With everything getting more expensive and prices everywhere going up up up, what does it mean to be a “non-luxury” designer trying to help “regular” folks get happy at home?

Just 5 years ago, I would have told clients that they could complete a fully tiled bathroom remodel for $30-40,000 (and up), and nowadays I don’t feel I can say it’ll come in less than $80,000 in the Seattle area – that’s an astonishing leap up in costs! 😳 Likewise, I’d have said you could fully remodel your kitchen with stone counters and semi-custom cabinets for $80k and up, but now even “normal” kitchens regularly exceed $125k. 😟

If this is the “new normal” how do we continue to help folks who have long dreamed of renewing their kitchen, or replacing all their worn out furniture when they finally end up with an empty nest?

#1: Educate Our Clients: What Are Realistic Numbers?

These economic changes make it *that* much more important that we be brave and share the real numbers with you, our clients. While we can’t say for certain what your project will cost (since that depends a LOT on which contractor you hire) we need to be willing to give you realistic starting costs, even if that means we won’t get to have you as a client for that hoped-for project – at least not right now.

When we share these higher-than-expected numbers with you, we aren’t trying to shock you, or take advantage of your hard-earned savings (remember, the only money *we* see is the design fee, so it doesn’t benefit us to lie to you!) We’re just trying to make sure that you understand what your project will take – not just financially, but also emotionally – before you invest too much money.

Where do we get our numbers from? Some of our clients are kind enough to share their contractor’s bids with us, some of our contractors do the same, and then there are great blogs like this one from Model Remodel that spell out the potential costs of remodeling in the Seattle area – we do our best to stay on top of the changes.

#2: Empower Our Clients: Let’s Look for Creative Solutions!

We do NOT want our clients going into debt in order to get a new kitchen. The great news is that sometimes you don’t actually have to replace everything to get some of the changes you need. For example, maybe some of your storage needs could be addressed by adding clever pullouts from a company like Shelf Genie? Maybe your new look could come from just refreshing or refacing with a company like N’Hance, instead of fully replacing them.

This is a great example of a kitchen that was updated just by replacing the counters, backsplash tile, and hardware. Our client was *convinced* she’d have to replace her cabinets in order to love her kitchen, but she didn’t – yea! 🎉 Think about the money she saved by not changing the cabinets (or the floors)! These are the kinds of solutions we like to explore in our Quick Action Sessions – we’d much rather help you move forward through a simple 90-minute session than have you pay for a full design that you can’t actually execute.

#3: Evaluate DIY Options: Do You Have the Skills, Time, & Patience?

Doing things yourself is (sometimes) a great way to save money! Doing your own demo, or painting your own cabinets, can literally save you thousands of dollars! *BUT* (and this is the important part) you have to be realistic about your available time and energy. How much free time do you have to learn the skills, fix your newbie mistakes, and actually execute your project. And will your family survive the chaos that will surround you while you take apart your space and slowly put it back together? We LOVE providing DIY guidance – just ask Rachel at your next Quick Action Session with her about painting *her own* kitchen cabinets, but we also want to help you evaluate if DIY is the right solution for *you.*

#4: Source Thoughtfully: Does *everything* have to be high-end?

The whole key to being a “non-luxury” designer is that we know our clients will be very happy with tile that costs $5-$45/sf, prefer light fixtures that cost $1000, not $10,000, and can live with rugs from Wayfair that might last 5 years instead of 50 in order to save tens of thousands of dollars. Occasionally there’s reason to splurge – for example, one of our clients chose $100/sf tile as a feature for her stair risers, but the rest of the kitchen and bath tile was more modestly priced. Another of our clients chose gorgeous Ginko leaf drawer pulls at $40 each, but it was only for a handful of bathroom cabinets, not a whole kitchen.

The key as the client (you!) is to get clear on both your budget and your highest priorities, so we’re value-engineering in the right areas!

The bottom line: You CAN make changes!

The most important thing to remember is that there is always something you *can* do – even if it’s not the full remodel you might have had in mind. You might not know this, but I (Rebecca) started this company after making over my *whole home* on a recently-divorced (ie, very-little-money) budget. I put new paint colors to work, and scoured consignment shops and craigslist for deals that would help me see my future in my home, instead of my past. So rest assured: change *is* possible!

Watch out for “Penny-Wise, Pound Foolish” choices

And in the end, if you’re going for the whole enchilada and spending the big bucks, just make sure to get crystal clear on your priorities. Don’t overspend, but don’t underspend, either. Better to spend that extra $5000 and LOVE your kitchen, than scrimp too much and feel like the $100,000 you *did* spend didn’t get you a space that makes you seriously happy.

Need a hand figuring out design solutions for your happy home? Our Quick Action Sessions are available to everyone living within 9 miles of Greenlake, and our Design Helpline Sessions (via Zoom) are available to everyone, everywhere! We’d love to help you get happier at home!

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NOTE: the above-mentioned brands are NOT affiliate links – they just provide good solutions we thought you might like to know about. If you *do* work with them, we’d LOVE to hear about it! Let us know if you got a great solution so we know we’re always referring great people!