Kitchen Designer
My kitchen, all 100 square feet of it, is in dire need of renovation. As a first step, I want to find a designer to help me figure out how to efficiently utilize the space; it is currently not very well designed. Does anyone have a name for me? Thanks
My kitchen, all 100 square feet of it, is in dire need of renovation.
As a first step, I want to find a designer to help me figure out how
to efficiently utilize the space; it is currently not very well
designed. Does anyone have a name for me?
Thanks
Don’t feel bad, most kitchens in NYC are less than 100 square feet in size.
To make the most of a small space, and the most of any budget, working with a professional designer really is the best first step. I’ll toot my own horn here, since you did specifically ask for a name: I’m a kitchen and bath designer who has lived and worked in many neighborhoods in Brooklyn. Please see my website at 121studio.com. The FAQs page has a ton of free advice and info specific to renovations in New York. Even if you can’t afford complete design services, you may benefit from a one-time on-site consultation. A professional designer can offer suggestions and insight that you’ll never get at Ikea or even from like-minded neighbors.
If you’ve already found someone, good luck and enjoy your renovation–remember, it’s the journey as well as the destination!
best,
Clare
Call Tim Keller, at 646-248-8410. Great guy, architecht. NYC and Hamptons projects.
If you are still planning, go download the Ikea Kitchen Planning Tool from their website and mess around for awhile by yourself.
It doesn’t matter if you don’t want an Ikea kitchen–the Tool is just a really idot-proofed 3d-CAD program that’s loaded with pre-drawn kitchen-type objects.
Whatever you do, don’t let someone else tell you what you want from scratch, that’s a sure path to disappointment. Figure out what is important to you first, play around with some shapes, and then talk to professionals. They will be much more able to help you if you know what you want.
Since we’re just about to finish up our own kitchen reno, I’m happy to refer you to David Derbyshire. David has 25+ years under his belt as an ID and has done numerous NYC kitchens. Equally wise, talented and reasonably priced, we found his help in designing the kitchen we wanted (as opposed to the kitchen he may have wanted) to be totally invaluable. David can be reached at: 212-604-0363; ddnyc44@aol.com
POI: We started our process over 2 years ago with nary a clue as to how complicated kitchen renos can be. After numerous costly mistakes, we finally surrendered the design challenge and project management to David. I’m convinced that, in doing so, we not only ended up spending a bit of money in order to stop wasting alot money but also got a really great kitchen out of the deal. If you want more info about David, feel free to email me at Brooklynista at yahoo dot com.
As far as excellent, free advice on kitchen renos is concerned, you can’t do better than the Kitchen Forum of the Garden Web. That’s an online community of folk who are currently immersed in kitchen renos and includes homeowners (many of whom are members of the Brownstoner community), professional tradespeople and designers, etc.). While I recommend you use the services of a designer if you can swing it, you should definitely also check out the Gardenweb folk in any event: http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/kitchbath/
BTW, the general contractor we used was Chris Marcoux of Quirk Ltd. 718-230-1650. Another hearty recommendation!
Throw up a floorplan…I bet we all could give you lots of ideas.
if its situated in a room off the rear parlour level, consider taking out the extra hallway door…or just adding cabinets in front of it….those extra parlour floor doors at the end of the hall are a nuisance but they look great as you enter!!!