Design Trends 2021: Monica Parsel

For nearly five years, Monica Parsel has worked with Winston Brown Remodeling clients and contractors to reconfigure homes of all sizes for greater functionality and aesthetic appeal.

The daughter of an interior designer, Parsel’s career trajectory was set early. At 18, she landed a gig remodeling the guest suite for the Designers’ Showhouse, a popular spring fundraiser for the agency now known as Child Care Aware® of Eastern Kansas.

COMMUNAL AREAS

The experienced designer typically helps clients select flooring, cabinets, backsplashes, fixtures, showers and other components to expand and energize residential spaces. But since the pandemic has prompted additional homeowners to evaluate their surroundings with a critical eye, she’s fielding more requests for solutions for communal areas and basements.

“Before COVID-19, a lot of us were living ‘drop and go’ lifestyles,” she said. “Now that people have been confined to their homes, they’re often juggling multiple activities in the same space—work for them, school for their children. They’re feeling cramped and noticing all the things that they’ve maybe put off for a while, including wall colors and trim work they can’t stand to look at anymore.”

Parsel and her team assist with reimagining indoor spaces to provide storage functionality and versatility.

“We do a lot of mixed paint and stain treatments to soften the look and provide greater longevity so the design isn’t easily date stamped,” she said. “In high traffic areas, you may want a medium stain that might be more durable as opposed to having white paint throughout or a lighter or darker stain that may be trendy.”

OUTDOOR SPACES

These days, Parsel said her clients are also eager to transform patios and decks into an outdoor oasis for work or play.

“They’re interested in adding retractable screens, outdoor heaters and electrical components for their mobile devices, enhancements that allow them to capture extra square footage for living and entertaining,” she said. “Working from home and being on Zoom for much of the day, a lot of clients want to be able to have a change of scenery even if it’s just their backyard.”

DESIGN PROCESS

Parsel’s clients range from individuals eager to remodel a hall bathroom for $20,000 to flipping a floor plan or building an extensive addition for several hundred thousand dollars.

“New construction is expensive so the value of what the client already has invested in the home often can be better leveraged depending on what they want,” she said. “The client may have a pool or an outdoor kitchen or some other amenity that won’t be easily replicated with new construction without incurring substantial cost. With inflation and rising property values, sometimes remodeling the kitchen or the master bathroom will be less expensive than starting over.”

Although demand for remodeling services is high year-round, Parsel said inquiries often ramp up when winter weather keeps people inside and holiday hosting frustrations are still fresh.

“People often want instant gratification after they’ve made the initial decision to remodel, but a lot of planning goes into the project that they often don’t realize initially,” she said. “They may watch reality remodeling shows and are wary about surprises, but some of those developments are staged for ratings. We plan upfront so there won’t be any surprises for the client or the contractor.”

After the first phone call, the process entails an in-person assessment followed by a plan that accommodates the client’s budget, a signed contract and design selections. Parsel said most remodeling jobs take four to six months or more depending on the scope.

“We’ve built a one-stop company where clients can meet with a designer, a draftsman, an architect, a plumber or any of our other subcontractors underroof,” she said. “We’ve created relationships with all the key players who will be working on the project and facilitate their interactions with our clients throughout the process.”

KITCHEN & BATHROOM TRENDS

The most popular remodeling requests are for bathrooms and kitchens.

Parsel said bathroom preferences tend toward “clean, beautiful, high- quality, low-maintenance finishes,” larger tiles with less grout and quartz countertops or a natural material with a lifetime seal. She said shower benches, built-in or removable, are popular, as are hand-held sprayers, which allow for easier cleaning.

For clients considering kitchen remodels, Parsel said, “We ask a lot of questions. Do they microwave everything or cook from scratch five nights a week? Those answers help us determine what storage and appliance needs they might have.”

Parsel said cabinetry shouldn’t have to be updated for 20 or 30 years, but as time goes on hardware, lighting, and backsplashes can be “spruced up to change the look and feel of the space.”

As in other areas of the home, Parsel said a blend of paint and stain is often used to shape a kitchen’s personality. She added that countertop finishes that continue up the wall as backsplashes also can make the room appear larger.

“For flooring, tile used to be the standard, but hardwood floors feel nice underfoot and are practical as long as you’re not negligent with their care,” she said.

The pandemic has delayed deliveries of cabinets and appliances in recent months.

“It’s been hard to predict,” said Parsel. “We’ve seen a whole suite of kitchen appliances arrive except for the range and a dryer delivered but not the washer.”

SOLVING A CLIENT'S WISHES

A self-proclaimed “people person,” Parsel loves interacting with clients to solve their design dilemmas and deliver satisfying spaces.

“It doesn’t matter how small or how big the project is,” she said. “A remodel of any size is a major decision for our clients and one they’ll remember forever. It gives me a sense of accomplishment when we create something wonderful for them to enjoy for many years to come.”