I want it all

Bargain Buy!

I want it all:

How Fast? How much? How low can you go? Do you find yourself also in this frenzy of getting as much as you can for as little as possible?  The changed economy is totally responsible and we all know that. I talk to many possible clients who have this same quest when it comes to remodeling.  It has seem to become an overall new trained behavior, not just for the bold and gutsy to ask anymore.

But think about it. If you apply this to your health, your family, or your happiness. What do you think you’ll really get in the end? Fast & cheap?  Doesn’t slow and worth it sound more appealing? Hhhhmmm.

You get what you pay for is a very old saying. I have no idea of it’s origin, but it still rings true through all generations. Who hasn’t felt ripped off after maybe a deal too good to be true, or didn’t receive the same good service on a negotiated contract? Of course there are exceptions to this basic rule. Once in a while you strike it rich with an incredible find or sale. Giving you new hope that you  can get what you want for pennies on the dollar. I love that feeling. Like the time I nabbed a Ralph Lauren black
patent vinyl rain jacket for $10. I wore it forever and retold the story of it’s find with every compliment. But quality reputation was why I went into his store for starters, and was not expecting a great deal at first. That jacket is still in my closet, I still love it. Timeless fashion, and it’s a RALPH. No way around it,  I got more than I paid for.

However, a friend of mine works at a florist.  They love Groupon and their internet deals.  It gives them the opportunity to get rid of the older flowers and they will also use less flowers since those deals would otherwise lose them money if they did it their quality way for the regular price!  Surprised?  A good business person will price their goods based upon what it takes to make a business successful and work within industry standards, thus enabling them to offer their best heart driven product or service at the quality they want their reputation to be known for.  Homecenters can sell light bulbs, tools, materials, and many other brand name products at a lower price because they struck a deal with those manufacturers to make a cheaper lower quality versions of that same product and you don’t know the difference inside that brand name box.  Hence why you will never see Wood-Mode sold in homecenters.

Quality is what we all want to begin with.  It’s something that might take a little longer and maybe cost a little bit more, but cost that will be well worth it in the life of your cabinetry and remodeling projects. I am so lucky.  Having Marius for a husband brings me the joys of a 24/7  quality handyman. He innately builds quality with his Lithuanian craftsman heritage as his fuel.  Same goes for Wood-Mode and their integrity to help me provide you with the best product available for your hard earned dollars.

Most of you don’t have a Marius, and are not born with an innate gift to use a Porter Cable 22 gauge micro-pinner properly. But you can call Marius.  Not only can he service you as minimally to adjust
your cabinet doors, but he also can build and install a beautiful new kitchen. The right way. The quality way.  And maybe for less than you might think!  What do you have to lose?

Preserving Memories with Tchotchkes

tchotchke  [ chach-key ]

I love this word. It means knick-knack. Do you know what I’m talking about? All those things you’ve collected throughout your life, and feel the need to show off or admire in private. Lots of mementos from travels and adventures over the course of your timeline. Art and gifts from friends that give my living environment a personality, a karma for my personal space. I learned  the word 25 years ago while working on the North Shore when I was a kitchen designer for Nappanee Wood Products. An “Amish” cabinet company that was actually owned by Harley Davidson.  Yes the motorcycle company.

But tchatchkes are a huge part of my life. I love accessorizing every aspect of my life. Like most people, it’s my world of things dear to me, comfortable and inquisitive, extreme one of a kind decorating style that I share with my 2 favorite live in peeps. When I am asked to design kitchens, there are so many possibilities of things that you hold close to your heart. You may want to share their story and let them have their place in your kitchen. Your vacation cook book collection that tell stories of fun times with family & friends, or gaze upon your entire english tea cup collection on a daily basis, and enjoy their intricate hand painted details. On an open shelf or behind glass doors?How much is too much stuff on top of your cabinets? This is where I can help you design that part in your remodeling project and will walk you through the ideas and possibilities for your feelings of pleasure in the kitchen. Decorating your kitchen yourself can be intimidating. There is a need for knowing a sense of balance, color, and form… having a third eye, a professional, to help you walk through your home and help restage your memories and tchatchkes.

