| PHILOSOPHY ASK THE DESIGNER |
 |
I am frequently asked questions like the ones below. The best dialogue makes for the best collaboration on projects. Our ads usually feature the question and answer format. Response has been very positive. If we haven't answered your question, don't hestitate to contact us! - Sarah Blank How should I get ready for the designer? How do I make so many decisions? What makes a successful project? How are you inspired for your unique designs? Why is proportion important to my design? How do family traditions affect my kitchen design?
How should I get ready for the designer?Don’t touch a thing! Don’t tidy up! Let me see how you live day to day in your kitchen. Do the kids do homework there, where is that pile of clutter kept? The mail?When I arrive at a client’s home for a first meeting, the time I spend there is invaluable for insight into the lifestyle of the client and family. I need to understand the flow of traffic, the uses of the room. On this one particular visit, the wife had cleaned up and put everything away. So we began to talk about needs and styles. But not until the husband came home, did I began to hear more about where the mail lands, the newspapers, the school papers from the kids, etc. I cannot emphasize enough the importance of discussing and sharing all your strengths, weaknesses, and general uses for the room. Besides asking about your lifestyle, the designer will take a serious look at all your belongings that you use. This makes sure that they are planned for in storage or display, in the best way possible. The kitchen designer must organize your belongings as well as your daily routine!
How do I make so many decisions? Decisions, decisions....the most difficult aspect of building a new kitchen are the number of decisions to be made. Decisions should not be made hastily! Many a homeowner will admit that they don’t always know the best answer to some of these questions. They have limited experience with these items, they may not know the needs of the new appliances they have chosen, space requirements, nuances that make the traffic pattern flow better, ways to conserve space. So the designer is again the person you really want to assist you in making the myriad decisions coming your way.
What makes a successful project?I received a phone call from a magazine asking for input on an article about how to redo a kitchen in three weeks! Well, to me it seems they had not done their homework. Other than new doorknobs and a coat of paint, would that job be satisfactory to the client? What makes a job successful? Here are my top goals:
The more organized and open the communication between client and designer, the better informed the decision making process will be.
How are you inspired for your unique designs?The house, the room, and the homeowner are my starting points. I take the time to really meet and talk to the homeowners. Out of their descriptions begin suggestions of what is possible. The design must solve their needs, and be most suitable to their daily demands to be really good. I am a big fan of architecture - its history, its scale and proportions. It is fascinating to sense a style as you approach a home from the outside. That feeling can be carried throughout the interior, even to the kitchen. Use of space is integral. Some homes need to have the kitchen space reconfigured to work optimally for my client. Then it is the smaller details that really make a room special; integrating a water cooler into a cabinet,a special corner unit that swing out quietly. A custom counter height to a prep area. Hand selecting the granite for an island. We go that extra step to complete the project with you.
Why is proportion important to my design?I have met and worked with some of the most knowledgeable architects in the field. One thing I have retained from them is the importance of proportion. A key component of Classical Architecture can be described in one word: proportion. The scale, correlation in size, of one element to another, is what balances a design; the height versus the length needs to be in proportion. There are standard formulas to help keep that sense of balance - whether it’s for the crown molding, the height of the cabinets, the ceiling height or countertop height. Doorways should be centered on both the room you are leaving and the kitchen that you are entering. Balance and symmetry are part of proportion as well. The home’s overall architecture is the first thing we must listen to, and then design the kitchen, the hub of all family activity, around that style, in a functional and proportionate way. After all, you do not want to see a Victorian kitchen in a very Georgian home!
How do family traditions affect my kitchen design?Family traditions are as varied as the people I’ve met and worked with. This is a top consideration in my design. How often do you get together, what do you eat, how is it prepared, when and how many people? Do your great aunt’s dishes need to be displayed in their own way? It there a silver collection? How often do you use the "good china"? Do you prefer sit down dining or buffets? Do you have a large collection of table linens? All of this needs to be sorted out before I can create the design. The best design will have you effortlessly entertaining in the room, with everything at your fingertips! The best design will seem like it was always been there, fitting your family traditions comfortably.
|
|
|
|
 |
|||||
