Your Kitchen Makeover: Dozens of Decisions to make before Work starts

Pocono Record

 

Whether you're the galloping gourmet chef or prefer to open up a box of Sara Lee, the kitchen is the central hub of the house. It's where bread is broken, discussions take place and disagreements are resolved.

It's no wonder homeowners are willing to spend the most on a kitchen remodeling than anywhere else in the home.

Before deciding on remodeling, there are a few things to consider — most importantly is your budget.

"Prices can really run the gamut when remodeling a kitchen. A homeowner can easily spend $1,200 to $21,000 and anywhere in between," said Ruth Schoeneberger, certified kitchen designer for Morris Black Kitchen and Bath Designs in Bartonsville. "If you are working within a budget, you will need to make compromises and determine where you want to be within value and what is important to your design."

There are products for every price category. "Most homeowners agree that they are only doing the job once and will go with quality products for their durability," said Cheryl Franz, kitchen designer for Monroe Marble & Granite in Stroudsburg.

Some would rather spend their money to have an energy-efficient kitchen, while others prefer function and style. In either case, with many different products to choose from, your compromises should be minimal.

Do your research, suggested Schoeneberger. "If you are not educated, you can have a lot of remorse down the road," she said.

Like clothing trends, designs, colors and types of materials used in the kitchen can become outdated. If you plan to update your kitchen for the purpose of selling your home, you might want to consider using a professional kitchen designer to give you tips in the latest styles.

After you have a realistic budget in mind, now it's time for some homework. "Get on the Internet and research different kitchen styles to find out what your style is and what you like. There are free kitchen planning guides available online that come with a checklist," said Franz.

"Once you have a visual of what your dream kitchen would look like, interview several contractors and ask for a list of references. It's important to get your estimates in writing. Never go on a handshake."

Cabinets

When making budget-conscious decisions in your kitchen, consider the different price points.

"Many think that refacing your old cabinets will save you money; however, by the time you pay for the labor, you could be spending just as much as if you went with new stock cabinets that are economically affordable and will give your kitchen cosmetic changes without the custom cabinetry price tag," said Franz.

Once you've picked the wood, then you can choose the finish. Buyer beware: Multiple layer finishes cost more and drive the price up. Each has various levels to determine the price points. "Darker colors are coming back for the cabinets, light oak is done. We are seeing a lot of dark maple and cherry finishes," Schoeneberger said.

Many consumers are looking for ways to incorporate green choices. There are manufacturers that offer hardwoods from sustainable forests and that use products that contain recycled contents.

Countertops

If the thought of granite countertops has you salivating more than the food you're preparing, it may be time for new countertops.

"In today's kitchen, everyone wants granite countertops and a breakfast/snack bar for an eat-in kitchen," Schoeneberger said.

Granite offers durability and a lot of different color options. "Engineered quartz has a higher value because of its durability and warranty, making it more expensive, but it cannot compete with the exotic look of granite with its beauty, energy and motion."

Even in a tough economy homeowners are still remodeling and still going for the luxury item. "It's the jewel of the kitchen that really makes a statement," said Franz.

"I would never recommend Formica countertops. If you can't afford the full granite countertop, a good compromise to that would be granite tiles over the top of your existing counter top. These big granite tiles, without the large grout line, are less expensive but still give the same luxurious look of granite."

Lighting

The verdict is in and the lights are coming out. "No more wasted space above the cabinets with soffits and recessed lighting. People want that extra height for storage. With so many kitchen gadgets and gizmos, we need to put it somewhere," Schoeneberger said.

Flooring

Flooring is a personal taste. "Many want the look of hardwood floors, but you will still have spillage, drops and scratches. There is more wear and tear in the kitchen than any other room in the house. Porcelain tiles are still the best on a kitchen floor. Ceramic tiles are less expensive but not as durable as porcelain. It really depends where you want your luxury," Franz said.

Good investment?

Don't expect to recoup remodeling money when trying to sell your home. And the more you spend, the more you lose. According to Schoeneberger, in today's market, no one cares about what use to matter years ago.

"Home buyers today do not know quality and won't pay for it either. All they look at is the price," she said.

Bev Waring, an agent with Realty Executives in Stroudsburg, said, "In this market, I would say no to a kitchen renovation to get a house sold. The house may sell more quickly with an updated kitchen; however, the homeowner most likely will not get a full return on the investment."

According to Realtor magazine, a midrange kitchen remodel brings an average 72.1 percent return on investment, while an upscale kitchen redo returns only an average of 63.2 percent.

A Good Kitchen Remodel Starts with Planning

Maine Sunday Telegram

Kitchen remodels continue to be popular home improvement projects despite the economic stagnation, according to the August 2010 issue of the Consumer Reports. This isn't exactly dish-shattering news given the impact of a kitchen to a family's lifestyle and home value.

Many homeowners are uncertain about where to start. A simple first step is to consult a Bucks County kitchen designer. A professional designer understands the entire process, inside and out, and will provide many important services: in-home measurements, personalized consultations, layout designs, computerized renditions, installer referrals, oversight management, and more.

Some companies hire professionals to provide free kitchen design services to their customers.

"Kitchen designers provide invaluable support throughout the entire remodeling project," said Bob Hunt, director of Kitchen Destination, the new cabinetry and design division of New England Building Materials. "We provide these services free as an added value to our customers."

Following are some things to consider doing before starting a kitchen remodeling project.

Start asking questions. Why do I want a new or remodeled kitchen? What do I want to change and why? What are my needs and wants? Is my budget fixed or flexible? When is the best time and way to begin? Tip: Search the internet for other questions related to kitchen remodeling.

Set a budget. Establishing a preliminary budget will help keep you on track and make temptations more resistant. The National Kitchen & Bath Association claims the average kitchen remodel costs between 10 percent and 20 percent of a home's value.

Still, kitchen remodels are one of the best home improvement investments with an average return of 76 percent according to the Remodeling Magazine's 2009-2010 Cost vs. Value Report. Tip: Budget 10 percent to 15 percent of the total cost for unanticipated surprises.

Explore ideas and identify needs versus want. Perhaps the most challenging and exciting part of the entire process is exploring possibilities. However, it's important to balance functionality and style. Make a list of what you need first and then move on to wants. Don't forget to consider cabinets, flooring, appliances, sink, faucet, lighting, plumbing, windows, and wiring. Tip: Make sure to include any special needs of small children, handicapped or elderly members of your household into your budget and design.

Schedule a home visit with a kitchen designer.

The designer will take accurate measurements and provide a professional perspective on your design with additional attention to walls, doors, windows, lighting, wiring, plumbing, and so on. Tip: Save money by consulting a professional designer from a building company that provides these services for free.

Visit a cabinet showroom. "Visiting a kitchen design center showroom is a great way to explore cabinet options," says Joy M. Martel, a certified kitchen designer for Kitchen Destination. "Unfortunately, images in magazines and on the internet are not as reliable as seeing and touching the real thing." Tip: Having a good understanding of your taste will help in the selection process.

Find a Maine concrete contractor or bath installer. Ask friends, neighbors or your designer if they can recommend a reputable contractor or installer. Tip: Ask for references and a copy of the contractor's license and workers' compensation and liability insurance to confirm they are current.

Get a quote. Your designer and/or contract need to confirm all aspects of the Saugatuck kitchen remodeling plan before providing accurate quote. Otherwise you may end up incurring unnecessary costs and delays due to misunderstandings or misinformation. Tip: Ask your contractor to the written contract give you a list each phase of the project; every product, including the model number.

New Kitchen: $500 Plus Sweat Equity

Boston Globe

For the past 10 years, Duxbury interior designer Linda Merrill lived with an ugly, cluttered kitchen complete with appliances from the early 1980s. “The room was dated and dreary, I was sick of it and embarrassed to have people see it,’’ she says. After struggling with what to do with the kitchen for a while, she decided to update it herself.

