5 Trade-Offs to Consider When Remodeling Your Kitchen

October 13, 2020December 3, 2018

It would be great to have an unlimited budget for a kitchen renovation. But the fact is most of us do not. And that’s OK. Compromises of one form or another are part of the process, even for the rare homeowner who enjoys a bottomless budget and expansive square footage.

But how, exactly, do you decide between two compelling options with different pros and cons? The most critical tool to have on hand to help you make tough choices is a clear picture of your remodel goals. To get clarity on what matters most to you, read about some key trade-offs you and your kitchen designer will consider during your project.

How Will You Use Your Kitchen?

When planning a kitchen remodel yourself or with a kitchen designer, you want to be very clear on how you want to use your new kitchen. Here is one example: I want to have people over more often. I want to feel relaxed when I entertain. In order to feel relaxed, I need to make sure that no one is in my way while I cook. I also want my kitchen to stay neat during the cooking process and be laid out so that cleaning up will be efficient.

Clear goals can help homeowners make decisions and, as the budget nears its limit, ultimately choose the options that will best support their goals. What matters most to you in a kitchen?

1. Daily Use vs. Special Events

This area of consideration has to do with how many people your kitchen will serve. From refrigerator storage to seats at the dining table, the number of people you want to accommodate will affect your design choices. You’ll want to consider not only how many people live in the home now, but — if this is your forever home — how many will live in it 10 years from now. Also, how often do you entertain and for how many people?

I had a client who was retired and cooked only for herself and her husband most days. She entertained just four times a year, on holidays. At first, I was a bit baffled by her choice of a 36-inch range, double ovens and a 48-inch-wide refrigerator. But for her, these choices made sense.

As the matriarch of a large family, on those four holidays she cooked for 25 to 30 people and had at least two or three people helping her in the kitchen. It was important to her that we designed a flexible space that worked just as well when cooking for two as for 30.

That approach is a good one: Whenever possible, I recommend that clients design with their maximum capacity needs in mind.

2. Cost vs. Value

As you may have discovered if you’re considering a remodel (or in the midst of one), everything from cabinets to sinks to appliances comes at a variety of price points. How do you decide when it’s worth it to splurge for a high-quality item and when it’s best to save your dollars? Here are some questions to ask yourself:

Will the investment improve your everyday life?
Will the product solve a pet peeve?
Will the addition of this element make your house feel like a home?
Will the purchase increase the value of your home?

In each of these cases, you may decide that the cost of a feature for your new kitchen is worth it because of the value it brings. For example, a better dishwasher might eliminate the need to prerinse dishes.

Perhaps you hate scrubbing dishes, can afford an upgrade and would cherish any minute of spare time away from the sink. Or perhaps you feel quite the opposite: You don’t mind scrubbing dishes at all, and this investment wouldn’t be worth the pennies spent.

Framing your choices as cost vs. value — in terms of your experience in your kitchen, and possibly the resale value of your home — can help you get clarity on what’s worth the extra money.

One helpful way to prioritize your desires is to analyze the frequency and duration of a given task. Tasks you do frequently or spend more time on should get more weight as you consider what is worth investing in.

For example, most people use the burners to cook 80 percent of the time, the oven 20 percent of the time. If this applies to you, I recommend prioritizing the cooktop as opposed to the wall oven, both in terms of placement in your kitchen and quality of product. You wouldn’t want to give up a great burner feature to get a fancier oven.

On the other hand, if you are a frequent baker but rarely use the stovetop, you may prefer to invest in wall ovens rather than spend your budget on a fancy range. For you, it would be better to make sure that reaching into the oven is more ergonomic — done while standing upright, rather than bending over.

3. Function vs. Aesthetics
Ideally a kitchen redesign brings both beauty and function, but when we are dealing with limited funds, trade-offs between functionality and aesthetics may be necessary. By function, I mean not only the kinds of bells and whistles you get with high-end appliances, but also the kitchen’s layout and the choice of whether to have one sink or two.

