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Hardwood or Laminate: Which Flooring Is Right for Your Lifestyle?

August 4, 2015adminDIY Projects, Home Improvement Tips, home remodelingDIY projects, flooring, home improvement, home remodeling, home trends, remodeling tipsLeave a comment

If you’re tired of carpeting and ready to upgrade your floors to wood or laminate, a quick trip to the nearest flooring store can leave you confused and discouraged. Here’s a quick guide to the pros and cons of both hardwood and laminate flooring to help you choose the right floor for your home.

Appearance

Hardwood floors are classic, and because wood is a natural product, no two boards look the same. This means no two floors will look exactly the same, and the variances in grain and color will give your floor a unique appearance. That being said, because the floor is made of wood, it will expand and contract — so over time, you will probably see small gaps between some boards. Note that if you’re buying a home, these gaps are natural and not a defect in the flooring itself.

Laminate, on the other hand, is a man-made material, and each plank is uniform in color and grain. This gives the floor a less unique look since there is no variance in the pattern. Because laminate is made to snap together and seal, it will not gap between planks the way real wood does. Laminate is also available in a wide variety of patterns, including some that mimic tile or stone.

Wear

Hardwood and laminate are both long-lasting floors, but hardwood typically scratches more easily than laminate. This means if you have pets running through or kids racing toy cars, you will see the wear-and-tear in the traffic areas. Laminate has a hard coating which can withstand a beating, so you won’t see as much damage from heavy use. On the other hand, hardwood floors may be refinished several times, but if laminate is heavily damaged, the entire plank must be replaced — if you have matching planks.

Cost

While cost varies widely by manufacturer and style, hardwood is typically quite a bit more expensive than laminate. If you plan on selling your home in the near future, hardwood flooring is the most coveted by home buyers and is the only flooring that increases a home’s resale value.

Installation

Laminate flooring is a perfect project for the experienced do-it-yourself homeowner, as long as the room is fairly square and you’re not resurfacing steps or odd-shaped areas such as a kitchen island. Hardwood, on the other hand, is best left to professionals when it comes to installation, especially when considering the initial investment of materials.

Environment

If you’re adding “green” living to the decision process, laminate has a slight edge over hardwood because wood, of course, comes from trees and reduces the forests of the world. Laminate isn’t totally innocent, though, as it is man-made and contains plastic and other ingredients which can be detrimental to our environment.

Durability

Better quality laminate flooring can last for decades, while hardwood floors can outlast the life of your home. The key factor in both cases is to check the warranty carefully and to make sure the manufacturer is reputable. A 50-year guarantee means nothing if the company goes out of business in two years, and a great deal on either product doesn’t mean much if the material is flawed or cheaply made.

When you’re looking at new flooring, keep the big picture in mind. Make sure the floor you choose is right for your lifestyle rather than picking the one that looks best in the store or the one the salesperson recommends. Remember, you’re the one who will have to live with your choice!

Kitchen-Remodeling Tips to Make Your Life Easier

July 2, 2015adminDIY Projects, Home Improvement Tips, home remodeling, Kitchen RemodelingDIY projects, home improvement, home remodeling, kitchen remodeling, remodeling tipsLeave a comment

The kitchen is undoubtedly the heart of any home. It is the place where a homemaker spends most of her time, where friends get together over a cup of coffee, where the kids do their homework, and where most of the important discussions concerning the family are held. Though each family’s needs may be different, the fact is that a kitchen should not only be pretty to look at, but also practical, functional and easy to maintain.

Here are a few kitchen-remodeling ideas that will go a long way towards making your life easier and more comfortable. Though you can always choose to go the DIY way, it makes more sense to hire a professional who knows the latest trends and can come up with a plan that best suits your family’s requirements.

Quartz countertops for easy maintenance

Planning to upgrade your countertop? Switch to quartz. Quartz countertops do not require sealing at any stage, whereas granite needs to be sealed upon installation and then again every year to prevent stains. Quartz is also tougher than granite and more resistant to scratches and burns. Granite slabs may also have invisible striations that may just crack open one day – a problem that you would not have to face if you choose quartz for your countertops.

