How To Choose the Perfect Pantry for Your Lafayette or West Lafayette Kitchen

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A kitchen pantry is an essential part of the home kitchen and has been for centuries. It provides the extra storage space we all need to keep our food prep surfaces clutter-free and cooking a more harmonious experience.

When choosing the perfect kitchen pantry for your Lafayette or West Lafayette home, you might find yourself wondering which style is best – a walk-in pantry or a built-in cabinet pantry. In this article, we explore both options, delving into their features, benefits, and drawbacks, to help you make the best decision for your next kitchen remodel.

How Will You Use the Pantry?

Before designing your new kitchen pantry, it’s crucial to understand how you will use this essential storage feature. In fact, it’s more than just a simple storage area. As an integral part of your kitchen, it also needs to suit your lifestyle, cooking habits, and aesthetic tastes.

Start by determining what you want to store in your pantry. Apart from food items, this might include appliances, dishes, glassware, and other kitchen essentials.

Think about your usual cooking habits and shopping patterns. For example, do you collect a lot of spices and other speciality ingredients and condiments? Do you shop in bulk? What appliances require specialist storage requirements?

Beyond storage, consider whether you need extra prep space. A kitchen pantry can offer additional food preparation surfaces, which can be particularly beneficial when hosting a big dinner party.

The more specific you can be about your pantry usage, the easier it will be for your professional design partner to help you realize your perfect kitchen.

How Much Space is Available for Your Pantry?

Space is everything when it comes to choosing your pantry style. Walk-in pantries usually require more room than built-in pantries. The layout and size of your kitchen will play a part in what is feasible.

The first thing to do is to measure the available space. Consider whether there’s enough room for a walk-in pantry, which is essentially a room in itself. If not, you may be better served with a cabinet pantry. However, it’s important to bear in mind that walk-in pantries come in all sizes and with intelligent storage options.

If you have a small kitchen, you can customize a built-in pantry to fit into available gaps. Alternatively, there may be ways to enlarge the kitchen as a whole. For example, this can be achieved by knocking down a non-essential wall and expanding the available space into an adjoining room.

Your trusted team of design-build remodeling experts will be able to provide creative solutions that work within your spatial constraints.

Kitchen Remodel

Built-In or Cabinet Pantries

Built-in or cabinet pantries, as highlighted already, are an excellent choice for smaller kitchens, or if adjoining space is unavailable. They feature a cabinet – or a set of cabinets – integrated directly into your kitchen design and offer excellent storage options without occupying a lot of room.

There are a variety of cabinet pantry designs to suit every need and taste. Many are large and tall, and can be used to store anything from food and chinaware to appliances and cleaning supplies. The vertical design allows you to place everyday essentials at arm level, with less frequently used items placed higher up or lower down.

You can also customize built-in cabinet pantries with additional features and inserts, such as pull-out shelves, Lazy Susans, and various organizers. And overall, cabinet pantries are a more affordable option than walk-in pantries.

Pros:

  • Storage is more centralized
  • Storage is more accessible
  • They don’t take up a lot of space
  • Often less expensive than a full walk-in pantry

Cons:

  • Less storage space than in a walk-in
  • They’re an added cabinet expense
  • They can take away counter space

Walk-In Pantries

As the name suggests, walk-in pantries are little rooms you can walk into that are adjacent to your kitchen. They are a highly desired option for many homeowners, offering abundant storage space and extra prep surfaces. Walk-ins also look great and are an eye-catching feature in the kitchen as a whole.

Given the extra space inside walk-in pantries, there’s a lot of potential to add specialist features. These can include coffee stations, room for bulk items, beverage dispensers, baking stations, and even a sink unit.

Among the many benefits of a walk-in pantry, there are several considerations to bear in mind. First, their location can be challenging to get right, depending on your home’s layout and your desired requirements. While having a dedicated room for storage is appealing, it can also lead to inefficiencies if the pantry is far from the main kitchen area.

Given the extra storage features, space, and surface area, larger pantries also require more upkeep.

Plus, walk-in pantries are usually more expensive than built-in pantries.

Pros:

  • More storage capacity
  • Can offer better organization
  • Can easily store larger appliances

Cons:

  • Storage is more spread out
  • They require more space and upkeep
  • They are often more expensive than a built-in pantry

Despite the drawbacks, walk-in pantries are a great option for medium or large homes. With good planning and design, a walk-in pantry can be a game-changer for how you use and enjoy your kitchen. It provides ample storage and organization opportunities that can streamline your cooking, meal prep, and dining experiences.

Which Pantry Will Work Best for You?

The best pantry for you depends on a blend of factors: your lifestyle, kitchen size and layout, budget, and personal preference. It’s ultimately about striking a balance between functionality, aesthetics, and practicality.

If your kitchen has limited space, or you prefer a more streamlined design, then a built-in cabinet can fulfill all your requirements. They can be fully customized to fit seamlessly in your kitchen and according to your storage needs.

However, if your kitchen has the luxury of space and you require a lot of storage and preparation space, then a walk-in pantry will be a perfect fit.

When planning your new kitchen, working with a qualified design-build remodeling firm is always advisable. Their professional designers will guide you through the renovation process, ensuring you choose a pantry that aligns with your needs and enhances your kitchen’s overall design and usability.

Work with a Design-Build Firm Like Riverside Construction

Riverside Construction, founded in 2008, is the go-to professional design-build team that has earned the respect and confidence of discerning homeowners in the Lafayette and West Lafayette areas.

With a professional team of highly skilled and experienced professionals in various fields, we excel at listening to client ideas and translating those dreams into reality. We can help you decide on a direction, provide guidance on remodeling issues, and be with you every step of the way to ensure your dream kitchen pantry and home is achieved.

Contact us now to schedule an initial conversation about your upcoming remodel. We’ll happily answer your questions, listen to your ideas, soothe your worries, and work with you to finalize your plans.

2 Ways to Design and Build a Beautiful Home Office

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Working from home has never been so popular. It had been a growing trend before the Covid-19 pandemic, but when physical distancing became mandatory, many people quickly realized there was no going back to the conventional office routine.

Productivity among employees working from home increased, as did health and happiness levels. People found it easier to focus and stay organized, and there were more opportunities to exercise and engage in outdoor hobbies.

