So this morning I was making coffee in our newly remodeled kitchen. Everything about it is…read moreimproved. The space is small, less than 120 sq. feet in our mid-1920's era house, and yet there is an amazing amount of counter and storage space, and the workflow between range, fridge, coffee station and sink is natural and makes sense. Everything is light and airy looking and the space looks modern yet retains the feel of early 20th century construction. Tile, counter, cabinets, floor and paint are complimentary, and soothing. There's even a range hood for handling cooking exhaust. We could not be happier with the outcome of our project, and we realize that engaging Aimee Toy Inouye at Paragon Kitchens and Bath was the number one reason for the success of our remodeling project.
Rewind 4 months. My wife and I decided our 90s-era old kitchen had to go. Massive dark granite counters/backsplash was cracking, Ikea cabinets were crumbling, lighting was dim and we could barely lay out a cutting board for meal prep. We knew enough subcontractors that we thought we could handle the project ourselves, but how were we going to best change the space?
We investigated kitchen design firms and the upfront cost seemed shockingly high. Paragon's quote was in the middle of several firms we investigated, but still, we were thinking we could save money right away by figuring out a design ourselves.
Keep in mind, engaging a designer will be your first expense. Later on you will be writing check after check without thinking twice but in the beginning, you will hesitate. You will think, they can spit floor plans out of a computer in an hour. It's a counter and some cabinet boxes and some tiles. Plug in the numbers and it's done.
You will think of the cost of designer time, when you really should think of the cost of designer expertise. You are paying for knowledge, experience, and talent, which actually is priceless.
In this case Aimee's knowledge, experience and talent were an amazing bargain. She and her partner Christina visited our kitchen several times and talked to us about our issues and what we wanted out of a remodel. They took exact measurements, and then several weeks later came back with renderings of four different layouts, with pros and cons listed for each. We worked with her and in the end combined two of these proposed designs and asked for cabinet estimates, a counter source, and advice on paint, flooring and tile. Here Aimee's contacts were key. We visited a slab yard in Berkeley together and picked out stone that would work with her design, and found complimentary backsplash tile and flooring. She put together a cabinet order that was complex and complete, with a company that gave a firm delivery date, and with that in place we were able to start demo on Jan 5. Paragon provided a complete set of layout and elevation plans with all measurements that our electrician, cabinet installer, tile contractor and plumber used with everything accurate and complete. Because of her assistance, we experienced smooth sailing step by step, and the project was completed exactly one month later!
Throughout the process, Aimee was instantly responsive with questions about delivery, measurements, paint colors, lighting fixture suggestions, and sink and faucet recommendations. Everything she recommended worked perfectly, and when everything was finished the results were amazing. We could not have been more pleased.
My wife and I recommend Paragon highly. Remember when considering engaging a designer, that you will be living with the end result for many years, long after the memory of starting the ball rolling has faded. You will enjoy the results!