More storage

Kitchens need lots of storage, and if you’ve done your homework well, you can design your kitchen in such a way as to get maximum storage and zero wasted space. For example, you can turn your dead corner space into usable storage by installing a lazy Susan with multi-tier carousel shelving. You can replace your base cabinets with deep drawers that can hold your big cooking pots and pans. Full extension drawers that slide all the way open can be used to store your kitchen knick-knacks and spices. Wide cabinets over the refrigerator can give you some storage space for your holiday dishes.

Brighten up

Evaluate your work areas carefully to find out how to give each spot the light it needs. A line of mini-pendants can enhance the look of a kitchen island and provide sufficient overhead lighting. For under-cabinet lighting – you can use LEDs or fluorescents – they provide plenty of lighting on countertops for preparation tasks and also function as mood lighting.

The right kitchen island

A kitchen island adds plenty of counter space and also a gives a place for guests to sit and have a drink while the host putters around the kitchen. The space below the island is great for extra storage and can be used for storing utensils that you don’t need on a daily basis. But don’t forget to make sure that the island is in the right spot, does not hamper the kitchen triangle and still has enough space for people to move around freely. Experts advise you not to go for an island unless the kitchen is at least 12 feet long and eight feet wide.

Easy-to-use faucets

Install touch-free or hands-free faucets that come as a blessing when your hands are covered with dough or sticky goop. Many of the models in the market today also come with water flow and temperature adjusting features.

Kurt Jacobson is a snowboarding enthusiast with a background in real estate. Having moved 11 times in the past nine years, he thrives on helping others learn from his experiences. When he’s not out shredding the mountain, he writes about all things rental related for the website RentFinder.co.

5 Tips for Decorating Your Walls With Tile

June 16, 2015adminHome Improvement Tips, home remodeling, Kitchen Remodelingbathroom remodeling, decorating, DIY projects, home improvement, home trends, kitchens, remodeling tipsLeave a comment

If you’re tired of the same old boring paint and flat walls, there is a solution that adds dimension and a modern flare to your walls – wall tiles. Tile can be anything from stone to 3-D wallpaper tiles, or even tiles made into beautiful murals.

According to the National Kitchen and Bath Association, most tiles are some type of clay or a clay mixture and are classified as porcelain or non-porcelain – red or white clay fired in a kiln. What you need to know for your decorating needs is that porcelain tiles have better water resistance and hold up longer to wear and tear or heavy traffic. Non-porcelain ceramic tiles are less expensive but better suited for lower traffic, such as walls or out-of-the-way places.

1. Choose Your Material

Your first step is to choose which tiles will appear in which part of your home. For example, a glass tile may look perfect in your bathroom but not look quite right in a master bedroom. If you’re unsure which tiles to add where, ask to take home a few samples of each and set them up against the wall. This will show you how they blend with the other décor and also give you an idea of how well the tile colors go with the overall color scheme and look of your home.

2. Decide on a Color Palette

Tiles come in every color you could possibly imagine. You may want to think of about three to five colors you’d like to use throughout your house to tie everything together. You can also choose a general color palette before you ever go shopping for tiles to make sure color combinations work well together and have enough contrast.

3. Paint Existing Tiles

If you have tile in your home but it is outdated or a horrendous color, take heart. You can paint tiles for a more uniform look or just to update the overall theme. Most painters use either latex or epoxy paint to freshen up old tile. Use a combination of colors to create a textured look, paint the tile wall a solid color or paint a mural on the tiles. You can even leave plain tiles alone but add a detail such as a floral accent or geometric pattern.

4. Create a 3-D Pattern

Another option for wall tiles are 3D patterns. Typically, these tiles come in sections, but when placed side by side you can create forms such as waves, circles or flowers. You can combine different types of tiles to create a wall story or simply stick with one design and paint it a simple white. You can make this an accent wall with touches of color or create the pattern in an entire room.

