Cool Cabinet Tricks for Your Kitchen Remodel – Video
July 24, 2010 by Neil
Filed under Design & Planning
Somebody turned Neil loose with a video camera! Here is a short video showing off some cabinet ideas you can incorporate into your kitchen renovation. From spice racks and roll-out shelves to garbage bins and cutting boards. Neil takes you on a short tour of the Crimson showroom at 5th Avenue Station in Naperville.
You will see:
- Apron-front sink
- Garbage and recycling bins
- Apothecary drawers
- Roll-out shelves
- Pantry cabinet
- Spice rack
- Cutting board
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Seven Reasons To Update Your Kitchen
June 27, 2010 by Neil
Filed under Design & Planning
There are many reasons to update your kitchen. These are the top seven reasons we hear from homeowners we work with.
- My kitchen is isolated from the rest of the house – when I cook I’m not part of the family conversation
- My kitchen hasn’t been updated since the house was built – I’m embarrassed to entertain in our home
- My kitchen is not efficient – it takes too long to make a meal
- My kitchen doesn’t have enough storage space – I have small appliance and cookware stored in other parts of the house
- My kitchen only has one work area – I want my kids/spouse to have room to help with the cooking
- My kitchen is dark – it’s hard to see what I’m doing and it’s depressing
- I don’t have the space and/or appliances necessary to bake – I’d love to be able to make more cookies/cakes
Do any of these sound familiar? Have you said any of these things or have you heard a friend share one of these comments? Please share your thoughts.
Is Commoditized A Word? (I Used It In A Sentence)
April 27, 2010 by Neil
Filed under Design & Planning
Our society has a commodity mindset. We have for years attempted to take every product and/or service to its lowest common denominator – price. Just think, at one time there were different brands of 2×4 lumber, different brands of electricity, different brands of silicone computer chips. At some time each of those brands meant something. They all offered something unique and different to their customers. But over time something happened. Each industry developed a standard to define each product in order to be more efficient. These standards meant that each company began to produce to that lowest level of quality, thereby stripping the innovation and service from the industry. Everything became equal.
When you go shopping and you are looking for the lowest price you are effectively saying that the item is a commodity. In other words you place no value on the company or the service behind the product. Can a service be defined as a commodity? I guess it could be. If a minimum level could be defined, then sure. But as human beings we all have a different way of interacting. We all have different values, ethics, experiences that make us unique. So with that in mind, can your service experience every really be commoditized (there it is)?
Who do you want to have coffee with in the morning?
Where am I going with all this? It is a general assumption to many people that remodeling is a product – not a service. Therefore, it is often viewed as a commodity in many minds. But I must disagree. Remodeling is a service that just happens to create a product. Our first and foremost job is to service our clients. Yes, our end goal is to build a beautiful product but we must bring service to the client each day along the way.
During a remodeling project, you must interact with someone on a very daily and intimate level. They will be in your home for weeks. They will be responsible for the health and safety of your family, your pets. They will be responsible for the security of your belongings. They will have control over your home and its completion. They will have control over the financial outcome of the project. Suddenly remodeling is looking less and less like a commodity.
Naperville Home Show March 19-21
March 16, 2010 by Neil
Filed under Crimson Life
This weekend we will be at the Naperville Home Show.
Be sure to stop by and see us.
Bring your remodeling ideas with you!
The details:
Where: North Central College Recreation Center (Crimson is in booth #313)
When: Fri 4-8pm Sat 10am-6pm Sun 10am-5pm
Admission: $5 Get a $1 off coupon
Would You Remodel If It Was Free?
March 1, 2010 by Neil
Filed under Design & Planning
We all know remodeling is expensive, right? It represents a large financial investment in your home and your future. But most people accept this because they see the value of the enhancement in their day-to-day lives and the increased value of their homes. But what if your remodeling project didn’t cost you a single dollar? Would you still do it?
We’ve all heard that there’s no such thing as a free lunch, or a free remodel for that matter. What many people don’t take the time to consider are the other ‘costs’ associated with remodeling. I call these the emotional costs of remodeling.
