Saturday, December 5, 2009

Anatomy of a Kitchen Remodel

Remodeling, no matter how much you plan, never goes exactly the way you expect it to. My "Anatomy of a Kitchen Remodel...A Photographic Documentary" is a step-by-step documentation of my latest project.

The homeowner selected a modular cabinet line and wanted a custom finish of high-gloss black lacquer. No problem. The only glitch was that the cabinets would take eight weeks from order date to delivery. We didn't want to demo the kitchen and make the homeowner live in a mess unnecessarily for eight weeks until the cabinets came, so we had to measure, design and order the new cabinets with the old cabinets still in place.

This doesn't seem like much of an issue, except that no wall is ever square in a home. Not even a new home. And the main plumbing lines were hidden in a "blind corner" of the cabinets, meaning we couldn't access, measure or see where exactly the plumbing lines were or how far off the wall they came. So the cabinets had to be ordered based on what could be seen and measured, then hope and pray for the best. This is not the ideal way to order custom cabinets that take eight weeks to produce. If I were to miscalculate my estimated measurements, it could mean wasted money for the cost of unused cabinets and ordering new cabinets, and wasted time waiting another six weeks for the new cabinets to arrive, thus putting the entire project behind schedule before we had ever really begun.

As much as I would like to tell you that everything went perfectly, it didn't. Remodeling is far from an exact science. But I can tell you that the problems we encountered were minor and, with a little creative thinking, were fairly easily resolved. The trick was to plan for the worst-case scenario and be ready for anything!

As it turned out, our plumbing was not exactly where we had hoped it would be. We had to move half of the kitchen cabinets down the wall by 6" and order a matching filler to replace the gap we now had. Luckily, very luckily, we had about 10" of wall until we met with a doorway. So even with a 6" shift, we still cleared four inches to the door frame. Again, I had considered this possibility before ordering the cabinets and knew that the plumbing would be less than 12" either way from where it attached to the sink. I had even ordered an additional 3" and 6" filler with the original order to cover my bases.

With that problem being resolved, we encountered another problem. We were short one piece of crown molding. Crown comes in 8' lengths and we were about 2' short. I usually order one extra piece of crown, but for some reason we were still short. The kitchen is all but finished, but the crown takes six weeks to produce in the custom high-gloss black lacquer finish, so we are waiting.

My "Kitchen Anatomy" is my way of helping to educate homeowners about all the minute details that inevitably pop up during a residential building or remodeling project. So keep your cool, hire a knowledgeable pre-construction consultant, and know that most hurdles you encounter can be resolved with a deep breath, some creative thinking, and patience! To see "An Anatomy of A Kitchen Remodel...A Photographic Documentation" visit www.facebook.com/renovatekate and don't forget to become a fan while you're there!

Until next time,

RenovateKate

www.renovatekate.com
www.twitter.com/renovatekate
www.facebook.com/renovatekate

Sunday, November 29, 2009

The Next Step

I'm a very driven person. I've been spending a lot of time lately thinking about my business and asking myself a lot of questions like...What have I accomplished so far? What direction do I go next? What are the next steps toward expanding? How can I serve more people at once?

I love my career and every day, every home, every client is a different challenge. It keeps me on my toes and makes my life interesting. But for some reason, I want more.

There's a lot of information floating around in my head about appliances, tile, countertops, safety codes and more and I'm frustrated that I'm only sharing my knowledge with one client at a time. So I find myself trying to figure out the best way to share all this knowledge and experience I have.

Do I make informational videos? A radio show? An internet television show? A published book? An e-book? All of the above?

And, of course, the next question is "Does anyone care?" I believe they do. I meet a lot of people every day and when they find out what I do, the first response I hear is "Where were you two years ago when I was building my house?" or "I wish we had known you before we began remodeling our home!" And as much as I've researched, I haven't found anyone else sharing the kind of information I want to share.

Off the top of my head I made a list of topics I could easily turn into 10 to 20 minute conversations. My list was 62 items long. I think I could come up with that many more with a little bit of thought put into it. So perhaps all this information floating around in my head will someday soon become a tangible way to make building or remodeling a home simpler. Less complicated. Less stressful. More cost-efficient. More time-efficient. More fun.

