Design elements that can come back to haunt you

 If you are planning a remodel, renovation or just a little refresh of spaces like kitchens and bathrooms, be very careful in your choice of finishes. How design elements need to work together and that can be a challenge if you are doing your first project. There are some design choices that can and will bite you. Take heed and choose wisely. Here's a few risky design choices and why they could bite you in the end.

The Power of Patterns

Now most backsplash design choices are lovely and will add a lot to your space, but some will give you an endless headache and harken back to what I call the channel 13 aesthetic. What do I mean, well, if you look at some designs in glass tile you will see they have a ton of vary colors. This creates a visual pattern. As a rule, you want to limit visual patterns, as they rarely work together with other visual patterns, thus creating that busy, channel 13 on your old tv look. (Hopefully some of you may be old enough to recall this, for the rest of you, google it lol.)

So if your backsplash is going to be patterned, keep other large design elements simple. If your heart is set on glass tile backsplash, consider one that is easy to partner with other patterns like this example:

If you notice, the backsplash in the photograph  is not competing with the pattern in the counter tops and this is easy on the eye and creates no design conflict. 

Pick your statement element, and let that shine, without competition.  A statement design element can be the flooring, the walls or the counter tops, but patterns too strong on every surface  will give you that jigsaw puzzle scrambled look. Patterns are powerful. What looks nice at the home improvement store that seems pretty tame can be overwhelming en masse in your space. 

The same applies to bathrooms, where you want the surfaces to compliment each other but never be in a battle. 

Trends : New and Old

I can't stress this enough, but be careful following trends! We can trace back through the decades and see exactly what was on trend and what cost a lot of money to erase as time passes. It is better to stick with classic design elements that have stood the test of time. If you love a current trend, use them in ways that are not permanent. Study the past 3 decades and see how many of those common features are possibly present in your home or someone that you know. Everyone jumped on these trends, and now there's regret. This will not be the end of the regret, and you become aware of it, especially if you try to sell your home only to realize that trend is dating your home and lowering its appeal the the buyers. Old trends are bad, but new trends will also fade. Look at how quickly everyone jumped on the "farm house" look and now its not as popular and again will date your space. 

That being said, if you love your trendy space and you're happy, more power to you. Always do what you love, but know that its likely to fall out of vogue with the next big thing, and you have to be ok with that. Some old trends are bad, and sadly not all new trends are any better. Pick things you love, find common ground between those things you love so they marry well together and don't over do it. Remember function needs to be incorporated into everything. Remember, design that you truly love, never goes out of style. 

Five Things I hate About Tiny Kitchens

 

Ahhh the small kitchen. How many I have run across since my home search.  I have seen large older homes with tiny kitchens, and small homes with large kitchens. Sometimes there seems to be no logic to the design, and it makes it hard either way, for one to access what they can live with and what is a deal breaker.

I have moved 5 times in my adult life and each home had a decent sized kitchen, well, with a few tweaks. My kitchen at home number 5 is by far the tiniest of all and I have wondered often, can I make do? If money were no object, I'd gut the whole thing and start anew. I find most kitchens are poorly designed and I often wonder who designs them. 

The issues I have discovered and how I intend on remedying the problem. 

1. Not enough storage

This probably comes as no surprise. However, one thing I am thankful for is the 42 inch cabinet. They typically have 3 to 4 shelves and room to add more. Some even had corresponding holes to allow for rearranging shelves that you have to maximize the space. I like this. If you are in the process of renovating, or looking at homes that have tiny kitchens, I recommend these larger cabinets. They cost more but they will make use of the vertical space and offer a lot more storage for your money.

2. Tiny Pantries

I have seen this quite a few times in homes, and this is the second home I have bought with this affliction. Tiny closet pantries, with no interior lighting, wire bracket shelving and extremely small. In part because of their construction. When you add up the finished wall, both inside and out, you are actually consuming valuable real estate that simply goes to structure. 5 inches of wall on two sides, 3 if you count the opening and if you do the math, that's actually a lot of unusable space. 