“Economically, it’s been a tough time in my industry. I didn’t have the budget to hire people to do the work,’’ said Merrill, who wanted the room to have the feel of a country kitchen with a little bling. “I thought it would be a fun challenge to see how far ingenuity and hard work could get me.’’

She got new appliances on trade from a business relationship, but the rest of the room’s transformation totaled less than $500. Working with friend Robert O’Connell, who has no professional construction experience, Merrill’s kitchen project took five months of Sunday afternoons. So, how did they do it? Here’s the step-by-step process.

1. Redoing the ceiling 

 

One of the kitchen’s most unappealing features was its 1980s “popcorn’’ textured-stucco ceiling. That was eliminated inexpensively, but required a good bit of sweat equity. “We literally scraped it off by hand, it didn’t cost much except a sore back and a lot of dust,’’ says Merrill. After the ceiling was scraped and washed, two coats of skim coat were applied, and it was sanded, primed, and repainted.

2. Updating the cabinetry

Since buying and installing new custom casework was out of Merrill’s price range, she gave the existing pine cabinets, which were in good shape, a new look. After cleaning, sanding, and de-glossing the cabinets, Merrill painted the cabinets with two Benjamin Moore colors: Essex Green and Black Forest Green as the second coat. She used exterior trim paint, so it would stand up well to wear and tear. Both coats were sanded with a fine steel wool to achieve an aged look. The cabinet interiors were painted a pale shade called Cooking Apple Green by Farrow and Ball.

Merrill was able to reuse all of the original brackets and hinges, but for the door knobs, she wanted to add a little sparkle and lightness to the dark cabinets. Inspired by high-end crystal knobs she spotted in a designer showroom which would have cost her around $700 to outfit all the cabinets, she combed eBay to find a cheaper alternative, which she found for less than $2 a piece.

3. Replicating bead board

Merrill wanted to panel the walls with bead board, but after realizing it wasn’t in the budget, she learned she could achieve a similar look with wallpaper made to emulate the material. “You can tell its not actual bead board if you knock on it, but you can’t tell just by looking at it,’’ says Merrill. The wallpaper cost $22 a roll, and sheathing the entire kitchen, floor to ceiling, took four rolls. To obscure the edge of the wallpaper, she added crown molding around the perimeter of the room.

4. Creating more storage space

To add surface space to the small kitchen, an old door was fashioned into a countertop along a wall. Supported by 2x2’s, wire shelving was installed below. To keep the shelves out of sight, Merrill made a curtain out of burlap — she also fashioned a roman shade for the window over the sink out of the eco-friendly material, which cost $1.99 a yard. For additional storage, an existing pot rack made of plumber’s copper piping was polished and reinstalled with new brackets and a heavy-duty steel chain off a ceiling stud above the new countertop.

5. Using what she had

To brighten the space, Merrill had recessed lights installed. But she left two original features intact: the original white Formica counters, which, she decided that after a good cleaning, worked well with the room’s new aesthetic. The black and white tile flooring, installed when she moved in a decade ago, was also kept.

“While the project took a while, the end result has been very personally satisfying and enjoyable,’’ said Merrill, who recommends doing a huge amount of research before embarking on a renovation like hers. “There are tons of resources out there, look at high-end stuff to get ideas for budget level. Don’t just rely on what they have at the big box stores,’’ she says. “Get inspired by House Beautiful and Martha Stewart, then look for inexpensive alternatives. You will be surprised at how much you can do yourself.’’

The Return of the Kitchen

Orlando Sentinel

The explosion of remodeling shows on TV and makeover spreads in magazines has whetted America's appetite for glamorous rooms brimming with the latest furnishings, kitchen appliances and color schemes.

Kitchen remodels are among the most popular, according to a report in the just-published August issue of Consumer Reports and online at consumerreports.org. And the economic slowdown means there are outstanding deals on everything from cooktops to countertops. It also means Pennsylvania kitchen designers and building contractors are eager for work and willing to negotiate.

But bargain prices and good looks aren't everything, said Celia Kupersmzid Lehrman, Consumer Reports' deputy home editor.

"When remodeling a kitchen, functionality is every bit as important as style. Fortunately there are many products that look good and work well," she said.

The design of your kitchen is every bit as important as what goes into it, said Jim Spence of Spence & Vaughn Fine Kitchen and Bath in Maitland.

The most functional design is based on the "work triangle" — the relationship between the prep area, the cooking area and the sink, he said. Ideally, the distance between them should never be less than four feet or more than nine feet. Of the three areas, the most-used is the sink.

When planning a remodel, determining your budget is one of the first steps. The National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) calculates the average kitchen remodel costs between 10 percent and 20 percent of the home's value. But obviously, the extent of the makeover determines its cost. In its latest issue, Consumer Reports takes top-performing products and creates three design schemes: a do-it-yourself makeover for $5,000; a plan that costs $15,000 (the average spent on a kitchen remodel); and a full-scale renovation for $50,000.

Determining your priorities is another key step, said Phil Johnson, a partner at Spence & Vaughn and a certified kitchen designer.

"Do you love to cook? If so, now might be the time to consider professional-style appliances," he said. "Do you have a large family? Consider how best to accommodate them in your new space. Think about the things you love in your old kitchen — and the things you dislike."

In addition, Johnson recommends the following steps for a successful remodel:

•Do your homework. Watch TV remodeling programs, clip appealing pictures and articles from magazines, attend remodeling seminars, visit home shows and parades of homes. Consult with a kitchen designer who is a member of the NKBA, who has the training and experience to avoid many of the things that can go wrong with a remodeling project.

•Visit a showroom. Examine the options in cabinets, countertops, appliances, flooring, plumbing and lighting. Decide what you want — and can afford.

•Schedule a home visit. The designer/installer need to measure the kitchen and adjacent rooms, and make a note of existing walls, doors and windows, electrical supplies, ceiling height, attic access, type of wall construction, plumbing details, etc.

•Finalize the project. The design is refined, construction plans are completed, appliances and supplies are ordered — and the initial deposit is paid.

•Survive the dust, noise and workers. With proper supervision, the disruption can be kept to a minimum. Make sure materials are ordered and on the way before beginning the tear-out. Clear a space in the garage for workers' tools and supplies and items removed from the old kitchen. And communicate regularly with the designer/installer.

Four remodeling rules

The August issue of Consumer Reports identifies these four rules for a successful kitchen remodel:

Don't rush. There are many kitchen products that combine value, performance and good looks. Take time to meet with professionals, browse the Internet and visit showrooms and home centers. Haste can be costly. Changing your mind after the project is started typically adds about $1,500 to the cost of a kitchen project.

Size matters. In addition to being expensive, oversized kitchens can be exhausting to work in and keep tidy. A more compact kitchen often functions better. The National Kitchen & Bath Association website, nkba.org, provides guidelines for optimal space between appliances, cabinets and islands.

Beware of budget busters. Leave a 10 percent to 15 percent cushion for surprises, such as unexpected structural repairs. Avoid settling for a cheap option, thinking someday you will replace it with something you really want. Chances are that will never happen.

Get it in writing. When using a professional for a remodel, the written contract should list each phase of the project; every product, including the model number; and copies of each contractor's license, and workers compensation and liability insurance to confirm they are current. Call references and, if possible, visit them.

Here's what you Need to Know Before you Start that Kitchen Remodel

Wausau Daily Herald

Kitchens are where we live. Where we gather in the morning as we prepare for our day and where we return at the end of it to share a meal, talk about our experiences, do our homework or simply enjoy a quiet cup of tea. We ask this room to do so much for us that when it doesn't quite suit our needs we naturally turn our thoughts to making changes and we might even utter that dreaded word -- remodel.

A walk through the kitchen section at any building-supply store can send the most stalwart homeowner's head swimming with the possibilities. Where do you even begin? Add to that all the horror stories of scamming contractors, snowballing budgets, failing inspections and do-it-yourself projects that never end, and you begin to think maybe a coat of paint is all you really need.