Stay tuned. Maybe my goal of world domination in the residential construction industry isn't so far fetched.

Until next time,

RenovateKate

www.renovatekate.com
www.twitter.com/renovatekate

Sunday, November 22, 2009

What Is Pre-Construction Consultation?

Q. What is Pre-Construction Consultation?

A. As a pre-construction consultant (PCC), I assist home-owners with their residential building and remodeling projects. I prefer to consult with the home-owner prior to beginning the project or even hiring a contractor. A consultation before any decisions have been made allows us to find the best solutions possible before any time or money has been spent.

Residential construction projects can be one of the most stressful events a person can go through. Sadly, many divorces between spouses and lawsuits between home-owners and builders occur due to the tremendous amount of stress involved. By pre-planning the construction project, many potential problems can be preempted and resolved before they even happen.

Can you imagine showing up to your wedding and trying to make decisions about the ceremony as you are going through it? Of course not. But this is how most home-owners and builders approach a construction job.

On a new build, the architectural plans are selected, handed to the builder, and as the foundation is poured and the frame work goes up, the home-owner is hustling to select all the other materials that are going in the home or are pressured to make decisions on the fly because the builder is moving forward quickly but usually with very little communication about what's coming next. For example, the builder calls on Tuesday to say the tile will be laid on Thursday but you haven't been looking at tile. So you are now forced to drop everything, run around to every store you can think of, and try to find a tile in stock that you hopefully love. This is like trying to find a wedding dress three hours before the wedding! Why would anyone do this? But it happens on most new construction jobs.

Remodeling projects are even worse. Because the home already exists, the home-owner has even less time to prepare because the builder isn't busy framing or working on the roof. He's ready to go NOW! Typically, residential remodelers hurry to demo the home, then ask the home-owner to start shopping. You are then left living in a mess until you can make up your mind about products and materials.

Just because this is the way it's always been done doesn't mean the madness has to continue!

So how do you prepare for your construction project if you don't know what to do or how to get started? Over the next few weeks, I'll be posting lists of decisions that need to be made for each room of your home, and the lists will be in the approximate order that items need to be purchased. This will, hopefully, keep you on track, on schedule, and prevent your contractor from surprising you with a deadline for a decision you aren't prepared to make.

Most construction projects, no matter how competent the contractor/builder is, go over budget and over time. The reason for this is a lack of planning, organization and being prepared which result in expensive change orders. Again, think about the wedding scenario. Sure, you could probably pull a wedding together at the last minute, but it would undoubtedly cost you more money, more stress, and you wouldn't get what you really wanted.

The absolute best investment you can make is hiring a pre-construction consultant before you begin your project. This one investment could save you literally thousands of dollars.

New construction? Let your PCC see your architectural plans and have them point out potential areas that may not live up to your expectations (Enough wall space for furniture? Is the "walk-in" pantry as big as you think? Is your refrigerator in a corner? It shouldn't be!). For a remodel, have the PCC look at your home, tell them your plans, and have them make recommendations that you may not have thought of. Your PCC should also be able to help you come up with a budget or, if you have a budget, give you a realistic idea of how far your money will go. If you don't have a PCC in your area, contact me. I can do in-home consultations via Skype or you can send me your architectural plans and we can then meet via Skype while looking over your plans together.

Meanwhile, if you have any questions about your project, please email me at renovatekate@cox.net or twitter your questions to www.twitter.com/renovatekate.

Also coming soon...online videos that will coach you through your project, offer information about cabinets, appliances, tile, countertops, paint selection, plumbing fixtures, electrical fixtures, quick tips and lots more! Become a follower of my blog, twitter account or my website at http://www.renovatekate.com/ for announcements about the videos. They will be short, educational videos (10 to 20 minutes) packed full of relevant, informative information and will be very reasonably priced ($10 to $15). If you like them, tell your friends and family about them. If not, tell me. I value your feedback.

Hire a PCC and make sure you don't waste your valuable time or money, that your relationships stay intact, and that you get the home of your dreams.

Until next time,

RenovateKate
http://www.renovatekate.com/
www.twitter.com/renovatekate

Saturday, October 17, 2009

Does my granite emit dangerous radon?

Q: Does my granite countertop emit dangerous radon?

