On today’s episode of Inside Design, longtime Kandrac and Kole Interior Design client, Cindy Murphy, joins Joann to discuss her recent home renovation. What started as a small kitchen renovation, grew into a much bigger project. Cindy knows what it’s like to work through all the excitement and challenges that come with a major renovation, so she is sharing her experience with us today.  Tune in to our conversation to learn why Cindy and her husband chose to stay in their home of fifteen years and undergo major construction, the pros and cons of renovating, and much more.

IN THIS EPISODE: 

• [05:25] Why Cindy and her husband chose not to move and renovate their home of fifteen years. 
• [07:40] Cindy shares the pros and cons of her house before and after the renovation. 
• [11:00] Why working with an architect can make home renovations so much easier and unique. 
• [14:35] Cindy’s favorite parts of her new kitchen and other must-haves. 
• [18:32] Why you don’t have to replace your furniture during a home renovation. 
• [19:13] Cindy reveals some unexpected challenges that came with the renovation. 
• [21:00] Designers are advocates for their clients. 
• [23:35] Make sure your builders are experienced with the elements you want in your renovation. 
• [26:30] Cindy’s advice for homeowners about to start a home renovation. 

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• Before you decide to move or begin a home renovation, ask yourself “what makes you happy?”
• Just because you are renovating, doesn’t mean you have to replace all of your furniture.  Instead, you can replace some throw pillows, your lighting, or your coffee table to give your furniture new life. 
• Renovating your longtime home can bring out a lot of emotions. 
• Communication between clients, designers, contractors, and architects is key for home renovations. 
• Finding the right people to execute unique designs can be tricky.  Finding builders that are experienced with those elements is important. 

RESOURCE LINKS:

Rothman and Rothman Associates

Atlanta Bed Swings

Stray Dog Designs

Smith’s Ironworks

Cosentino

Madera Arts

Jay Scott Studios

Wolf Subzero

Big Ass Fans

BIO:

Cindy Murphy is a long time client of Kandrac and Kole, who met Cindy about 12 years

ago when she contacted them to help her design a screened porch and outdoor pool area. Cindy lives in Canton, Georgia, a beautiful suburb 40 miles north of Atlanta. Fast forward to 2021 when Cindy and her husband decided to do a huge renovation of their first floor. We were thrilled to be working with her again and enlisted the help of architect, Eric Rothman of Rothman and Rothman Associates and Atlanta Home Remodeling. 

Kandrac & Kole was voted one of Atlanta’s Top 20 Residential Interior Designs by the Atlanta Business Chronicle, and has been featured on HGTV as well as in The New York Times, Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles, Better Homes & Gardens, Southern Home Magazine and many others as well as participants of the One Room Challenge Spring 2020. Kandrac & Kole has established a well known reputation for their approachable, dynamic personalities, their signature use of color and pattern and their one of a kind, custom designs.

As industry experts for residential and commercial design, Joann Kandrac & Kelly Kole share upbeat and entertaining narratives regarding their design projects, travels and personal stories on their popular blog, their podcast and via national speaking engagements. Joann and Kelly’s love and commitment to the power of interior design also extends towards their charity work throughout the U.S. and Guatemala.

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