Put fear and confusion to rest with these top tips from area experts.

1. Start by examining what you have. Sara Jehn, an interior designer at Inner Piece Interiors in Wausau, said a great kitchen all comes down to function.

"Aesthetic changes won't matter if the kitchen isn't working for you," she said.

Think about how you use your kitchen now. What do you like about it? What do you dislike? What more can it do for you? No problem is too small. Sometimes it's the smallest changes that make the biggest difference.

2. Build a wish list. Rob Perez, owner of Hatley Lumber and Supply in Hatley, advises customers to plan for what they really want.

"This isn't something you do every day. So make it the kitchen you want it to be because you spend so much time there," he said.

Perez said you can always back your plan down later for budget or space considerations. So start with those functional changes you'd like to make, then think about styles, materials and colors. But look for styles that suit your home as well as your tastes.

"A modern kitchen doesn't work in a traditional house," Jehn said. "Be prepared for a discussion of the pros and cons of everything you're looking for."

3. Develop a budget. Shelly Knopse, kitchen sales associate at Stone's Building Center in Wausau, needs her clients to know how much they can spend.

"Costs vary significantly in materials and add-on components. Have a budget in mind, then let the designers guide you toward getting all the items you want," she said.

Remodeling a kitchen is an investment, so look at your budget from the angle of your pocketbook and the value of the house.

"Think down the road," Perez said. "Will the market bear the cost? Should you put a showcase kitchen in a $50,000 home?"

4. Design the layout. Begin with the work triangle and place your refrigerator, stove and sink in a comfortable working arrangement. The National Kitchen and Bath Association defines the work triangle as the straight line drawn from the center of the sink, to the center of the refrigerator to the center of the cooking appliance. Experts vary some on recommendations for the total of those three distances added together, but general good design suggests less than 26 feet total. That means that if your stove is ten feet from your sink, it should take you sixteen feet or less to go from the stove to your refrigerator and then to your sink. Having other major kitchen appliances within the radius is a good idea.

5. Time your remodel. Consider the length of time the remodel may take and schedule it for the best time of the year to be without a kitchen. Don't schedule a kitchen remodel three weeks before a big family event. Look for a time when it will cause the least hardship and allow extra time for unexpected delays in completion. Perez cautions do-it-yourselfers to be realistic with time requirements.

"Doing it yourself will take three to four times longer than a professional. If you think it's going to take three months, plan twelve months," he said.

6. Hire a professional. "People don't understand that you don't actually have to tear apart your whole kitchen," Jehn said. "As an interior designer, I can show you ways of making a remodel cost-effective without tearing everything down. There are easier ways to make a difference without spending thousands of dollars."

Dave and Wanda Zuege of Shantytown had family who had been scammed in the past by a bathroom remodeling company, and admitted they would never have started their kitchen remodel if it hadn't been for finding a contractor they could trust.

"We found our home remodeling contractor through a very particular friend. Dave and I hired him for a small project (before we started our kitchen), and we really liked the way he worked with us. He gave us a bid and then stuck to it. He worked with us to cut costs. Whenever we wanted changes, he would tell us the charges up front," said Wanda Zuege, 56.

Dave, 57, said to get referrals, ask for references and check them. Ask to see work that they've done.

7. Expect surprises. "Once you get the old cabinets out, don't ever assume everything will be hunky dory underneath," Knopse said. "Everything works on paper, but not always in practice."

Crooked walls, unlevel floors, poor wiring, patching and repairing all mean extra work, extra time and extra money to your kitchen remodeling company.

Remodeling in Stages Fits a Family Budget

Oregon Live

 

Kerri Hoyt-Pack and her husband, Dan Pack, love living in Southeast Portland's Sellwood neighborhood. Dan can ride his bike to his teaching job at The International School. Kerri's favorite yoga studio is just blocks away. Best of all, daughters Hadley, 10, and Emma, 8, can go to a neighborhood school with their horde of neighborhood friends.

"It's like living in a small town with all of the advantages of a city," says Kerri.

The one disadvantage: Their 1909 one-bathroom house was cramped and lacked the kitchen Kerri wanted to whip up the breads and pies she loves to make. So when the price of adding onto the house and remodeling the kitchen exceeded their budget, the couple were motivated to find a solution that would keep them in their beloved neighborhood.

Enter Anne De Wolf, who owns Arciform, a firm that specializes in design, restoration and remodeling, with her husband, Richard. It would be possible to build the addition and make the necessary structural changes to the kitchen, Anne convinced Kerri, but the kitchen remodel could wait. A major change -- removing a kitchen wall and the stairway behind it -- would create more room for the future remodeled kitchen but would leave the area in disarray until the full project was completed.

"Anne is the only person who could have talked me out of doing the kitchen remodeling first," says Kerri, who is the global media director for Nike. "It's amazing what you can get used to," she adds, gesturing toward a kitchen wall where holes in the lath and plaster create a construction-zone feel.

The discipline of Kerri and Dan's decision to upgrade their home remodeling in two phases will pay off not only because it gives them time to save to cover the extra cost, but also because the entire project was designed as a unit. That's unlike the unsettling results often seen when houses undergo a series of remodels and additions with no cohesive plan.

Meanwhile, the addition and outdoor decks at the back of the house has become the new center of their lives. With 500 square feet added to each of the home's two floors, the family has created a space that is ultra kid-friendly and stylish. An eclectic blend of Asian, modern and antique furnishings complements the existing house, and a master suite is at once practical and luxurious.

On a recent weekday after school, Hadley and Emma come in through the new entryway and rush across easy-to-maintain Marmoleum tiles to hang their backpacks inside the roomy pantry -- where afternoon snacks share shelf space with cooking supplies.

At one end of the adjoining family room, a large table, desk, computer and bookshelves are ready for their homework, a steady stream of arts and crafts projects and plenty of neighborhood friends. At the other end, the TV is hidden behind a sliding Chinese screen and surrounded by a sitting area comfortable for kids and adults.

The staircase off the new entry leads to the second story, where the girls' attic-style bedroom stayed intact but gained a bright-pink powder room in what had been the eaves of the old house. It sits plumbed and ready for Dan to finish, another budget-saving move.

The new master suite, Dan's favorite area of the house, boasts windows on three sides, making the room feel larger than it is and linking its occupants -- as least psychologically -- with the treehouse a few yards away.

The master bath remodeling smartly places the shower in a separate room with doors to both the master suite and the hallway. The arrangement, which Anne suggested, makes the shower enclosure accessible to all four family members and eliminates the need for a second shower upstairs.

Kerri credits Arciform -- particularly Anne, who created the design -- for the fact that the project came together so well. That's no small task given that the family was living in Shanghai, China, while the work was being done. Kerri, who was there on a work assignment for two years, said she came back to Portland a couple of times, but mostly they relied on teleconferences via Skype and photos to stay abreast of the six-month project.

That arrangement was comfortable, the couple says, because Arciform had remodeled the house next door so they knew the quality of the workmanship they were getting, and Dan had talked extensively with the remodeling project manager. The magic, however, was between Anne and Kerri.

"Anne and I just hit it off," says Kerri, "She understood my priorities."

Well, maybe not the kitchen priority. Kerri shrugs, saying it will be about a year before she's mixing up bread dough in her new kitchen, but now she has the time to make all of the decisions required of a kitchen remodel.

KERRI'S STYLE

It may have been a quirk of design fate that Kerri Hoyt-Pack was working in China while her home was being remodeled.

It allowed her to pick up some distinctive pieces that she blended with other finds from neighborhood antique shops and elsewhere to create a unique and stylish decor with the help of Anne De Wolf of Arciform.

ASIAN SCREEN:  Kerri's husband, Dan Pack, and their daughters, Hadley and Emma, salvaged the screen from a construction site in China and gave it to Kerri for Mother's Day. Kerri stapled the chartreuse fabric to the screen's back and purchased sliding-door hardware from Krown Lab so that the screen could hide the TV.