5. Don’t Be Afraid of Unique Materials

Don’t be afraid to try unique ideas, especially for accent. For example, create a beautiful mural backsplash from tiny glass tiles of the French countryside. Take copper or stainless steel ceiling tiles and use them behind your sink for a sleek, modern, industrial look. Use huge marble floor tiles for the walls in your bathroom for a Grecian design.

When it comes to adding interest to your home by placing tiles on the walls, take the time to lay a few pieces against the wall, hold them up and make sure it is a look you’ll love for years to come. There is only one thing that is more challenging than choosing the tile you want for your home: That’s trying to take it back out if you decide you don’t like it. With just a little planning, you’ll find something you love and the time and effort will be worth it. You’ll be thrilled that the tile is there to stay.

5 Tips When Picking Wood Flooring

May 1, 2015adminDIY Projects, home improvement, Home Improvement Tips, home remodelingDIY projects, flooring, home improvement, home remodeling, remodeling tipsLeave a comment

Sorry, folks, the carpet versus wood flooring was only the beginning of your decision-making process, not the end of it. Although settling that debate provides a clear direction for moving forward, there are still many questions to answer before you purchase.

Need a few tips on how to pick the wood floor of your dreams? Keep these five factors in mind as you weigh your options.

1. Location

If you’re picking out wood flooring, chances are you already have a room in mind. However, you may not realize the room in question will play a big role in determining your flooring.

Solid wood has many perks. It’s a classic and beautiful upgrade, hypoallergenic and capable of lasting for decades. Unfortunately, it doesn’t pair well with water. That means if you’re renovating a bathroom or basement, solid wood is not a good choice. The moisture found in underground rooms and water closets can damage or warp solid hardwood floors.

If you want the look of hardwood in a high-moisture space, your best bet is engineered wood. A top veneer provides you with the aesthetic you desire, but the plywood core makes it more durable in moist environments. (Durable, but not impervious, so you still want to wipe up spills as soon as possible.)

Engineered wood can also be laid over radiant floor heating and concrete subfloors, whereas solid wood works best over a plywood subfloor.

2. Installation

Do you plan to hire out your installation or DIY? Many factors — time, money, experience — will determine which route you will take, but it’s important to have a rough idea of where your skill set and the materials meet.

Engineered hardwood offers easy-to-install options like a tongue-and-groove option. Simply match the tongue to the groove and snap the planks in place. Of course, this still takes some skill with a saw and the patience to do it right. The upside is that you can float this flooring over existing material — tile, plywood, concrete — which makes for far less prep work.

Solid wood needs a plywood subfloor, which may mean more work if you have particle board or damaged subfloor. Preparing the subfloor for hardwood will either mean more money to the pros or more DIY hours for the homeowner.

3. Cost

Cost is often the biggest determining factor in any renovation. As you can see from above, it’s important to factor installation into your budget. Just don’t make the mistake of assuming engineered wood will automatically be cheaper.

Many oak options are close in price to engineered wood. And although the plywood core cuts costs, an exotic veneer choice can drive up the price of engineered wood.

Don’t forget to factor in longevity. Solid wood has a proven track record, when properly maintained. It can withstand numerous sandings and refinishings, while engineered wood’s thin veneer means your repair attempts are limited.

4. Style

Between engineered and solid options, there is a wood floor to match every style from rustic to modern, historically accurate to eclectic, farmhouse to shabby chic.

Several factors contribute to a wood’s style. You’ll want to consider board width; thin strips can make a space seem larger, whereas wide planks can evoke a cozy, rustic feel. Color can come from natural variations in species or from a bevy of stain options available at your local hardware store. Finally, you can select finishes that range between the rough and weathered finish of reclaimed wood or the polished lacquer of engineered planks.

5. Lifestyle

Do you have pets? Children? Is it a high-traffic area? Are you clumsy? Before selecting your flooring, it’s good to give some consideration to your lifestyle.

