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Top to Bottom: How to Give Your Kitchen a Makeover

Top to Bottom How to Give Your Kitchen a Makeover_pexels_kitchen

If you are hoping to give your kitchen a glam makeover, you’re probably excited about being able to enjoy your kitchen in a new way after the renovation is completed. Plus, you might like the idea of increasing your home’s value while renovating your kitchen. If you’re unsure about the improvements that you should make or how you should get started, try these tips for giving your kitchen the makeover that you and your family deserves.

Add a Fresh Coat of Paint

First of all, if the paint on your kitchen walls is looking a little old, you can instantly freshen up the whole kitchen by applying a new coat of paint. Your walls are going to be the foundation of your kitchen’s style and can help your room seem more luxurious, open, or cozy. Take your time picking out the perfect color to match your vision for your kitchen’s decor. If you’re unsure where you want your kitchen décor to go, check out a popular color and design trends online before you go paint shopping. This will help you figure out which hues and elements you enjoy.

Make sure that you choose a paint that will be durable and easy to clean for best results. After all, these things are even more important when you’re painting an area of the home like the kitchen. You want to look for paints with a semi-gloss or satin finish. This will help make your walls easy to clean if any sauce or grease splatters end up on them. Easy to clean means easy to maintain and a well-maintained kitchen can look great for years to come.

Swap Out Your Flooring

Next, unless you already like the flooring in your kitchen, you might want to focus on swapping it out with a better flooring option. For easy maintenance, choose something that is water resistant and that can be easily cleaned. For a timeless, classy style, look into tile, stone, and wood flooring. These options are the ideal in home décor luxury. They can be dressed up or made more homey with rugs and floor-standing décor and are always trendy.

However, don’t be afraid of exploring all your options. For example, you might like the look of tile or natural stone in your kitchen. However, these flooring options can often be hard on your wallet. Vinyl and linoleum is a popular alternative for anyone looking for something expensive or specific while on a budget. These materials can often mimic the look, style, and luxury of other materials at a fraction of the cost.

Install New Countertops

Countertops often endure a lot of wear and tear. This can keep them from looking their best. Since countertops take up so much space and are so visible in a kitchen, messy or old surfaces really stand out and bring the whole room down.

Consider what kind of look you want in your entire kitchen. For example, if you want your countertops to be a centerpiece, granite countertops could be right for you. They’re durable, luxurious and pair well will many different styles. If you want your countertops aren’t your focus then laminate could be the best way to go. Laminate countertops are typically a little less expensive and more of a supportive element in kitchen design than granite. However, they tend to look cheaper and can be easily scratched, burned, melted, and more.

Carefully consider your preferred kitchen style as well as how you will be using your countertops. If you want them to last and hold their own against everything your family puts them through, you may want to commit to a higher-quality material.

Repair or Replace Your Cabinets

You might not feel like you need to replace your cabinets—but you might want to anyway. New cabinets can be expensive but can make storage and organization easier and contribute a lot to your fabulous kitchen style.

If your cabinets are still in good shape overall, having minor repairs done and then painting or staining them and adding new hardware can help you achieve a fresh, new look without the big expense. If you feel like your cabinets—even with the replaced hardware and new paintjob—are dated or pull down the overall look, consider replacing the doors entirely. With the lovely addition of glass, your old cabinets can be transformed into a glamorous way to hold and display your dishes and kitchen appliances without going into debt.

Don’t be afraid to try something new. Open shelving is gaining popularity and can be an easy way to store your kitchen items. The minimal look lets you show off your dishes while ensuring you have easy access to your supplies and tools for future cooking experiments.

There are several routes you can take if you would like to improve your kitchen. Once you commit to making your dream kitchen a reality, you’re only a few steps away from seeing that dream become a reality. Don’t be afraid to branch out and invest in your home. After all, the kitchen is the heart of the home.

