BEST OF HOUZZ 2019

Just a quick little post here.
Hot off the press is a

BEST OF HOUZZ 2019 award

for Board by Board!!! 

This is our 5th year in a row to receive this award. 

It acknowledges 100% satisfaction for
Board by Board's customer service. 
We work so very hard to provide our clients
with a great experience whether just in design or
all the way to construction.

 Thanks to all our great clients, the team of subcontractors
and our in house staff that make this possible.

Cost Versus Value

It is a topic that comes up frequently with our clients.  Yes, you will see an increase in value after investing in a well done bathroom or kitchen remodel.

With housing prices increasing, now is the time invest in your home to capitalize on its value. A good design can help you make a wise investment that not only will allow you to enjoy your new kitchen or bathroom, but more importantly, be profitable to you should you ever decide to sell your home.

What can you expect to get back? What does it cost to remodel a kitchen? The average cost of a moderate kitchen face lift remodel is priced around $20,000 while the average cost of an upscale kitchen remodel could be up to $125, 000. Most remodels fall somewhere in between these prices. Typically a well-done kitchen remodel will yield a 54% to 81% return on your investment.

Likewise, bathroom remodel will see a return on your investment.  An average cost of a master bathroom remodel is priced between $25, 000 and $61,000.  A well-done bathroom remodel should bring you a return of  56% to a 70% return on your investment. 

The details that you may believe are insignificant can turn out to be major selling points for your home. Even minor changes like replacing an outdated vanity, lighting, fixtures, or hardware will guarantee increased profit to you.  

It pays to improve your home, not just for your own enjoyment, but for your wallet, too. It's a little bit like getting to live in your savings account. 

Prescott Woman December/ January 2018

It has been a very busy season here at Board by Board.  
We finished a slew of bathroom projects for clients, many of which were featured in the 
December/ January 2018 issue of Prescott Woman Magazine!
  A special thank you to Hilary Dartt for the lovely article and Bella Vita Photography
 for the beautiful photos that perfectly captured our designs.
Here is a quick peak at two of the bathroom projects we completed.

Check out the link at the bottom of this post to see the full article
featuring 5 distinct bathrooms. 

These medicine cabinets were custom made to match the existing vanity. 

This bathroom included heated floors and a shower/ tub room. 

It made the space quite cozy.

This bathroom blended elements of the rest of the home 

to create a gorgeous spa like bathroom.

With each of our clients, the team here at Board by Board strives to create designs that are singular and unique to our clients. Our goal is always to create a design that reflects the clients’ distinct preferences.  We streamline their tastes into a cohesive, beautiful design that compliments the rest of their home. 

Click on this link to see the full article about the bathroom projects featured in this December issue.  

Best of Houzz 2018

It is fabulously exciting to be the recipient of the
Best of Houzz 2018 Award
for the 4th year in a row!

Our team here at Board by Board Design and Board by Board Construction

work extremely hard with each of our projects and clients throughout the year.

Our goal is to leave each client with a excellent product and experience

that made them glad they chose Board by Board.

Thank you to all our clients that took the time to publicly

share their experience working with Board by Board in 2017.

Just for the fun of it, here is a photo of a lovely kitchen we designed in 2017!

 

Shiny and Bright - Everything to Love in a Master Bedroom and Bath Remodel

I cannot help but smile every time that I visit this
master bedroom/ bathroom remodel. I completely and totally love
how this turned out.  My client loves color and is absolutely
fearless when it comes to color, finishes and textures.   Her 1990's
house was screaming for a new master bathroom and bedroom do
over.  With just a little bit of rearranging and  the capture of a
couple of feet out of a nearby closet, we took a dated and cramped
bathroom to a beautiful functioning space.

These gorgeous mirrors are actually medicine cabinets.

This is the before.....

The wish list included pops of color, 2 sinks, a separate
makeup area, a large walk in shower without a door
and some nice shiny accents!  We delivered in spades!

With a multi color mosaic tile with bright pops of hot pink and
gold it was just the right bit of sparkle to pair with more a neutral
field tile.   The floor is a wonderful vintage look  12 x 24 tile.

I love the crystal handles on this faucet. 

The small makeup cabinet features a plug-in for the
blow-dryer in the drawer.

The shower pan is a cut onyx and marble.

 

The master bedroom was completely transformed.

Master bedroom before, what a change!

The addition of a wall mounted sliding door
solved a 30 year old door collision problem.

 Another request was for an in-room coffee bar. 
The custom made cabinet features a faux zinc finish. 
I felt is was very important that it not look like a
kitchen cabinet, which is the last
thing you want in a bedroom!

The clients and our design team could not be happier with
the results. The master suite received a much needed update
and it completely reflects the fun personalities
of it's owners.

BEST OF HOUZZ 2017!!!