SALVAGED DOORS:  Kerri and Anne found doors at Hippo Hardware on East Burnside Street for the pantry and a doorway leading to the basement. Stripped and painted white, the salvaged doors help tie the old and new parts of the house together.

SHUTTERS:  Kerri found blue shutters at Stars Antiques in the neighborhood and liked the way the color worked with the Chinese red ceiling.

Philadelphian Honored for Kitchen Design

Philadelphia Inquirer

Joanne Hudson won a prize for her work on a 19th-century Center City brownstone.

The kitchen is the hub of most homes, evolving into an area that offers as much personal style as a living or family room, says a regional winner of a national design contest.

Joanne Hudson of Joanne Hudson & Associates Ltd. in Philadelphia is the Eastern Pennsylvania and Southern New Jersey winner of the 2010 Sub-Zero and Wolf kitchen-design contest, beating 60 area entries. Hudson will receive $500 and a March 24-28 trip to the Breakers Hotel in Palm Beach, Fla. During that visit, the winners of up to $15,000 in prizes will be announced.

"This is the first time I entered the contest," Hudson said. "I usually don't enter contests. My staff kept encouraging me to enter the contest. Finally, I said OK, I'll do it."

In the kitchen-design business, winning this competition is grabbing "the brass ring," says Doug Durbin, a judge and former winner. Judging is based on the integration of kitchen appliances, functionality, and aesthetics of the design, Durbin said.

Hudson's winning entry is for an urban kitchen in a Center City brownstone built in the 19th century. Originally the kitchen was in the basement, but it later was moved to the home's first floor.

In considering a new design, Hudson wanted to maintain the house's classic style. Her urban kitchen is unique because "it's respectful of the architectural space," she said.

The completed kitchen, 27 by 20 feet, features a butler's pantry for storing china and separate work stations for preparing food, cleaning, and entertaining. There are two islands, one with an ice shaver, a wine cooler, and stools for entertaining guests, Hudson said. The second is for preparing food.

"We didn't want it to look like a commercial kitchen," Hudson said of her plan.

David Stimmel, an award-winning designer, appreciated Hudson's design. "I like the positioning of the doorway. The light streaming through the French doors runs straight down the hallway," Stimmel said. "I liked how she concealed the kitchen appliances. It balances out the room."

The focal points of Hudson's architectural design are the French doors leading into the garden. Hudson wanted to give the room a "symmetrical feel," so it was essential that "everything line up" or "flow . . . ."

"It was important to the clients to have plenty of storage for linen, silver, and china."

Key elements in the design included using dark cabinets to reference the past, Hudson said. But to avoid creating a very dark room, she did not want to use the traditional dark oak for hardwood floors and woodwork. Instead, she selected raven-stained maple cabinets, a stone floor, and marble countertops. The end result was a "dramatic and contrasting contemporary kitchen," Hudson said.

Hudson, who grew up in Toronto, graduated in 1962 from the University of Manitoba Faculty of Architecture in Winnipeg with a bachelor's degree in interior design. After graduating, she began working on commercial designs such as office buildings and hospitals. In 1979, she started her own business in Toronto.

She later moved to this area, and since 1984 Joanne Hudson & Associates Ltd. has been at the Marketplace Design Center. Now, she has three showrooms: Joanne Hudson Kitchens, Joanne Hudson Bath and Plumbing, and Joanne Hudson Tile and Stone. She is well known for her designs for kitchen remodeling in Pennsylvania.

Drawing has always come naturally, Hudson said. She still loves to pencil sketch. French designer and interior architect Andre Putman, whose clients include Bisazza and Louis Vuitton, influenced Hudson's interior designs. She described Putman's designs as "classic and beautiful."

"They are pure designs with an edge," Hudson said.

In April, she will travel to the Milan Furniture Fair to see the latest designs in kitchens.

"Life goes through the kitchen," Hudson said. Today, people use their kitchens for everything. "It's where life happens."

Don't get Burned by Costly Restaurant-Style Ranges

Detroit Free Press

When you're choosing a range for your dream kitchen, bigger -- and more expensive -- isn't always better.

Luxury appliances are modeled on the looks of their siblings in commercial kitchens, but they have been modified for home use. Most offer insulated ovens, electronic controls and devices such as timers that are not found in the original models.

That pushes the price up considerably, with 36-inch home models from manufacturers such as Viking, Wolf and Dacor starting around $6,000 or more. Ranges with double full-size roaster ovens and up to eight burners reach into five figures.

Some experts say these luxury appliances are far from a necessity. And in many cases, they're overkill.

"We've tested a lot of those ranges," said Celia Kuperszmid Lehrman, deputy home editor at Consumer Reports. "They really haven't performed better than ranges that cost a fraction of the price. We're testing for boiling, simmer, broiling, baking -- the things people really use these ranges for. We haven't really found they are worth the extra money just for their cooking prowess."

Steve Swayne, regional technology leader for North America cooking for Whirlpool Corp., said shoppers tend to fall into two camps. "You have the people who want the look, that heavy feel and higher output burners available on a pro-style range.

"And you have the general population, the home enthusiasts who like cooking and don't need something big and massive to feed their family." Often enough, indoor grills will provide the 'professional taste' you are looking for.

Michael Robinson, director of communication at Factory Direct Appliance, said: "The huge stainless range was definitely a big trend.

"In years past, we dealt strictly with home building and getting new kitchen appliances to furnish them. Now our business is more remodels, and when you go to a 36-inch range, it's not a small step up -- it's a big step up. Money just isn't there the way it was before the recession."

"A lot of people wanted the big ones strictly for show," he said. " ... That high end has shriveled up quite a bit."

Some kitchen remodeling professionals think stainless appliances are already looking a bit passé. "Those pro-style ranges can be the Hummers of the kitchen," Kuperszmid Lehrman said.

Chefs who spend their days in front of 30,000 -Btu burners and commercial ventilation systems often approach home cooking entirely differently from their work.

Michael Foust, executive chef and owner of the Farmhouse in the River Market in Kansas City, cooks on a restaurant range in his home. The 20-year-old model from a used restaurant supply company "doesn't have any gadgets or gizmos," he said.

His parents sometimes cook on his range, but they can't always get the desired results from its heavy firepower. "I like such high heats, and I use thicker pans, but that equipment isn't really out there for the home cook, so you wouldn't really need something like that," he said.

8 Steps to an Eco-Friendly Kitchen

The Washington Post

Once upon a time, 30 or 40 years ago, the words "green kitchen" meant that your kitchen looked like the inside of an avocado. Now (thankfully) those words mean something quite different.

Traditionally, the kitchen has been a place where waste reigned: in energy-hogging appliances, eco-unfriendly materials and a treasure-trove of toxins under the sink. But in the past decade or so, the concept of a green kitchen -- one that is energy-efficient, easier on the environment and better for your health -- has taken off.

"Whether you believe in global warming or not, it doesn't make sense to waste money, and that's what you're doing if you're not exploring green options," says John Tabor of Tabor Design Build in Rockville. His company recently performed the kitchen remodeling of a Clarksville house whose owners asked him to "pull out all the stops" in creating a green space. The room, with a $330,000 price tag, includes recycled concrete and glass countertops, a prep sink made from recycled aluminum, a sub-floor heating system and a potting sink made of recycled glass, to name a few features.

Even if the green theme doesn't extend to your wallet, there are plenty of other ways to make your kitchen more environmentally friendly. It's a good bet you are already doing some of them: separating recyclables from trash, or perhaps carrying your groceries in reusable bags. Here are eight ideas, ranging from simple to elaborate, to get you going greener.

Clean green

A growing number of manufacturers, including J.R. Watkins, Shaklee and Seventh Generation, offer nontoxic, plant-based products that are biodegradable and phosphate-free. Eco-Me sells kits for making your own cleaning products. The book "Home Comforts: The Art & Science of Keeping House," by Cheryl Mendelson (Scribner, $20) includes recipes for making your own window cleaner, oven cleaner, disinfectant and all-purpose cleaner; the latter is nothing more than a mix of four tablespoons of baking soda per one quart of warm water.

