BUILDING TOWARD A FUTURE

NOT EVERY HOUSE IN TOWN IS GETTING bulldozed to make way for new construction. Remodeling is still the rage.

“There is more [activity in] remodeling in the Dallas area than in the new-home market,” says Chris Miles, president of the general contracting and design building firm The Miles Co. and vice president of the Dallas chapter of the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI). “There is always a lot of remodeling going on in the Park Cities, but the hot areas for remodeling right now are Preston Hollow, Lakewood and Lake Highlands because of the age of the homes. They like the neighborhood school, they live close to work and don’t want to move, their parents are getting up in years and are moving back in with their kids. There are a million reasons why people choose to remodel.”

And they’re spending big bucks on makeovers. Professional remodeling projects in the U.S. are expected to exceed $121 billion in 1996, according to NARI.

So whether the house is shrinking, or your needs are simply expanding, remodeling can convert drab to dreamy. We went to the experts to tap their knowledge on the latest remodeling trends.

Our panel: Chris Miles, The Miles Co. and host of “Lifestyles of Martha and Miles,” a home improvement show that airs on WBAP-AM 820, Saturdays at 4 p.m.; Betty Crawford, Betty Crawford Realtors, a third-generation Park Cities resident with a 22-year career in residential real estate; and Neal Stewart, Neal Stewart Design Associates, Inc., specializing in interior architecture and space planning.

What trends do you see in Dallas remodeling?

CRAWFORD: “Before we started tearing down and building new, people made what would be considered marginal new spaces for their families. Today, people want more space in the master bedroom, as well as in the bathrooms and closets. The kitchen/family room combination has become popular because the open kitchen allows the cook in the family to be with everyone else during the preparation of meals. People are also looking for homes worthy of remodeling; that is, homes with architectural integrity.”

A lot of the remodeling business in Dallas right now is focused on 15- and 20-year-old homes. How can you make an older home more open?

MILES: “It depends upon your lifestyle. Some houses have two living areas-a den and a formal living room. If your lifestyle doesn’t require a separate living room, consider combining the formal living room with the den to create one large family room. You can then use furniture to create separate living areas in the larger room.”

Now that people entertain at home more, what are the latest trends in kitchen remodeling?

MILES: “People want a clean, sleek look with smooth finishes on walls and ceilings instead of heavy textures, In countertops, solid surfaces such as Corian are popular, but the number-one surface is granite-it’s a solid, hard, durable surface that you can’t cut or burn. As for flooring, the new laminates and hardwoods are big.”

Is it possible to achieve an open kitchen in an older home?

STEWART: “You can make the kitchen an integral part of the family room by using cabinets with more of a furniture-like finish to tie the space together cohesively. We are also tying more media centers (big screens and surround-sound stereo systems) closer to the kitchen.”

How can you make the best use of existing kitchen space?

MILES: “A lot of kitchens in older homes have soffits-the box between the cabinet and ceiling. Removing them adds two feet in each direction, which makes the kitchen feel that much bigger. To create more counter space, consider a separate oven unit that goes underneath a built-in cooktop.”

What’s new in bathroom remodeling?

STEWART: “Lighting, lighting, lighting. People spend more time in the bathroom than any other room in the house. Don’t think only about lighting up above; think about lighting around the face, too. We create makeup areas for women, we vary the height of cabinets and use windows to take advantage of natural light….Usually, when we remodel a bathroom we are also remodeling the closet with the addition of mirrors, custom built-ins and shoe drawers, as well as places for ties, socks and underwear.”



What sort of color guidelines do you suggest for the bathroom?

STEWART: “Take a minimalist approach when it comes to color in the bathroom. Stay with white and neutral because darker colors are not flattering. Pick colors that are flattering to your skin tone. A green bathroom, for instance, can make you look green.”



With the growth of telecommunicating, home-based businesses and the personal computer, people are converting everything-garages, attics, porches and spare bedrooms-into home offices. How do you make a home office a natural part of the house?

STEWART: “With built-in shelves and cabinets. If it is a bedroom conversion, you might reconfigure the regular bedroom door with a pair of double doors to open it up to the other living space. Or if it has windows, you can replace them with a door to the outside.”



What advice do you give people about getting a return on their remodeling investment?CRAWFORD: “The kitchen and the master bedroom are still the most well-received. In a family neighborhood, a four-bedroom house has a bigger market (when you get ready to sell) than a three-bedroom house. In an area where there are young, single professionals and young couples, I have seen a number of two-bedroom homes with wonderful entertainment areas, a modest, yet great gourmet kitchen and a swimming pool in a nicely created back yard; they sell at a high dollar per square foot. But the most important thing is to remodel for your family’s needs.”



What is your best advice for anyone who’s considering a remodeling project?

MILES: “Collect pictures from magazines that show designs, features or appliances for your new room and details such as carpeting, paint or wall coverings. Clip articles to develop a list of questions to ask your contractor. You really want to do your homework before you have a contractor come out. Videotape your lifestyle to better understand what you want to do.”