For The Sawhill Sampler:
BEFORE PICTURE: My completed kitch
en is a dream-come-true. Every time I’m in it, I am delighted at the ease of working there. More over, the process of getting it done was satisfying with minimal upset and misunderstanding. I had some good ideas myself and knew how I wanted to use this space. HOWEVER, for the overall process from design to completion and my joy at the smallest details done right, I credit Sue Palmquist without reservation. Sue made my kitchen wonderful beyond what I could have imagined.
Sue and I share a friendship with a wonderful interior designer, Martha Nichols, who passed away just as the kitchen was completed in August 2010. Martha had been telling me for years that Sue was the best space planner she’d ever known. Literally, Martha had told me this at least 30 times in the many years I knew her. I’d done a kitchen with Martha’s help, but mostly with my own initiative. It turned out nicely, but there were details that just weren’t right because I didn’t know what would make them so until it was done and too late. There were door pulls that were put on at the wrong angle and an empty space that would have been better used as a cupboard. The pantry I chose had a four-shelf lazy Susan that took up tons of space and didn’t offer much storage in return.
Further, I’d had a bathroom/laundry area done using a skilled crew who did nice work, but with whom I didn’t communicate well. Martha helped me with some crucial decisions and agreed with most of mine. But, again, there were details that I couldn’t have foreseen and didn’t know how to handle. One of those was simply how to work with a construction crew most effectively. When the house is a mess and things go not exactly right, the homeowner doesn’t always think of tact and the big picture. I was left with a funky open space with exposed pipes only partially covered by the washer and dryer, the wrong solution for a structural issue in the basement, and the wrong wall color in the laundry space.
This time, in this kitchen, I was determined to do the right thing, listen to Martha’s wisdom, and hire Sue Palmquist and Sawhill. But, I thought I had a better idea for the construction crew than did Sue. As the process evolved, the crew worked pretty close to schedule and were satisfactory, even terrific, in most ways. But, whenever there was a problem, I found myself turning to Sue: “How shall I handle this issue with the electrical?” “The carpenters 
want to put the door pulls here. Does that seem right?” “The tile isn’t even or straight. What do you recommend?”
This is my top six list of what I learned working with Sue and the Sawhill staff:
6. Sue not only advised me when I had concerns, she worked directly with the contractor, and sometimes with members of his crew, always keeping her eye on the big picture and making sure that the details were done right for the best result.
5. Sue goes far beyond the call of duty. But, it seems like doing things right from the beginning means fewer problems to fix later.
4. Sue knows which appliances are best in which price category. She can advise where it may make sense to cut back and where to splurge. When we started I was thinking maple cabinets. She brought a sample of alder and I loved its warm color. Then she told me it was less expensive than the maple. She said, sure, use the 10-year old range I had. “Replace it when the time comes later,” she said. I saved money ordering the plumbing fixtures and the tile myself, advised by Sue which products would work the best and why. Within my budget, I chose some a beautiful hard-surfaced countertop and the coolest tile I’ve ever seen. Savings in one area contributed to making a more expensive choice in another.
3. It’s financially daunting to do a kitchen remodel. I was so tempted to find less expensive cabinets and take the time to cut $ corners wherever I could. Sue told me frankly that it’s the cabinets that make the difference as to whether their business is profitable or not. I knew the contractor sold cabinets, as well; he was disappointed that I didn’t buy them from him, but took the project anyway.
Ultimately, when there were problems, I found myself regretting that I hadn’t simply worked with a Sawhill crew, because, I was relying on Sue to 
solve the contractor-related concerns, anyway. It seemed unfair to both the contractor and to Sue and Sawhill. I’m not at all sure I saved $ either, because some things had to be redone, costing time and unpleasantness that could have been avoided.
2. There will always be problems, even in the best circumstances. There are almost unlimited variables present in remodeling an existing house or starting from scratch. The key is how the problems will be solved to get the desired result. Sue had more ideas and ways to do things than I had problems or concerns. The result is absolutely wonderful!
1. The staff at Sawhill Kitchens isn’t perfect, but they are fantastic!
