Category: Remodel

Remodeling Contractors

Should You Install a Shower Stall?

Most homes in America have a bathtub that doubles as a shower. Not that many homes have a separate shower stall and a separate bathtub. You may be remodeling your bathroom and feel that it would be a nice option to have a separate shower stall rather than a combined shower/bath.
Your first consideration when thinking of installing a separate shower stall in addition to your bathtub is whether you have enough room. If you are doing a major bathroom remodel then you can plan it down on paper, all the measurements of the various items like the shower, bath, toilet and cabinets so that you can fit these items in your bathroom.
If you’re not doing a major bathroom remodel, you’ll have to evaluate any spare space you have in the bathroom, measure it up, and do some research to find a shower stall with those dimensions that will fit easily into the bathroom.
Once you have your measurements for your new shower stall it’s time to go shopping. You can find complete shower stalls at most home improvement stores. These usually come with a molded shower floor and walls and the shower door. These all in one shower stalls are quite easy to install as everything you need is built into it.
However you may want to make use of the tiles you’ve already got laid on your bathroom floor and use those as the shower floor. You’d obviously have to put in a drain and build up the sides of the area to create the base of the shower, and then buy some sliding doors to finish it off.
This entails a lot more work than just buying the all in one shower stall, so it comes down to weighing up the amount of money you have to spend versus the amount of time you have to build a shower from the ground up yourself, or have it done for the professionally.…

by Suzana Mikolova
2 Minute
Remodel Kitchen

Ideas For Remodeling Without Taking a Bath on Costs

Home improvements are quite popular and one of the most remodeled and upgraded rooms in people’s homes is the bathroom.
There are literally thousands of bathroom remodeling ideas but all projects begin with the same type of process and that is choosing a theme. The theme you choose will guide all of your choices from that point on. Things like which wall cabinets you choose or the types of tile flooring you will consider will all be guided by the motif that is chosen.
If your theme is an ultramodern and sleek look, you may choose the most modern of the polished chrome Moen faucets and place them over a top-mount sink that looks like a glass bowl on your vanity.
Other choices that fit a modern theme may follow the polished chrome look such as medicine cabinets that feature mirrors to reflect the clean look of the room.Bathroom remodeling ideas with a more old-world feel may lean toward using antique vanities in the room rather than the usual storage found in most baths.
These pieces are warm and elegant and far more like fine furniture in the room than a built-in mass-produced piece. Lighting is something that is available in all possible styles and materials and for every motif that is out there, options abound.
You can add bars of light over the mirror or pendant lights over the vanities. Recessed lighting is an option and do not overlook the option of small table lamps that can add a warmth and softness with their homey touch.Designer touches are the things that can elevate the bath to a more spa-like feel and those can be found in everything from beautiful fabric shower curtains with patterns that warm and enhance a room, to unique accessories that will add touches of color to carry your theme throughout the room.
There are also extra long shower curtains now that allow for the newer tubs that are deeper and more spa-like, always a luxurious item to have in a home bath.
The vast array of things available may seem a bit overwhelming but bathroom remodeling ideas  have come a long way and there are now bathtub liners available that allow changes in your current look without the need to demolish what is currently in place.
These are just a few of the points to ponder when deciding to upgrade and add exciting decor to the room that gets so much use in your home.…

