We’ve all heard the saying “It takes a village…”. With kitchen design, it does not quite take a village but there is no doubt that it is a team effort. Not only a collaboration between designer & client, but with a support team ready to assist to turn great kitchen ideas into great kitchens.

1) Identify all the activities each person uses their bathroom space for – bathing, showering, using the toilet, grooming, dressing...you name it!

Forget wants and needs for a second and let’s talk about desires. Specifically, what you desire in your kitchen. Is it a simple, functional upgrade or is it something more personal or exotic?

Today’s laundry rooms are not what they used to be! By incorporating more features and amenities from other areas of the home, some dread is being taken out of doing the laundry. Planning and a desire for greater functionality in the laundry room is the key. Here are a few things changing today’s laundry room:

Every kitchen has a focal point. That one area that always captures peoples’ attention the moment they walk in. Or brings a smile to your own face because it looks better in your kitchen than you ever imagined it could. Most are intended. Some are not.

Quick, can you name the Thanksgiving feast served by Charlie Brown for all of his friends? If you are thinking 2 slices of buttered toast, some pretzel sticks, a handful of popcorn and a few jelly beans you were correct!

As an avid cook and kitchen designer (in that order!), I have a definite list of must haves for my own kitchen. Here are my top 5: 1) A Tray base – stores cutting boards, cookie sheets and serving trays in an organized and easy to access 9” to 12” wide cabinet. Go a little wider and get muffin tins and rectangular casserole dish storage too.

We recently completed a kitchen remodeling project using soapstone kitchen countertops (and one kitchen sink). As you can see from the picture, with it's medium gray cast and distinctive veining a soapstone kitchen countertop can create a unique look that can really make any kitchen pop!