Solid wood is rated on a Janka scale. Essentially, a BB is driven into the wood and the rating reflects the wood’s hardness and durability. While you likely want to avoid the softest woods, like the poorly performing Douglas Fir, you don’t necessarily want to jump straight to the hardest options. Not only are they more difficult to work with, they also tend to be the most expensive.

Again, it’s important to remember solid wood can be sanded and refinished multiple times. A great middle-of-the-scale option like red oak offers decent durability for an equally decent price, and any damage (aside from flood or fire) can easily be sanded away.

If your options still feel too overwhelming, get an expert involved. They can help answer any of your lingering questions about design, durability, cost or installation.

AUTHOR BIO: Ali is a tea-sipping writer who focuses on healthy and sustainable living via her family blog Homey Improvements. She was born and raised in Alaska and dabbles in Pilates and is a princess for hire for kid’s parties.

Pimp Your Crib With These 5 Home Improvements

April 28, 2015adminhome improvement, Home Improvement Tips, home remodeling, Tips to sell your homehome improvement, home remodeling, remodeling tips1 Comment

The housing market is slowly returning to life, and that means homeowners looking to sell are presented with the perfect opportunity to take advantage of the wait. Don’t unload your property in a down market – improve the value of your investment to increase your return when the market’s recovered.

In short – pimp your crib. Take this time to improve your home in the right ways and the market will reward your patience. That said, don’t just throw in a pool and expand the garage. This is a time for strategic crib pimping, not a time for creating a money pit.

Here are five home improvements that will make your property into prime real estate when the time is right.

Remodel the Kitchen

Just don’t go overboard. The folks at HGTV estimate you’ll recoup from 60 to 120 percent of your investment, and that investment doesn’t have to break the bank to look good. In fact, the opposite is in order – buyers want you to be conservative.

A fresh look is great, but it shouldn’t make the kitchen seem alien when compared with the rest of the house. You can make it bigger, just don’t let it take over. Keep it simple with some fresh, modern paint and new, Energy Star appliances. With the Energy Star Rebate Finder, you can even save some money in the process.

Add or Improve a Bathroom

If your house only has one bathroom, add one. With HGTV estimating a recoup of 80 to 130 percent of the cost to add a second, there’s little chance you’ll have anything to lose. You might gain a bit of heft in your asking price, though, and the home’s future residents will gain a second bathroom. They’ll be as happy as you are with this decision.

That said, you shouldn’t neglect that first bathroom. In fact, you shouldn’t neglect any bathrooms. A set of clean, modern bathrooms will make a positive impression on everyone who tours the home. An old bathroom with a broken toilet, on the other hand, leaves a different kind of impression.

Go Green

Improving the energy efficiency of a home is a sound investment in its worth to potential buyers. Efficiency upgrades are a fact of life in our evolving world, and the less a new owner has to do to bring their home up to par, the better.

You can start with Energy Star windows. HGTV estimates that you’ll recoup 60 to 90 percent of the $7,500 to $10,000 cost of replacing the windows in an average-sized home. The upgrade will also qualify you for a 10% green energy tax credit and potentially even more credits depending upon your state.

If you’re looking for a smaller investment in the home’s efficiency, look to its insulation. Most of a home’s energy is used in the heating and cooling of the interior, and investing in a thermal leak detector can show you exactly where you’re losing money.

If you really want to impress energy-conscious buyers, take it a step further and invest in a new, high-efficiency water heater and Energy Star qualified heating and cooling equipment – most buyers are well aware of just how important these upgrades are to an energy bill.

Go Greener with a Home Rainwater System

Home rainwater collection systems are becoming increasingly popular as the costs of the utility rise. These systems can be as simple or as complicated as you can imagine, and the extent to which a family would wish to rely upon one is completely up to them to determine.

For example, if you have a large property that requires lots of water, a rainwater collection system can be paired with an automatic sprinkler system to ease the burden that lawn care places upon your utility bill. More importantly, it can prevent potential buyers from worrying about the burden it will place on theirs.

