Right Size The Kitchen to Fit the Home

Right sizing the kitchen to the home is an important consideration and best addressed when the designer gets to be on board from concept to finished product. When this happens we get to balance the reasonable number of occupants the space would accommodate and the number of cooks against the floor plan and the size and function of the appliances, counter tops, and seating etc. 

Unfortunately this isn't always the case. Often we get a predefined, sadly inadequate space and have to make the most of it. It's what they call a "design challenge" and it keeps me in a job I love. What's  worse is when a new home or newly remodeled and doesn't fit the needs of the new homeowner.  In the affluent New York City real estate market, it's nothing to gut a $3 million apartment and kick new cabinets, appliances and counter tops to the curb because they aren't right for the owner. This offends my frugal Scottish nature...but is made more palatable when the client allows the kitchen to be donated to a company like green demolitions. There are many companies across the country who will take your old kitchen away in exchange for a tax right off.

Recently I had the opportunity to "expand" a kitchen at the new Philippe Starck building on 23rd Street, known as the Gramercy Starck. The building is beautiful, the impressive lobby is decorated in Black and White with an intimate seating area and a large lavish round shaded light fixture floating above. The apartments in the building are very well appointed with freestanding bathtubs and high quality fixtures.

The Sink side had almost no available
counter with the microwave on it.

The one complaint from my client who owns a 3 bedroom, 1600+ s.f.  apartment on a high floor with downtown views, is the small kitchen. Instead of gutting in this case we added a wall unit in the adjacent dining room which matched the furniture. The original galley kitchen shown here was approximately 13 linear feet in a rich wenge finish.





With custom Stainless Steel, Statuary marble counters, and
under cabinet lighting, the elegant unit
is a compliment to the sophisticated space.

The new wall unit was finished in an very dark ebony engineered veneer and Statuary marble it fits the space and the mood of the building. The design was not only eco-friendly and functional, but offered the family 3 additional seats for dining and a buffet area for entertaining. The small dining area is propped 6" higher than the main counter area supported by a 40.5" tall stainless column and a custom designed 4" stainless steel standoff. Creating the wall unit provided a home for the microwave which wasn't wasn't otherwise designed into the kitchen, and gave them a place to display their Viking wine fridge which heretofore was stored in one of the apartments ample closets. At just 11 feet long it nearly doubled the storage space of the existing kitchen.

Overall the building is breathtaking and the apartments very sophisticated, but some of the kitchens are not quite right sized for the size of the apartment. It was great to have an opportunity to be creative and enhance the space rather than demolish and rebuild.

Monogram Innovative Refrigeration in a Size Perfect for City Living



GE Monogram offering of fully integrated refigeration
with glass, stainless, or panel ready fronts.



Here in New York we design "largely" using appliances much smaller than what you will find in a typical suburban kitchen. It's rare to use a refrigerator that is larger than 36", although I did use two 48" ranges in 2011 and come to think of the Sub Zero towers as well, it's not called for every day and they take up a combined 54" + cladding. Four and a half feet wide by 7 feet tall  is a lot of food storage even for a 5 bedroom house in the burbs!

For everyday designing we find ourselves looking for the best refrigeration solution between 24" and 30", the Liebherr at 24" offers a lot for the price of approximately $2,300.00 although the freezer is comprised of little drawer compartments, if you can work with them they are functional, but certainly not luxurious as they have no real hardware system. One very nice feature they do offer is an icemaker.

The ever popular Sub Zero at 27" has a couple of design flaws in my opinion, the freezer is only one small drawer with ice maker, you accept the size before you buy it, so that is a decision. But more importantly you can't pull the crisper drawers out when the refrigerator door is open 90 degrees. It is locked in by a permanently affixed shelf on the door. This is a real problem here in the city when we are living in tight spaces and this is a fridge that doesn't easily pop out to make drawer cleaning possible.

Convertible freezer/refrigerator drawer in GE Monogram

For about the same price as the Sub Zero, perhaps even a little less, GE Monogram offers a very thoughtfully designed refrigerator, that is not only capable of being fully integrated, it has a much roomier freezer drawer and a "tween" drawer in the mid-section that can instantly convert at any time from refrigerator to freezer and back again. It's ingenious if you ask me, and the ice maker in the tween drawer makes it a great energy saver in a busy household where people are regularly just opening the freezer compartment for ice.

The interior fresh food compartment reminds me of the pricey but beautiful Miele fridge, known for its bright well organized appearance and sturdy moving components. The Ge Monogram has heavy duty Glass shelves with aluminum trim and side lighting, and is a very well priced option for someone looking for the best in design and function.