My solution, at some point will be to tear the built in coffin, I mean closet they call a pantry, and add in storage of my own. Cabinets can be purchased from floor to ceiling and they are a better use of the space.  Like this one: Pull Out drawer Cabinet

3. Invasive hardware

One thing I have learned is that in small spaces anything that sticks out is a bad idea. Kitchen hardware is usually something we all like to update to add a little pizazz and sparkle to a kitchen. However, not all ideas are good ones.  In the picture below the bar handled style is great in a larger kitchen but in a small confined one causes problems. If you bump up against them they will no doubt snag a pocket, a blouse, a sleeve etc and that is an aggravation you don't need. Opt for something blunt that wont snag on those lower cabinets.

4. Poor layout 

So often we see tiny kitchens with bad layouts. They do not make the best use of space and we end up paying the cost to make them work for us. In my kitchen, there's a lot of space allocated to the kitchen sink. There's more counterspace on either side of the sink than there is by the stove where I truly need it. 

I have an open concept home, which is nice, but I am having a hard time understanding why designers haven't figured out we don't need really large sinks any more. Consuming a lot of counter space is not ideal in small kitchens. Since everyone has dishwashers less people are washing and drying dishes by hand so really, why large sinks? 

Another issue is making the sink area face the living and dining areas. When you are hosting dinners and cooking, its ideal to be able to face your company and chat while you are preparing the meal. People love to stand around and watch meals being prepared and it is nice to be a part of the conversation. Many times the sink is where the stove should be and the stove is where the sink would work best. 

Also consider prep space when designing a small kitchen. Wherever the stove/oven is going to be, it needs to have adequate prep space. I have had large kitchens with precious little prep space by the stove and it makes literally no sense. This is not a deal breaker if you cook very little, but if you host family dinners etc having a small area to chop and drop is definitely a bad design. If you are building or buying, make sure you take a good look at this, if it is important to you.

5. Lacking a proper broom closet

Another annoyance of mine is a small ineffective broom closet. Often times this space can barely house a broom much less anything else. Like the pantry, my broom closet is a tiny cramped area that has to also house my trash can, which I really don't like seeing out in the open especially in a kitchen, a tiny kitchen at that.  So I will be adding hooks and possibly more shelving as I go to help store things I need to keep a tidy space. The only thing that makes a tiny kitchen feel smaller is a kitchen that is messy. 

5 times you should ignore Interior Design Pros

 If you're like many homeowners and you're struggling to find a cohesive well thought design for your home, you often seek out information from, well sites like this, youtube, television etc.  The problem is, more often than not you're deluged with a ton of suggestions that just don't work with your lifestyle, nor your budget. This can leave you feeling like the time and effort you invest in your space is a complete waste. Don't fret, we all have to start somewhere and sometimes interior designers forget about the budget friendly middle America point of view. Here's a few things on when  you should absolutely ignore the pros and their advice:

1. Design Pros- "Never buy all your furniture from one place and/or in a set..."

Many interior designers espouse this as some sort of cardinal rule of thumb as it pertains to their viewers. Seldom do they realize that most people buy these sets because it is economical and regardless of what they think, assures a look that is in fact cohesive and easier for the average homeowner to design around. When you're just starting out, have yet to fully understand your own tastes and how to pull a room together with mismatched pieces, buying sets of furniture make sense.

2.Design Pros- " Only purchase all natural fibers in textiles.."

Yes, on first glance this may seem like wonderful advice, as all natural fibers in textiles are often softer and are usually handwoven pieces and can be very sustainable over time. They look better and create visual texture and interest while offering optimal comfort. However, many textiles, like toss pillows, throws, area rugs, drapes etc that are natural fibers can be expensive, and even if you find a good sale you absolutely must factor in your lifestyle. You have to determine if its a practical choice for your family. Families with children or pets may find making these investments can backfire as not all natural handwoven pieces can be easily cleaned, aren't always stain resistant, child or pet friendly.  Proceed with caution when making this investment and factor in these things.