Recently, I was asked my opinion about the Pantone 2012 trend color Tangerine Tango by Lynn of Walsh Communications. I’m very familiar with it. Hot hot orangey red. Shocks my senses but I thought, it really isn’t so hot yet. It’s bold. It’s the year of the dragon, so let’s be on fire. I don’t do reds or orange, but this color does make me get that feeling inside that has a jolt of electricity. Looking at it in my existing fashions, I saw that it was so powerful. A little goes a long way… and that thought got me digging through my cabinets looking for it. I know I have it in some serving tchatchke piece and it will look hot on display. I discover 4 ceramic serving pieces, and pick up a gallon of paint. Voila! Ravishing Red on the walls with ceramic bowls splashing the color and details to enjoy this hot new trend that is exciting, fun, and easily changeable. These simple tchatchkes have transformed a nice (blah) elegant kitchen into a passionate new view and feeling. If you’ve got that feeling that your rooms need a better feeling, don’t fret yourself. Call us at 708-579-5879 to talk about helping you redesign your space.

Tags: cabinet company, knick knack

Sometimes square pegs, dont always fit into square holes…

Refusing Help.

My sister-in-law stopped by last week.  She walks into my kitchen and exclaims,

“You would think a 30″ new stove would just fit into my old 30″ space!”

Her comment hit that nerve I have on the nape of my neck and Marius notices it too.  We both laugh…    My head cocks a little sideways, I hear my vertebrae crack.  Okay.  Here we go. …I so want to finally set her straight about always doing these things herself and with her hubby.  Don’t get me wrong.  She is very intelligent and will research the stove for the function, its look, details, and price.  She will read Consumer Report and get many opinions and the low down from very good resources.

So she and hubby took a field trip to Abt Appliance and Electronics in Glenview.   Abt is my favorite appliance and manland electronic super store.  I work with Steve Weiner there.  Working with him ensures more personal service with my clients.  The communication of what my clients are purchasing for their kitchen project gets sent to me and we are all on the same page.  The appliance associates at Abt are all phenomenally well trained.  She just needed a 30″ stove, so she picked an Electrolux.  Very nice “Slide in” style.

Delivery happened this last week. They opted not to use Abt to install the stove for $200.00.  Her husband is a nice guy… and Northern European… therefore he must be handy.  He’s read his Home Life remodeling books.   He’ll do it himself.  And Rita will help.

Stove is delivered to the center of the kitchen.

• The gas pipe location is causing it to stick out 2 ” from the back wall.
• The gas shut off also stuck out too far from the wall.
• The electric line was causing the stove to stick out further from the wall.
• The front edge of the granite needed to be notched for the specific slide in range installation detail.

8 hours later…it was finally installed!

When installing new appliances, its important to look over the manual for specific installation instructions ahead of time!  There are so many details that can easy be overlooked or mislead a homeowner.  Sometimes, its best to leave it to the experts,  It will save you precious time and stress in the long run… !

Ooops on you!

It would be so much nicer if the drawers opened all the way.

I often come across situations that I think….. I can do that myself, what’s the big deal?  I can wash my own windows.  Like the time I was hanging onto the outside jamb of the window above the garage with one hand, washed it with the other hand, and almost lost my balance when a gust of wind blew by.  I also think I can change the oil in my car.  What’s so hard about buying a new filter and a few quarts of oil?  That was until I discovered how messy it is and it’s not fun to work upside down under a car.  Figuring that I could either save time or money are the 2 main reasons I try to do things myself.  This mindset however, usually ends up teaching me a lesson why I should have just hired someone else to do it or at least help me do it safely and correctly.    I’m sure many of you have learned similar lessons, always after the fact, and accept living with a mistake because you did it yourself.   So before getting ahead of yourself and tearing out your kitchen (yes, clients have walked in saying they’ve just torn out their kitchen and need to order some cabinets… without even pre-plan!)  think about the whole scope of what you are getting yourself into.

There are great possibilities to do your own kitchen design.  After all you’ve lived with it for 10 years and think you know what you want.  You love your friend’s kitchen, have been on dozens of home tours, and you’ve been saving hundreds of magazine pics for your dream kitchen.  Yes, it’s a very lovely design in the picture, but how does it really relate to your own space?  Go ahead.  Squeeze that 10’ island into the middle of your kitchen plan with only 30” walkways around it.  Or cram that 48″ refrigerator into the corner.  Nobody will notice the other 2 inches notched into the door casing and you’ll be fine not being able to get the veggie bin pulled out.

