your end result won't be the same, a kitchen design professional will know how and where to make appropriate budget friendly substitutions within the design.

 

 

 

 

 

 

It's important to remember when you're planning a remodel that one change can sometimes lead to another.  It's a good idea to leave room in the budget plan for unexpected expenses and/or add-ons.   For example, while shopping for granite and backsplash tile for the new kitchen, we came across some beautiful tile flooring options for the adjacent pantry and mudroom.  The materials we found really complement the new kitchen design and got us thinking about adding on to our project.   

 

 

 

 

 

4.  Living Through The Re-model Process 

 

Once all the design decisions have been made and materials have been selected, it's time for the work to begin.  Whether you are living in your home through the remodel process or staying somewhere else, expect to be met with some inconveniences.  In this case, my clients are living in their home through the entire process.  They are prepared to deal with a mess for a few weeks knowing the reward will be a beautiful kitchen they will enjoy for years.  Residential interior websites like Houzz.com are a great support center and resource for homeowners.  There are many articles, like this one, related to living through a kitchen remodel that offer a ton of great tips and advice to make things a little easier. 

 

 

 

 

No matter how much planning goes into a remodel project, it's always best to expect something unexpected.  As long as you go into your kitchen remodel project with realistic expectations and an open mind, the process will be much less stressful.  If you are managing your own project, be prepared for the possibility of things like contractor delays or product backorders.  If you are enlisting a kitchen design professional to oversee your project, they will help manage events like this.

Stay tuned for the fourth and final post in this series.

 

Join in the conversation and follow Sub-Zero and Wolf on Facebook. For more information on their appliances, visit Sub-Zero or Wolf online.

How would you design your dream kitchen with Sub-Zero and Wolf? Let me know in the comments below for a chance to win a $100 Visa gift card!

Sweepstakes Rules:

No duplicate comments.

You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:

1.     Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post

2.     Tweet (public message) about this promotion; including exactly the following unique term in your tweet message: “#SweepstakesEntry”; and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post

3.     Blog about this promotion, including a disclosure that you are receiving a sweepstakes entry in exchange for writing the blog post, and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post

4.     For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.

This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older. Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. The notification email will come directly from BlogHer via the sweeps@blogher email address. You will have 72 hours to respond; otherwise a new winner will be selected.

The Official Rules are available here.

This sweepstakes runs from 8/19-9/16.

Be sure to visit the Sub-Zero and Wolf  brand page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggers’ posts.

  

 

 

 

 

 

Second Step In A Worry-Free Kitchen Renovation

At the end of this post, leave a comment for a chance to win $100 Visa gift card.

Welcome to part two of my series titled, "Four Steps To a Worry-Free Kitchen Makeover."  As a design professional, I know firsthand that for many homeowners the thought of a kitchen renovation is accompanied by anxiety over all the decisions that need to be made.  I'm teaming up with Sub-Zero and Wolf to share tips for each stage of a kitchen renovation to help put your worries to rest.  Recently, I shared that the first step to a worry-free makeover is to define your goals.  If you missed that post, please click here.  Today's post will address the second step, finding inspiration and applying it to your new kitchen design.  

Working with hundreds of clients, I know that choosing the style of a brand new space is not always easy.  To help clients that are struggling with this, I start by learning as much as I can about their everyday lives.  Then I can begin to zero in on a design style that complements their life style.  I may ask if they have a place that makes them feel the most happy.  Most times, there is a special place and using it as inspiration for their new space results in a design that they love for a very long time.  

To demonstrate this concept, I designed a custom kitchen (inspiration board shown above) inspired by my favorite vacation spot. After I was finished with the project, I looked at the inspiration board and thought: I don't think I would ever want to leave this kitchen (except to go back on vacation).  Let's take a look at my vacation photos as I explain how our trips to the cottage translated into this kitchen design…

Our vacations in northern Michigan are a great escape from the grind of our everyday schedules.  They are relaxing, refreshing and good for the spirit.  My goal was to have this kitchen evoke these same emotions.  To achieve that I went for a casual, light hearted, family friendly, nautical flavored design that depicts colors and textures of the lake.  The vintage sailboat pictured above is anchored near the end of our dock.  It was my color inspiration for this design.  I used the palette of crisp white, navy, red and dark espresso colored stain to guide my selections throughout the new space. 

