Welcome to 2025!With the new year, are you thinking about updating your home? The hub of many homes is the kitchen, and according to a 2024 Houzz & Home Study, 27% of homeowners in the US remodeled their kitchens, making it the most commonly renovated room in the home.
If you are a regular reader of on-line design articles, follow interior design influencers, etc. you may feel like you can’t hope to achieve the “looks” that you see. And you don’t even know where to start. How do you know what’s right for you?
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What if you start with asking yourself a bunch of questions?! Before you think about any selections, or your budget…what if knowing who you are helps you figure out how to create the best space for you?!
Start with how you live now, and figure out more about yourself (and anyone else who lives in your space, including a partner, children and/or pets)!
What motivates you and do you want to make changes in your life?
When you walk into your home, do you feel comfortable, calm and supported by it?
Or do you feel agitated, wish you could be somewhere else, and see everything’s that wrong with it?
Now let’s focus on the kitchen, and ask and answer even more questions!! These are all things that when I work with clients, I want to know…
How much do you cook in your kitchen? Daily, a few times a week, rarely? Do you cook meals in advance? Or, do you bring home take-out a lot, eat out more, or heat up leftovers?
If your kitchen is used often, who’s the main cook in your home and do other family members help in the kitchen? If so, what do they do?
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Do you clean and straighten your kitchen daily? Are you okay with some things on the counters, or do you prefer to have the counters as clear of items as possible? Do you have help in cleaning your kitchen?
How much counter-space do you have now? Does it provide enough prep area? Do you have appliances on your counter?
Do you eat in your kitchen? Is there an island or a kitchen table? Is there a separate dining room, and do you use it, and how often do you use it (rarely, only on holidays, often during the week, every night)?
Photo by Corey Fitzgerald, KDZ Designs Mid-Century Modern Kitchen Update
What kind of storage do you have in the kitchen and near-by (pantry, only kitchen cabinets, etc.)?
Do you buy a lot of fresh foods that need refrigeration? Do you have a large family and buy in bulk and need a lot of storage?
Photo by Corey Fitzgerald, KDZ Designs Mid-Century Modern Kitchen Update
Do you have adequate lighting in your kitchen – for example, can you see well when doing prep work and if you eat in your kitchen, is the surface where you eat well-lit? Can you see to clean the kitchen, including the floor?
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What are the colors (cabinets, walls, flooring, etc.) in your kitchen and what is its overall style? Do the colors and style work with the rest of your home?
If you have pets, do they eat in the kitchen and do they have a designated area for their food and water?
Corey Fitzgerald Photo – Cosmo, the greyhound
A better sense of direction…
Based on your answers to the above questions, you will get a sense of how much use your kitchen gets, who uses it, and what you might be missing and that translates to identifying the best materials to use, storage solutions, color and style selections, etc. You can do on-line searches that call out pros and cons of materials, style selections, etc.
For example, If you are someone who cooks daily, and you are planning a kitchen renovation, you would select countertops that are the most resilient, like quartz, for example. Doing an on-line search you can also evaluate if quartz countertops are in your budget. And you could repeat this kind of search for the best lighting for prep areas, storage options for cooking supplies, etc. If you are looking for the most budget friendly options and are planning on updating a few things about your kitchen, you might choose to change the wall and cabinet colors, adding new cabinet hardware, and updating decorative light fixtures.
September has arrived, and the first bits of fall color in our New England landscape aren’t far behind. I love this color palette and it’s a big influence on my own home’s exterior color choices. Join me in updating my home’s exterior colors. Thanks to Chris Grenier, of Grenier Painting and Finishing (and Mike and Katy) for their great work and attention to detail. Photos by KDZ Designs, unless otherwise noted.
Time to refresh our house’s exterior!
In late spring, I realized that I needed to book a painter to update the solid stain on our modest, single story, 1960s ranch house’s exterior. Small repairs were needed to some of our original 1964 board and batten siding, as well as the usual door, trim and body re-staining.
