The Eight Special Ingredients' for Successful
Additions & Whole House Remodels

Signature Kitchens, Additions & Baths presents in a light hearted manner the eight essential ingredients every addition, or whole house remodel should consider during the design phase.

1. ARE YOU STREET SMART?

Not Vinnie Barbarino street smart… He really was not smart! We are talking about understanding your street, your neighborhood, your town's distinct character. What makes those houses unique in Bethesda MD, Capitol Hill DC or Old Town Alexandria VA from other houses in nearby neighborhoods such as Potomac MD, Cleveland Park DC or Arlington VA.? An addition, weather it is a bump out addition for a bathroom remodel or a room addition for a new kitchen design, should include or at least be considerate of the uniqueness of your street, & neighborhood. As Vinnie would say. "you gotsa blend in"

2. THINK A LOT! I MEAN THINK ABOUT YOUR LOT!

Wasn't there a biblical guy named Lot? When adding a house addition, consider your properties orientation to its resources, its natural resources the sun vs. the shade it's unnatural resources, your neighbors house, your neighbor. Some people might read a double meaning in the last sentence… There was a double meaning in the last sentence! You might love your house and your neighborhood but not be too thrilled about your neighbor. It could happen! How about the neighborhood field where your kids play, or kids play. There is a double meaning there too. Despite my silliness it should be clear that the design remodel of an addition can block and hide or expose and accentuate the resources around your house. One of the great advantages in an addition remodel vs. selling and buying elsewhere is that you already know what you like or do not like in your immediate surroundings.

3. BE SENSITIVE TO YOUR HOUSE! GIVE IT A HUG!

Signature Kitchens, Additions & Baths does not want to design and build an addition which insults the original house. The new and the old should strive to be somewhere between identical and fraternal twins. Either hard to distinguish or different but complimentary. Your addition does not have to be identical, sometimes due to the age of the original or budget considerations it is either impossible or impractical to make a seemless match. Fraternal twins do not look exactly alike but they share many similar features.

4. GOOD BONES!

A descriptor used loosely by Realtors to describe a house listing "a house with good bones". Where are the house bones? What are the house bones? They are not talking about the dog! They are referring to house structure. We are referring to the structure as well specifically the foundation and framing components of the original house and our concern for there integration with the new bones of the house addition or whole house remodel. If you make errors on this topic by not designing safely with proper engineering, then your remodel could really get you down, way down on the ground, with a pile of lumber on top of you!

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“To the entire crew at Signature Kitchens, Additions and Baths - We are so Happy with our 'New Home. The kitchen design and our new kitchen cabinetry have simply been transformative.' Each and everyone of you have been a real joy to work with throughout the entire process and the workmanship and professionalism is outstanding. It’s nice to know there are still companies like yours in business who put the customer and quality first.”

- Sam & Donna M.

5. LOOK IN THE MIRROR. DOES SOMEONE NEED TO DRESS YOU?

Do you get to work and mid morning shudder and say "what in the world was I thinking". People can change their clothes; you are only stuck with a bad hair day for a day. The clothes your house wears are too expensive to change. At Signature Kitchens, Additions & Baths, we put a lot of time into the selection of materials from roofing and fascia, to windows and doors. As well as brick or siding selection on every addition design, or whole house remodel. The exterior or public façade is very important and careful attention must be paid in material selection. The interior or private façade is many times more important. Its textures and colors and components require as much if not more attention to details, then the outside.

6. WHO ARE YOU? ...WHO WHO WHO WHO... WHO THE... YIKES!

At Signature Kitchens, Additions & Baths, we believe there is no way a house addition or any kitchen remodel or bath design will win an award or be truly special unless it is wrapped around who you are, your life style, what is unique about your family, your kids and possibly your friends. Your family's rituals, activities and passions ideally impact the design & remodel of the project. Thanksgiving, Football, the Theater, where are the chips.

7. PASSION & EMOTION. THAT'S HOW WE DESIGN BUILD!

Sounds great. However, I am talking about your passion and emotion. Try and share it in one or two places with out regard to economics or resale value. It …what ever it is... does not have to be extravagant. It could be a fire engine red Bertazoni range in an otherwise conservative kitchen. It could be a niche for pictures of you kids Bar or Bat Mitzvah. Whatever that whimsical thing is do not deny it, because it is the special

8. KNOW YOUR DESIGNER REMODELER

Know you builder if you are using an Architect. At a minimum, complete the designer contractor questionnaire. What you really want to know is deeper than that. At Signature Kitchens, Additions & Baths we are committed to designing & remolding the very best addition, large or small for you and your family. The same holds true for Kitchen Desing and Bath Design We are told that our commitment shows up in our actions, our design studio, and our design build process, even here at our web site. You should expect nothing less from us or anyone you are considering to help your house addition dreams come true.

You should take advantage of this web site it has been designed to inform and help you in the kitchen, addition & bath design & remodeling process. Browse through, you'll find lots of inspiration. More important you'll find our well thought out design philosophy, a proven remodeling process, and the critical steps necessary in a major remodel or addition. As well as information on kitchen cabinet selection, bathroom design, accessible kitchens & baths, and much more. Add our site to your browsers "Favorites Tab".