by Randi Destefano
Have you ever hosted a party at your home and everyone wants to hang out in the kitchen? There’s laughing and talking and everyone is having a wonderful time! Even with an open floor plan, and lots of subtle hints to move to the great room, they all want to stay in the kitchen. The downside to this, if you’re the hostess, is that guests are in your way as you try to get the food ready. It’s hard to move around them to grab to what you need, and you end up getting a little stressed. At that point, you might start wishing that your kitchen had a better layout. So how can you create an amazing kitchen design that works for YOU and your family?
One of the first things we do in a kitchen consultation is talk about what you want and what you need in your new space. And almost always my clients’ first response is “I want our kitchen to be more functional with lots of counter space and storage.” Sound familiar? Everyone has their own idea of how they want to work in their space. You want a functional kitchen design that’s been customized just for you and way you want to work and entertain.
To make this happen, always start with a plan. Would you ever go on a trip without knowing how to get to your destination ? I know I always check it out on WAZE. The same thing applies to designing a kitchen that works for YOU. When you have a vision for the end result, all the steps along the way fall into place.
Begin with making a list of everything you need in your kitchen. This would include things like all the appliances you need (ex. refrigerator, cooktop, oven, dishwasher, etc.). Then move on to lighting, flooring, and countertops.
Next is your dream list of wants. On this specific list add things like a 48” refrigerator, a double oven, roll out trays in every cabinet, drawers instead of cabinets. Don’t forget all the bells and whistles that go into a cabinet, the accessories. Specialty cabinets like trash drawers, tray dividers, spice pullouts are always convenient things to have in a functional kitchen.
What are the specific reasons why you want each item. For example, you want drawers because you don’t want the extra step of opening cabinet doors. Or you prefer cabinets because you can’t stack things and find them in drawers. Remember that this is YOUR kitchen, and it needs to be designed for the way you want to work in your space.
A place in the pantry to store serving platters in plain view.
My friend,Jane, designed this utensil drawer for her island
Jane’s island tray divider drawer
The last thing to consider during this planning phase is what items need to be next to or near each other. The obvious is the sink next to the dishwasher. But what other products do you need to be grouped together? Do you like having your trays and cookie sheets next to the oven or closer to your work area? This exercise might take a little longer. But once you have it, your space planning will be much easier.
Dish drawers directly across from the dishwasher for easy unloading.
Spice pullouts next to the range.
Keep in mind that having each and every one of your “wants” isn’t always going to work, even if they do fit into your budget. So be willing to compromise on the amount of products and even the locations of certain things. In the end, the goal is to help you create an amazing kitchen design that’s not only beautiful, but it’s functional.
by Randi Destefano
Has anyone ever told you that sometimes the lowest price doesn’t always mean it’s the best choice for a project? I know that I’ve heard it from my parents, my contractors, and other designer friends, “You get what you pay for.” I even pass on these words of advice to my own clients.
But with the ease of internet shopping and today’s supply shortages, it’s so easy to hop on-line to find exactly the look and color you want. With the ease of comparing prices from one vendor to another and faster delivery times, who wouldn’t want to give it a try? After all, ordering a custom sofa, or even having your old one re-upholstered can take several months.
We all can think of a few things for our home that we would pay almost anything to have. It’s beautiful, the quality is excellent, and the color is exactly what we need to make the room go from drab to fab! When it’s finally ours we’re so happy and excited that we can’t wait to share!
Then there are the other things that we need for our projects that aren’t so important to us. They might be a filler piece to finish off the room. Or an appliance that we know we won’t use every day. That’s when finding a bargain really gets our excitement flowing.
A while back, my words of advice came back to haunt me when I did my own on-line shopping. Let me tell you a story of my first experience…..
When I was staying in Singapore several years ago, I bought a beautiful hand knotted tribal carpet runner. It’s made with vegetable dyes, which I love, and the colors are deep and rich reds, blues, and ivories. This rug has traveled with us from house to house, and I still have wonderful memories whenever I look at it.
Imagine my surprise, when I was browsing through an on-line weekly sale and saw a small area carpet in the same exact pattern and the same exact colors. And the best part was that it was more than half of the price I paid for the runner!
While I was thinking it was too good to be true, I checked their return policy. Good to know that not only was shipping free, the return freight was free. Once I discovered that important fact, it took about a minute to hit the “order now” button…and it was mine!!!!
My excitement mounted as I waited for the package to arrive. Finally, 4 days later, it made it to my front porch. I ran for the scissors to cut the bag. I pulled off the bag. I unrolled the carpet. And then…..a total disappointment over the purchase.
You see, what I couldn’t have guessed by looking at the on-line photograph, was the dull colors. They were the same reds, blues, and ivories, but definitely not as vibrant. The patterns are almost identical, but there are many more knots per inch on the expensive carpet than on the bargain carpet. And lastly, the height of the tufting doesn’t compare with the runner.