2013 colors
2013 colors
Which colors did I pick?
The last time we stained the house was in 2013; see my blog post here on what I chose for colors then. I made a significant change then, but this time around, I wanted to make small changes.
Body Color: Lighter and grayer, but still a deep green: Ben Moore’s Raintree Green;1496.
Trim Color: I wanted it to be closer in color to our new gutters, so I chose Ben Moore’s Misty Air; OC-44, creamy, with a green undertone.
Doors and the brick chimney (that’s visible in the breezeway) remained Ben Moore’s Georgian Brick; HC-50.
Paint Sample Boards
What goes into choosing exterior colors? Take some cues from your surroundings and the history of your home.
Is your home in a wooded area, near a pond or a lake, or in a neighborhood surrounded by other homes?
What are the colors of your surroundings? If you are near other homes, you may want to find colors that are different for your home, but still complement your neighbors’ color selections.
And you can evaluate how the colors that surround you change from early morning to evening and also seasonally.
Be aware that your color selections can look different depending on the light conditions!
Is your home from a particular period (Arts and Crafts, Mid-Century, etc.) – what colors were popular when your home was built?
Take a look at my blog post on color theory, recently updated!
In the woods…
We are on a very wooded lot; we have a lot of green in spring and summer, with gold, red and orange predominating in the autumn. And we have Japanese maples of different colors throughout the spring, summer and fall. For example, the orange door and chimney color connects both to our surroundings and was a popular color in the 1960s.
Color selection…don’t forget to use real paint samples!
You can start thinking about color options using paint color decks, or going on-line to your favorite paint manufacturer.
Look at ranges of color; most paint companies have everything from color collections based on historic periods of home construction, to chatbots, to color consultations based on photos that you provide.
Finalize your selections: paint sample boards! As I do for interior colors, I picked up sample containers of paint from my local Ben Moore dealer, Cowls Building Supply and painted my choices on foam core boards that I could move from place to place, to see how the colors looked in different areas, as well as at different times of day, under different light conditions, before settling on my final choices.
What if you still aren’t sure about the colors?
Do you need more help? Interior designers, like me, consult on paint projects and may include exterior colors, as well as interior colors; my curriculum in design school included color theory. There are also architectural color consultants, whose focus is color, color applications and their complexities, and they can be found locally and on-line.
Photo by Amy Crosby Photography
Finding a painter.
If you have a painter whom you trust, that’s great!
If you need to find a painter, contact your local chamber of commerce, look at on-line reviews, talk with people who have had their house painted recently, talk with local building contractors for their recommendations.
Talk with several candidates and let them know that you will be reaching out to more than one painter.
Always get an estimate of the work.
Discuss details (including timing, the prep and painting process, deposit and progress payments, etc.)
Ask about their providing a contract.
Typically, a building permit is not required for exterior painting.
Chris Grenier – www.grenierpainting.com
Does your home’s exterior need repairs?
If you need carpentry work done as well, and your painter has someone in mind, make sure the carpenter is a registered or licensed professional; the specifics vary depending on where you are located.
For minor repairs, in Massachusetts where we live, the carpenter should be registered with the Commonwealth as a Home Improvement Contractor.
For more significant structural work, a Construction Supervisor License is (CSL) is needed.
Depending on the extent of the carpentry work, you may need to contact your local town or city building department to see if a permit is necessary; talk to your painter about permit needs, as well.
If you need a significant amount of exterior repair, prior to painting, I would suggest contacting a licensed building contractor first and then ask about their recommendations for painters.
Starting the prep work – cleaning the siding.
Prep work usually includes power-washing the exterior and removing any dirt and debris from all surfaces to be painted or stained.
All surfaces need to dry properly before applying the paint/stain.
Repair work that had been identified is completed.
Any areas that needed to be scraped and primed would also be done at this point.
Spraying the surface, brushing the trim, etc.
With prep work complete, the crew would cover the area surrounding the house and completely cover the windows, doors, gutters and more.
