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It’s Time to Reprogram Our Approach to Remodeling

Taking issue: One architect suggest a whole new approach to tackling remodeling projects

I’ll let you in on a secret about architects. We would rather design clever, efficient, well-proportioned homes, kitchens, baths—you name it—than big ones. We don’t get excited when a client says “We want it to be huge!” We long to hear things like “Be creative without wasting space” and “We’re more interested in the character of the room than the size of it.”

Anyone can design a kitchen with miles of countertops and cabinets, plunking down appliances here, windows there, and maybe a pantry around the corner. The real goal should be a kitchen or bath that is large enough to be functional yet small enough to be efficient; one crafted with excellence and thoughtfulness, not cookiecutter indifference. Make your architect’s day by demanding a smaller, smarter alternative to the vast trophy kitchens celebrated in the media.