Jack and Jill Bathroom Design
A Jack and Jill bathroom is shared by two bedrooms each with a separate entrance. It often has two sinks with additional storage. Many times a Jack and Jill bathroom is designed with a partitioned shower area and/or toilet compartment. This allows multiple users into the bathroom while maintaining privacy and functionality.
When remodeling a this space it is important to consider the end users off the bathroom. You must consider how many Jacks and how many Jills are going to be using the bathroom. What is the normal schedule for bathroom usage? Is there adequate storage for all users? What components of the area can be or should be partitioned? The purpose of a Jack and Jill bathroom is to create the utilization of two bathrooms at the expense of one. By carefully considering these questions a successful remodel can be accomplished.
A fun and useful twist on the Jack and Jill bathroom is to create a three room bathroom for additional functionality. In this design there is a shared vanity area but two shower and toilet compartments. There is the additional cost of the new partition but would still have major cost and space savings when compared with two individual bathrooms.
When designing your new shared space it would be wise to consider a more neutral product set that will appeal to both the Jacks and the Jills. The most important of these considerations would be the countertop, vanity, and tile. Choose products and materials that have enduring design elements. These bathrooms are generally for the kids of a larger family. Create a bathroom that will look beautiful and be functional throughout the years as its shared users grow older and more mature.
Kitchen Design Tips – 5 Ideas You Can Do In A Weekend
Looking for kitchen design tips that will add character and charm, but won’t break the bank? The secret to innovative yet inexpensive kitchen renovation ideas is in the finishing touches. Try these 5 kitchen design tips and see what a lift attention to small details can bring.
1. Open your uppers – Remove the doors on your upper cabinets to give a more contemporary and a more spacious and sand down holes left from the hinge paint or finish natural.
Paint or finish the interiors to match the lower , paint the cabinet interiors an accent color for some extra flair.
2. Splashy Seconds – Transform the look of your kitchen with a new full height tile back-splash. By full height, I mean the space between the top of your lower cabinets to the bottom of your uppers–usually about 18 inches (45 – 46 cm).
Because the area is relatively small, material costs for your back-splash will normally be , you can really cash in on some high-end savings by buying seconds. These are tiles with imperfections–most of them barely noticeable, if at all. I have found great deals on some of the more expensive tiles. Many outfits sell these tiles by the pound…usually 50% to 80% off.
Some clients even request seconds because they feel the flaws and blemishes bring character.
3. Vintage-look Flooring – Add some pizazz with a new floor made of old-school material: linoleum.
Linoleum tiles are easy to to , naturally anti-microbial.
Take a look at what Marmoleum has to offer. Their tiles come in a ton of different shades – including brights like greens, reds and blues. They average about $4.99 US per square foot. Also check out tiles by Mannington and TrafficMaster.
4. Hardware Heaven – Update your cabinets by changing out the knobs or pulls as we call them.
If your cabinets have a natural wood finish, you’ll probably want to find new hardware with the same “footprint” as your old stuff, so that the new pulls cover the old screw holes. If your cabinets are painted, you can fill and touch up any old holes or marks. If there are no pulls currently on your cabinets then the world’s your oyster.
You’ll be amazed at how this simple kitchen design idea can update things. It’s like putting on the right jewelry. Check out your local Home Improvement Center, most have good try an online store like Restoration Hardware for a truly impressive selection of cabinet pulls.
5. Rack Em Up – Install a pot rack and save on valuable cabinet space.
This design idea takes a couple hours. It adds a touch of class to any , I love them because I can always find the pot I’m looking for instantly. Also at Restoration Hardware and available too through Crate and Barrel where they start at $120.00 US.
I hope these kitchen design tips inspire you. I want you all to realize that you can work on your own spaces even though you don’t have a lot of time or money right now. Think of your home as your canvas. Work with the materials you have and enjoy the process.…
The Importance of Bathroom Design
Families are spending more and more time in their bathrooms than ever before, thus, they desire their bathrooms to be functional as well as inviting. If you are ready for a new bathroom look, take some time to consider ideas for the bathroom design and investigate remodeling your bathroom to suit your needs and style.
