From our site: How to Collaborate with Our Home Remodel Design Team

Our Professionals Can Help You

You might feel intimidated by the thought of working with a professional designer. That’s probably because you have certain expectations about the professional and you probably feel they have expectations about you. To help you collaborate better and ease you into this process of working together, we’ve written this short guide to prepare you for meeting the crew and enjoying an exciting process.

About Different Types of Designers

Contemporary den room uses new wood flooring and wicker furniture.

Interior Design

The interior designer focuses on working with space that is already there, making it more effective and functional. They will look at a room from a holistic viewpoint. They do more than just rearrange some furniture and decorations; they look at lighting, acoustics and ambiance to create an atmosphere that is ideal. When the owner gives their approval to the designs, then they will hire an architect and the designer will work in tandem with the architect to fully realize the space.
Interior designers are best suited for working with individuals, particularly in a residential space. When your room or house has to become a reflection of your own individual style, then an interior designer can help you realize that goal.

Bathroom and Kitchen Designer

Your bathroom facilities are the focus of bath designers. They work in both commercial and residential spaces, and they should have a portfolio of finished work to show you what they are capable of. They usually aren’t concerned about what the rest of the building looks like. They focus single-mindedly on one room and try to implement the owner’s wishes for that individual area. If you just want a bathroom or kitchen remodel or redesign, then these designers are the way to go.

Certified Kitchen Design

Our professionals will help you to make sure that nothing important is left out of the planning process.

All Certified Kitchen Designers (CKDs) have full certification with the National Kitchen & Bath Association. That means they have extensive experience and training and they are highly qualified to work on complex and demanding projects. Certification actually requires that they have at least 7 years of work experience. They also have to pass a certification regimen.
When you have some out-of-the-ordinary design requirements for your kitchen, CKDs are perfectly suited to the task. You may want all customized features or nontraditional elements that may be hard for a typical designer to implement well. That’s when you want to consider a CKD for the job.

Designers as Dealers

You will find that many interior designers work with cabinet dealers. Inversely, many of the cabinet dealers also double as designers, offering a small range of services that may cover what you need. If you are working with a dealer and a designer, be sure they know about your partnerships. That will allow them to be more productive and effective while also smoothing the transition that takes place between designing the room and ordering the cabinets you need.

What the Designer Does

While the designer actually crafts the full design, they will take input from you and incorporate it into that design. Your ideas should be important to the designer, but it will be their knowledge and experience that will be able to put all the pieces together and make everything work. Your designer will make recommendations as to what trims to use, what brands to buy, which materials will work best and what kind of styles will suit your needs.
The designer should be working with you from the concept stage all the way through to the very end of the installation process. The role of the designer won’t always be the same. Some designers do more of a hands-off approach, only giving you the initial design and letting you move forward from there with the contractors that will do the physical labor.
Make sure you know how involved your designer intends to be and choose your designer according to your needs. It is best to have a relationship established between the designer and the dealer so that you end up with the right cabinets for your area.

Preparing for the Initial Meeting with Your Designer

Certified designer advises couple on a remodeling project.

If you want your first meeting with your designer to be productive, then you can do a few things to prepare. Creating a collection of pictures that you like or think might be a good fit for your kitchen is a good idea. Just cut out pictures from magazines or the internet and compile them to show to the designer so you can talk about what you want in a way that illustrates to the designer the exact look you are going for.
Look at what your current space offers you, considering the advantages and disadvantages. Make sure you have some idea of what you are going for before you talk to the designer.

Express Your Ideas Visually

You should try to put together a vision of what your new space should look like. A file folder of pictures is a great place to start, and you want to refine it as you get closer to your meeting. Toss out the ones that don’t fit or that you decide you don’t like. The more concrete examples you can show the designer at your meeting, the more productive it is going to be.

Make Sure You Face Every Flaw in Your Current Kitchen

You should give your kitchen an assessment, looking at what it lacks and what you love about it. Also examine what your habits are – how you use the kitchen, what you tend to buy and how you live. An examination of these facts will reveal what kind of kitchen will work best for you.

