A Room With a View

Project of the Month

The Hall Design Group’s featured project of the month is located within a century home in Hudson, Ohio. The clients wish for the end result was to work within the existing space and to re-arrange the floor plan to create a more open feel while at the same time to add a butler’s pantry all while maintaining the original architecture of the home. The only item to remain was the beautiful hickory floors in which we patched as needed and then re-finished. One of my favorite parts of the project was the creation of the butler’s pantry. This was achieved by taking space from the large family room. The location ends up in an ideal spot due to the fact the space bridges both the family room and a the dining room. One concern of the clients was to not lose the beautiful view out back from the dining room. To maintain the light and the view all the while adding an interesting element, I designed a leaded glass paneled wall. By doing this the space opens and adds a sense of charm to the room. The kitchen is not only aesthetically pleasing but also functional at the same time. All of the modern state of the art appliances were used and are being enjoyed by the clients and their friends as they entertain. The Hall Design Group takes great pride in knowing that we created a space for many memories to be made and shared over the years to come.

State of the Industry Mid-Way 2019:

As we move forward into the second half of 2019, the kitchen and bath industry finds itself firing on all cylinders. The industry also finds itself with many challenges as we move into the second half of the year. The most challenging obstacle facing both the firms and consumers is the lack of skilled laborers. Finding reputable skilled contractors becomes more and more difficult every day and when one finally finds someone they may find that their lead times can be up to a year out to start a project. HGTV and other similar programs tend to make people think that they can get a kitchen or bath remodeled quickly and inexpensively. I spend a great deal of time re-educating the public about the complexity of a project and the time and money involved. Another headwind that we face today is the tariff issue. This is a sensitive political topic but one that we cannot ignore as we make our material selections for our upcoming project. The biggest hit has come in the quartz countertop market. Quartz has become almost exclusive in regards to tops for both the kitchen and the bath due to the fact that the maintenance is terrific and color choice never ending. A lot of quartz comes from overseas and we are now feeling the effects of the tariffs, either by limited supplies or by a great increase in price. I have also found that we are seeing plumbing fixtures being affected in the same manner.

In regards to what is trending for 2019 and beyond there are many. The most notable trend seems to be luxury vinyl tile. More and more clients are selecting this product over hardwood for many reasons. The two most popular reasons are the ease of installation (can be installed right over tile ) and the maintenance of the material. other trends include moodier tones in regards to the color choice for cabinets, larger subway tiles, a more open floor plan and much more.

Summarizing my thoughts and advice to my clients today is that one should plan well ahead and if you are thinking of a remodeling project for upcoming 2020 then you should start the planning process now. If you have found a firm then you should lock into their calendar. You should also start early in the material phase of the project and make selections and purchases while they are available or if there is a wait then get ordered so it is available once you begin your project.