A: I've been asked about this growing concern recently so I started doing some research. The following information is from http://www.radon.com/. I encourage you to visit this website, and do some other research on your own, but the concensus seems to be that the levels of radon that exist in granite are minimal and not harmful. It is more likely to find higher levels of radon in the soil under your home than in the products inside your home. I hope this information is helpful and will encourage you to do more research on your own.

From http://www.radon.com/...

"Recent media attention has focused on granite countertops and whether they can increase your indoor radon levels. While testing your home is always a good idea, a few clarifications are in order.

FACT - All natural products, especially stone, minerals, and sand, contain trace amounts of some radioactive elements called NORMs (Naturally Occurring Radioactive Mineral) that can produce measurable amounts of radiation and sometimes radon gas.

This includes all concrete products, clay bricks, most non-plastic plates and dishes, coal and the flyash produced in coal-fired power plants, natural gas (contains radon), phosphate fertilizers used in your garden (ALL contain potassium and small amounts of uranium and thorium), and the vegetables grown using those fertilizers. The Border Patrol often catches truck loads of marijuana because it is loaded with radiation producing potassium), all glass made using silica (even eye glasses, wine glasses, mirrors, windows, etc.), and granite too. There are thousands of items we could list. If interested, visit these links for more info:

· http://www.eoearth.org/article/Naturally-occurring_radioactive_materials_(NORM)
· http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/inf30.html

However, the key word is "measurable". As an illustration, compare the radon produced by your naturally-occurring stone surfaces, such as granite, to the heat produced by a birthday candle. Although you wouldn't be able to heat your entire kitchen using a birthday candle you can easily feel the heat if you put your hand over it. This is similar to placing a geiger counter over a tiny speck of uranium, thorium, radium, or potassium. The detector will make thousands of clicks per minute but be of little concern. If your stone surface emits a small amount of radon, as happens in most cases, it will generally be insignificant when diluted with the quantity of air in your entire home.

You are hundreds of times more likely to be at risk for radon emanating from the soil beneath your home. The US EPA states it simply in the Consumer's Guide to Radon Reduction:
"In a small number of homes, the building materials (e.g., granite and certain concrete products) can give off radon, although building materials rarely cause radon problems by themselves. In the United States, radon gas in soils is the principal source of elevated radon levels in homes."
I still want to test my granite surface. What should I do?
You can order an activated charcoal Complete Granite Surface Test Package on our online store."

Until next time,

RenovateKate
http://www.renovatekate.com/
renovatekate@cox.net

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

What is a counter-depth refrigerator?

Q: What is a counter-depth refrigerator?

A: A counter-depth refrigerator measures 24” from the front to the back of the refrigerator, excluding the thickness of the door and handles. The benefit of a counter-depth refrigerator is that it is the same depth as your kitchen countertops. Most refrigerators are 30” deep and “stick out” into the kitchen, usually 8 to 10 inches past the countertops. Check your own refrigerator to see an example. A counter-depth refrigerator takes less floor space in your kitchen and often times will allow wider access in a usually high-traffic area. Another space saving idea: recess the outlet behind the refrigerator. This will give you up to three more inches of space in your kitchen. It may not sound like much, but three inches (plus the 8” to 10” of a regular depth refrigerator) can increase your floor space by up to a foot!

Until next time,

Renovate Kate

www.constructionology101.com
www.twitter.com/renovatekate



Monday, August 17, 2009

Choosing a Backsplash for Your Kitchen

Q. How do I choose a backsplash for my kitchen?

A. Choosing the backsplash for the kitchen is the second-to-last decision I make when planning a kitchen design. (Paint is the last element chosen.) I use the backsplash to tie in all the other unrelated materials – cabinets, countertops, and flooring. The backsplash can make or break any kitchen design so it’s important to take your time thinking through your final decision.

When shopping with my clients, I always make “backsplash day” it’s own day because it can be very overwhelming if you don’t have a plan. First, know the style of your kitchen.

Is the kitchen modern? Then cleaner lines and the “less is more” theory is usually appropriate. Materials like glass and stainless steel are in keeping with cleaner lines. But don’t settle for the basic 4 x 4 or 6 x 6 inch sizes. Because the lines are more minimalist, here’s your chance to use the backsplash for drama and the unexpected. I love the new 5/8” x 6” “finger” tiles laid in an offset pattern in glass or stainless material. And I like to set them running vertically on the wall because horizontal is the natural tendency and I like to do the unexpected.

