Probably the most rewarding part of being a designer is being able to make wishes come true. It’s like having superpowers (I’m guessing here since I am not actually Wonder Woman or Supergirl) only without the cape.

I got an inquiry a couple of weeks ago from a couple who are buying a new build property in a development. They had decided to move from the home they have lived in for 30+ years into a condo for its proximity to amenities and the freedom of responsibility that comes with an association that takes care of the exterior maintenance.  

They were overwhelmed with all the decisions that come with a new-build project and needed help to select all the finishes and fixtures and figure out what they should and shouldn’t take for furnishings from their current home. They have loved their home and wanted to create a fresh new home that still incorporates their most important treasured possessions and functions beautifully for this chapter of their life.

They asked for help because even with the constraints of the builder choices, there are still a LOT of options and they didn’t want to just wing it and hope for the best.  They wanted to make sure it ended up being well thought out and cohesive in the end, and still reflective of their taste. 

Their single biggest disappointment in an otherwise stellar layout, was the proposed kitchen.  Builder kitchen plans are notoriously generic - they have to be as they are meant to appeal to a broad swath of the population from homeowners who's primary kitchen activity is takeout, to gourmet home chefs. The problem with trying to appeal to everyone is they end up being perfect for exactly no one.

My clients love to cook and entertain and the builder kitchen was small and wouldn’t function at all the way their current one does.  In an ideal world, they wanted to duplicate the island, tall pantry, and large pot storage drawers they currently had.  

After a preliminary look at the builder plans, I knew we could do better and came to our first meeting armed with a roll of trace paper and some ideas in hand.  

By simply rethinking the entryway wall, we were able to access all kinds of wasted space, giving them everything on their wish list and more! Ten minutes into our meeting, the Mr. looked at me and said “You’ve just earned your entire design fee, right there!”.

I drew up the modifications and made some refinements based on the things they loved about their current kitchen and they sent the plans off to the cabinet company, builder, and realtor. Everyone was on board with the changes and they are truly excited about their new kitchen now…such a change from the “well, I guess we’ll have to make it work” feeling they had about the original layout. I LOVE this part of my job!

We also wanted to select finishes that would work nicely with the furnishings they would like to take including some lovely stained wood pieces.  The kitchen is, as in most new construction, part of an open plan that includes the primary dining and sitting areas.  

We decided on perimeter cabinets in a neutral white and an island in a stain that will have more of a furniture feel and draw on the finish on some of the pieces in the adjoining spaces. 

Our next order of business was to visit the showrooms the builder is working with to select finishes. We selected the perfect quartz countertops in a pattern that includes white, taupe, and a warm honey/cherrywood color and settled on taupe subway tiles with a handmade appearance for the backsplash.  We’ll use a running bond pattern for most of the backsplash and accent with a herringbone pattern over the range up to the hood.  

For door hardware throughout the condo, we had a choice of satin nickel or oil rubbed bronze.  With the finishes and furnishings trending to classic style with woods and warmer tones, the oil rubbed bronze is the better choice.  

For decorative lighting and cabinet hardware, we could go with either a dark finish or a warmer brass finish. I’m suggesting lanterns over the island that mix the two and some classic brass cabinet hardware. But there are a lot of great options from the lighting supplier.

We’ve also made the selections for the bathrooms and I can’t wait to show you those - it’s going to be so pretty! Here is a sneak peek at the gorgeous accent tile w'e’ll be using in the master…it is stunning!

We would love to help you with your new build or renovation. We offer plan review as one of our consultation services - email us to schedule a free discovery call to see if this service is right for you.

Other posts you might enjoy:

A New Build Kitchen Saga 

Key Elements in planning a kitchen Renovation