Dreaming of a Remodel?

Hi all!  Summer break is in full swing!  So is remodeling season!

Custom Kitchen
New Construction
Time: 9 months
Cabinet Cost $15,000

In my newsletter, "dreaming of a remodel?" I spoke about setting a budget and a time frame.  Let's start with budget.  First major thing to think about...how are you paying for this remodel?  Financing?  Cash?  This will help set your budget.  It doesn't matter what type of remodeling project you are doing, an addition, new kitchen, deck, bathroom, home office, basement finish, they ALL have a budget.  They also have a time frame for completion.




Once you have an estimated budget, now make a list of what you are trying to accomplish in your remodel.  Tile backsplash?  New flooring?  New counter tops?  New cabinets?  Lighting? Hardware? Appliances? Furniture? etc  This is precisely what a trusted professional will do when they come to your home.  They will ask you all the pertinent questions.  Possibly, ask you to fill out a questionaire.

"penthouse"...remodel
Time Frame:  1+ years
(as funds permit)

There are a lot of variables in every remodeling project.  Ask yourself "why" are you remodeling?  To prepare your home for sale?  This project has been in the works for 10 years?  Trying to achieve "dream home" status without having to move?  Whatever your reason, this also helps determine budget in a round about way.  If you are looking for updates to sell your home, then you most likely make economical cosmetic changes.  That is a whole other topic.  Again, this is where hiring a trusted professional can help you save money.  They know where products lie in the price chart.  They can guide you in the right direction.






So, your homework assignment:
One: figure out the "WHY?"  Are you out growing your space?  Are you transforming your college graduate son's room into your dream craft room?  Are you adding a mother-in-law suite?

Kitchen Remodel - For Resale
Time Frame 3 months
Cabinet Cost = $7000

Two: figure out the "WHEN?"  Are you wanting this done in two weeks for your barbecue? Do you want it done by next June for your daughter's graduation?  What ever the reason, you need to have a general time frame.  Just an FYI, two weeks is not a viable time frame unless you are looking for a fresh coat of paint.  Expect a 2-6 month turn around for your project, sometimes longer depending on the project.

Three: make a list of what you ultimately want in your remodel.  Go for the, "if I won the lottery" scenario.  Once you have your list, come back and see us.  We will help you fit your wants into your budget.

Keep in mind, once you compare your list of wants with your budget, there will most likely be some trade offs. If your budget is realistic, the trade offs will be minimal.  This again is the time to turn to the trusted professionals with whom you will be working with on your remodeling project.  Watch for our future posts on setting a "realistic" budget for your remodeling project!

 Happy list making.

Tile...Just one of the details.

Good Morning!

I can't believe how fast the time goes once we get to Spring here in MN.

 I was selecting tile for a client last week so I grabbed some extra samples to give you an idea of the wealth of options existing out there...for those of you who never browse the tiles aisles at the big box home improvement stores.

All tiles shown are mosaics and come in 12x12 sheets.  They can be applied as a field tile using full sheets or cut apart into strips and used as decorative accents.  Using accents of the decorative tiles can help keep your cost down as multiple lineal feet are produced from one sheet.  It depends on the look you want and your budget.

This is a travertine(stone), marble, and glass mosaic. $10-$11 each sheet.  Love this!  This is great alone or as a decorative element!  I am pairing this as a decorative 5" strip with a travertine field tile in a shower stall!  

All glass in grey tones. 

 A bit more contemporary for you contemporary buffs! $10-$11 each sheet. I would use this as a field tile in a kitchen with some crisp white cabinets.  If you think this is too busy, then again cut it and use it in strips.  A simple white ceramic subway tile would look great with this.

This one looks like a metallic glass mosaic.  In truth, it is a metallic resin.  This is a nice looking tile for an inexpensive price point.  $5 each sheet.  It can be tricky to install though.  Particularly if you use it as a decorative accent, as it is thin and most tiles are double the thickness, so it will have to be built out to the thickness of the field tile.  Make sure you have an experienced installer.   

All glass again.  This one has some textured pieces as well as smooth glass.  A little extra element. I would also use this as a field tile.  The individual tiles are 1x2" so a decent size.  $13 each sheet. I love the brown tones in this one.  