With modern communication and cloud-based technology, the need to commute to an office every weekday is, for many industries, seen as less and less of a requirement. And this in itself changes how we now interact with our homes.

Designing Your Beautiful Home Offices

If you’re settling for a makeshift home workstation, consider the advantages of creating your ideal permanent home office instead.

Whether you’re enjoying a hybrid work model – where you work partly at the office and partly at home – or you’re working from home every day, now’s a great time to design a comfortable and efficient home office for the long term.

Here are two potential ways to go about it.

Ideal Home Office Option #1: Repurpose an Existing Space

beautiful home offices living room

Before redesigning an existing space, it’s important to ask a few basic questions about your office’s intended use. How many people will it need to accommodate? Will the workload be heavy or light? Will you need complete silence for concentration? Will you need a lot of natural daylight?

The simplest, quickest, and most affordable beautiful home offices are using what you already have.

Bring a “Dead Space” Back to Life

home office cozy corner

Throughout our homes, there are spaces we hardly, if ever, use. These “dead spaces” include hallway alcoves, spaces under stairs, empty closets, and various nooks and crannies leading from one room into the next.

Depending on your remodeling budget and your requirements for a work area, you can convert these empty spaces into lovely little home offices. It’s incredible how functional, comfortable, and aesthetically appealing these spaces can be with the right furniture and décor combination.

Change An Area You Already Have

As well as using unused space, you can also transform an area you already use. Examples of this might include a loft space, a basement, a former nursery, or a teen bedroom that’s rarely occupied anymore.

Evolving these spaces into a dream office often requires creativity and flexibility. Renovating above or below all the family commotion, as with a loft or basement, can give you the privacy and quiet needed to get work done.

Create a Partition

home office with partition

You may not have the luxury of a spare room or a functional nook. In this case, you might consider partitioning off a home office area in an existing larger space. For example, attractive room dividers can create a temporary home office environment in a spacious living room or open-plan kitchen.

The dividers can then be folded back at the end of the day or used to hide a computer station.

Create a Hybrid Space

An alternative to separate spaces and partitions is to actively embrace a multi-functional interior. This hybrid approach is where you design a room to be used in two or more ways without necessarily needing to hide anything. In fact, the flexible design becomes a celebrated feature in itself.

You could, for example, incorporate a stylish home office space in your living room, kitchen, or even in the main bedroom, and it would tie in with the rest of the interior design scheme.

Ideal Home Office Option #2: Build an Entirely New Addition

South Lafayette Studio Addition 1

Depending on your needs and budget, now might be the time to take things to a whole new level and create your ideal home office as a stand-alone addition to your home.

The advantages of designing and building from the ground up are many, including having free reign over the layout, style, and functional basics such as workstation comfort, storage, electronics, and even multi-functional use.

Long-term, the most significant benefit could come from your home’s resale value. If current work trends persist, as they likely will, a dedicated home office will be a highly desirable feature for home buyers in the future.

Here are some things to consider:

Choose the Best Spot

The perfect location for a home office addition is where your needs and your home’s existing architecture come together. For example, a home office could be built off a great room in the backyard or as an extension of the kitchen or dining area.

Consider a Multi-Functional Extension

If you decide to add a home office extension, you might want to consider the benefits of an extra floor. The excavation and roofing costs for a two-story extension are similar to those of a single-story.

The additional upper floor can feature a bathroom, a client meeting area, or extra storage and workspace, depending on your work. If more than one family member also works from home, you can even create a second home office above the first.

Build Your Beautiful Home Offices

If you’re committed enough to build a room addition for your home office, then demand nothing less than the desk, chair, and monitor set up just right for your body. Make sure you physically test each component alone and in combination to ensure optimal comfort in terms of position, orientation, storage, and lighting.

Make it Gorgeous and Efficient

home office with shelving

Home offices in the post-pandemic world are more than just places to work. With the barrier between our professional and personal lives becoming less distinct, making the space warm, welcoming, and conducive to a healthy body and mind is essential.

Make your new area not only ergonomic and efficient but also comfortable, fun, and engaging. Add art, family photos, plants, gadgets, and other items you enjoy. With video conferencing a likely feature of your workday, also consider how you can show off your personality in the area behind your chair.

Work With a Qualified Design Build Firm like Riverside Construction

Working from home makes more sense now than ever before, as does the opportunity to create your very own ideal home office.

Family owned and operated, Riverside Construction is eager to responsibly and safely work with you to bring your dreams to life. Now’s a great time to remodel. Riverside is pleased to conduct most preparatory work remotely and effectively; we also help protect your family by conducting all work according to strict EPA lead-safe-certification regulations.

Riverside Construction is Lafayette’s first choice in design-build remodeling. Since 2008, we have provided loyal clients personalized and enjoyable remodeling services, delivered on time and on budget. By listening intently to your needs, we provide the region’s best work.

Take a look at our portfolio, and let’s build your perfect home office!

How COVID Is Reshaping Home Design and What Homeowners Want

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There’s no doubt that COVID-19 has changed our lives, and that it will continue to change how we live in the near future. Home design, of course, is not immune from these effects. In fact, homeowners’ needs have changed quite a bit, particularly as family members spend more time working at home, as their children continue virtual classroom learning, and as health concerns mount. Here are a few ways home remodeling is helping people improve their lives in Lafayette and West Lafayette, Indiana:

Adding Home Offices

Working from home is becoming the new norm, and many companies are looking to adopt remote jobs permanently going forward. Dining room tables may work for the short-term, but eventually everyone needs a quiet, well-lit space that they can work at comfortably. This has led to an increase in the number of homeowners looking to add a functional home office or workspace.
There are many aspects of a home office workspace to consider – lighting, storage, video conferencing, and sound transmission, to name a few. You will want to take all of these into consideration when selecting the right space for your office. Unfortunately, many homes don’t have extra rooms that can be easily adapted to this new use, so homeowners are having to be creative about where they carve out a new work area. Design professionals can help you make decisions about how to add a workspace into your existing footprint without losing valuable living space; or add on.

Building a Room Addition

After spending several months quarantined in the same house, many families are seeing the benefit of having more space to spread out. If it’s not in your plans to move into a larger home, building square footage onto your home may be the answer. Adding just a few square feet, or another level, can make quite a difference, and it will increase the value of your home when it comes time to sell.

