I think of my design aesthetic as more clean lines – classic leaning towards modern. But when I look around my own house, I realize that it is a mix of all the things I have collected on my travels to South America and Europe, pattern all around. I am in a constant internal battle not to overly complicate things. I am always struggling for this clean sense of space, but my own space never really seems to reflect my “modern and clean” philosophy, but more my inner complicated and textural personality.

Brandolini’s book has awakened a new sense that this more complex style is okay for me, and that I should take a leap of faith with more patterns and textures in our own company design work. We can go out on the edge sometimes – we can all celebrate our own eclectic tastes. By doing this, we end up with a finished product that truly represents each client, and that is what it’s all about!

Let’s challenge ourselves in 2012 – with fresh new ideas, more textures and patterns, and ethnically inspired design. Design that is organic to each of us. (And if you want a very spare and clean environment, we’re happy for that as well!).

Our DMI philosophy remains unchanged, just refreshed for 2012: When your job is complete, we want you to feel that it reflects your own personal style and that you did it – with just a little consultation and help along the way from the designers at DMI.

Happy New Year!

P.S. Thank you, Theresa, for again providing the right inspiration and support at the perfect time – you are a fantastic sister!

Susani (Sometimes spelled ‘suzani”) is the word for “needle” in Farsi, and the large embroidered dowry textiles of Turkic groups are so-named because of the many hundreds of hours of needlework needed to produce them. We are loving these patterns for their large graphics and color on toss pillows and wall hangings that can be framed for a very dramatic look.

Kantha textiles from India and the surrounding countries are renowned for their vibrant colors, patterns and stitching. Kantha, a type of stitchery popular among rural women there, is also the name given to lightweight throws and blankets made of old saris and other pieces of cloth that feature this type of needlework. These fabrics offer a dazzling collection of hand-sewn, one-of-a-kind pieces.

Ikat patterned textiles can be found from South East Asia, Central or South America, as well as Japan. They are as popular as ever for upholstery as well as fashion. Ikat ( or “Ikkat“), is a dyeing technique used to pattern textiles that employs a resist dyeing process similar to tie-dye on either the warp or wetfibres.

S0 – Let’s go big, bold, and beautiful for 2011/2012! Go global and find ways to embrace these traditional patterned textiles and make them your own.

Well, they do say that “everything old is new again” and that is proving to be true. All indications in trade-shows, magazines, and the architectural circles are that oak cabinetry is returning with a vengeance! Of course, just like the shoulder pads appearing on fashion runways this spring, there is always a slight re-interpretation. In this case, the changes include “french” oak, which has a slightly driftwood gray or antiqued mocha (edges only) stain, and “quarter sawn” or “rift cut” oak which cuts the grain across a quarter of the round producing a more even look. You can see some examples of the latest trends in the Restoration Hardware catalogue.

Back to the Fifties! – Now called “Mid Century Modern”

Can you believe that all those great sets shown on ‘Mad Men’ and again in design magazines are considered THE THING to have now!? Noguchi Tables, Eames (Charles and Ray) Furniture and Fabrics, Bertoia, Mies Van der Rohe, Warren Platner (my personal favorite tables EVER)….most of which came out of Knoll – all now the real classics!!! This comes as no surprise to us “old” designers who grew up studying these great design pioneers. They have always been the inspiration for and at the forefront of commercial interiors, but taken for granted by most residential projects. Perhaps they were considered too modern and sterile. But, at last we have our day in the sun…thank you Mad Men!

Our office is starting a project in Fanny Bay for the restoration of a mid-century one story beach house. Watch for the details and photos in the next couple of months. We are so delighted to do this type of restoration work on classic homes and I get to reckon back to my roots as a budding designer in the early ’70′s inspired by the great designers at Knoll and Herman Miller! Oh, how I wish I had kept every piece – all tossed out from corporations looking for the next trend. So many Florence Knoll chairs in the land fill.

Of course, if you must have a piece – one good place to start looking is at Design Within Reach - a lot of replicas and some of the real thing too!