These are just a few examples of the millions of tiles out there.  There is one in pretty much every color of the rainbow.  If you can't find what you are looking for, we area always glad to help.  Check out our website for  more examples of our work.  Sign up for our monthly newsletter to keep up to date on the latest design trends. Have a great Holiday Weekend with your families and friends!  

What is an Interior Designer?

Hi all!

We are getting rain, rain, rain! Literally that much in a very short period of time here today! Hmmm...guess we need the moisture. Flash flooding however, is not a good thing.

BrynnAlden Interiors took part in the Cottage Grove Chamber of Commerce Business Expo last week. Wow...what a turn out! As my first time participating in this event...I was amazed by the number of attendees!

Comments made by passers by at the event leads me to my topic today. Most of the time I just politely correct people. However, it got me thinking...maybe the majority of the general public has no idea there is even a difference. So please READ ON!

I thought I would clear some information up for those of you who wonder..."Are you an interior decorator?" The simple answer is...no. I am an interior "DESIGNER"...Now I bet I have you guessing as to what the difference is.

There is so much I could explain about my profession which I personally find fascinating. However, many of you would only hear blah, blah, blah by the 5th word. So I am going to explain it in a nutshell the way my U of MN classmate and CID Karla describes the difference between a decorator and a designer.

Karla's definition which everyone will be able to understand. A designer is like a baker. She/he can bake and frost the cake. A decorator only applies the frosting once the cake is baked. LOVE IT! Nothing against any decorators out there. Just clarifying for the cause!



I am including a link below to a professional site that may clear up any previously conceived notions on what it is exactly that an Interior Designer does.

We are more than pillows and paint colors(of course that is all part of it)...my 5 years spent at the U of MN earning my Bachelors Degree in Interior Design proves it! Hmmm..the good old days. Then there is also the 6 months preparing for the NCIDQ exam (which is a 2 day exam...that I passed all three sections of the first time..yep toot toot my own horn).


Definition of Interior Design and Interior Decorating

Hopefully, some of you are finding this as fascinating a discussion as I do! If not, its okay! Afterall, it is my passion, not necessarily yours! Looking forward to our next chat! Happy Thursday!

Wallpaper Removal

Wow...I can't believe how much time flies when you're busy! I guess that is a good thing! There has been a lot of talk of wall paper removal in my circle of peers. I too, have had the great opportunity to strip wall paper a couple weeks ago in my mother's kitchen. NOT a favorite past time, I will tell you that.

Not sure how many people still do a full room floral like this, but this cover from a Waverly "Rose Garden" Wallpaper book is not my idea of a calming space. My opinion! If you do have a room that looks like this, you should read on for tips on getting rid of the wall paper that drives you crazy!

I thought I would share the not so rocket science technique I have for stripping wall paper. Not all wall paper is created equal. Not all adhesive is created equal. If you are lucky enough to have only one layer of paper, and the paper comes off in sheets, you may not have to use the scoring tool as much. I would not bet all your chickens at the market on this, however.

On to stripping (wallpaper!)-
1 -After peeling off what you can, run a scoring tool, can be found at your local hardware store, over the face to lightly to create holes in the top of the paper, this allows the removing agent to penetrate back to the adhesive. Careful to not press too hard, you can mark up your sheet rock underneath. Then you have an even bigger job to skim coat your bare wall when your done!

2-Soak the area. Literally soak it, with the removing agent(see below for removing agents). I use a spray bottle as it seems to be less messy, but you may want to try a paint roller. Let the area sit for 10 minutes or so. Pull from a loose corner if the face is still in tact. With luck you will get sheets. Without, you will need a paint scraper and multiple repeats of the above steps. Good luck.

3-Prior to painting, you will want to take a bucket with warm water and a sponge and clean off any remaining residue left from the adhesive. This may take several passes. Once all the residue is removed. You are ready to paint, unless you have patchwork to do. That is a whole other article. I will try to get my contractor expert Matt Regan of Regan Construction to do a piece on that.

I did want to share my findings on removal agents...