Some families are having difficulty finding privacy in homes that are designed with an open concept floor plan. As such, they are looking to add walls, partitions, or doors to create private spaces. Look at the areas of your home that aren’t used very often and see if adding dividers or furniture can help you break them up into smaller, more personal, spaces.

Adding More Storage and Larger Pantries

Since stocking up and making fewer trips to the store is the norm now, many families are looking to add more storage space for their non-perishable food items and cleaning supplies. These areas are best located away from living areas, so products don’t have to be carried throughout the entire home to get them where they need to be.

Underused spaces, such as the basement or garage, can be modified to include additional shelving, drawers, and bins to hold groceries, spices, cleaning supplies, and other staples. Be sure to include additional lighting and ventilation to make using these areas easier and to help protect food from spoiling.

Upgrading Bathrooms

The shortage of toilet paper, as well as a heightened interest in cleanliness, has led to an increase in the purchase of bidets and other washing appliances for the bathroom. Bidets are used around the world, and offer a clean, sanitary alternative to paper. If you don’t want to install another fixture in your bathroom, there are toilet seats available that include a bidet attachment.

More luxury fixtures are also being installed in bathrooms these days, as many spas or pools have closed. Jetted tubs, walk-in tubs, voice-activated or touchless faucets and larger showers with multiple heads can all make you feel like you are being pampered, and safe, in your own home.

Adding Home Gyms

Homeowners stuck at home are looking to home gyms to keep them in shape and help them handle the stress that the virus has caused. The first step in designing a home gym is to look at the type of equipment that will be used in the space, and then design the space around it. A gym with a treadmill and free weights is going to need different features than one that is used for yoga and Pilates, for example.

You’ll also want to consider the type of media that will be used in your home gym. If you like to watch TV while exercising, then make sure a flat screen is part of the décor. If all you want is soothing music, then a sound system and speakers will be required. You may want to add ventilation or fans if the space will be used for strenuous exercise.

Using Easy to Clean Surfaces

Cleaning has become a focus for our lives the past few months. Installing surfaces that are easy to clean and disinfect easily will help contain virus transmission, as well as help asthma and allergy sufferers living in your home. Look for non-porous materials that can be easily cleaned with household cleaners and don’t require special treatment. Stainless steel, laminate, and porcelain are all good choices to use in the kitchen or bathroom.

There are some materials that are naturally antimicrobial or that aren’t hospitable to germs in general. Copper and brass are naturally antimicrobial and have been used in plumbing materials for generations. Cork flooring not only resists germs, it is soft, insulating, and water resistant too. Other materials to consider are luxury vinyl tile (LVT) for flooring, and antimicrobial paint.

More Hands-Free Fixtures

Hands-free faucets and dispensers have been in use commercially for several years. Now they are becoming more popular for home use. Both plumbing and electrical fixtures are available with hands-free operation. Some even offer voice-controls and they can connect to your smart home system and control through an app, meaning you don’t even have to be in the same room to make them work!

Improved Air Filtration

Homeowners are looking for ways to make sure the air they breathe indoors is safe and healthy, even during these times when more people are spending time at home. Buying better air filters and cleaning or changing them more often will help. Fresh air from the outside is, usually, better than recirculated air, so opening windows is always a good idea when you can.
If you’d like more protection, there are some additional filtration systems that can be added to your home ventilation equipment to help ensure that your indoor air is healthy. Technology such as infrared and ultraviolet light filters can be added to existing systems easily. The light kills viruses and microbes in the air before they get into the home, ensuring that everyone breathes easier.

Expanded Mudrooms and Entry Ways

One of the ways the Coronavirus can get into our homes is through the soles of shoes. Many families are instituting a “no shoe” rule in their homes to help calm the spread. This has led to more families adding mudrooms or expanding storage in their entry way to store shoes and other clothing. You could also add a small sink to the mudroom, allowing everyone the chance to wash their hands before they enter the living areas of your home. Besides shoe storage, it is thoughtful to add some additional seating in these areas, so visitors have a place to safely take off and put on their shoes.

Staying Safe While Staying Home

The Coronavirus has caused changes in all our lives. Some of these changes may be temporary, but others will continue long into the future. Making some of the changes above to your home will help you stay home more comfortably, so you can enjoy your family and your work more peacefully.

If you need more ideas for making your home safer and healthier, visit our portfolio. Once you have selected your project, we’ll be waiting to hear from you to schedule a virtual or in-person consultation.

Also, you can sign up to receive the Riverside newsletter — Designed for Home — to stay abreast of new ideas for your home.

Why Thinking Through a Design Plan for Your Remodel Is Important

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A home remodel typically requires a large amount of creativity and imagination to get the process started, and homeowners will experience a range of emotions as they begin. You may feel a combination of happiness and excitement combined with a bit of uncertainty about how everything will work out, especially if you have limited experience with home remodeling projects.

Taking feelings and creativity into account is only part of the job, though. To ensure the best possible outcome, it’s essential to allow for some time and energy to think through a space design plan.

This is where an experienced design-build remodeling firm can really make a difference. A qualified designer can help homeowners transform an idea into a reality for projects of varying complexity. Spending time on a design plan upfront is well worth the time and effort and you’ll feel more confident about moving forward. Here are just a few reasons why:

Benefits of Extensive Planning

Your first task after brainstorming with your design-build team will be to make sure the plans and scope of work are detailed so that everyone concerned will have a clear idea of what the remodel project entails.

It has been said that “if you fail to plan you plan to fail.” This is especially worth keeping in mind before embarking on a serious project like a home remodel. After all, building the house in the first place required blueprints and plans, and so does a remodeling project.

Without plans in hand, you won’t be able to estimate the number of materials, how much space you will have for new furniture or appliances, or even determine just how much paint, carpet or flooring you will need.

It almost goes without saying that a remodeling project must have good plans for the project to go well. Better plans come from well-prepared experts who have undergone extensive training and have participated in many home remodeling projects. You can ensure high-quality plans when you work with professional design builders that have experience working on projects similar to the one you envision for your home.