And of course, our shoot would not have been possible without the generosity of Mel from Urban Nest in Campbell River – she loaned us these groovy chairs for the day – and there is a lot more fabulous furnishings and accessories for every nest in her store. She now carries a few great clothing lines as well – go and check it out!

Another dream project for our team!

The Concept Stage and Drawings

The contactor asked me to develop a building envelope that was 30’x120’ – two floors – with reception, restaurant, public washrooms, and a fish packaging room on the first floor and guest suites on the second floor.  Once the CAD drawings were started and the 4.5/12 metal shed roof designed, we discovered when we rendered it in 3D, that we could add lofts to the guest suites for additional guest accommodations – BONUS! Chief Architect 3D Software comes through again!  Soon, we had 3 floors and 9000 square feet to build.

Construction documentation started in earnest and detail drawings for elevations, stairwells, window design and sizes, doors, etc., were put together fairly quickly.  The contractor and I had lots to talk about with exterior detailing that included outrigger beams, trellis work, totems and beautiful cedar doors carved by the local First Nations band.

The Time Line

We started the building design in January and had the basic layouts to Heidema Engineering and Island Truss in early February.  Chatwin Engineering provided the environmental plans and specifications and worked with VIHA on the overall site plan for power and water energy consumption.  Additionally we used Terratek Energy Solutions for the solar power design.   

Structural engineering is always a critical part of any ground-up (and renovation) project.  I couldn’t have survived without the patience and help of the staff at Heidema Engineering on such a large project. 

The owner and contractor wanted to start building in April with completion by summer’s end, but alas, that proved a bit aggressive.  The site work to develop new road systems, infrastructure for solar and generator power, water, and sewage took months.  Blasting and other site work continues for other parts of the project, such as a new pump house/shop building for the new well, out-stations for future power and water, and more roads to future home sites and free-standing guest accommodations. 

We finally started to lay out and pour the foundation in early May and things started to move pretty quickly.  The project is about 2 hours by car west of Campbell River between Gold River and Tahsis.  Once the foundation was poured and framing on the main building started, I finally took a trip out to see the project.  I cannot begin to describe the feeling of seeing that big building in person after looking at it on my little computer screen for so many months.  I was equally unprepared for the beautiful setting on the shore of Moutcha Bay in Nootka Sound. WOW!  

Building #2 – The Mechanical Building

Andrew, our contractor, has a reputation for getting buildings up quickly.  I could barely get drawings done and approved by the owners before he had foundation poured and framing started!  We quickly determined that a separate building for sewer plant, generators, and batteries was needed to accommodate the entire infrastructure to the lodge and the rest of the site.  They asked me to design another 30×30 building with 2 stories to accommodate all this equipment.  Working with the structural engineers, electrical designers, and environmental engineers takes a bit of time.  Everyone needed to lay out their equipment in the rooms, design and engineer it, price it, and get approval from the owner.  We were running like mad to get it all accomplished. Meanwhile Andrew had started the foundation and framing in order to catch the good summer weather and keep crews busy and efficient.  I finally gave up trying to catch him and just sent him the almost completed drawings and said “please give me an ‘as built’ with dimensions”!  A little bit backwards…but it all worked out just fine and the mechanical building went up without a hitch.

Exterior Design – Wood First!

We started the exterior design during the construction documentation phase starting with the concept of  “modern yet rustic” fishing lodge using cedar siding, a standing seam metal roof, and cedar beams and trim.  We used a custom Russet solid stain for the siding and kept the vertical beams in a natural state with a clear finish.  We used Cloverdale Sunfast for the natural finish – it is a little orange for my personal taste, but it is offset with the other colors. Originally, the solar panels were to be placed on the front of the building.  We subsequently learned that we could not quite get the correct angle from the front, so they had to be placed on the roof.  That left the fascia front with no finish.  We considered Hardi Shingle, Certainteed Shingles and Cedar.  Ultimately, the wood shingle was less expensive and more suitable to the wet environment.  We continued our “Wood First” philosophy to the knotty T&G cedar soffiting as well (in favor of vinyl soffiting).  That left us with two more color choices to make!  The siding is fairly dark and I didn’t want the cedar shingles to be the Sunfast color.  I got small test tins of all the Sikkens stain products and started painting samples.  Using just one foamy brush, I mistakenly didn’t clean it up between colors.  This led to the perfect choice – 1 part mahogany, 4 parts cedar – a perfect compromise color to bring the building back into harmony, and no orange!  We kept the knotty cedar soffiting natural in color – clear varathane finish was used.