3. Design Pros- "Feel free to mix metals and different wood tones"

If done right mixing various metal fixtures and wood finishes can be a really cool design  in your space. Contrast always creates interest. However,  many designers fail to educate  on how to do this correctly, or they give a brief explanation with little context. Mixing different finishes so that it looks cohesive is not an easy task if you are a new homeowner and are still figuring out your design style. It is better to stick with the tried and true until you have time to establish the right way to blend woods and metals. If you aren't sure how to do this, take your time, avoid major investments and wait until you have had time to live in a space. Rome wasn't built in a day. 

5. Do" this not that" advice

Again this boils down to the expert making assumptions that may not be in line with what their viewers or readers need. Many of the suggestions pros give are not factoring in personal tastes, affordability, or long standing design value. Trends are going to come and go and you can spend a lot of time and money trying to keep up. Think practicality vs affordability and do what will work for you at this time in your life. Choices that make sense for you at 30 with three kids may demand you look for things that are durable and affordable. Design options tend to expand with time and you may be able to go high end or develop a broader sense of what your design aesthetic later on as your lifestyle and family needs change. Until then, get the basics, and don't worry about following designer advice to the utmost. Do what works for you!

Interior design trends in 2021

 So we've seen a lot of surprises along the way in home design. We saw brass, aka gold make a comeback, I know I didn't see that coming. Farmhouse design suddenly dominated design across America, with the popular show Fixer Uppers leading the charge.  Trends, like all good and not so good things almost always have a beginning and an end, but some are just growing, and transforming.

Gray was the new  Beige

Ahhhh gray so calming, so peaceful, and so not beige, yet, not a big leap of faith either. While gray is still showing up in newly constructed homes, modular and mobile homes, it is not as dominant as it was. When gray made the scene we saw it popping up everywhere, and covering every surface in home design, walls, carpets, tiles, and textiles. It almost seemed as if the world was stuck on an old tv movie, in black and white.  However design trends showing up in 2021 suggest gray is fading out, and guess what's creeping back in? Beige. Now we arent necessarily talking about all walls, all furniture, all floors going beige, proper, but we are seeing softer warmer neutrals ie: beige, taupe, warm gray, off whites coming back. The difference this time is we are seeing it in smaller doses, and its being paired with natural elements and accents. Think farmhouse, but with more of an earthy elegance.

Farmhouse Design

Farmhouse design took off like a bullet. Dominating interior design for quite a while, all thanks to Chip and Joanna Gaines and their extremely popular show Fixer Uppers.
Suddenly everyone wanted the look and it did not take long before we saw across home improvement venues nationwide all the farmhouse decor fodder possible. Americans seemed to crave that charming, homespun shiplap dream which easily incorporated the gray and white paint paint scheme that came prior.  Barndoors were going up, and suburbia was playing dress up. Farmhouse design, is slowly transforming. We are seeing a more refined version emerging, but I suspect it will eventually phase out but do not worry, the refined version is an easy fix, just needing tweaks here and there and will likely give this trend some extended life.  

Proper Scale is key to great design

So many times we shop online and we see just the right lamp, chair or ? We rush and buy it for fear it will not come our way again, only to discover once we get it home, its either too small for the space, or too big. This can be a big issue because you have to then send it back and usually that means paying shipping and handling. Here's a few things to consider when you order anything online.
Dimensions
I can't stress this enough but if you don't check out dimensions ahead of time you could be in for a lot of heartache and disappointment. Remember that great buy may very well be because the item you've fallen in love with was meant for a doll house. Just Kidding but you get my meaning. On the flip side, the size may not translate in photos either so it could be much larger than you anticipate, and may end up being the focal point over all other focal points and maybe that is not the objective.

Dimension X's ?
How many you buy of a certain item may also have to be factored in. Case and point, say you're like my friend and you're buying pendant lights, you check out the dimensions of the pendant and you say, we'll this isn't that bad and should be nice. Aha! Not so fast, now remember how many you need and times that by the dimensions and realize all together it could be too much, too large. On the flip side, if the lights are smaller than you'd like buying multiple ones may offset the individual size and may make sense once up. It's your call but its something to think about.