by Suzana Mikolova
3 Minute
Remodeling

Lighting Tips for Your Bathroom Remodel

No bathroom remodeling design is complete without a plan for improved lighting. Lighting serves many functions in the bathroom, from highlighting the decor to helping you accomplish your daily grooming and hygiene routine to complementing your reflection in the vanity mirror. By installing the appropriate lighting in your bathroom, you can both make the space feel larger and create place for personal retreat.
Here’s a look at the types of lighting you should include in your bathroom remodeling plans:
Task Lighting
Task lighting in a bathroom is one of the most important types of light to include in your bathroom remodel, as it gives you the necessary illumination for applying makeup, shaving, showering and performing other essential tasks.
When designing your task lighting, pay extra attention to the illumination around your bathroom vanity, which is essential for grooming and applying makeup properly. A common mistake homeowners make is placing a single light directly over the mirror, which casts misleading shadows on your face. If possible, surround the mirror with vanity lights or add sconces on either side of the mirror to create more even lighting on your face.
For additional task lighting, place a waterproof, recessed light above the shower or tub.
Ambient Lighting
Ambient lighting is a stand-in for natural light, enhancing the mood or atmosphere of a bathroom. If you’re fortunate enough to have a window or skylight in your bathroom, take advantage of the natural light as much as possible by removing blinds or curtains and using a thin shade or frosted glass instead. If your bathroom lacks natural light, you can simulate it with a lamp or chandelier on the ceiling. You can also create a soft glow by concealing, rope lights around the perimeter of the room behind molding that sits up to six inches below the ceiling.
Accent Lighting
Accent lighting is typically used to illuminate an aspect of your bathroom you want to highlight, such as artwork, a unique tile arrangement, a beautiful tub or an interesting sink. To create accent lighting, add a recessed spotlight with a beam aimed at the element you want to highlight.
Other Bathroom Remodel Ideas
Once you’ve designed your bathroom lighting scheme, make it work in harmony with the rest of your decor by using color and decorative elements to enhance the lights. A large mirror above the sink will reflect your bathroom’s light and make the space appear larger. For a small bathroom remodeling project, artistically arrange a collection of smaller mirrors. Adding a soft, light color to the walls and floors will also help reflect your bathroom’s light. You can also include a light-colored rug.
Finally, attach your different lighting elements to various dimmer switches to give you total control over your bathroom’s ambience. This will not only help you create whatever mood you desire, but it can help you save energy and lower your utility bill.
Although bathroom lighting is often neglected, good lighting is essential to any functional bathroom. As you begin plans for your bathroom remodeling project, make sure you include the one element that will help make the space look its best — and make you look fabulous.
~Flora Richards-Gustafson, 2010…

by Suzana Mikolova
3 Minute
Remodeling

Kitchen Remodeling and Renovations

Remodeling and renovating your kitchen is very exciting. Creating your dream kitchen to cherish and share with your friends is one of the great pleasures in life. Your home is your sanctuary and reflects who you are and what is important to you. Walking into your home to a remodeled kitchen is a delight.
The first step in kitchen renovation is to have a general idea of what you want to do and what you want out of your kitchen. When you have lived in your kitchen you will know what you do and do not like about your kitchen. Does the location of your refrigerator bother you? Do you like your stove? Do you have enough cabinet space? All of these questions need to be pondered. What do you want in your dream kitchen? How do you want your kitchen to function? Do you need to open it up to your living area to have more of a flow for entertaining and everyday living? Do you need to create more space for cabinets? Is it set up in a functional way for cooking? Do you love wine and want to incorporate a wine cooler? Do you need a double oven for cooking for holidays and entertaining?
You want to have a clear idea of what you want so when you go to your kitchen designer you wont waste time drawing up models of the kitchen. You may ask how to find a good designer? Ask your circle of contacts if they have hired or know of a good designer. Realize that what will make a good designer for you will be that you adore their work. Your friends and family may recommend a good designer but if you love traditional and the designer is hot on contemporary he or she is not the designer for you.
Your designer can do as little as draw a design of your kitchen with kitchen cabinets or can go all the way with you to covering all the minute details necessary for a kitchen remodel. When you are looking for a designer what are the signs you want to watch out for is if the designer will limit you to purchasing any cabinets or accessories from their suppliers. Do not limit yourself, even if you end up buying from your designers recommended source you want to have the option of going to a variety of cabinet suppliers.
When you meet with a designer have your list of what you want in your kitchen along with pictures from magazines or websites. Give the designer as much detail as possible about your likes and dislikes. It goes without saying to look at past projects the designer has done, if the style of the designer is not to your liking it is time to move on and find one whose designs you do like. Don’t expect the designer to be different on your job than they are on other projects.
Another key to a good designer is whether or not they will adhere to your budget. Ideally if you have no monetary concerns the sky is the limit. However if you are like many individuals, even if you have unlimited cash flow, you normally have a budget in mind that you want to spend on your kitchen remodel. If your designer keeps pushing you to spend money you would rather not spend this is not a good sign.
Renovating your kitchen can be rewarding and exciting. A good kitchen design is timeless and will bring you years of fulfillment and happy memories. Look for plenty of photos on kitchen remodeling and renovation projects to inspire you and give you the ideas you can use when you design your dream kitchen.…