Aesthetics, of course, are the expensive but gorgeous finishes and customized detailing that bring a high-end look to a kitchen. Quite often, a budget may force you to make choices on what matters most to you — the functionality or the look.

This area of trade-off is deeply personal and has a lot to do with your lifestyle. When weighing aesthetics vs. function, you’ll want to consider everything I mentioned before: how many people you cook for daily, how often you entertain, the kind of entertaining you do (backyard barbecues vs. sit-down dinners), the style of cooking you prefer and how many people work in the kitchen at one time.

For example, a client who doesn’t do a lot of cooking and is more concerned with the kitchen’s look than its function might really want a beautiful built-in fridge with custom panels but be willing to use a less expensive range or counter material to have that pricey, beautiful fridge.

On the other hand, I have had several clients (including the owners of the kitchen in this photo) who chose a free-standing fridge and put their budget into the plumbing and construction work required to add a second sink. To me, this is a significant functional improvement and, for those who enjoy cooking and entertaining, worth scaling back on some of the aesthetic details.

There are many ways you can cut back on aesthetics to create room in your budget for what’s important to you functionally. You might consider a simpler, less expensive door style on the cabinets, or a ceramic backsplash tile instead of glass, or quartz counters instead of granite.

I even had one client use a very inexpensive laminate counter so that she could put more money into the remodel work necessary to get the layout just right. Since she was in her forever home, she replaced the laminate with a beautiful stone two years later when finances allowed.

4. Speed vs. Patience

Any home improvement project takes time — that’s just part of the process. And once the kitchen is demolished and construction is underway, any delay can be difficult, particularly if you are living in the home and dealing with the mess. When you are in that situation, the risk is that you will be tempted to say yes to anything just to get the project done and your home back to normal.

This happened with one of my clients, who decided to use a second-choice backsplash because it was in stock, whereas her first choice had a month lead time. On the other hand, a different client had trouble finding a backsplash tile she liked, so she finished her kitchen and skipped the backsplash altogether. Three months later, she found the perfect tile and brought the tile installer back. I am sure you can guess which homeowner was more happy with her kitchen remodel.

When making a large financial investment that you are going to live with a long time, I recommend that you go slowly, taking the time to find the right people to help and weighing your decisions carefully.

That being said, speed can be a necessary evil. Perhaps you are remodeling for a special event, such as a backyard wedding. Or maybe you are planning to sell the house and just want a quick face-lift to get the most out of your investment.

As a guide when weighing the need for speed vs. the need to exercise your patience muscles, I recommend you consider how long you plan to live in your home. If you’re going to sell within five years, keep in mind that everything doesn’t have to be perfect — you simply want to be sure you will get your investment back when you sell. However, if you plan to live in the home for 10 years or more, it’s worth slowing down and investing in your quality of life. Take the time to find the right solution, not the quick one.

5. The Ideal Me vs. the Real Me
This one isn’t so much a trade-off as a reality check. It’s worth mentioning that some clients have fantasies that a remodel can change their habits — or even their personalities. But my observation has been that if you are already a messy cook, the chances of a new kitchen transforming you into a clean-as-you-go type are pretty slim.

Rather than plan a kitchen for the person you wish you were, focus on solutions that take your true habits into account. For example, a messy cook who is embarrassed when guests are around might want to add a separate cleanup sink where he can hide dirty dishes while making a meal.

Or, if clutter is a constant problem, a homeowner might want to create a hidden drop zone for papers, cellphones, pens and other detritus that kitchen counters tend to attract.

Strategies to Create Color Flow Throughout a Home

August 30, 2020May 17, 2013

Originality and creativity are having a moment: eclectic, colorful spaces are all the rage. But though many are over matchy-matchy furniture and one-size-fits-all paint colors, some consistency throughout the home isn’t a bad thing. Done right, color coordinating leads to better flow and a polished, cohesive interior design.

Model-home interior designer Mary DeWalt from Austin, Texas; creates designs to appeal to buyers, and one of the ways she does does that is by maintaining color flow throughout. “For us, picking colors is all about memory,” she says. “People are more likely to remember a home with a particular color scheme, because it’s different from all the rest. If buyers are looking at several homes, that all-turquoise one will stand out in their minds.”