Moving into a Historic Home? 4 Things to Look out for in Older Houses

Moving into a Historic Home 4 Things to Look out for in Older Houses

There is a certain charm about older homes that newer homes just aren’t able to duplicate. The old-world craftsmanship and details are reminiscent of a simpler time when things weren’t so complicated. But, there are some things to look out for if you are moving into an older home.

Air Quality

Many different things affect the air quality in a home. Here are a couple of things that are sometimes found in older homes that can get into the air.

  • Lead-based paint: Back in the day, it was commonly used to paint both the interior and exterior of homes. Unfortunately, many older homes still have lead-based paint. And over the years, it can erode and get into the air and ducts of the home.
  • Mold: Older homes have been through a lot throughout the years. And, their attics and basements can sometimes create ideal breeding grounds for mold to grow, negatively affecting the air quality.

Outdated Furnace

If the home still has the original furnace, it might run on oil. Years ago, oil was the most cost-effective way to heat a home. There would be a tank somewhere on the property that would be filled with oil as needed. Not only is this method of heating no longer cost-effective, burning oil has many negative effects on the environment.

What’s behind the walls?

The plumbing and electric systems need to be considered in older homes. Some things will need to be updated over the years. And, lead pipes were commonly used in older homes. If your home has the original plumbing and electrical wiring, a thorough home inspection will clue you in on anything that might be in need of repair.

Structural Issues

Here are a few structural considerations that you might want to look out for.

  • Sagging floors: It can happen over time. Some of the floors may need to have a little support added for strength.
  • Roofing: You’ll definitely want to have the roof included in your home inspection.
  • Windows: If the house still has the original windows, you might want to consider upgrading to newer energy-efficient ones. As beautiful as the old ones are, they tend to be a little drafty.

Older homes were built to last. As long as it has been taken care of over the years, you will still be able to enjoy its historic beauty for many more.

 

5 Home Luxuries That Can Help Raise Your Home Value

As a homeowner, you should constantly be on the lookout for new upgrades that are going to increase the value of your property and make your home a little more enticing to potential buyers. Even if you don’t plan on selling your home in the next few years, many upgrades are going to make your life much easier and improve your family’s comfort. Here is a look at five home renovation projects that will turn your house into a world-class getaway.

Smart Home Devices

In addition to making your home more luxurious, installing a few smart devices could also increase its resale value by as much as five percent. Some of the most popular smart home devices include wireless thermostats, remote garage door openers, and video doorbells. When you are shopping for smart home upgrades, you should try to stick to a single brand so that all of the devices can be controlled with one app for added convenience.

Steam Shower

Installing a luxury steam shower in your home might be easier than you realize. While some homeowners prefer to rip out the whole shower and build the new unit from scratch, you can buy a prefabricated fiberglass unit. In order to carry out this project, you will probably need to hire a contractor who specializes in plumbing systems as well as electrical wiring. You may also take this time to redo your entire bathroom. A refresh can make all the difference to you as well as to potential buyers.

Whole-House Electrostatic Air Filter

If anyone in your family struggles with seasonal allergies or other respiratory issues, then you might want to consider installing a whole-house electrostatic air filter. These systems are incorporated into the ducts that are already in your home, and most units have a 98 percent efficiency rating. You also won’t have to worry about replacing dirty filters every few weeks.

Central Vacuum System

This is another simple upgrade that is going to improve the functionality of your home and set it apart from every other piece of property in the neighborhood. Central vacuum systems usually have small inlets located in the walls in every room. You can attach a lightweight hose to those inlets to quickly clean up spills, dust, and other debris that you want out of the house. This will eliminate the need to pull the clunky vacuum out of the closet every time someone makes a mess right after you deep clean your floors.

Heated Floors

With floor heating, you will be able to keep your home at a comfortable temperature no matter what the weather is like outside. Instead of blowing warm air into your home, one of these systems will radiate heat from the ground up—toasty toes can make all the difference. A well-maintained radiant heating system can easily last for 30 years, and you could save quite a bit of money on your heating costs during that time.

