Archive for the ‘Kitchens’ Category

It’s starting to get colder, and there might be less sunshine, but it’s still a great time for remodeling projects. Here are my top picks for Fall Home Improvement and Remodeling Projects.

1. Window Replacement
Do you know how old your windows are? Old windows can be a big energy waster in your home. In the fall and winter, when keeping warm air in is important, having old windows that don’t do their job can cause your home to be less than efficient, and definitely not as warm. So why not update your windows before the cold really comes in this winter and keep your house cozy all year long.

2. Kitchen Remodel
With all the cooking and baking that goes on during the holidays, why not spend some time sprucing your kitchen space up. No matter your budget, there are options for making your kitchen feel warmer and more inviting. Try installing new countertops, refacing your cabinets, or adding a kitchen island to create more workspace.

3. Roof Replacement
Fall maintenance is an important part of the season. Having your roof inspected should be one of your top maintenance priorities. The last thing you want going into the colder months is a roof that’s not in perfect shape. If your roof is older, you may find that it lets cold air, or worse, the other elements, leak into your home. If this is the case, it might be time to start a roof replacement before you encounter bigger roofing problems in the winter.

4. Window Seat Addition
One of my favorite ways of enjoying the sun in winter, is to enjoy it from the indoors. Adding a window seat in front of a window that gets lots of sunshine is a great way to still get some sun while staying warm. Any carpenter should be able to create an area for you however you imagine it. Perhaps a bench with built in storage would fit perfectly in your living room.

5. Fireplace Remodel
If you have a fireplace, you’ll likely start using it this winter. Using your fireplace creates warmth, and encourages the family to gather around it. To get your fireplace spruced up for winter, think about giving it a little love this fall. Add a new coat of paint, hire a carpenter to create a custom mantle, or maybe install some interesting tile work around your fireplace. Whatever you choose, adding new life to your fireplace will make it a space to enjoy all winter.

Does anyone else have any winter projects lined up?

I watched a kitchen remodel go wrong.  I was around 12 and my parents were re-doing the kitchen.  Things were going well until the appliances came.  And even after the stainless steel behemoths were in place, everything appeared perfect.  The excitement over having a new kitchen (not a dilapidated hold over from the 70s) was enough to overshadow the fact that some of the contractors had not followed the old carpenter adage of ‘measure twice, cut once.’

Photo Credit: This Old House

Almost a week later the kitchen cabinet buckled up into a strange little bubble shape next to the stove.  The Formica had been the first to visibly suffer the effects of a stove that was too large for the space.  And needless to say, the excitement over the new kitchen was beginning to wane.  There were parties in the house disgruntled enough as well that one morning I woke up to make oatmeal and found a nail driven clean through the Formica bubble to the wood below.  You can imagine the frustration, having spent a lot of money to remodel, and having it turn even a little bit sour could be enough to break any homeowner’s spirit. 

Homework: Not Just For Kids

Are countertops causing you grief? Maybe it’s your whole kitchen. It is never an easy choice to decide to rip apart your kitchen, especially when so many of us have heard the stories, or experienced first hand, when things go wrong.  What we found, however, was that when given the opportunity, the contractor made things right, and it was worth the extra headache to get things straightened out. 

The important lesson to take away from the experience is that no matter how good your contractor is, or how much you trust him or her, do your due diligence as a homeowner.  Make the effort to double check everything you’re able to and even if you think you know the answer, ask the question anyways.  You’ll be glad you did when your remodel is done right the first time.

I recently moved, and my new house has a lot of cabinet space. But I’m never sure how to best utilize the space I have, and I feel as though all my baking supplies are never within reach. I have to shove my way through bags of cornmeal, glass jars of sugar, the electric mixer and the flour sifter before I find what I really need squeezed somewhere in a back corner between the Dutch process cocoa and the walnut oil.

Of course it doesn’t have to be like that, there are plenty of solutions for even the most crowded kitchen.  Here are some great ideas for new kitchen cabinets that you might not have thought of.

I love these pull down cabinets. I’m short, so not having to get out the stepping stool to get to the highest storage is the perfect solution for me.

(Better Homes and Gardens)  

Being creative with the space you have is essential for a functional kitchen. Case in point, these tall, thin drawers with space for hanging kitchen items are an effective use of space. When you need something fast, having all of your cooking utensils hanging is much easier than rifling through a drawer. 

(Better Homes and Gardens)  

Have awkward corner spaces? My favorite solution is lazy susan cabinets. It’s perfect for spices and baking supplies, or for easy access to all of your pots and pans.

(Qualified Remodeler)

Cabinet ideas are endless. You’ll also find cabinets with custom interior organization, drawers which pull out dog food bowls, and even drawers that pull out to create two chairs and a table. If you’re planning on replacing your kitchen cabinets, it’s a great place to start getting creative and thinking outside the box. Make your kitchen storage work for you.

I’ve been basking in the beautiful sun non-stop for the past few days. In Portland, with almost 300 days of the year being grey, rainy, and cold, it’s essential to enjoy the sunny days while I can.

So while living it up on my front porch, I often wish I had a more ideal set up for enjoying the outdoors.

What would that ideal set up be? Why, an outdoor kitchen of course!

(Photo Credit: Cosmopolitan Horticulture Services)

It’s entirely possible to create a home away from home in your backyard. No need to keep walking in and out of your home to entertain outdoors, you can install and create everything you need right there in your backyard.

Outdoor kitchens can include everything from a gas grill, a refrigerator, wet bar, ice maker, sink, built-in stereo or TV, and pretty much anything else you can think of. You’ll need to call in a professional to make sure you have the right plumbing, and wiring, but the end result will be worth it when you can spend endless hours enjoying the sun and warm weather.

