PHILOSOPHY


Our philosophy is simple. We care about four critical areas, which are interrelated, when considering the design of your space. This unique philosophy, ours alone, will provide you with a space that is visually beautiful, highly functional, personally expressive, and yes, cost efficient too. With our approach, you will experience fresh, original, intelligent, ideas, and lots of them....guaranteed. Cost issues are also of primary importance and are discussed in depth in the FAQ section. But, for the foundation of what we do, at the forefront of our projects, please take a moment to understand our philosophy.

CHOICE
COMFORT
TIME
PROFESSIONALISM

Note: Please also see Susan's discussion on modern design, which evolves into a discussion relating to any style or look, and good things to be aware of. Please SCROLL to the very last question toward the bottom of the page. Design Discussion

To read more informal thoughts, please read my blog: The Kitchen Designer


Philosophy I - Choice

Perhaps the most "key" part of our philosophy is that you must have choices. The express route to work through your project is to ask you what you want, and then give it to you. That's easy. That's fast. The slower, scenic route around the design process is to provide you with choices. Our clients are always delighted to see concepts they could not have dreamed of, or thought possible for their space. We know that our clients are intelligent, and that with choices presented, you can and will set aside preconceived ideas in an effort to consider something new. When new concepts are presented together with the concepts you have asked for at the start, a funny thing happens...you will then have the security to, if only for a moment, consider "what if". Choice offers security and freedom at the same time. Choice is the foundation of our philosophy. Just see the immense diversity of design, product, and material choices, we have offered our clients, as seen in our Portfolio.

We like choices. It keeps the work interesting for us and customized for you, and fantastic in the end. There is no "best" way to design your space. We do not presume to tell YOU what is the ONE best plan, material, product, etc. Nor, are there those few variations in our repertoire that are just "good enough" to present to you that we use for, well, everyone. Instead, we offer MANY meaningful choices from the beginning to the end of the process to allow your space to naturally evolve to its full potential.

"You're unpredictable! "....So says Regional Editor Cynthia Bogart, who scouts locations of interiors across the northeast region for Meredith Corp., publisher of Better Homes & Gardens publications. To Cynthia, this means that we continually produce projects that are different from the one she saw before, without a common "look", that repeats itself over and over again. Thus, Cindy Bogart chose our firm to design her own kitchen in Rhode Island, and it will be part of a feature article in Spring 07 in BH&G's new "Remodel" magazine. See the kitchen here (7 images): Remodel Magazine Kitchen See the built ins (named Sea Cliff, North Fork, Rocky Point) here: First: Sea Cliff

Philosophy II - Comfort = Quality of Life

A kitchen can be comfortable. In recent history, the kitchen was seen, and still is seen, as a purely utilitarian space. In our world of kitchen design, here at Susan Serra Associates, Inc., a kitchen can be ALL about comfort. A fireplace. A huge bank of windows. A sofa near a window. Separate islands. Oil paintings. Sconces. Table lamps. A larger tv. A kitchen is to live in, not only to work in. We can transform your kitchen into a soothing area you never dreamed could be possible. Along the way, we can make it the most efficient, task-oriented space you hoped for.

What is your comfort level? We will help you define it. Do you want to be in an intimate space which truly reflects who you are inside, or to simulate your family ski vacations in Colorado? That deep down feeling of comfort is indeed a physical feeling. When you walk into a room of your home that expresses your personal design aesthetic, your body responds by physically relaxing....your breathing changes....you feel safe and insulated from the outside world, stimulated or soothed by the texture and beauty surrounding you. Perhaps a feeling of control is present, a quiet serenity, or any combination of these, depending on what type of environmental sensory stimulation is right for you. It is different for everyone, and it is a connection to your soul, which sits quietly, far beyond the practical design issues in your (and in many designers') mind(s), but it is every bit as necessary for quality of life, and deserves to be expressed. It feels good. Feels comfortable. It is this concept, too, which sets our firm apart.


Philosophy III - Time

Your experience with us will be different than the typical experience of designing and purchasing a kitchen. We want your project to evolve in its natural time. We do not rush you or your project. Ever. Time breeds creativity, thought, detail, and so many more good things. Time allows relationships to build, which enhance communication, thus, adding to mutual understanding and resulting in peace of mind and security that your project will be the best it can be. Here are other reasons why you want to get the most time spent on your project that you can get from a design firm, and how we deal with issues of time.

• (SS-SVC) By limiting the number of projects that we commit ourselves to each year, you can be assured of having more quality time devoted to your project.

• Spending more time on your project allows us to produce more creative design work (the key secret our work is frequently published)

• Provide better, more attentive service and to be available to you and other allied professionals on an as-needed basis

• Research and explore unique products to make your project more "personal" and less "cookie cutter"

• Explore the decorative detailing phase of your project

• Enjoy our work and our relationship with our clients without pressure

• Take it slow, thus, allowing design decisions to naturally evolve


Philosophy IV - Professionalism

As a Certified Kitchen Designer, and member of NKBA, Susan Serra, CKD, Debbie Roche, and Susan Serra Associates, Inc. (NKBA member) adheres to standards of professional conduct. Our definition of "professional" is as follows:

• To be trustworthy

• To be accessible to and cooperative with other tradespeople and allied professionals

• To supply allied professionals and tradespeople with accurate drawings and information

• To respect and honor your home at all times

• To deal with all issues in a calm, courteous, and reasoned manner

• To maintain industry, and above, standards for product installations

• To return all your communications via email or phone, within 24 hours

• To provide clear and complete documentation

• To produce the best project possible

We hope our philosophy fits with your expectations. If so, we thank you, in advance, for entrusting your resources and your dreams, to us.