Still not sure?
The key thing to remember is you've got to decide what is the objective and function. Objective is ? Do you want this item to compliment existing decor or be the focal point? If its the focal point going a little larger or with more than one may be any effective way to establish the item(s) as a focal point in the space.  Function? Are you relying on these items to be functional? Does the item pull double duty and provide something in addition to being decorative or as a focal point? If the answer is yes, consider the role it plays in the space and make sure to prioritize what is most important to you. Is it more important that it provide a function than carefully consider its placement and make sure it is fully capable of being useful to you. Its not a good choice if it costs a lot and is basically an fancy bobble or space consuming, dust catching item.

If one is nice two is better...
You may hear designers on television say "don't be too matchy matchy." But if you're new to the whole decorating your home idea, say its your first home or you've never been very good at pulling together a look in a room, then "matchy matchy" can be your safest way to get a nice look without it coming across as too random, or eclectic. So if you find the scale is  right and you like it and you use it in your space, consider when purchasing if there are more than one style of the item in say different shapes, or styles or functions. If so carrying a theme through open spaces can make your room look pulled together, well thought out and cohesive. Don't listen to designers in every instance. They speak as if everyone has had their training and know all the tricks of the trade. For the individual that is just learning and experimenting, trust me, your money will be well spent to practice caution and better to be "matchy-matchy" than to look like you went crazy at a bunch of yard sales and brought back everything you found. You may like the random, eclectic effect but if you do it wrong, your home will just come off looking like an antique mall or yard sale on the inside. Stick to safe bets.

Whats the new trend heading our way in home design color? White!

We've seen the neutral wall shades come and go, we've seen beige, taupe, and grays galore...some will be here for some time yet, like gray, but the new kid on the block is the oldest yet, and we're seeing it popping up everywhere in home design. White walls are the new fad and there's good reason, white is a classic and classic design has real staying power.
Now for those that are mystified by this, well don't be. Years ago, every new home built back "in the day" was done in flat white paint on every wall. Builders left paint colors up to the home owner and many either left them white or painted them in the colors popular for the time.
Going all white might seem simple but there are things to consider if you choose to go this route:
If you're going to follow this trend here's things to consider, both positive and negative:

Pros:

White floods out small imperfections and even stains/marks
White will bring your colorful accessories out from hiding and let them take center stage.
Works with almost every color scheme and allows you the freedom to change design schemes often with no real painting needed
Ideal for zen styles
Gives small collections and design elements more importance because white offers no visual competition
Brightens dark spaces-especially if you use semi or high gloss paint which lets light bounce around the space via reflection


Cons:

White highlights big flaws and marks
White and eccentric tastes in color can work against each other.  White makes everything that has a color stand out but too many conflicting colors can cause the eye to jump around the space and leave  disconcerted feeling.
White makes clutter more prominent
White makes less attractive things stand out as well as attractive
Many think white lacks warmth. This is not true nearly as much as what you pair white with in colorful accessories etc. Stark contrasts can create a colder feel than warm colors and interesting textures.

Happy home deocrating!!

Glass Tile Backsplashes

There are some important things to consider before you invest in a glass tile backsplash for your kitchen or bathroom. Many people consider glass tile to be an upgrade to their overall kitchen design but glass tile backsplashes do have a few drawbacks. Here's some thoughts on the subject. 

Glass Tile-

 Over the last ten years we've seen a lot of home renovations, specifically kitchen renovations go through some design changes. We've seen the waves of popularity for certain materials ebb and flow and we've seen some come and go and stay gone. Some are almost off the map now..while others linger. Glass tile has lingered for a while.  Is this because they are so popular? Not necessarily. Glass tiles are still readily available and a lot of people still find them to be an ideal upgrade to their kitchen remodeling efforts. Are they? Well not so fast. 