Envision the New Room(s)

Think about how your new kitchen is going to be used. Do you have plans to use it as a social gathering space or do you just want to become more focused on developing your cooking skills. These two choices will create very different kitchens, so knowing what your goal is with the kitchen is vitally important.

Choose Kitchen Appliances – At Least Plan the Size

One of the biggest steps in designing a kitchen is choosing the appliances that will go in it. If you know early on how large the appliances will be and have some sense of what they will look like, that will help your designer create a more appealing and personalized kitchen.

Get Some Accurate Room Measurements

Your first discussion with the designer will be more productive if you can provide some basic measurements for the kitchen. The designer will take measurements at some point, but having those dimensions to talk about on that first meeting can prove helpful.

Create a Budget for the Project

Having a budget for your new kitchen is also important. It sets a boundary and tells the designer what you have to work with. Keep in mind that a variety of things affect the final price. If you have to replace the flooring, move walls or add in additional space on the house to accommodate the new kitchen, the costs will be significantly higher than if you were to do a more conservative design.
You might not realize how little some of the changes you want will affect your budget. Variations in countertops and cabinets may not cost you very much, and you may have more options available to you on your budget than you realize.

Set a Timeline for Your Remodel

Make sure you are talking with your designer about when everything will be finished. Don’t just guess in your head and get your hopes up that the kitchen will be finished by a certain time when you have no concrete timeline in place. Just developing the design can take several weeks, and you will need to make sure the proper fees are paid at the right times to keep the process moving along.
If you have a deadline in mind for the process, then make sure your designer knows. Be sure to figure in some extra time just in case you change your mind about something or anything occurs that holds up production.

Ending That First Design Planning Meeting

The initial meeting is likely to cover lots of ground and leave you feeling excited and ready to go on to the next step. You should have an idea of what the budget and timeline will be, and there may be additional meetings scheduled by the time that first one ends.
Your designer may ask for more information, so be sure you have that ready for the next meeting so that nothing holds up the design process. Finally, keep in mind that it is vital you ask any questions of your designer that you may have and that you not be afraid to request changes when you think they are needed


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From our site: How to Create More Space in a Small Kitchen

The best small kitchens out there all share a few common traits. Their layouts are well-planned, they have smart storage features and they are incredibly efficient. For those looking to change up their kitchens or renovate in a big way, here are some ideas that will help you make the most of your kitchen space.

Kitchen shelves provide extra space in a cramped kitchen.

Get Rid of Corners – If you have the opportunity to design your kitchen from the start, then try to get rid of unused space. If you already have corners in your kitchen, then you can use that space to set up corner drawers or other space-saving features that make the most of what you have.

Increase the Sense of Space – You can provide the illusion that your kitchen has more space than it really does by adding mirrors wherever they will fit.

Install Extra Shelving – Using what is known as backsplash shelving, you can install shelves over your counters and above your stovetop to get lots of extra space out of your kitchen. These shelves are perfect for storing items you will use all the time near workstations, such as cookbooks or cooking ingredients.

Add in Counter Bars – You might not have all the space you want for a kitchen table. You can always install a countertop bar and use the area as a table and a food prep area.

Under-cabinet lighting makes a kitchen look much roomier instantly.

Customize to Fit Your Kitchen – Your kitchen is unique, and you should try to incorporate details into it that make the most of the space it has. Angled counters can be specially built to fit your specific kitchen and give you a bit more space.

Use Specialized Lighting – If your kitchen is poorly lit, then it will look more cramped than it really is. You can utilize under-cabinet lighting to make your kitchen appear a bit roomier.

Use Hanging Storage – You can give yourself some extra space by using hanging baskets to store some items. You can also hang your larger pots and pans over windows and counters with hooks to free up even more space.