 As for the rest – we used a dark mahogany colored paint on the PlastProPlank fiberglass doors, almond beige on the Allied Windows (Canadian made), and dark comb face cedar trim.  All other exterior metal surfaces are oil rub bronze. 

She’s coming together…Can’t wait for the rest of the “jewelry” to go on – lighting fixtures, railings, outrigger beams, and the totems!

Stay tuned!

I love all these organic materials and organic shapes!  The other designers on my team say I’m obsessed with lines and waves right now…..

I’m a pretty linear designer and obsessed with scale and symmetry – sometimes to a fault!  After years and years of commercial design adapting offices and workstations to rectangular and mostly perfect spaces, I enjoy the asymmetry now of interior design and have become a big fan of the “imperfect” house.  In meeting with a recent client, we discussed the fact that absolute perfection in layout and design isn’t really achievable, and should we achieve it, it would become like the perfectly proportioned human face – not that beautiful or interesting.  So…my words of wisdom for today is to embrace the little imperfections and items in your home that inspire you, make you happy, but might not be what a “home stager” or “decorator” would allow.

On a recent trip to Tucson, I was fortunate enough to stay at the Catalina Park B&B.  This is an historic house close to the University of Arizona Campus in a residential area of town.  The gentlemen who own and run it have decided to keep the older tile bathrooms, patina’d wood floors, creaky stairs, and vintage details which have not been redone to today’s standards. 

I loved this house so much and embraced ALL of it’s oldest but not perfect parts.  It feels like the most beautiful “imperfect” home – not at all like the latest McMansion, Spec Builder home, or groovy modern condominium with the same floor plans, pristine new finishes, and latest light fixtures as everyone else on the block.  That work is for the “fashion frightened” – everything from Home Depot.

So, please recycle, re-use, fix up, refinish your existing house interior, furniture, and other things before you go to your local big box store and buy stuff to look like everyone else.  Paint or re-stain your old oak kitchen cabinets or get someone to do it for you!  It will really give you a chance to contribute to the environment and go green in a BIG way.

Don’t forget to use low VOC paints and stains.  Say no to resins, solvents, and formaldehyde.  Just like your food – check the labels!

We used 3-D virtual design programming to create a whole new kitchen and space plan. We moved things around to increase efficiency and took down a wall to open everything up. The 3-D software enabled the client see the end product before we even picked up a hammer.

Laminate countertops, thermofoil cabinets, and vinyl flooring NEVER LOOKED SO GOOD! We also added new appliances, a beautiful tile backsplash, new paint, and all new lighting – including under cabinet lighting. Definitely a transformation!

Thanks to the team who helped make it possible: 2Hills Renovations, Trendwest Millwork, River City Plumbing & Heating, JRS Electric, and United Carpet in Campbell River.

Kitchen BEFORE	BEFORE
BEFORE (this wall to be removed)	BEFORE - Wall to be removed, turned into peninsula
BEFORE	BEFORE
AFTER!!!	AFTER
AFTER	AFTER
AFTER	AFTER - new backsplash

It is with great excitement we announce that the PanAbode is complete – and it is indeed a jewel box!

Since the last entry, things quickly started to take shape and moved past the “looking worse” phase and right into the “looking much better” phase.