Several questions need to be asked prior to the start of any design process. It is critical before you decide to renovate to make sure that there are no underlying problems with the core of your home. Sound plumbing, heating and electrical service should be inspected before demolition begins. When talking to a designer, consider a few things: Do you need more storage? Are the fixtures out-dated? Do the vanity and faucets need replaced? Are you able to work around the existing fixtures such as the tub and/or sink? Do you want a separate tub and shower compartments? It is an important factor also to determined the style of bathrooms choices, you can choose from modern, traditional, contemporary or transitional type of bathrooms.
Once these questions are answered, sit down and work within a realistic budget. Determine how much you are able to afford. The focus on your bathroom improvements will also depend on the type of bathroom. If your remodel is for a guest bathroom, it should be useful, inviting, and even impressive for your guests. A children’s bathroom should be bright, colorful and even fun. A master bedroom bathroom can have a resort style, relaxing, or perhaps a sexy feel.
Making the correct lighting choices, such as decorative or accent lighting add elegance to a bathroom, or adding softer dimmable lighting can give you more of a cozy feeling. Another focal point in any bathroom is the vanity mirror, giving the area a bigger feel and a chance to show off your individual style with a decorative frame or a uniquely-shaped mirror. Incorporate your family’s own taste and fashion with accessories to complete you bathroom remodel. Tile designs, the color of the walls, and open shelves for display items add character to every bathroom as well.
Bathroom design should be attractive and just as comfortable as any other room in your home. Remodeling is also an ideal time to make your house healthier for you, the community, and the environment through the use of environmentally-friendly products and recycling or reusing existing materials.…
Kitchen Remodel Design
Renovating a kitchen can be an overwhelming experience. But, if you end up with the kitchen of your dream, it will be worth the effort. There are two things to keep in mind when renovating a kitchen, such as kitchen designs and functionality.
When planning a kitchen design, it is imperative to start with a kitchen layout. Looking through magazines, online design websites, or visiting kitchen appliance stores will give you ideas. However, you will want to be realistic in planning your kitchen design. Sometimes, it’s easy to flip through magazines and fall in love with how a kitchen is laid out. But, when you try to replicate the same picture in your kitchen, you may find that you don’t have enough room for that center island with the built-in wine cooler, sink, and range. Be sure that the design you select can fit into your existing kitchen or that you have the budget to knock down some walls or extend your house.
To help you decide on your kitchen’s layout and design, go through your daily regimen of use for the kitchen. What would you like to improve? What do you want to remain the same? Do you have enough cabinet space? Do you want display shelving for your collection of china?
If you cook for a large family or have dinner parties, you may want additional counter space for food preparation. Would moving your refrigerator or placing your stove against another wall give you additional working space or make it easier for you to move around the kitchen? Perhaps, you need to install a dishwasher that’s close enough to a storage cabinet so that unloading dishes it more convenient for you.
These are the types of questions that you will need to answer before renovating a kitchen. The answers will allow you to get a kitchen design that meets all of your needs to work in your kitchen. The end result of your renovation should be a kitchen that is both functional and beautiful.…
U Shaped Kitchen Design Ideas
Looking for the right layout can be a challenge when you are unfamiliar with what options are available to you. Usually, a certain type of space has a particular fitting kind of design that can really bring out the best in that space. If your goal with your new home is to have a kitchen that saves space and lets you get the job done faster, you might want to try U shaped kitchen designs. This particular design, based on the name alone gives you more storage and work space without consuming a lot from the floor area.
Unlike other too spacious designs that require you to move across one point of the room to the other, the U shaped kitchen designs allows you to do all the things that you need to without any hassles. You no longer have to ask for someone to bring a piece of equipment from across the room since everything is within reach.
