After her husband’s passing, our client was presented with a dilemma: should she renovate her home or move?  She favored remaining in the home long-term, but was worried about her safety as she aged.

Her house had been paid off and she didn’t want to “outstrip” the neighborhood. But she also knew that if she moved, she would pay a considerable amount for all new finishes and upgrades. So, she hired the team at MDG to make the decision to stay easier.

As certified “Aging-in-Place” specialists, our team has predicted that these types of issues will only grow more prevalent as the population ages. Boomers are starting to contemplate the next 20 years of their life and many are realizing that a space in that comfortable retirement community is a lot more expensive than they thought. Foregoing an early move to a retirement community could help save a considerable amount of money over time, and that leads many to turn to specialists like our team to make their home more accommodating of the transition from active adult to retiree.

We drew upon our experience in usability and aesthetics to come up with this list of pros and cons for remaining in her current home:

Pros

• The house was paid off.
• The neighborhood was desirable as a starter home community.
• A fully renovated home would fetch a good price and sell quickly.
• The house already had a lift chair installed.
• Our client loved her home and the neighborhood.

Cons

• The house was two stories.
• The house did not have a first-floor bathroom.
• The second-story bathroom was not handicap accessible.

MDG took on the task of Master Planning a solution to the “cons.” Our goal was to make the house safe for her for as long as possible. We felt that with the proper planning she could get another 10 to 15 years out of the home:

• We created a first-floor powder room for easier access
• We space-planned the areas to make it easier to navigate the spaces with a walker or other ambulatory aid.
• We added recessed lighting to create a bright an airy environment. Lighting is one of the easiest changes for a home and it can improve the quality of life for aging inhabitants almost immediately.
• We used contrasting color palettes to make delineation of objects easier over time.
• Though we could not change the footprint of the upstairs bathroom, we did create a shower area with a bench and hand-held shower for use in the future.

A unique byproduct of working with a designer who is also a certified aging-in-place specialist, is that these functional changes were not done in a vacuum. We considered the aesthetics of these changes as well as their utility, making the resulting changes as attractive and seamless as possible.

The overall cost of the renovation was considerable as we addressed every interior and exterior surface. It was imperative that the house be sale-ready as our client wanted to be able to put the house on the market and sell quickly should plans change.

By picking tried-and-true finishes on materials that are known for easy maintenance and upkeep, we created a design that appeals to both the client and any future buyers.

The result was beyond our client’s dreams. Our client’s once-limited home has been issued a new lease on life.

The newly designed open floor plan makes her home feel both large and airy, a departure from the compartmentalized layout of the past. The new layout now incorporates the front porch, which had been a lost space in the old layout. The new finishes and the expanded storage allow for easy organization and clean-up.

The two-year process coincided with a culling of items acquired over the decades. Now free of clutter, our client feels ready and engaged to step into the next phase of her life.

Bridget McMullin is a certified Aging-in-Place specialist and can help you prepare your living space for the next 20 years of your life, too!

The post Should She Stay, or Should She Go? appeared first on The Art Of Bridget.

At MDG, we’ve been using renderings to help clients visualize their spaces for about four years now. In that time, we’ve learned to hone our technique keeping the costs down on a tool that can rapidly get expensive.

TV makes it look easy. Click here, then here and, “Eureka!” a beautifully rendered image appears. What they don’t show is the 20-plus man hours that went into creating the room’s digital environments.

From the painstaking selection of furnishings representing your style to the building of the room details, trim, lighting and more; each rendering becomes a unique image for the client’s job.

This project was a perfect example of the differences a digital rendering can make to the design process.

The original space was dated and needed some designer’s love, but our renderings helped the client understand the proposed changes to the space in a way that simple drawings could not.

Recoloring of the existing stone and new trim details complemented the updated decorating plan, elevating the room and advancing the design into the new century.

Once the base image is built for the client it is easier and much less expensive to make changes as the design moves forward. A client can see a different fabric, a different wallcovering, or as in the images below, a new kitchen hood, and it is as easy as building the elements of just that one section of the image.

On occasion, we have clients that have a hard time moving forward because they just can’t visualize how everything will look as a whole.

In the case of this project in Medford, New Jersey, the husband was having a difficult time understanding the combination of finishes in the new space. Each element we presented to him before the renderings was denied. But these same finishes, when shown in renderings, were rapidly approved.