After you have completed one of these projects, you should take a fresh look at your current insurance policy to see if you have adequate coverage. You want to be absolutely sure that all of these luxury upgrades are going to be covered in the event of a serious mishap.

 

Escape to Your Personal Retreat: 4 Ways to Turn Your Bathroom Into a Home Spa

Escape to Your Personal Retreat 4 Ways to Turn your Bathroom Into a Home Spa

Do you love going to the spa? Have you always wanted to have your own personal spa at home? With these four small changes, you can transform your boring bathroom into your personal spa retreat.

Buy Spa-Like Towels

Have you noticed how luxurious the towels at the spa feel? They’re so soft and comfortable. You can almost feel yourself melting into them. Why not treat yourself to higher quality, spa-like towels at home? Invest in a few sets of large, luxurious, high-quality towels so every time you step out of the shower you get the sensation that you’re at the spa.

Upgrade your Shower Head

Upgrading your shower head is a simple fix that can make a big difference. Splurge on a super fancy relaxing shower head. There are so many different styles and options you can consider. First, you’ll need to decide if you want your shower head to be removable or permanently attached. Also, think about if you want a rain shower head, massaging shower head, or if you want to find a shower head with both features. Check out this article on the best luxury shower heads to help you find the perfect addition for your new spa.

Install a New Counter Top

Make your new spa sparkle and shine with a shiny new countertop. Countertop installation in your bathroom can help your space stand out. You can pick a nice, high-quality stone in your favorite color to complete your space. Think about going to the spa; would you see a laminate or plain white counter top there? I highly doubt it. Improve your new spa with a beautiful granite or quartz countertop.

Add Some Fresh Paint

No spa has boring white walls. Freshen up your bathroom with a new coat of paint. Did you know that light blues, greens, and purples on a wall can help you feel relaxed? Pick one of those colors for your personal spa. You can either paint the space yourself or hire a local painter. If you’re able to, painting the space yourself may help you feel accomplished and let you further enjoy relaxing in your new get-away.

Hopefully we have given you some inspiration to create your own personal spa retreat. These simple changes can transform even the most boring bathrooms into a luxury escape.

Master Bedroom a Bit Meh? 4 Ways to Add Excitement to Your Sleeping Space

Master Bedroom a Bit Meh 4 Ways to Add Excitement to Your Sleeping Space

While you may have the house of your dreams, perhaps one of the items you had to settle with was a lackluster master bedroom. Sure, it has a great space, but there’s nothing else about it that screams master bedroom. If you want to impress your friends and any guests that you may invite to your home, then consider these four ways to transform that master bedroom into something incredible.

Transform Storage 
It’s a bedroom, so there are sure to be drawers, desks, and wardrobes where you keep your clothes and other items. Everyone has them, but does everyone have see-through wardrobes? One of the biggest interior trends that is gaining steam is the concept of transparency. Homeowners are looking for ways to add transparency to their homes. This includes their refrigerator, cupboards, and so on. You can bring this idea to your bedroom, too, by adding in glass wardrobes. This chic addition is sure to add a luxurious flare to your sleeping quarters.

Huge Aquarium 
Another awesome idea to add some ‘wow’ to your bedroom is to install a huge aquarium. No, not just a small tank that you could easily on the countertop of your kitchen. Instead, have a custom-built tank that can either work as the headboard of your bed, an accent wall, or even just something that is built into the middle of the room. From there, you can fill the tank with exotic fish. If it’s big enough, you may even be able to put a small shark inside of it. How many master bedrooms can boast that?

Indoor Jacuzzi 
Master bedrooms are supposed to be your place to retreat to from the world. It should be relaxing and cozy. What is more relaxing and cozy than a Jacuzzi? Whether you want to make it a feature in your room and place it center stage within the room or have it tucked away in the corner, your hot tub will be one of the most luxurious features of your home. You can jump right in after a long day and then immediately hop into bed right after. It’s the ultimate way to relax.