Using the Right Tools When Thinking Through Design Plans

Plans are an excellent tool to communicate effectively between the remodeling company doing the work and the homeowner. You can actually see what the finished project will look like using 2D plans as well as intricate 3D modeling before the heavy lifting begins.

When planning out a project, many details must be addressed to get the details of your space plan just right. For instance, if you are designing a kitchen, you usually need:

  • Existing Plans
  • 2D Plans
  • 3D Plans

A design-build professional will create these plans with all of the details you need to see before signing off on the actual construction project.

The design plan should begin with an in-home consultation, where the design team can discover more about what you like about your dwelling and what you want to see in the remodel.

All of this planning helps to make sure your remodel runs smoothly and finishes on time, and within the budget, of which you established at the beginning. But 2D plans are only going to show you part of the picture. To really get started in earnest on the remodeling project, sophisticated computer systems come into play, by letting you envision your project in three dimensions.

3D Renderings

3D renderings are a powerful tool that can help you envision what your finished living space will look like and enable you to, make customizations to fit your family’s needs and desires.

It’s one thing to spend hours cutting out photos from actual magazines or clicking through images online for inspiration as you prepare your remodeling effort. You can rearrange these images and hold up different color samples as you contemplate the hues of your home’s interior and exterior. That’s a good first step.

To really get a good idea of what it will look like, you can take advantage of advanced 3D renderings for your remodel. You’ll have a much more precise view, and you can make changes to the design as you explore options and compare different ideas with your designer.

With a 3D design, you can see how one change will have an effect on other aspects of the house, from how you balance windows and skylights to adding another room. What’s more, details such as the color schemes flowing from the kitchen area to the dining room or living room are easy to envision when you have an accurate 3D model in front of you on the computer screen.

Creating and refining a 3D design is an excellent way to think your way through the remodel process well ahead of the date when the construction actually begins. It’s like rehearsing for how your home will wind up looking now, so you can anticipate problems and make changes before they become more expensive and time-consuming to solve. Setting up “what-if” options in your digital plans may inspire you to consider a change that you previously thought would be too difficult.

Could you use some help thinking through the way you will utilize space in your home remodeling project? The professionals at Riverside Construction are standing by to guide you through the process from beginning to end. Please contact us today at 765.838.1644 or complete our on-line consultation form to start a conversation.

Not quite ready? Sign up for one of our free home remodeling seminars packed with information on how to get your home remodeling project rolling. Or, sign up for our monthly eNewsletter with additional tips and design inspiration for all things home remodeling.

Kitchen Lighting 101: 4 Essentials to Consider in Your Next Kitchen Remodel

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Homeowners choose, as priority number one, to remodel their kitchens every year, and it’s no surprise why. Every member of the family spends significant time in this room. It’s where we prepare meals, gather for games, congregate for chats, get work done, discuss family plans, snack, laugh, talk and make all kinds of daily decisions. And yet, as popular and as often-used as this room is, it’s surprising that lighting becomes an afterthought in the remodeling process. Instead, kitchen lighting should be an integral part of the entire design process, right from the start. It needs to be layered and carefully planned to effectively illuminate all the various activities your family enjoys in this space. As you plan your next kitchen remodeling project, keep these four lighting design essentials in mind:

1. Know Your Lighting Types

There are four basic types of lighting that can be used in any room. The utility and high-traffic areas of the kitchen demand using all four of them in various ways. These lighting layers include:

Ambient Lighting—This is broad, general lighting that should illuminate most of your living space. It’s not too bright, but it provides enough light to enable you to perform tasks and move safely about the room—a necessity for any space, and especially the kitchen. You can choose from a host of different light fixtures to include recessed lighting, track lighting, chandeliers or other ceiling-mounted fixtures.

Task Lighting—While ambient lighting provides general illumination of a large space, task lighting highlights specific areas where work needs to be performed. It illuminates focused beams on specific areas, removing unwanted shadows, making slicing, mixing, kneading and reading ingredients on food packages or a recipe a breeze. For example, puck or strip lighting placed under cabinets are used to illuminate countertops for food preparation. You can also consider adding task lighting inside of cabinets to make it easier to locate rare spices (or essentials) hiding in the back.

Accent Lighting—These bright beams are used to throw flattering light on a specific design element in a room. While they are par for the course in living rooms and dining rooms, they can also be used to highlight some lovely aspect of your kitchen design. For example, a shelf in a cabinet or island can be highlighted by accent lighting to spotlight a unique heirloom or art piece. Highlighting an accent fixture that is 4 to 5 times brighter than ambient lighting can really set off the space.

Decorative Lighting—While accent lighting focuses your eyes on a particular design element or piece of art in your kitchen, decorative lighting is the design element itself. A dramatic pendant or chandelier can really complete the look of your kitchen and make visitors take notice.

As you work with your design/build team on a kitchen remodel, make sure to discuss these kitchen lighting essentials from the outset and not as a last-minute decision.

2. Understand the Sources of Illumination: Think LEDs

In addition to the four different lighting types above, you’ll want to consider the ways in which lighting works and how much it might cost you. In the past, homeowners had to choose between fluorescent, incandescent and halogen options. Recently, however, LED lighting has taken kitchen lighting by storm with its bright adaptability and its very low electricity draw. LED lights last longer and they don’t heat up like other light sources. This makes them a safe, stable source of illumination that comes in almost any form.

Important Note: Don’t count out natural light in your kitchen design. Explore ways that you can increase it and add to the ambient lighting in your living space.

3. Design with Light: Think Spacing and Proportion

It’s easy to get all excited about light fixtures, even adding more than your kitchen really needs. But going overboard on lighting is just as bad as leaving it to the last minute. Think balance and proportion to get the right look, along with the proper illumination. For instance, island task lighting has very specific space and proportion guidelines you should follow:

Above island pendants should have between 30 to 32 inches between them and hang approximately 30 to 36 inches over the island, with a 6-inch clearance from the edges. Depending on how long your island is, you may have room for 2 or 3 pendants.

If you have a higher kitchen ceiling, consider a linear suspension light fixture over the island. This should hang about 40 inches above the workspace.

Recessed lighting, puck lights, track lights, and chandeliers also have similar spacing and proportion rules, something you’ll want to consider as you plan your kitchen remodel.

