Bathroom Remodel: Improve Storage and Appeal
Ask any real estate agent and he or she will tell you how important a well-designed and updated bathroom is to the resale value of your home. A bathroom remodel allows homeowners to design and create a room that is both beautiful and functional. By replacing appliances, expanding storage, and improving the overall appearance of the room, you are able to make a wise investment in your home.
Homeowners who want to remodel their bathrooms should take some time to determine what sorts of features they want most. Taking account of what you like and don’t like about your bathroom helps you as you create a plan for your renovation project. Look through magazines for inspiration or make a list of any styles, colors, or designs that you are particularly fond of. Many homeowners lean toward designs that create a relaxing and spa-like atmosphere.
We all know what it is like to walk into a bathroom that is cluttered and crowded. A lack of storage space can make your bathroom appear smaller and diminish the look of your room. Storage space allows you to store your linens, supplies, and cleaning products where they are hidden from view and out of your way. Decluttering your space allows for better use of your room and improves the style and appeal of the whole bathroom.
One of the most effective ways to improve your bathroom is to install custom cabinet solutions to expand storage space. Custom cabinetry allows homeowners to add storage to their bathroom that is specifically designed to compliment the unique space of their room. Custom cabinets can be created to fit small or irregular spaces. This means that even the smallest bathrooms can be fitted with adequate storage. Because the cabinets are made according to your specifications, you can choose materials and colors that best compliment your individual taste and style.
Aside from cabinets, new flooring will make the biggest impact on the overall look of your bathroom. You want to look for flooring material that will withstand high humidity and provide a surface that is not slippery. Tile and stone flooring are among the most popular choices. With so many colors and styles available, homeowners are sure to find a flooring product that will make their bathroom look luxurious and elegant.
Often overlooked, bathroom lighting is crucial to the functionality of the room. Many times, bathrooms are small spaces that may or may not have a window. It is important to have good lighting for shaving, applying make-up, brushing your teeth, and all of the other tasks you may perform while getting ready for the day. Good lighting is also essential for safety. Without proper illumination, you could slip and fall and this could result in a serious injury.
Showers, tubs, and toilets are available in high efficiency models that may help you save money in water and energy costs over time. Specialty fixtures and accessories help homeowners design a bathroom that will impress their guests and add value to their home.
Be sure that you work with a bathroom remodeling professional who is experienced and skilled in bathroom design and renovation. A custom cabinetry specialist will allow you to create the bathroom storage you need to improve the overall look and function of your room.
Installing Security Fences
Installing Security Fences
Security fencing can be traced back to those times when very little advanced technology was available. Though times have changed, the concept of security has seen little innovations. Several firms now provide fences with a mechanized look, which utilize electric power for the maintenance of home security. Electric fence is a very reliable security method to keep intruders off.
Why to Have Security Fence
Fear of shocks prevents burglars from tampering with home fencing. It is a highly cost-effective procedure to prevent the interior and exterior of your house. Security fences also keep pestering kids off the yard. They also offer an excellent sense of security. Fences vary based on the yard size, the materials selected and any other extra security feature one wishes to have.
Top reasons for installing security fences
The primary reason for fence installation is security. Whether you have pets or children, proper fencing is the best solution. To protect property and home, install tall fencing to prevent intruders from crossing the fence.
Chain-link fences are highly ineffective in keeping unwanted visitors off the yard. If you are still using chain link fence, time to replace it.
Wooden Fence
While selecting the fence, you would probably wish to go with wooden fence. The type of wood would be a personal decision depending on tastes and most importantly the budget. However, also consider environmental parameters which could be an issue in the area where you stay. Select fence which are at least six feet tall for privacy and optimal protection, and also ensure that the fence design is such that people won’t look through the fence slats through the yard. It is quite important to consider all these important issues before selecting the fence for your yard.
A part of the point in installing the fence after all is to enhance your home security. You would not like people and other passers by observe the belongings in your deck or yard. Fencing the yard is always a great option for any individual to go in for. No one would ever want any intruders to come inside their house or yard. Although there are several types of fences that are available to provide you security, however it depends on your personal choice what you would want to go ahead with. The wooden fencing would any day be a wise option to consider. Safety and privacy should always be given priority.
Need Help Designing Your Remodel? – There’s an App for That
Home remodeling, even when you have a good general contractor on board, can be tough. Trying to get across to the contractor you are considering hiring exactly what you have in mind can be a challenge. “I want a bedroom in my attic” is, after all, a little vague.
If an architect is not in the picture and if your drawing talents stopped developing after third grade, a tool to help you envisage what the home improvement ideas in your head will turn into in real life would be really handy. Especially if you could do it all right from your phone. Well, guess what? There is an app for that – Home 3D for the iPhone and iPad.