Best of all, even the maintenance concerns of such a system are put at ease by the advanced flow capabilities of modern valves. Both you and the potential buyers can rest assured that contemporary systems like these require very little cost or effort to maintain.

It’s the Simple Things

In the end it’s the simple things that matter most – the simple things, and keeping it simple. New home buyers simply don’t want to take on the costs of caring for a pool or a hot tub. They don’t want to take on the responsibility of extensive landscaping, and they don’t want to feel obligated to use the gourmet stove that added thousands to the cost of the home.

Neither do buyers want to take on the responsibility of putting a new coat of paint on a worn wall. They don’t want to hire a plumber to fix the irregular water pressure, they don’t want to hire an electrician to rewire that ceiling fan you bungled and they certainly don’t want to replace a leaking and moldy roof.

They want a home – that’s why they’re home buyers. When you’re dreaming up new improvement projects to increase the value of a property while you bide your time on the market, just imagine what you’d want to buy (or not want to buy).

Budget Friendly Renovation Ideas For Your Kitchen

November 13, 2014adminhome remodeling, Kitchen Remodelinghome improvement, kitchen remodeling, kitchens, remodeling tipsLeave a comment

Renovation Ideas: Budget-Friendly Concepts for Your Small Kitchen

Have you been thinking of cunning and economical kitchen renovation ideas you can put to good use?

While choosing the right concepts to pursue can get tricky, it’s reassuring to know you can dramatically transform the look and feel of the area given you choose the right ones.

Get your transformation project off to an amazing start by keeping the following savvy ideas in mind.

Photo credit

Open the shelves

Open shelving has earned quiet a following over the years, and with good reason.

Able to create the illusion of bigger space, open shelving will give area-challenged kitchens a more expanded feel.

To pull this idea off, consider removing the doors of your cabinets and painting the interiors. Also, invest in some colorful mugs and plates and display them in your open cabinet to add more charm and personality to the area.

In addition, you can also use the open shelves as a handy compartment for your everyday kitchen tools and utensils. Not only will you be able to keep things organized, you will also gain easy access to kitchen items you need on a daily basis.

Install kitchen lights

When it comes to clever kitchen remodel ideas that add value to your home, the list can be lengthy.

However, without doubt, the right lighting fixtures can do wonders for your kitchen however small.

Fortunately, you need not spend a fortune or pick costly lighting alternatives to create a kitchen you can be proud of.

A hanging chandelier or a colorful table lamp from the flea market will actually suffice. Not only will it make the kitchen look cozy, it will also greatly enhance its visual appeal.

Refinish the cabinets

Sometimes, subtle changes like painting kitchen cabinets with a glossy latex or semigloss can create a huge impact.

Cheap and easy to do, refinishing your cabinets can easily transform the area into the space of your dreams.

Depending on the look you are going for, you can also consider ditching the traditional hues and opt for a bright coral red or a glossy black to create a more modern feel.

Consider repainting

Sometimes, all a small kitchen needs is a change of color scheme or a new coat of paint to appear warm and visually attractive.

A thrifty and straightforward way to give your small area the much needed facelift, painting just might be what is needed to make your kitchen look new and different.

Search for ideas online especially if you are clueless as to ideal color choices you can try.

Add a backsplash

Undeniably one of the hottest kitchen additions to have been introduced, a backsplash was initially designed to protect walls against grease and stains associated with cooking.

Nowadays however, it has also been used to help enhance the look and overall visual of the space.

If you are not ready to spend money on a tile backsplash, consider its cheaper alternatives like vinyl, ceramic, pegboards, porcelain and glass.

Renovation ideas can be infinite. However, as long as you keep the mentioned tips in mind, you have the battle half won.

Ready to transform your kitchen? Give us a call or send us an email today!

