These days, television and the Internet have helped to make consumers more design-savvy than in the past. Still, as the saying goes, a little knowledge can be a dangerous thing! Ask any design professional who has had to talk a client out of an impractical or unrealistic idea he or she “saw on TV.” For one thing, a kitchen remodel involves many technical and aesthetic issues that only a professional should handle. “People should work with a certified designer, because it makes a big difference in the level of knowledge that accreditation brings to the project,” said Sharon Sherman, ASID, CKD, CID and owner of Thyme & Place Design, Wyckoff. She admitted that trying to talk clients out of something not in their best interest can be “like telling your daughter not to marry her boyfriend, with whom she is madly in love.” REALITY CHECK “Sometimes they over- or underestimate their needs,” Sherman explained. “For example, I had a client with young children who kept talking about what her lifestyle is now, but that’s very different from what it will be five years from now. “Many times, a particular convenience seems awesome now, but the client won’t even be using it in a few years. So it’s important to plan a kitchen both for the present day and for down the road.” Sherman also steers clients away from what is trendy. “I tell them, don’t go with all the latest fads,” she said. “Trends come and go, and you don’t want to be constantly remodeling to keep up with them.” Linda Fennessy, marketing manager at Kitchen Magic – with 12 locations in New Jersey, including Wayne – said at times her company even advises against replacing old kitchen cabinets. “Sometimes we recommend refacing, instead,” she said. “We do this when the countertop is granite or quartz and not that old. Stone is usually a big investment and you can’t take it out in one piece. Instead, we can reface the cabinets without disturbing the countertop.” FOR YOUR OWN GOOD And although granite is the still the No. 1 choice for a countertop, Fennessy said Kitchen Magic will tell a client not to use it if it isn’t the best quality, instead recommending a solid-surfacing material or quartz. “Some lower-quality granite can off-gas radon,” she explained. “I mean, you put your food on it! Also, low-grade granite can be porous and will stain in time.” Sherman agreed, “If clients want to do something that will impact their health and safety, it’s my duty to address it. Although it may be a no-win situation, it’s my responsibility to explain why I’m against the idea and why it’s not in their best interest. Then they can make their decision.” Ellen Tesauro of All Decks and Improvement, also in Wayne, recalled a client who wanted to install a cooktop hood much lower than required. “We educate people about the required size of a hood for a particular cooktop, as well as the weight it has to be for code approval and for safety,” she said. “If it’s too low, you can injure your head.” Many people don’t realize how important it is to position the hood properly, noted Anthony Passanante, ASID, CKD, of Anthony Albert Studios, Waldwick. “If it’s a custom hood, I measure the client and adjust it up or down accordingly,” he explained. Although Passanante said, “I try to keep ‘no’ out of my vocabulary,” he admitted that he frowns on certain things, such as marble in the kitchen. “People are influenced by materials they see on web sites, such as Houzz.com,” he said, “but they have to consider how they cook. And, at the island, are kids doing crafts or homework? Marble is porous and stains and scratches easily. That’s when I steer them to manmade products, such as quartz, which is stain- and scratch-resistant and more practical for everyday.” Read More