Park City Great Room Remodel

We love a good remodeling project, especially when the Before photos really show the dramatic change.  This is the perfect Before & After project to showcase!   We're grateful that we have projects like this to add to our portfolio.  On top of that, the clients are wonderful and fun people, so we really lucked out with this one!

There once was a wall at the top of the stairs:

And there was a small kitchen behind that wall:

We removed that wall, added a giant beam, and drastically opened up the space!

This is now what you see when you go up the stairs:

And this is the view from the Living Room:

We also got creative with the closet/desk wall, which used to look like this:

We maximized the unused nooks & crannies, and now it looks like this:

Complete with built-in coffeemaker, double ovens, and plenty of pantry space.  We even added a small appliance center, where items like the toaster can be used in place.  No plugging / unplugging or moving required!

And while we were at it, we replaced the railing to better fit the new design.  I love the details and the craftsmanship:

Special credit to the following people for being willing to work with us and our picky requirements for flooring, custom cabinetry finish, and the difficult challenge of making the tall wall of cabinets fit the way we wanted.

General Contractor:  Wade Brinton, Brinton Homes

Cabinetry:  Preston Tilby, Paramount Cabinets

Photo Credit:  Lucy Call

Kitchen Remodel - Concept to Completion

Kitchen designers can work in non-traditional ways.

Last summer I was referred to a family who had recently purchased a new home. They loved the home but despised the kitchen.  They consulted with me to come up with a new design and help with finishes.  From there, the client took over and managed the rest of the job themselves.  While this isn't the standard way of working, and playing your own general contractor can end up in disaster for many homeowners, they pulled it off.  I stopped by to see the kitchen last week, and it turned out great.

Here's what the kitchen looked like before (they had just moved into the home the day before these photos were taking - nothing was unpacked yet):

I proposed reorienting the kitchen to make it more functional and more open.  We looked at several options, and eventually settled on this design:

With this finish collage:

The rest was up to the clients.  

And, with a few changes and plan evolution, this is what they ended up with:

These are obviously not professional photos, and I didn't take time to stage the space (hence the ladder in the foyer!), but I think the final product looks great and I'm so excited for my clients and their new kitchen!

What I'm Working on Right Now

One of my favorite current projects involves removing a wall and soffit (and gigantic light fixture) in order to open up the kitchen, which made this project a great  candidate for practicing on Google SketchUp.  I'm pretty excited about the potential of this project, so I thought I might share it with you all here.

Before:

 And here's the wall that I proposed removing:

Here's what it looks like now, after demolition:

A huge difference already, right?

And here's my SketchUp model depicting what it's going to look like when finished:

Thanks to ReVive Remodeling (the general contractors who are a large part of my design-build team) for the before & after photos.

How Much Does a Remodeling Project Cost?

project by Case Design / Remodeling Inc.

This is a multi-million dollar question, right?.  And there is no easy answer, especially when it comes to YOUR specific remodeling project.  Because your project will be different in at least one way from every other remodeling project that has ever been done, whether it's cabinet finish, size of the space, types of accessories, ceiling height, age of house...  I could go on and on.

Getting an exact price for your specific remodel will take some exploring.  Anyone who can tell you a price right away obviously hasn't done enough work for that price to be accurate.  Did they even ask you whether you wanted a single or double waste-basket pull-out?  Or what type of undercabinet lighting, if any?  Or what finish on your bathroom towel bars?  These are little detail questions, BUT the answer to each of these questions, and many others, will have a different price attached, and all of these little questions will determine the final project cost.

So, before I say what I'm going to say next, PLEASE keep in mind that it takes time and energy and a lot of work to come up with a price for your remodeling project.  Doing it right, with the right people, will often involve an initial investment from you as well.  Though that may be a little frightening at first, having a designer and a contractor involved in the early planning phases will definitely save you money in the end, and it will also keep you from possibly making some very costly mistakes.

Having said all that, most people have no idea how much a remodeling project is going to cost, and therefore don't know whether or not they can even start planning a project.  This is where Remodeling Magazine's "Remodeling 2010-11 Cost vs. Value Report" can be very helpful.  Not only does it help you determine the possible return of investment, but it also gives you average job costs based on your specific region.


For example, if you select "Mountain" region, under the "Mountain - Midrange" section, scroll down to "Minor Kitchen Remodel", you'll see an average price of $ 21,046.  Then, click on the link for a description.  Here you'll see a detailed description of what a "minor" kitchen remodel includes.  Notice this does NOT include new cabinetry - it only includes new cabinet fronts.  It also does not include wood or tile flooring, rather it specifies "resilient" flooring (aka vinyl).

Most people, in my experience, have a different idea in their minds when they think of a kitchen remodel.  So now go into the "Major Kitchen Remodel" category.  The average investment here is $ 56,377.  While this does include new cabinetry, it still specifies laminate countertops (most want granite or quartz).


If you scroll further down the page, you'll get into the "Mountain - Upscale" section, which will give you average pricing for minor and major kitchen remodels using higher-end materials and finishes.  


Please remember, this is just a tool to help with the initial planning.  These are NOT final prices, rather a way to help you determine a starting point.  And they are not always going to be 100% accurate.  For example, I have been involved in several kitchen remodeling projects in the $50,000-60,000 range that include custom cabinetry, hardwood floors, and quartz or granite countertops.  The options are more limited, however, with the right people and the right process, it can be done.