Remodeling 101

Corral Your Coffee Gear in a Beverage Station

February 5, 2010 · Leave a Comment

By Ruth Mullens, The Oregonian

Here in the Pacific Northwest, a good chunk of us worship at the altar of gourmet coffee. Chances are your kitchen countertop is strewn with the daily detritus of your addiction, from dirty spoons and mugs to leftover milk and cream, sugar and scattered coffee beans. No matter what your beverage addiction, creating a specific service area could help contain your paraphernalia plus free up space in other parts of your kitchen.

Designer Chelly Wentworth of Craftsman Design and Renovation says the best solution for time-strapped caffeine addicts is to designate a specific area as a “beverage station.”

Pick a spot: You save a lot of time if you can find one place on the counter where you can leave your drip or espresso machines out rather than hauling out your equipment and stowing it each day. Keep everything else handy, too, including mugs, spoons, sugar and sweetener, grinder and tea bags. A location near the sink or dishwasher means mugs and glassware can be quickly washed, dried and returned to their shelf. Access to the microwave is handy for warming both mugs and breakfast pastries.

Designate space: Look for a small, rarely used section of your kitchen counter that’s too cramped for food preparation. It can morph into a classy beverage station with a little reorganization.

If there’s cabinetry above, outfit it with your best mugs and teacups. House your favorite coffee beans there, too, in a pretty, airtight container, alongside the coffee grinder, raw sugar and cinnamon sprinkles. If you have open shelves, you can create an attractive display for your favorite cups and dishes.

Rethink the refrigerator niche: A good place to house a designated beverage station is an abandoned refrigerator niche; these spaces tend to be little-used because they are so tall and narrow. Add a base cabinet for mug and glass storage. and stow your coffee maker and espresso machine out on the countertop. If you’re got a second bar sink, consider adding instant hot, filtered water for tea.

Coffee garage: Turn an underused appliance garage into a coffee-centric space, which allows you to keep all your coffee- or tea-related items, including cups, mugs, grinders, etc., under wraps with an easy roll-up metal or wooden tambour door. This way you can hide everything in a flash and still have it accessible.

Pullout tray: If space is really tight, a pullout tray tucked just below the countertop adds room when — and where — you need it.

Go all out: If you have the budget, plumb in espresso and drip coffee makers. This makes your beverage station part of easy entertaining; guests can help themselves to coffee while you’re making brunch. Add a wine rack, stemware and an ice bucket to make the space double its versatility. Splurging can make entertaining even easier if you add an ice maker and a small wine refrigerator.

What about the kids? Tired of kids rooting around in the refrigerator when you’re trying to cook? Consider adding a small under-counter refrigerator and stock it with easy-to-reach kid drinks.

→ Leave a CommentCategories: Kitchen Remodel · Materials

Tips for Choosing Tile

February 5, 2010 · Leave a Comment

By Ruth Mullens, The Oregonian

Tile shopping can be daunting for even the most battle-scarred renovators. So we pulled together a few universal truths about tile to help get you started.

But don’t get overwhelmed. In our view, artisan tile is inherently beautiful; an ancient art steeped in centuries of culture and tradition. With raw material like that to work with, how could you possibly go wrong?

1. Before heading into a showroom, gather your own personal “design board.” Include paint chips, fabric swatches, dinnerware, photos, scale drawings and magazine clippings. A close inspection should reveal an overriding theme that will help guide your selections.


2. Don’t focus solely on the tile.
Take into consideration the entire surface to be covered. Consider the room’s furnishings as well, including cabinetry, carpet, fixtures, paint, molding, hardware, appliances, etc.


3. If you’re using tiles from different manufacturers,
make sure the sizes (including depth) and colors are compatible.

tile5.JPG

Tiles at United Tile.

4. Don’t go overboard on the accents. In addition to costing far more than regular field tile, a glut of gorgeous decorative pieces can actually detract from the final design. Custom tiles that are judiciously chosen and placed, however, will invite the eye to linger.


5. Don’t be afraid to experiment
with subtle shifts in pattern and color. Change directions, too, from the perpendicular to the horizontal and diagonal.


6. There’s a reason tile showrooms have so many samples
to choose from. Take advantage of the opportunity to experiment and play with color, size, shape and texture. Create textural interest by combining tumbled, glazed, shiny and/or metallic finishes.

7. Scale is everything. Smaller tiles tend to look best in small rooms, while large tiles are better suited to big rooms.


8. Dark colors and patterns
can make a room appear smaller and more intimate, while lighter colors help open it up.


9. When designing a kitchen backsplash,
don’t go halfway up the wall and stop; take it all the way up to the bottom of your cabinetry. This makes the look much more seamless.


10. To combat grimy grout,
choose a darker color that will help hide dirt. (And don’t forget to seal it.)

→ Leave a CommentCategories: Bathroom Remodel · Kitchen Remodel · Materials

Better Homes and Gardens Survey Reveals “Cents and Sensibility” As Top Priorities in 2010

January 29, 2010 · Leave a Comment

Last week at the International Builders Show Better Homes and Gardens revealed research and insights on what consumers are looking for in their next home and overall priorities guiding current and future home improvement projects…

The survey of nationwide potential new home buyers and existing home owners who are planning improvements in the next few months found top priorities to include price, energy-efficiency, organization and comfort.

“Not surprisingly, we continue to see a ‘cents and sensibility’ approach when it comes to buying or improving a home, with practicality and price being top priorities,” says Nusbaum. “Today’s homeowner is also looking for a home that fits the entire family – from a multi-tasking home office, to expanding storage space needs, to a living room that can adapt to advancements in home entertainment and technology.”

