Nicole: I have vision and see things that most people don’t. I walk into any project and think how do I work with what I have versus let’s just rip it out. I would never be able to afford to bring my designs to fruition if I worked like that. My spaces are unique and beautiful, never new, easy or stock.
Nicole: Every project I do is difficult. New construction is as easy as it comes. Renovation? It’s a whole different game. It’s basically putting humpty dumpty back together again—water and fire oftentimes play a part in the damage of the homes we work on…and neither are forgiving.
Nicole: No, oftentimes when something can be mass produced, the quality goes down. The majority of houses built after 1960 were done with very low quality materials and were not built to stand the test of time.
Nicole: Write a list and prioritize projects. Most of the time, homeowners jump in without planning and end up running out of money and energy before the finish. I always say celebrate small successes. Think of it as a 3rd grade math test—get all the problems you know how to solve done first—then come back to the major ones.
Nicole: I look at needs, wants, and wishes. My “need” budget is obviously what I have to spend, my want budget is what I get if I am under budget and the wish budget is for when something came in amazingly inexpensive …then I add some fun from my wish list. I get at least 5-10 bids for every area of my budget—plumbing, electrical, carpentry.
You have to look at the needs first, fix what is broken and then move on to fix what you just don’t like—and always keep in mind your skill level.
Kitchens are tricky and most people spend way too much money on a kitchen. Keep in mind the market value of your home. If you have a vintage kitchen, don’t just gut it but rather work with what you have and simply add modern amenities that blend in. Century old cabinets are 100 percent wood—it’s rare to find cabinets like that today unless you have them custom built and even then it can cost a pretty penny.
I’ve never installed an electric stove and never will—overall, gas is what professional chefs cook on and although I am far from a chef, it always gives my kitchens a feeling of luxury to have a gas stove.
If you purchase real wood versus engineered— it will last a lifetime. The same goes with natural stone counters—if it was made by the Earth, you can’t go wrong.
The mechanics are always the projects that aren’t pretty, but they really make or break your house. No sense in spending huge money in a kitchen remodel when your water doesn’t flow because your pipes are old.
No, that’s like asking a parent to pick a favorite child. Each one of my projects is unique and beloved—some cost me more wrinkles than others, but all hold a special place for me.
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