The benefits of using an interior designer.

AFTER

As the senior designer for Touch of Tradition, I see many people facing design dilemmas. I serve as a sounding board and provider of advice and this is what I've found to be true over the years: Interior designers add value in many ways than simply through aesthetics. When you make a decision to remodel or update your home, and bring in a designer, it WILL change your life in the best ways. Making an investment in your home should be done wisely.  Even if you just spend a few hours of time with a professional interior designer, the results will be years of satisfaction and  enjoyment of the spaces you change. With the plethora of materials, products, advertisements and samples available for home remodels and updates, the choices need to be made wisely. Rather than struggle through agonizing weeks with plans, surface materials, fabrics, dimensions and "what-if's", using a professional designer will bring timely satisfaction, creativity, and perfection to your project. Don't make a mistake! We will help solve your design and construction issues so everything runs smoothly.

BEFORE

I've rescued clients from bad furniture purchases, the "nightmare" they lived through with a bad contractor, the poor selections of  floor coverings and paint colors that they made, and throwing their hands up at a poorly designed kitchen or bath. Don't waste your money or your time. We know codes, space-planning, color, products, technology and more. Our expertise is having the experience, resources and knowledge to recommend everything to finish and furnish your home. Keep what you can and update it, re-purpose, and re-new.  With access to new products, technology, trends and creative ideas, your time with us will be well-spent. 

When want to you love the results, meet your budget, and nail your style, the decision to hire a designer is always right. At Touch of Tradition, you can browse the fabric and furniture collections, purchase from what's in stock, or order a custom piece with the right dimensions and finish for your home. From July 1  to August 1, 2012, purchases from the shop or on-line will be supplemented with a gift certificate to use or give to someone special.  Come by and bring your home decor and design questions.

Your remodel- Do you start over or rework?

It’s a common problem. You want to move. Your home's elevation has curb appeal, but the floor plan behind it has grown stale and will ultimately turn buyers away. Do you have to scrap the entire design and start over? The expense, the challenges with permits and the length of time needed will all be factors. To save time and work within a strict budget, a more economical approach would be to redefine the existing plan within the same (or close to the same) footprint. Going this route allows you to keep the part of the program that’s working and maintain a construction approach that is more or less familiar. Looking at the home below you can see what doesn't work and how it was modified in the same footprint, saving over $120,000 from a plan to tear down and restart. The floor plan has too many jogs and corners, a small and inefficient kitchen, and a master suite that fails to exploit views of the backyard, and a poorly designed entrance, but the overall space works for the property.  It's too divided - the spaces aren’t conducive to togetherness. Some other details to note: Because the laundry is a cut-through from the garage, its functional work surfaces are limited.  The patio is shallow and tough to furnish, and access to the interior living spaces is awkward.  A corner closet makes the master bath difficult for two people to use at the same time.  Having a master bedroom that is visible from the foyer isn't ideal for privacy.  By rethinking this plan’s master suite and communal areas it will improve the home on several levels. A revised plan creates view corridors, frees up space for a larger, more usable rear patio, and trades an isolated formal living room for a multipurpose area in the heart of the home. Located just off the kitchen, this new space provides a room for laundry, homework, computing, and art projects. It can be public or private.

Before

After

The resulting floor plan opens the home, making it appear much larger. Using the same roof structure yet creating an outdoor porch really helped in reducing costs. That freed up dollars for exterior upgrades and nicer finishes thoughout the home. It's always best to spend money where it can be truly appreciated. The finer points of the plan:

• Focusing more on workstations than a work triangle, the revamped kitchen provides room for several cooks at once. Its cleanup area is out of the main flow of traffic.
• The original laundry is replaced with a mudroom between kitchen and garage for dropping off groceries, jackets, and school bags. It also contains pantry space and electronics chargers.
• Courtyards and patios must be large enough to be furnished outside the primary circulation path. This one now accommodates a seating area.
• A laundry/hobby room encourages shared chores and family bonding. When bedrooms are too private and well-appointed, kids never want to come out.
• The new master bath trades the big tub for an oversized shower and a better defined dressing area. The closet has room for a dresser.