First things first – the new windows are stunning! Milgard Wood-Clad Series Fiberglass windows were installed throughout the house with the exception of one garden window in the kitchen – which had to be vinyl. They really make a world of difference. I can’t think of anyone who has been in the house without commenting that they are the “most beautiful windows on the market”.

Exterior window BEFORE

Exterior window BEFORE

Exterior window AFTER, before trim

Exterior window AFTER with trim

EXTERIOR

2Hills Renovation crew stripped down the old cedar siding off of the previous garage addition to be used for the window trim. They completed painting the outside of the house, fully sided the garage with custom PanAbode siding, and built new decks at the front and back entry to the house.

Front view of garage BEFORE

Siding demo

Back view of garage during construction

Front view of garage with new PanAbode siding

Back of garage AFTER

We designed a new, cedar trellis for the front of the house. It has really changed the shape of this house and has become a beautiful feature – and favorite. The trellis was designed to expand the house, bringing it further out and diminishing the “boxed” Panabode look. It is well-built with clear, beautiful cedar in a strong and basic design – “nothing too pretty.”

Front of house BEFORE

Same view with new windows and paint

Beginning of the trellis construction

Building the trellis

Trellis detail - under construction

Trellis AFTER

The front door is a unique feature of any true PanAbode house. We refinished the door as well as the original Panabode hinges and brackets. Replacing the door handle and the window was all it needed to look fresh and restored.

Front door BEFORE

Front door BEFORE

Front door AFTER

Front door AFTER

Front door and deck AFTER

Creative Glazing in Campbell River supplied and installed new aluminum and glass railings at the front and back of the house that really brought everything together on the exterior. The other great addition was a much-needed new overhead garage door from Island Overhead Door. We chose a Therma Classis R-Series by NorthWest doors with a hardware set to compliment the original Panabode hardware on the front door.

Garage door BEFORE	New garage door just after install - before paint and hardware
Garage door AFTER with paint and hardware	New exterior lights wired in to various locations

INTERIOR

Upon entering the Panabode now, it is hard to believe that it is the same house we started with!

Drywall -

In the kitchen, drywall went up over the two longest walls that would house the cabinets and appliances. The two end walls were left as PanAbode walls and white-washed. The ceiling was left as wood to help tie everything together.

In the bathroom, we had to drop and drywall the ceiling in order to house an exhaust fan for the new steam shower. Drywall went up on all walls in the bathroom, and boxed in the new steam shower. One beam over the bathroom was left exposed and re-conditioned to keep an element of the Panabode within it.

Flooring -

The 2Hills crew put a new sub-floor in throughout the house to prepare for the new flooring. We used United Carpet in Campbell River for all of our flooring needs on the project – in fact, they are binding rugs for us as I type! They have a great selection, and always have the answers to my questions! The tile selection turned out to be perfect in the PanAbode. We stuck with a very simple layout to suit the rest of the house – straight lay in the bathroom and a standard bricklay at the entries, utility room, fireplace and kitchen insets. It looks fabulous!

Tile inset for kitchen

Tile selection for entry, kitchen insets, fireplace

The cork flooring went in next. The cork really compliments the tile and the mushroom colour tones (we chose ‘Gringo Café Latte’) and texture helps maintain the rustic and natural feel of the Panabode. The homeowners were looking for a simple flooring solution that would be pet-friendly for their much-loved cats who will be sharing the house with them, environmentally friendly, and virtually maintenance free. Other important factors we considered when choosing flooring included warmth, comfort, sound transfer, and durability. The EZ-Cork flooring fits the bill here in every way.

Fireplace -

I wish we could take credit for the gas fireplace the homeowners chose, but it was all them. The Bari DV stove by Hearth Stone Stoves is not like anything you have ever seen. Its cylindrical design makes it a very clean and contemporary choice. It does not take up much space, yet has maximum firebox capacity. My favorite feature is the 150 pounds of natural soapstone that the fireplace is dressed in. Not only does the stone bring a modern, earthy look – perfect for the Panabode scheme we have developed – it absorbs the heat and releases it slowly, hours after the fire is turned off! We love this fireplace!