Art 
A simple way to transform your master bedroom from boring to something more exciting is to add art. Whether you want to take the sophisticated route or just add in some color, it’s your space, so it’s hard to go wrong. The most important thing is to make sure it works with the other features of your room, in terms of color, theme, etc. With art hanging from your walls, you’ll no doubt want to spend more time in your master bedroom.

There are few areas as important as the master bedroom. It’s your personal space to express yourself and rest after a long day. Whether you splurge on your budget or keep to the basics, you should have the freedom to decorate your bedroom how you want. These four ideas will get you started.

 

How to Make a Private Oasis in Your Own Backyard

If you’ve ever desired more space in your home, you’re not alone. That’s why so many people add on to their residences, or why the remodeling industry continues to enjoy such busy and flush times. But there’s a different way to approach coming up with a new and better space in which to retreat and find calm and a sense of serenity, and that’s to extend your living space into your outdoor space with a backyard oasis.

That might sound fussy and complicated and expensive, but it doesn’t have to be any of those things. Creating a backyard oasis needs to start with goals and a plan, and it may be worth it to come up with something formal with a landscape architect. Yes, you’ll have to spend money, but you’ll also be able to spread out and stage your project if you choose. Ready to learn more? This graphic can help.


Click to Enlarge Image

How to Make a Private Oasis in Your Own Backyard

 

4 Exciting Ways to Use Your Attic (Once You Decide to Get Rid of All That Junk)

4 Exciting Ways to Use Your Attic (Once You Decide to Get Rid of All That Junk)

Certain rooms in a house get a lot of use. Think for example of how much utility you get out of your kitchen and bathroom. Other rooms, on the other hand, go underutilized. They have a lot of space, but, for some reason, that space isn’t used for anything important. This is usually the case with people’s attics. While your attic may currently be filled with junk, here are four exciting ideas for that space once you get rid of all that clutter.

Guest Bedroom 
Most people don’t have guest bedrooms. They only have a master bedroom and maybe one or two more for children. However, if you have an attic, you don’t have to make your guests sleep on the couch. Instead, get into your attic and remodel it. Add a bed, some furniture, and some interior design to make it homey. Your guests are sure to love it.

Home Gym 
Another great idea is to take your attic and transform into a home gym. If you clean out all the junk you may have stored up in your attic, you’ll end up with a lot of extra space. That should be enough space for exercise equipment. Consider getting a treadmill, exercise bike, weight set, and other pieces of exercise equipment and placing them in your attic. You’ll have your own gym right at home.

Man Cave 
If you’re a man or have a man who needs some time alone once in a while, one excellent idea for an attic remodeling project is to create a man cave. Add everything a man loves like a bar stocked with brewskis, a pool table, and a big screen TV to watch football. Add some décor such as neon signage and old beer advertisements to complete the transformation of your attic into a Fortress of Manitude.

Home Theater 
However, you may also want to convert your attic into a space the entire family can take advantage of. If that is your goal, one great choice is to create a home theater in your attic. You may not even have to use a large TV to do this. If you paint your attic wall white, you can use an actual projector. Add some comfy leather chairs and couches, as well as a popcorn machine, to complete the transformation.

Most attics have a lot of space. Consider using garbage removal services to get rid of all your junk stored up there. Once your space is clear of clutter, there are almost unlimited possibilities for an exciting attic remodeling project.

A Quick Remodeling Tip For Your Home

Remodeling your home can be a blast. However, how do you know how to accent those new hardwood floors or the newly painted walls?

What would be the first step into accenting all that work that was just done?

There are a few ideas when it comes to establishing a great look to your home. If you have just done your floors or walls, a great place to start would be a rug.

Once you decide what type of rug to get you can then take the style and inspiration that the rug portrays to help you advance to accenting the rest of your home to match.

A rug is a strong focal point and one that can be often overlooked. However, it is one of the best places to start a remodeling project.

If you decide to start with a rug, you need to determine what type of rug you want. There are many styles and options you can consider when it comes to rugs. You can choose large rugs all the way down to small fluffy rugs to accent features such as furniture and hallways.

