Breaking the Wheel
I want to Break the Wheel. What do I mean by this? I want to inspire homeowners to look at the investment of remodeling at the beginning of the purchase instead of the end. When my husband and I bought our first home, it was a major fixer. I will spare you the gory details, but it was filthy and needed a lot of love. We were so thrilled with the chance to have our own home, we were willing to put in the work and lots of it. At the time, we were counting pennies to invest in this home just to make it move-in ready.
Fast forward eight years when it was time to buy a house closer to our school with another bedroom and bathroom. We created an allocation for what needed to be done and what we really wanted done before we moved in. This included painting the interior top to bottom along with pulling up carpet in the primary bedroom and installing engineered hardwood. We don’t regret the time or money it took to make it ours before we settled in.
We lived at that home for six years before taking the big leap and moving our family to South Orange County. What a dream to live close to the beach and in a home nearly twice the size as our previous. I remember the first time we walked through this home and fell in love with it at the same time as re-designing it. My eyes bounced around each room while my heart pounded with the potential I knew this home had. With divine blessings, we had a comfortable budget to do quite a bit before we moved in. I was relieved to hear escrow closed because I had already ordered the largest dumpster to be delivered that very day. Minutes after the keys were handed over to us, we began taking custom sewn swag drapery with trim, lots of trim, down and preparing for the demo crew to arrive the very next morning.
So what does this have to do with Breaking the Wheel, you ask? In the last five years, I have especially helped many families work through the struggles of what to do to invest wisely and precisely in the home they are in the process of making theirs. I have started working with clients while still in escrow with a Homecall appointment to offer my advice and opinions of what to do with floor plans for furniture, paint color, flooring and thoughts on remodeling kitchens and bathrooms. Gone are the days of “builder grade” cabinetry and stock tile that everyone else in the track had at some point.
When looking at a property, consider asking yourself if you can imagine the bathtub in the Primary Suite tucked in an intimate corner instead right in between two vanities. Or if you want your dining table in an odd location because the previous owner did?Most importantly, how do you and your family envision using this home to its fullest potential? If the kitchen cabinets are the worst color along with the countertops being very dated, why commit to paint the cabinets, purchase new countertops and cabinet hardware for a major kitchen “REFRESH”! Once this is complete, you can really move in and actually unpack your kitchen.
When buying a new home, lean on professionals in the design and construction industry to share their experience and knowledge with you regarding a remodel. I would guess the cost of a kitchen remodel has increased tremendously since your last remodel. Are you inspired by stunning bathrooms on social media? Aren’t we all! You may be surprised at the design and construction details to create such a look. My suggestion is to do some research in order to set more realistic allocations and timeframes for the work that you would like done. If you’re in the early stages of looking for a home to customize, leave enough funds to create a home that you will love for many years. Remodeling is not easy nor stress-free, but you will be running home to your sanctuary. I can promise that you will not regret investing in your needs and style to make it absolutely YOURS!
XO,
Amy
Luciano Luxury Construction Corp.
It’s hard to believe this is the same kitchen. In this project: Transitional Transformation, we kept the same excellent quality maple cabinets and painted them Creamy White by Dunn Edwards, selected Vadara Quartz slab (with warm and cool veining) for countertops and backsplash, selected new cabinet hardware, new pendant lighting and lvp flooring.
If you look at the before photo, the wood from the floor and cabinetry had so much yellow along with the sharp contrast of black countertops it was unsettling to the eye. The rich walnut tones on the floor is so pretty against the warm white paint and brushed brass fixtures. This kitchen is looking so FRESH and revitalized.