I am getting close to wrapping up a large closet organizer project (I will post pictures in a couple of weeks when it is completely done) and starting to think about the next two pending projects. They are big ones! We will be tackling a master bath renovation and a kitchen remodel. As you might suspect, I will at least be doing any of the wood-related work including all cabinets.
In the kitchen, we have decided to go with clear alder. It is something a little different but I should be able to mix it with the maple corbels, ornamental carvings, and carved trim that I have picked up. I do not know what we will do in the bath but we have enough alder (I bought over 800 sq ft) in case we decide to go that direction.
OK, so I finally get to the purpose of this post; we need help on these two big projects from a design standpoint. These are critically important projects to get right and I am concerned about not really getting the biggest “bang for our buck” (yes, my wife watches the show constantly) from our renovations. I want to make sure to avoid design mistakes and realize that planning is at least as important as the actual renovation work.
Kitchen: We have a good sized house (just under 5,000 sq ft) with a disproportionally small kitchen. I need to find a designer who is exceptionally good at designing high end kitchens and figuring out how to either grab space from the surrounding areas or making the kitchen feel bigger thru creative and innovative design.
Master Bath: We will probably end up moving everything around and most likely double the shower size to create that “spa-like” (wife’s term, not mine) experience. Like the kitchen, this needs to be a very high end renovation.
Our plan is to complete all renovations in about 3 years and then probably put the house up for sale so we need to maximize the wow factor in both rooms. It might be possible to find a great designer at a local kitchen and bath center but their expectation would be (justly so) that I would buy cabinets from them. There will not be any cabinets to buy so this option is out. I need to find a fee-based designer who will work with us to get both of these designs optimized. As designers tend to specialize, this will be a traditional design with a hint of contemporary to it. Does anyone have a suggestion or recommendation on where I might find this special design professional that can help us maximize the potential of our renovations? We are located south of Greensboro and 5- 10 minutes from Hagen Stone Park so the picnic might be a good opportunity for any out-of-town designers who might be picnicking to take an initial look. Thanks to all for giving this some thought and for any recommendations that you might have.
In the kitchen, we have decided to go with clear alder. It is something a little different but I should be able to mix it with the maple corbels, ornamental carvings, and carved trim that I have picked up. I do not know what we will do in the bath but we have enough alder (I bought over 800 sq ft) in case we decide to go that direction.
OK, so I finally get to the purpose of this post; we need help on these two big projects from a design standpoint. These are critically important projects to get right and I am concerned about not really getting the biggest “bang for our buck” (yes, my wife watches the show constantly) from our renovations. I want to make sure to avoid design mistakes and realize that planning is at least as important as the actual renovation work.
Kitchen: We have a good sized house (just under 5,000 sq ft) with a disproportionally small kitchen. I need to find a designer who is exceptionally good at designing high end kitchens and figuring out how to either grab space from the surrounding areas or making the kitchen feel bigger thru creative and innovative design.
Master Bath: We will probably end up moving everything around and most likely double the shower size to create that “spa-like” (wife’s term, not mine) experience. Like the kitchen, this needs to be a very high end renovation.
Our plan is to complete all renovations in about 3 years and then probably put the house up for sale so we need to maximize the wow factor in both rooms. It might be possible to find a great designer at a local kitchen and bath center but their expectation would be (justly so) that I would buy cabinets from them. There will not be any cabinets to buy so this option is out. I need to find a fee-based designer who will work with us to get both of these designs optimized. As designers tend to specialize, this will be a traditional design with a hint of contemporary to it. Does anyone have a suggestion or recommendation on where I might find this special design professional that can help us maximize the potential of our renovations? We are located south of Greensboro and 5- 10 minutes from Hagen Stone Park so the picnic might be a good opportunity for any out-of-town designers who might be picnicking to take an initial look. Thanks to all for giving this some thought and for any recommendations that you might have.