Fun Design Ideas for Your Kid’s Bathroom

October 13, 2014adminBathroom Remodeling, DIY Projects, home remodelingbathroom remodeling, DIY projects, home improvement, home trendsLeave a comment

Having to design a kid’s bathroom is often – if not always, a challenging project. However challenging it may be, it can also be fun! Designing your kid’s bathroom should reflect your child’s personality. Knowing that kids are never fond of bathing, it is hard for parents to get the kids to go to the bathroom, unless you create a fun and exciting design, then you will not have any problems in getting them to take a bath. This should make the kids spend a lot of time in the bathroom or be excited in getting a bath instead. Here are some of the tips or list of ways to create a more fun bathroom idea for your kids.

Source

Below is a list of pointers on what to expect in a kid’s bathroom.

Make sure that you lower the vanity countertop height, cabinets or anything within the reach of your children.
Make sure it’s kid safe of course.
Use a toilet that has a seat that is easy for potty training.
Make sure to add a lot of stow-away spaces where they can store toys, towels and other belongings, which can get messy if left in the countertops or sink or all over the bathroom. Create a space for organizing their things.
Install an easy to access tub with a graduated step for them to easily step in and out of the tub.
Use non-slip and easy to clean surfaces or tiles. Expect kids to run around even after bath and make sure they don’t slip on the floor by installing tiles that are not slippery.
Do not add any breakable items inside their bathroom. As mentioned before, make it kid-friendly.

It should be clear that these tips mentioned above should be taken into consideration and integrated into the overall design. So the next step is the look – what theme would best suit your kid.

Whatever theme you decide, you can create a fantasy for them – enhancing their imagination. You can create a bright and colourful design using bright colors. You can play with the colors. Leverage your kid’s bathroom walls, furniture and other bathroom accessories and create a fascinating design.

Bathroom themes that you can apply:

Aquatic
Marine
Garden
Beach
Animals
Geometric designs
Mathematics
Artsy

The possibilities are limitless. All you need is the imagination like your kids. You can even get your kids to help you on designing their bathroom. That way they’d be more appreciative and proud that they helped in creating their fantasy world. So how about you, what’s your idea of the best kid’s bathroom design?

5 Kitchen Remodel Ideas That Add Value To Your Home

September 10, 2014adminhome improvement, home remodelinghome improvement, kitchen remodeling, kitchens, remodeling tips3 Comments

No matter if you’re an aspiring chef or TV dinner connoisseur … if the look of your kitchen makes you want to dine out – it may be time for an upgrade. The kitchen should be the heart of your home: it’s where you entertain, hold family meetings and even pay bills, so why not take it from “make-do” to “magnificent?”

Nothing reinvigorates a home like a newly remodeled kitchen. Think of renovating this space as an investment. Here are five “must-do” updates to ensure your kitchen will earn compliments from everyone and add value to your home.

1. Add character with color

Even the most lackluster space can be energized with color. Paint the walls or hang new curtains in a bright fabric. Or for a bigger statement, consider painted cabinets. To save you time and energy, manufactures now offer cabinets in a wide range of beautiful – and colorful – painted finishes. If considering a bold cabinet shade like blue or red, pair with complementary colors like brown or white – it will be easier to switch up the decor and add accent colors down the road.

Sticking with a neutral color scheme? You can still make a statement and add warmth with a colorful mosaic tile backsplash. These backsplashes can instantly brighten a space and are now easier than ever to install. Plus, a glass backsplash is easy to clean, so you don’t have to worry about food splatters getting on walls.

2. Faucet facelift

The sink area is among the most hardworking of kitchen spaces, and the faucet in particular, gets the most grueling daily workout. Because of its constant use, updating the faucet will immediately improve the function and look of your prep space.

According to the NKBA, contemporary styling will be the fastest growing kitchen style in 2014. To easily obtain this look, the new Tilt pullout kitchen faucet from Moen is the ideal choice for homeowners wanting to create a sleek and chic statement at the sink. Tilt offers compact, modern styling that works well in any size kitchen. It’s also offered in two on-trend finishes: Chrome and Spot Resist Stainless, which helps the faucet stay visibly cleaner, longer.