Pros- Glass tiles are easy to install-or relatively so, and easy to maintain once installed. They are easy to clean and can be an attractive way to tie in various colors and elements in the kitchen. Large selection of colors, and styles available. They typically come in different sizes from small cubed patterns to elongated rectangular stacked patterns. You can find various colors and color combinations that will work with many paint schemes you have on your kitchen and bathroom walls and cabinets. Glass tiles are still readily available.

Cons- Not the most inexpensive option, depending on how much wall you have behind your counters. Can look dated. Yes I know this seems hard to believe but glass tile has been around for a while.  It's a trend, and trends tend to come and go with each decade. Extremely taste specific. It is hard to believe something you spent so much time picking out and paying for would not be loved by all, but of all the kitchen renovation choices you can make, glass tile is the most taste specific choice next to counter top choice. What does this mean? Well it means it is less neutral in appearance and therefore may not appeal to the broader masses. Now this is only an issue if you're planning on selling one day, but still its important.  Busy patterns. Glass tiles can be very busy and can clash with many counter tops. Especially granite that also tends to have a pattern involved. Putting the two next to each other can result in something that looks like a bad channel on your television.  We really don't want something so busy it should come with an epilepsy warning do we?

The bottom line is this, while glass tile backsplashes are still available they are indeed a trend and all trends come to an end, right after to you spend. Remember that. Chose carefully what pattern or design to go with because you're not only stuck with it, but in many cases if it is too taste specific may be off-putting to a future potential buyer and in some cases can be a deal breaker. I have seen people refuse to buy homes over the design choices involving granite and tile choices. If at all possible try to get an idea what your kitchen will look like with glass tile by either creating the look on photoshop or buying interior design software to explore what the end results will yield. 

My advice is to always pick where to spend your big dollars. I'd rather invest in a nice patterned counter top and an complimentary toned down backsplash. Let one be the show stopper, but don't let both compete for that title. It will only come off as disconcerting.

First Time Home Renovation: Questions you must ask yourself before you decide

When it comes to buying a home we are often caught in the net of whether we buy new, and pay a higher price or buy a less expensive home and do renovations. For some this may be an easy answer, for others they may struggle with the best decision for their finances and family. Let's take a look at things to consider before we decide.

If you're open to renovations but also budget minded you have to weigh the pros and cons of buying a new construction vs. one you can renovate. There are pros and cons to either decision. The first few questions we must answer for ourselves are as follows:

1. Is the home I want to renovate in an area that will allow it? Some homes are in neighborhoods where you have a homeowners associations also know as HOA. These homes typically cost a little more upfront because they have rules and regulations with regards to the appearance of each home in that neighborhood as well as offering amenities such as pools, playgrounds etc.  Interior renovations are usually not the issue, but exterior changes will need to meet with the Home Owners Associations approval. They have to agree and sign off on all plans you have including but not limited to exterior paint color, certain landscaping plans, structural changes etc. This means you have to hire not only a licensed contractor, get all necessary permits, but also have the work inspected routinely and shut down if there is any infractions or work not done to code. Once a building inspector comes to the property, if he finds something with the existing home that is not to code you will be required to bring it to code before you can even begin any new renovations. That can all get very costly because that is an unforeseen expense that will have little to do with your new plans for the home. If renovations appeal to you, steer clear of homes that have HOA fees. You will not be allowed the same freedom to do what you want with your home.

2. Have I ever renovated before? If the answer is "no" you need to be aware that renovations typically take longer and cost more than any time or cost estimate you're likely to receive even by the best builder or contractor you can find. That being said, you do end up with a custom home well suited to your tastes and families needs. Just be aware that renovations and estimates are not set in stone. If the home is extremely old or has not been well maintained, there could be hidden issues that must be fixed way before you can start the fun things like picking out paint color and choosing decorations.  Be realistic with your expectations, Rome was not built in a day, homes don't get in bad condition over night and thus to restore them to their best condition does not happen in a blink of an eye either. Too many times those who have never gone through renovations tend to believe all fixes are simple. "Oh you just need to put in a door, or window that should be easy and quick." Not necessarily. If new frame work must be done, bigger openings have to be made or rotten wood is present, what seems simple and fast can be time consuming. Be realistic, especially if you know your home has some of these issues beforehand. It gets ugly before it gets pretty. That is how all renovations are. Even when you're not dealing with rotten wood or custom fitting, tools can break or malfunction, someone could get hurt during the work, there's endless hold ups and snags along the way. Some will only affect your timeline, others may affect your budget.

