It’s all about the kitchen. They aren’t just for meal prep and storage, either. They’re for families. For gathering. For entertaining. For time spent together. These homeowners were lucky enough to spend their quarantine in a kitchen constructed for that very purpose. Once tucked away into the back corner of the 100-plus year old home, the kitchen is the new centerpiece of the home, opened up to a cozy living area filled with original woodwork and details.

Photo: Ross Van Pelt

Architect: drawing dept

The cook now gets to be part of the action and the family gets to gather around an island so large that it seems unfair to call it an island. An island, by definition, is a piece of land surrounded by water, and is often thought to be isolated, separated from the mainland action, where space is at a premium. That’s why this structure is called The Continent.

Photo: Ross Van Pelt

Architect: drawing dept

Once you see the details of this kitchen, you’ll want to swap out your kitchen island for a continent too. The Continent is the focal point not only of the kitchen, but of the living space of the home. It’s a place to dine. A place to sit and work (especially now). A place to gather. And it offers plenty of storage, too. The countertop has enough overhang to accommodate comfortable seating and underneath is a ton of hidden storage. Can your kitchen table do that?

With a palette of black and white, this kitchen is clean and bright. Upper cabinetry was eliminated to keep everything feeling open and airy. Plus, all that wall space gives the chance for this backsplash tile to make a statement. The geometric pattern of the tile is reminiscent of a modern Art Deco stye. The metallic black and brass light fixture only adds to that motif.

Photo: Ross Van Pelt

Architect: drawing dept

We’d be remiss not to mention this open shelving, custom made for the space and mounted directly over the new black-framed window. This corner nook is the perfect place for some shelves and we love how the homeowner accessorized them with rose colored glasses. What a beautiful display of a collection that only adds to the Art Deco feel.

The countertops in this space are another element that add interest, while continuing with the neutral palette. White cabinetry is topped with a beautiful, black leathered granite. The Continent, on the other hand, has a base of grey cabinetry and is topped with a sparkly white quartz.

The Continent, however, has utility beyond seating and storage. It’s equipped with hidden outlets that appear at the touch of a button, convenient for cooking tools and charing a smart phone, but it also makes this surface turn—presto, change-o, into a conference table.

The sink, too, is worth mentioning. The elegantly-shaped brass faucet so beautifully coordinates with the lighting and cabinet hardware. The elongated, stainless steel sink is fitted with a removable cutting board, providing additional work space, and, in a pinch, to hide a stack of dirty dishes.

Photo: Ross Van Pelt

Architect: drawing dept

A kitchen that was once an after thought, hidden in the back of this older home, is now the crown jewel, adding modern style with an Art Deco aesthetic. And following the pandemic trends in home design, this room serves many purposes: meal prep, family gathering, entertaining, and work. At a time where so many of us are spending more time in our own homes, a room like this is quite the antidote for quarantine living.

Has the extra time spent in your home revealed the need for a renovation? We’re just the people to call. Projects in the works now need some extra lead time for materials to be sourced and delivered, so now’s the time to get started for mid-year projects.

If you’re planning a kitchen remodel, you have more to think about than new appliances and countertops. You need to plan for several months living through a renovation. If you decide to stay at home during your renovation, you’ll need to think about daily life without a kitchen. Keep on reading for some tips on managing daily life during a kitchen renovation.

• Check That Calendar.

  Most kitchen remodels take about 12 weeks, although sometimes that timeline can be condensed or expanded based on the extent of your remodel or any underlying issues that are uncovered during demolition. You might want to time your remodel for a time that fits into your family’s schedule, keeping in mind holidays, celebrations and plans for entertaining. One of our customers planned a kitchen renovation during soccer season, knowing that her family spends a lot of time eating on the go and traveling for tournaments, making it a little less painless to go without a kitchen for a few months.

• Purge, Baby, Purge.