If you are in the New York City area and want to preview the GE Monogram line, contact Paula Cecere or Corinne at the A&D Building GE Monogram Design Center located at 150 East 58th Street, 10th Floor; New York, NY 10155 (212) 223-1699

Designing My Year--2011



Calcutta Gold Sofa courtesy of Stone Master Craftsman
Ilia De Ploti of New York Stone



 2011 was a great year in kitchens in many ways, I had the opportunity to design using some of the most fun creative materials from Brooks Verdicrete to Ceasarstone Concetto, from Stainless Steel Irpinia cabinets in an earthy brick Chelsea loft  to a serene sophisticated uptown penthouse Rutt Kitchen, with clients who really cared about the aesthetic result, and with a fellow staff that is fun to be with, professional, clean and responsive. My clients affirm this to me daily in emails, phone calls, and referrals.

When someone comes in to do their dream kitchen and they have the checkbook to back it up, you know  the raw potential to be great, after all in New York City we are fortunate to be dazzled by the newest, best, latest and the greatest, presented in such a way we want to have it all. For a good designer this has the potential to be a playground of epic proportions. This was my year for such fun and good hard work. I found myself bouncing between Park Avenue in the 80's, Manhattan's Gold Coast, and Brownstone renovations in Cobble Hill and the Promenade areas in Brooklyn, where my own parents started their life together 50 years ago this year.

With so much going on around us each day of the bustling year,  it feels good to look back at times and take notice of things and people that made us smile or jobs that gave us satisfaction or others who shared their beautiful work to inspire us. It may have been a needed laugh, a sunset captured,  a job well done, a hug, or simply thoughts of the kids at home growing smarter and more independant each day but still not too grown up to goof around, but all in all 2011 was a year of personal and professional growth and "taking New York".

The job I do wouldn't be possible without so many people who make my days bright and help me get my  designs off paper and into the home. Here is a glimpse of 2011 at MCK+B and at home.



Cheers to Meryl Dourmashkin, the finest, brightest most organized and thorough project manager
I have ever worked with, who can communicate volumes in a two
word email, she gets it done!







Eamon, Malachy, and Giovanny who run the cleanest

 jobsites I have ever seen for

MCK+B where we call this "under construction"



Kitchen Designed for West 20th Street, NYC project run by

Marthe Rowen AIA of Virginia. Celophane still

on the steel cabinets almost ready to unveil. Installation

By Manhattan Center for Kitchen + Bath.





Steve Naphtali of Kitchen Expressions and fellow MCK+B
designer Hany Gerges Steve talks me through it and Hany is
never to busy to answer a question or weigh in an opinion.







The girls in my life who constantly amaze me,
growing by leaps and bounds more beautiful every day.
Thanks for keeping me young at heart xoxo.

 



This stunning little bathroom will be the first page in my book
"101 Uses for Semi-Precious Stone"



2011 Saw the opening of the World Trade Center Memorial and the
Freedom Tower climbs to a height where it is dominating skyline of lower Manhattan.
Photo by Laura Candler

Kendall DeLisa and Clare Hernon taking in "Occupy Wall Street"
with Laura Candler on a warm November day.



With Sky Views of all of lower Manhattan and
Brooklyn from the 30th floor, this kitchen
and client will be a lasting  favorite.











Eric Williams, the man who photo-chronicles every family

outing I can't make it to, it's as close to being there
as a working mom could get. Thank you!

 



People watching in NYC, never dull, is it part panda,
 not really but it was almost 100 degrees with not a breath of air,
and they were big and wooley.





A quiet simple view of a kitchen that is a perfect fit in every way, can you find the laundry room?
You are looking right at it.



And the sun goes down on another year, I am looking forward to the fun and excitement of 2012.
 Photo by Eric Williams

Special thanks to Andie Day, Fran Asaro, Allan Linder, Sol Kassorla, Leah Primamore Pavlovich, Ahuva Ginden, Jamie Goldberg, Eric and our girls, Laura Fancy Pants Candler, Paul and Lena, Paula Cecere, General Electric, Monogram, NJ Transit, Trader Joe's, Blogger19 and my mom.

The BIG Questions When Hiring a Contractor

Can I meet a client and see a project that was completed 5-10 years ago?

We all like to browse cutting edge technology and the latest and coolest design offerings, but that is what showrooms are for! Truthfully if you can see one or two prior completed jobs when you are considering hiring a contractor, see something that was designed and built a few years ago. This will give you a window into a few important things

• Brand and Durability of products offered
• Integrity and quality of the installation
• Ease of the process'
• Long term Client satisfaction
• How long the Contractor has really been in business*

*a few contractors, certainly not all contractors, exaggerate the longevity of their business, beware of this practice.

