Budget Friendly Kitchen Renovation

"A Look for Less"

How many times do you go out browsing and absolutely fall in love with something you see? And then, just when you have decided you can't live without this item, you think to yourself, if it looks this good, it has to be out of my budget. In our showroom, it happens to the people who walk in here everyday. But! What you may not realize is that we, at Details, are capable of giving you the style you want with the price you need. By carrying 3 different cabinet lines, we are able to look at the options for price range, style/finish selections, and available modifications. This allows us to select the perfect company (or companies) for each individual project.

My "Tinkham Reno" project started off with the client walking into our "Living Kitchen" display at the showroom saying, "This is it! This is my kitchen." Our "Living Kitchen" display was designed by Tena. If you haven't seen this display, you need to! (photo below) She specified beautiful Buttercream painted StarMark Cabinetry for the surround cabinets and classic cherry stained cabinetry from Plain & Fancy for the island. So, now that the overall look was nailed down in about 5 minutes, it was time apply it to my client's space and expectations.

After understanding all the the client's wants and needs, we realized that we would be over on the budget. One cause for this was the island by our fully custom line, Plain & Fancy. My thought was to switch the island from Plain & Fancy to StarMark, which was the semi-custom cabinet line we were already using for the surround cabinetry. So, with a pricing goal in mind, I replicated the custom island from the showroom. The stain/glaze finish, as well as the construction and modification options, were all slightly different. The doors styles, although similar, did change a bit, too. But, with compromise from my client and some design tweaking on my part, the outcome was fantastic!

 

So, the next time you're in our showroom, don't think for a minute that anything is out of reach because of budget restraints. With a little bit of give and take, you can have the space of your dreams!

Using Reflective Surfaces in Kitchen & Bath Design

Tena’s thoughts on…………… REFLECTION

 re-flec-tion - the return of light after striking a surface

In my opinion, one of the most important things to remember when designing is not to forget the little details.  It is those little details that together create amazing spaces.

 

I have found that one of the more important details is in the creative use of reflective surfaces.  We, by nature, seem to be drawn to reflected and refracted light in everyday objects; the “bling” of a diamond ring, the “sparkle” of the morning sun dancing on the water, the “shimmer” of beach sand.  In the context of kitchen and bath design reflective surfaces can be used to brighten a dark room, visually enlarge a smaller more compact space, bring the beautiful outdoors in or simply make all of the non-reflective surfaces PoP. Reflective surfaces in the kitchen or bath can typically be found in the use of shiny tiles, polished stone countertops, certain metals, glossy wood floors, decorative glass in cabinets or hardware, glazed ceramics - or - quite literally, mirror and incandescent lighting.

One example would be the use of small iridescent glass tiles in a wide range of soft hues in an otherwise non-descript crisp white bathroom. (I personally LOVE Walker-Zanger tile)  These types of reflective tiles are like chameleons. They will create completely different atmospheres depending on your mood or time of day.  For instance, bright daylight would bounce off of these tiles and create a light, bright and cheerful appearance great for morning preparation.  In the evening, illuminated by candlelight or under the dimmed light of the incandescent bulbs these tiles would create a soothing backdrop perfect for relaxing in the tub after a long day.

In another example, my Client’s lighter-toned polished granite countertop in close proximity to an enormous glass patio door reflects her absolutely phenomenal view.  My Client was spot on with her selection of polished granite to contrast with her beautiful limestone floors and low-sheen painted cabinetry.  The reflection of the sparkling water and lovely surroundings seem to brighten her kitchen on even the gloomiest of days.

In the end…. It’s always “all about the details”!

Our New Mattapoisett Showroom

We are so excited to have opened our new showroom at 81 1/2 Fairhaven Road in Mattapoisett, Massachusetts. Located at the River Shops, our showroom boasts gorgeous kitchen and bathroom displays along with thousands of samples of glimmering hardware, fixtures and the latest in kitchen appliance design by Wolf and Sub Zero.