Emotional costs cover all the things you must endure to reach a remodeled state. These range from the inconvenient to the downright stressful depending on your personality and more importantly the company you hire to complete your project. Obviously these are dependent on the size and scope of your project, but here are a few things that might be included in emotional costs:
- Losing your kitchen for weeks (yes you will eventually HATE eating out)
- Losing your washer/dryer for a time
- Having your water/power shut off for a day
- Not being able to park in your garage/driveway/street
- Having strangers at your house everyday (they might eventually become friends)
- Dealing with anxious pets who don’t like the noise
- Dealing with inevitable bumps along the way
- Your neighbor’s curiosity
- Cleaning out twenty years of stuff before the project can begin
- Having the city/village dictate aspects of your design
- Keeping your kids out of the construction area
- Just seeing your house torn up and not livable can be very stressful
As a remodeler, I will be the last person to tell you not to remodel. However, I will tell you to go into any project with eyes wide open. Understand that you can never eliminate the emotional aspect of a remodeling project — but you can minimize it.
The most important thing you can do to minimize the emotional costs of remodeling is to hire a remodeling company that understands that you are paying more than just money and can help to shield you from the stresses. One of your remodeler’s primary goals should be to communicate with you on a regular basis. Nothing adds to stress like the unknown. A schedule outlining key steps in your project and weekly meetings (whether formal or informal) are a must.
Make sure that you have 100% accounted for all money you will need for the project. This is not just the cost of the construction itself, but all the other expenses you will incur along the way; eating out, new furniture, new window treatments. Also plan a contingency above and beyond the quoted price of your project for unforeseen extras and the inevitable extras you will want to add along the way. Your remodeler should be able to tell you what their historical average is for changes (both unforeseen and client driven).
Have a plan for alternate living conditions for the duration of your project. Where will the kids do their homework? Where will you cook meals? How will four people get ready in the morning with one bathroom? Some remodeling companies (us included) will help you set up a temporary kitchen in another location in your house. Try to segregate the construction area from your living area with temporary walls to contain kids, pets, noise and dust.
Plan a vacation during the loudest, dirtiest part of your project. Many times I have scheduled a project around a client’s vacation. Demolition, drywalling or hardwood floor refinishing are all great things to miss out on firsthand. If you want to be a part of it, have your remodeler email you photos or video of your project in progress while you are on the beach!
Unfortunately, there is no such thing as a free remodel. But with these tips, maybe you can enjoy an emotional cost free project!
Give us some feedback. What emotional costs do you want to avoid in your remodeling project?
Oswego Bathroom Renovation
February 28, 2010 by Neil
Filed under Bathroom Remodeling, Remodeling Projects
We just recently wrapped up a bathroom remodel in Oswego. The picture to the right is a before shot I took on the day we started. The bathroom is very small (only 4′ x 10′) but it still has a full shower, vanity and toilet. We also managed to find space for a utility cabinet next to the toilet when it was done. The new shower is a combination of slate and porcelain tiles. The shelves in the shower are made of solid slate – really cool. The shower has a custom base to best use the space available. The shower door is a frame-less glass door using glue chip glass to give some privacy to the shower. The new vanity is from Fieldstone Cabinetry and is made of cherry. It was customized to make it shallower than a standard vanity to increase the floor space of the room. The countertop and the shower threshold are a variety of granite that closely resembles soapstone. The sink is stainless steel. All the plumbing fixtures are from Kohler.
Overall, we were able to pack a lot of function into a very small room.
Yahoo Weighs In On The Value Of Your Project Investment
November 11, 2009 by Stephanie
Filed under Design & Planning
Most of us love our homes, but I think everyone dreams about making at least one or two changes if not more. And as it gets colder and darker earlier we think about spending more cozy time indoors with family and friends, and those changes become more important in our thoughts. The kitchen is the heart of the home where everyone tends to congregate and by making that the most functional and beautiful place you not only increase your own family’s contentment, but you make a smart financial decision for the future if you move on some day. Yahoo has published as one of it’s top news stories today, November 11, 2009, a concise article on increasing the value of your home through remodeling, but I would like to add that the value is not only monetary, but should also be measured by your quality of life and enjoyment in your home.
It’s Never The Wrong Time of Year to Remodel
January 23, 2009 by Neil
Filed under Design & Planning
The other day as I was driving between projects the thermometer in my truck was reading -12 degrees. It occurred to me that people may think that we can’t work in this weather. Not true. Even though the temperature outside is struggling to reach zero, it is never the wrong time of year to remodel. Crimson Design & Construction works twelve months a year in all types of weather to bring your dreams to reality.
While the weather might make some parts of a project more challenging it also can help in other ways. The biggest benefit to winter – no rain! This is great when we need to remove a roof over an existing structure. We can shovel snow; we can’t shovel rain!
Even if you don’t want to start a project in winter it is a great time to plan for spring and summer. Most projects take time to plan. So if you want to do work in the spring don’t wait until spring to call. The sooner we can start planning your project the more flexibility we have to plan a starting date.