For more traditional kitchens, including French Country, Shabby Chic and Mediterranean, natural stone tiles look great. Tumbled marble is popular and easily accessible, but also predictable. Try different shapes and sizes to create your own unique look. Tumbled marble comes in a wide variety of colors as well, so look at a golden 3 x 6 harlequin-shaped tile with a 5/8” decorative “dot” of red marble for a beautiful look with a hint of color. (The red is minimal and will not dictate that kitchen accessories be red. It just adds a little punch to the neutral color of the gold.) I also like brick-shaped marble or limestone (1x2 or 3x6) for a traditional home, but for a twist on this idea, look at Sonoma Tile’s “Tantrum” glass tile in the 1x2 brick shape. It’s shattered glass set on a porcelain backing and comes in a variety of colors. I recently tiled a vent hood over the cooktop in this 1x2 tantrum glass tile and the result was stunning! It’s unique but not trendy and it’s always a conversation piece for guests visiting my client’s home.

There are countless ways to design your backsplash, and the colors, shapes, sizes and styles are unlimited…and can be overwhelming. But don’t settle for what’s “easy.” Here’s your chance to make your kitchen something special and uniquely “you!”
Until next time,

Renovate Kate

www.constructionology101.com
www.twitter.com/renovatekate

Monday, August 10, 2009

Luxurious Walk-in Pantry? Beware!

Q. Why is a tall cabinet with pull-out trays better than a walk-in pantry?

A. In my experience, walk-in pantries are one of the most requested features in a new or remodeled kitchen. It's such a luxury to have a small room dedicated to storage of canned goods, pet food, small appliances and other items that we don't want cluttering up our wall cabinets and countertop space. However, so-called "walk-in pantries" can be very deceiving on paper.

Architectural plans that show a walk-in pantry are rarely as large as they seem. Like closets, the architect typically does not draw in the shelving that must go in. Subtract the 12 to 15 inches of depth for each shelf, then put that shelving on two walls of a U-shaped space, and your "walk-in" pantry can quickly become a "reach-in" pantry because there is little to no floor space to stand in.

Unless my client has a minimum of 54" across the shortest wall of the pantry, I don't recommend putting one in. Here's how I got there...54" minus 24" (12" for each shelf, assuming two walls of shelving) leaves 30" to actually stand in. Anything less than 30" gets very tight and the deeper the pantry, the more difficult it will become to maneuver in less than 30" of space with your hands full.

A great alternative is to incorporate into your cabinetry design a tall pantry with pull-out trays. An 18" wide by 24" deep tall cabinet with four pull-out trays will hold much more than a 36" wide "walk-in" pantry with a few 12" deep shelves, or even deeper shelves that hold more, but cannot be easily accessed.

You can also add as many pull-out trays as you need, and if the cabinet is pre-drilled for shelving or trays, they can be adjusted according to the height of the products you are storing. If you have large containers for dog food, you can set the bottom tray at 24" off the floor. If you have a tray for spices, the tray above it can be set at 6" to 8" from the tray below.


Another advantage of the pull-out tray system is that you will no longer be reaching over cans and bottles and boxes to access the products behind. You simply pull out the trays (I recommend full-extension glides on these trays) and you can stand to the side of the pantry to easily reach all the products in the back half of the tray.

Remember, when talking to your builder or remodeler, be sure to ask about the width of your "walk-in" pantry. If it's less than 54" wide, consider making the pantry part of your cabinetry. This will save space in your kitchen, maximize your storage space, and put the items you need closer to your preparation area.


Until next time,

Renovate Kate

http://www.constructionology101.com/
www.twitter.com/renovatekate

Friday, August 7, 2009

Curbless Showers

What is a “curb-less” shower and why do I need one?