4. Ask a Kitchen Design Expert about Your Kitchen Lighting

Lastly, don’t let decisions about kitchen lighting overwhelm you. If you’re struggling to choose between pendants and chandeliers, track lights or recessed lighting, or any other aspect of the lighting in your kitchen, take a look at our kitchen remodeling portfolio for some ideas. You can also sign up for one of our free kitchen design seminars where you can discuss your ideas and questions with other homeowners and our design experts. If you’re ready to dive in and get started now, schedule a personal consultation and begin the process of upgrading your kitchen with light: (765) 838-1644.

5 Major Remodeling Design Mistakes To Avoid

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You watch HGTV. You spend hours pouring through design ideas on Houzz. You have 20+ Pinterest boards organized according to room, color and materials. As a result, you might be closer to thinking that you can design your home remodeling project by yourself. This is very common, particularly from homeowners who are ready to jump into a remodeling project head first.

Unfortunately, this is often a recipe for disaster. While you are the best at understanding your needs and design style, a design/build remodeling company is an essential partner in making sure you get what you want in your remodeling project in the smartest, most affordable, most beautiful way possible. We can help you avoid these 5 most common remodeling design mistakes:

1. Choosing the wrong products

This happens frequently when homeowners “go it alone” in a home remodeling project. They’re so taken with the beauty of a luxurious marble countertop that they install it in a very busy kitchen. Soon, they discover the inconveniences of selecting a high-maintenance marble and wish they’d chosen a different countertop. And that’s just one example of the many design mistakes made by homeowners who forgo working with a design professional from the very beginning. Your professional designer can guide you toward the right materials to withstand your needs in the most beautiful, durable ways.

2. Not getting the best deals

Another way in which your design/build firm can help is to hook you up with the best deals on potential material selections. We have relationships with many suppliers, understanding their lead times, seasonal demands, inventory shortages, etc. We know how to navigate these issues, from lighting and floors to fixtures and lumber to paint and tile and everything in between. We can evaluate whether a deal you’ve heard about really is a deal, or if we can get a better one. And when that happens (as it often does), we’ll look for smarter options for you. 

3. The time vortexes and money pits of multiple change orders

We hear this repeatedly from homeowners who try to go it alone in the design process: “We wish we’d used a professional designer to help us before tearing down the walls.” The wrong materials, wrong measurements, forgotten (yet critical) under-the-surface design considerations like electrical wiring, plumbing, and lighting all conspire against homeowners to cause them to have to rip out fresh remodeling work and re-do it. This often leads to thousands of dollars in extra, unbudgeted costs and months of lost work. Getting a design pro on board before you make the first cut helps you minimize these errors so that you can minimize any costs for change orders and spend more time enjoying the results of a beautiful remodeling project done right the first time (like the ones in this home remodeling portfolio). Using your professional designer’s expertise up front is an investment in wisdom that will last for years to come.

4. Making choices based on limited knowledge of the options

While you may have spent a lot of time watching HGTV or wading through design magazines, the truth is that these media outlets filter the information. There simply isn’t enough time and they have to use advertising dollars to make decisions about what they present. Here at Riverside Construction, however, it’s our business to know about all the options, from materials to design considerations, long before you might hear about them on TV. Also, if you hear about a new material or have a design idea you heard about on one of your favorite shows, you can bounce that idea off of us and we can give you guidance on whether or not that would work in your project, or if there’s a better option for you.

5. Not getting the benefit of a design firm’s advanced tools

A lot of people still think about seeing remodeling plans in a flat, two-dimensional perspective. But Riverside Construction has gone way beyond that. We employ 3D design technology to help homeowners “see” their options and what the finished product can look like, even in the very beginnings of the planning stage. Using these proprietary tools, you can benefit from an inspired preview of your finished project as well as head off any potential wrong decisions, saving you thousands of dollars and time in change orders. These advanced tools simply help you understand the ins and outs of each design aspect of your remodeling project—before the dust flies. These tools also help increase measuring accuracy, which helps you use your available space in the most efficient way possible while avoiding common design mistakes that can leave you frustrated and disappointed.

Get All the Benefits of a Professional Designer for Your Remodeling Project

Aside from helping you choose the best materials while getting the best price on all the aspects of your remodeling project, not to mention avoiding grave measuring and under-the-surface errors, there are a lot of great benefits you receive by working with a design expert in the planning stages of your home remodel. We can help you use each space in the most effective, convenient way possible. We can even create space you didn’t know you had or increase your storage capacity and make your living space fully functional. Ultimately, the end benefit is designing a space that you will be happy with for many years to come.

If you’re not quite sure where you want to go with your home remodeling project, you can also sign up for our newsletter to get inspired until you are ready to remodel.

And we are happy to share our knowledge with you! Sign up for our next home remodeling design seminar—it’s free, but space is limited, so make sure to grab your spot now. Or, schedule a consultation to discuss your remodeling design project in person today at (765) 838-1644.

An Inside Look Into the Remodeling Design Process

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A Q&A Discussion with Riverside Construction’s Interior Designer Kelly Grish

Many homeowners can feel overwhelmed when embarking on a home remodeling process. Where do you even begin? There’s so much to think about! And, once you decide to move forward, what can you expect in the way of working with a designer? Get an inside look at what it’s like to begin the design process, and the advantages of working with a design expert, from our very own in-house designer, Kelly Grish.

 

Q: “What can I expect in our first design meeting?”

We will measure the affected areas of your home and ask you deliberate questions that will result in a clear understanding of your needs for the space. Questions we might ask include, “What are your must-haves? “Nice-to-haves?” “What is working?” “What isn’t working?” “What are your biggest challenges with the space?” “What are you hoping to see changed?” “If you could do anything with this space, what would you want to do with it?” While we are in your home, we will also be looking to get a sense of your personal design style, color preferences, and making sure the new remodel ties in with the rest of your home, and your home’s architecture.

 

Q: “What are the most common question(s) you get from a homeowner at the beginning of the design process?”

Homeowners are commonly concerned about cost. They are seeking my help in finding the best way to add value to their home, improving their living space, all the while keeping within their budget.

 

Q: “So, how good are you at solving this problem for them—keeping within their budget?”

Pretty darn good, actually. That’s one of the primary benefits of working with a design/build firm.