Those magazine pics are really great for me to see, even if they can’t totally work in your kitchen.  I want to know what you’re feeling in your soul from those pics, why’d you rip it out of the mag?  And…what’s stirring your desires for your new dream kitchen?   You are definitely involved in designing your own kitchen with an experienced and properly educated designer.  One who can turn those pictures into reality with the mechanical details and specifications needed to make it work that you did not know or understand.  An average cabinet order has about 40 or more parts and pieces to make it fit, function properly, and look beautiful in a well planned space.  Add on appliance specs, countertop details, lighting arrangements, and all the other materials into the mix and realize how complicated it can become.

Now that I have hopefully scared you, hire a true kitchen designer and Don’t Do It Yourself!

Reality Bloopers

"It's as easy as it looks!"

Thanks to the power of TV and Home Depot, many homeowners entertain the idea that they can remodel their own kitchen, bathroom, or other home remodeling project without having any skills or talents in this field because it looks so easy AND fast on TV. Don’t get me wrong; Those shows have fab hosts who do know their expertise. I watch those shows when I get a chance myself; it’s kind of like the doctor who watches Grey’s Anatomy. Sometimes I even find myself talking to the TV and then… I have to remind myself, IT’S TV! Just a little bit of marketing might be twirled into those episodes.

Did you know that it takes an average of one hour or more of filming to create just one minute of what you are watching on all those do-it yourself shows? The peeps on those shows make it look like you can knock out your own ugly kitchen over spring break!

Watching these shows has finally got me thinking about all the projects Mr. D and I did 27 years ago with our first home in Berwyn.  It really is possible to do all those skills to build your own dream home. We did it. Every Room. Sweat Equity. And we had fun. We were very young, had lots of energy, time, no pets, and no kids. All those reality TV shows are fun too and seem so real… And it’s all according to their designed plan on how the show will flow. Television has lead us to believe there is no reason we can’t figure it out and just do it ourselves. Yes, there are many truly innately talented peeps out there, kind of like Frank Lloyd Wright, who was born with it. But for those of you who weren’t born with design talent…Don’t Do It Yourself!

Tags: frank lloyd wright, home depot, reality tv shows, remodeling project

Hello World!

Friday   January 6^th   2:47 am

I can’t sleep, so I get up and mozie around the kitchen and house. What to do with this precious time? I remember Dorothy from 30 years ago. She was in her “M” years and would wake up at 3 am, hot flash or not, she would bake a cake and bring it to work. Incredible cakes….Chocolate Cassis Cheesecake, Blueberry Buckle, Zucchini Bread.

Warm memories of her and those early years in my career. She got me hooked on All My Children at lunchtime too.  Thank you Dorothy for giving me something to do at 3 am. But I don’t need a cake over the lips and on my hips, so I begin peeling 3 heads of garlic for my lunch creation. I love a productive morning. Sugar plum tomatoes, garlic cloves and olive oil.  Fab with crackers or toast. Bake and take to work. Kind of like Dorothy would do.

I’ve been planning to do a blog for like ever, and finally got that urge and time and now the flow is starting to let my feelings go on the keypad… This year and this day, are both just feeling like their going to be fun. It’s Wayne’s birthday. He’s my design bud that I’ll reference a lot in the future. And it’s a big year to look forward to in a ton of ways. The economy, the environment, the election, and maybe even erections….uuhhh…  The E ~Year!

So now I’m sitting at the end of my kitchen island. Waiting for the water to boil for my “Beauty Mate” tea. (Maintenance for me.  LOL) Realizing how wonderful the peace and tranquility of gliding around my huge island, loading the dishwasher, digging through my freezer drawer, looking for the Club Chile from The Dinner Club… I love that place. Lets me feel like I’ve cooked a meal without all the hassle of getting it together. And thinking about what I want to do with this urge to write about the Kitchen Design and Remodeling life that I’ve been doing for 35 years now.  That’s a long time when I start to realize how much I’ve learned through those years. I want to share it. Be it the installer who uses peanut butter for his nail putty to the seemingly billion uses for WD-40, or the contractor who had the steamy affair with my client, I can type not talk on these early mornings. All my possible advice, but I also want to tell you: Don’t Do It Yourself. I am on a mission to prevent remodeling horror stories, educate, tell you maintenance and how to tips, but also why, where, and how to seek and find professional help with your home remodeling projects.

The peace, the quiet, and the beautiful glowing moon on this unseasonably warm January morn. A perfect morning.  Here’s the first of my weekly blogs, also with advise, stories, recipes, and the opportunity to contact me with helping you solve remodeling dilemmas.  Cheers!