The painter and his crew spray the solid stain on the house.
Once the stain dries completely, the trim, windows and doors are painted.
A final look at all of the surfaces should be done after the work is complete, to make sure any tape was removed, along with any trim or body areas that might have been missed. Your painter should also be willing to come back, in case you find any areas that did not come out as expected, or start to peel unexpectedly.
In my most recent post, I wrote about layers of light. Think of it as a lighting outfit for your room, house, etc. What I mean by that is general lighting is the clothing you’re wearing, minus accessories. Accessories like belts, scarves, shoes, glasses, even a hat are the task lighting, and jewelry is the accent lighting.
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Speaking the Language of LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes)
Once you have a sense of the overall outfit, or in the case of lighting, how you want your space to look with the updated lighting and the location of fixtures, then what?
A decorative fixture can look great on its own, but if you’re not getting the light that you expected from it, then what? When we replace lightbulbs, there are so many options for what to buy; often fixtures don’t come with bulbs and if you are using LEDs what do you need to know? If you are doing a project with an electrician, how do you speak their language?
Lumens, Color Temperature, and CRI – what are those?
There arethree main attributes to consider when lighting with LEDs, which most of us use throughout our homes: Lumens, Color Temperature and CRI.
First, let’s start with Lumens, or how bright the light is that a bulb produces. If you look at the bulb packaging shown below, you will see brightness on the bottom right of the box, above energy cost (450 lumens).
Secondly, Color Temperature, which is the color of the light (from warm to cool) that a bulb produces, and it’s on the bottom left of the packaging below, next to wattage (2700K).
And finally, the Color Rendering Index (CRI) measurement, or how well the light emitting from a bulb shows the true color of an object that it’s focused on, and this is to the right and above the image of the bulbs on the packaging below (90 CRI).
And these three are referenced on just about any LED lightbulb package you buy, but what do they mean and why are they important?
Do you want to become a lighting geek? Then read on…to decode more about LED bulbs.
What happens when you are buying a new fixture?
What if you are buying a new fixture? When you review the details of any fixture, there are quite a number of specifications, for example; look at the list for the fixture below, and see four categories just devoted to bulbs; often fixtures’ specifications only list maximum wattage. How do you translate that to lumens? And what does bulb base mean?
When selecting bulbs for a fixture, look at the fixture specification for bulb base type or bulb type, as well as wattage, typically referring to an incandescent bulb (even though LED bulbs are measured in lumens); you can find the equivalent brightness for LED bulbs and it is much less wattage than for incandescent bulbs that produce the same number of lumens. Talk to whomever you are ordering the light fixture from for confirmation.
Wattage v. Lumens
Wattage is a measure of the energy a lightbulb uses, instead of lumens, which, again, is how much light output there is from any lightbulb. So if a specification lists 100 watts for a light bulb, what kind of LED bulb could you choose?
A 100 watt incandescent provides about 1600 lumens; and the LED equivalent uses only 25-28 watts. The chart below shows how lumens translate to both incandescent and LED wattage, and you can see how much lower the energy use is for LEDs.
For the bulb’s base type, talk with your lighting company; “E” (Edison) type bulbs are most common, as they are screwed into the socket and the most common size of those is “E26” with the 26 the width of the base in millimeters. Too much information? See the chart below for shapes, base types and more (and on our packaging above, the bulb type is “A19” with and Edison base). There are also fixtures that come with integrated LEDs, these are typically strips of diodes, and they cannot be replaced without replacing the fixture.
Dimming
Dimming is also a way to control bulb light output and I recommend it for just about every fixture! LED sources need different dimmers than incandescents, so talk with your electrician or lighting company about your best options.
Secondly, Color Temperature is the color of the light emitted from a light source; this selection is up to you and it’s about how warm or cool you want the light to be in your room and/or home, because that affects how objects (walls, floors, furniture, accessories) appear to you.
