Hello and happy September! Somehow the summer months flew by and I’m struck by how strange life feels as we move into fall with so many of us still working from home and supervising our children’s virtual learning. With all this time spent in our homes and endless opportunities to obsess over details, is it any surprise that there has been a surge in home renovation projects over the past several months? Major news outlets from the New York Times to The Wall Street Journal to CNBC have reported on the phenomenon—and I’m willing to bet that most of you reading have at least thought about making some sort of change to your living space in recent months!

Renovations can seem daunting—and often, they are! However, after all the months of planning and disarray in your living space, the end result is so worth it. If you’re considering making some changes of your own but are feeling overwhelmed and unsure of where to even begin, I’m here to help! In the coming months I’ll be publishing a series of blog posts all centered on the topic of home renovations. I’ll share details about what the process looks like, tips for working with an architect and designer, and before-and-after photos of some of my favorite projects—including the gorgeous kitchen shown above! (Wait until you see the before photos, pictured later on in this post—you won’t believe it’s the same space!)

Unless you’re truly a DIY-er and have experience in home renovations, I strongly recommend hiring an interior designer and architect early on in the process. Having them there each step of the way will allow you to see what is possible (and what isn’t!). They’ll work closely with contractors to keep the project running smoothly and make sure your vision is realized in a timely fashion, making your life less stressful and the process far more enjoyable. In an upcoming blog post, I’ll interview an architect to delve deeper into how they approach home renovations and why hiring one in tandem with an interior designer is a wise choice for major projects.

Before embarking on a major home renovation, the first step in my process is to meet with the client and discuss a few major questions:

1. Does this space have a problem that I want to fix?

2. What will this space primarily be used for?

3. How do I want to feel in this space?

Taking the time to thoughtfully consider your answers and communicate them to your designer early on is a critical step towards achieving your ideal space.

My client’s main issue centered around the space being closed off by a wall between the kitchen and dining area. She imagined a space that would serve as the heart of the home, where she could feel relaxed yet energized by the presence of family and friends. Taking down the wall between the kitchen and dining room was a must to create the open space she desired. Adding a large kitchen island was another critical part of the redesign, offering both a place to serve food and gather around during get-togethers and for her children to eat breakfast, and, down the road, do homework and chat with her after school while she cooks.

Using a combination of my client’s vision for the space and her personal style, I created kitchen and dining room mood boards to refer to as inspiration throughout the design process. Mood boards are my preferred way to show clients how everything we selected works together and gives an opportunity to visually compare options. I generally encourage clients to renovate in a way that is true to the character of the home and retain the unique charm inherent in so many of the lovely older homes in Melrose. This house was built in 1938, and with the updates we were aiming for warm with vintage flare.

When taking on any major renovation, I always remind my clients that we are not living in one of the home-design TV shows we all love to binge watch! In real life, projects take time and often hit unexpected roadblocks that can delay progress. If you can keep your expectations for a reasonable finish date in check, you’ll be much more relaxed and happier throughout the process.

From planning to completion, this kitchen and dining renovation took about six months. The biggest and most time consuming part of the project was taking down the wall between the kitchen and dining room and removing a fireplace and chimney. I’m always surprised and delighted to see the finished space come to life and this project was no exception!

I hope that I’ve given you the push you need to set things in motion for the home renovation you’ve been daydreaming about! Remember, home renovations do NOT need to be as scary as they seem. When you have professional designers holding your hand throughout the process, rest assured they’ll be devoted to creating a space you love while helping you get the very best value for the money you’re putting toward such a major project. And, as the before-and-after photos indicate, they can be absolutely life-changing when they are complete!

As I continue this blog series, I would love to hear what else you want to know. Please get in touch with all your home renovation questions, and I can’t wait to share more with you—including my family’s own renovation project—in the months to come!

~Carolyn & Team Bliss