Q&A: Which cabinet color should I choose? Q: We are building a new house, and the model home construction comes with grey tile floors in the kitchen, master bath, and two guest baths. We have 3 color options for custom cabinetry: light, medium, and dark wood. With my untrained eye, I really have no idea what is best. Even though the three choices are at different price points, can you provide suggestions for what cabinetry colors are best even if money were no object? Thanks!

The thought of looking for designer can be intimidating. Where do you look? How can you be assured of a good job? As part of our series “Finding a Designer” this entry will explore the most daunting component of securing a great designer: Style Match. If you’re looking for a great designer, your biggest concern may be: “If a stranger designs my space, will it match my personality and style?” Good question! With the right designer, you can rest assured—even if you yourself don

Everyone always asks how long their renovation/remodeling/redesign is going to take. Of course, it’s one of the three key questions everyone should ask (along with questions about scope and budget). The answer to this one is always answerable to an individual client—but how do we answer the question in a general sense… in a blog entry…applicable to all…? Well, for starters, while scope and budget do impact the proposed schedule, we decided it was important to give homeowners

As you know, renovating your home is a big decision—or, truthfully, it’s many big decisions. Naturally, most prospective clients struggle to come up with answers to questions about schedule, scope, and budget before reaching out to us for help. One of the reasons we developed our popular, interactive consultations was to help you before you make these decisions—possibly even before you decide to renovate at all. Instead of losing sleep, consider these 7 reasons to schedule a

When conceptualizing a design solution for a new project, it’s important to look at the larger picture: circulation, functionality, scope, context, adjacency…all concepts familiar to a talented designer. That said, one of the reasons we at Village West Design stay with projects and clients through the construction and installation process is that the way the design gets realized may make all the difference. For this blog entry, let’s explore a critical facet of that process:

At Village West Design documenting projects through photography is a key step in communicating the finished product. At the photoshoot we aim to show off not just the overall design, but also the individual features, colors and materials that make that project special. And just like at home, accessories and lighting prove essential elements on the day of the shoot. A professional photograph may capture some components of the design, but a significant challenge is communicatin

There is a definite allure to inhabiting a raw, floor-through space with high ceilings and remnants of a bygone era. But the design challenges are as specialized for a loft as for a Classic Six. Village West Design has completed several successful loft spaces, so, although each client deserves a unique solution, we thought we would share a few tips. The key goals in a loft are about preservation. Residential lofts are typically converted from factories, storage facilities or

Even in the most luxurious homes, no amount of well-appointed furnishings can bring about the tranquility of a well-made bed. But that’s not what this post is about. Because for even all of those homes on days without the housekeeper, a persistent query remains: “Why should I make my bed if I’m just going to unmake it later?” A simple question deserves a simple answer: it’s about you. It’s not about the other people in your home, or unexpected company, or even ensuring that y

You and the designer stand there in the existing space you’re planning to renovate, and you survey the scene. The designer tries to paint a picture for you of the various options and describes the plans you’re working on together, the layout, the materials, other details…but you just can’t seem to envision the final product. In fact, it’s even hard to assess the possibilities. For the designer, it’s more straightforward: we’re trained to create that vision—and to manipulate i

You stand in your home and look around…. It’s rough around the edges, it doesn’t really meet your needs, and it doesn’t reflect who you are—at least not the image you want to project. You need a professional…but who? Part II of our series “Finding a Designer” is Experience Match. However you find a prospective architect, interior designer, or interior architect, you want to assess the following for each firm: 1. Comparable clients and references. Has the designer worked with

With summer in full swing, why not bring the outside inside? Here are a few tips and tricks to freshen up your home. Tip 1: Rearrange your furniture to make room for summer entertaining. If you don’t have a lot of space, consider investing in an expandable dining table to make room for more guests. You can also select a new coffee table or sideboard that works well for setting up a casual buffet. Tip 2: No need to purchase all new furniture; freshen up your décor with summer

This entry has been written by our lead interior designer and Village West Design principal Daniel Ian Smith. People often ask me what a typical workday is, and the answer is that there is no “typical” day—something I love about my job. Here is a snapshot of one workday in late June: First morning activity is communication. Must get ready for site visit, so deal only with urgent emails, forward a few to my assistant for follow-up, and leave the rest for this afternoon. Finish

The following article “The Real Value of Your Home” by Daniel Ian Smith was originally published in the West Village newspaper WestView News. People often renovate and redecorate their homes to maximize resale potential, but I believe true value is when we get the most out of a home while we are living in it. On every project the client eventually asks me, “Well, what would you do?” And I always answer the same way—by reminding them that it’s their home, not mine. Of course,

We have no trouble committing to an imaginative playground of a room for our children, but when it comes to adult space, many think it has to be “serious.” Mid-Century modernists relished opportunities to employ the language of clean lines and contemporary materials in devising toys and fun furniture. Likewise, today’s designers can follow suit with inspiration from children’s rooms. Children are inherently drawn to color, and adult tastes often differ only by our desire to m