Kitchen & Bath Business - July/August 2018 - 70

Balanced Budget

A Seaside Escape

A designer and her clients formed an unusual partnership
to keep costs down in this kitchen renovation

A

on
Fripp Island for vacations with family and friends,
but they didn't have the funds to do a major renovation.They planned to cut costs by doing a lot of
the labor themselves, but they needed help executing the style they wanted for the new kitchen.
They enlisted the help of their friend and designer,
Kimberly Kerl, owner of Kustom Home Design
in Greer, S.C., who presented the homeowners with two layouts.
"The design scheme we ultimately chose allowed us to have an island
without moving the sink and dishwasher from their original location, which
helped save money," said Kerl, who explained that both plans called for
knocking down a wall for a more open feel and brightening up the vanilla
look with more of a "wow" factor.
COUPLE PURCHASED A CASUAL BEACH COTTAGE

ABOVE & BELOW The bright,
white kitchen features plenty
of open shelving and painted
shiplap, a large island, stainless steel appliances and
moderately priced cabinetry
- all well within the project's
tight budget.
ABOVE RIGHT The homeowners
repurposed glass milk jugs
for the pendants and used a
$40 door salvaged from an old
home for the dining table to
help stick to the project budget.

INVESTING SWEAT EQUITY TO CUT COSTS

From the beginning of the project, the homeowners wanted this to be a casual
space,so they were willing to do whatever it took to stick to the tight budget.They
installed the trim and shiplap, painted the walls, installed the light fixtures and
shelves,replaced the outlets and built the dining room table from a salvaged door.
"My husband and I decided that if we were capable of it, we would give
it a try," said homeowner Andrea Skrobola, who is a registered nurse. "I had
always wanted to do something like this, and we definitely learned as we went
along with Kimberly as our guide."
Kerl's role after creating the initial design and cabinetry plan in AutoCAD
was to help the couple prioritize in terms of function and necessary storage
space. She also designed the trimwork, consulted on the color palette and
provided detailed instructions for the do-it-yourselfers along the way.
The couple also removed the former cabinets and plumbing fixtures -
donating those items - and removed the carpeting and sub-floor. Some of
the "splurges" they made included hiring experts to install the engineered
hardwoods and cabinetry, as well as an electrician, to make sure those more
specialized parts of the project were done correctly.

70

BY CHELSIE BUTLER

OTHER METHODS FOR STAYING ON TRACK

Skrobola found that cabinetry in a coastal town
was expensive, so she shopped around her local
city of Greenville and found a better deal. She
chose quality, mid-range cabinetry without the
pricey extras like sliding drawers that could be
added at a later date if needed, and the couple
delivered the cabinets themselves.
The homeowners also shopped around for
the honed marble for the countertops and
eventually found a company willing to beat
the price of another. Kerl helped them choose
appliances that would fit their budget, and she
suggested having the microwave on a shelf
rather than the more expensive microwave
drawer. She chose a combination stovetop and
oven without separate wall ovens.
Kerl designed the island with only electrical
service - plumbing was not required, as the sink
maintained its original location. She also closed in
an unused doorway to be used as a pantry cabinet
instead of an entire closet.

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Kitchen & Bath Business - July/August 2018

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