 

Q: “How often are you able to design a space that the homeowners want, at a cost they can afford?”

That answer depends on what you want. Are they structural changes? Do you want to knock down a load-bearing or non load-bearing wall? Are we moving a wall with plumbing or electrical? Every space is different.

As a design/build firm, we can make suggestions for changes to the design that fit within the your budget. For example, we had a client that wanted to remove a soffit that had plumbing in it. To save money and make her project affordable, we designed the new kitchen cabinetry to hide the soffit instead. While the client preferred the soffit to be removed, the end result was that the ceiling no longer looked too short and our work-around kept the cost of the remodel in line with the homeowner’s budget.

 

Q: “I have never hired a Design/Build firm using an Interior Designer for a kitchen or bathroom remodel before, how does the design process work?”

We start by meeting with you, listening closely to what you like and don’t like about your home. We also discuss your hopeful timeline and budget. After a budget range is provided, we measure your space and narrow in on our design preferences. We take all of the information and transform them into a blue print—a space plan. You review the new concept drawings, brought to life through 2D plans and 3D renderings. We then follow up with a project budget proposal and start working with you on making final selections. Upon your approval of the final plans and specifications, we order materials, start the permitting process, and schedule your project to start.

 

Q: “What do you do as an interior/architectural designer? I think some people misunderstand your qualifications.”

As an interior/architectural designer, I make interior spaces functional, safe and beautiful by determining space requirements and helping people make selections such as colors, lighting, cabinetry, flooring, fixtures, etc. More importantly, I help homeowners with style selections that make their new remodel blend cohesively with the rest of the home.  Function is a huge aspect of what I do. No matter how beautiful a space is, if it doesn’t function properly for the homeowner, it is not a good design. Achieving better function in a space might include removing or moving existing walls— when budget allows.

As an architectural designer, I also work with CAD programs to make sure that building designs are feasible—drawing blue prints and measuring your existing space. I do almost everything (redesigning an existing inside structure) with the exception of HVAC and calculating load-bearing points. It is usually possible to determine if a wall is load bearing or not based on its distance from an exterior wall. However, if a wall were to be removed (all walls can be removed, some are just more expensive than others) I would need the expertise of an engineer or architect to specify the type of beam needed to span the space and carry the load. I do have the qualifications to create an electric plan and make the perfect lighting plan for your home.

 

Q: “How do you help homeowners make their selections?

First of all, Riverside Construction has a fabulous showroom, which I invite homeowners to—where you can touch, feel and compare a selection of cabinets, and countertops. We also take our clients to a local flooring store to select carpet, tile and wood flooring in person. For plumbing fixtures and lighting, we can effectively shop for selections online and at the homeowners request we are able to take advantage of a few local show rooms.

 

Q: “Do you recommend homeowners spend some time on their own narrowing down their design likes and dislikes, before meeting with a designer?

Yes, I do recommend that homeowners do a little homework up front. If someone wants to change the style of his/her home, then seeing it in person doesn’t help. Being able to look at finished project photos and material samples that portray the design style that the homeowner prefers is a big help.

 

Q: “What websites, magazines or books do you recommend homeowners use to identify their design style?

The main sources to rely on are Pinterest, Houzz, and doing a Google Image search online. There are also several remodeling magazines that provide some great ideas, like Kitchen & Bath Magazine.

 

Q: “If a client has a hard time deciding on a color palette for a particular room, how do you help them narrow down their choices?”

In a lot of cases, homeowners are not sure what they want. If space is open and connected to other rooms, I’m looking at their existing color selections and seeing how we can tie the color of the new space into the rest of the home. In other words, what exists in the home drives the design, to some extent.

It is also very common to start with one item, like flooring, and determine what their preference is. After two or three selections, we can see what they like.

 

Q: “What if a homeowner has caviar taste but a tuna fish budget? How do you handle?”

It’s not uncommon for homeowners to be a little shocked by the cost of materials. We are really good at educating people on the actual cost of things. And, after showing them how much something is, we offer alternatives that result in a similar look but are not as expensive. For example, a client may really want travertine tile until we show them a porcelain tile alternative that looks similar at a fourth of the cost.

 

Q: “Do you use special design software? If yes, how does this aid in the design process?”

Yes, Riverside Construction uses a 3D design software as part of our design process. There is no better way to understand and experience your new design than to see it in 3D first, before construction begins. Instead of relying on our imagination, you get to see your design and your material selections before approving any specifications. As a designer I’m able to visualize what some of these changes might look like without the 3D design work, but that’s rarely true for clients. If you want to see what your kitchen looks like with bulkheads removed, “Voila!”

 

Q: “What would you say is the benefit to a homeowner of working with a design/build firm?”

The biggest benefit of working with a design/build firm is that we tailor your home remodeling design to your budget. There are many architectural firms. They may do a great job of producing a beautiful design project, but may or may not take into consideration the best way to design your space affordably. A design/build firm encourages your active participation in the design process so that if your budget won’t allow it, we’ll come up with an alternative design to make it work. Then, we take care of everything from start to finish. If you were to take a plan from an architect, then you would need to find your own contractor.

 

Q: “What are the current kitchen design trends you see emerging in the Lafayette area?”

The kitchen continues to be the center of the home. It’s where people like to congregate. As a result, we’re seeing a lot of people requesting islands with bar seating. Homeowners are getting rid of soffits, to create more space. They are using under cabinet lighting, and many are choosing the fresh, clean look of glass or ceramic tile backsplashes. We are seeing less Corian in the kitchen, and more quartz and granite.

Many homeowners are choosing to use tile or wood plank vinyl—a smart choice that typically water resistant.

The colors, grey and beige are still big in Lafayette. Taupe, a mixture of the two colors, is also popular. A lot of people don’t want to renovate again. These neutral colors are popular colors that stand the test of time.

White cabinets are also very popular. Our cabinet manufacturer is currently delivering 70-80% shaker style white cabinets. We are also seeing some requests for darker wood cabinets.

 

Q: “What are current bathrooms design trends in Lafayette, Indiana?”

If homeowners have a tub somewhere else in there home, they are doing away with their master bathroom tub and replacing it with a large, walk-in shower. We’re also seeing a lot of floor to ceiling tile and glass wall shower partitions, which make the room appear larger. Storage is always a must. We are forever finding creative ways to add storage to bathrooms.