It’s hard to get clients to jump out of their comfort zone. Even though most people are super excited when starting a project, fear and unease about trying something different tend to sneak in during the process, usually dampening the creativity of the designer.

Our client was provided with different options for the hood design in their new kitchen.

That is why the computer-generated images help clients who have trouble envisioning spaces see the whole picture. Renderings contextualize the space in ways that technical floor plans and elevations simply cannot match.

To see more impressive rendered spaces by the MDG team

Click here:  https://www.themcmullindesigngroup.com/portfolios/projects/waterfront-

The post Seeing is Believing. How Renderings Can Change the Way You Experience Design appeared first on The Art Of Bridget.

It may be cliché to say, “you only get one chance to make a first impression.” But the reason clichés become part of the lexicon is because they’re (at least partially) based in truth.

The “first impression” aphorism applies to all aspects of life—from making friends to forging relationships with customers. But for my money, the area where it’s most relevant is in real estate.

For the potential homeowner, a good first impression is paramount. If a property looks run-down, shabby or dated, it’s unlikely that a potential buyer will make an offer.

But if a home on the market is clean, updated and most of all professionally DESIGNED, it can command a premium on the open market.

It’s much the same for condominiums. If you were looking to purchase a condominium in a building that has a lobby that is in shambles, you may decide that negative first impression is enough to exclude that property from your list.

Further, an engaged and professional association is one of the reasons people look at condominiums in the first place. Condos are great for people who don’t want to be bothered with landscaping or other exterior maintenance. But that shabby lobby is a signal that the board or management is not meeting their responsibilities or that there may be financial issues with the building.

This negative perceived value then gets transferred to the units, making tenants angry at the loss in value for their investment. Any renovations the condo owners do to their personal spaces, will always be overshadowed by the poor first impression made by the lobby area and common spaces.

To regain that “wow” factor when entering the building is going to take more than a few coats of paint. Prospective homeowners looking for vacation properties want to feel like they are truly in a vacation setting. As a seller, you must ensure that your décor evokes the correct mood with your prospects the minute they enter the building and disseminated throughout the property.

Our clients at the beachfront Spinnaker Condominiums in Sea Isle City, New Jersey, realized this conundrum and decided to hire McMullin Design Group to work through the process. This almost 50-year building had never been updated. Sure, there was the occasional dab of paint here and a new floor there, but nothing major. Unfortunately, over the years, the board had prioritized durability and utility over style—resulting in a common area that didn’t make the first impression they were looking for.

Working with the board of directors, MDG’s team helped them to realize the potential of their spaces—combining function and aesthetic to add overall value to the property. After the space planning process and the finish selections were complete, MDG created renderings of the spaces for the board, making it easier for them to absorb the visuals of the project so they could subsequently sell the members of the condominium association on the project.

As in many condominium projects, separating the project into multiple phases helped ease the overall financial burden for the project.

We’re proud to reveal the completed first phase here. This phase included updates to the parking garage lobbies.

Here, MDG’s goal was to create a welcoming space, one that conjured the feel of “coming home.” We wanted the vacationers and residents to feel like they were at a luxury beach resort. The floor design creates a path to the elevators and the signage defines the towers.

The homeowners are over the moon with their new space and are looking forward to the next phase of the project (as are we!)

The post Making an Impression appeared first on The Art Of Bridget.

The top pet peeve of every designer, contractor, kitchen cabinet supplier, and all other professional service providers in my industry:  People NOT being realistic about their budget!

I’m going to get honest here, kitchens don’t cost $20,000 anymore. Maybe if you go to IKEA and plan a whole DIY kitchen, you might be able to pull it off.  I prove otherwise below, and many other blogs and articles will also bring you back to reality on this notion.  The only people I know who have time to DIY their kitchen remodels seems to be bloggers and reality TV renovators who make it sound like a walk in the park.

Yes, you can add up all the big expenditures (cabinets, flooring, fixtures), but one must also consider the labor as well as the “other” unseen materials (drywall, wires, pipes).  Design fees also come into play with these renovations as the contractors will need the proper documentation to not only build the job, but to bid on it as well.

So this week my Designer Diary is all about kitchen remodeling budgets.  Let’s get real about how much it REALLY costs!

