Written by: Remya Warrior, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Interior design is not just about making the room look pretty, it’s about creating the best environment that brings out the best in you.
These days I see many people trying to copy their friends or neighbors, but why? God has made each one of us unique. We have different lifestyles and tastes. Truth is the majority of the people whom I talk to have no idea how to hone in on what their individual style is. And most people don’t spend the time trying to figure that out.
Let me show you 2 kitchens that were from the same neighborhood, had the same layout when we got started & ended up being 2 completely different kitchens when they were done. This happened because we truly believe in bringing out your own incredible journey & style to the forefront.
As you can see both kitchens started out pretty much the same. A U-shaped kitchen with a peninsula.
Before pic.
Let’s talk about the 2 different approaches & why we took these.
1st kitchen. The homeowner is a fun vivacious Italian lady who loved to cook. She was frustrated with her kitchen as she didn’t have enough storage space & she had to store a lot of her stuff in the garage as well as some in the basement. She wanted more cabinetry and counter space. They always entertained their extended family during the holiday so she also wanted 2 big ovens.
I suggested opening up the space to her family room and taking one feet from that room in order to make her kitchen bigger. Not only that, she would then have an open floor plan which would make entertaining a larger family easier.
She was over the moon when we were able to show her how her kitchen could look like. Using our 9 layer process we were able to bring her personality forward and create a unique kitchen for her that reflected her personality.
2nd kitchen. As mentioned before this kitchen was also in the same neighborhood. But the circumstances of why this couple had to do their kitchen at this time were very different. They had a leak on the 2nd floor and their kitchen also got damaged. The family was dealing with some health issues also during this time.
So they weren’t as excited to redo their kitchen. However, we followed our 9-layer process & made sure that they were investing in a kitchen that they could love for a very long time. We kept the same floorplan & had to reuse their countertop in order to save some money. But by just rearranging the cabinet layout, we were able to give them more storage space instead of the wasted space they had earlier. As you can see, their kitchen has the elegant contemporary style which they loved.
I hope you will also be inspired to figure out your own style and make your home an extension of who you are.
As W.Clement Stone said,
Be careful the environment you choose for it will shape you; be careful the friends you choose for you will become like them.
If you want to learn more about the 9 layers of Kitchen design so you can create your unique kitchen, click here.
Remya Warrior, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Remya is a space planning expert with over 15 years of experience & a master's degree in design. She is the owner and lead designer of Kitchen Designers NJ, a brick-and-mortar store located in Red Bank, NJ. She believes in collaborations where everyone wins. She has specialized in kitchen design for over a decade & helped many homeowners think big and achieve their dream home. Recently she was included in the one of NYC Journal's 50 under 50 entrepreneurs making a difference in their respective fields.
