On budget

For most homeowners planning a remodeling project, a budget is a fact of life. Even when money is tight, however, the result can be very satisfying.

Interior designer Melissa Brown worked closely with the young couple who owned this home to design a new kitchen that not only fulfilled their cooking and entertaining needs, but also met their budgetary requirements.

The existing kitchen was spacious, but not very functional. With a large extended family who visit frequently for meals, the owners wanted their kitchen to be able to accommodate several cooks working together. Plus, the decor with pink floral wallpaper was very outdated.

Brown says their first money-saving decision was to maintain the original footprint, which meant the floor did not have to be replaced. Then they increased the size of the island to improve its function as the main cooking zone, make it large enough for two people to cook together, and provide seating so guests could sit and watch meal preparations.

"We looked for bargains and tried to be flexible in our thinking and shopping. We chose a good main oven and warming drawer and balanced this with a second, less expensive, wall oven, as it wasn't going to get as much use," says Brown.

They found a simple cabinet style that they liked, without trim or molding. "But we skipped the accessories," she says.

The choice of refrigeration also called for compromise. The owners wanted a refrigerator with a shallow look, but this style was substantially more expensive than deeper models, so they opted for the latter. Instead, Brown designed a wider- than-standard countertop, creating the illusion of a slim refrigerator.

"The one planned extravagance was the backsplash. The owners fell in love with the tiles, and because everything else is simple, this detail really stands out and lifts the whole design," says Brown.

"And, being organized and ordering everything in advance so the builders could work quickly was an easy way to make savings."

Story by: Mary Webb