Condo Upgrade

Before & After

Location: Sea Isle City, NJ

Scope: Gut renovation, reconfiguring the space, plumbing, electrical, laundry room/panty upgrade, flooring

Type: Condo

Overall Budget: $70,000- $100,000

Cabinet Budget: $30,000

Premium Counter Top & Backsplash Budget: $13,000

Appliance & Fixture Budget: $15,000

Flooring Budget: $3500

When updating a kitchen, taking into consideration all of the components involved may help you determine a suitable budget for your project.  If you live in or are downsizing to a condo, understand that you will probably pay a premium of 20-30% more for labor (those trips up and down the elevators, limited working hours, and size limitations add up over the course of the project).  Also, reconfiguring your major plumbing fixtures, stove, and updating your electric to meet code, will add to the overall cost of the project.

Single Home Redeux

Before & After

Location: Avalon, NJ

Scope: Renovation without reconfiguration, updating of electric to meet code

Type: Single Family Home

Overall Budget: $50,000- $70,000

Cabinet Budget: $22,000

Premium Counter Top & Backsplash Budget: $13,000

Appliance & Fixture Budget: salvaged existing

Flooring Budget: salvaged existing

Choosing to keep your existing configuration and paying off those appliances a few years in advance can take a pinch out of the renovation cost.  A big chunk of this renovation budget was spent on updating the island with a teak wood bar top and integrated columns.

IKEA (yes, we do IKEA)

Before & After

Location: Ocean City, NJ

Scope: Renovation without reconfiguration of major appliances and plumbing, update electric to meet code.

Type: Duplex

Overall Budget: $40,000- $50,000

Cabinet Budget: $15,000

Premium Counter Top & Backsplash Budget: $4500

Appliance & Fixture Budget: $7000

Flooring Budget: $1500

We can do IKEA kitchens, but in the end we find for a few dollars more our client can often upgrade to better cabinets. When you add up the IKEA cabinets, the labor to assemble them, and the customization pieces needed to create the space, as well as the ordering time (8 hours), and the “going back” time for all the things that IKEA forgot to add in, we figure our client could have less hourly fees and higher quality furnishings from other sources.  We will always advocate for better quality.

Single Home Blow Out

Location: Cherry Hill, NJ

Scope: Gut renovation with reconfiguration of entire space.

Type: Single Family Home

Overall Budget: $100,000- $130,000

Cabinet Budget: $40,000

Premium Counter Top & Backsplash Budget: $10,000

Appliance & Fixture Budget: $18,000

Flooring Budget: $5000

Fireplace Budget: $4000

Blowing out your kitchen space and creating a whole new configuration will always increase your budget.  What is not seen in this kitchen image is the 16 feet of kitchen cabinets and the pantry on the opposite wall of the enormous entertaining space.  Higher end appliances, molding details, and updates to the fireplace as a central detail in the room all add to the overall costs of this extensive remodel.  This remodel was part of a massive renovation of a 3500 square foot home from top to bottom including an enclosed 3 season room (seen in the background).  The budget number reflects the kitchen’s overall budget.

Our client was kind enough to review this process for our potential clients. Click here to see our client’s story “Where do We Start?”

As for that Sub-Zero refrigerator in your IKEA kitchen? Choose to spend that money on your cabinets instead. Considering all the labor that goes into the installation of your flooring, cabinets, countertop, and the backsplash, a Sub-Zero is a minimal expense. If you are looking for the integrated refrigerator look, then bite the bullet to spend now or put off that renovation one more year.  We never encourage our client’s to be penny wise and pound foolish. Your patience and planning will pay off in your home investment in the end!

If you are ready to get real and to plan your dream kitchen, the McMullin Design Group can help. Our expert designers are ready to talk kitchens with you. Contact us here or call (856) 673-0290 today!

The post Diary of a Designer: Girl PLEASE! Don’t Tell Me You Have a $20,000 Kitchen Budget and Want a Sub-Zero Refrigerator. appeared first on The Art Of Bridget.

Going for Gold

Our clients replaced everything except the bathtub!   This original bathroom was well over 40 years old.  There may have been a few updates over the years, but not much was done to bring style to this tired bath.   The extra-long cabinet was custom made, the stone used was a higher grade, the back wall tile was an upgraded accent, and the extension of the wall tile into the bath added labor and material cost.  The upgraded fixtures including the lighting and plumbing created a unique space good for another forty years.  MDG would recommend budgeting $35,000 to $50,000 to complete a bathroom of this level.  Living in a condo, as this client does, added to the overall labor costs.

