Imagine taking your kitchen down to the studs and having the opportunity to design and create the kitchen of your dreams! Granted some of you reading this have done this very thing, maybe even more than once. My husband and I redid our kitchen about 18 years ago. Finding time to do the legwork of designing a kitchen while managing three kids, a dog and our jobs is a story that is worth relating at a future time.

This month I will focus on my friend and neighbor, Aliyana, who after living in her home for 21 years, generated a plan to achieve her dream kitchen. This past Pesach, she declared this was the last year she would “schlep” her Pesach dishes, pots and cutlery up from the basement and down again post chag. She was done living with the dark kitchen cabinets that came with the house, with their broken hinges and drawers that did not fully shut. She had enough of the low-hanging cabinets suspended above the narrow peninsula that not only blocked the light from the large window, but also caused her to bump her head. Even without cabinets above the peninsula, the limited width of the counter only allowed for stacking plates from the table to the sink, not for meal prep.

In short, it was a “gloomy” kitchen. Quoting Hillel, she asked herself, “If not now, when?”

Sure, when she and her husband moved into this house, she did appreciate the storage space the kitchen seemed to afford. Unfortunately, she soon realized that the soffit above the upper cabinets was dead space and not only were the lower cabinets shallow, but each shelf was tenuously held up by thin plastic prongs. Heavy items, like a Kitchen Aid mixer, would only topple down with the shelf. The kitchen was big enough for more than one person to fit, but based on the placement of the appliances and the tiny prep counter, there was room for only one person to cook. Clearly it was time to design a kitchen to her specifications, addressing all of the issues that plagued her.

Armed with informal plans, she met with several contractors who have good reputations and are bonded. Aliyana requested their fees and a project timeline and explained her wants and her needs, including to only employ certified, legal workers. She also wanted people familiar with building codes so their work passed inspection the first time.

To define her “look and desired style,” Aliyana would scour sites like Pinterest and transfer the winners into her phone. Thus, she had a vision to display when selecting cabinetry, appliances, counter tops and flooring. It is worth noting that another one of my friends, on a tight budget, watched countless YouTube videos and “searched everywhere and anywhere” for information about designing kitchens and installing cabinetry. Using her newfound knowledge, she designed and planned every aspect of her kitchen and hired professionals to execute her plan. Her kitchen is finished and is bright and beautiful.

After a great deal of thought, Aliyana chose Brown and Glynn Construction. She was impressed that a dedicated project manager and designer is assigned to every job. That way, the client, contractor and designer can share all information and work in tandem. She noted that Brown and Glynn adhere to a strict work schedule, something not every contractor can claim. I was so impressed I wanted to hire them, even though I am not planning any large projects.

As mentioned, this project was going down to the studs but no outer walls would be pushed out, nor were any interior walls being moved. Therefore, Brown and Glynn said it would take a minimum of 10 weeks from start to finish. After many years of completing so many jobs in the Edison/Highland Park Jewish community, Brown and Glynn know all about the wish lists for the kosher community: two sinks, two wall ovens or two ranges, perhaps an extra-large refrigerator for large families, enough storage in the kitchen for the Passover paraphernalia, etc.

They also know when our holidays fall and that they must leave by early afternoon on Fridays and can’t work on Saturdays. (Yes, they really would work on Saturdays!) Not only do they know this, but my friend said they never complained or threw in a comment that their project would get done sooner if they could only work a full week. As of this writing, the kitchen is almost complete, on schedule and looks strikingly beautiful.

Any major renovation has its drawbacks and my friend cited the ever-present dust, although the workers have hung heavy plastic sheets that zipper close to protect other parts of her home. The second concern is that the front door and the kitchen entrances must remain without the protection of a mezuzah due to the potential of large tools or building materials knocking mezuzahs off door posts.

Here is Aliyana’s advice to anyone considering a total redo of their kitchen:

1. Visit friends’ homes with new kitchens or recently done in the past few years. Ask them what they love most and cannot live without. Then ask them what they wish they had done differently.
2. Go online for inspiration to find your “look.”
3. When installing tile, choose dark grout because you may be able to clean the tile, but over time light grout darkens and looks dingy.
4. Be open to compromise. She had her heart set on two farm sinks, but her designer cautioned that they are large and will take away counter space. Instead, the designer introduced her to the “work sink.” Similar to a farm sink, it is deep but not as long. A work sink is fitted with a removable cutting board and colander, which when put into place, extends the counter top.

I was curious about the benefits of working with a designer provided by the contractor versus working with a designer at each store. My friend said her designer accompanied her to some design meetings and made sure the measurements of any item she considered would work in her new kitchen. While he did not push her into a decision, he guided her to possibilities she would not on her own have discovered. When working with a designer from a particular store, you may have only one time slot to make all your decisions. That is what happened to me and that is why we never got a backsplash.

Finally, I inquired if she would want to do another project right away or if she needed a break. “I think it’s like giving birth. When you are in the midst of labor pains, you think ‘I am never doing this again! Then you do. It’s exhausting. It has taken nine months from signing the contract to the finished job. Ha! This is the end of the third trimester.’”

Whether you are hiring a contractor to do your major renovation or you will be your own designer, you will need to declutter before you can start your work. I can help you. Call me for a 20-minute, complimentary phone consultation.

Ellen Smith of iDeclutter, LLC of Central Jersey, is a residential organizer and a member of NAPO, the National Association of Productivity and Organizing Professionals. For over 16 years, Ellen has helped people restore order and create calm in their homes and souls. See Ellen’s work on Instagram @ideclutterbyEllen. Contact Ellen for a complimentary phone consultation at [email protected].