Love the House You're In

True, we are officially in a recession. But that doesn't mean there aren't economic opportunities out there. Chris Stearns, a contractor who spent the recent boom times doing expensive kitchen renovations and other upscale work, has re-imagined suburban remodeling as a way for people, no longer able to move up or buy that expensive kitchen, to enjoy the homes they're stuck with. And he's taken a page from his own life to do it. The lovely open-shelved kitchen shown here is in his own very modest home.

I personally have lived with my family for the past fifteen years in a nine hundred square foot house in West Caldwell. We lived very well with one kitchen drawer, very limited counter space, very limited storage, all kinds of limitations when compared to other homes. Nine hundred square feet is smaller than just about all of the houses in Montclair and Glen Ridge. And, as I said, we have created, through really smart design and very affordable remodeling, a home that functions just fine and, most importantly I think, feels really good. Now, we have three kitchen drawers, open shelving in all kinds of different places, lots more windows and natural light to make the house feel bigger by letting the view of the larger world in, old fashioned pantry, etc. My fifteen year old son lives in a submarine room. But, he loves it because there is all of this cool built in storage.

Open shelving may not be for everyone (hint: you have to be neat), but Stearns say it will work if you get rid of some kitchen gadgets you only use once or twice a year. Or store them somewhere else. So the consultation if you hire Stearns through his new company, Lean Living LLC, might start with how to throw stuff out. It helps, in times like these, not to have been born with a silver spoon.

The last thing that I want to mention is that I was raised in New Hampshire by two school teachers with very little money. My parents bought our house when I was five years old for five thousand dollars. It was a small house that we made into a beautiful home. It was a home that worked just fine and one that felt great to live in. My parents were, and continue to be, very frank about what is really needed, to a fault at times. I have carried on some of that sensible attitude even while working during the boom years. I now intend to help people organize their wants, their needs, and their stuff, to assist them in drastically improving their living situations. I intend to do this with frank discussion combined with plenty of fun as we work with more space than they really even know that they have to begin with. I will show them all kinds of possibilities. It will be a combination of urban and old fashioned somehow.

Full disclosure: Stearns is advertising on Baristanet. We also found his story very compelling. He can be reached through the website link above.