And don’t just stop with the kitchen faucet … fixtures such as built-in soap dispensers or beverage faucets can further the functionality and improved styling at the sink. In fact, research shows that more than one-third of homeowners remodeling their kitchens are interested in beverage faucets with filtration systems, as well as matching soap dispensers. Moen is helping homeowners fulfill these wishes with a new line of soap dispensers and Sip beverage faucets. Each is available in traditional, transitional and modern designs in matching finishes, elegantly coordinating with the rest of the space.

3. Amp up accessories

Much like fashion, accessories can make a room; think of hardware as the finishing touch to make your space feel polished but also serve a purpose. To start, easily answer the age-old question: “where’s the dish towel?” Most homes don’t have a convenient place dedicated to hanging this necessity in the kitchen. For a stylish solution, install accessories such as hooks, towel bars or towel rings on the side of an upper cabinet, the end of the island or in other work areas. Next, think of the sink – accessories such as colanders and cutting boards can now fit seamlessly into the sink to help make meal prep and clean up a breeze.

4. Enhance lighting

Lighting is a critical element in kitchen design, both for its decorative and functional benefits. But not all lighting is created equal; the best way to enhance the room is to install custom lighting to suit your kitchen’s needs. It can also make the space look roomier and more elegant. With styles ranging from incandescent bulbs with vintage glass shades to ultra-chic halogen cones, hanging pendants are popular ceiling fixtures for the kitchen. For an instant update, install pendants over an island or countertop where the low-hanging fixtures won’t interfere with traffic flow.

5. Add personality

Adding something beautiful like a bouquet of flowers, new linens or a colorful new tea pot will bring life into the space. You can also jazz up your kitchen with lively artwork. Whether it’s a professional painting you love or fun vintage posters, artwork helps complete your renovation. For a more personal touch, hang a grouping of family photographs, or frame some of your children’s more colorful artistic creations for a vibrant and charming display. Or, make artwork functional by painting an old framed mirror with chalkboard paint to display grocery lists, menus or your favorite quotes.

Before starting demolition on your kitchen remodel, make sure the design is a reflection of you. By following these five steps not only will you have a kitchen that complements your lifestyle and increases the value of your home, you will also draw plenty of compliments from family and friends.

Ready to get started with your Kitchen Remodel? Give us a call! We specialize in Kitchen Remodels in Westchester County, NY.

5 Tips To Create Space In A Small Kitchen

August 13, 2014adminHome Improvement Tips, home remodeling, Kitchen RemodelingDIY projects, home trends, kitchen remodeling, kitchensLeave a comment

Tips for creating space in small kitchens by using large tiles and other tricks

The kitchen is the heart of the home; where families gather in the morning and where they eat at night. Unfortunately many a home suffers from a small kitchen, making it difficult for the room to live up to its potential as one of the interior focal points of life and activity. For this reason, DIY-ers, decorators and designers have long tried to discover ways to enhance the space of a small kitchen, making it more suited to its needs and a much more pleasant place to be in general.

Today, there is a whole host of ways that homeowners looking to decorate their kitchen can try to increase the appearance of space in their small interior rooms, ranging from floor laying techniques to colour schemes. Here is a collection of some of the most popular and effective:

Large tiles are best

Time and time again we’re told that large tiles help to create a sense of space. Granted they minimize the amount of visual joins in the room, allowing for a sense of continuity between wall and floor, but they do have to be installed correctly for this to happen. Make sure you pick a tile that’s not too large or too small, because if you end up with one single grouting line down the centre of your room then things could end up looking a little odd and no bigger at all! Try to opt for a tile size that will give a good coverage of grouting lines, while ensuring these are kept to a suitable minimum. Afterwards, these can be hidden by grouting them in a suitable and similar colour tone. To see some examples, check out Direct Tile Warehouses Large Floor Tiles

Laying large tiles the right way

Believe it or not, the way we lay tiles on the floor can have a profound effect on the finished impression of space in a room. Opting for a diagonal pattern tends to be the most effective method for creating room, as it forces the human eye to follow the longest possible patch across the surface. Other methods include actually making use of visual divides in colour, tone or grout (the very ones we tried to avoid in part one) in a horizontally laid pattern across the room’s narrowest part. This can help increase the illusion of length in a room, making it a great choice for longer, narrower kitchens.