Install an island – A kitchen island gives you more work space and storage space. Make sure you use the underside of the island to install drawers or shelves to stare lots of handy items. Better yet, many islands can be built to roll into a closet when you need that extra space.

Build a Perfect Place for Everything – If you know what you are storing, you can make your kitchen accommodate it perfectly. You can build special racks for plates, baking pans and other items that need to be stored away. With the right kind of storage for each item, you won’t be wasting space.

Open Storage Spaces – You can create a greater sense of space by taking doors off of the upper cabinets or by making open shelves around the kitchen.

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From our site: Great Ideas for Small Kitchen Islands

Your kitchen island has all sorts of uses, including tying your kitchen together nicely as well. Even if you have a small kitchen area, you can still do some great things with an island. We’ve put together some tips that will help you maximize your space and get the most from your kitchen island.

This slide-under island is ideal for small kitchens that lack prep workspace.

All kitchen islands, no matter how small, should have a few traits in common. Here are a few factors to consider when you are ready to install an island in your kitchen:
Does it give you more counter space?
Can you use it as a kitchen table to eat at?
Does it contain extra storage space- shelves, drawers, hooks, etc.?
Is it the right size for your kitchen where it won’t interrupt the flow of traffic and work?
If your island is going to be a practical area to eat at, then it needs to have open shelves and an overhanging countertop. It’s even better if it has a stool that you can tuck in.
Maybe you found an island you like that doesn’t include an overhang. That’s okay, as you can always replace the countertop with a new one. Just be sure to give yourself about six inches of overhang and ensure the new top is sturdy enough to stand up to regular kitchen work.

Clearance Space

One of the main aspects of your island you have to consider is its size. Think about how large the island is and how much space it will take up in the kitchen. Give yourself about 36 inches for regular aisle space, but increase that to about 42 inches if there is an appliance door facing it.

We recommend 28-36 inches of free walking space between kitchen island and counters.

The best place to put your island is usually in the center of the kitchen. You can also use it to box in a kitchen area that is part of an open floor plan. For open floor plan kitchens, an L-shaped island is often ideal.
If you give yourself about 36 inches of space for every aisle around the island, then you are leaving enough room for two people to comfortably pass. For those spots that aren’t very high traffic, you can probably get away with a few inches less. You should test out your floor plan and measure for the island’s space before you purchase or install any island for your kitchen.
You might discover that your kitchen isn’t big enough for a traditional island. If that’s the case, then you can go with an island that can be folded up or rolled under a countertop.
Your island does not have to be custom made. There are tons of choices out there, and you just need to find the right one from your particular space.

Restaurant-Style Kitchen Island

This small butcher block island is a great way to stow kitchen utensils and have a very attractive workspace.

If you go to a store that sells restaurant supplies, you should be able to pick up an industrial-grade work table. It will be light but strong and usually made of stainless steel. They will also be relatively inexpensive and they come in a range of sizes.
If you want to get the most use out of it, then you should look for one that has open shelving and a towel bar where you can place hooks. You probably want one with locking wheels if you are going to be moving it around regularly, but many of these types of tables are light enough that you can move them easily without the use of wheels.

Butcher’s Block Island

You can also use a butcher block as a kitchen island. The countertop is already made for kitchen use, and it’s no problem to slide a few stools up to it to use it as a kitchen table.

Furniture Island Repurposed

You can take a piece of furniture and repurpose it as an island without much expense to yourself. There are lots of pieces that will work. Here are some of our favorites:
Sofa table – the great thing about repurposing sofa tables is that they are already the right height. You can get them in all sorts of sizes to fit your kitchen perfectly.
Cabinet – You can also use an old cabinet for your island. The best ones are those that have lots of shelves or drawers.
Dining Table – You can take a bar height dining table and make it into an island as well. It already has a counter that is perfect for food preparation, and you can add in hooks on the side of it to increase storage space.

The drop leaf kitchen island is a great way to add seating for casual meals or social mixing.

