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The Basics of a Kitchen Layout - Part 1
In any space, Function needs to drive Form but it is crucial in the hardest working room of your home. There’s no point in creating a new beautiful kitchen that doesn’t function any better than your existing one does! So let's dive into some of the basics of a kitchen layout.
Defining Your Vision - Part 2
You've gathered a ton of images, and you've been looking over them to pick out what really attracted you to them. Now you're starting to further define your vision by deciding on your design direction? It’s time to edit what you’ve pulled.
Defining Your Vision - Part 1
Now that you've gathered 40-50 images, start looking at them to see if any themes become apparent. These questions will help you decide what your design drivers are and help you in defining your vision.
How to Find Your Inspiration
Dreaming, visualizing, finding inspiration. We need to having a jumping off point to transform your frustrating, non-functional “let’s just order take-out forever kitchen” into a visually pleasing, functioning and emotionally welcome space that you actually want to cook and entertain in, not just dust once in a blue moon.
Kitchens are the Hearts and Souls of our Homes
Kitchens are where ALL the action is. They are where all the parties start and end, where late night chats happen with your teens and where the tantrums of the little ones happen. They are where a family creates traditions, celebrates, and has those laughs that you have where you don’t know why you’re laughing. Kitchens are the hearts and souls of our homes. They are where the love is.
Your Role in Your Renovation
As the client you have certain responsibilities too. So what exactly is YOUR role in your renovation?
A Few Final Questions for Your Contractor
The adage of assumption applies here. Experienced contractors will know things that you don't, and while some things are obvious, others are not. Here are a few final questions for your contractor.
The Anatomy of Hiring a Contractor
Who should you get to do the work? This is the crucial question. You could have an amazing design and an appropriate budget, but still have an awful experience if the contractor you are collaborating with has terrible workmanship, poor communication, or lacks integrity.
Which Home Renovation Professionals To Hire?
Now that you’ve decided that doing the job yourself isn't a good idea, which home renovation professionals should you hire?
Should You Hire a Contractor or Do It Yourself?
A quick google search for DIY fails can provide laughs and social media sharing, but in reality, what you see can be dangerous or destructive and it's clearly not the correct way to repair things. When I looked this up myself, I found everything, from duct tape holding up a toilet tank to a ceiling fan whose blades were installed too close into the corner of a room. So should you go ahead and hire a contractor or do it yourself?
Planning Your Renovation
Now that you've decided to ahead with it, where do you start when planning your renovation? There are so many decisions to make and proper planning will help make the project run more smoothly. To avoid unnecessary cost over-runs, materials and fixtures need to be selected and ordered to allow for lead times and so they are available when needed.
Deck Design Done Right
Building a deck is a fabulous way to increase your living space for a good portion of the year. They provide more room for entertaining, a change of scene for dining, getting out of the summer heat or creating privacy in your yard as well as increasing the value of your home. Here's how to do deck design right.
5 Professionals to Hire When Building a Custom Home
Whether you’re building a custom home for retirement or to raise a family, how well you prepare will determine how good your experience is. Creating a dream home is no easy task, and it doesn’t happen overnight. However, it can also be a thoroughly rewarding experience that results in the home you’ve always wanted. Along with having an idea of what you want, it’s essential to assemble the right team to make your dreams come true. This article will discuss the five most important professionals to work with while building your custom home.
Steps to Completing Your Renovation
Congratulations! You’ve decided to renovate. This is the most exciting time in the process, the euphoria you feel will most likely be extinguished by all the decisions, dust and struggles to realize the vision, the room, the home of your dreams. It’s like finding out you’re pregnant. Boom! Ridiculous joy. Then the morning sickness, the pain of bringing that life into the world, the anxiety and worry as you raise that child until one day that child matures. Each step along the way can be frustrating and rewarding. The renovation process is like that, too.
Contractor? DIY? What should you do?
Let’s talk about when to DIY it and when to get out of the way and hire a professional.
5 Design Tips for the Perfect Home Media Room
No matter your motif, make sure your home media room has these 5 design tips to make it perfect.
How to Convert Your Attic from Cobwebs to Cozy
Here’s how to turn your attic into the perfect retreat at the end of a long day!
New Westminster Heritage House Tour
We had the honour of having the Wood Be Art show house on tour this year along with two other homes we recently did work in. The weather was super and the volunteers amazingly enthusiastic.