If you’re considering remodeling your home, you may be wondering if you’re doing it for the “right” reason. The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) did some research into that topic to determine the 5 reasons homeowners remodel. Here is what they found in a recent Remodeling Market Index report in which remodelers across the country rated the reasons their customers said they wanted to remodel.
Here are the top five reasons given:
1. Desire for better or new amenities
2. Need to repair or replace old components
3. Desire or need for more space
4. Want to avoid moving or buying another home
5. Desire to be able to age in place
If any of those reasons match your thoughts about remodeling – you’re in good company!
Form or Function?
The concept of “form follows function” in design was coined by architect Louis Sullivan and popularized by the great Frank Lloyd Wright. When it comes to remodeling your home, the basic thrust of the thinking is that no matter how good a design looks, it needs to function in a way that provides comfort and convenience.
What does that mean for you if you’re planning to remodel your kitchen? Does it mean that it doesn’t matter how your kitchen looks? Not at all! But it is a guideline for planning. Instead of starting the remodeling process with ideas about which countertops, flooring, cabinets, or appliances your want, begin by thinking about how you use your kitchen. Do you cook a lot? Is it a place you entertain? How much space do you need for those activities comfortably? What’s the best configuration? What frustrates you about your current kitchen layout?
Then sit down with us and tell us about those things. We may have ideas you haven’t thought about for getting the most out of the space you have available. Once we get the layout or design mapped out, you’ll still have plenty of time to think about the finishes that will make your kitchen look great. And by the way, the same principles hold true for other rooms in your home.
It’s really not a matter of form or function—it’s both. What you want is great functionality that also looks beautiful.
