American River Beauty

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American River Beauty~ 

Classy, Elegant, Transitional

It had been quite a while since this home had been updated.  So this wonderful couple decided to come to Lowe's and to look for cabinet knob ideas.  They desperately wanted to update their space but weren't quite sure where to start.  After discussing their ideas and vision,  we ended up turning that visit into an amazing transformation!

This design was inspired by a natural stone quartzite slab by the name of "Sea Pearl".  My client had seen it at Medimer Tile and Stone and fell in love.  Though there were several things that came up in this project, our biggest challenge was finding a slab that had the right amount of veining, no discoloration, and at least 130" feet long for a finish island length of 10 feet.  Finally we found it, and transferred it in from Arizona Tile in San Diego!

Some other changes to this space were definitely needed.  Though the original layout of this kitchen was quite large, the space still felt a bit cramped in the main work areas.  The cooktop was crammed in between the refrigerator and double oven, and the main sink was way across the room, and out of the main work triangle.  No space should ever have a main work center closer than 4 feet away, or further than 9 feet from another main work center.  The cooking surface, the sink, and the refrigerator all fit into that criteria. 

So we made more space!  Lots and lots of space!  A 10 foot island with the main sink now incorporated within.  The refrigerator moved further to the left, and we straightened out all of those neo-angles, which made the original layout feel busy and cluttered.  We added a huge pantry cabinet with rollout trays, and a full depth cabinet over the refrigerator for cookie sheets.  We maximized the storage by adding 12" deep cabinets on the back of the island going across the entire length. 

Manufacturers Featured:

Latitude Cabinetry -

"Moda Barnwood"

"Midway Cherry Peppercorn"

Island Countertop-

Quartzite "Sea Pearl"

Main Countertop-

Silestone Quartz "Lagoon"

Backsplash-

Emser Tile

Lucente Stone Blend "Andrea"

Spiritual ~ Classic ~ Eclectic

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Spiritual. Classic. Eclectic. I know it seems strange to put those words together in one space, but it definitely works! However, this was not always the case. When my client first came in, she was very sad about her kitchen- to say the least.

Throughout my client's life she had collected many pieces of art, all of which were very important to her. They each represented a piece of her soul; free spirited, caring, compassionate, and artistic- All of the things that helped bring us together. The more I learned about her, the more I was intrigued. I could not wait to help her bring her spirit to life in the "heart of the home"....her kitchen.

 Although my client is a flower child at heart, she is still a very strong, yet refined woman. We wanted to make sure we captured this within her space. So we decided to go for a traditional style of cabinetry. It is a solid wood, raised panel door and drawer front, with a cream painted finish, topped with a butterscotch glaze. Complimetary to this, we featured a classic wood hood in a rich cherry finish. This would set the foundation which would showcase her unique, bohemian treasures.

We brought things together in many different ways. Starting with the most important thing to her....her collection of crystals. All of them have some type of spiritual meaning. They are part of the earth, and deserve to have the sun shine through them. These are showcased on her window for all to see.

 One of my favorite features was her cabinet knobs. She was looking for something unique. Not just the "standard" knob from aisle 12. Surprisingly, this was not something she had collected over the years and stashed away for her future kitchen project. As she searched and searched on the internet for the perfect accent for her space, she kept running into road blocks. One day she stopped in and was very concerned about this particular task. She just could not figure it out. Then it hit me, the perfect place to go to find unique and handmade pieces of art....Etsy! And there we found her wonderful tree knobs.

 Last but not least, was her granite. Black Cosmos from Bedrosians Tile and Stone. This beautiful black stone slab, mixed with waves of gold and sparkling white swirls was absolutely perfect. Words can not describe the beauty.

  Before

  After

A little taste of Modern Living

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It has been a dream of mine for the past 9 years to work on a project like this.  As soon as I met these clients, we instantly knew we would be the perfect match.  

From New York, the rest of their home truly reflected where they were from.  Walking in, you felt like you were walking into a loft in the middle of the city.  Their modern space was truly inspiring, and it was my job to help them incorporate their unique style into their most used space; the kitchen.

  Clean lines, unique features, and ultra modern materials were much needed in order to achieve this look.  From the lowered eating bar on the island, to high-gloss reflection in the cabinetry, and the straight stacked glass backsplash; we definitely created their contemporary style

These clients were truly amazing to work with, and they are very much enjoying showing off their flashy kitchen.  When we came to take these final photos, they couldn't help but mention their neighbors frequently lining up to see their newly remodeled space.  

Bathroom Remodel

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This Guest Bath remodel in Sacramento was a lot of fun.  I was lucky to work with this client and help capture the modern updates that she desired for the space.  The simple additions we made had a huge impact on the space.  From the wood look of the tile floor, the white floating shelves, the side mount wall sconces, and the solid surface marble swirl countertop, she went from dull and worn out, to high-end and luxurious.  A special thanks to Ricky Ashmun for his amazing photography skills!  He really helped capture the clean lines and modern aspects of the design. 

How much should I spend on my kitchen?

Pin It About 50% of the clients I work with have no idea what to spend on a remodel. They've been shopping around various places asking about product, doing online research, and falling in love with the endless options; only to be shocked when the final project price is determined. 

I have always been taught that the budget should be established right away. This way your designer or interior specialist knows what you have to work with and which products to show you. But what should the client tell their designer? What if they say too little and get embarrassed? 

As far as budget goes, you should plan to spend between 5% and 15% of your current home value. If you spend less than 5% you most likely are not getting product that represents your home's true value and quality, not to mention is VERY difficult to do. This will most likely disappoint buyers and affect future resale value. 

Now, to the contrary, spending more than 15% could cause you to lose money in the long run. However, a lot of people who remodel are newly retired or just want their home to be what they want. Perhaps they are never going to leave and will not settle for the basic options. For those clients, the percentage of their purchase compared to home value does not matter. 

Like most things, there are exceptions to the rules. I hope this helps some of you in determining if and when to remodel!