A good place to identify what type of rug would be the best fit for the area you have remodeled. How do you know what type of rugs would be best for your flooring? The infographic below will help!

CHOOSING-A-RUG-TO-MATCH-YOUR-FLOOR-TYPE

Should You Get Hardwood in Your Home?

living-room-hardwood floors

Many flooring options give homeowner’s the chance to personalize property and create a unique space. From mosaic tile to exotic woods and luxury vinyl sheeting, the flooring industry has beautiful choices in every price range. We talk about a few things to think about when you want hardwood floors in your home in this article.

How Long you Want to Live in the Home is a Key Factor

Installing real wood flooring is not a lengthy process, but it can expose problems with the foundation, leaks, and uneven floors. A routine flooring job then becomes a massive undertaking costing you additional money and adding time to the renovation. When you are planning to move out in a few months or years, you may want to consider if taking on a renovation is worth the value it adds to your house.

Budgets can Help you Determine if you Want to Get Hardwood

While tiger maple may be out of your price range, there are ways you can get hardwood flooring on a budget. Second Hand Flooring gives you the chance to find beautiful oak and cherry flooring to clean up to create amazing boards for hardwood floors. When you have a small room to renovate like a bathroom, then recycling barn floors or wood someone else did not want can save you hundreds or thousands of dollars on materials.

Repair and Maintenance Costs are Important to Consider

Wood floors need regular sealing to keep the material soft and to prevent splintering. Depending on traffic, climate, and humidity in the home, your floors need refinishing once every 15 to 20 years. A sealer can help you prolong the life of your wood floors and add shine. This protective layer needs a new application every three to five years.

Adding Hardwood Flooring Increases your Home Value

Boost the equity in your home nearly three percent with real wood flooring. If you sell your house, then you can pocket 80 to 90 percent of your investment. The biggest advantage is buyers want to buy homes with hardwood flooring.

Reclaimed wood is an excellent medium for adding contrast in bathroom designs. You can refinish and stain old wood to create a border or the shape of a rug in front of the bathtub, shower, or vanity. You can also tie designs together with a wall feature that includes the same material you use for the hardwood floors.

Repair or Replace? How to Know What Your Home Needs

Repair or Replace How to Know What Your Home Needs

As a homeowner, there’ll be times when you’re faced with deciding whether to repair or replace something that isn’t working properly. When it’s small stuff, buying a replacement probably won’t affect the budget. However, when a replacement or repair is going to be costly, you may find yourself needing to assess both options to make the wisest choice.

Heating and Cooling System

When it’s your heating and cooling system that isn’t working properly, having it repaired is usually the first option. However, if your system begins to require frequent repairs, it may be time to replace it. A newer system would operate more efficiently. It would also have a warranty to cover repair costs for a period of time.

Roof

There are several factors to consider when deciding whether to repair or replace a roof. Some leaks in a roof can easily be repaired. Missing shingles can be replaced. However, if the leaks are numerous, a replacement would likely be a better option. In some instances, replacing the roof may be your only choice because you may not be able to add another layer of roofing material to the existing roof.

Lawn

If your lawn looks unattractive due to bare spots, determining the cause and taking steps to repair those sections may be all that’s needed to make your lawn beautiful again. Various types of disease or too much shade can be the reason you have bare spots. There may come a time when replacing your lawn is the most economical solution. During the replacement process, issues such as poor drainage can be addressed so that your new lawn installation is effective and thrives.

Appliances

If an appliance that’s under warranty isn’t working properly, you should take advantage of the warranty and have it repaired. Before spending money on an appliance repair, check the appliance manual for troubleshooting ideas. You may be able to solve the problem yourself. As appliances get older, they often become less efficient. Rather than spending money to repair an outdated appliance, buying a new one is often the best choice. If an appliance is near the end of the lifespan for that appliance, replacing it may be your best option.

Unexpected maintenance issues can be an inconvenience. They can also put a strain on your budget. It’s good to set aside some money each month to cover repair and replacement costs.

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