In the kitchen removal job....I did an experiment with DIF, wall paper remover and Sol-u-mel, a multi-use all natural product from Melaleuca. It was a test. Someone had told me that Sol-u-mel could indeed be used as wall paper stripper. Of course, I wanted to see just how good it really worked. So I tried it!

I had a spray bottle of both DIF and Sol-u-mel. They worked exactly the same. Honest...I was working the room from two sides. Spray and soak, let sit, with DIF...to the other side...spray and soak, let sit, with Sol-u-mel...same outcome. I find that amazing since Sol-u-mel is meant as a cleaner and disinfectant, it truly has 100 uses. I will begin posting those on my website eventually for all you skeptics.

Good luck with your wall paper removal! Of course, you can always choose to hire a professional. Trust me, it may cost you some money, but the money spent will save you one GINORMOUS headache. If you are looking for one, let me know, I can refer you to one. Happy Spring!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

I hope you are all starting your new year off with a bang! Heading fast and furiously toward those resolutions (I prefer to call them Goals) we have all set for ourselves... I know I am!

2011 Was a great year for BrynnAlden Interiors. However, 2012 will be even better...I want you to hold me to that!




Just wanted to share with you all a kitchen remodel that we just completed at the Shear Noyola Residence in St. Paul. It is a dandy. Especially from before to after. There was literally no storage in the previous kitchen. There was a less than desirable "jog" in the wall and the stove stood solo in the middle of it's own wall! Hmmm...time for some help!







New cabinets, flooring, counters, appliances, paint, light fixtures, and blinds!

Ta-da! See what we did!

With the help of the talented Matt Regan of Regan Constuction, we flushed out the wall where the "jog" was so we could get more cabinet storage. The void behind the new wall was then used for a small pantry cabinet. Perfect for dry and can goods storage. We also removed a window next to the back door so we gained both upper and lower cabinets next to the refrigerator. We too added a pantry area in a small under utilized catch all area near the basement stairwell. The storage we ended up with is at least triple, if not quadrupled. Woo hoo!




The client's budget could not support both tile flooring AND granite. Collectively the decision was granite counters over the tile floor. We used a tile look vinyl and everything turned out great! Maple cabinetry, granite counters, stainless appliances (including adding a new dishwasher), Sherwin Williams paint, Hunter Douglas blinds, and the fabulous work of Regan Construction, (not to mention the fantastic design), took this kitchen from zero to a 10!

Like what you see? Please become a follower of our blog.

Find us on Facebook www.facebook.com/brynnaldeninteriors

Keep tuning in for our "ugly bathroom contest" for your chance to win a new bathroom design from BrynnAlden Interiors!

Best of all...watch for the live launch of brynnalden.com!
FINALLY!

Season's Greetings

Season's Greetings to you all!

At the time of this writing...here in Minnesota...we are getting a bunch of rain, there is barely a trace of snow left on the ground, and it is 37 degrees out at 9:30 at night. NICE! For those of you who are snow fans...it is a bummer. But I have to honestly say, I don't mind it a bit. We ARE all entitled to our own opinions.

I hope you are all winding down on the chaos of the season and are beginning to enjoy it. Try taking a "pause" to take everything in. I am thoroughly enjoying this holiday season so far!

I want to show you all the transformation from Inexpensive Harvest Planters to Winter Planters...

First, I removed the autumn details, mums, squash, scarecrow, and then added some clippings off of my evergreen and spruce trees. I also added some dried bloom clippings from my hydrangea bushes, hostas, and chives. Finally, I added a few shatterproof ornaments a couple small and one giant size for effect. Voila!






I am also busy getting BrynnAlden's 2012 business goals set. There are many. The key is to pick the one I "most" want to accomplish and start there. So that is what I am doing. I have chose the singular Most Wanted to Accomplish goal. I am now brainstorming on how to get there. With the achievement of that one Most Wanted Goal, the others automatically start to fall into place.

Watch for the Launch of our NEW website, Ugly Bathroom contest, and more...we are so excited about all that is new with our company in 2012! We can't wait to share it with you!

Thank you to our clients for a most successful year! We are looking for an even more successful year in 2012!