Fireplace BEFORE

Fireplace AFTER

Bathroom -

The bathroom has had a total transformation. The new steam shower frame was installed first followed by the drywall, new sub floor, and a heated floor system, and tile. Dean from River City Plumbing & Heating helped us put everything together. 2 Hills put in a new window with obscure glass. Beadboard wainscotting was installed and along with all the new fixtures, accessories and paint – it looks so fresh, bright, and chic!

Bathroom BEFORE	Shower BEFORE
Bathroom after drywall, shower install and tile	Installing the beadboard
Shower AFTER - custom steam shower, new window and trim, beadboard complete	It's perfect!

Cabinetry & Countertops – The Custom Kitchen and Office

The installation of all of the millwork, cabinetry and stainless countertops went in without a hitch. Trendwest Millwork was on the scene installing all the custom kitchen cabinets, office cabinets, desk, and utility room cabinets designed for the job. It all looks fabulous. If you want affordable, custom millwork, where no details are overlooked – the helpful people at Trendwest Millwork in Campbell River are the ones to see.

Kitchen BEFORE	Kitchen BEFORE with old sliding glass door
Kitchen BEFORE	Kitchen BEFORE
Kitchen post-demo, framed up for drywall	Kitchen after the demo, framed for drywall
Kitchen after drywall, cabinet kicks installed	A kitchen in a truck! Trendwest arrives to do the honors...

Installs beginning

Kitchen AFTER

The finished product - after all cabinets installed, new single patio door, new windows, countertops in, lighting, flooring, paint - FABULOUS!

The kitchen cabinets are perfect for the space. We had limited room to work with and the homeowners were after a very modern kitchen, so the kitchen was designed around these parameters. The cabinets have a built-in recycling center and spice rack. They have been designed to leave space for an outdoor cat access, and the cabinet height has been adjusted to leave room for specialty countertop appliances. The cabinets are painted grey with modern stainless hardware, some feature obscure, textured glass inserts. They really compliment the custom, stainless countertops that were flawlessly created by Campbell River Metal Fabricators. It gives the kitchen such a clean finish and has become one of the most interesting features in the house.

Kitchen sink and window BEFORE

Kitchen sink welded into stainless countertops, new garden window

The backsplash tile was the finishing touch here. It was inspired by colour tones from the flooring, walls, countertop, cabinets and appliances. Keeping with the sleek and modern design if the kitchen – it looks fabulous if we don’t say so ourselves!

New range with vent hood and backsplash

The other big hit was the office. Upon purchase of the house this area had been used as a storage room that after some careful space planning, we decided was the best place for the must-have office. Although space here was limited, the end result is a bright, comfortable, and practical office space tailored to meet the needs of our client. We removed the OSB board, added insulation, drywall, a lot of electrical, cork flooring, new paint, a new window and trim, under cabinet and ceiling lighting, and a custom desktop and wall cabinet made by Trendwest Millwork. Voila!

"Office" BEFORE	The office under construction...
Office post insulation, drywall, paint	Office AFTER - with new window and trim, cabinets and desk, under cabinet and overhead lighting

Doors & Trim –

Painted interior doors featuring frosted glass and contemporary stainless hardware are another impressive and original feature of the house. Not only do they help give a more sophisticated look to the hallway and bedrooms, they have brightened things up significantly. The frosted glass allows natural light transfer from the bedrooms and illuminates the hallway. When the lights are on in a room and the door is closed it takes on a frosty glow that brings a feeling of warmth to the entire house.

New interior doors

The doors and windows were trimmed with clear fir. It’s a look that is hard to beat! Local fir was a perfect choice for the Panabode keeping with the theme of the house and lending itself to both ends of our design spectrum here – fresh, bright, and modern with some warm, rustic, and natural elements.

