Better Bedroom Design: 5 Ideas

Whether you consider it your peaceful haven or just a place to crash each night, your bedroom is a sacred space. Making the most of your bedroom’s square footage - big or small - is all about getting smart with your space.

You’d be amazed at how a little organization, better design, and clever craftsmanship can turn the most neglected bedroom into an everyday getaway. Ready to transform your cramped, dated or cluttered bedroom? Read our five favorite ideas below!

1. Clean and Simple
First and foremost, a bedroom is for rest and relaxation. If your space is cluttered by piles of laundry, stacks of paper, or other miscellaneous household junk, then it’s time to get organized! You’re never going to be able to unplug and unwind in a bedroom that projects chaos.

2. Create a Calm Atmosphere
After you clear the clutter, it’s time to start cultivating a calming atmosphere. A room’s mood is determined by countless little design details. To create a soothing, sleep-friendly vibe, we suggest using muted colors, subtle patterns, soft fabrics, and simple furnishings.

3. It’s All About the Bed
When you get down to it, your bedroom has one purpose: sleeping. If nothing else, your room should have a comfortable, cozy, supportive bed that you love falling into each night. One of our favorite recent bed trends? Padded headboards that feel like leaning into a couch - they’re great for bedtime reading!

4. Add a Master Bath
This may be a pipe dream for some, but if you have the budget, then we highly suggest adding or investing in remodeling your master bath. Nothing completes a master suite like a private bathroom oasis with an oversized soaking tub, a spa-style shower, or Jack and Jill sinks.

5. Consider the Light
Finally, because your bedroom is all about catching zzz’s, it’s smart to consider the amount of light that comes in. A few updates to consider: buying automated blinds, investing in quality window coverings, or installing dimmable light fixtures.

Ready to start re-imagining your basic bedroom? Get in touch with us today! Juke would love to help you manage the remodeling process!

Project Feature: Warm and Trendy Kitchen Remodel

Today we’re excited to feature another beautiful kitchen remodel completed with our friends and partners, The Cabinet Store. There’s so much to love about this warm, trendy, and unique space - it’s hard for us to narrow it down to our favorite elements!

One design highlight is the use of textures and tones throughout the kitchen. From glowing metallic accents like the range hood and ceiling tile to the simple neutral subway tile and natural quartz countertops, every finish choice adds to the overall sense of balance.

From top to bottom, this room is such a fun mix of bold trends, timeless style, and functional design. It was a joy for us to partner with these homeowners and help transform their kitchen into a place they can enjoy for years to come!

Scroll below to see more photos and details from this stunning remodel. Ready to begin planning your own kitchen transformation? Please, feel free to contact our team today!

Before

After

5 Tips for Finding the Right Contractor

You've reached a crossroads; you're tired of your clunky floor plan, dated kitchen, boring basement, or cramped family bathroom. The next question is, where do you start? What style do you like? How much will it cost? And WHO will you hire to handle it all? 

Finding not only a reputable contractor but the right person for you is no small matter. Trusting the person you work with should be a given, still, what other benchmarks are also relevant?

To help in your search, we've put together a list below of the top 5 qualities and qualifications you'll want your contractor to possess. 

1. Industry Cred
   One smart place to begin is by checking any potential contractor's industry credentials. A lot of people in this field are self-taught, which can make things more complicated. Many experienced contractors don't have a specific degree. However, serious candidates should probably belong to organizations like the National Association of the Remodeling Industry, Better Business Bureau, or Kitchen and Bath Remodelers. 
    
2. Glowing Recommendations
   Another given? Your contractor should have glowing reviews and recommendations from their former clients. No one enjoys asking for feedback, but legitimate business owners know its essential. Frankly, it's a pretty bad sign if your contractor can't find anyone to recommend them or is too lazy to ask. 
    
3. A Good Personality
   This quality is a little more subjective, yet having a good rapport with your contractor is a big deal. Whether you jive better with someone who's serious and to-the-point or an informal jokester, all that matters is if they make you feel comfortable. You should like and get along with the person who's spending weeks in your home!
    
4. Upfront Plans
   A good builder or remodeler is a strong planner. Sure, they might hire someone to manage organizing plans for them, but they should have their act together. Honestly, if a contractor can't present you with an orderly plan upfront, then what are the chances they'll pull everything together during the busyness of construction? (Answer: slim!) 
    
5. Communication Skills
   Finally, remodeling and construction usually involve at least a bit of the unexpected - it's just the nature of the business. When snags inevitably come, you'll want the person heading up your project to be an excellent communicator. The building process involves extensive communication and teamwork from all parties. The person leading the show should be the first to speak up and set a positive tone.  