Board by Board is pleased (and super excited) to announce
we have received the BEST OF HOUZZ for 2017

service award. This is our 3rd year running and
we could not be more proud! Our team has worked so
very hard to maintain this industry recognition and
  could not be more thrilled to be awarded this for 2017

What Houzz had to say:




  “We’re so pleased to award Best of Houzz 2017 to this incredible

  group of talented and customer-focused professionals, including

  Board by Board Design & Build,” said Liza Hausman, vice

 president of Industry Marketing for Houzz. “Each of these

  businesses was singled out for recognition by our community of

  homeowners and design enthusiasts for helping to turn their home

 improvement dreams into reality.”

 

Northern Arizona High Country Ranch

While you are sitting around thinking cozy winter thoughts
I want to share with you a recent project we have just finished.

It was also featured in Kitchen and Bath Business Magazine.

We love having our projects featured!

This home has such a warm and inviting feeling.  

From the gracious entry to the expansive views of the mountains
that surround Flagstaff you can't help but feel relaxed. 

Take a moment and click on the link to the article below. 
There are lots of nice photos and information about the project. 
click here! 

Kitchen and Bath Business Article

Here are a few more photos of spaces that are
not featured in the article.

The Grandkids Bunk House! Complete with loft and climbing wall!
The custom bunk beds are fabulous.

Bunk house bathroom.  Love the bark mirrors.

 

 Guest Bathroom

 This Guest bathroom has a concrete top and
reclaimed wood vanity.

 The  Great Room is anchored by a massive stone wall with
a wood burning fireplace. Perfect for chilly nights.

The ceilings are 24' high at the center of the peak.

The rear view of this home.

Why Working With a Designer Makes Sense:Part 2

One of my current favorite quotes is :
"Design is Where Art and
              Science Break Even" Robin Mathew

There is so much truth in this statement.  You can have a beautiful kitchen that does not function and you can have an functional kitchen that feels more utilitarian than anything else. A design home run in my book is a space that is not only aesthetically pleasing but functions fantastically. If the person designing your layout does not understand how to bring the two together I encourage you to find someone who can. You will be glad you did.

Just recently I received a phone call from a gentleman (let’s call him Mr. Johnson) asking me to come and review 2 sets of kitchen cabinet plans they had received from 2 different cabinet companies. After a short chat we set up an appointment and met.  

At our meeting Mr. And Mrs. Johnson shared with me their story. They had recently purchased their home and wanted a larger kitchen similar to the one they had enjoyed in their previous home.  They had loved the layout and knew it worked well for them.  They had visited 2 cabinet shops, both having great reputations locally. They told me that both cabinet shops had visited their home, listened to their ideas, taken measurements and returned to them the proposed layout.  Then they asked what I thought of the plans.

Here are the problems as I see them
.

1. The kitchen in their previous house and the new kitchen space are not the same.  Therefore the design can't be identical and function.

2. The new kitchen and the adjoining eating area that is to be incorporated into the kitchen have two very different ceiling heights creating some significant design issues.

3. Both cabinet shops gave them an almost identical layout that had some serious design/ function issues.  Obviously based on the clients wish list and description but was not a well functioning layout due to inadequate work spaces.

4. Neither shop offered a better solution than what the clients asked for.

5. The clients had some ideas but in reality they were not going to be the strongest solution due to the issues listed in items 1 & 2.

 As we sat and talked about what they really wanted in this new kitchen there was very obviously in my opinion a different layout option that gave them the optimum dimensions and work space needed at the range, island, perimeter cabinets and would not bring attention to the change in ceiling height. They were thrilled. The comments "we never thought of that and what a good idea" was exactly what I hoped to hear. 

This is a perfect example of why starting with a kitchen and bath designer is such a good idea.  It can actually save you money in the long run and get you to where you want to be and more times than not exceed those expectations.

Here is my point.  Had Mr and Mrs. Johnson moved forward with cabinet shop A or B, There is no doubt they would have received a nice quality cabinet in the style and finish they requested.  What they would not have received is a kitchen that functioned at 100%.  It would never look as good as it could due to the design limitations existing in the space and in my opinion the lack of creativity and optimum layout knowledge offered by the cabinet makers.   

My number one goal as a designer is to create an environment that reflects the homeowners esthetic and hopefully elevate the finished product to a place they had not ever imagined.  I will always tell clients when something will not work well and why.  Then offer an alternative that does.  Most business's that sell just one piece of the puzzle don't always offer that same information.  In my mind that is the critical piece of the puzzle you can't afford to miss. 

How sad for Mr and Mrs. Johnson if they were to invest such a large sum in their kitchen and have it never be quite right.  Yet with a small investment up front with a designer they could end up making a solid investment in their home and lifestyle. It makes sense and will definitely save you some cents!