Category: Decorating Remodeling


Garden design ideas for children 6 months to 5 years?

March 6th, 2010 — 11:36 am
garden design
Candace S asked:


I HAVE 5 MONTH OLD TWINS (BOY GIRL) AND WANT TO PLAN A NICE GARDEN FOR THEM TO LEARN AND PLAY IN. ANY SUGGESTIONS AND SAFE PLANTS YOU CAN OFFER? I’VE DONE THIS BEFORE. ALL NEW TO ME.

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how should i prioritize the following home improvements? fireplace, new kitchen, bathroom in basement?

March 4th, 2010 — 07:46 am
home improvements
mark harris asked:


i eventually want to do all three of these things. in what order should i do them in order to maximize my return on investment in the event i had to move and sell before i completed all three things? there is currently a fireplace now but it is ugly painted white brick and want to replace it with a floor to 5 foot high mantle with granite worked in and a gas fireplace log set. the whole cost of that job would be 5k. i have read that fireplaces add more value as far as home improvements go than any other improvement.

the current kitchen was from the 1960s and redoing that with granite countertops and new cabinets and tile and a new fridge and oven would probably be 10k-15k for the quality we wanted.

adding a bathroom to the basement would change the house from 1 to 2 baths and would probably cost about 5k for the level of quality we wanted.

how should i order these projects?

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kitchen renovation budget?

February 23rd, 2010 — 08:32 pm
kitchen renovation
Thomas asked:


for a reasonably (to very) nice kitchen renovation (new appliances, counter tops, cabinets, etc), how much is it going to cost? And what percentage should be spent on what?
EDIT: No, I’m not doing this by myself. I’m not exactly someone you’d call handy. I just don’t want to be ripped off by the design consultant and his contractor.

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Tips for home improvements that will result in a profit?

February 13th, 2010 — 04:46 pm
home improvements
Staying Quiet asked:


I have recently purchased a very small home…as a single mom it was the best I could do. However, lately, a lot of my family and friends (the same ones that told me it was smart to buy this house) have said that I will have a hard time making a profit on the home when I resale. I have no plans to resale until at least 5 years…but what are some inexpensive and possible do it yourself improvements I could make that would result in increasing the value of the home. Thank you!

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What should we get our general contractor and his workers as a thank you gesture for our kitchen renovation?

February 4th, 2010 — 12:21 pm
kitchen renovation
Chris asked:


(In addition to the last payment!)

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Gain Knowledge Commercial Vinyl Flooring: Give Your Office A Make Over

February 3rd, 2010 — 08:31 am

You need to make your office look good and comfortable whether you work in a spare bedroom at home or you have an office in the commercial district area. There is no need to use expensive flooring materials to make your office look great. There is plenty of commercial vinyl flooring materials that you can use to give your office that lovely look. Commercial vinyl flooring materials are not as expensive as cork flooring or wood flooring and they look quite attractive too. Moreover, commercial vinyl flooring is easy to install and they last long so you need not change your flooring very often.

Getting Started With Commercial Vinyl Flooring

Before you start buying commercial vinyl flooringand redecorating your office, you need to come up with an office design. Just think, how your office should look like in the future. You need to come up with a good office design that mirrors your personality. You should not forget that many of your clients will judge you by the way your office looks so make sure that you design your office in such a way that it inspires confidence among your clients. If you are not so good when it comes to office decorations and things like that, you may hire an expert to design your office for you. Hiring the services of a good internal decorator will save you from all the trouble of trying to figure out what fits where inside your office.

First of you will have to have design for your office, after that only you can go for hunting for the right flooring materials, furniture and fixtures. If you want to use commercial vinyl flooring, ask for product catalogs from leading home and office building materials suppliers. Most companies that are selling commercial vinyl flooring are willing to send brochures and catalogs to prospective buyers so do not hesitate to give them a call or send them an email about your request. On the other hand, if you have the time and you enjoy shopping, it would be better if you visit some of the leading home and office building materials suppliers in your area and see what type of commercial vinyl flooring materials they have. This way, you get to inspect the commercial vinyl flooring materials before you pay for them.

Commercial Vinyl Flooring: How Much Should You Spend For An Office Make Over?

Unless you are doing extremely well and money in not a concern for you, you should limit your spending. Check out your financial status. Make sure that you do not use more than 50% of your disposable office funds for your makeover.

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Website for kitchen/bathroom renovation inspiration?

February 1st, 2010 — 07:13 am
kitchen renovation
kevandtrish@rogers.com asked:


Anyone know of any websites that have a good sample of bathroom and/or kitchens?

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Slate Flooring Installation

November 21st, 2009 — 03:02 am

Slate flooring is a great choice for both residential and business, giving decorators a unique and flexible material to use in their home.  Slate has many benefits, including its affordability and durability.  A slate tile floor is made out of extremely fine material, giving it a resistance to spills.  Spills should be very easy to clean up, as slate will not absorb the water.  Slate is also exceptionally resistant to stains and dirt.  Simple maintenance should keep a slate floor clean with a minimum of effort.

Due to the wide spectrum of sources for slate in the natural world, it can be found in a spectrum of shades and colors.  Slate flooring can be purchased in everything from dark charcoal shades, to vibrant reds or greens.  Consumers enjoy a very broad selection of patterns to choose from when it comes to slate flooring, giving each floor a personalized appearance.  The cleft texture of slate flooring makes it incredibly tough, resisting scratches as well as general wear and tear.  The slate texture also provides a great anti-slip surface, making it a great choice for in the kitchen or work areas.

