Angela Goodall can thank a century-old home for jump-starting her career. "My husband and I bought a 120-year-old home that needed a kitchen, and I took it upon myself to start sketching out what I thought my kitchen should look like," Goodall says. "When I took it to a design firm to take a look at it … they ended up hiring me."
That was 14 years ago, and today, along with husband Mike, Goodall operates her own full-service design firm --
Kitchen Choreography -- and is earning accolades from northwestern Michigan builders for her creativity.
One recent accomplishment for the seven-year-old Kitchen Choreography: working on a home developed by
Mission Bay Construction that was part of the
Home Builders Association Grand Traverse Area Parade of Homes. Part of the Enclave development at the base of Old Mission Peninsula in Traverse City, the home received numerous awards, including First Place Judge's Choice, First Place Best Interior Design (price range specific), Runner-Up Kitchen and Runner-Up Master Suite.
While Goodall describes much of her work as traditional, she welcomes the challenge of different styles. This is exactly what happened with the Parade home.
"It was a more modern home, and in northern Michigan we don't get that kind of exposure as a designer as much," she says, adding that being chosen as the kitchen and bath designer for the approximately 2,700-square-foot house was very flattering. "We had cathedral ceilings in the living area and the client really let us play with colors, which is why I think the interior design came together so well," Goodall says.. "They put a lot of faith in me that I could pull it off and we did."
Goodall also worked on the "powder bath," which featured vanities made using woven palm wood. "We used those as the inserts on the doors of the cabinetry," she says. "It's a very modern, clean look but we added a bit of texture on the two doors beneath the sink."
Kitchen Choreography also provided design and custom cabinetry for the Traverse City
State Theatre's Green Room, and will assist with cabinetry and countertops for the theatre's planned ticket booth renovations.
Kitchen Choreography offers its services to clients from Manistee to Mackinaw City, with a commitment to "green" practices and product offerings, and Goodall is feeling positive about the future. "We really do have some nice-size new construction that looks to be coming on board this coming spring -- that's great to see that coming back around."
Source: Angela Goodall
Writer: Heather Johnson Durocher
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