The Academy Awards and Renovations
Has it ever occurred to you that there are parallels between The Academy Awards and choosing fixed elements for a renovation?
The Academy Awards and Renovations
When it comes to pulling together aspects for a renovation, there are so many choices out there that it can paralyze you very quickly. So how can you get it right the first time?
My mentor and friend, Maria Killam, hit this right on the head in her recent post: BAD DESIGN ADVICE: FALL IN LOVE WITH ALL YOUR FINISHES. In her blog post, she wrote the following:
"Shopping for hard finishes is not the same as shopping for fashion."
It's easy to change style with your pants, your clothes, your shoes, etc. however it is not as easy to quickly change fixed elements such as counters, backsplash, flooring, etc. Not only is not not easy, it's not cheap either!
The Academy Awards and Renovations
Best Actress = Best Fixed Element
There can only be one winner for the best actress/actor with the Academy Awards. In my opinion, the same holds true for renovations. Decide on one aspect of your space that will be the best fixed element (best actress/actor) and have all the other elements support the star.
Perhaps it's your cabinets.
These yellow kitchen cabinets win the 'Best Fixed Element' award. They are the driving force that has dictated the design of this kitchen. Notice the best supporting fixed elements: the counters are a solid colour and the backsplash (which is not tile) is simple and understated. This allows for the yellow cabinets to shine like the star they were meant to be. All the other elements are supporting the star.
Perhaps it's your counters.
In this kitchen, the granite counters win the 'Best Fixed Element'. Here's what I want you to notice: the backsplash is a solid colour, the cabinets are a solid colour, the flooring is 'neutral' and not busy. All of those elements play a supporting role to allow this very expensive granite to shine!
The Academy Awards and Renovations
Your Take Away
When thinking about putting together a plan for an upcoming renovation (and you should all have a plan), think of what is going to be your shining star. If it's granite (which is a fixed element), then everything else should be supporting it to allow it to shine. If it's your flooring (which again, is a fixed element), and it's not a neutral flooring, then everything else in that room needs to be the supporting element.
This Brazilian Cherry Hardwood Flooring is allowed to be the best fixed element in this room due to the wonderful supporting elements. The stone around the fireplace is simple and understated. The paint, furniture and all trim is solid. Again, they are supporting these beautiful floors. None of those supporting elements are shouting, "Look at me, look at me!"
The Academy Awards and Renovations
And the winner is...
So when it comes to planning your next renovation, decide who is going to win your best fixed element. Once you have that figured out, ensure all of the other elements in the space support that decision!
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