Whether you are looking to make an outdoor place an outdoor room or renovate an indoor space, the rules of design really don’t change. Designers are challenged with site constraints whether we are designing a small space or 30 acres. I always ask my clients many questions to help translate their thoughts into design goals that our HDG design team can then meet. How do you want to use the space? How many people do you want to accommodate in the space, and will pets or children be considered for this design? All of these questions assist our team in making crucial design decisions that lead us to the correct design for our client.
When reviewing conceptual plans the only feedback from our client that matters is whether or not a client likes and is excited about the design intent. Only with that conceptual approval can the design move forward into the process of fine tuning and detailing. Colors, patterns, and material selections absolutely matter at a later stage of design, but very rarely do these small details achieve the client’s primary design goals.
To put our design skills to the test, HDG teamed up with Construction Performance of Houston and went indoors to transform a galley kitchen into an open room concept that visually connects every public space in the house and meets the residents’ primary design goals.
Before
First, HDG started with a new floor plan that considered the daily goals of the residents and the occasional need to accommodate very large groups. The HDG team more than doubled the available counter space and adjusted the hidden storage areas. The partition wall was removed and replaced with a custom island allowing entry from all areas of the home. The island doubles as a kitchen table with counter top height overhangs on 3 sides, and it can easily provide serving space on all 4 sides when hosting large groups. The island dimensions were specifically selected to allow a single slab of granite (without joints) and counter overhang on 3 sides that did not require additional bracing. As budget and future planning was a concern, many moveable furniture pieces were proposed in-lieu of additional built in cabinets due to the constraints of the original window and door locations future construction of a large built in refrigerator.
The Design
After
After a floor plan was solidified, all of the small details easily fell into place.
© HDG Landscape Design, 2016