Drop Leaf Island

A drop leaf gives you extra counter space in your kitchen, and you can prop it up whenever you need the extra space. There may be times where it isn’t possible to install a kitchen island because of a lack of space. A drop leaf can be installed on the end of your cabinets or walls and serve the same function for your kitchen.

Floating Ledge

A butcher block ledge can work as an impromptu island as well. The ledge can be made to fold away when you need that extra kitchen space.

Storable Island

You probably have some spots around your kitchen or in adjoining rooms that can store a small kitchen island. Find that storage space and design or purchase an island to fit the specifications. If you are designing your kitchen from scratch, then you can always install an extra piece on one of the cabinets that rolls out to become an island.

The rolling kitchen island can provide a ton of layout flexibility.

Rolling Island

For a mobile island, you probably want to add on quality wheels. It’s a simple and inexpensive upgrade to make, and you will find that polyurethane wheels work best. You definitely want wheels that can lock so the island won’t move around when you are using it.


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From our site: Creating That Perfect Kitchen Layout

Any great kitchen has to begin with a floor plan that’s effective. The plan needs to allow for easy movement across the kitchen while still being aesthetically pleasing. Here then are some tips for creating the best kitchen layout.

1. Condense the Work Area

You should be able to move freely through your kitchen- from the sink to the stovetop to the refrigerator- without anything hindering you. These three areas of the kitchen make up the work triangle, and it is best to have no less than four feet between each component of that triangle. You don’t want to exceed nine feet between each leg. These space limitations ensure that you aren’t having to take too many steps and that your movement isn’t too restricted.

2. Move Traffic Away from Your Central Location

All aisles and doorways in the kitchen should be positioned in such a way that any traffic through the kitchen can go around the work triangle. This removes hindrances and ensures that people are not always getting underfoot. An island can be a great way to separate the work triangle from the rest of the kitchen, and you can place all doorways on the side of the island away from the triangle. Any supplementary stations that are important to the kitchen, such as message boards or snack stations, should be kept way from the triangle as well.

3. Allow for Plenty of Room

Aisles in the kitchen should be large enough that no one feels the need to travel through the work triangle. In smaller kitchens, three feet of width is about the bare minimum you can get away with for the aisles. Ideally, about 42 inches works for most kitchens, but if you have multiple workstations facing one another, then you may want to allow a little more space.

4. Give Yourself Enough Counter Space

Your counter should have at least 36 inches of clear work space. If you plan to roll out dough on your counter, then 42 inches is a better benchmark to aim for. Island cooktops should have some surrounding space. This gives you room to set pots and pans to the side once they are finished cooking.

5. Determine Storage Space Based on Tasks

If you have a good layout, then everything you have to have will be easily available to you. You won’t have to walk to one end of the kitchen to get something you would use on the other side. You need to have enough storage at each station to be able to store everything you would need for that station right there. The cooktop should have storage space for oils, ladles, hot pads, stirring spoons and spices. Your counter space or prep station should have all mixing utensils, bowls, measuring instruments and other food prep tools.

6. Put Ingredients Where They Need to Be

Think about what ingredients you will need each day as you make meals. Your fridge should be close to where you store the cereal, so you don’t waste a lot of time walking about the kitchen every day to get what you need. Items that need to be boiled before use, such as rice and pasta, should be kept near the stove.

7. Plan for Where Every Door Will Swing

As you plan your kitchen, be sure to look out for doors that will invade your work space. Give yourself plenty of space to open all doors, including those on appliances. Look for instances where doors would collide if they were to open at the same time and try to resolve those.

8. Look at Installation Guidelines for Each Appliance

Before you purchase any appliance, look at what the instructions say about installing them. Some need extra space in the back to allow for airflow, while others have doors that may swing open very far.

9. Consider Your Electrical Plan

You also want to make sure that you have enough outlets across the kitchen for everything that will need to be plugged in there. Don’t just think about the smaller appliances like blenders, mixers and toasters, but consider ample outlet space for your items that will need to stay plugged in, like the microwave and fridge.