When you meet that client, it’s important to ask the right questions

• Was your Project completed on time and in budget?
• Were there many changes after the project began-surprises and extra work
• Were you permitted as the homeowner to supply any of your own material, tile flooring etc? Or did everything need to be purchased through the contractor?
• Did the contractor charge a premium?
• Was the job well supervised?
• Was the work continuous within reason (stopping for inspections)?
• Were there any issues after the job was completed, how were they handled
• Does the client feel like they got good value, and what they expected?
• Was the name of the Business hired 5 years ago the same as the contractor is using today?*

*again, changing a business name is a tactic used by a few contractors out there to hide from bad reviews, lawsuits, and dissatisfied customers. Do your homework and don’t fall for this.

None of this is to say that you shouldn’t hire a new business or a young contractor. Quite the contrary, it just does pay to do your homework to find out where they got their start, and if they are young, have they worked for someone in the past? Ask to speak to that contractor.

Some contracts have 50 clauses on the back, if they do, take the time to read each one. If you think you need a lawyer to review the contract, then get one or move on to another contractor. It's possible the contractor you're dealing with has been on the receiving end of a lawsuit. This may or may not have been warranted or unwarranted. Your contract should be in easy to read language. Make sure that you are protected and negotiate changes you want up front.
I grew up in the construction business, third generation after both of my grandfathers’ and my own dad. Many of the people who worked for my father went on to have their own businesses. They stayed in touch with us as a family, and when the work was getting beyond my father he took pride in handing the jobs down to his past employees, with confidence they would do a great job.

If someone hasn’t come up the ranks working on the job-sites, as an apprentice, then journeyman, then master craftsman they are more of a “marketing expert/business person”, their perspective on the business may be very different than someone who learned the business from the foundation up.

Finally always check the name of the business with the Better Business Bureau. Accreditation with this organization shows a willingness by the contractor to be openly scrutinized. This practice protects the consumer and the Contractor, and if the business you are looking into has nothing to hide, they will want to share their excellent rating.



Author’s note: Working for one of the top kitchen design showrooms in the country is an honor and a pleasure. I have shared with my employers at MCK+B what I have learned through my personal experiences in this business, and they know that while they chose me as the right person for the showroom, I chose them based on their impeccable reputation. I am never too busy to offer advice, or give the name of independent referrals within the industry. Follow me on Twitter for industry updates!

Semi-Custom vs Custom Cabinetry

Flawless Design and Installation

Lately, the question of the hour seems to be, "should I use semi-custom or custom cabinetry, what's the difference?"  I say this: To some the only difference is the company's position in the marketplace. Just because a company adds new painted and glazed finishes and many semi-custom options would the "Largest Stock Cabinet Manufacturer" in the country give up their position on top to become a smaller fish in the semi-custom market? That may seem like an overly simplistic answer,  but it brings you to the truth of the matter, which is each company should be evaluated for their product, and each kitchen for it's need.

The higher end custom companies do definitely have higher quality finishing, and attention to detail as well as allowing for full creative input from the designer, Like the kitchen above designed by Sol Kassorla of Manhattan Center for Kitchen + Bath. Even if you aren't looking for the "fancier" or "better" options, how about the attention they pay to lumber grade, and the curing of the wood, the toners used to stabilize the finish, and cabinetry that can be perfectly sized to fit high end appliances like the featured Sub Zero glass door refrigerator. These are all things that matter tremendously to the overall finished look of your kitchen.

I have seen a semi-custom cherry kitchen that looked beautiful when it was new, turn into the "Tony the Tiger" kitchen after the wood began to season and stripe. Over the first year after the kitchen was installed the contrast of the white and green wood that was mixed in the doors became overpowering. And the kitchen, which was high end semi-custom lost mush of it's visual appeal.

Beautiful Custom Rope Columns

Also to keep in mind, semi-custom companies do offer many structural modifications to their cabinetry, making them easier than ever before to customize to fit, the options vary from company to company. However, keep in mind that if your layout demands many of these modifications to properly fit the space you will be driving cost up and can end up spending as much as you would for a full custom kitchen. If from the start you are looking for things like working side entries on cabinets, meticulously engineered wainscoat panels, moldings and columns look to a designer like Steve Naphtali of  Kitchen Expressions of Short Hills who designed the kitchen on the right which was featured on HGTV.

If Old Navy jeans are okay at $39.00 dollars a pair, but you need to have the leg and the waist tailored for another $40.00, wouldn't it make sense to buy the Gap jeans that fit you perfectly for $69.00? Kitchens are more complicated than jeans so you need to do a little more homework.

Consult with designers for both types of cabinetry, see what products and services are offered and what fits your kitchen best. A kitchen is only as good as the installation, so do yourself a favor and stay away from online contractor referral schemes, talk to your friends and neighbors  to find out the best services in your area. Remember "Service Magic" is paid for by the contractor who wants your business, this not an independent referral service!