DeWalt’s savvy color-coordinating strategies can help turn a disjointed, choppy sauce into a flowing thought-out masterpiece, as this model home design demonstrates. Pick and choose the ideas that might work for you, too.

Photo: Colorful House in Portland via Flickr

As you make your color choices, go with what you love, not just what is trendy. DeWalt suggests picking one neutral and two accent colors to carry throughout every room. Accessories provide the color in rooms with neutral walls and grouping accessories in threes keeps tabletops interesting yet clutter free.

Not every room needs to include every color. Cohesion is key, but that doesn’t mean you can’t experiment with materials. When accessories aren’t enough, add a wow factor, or what DeWalt calls a punctuation mark.

Even if you love your color scheme, be cautious with big purchases. “Don’t commit to large, colorful furniture, because if you get tired of the color, it is much more expensive to replace,” DeWalt says. Game rooms and kids’ rooms are great spaces to take chances in; consider going bold with a brightly painted ceiling. In a transitional room, such as a hallway or an entryway, don’t feel the need to go big with color just a hint of your palette can be enough.

Don’t limit your color scheme to the interior – bring it to your pool or patio with matching tile. For those whose budget doesn’t include a pool renovation (or even a pool), something as simple as colorful outdoor cushions can ensure that your outdoor and indoor spaces pair perfectly.

10 Big Solutions for Small Spaces

August 30, 2020May 16, 2013

From striped floors in the living room to open shelves in the kitchen, designers share their best tricks for tiny rooms.

Photo: Ngoc Minh Ngo via House Beautiful

#1 Mix Low and Tall Furniture

In any small space, it’s important to not feel boxed in. In this Chicago apartment by architectural consultants Richard Bories and James Shearron, a low credenza is a smart substitute for the obligatory tall bookshelf, which would have closed off the space. “It’s very effective to keep things low and punctuate with verticals here and there,” says Shearron.

Photo: Ngoc Minh Ngo via House Beautiful

#2 Dare to Be Dramatic

Small spaces are perfect for bold decorating because they require less time, money and materials. “In small, modern apartments you have to create dramatic moments that offset the lack of detail – but don’t hog the space,” says Shearron, who helped chose Benjamin Moore Bright Yellow paint for the apartment’s front door. “Bold, graphic gestures like that look cool in small spaces,” he explains.

Photo: Bjorm Wallander via House Beautiful

#3 Choose Side Chairs

Chairs without arms are perfect for small spaces because they’re much easier to get in and out of. They’re also more lightweight. In this 295-square-foot Brooklyn studio, designer Nick Olsen chose a mismatched pair that can effortlessly be moved around the room to wherever they’re needed.

Photo: Bjom Wallander via House Beautiful

#4 Don’t Compromise… Everything

Even though space may be tight, don’t settle on what’s important to you. Though this apartment is just one room, the bed is centered in the room rather than pushed against the wall. “But you have to pick your moments. It’s a full size, not a queen,” says Olsen. “She has a love seat instead of a sofa.”

Photo: Thomas Loof via House Beautiful

#5 Create Distinct Zones

“If a space in monotone, it’s going to feel like one undefined space; if you create distinctions in the space, it feels larger,” says designer Maureen Footer. To make her New York City studio feel larger, she divided up the space by function. A Persian rug sets off the entry while a bookcase helps to define the office area.

Photo: Thomas Loof via House Beautiful

#6 Hang Curtains at the Ceiling

Vertical lines help create the illusion of height. By hanging curtains directly underneath the crown molding, Footer made the apartment’s low ceilings seem higher and the whole space fell airier.

Photo: Victoria Pearson via House Beautiful

#7 Install Open Kitchen Shelves

Traditional upper cabinets can close off a kitchen. By in stalling open shelves, designer Chris Barrett made her small California kitchen seem more open. “Wall cabinets are utliltarian but so dull. I love having open shelves and being able to stack pretty dishes and paintings on them,” she says.