The all-important colour scheme

Choosing the right colour scheme is another of the most important features of decorating a small kitchen for space. The general consensus is that monochrome, light hues, help to reflect light, eliminate visual divisions on both the wall and floor and create an air of cleanliness that’s pleasant throughout. This means whites, off-whites and light shades of other colours, while decorators will have to make sure their chosen scheme works well with their kitchen fixtures as well!

Clever storage solutions

Being creative with your storage solutions means much more than just getting the newest and most advanced cupboards from IKEA. It also means thinking about how to maximise space by replacing opaque boards with glass, leading peoples’ eyes into the depths of your units and giving them the impression of increased room. It also means making cleaver use of lighting on the fixtures to increase the illumination both above and below the units. This can help turn a simple cupboard or extractor fan into another source of that much-needed light, adding space and airiness to an otherwise dark and tight-knit corner.

Built in appliances to boot

Today, built in appliances are all the rage. They are used in big kitchens for convenience, but can help create much more space in small kitchens by maximizing floor space and square footage greatly. This means concealing your fridge beneath a fixture, placing your microwave in an alcove, and removing any additional appliances to a different room, if possible (the Europeans even put the washing machine in the bathroom, if you’re feeling continental!).

Ready to enhance the space in your small kitchen? Give us a call or send us an email for a free in home estimate!

Why invest in insulation during a renovation?

April 9, 2014adminhome improvement, Home Improvement Tips, home remodelingenergy efficient, home improvement, home remodeling, remodeling tips1 Comment

Spray Foam Insulation or Traditional Insulation?

fiber insulation — Photo courtesy of Cellulose Insulation Manufacturers Association.

When it comes to enhancing the value and comfort of a home, most homeowners will opt to address the cosmetic features of a home when completing a renovation project. Yet, it’s often the things that homeowners don’t consider that can have the biggest impact on the value of a home.

Across the country, the cost of heating and cooling a home has sharply increased. The price of gas, oil and electricity has driven up the cost of living for many homeowners. With this in mind, more homeowners are seeking budget-friendly solutions that provide not only consistent performance over the long-term, but also help keep costs down.

Before beginning a home improvement project, homeowners should consider the whole building envelope rather than just the cosmetic features such as chrome fixtures or granite countertops. High-efficiency windows are an excellent investment for any home to help drive down excessive energy waste and high utility costs. The U.S. Department of Energy suggests that traditional windows contribute as much as 10 percent of the total air escaping from a typical home, while improperly sealed doors can contribute 11 percent.

Investing in an effective insulation solution also can make a significant impact on reducing utility costs. Building experts suggest that homeowners completing a home improvement project should be as involved as possible in determining the best insulation type for their home. This means that homeowners should actively research the types of materials available and how well they perform over the long term. While building code requirements and standards were much more lax in the past, recent amendments to the building code mandates that homes must meet certain criteria for insulation levels, heating management and carbon emissions.

One insulation solution that can meet and exceed the newest building code requirements is spray foam insulation. As a modern insulation solution, the benefits of spray foam insulation can have a significant and positive impact on a home. Available in a variety of densities, spray foam insulation combats against air leakage and works well in all types of homes across the country, regardless of climate.

Traditional insulation materials are overly permeable allowing moisture and fluctuations in temperature to pass through the home’s envelope easily. Yet, spray foam insulation both air seals and insulates to keep allergens and irritants at bay and eliminates air leakage to keep the conditioned air inside without the HVAC system working overtime to compensate.

Spray foam insulation performs for the life of the property, ensuring that homeowners can enjoy comfortable indoor temperatures year-round without overrunning their heating and cooling equipment. Insulation experts note that quality spray foam insulation can noticeably reduce heating and cooling costs, in some cases by up to 50 percent.

Contact Bruzzese Home Improvements for all your home renovation and home remodeling projects in Westchester, New York!

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