If you are concerned regarding the minimal storage with U shaped kitchen, do not panic! This particular design can give you all the storage you need in the form of overhead cupboards as well as under the counter top storage room. With this particular design, you no longer have to worry about any space going to waste.
Another advantage that a U shaped kitchen design brings is the fact that this type of layout is much easier to insert into any home. Unlike most kitchen renovation ideas that ask for a bigger space in terms of floor area, this layout only requires minimal space to work with. This means that a lot less amount of raw materials will be needed during the construction phase.
Note that by lessening the amount of raw materials to be used during the construction process would mean that you do not need to shell out as much money as your kitchen renovation contractor will be using less material. You can save up on raw materials and invest in other kitchen accents or equipment. When you save up on those materials, you can allocate a better budget for the flooring or the walls and even the lighting fixtures.
Ultimately, the designs to use in your kitchen would depend on your taste. But if what you are looking for are designs that fuse form, function and efficiency effectively, consider using U shaped kitchen designs in order to get the best and successfully meet all of your required standards.…
Bathroom-ology – Design a Healthy Green Bathroom
Once considered purely utilitarian, bathrooms are increasingly places for rest, renewal, and self-pampering. Plan your bathroom remodel to achieve both looks and luxury; incorporate “Green” design components to contribute to a healthier setting that is more environmentally friendly and that also carries lower ongoing costs for you.
Health-focused designs maximize fresh air and natural light. This focus serves to reduce the risk of injury, as well as to identify and rectify such potential problems as molds, allergens and toxic chemicals. Green remodeling techniques are specifically designed to be durable and to create a safe environment with materials that are made from manufactured products with as few toxins as possible.
The Dangers of Mold
Mold is the number one problem for household contamination, infection and disease and the bathroom is the primary source of mold contamination.
Mold, a simple fungus, adheres to and grows on surfaces where there is a high degree of continuing moisture — often on damp floors and unsealed grout lines. Mold spores can float on mild air currents caused by simply walking into the room. Inhaled mold and fungal spores produce allergic reactions, as well as hypersensitivity to other lung irritants and infectious diseases. “Some forms of mold found indoors produce toxins which can be carcinogenic, induce birth defects, and can affect the immune system,” says David Johnston, a certified LEED contractor.
If your remodeling project is precipitated by a mold problem, pay attention to more than just the latest trend in vanity counters, shower systems, and faucets. Be sure to eliminate all mold-infested materials in the bathroom and adjacent areas after tear-out and before you begin installation.
Environmental and Expense Factors
Although bathrooms are usually smaller than kitchens, bathrooms are the largest user of critical resources – the place where most of the indoor water is used in a home, and where the highest percentage of energy is consumed.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the average person in the United States uses 90 gallons of water per day. Most of the water used is for bathing and showering. Additionally, a leaking faucet can waste up to 2,000 gallons in a year, and a leaking or running toilet can waste 200 gallons a day. Green remodeling offers the opportunity to consider attractively designed products and materials that reduce water consumption.
Creating a Green Bathroom
Begin your bathroom remodeling project with a design that incorporates your family’s needs. Prepare a checklist of the improvements you’d like to include.
Assess how you will most effectively reduce humidity in the bathroom. While your window may meet code requirements, is it really open all winter long, or do you need a supplemental exhaust fan?
Carefully evaluate the materials you choose. For the vanity counter, choose materials where surfaces are manufactured to resist absorption of bacteria and which can easily be cleaned without harsh chemicals.
For the shower, consider a one-piece shower pan rather than a tile pan, to reduce the possibility of mold building up in tile pan grout. Similarly, give thought to single-panel wall shower and bath surrounds.
For the vanity cabinet, select woods that are renewable and certified by the Forest Service Council.
Examine your water usage and identify ways in which you might conserve. Flow reduction devices for showers and faucets don’t interfere with good water pressure.