Bright Ideas in Under Cabinet Lighting

 

 Traditional Inset Kitchen with LED strip lights.

There are so many decisions to make when planning a kitchen. Some of the most important ones need to be made in the beginning, like appliances, cabinetry, under cabinet lighting. You may wonder why under cabinet lighting couldn't wait until closer to the end, especially if you're feeling overwhelmed by the choices. When properly planned for ahead of time a professional designer will customize the bottoms of the cabinets to conceal the light fixtures. If you wait until the cabinets are already  made to decide you could end up scrambling last minute for cover moldings, panels, or worse yet staring at your fixtures for the lifetime of your kitchen.

If you are already in the process and haven't addressed this yet don't wait, contact your designer and add a small molding to the order, something like a soffit crown for a traditional kitchen or a solid stock with return, a plain molding like this can be left "as is" in a contemporary kitchen or receive an applied molding to dress it up. Calculate the linear feet of exposed bottom edge and then round up to the nearest multiple of eight. If you are within two feet, add an extra length. Ultimately you want your molding produced with or as close to your cabinetry as possible to achieve the best match and allow all the materials to age together.

Next you will want to sit with a knowledgable lighting specialist, someone who can match up the necessary drivers and connectors to whichever fixtures you decide in. They should also be in the best position to show you the latest offerings in lighting. There are so many to choose from, flourescent, halogen, LED, avaialable in tones ranging from cool white, to warm, to natural daylight. Not all fixtures can be placed on dimmers, so if this is a feature you like, make sure it's compatible.  

Contemporary Kitchen in Blue
Lacquer with Figured Anigre

In a kitchen you can create visual excitement by layering your lighting as in this contemporary blue kitchen. There is LED cool white puck lighting installed in the stainless flyover panels, under the cabinets, and behind the butterfly cabinet doors.



Custom Light Shelves

If you are looking for a more subtle lighting effect, I recommend custom fabricated bottom light shelves. The ones here are a constructed as a double hulled glass with interior flourescent lights to create pleasing downward and and upward lighting, perfect for cabinets with glass doors. Here shown with backpainted white glass lift up doors. All the materials shown here were designed and are on display at Manhattan Center for Kitchen + Bath.

An Easy "Must Read" For Anyone About to Redo Their Kitchen- Kelly's Kitchen Sync

Buying a kitchen can be a daunting task, not everyone is a natural planner and with an investment this size, it's good to have the best advice. Obviously hiring a professional kitchen designer is one way to make sure you get the most out of your remodel. But not everyone can afford to hire their own consultant, and even if you can, arming yourself with information is one of the best things you can do. I have three little words, my own personal mantra, if you will, "fit, form, and function" ...they ramble through my brain daily, because without them, the most beautiful kitchen in the world is a complete waste of money.

I am a big fan of the "Dummie's" books, I own quite a few, personal finance was the one that got me started almost 20 years ago. When there is something I don't know anything about, I reach for a book.

Kelly Morisseau, CKD, noted Kitchen Designer and Blogger today has released her first book "Kelly's Kitchen Sync". In my opinion it's a "Must Read" for anyone thinking about redoing their kitchen. It's easy to read, comprehensive, and engaging, she tells it like it is without talking down to her reader.

Kelly offers practical advice on everything from lighting, to cabinet function, to layout and more. I highly recommend picking this up for professionals and layfolks alike, there's something for everyone to learn. Thanks Kelly for this great perspective on a craft I love!

The Buzz About the Archtiectural Digest Home Design Show 2011

As I came into the showroom this morning and the @$%&!!!  Sunday morning  time of 8:30am... I was immediately bombarded by the sound of saws...it's nearly show-time in NY,and it's getting exciting. The 2011 Architectural Digest Home Design Show begins this Thursday March 17th, auspiciously sharing it's debut with another New York favorite, Saint Patrick's Day...when the everyone becomes Irish for a day.

MCK+B will be back to show after a couple of years away, and the preparation for the arrival of our show displays is well under way. We will be showing a Rutt Contemporary Kitchen with fully automated doors and drawers, all on electronic touch censors, full of great ideas for the Baby Boomers and mindful of the latest in Aging in Place Technology. The appliances are supplied courtesy of Sub Zero/Wolf and the counter top is natural stone.

 My friend and colleague Susan Serra will be  debuting her own line of cabinetry called Bornholm Kitchen. A unique line of Scandinavian inspired cabinetry. Having heard so much about it I can say I am very excited to see and touch the material for the first time! I wish her the very best of luck.