We hope you and your family make a ton of wonderful memories this Holiday Season! From our family to yours...Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! See you next year!


As always, we love referrals and friends. Find us at www.facebook.com/brynnaldeninteriors

Will you qualify for this extra Tax Credit?

Hey all!

Just a quick note to let you know that there is another tax credit for energy efficient window treatments for 2011.

NOW is the time for adding or updating your current window treatments before this tax year ends...in order to qualify...treatments must be installed by December 31st, 2011. Treatments must also be one of the qualifying lines from Hunter Douglas...

Call BrynnAlden Interiors today to set up your measure appointment...651-283-5894...Share this on your Facebook page...Forward this to a friend!

Kitchen Remodel

Another school year is underway...and signals the end of summer...sigh! That means for me and many of you...back to work! I am actually excited...getting back into a routine is a welcome change.

Just wanted to share another kitchen remodel! This is a residence in Cottage Grove. The homeowners wanted to "open up" and update their existing kitchen.

This space has several challenges, some of them structural, some of them aesthetic and budgetary. Doors, windows, nooks, existing appliances, existing tongue and groove ceiling, base board radiant heaters and HVAC concerns, existing fireplace, and then some.

We began with a wish list, dishwasher, use existing appliances, island, bells and whistles, roll out trays, heavy duty drawers, plenty of counter space and no loss of storage.

By removing the peninsula cabinets there was a fear of possible loss of storage space. Removing the soffit and using taller cabinets to the ceiling plus the addition of an island replaces the storage previously found in the peninsula cabinets and then some.

In the original schematic design layout, we repositioned the stove(it is currently right next to the refrigerator-not ideal in the world of kitchen design) so it had a small counter on either side of the stove, the homeowner wanted one larger cabinet and counter space rather than the 2 smaller ones for storage reasons, so we left the stove alone, situated right next to the refrigerator.

You can see the new design...we incorporated glass top cabinets, used custom angled end base cabinets, added an island for maximum prep space, re-located the microwave over the stove. Installed a dishwasher near the sink, and replaced the old "mobile" dishwasher with a custom angled base cabinet. All the drawers are hardwood, dovetail construction with full extension glides. There are hardwood roll out trays in the base cabinets as well.




The cabinets are Maple with a spice stain. The counters are granite. The floor is a laminate which looks like tile(client selection).

The overall new look of the space is great, although there are a couple things I would do differently, the clients' satisfaction is most important. After all, they are the people who live there and use the space everyday.




As a designer, my goal is to educate my clients and guide them toward making the best design decisions which in turn creates the best design outcome. At the end of the day, the client may or may not agree with my suggestions. If not, no harm, if so, great of course. Individuals each have their own ideas, after all, we are human. The only reason I may have for adamantly directing the home owner in a different direction would be for safety, well fare, or code reasons.

Bellacor Re-Design Underway

Happy Monday!

It is the start of another beautiful week in MN. Glorious weather forecast for this week. Hopefully it will continue into next week.

The re-design of the Bellacor Corporate Headquarters is underway. The final selections have been made. Now just the final renderings. Here are a couple of schematic renderings along with the photos of the existing space.











The 'lowertown" conference room...an updated color scheme along with contemporary furnishing, lighting and artwork selections.









The "loft" common area...again an updated color palette in a statement color...along with updated furnishings, lighting, and artwork. Getting rid of the mish mash of colors and random stuff.





Watch for more transformation views to come...as you can see...the space does need a bit of help... I am excited to see the transformation take shape.

See you soon!

Kelli

Kitchen Remodel

Happy Summer!

Here in Minnesota...Summer finally showed up! Lovin' it!

Just wanted to show you all the before and after pics of a small kitchen remodel BrynnAlden Interiors recently did. This remodel was done on a low budget. Footprint remained the same.

Cabinets are Shiloh - Maple - Autumn Stain with square raised panel. Countertops are HD Laminate Postform.

This house is an investment property that was remodeled to re-sell. The soffits and peninsula cabinets were taken out and this opened up the space dramatically. New cabinets to the ceiling, crown molding, flooring, appliances, and countertops were also installed. Of course new light fixtures and paint as well.