Home 3D is rather different to other remodeling software aids you may have seen in the past. Using pre-set room dimensions that can be adjusted if needed, it allows you to alter the layout of any room within seconds. Want to see what your bedroom would look like minus the dividing wall? Done. Want to put it back again but this time with a built in closet? Results in seconds.
Home 3D also differs in that not only does it let you design – and then redesign – the layout of the rooms you are considering remodeling but virtually decorate them as well. It allows furniture to be moved, wall art to be hung, and an overall design scheme to be established-anytime, anywhere.
That means that when you do meet with your remodeling contractor for the first time all you will have to do is take out your Apple gadget of choice and they will instantly have a clear picture of what you want them to aim for. Planning and negotiation, then ultimately the remodeling work itself, can thus begin far more quickly.
Apartment Remodeling: Strategies for Remodeling Your Apartment
Apartment Remodeling: Strategies for Remodeling Your Apartment
One of the more fun, yet more challenging, building remodels one can undertake is to renovate any unit of an apartment building. While you can be assured with most other remodeling projects that the final results will remain in effect for a long time, you can never be too sure with apartment remodeling, as the wrong tenant can mean serious repairs once they move out.
Before you go into the apartment and start hammering, sawing and nailing away all in the attempt to make your property look brand new, it’s important to have a plan. Having an outline beforehand will save much time, and prevent even more time from being wasted. It will also give you a heads-up as to possible problems and issues, and let you think about all the options you have available before you get started with the renovation.
The first thing you need to do is wait until the tenant has finished moving out all of his or her belongings. After they’ve vacated the premises, you can go in and inspect all the apartment’s aspects. Since you’ll be remodeling the unit, this presents you with a good time to make sure everything needing repaired or replaced is taken care of. Remember to also take a look at the facets that may not be as noticeable. Checking on things like the electrical system; plumbing; and heating and cooling systems can save you from significant repair costs later on, so assess these facilities for the usual wear and tear, and repair accordingly.
Some of the repairs mentioned above may have been necessary because of tenant abuse. Unfortunately, those who you rent out to may not always respect your property, and when you begin renovations, you should keep this in the back of your mind and remember to choose durable parts and materials. This can mean a little more in upfront costs, but you’ll save heavily by not having to pay for repairs later down the road.
While it’s important to fix items and issues because of the previous tenant, remember to think of the next tenant, and make the apartment unit look attractive and one of a kind to potential renters. Ways to do this include making the space more roomy and livable, and accomplishing this can mean just taking out a wall or adding a few cabinets in the kitchen.
You’ll find that it’s easier to occupy an apartment if it’s efficient and aesthetically pleasing, and this is why it’s so important to plan out the details before beginning any renovations. Doing things like keeping lists, notes and sketches may take some time, but you’ll greatly improve your property, and you’ll be able to easier keep tenants.
Choosing the Right Paint Finish For Your Room
Choosing the Right Paint Finish For Your Room
We have all been there. Standing at the counter of the paint store, holding our carefully selected paint swatch… confident that we have perfectly matched the paint to the color of the piping in our new sofa. Then the confidence evaporates when the store clerk asks which paint finish we are using. We hem – we haw. Oh, I don’t know, just give me semi-gloss, we say. And then we get home and are appalled to find that our newly painted living room walls are practically shiny, showing every possible drywall flaw. Aagh!
To avoid paint disasters such as this, it helps to learn the difference between the plethora of paint finishes that are available today. These include everything from your basic flat matte finish, to a high gloss, to a half-dozen more in between. Here goes.
Matte Finish. Also known as flat paint, a matte finish has the least amount of shine of any paint finish. Because it does not reflect the light, it is extremely useful when your walls are old and have accumulated a lifetime of bumps, cracks and other imperfections. But the downside of a matte finish is that it is the most difficult to clean. If you have small children and pets, matte paint can be a real chore to keep clean. You will probably find yourself repainting rather than washing off marks and scuffs.
Eggshell Finish. One step up from matte, an eggshell finish also has a very low reflective quality, but it is a smidgen more forgiving when it comes to cleaning. In instance where you have old walls and young children, an eggshell finish can offer a sort of compromise between showing imperfections and wash-ability.
Satin Finish. A satin paint is formulated to hold up in higher traffic areas and can be a good choice for kids rooms, bathrooms, hallways and other areas that require frequent wall washing.
Semi-Gloss. A semi-gloss finish is the preferred paint finish for baseboards, doors and other trim in your room, such as chair rails and picture framing. These areas take a beating from the vacuum and general foot traffic, so semi-gloss paint makes frequent cleaning a breeze. This paint lays on easily and offers a silky smooth finish, but it requires a bit more prep work since any surface imperfections are going to be highlighted by the reflective quality of the paint. Semi-gloss paint does not offer the same level of sophistication as matte or eggshell finishes and is rarely used on full walls.