  Before a kitchen renovation can begin, those cabinets have to be emptied. Invest in some clear, plastic containers as you clean out your kitchen, so you can see exactly what you’re stashing away. Be sure to label, too, so you can easily locate any items you might need to unpack during your renovation. This step, while time consuming, will help when it’s time to load everything back into your kitchen, following the remodel. Think of it as your first step in organizing your new kitchen.

• Set Up A Temporary Kitchen.

  No matter what, you’ll need some type of temporary kitchen during your remodel. A coffee pot is enough for some of our clients. Others use a small microwave and hotplate. Still others get more creative, making use of their Air Fryer and InstaPot. Many of our customers rely on paper plates and disposable cutlery to make clean up easy. A dishpan is helpful to collect dirty dishes, since you may have to transport them into another room to get them washed.

• Make Your Plan B.

  Come up with an overall meal plan for how you’re going to prepare meals without a kitchen. With a new Whole Foods opened in Kenwood, Cincinnati, many of our clients are making use of their prepared meals, along with those from nearby Fresh Market or Trader Joes. A quick zap in the microwave, and you’re good to go. Another option are prepared take out meals, with The Wheel, Daveeds Culinary and La Soupe offering some great meals here in here Cincinnati. But bringing prepared meals in is not your only option. Going out to dinner will seem like a very special treat, so make the most of it.

  You might find that you miss cooking after a while. See if you can enlist a friend to help. You do the cooking and cleanup in their kitchen both your family and theirs. Win win!

  If you’re a lover a kitchen gadgets, now’s a time when you’re Air Fryer and InstaPot are going to shine. Both of these small appliances have some great utility in these situations and are real powerhouses in preparing great meals without a lot of space. If weather permits, commit to the grill. Every night can be a cookout during a kitchen reno.

• Dream!

  At times, a kitchen remodel may seem to drag on forever. But it’s only temporary. Take a deep breath, close your eyes and take a minute to dream of your new space. Before you know it, you’ll be back to your regular life, this time in a sparkling new kitchen.

Are you ready to take the next step in your kitchen remodel?

Here’s a home that now checks all of the boxes, inside and out. Chef’s kitchen with ample storage, an enviable mudroom, a sunroom outdoor living, not to mention new siding, windows and doors. The list goes on and on, including phase two of our project, which includes a grand master bathroom renovation.  And that’s before we even get to the brand new garage. The coup de grace. The icing on the cake. The feature that made us feel so especially lucky that we got to be the home builders who got to bring it all together.  These homeowners are really happy with their new space. But you know who else is happy—we are because this space takes our portfolio to the next level.

 Let’s start outside and then work out way in. (We’re saving the garage for last, so keep reading!) This Hyde Park home got quite the facelift, as well as a spacious new addition. It went from white to grey with siding from LP Siding, for renewed curb appeal in an instant. Our partners at Marvin provided the new windows and doors from their Marvin Essentials line. The good bones of this house really shine through with new windows and siding—all the character and none of the “old house” maintenance. A stroll around to the back of the house reveals a new, low-maintenance, IPE deck. The stone accents, provided by Semco Outdoor, and the deck railing, from EADS Fence Company, makes this outdoor space seem more like a roomy extension of the house than a run-of-the-mill deck. The steps of the deck lead to a new patio, perfect for grilling and dinner al fresco.

But be careful when you walk through the Marvin Essentials doors. You’re going to have house envy. The new deck leads to a brand, new kitchen. And it is a stunner to say the least. Custom cabinets, finished in a crisp, clean, white, reveal tons of organized storage, with pull out drawers and an appliance garage. The central island is painted with a custom Sherwin Williams grey, which makes the apron front farmhouse sink from Kohler really stand out. 

Glass-paneled upper cabinetry flanks the impressive ventilation hood, for a modern farm house look. The commercial-look range is from Thermador, as well as the paneled dishwasher, which beautifully blends into the cabinetry. The granite countertop from Ohio Valley Stone ties the grey of the center island and the white of the surrounding cabinetry together perfectly. 