10. Think about Trash Can Usage

A lot of people like to put their trash can out of sight, usually under the sink. But if you store it there, then you cannot use it while the sink is in use. Instead, plan to put the trash can just to the side of the sink. It can still be concealed and not be hard to access at times.

11. Put Oft-Used Dishes Close to the Dishwasher

If you plan for your dishes to be next to the dishwasher, you won’t have to spend so much time and energy unloading them.

12. The Fridge Probably Should Not Be Next to the Oven

In most cases, it’s not a good idea to have the fridge and oven next to one another. The heat from the oven is going to force the fridge to work overtime, causing it to burn out sooner.

13. Your Island Should Work for You

Islands should have plenty of space on all sides; otherwise, they will be a nightmare to work around. If you have a large kitchen, it may be a god idea to implement two small islands instead of a single large one. That will make it easier to reach everything you need. You can even install a peninsula, which works well for smaller kitchens.

14. Make Your Kitchen Appealing

Your kitchen should have a definite focal point. This can be any station in the kitchen, and you can make it the focus by surrounding it with elegant cabinetry or a stunning backdrop.

15. Work with Someone Who Is Experienced

If you consult with a professional, they can use their expertise to point out the best way to layout your kitchen and make the most of your space. They can also help you determine a budget and set priorities to make sure you get your dream kitchen. We would love to be considered for that honor.  Our company has deep experience and serves not just Charlotte and {city} but dozens of other towns in the Metro Charlotte area.  Give us a call at 980-201-2500 and let us do a free design consultation for you.

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Implementing Track Lighting in Your Kitchen

Track lighting is not only easy to install, but it can also make your work in the kitchen much easier and add some atmosphere to its appearance.

Your kitchen will benefit from a central light source, but you shouldn’t forget task lights that are aimed right where you want to work. Track lighting manages to accomplish both of those goals, and it lets you place light where you need it most. Any kitchen with just a single ceiling light fixture can benefit from track lighting. You can purchase track lighting in flexible or rigid tracks. You can also wire it through the junction box in the ceiling and aim each light right where it needs to be pointed to give you the best illumination.

Track lighting gives you plenty of freedom. Even the best kitchen designers recommend it, as it comes in a variety of styles and it can be made to blend in or stand out. If you want to make your lighting practically disappear into the kitchen, you can go for a white track that disappears on a white ceiling. For more of a standout approach to your lighting, you can always buy track lighting with a metal finish. You can choose spotlight features for your lighting, making it simple to pinpoint it right where you need it. That’s perfect for illuminating art or making it easier to see what you are doing at specific workstations in the kitchen. Lights that are designed like pendants can give you a soft light that can be filtered and shaded with a variety of colorful glass coverings.

Choice in Installation

Your kitchen’s ceiling junction box is usually the best place to install the track lighting. The most basic track lighting systems are between 4 and 8 feet, and they include spotlight features. You do need to watch out for track lighting that doesn’t come with these kinds of options. If your track light doesn’t let you adjust it like a spotlight, then it will likely only provide ample lighting in the center of the kitchen, leaving important task areas around the periphery poorly lit.

You are better off with flexible track lighting systems, which are called monorail systems. These tracks actually curve so that they accommodate the design of your particular kitchen. You can optimize your lighting to illuminate several workstations at once.

Track lights are typically compatible with many different ceiling heights. They are not recessed, which makes them ideal for ceilings that deviate from the norm. The track lighting is supported and suspended using standoffs. These come in two varieties- rigid and flexible. The rigid standoffs are best for flat ceilings, while the adjustable standoffs work well on irregular ceilings. If you are installing one of these systems in a vaulted ceiling kitchen, you can use a track suspension kit to make the job easier.

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Starting our kitchen remodel series

With "Let’s Look at the Scope of a Kitchen Renovation Project" @ https://lnkd.in/dEjeZ6V

Will update the blog as the series continues.