What you need to know about the color temperature of LED bulbs is at 2000K to 3000K (K stands for Kelvin, which is the scale used for measuring thermodynamic temperature) a light bulb emits a warm glow, similar to incandescent bulbs. As you move up the Kelvin scale, the warm or orange glow moves into the bright white color ranges (6000K for example) with 9000K to 10,000K emitting a blue light. Daylight for example, as you can see on the chart below, is from 4800K to 6000K or so. In residential settings, most LED bulbs are in the 2700K to 3000K warm range (with whiter light being better for task areas like kitchens and baths – up to 4000K depending on client preference).
How does my space look with lighting depending on color temperature?
Why is the color temperature important when choosing LED bulbs? Color temperature emitted from a light source can change how we perceive the color of what the light is focused on.
What if you are repainting a room, for example? How does color temperature affect that?
For example, if you are repainting a room, something to consider when choosing colors is that warmer paint colors are enhanced by warmer lighting conditions (red, orange and yellow), while cooler ones, like blue and green colors are enhanced by cooler lighting conditions. If you choose an LED bulb with a color temperature of 2700K (which is warm, and very similar to incandescent bulbs) it will enhance red, orange and yellow colors in the room, with the blue and green range appearing muted; if you move toward the natural light range to 4000K (4800K to 6000K is the range for natural light), blue and green colors will be enhanced and the warmer colors will appear duller. It is important to test out how you perceive the different color temperatures, particularly if you are making a change.
If you like how your current room looks with your existing fixtures with their current bulbs, choose the same color temperature bulb for any new fixture. If you want a change, try out some new bulbs in different color temperatures! You probably already have noticed changes in how your interiors look going from natural daylight into artificial light. And if you are adding lighting to areas where you perform tasks, like kitchens and baths, the general recommendation is to select color temperatures from 3000K to 4000K. See the image below for moving from warmer light on the left, to cooler light on the right.
CRI – the Color Rendering Index – Higher on the scale is better.
And finally, the Color Rendering Index (CRI) measurement tells us how colors look under an artificial light source, when compared to being in natural sunlight. Colors look most vibrant when they are seen in natural light, across the full color spectrum. LED bulbs can produce better (or worse!) color rendering.
CRI is on a scale of 1-100, 100 being what you would see under natural light conditions, showing the color of whatever is being lit at its most vibrant. What should you look for in CRI measurements?
A CRI measurement of less than 80, is not considered good, colors can be drab, and it may be difficult to distinguish similar colors from one another. A CRI of 80-90 is better, and often okay for commercial settings. A CRI above 90 is very good, with good color rendering, providing depth in the colors and is what you want for residential applications. (As you get closer to 100, the CRI becomes even better, providing more depth of color, etc.). The apple all the way to the right is the best rendered!
By understanding the details of LEDs, not only can you replace bulbs in an informed way, you can buy the bulbs that will work in your space without multiple trips back to the store for new or existing fixtures!
Thinking about the lighting in your home? Do you find that you have a dark area or two in a room and you want to update your lighting? Evaluate what changes you’d like to see and decide if you want portable lighting to address the problem, or if it’s time to bring in an electrician, to add fixtures and update switching. If you are planning a renovation project, consider lighting from the very beginning!
Layers of Light
One of the rules of thumb with lighting, is to provide multiple layers of light. What this means is to create general, ambient light, along with task (directed) lighting, and accent (directed) lighting.
In a living room, for example, you may have sconces, light fixtures on the walls, which wash the wall and perhaps also light the ceiling above them; these provide general, ambient light.
Providing general lighting was the goal in the different areas of this living room using sconces, as you can see in these two photos; this was a renovation project of an 1850s farmhouse and wiring was a challenge! Corey Fitzgerald Photography
Floor and table lamps can provide task lighting, for reading, and recessed lighting with a directional component can be specifically directed at art work. However, recessed lighting, installed as a series of fixtures can provide general lighting. Confusing?? Read on…
Since recessed lights are installed in the ceiling, there is no decorative component, as there would be with a fixture that sits on the ceiling. The light that comes from a recessed fixture has a limited beam spread, (think pool of light on the floor below the fixture) and to provide general lighting in a room with recessed lighting means to make sure that the beam spread of each of a series of fixtures overlaps, so there are no dark areas in-between the fixtures.
