Things are getting interesting around the Borson household … I am about to be completely submerged into the process that will be known as “The Kitchen Remodel(™)”. I introduced the possibility of this endeavor in last weeks post – ‘An Architect’s Dream Kitchen‘ – and since that moment, we have been in full design mode at the Borson house. This is one of those times when I’m pretty sure confident that my wife is excited that her husband is an architect. Not everyone has the opportunity to work with a ridiculously highly skilled, design-oriented architect … and a good looking amusing one at that … I even provide my services to her at a huge discount.
Let’s be honest, it’s an embarrassment of riches.
This process includes As-built field verification, several hundred iterations of sketches, and hours of discussions regarding appropriate materials, finishes, appliance packages, faucets, sinks, hardware, cabinet layouts, drawer inserts, and on and on. I’ve found that over the years, I work best when working with my loved ones, that I treat them as an actual client, and I am their design professional. This means not cutting corners on the educational process of why things are done. My wife actually enjoys this process immensely and I can’t say I would blame her should she become irritated if I just waltzed into the room declaring that I had it all figured out because … “this is what I do!” I’ll admit that there are times when I will pull out the “trust me” card but for the most part, my wife is the client on this process and what she says ultimately goes.
If you are an architect or interior designer, certified kitchen designer, etc., I’m sure you can commiserate with me. Working on your own home is both exhilarating and excruciating at the same time. There is a balance that needs to be found between what you want and what you know. For someone (me) who gets to design a lot of kitchens, there is a certain amount of exploration and creative freedom that comes with the premise that this will not be the only kitchen I ever design. There are exciting trends out there that are hard to ignore – exciting new appliance technologies, new innovative styles in sink design (materials, shapes, functionality – you might be surprised at how many options there are in selecting a sink).
What innovations will be a flash in the pan (hilarious pun) and which ones will be here to stay? Of all the individual rooms to work on, the kitchen offers the most options and the most complexity … but in the case of my kitchen, there is no risk, there is only reward because the architecture of my kitchen is in pretty good shape.
The next part for me is to really dig down and look at how I am going to implement my ideas. I wrote a post in September of 2010 titled the “Top 10 Modern Kitchen Design Trends” and It has been 3 years, 4 months and 5 days since I wrote that post and I have to tell you, I nailed it on that post. In fact, it is the most read post on my site (thank goodness I got it right). There are a few things I might tweak on that list – I’m excited with new options for pendant light fixtures, cabinet hardware, non-integrated sinks … what can I say, kitchens are fun to design.
I ended my Top Ten modern Kitchen Design Trends article in a way that seems particularly suited for today’s post as well. Here it is:
“Kitchen design trends change fairly rapidly but most of the items on this list have been developing and refining for years. Despite the hype, kitchens don’t come into favor or go out of style in a year – if they do, I think you have a bad design on your hands. Yes, I know that I called this list the Top10 Modern Kitchen Trends, but I hope that this list represents more than a trend. Trend … that makes it sound so irrelevant and transitory – two words that I strive to avoid using when describing my work.”
My plan is to walk you through this process like I’ve done in other construction posts. I’ve got big things planned for this project and I’m excited to share it with you. If you have any questions,suggestions … requests, please feel free to share them with me. This is going to be fun.
I hope.