And blowing into town with great excitement will be several members of the Blogger19, a diverse group of designers/writers/ advisers who travel, investigate, and blog about changes, innovations, and everything design/home related. Among us that I know of will be Andie Day, Paul Ananter, Susan Serra, Cheryl Kees Clendenon and Saxon Henry.



If you are in New York between the 17th-20th, make sure to stop in at Pier 94 at 55th Street and the West Side Highway to see the latest and greatest in design innovation. Nominal admission gain you access to the show for the entire four days and includes admission to the Artist Project -New York exhibit at Pier 92, and there will be events sponsored all weekend by manufacturers. MCK+B is proudly attending the DIFFA (Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS) event on opening night. Come join the fun and learn something new. For the industry there are designated portals for registering with free admission, please contact me if you are intrested and qualify.

2010---What It Was---Personally

There weren’t as many 2010 chapters as I’d hoped for written in the Life and Times of this kitchen designer . But I can tell you, I lived this year to the fullest! Writing has been slow as my girls and I have adjusted into the hustle and bustle of my new New York life.

Yesterday morning I walked from 89th and Park Avenue to a new kitchen job I accepted on East 72nd at the East River. I was bundled up against the cold; it was a brisk morning with temperatures in the 20’s and a biting New York wind. The sun was just creeping up over the buildings to cast a trickle of warm sunlight down on me as a I walked past some of the most prime real estate in New York City.  I passed buildings wherein live members of my newly expanding client family. I thought to myself “how lucky am I?” I am happy and healthy, and too busy to worry about the next kitchen, there are so many right now, the city is alive with business.

I work in the nicest neighborhoods, lucky to be welcomed and wanted in New York for something I do naturally with passion and an acquired knowledge. Lately I look at the yellow line on the subway platform as my personal Yellow Brick Road...how lucky am I?

Sometimes when I’m working, clients become abruptly demanding and border on rude, sometimes they cross that border, wanting 27 technical answers from me in an instant…and I think “am I a machine?” Then reality sets in, I try never to let them down, they have come to rely on  and expect instantaneous expert advice from me, to them that is what I am, a creative machine, and my ability to provide this service and smile and never sweat, that keeps me in this position, where I want to be…so fire away I say!

Recently as the work began to pile high on my desk, I said to an architect, someone who brought me a wonderful project, Tom Hut of HS2 Architecture, “we have a lotta work to do here in a short time, let’s get the pleases, excuse me’s and the thank you’s out of the way up front, we know we mean them, but they are killing us ion time”…he agreed…and cutting to the chase has tidied up the relationship and gotten the job done. I'm on the edge of my seat to see the final product! ans at one time I thought architects only came to my showroom to steal my ideas. (Shh...I might have said it once or twice, I might have said it to you) How wrong I was, and thank you Steve Naphtali for holding my wine while I ate crow...

When I go home my kids tell me everything I don’t know…apparently the older they get the more I don’t know! It’s a great system they have to make sure my head never swells too much. This year one of my daughter’s changed her name. Imagine,  the second thing I gave her, right after life, didn’t make the cut…she doesn't like the clothes I buy her either, but I know for a fact she is mine, she had too much hair to confuse with any of the other babies in the nursery.

On my walk yesterday, I passed several designer dogs, out for their daily constitution and many wearing nicer sneakers than any ones my 12 year old has. Lucky dogs! I thought to myself how far we have come as a family this year! Kendall’s sneakers are really fine, and these cutbacks we have experienced have given us a chance to regroup and appreciate board games, long walks, and four weeks at camp with no Facebook, Wii, or texting. And I beamed with pride over them and their strength.

Just then I passed a man as I walked from the Subway at Union Square headed towards my office. He was no more than 25 years old, quite good looking, and on his feet as "shoes" he wore paper bags, folded over many times and tied to his feet with twine. He was indescribably dirty, and on the brink of losing his toenails and I did mention how cold it was, in the 20’s? I stopped and swallowed hard, and though he wasn’t begging, I turned to go find him, but he was gone in the crowd. Where was his family, how did he end up like this, and was he given too much or not enough growing up, where was the love?

I used to only donate only to established charities,  heeding the official warnings that people in the city will rob you if you give them money. After nearly a year here, I can say I have changed my thoughts on that. I am considerate of who I give money to, but I just can’t ignore daily the poverty and sadness that walks quietly among the wealthy and splendid of New York. There is suffering here, and I always think, how did this young person become this way, how can I help. There is a young man, who is often in the Columbus Circle or Lincoln Center Subway stations, he has no arms, he politely stands with a pack attached to his chest, and I cannot pass him without giving him a dollar or two if I have it. But there must be more I can do.