3. Can I afford renovation? Renovations as stated above, can often cost more than the estimate because there are many variables that come into play that just can't be known to the contractor or builder ahead of time. You have to set aside or allow in your budget a certain amount of contingency funds for the unforeseen. Ideally, mark up 10 percent of the budget estimate just for the unknowns. No one likes to spend money on things they can't see, however, rotten wood, bad plumbing, etc if left unchecked and un-repaired can come back to bite you later on and cost far more to fix. Better to spend while you have the money than to wait until it hits you at a time when funds might be low or non existent. If you have limited funds, the type of home your want to look for is one that is not very old and only needs cosmetic improvements. These tend to be fairly straight forward and offer the easiest in renovation work.

4. Can my life handle a renovation? Renovations can be stressful. Shaky marriage, kids, new jobs, new schools, new area, new neighbors all can wreak havoc on your design dreams for your new home. The home as mentioned in previous paragraphs will be ugly and in disarray for a time before you actually get to enjoy the beauty of your creation. Things must be torn down, ripped apart and rebuilt to create new space, new appearances and new functions and this means, eternal messes, noise, dust, dirt and distractions. Big renovations are usually the worst to live with and in some cases you may want to not move into the home until the renovations are complete. If you can't carry the mortgage and rent at the same time you'll need to factor that into your decision. Smaller renovations say $10,000.00 or less, usually are a minor inconvenience but still something you can live through.  Make sure you can handle the temporary changes a renovation will thrust into your life, your routines and your relationships. Only the strong can survive. That being said, if you end up purchasing a home for $130,000.00 and make the right investments in the renovations, you could very well end up with a home worth $200,000.00 or more depending on what homes in the area are ranging in price wise. This means equity and equity is like money in the bank.

5. What are the existing values of the homes in the neighborhood? Let's say you've got big ideas and big dreams of creating the perfect home and you've caught the renovation bug. Great! Now you've found a home you just know you can make a show place. Wait! Before you sign on the dotted line, what are the homes worth in the area you're buying in? Have you checked what other homes in the area are selling for? These are called "comps/comparables" and they are the indicators used to determine your homes value. What you want to look for in your home is the ability to increase square footage first and foremost. Why? Well lets say you bought your home and it is 1500 square feet and sells for $130,000.00. The largest home in the neighborhood is 3000 square feet and completely updated and is selling for 330,000.00. This tells you that you can increase your home up to double its size and expect to gain in equity several hundred grand. Now most of us aren't going to buy a home and double the size, but the idea is, you've bought a small home in a neighborhood with big  homes in it. This gives you the best chance of gaining significant equity in your home for your renovation dollar.  If this same 1500 square foot home for $130,000.00 is in a neighborhood with other similar sized homes and values, and you increase the size by 1000 square feet you are not likely to see a huge return on your investment because the comparables dictate your homes value. Comps that are only going for $130 grand are not going to boost your homes value. Buyers are not expecting a large home for $230 grand in that neighborhood. Those who can afford that are going to be shopping in neighborhoods where all the homes are in that range. Not many want the biggest home in a small home neighborhood because the base price of those small homes is low and will affect their home's appraisal. However a small home in a big home neighborhood will be expected to be larger and go for more so it allows the renovator the latitude to gain equity. High comps raise your homes value by association. So you'll be able to get back some of your investment by renovating. Buyers will expect an updated larger home so you'll be free to expand and improve and get a higher appraisal should you wish to do a cash out refinance or sell in the future. Something to think about.

The bottom line is never go into any venture with your money without doing some research. Being smart always pays off in the long run.