Beach Bath

Mosaic details add a wonderful color element to a crisp white space. Details like mosaics as well as flooring details and installing the floor on a diagonal pattern added more costs to this project in both labor and waste. The low toilet profile allowed us to add more counter space in a tight fitting bathroom. We would suggest that our clients budget $35,000 to $45,000 for a similar renovation.  Being a condo also added a premium to the overall labor on the job.

Luxury Living

This bathroom’s footprint was extended into a closet space, and a laundry room was also added.  A large shower with a shower seat and a premium soaker tub with a floor mounted faucet system were installed.  Though the selection of materials was kept within a mid-range budget, the overall expansion of the bath and the re-plumbing of the space added considerable costs to this Master Bath renovation.  Our recommended budget for a client looking to create a major reconfiguration like this would be $50,000-$80,000.

Cottage Cozy

This modest bathroom had a few changes that helped the space function better.  The tub was shifted forward into a closet space to create a wall for the cabinet to butt up against.  A customized touch latch medicine cabinet was inset into the trim detail. Because of budget concerns, our client decided to install a one piece shower system in white saving them approximately $3000.    MDG would recommend budgeting $20,000-$30,000 for a bathroom at this level.

Mansion Update

Many aspects of this bathroom were salvaged such as the tub and deck, as well as the re-stained cabinets and counters.  New flooring and a custom screen to hide the (hideous) glass block were also added.  The light renovation budget for this bathroom was $15,000-$30,000.  Had the client chosen to fully gut this bathroom the budget would have been $75,000 to $120,000.

If you are looking to redo your bathroom, the McMullin Design Group can help.  Click HERE to contact us or call 856.673.0290 today.

The post Beautiful Bathrooms- Before & After appeared first on The Art Of Bridget.

At MDG we find that generally our clients are unaware of the cost of renovating a bathroom.  Misinformed by unrealistic television renovation shows, $10,000-$15,000 seem to be the numbers that most people expect, which leaves them unpleasantly surprised when we discuss the actual costs of these spaces.  We always have to remind our customers that they live in the Northeast and not in Texas where every renovation seems to cost $15,000.

Bathrooms & Kitchens are, hands down, the most expensive renovations in your home. They are also where quality and longevity run hand in hand.  Sub-par work or materials will mean you will be redoing your space in 10-20 years.  A great bathroom should last you 40-50 years!

Budgets allow our clients time to wrap their heads around the project before we start the design and selection process.  I already know that my clients are not going to pick the $2 a square foot tile.  So by budgeting $5-$7 per square foot for tile, they feel they have something to select from.  A budget with breathing rooms allows for creativity!

Here are our general rules of thumb for bathroom renovations-

Budget Bath 3 piece – $10,000 to $20,000

This would be limited to Home Depot and Lowe’s selections.  There is no major electrical or plumbing work to be done.  Items are staying in place, and all fixtures are updated with entry level quality.  Tile flooring, a one piece tub, ready to buy cabinets, counters, and fixtures are part of this budget friendly package.

Most of My Client’s Bathrooms – $25,000- $60,000

This budget range allows for the reconfiguration of a bathroom as well as a general $5-$7 a square foot range for tile.  Stone counters, upgraded plumbing fixtures as well as accent tile details are available.  Square footage will drive the overall price of a bathroom renovation.

Luxury Baths – $60,000 ++

Gorgeous tiles come with sticker shocking prices for many of our clients. Mosaic glass walls popular in TV shows and magazines can come in at $30/sqft up to $125/sqft.  One shower wall can cost well over $6000 for materials.  So knowing where your budget starts will allow you to, or keep you from, falling in love with that really expensive tile!

Just like kitchen appliance, fancy and fun plumbing fixtures add lots of cost.  That Toto Washlet doesn’t “just” cost $2200.  It also needs electrical and a special plumbing hook up not needed with a standard toilet.  That huge soaker tub is on sale for “only” ½ price. Great!  But did you know it also requires you to put in another water heater, add structural support under the bathroom, and purchase a drain system that only works with that tub?  The final deal on that tub is $15,000.  Cha- ching!