Fir window trim, custom fir box over electrical panel

Success! -

This has been a challenging and unique job. The Panabode presented us with a lot of issues that in the end helped us customize the house and turn it into what it is now. The finishing selections are all more beautiful in the house than we could have imagined. Each piece of this puzzle has fit together so well, and allowed us to turn this vision into a reality. We managed to meet and exceed the expectations of our client who is left with a home that she adores and the satisfaction of knowing she was a big part of the process to get there.

With the ongoing challenges of the job, the freedom for creativity and design, and the opportunity to work with a trusting and enthusiastic client – this job could not have been more rewarding. We are all sad to see it come to an end – but excited that our client is currently in the process of moving in and turning this once-neglected house into her much-loved home.

When a big renovation project came my way in May, I have to admit I was a little skeptical.  The project was for a Cedar Log PanAbode that needed a lot more than TLC and some new color schemes.

Our client purchased the property with full understanding that “what you see is what you get” and they really did understand that “what lies beneath” could be pretty scary.   The bad wiring and plumbing was a disaster.  You couldn’t miss seeing how things were Jerry-Rigged together.  The evidence of unwelcome house pets was obvious in the form of chewed wires, rat droppings, and enormous spider webs.  It was entirely uninhabitable in its recently-purchased state.

Despite the fact that it had been a long time since someone had loved this place, our new owner had big visions of a charming cabin in a perfect location on a what-could-be a lovely (and large) lot. What others might see as a house and project never worth tackling was exactly what the client was after. With the help of a creative designer, an organized project manager, and a skilled renovator, 2HillsRenovation, “Project PanAbode” was off to the races. The goal was to create a totally custom home, tailored exactly to meet the needs of our client.

The plan was to combine the rustic charm of the PanAbode with sleek, modern, European styling and to create a space that was livable, workable, functional, and enjoyable. It was to transform the neglected property into an energy-efficient, jewel box of a house!

And so it begins-

First, the usual planning involved with most any renovation, big or small: Determining a budget to work within, recognizing the needs of the client and using that as the basis for the project.

The Energy Audit

It seems that the fun stuff never comes first – in this case it was pest extermination, yard work to create a more workable exterior space for the renovation, and an energy audit. And did we ever fail the energy audit! Truthfully, the energy audit is fun, and we knew we would fail. We had a local energy auditor, Island Green Auditech & Inspections, come and do the inspection. If your renovation plans include energy star windows, doors, new heating or ventilation, you may be eligible for ecoENERGY rebates. Keep in mind to have the energy audit done right away, before you start doing any work to the house. An energy audit will provide you with some important information that can greatly impact your renovation. In this case, we were able to determine the main problem areas in the house for heat loss – the old windows and doors, and the un-insulated crawlspace.

Green Plan for Demo and Re-Use of Materials

Once the PanAbode had been energy tested, was free from pests and insects, and some exterior brush removed, it was demolition time! A lot of what we took out was donated to the local Habitat for Humanity Re-Store. Ideally, you can find all kinds of creative ways to “dispose” of your old stuff, without it all ending up in the landfill. We found homes for the kitchen cabinets doors and drawers, mirrors, closet doors, interior doors, bathroom vanity, and scrap metal. When we took the cedar siding off of the garage that had been previously added as an addition and didn’t match the house, we kept all the siding, de-nailed it, and stripped it down to use for new exterior window trim and fascia board.

The first stages of the demo on garage

Mechanical Installation (not the pretty stuff)

Next, the plumber and electrician had a lot of work to do to begin bringing the house back up to Code. Most of the wires and pipes used in the initial construction in the early 70’s were not salvageable. In addition, the configuration of most plumbing and wiring was no longer logical, although, I’m not sure it ever was.  JRS Electric and River City Plumbing (2 great local sub-contractors) got us squared away – putting light switches and fixtures exactly where they should be, adding sufficient outdoor lighting, moving hot water tanks out of bathrooms to increase space, and adding outdoor water valves. This included replacing nearly every existing pipe and wire in, under, and around the house.