Gloss. A high-gloss paint finish is rarely used for interior finishes, because it results in a highly-reflective finish that shows each and every wall imperfection. The high-gloss finish is akin to an enamel, so it is sometimes used for cabinets or trim in very contemporary interior designs, but is rarely used in general interior paint schemes.
Choosing the right paint finish is easy when you know what you are looking for. So the next time you find yourself standing at the paint counter with a color swatch in your hand, you can confidently order “a satin wall finish for a balance of coverage and durability, paired with a semi-gloss trim finish for increased wash-ability.” The paint clerk will be impressed with your knowledge of paint finishes, and you won’t have to wear sunglasses to ward off the glare in your newly painted living room.
Home Improvement Is an Improvement to Your Entire Quality of Life!
Home Improvement Is an Improvement to Your Entire Quality of Life!
Buying a house is a very complicated process, especially when it is a couple’s first home. First, the couple has to make sure they have enough money for a down payment. They also must make sure they their monthly income will be enough to cover their mortgage. They also must have a good credit rating, otherwise the banks will not approve them for a mortgage. They have to make the difficult decision of deciding on where to settle down and to be sure the place they pick is affordable for them. These are just a few of the things that are involved in purchasing a home.
When buying a home, the couple wants it to be a home they will love. They are willing to spend extra amounts of money on a house that will suit their specific taste. However, what some couples do not realize is they do not have to buy their dream home; they can actually take any home and with a good home improvement plan, create their own dream home. In other words, they can save huge sums of money on the actual price of the house they are about to purchase. Through home remodeling, a couple can go from room to room and design the way they would like to have it designed. They can knock down walls to connect rooms or build walls to create additional rooms. Additionally, they can have the different rooms painted with the color they will enjoy. Through home remodeling you can take an old broken down house and turn it into a palace.
Examples of different ideas that people to make their home nice and homey, is redoing the kitchen. For a women, it is the room she spends most of her time in since she is busy cooking three meals a day for her family inside it. For the rest of the family it is probably also the room they spend most of their hours at home since they are busy eating the delicious food the mother cooked. There are thousands of designs of cabinets and counter tops you can choose from. The better the quality of the materials you choose the longer it should last. It is a worthwhile investment because it will make each experience in the kitchen a more pleasant home.
Another room that is a make a very big difference in the house is the bathroom. New tiled walls and floors and a new bathtub and vanity, make using the bathroom the a nice experience. You will look forward to a relaxing bath you never want to leave as opposed to rushing in for a two minute shower just to get it off your “to do” list.
In conclusion, home improving really is not about improvement to your house. It is an improvement to your entire quality of life!
Kitchen Remodeling
There are many things you can do to your kitchen when you are remodeling. You can do a little research and check out what matches your budget.
One of the first things you may choose to do when kitchen remodeling is to choose a fabulous kitchen backsplash. The backsplash will brighten up your kitchen and/or make it feel warm and cozy. You can choose to have tile as your kitchen backsplash. The tile may be put on traditionally or diagonally. You may choose to have the tile straight up and down and a few of the tiles diagonal. The choice is yours when you do kitchen remodeling. Hire a professional to lay the tile as you want it to look as beautiful as possible. If you do-it-yourself, you may end up cutting the tiles incorrectly and/or laying them wrong and not looking very nice.
Once the backsplash in your kitchen is completed you may want to have a professional install new countertops. There are so many ways you can make your kitchen look with the different styles of countertops. You may choose something contemporary such as granite. You may choose something a little country that looks like wood or is in fact butcher block. Butcher block is a great choice as you can easily cook on it. Don’t worry about chopping up vegetables and making dents in your countertop when you have butcher block. You can set your hot pans on butcher block as well. If the butcher block stains or gets any type of mark on it, it just adds to the look of this lovely style.
You may want to put a new stove in your kitchen when you are remodeling. You can add brick or another type of backsplash on the wall behind the stove. Add depth to your kitchen when you build a rounded arch in front of your stove. The background may be brick to give it an expensive feel with yet a warm and inviting feel to your kitchen.
Personalize your kitchen with a few decorative light switches. You can find these at any home remodeling store or most discount stores.
Along your wall you may want to add wainscoting. Have the top part of your wall paint or wallpaper and the bottom lower half wainscoting. Have a professional perform this kitchen remodeling task to ensure your satisfaction.
You may be able to add more kitchen cabinets to your kitchen. If you need more cabinet space, this is one thing to consult and hire a professional to do for you. Another kitchen remodeling idea is to have a pantry put in your kitchen. You can put all of your canned items, box items, blender, pans, etc., in your pantry. By having a pantry you will help keep your kitchen looking neat and organized.
If you are looking to remodel your kitchen you can have it all done correctly when you hire a professional that knows exactly what he or she is doing to improve your beloved kitchen space.…