Two years ago, when their daughter and son-in-law bought their first home together, the young couple had three dreams: a new kitchen, a nicer bathroom and a baby.
Last month they got all three.
Aside from an outdated kitchen and a dated main bathroom, the 15-year-old Craftsman-style home had everything Paige and Adam wanted for their future family: a great location, good schools, enough bedrooms. They decided they could either accept the home's flaws or renovate and, if their plans didn't work out, eventually move.
The worst part of the house was the shower. Having learned patience from her mother, Paige wanted to replace it as soon as she moved in. “The showers in my college dorms were better,” I remember her saying on the first day. And sure enough, the tiny cubicle smelled like a mushroom patch, had a calcified door, and looked like something that could've been left at a campsite.
How quickly could they solve it? The answer came two years later.
From that first day, Paige heard not only from me, whose opinion is slightly below that of the neighbor's cat, but also from interior designers and contractors that if she were to replace the shower, she would also need to replace the adjacent bathtub, and if she were to replace the bathtub, she would also need to replace the flooring, and the vanity would need to be updated.
Anyone who has renovated knows that small changes can lead to big changes that lead to a full renovation that affects at least one more room.
In the Denver area where they live, a labor shortage and construction boom mean most contractors won't take on a job that small, even if it's a complete bathroom remodel, even if the project doesn't seem small to them.
If you also renovate your kitchen, you're more likely to attract contractors and you can “save” money by having your carpenters, electricians, plumbers, tilers, etc. do both jobs at once. In other words, do it all or nothing.
Welcome to the world of home renovations.
Dejected, Paige and Adam stopped to think. They kept imagining what it would be like to live in the house as it was, with a nice shower and an upgraded kitchen.
It wasn't time wasted. For the next two years, they envisioned what they really wanted for these rooms. They distinguished between must-haves (an eat-in kitchen with counter stools and space for a gas stove) and nice-to-haves (more counter space). They created Pinterest boards. They dreamed, they planned, they conceived, they hired a designer.
After a “discovery call” to understand the scope, timeline and budget of the project, interior designer Kate Clapp, owner of Kate Sage Interiors, met with Paige and Adam at their home. She shared her ideas and assured them they would get what they wanted. Knowing that Clapp had done many high-end projects, Paige and Adam made it clear that this was their first home and they had a tight budget.
“She understood,” Paige says, making the decision to move forward an easy one. “It was just nice to have someone at this point who understood what we wanted and was navigating the ship, especially now with a baby on the way.”
“I'm grateful that they trusted me and the process,” Clapp said. “Not every client can do that, but that's important.”
Clapp replaced the door between the master bedroom and bathroom with a classic arch and added an oversized glass shower with Spanish ivory subway tile, a deep undermount tub surrounded by quartz decking, and an updated vanity with the same quartz countertops and cabinets repainted in Sherwin-Williams Accessible Beige. The remodeled bathroom also features slate flooring and new light fixtures, mirrors, faucets and sinks. (We'll tell you about the kitchen improvements next week.)
In Adam's words, the change was “existential.”
Marni Jameson: Bringing a baby home isn't the same as I remember
“It all started with the shower,” Paige said, sitting in her new kitchen with her newborn baby in her arms, shaking her head at the journey. “At first, I just wanted to replace the glass in the shower, but then I learned to be careful with what I thought were simple fixes. They're not that easy, and they don't work.”
Here's what else they learned:
- draw a picture. Paige created a Pinterest board that was heavily inspired by Studio McGee, and Clapp used it as a starting point. “I love my clients' Pinterest boards,” Clapp says. “It helps me get inside their minds.” She could tell that Paige favored classic, clean designs with neutral foundations, wood, and accents of blue and green. “When I saw her Pinterest, I thought, 'I can do this, too.' I would call her style modern and organic with a classic umbrella.”
- Adjust the design and price. Clapp created unique design boards for each room, including finishes and lighting, a detailed budget, timeline and contractor recommendations, giving the couple financial confidence to move forward.
- Save here, splurge there. You can achieve beautiful design without spending a fortune if you allocate your money in the right places, says Clapp. One of those places is lighting, which is worth splurging on. Less expensive, but still important to the finished look, are cabinet knobs and handles, which can save you money if you keep the same square footage.
- Focus on the kitchen and bathroom. “We were pleased to see that the builder and real estate agent were able to improve two of the most important areas in terms of the home's value: the kitchen and main bathroom. Not only will Paige and Adam get to enjoy their improved home, they'll also get some money back when it's time to sell.” But for now, they're staying in the house.
Next week I'll tell you which came first – the baby or the finished kitchen – and the lessons I learned.
Marni Jameson is the author of seven books, including the recently published Choosing the right size today to live your best life tomorrow; what to do with all your possessions to leave the legacy you desire; and Downsizing the family home. Contact details: Email: marni@marnijameson.com.