by Suzana Mikolova
4 Minute
Remodeling Contractors

Bathroom Remodeling – 8 Things to Consider When Planning a Bathroom Renovation

Bathroom remodeling has the second highest return on investment of any renovation you can do in your home. It is right next to kitchen remodeling for ROI.
A bathroom remodel can cost anywhere from a few hundred dollars, to tens of thousands. It all depends on your budget, your home and your goals.
No matter what your budget, you have 2 goals with a bathroom remodel. To increase its beauty and to increase its function.
Here are 8 areas you need to consider whether you are thinking about just freshening up, or completely renovating your bathroom. The great thing about this list is you can choose to do 1, 2, or all of them in any combination, and still make a big impact on your bathrooms usability and look.
Cabinets
The first thing you are going to notice when you walk into your new bathroom, are the cabinets. New cabinets will improve your bathroom almost instantly.
Cabinet prices range a lot, from cheap particle board to custom construction. But, you can usually find something quite elegant for a reasonable price if you shop around.
Hardware
Even if you can’t afford to upgrade your cabinetry, new hardware will make a huge difference. Whether you have replaced your cabinetry or not, there are literally thousands of different items you can pick out to enhance your look.
It is amazing how a nice set of hardware will make even a mediocre cabinet look high end.
Fixtures
New bathroom fixtures, including faucets and sinks etc should be chosen to fit in with the style of the cabinetry and the overall look. You don’t want to put modern fixtures in with elegant old fashioned cabinetry and hardware.
Even if you can’t upgrade your cabinets, adding new fixtures, as long as they are a similar style, will make a big difference in the feel of your bathroom.
Flooring / Tile
There simply isn’t a better finish for a bathroom floor than tile. Usually bathrooms aren’t that large, so the cost difference over other options will not even be that significant. Its possible find inexpensive tile if you look around for sales. It is also possible to find very expensive, elegant tile, depending on your budget.
Another popular option is linoleum, but if you can find inexpensive tile, it will definitely have a bigger impact, for probably a similar cost.
Storage
Creating a storage wall is always a great investment. Bathrooms never seem to have enough storage, but by building a storage wall, you can get small items out of your way, and create an attractive display.
Mirror
Adding a big mirror to your bathroom will accomplish 2 things. First of all, it is a very practical addition, allowing you to get ready with ease. Second, it will make your small bathroom look larger.
Lighting
If your bathroom is bright, it doesn’t matter if it is small. It will feel bright and comfortable. There are many choices of different bathroom lights available starting at the very inexpensive and moving up to very extravagant.
Tub or Shower
In Panama, bath tubs are not very popular, but they are gaining acceptance. Whirlpool tubs are built in many different sizes and shapes. They will fit into any spot where an existing tub exists, and often even where there is an existing shower.
These 8 improvements can be done on their own, or in combination with a complete bathroom remodel. It all depends on your budget and goals. But, if you want to freshen up your bathroom, these are the 8 areas you need to think about.
The first thing you need to do is determine your budget. And then, look at each one of these items to decide which you can change, and which you can not.
A bathroom remodel, whether small or large, will make your home a much more enjoyable place to be. And it will make your home more valuable when you go to sell.…