Choose nontoxic paint

If you're planning to freshen your kitchen with a new coat of paint, buy a variety that's nontoxic, also known as low-VOC (volatile organic compounds). "That's something that homeowners can easily do for themselves without sacrificing color or palette," says Shanon Munn of Ambi Design Studio in McLean. Munn began incorporating green elements into her work when she opened her business in 2004. Two of her early clients were pregnant, so using anything but low-VOC paint was not an option. "It's just something I do automatically," she says.

Install a recycling bin or kitchen composter

If you are not recycling, it might be because you don't have a separate place in the kitchen to put your glass and plastic, Munn says. Cabinets can easily be retrofitted to install a bin. "All of a sudden, you're recycling," she says. Those who are even more committed might want to add a composting bin. That requires a little more work, as the compost mixture must be "fed" with baking soda and a certain ratio of vegetables to protein to prevent odors from developing. "But for those who are looking for something beyond basic green changes, it's a nice step," Munn says.

Use energy-efficient appliances

When replacing your dishwasher or oven, choose a model that bears the federal Energy Star designation, which means it meets government guidelines for energy efficiency. Because 80 percent of appliances now meet those guidelines, this is an easy change to make, Tabor says. (Indeed, Tabor and many others chide the government for not making its standards more rigorous.)

If you're in the market for a new oven, consider a convection model, which cuts energy use by about 20 percent. Don't run your dishwasher until it's completely full, and keep your refrigerator well stocked, as a full refrigerator uses less energy than an empty one.

Install a foot pedal to operate your sink

Munn added that feature when she redid her own kitchen. "Not only is it green, it's practical," she says. "It's a hands-free operation, which makes it more sanitary, and you use much less water."

Choose recycled, renewable or sustainable materials

Consider such materials for floors, cabinets and countertops, and recycle your old ones if possible. When Tabor's company remodeled the kitchen in Clarksville, workers carefully removed the old cabinets, countertops, plumbing fixtures and kitchen appliances and donated them to two families. The hardwood floor was removed and stored, to be installed later in the family's basement.

Sustainable, renewable cork and bamboo are two increasingly popular floor choices. So is Marmoleum; like linoleum, it is made from nontoxic linseed oil.

Green countertop materials include compressed paper, and terrazzo made from recycled glass and/or ceramic mixed with concrete.

For cabinets, look for material that is certified by the Forest Stewardship Council. That means it was harvested and fabricated responsibly. Some good options are reclaimed or recycled wood, and rapidly renewable resources such as bamboo and lyptus, a eucalyptus hybrid that resembles cherry when finished but grows back much faster.

Munn recommends researching the manufacturers of cabinets and kitchen furniture and, if possible, choosing a local source. "Even if you are choosing between two non-green cabinet lines, see if you can find out which one's products are closer to where you live," Munn says. "Where are the products being made? Where are the source materials coming from?"

Pay attention to lighting

Many kitchens get plenty of light during the day from sun streaming in through the windows. Light-colored cabinets and other materials help to maximize that light. Avoid turning on the kitchen light when natural illumination is sufficient, and replace incandescent bulbs and fixtures with energy-efficient LED lighting.

Eat green

Whether you're in the mood for a Granny Smith apple or green eggs and ham, try to incorporate locally grown and organic foods into your budget and diet. Most of the food in supermarkets travels thousands of miles to get there. Eat fewer processed foods in favor of fresh fruits and vegetables, and buy local produce. Find a farmers market close to your home. They are everywhere these days, even near the White House, and their wares include seasonal fruits and vegetables as well as locally sourced meat, poultry and dairy products.

Mark Furstenberg's Kitchen Renovation

The Washington Post

Kitchen renovations often are triggered by small disasters. For renowned Washington baker Mark Furstenberg, his began with a leaky espresso maker that flooded his Kalorama condo and the one below.

A valve on his fancy restaurant machine got stuck while Furstenberg, founder and former owner of Marvelous Market and the BreadLine, was out of town. To dry out his kitchen, he had to take out a chunk of the floor and remove some cabinetry. And so the room sat, for three years, while he decided what to do. In the meantime he was baking, cooking and entertaining.

"I just lived with this kitchen that had a hole in the floor," Furstenberg says. He got a lot of grief about it from friends, who nonetheless continued to come over for his parsnip and potato puree, roasted cauliflower, short ribs and, of course, crusty whole-grain breads.

Until last year, Furstenberg did his best to ignore the fact that his kitchen, the heart of a three-bedroom condo in a stately 1910 building, was a mess. But he was spending more time there testing recipes and developing menus in his role as restaurant consultant. And he was working on a book about the lost art of breakfast and on plans for a retail bakery that serves breakfast. While attending a conference on Southern food and culture in 2008, he met Beverly Farrington of Huntsville, Ala., an interior designer who is also a foodie. Soon after, she came over for dinner while visiting Washington, and they started brewing a kitchen remodeling plan.

"I had decided it was time to redo," says Furstenberg, "But I didn't have a huge budget. She saw this wreck of a kitchen and said, 'I'll help you.' "

Even if you ignored the flood damage, Furstenberg's 1970s kitchen featured outdated kitchen appliances, Formica counters and almond laminate cabinets and was not a showcase piece. Farrington was jazzed by the challenge of working with the man who brought artisan bread to Washington 20 years ago and developed the bread program for the Culinary Institute of America in Napa Valley. "I've done so many trophy kitchens for people who eat takeout all the time," says Farrington. "How fun to do something for someone that really cooks."

Last year, they negotiated a design to serve Furstenberg's needs and budget, featuring two work areas, one for baking and one for cooking, each with its own countertop material, prep sink and cleanup space.

The adjoining breakfast nook would be removed to expand the work space. There would be lots of natural materials: cork, wood and marble. Storage for his vast cookware arsenal of choppers, processors, hand blenders, flours and spices would be provided by hanging racks and open metro-style metal shelving. They shopped at Ikea and Lumber Liquidators for good design at good value. "I wanted no designer appliances, nothing showy," says Furstenberg.

Furstenberg could not be without a kitchen for long. "I was a terrible client because I was determined not to have the same problems everyone else had," he says. He'd been hoping for two weeks of downtime, but it turned out that for a month he could not bake or simmer or caramelize. And the finishing work took a few more weeks.

It was worth the wait. He is still happily arranging his Tunisian couscous screen, baker's peel and stockpots in all the corners and shelves. "Now I have a semiprofessional working kitchen that is really quite glamorous," he says.

The espresso machine that caused the mess is in storage. "The machine rebelled against having been deprived of its true life function," to work in a restaurant, he says. He will install it in the bakery he plans to open in the District before the end of the year. Says Furstenberg, "We've been through a lot together."

The Nuts and Bolts of Being Your Own General Contractor

The Denver Post

One couple who hired Conley Construction Co. a few years ago to remodel their Colorado home simply gave contractor Tim Conley the keys.

"We're going to Cabo," they said to Conley. "Call us when you're finished."

Sybille Hechtel, on the other hand, has remodeled or built seven homes, including her current house in South Boulder and an Earthship in Silverthorne. She learned from each remodel, did a lot of the work herself and contracted out the rest.

These are the extremes of how homeowners go about remodeling. On one end is the hands-on "Hechtel style." On the other end is the couple who wanted only the finished product.

In this economy, home remodeling projects are no longer an all-or-nothing choice between full involvement and a laissez- faire approach. Some homeowners act as their own general contractors but don't actually do any work; others hire a general contractor but remain involved in the process. These days general contractors, whose job it is to organize and oversee an entire project, including the work of subcontractors in specialty trades, tend to be flexible.

Of course, the more that homeowners are willing and able to do, the greater their savings. Even without lifting a nail gun or paintbrush, homeowners who hire their own subcontractors save roughly 15 to 20 percent over those who enlist a general contractor, according to construction-industry sources.