As you walk into our showroom you are greeted by a grand display of Plain and Fancy Cabinetry. With details such as an elegant mantle to display your favorite collection, or hidden spice compartments behind carved columns, this display beautifully showcases the craftsmanship of the cabinet makers and the style of our lead designer, Tena Collyer.

Tena chose a traditional mid tone solid cherry cabinet and decorated them with semi precious hardware made of Jade, Mother of Pearl and Pen Shells. To add an additional seaside flair, Tena chose a granite reminiscent of river rock for both the countertop and the backsplash. This kitchen is not only functional but graceful, grand and elegant.

Details offers an extensive selection of decorative hardware. From fun and whimsical to rare gems and fine crystal, the hardware selection is magnificent.

Details is proud to unveil a fully functional kitchen showcasing the latest and greatest from SubZero & Wolf.

Here in our new working kitchen we can showcase the functionality of the cabinet design in conjunction with the amazing appliances. We chose to use a blend of custom and semi-custom cabinetry. We used Starmark and Semi-Custom in a buttercream painted finish. We then layered on a gorgeous absolute honed absolute black granite countertop.

We chose to kick it up a notch with a custom designed island and finished it in Plain and Fancy's new dry brushed glaze. The end result is a stunning anchor of design in the kitchen that has a furniture like feel. It warms up the space and defines "homey". To further enhance this look we chose a double stacked granite countertop that perfectly balances the scale of the island with its chunky dimensions.

The black stools, also available at Details, provide the perfect finishing touch to this stunning working kitchen.

Door samples by Plain & Fancy can be viewed in our new sample room along with numerous samples from our other cabinet lines. We have also created an additional sample room just for countertop finishes. 

Our window display is a beautiful blend of stained and painted maple cabinetry by Plain & Fancy. This classic country look will brighten up any space and would look perfect in a period home, that needs updating. Custom brackets and a painted interior in the center wall cabinet add beautiful details without overwhelming the eye and provide a perfect place to display a collection of whiteware (available at Surroundings).  

We chose to have a little fun in our new showroom. Here Tena used Contempo Fizz, a unique contemporary style display from Medallion semi-custom cabinetry in a deep gingersnap stain on cherry wood. The modern hardware along with mirrored backsplashdesigned to be reminiscent of soda fizz, make this display a perfect inspiration for a bar in your own home.

Sparkling granite countertops and polished chrome mosaic hardware truly make this display shine.

Perfect for the upscale seaside home, the "Yacht Club Bath" includes a custom bow front StarMark vanity with an elegant creamy marble top. Polished nickel fixtures and accessories give that nautical look, but with an upscale feel.

In 2006 Details designed the kitchen for Coastal Living Magazine’s Idea House. We loved the kitchen so much, we wanted to replicate it in our new showroom. This overall look is a perfect representation of a design style we call “coastal casual”, which we use often in our seaside town of Mattapoisett and surrounding coastal areas.

Plain & Fancy Cabinetry in white enamel with Benjamin Moore’s Yarmouth Blue accents

Caesarstone “Dusty Stones” Quartz countertops

Tiles by Kim Barry of Clay Trout Pottery

Cohasset Kitchen Redesign

When Kitchen & Bath Details was asked to work on a kitchen remodeling project for this Cohasset client we loved the directive – take a small kitchen in a historic home, open it up a bit, provide some seating, an amazing fireplace and keep it cozy! Our designers began Plain & Fancy Custom Cabinetry in white with a low sheen enamel with absolute black honed granite countertops and installed Sub-Zero & Wolf Appliances.

A hutch with open glass doors and lighting showcases beautiful china and adds a warm glow to the room. A desk provides an office workspace, while cozy dinners are prepared the flat screen TV allows the “chef” to catch up on the news.

Please contact Jill Muldoon to schedule an appointment with one of our designers or visit our showroom to see more of our work.