This photo of the front of a white speed boat we rented inspired me to choose white cabinetry and silver finishes.  Shiny silver elements were applied to the design through lighting, cabinet hardware, faucets, and stainless steel appliances.  Weathered wood accents reminiscent of the old dock were brought in through weathered woven barstools and storage baskets.

If this kitchen was really going remind me of our family vacations, it was very important that it was extremely family friendly.  I kept the kids in mind with every selection.  

I provided simple solutions that give little ones easy access to snacks and drinks.  I also incorporated appliances that would make a busy mom's life so much easier, leaving her with more time to enjoy her family.

With all the shiny new finishes, it was important to add a little time worn character to the design.  Art was an easy way to do this.  This photo I shot of an old boat hoist while at the cottage last year inspired my art selections. 

 These vintage replica oars and oversized compass rose art were perfect.  

 Up north Michigan cottages are filled with kitschy art and vintage signs.  I found alternatives that remind me of "up-north" typography art, but are a little larger in scale.  Like this EAT sign.

To bring in a true sense of our northern Michigan beach, I selected a gorgeous pebble tile for the back splash.  This stone reminds me of the white stones found in our sand and all the hours my boys spend skipping them across the water. 

To really make the white cabinetry and pebble tile back splash stand out, I selected a high contrast wall color.  Paint is the easiest and most inexpensive way to bring drama to a space.  I pulled three beautiful shades of gray based navy for the walls from photos of our beloved lake.

This is a great example of a how a favorite place can become inspiration for a new kitchen design.  I took my family vacation and turned it into a brand new kitchen.  If you are considering a kitchen makeover, but you are stuck on choosing a style direction, using your everyday life to find inspiration could be a great starting point for your design.  It doesn't have to be a place or a destination; it could be any aspect of your life that makes you feel happy.  

Creating a style board (either on your own or with the help of a design professional) can help you visualize how your selections will look together.  Once your design board is finished, if you are still unsure of your space will look in the end, no worries!  There are many resources available to give you the confidence you need to move forward with your design.   By visiting a site like Houzz.com and conducting a search using simple key words that describe your inspiration, you can view dozens of real life kitchens designed by professionals with product selections or design style similar to yours.  This gives you an instant visual and can help you decide what you like and dislike.

For example, I went to Houzz.com and typed "nautical kitchen" into the search bar.  This beautiful kitchen was one of the results.  It has similar finishes to the selections I made (white cabinetry, nickel pendant lights and hardware):

Traditional Kitchen by Atlanta Interior Designers & Decorators Brian Watford ID

Enlisting the help of a kitchen design professional is hands down the easiest way to put your worries to rest.  Finding a kitchen designer is easier than it has ever been.  The Sub-Zero Wolf site can help you find a kitchen design professional in your area.  It's also a fantastic resource for every stage of a kitchen renovation.  Visiting Sub-Zero Wolf you can read about kitchen trends, view an extensive kitchen photo gallery,  request a customized kitchen design starter kit, view a designer video series and more.  Also, be sure to check out Sub-Zero's Pinterest page and Wolf's Pinterest page, which features several different design boards for even more inspiration. Stay tuned for the next post in my series. The third step to a worry free makeover is finalizing your plan and executing it!

  In the meantime... For a chance to win a $100 Visa gift card, tell me what part of your life could inspire your new kitchen design?

Sweepstakes Rules:
No duplicate comments.
You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:

1. Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post
2. Tweet (public message) about this promotion; including exactly the following unique term in your tweet message: “#SweepstakesEntry”; and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post
3. Blog about this promotion, including a disclosure that you are receiving a sweepstakes entry in exchange for writing the blog post, and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post
4. For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.

This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older. Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. The notification email will come directly from BlogHer via the sweeps@blogher email address. You will have 72 hours to respond; otherwise a new winner will be selected.
The Official Rules are available here.
This sweepstakes runs from 5/22-6/19.
Be sure to visit the Sub-Zero and Wolf  brand page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggers’ posts!