But it's a trade-off, and the more the homeowner takes on, the more time and knowledge are required. Acting as one's own general contractor can be daunting.

It can sometimes also be false economy, cautions Roger Reinhardt, executive vice president of the Home Builders Association of Metropolitan Denver. "There are things that can offset savings," he says. For instance, "homeowners who finance their remodels must carry the cost of a loan during construction."

Because of ongoing relationships with subcontractors, general contractors can set and keep to tighter schedules than most people. And if a "free-wheeling subcontractor walks off the job," Reinhardt notes, general contractors have others they can call in to finish.

Another upside to using a general contractor: They assume a level of risk. They will carry adequate insurance and also warranty that the work has been done correctly and stands the test of time.

Robert Palecki owns Home Remodel & Design in Littleton. He points out that it's his job to keep up with code changes, especially involving popular kitchen makeovers with behind-the-walls plumbing and electrical systems.

He is licensed in 17 jurisdictions and says every one is different. "There's a thick book of federal requirements, and every city or county has its own code book that is frequently amended and updated," Palecki says.

The 40-year industry veteran describes one common scenario that can be frustrating for homeowners: A home inspector will show up, without warning, say the code has changed and for that reason, so must the remodeling plans.

Experts say homeowners tend to enjoy the fun stuff — picking out cabinets, appliances, plumbing fixtures, tile, flooring and paint. But most don't enjoy researching building codes, deciphering blueprints or haggling with inspectors or subcontractors. A general contractor takes those challenges out of the homeowners' hands.

Randy and Carol Philp knew they wanted to be heavily involved in building their Coal Creek Canyon home when they met Bob Hinz and Mary Knowles of HomeWrights at the Colorado Garden and Home Show. The contractor-client relationship worked out so well that they've become friends — and that's rare.

"HomeWrights screens the contractors, so we didn't worry about being taken. We got two or three bids for everything and picked the ones we preferred. We were in control of the process but didn't worry about getting taken," Randy Philp says.

Mike Ebeling of Lyons, now a literary agent, was a contractor for five years. "A general contractor has relations with the subs," he says. "They'll get people to the door faster when something has to be done."

Tom Conley, whose company can handle everything or just act as a consultant, lets clients have all the input they want. "I encourage them to be involved," he says. "A lot of people have a friend who's an electrician (or other tradesman). I'll pull the permits, and if my customers want, they can do everything themselves."

But he's also available to troubleshoot and pick up the pieces when a do-it-yourself job goes wrong.

Tammy Leakas is a Boulder County architect and planner. She sees advantages and disadvantages to hiring a general contractor.

On the one hand, "People don't always get what they want. Contractors often try to change a design to what's easy, quick and cheap."

She adds that to be one's own contractor, the homeowner needs to be a good scheduler, a good coordinator, a good time manager and "strong enough to insist on getting your own way" without unreasonable add-ons on the back end.

Strident do-it-yourselfer Sybille Hechtel has learned to wear all of those hats, citing earning a Ph.D. as good preparation. "I learned how to make a list of everything that needed to be done and then stick to it," she says.

Her friends know her to be unusually diligent, organized, meticulous and disciplined.

For homeowners who are looking at nothing except price (because doing a remodel without a general contractor is likely to be cheaper) Palecki of Home Remodel & Design likes this slogan: "The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of a low price is forgotten."

And that, at the end of the day, is an important consideration for homeowners embarking on a remodel.

Getting Started

Make a list of what needs to be renovated and which optional improvements you want.

Set a budget but plan for the unexpected. The older the home, the more surprises you might find.

Set a timetable but be prepared to be flexible — just in case.

Consult with an architect or designer for ideas or total plans.

Consider how your furniture, artwork and entertainment system will fit into the renovated or added rooms.

Be realistic about your limitations and knowledge. Adding an extension or an entire story, or gutting and remodeling a kitchen from the floor joists up, is a complex project that might be best handled by a general contractor, while changing paint colors, replacing flooring, installing new countertops, adding wood trim or other cosmetic upgrades can be handled by almost anyone.

Consider the adage: "Remodel where the water is." If your main objective is to increase your home's value, conventional wisdom is that kitchen and bathroom remodeling bring the greatest return on investment. But they are also the most disruptive to everyday life.

Go to the Home Builders Association of Denver website (hbadenver.com) and click on "Consumer Resources" for basic information and also a list of member builders and remodelers.

Being the Contractor

Know what's involved. The Renovation 101 website (renovation101.com/Be-your-Contractor2.htm) has a checklist of issues to consider.

Keep extensive records of every component of the project from bids to bills.

Be conscientious about checking out subcontractors with your local Better Business Bureau.

Make sure that every subcontractor is properly insured, including carrying liability and workman's compensation insurance.

Be prepared to eat, sleep and breathe your remodeling project 24/7. A major makeover is that time-consuming, and more complicated than you might imagine.

Hiring a Contractor

Seek recommendations but again, be conscientious about checking them out with your local Better Business Bureau.

Refer to the Home Builders Association of Denver website (hbadenver.com, Consumer Resources, list of members). Members of the Remodelers Council must be vetted, and builders must be sponsored by other builders. Both must adhere to the association's code of ethics.

Ask about a contractor's familiarity with green building. This is important in terms of available products, tax credits and the long-term savings of using green materials, appliances and fixtures.

Obtain and compare several bids. Examine the contract carefully before signing, and even run it past an attorney if you are unsure of the builder's legal obligations — and yours as well.

Agree on a work and payment schedule.

Dream Home: Creating a Masterpiece

The Baltimore Sun

Starting with a building dating to 1800, two artists have transformed it into their house and studio

Artists Harry and Deborah Richardson made their New Market home by adding a kitchen and studio space along with adjacent parcels of land and, eventually, a gallery. (Baltimore Sun photo by Barbara Haddock Taylor / February 23, 2010)

On the side lawn of his cottage, at the end of a long driveway, Harry Richardson gestures broadly to first-time visitors.

"I live on 20 acres," he says proudly. "And at the end of it, there's a lake."

Those who know him can easily see where the artist gets a lot of the inspiration for his watercolors. Even on a cold winter's day, several dozen tall pine trees, their trunks casting long shadows on the deep snow, follow the rolling hills downward to Lake Linganore. Up at the crest of these hills, Harry Richardson and his wife, Debbie, a painter and glass artist, beckon guests to the back entrance of their Frederick County home, the original part of which dates to around 1800.

Inside, natural morning light brightens a large kitchen in this addition to the original cottage. Beams fall onto cabinets that were taken from a neighbor who did not care for the sound of the wood's name — wormy chestnut. But here in the Richardson's cottage, the wood is appropriate for what they call their "Early American comfortable" style.

"In 1975, I paid $62,000 for my stone cottage and about 14 acres," Harry Richardson said. "Imagine that! You can spend that much on a luxury automobile these days."

Since that time, he added two parcels for his total of over 20 acres. Additions to the house came in 1978, in the form of kitchen remodeling and two rooms for studio space adjacent to the original first floor and a partially below-ground area for his wife's studio.

"I did a lot of the work myself with the help of friends," he said. "I used native fieldstone and recycled vintage flooring and barn beams. I even drew up the building plans myself. This is called sweat equity."

The original stone cottage was a German-American architectural style often referred to as "two, two and two," referring to the two rooms on each of three floors, including the cellar. What was once the main room or parlor is now a dining room with a large stone fireplace that has a life-size painting of a rifle over the mantel. Another feature in the room is an original, oak dough tray cabinet, a buffet-type piece of furniture with a top that lifts up allowing the bread dough to rise.

In 1987, Harry Richardson built a 26-by-32-foot, two-story gallery and frame shop on the property just yards from the main house. Materials, including cedar clapboard siding, cost about $25,000, which he asserts is amazing by today's prices.