How to make a kitchen island from old cabinetry

©Dawn Gagnon Photography 2017

If you remodeled your older kitchen and did so on a shoe string budget, you may have realized that the new cabinets you bought, let's say from a home center near you, were not solid wood, but mostly comprised of some MDF for the body and only the front facade of the cabinets were actual wood. There's nothing wrong with that. Newer cabinets are still nice to have, offer ease of use, are clean and usually bright on the inside and easy to install. That being said, what you may have noticed is your old site built cabinets were solid wood, strong and difficult to remove.

When we remodeled our kitchen I saved all the good usable wood and some of the cabinetry. It's a complete mystery to me when watching renovation shows how often they throw away all the old cabinetry. I understand in some cases why new cabinetry is needed. In my case my old  cabinets were dark, had an old old smell to them..and when I opened up a wall, I was unable to match the newer cabinets with the existing cabinets. So I had no choice but to buy all new. One cabinet in particular I had a vision for, and it was a mobile island. It had three good drawers and I could not see throwing it away.

Here's the solution:
For the top, no need to go all crazy trying to find a fancy granite top, (not that it wouldn't be amazing..) But the simple 2 X 4 top made this project super inexpensive and allowed me to use it the same day!

©Dawn Gagnon Photography 2017

By placing the cabinet on metal casters and adding a simple top made of 2 X 4's we were able to salvage a super functional piece of cabinetry and give it new life. Next time you're doing a renovation, remember the value in those old solid wood cabinets. Don't be so quick to throw them away. Have a vision, there's lots of solutions for your salvaged wood and cabinets.

© Dawn Gagnon Photography 2017

Adding some decorative touches made it feel like a part of the kitchen design as well with these wooden scrolled brackets;

©Dawn Gagnon Photography

Ways to cover, renovate and fix your ugly damaged ceilings

One of the single more important updates you can do to your home is dealing with popcorn ceilings. No one likes them and if you neglect to update them in major living spaces, whatever updates you do make will be tempered by this oversight.

Popcorn ceilings have been around for a long time and aside from the fact that cob webs and dust cling to it, they also date the home. The best renovations occur when you have a home that is 30-40 years old that can stand up to and surpass new construction.

Whether you're planning on selling your home or not, it is really unimportant. Your home is still your investment and unless you can see well into your future financial needs with your crystal ball, you should always invest in updates that make sense for your home's value.

Ceilings often get overlooked in renovations by do it yourself types. Why? Well its the un-fun part of the cosmetic aspect. However, if you don't address it, it will actually take away from all the hard work you put elsewhere.

If you're doing a full from top to bottom renovation, you'll want to tackle your popcorn ceiling first. It's messy..and no matter what you read or research, there is no exceptionally "easy" pain free way to tackle it. If you're lucky and it has not been painted over, it should come off a little easier, but it will be very messy and if your home is an older home you will want to have windows opened, everything removed from the room possible, and what stays must be covered, and covered well. The dust and debris get everywhere, even in places you haven't thought of. Keep a dust mask on and protective eye wear. If you forego the dust mask..and I don't recommend it, keep your mouth closed.  You'd be surprised how many of us have our mouths open when we are looking up and scraping..its weird but true.
Now there are some work around ideas you may want to do if you absolutely want to avoid scraping a popcorn ceiling.  Research these:
Ceiling Tins- expensive if your kitchen is large, but they do come in a variety of textures, and colors. You can also find them in pvc form.
Styrofoam ceiling tiles- These are far less expensive than the aforementioned and can give you a very nice look. I would suggest researching online images of projects done by others to see if it is something you can do.
Panels- You can use bead board paneling and tongue and groove wood on your ceilings. It is very expensive to go this route as well depending on the size of your kitchen.
All of these ideas will likely still require some sanding of the popcorn, especially if it is very textured. I would try an inconspicuous place in a closet or hallway ceiling to test out which idea works.

Wall Paper- I know a few years back wall paper was considered the scourge of the renovation world. However today, textured wall paper that can be painted can be your best friend. If you add in faux beams like in the photographs to this post, you can cut them shorter and have an easier time.  Don't dip and drip, use wall paper paste, it really is far easier.