This year we took in a kitten, she was too young to eat on her own and was fed through a dropper. When she tried to eat from a bowl, her back legs would scoot forward and she would fold like a card face down in her milk…we would perform the daily rescue and put her back on the bottle…now she is as vigorous and resilient as they come, and I guess since no mommy ever taught her to squawk, she doesn’t make a sound, she can mew, she just doesn’t. She doesn't have sneakers, but it’s 2010, so she does have her own Facebook, you can friend her there! She’s has a few other friends,  our neighbors dog…also on Facebook.

I’ve never felt like I had less after I volunteered time, money or food to someone in need… in fact it always makes me feel like I have way more…2011 should be a year of giving back. Last week, I went home to find my daughter has joined a community group of young volunteers who will help the elderly or those in need with household chores and snow removal etc., what a gift for me to receive, that my daughter will have the spirit of volunteering! It just goes to show you are never too old or too young to make a difference, to care about a stranger as you would for someone you love.

Be rich with the spirit of giving, no contribution is too small to make a difference. Cheers to a Happy, Healthy, and Prosperous 2011! Remember to Love thy neighbor as thyself.
.

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Cork Flooring for the Kitchen

as seen on Apartment Therapy

Here is the quick how and why on cork flooring...I get so many inquiries, but few buyers...
People want to know:

"is it really a green product?" YES
"can it be washed?" YES
"Is it easy to install" YES

· Cork as a material, is harvested from the bark of living trees, so the resource isn’t diminished by the process, in fact it seems that it encourages more rapid growth. Additionally the material we offer at MCKB is made from 100% recycled material procured from the wine stopper industry.
· The composition of the material, little air filled pockets, is what makes cork naturally quiet, dent resistant, sound absorbent, and also warm.
· The cork can be installed over existing flooring, concrete or plywood
· Anti-allergenic
· The finish is applied after the floor is installed and should not need a secondary application for 5-7 years under normal residential use.
· Recommended cleaning is regular vacuuming, occasionally should be cleaned with hardwood  floor cleaner.
· The VOC measure on the product is considered negligible
· Some manufacturers offer  a 25 year warranty with limits on finish
· Expected lifetime of 25+ years.
· Qualifies for Leed points based on the following considerations:

1.  recycled content
2. rapidly renewable material
3. low-emitting materials

All in it's a look you have to love, not for everyone... but certainly worth checking out and available in dozens of colors!

Kitchen and Bath Remodeling on the BIG Upswing in 2010

Being in this business for so long now, it's become easy to recognize trends in the business, certainly among product and  over the past two years, the undeniable slump the home remodeling industry has been in. Sunday when I listened to an interview of Kermit Baker,the American Institute of Architects’s chief economist as well as senior research fellow at the Joint Center for Housing Studies (JCHS) at Harvard University, my recent personal observations were confirmed. The remodleing industry is poised to experience a huge resurgence in business, and the primary focus of homeowners has returned to kitchens and bathrooms.
Mr. Baker mentioned in his interview with Maria Bartoromo of NBC News, that the home remodeling industry is now a $250 billion a year industry, still smaller than at it's peak but lager than the housing market at this time. He went on to say that 6-8 months ago homeowners were investing in siding, roofing, and windows, all retrofits and upgrades that offer immediate benefit in the reduction of home heating costs and/or energy efficiency.

This past November General Electric debuted the GE GeoSpring(TM) hybrid the first heat pump water heater to be ENERGY STAR(R) rated. Remember the commercial during the Olympic Games with the snow monkey lounging in their hot spring...this catchy advertising that has brought consumers in asking directly for the new technology. The GeoSpring promises to reduce energy expenses up to 62% and safe up to $320 annually on energy bills (in tests conducted by the Department of Energy), it was also awarded a Best of What's New Award by Popular Science.

According to Mr. Baker, the AIA has indications that nationally approximately 25% of remodels today incorporate some type of Green or renewable product technology. This growing trend is a very positive indication, since often green products require a larger initial investment than traditional building materials.

With the spring flowers came a rush of traffic to the kitchen showrooms around New York City and surrounding suburbs, like everyone else,  MCKB has been enjoying a spike in traffic. Once shoppers are in it's of course up to the designers and the showroom staff to gain the homeowners confidence and an opportunity to earn the business, but there is a willingness to spend that we haven't seen in about two years. Competition is fierce, homeowners are savvy and out looking for the best overall value: quality of product and workmanship are paramount. Its par for the course now that a prospective client will come in with a list, a sort of "walking tour" of NYC showrooms they are visiting on the same day and they will have a bag of literature to add my contribution to. The key for me is how to stay on the top of the pile.