A extremely dramatic difference overall. Thank you to Erickson Investment Group for allowing BrynnAlden Interiors to work on your project!

If you have a remodeling project you would like help with. Don't hesitate to call or email. No job is too big or too small. Floor to ceiling and wall to wall; BrynnAlden Interiors, does it all.

Enjoy the weekend!

Kelli

We won! Bellacor Project!

Hey all!

I am starting to wonder if it will ever stop raining. What happened to Summer? Just a quick note to share with you all...BrynnAlden Interiors was awarded the re-design project for Bellacor Corporate Headquarters in Mendota Heights! Yay!

Keep watching as the transformation happens! We are looking forward to showing you the finished project.

In the meantime. Here is a link to Bellacor. They sell a wealth of home decor, furnishings, and lighting. You never know when you'll need them. Enjoy!

http://www.bellacor.com/

~Kelli

Paint Colors - Light vs Dark

Happy Sunny Wednesday!

Do I dare say...I think Spring is finally here! Shhhh...don't say it too loud or Mother Nature may change her mind. I think those of us here in the Midwest have had enough of this crazy, colder than normal, weather. It seems to be a unanimous thought with everyone I speak to, we are READY for Spring.

I was watching HGTV one night. I know you are thinking why are YOU watching HGTV? It is my favorite channel. Some good things, some not so good in my opinion, but none the less a lot of variety. On came "Designed to Sell". I was pleasantly surprised by the designer, her name is escaping me at the present moment, but some of her ideas were exactly what I would do. Specifically, the use of a milk chocolate brown in the guest room. Hence, the idea for this entry.

The majority of people think using dark colors on the walls creates a cave like atmosphere. I completely disagree. I am not saying dark paint colors are for everyone. They are not. I however prefer dark over light. In my opinion, it makes a warmer, cozier space. In my master bedroom, I have used chocolate brown. I have also used a brick red in the hallway and header wall between my living room and dining room. Brick red and "tree bark" are in my lower level. If you are thinking, "You are crazy!" You are only partially correct. I prefer the term "daring". Just remember, paint is a very inexpensive element to experiment with. If you want to change it, it costs $30 - $50 depending on the brand of paint and your time. I love to paint, as most of you know, so the physical painting doesn't deter me one bit.



I lean toward dark colors in general, especially in my own home. I think there is a great balancing act one has to do in order to pull off dark colors successfully. Here are a couple of examples from the current issue of Elle Decor - May 2011. Aparently, I am not the only one who is crazy. Take a peek. I can't force clients to use dark colors when they are light people. However, if you are on the fence, I can try to sway you to the Dark side! Enjoy!

Space Saving Home Office Areas

Good Morning! I don't know how all you feel about the snow we are having...I know I would prefer the 50 degrees back! I know it's coming soon enough! Really not soon enough for me!


Anyway, I was the member spotlight in one of my networking groups a couple weeks ago. I did a little exercise to try to help the members understand a little bit more about what an Interior Designer does.

Yes, folks, we are more than pillows and paint colors. But don't get me wrong, we love it all!



Anyway, moving forward, one of the gals had asked a question about a home office in a bedroom, which is also a very tight space. She was tired of looking at all of her stuff.

I recommended using a screen/divider to separate the work space off to its own space and also act as a view blocker to block "all the stuff". I also recommended, taking an inventory of what she actually needs to work. Get rid of or re-locate the stuff that is not absolutely necessary for working.

Then the issue of a chair came up. The chair takes up a lot of space. Time to visit the local good-will to see if they have a smaller version for in-expensive. Throw the current one in the back of your truck or car when you go. They will take it, and you get a little tax write off of a donation, so get a receipt.



Anyway, I have a few different options for small home office spaces that I came across. One is using a screen/divider. Next are a closet conversion, a small niche office, and then just a small area without a screen.

They may work for you, they may not. In any case, I hope you get some great inspiration and ideas for your space. Of course we are always happy to offer additional on site help if you need! Good Luck and Happy office organizing.

If you could please take the time to be one of our followers also, that would be great!

Kelli