The combination of good stain resistance and anti-slip properties make slate one of the greatest all around kitchen appropriate flooring materials on the market.  In addition to its affordability, slate flooring has the advantage of several unique patterns to select from.  Glosses can also be added to slate flooring, bringing another dynamic to its uniqueness.  Installation of slate flooring can be accomplished without professional assistance, but it requires a significant investment of time and a set of tools.  A diamond bladed saw provides the sharpness to cut through slate.  Thinset must also be purchased along with the tile, which is used to secure the tile to the underlayment.

With a smooth concrete surface, no underlayment may be required.  With hardwood subfloors, or broken up concrete, an underlayment of concrete will be required to begin the installation the right way.  It is crucial that the right thinset be used with certain tile sets.  The thinset bonds the tile to the underlayment, and if done badly the floor can eventually begin shifting.  Be sure to have a large bucket and something to clean up mortar that spreads across tile surfaces.

Before laying out slate flooring, make sure that the slate tiles are unbroken.  Tiles can frequently end up broken after arriving at the store.  If any are broken, be sure that replacements match the original tile.

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D-I-Y- TIPS FOR BATHROOM REMODELING

September 11th, 2009 — 12:20 am

Remodeling a bathroom in an old house where you cannot increase the space can be a real challenge. Bathrooms in most older homes are rarely larger than 5 feet x 8 feet. However, D-I-Y bathroom remodeling, much like remodelling a kitchen, will increase the value of the home and can be a relatively easy job if you don’t change the location. If you are planning radical changes to the existing layout, you’ll need to investigate whether or not you can build what you want without making structural changes.

D-I-Y bathroom remodeling can be one of the most expensive interior decorating projects in your home, or you can give your bathroom a fresh, new look without spending a lot. New faucets can update a bathroom with a small amount of time and effort. Before you begin, ensure that you clean your bathroom from top to bottom. Remodeling a bathroom can be expensive. The average cost of a full renovation of a bathroom when hiring a contractor is about the same as the cost of a small car. Remodeling a bathroom can be a simple or complex task, depending on the type of remodel. The outcome of the remodel can enliven a house and totally change the look and feel of your home.

Another bonus when remodeling a bathroom is that it gives you the opportunity to add energy efficient measures like lighting, windows and even ventilation fans. Any home remodeling project that includes opening walls gives you the opportunity to improve your comfort and the energy efficiency of your home by adding insulation and air sealing materials. Remodeling a bathroom can be an expensive and complex job. Many people fail to recognize that there are a few things that can help them save money over the course of their remodeling job and help reduce their remodel cost. Creating a new bathroom can be an exciting adventure that produces amazing results. It can be helpful to let a professional designer help you visualize the possibilities with the latest in computer aided design and to build your confidence with their attention to detail and their willingness to listen to you and your concerns.

A bathroom renovation can also provide the opportunity to insulate and air seal this area when replacing the tub or shower enclosure and to install a low-flow shower head and faucets to conserve water. In addition, a low-flow model of toilet will consume only 1.6 gallons per flush compared to older models that use from 3.5 to 7 gallons per flush. Bathroom renovating covers a broad range of design options, materials, repair procedures, tools, and installation techniques that can help you turn a dated bathroom into a modern masterpiece.

The Home Improvement Site has a wealth of tips and ideas on remodeling projects for your home including bathrooms, kitchens, decks and more.

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How Do Corian Countertops Stack Up?

September 3rd, 2009 — 12:47 am

Kitchen is one room in your house where the entire family gets together, right when the day begins to the time when it ends. It is the focal point in your home, where everyone gathers to have meals or discussions. In other words, it is the heart of every home, a bonding place for every household. Since, we spend so much quality time in our kitchens; it becomes essential that we invest appropriately, in order to make the kitchens better, useful and more functional. And one very good way of achieving this is using corian countertops in your kitchen. Also, popularly known as solid surface kitchen tops, they are comparatively more advantageous than other countertop materials available in the market.

No doubt that various countertop materials have their own individual benefits over the other, but corian solid surface counters are one that score above all of them. Though, plastic laminates are lifelong and affordable, yet they can fade over time or be easily damaged or scratched because they have only a single layer of surface color. Staining, discoloration and damage from heat are some other factors that can impact concrete, marble and granitecountertops. Ceramic countertops can easily chip or crack and replacing the destroyed tiles is also not a simple task. But corian countertops offer solutions against all these problems and more.

Because corian countertops are nonporous, they are waterproof and resistant to heat.  The appearance is almost perfect, since there are no visible seams on the surface.  Unlike other materials, corian is very resistant and extremely durable.  It is easy to buff or sand out scratches since the corian countertops do not consist just of one single layer.  This also makes them easier to keep clean.  There are also resistant to molds and antibacterial which helps to protect your family from germs and illnesses.

You will find the market heavy with a wide range of colors and designs of corian. Choose a sample that combines in effortlessly to complement your kitchen cabinets, wall color and interior design. Compared to other established kitchen countertops materials, countertops in corian are a bit on the higher end of the spectrum. However, you can significantly shrink the total cost if you opt for a do-it-yourself kit of corian countertop that you can install all by yourself. These kits are very economical and consist of user-friendly guidelines that will assist you all the way through the installation. Right from prefabricated elements to instructional DVDs, these kits substantially cut down the expenses to half.

In short, corian countertops are great for all types of countertops purposes, since solid surface countertops are created using performance-oriented resin systems. They are popular both as countertops and wall panel applications. Not only are they a great solid acrylic solution and low on maintenance, but also can be customized at the same time.

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