The newer low-flow toilets have improved greatly since 1.6 gallon-per-flush toilets first became law in 1994. No longer is it necessary to flush multiple times. The Toto Aquia dual-flush offers one button to flush liquids that uses only 0.9 gallons, and a second button for the now-standard low flow of 1.6 gallons for solid wastes. Even newer in the market are several High Efficiency toilets which only uses 1.28 gallons per flush.
A significant way to reduce energy usage is with a tank-less water heater. Tank-less or “on-demand” water heaters don’t waste the gas or electricity used to constantly keep traditional 40-to-70 gallon tanks of water at 120 degree temperatures. Another bonus is that there is no large storage tank taking up space.
Ventilating fans should be installed with timers, to enable a departing homeowner to leave the house before properly venting excess, damaging humidity — knowing that the fan will turn off in a set period of time. Consider a humidistat-controlled vent fan in rooms that don’t have adequate ventilation otherwise — the control will automatically sense the level of moisture in the bathroom and run the vent until reaching selected degrees of dryness.
Green Bathroom Remodel Check List
Consider which of these steps can work in your setting:
• Donate or recycle fixtures being torn out
• Insulate pipes that can be exposed to cold
• Install tank-less water heaters
• Install low-flush toilets
• Install low-flow, high-performance showerheads
• Install low-flow faucets
• Install compact fluorescent …
Premade Kitchen Cabinets VS Custom Design and Manufacturing – What’s Right For You?
Once you’ve decided to remodel your kitchen, it’s not long before you’re dreaming of the new kitchen look and design. Cabinets are a vital component of your new kitchen, as they set the tone for the entire room. For those with an open concept, the look of the cabinets carry through to the design of adjoining dining and family rooms, as well!
OPTIONS, OPTIONS, OPTIONS
Before you settle on a design and style of cabinetry, you need to determine if you’re choosing pre-made cabinets, or if you’ll opt for an entirely custom design. Both options have their pros and cons, and before you can decide, you must weigh them for yourself.
PRE-MADE ADVANTAGES
Those who choose pre-made cabinets often have budget constraints that make that option attractive. Because these cabinets are made in various standard sizes (by manufacturer), they can be mass-produced, resulting in a lower price point. Even if one has the budget for custom cabinets, they may choose pre-made simply to devote money to higher grade flooring or countertops.
Pre-made cabinets are ideal for those kitchens with an open concept and flexibility in design space. These rooms often have two to three walls with an open flow to the dining area, which makes hanging cabinets not custom-designed easier.
High-quality pre-made cabinets can be engineered to be just has moisture-resistant and strong as their custom, solid-wood counterparts. These cabinets are made in solid wood as well as press board, so you can take your personal preferences into account.
CUSTOM DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING ADVANTAGE
It doesn’t take too long to explain the advantages of opting for custom cabinets, manufactured to your exact specifications and preferences. After all, you get cabinets that are specially designed to fit and flatter your kitchen space. You can specify specialized shelving and cabinetry that meet your family’s needs.
Companies that specialize in custom cabinets should be vetted for the quality of work they perform. You can ask for photos of previous work, as well as testimonials attesting to their expertise in building and installing custom cabinets.
THE BOTTOM LINE: WHICH TO CHOOSE?
The factors to consider when choosing between custom cabinets and pre-made are several. Take into account the size and shape of your kitchen, and understand what kind of flexibility you have in choosing pre-made cabinets. If you have limited space and flexibility of design, you may be better off choosing custom cabinets to optimize your space and functionality.
If budget is your primary concern, then pre-made cabinets are hard to turn down. Additionally, choosing pre-made cabinets makes budget room for higher-end finishes like granite countertops and stainless steel appliances.
Well-made custom cabinets are a fine option for those who truly seek an absolutely unique kitchen design. There is something to be said for demanding the highest-quality, and some will be thrilled to pay extra for the custom experience. Handsome custom cabinets will definitely stand the test of time.…