You are looking for a house – perhaps your first! You’ve considered all of the options: single family, condominium, townhome. You have your list of needs and wants: the right neighborhood, architectural style, interior spaces, number of garage stalls.
You see a few – or a lot of listings. It’s like dating. You enter, look around, and “swipe left”. There may be a succession of “no’s” – a lot of swiping left. The features of these “no’s” – the positives and negatives - populate your mental – or physical checklist. As you go, you pare the list down to your true priorities.
Then suddenly, you walk in, and it’s over. Swipe right! You can see yourself there – with your pets, family and furniture - your artwork on the walls. It has the right vibe!. You want that house. Trouble is, this is the point where critical thinking is key, and you are too excited for that. How do you think through whether it will fit your current needs? Is it adaptable for future life transitions?
Answer: Bring a Professional Designer with you to provide a logical voice and objective eye. Is it feasible to remove walls to create a more open plan? What would it cost to add an extra bathroom? Where could you carve out a mudroom? Would new flooring make it more appealing? Does the kitchen need a complete redo? Are there maintenance issues that could gobble up your budget? A Professional Designer, experienced in remodeling, can imagine the possibilities, help you budget for updates, minimize risk, and empower you to make a wise, confident home-buying decision.
We joined our Clients at an open house to brainstorm ideas for
re-envisioning the flow between the kitchen, formal dining room and living rooms in this surburban home. Between the closing and move-in date, we completely transformed the spaces with creative structural solutions, timeless design, and high-quality finishes.
Top Left: Before - A view from the existing living room into the dining room
Top Right: After - We opened the wall between the kitchen and dining room, supporting the structure with decorative columns and an elegant serving station
Bottom Left: Before - The existing kitchen was small and dated
Bottom Right: After - the combined kitchen and dining rooms are now a gracious, open concept work and living space