"Here again, I drew up the plans and did a lot of the finish home remodeling work myself," he said. "I hired my neighbor to help with the heavy framing and roofing."

It is in the main-floor gallery that the couple exhibit their work, and while it is open by appointment only, twice a year they host an open house. They also sell their work at craft shows.

For the most part, though, they revel in hearth and home.

"We live a simple life here," Debbie Richardson said.

Making a dream home

Dream element: The Richardson's early 19th-century stone cottage is embellished with additions of cypress clapboard siding milled with a Colonial lap-bead. The roof shingles are fiberglass but have been built to replicate the original wood shingles. The house, as well as a separate gallery/frame shop, sits on over 20 acres of land that rolls to the banks of Lake Linganore in New Market, Frederick County. The cottage is also a registered Frederick County landmark.

Design inspiration: Colonial cottage-style furniture comprises the decor of the original house and its additions. Many of the pieces are antiques bought at shops, shows and auction. In the living/family room addition, for example, leather sofas sit perpendicular in front of a wood-burning stove. A coffee table that Harry Richardson fashioned out of a walnut slab adds to the grouping, as does an antique pine corner cabinet dating to 1820 and a rocking chair from 1870 — a family heirloom.

Personal touch: The Richardsons display personal collections throughout the cottage. Debbie Richardson's antique glass jar collection sits on several windowsills, aglow with light passing through the variety of their colors, some reflecting onto the walls and floors. A large watercolor portrait by Harry Richardson of his grandmother on the front porch of her farmhouse hangs in the couple's dining room. At one time, the piece was exhibited in the Corcoran Gallery of Art.

Remodeling Without A Home Equity Loan

Nashua Telegraph

Kelly Hess and her husband, David, spent $8,000 in April remodeling the outside of their Dallas house, and they paid for it without a home-equity loan.

They tapped their “house savings account” to replace the roof and install an 8-foot-high wooden fence in the backyard of the four-bedroom brick ranch house they bought in 2006.

The Hesses prove there are other ways to pay for home improvements besides borrowing against the equity in your property. Home-equity loans and lines of credit have provided homeowners with a reliable, usually tax-deductible, cash stream for many years. However, home equity has dried up during the nation’s four-year housing slump.

Many people don’t have the necessary equity in their properties to qualify for a home-equity loan. In fact, almost one-third of the country’s homeowners holding mortgages at the end of the third quarter have negative equity or near-negative equity in their homes, according to a recent report from First American CoreLogic, a California company that tracks real-estate data.

“Negative equity continues to be pervasive and to impact almost every segment of the housing market,” says Mark Fleming, chief economist with First American CoreLogic.

While home values have tumbled nationwide, banks and other lenders have tightened the rules for borrowers to qualify to leverage their home equity. This means people should be thinking about alternative financing for home upgrades such as outdoor decks.

Paying cash is always the best option, financial experts say. However, they acknowledge that’s understandably difficult for many who depleted their savings during the recession.

“My husband and I are both very much on the same page when it comes to money,” says Kelly Hess, a legal secretary. “We don’t like to use credit except for buying a car or a house.”

The following are alternatives to home-equity loans that financial experts suggest homeowners consider to pay for home improvements.

Anybody can open a savings account at a bank or online for remodeling projects, but experts say making regular deposits is the key.

Rebecca Schreiber, a Certified Financial Planner and owner of Solid Ground Financial Planning in Silver Spring, Md., suggests putting your two “extra” paychecks a year – if you, like many workers, are paid 26 times a year – into a separate account for home improvements. Those two paychecks are the third checks you get in two months of the year.

Since 2006, the Hesses have paid for $20,000 to $25,000 worth of interior and exterior remodeling on their Dallas home built in 1970 by tapping their house savings account.

Using plastic to buy paint or new carpeting, for example, might be tempting, but financial experts urge caution.

They suggest only using credit cards for home remodeling when you can avoid paying interest. And Schreiber says, using a card with a cash-back reward then paying the entire balance with no interest is even better. She took her own advice this summer, charging about $5,000 for electrical work, lighting and new carpeting in the living room of her five-bedroom Maryland home.

You might be surprised how much you can make selling the unwanted items in your garage or attic.

Sarah M. Place, the president of Place Trade Financial, a brokerage and financial advisory firm in Raleigh, N.C., raised about half the $10,000 she spent this summer remodeling the master bathroom, installing ironing centers, replacing iron plumbing and refinishing a staircase, among other upgrades, by selling items on Craigslist.

“I had not intended it to work that way, but … I had made so much money that I just kept working on the house,” Place says of her three-bedroom Raleigh real estate.

Doing some or all of the work yourself can save a lot. And you can learn how to do home projects by reading detailed instructions for kitchen or bathroom remodeling in a book or online. Place can attest this works.

“We probably ended up saving at least $5,000,” she says. “I learned how to do most of it by researching it online.”

Although it doesn’t work for every family, Schreiber says getting financial help from relatives remains an attractive option. An important thing to remember, she says, is to be sure to put the loan terms in writing. Then repay the money even if, say, your parents forgive the loan.

Reputable Pro is Key to Home Project Success

Dayton Daily News

Home improvement projects can either be a great experience or a terrible nightmare. Careful planning from start to finish, along with a reputable contractor, can help make your project successful.

While you may be able to handle some home remodeling tasks yourself, major projects may require professional help. Selecting a good contractor is essential to the project’s success.

When finding a home remodeling contractor, get referrals from family and friends. You also can contact the Better Business Bureau for a list of more than 500 companies in the industry or reliability reports on ones you’re considering. Visit www.bbb.org or call (937) 222-5825 for more information.

The BBB also advises you:

• Get estimates. Request at least three bids based on the same project plan, such as kitchen remodeling,  materials, labor and completion time. Keep in mind the lowest bid isn’t always the best one. Consider the company’s reputation and materials used when making your decision.

• Obtain proper documentation. Be sure the contractor meets all licensing, bonding and insurance requirements and determine whether he or she will get necessary permits.

• Don’t pay the entire amount up front. Payment arrangements should be made as the job is completed. The final payment shouldn’t be due until the job is done to your satisfaction and has passed any necessary inspections with your local officials or home inspector.

• Get everything in writing. Don’t allow any work to start without a written contract, detailing the start and completion dates, all materials, cost and payment schedule, as well as the contractor’s license number and contact information.

Is the Remodeling Slump Over?

The Dallas News

Home remodelers that have been hammered by the recession can look forward to better times in 2010.

Forecasters say the home improvement and fix-up business should pick up this year after a 25 percent slide in activity since 2007.

"The downturn appeared to stabilize in the second half of 2009," Kermit Baker of the Harvard University Joint Center for Housing Studies told builders and remodelers at the National Association of Home Builders' annual meeting last week in Las Vegas.

"We are starting to see some positives in where the market might be headed for handyman services and home remodeling."

The Harvard researchers said nationwide remodeling expenditures are likely to rise about 6 percent in the coming quarters.

Baker said the cutbacks in home improvement and repair activity during the recession were substantial but were less than half what the homebuilding business experienced.

"If you are a remodeler, times have been tough. But it could be worse – you could be a homebuilder," he said. "In this economic environment, households were spending more on home improvements like kitchen remodeling projects last year than they did on the purchase of new homes."

North Texas outlook

The outlook for increased home remodeling is good news for North Texas builders, some of whom have diversified during the downturn.

"Quite a few of our builders have expanded into remodeling," said Bob Morris, executive vice president of the Home Builders Association of Greater Dallas. "Some of our more inventive small custom builders have been doing remodeling.

"There is still work out there. It's a viable market because the economy here wasn't hit nearly as hard."

Even in Dallas-Fort Worth, some homeowners have put sunrooms and other fancy fix-up projects on hold for the last year or so.

"If you think the prices of homes are going down, it makes it hard to argue that outdoor decks or bath remodels will hold their value," said Paul Emrath, a researcher for the builders' association. "People have less equity in their properties to finance remodeling.