Want to Know More?
Ready to get serious about your project with an experienced contractor? Reach out to our fearless leader, Juke, anytime - he'd love to help you get things rolling! 

Project Feature: A Hosting-Friendly Home

Our clients remodel for every reason under the sun, but some of our favorite projects revolve around hosting. Homes are meant to be enjoyed and shared with the people you love, after all! 

Alongside our talented friends from The Cabinet Store, we helped these Burnsville homeowners transform their kitchen, dining room, and lower level bar from traditional to tremendous. 

Finished as a two-part process, the designer Carly decided our team would renovate the lower level first so it could serve as the kitchen while the upstairs became a construction zone.

Between the new basement bar and the open and updated main level (we took out the wall separating the kitchen and dining room), this beautiful home is guest-friendly. From family holidays to fall football parties - they can do it all! 

While we always have a hard time picking favorites, on this project, we have to go with the basement bar. It's sophisticated, spacious, and functions as the perfect bonus kitchen! 

Pick out your top features and finishes from this stunning home as you browse through more photos below. And give us a call anytime if you're ready to get started on that long-dreamed about remodel or project! 

2018 Kitchen Trends and Technology

If we can single out one space our clients love remodeling most, it would probably have to be the kitchen. As floor plans have opened up and entertaining has become increasingly informal, more people are investing heavily in their kitchens. 

We are all about this trend; helping homeowners get the most out of the spaces they use every day is our mission. We want you to fall in love with your home again - our job is to translate your vision into a reality. 

So, what kitchen design trends and technology are heating up right now? Read on below for a list of our favorite styles and features! 

Embracing Color
White and grey will always be kitchen classics, however bright and bold colors are falling back in favor again. From painted cabinets to tile backsplashes to accent walls - fun splashes of color are popping up everywhere. 

Mixed Metallics
Whether it's gold, copper, matte blacks or stainless steel, metallic accents are still going strong in kitchen decor. We like this trend because you can employ it in small bursts like lighting or knobs or big statement pieces like range hoods. 

Modern Farmhouse Style
Farmhouse style isn't going anywhere, however, it has been evolving. Lately, the push is pairing classic farmhouse finishes with a modern flare. The result creates a beautiful blend of traditional, timeless design with the best of modern technology. 

Concrete Features
Another distinctive finish that's grown in popularity is concrete counter tops and sinks. This more industrial style makes a statement, but you should approach it with some caution. Much like marble and granite, concrete does require regular maintenance and sealing. 

Banquette Seating
Formerly common in older generations of kitchen design, built-in seating is making a significant comeback. We love how these cozy booths create casual areas to relax and hang out in the kitchen. Plus, they add interest and make your space truly unique. 

Increased Automation
Last but not least, technology is continuing to make its way into the kitchen. From smart fridges to ovens to automation to space for cooking with tablets, tech is becoming more at home in kitchen design. We're all for anything that makes people's lives easier to navigate! 

Are you ready to begin perusing your dream kitchen? Get in touch with us today - we'd love to help you get the ball rolling! 

Understanding the Design-Build Process

Where Do I Start? 
If you're at the very beginning of the building or remodeling process, then you probably have a lot of questions. You might ask yourself, who should I hire? How much will my project cost? What will the design process involve? 

These are all excellent thoughts to consider, and brainstorming is a substantial first step in any renovation. Now is the time to gather as much information and as many resources as you need! You want to enter confidently into the next phase of your project. 

What Does Design-Build Mean?
As you've weighed your options, you may be wondering, what does it mean to be a design-build company? A lot of builders operate under this structure now, so what makes them different? Essentially, the design-build process a more integrated construction method. Instead of working with a separate contractor and designer (and their respective teams), everything rolls through one design-build team. 

Why is This Helpful? 
Now that you have a basic definition of a design-build remodeler, you're probably wondering, what the advantages are of hiring them over a more traditional company? As a design-build contracting business, we think there are countless benefits to this renovation path, such as: 

• Streamlined Process - one company means one building method and one design-process, which means less fuss for you. 
• Easier Communication - day-to-day updates, questions, and clarification all go through a single entity. 
• Fewer People - a reduced amount of people coming in and out of your home, who have all been screened and picked by your contractor only. 
• Less Stress for You - instead of managing multiple bids, designers, and contractors, your design-build leader becomes the point person for your remodel. (Sigh of relief, right?) 
• Faster Competition - a simplified and integrated design and building process typically equals quicker results for your project! 

Want to Know More? 
We'd love to help you figure out if the design-build process is a good fit for you. Please, get in touch with us anytime! We'll happily walk you through what you need to know and answer all of your burning questions.