Bathroom Remodels: 3 Budgets, 3 Bathrooms

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In years past, the bathroom was often considered a utilitarian space – get in, get the job done, get out. Not so much any more! Many consider their bathroom to be a space to unwind or relax—desiring spa-like amenities. If your current bathroom is woefully insufficient and outdated, now may be the time to take inventory of what is out of date or not functioning well.

From soaking tubs to curbless walk-in showers, the remodeling possibilities are endless, albeit sometimes overwhelming. If you are ready to update your bathroom but confused about where to start, how long it will take and how much it will cost, Riverside Construction is ready to help. Our four-step Design Build process takes you step-by-step through the renovation process while ensuring you end up with the bathroom you envisioned all along, delivered on time and on budget.

Speaking of budget, a common question we get from homeowners is how much is this bathroom renovation going to cost? While each project is different—based on size, scope and materials—we’ve outlined three types of bathroom remodels to give you a good idea of the options you have: Basic, “Pull and Replace” and Custom.

The Basic or Cosmetic Bathroom Remodel

If budget is at the top of your list of requirements, a basic bathroom remodel may be the way to go. It’s amazing how simple changes can make your bathroom feel new and fresh again. A basic bathroom remodel typically runs $5,000 to $15,000 and may include:

Use of existing layout – A basic remodel leaves the current layout of the space intact, while replacing easily removed products. For example, a tub remains in the same spot, as well as a replacement sink and toilet. Not moving the plumbing and electrical components keep costs in line with the budget.

Cabinets – The price of cabinets often eats up a large part of a remodel budget. Therefore, a basic bathroom remodel typically involves reusing your existing cabinetry. However, that doesn’t mean you have to live with dated or damaged storage. Fix up any broken cabinets or replace cabinet doors. And new hardware can go a long way in breathing new life into your cabinets.

Flooring – The floor material you choose will have a direct impact on your renovation budget.   Thankfully, there is a wide range of flooring materials on the market that will give you a big bang for your buck. For example, vinyl has come a long way in recent years, you can choose vinyl that looks like real wood or even leather at a fraction of the cost of its “real” counterparts.

Fixtures and Lighting – Does your bathroom faucet and vanity lighting scream 1980’s? New off the shelf faucet and lighting fixtures can make a dramatic statement in your new bathroom without breaking the bank. You could also easily swap out a toilet or sink for an updated look.

Walls – don’t forget color! If you’ve ever painted a room, you know the impact it can have on a space. New wall color and freshly painted millwork can breathe new life into your new bathroom.

 

Mid-Level, “Pull and Replace” Bathroom Remodel

If you’re looking for a step-up from the basic remodel, then a “pull and replace” renovation may be the way to go. A “pull and replace” remodel means that while the layout may stay the same, components like cabinets, countertops, and bathtubs could be pulled out and replaced with higher quality items. Moreover, this type of remodel could include removing an existing wall to open space and allow for new features like additional cabinetry for storage or a larger walk in shower. You may also have the option to add that one special splurge you’ve always wanted – like a soaker tub or heated floors. A “pull and replace” remodel typically runs $15,000 to $35,000 and can include:

New Cabinets/Countertops – As mentioned earlier, cabinets often take up a large part of a renovation budget. A “pull and replace” remodel may include semi-custom cabinets made with higher quality finishes and more intricate door panels for a more refined look and feel. Countertops may also be replaced with any number of higher-end materials like granite or quartz.

Flooring – While a basic remodel may keep the existing flooring or include a slight material upgrade, a “pull and replace” remodel could include new flooring using a wide variety of higher quality materials including travertine, cork, pebble or porcelain tile, to name a few. This adds to the effect of your living space, and can bring a more luxurious feel to your bathroom.

Fixtures and Lighting – A “pull and replace” remodeling budget may allow you just enough extra cash to include higher quality fixtures—ones that not only look nicer, but may also last longer than less expensive, off-the-shelf fixtures. You may opt for a higher end toilet for better flushing capability, a more modern glass enclosed shower or a tiled tub deck for a new custom look. A larger budget can also enable you to become more creative with lighting options, to include dimmers for mood setting or special task lighting for grooming and makeup applications.

Walls – Beyond new paint, you may have the budget for adding interesting borders or accent tiles on the shower stalls and on other walls in the bathroom for a unique look.

  

The Custom Bathroom Remodel

If you have aspirations of gutting your bathroom and starting over from scratch AND budget is not at the top of your priority list, then the custom bathroom remodel is a perfect choice. This may include knocking down an interior or exterior wall to expand the footprint of the space and/or completely relocating and rewiring plumbing and electrical to allow you to place toilets, sinks, showers etc. exactly where you want them. A custom deluxe bathroom remodel can run $25,000 to $75,000 and may include:

Cabinets/Countertops – From solid wood construction, to custom finishes and unique decorative cabinetry touches there is a world of choices at your disposal. When it comes to custom countertop materials, like granite, marble and quartz, your only limit is your imagination!

High-End Flooring and Tile – With a custom remodel, you could choose to incorporate different high-end materials throughout the bathroom to create your own unique custom look. For example, you could select natural stone on the floor that leads to a custom walk-in tiled shower with intricate accent boarders.

Lighting and Quality Fixtures – Varied lighting sources whether task, ambient or mood lighting (think chandelier), and high-end fixtures like rain showers, warming towel racks and touchless faucets, are all examples of what you may find in a custom deluxe bathroom remodel.

Walls – A custom remodel allows you to add detailed features like real wood beadboard, custom molding and custom window treatments to increase “the wow factor” of your new bathroom.

Ready to start remodeling your bathroom? Join us at our Kitchen and Bath Seminar to learn how to successfully remodel your home. We’d love to see you there!

If you can’t make it to the seminar, you can always schedule a conversation with one of our qualified design-build professionals to discuss your home needs, design preferences, timeline and budget. We look forward to meeting with you!

Kitchen Remodels: 3 Budgets, 3 Kitchens

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Is your current kitchen out of date or not functioning well? Is it too small or closed off from the rest of your home? Perhaps you’re ready to get cooking with a brand-new kitchen remodel, but the whole thing is feeling a bit overwhelming, from cabinetry to countertops, and appliances to air ducts.