A special nook in the kitchen can become a bar for entertaining—just add an ice bucket! The undercounter beverage refrigerator from Thermador is nestled in this corner next to a pull-out cabinet, which houses libations now, but could also store glass drinkware or serving pieces. The lighted cabinet above makes this corner is a great detail, making it a focal point during parties or special occasions. 

 From the kitchen, the layout of this addition flows into a cozy, light-filled sunroom. Serving as a connector to outdoor living or family space, this kitchen now truly is the heart of the home. If you can pull your eyes off the kitchen long enough, check out the room’s vaulted ceiling with exposed beams. We love adding these types of custom detail to our homes.

 People always say that a kitchen is what makes a house a home, but we all secretly know that it’s really the mudroom, right? With a spare refrigerator, washer and dryer and plenty of cabinetry that complement the kitchen, this room really keeps this house in business. The secret here is that this room used to be the kitchen. We modified the homeowner’s existing cabinetry to continue the look and feel of the kitchen. The additions of new countertops, a sink, cubbies and a built-in desk make this room a real workhorse. 

Pretty much a dream house, right? 

And we haven’t even gotten to the garage yet.

The English Contractor team built this new structure from the ground up. It’s a 3-car garage that actually can fit 6 cars. How can that be? Magic? 

It’s magic, all right. The magic of car lifts. Just when you thought the garage space couldn’t get any better, take a look at the epoxy floors, courtesy of American Sealing Experts.

The lush landscaping so beautifully accentuates the details of this home. We wish we could take credit for that, but this homeowner is a talented landscape architect—and it shows. New home amenities with real character.

 It may look finished, but we’re still working away on this home. It could be that these clients love us enough that they never want us to leave. Or it could be that this house has such a special place in our hearts that we’ll keep taking new projects. Either way, this project continues. Just when you thought it couldn’t get any better.

Are you ready to turn your house into your dream home?

It’s not like what you see on TV, where a glamorous host seems to magically transform a house before your eyes. It takes several weeks or even months, depending on the size of your project. And it takes blood, sweat, tears and lots of dust. Of course, with a little bit of preparation, those tears can be tears of joy once you see your newly renovated home. We manage home remodels of all different sizes, from whole home renovations to projects that stay in just one room, most commonly a kitchen or bathroom. We’ve also lived through these renovations in our own homes. A whole home remodel typically means that you’ll need to temporarily relocate. But plenty of our clients stay in their homes during a renovation. We’ve gathered our best tips of what you can do to live through a home remodel while keeping your sanity.

1.     Prepare, Prepare, Prepare.

Embarking on a home renovation project is exciting! You’ll start imagining yourself cooking in your new kitchen or putting your feet up in front of the fireplace of your new home addition. You’ll want to drop off that deposit check and have us start demo right away. But not so fast. The planning and preparation can take several weeks or months while we source your products and start placing orders. In stock tile or fixtures can be at your front door within a few weeks. But something custom made or in a specialty finish can take over 8 weeks. The last thing we want to do is to demo your kitchen and then have you live amongst the rubble for weeks with nothing to show for it. We’ll work with you to determine all we need to order for your new space. You can help keep the process moving by approving selections and costs as we give them to you. We don’t like to do demo until we have everything we need to put it all back together. This part can seem like an eternity, but trust us when we say it is worth the wait and will save time in the long run.

A renovation project can seem like hurry up and wait. You’ll have a flurry of activity at your house, only to then have weeks where nothing seems to happen. In a typical kitchen or bathroom remodel, demolition will take a few days. You’ll hear lots of noise and see lots of dust. But then, it’s going to be quiet for a while as our plumbers rough in plumbing and our electricians do their thing. This behind-the-scenes effort takes some time.  Sometimes, their work is not immediately evident either. But it is an important part of making your new space functional and safe. After plumbing and electric, your room will start to come together again, as you see tile, cabinetry, faucets, appliances and more. The space will start to look like the kitchen or bathroom that you have dreamed of. Understanding the basic timeline will help you see the progress over time.