Being prepared is part of the process.  Having a professional guide you there allows for less sticker shock and an overall better result.  At the end of the day the plumber or contractor could care less what you pick- it’s their job to install it and to make it work.  It’s your designer’s job to make sure you’re going to love it and use it for a LONG time!

See some great Before & After Bathrooms with budget numbers in our next blog in this series HERE!

The post Bathroom Renovation Budgets – A Dose of Reality (NOT Reality TV) appeared first on The Art Of Bridget.

One word.

PLANNING!

Planning for any project takes patience.  It’s hard, especially when our clients have been waiting for years to build that perfect house or to move into their dream neighborhood.  Waiting another day to get started is always tough, especially when they realize that the HGTV half-hour timeline is not compatible with the family room/kitchen open concept vision that needs to be ready by move-in.  The Property Brothers fail to show the five months of planning it took to get to their 6 week construction timeline.  As far as they are concerned, everything happens simultaneously.  Of course it does…..it’s TV!

As for the excited new home owner, reality sets in when they realize that all of the architects, designers, and contractors have wait times on their schedule just for setting up the first meeting.

So, patience starts with the first phone call as meeting with any professional, especially in this booming renovation market, is now elongated. Once you have had your initial consultation, you will have to consider the contract process (how fast are you ready to sign those papers?), when the professionals can fit you into their design schedule, as well as when the builder can actually begin your project.

The best way to start planning for your project is to count backwards from your finish date.  Let’s say you are gut renovating your kitchen and family room.  Not only does all of the electrical need to be addressed, but you are planning on taking out a load bearing wall and adding a fireplace, new flooring, cabinetry, and furnishings.  Here is a timeline I would discuss with a potential client:

• 10 weeks construction. Hiccups and unknowns should always be part of the timeline. Did you know granite countertops can take up to 2-3 weeks AFTER your cabinets are installed?
• 4-6 weeks for product. From plumbing fixtures to the cabinets (usually the longest), unless you are planning to walk into Lowe’s and buying what is available on the shelf, you will need to take into consideration your products.
• 5-12 weeks for planning & bidding. Your schedule, the designer/architect’s schedule, the time to create the concept, presentations, time to mull it over, the time to make the changes, the time to create the construction documentation…notice the word TIME keeps coming up.
• 2-4 weeks to get you into the designer/architect’s design schedule.
• 1-2 weeks for you to contemplate your choices, sign, and return your contract & retainer.
• 1-4 weeks to get on the designer/architect’s schedule for an initial meeting.

On the short end you are looking at five months, and the long is about eight.  It’s a hard reality to understand if you already signed the papers on your new home and had visions of having your first holiday in your new kitchen.

When clients are on a tight timeline there are many ways they go about cutting the time frame, but these are the three I DO NOT recommend:

• Hiring the first design professional that will give them an appointment. This is an option, however I would be sure to check the portfolio and references of all professionals before hiring.
• Choosing the first contractor available for their timeframe. This can be a recipe for disaster.  Bids take time and any good to great contractor is BOOKED SOLID right now.  You don’t want your contractor taking your project when he is overloaded.  Make sure to understand his schedule and also plan to have ALL of your products onsite and ready to install.  A quick project runs smooth when there are no missing specification items.
• Pick lesser products. Long lead times or unplanned changes can cause clients to make quick decisions that then lead to sub-par products.  Do you want to replace your flooring in ten years?  Probably not.  So make sure to leave enough time not only to pick the items that you love, but also to allow for their delivery.

With a solid plan in place and the right team of designers, architects, and contractors by your side, you are sure to receive the home of your dreams even if it takes time to get there.

Need help with the master planning and construction of your new space? Learn more about our construction and planning services here or contact us today.

The post How to Keep a Construction Project on Time (Which in Return Usually Means on Budget) appeared first on The Art Of Bridget.

I can’t say it enough – planning takes patience! That being said, like many of our clients, our Cherry Hill homeowners wanted to get moving on their brand new basement right away. They had a laundry list of “must haves” including the existing pool table left by the former owners, a TV area, a play area for the kids, storage for all of the kid’s toys, a bar area for the adults, as well as a place for the kitty litter. Not surprisingly as most “must have” lists go, our clients soon realized that their square footage and predetermined footprint didn’t exactly offer what they needed.