Yesterday, I was with a couple in Garden City, Long Island. They were taking the first steps towards a kitchen remodel, we met in their home for the survey, and  I was retained for the project. The homeowners, who interviewed me in my showroom three times before inviting me into their home, made it clear they had been to every reputable shop in the city, hit all the big brand names and decided after two years on the browsing tour to work with myself and MCKB. I don't have to tell you how exciting that is as a designer.

One of the perks of the turnaround in the remodeling  market  is a byproduct of its roots in the correction in the housing industry.  Homeowners are remodeling to enjoy and stay in their homes, not to flip for quick cash and move on. This means projects have more a personal aspect, the materials chosen are of a better quality and the entire process is more thoughtful and yielding better results. People are obviously willing to invest more in a home they are committed to remaining in for 5+ years, so bring on the glass counter tops, inset and high end frameless cabinetry, exotic engineered wood veneers, and energy efficient appliances.

Social Media Gets Personal to a NYC Kitchen Designer

Part of this journey in business today is understanding that staying "current" isn't enough, you have to try to be ten steps ahead of what is current and throw out constraints of old narrowly defined roles, they just don't apply anymore. I will never again just be a Kitchen Designer thanks to Facebook, Twitter, blogging, LinkedIn, Slideshare, etc. Along with my co-Bloggers and Twitterparts, I am a writer, an advisor, a researcher, and a student of life, and on my best day: a conduit for what's about to be the latest thing, and when possible the eyes and ears to tell interested followers what pratfalls to avoid. It's up to all of us individually to to share all this with our audience in a fun colorful way, or lose you.

Staying completely "on topic" isn't always easy, the personal stuff does leak in, after all these outlets make it so easy to link posts. It's important to be careful if your goal is driving business not to play out life's drama in a self-indulgent way. When things are working the right way some of these associations do leave the web and become "business personal" and vice versa. As for the recent online debates over how intimate Twitters and status updates should become, I think it's okay to take some personal causes to your followers...but treat it like selling Girl Scout Cookies at work, it's not a condition of the relationship. If you are on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn you're inviting people to "write on your wall". In truth, I rarely write on anyone's wall unless you are a close friend.

For the record: I personally cringed when LinkedIn asked me to add my marital status to my profile.

When I entered this arena, a complete novice, not totally sure what it would do or what I would say; I was friended in some stroke of luck by Paul Anater, a Kitchen Designer from St. Petersburg, Florida. Paul's has incredible style and smooth delivery, he shares of his personal as well as his business story in a way that is engaging and thought provoking. He's an example of being in control of one's own self-growth and at the same time been a magnanimous rallier of the troops. Paul, with Charlie Kondek and Brizo was instrumental in assembling a group of writers/designers this past winter at an opportunity Brizo created to reveal the latest designs and futuristic technology they are bringing to life. We bonded as a group and became the Blogger19, there is a bustling fan page on Facebook, and if you want to keep up on the latest in Home Design it's a great place to check out. The energy of Paul and the other members has defined the network as an intimate useful open resource for all of us as we each develop our own niche on the social networking map.

Paul is one of those people whose hand is out to help and involve others in the good stuff he has going on, he has infectious energy and enthusiasm. In addition to the many other roles, he is a trainer now for Google and is at KBIS this week demonstrating their design program: SketchUp, he's is a great example of what we are here to drive and I encourage you to explore and follow Paul's Blog. Wishing Paul and the rest of the Blogger19, as well as Brizo a great week at KBIS 2010.

How Do I Choose a Good Contractor?

Choosing a contractor is not often easy, and many times fear of commitment holds homeowners back. One of the best ways to find a good reputable contractor you can trust is to ask friends and neighbors for referrals. It's even ok to stop at an ongoing job, but be careful to stay out of the way and speak directly with the homeowner. For the most part people are flattered that you noticed their project and they are proud to show off what they are having done. Strike up a pleasant conversation and you may even be invited back to see the progress.

The remodeling industry is frought with nightmare stories, so it's also important to be able to weed out the truth, the homeowner may have had a bad experience yes, but it's possible that it had nothing to do with the contractor.
One of the most daunting things about remodeling is the cost overrun factor. If you ask a neighbor who just had their kitchen remodeled and they exclaim "my kitchen was supposed to cost $50,000, but when I was done paying for the extras it was closer to $70,000...I love my new kitchen, but I won't recommend the contractor because of how the price went up." Hmmmm, what can you make of that statement, it comes down to what were the extras? Was it that the tile, which the homeowner said went completely under the cabinets really only went two inches under them?...and now with the new cabinet layout the entire floor needed replaced, and while selecting the material, the homeowner fell in love with an exotic marble tile and thought it made sense to add radiant heat, and continue the floor to the foyer?

