Folsom Lake Kitchen Renovation

We’ve all been in a kitchen like this… Imaging dark brown cabinets that were worn and dated, an oddly positioned peninsula with upper cabinets that create a visual barrier and dated tile countertops have the largest grout lines on the planet. I’m sure that at one time it had been a classy place to cook, but that time had passed YEARS ago.

This was the kitchen I was going to have to fix. My clients had been waiting until their kids got a bit older to make this space exactly what they wanted. They had spend over a decade saving, planning and dreaming about what they would want when they finally pulled the trigger on renovating their home. There was no cutting corners, no skimping on the quality of materials and no compromising on the functionality of the design. They were going to do it right the first time and make a space that would work for them as they transition into empty-nesters.

I was brought into this project by the contractor on the project. We had worked together on several other projects and this one was in need of some finesse to make it work well. We walked the job together and spoke with the homeowners about what they envisioned for their new space. I was hired to draft plans and provide cabinetry for the project… and so I got to work!

Blank Slate

Blank Slate

The space had great natural light and an AMAZING view of Folsom Lake. We opened up the visual space by installing a flush mount vent above the island so there would be nothing to block the light or the view. I also encouraged the client to have a bit of fun with the chandelier that would be over the dining table so that your eye would be pulled through the kitchen when you walk into the room. We also chose to use a dark stain on rift cut oak cabinets for the island and hutch area, but white painted cabinets on the left and right so there was a warmth to the space that was balanced with the lighter cabinets. All of the tall appliances, wine refrigerator and a modified pantry space were added to the tall wall and the vast number of base cabinets were filled with all types of accessories and drawers to make access to the homeowners items as easy as possible.


The last detail was completed on the afternoon on Christmas Eve. As the contractor drove away, the clients guests began to arrive to celebrate together. All the years of planning and saving, dreaming and imagining what a renovated kitchen would be like had all become reality and this finished project was precisely what these clients deserved.



Land Park Kitchen Renovation

This lovely brick duplex in upper Land Park was built in 1942 and in need of some serious updating. My clients found me online and asked me to help bring their tiny kitchen into the 21st Century. They wanted to keep the look of the kitchen similar to what was existing but also wanted to add some modern amenities like… a dishwasher.

I knew we would lose some storage because of the dishwasher so I planned on adding bench seating to regain some of the storage space. The clients had recently installed new tile flooring that they wanted to keep, so the footprint of the new kitchen had to match up with the old layout.

This is the area I had to work with…

Tiny spaces require some extra creativity! The clients wanted to upgrade to a full size refrigerator, add a dishwasher, increase storage and improve access to items in the cabinets.

We selected a traditional shaker style door in matte white paint for the cabinets and a white quartz for the countertops. The clients selected a marble mosaic backsplash that give a feel of timeless elegance. The angled sink and wall mounted faucet keep the feel of a vintage kitchen while adding modern appliances and finishes make this little kitchen photo worthy!

So there she is… a sweet little renovation that still feels like a vintage space.

If you are interested in a renovation of your space, give me a call and let’s chat!

~Amanda

916-801-5076

"After" Photos - The struggle is real

I’ve been in this industry for a long time now. I’ve worked at several different design companies that each had their own method of dealing with photographing projects once they were completed. One company didn't photograph jobs at all, one had us use the camera on our phone, one would only have professional photographs taken on one or two projects per year and one had the girl that worked the front desk go to the jobsite with a camera to take photos. None of them consistently had jobs professionally photographed after the job was completed. Those were the “old days” and they are over.

I get it. Professional photography is expensive and time consuming.

After the job is completed you have to schedule the photographer, gather all the items you’ll need to stage the scene, do some cleaning, arrange and re-arrange until it’s just right, spend a few hours with the photographer at the jobsite, clean everything up and then wait for the final photos. And pay for it…

Is it really worth it?

Yes.

In the age of Social Media and Digital Marketing there’s just no better way to show potential clients who you are and what you can do. It’s taken me a long time to come around to this conclusion. I’ve literally had a client tell me I should just charge them an additional amount to cover the cost of photography when the job is completed. You spoke and I listened. (Thanks, Andi.)

So, I’m now going to be having my jobs photographed on the regular.

I’m sure my next step will be to do Instagram stories…but I’m just not there yet.

Travel: Growing as a Designer

In 2 short weeks my husband Joe and I will set out on a 5 week tour throughout Europe. Although each of us have traveled in the past, we haven't been to Europe together.  This will be an epic trip through both familiar and new places on this lovely planet.  

I'll be revisiting some places that I wanted to share with Joe including San Sebastian, Carcassonne, Rome, Venice and Paris (because anyone in love should share that magical city with their partner!) as well as some new places.  I'll finally get to see Barcelona, the Amalfi coast and Amsterdam as well as touring my husbands ancestral roots in Copenhagen, Stockholm and Oslo. 

I'm absolutely overwhelmed. 

I look forward to experiencing life outside of the United States. Hearing the sounds, tasting the food, seeing the beauty (both natural and man-made) and touching the places that were instrumental in the development of civilization. It's never been hard for me to strike up a conversation with a stranger and I look forward to talking with people from around the world.  I crave to understand another perspective. 

As a designer there are so many ways to become inspired and I believe this trip will light a fire in me that I'll be able to share with my clients over the coming year. With the opening of my new showroom and the growth of my business, I am so humbled to also get to have this experience. 

Seeing everything from the opulence of Paris to the simplicity of Scandinavian design, I can assure you I'll be taking copious notes! Through travel we grow, we change, we learn and we find new things that bring us joy. Understanding that we are just a tiny piece in the mosaic of humanity can be liberating. 

We have but one life... live it well. We're all in this together. 

And as Lin-Manuel Miranda so eloquently said...

"....When senseless acts of tragedy remind us

That nothing here is promised, not one day

This show is proof that history remembers

We live through times when hate and fear seem stronger

We rise and fall and light from dying embers,

Remembrances that hope and love last longer.

And love is love is love is love is love is love is love is love, cannot be killed or swept aside.

I sing Vanessa’s symphony, Eliza tells her story.

Now fill the world with music, love, and pride."