That’s where the design and planning at Riverside Construction adds enormous value. We’ll get to know you and your kitchen needs through an initial on-site consultation. Then, we deliver a comprehensive scope of work alongside a realistic budget, fit to bring your dream kitchen to life.

Before that, though, let’s start with an overview of the three types of kitchen remodels to consider: Basic, Mid-Level, and Deluxe.

The Basic Kitchen Remodel

Love to cook but not in love with your current kitchen? A basic, cosmetic remodel elevates your existing layout, appliances, and fixtures and spares expenses for plumbing and ductwork, while implementing the professional polish essential to a complete remodel. A basic kitchen remodel involves replacing easily removed products and typically runs $20,000 – $35,000.

So, what does a basic remodel look like? Here are some items it might include.

Efficient Lighting — Recessed lights are nice, but they offer a lot less illumination than the average light fixture (60 vs. 120+ W). Simple light fixtures with 120w, 180w, or more can be simple, tasteful, and brilliantly illuminating, all without the hefty price tag.

Simple Appliances — One of the keys to a successful basic kitchen remodel is the use of simple appliances that don’t need to be built-in. Nixing the custom cabinetry saves you both money and time.

Go Vinyl — What’s a remodel without new flooring? Vinyl is the versatile material of choice for floors and other surfaces, and can even make a great-looking backsplash. Speaking of backsplashes, if it’s in your budget, a ceramic tile backsplash is a great splurge for an extra stylish finish to your basic kitchen remodel.

Cabinet Hardware — Reusing your existing cabinetry is one of the key ways to keep costs down, but that doesn’t mean you have to live with dated or damaged storage. Fix up any broken cabinets or replace cabinet doors and consider adding new cabinet hardware to upgrade your kitchen. When it comes to cabinets, a little goes a long way.

Lovely Laminates — Laminate is a surface material whose reputation has come a long way in recent years. Photo printed laminate countertops and a bevy of striking edge designs provide lots of aesthetic choices at low cost.

The Mid-Level, Pull and Replace Kitchen Remodel

Want to break the mold of your existing kitchen layout? A pull and replace kitchen remodel lets you do just that. Whether it’s a new island or professional-grade appliances, a mid-level remodel totally reworks your kitchen from the ground up, including moving appliances, plumbing, ductwork, electrical, and more. Ranging from $25,000 – $55,000, a mid-level kitchen remodel creates the space you need for the renewed functionality you desire.

A pull and replace kitchen remodel may include:

Professional Appliances — Liberate your inner chef with awesome appliances. From stainless steel refrigerators to double convection ovens, it’s all on the table.

The Island — As the focal point to your new kitchen remodel, why not consider an island? It’s perfect for serving up a meal hot from the oven, or for the family to gather around as dinner is being prepared.

Upgraded Cabinetry — Upgrade cabinets with standard cabinet sizes and eye-catching materials like maple with a custom glaze. Get the beautiful storage you need without compromising. Make the most of your kitchen’s existing storage space by installing a pull-out shelf in one—or all—of the base cabinets.

Designer Accessories — Select the details and accessories that make your kitchen feel unique. Custom handles and knobs are a great way to make it personal.

New Floors — With a bigger budget, wood and ceramic floors enter the picture, and boy do they make a great impression!

Surfaces Built to Last — For surfaces that look and feel amazing year after year, look no further than stone counters and glass tile backsplashes. Pricier than laminate, quartz and natural stone (like granite), look sharp for decades.

The Deluxe, Custom Kitchen Remodel

Got great taste and a budget to match? Let’s talk cutting edge style and chef-approved functionality. Whether it’s a built-in refrigerator or a Wolf gas range, a custom kitchen remodel, quite literally, can have it all. From $40, 000 to $125,000, the deluxe kitchen remodel wipes the slate clean with a brand new, well, everything — all put together in a totally fresh layout. It involves redesigning the layout, moving walls, demoing an existing area or adjacent spaces, new framing, relocating and updating plumbing and electrical, and installing custom cabinetry.

Here are some of the items you might look forward to in your deluxe kitchen remodel:

Architectural Consistency — Not only should your kitchen look great, but it should also look like a part of your home. Tall ceilings with beadboard finishing, leaded glass windows, crown moldings, or authentic baseboards and casings are just a taste of what’s possible when it comes to integrating your remodel into the home you already love.

High End Material — Start with the richest of materials and accessories for your deluxe kitchen remodel— wood floors, stone counters, and even a chandelier. Add an oriental rug to add to elegance and style that’s uniquely yours.

Totally Custom Cabinetry — The finest craftsmanship and construction goes into fully custom-sized and custom-designed storage to make your kitchen cabinets both uncommonly beautiful and functional.

Creative Storage — Why settle for stock cabinets? Go custom with drop-down doors that turn into extra counter space for those big holiday spreads, or that tastefully conceal a small appliance when it’s not in use.

Cooking with Elegance — Serve up meals using pro tools in world-class style with a hand-made La Cornue range (or Sub-Zero and Wolf) and custom hood built to your specifications. Truly, it’s the most beautiful, stylish, and functional kitchen fixture that money can buy.

Backsplash With Style — Ground your cooking area with a stone mosaic backsplash that is the finest in class and can last literally decades.

Unified Style — Add the details that tie the whole kitchen together, from the table-like island to feet on the base of the sink, and know that cabinets don’t have to look like cabinets! Get all the details that age and style the kitchen to the surrounding house without sacrificing any functionality or efficiency.

Built-In Appliances — Tuck high-end appliances behind wooden doors and custom wood panels consistent with the style of the rest of your kitchen.

Attention to Details — Get the extra attention that achieves your vision of a perfect kitchen, such as a farmhouse-style sink or a faucet from the era in which the house was built.

You’ll pay more for high-end materials and detailing, but your remodeled kitchen will be both a visual treat and a joy to you and your family for years to come.

 

If you’re ready to get remodeling, join us at our Kitchen and Bath Seminar to learn how to successfully remodel your home. We’d love to see you there!

If you can’t make it to the seminar, you can always schedule a conversation with one of our qualified design-build professionals to discuss your home remodeling timeline, budget, functional needs, and design preferences.