That's a big change, they just added work and material to include:

1. Rip out and removal (contractors pay to dump waste) of the exisitng floor
2. Expanded the job to the foyer not just the kitchen ($50,000)
3. Radiant heat (will invlove either plumber or elecrtrician depending on the sysytem)
4. Labor and material for Marble floor install (more expensive than ceramic/porcelain.

This change could easily add $10,000 to the bottom line on a job. If the homeowner was warned that uniform flooring throughout was key reusing the exisiting floor in a new layout, and advised of the costs of a potential new floor, gave the go ahead, then the contractor was completely upfront and the homeowner just has remorse over the expense. The homeowner picked beautiful natural stone and wanted warm feet, no wonder they love their kitchen! Give the contractor a break here, he was doing his job.

Now take the same floor, same homeowner, they told the contractor the tile only went under the cabinets by two inches and they wanted to replace it with marble throughout the foyer and add radiant heat since the tile was cold in the winter. The homeowner still ended up with almost $8,000 in additional flooring costs, then you would look at the allowances the contractor included for labor and material, were they enough, did they include the foyer at all?? Probably not or at too low a rate, in this case the homeowner has a right to feel upset.

Unforseen conditions and exposed code violations have to be brought up to code at the homeowners expense. If you bought Pandora's box, it's unfortunate, but it's yours. In this case, the key to a good contractor is that he helps you through the process, with the right subs, and getting the work done quickly and inspected so you can put the situation behind you and your mind at ease.

Remember if you told your contractor your entire wishlist and that you wanted to spend $50,000 on your kitchen, you have to carefully read the contract that everything you want is included at your number. Full disclosure is they key to an honorable home improvement contractor. Ask for a list of what is not included in the job, or what is covered by an allowance, how much is it, and can you go to any store? What good is a $750 allowance for an Exterior French Door, when the least expensive one they sell at the approved vendor is $2000? Well, it $750 worth of good, now add $1250 to your personal bottom line.

Items typically covered by an allowance only or not included:

• flooring material
• cabinetry upgrades (premium woods, finishes, drawer glides, plywood const.)
• faucets
• appliances
• specialty windows
• exterior doors
• exotic granite
  

Remember it IS reasonable for the contractor to cover these items by allowances, after all, you don't want to have the cost of Blue Bahai Granite built in to your kitchen when what you want is a Blue Sapphire or Blue Opal. If you know the stone you want ahead of time, you can ask that it is specifically included in the contract to avoid questions later. When it comes to a kitchen faucet you could spend anywhere from $120.00 to $1200.00, if the contractor offers you a credit to supply your own, believe me there will be noisy days you won't want to be at your house, and they will be perfect for faucet shopping!

Three reasons not to base your decision to hire a contractor:

1. He/she said we didn't need permits or contracts because my project just direct replacement etc.
2. He/she looked the most professional.
3. He/she stayed for hours going over the reasons we should hire them.

You may feel more comfortable and friendly with a contractor who doesn't want to deal with paperwork, let call it a "handshake deal", but the truth is, a contract is to protect everyone and your state has laws by which the contractor must abide. This is important for both parties, and it should clearly outline all of your project specifications, allowances etc as well as your obligations for payment and cost overruns. A well written contract can save the project for all involved. With regard to permits, allow the town to tell you they aren't needed, even if you are just upgrading from electric cooking to the evermore popular dual-fuel range, you will need a plumbing inspection. This is in your best interest to get.

It's fine and good to clean up and present well after a day on the jobsite, but when a contractor sits in your home for 2-3 hours in a pressed shirt and slacks and says "you know how I know all this, it's because I make this presentation to homeowners four times a day." Now ask yourself, if that is the case, when will he/she find time to be on my job. You are talking to a professional salesman. If he really does this schpeel that many times a day, how would he ever find time to manage or supervise your project? BEWARE.

This "contractor" who took 2 1/2 painstaking hours selling you on the reasons to sign with him/her surprises you and then jams through the paperwork so quick you don't remember what you bought. Now should now sit down and read the paperwork before your time to ask questions is up. Often under the sense of relief that the commitment is made and the process is underway, homeowners tuck the contract in a drawer, unfortunately the next time they pull it out is when they face the first unexpected add-on of something they thought was included

Lastly, online contractor referral services, they are paid for and supported by the contractors. Not all the feedback customers post remain online for your eyes to see. These services are not necessarily bad, just make sure you check references carefully. Always consult the Better Business Bureau, local trade associations, ask for references, speak with the subs if possible, meet directly with the kitchen designer and go see at least one job!

I wouldn't like to make it sound like one industry has it tougher than another, but if the landscaper scalps your hedges and they look terrible, you can still take a shower and sit down to a home cooked meal. A troubled home renovation can affect how you live for many months so take the time to make a wise choice, you will be happy you did!