In this Arts and Crafts bungalow, our lighting decisions included recessed lighting in the ceiling coffers to provide ambient and focused (on art work) lighting, along with table and floor lamps for task lighting. – Corey Fitzgerald Photography
Be aware that there can be overlap in the function of lighting! Floor and table lamps, if placed in different areas of a room, can also provide ambient as well as task lighting. Torchieres, which are floor lamps that direct light above them to the ceiling, can also provide ambient light, and are available in many styles.
If you don’t want a lot of recessed fixtures, and prefer to keep the number of ceiling openings to a minimum, track lighting has made something of a comeback, and with one opening for wiring, you can place a track on your ceiling, with multiple track-heads aimed at a number of locations.
A ceiling pendant over the small dining table provides both task and ambient lighting and a track with track-heads (just visible) in the middle of the room, focuses both on a counter area and toward a pantry that’s opposite, made sense in this 1964 ranch kitchen renovation. Corey Fitzgerald Photography
Ceiling lights (installed on the ceiling) are great way to provide ambient light; they can be flush to the ceiling, semi-flush, which allows for the light to bounce off the ceiling, or pendants which hang down from the ceiling. And there are many decorative options, for pretty much any home style. Pendants and chandeliers (typically a larger fixture, with a number of bulbs) which hang from cords or rods from the ceiling may be used in hallways or entryways for general lighting and are available is many sizes, styles and lumens. Of course, pendants can also be used for general room lighting as well as task lighting over tables, bars, etc.
In the dining room of the Arts and Crafts bungalow, we used two large pendants to create a chandelier effect over the large dining table, along with recessed lighting in the ceiling and sconces on the wall. Rosemary Fletcher Photography
And in a kitchen, providing task lighting for food preparation most often takes the form of under-cabinet lighting (LED strip lighting or fixtures) directly over counters, perhaps with the support of recessed fixtures over the countertops. Pendants or ceiling fixtures can light the sink area, and provide visual interest.
In these two photos, pendants above the sink area in the 1850s Farmhouse renovation were hand-created; under-cabinet LED lighting and recessed lighting over the countertops where possible, (not possible everywhere due to wiring challenges) helped to create a well-lit space. Corey Fitzgerald Photography
My favorite options for a bathroom are to provide recessed fixtures over the shower or tub area, with sconces flanking the mirror over the sink (often supported by a recessed light over each sink), and a decorative ceiling fixture, for the center of the room. A large bathroom may require more ceiling and recessed fixtures.
These two photos show the bath renovation from a 1990s home; two separate baths, that shared a wall were combined to create a new primary bath. The sconces flanking the mirror echo the style of the ceiling fixture; two recessed lights over the shower illuminate what was originally a dark tub area. Amy Crosby Photography
Next up, a discussion of LEDs, plus the meaning and measurement of lumens, color temperature and CRI.
What about accessories – and what do those include? Art…which can provide color, texture and connections to other areas of your home; in the photo below from New England Home, the framed prints which create a gallery wall, provide texture, as well as keeping with the overall neutral palette, and drawing the eye up the stairs. Their scale keeps the space intimate.
Or perhaps one colorful painting to draw your eye?
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/140806232277865/
Mirrors – you can place a mirror over a console table or cabinet, but how about a large mirror in a Mid-Century entryway, anchors the space over a bench?
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/3377768462818168/
In a small, narrow entryway, how about multiple mirrors on hooks?
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Photo by Corey Fitzgerald, KDZ Designs Mid-Century Modern Kitchen Update
Photo by Corey Fitzgerald, KDZ Designs Mid-Century Modern Kitchen Update
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Corey Fitzgerald Photo – Cosmo, the greyhound
