Remodeling or New Construction

Tips for a successful experience. By Annie Nye, Interior Designer, Selkirk Glass & Cabinets.

It’s that time of year again when we start thinking about who is coming to our house for the Holidays. And in that same thought, we begin to think about what projects we need to complete for those events. Entertaining for Thanksgiving or Christmas? Is the kitchen updated and ready to receive its guests?

A couple things to consider when preparing for holiday entertainment. First, give yourself plenty of time. If you want new cabinets, countertops, or backsplash, you are already too late to have it done in time for Thanksgiving. Most cabinet manufacturers are about four to five weeks out, two more weeks for countertops and then another week for backsplash. In all, you should plan on a minimum of eight to ten weeks to complete a project like this. You’ll be pushing it to get it done in time for Christmas.

Planning ahead is one of the key factors to making a remodel project successful. Pushing to try to make things happen faster only leads to disappointment.

The second thing to consider is how many choices are out there. There’s a ton of options to consider when looking for cabinets, countertops, and backsplash. First, try to provide contrast in the room. Whether it’s a bathroom, kitchen, or laundry room, the cabinets should contrast the countertops and the flooring. If you have dark cabinetry and trim throughout your house, going with a lighter countertop will provide the contrast needed. If you have light wood flooring, you should go with a shade darker cabinets. This prevents the room from falling into the blah zone and still allows your tones to be neutral, yet looks purposeful.

Also, keeping things neutral allows you to add pop of color through towels, vases, artwork, dishes, and more. And these are things that if you decide you want to change out in a few years, you won’t feel bad putting them in a yard sale and starting over. I think your checking account will appreciate that approach as well.

Speaking of checking accounts, starting out with a budget in mind is crucial. Having a budget allows us to get you where you want to be faster. We can eliminate the tail chasing by narrowing down manufacturer, construction options, and color options that fit your budget.

So, what do you need to bring in when you begin this process? If it’s a remodel, sketch your space with a few dimensions. Indicate where the windows and doorways are in the room. This allows us to start the process of drawing your layout, implementing the items you select in our showrooms, and assigning pricing to that to see if your selections meet your budget.

If it’s new construction, bring in your set of plans and we can do layouts from those blueprints. With either a remodel or new construction, make a list of items that you can’t live without and would need in the space.

Prior to ordering, we provide you peace of mind that what your want will work in your space.

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