A curbless shower is simply that…a shower without a curb. Most people wonder how the water will stay in the shower without a curb. It’s simple. The foundation of the home below the shower floor must be busted out (yes, down to the dirt), then a new floor is poured 3 ½” to 4” below the existing foundation. Your tile expert will then rebuild the shower pan with the appropriate slope allowing the water to drain properly without spilling out onto the bathroom floor. The advantage of a curbless shower is it is ADA compliant. Should you ever break a leg and find yourself in a walker or wheelchair, or if you have elderly family members staying with you, or a guest with a disability, it is simple to enter the shower without stepping up over a curb.

If you are building a new home, discuss this option with your builder PRIOR to pouring your foundation. This will save you and your builder time and money if the floor can be poured properly the first time.

Until next time,

Renovate Kate

www.constructionology.com
www.twitter.com/renovatekate



Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Free-Standing Ranges Vs. Slide-In Ranges

Q: Should I purchase a free-standing range or a drop-in (or slide-in) range? What’s the difference?

A: A free-standing range is best when you are not changing your countertop. A free-standing range will simply stand between your existing countertops. However, you will have a small gap between your range and your countertop.

A drop-in or slide-in range has a lip on the left and right side of the cooktop that extends past the range itself, allowing the range to sit on top of your countertop. This eliminates the gap between the range and countertop and thus prevents spills from dripping down the side of the range that cannot be reached for cleaning. However, using a slide-in range with an existing countertop will create a problem.

Because the range literally “slides in”, the front of the countertop will prevent the range from touching the back wall. This will create a 3” to 4” gap behind the range. With new countertops, this problem is easily resolved by telling your countertop installer to fabricate a “strip” that will cover this gap. If you have an existing countertop, this will be a much more difficult problem to resolve.

Until next time,

Renovate Kate

www.constructionology101.com
www.twitter.com/renovatekate

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Before You Do Anything Else, Select Your Shower Head

Q. What is the first item I should select for my new bathroom?

A. Surprisingly enough, it’s not the cabinets, the tile, or the countertops. It’s the shower head! Deciding if you want a single shower head, a stationary head plus a hand-held, body jets, a rain head, or a combination is very important because your decision will determine the VALVE that you need. The valve is the VERY FIRST THING the plumber will install after the bathroom is taken apart. The valve goes in with the rough-in plumbing…before the concrete board, before the tile, before anything else. Once the valve goes in and the shower is tiled, it is too late to decide on your shower head options (unless you want to tear out the tile and start over!!). So decide on your shower heads and body jets, then tell your plumbing expert. They will then know which valve you need to purchase.

Until next time,

Renovate Kate

www.constructionology101.com
www.twitter.com/renovatekate

Monday, July 27, 2009

How to Choose a Countertop

Q: How do I choose a countertop for my kitchen or bathroom?

A: Selecting a countertop for your kitchen or bathroom can be one of the most challenging parts of building or remodeling. The countertop is often the “crown jewel” of the room and the decision shouldn’t be made lightly.

The first step is to decide on the material. Should you select natural stone, engineered stone, solid surface, laminate, tile, glass or concrete? We’ll discuss this particular question another day. However, once the material is chosen, selecting the actual piece can be quite daunting.

When shopping with my clients, I often begin by letting them quickly scan all the slabs (I’ll use granite here as an example) simply asking them to label each as “love it” or “hate it.” I note all the “love its” and try to find some continuity in the pieces they love. Perhaps they love gold and red tones but hate greens and grays. Maybe they are more attracted to lots of veining and movement and less attracted to the tighter, more symmetrical patterns. Once you discover your preference for colors and movement, then you can begin to pair your granite with your cabinet selection. (Yet another topic for another day.)

Helpful hint: Take your cabinet sample and lay it up against your countertop. Step 10 feet away from the samples and you will see much easier which colors match and which ones clash. It is very difficult to see the colors as they really are when you are too close!

Until next time,

Renovate Kate

www.constructionology101.com
www.twitter.com/renovatekate

Friday, July 24, 2009

Benefits of an Undermount Sink

Q. What are the benfits of an undermount sink?

A. There are basically three types of mountings for sinks – drop-in, flush mount and undermount.

A drop-in sink simply drops in on top of the countertop. These are more difficult to clean as you will have a small space between the back of the sink and the backsplash that collects water and is difficult to reach.

A flush mount sink (which is less common, but becoming more available) drops in but sits flush with the countertop. This is a beautiful look, but be cautious of the countertop material. Not all countertops can be fabricated to support or accept a flush-mount sink.

