Top Places to live

We went to an event – and it was great! Boston Magazine set a high bar with their first in-person event of the year, Top Places to Live. We were excited to be part of this great panel discussion moderated by Boston Magazine editor Chris Vogel. In case you missed this fun and informative evening, we have a wrap up of Paula’s contribution to the conversation.

Chris: Speaking of low inventory, what are you seeing people do to their current homes to love it enough to stay put when they can’t find anything to buy? 

Paula: Most of our clients are staying put and renovating their current homes. There is a lot of stress in finding something new and that you like enough not to renovate. There are benefits to working with what you already have – you know firsthand what doesn’t work! But the challenge is that you have been staring at the same space for long enough that you can’t visualize what you can do differently. That’s where we come in. Clients are choosing to work on the areas in their homes where they spent most of their time. Kitchen renovation is number one. Followed by bathroom and home office if they have the space. We are not seeing a lot of closets! People are not spending the time to organize their sweat pants and pjs. So definitely Kitchens kitchens kitchens. 

Chris: With a move back into the city, how are you helping people as they move from larger homes into city apartment life? 

Paula: We start by asking lot of questions so the clients can decide what they really need. Do you really need 5 colanders and 30 water bottles? It is part of our process to go over everything they have and make sure we find a spot for everything . I normally ask clients to take photos of their kitchen, open every door and drawer and show me your mess. I want to know how you live. We are going to design for your lifestyle. A small space is where custom cabinetry shines! A custom kitchen can be so efficient. We add veggie drawers to place onions and potatoes so they are out of the counters. If the space is small, every inch counts for counter surface. There are pantry pull outs that only requires 14” width and it is full depth, if there are lot of windows in the kitchens and some of them are low, it is hard to envision running cabinetry in front of the them, but you can and we have many times. In a small apt every lineal foot counts. We finish the back, we add flower planters made out of the same counter material, cabinetry under the overhang in an island. We design small desk areas that folds up and down. Creative and smart design pays off hugely in a small home or apartment.

Chris: How are supply chain and product shortages impacting clients? What do you tell them? 

Paula: Delays are HARD! Waiting is tough and waiting longer than expected is really tough. We are very upfront and we set realistic expectations as we start the process. We are solution focused. We try to plan ahead and forecast what we might need in the next months to decrease the stress on everyone. We are not alone in this and it makes it easier when clients are aware of the issues we are facing. I just keep reminding them you won’t remember any of this when you have your beautiful kitchens perfectly built for you that will last for many years. Quality and Longevity is important to us. They can’t understand the concept when they are freaking out about the time but then when they receive their cabinets, they are in love and I remind them, see…I told you! Haha. -we focus on the end result and it t helps them get through it. We keep them busy with choosing counter material, hardware, tile….and then before you know it, it is time for delivery! 

Chris: How are design trends changing now that work from home is more of a thing than ever? 

Paula: Now that clients are spending more time in their homes, they want a calm and relaxing space. We are going back to basics with neutral tones, nature inspired textures and colors. earthy tones, soothing colors for cabinetry and walls. Off whites, sage green, lots of different greens. The goal is to create spaces that you never want to leave.

Home office is definitely a trend but we try to add built-ins that look more like furniture than an office. So one day when you decide to go back to the office it can be turn into something else. We add printer inside the cabinet that you can pull out when using it, filing cabinets. And those can be change to house something else in the future.