My kitchen has constant action. There are always cookies being baked, vegetables being steamed, bottles of wine being opened, and cupcakes being iced. With all this time on my feet in the kitchen, I’m constantly thinking about what kind of flooring might best work under my shoes.

Growing in popularity, and providing an array of benefits that traditional flooring options can’t even come close to offering, cork flooring is a great investment for any kitchen remodel.

Cork flooring first came across my attention because of my yoga studio. All the studio spaces were installed with cork flooring because it is soft, durable, and of course, a natural sustainable choice. If it’s the perfect comfortable flooring materials for yogis practicing difficult poses, it must be just as comfortable for the busy cook.

But it’s not just about comfort. While cork makes for happy feet, it’s also fire resistant, reduces heat loss (it’s a great insulator!), is mold and bug repellant, reduces sound and vibrations, and is easy to install since cork flooring can often comes in click-into-place mosaic tiles. 

And for those of you increasingly concerned with your impact on the environment, cork flooring is a perfect sustainable product.  Not only is it easy to easy to grow and harvest, it’s very easy to recycle too.

And, don’t think cork only has to go on your kitchen floor. You can try it in just about any room of your home, or you can even look into cork siding for your walls, and cork furniture. Examples of new uses for cork are coming out everyday, so keep your eyes open and see how you can use it in your home.

If you are considering remodeling your kitchen, or at least just updating your kitchen countertops, you may think your choices are limited to a few options such as marble or granite, but you’d be completely mistaken.

Here are some of my favorite eye-catching, innovative, and of course, beautiful options for countertops that will get your guests talking.

Paperstone: While paperstone countertops look like more traditional materials, they are far from it. These countertops are a composite material made of 100% post-consumer waste, consisting mostly of recycled paper products. They are incredibly durable, stain resistant, and of course, eco-friendly.

Recycled Glass: Going green is all the rage, so hop onto the green bandwagon and choose to use recycled glass for your countertops. Just look at how beautiful these are! You’ll find countertops made from coke bottles to royal blue Skyy Vodka bottles.

(Photo Credit: Vertazza)

Finished Concrete: Using concrete as a design element is becoming more and more common as well. Concrete can be manipulated in a number of ways to create a smooth, inexpensive, and unique countertop. You can add colors or stamp a design into your countertop to create a look that will be just right for your kitchen design

Butcher Block Countertops: These wood countertops give a warm, classic feel but add an interesting element to your home. The minute I saw these countertops I was blown away by how beautiful they were, especially when paired with an interesting color of cabinetry work. You can choose a number of wood options, including bamboo, and choose a variety of wood patterns. While these counters are beautiful, they do require a certain amount of upkeep, including wiping them down with mineral oil and disinfecting them to ensure longer life.

 (Photo Credit: HGTV)

I spend a lot of time in my kitchen. Sunday is always reserved for baking at least one treat, and I cook a lot during the week. My kitchen is great in many ways: bright, airy, comfortable for numerous people to congregate when I’m entertaining. But I often dream about creating my ultimate kitchen which would definitely have to involve more counter space, better storage options, and a higher quality stove top.

For anyone having these same dreams of an improved kitchen, it can seem like a daunting task to actually start planning it. So, when I came across HGTV’s simple planning guide on kitchen remodels, it seemed like the perfect resource for any homeowner thinking it’s time to upgrade one of the most used rooms in their home.

HGTV Guide to Remodeling Your Kitchen:

1. Find Inspiration for Your New Kitchen
2. Plan Your Total Remodel Budget
3. Locate Hire and Manage a Contractor
4. Determine Your Kitchen Layout
5. Choose the Right Floor Material
6. Decide Whether to Replace or Reface Your Cabinets
7. Buy Appliances That Match Your Needs
8. Pick a Countertop Surface That Fits Your Lifestyle
9. Select Faucets and Sinks with Style and Utility
10. Complete Your New Kitchen With Proper Lighting

I like how they’ve broken down the large task of planning an entire kitchen remodel into 10 easy to figure out steps. Obviously, there is a lot to decide about each piece of this planning puzzle, but mapping it out in this way will keep you more organized and focused during your planning. Plus, you’ll be more likely to get the perfect results you’ve been dreaming of!

Photo Credit: Domino Magazine

I’m someone who loves color. Especially in home design. Using all types of color, everywhere, all the time, has always been my preference.

When I was younger my mom went through a phase where she painted all of the rooms in our home bone white. I couldn’t stand it, and I developed a phobia of white wall color that I still haven’t outgrown. I swore that when I grew up and had my own home, none of my walls would be white.

But, I may have been too rash with my ban on white. Designers and home remodelers are now using white for wall color, carpet, countertops and other home features to create a clean, fresh, modern look that can be heightened with the right small addition of color.

According to the New York Times, not only is white an interesting design choice, if you’re considering future marketability of your home, white may also be the smartest choice you can make. Using color for design is a highly personal matter, and if you use unique color choices in your home for hard to replace items such as countertops, cabinetry and tiles, you may have a hard time selling your home to potential buyers who will have to deal with replacing areas they find less than attractive.

So, maybe white isn’t so bad afterall…

White In Real Life

A small kitchen looks brighter and more airy with all white elements leading into a living area. Add a bowl of your weekly produce, a red toaster, or colorful dish towels as a way to break up the white, and create a flash of color.

Photo Credit: The New York Times

A black and white photograph adds a truly modern touch to this sleek bathroom.

Photo Credit: The New York Times

A white bedroom is relaxing and clean with a few dashes of color added with throw pillows and easily changeable wall prints.

Photo Credit: Inhabit