An undermount sink is the most sanitary option for a sink. The sink sits between the bottom of the countertop and the top of the cabinet, thus it is “mounted under” the countertop. Because there is no lip or small gap between the sink and countertop, splashed water can be easily swept back into the sink. There is also a wider space between the sink and backsplash (and no lip) making it much easier to clean. Perhaps the biggest advantage is there is no need to take a toothpick to clean the perimeter of the sink where the “gunk” collects because the sink now sits underneath the countertop. Brilliant!!

Until next time,

Renovate Kate

Thursday, July 23, 2009

Designing a Kitchen? Cabinets First!

Why should every kitchen design start with the cabinets?

Every kitchen design should start with the cabinets because your cabinets are the most permanent furniture pieces in your home. Floors, countertops, faucets and certainly paint will come and go over the years, but your cabinets will more than likely be in your home for an average of 30 to 40 years!! Don’t assume your kitchen has been “designed” simply because you purchased a set of plans. More than likely, not a single thought has been placed on storage, appliance layout or accessibility!

Cabinets should be built with very specific storage needs in mind…a place for large pots and pans, spices, cutlery, dish towels and pot holders, etc. What if you want a place for a small television in the kitchen? Where does the microwave go? Will you be living in the home the rest of your life? Will it be functional for all stages of life? How will you reach items in the upper cabinets? Should your plates and glassware be in the base cabinets so every member of the family can reach them? Will the placement of your appliances meet your needs?

It is well worth the small investment to hire a professional kitchen and bath designer to ensure your cabinets are not only beautiful, but - more importantly - functional.

Until next time,

Renovate Kate



Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Flooring Under a Dishwasher...Yes or No?

Q. Should you put flooring under your dishwasher or not?

A. Yes. If you set your dishwasher on an unfinished floor, then lay your flooring material, you will not be able to pull out the dishwasher should you ever need to service it. Why? The countertop will prevent you from lifting the dishwasher up over the flooring. Be sure to allow enough height (typcially 34.5") between the FINISHED floor and the bottom of your countertop to fit your dishwasher. You may need to raise up or “shim” your countertop to allow enough space. Ask your flooring installer and your countertop installer about this prior to any work being done.

If you have questions about this topic or would like advice about any of your residential or remodeling projects, write me and I'll be happy to answer you.

Contact me at
http://www.renovatekate.blogspot.com/
www.twitter.com/renovatekate
And check out my website at www.constructionology101.com


Until next time,

Renovate Kate

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Cabinets 101

Since the warm weather has arrived, everyone is ready to remodel. It's been a busy week of helping clients plan, design and estimate their upcoming remodeling projects. I have a method of designing a new kitchen that is simple and always works.

After my initial consultation with a client, we set a date to go "shopping." This is a chance for me to get to know my client's taste in decor and help them find a style for their new space. I always, always, always start with cabinets.

Cabinetry is what I refer to as the permanent furniture of the house. Sofas and carpet can come and go, but the cabinets you select today will be in your house an average of 25 to 40 years. This is not a place to skimp on budget nor in your time researching, analyzing or selecting your cabinets.

Because the cabinets will be the last element to change in your house, this should be your foundation for selecting all other surfaces. There is also a process I use in helping the client make their choice of cabinets. First, I start with the style of the door. Does the client prefer a raised panel door, a recessed door or a slab door? Raised panel doors, especially with decorative moldings, are typically seen in more traditional settings while recessed doors with little to no molding will work for a shaker or mission style home. Slab doors, doors with no detail at all, are usually used in modern homes for a sleek, contemporary look.

Once the door style is selected, it's time to select the wood species. There are so many wood species available in today's market that it can be a little overwhelming. However, like the door styles, certain species lend themselves to certain design styles. Maple, cherry and birch are smooth woods with little graining and have a more clean or elegant look. Oak, pine and alder woods have more distinctive graining and usually offer a more rustic feel to cabinetry.