 Of course, a schedule is not set in stone. When you’re undertaking a large renovation, you never know what is lurking behind your walls. Sometimes, we find electrical, plumbing or structural issues that need to be addressed before the project can go on. 

2.     Know the Schedule.

A renovation project can seem like hurry up and wait. You’ll have a flurry of activity at your house, only to then have weeks where nothing seems to happen. In a typical kitchen or bathroom remodel, demolition will take a few days. You’ll hear lots of noise and see lots of dust. But then, it’s going to be quiet for a while as our plumbers rough in plumbing and our electricians do their thing. This behind-the-scenes effort takes some time.  Sometimes, their work is not immediately evident either. But it is an important part of making your new space functional and safe. After plumbing and electric, your room will start to come together again, as you see tile, cabinetry, faucets, appliances and more. The space will start to look like the kitchen or bathroom that you have dreamed of. Understanding the basic timeline will help you see the progress over time.

 Of course, a schedule is not set in stone. When you’re undertaking a large renovation, you never know what is lurking behind your walls. Sometimes, we find electrical, plumbing or structural issues that need to be addressed before the project can go on. 

3.     Drop It Like Its Hot.

Drop those drop clothes all over the place. Renovation is a messy job. Or crew is meticulous, but dust and dirt is inevitable. We’ll seal up the room where we are working as much as we can. Plus, we clean up before we leave each day. Protect your belongings by packing up what you can and covering up larger furniture items in adjacent rooms. If you decide to stay in your home during renovation, pick a place where you can cook, eat and just relax that is far from the demo debris. Many of our clients do stay put during construction, but some find temporary housing elsewhere. 

4.     Channel Your Inner Marie Kondo.

If you’re clearing out a room to make space for renovation, use this time to declutter and organize. Are you surprised by the number of boxes you’re packing up as you’re clearing out your kitchen? Before you pack it away  (only to unpack it a few months later), take stock of the appliances and cooking tools that you’re holding on to. You’ll love your new space that much more if it is organized off the bat.

 5.     Don’t Demo What You Can Donate.

Talk to your contactor about what can be reused or repurposed. So many of our clients want to minimize the environmental impact of their renovation and do some good for their community. In the Cincinnati area, we work with Restore to come and pick up cabinetry, appliances, and plumbing fixtures to be sold in their second-hand store, proceeds of which benefit Habitat for Humanity. Check your own community or Habitat for Humanity website to see what is available in your area. Many of our clients find the process of donating their old appliances and cabinetry therapeutic. 

6.     Keep Talking.

Start with a preconstruction meeting before anyone starts swinging a hammer. Make sure you are on the same page as your contractor.  Our clients receive a weekly email, so that they have the big picture week by week of what is next in the construction process. Before a major milestone, we’ll schedule face to face meetings as well. And we’re always just a text or phone call away. 

Above all, before you start the process, make sure you have a contractor you like and trust. After all, for a major home renovation, a contractor could be in your home for weeks or months—or longer. Our goal is to have you miss us when we’re gone!

Are you ready to get started?

Give us a call and we’ll work with you to put together a plan.

When touring the HGTV home, many people ask us specifics about the finishes and furniture. From working on the project from the beginning to end, we can answer a lot of these questions. When it comes to the nuts and bolts of the HGTV Urban Oasis home, we can take a lot of credit for the craftsmanship of the project. But our job was really to bring the vision of the designer, Brian Patrick Flynn, to life.  And while our project managers receiving training from all different suppliers—from Subzero, Wolf and Cove to Marvin Windows—and have exquisite taste to match, our job is to our job is to listen carefully and lend our expertise to give structure to a designer’s or home owner’s plans. 

That’s the beauty of working on a team of contractor, architect and designer. All of us have the goal of ultimately making the homeowner’s dream come true. As contractors who specialize in high end home renovations, we are constantly exposed to best practices in kitchen and bathroom finishes. We can make recommendations on a counter surface—marble, granite, soapstone, or butcher block—depending on your kitchen use. We’re up to date on the latest technology in the loo—from electronically controlled showers to touchless toilets. By attending trade shows and training, we know what’s coming down the pike. So it’s not all about swinging a hammer. We can certainly work with you and your designer to help you build your dream home—from the studs down to the paint.