by Suzana Mikolova
4 Minute
Remodeling

5 Things to Consider When Renovating a Bathroom

New furniture and a fresh coat of paint is all it takes to give many rooms in the house a totally new look. Yet, bathrooms are usually a completely different story. If you have plans to renovate a bathroom at home, read through this article to learn about some of the important factors of a bathroom remodel.
1. How Far do You Want to Go?: When you decide to renovate a bathroom, you will be faced with an array of choices. One of the first and most important things to consider when deciding to renovate a bathroom is how big of a change you want to make. Do you wish to scrap the entire space and start from the beginning? Possibly you love the look of the bathroom, but just want a new bath or shower system. Or you could simply want to freshen things up with a new colour of paint and updated fixtures. Whichever route you choose to take, until you know how far you want to take this renovation, you cannot move ahead with your plans.
2. Contracting the Job to a Professional: Once you know how big the renovation project is going to be, you will have to decide whether you will be taking on this project yourself or hiring a professional bathroom remodelling company. For simple things like changing hardware and re-painting, you can most likely do that yourself. However, if you are starting from scratch and install all new flooring and a new bath and shower system, you will want to hire a professional. Professionals will be able to deal with any plumbing or electrical issues that could arise in a renovation.
3. Function of the Space: Now that you know how big of a renovation you want and whether or not you are hiring a team of professionals, it is time to think about the overall function of your soon-to-be new bathroom. Now there are obvious uses that don’t need to be mentioned, but aside from those, what else do you want this space to offer? Will this be a smaller powder room for guests? Is this a larger, common bathroom that the whole family uses, therefore it needs to be more durable? Or perhaps it is your private ensuite that you wish to turn into your own personal spa-like space. Knowing what you want from your new bathroom will help you know which direction to go in terms of budget, layout and design.
4. Budgeting for Your Project: With the technical aspects out of the way, you can start to organize your budget for the renovation. If you are hiring a professional contractor and doing a full renovation, your budget will obviously be much higher. You should also be setting aside an emergency fund in the case that something should happen during the process if this is what you are planning to do. You are dealing with much more in a bathroom renovation as opposed to a bedroom or living room because plumbing gets thrown into the mix.
5. Budget Your Time: One more important thing to do when planning a bathroom renovation is to set a timeframe for the actual process. Whether it will be a long or short process, be sure to allow for some flexibility. By allowing for flexibility, you will be prepared in case there is unexpected structural or plumbing problems, delivery or manufacturing delays or other outside issues.…

by Suzana Mikolova
3 Minute
Remodeling

Lighting Tips for Your Bathroom Remodel

No bathroom remodeling design is complete without a plan for improved lighting. Lighting serves many functions in the bathroom, from highlighting the decor to helping you accomplish your daily grooming and hygiene routine to complementing your reflection in the vanity mirror. By installing the appropriate lighting in your bathroom, you can both make the space feel larger and create place for personal retreat.
Here’s a look at the types of lighting you should include in your bathroom remodeling plans:
Task Lighting
Task lighting in a bathroom is one of the most important types of light to include in your bathroom remodel, as it gives you the necessary illumination for applying makeup, shaving, showering and performing other essential tasks.
When designing your task lighting, pay extra attention to the illumination around your bathroom vanity, which is essential for grooming and applying makeup properly. A common mistake homeowners make is placing a single light directly over the mirror, which casts misleading shadows on your face. If possible, surround the mirror with vanity lights or add sconces on either side of the mirror to create more even lighting on your face.
For additional task lighting, place a waterproof, recessed light above the shower or tub.
Ambient Lighting
Ambient lighting is a stand-in for natural light, enhancing the mood or atmosphere of a bathroom. If you’re fortunate enough to have a window or skylight in your bathroom, take advantage of the natural light as much as possible by removing blinds or curtains and using a thin shade or frosted glass instead. If your bathroom lacks natural light, you can simulate it with a lamp or chandelier on the ceiling. You can also create a soft glow by concealing, rope lights around the perimeter of the room behind molding that sits up to six inches below the ceiling.
Accent Lighting
Accent lighting is typically used to illuminate an aspect of your bathroom you want to highlight, such as artwork, a unique tile arrangement, a beautiful tub or an interesting sink. To create accent lighting, add a recessed spotlight with a beam aimed at the element you want to highlight.
Other Bathroom Remodel Ideas
Once you’ve designed your bathroom lighting scheme, make it work in harmony with the rest of your decor by using color and decorative elements to enhance the lights. A large mirror above the sink will reflect your bathroom’s light and make the space appear larger. For a small bathroom remodeling project, artistically arrange a collection of smaller mirrors. Adding a soft, light color to the walls and floors will also help reflect your bathroom’s light. You can also include a light-colored rug.
Finally, attach your different lighting elements to various dimmer switches to give you total control over your bathroom’s ambience. This will not only help you create whatever mood you desire, but it can help you save energy and lower your utility bill.
Although bathroom lighting is often neglected, good lighting is essential to any functional bathroom. As you begin plans for your bathroom remodeling project, make sure you include the one element that will help make the space look its best — and make you look fabulous.
~Flora Richards-Gustafson, 2010…

by Suzana Mikolova
3 Minute