Now that a door style and wood species have been determined, it's time to select a stain color. Stain colors will vary greatly depending on the type of wood taking the stain. For example, the same stain called "honey" will look very light with a yellow or gold tone if applied to maple. The same exact stain applied to a cherry door will look deeper and darker and pull hints of red tones out of the wood. This is because maple is, by nature, a lighter, more golden wood and cherry is naturally darker with more red in its base. People are also often confused by the word "cherry." If a cherry cabinet is mentioned, most people will visualize a very dark red/brown color. But keep in mind that cherry is a wood species, not a color! Light stains on cherry wood can produce a beautiful light to medium tone and is not dark at all.

Congratulations! You have now built a foundation for building the rest of your kitchen. With your style defined by the door, the wood species and stain color selected, you can now take your door and begin coordinating it with your countertops, flooring, backsplash, paint colors and appliances. This will ensure that all the elements will flow naturally and beautifully and the kitchen of your dreams is now within reach.

If you have more questions about selecting cabinets or what to do next, please leave a comment below, or twitter me at renovatekate.

Until next time,

Kate

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Are you, like, a good communicator?

I gave my first Toastmasters speech last night and, although I am at ease speaking in front of a crowd, something very strange happened on the way to the podium. I found myself practicing nervous habits I never knew I would have.

This happens to me in my golf game. I practice swinging at the ball a dozen times, and it's perfect every time. Put the ball in front of me, and something goes terribly wrong.

I was not at all nervous in the hours, minutes, or even seconds leading up to my speech. But once I reached the lectern and began speaking, I forgot my words, I began to clutch the podium, started shifting my weight, found myself stammering and starting over, even (gasp) pawing at the ground with my foot much like an agitated horse! Who was this horrifically uncomfortable, blabbering orator who had taken over my body and my mouth?

Somehow I managed to get through my speech and was ready to hear my critique. Prior to my presentation, I had asked my evaluator to be very forthcoming - even brutal - in his evaluation as I wanted to know my mistakes and learn from them. Although he did have a few areas of improvement for me, he and the other audience members said I looked very poised, completely at ease, had a good, strong speaking voice and thought the speech was swell.

Huh?? This is all very nice to hear, and perhaps my nervousness was not as obvious to my audience as it was to me, but I learned a lot about myself in that brief six minutes. The lesson for me was that communication is far more than the words we say. It's in our posture, the confidence in our voice, our eye contact, and the way we dress. Sometimes how we say something can override what we say, which could work for us or against us.

This is not new information. I've known these things most of my adult life. But as prepared as I was for this moment, one never knows one's response in a scary situation until one is in the midst of it. I think I know what I would do if an intruder broke into my house in the middle of the night, but until I'm faced with that situation, I guess I really don't know how I will react. The same goes for public speaking.

Next time, like my golf game, I'll try to remember all those little tricks that will help me hit the "sweet spot." Keep my eyes off my notes, my weight off the lectern, my feet planted firmly on the floor, and just enjoy the game. Perhaps there will be a day when my speech won't "shank" and it will be worth all the practice I've put in.

Until, like, next time,

-Kate

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Creating Cocoons in a Scary World

I've been spending the day reading Faith Popcorn's trends for 2009 (again) and considering the direction our emotions and spirituality are leading us.

It's interesting to me that in times of horrific crises (911, natural disasters, etc.) we all have a basic instinct to run home...back to our nests, our cocoons, away from the scariness of the outside world. And it seems that the crises in our lives keeps growing in numbers. Perhaps not at the level of earthquakes and tsunamis, but certainly in the stress that comes with the thought of losing a steady job, a home, a child's education fund, or a retirement fund.

But I'm finding that people are not only running to a physical home, but an emotional and spiritual base as well. Ms. Popcorn talks about anchoring, cashing out and clanning. If you're not familiar with these particular terms, you can probably figure out via your own experiences what she's talking about.

"Anchoring" is reaching back to the past for things that made us feel secure in our childhoods so we can face an unknown future. I often find myself wishing for a simpler time, when kids could play with their friends three blocks from home and mom never had to worry about their safety.

"Cashing Out" is giving up certain social "to do's" to live the life you really desire; i.e. the New York corporate lawyer who leaves his practice to start his own river-rafting tour company on the Colorado River. I have already experienced this transition. Four years ago I left the comfort of a steady paycheck to "do my own thing." I became increasingly unhappy with corporate America and decided I was ready to work my tail off for ME this time!