Are you ready to tackle a major renovation? The team at The English Contractor is here and ready to help. Let’s connect to discuss your plans. We’d love to be part of your dream team to make the magic happen.

It is time to refresh your master bathroom? Is your hall bathroom looking a little dated? Does your powder room need a little love? It may be time to talk to The English Contractor about a bathroom remodel.  According to Zillow, a bathroom remodel can add to overall value of a home. Just replacing the fixtures, toilet and upgrading the vanity can result in a $1.71 increase in home value for every $1.00 spent on the project. Even if you have no immediate plans to move, an updated bathroom can improve utility bills with more water-efficient shower heads, faucets and toilets, can add more space for organization and can just make you feel good by incorporating some up-to-date style into your space. Before you start dreaming about a new bathroom, here are some considerations to keep in mind.

What’s Your Motivation?

There are many reasons why a homeowner starts to plan remodeling a bathroom. Are you planning a move? Does the space need to be more functional? Are you hoping to make your space bigger? Are there accessibility issues that must be addressed for those with limited mobility? Or is it just time for a change? These are questions that can help guide your selections and the scope of the project. If you’re planning a quick remodel as part of the process to prepare your home for sale, you might just want to consider quickly switching out more decorative items. Adding square footage to your space might require moving around plumbing, which will require more time and money. Share your overall plans for your lifestyle and the home with us and The English Contractor project management team can help guide you through the process. 

Beer Budget, Champagne Taste?

The English Contractor team always suggests starting with a budget number in mind. Even in a small space, all the choices you need to make can quickly add up. We suggest looking back to your overall goals to help you set your budget and prioritize the space. If improved organization is your goal, you might want to consider spending more to add in a closet or a new spacious vanity. Is the overall aesthetic driving your overhaul? Then maybe your splurge is in the details, like upgraded tile or stylish new hardware. Are you trying to enlarge or move the space? You may need to save budget money for some of the behind-the-scenes work, like moving plumbing. Renovating a bathroom is not an inexpensive proposition, but The English Contractor team will work with you to help you make sure you’re spending your money wisely. 

You’ve Got Style.

No matter your motivation for a bathroom remodel, you need to take your own personal style into account. Bathrooms are no different than any other room in your home and you’ll have lots of different elements to think about that will add to your overall aesthetic. This is a time to start thinking about colors. Do you go for a spa like neutral or a bold pop of color? Are you looking for industrial chic or modern farmhouse? Choices of vanity, shower, tub, tile and even mirrors and towel racks are décor elements as much as they are functional pieces of your bath.

New Additions.

There are lots of trends to take to consider when remodeling a bathroom. Frameless showers doors, hidden drains, exposed shower plumbing, threshold free showers and freestanding are all new trends in bathroom design. Do you want to incorporate any of these concepts into your space? Time to start browsing pictures to see which new trends match your overall aesthetic and plans for the space. 

Form and Function.

Take a look at how you’re currently using the space. Does your bathtub go unused? Maybe it’s time for a bathroom renovation that deletes the tub and includes an oversized shower. Are you feeling crowded in the morning? Maybe it’s time to consider a double vanity? Do you have stuff everywhere? How about included more storage in your newly designed space? Is this a place for kids? Let’s take a look at some indestructible options. Are you constantly tripping over piles of dirty clothes? How about included space for a laundry hamper? Let us know about any current issues with your space and we can help you solve them!

What’s Next?

The English Contractor is here to help you create a space that is both useful and beautiful. We’ll walk you through the entire process, from aesthetic appeal to functionality. A bathroom remodel is a big undertaking and requires a big investment of both time and money. Our expertise will guide you through the process, leaving you with a space that you will love. Do you need inspiration? Visit our Pinterest page to see some of our latest projects. Ready to get the process started? Drop us a line today!