By itself, the “bargain” tribal carpet would look beautiful in any home. But because I wanted to show them in the same room, it just wouldn’t work. The comparison in color intensity and quality would have always bothered me.
Since that first experience of on-line shopping for our home, I’ve made several other purchases. Some were perfect, and others not so perfect. Items have been returned because they didn’t look like the on-line image or the description. An accent rug was kept simply because it met the criteria we were looking for: fast delivery, washable, inexpensive, and puppy-proofed.
It all comes down to what you value most at the time you’re ready to purchase. If it’s something you need to replace because the one you have is broken, waiting 3 months for a perfect quality piece might not be an option. But if it’s an item that you really love, then waiting for a piece of furniture that is customized for your room is worth it.
When we discovered that our custom made counter stools couldn’t be repaired and the finish was discontinued, it was finally time to decide on a replacement. With a newly renovated kitchen, and company coming, what I valued at that point in time was a swivel stool that looked good, in colors that would work with our cabinets and countertops. For me, it was more important to have them delivered within the week than to wait months for custom stools.
After carefully reading the specification to make sure they would be the correct size, the order was placed. They arrived within the week, just in time for our guests! Are they exactly what I would have chosen given patience to wait for custom? No. But for now, the color is perfect and the seats will be covered soon in a fabric that coordinates with the other fabrics and colors in the space.
These stools, when compared to the custom swivel stools we had, are definitely a “you get what you pay for” purchase. I mean, they were a lot less than a custom stool would cost. But because I carefully read the product details, and studied the on-line image, I knew what to expect and wasn’t disappointed.
Lessons Learned:
- If your design project requires you to have two or more items that are identical or even remotely similar, buy them at the same time.
- If the price is really low, it just might be too good to true.
- Carefully read the product description and specifications for length, width, seat depth, arm height
- Seeing a product in person so that you can touch it and feel it is a good thing.
- On-line shopping is great! But make sure the return policy is one you can live with.
- Keep a list of what you need or want for your next design project. And from that list decide what you’re willing to splurge on and what you would rather bargain shop for.
- Don’t buy your main upholstered pieces online unless you’re familiar with the manufacturer.
When it comes to shopping online, there are good deals to be had, especially during sales. But remember to do your research, read the fine details, and decide if settling for less than your dream is worth it. After all, no one wants to be told “you get what you pay for.”
by Randi Destefano
I don’t know about you, but I tend to procrastinate on holiday preparations. Sometimes it’s because I’m too busy with other things that were more important when I said “yes” to them. Other times, the perfectionist in me keeps thinking “what if?” What if a better table decorating idea comes to me later? What if there won’t be enough variety of food? Crazy, right?
With Thanksgiving just around the corner, it’s time to think about what can be done right now that will bring more joy and less stress to the holiday. Remember, we want to avoid holiday chaos and focus on enjoying our family and friends. The answer could be discovering the ONE THING you want to accomplish with the preparation and the meal. For me, that would be enjoying our time together, staying calm, and living in the moment. When I focus on this….and how long it will take to pull it all together…it’s time to get real and make a plan.
Let’s take a look at some simple steps to avoid holiday chaos:
What can you easily accomplish in the time you have?
Remember that people typically come to a gathering for two reasons: food and fun. YOU are hoping to create lasting memories. But be realistic about the amount of time you can spend planning and preparing. When you’re completely exhausted by the time you sit down to dinner, it’s hard to enjoy the meal and your guests. Take it from me…been there, done that! My little Thanksgiving secret is that one year I went on strike in cooking the meal. But that’s another story for another day! LOL!!!
As you plan your meal, remember to delegate a dish or two to anyone who offers. Your party will be easier that way. And the bonus for your guests is that it lets them try a new recipe as well as feeling helpful.
What should you buy? What should you DIY?
Sometimes you just can’t do it all yourself. So you need to decide what can you buy and what can you realistically do yourself. Costco, Trader Joe’s and Fresh Market have delicious, prepared food that can fill in for side dishes you don’t have time to make.
This same mindset holds true for the table decorations. Most of us dream of having our Thanksgiving table decorated with perfectly coordinated china, colorful linens, and beautiful centerpieces. With a peaceful walk in the woods and a quick “shopping trip” around your own home, you can easily create a look that will wow your friends and family.
How to handle the clutter when guests are staying overnight?
I like being neat and tidy (most of the time), so a house full of overnight guests, luggage, and cramped quarters can feel a little crazy and chaotic.
Some of the ways I’ve managed to keep clutter to a minimum is to make sure everyone has a designated area for their family’s “stuff”. At my house that means all coolers are stored in the room off the garage and toys are kept all together.
Creating an out-of-the-way private space for guests to keep their suitcase will make them feel welcomed and keep the clutter to a minimum.
We all want the holiday to be a joyful, fun-filled and stress-free time. We want our guests to feel welcomed and comfortable. And most of all, we want to create cherished memories that last a lifetime as we give thanks for all of our many blessings.
Hi!
I'm Randi Destefano, and I love helping homeowners design and renovate their existing home. 