"Clanning" is a loneliness trend. Despite our crazy schedules and "over-stimulated" lives, we still find ourselves struggling to connect to other human beings on a personal level. Clanning is trying to find like-minded people looking for commonality without going outside your cocoon. This is why social networking sites are taking off so quickly. We can make that connection and talk about the most intimate details of our lives with others, yet never have to leave the comfort of our home.

I'm curious to see how the next five to ten years will impact our lives. Will financial crises, natural disasters, political upheavals, religious wars and other stressful situations force us even further into our homes or cocoons where we'll have to settle for virtual relationships, or will we quickly tire of being afraid of the outside world and begin to crave even more face-to-face contact with others.

What do you think?

Until next time,

-Kate

Thursday, April 2, 2009

Spring Has Sprung!

Flowers are blooming, birds are singing, trees are budding, and everyone has a sense of new beginnings, and new beginnings is why I love spring so much. It's a chance to renew, reinvent, and make some much needed changes.

If you're like me, you have spent the last few miserable winter months inside looking around your home thinking it could use more than just a good cleaning. For me, I decided I hated the banister on the staircase, the stain on my wood floors, the color of my walls, and some of my over-sized furniture. So, I have already taken down the banister, selected the new paint colors and brushed samples on the wall, and am searching online for "the perfect sofa."

I'm energized by the thought of a "new" home, even if it means just a few cosmetic changes. But a few cosmetic changes can change the entire look and feel of your home, your sense of comfort, and, most importantly, your overall attitude.

Let the painting begin!!!

Until next time,

Kate

Saturday, March 28, 2009

The Doctor Is In...

I received a call Thursday from a friend/competitor who had a client he couldn't help. The client, a doctor, had selected her own backsplash and, upon seeing it installed, decided it wasn't what she wanted. Her remodeler, my friend/competitor, didn't know how to help her. So I got the call that the client was in dire need of some design assistance and could I "please step in and help?" The doctor is in!! Within a couple of hours, I'm standing in the client's house looking at her backsplash. Yes, it was nice. No, it didn't go with anything else in her kitchen. I agreed that it needed to be replaced.

We planned a shopping trip the next day and I showed her what I had in mind. She immediately fell in love with my recommendation, and we spent the next two hours designing, selecting various colors, shapes and sizes, and discussing her master plan for the rest of the house. After all, there's no need for her to continue making less-than-perfect decisions that would only lead to more costs and delays in her remodel.

There is nothing that thrills me more than to meet a client who is tired, frustrated and completely dispassionate about the mess they find themselves in in the wake of a remodel, then changing their attitude in a matter of an hour or two by inspiring them, empowering them, and getting them getting excited again about their project and assisting them in achieving the home of their dreams.

Do you have the home of your dreams??

Until next time,

-Kate

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Looking for Glass Tile

I've spent the last four weeks looking for red glass tile for a client. Not just ANY red glass tile. It had to be 5/8" x 5/8" at 8mm thick. My choice, not my client's. Little did I know that this tile simply does not exist anywhere in the universe. I can find the size I need in every other possible color combination...solids, mixed, glass with stone, clear glass, frosted glass, tumbled glass, but alas...no red.

The plus side of all this is that I have a client who is willing to trust me, who let's me push the envelope and go for something daring and different. I tried to talk him out of the red since it can't be found (and 1" x 1" doesn't work...grout line is too thick), but he wouldn't budge. He has fallen in love with the idea of red and reminded me that it was MY suggestion! :)

So, I'm back to searching, googling, calling for and dreaming about 5/8" x 5/8" 8mm thick red glass tile. And looking forward to the next challenge of finding something that doesn't exist.

Until next time,

Kate

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Hello Twitter

Of course I've heard about Twitter but have never explored it. I've been on Facebook for a couple of months and it's been a great experience. I've reconnected with lots of highschool friends but saw it only as a cute little program much like Classmates.com. But today, I attended a seminar about Twitter. I'm blown away at the possibilities of using social networks like Twitter and Facebook for sharing information, developing business, and getting instant feedback from potential and existing clients as well as the general public on things that interest me.

I'm looking forward to getting to know Twitter better and find out all that it can do. If you are a Twitter expert, I would love to hear from you.

Until next time,

-Kate