Diary of a remodel: in the second chapter of our three-part series, we guide you through the material selection process - Home Design - Column

Sunset, July, 2002 by Ann Bertelsen

* This past April, we introduced you to our first remodeling venture, giving you a behind-the-scenes look at how we're transforming a 1940s three-bedroom, one-bath bungalow into a comfortable home adapted for today's casual lifestyle. Here, we continue our design diary and remodel countdown, and dive into the space planning and material selection processes. The unfolding story is also on our website, www.sunset.com.

Our design diary

WEEKS 8 AND 9

REFINING THE SPACE PLAN. As framing begins, we fine-tune our space plan, checking the placement of windows and doors and the size of rooms to see if they work with the interior designers' proposed furniture plan. To eliminate a dead-end space in the entry parlor, we add doors on either side of the original fireplace for access to the porch. We cantilever the master suite about 1 foot over the kitchen to get a larger master closet and bath, and we add a window in the pantry downstairs. Stacking the washer and dryer allows space for a closet in the laundry room, and a half-wall adds privacy between the stairwell and home office. Doors and windows in the family room are reconfigured to open up the space to the outside.

WEEKS 9 AND 10

DEVELOPING A FURNITURE PLAN. While reviewing how the rooms work and flow together, interior designers Patricia McDonald and Marcia Moore are also placing furniture. They have easy chairs, sofas, and tables drawn into the floor plan for our review This part of the process can be fun, but it's also very subjective, so there's lively discussion about specific shapes, colors, and patterns, any one of which will ultimately affect the overall palette. Before we make any final choices, we have to select flooring and order plumbing fixtures and kitchen appliances to make sure everything works together.

WEEK 11

DESIGNING A FLOORING LAYOUT. This proves to be one of our most contentious issues to date. McDonald and Moore's design is daring. While proposing hardwood flooring in the downstairs living areas-including the kitchen-is no big deal, they want to inset a stone mosaic in the entry and have random tiles radiating from it through the kitchen and family room, continuing outside to the patio. Some members of the team aren't sure the design fits the concept of the house. And the designers want to run the hardwood from side to side when seen from the front door--but the builder favors a front to back direction. In the end, we reach a compromise: We leave the stone mosaic and run the wide planks horizontally, but we eliminate the scattered tiles. Choosing carpet for the upstairs bedrooms is a breeze by comparison.

WEEK 12

PREPARING PLUMBING AND ELECTRICAL LAYOUTS. We walk the house to pinpoint the placement of appliances and Fixtures, checking the exact locations for electrical outlets. The designers check measurements for tubs, vanities, and built-in cabinets, including kitchen and closets.

WEEKS 13 AND 14

SELECTING SURFACE MATERIALS. We all agree to a mix of materials in the kitchen and bathrooms, including polished sandstone, integrally colored concrete, and ceramic and glass tile backsplashes with stone and metallic tile accents. McDonald and Moore present us with kitchen elevations, detailing cabinetry and appliance placement. (See diagram of kitchen elevation and material selections, page 103.) They also specify hardware and millwork, including paneling for the children's bedroom, crown molding, and window trims. Once we all agree on the materials, they develop a finish and specifications schedule for the builder so he can project final costs for surface materials and create a more accurate cost estimate for the project as a whole.

WEEKS 10 THROUGH 15

DEVELOPING THE COLOR PALETTE. Throughout the preceding weeks, McDonald and Moore have given us color boards of fabric swatches, surface materials, and paint chips to help us reach final decisions on furniture and paint colors. Project manager Perry Gardner gives us brush-outs (samples of paint applied to the wall), and we walk through the house at different times of the day to determine color choices. We think the khaki shade in the kitchen and family room is too dark, the blue in the children's room is too predictable, and the lavender in an upstairs bathroom doesn't work with the slate floor. As we review the paint colors, we take our "room in a box" samples with us to see how the surface materials and fabrics will work with the paint. The colorful samples placed against the paint colors on the wall bring the rooms to life, and we realize that the stage is set and the final countdown is ready to begin.

RELATED ARTICLE: Tips from the designers

Weigh your design priorities against your budget and be up-front about what you can and can't afford. Work with your design and building team to reach mutually satisfactory compromises.

Avoid change orders: They'll cost you money. Unless something unusual happens when a house is opened up--such as the unexpected discovery of dry rot--your project should be organized so that the various subcontractors can work on schedule.