Creating the Perfect Kitchen

Whether it’s the elegance of Tuscany or the clean lines of modern architecture, kitchen remodels often start with a homeowner’s gauzy dreams. It takes attention to detail and a commitment to that vision to turn dreams into a functional, beautiful gathering space.

Professional kitchen designers act as the director in the love story between homeowner and a remodeled room—helping the players narrow their focus, assuring the set is as functional as possible, and maintaining the vision through sometimes complicated steps. Principal Designer Julie Cavanaugh of Design 101 in Saratoga calls it ‘design integrity’.“I am my client’s design advocate,” she says, adding that her goal is to “make their home a joyous space when it’s done.”

Keeping track of details while doggedly pursuing a vision is the forte of the designer. For perhaps five to ten percent of an overall remodel cost, a designer makes sure the dream kitchen never veers into the realm of nightmares. Julie and the design team at Design 101 take a unique approach to delivering the dream. Designers oversee the project from the blueprints to the fabric prints on the barstool chairs. To do so, they get to know both the homeowners as well as envision the kitchen as it will fit into the entire home.“The kitchen is not just a single space,” Julie says. “It’s a transitional space that is integrated into your whole house.”

Julie’s first step is to help homeowners define a vision that is specific to the family that will live in the space. Clients get ‘homework’ that includes a surprising “relinquishing of their clippings” in which they write notes on magazine photos, discuss then, and then give them to Julie. By the time they free themselves of the glossy photos, the designer is well on her way to helping create a space that combines the best ideas from several sources—most importantly the clients’ lifestyle and dreams.

“It’s not somebody else’s picture. It’s their own home,” she says.

Call Design 101 at (408) 873-1100 to arrange a free consultation, or visit the showroom Monday through Saturday at 1821 Saratoga Avenue, Suite 101, Saratoga. Find the company online at www.design-101.com.