Bennett’s Sheet Metal had the task of replacing the furnace, gas range, gas fire place, hot water on demand, and adding a heat pump, a pure air system, and a humidifier. They also replaced and upgraded all of the previous venting and ductwork with sheet metal.

Most of this rough-work had to be done in the crawlspace, which was a place that virtually no one wanted to enter at first! Once most of the work was done down below, we had a lot of work done on the crawlspace. First, the ground level needed to be brought up with a couple of yards of sand. Then we had a vapour barrier and rigid insulation installed throughout. In the end, there would be no pests getting in, and no heat getting out!

The Dreaded Rot

As we worked through the house, some unexpected (or not-so-unexpected) problems emerged – as they often do.  After the bathroom floors and fixtures came out we discovered some rot in the floor and behind the shower. When the guys were removing some siding at the front of the house, they discovered more rot. A concrete slab with steps had been poured at the entry of the house, right up against it. Years of rainwater being trapped in between the concrete and the wood did take a toll on that part of the foundation. But with new plywood on the bathroom floor and replacing a rim joist at the entry with some new flashing, the problems were solved. Of course the cement slab was jack-hammered to the point of no return. We will be building a new set of steps and entry way that will compliment the house, and last a lifetime.

It seemed like weeks went by and the house was only looking worse. Things were more torn apart than ever. There were holes in the floor, a pile of concrete rubble at the front door, and a lot of the windows had been removed and boarded up with plywood. There were workers in and out all day, every day, for the first month. But of course, that is part of the process with any renovation, big or small. You have to go through that unsightly stage before you can start bringing it all back together.

The unsightly back entrance to house - a temporary door and pink primer

It could be hard to picture this as your new office...

...or this as your new utility room...

The Design Process

Meanwhile, we were doing all the fun stuff: choosing flooring, designing kitchens, bathrooms and office additions, selecting colour schemes and backsplash tile, repositioning fireplaces, and selecting all plumbing finishes and lighting. The most exciting part is that the client was giving us a free reign for design. Despite a few must-haves and a couple of dislikes that were lined out from the get-go, we had a lot of freedom to be creative here. It was also rewarding to watch a client who initially was admittedly not excited by the things that excite most designers – like spacing out a kitchen or bathroom, designing an office, or picking the perfect finishes – really get involved in the process, and share in the excitement of designing a new home with us.

One month in…

So, now we are at the one month mark (yay!), and right on schedule. The PanAbode is starting to look like a house again! The previously orange and peeling exterior has been wire brushed, primed and stained a rich Russet Brown. The fascia has been cleaned up and replaced where needed and is now painted dark grey. There is new PanAbode siding going up over the garage so it matches the rest of the house. The rooms inside that will be dry-walled have been framed in and are ready for Designer Drywall to start next week. The beautiful, new fiberglass wood-clad windows are all in place and look fantastic. What a difference! You will have to wait to see those pictures once they are framed in…

The first stage of new siding for garage!

Framing in the backwall of the kitchen for drywall and new door

Next week drywall will start while the rest of the 2hills crew works on rebuilding the entry way and back deck …and then everything should keep falling into place. Each week gets more exciting as the place starts to take shape and come together. We still have a long way to go, but we are already discussing how sad we will be when this job is over…

I am encouraging my clients to redo (not replace) their kitchen or bathroom cabinets, use and refinish their existing furniture, and learn to enhance and once again love the things they already own.  The days of ripping out existing cabinetry and taking it to the dump are over.  At the very least, almost everything in a renovation can be recycled to your local Habitat for Humanity Restore or other recycling center.  Old cabinets can be repainted with new hardware and new accessories and look fantastic.

Take a look at the Cedar Avenue Condo on the website.  The kitchen cabinets were repainted inside and out for about 1/10 the cost of buying new.  A new tile countertop and some undercounter lighting made it all look fantastic.

And…on the South McLean house, we took an old low white thermofoil bath vanity, built a base to raise it up, installed some inexpensive legs and new countertop – VOILA!  A modern stand-up vanity that is very chic.