at Atlantic Design Center ~ A Bi-Monthly Newsletter

Surviving a Kitchen Remodel

Timing is everything – so planning the timing of your project is just one of the keys to a successful remodel. Do you wait until the summer so you can do the cooking comfortably outside on the grill? Better yet – how about having the contractor start the tear out, the dirtiest part of the project, while you are at camp? Or do you wait until the fall when the kids have gone off to college and all your summer guests have gone home? I’ve even had clients plan their remodeling project knowing that they would not be ready for Thanksgiving – that way they knew they didn’t have to host it!

Once you’ve decided on a start date, you can now begin to get organized. A large notebook or an expandable file will do. Start choosing all the finishes and items as soon as possible. There is nothing worse than getting a call from your contractor saying, The electrician is arriving tomorrow so we need to know what lighting fixtures

you are using” or “the painter is here – do you have those wall colors picked out?” which means you have to drop everything to go to the store to make hurried decisions.

Plan on putting your refrigerator and microwave in a corner of an undisturbed room to create a makeshift kitchen. This allows you to at least make coffee and breakfast in the morning.

Expect the unexpected!!! If someone tells you it’s a three-week project, plan on six! Whatever you have budgeted for money, set at least ten percent aside to cover any surprises. I promise you will have some!

Please keep the end result in mind to stay polistive. Take “before” shots and lots of interim pictures for prosperity – it will all be worth it!

Counter Top Trends

A popular trend in kitchen remodeling has homeowners incorporating different countertop surfaces, allowing them to create a focal point for an island or a piece of furniture. Most designs include granite or man-made quartz countertops for the majority of the working kitchen surface area and then the complimentary surface is typically a beautiful mahogany or teak wood surface. Occasionally, we will see stainless steel for the more contemporary designs. Other options include gorgeous glass countertops, distressed metal surfaces and colorful concrete. Of course, there are also beautiful laminates available for the budget-conscious consumer which, when partnered with a stone remnant for the island, provides the perfect solution for creating your own unique and more affordable kitchen space.

Nancy Bither has a total of 29 years experience in the building supply business. For 21 of those years, she has specialized in kitchen and bath design and sales. As the Director of Design at Atlantic Design Center, Nancy oversees the design standards and project details for each designer. She is certified by the National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) for both Kitchen and Bath Design and was a founding member of the NKABA Main chapter. Nancy’s designs have been featured in national publications, in addition to an array of local designer show houses. As a designer, Nancy enjoys the challenge of making each kitchen unique to each homeowner. She especially loves designing other rooms in the home, such as laundry rooms, entertainment centers and home offices.