In a perfect world, we would always get everything we wanted. There would be no compromises. However, in the world of construction, there are always parameters that keep us boxed in. In most cases the biggest parameter is a budget, but in this case it was the 1970’s pool table. Sure, a pool table is great for teenagers, but the homeowner’s kids are still playing with dolls and the family unit needs the extra space. After MDG offered several space plans so that the owner could weigh their options regarding the function of the space, it was sadly decided that the pool table was a hindrance to the design.  Much to the husband’s dismay, this retro beauty went to a new owner.

Before: With the pool table’s clearance requirements, it was overtaking the only area available for seating.

After: No paneling, a new ceiling, and a great built-in create a home theater experience for the whole family.

Before: We had a dilemma regarding a utility closet (seen in this before picture) that was hiding the gas line. We knew moving it would exceed the budget.

After: The tall cabinet to the left was altered and the gas line remained inside the cabinet making the bar area look purposeful and planned.

After: Our creative client installed his beer bottle cap collection as a detail on his stainless steel backsplash.

Getting a game plan together prior to construction and pricing allows a project to stay on track. Imagine if our client had planned this whole basement only to realize after it was completed that the pool table wouldn’t have worked with all of the other requirements? Needless to say, sometimes you have to make sacrifices for great design, but in the end it all pays off with a beautiful, functional space that you could have never imagined before.

The only way the pool table was able to be removed from the basement was to do so when the stairway wall was demoed.  It would have been an expensive and disappointing mistake to have made.

Click here to see more of this Cherry Hill basement renovation.

We’d love to hear your thoughts on this basement transformation.

The post Planning Pays off When Creating a Fun Family Space appeared first on The Art Of Bridget.

Enhancing your home with crown moulding and ceiling detail is a great way to add value to your space.  Not many buyers complain when a house is detailed exquisitely!

Here are a few expert tips about adding a picture frame detail to your ceiling:

Ask yourself, how big is the room? A standard 12” set in from your crown moulding is usually suitable, but for an extra-large space, 18”might do the trick. In this Ventnor, New Jersey interior design project, the subtle change from Flat to Semi-Gloss on the perimeter ceiling makes the crown moulding look larger and the eight-foot ceiling look taller.

Paint the perimeter the same as the wall color to extend the height of your walls. This will make your ceiling feel larger.  You could also consider accenting the perimeter.  In this Haddonfield, New Jersey project we used a grass cloth wallcovering around the perimeter of the room.

Not sure where your ceiling begins or ends? Define visual height and get some moulding details in a vaulted ceiling by concentrating your design on the highest flat surface. This asymmetrical kitchen renovation in Cherry Hill, New Jersey was a moulding nightmare! By creating the details at the highest symmetrical point we were able create a defined ceiling.

Want to add more visual interest and value to your home by adding ceiling detail? Click here to contact us or call (856) 673-0290.

The post Enhancing Your Ceiling – Three Great Tips for Ceiling Trim Details appeared first on The Art Of Bridget.

Breakfast Nook by MDG in Ambler, PA

I give thanks every day for the talented designers that have come my way.  The eclectic mix of artistic talent, technical expertise, and unique personalities have given me a very special place to call work.  We all honor the space that we share and do our best to respect and support one another.  Monday through Friday they may be my employees, but every day in my heart they are always my friends.

Dining Room by MDG in Ambler, PA.

I give thanks every day for my health and the roof over my head.  I work to help others realize these things as well.  Design should always consider every aspect of you & your family’s well being.

Dining Room by MDG in Haddonfield, NJ

I realize the small things even though sometimes I might forget.  And when I realize I am forgetting, I turn course and center myself again.  It is a meditation, a practice, and one that I have been trying to diligently follow this year.

Dining Room by MDG in Brigantine, NJ.

I am thankful for my friends & family who have helped me through some painful stuff this year.  It’s a lot less painful when you let people in.

Dining Room by MDG in Philadelphia, PA.

This week, in particular, I am thinking about all the clients who get to enjoy their new space with their family for the first time.  Each job as unique as they are.  May their homes be filled with love, laughter, and gorgeously designed center piece to complement their transformation!

Kitchen by MDG in Moorestown, NJ

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