Photo: Victoria Pearson via House Beautiful

#8 Choose Furniture with Curves

Forget about furniture with sharp, pointy corners. For tight corners or narrow hallways, Barrett recommends curved furniture that can easily be walked around.

Photo: Simon Watson via House Beautiful

#9 Elongate a Space with Stripes

Create the illusion of length by playing with pattern. In architect Bill Ingram’s 1,400-square-foot Alabama cottage, thick and narrow stripes are painted over the stained wood floors. He then used furniture that’s up on legs, so the continuation of the lines are visible under chairs and tables.

Photo: Simon Watson via House Beautiful

#10 Install Glass Doors

Ingram also used lots of glass doors – even on closets – to “extend views and add sparkle” throughout the home. It’s a smart way to carry light into dark storage spaces.

(You are reading an article originally posted on House Beautiful)

Choose Paint Colors With a Color Wheel

August 30, 2020September 10, 2012

Color Wheel Guide

Photo: The Color Wheel Co.

Picking out paint colors can be a confusing experience, leaving you racked with indecision as you peruse swatches from paint companies intent on re-creating all of the 7 million colors distinguishable to the human eye. Trying to figure out which of those colors will mix harmoniously on your living room wall is enough to make you turn straight to the ecru-and-eggshell-white family and never leave.

One way to go, however, is to use a complementary color scheme. Proving the rule that opposites attract, these pairings can always be found at opposite ends from each other on a paint color wheel. When put together, they bring out the best in each other, making both colors look cleaner and brighter than if either were mixed with, say, a neutral gray or a different shade of the same hue.

An essential tool for paint pros everywhere, the color wheel is constructed to help you see the relationships between different hues. The bases are thre primary colors: red, blue and yellow. These are then combined to make the three secondary colors: orange, green, and purple. Finally, the remaining six colors on the wheel are known as tertiary colors and are mixes of the secondary colors, including such hues as red-orange and blue-green.

Familiarizing yourself with the color wheel can help you understand how to best mix and match a cool color with a warm one, for a naturally balanced room. Here are some examples of how to use these color pairings effectively.

Photo: Deborah Whitlaw-Llewellyn

Complements: Red and Green

When considering paint colors, remember to figure in the finish of any woodwork in the room. In this rustic Colonial-style kitchen, the green hues brushed onto the walls and lower cabinets complement the red tones of the mahogany beadboard and upper cabinets.

Photo: Mark Lund

Complements: Red-Orange and Blue-Green

The two colors you choose don’t have to have equal prominence in the room to work. You can use one as the main color as an accent, or bring small colored accessories into an already painted room to see how you feel about the pairing. Here, the energetically bright orange-red towel and glass pop against the cool, blue-green walls without overwhelming the soothing hue.

Photo: Laura Moss

Complements: Orange and Blue

Keep the furniture you already have in mind when considering a new paint color. The cool blue milk paint on this wall accentuates the bright burst of orange on the blank chest in front of it – a scheme echoed in a more muted fashion in the bedroom rug beyond the doorway.

Photo: Laura Moss

Complements: Yellow-Orange and Blue-Violet

Bright colors can breathe new life into traditional woodwork and work especially well in casual living areas. Here, glossy violet-blue pantry doors in a mudroom pop against the yellow-orange of the adjacent wall. When working with more saturated hues, remember that the colors will often appear more intense on the walls than they do on the strip.

Photo: Laura Moss

Complements: Yellow and Violet

If you’re a bit timid about suddenly splashing a couple of cans of color onto your walls, consider using two complementary colors as accents in the same room. In this 1950s kitchen the yellow window casing and violet countertop show nicely against the neutral beadboard and white cabinets.

Photo: Gregg Segal

Complements: Yellow-Green and Red-Violet

Make sure the intensities of the tones you use are balanced. In this kitchen, the pale yellow-green trim and pantry door meet their match in the subdued reddish-violet paint on the walls.