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Can an Architect Help Your Renovation?
Have you ever wondered what exactly an architect does and how engaging one could help your home renovation? We interviewed Danielle Berwick, of Berwick Architects, on our podcast All Things Renovation to find out more about her role in the renovation process.
Suzie & Pat's Bathroom
We didn’t do the renovation component of this project but we did do the beautiful floating cabinetry in this space. Notice the grain matching on the doors and drawers!
Sharon & Craig's Kitchen & Dining Room Renovation
This project started out a bit grander but we were able to value engineer and change the scope to meet the budget and still create a unique, open concept family space.
Jill & Marie's Steveston Bathroom
This 2nd floor shared bathroom in a townhouse is tight but with custom built-in cabinetry the additional storage so desperately needed was achieved. The floor tile is a great example of how to infuse character, even in a smaller space.
What Does Insurance Have to Do With Renovations?
Everyone hates paying for insurance when it's not needed but they're super grateful when something does go wrong. However, most people wouldn't think about insurance when they're going through a renovation. On our podcast, All Things Renovation, we interviewed Sonja Blackburn, a local insurance broker, to find out what you need to consider from an insurance perspective when renovating your house. Here is a summary of what we learned from her.
Some Renovations Add Value to Your Home...and Some Don't
When you do renovations, one thing to keep in mind is whether or not what you are doing is adding good value to your home, or potentially lowering it. On our podcast, All Things Renovation, we talked to Vancouver realtor Roland Kym to find out more about how renovations affect the value of your home. Here's a summary of what we learned from him.
A Dream Without a Financial Plan Is Just a Wish!
The French write Antoine de Saint-Exupéry is quoted as saying that "a dream without a plan is just a wish". We'd like to take it a step further and say that a dream without a financial plan is just a wish! One of the first steps you can take to look for the money to fund your renovations is talking to a financial planner. On our podcast, All Things Renovation, we interviewed Glen Dodd, a local financial planner, to find out what tips he could offer. Here is a summary of what we learned from him.
Using Mortgage Financing to Fund Your Renovations
Whether you need to do renovations in order to make your house more attractive to buyers, or you're buying a house and want to improve some aspect of it, sometimes it's a bit of a struggle to come up with the funding to cover the work. On our podcast, All Things Renovation, we interviewed top-performing mortgage broker Krista Klein. Here is a summary of the tips that we learned from her.
The Renovation Process
In bite-sized blog posts, we’ve covered how to find and hone your inspiration images to share with your renovation team, layout basics, cabinetry options & detailing, countertops, backsplashes, flooring, lighting, appliances, and last but not least, your sinks and faucets. Today will be the last post of this series and I figured that we should talk about what to expect with the typical flow of the design and then the construction process.
The Kitchen Faucet
Last week we covered the kitchen sink, and this week we're going to talk about the faucet to go in that sink. Again, you need to consider your needs and your design aesthetic.
The Kitchen Sink
If you’ve been wondering and waiting for it, today is your lucky day! We’re finally throwing the kitchen sink into the mix.
Appliances
Appliances are a big element of a kitchen renovation and one that many people agonize over. The sizing of most appliances is standardized but variations do exist especially once we start getting into the higher end options. I often recommend that clients choose appliances early on in the process as they anchor the cabinetry layout. These days there are so many options, whether you want standard, high-end or commercial styles, so it can take a bit of time to figure out what makes and models you prefer.
LED Lighting Tutorial
Much of the lighting we see these days regardless of which layer we’re talking about comes with LED bulbs. I must confess I do like the incandescent light quality and the cool looking Edison bulbs better than an LED. But they are getting there with getting the light quality and the colour with all the different options that are available.
Lighting Your Kitchen
I have a thing for light fixtures, the more unique and unusual the better. My kitchen style is warm and timeless with traditional roots and we went with repurposed conversation inducing red Edison gramophone horn lights over our dining table. They are a bold statement-type of lighting choice. They provide the lighting we need and I love love love them.
Countertops - Less Common Materials
Last week we covered the four main countertop materials, namely plastic laminate, solid surface, natural/manufactured stone, and wood. In addition, there are four other countertop materials that have been popular at one time or another, but are much less common these days.
Countertops - Main Material Options
Countertops come in a variety of materials, each with differing price points as well as pros and cons. Hopefully you've done some foundational work to make the decision process easier. If not, head back to our "Planning Your Renovation" blog post for a helpful worksheet:
Detailing Ideas for Your Kitchen Cabinetry
Detailing is really what sets your cabinetry apart from a standard, every day modular or big box store kind of product. Not sure what that means exactly? Here are some ideas.
Kitchen Cabinetry
There are so many styles of kitchens - cottage, farmhouse, modern farmhouse, craftsman, rustic, transitional, modern, French, Italian, eclectic, Mediterranean. However, they all fall into 2 main categories – Traditional and Contemporary. Your dream boards will show you the direction that you are headed. There are multitude of ways you can personalize things to your needs, and kitchen cabinetry is a good place to start.
The Basics of a Kitchen Layout – Part 2
There are a couple of theories that designers use for locating your appliances in your kitchen layout.