“And suddenly you know: it’s time to start something new and trust the magic of beginnings.” -Meister Eckhart

It’s a new year, and lots of people are wondering if the time is right to renovate their space. Figuring out the best timing for a big renovation can be tricky; some people say it’s like having a baby (there’s never a good time).

But that also means that any time can be a good time, with the right planning and the right partners.

This family bought their home in Jersey City four years ago, knowing they’d want to do a major renovation. At the time they had one small child and another on the way. Now that the kids are a little older, they decided the time was right to remodel the kitchen and transform their downstairs half-bathroom into a full guest bathroom.

The kitchen remodel will focus on functional improvements to the layout. Right now, the refrigerator is isolated in a pantry area off the kitchen, right next to the bathroom door. We’ll shift the layout to create a big mudroom closet and integrate the fridge into the main kitchen space. We’ll also relocate the radiator and resize the window into the sunroom so we can wrap the counter around the corner.

Existing kitchen before renovation

Existing kitchen before renovation

Existing kitchen before renovation

Existing kitchen before renovation

The finishes will be family-friendly and durable so that the kids can be at the countertop while Dad is cooking and baking.

Kitchen remodel mood board

Kitchen remodel mood board

For the bathroom, we’ll create a new entrance from the living area and a larger footprint with room for a tub.

Since these clients have two young kids and will be living in the house throughout the renovation, having a strong relationship with their contractor was important to them. When making their final decision, Houseplay’s approach of guiding our clients from start to finish through every step of the project really appealed to these clients. Instead of having to communicate between a separate designer and contractor; instead of having to shop for and choose their own flooring or tile or appliances; instead of having to order materials and coordinate subcontractors, they can go about their lives while we handle every detail of their renovation.

Our clients had done some small renovation projects before and have had (not-so-great) experiences navigating between a contractor, a plumber, an electrician, and the like, and they knew enough to know they wanted a one-stop shop. Over the years we have honed our services to minimize stress points for clients going through the renovation process, and the fact that we now manage all the required subcontractors has been a huge relief for the families we work with!

Our newest service fills another gap we’ve been seeing: homeowners getting ready to renovate who feel completely unprepared and want insight into the process and guidance into making the best possible decisions. Check out our Vision & Planning Session and feel confident as you plan for your first (or next) big renovation.

And if you’d love to partner with Houseplay on your next renovation, you can apply to work with us.