"Even if you don't have problems there, sometimes lenders are more reluctant than they have been in the past to finance remodeling or a home addition."

Smaller projects

Homeowners in the market for a redo are taking a more measured approach. The days of over-the-top remodeling and double-size additions are mostly gone, analysts say.

"Of those that are planning to spend money, 52 percent are doing needed repairs or maintenance, as opposed to large-scale home remodeling projects." said Eliot Nusbaum of Better Homes and Gardens, which commissioned a new housing study. "The focus is on smaller projects right now like painting a room or replacing or adding flooring.

"What we are seeing in remodeling as well as new construction is practical considerations."

Energy-conserving or environmentally friendly upgrades are still on many homeowners' must-have lists.

"The focus for future projects really seems to be about saving money," Nusbaum said.

Harvard University research points to the same frugality, Baker said.

"We have seen a pronounced shift over to replacement projects in the last two years," such as energy-efficient windows or heating and cooling systems, he said. "But we are now seeing a little more life in discretionary projects – kitchen and bathroom remodeling."

The majority of fix-it fans are doing the upgrades out of their pockets, Baker said.

"This market is heavily dominated by cash financing," he said. "Households either don't want to take out loans because they are nervous about economic conditions or they can't get loans."

A Classic, but Remodeled

The Bend Bulletin

Stephanie and David Lawrence have owned their Black Butte Ranch home for a decade, but they were ready for a change. They wanted to expand and remodel their 1970s-era home to accommodate their growing extended family, which includes two young grandchildren, and another one on the way.

“For our family, this is the gathering place, and we love it there. I have four grown children; two of them are married with children,” said Stephanie Lawrence by phone from her primary home in Northern California. “We all live in different places, but we try to come together there regularly, and eventually my husband and I may finally retire in Central Oregon.”

Stephanie's husband, Dr. David Lawrence, is the former CEO for Kaiser Permanente, and during his career, the family had to move several times. But Oregon, Stephanie said, always feels like home.

David Lawrence is a native Oregonian. His father, Amos Lawrence, was a former headmaster of the private Catlin Gabel School in Portland, and his grandfather, Ellis Fuller Lawrence, was one of the founders of the University of Oregon's School of Architecture and Allied Arts. He designed the campus' original Knight Library and the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art.

So the Lawrences know a thing or two about architecture, and were ready with a list of things they wanted to change in their Black Butte Ranch home, originally built in 1974.

“We love the windows; there's a lot of large windows that look out to the golf course, and it's beautiful,” explained Stephanie. “But the kitchen was small and cramped. Basically only one person could work in there at a time, and most of my family loves to cook, so we wanted to open up the kitchen.”

The remodeling puzzle

Whenever home designer Kathleen Donohue of Neil Kelly comes to a home remodel project, she asks her clients two questions: what they love about their home, and what they most dislike about their home, and from there her work begins.

Donohue likens home remodeling projects to a jigsaw puzzle. The pieces include trying to work within the confines of the building footprint, incorporating clients' wishes and ideas, and working with a set of givens, like existing support beams. Doing all of this, and coming within budget.

“It is like a puzzle, because it's a challenge or a mystery,” said Donohue. “But I love solving mysteries. You can take any existing home and make it what you want, completely changing a look or style, but you still have to work within a framework, which you don't have with a new-construction home.”

With Donohue's work, the Lawrences were able to add 804 square feet to their 4,700-square-foot home, including two additional bedrooms, one bathroom, a little office and playroom.

Because of strict development guidelines, Donohue didn't want to extend the footprint of the home. Plus, cutting down any existing trees would have cost $3,000 per tree. Donohue says she's pleased the Lawrences got everything they wanted, and not one tree had to be felled.

The windows, which originally drew the Lawrences to this home, all stayed, but they were updated to more efficient windows.

The kitchen was completely revamped.

“The kitchen was U-shaped, and not open at all,” said Donohue, pointing out a wall they took out. “Now the kitchen opens up to the living room and the sun- room.”

Because cooking is a big priority for the Lawrences, they requested a pot-filling faucet, which has a long enough neck to fill a pot with water while it's on the stove. Donohue felt if the family was going to have this type of faucet, it should also have a service sink next to the stove.

Underneath the service sink is a glass-fronted wine refrigerator, which was another request from David Lawrence, a wine and beer aficionado.

Stephanie got professional kitchen appliances, and instead of going with stainless steel appliances, she opted for gray-colored glass on her oven and main refrigerator, which Donohue notes may be the next new kitchen trend.

Another trend in kitchen remodeling, which the Lawrences used in their remodel, is the use of an antique finish on their black granite.

“This is easier to maintain than shiny granite; it's not at all fussy,” said Donohue, running her hand across the smooth, muted Cambrian black granite island. “We also used antique copper-colored fixtures throughout the kitchen.”

On the opposite side of the island, Donohue used a salvage company to resurrect a beautiful piece of madrona butcher-block countertop.

For the backsplash of the stove area, Donohue had small, stacked- slate pieces, known as “falling waters” (after a Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired design), interspersed with small copper tiles, and a center area made of all antique hammered copper.

The Lawrences opted for dark- stained cupboards with an arts and crafts/mission look with small square cutouts at the top, filled with golden mica. When the cupboard lights are on, the little mica windows cast a golden glow over the kitchen, adding visual warmth.

Updating the classic

Updating the house also meant taking out the wooden deck on the front porch. Taking inspiration from the living room fireplace, which is surrounded by a wall of rock, Donohue was able to find matching rock for the porch and entryway, which gives the home visual continuity.

Behind the living room fireplace wall was an old wood shed next to the house. Donohue used it to fill in another piece of the puzzle.

“I thought this would make a great little office area,” said Donohue, opening the door to the new office. The door is covered in a product called Lumicore, which allows natural light in, but creates some privacy, with a natural leaf print subtly veiling the window of the door.

Taking out lots of beige carpet on the main floor and using natural wood in the living room, kitchen and sunroom also updated the classic look of the house.

“I'd say this house was built as a Northwest modern contemporary, and it was originally built very well. So when you take a custom home that's built well in the first place, it makes it much easier to do these remodels,” said Donohue, who feels the house overall has stood the test of time, but just needed some updating and the expansion the Lawrences desired.

Donohue says with any remodeling project there's always at least one surprise, and this home was no different. When taking out an old bathtub during the master bathroom remodeling, they found raccoons had a made a nest under the tub.

“Yes, the raccoon family made quite a little condo underneath that tub,” said Stephanie.

After the raccoons found another home, Donohue had a large air bath installed in the master bathroom.

“With an air bath, you have hot air in the pipes blowing into the water, instead of jets of water in a spa tub,” explained Donohue. “We used travertine in the shower area, and porcelain tile floors to match the travertine, and it's all easy care.”

To keep within budget, the same bathroom cupboards were refinished and new hardware was added. In the master bathroom, one small aesthetic cost paid off in big visual dividends.

“I love the way the stacked rocks came out in the master bathroom, it adds so much to the look in there,” said Stephanie, an artist, referring to two medium-sized beams that were covered in stacked rocks by artistic masons.

On the main floor, Donohue walks down a small hallway from the master bedroom and shows off the big new playroom, which she's sure will get plenty of wear and tear when the grandchildren visit. She says it also serves as an art studio for Stephanie.

Going up the stairs, Donohue said the remodel included enclosing the staircase, as Stephanie was worried about young toddlers falling through the original iron grating of the stairs.

The two new bedrooms, each with generous walk-in closets and ironing centers, share a center hallway bathroom. Donohue explained the walk-in closets were important to the Lawrence children because they can double as a makeshift nursery while the grandchildren are babies.

Downstairs, Donohue pauses and looks at four dream lists that the Lawrences had given her at the beginning of the six-month remodel project.

“Here's mom's list, dad's list, the kids' list, and my original notes — I think we were able to get everything in that everyone wanted,” said a satisfied Donohue.