Future Home Buyers

A Smaller and More Energy-Efficient Home

  • Continuing the “downsizing” trend, more consumers (36% in 2009; 32% in 2008) expect their next home to be “somewhat smaller” or “much smaller.”
  • A greener home will be a priority, with 87% planning to have high-efficiency heating/cooling in their next home and 86% planning to have high-efficiency appliances; 24.9% will have geo-thermal heat.
  • When asked how today’s housing market and economic turmoil have impacted priorities for their next home, 76% said energy-efficient heating and cooling systems will be “more important” and for 70% Energy Star appliances will be “more important.”
  • Almost half (48%) say green building practices/materials will be “more important” when purchasing their next home.

An Organized, Multi-Tasking Home with No Wasted Space

  • The home office is a priority as 59% of consumers plan to have one in the home. Of those, only 28% want a separate dedicated home office space (compared to 64% in 2008), with one-third (33%) now wanting a more multi-purposed space, such as combined office/computer/ hobby/craft/art room.
  • A well organized home is key, with 66% of respondents listing “no-space-wasted” design and 62% listing ample storage space as attributes that will take on more importance.
  • Also on the ‘wish list’ for the next home is: a separate laundry room (85%); an outdoor grilling and living area (68%); a kitchen with eating area (67%); and an extra bedroom with bath (65%).
  • America’s love affair with the large garage continues to flourish with 37% now wanting a 3-car or larger garage compared to 29% in 2008.

A Family-Friendly Home

  • Nearly two-thirds (62%) consider a comfortable family gathering space to be top priority in the next home.
  • Of lesser interest this year is a kitchen, family and everyday eating area combined in one space (49% vs 56% in 2008) replaced by significantly greater interest in a family room partially separated from the kitchen (42% vs 27% in 2008).
  • There is also an increased desire (51% vs 44% in 2008) for a wall-mounted flat screen TV in the main family living area and for networked computers/home entertainment center (48% vs 43% in 2008).

Home Improvers

“With the economy still a major concern, right now it’s more about the ‘got to’ improvements than the ‘want to’ improvements,” says Nusbaum. “The focus is now on low-cost improvements that will pack a big punch.”

  • With only 16% feeling “now is the right time to spend” on home improvements vs 38% saying “now is not the right time to spend,” 52% are focusing their efforts on needed repairs and maintenance.
  • Three-quarters (76%) say the economy has had an impact on their home-improvement plans, with half (50%) having changed their home-improvement plans during the last year.
  • Smaller projects prove to be the most popular, such as painting a room (54%), replacing/adding flooring or carpeting (38%), decorating/redecorating a room (35%) and landscaping the yard (30%).
  • Energy-efficiency is also a focus of future home projects, with respondents placing importance on installation of Energy Star windows/doors (34%), high-efficiency heating/cooling (31%) and Energy Star appliances (31%).

→ Leave a CommentCategories: Bathroom Remodel · Family Room Remodel · Kitchen Remodel · Whole House Remodel

Sneak Peak of Tour of Remodeled Homes Project

January 29, 2010 · Leave a Comment

The 2010 Tour of Remodeled Homes is just around the corner.  If you are interested in getting a little sneak peak of one of the projects from this year’s tour, don’t miss this weeks Around the House with Handyman Bob tomorrow, Saturday, January 30th noon – 2:00 pm KXL Newsradio 750 AM.  Join designer Paolo Design Group, the homeowners, and general contractor Nick Olsen with Olsen Homes & Renovation as they share their experience designing and building on a tight budget from start to finish.

They will be discussing an “à la carte approach” for remodeling on a tight budget for a project named “Affordable Beauty,” a 1970’s two-story daylight basement ranch style home in SW Portland.

→ Leave a CommentCategories: Before and After · Special Events

Organize recycling: Keep containers handy to make tossing and sorting easy

January 29, 2010 · Leave a Comment

By Ruth Mullen, The Oregonian

Recycling has never been easier, especially now that most of the city has big rolling cans and there’s no need to separate most materials.

But there’s still a need for space to store those recyclables until they get to the bin, and that’s where smart planning comes in.

Pick a spot: Designate a space where you want to store recyclables — under the sink, for example, or in a little-used lower cabinet. If possible, you want your built-in recycling center to be close to where you come in and sort your mail, as well as to where you store cans and bottles. A mudroom would be ideal since it is close to the doorway you use most often.

Pullout systems: Designer Chelly Wentworth of Craftsman Design and Renovation suggests retrofitting cabinetry with a pullout recycling station. Most recycling systems start with a couple of containers that require a standard 18-inch-tall cabinet. To install the pullout system, remove the middle cabinet shelf if there is one, and install the drawer glide and wastebaskets on the inside of the cabinet door.

Local companies, such as National Builders Hardware Co. in inner Southeast Portland, sell the metal pullout drawer glides and accompanying waste bins, which can be purchased and installed by you or a handyman.

Options: Systems come in two-bin, three-bin and four-bin units, and vary in size to suit your needs. Some come with lids that pop open when you pull out the cabinet and close when you shut it, while others are rotating units best suited for roomier corner cabinets.

Costs: Prices (at National Builders Hardware Co.) range from $143 for a two-bin system to $184 for a four-bin system. Ikea sells a variety of affordable plastic recycling bins, with and without lids, which cost $4 to about $15 each. If you want a sleek-looking, self-contained unit that crushes aluminum cans and tucks neatly into a corner, check out the award-winning ecopod, $328, at ecopod.org.

LEARN MORE

• Metro offers information on area recycling; go to oregonmetro.gov and click on “Garbage and Recycling.”

• The University of Oregon has information on its Web site on setting up a recycling system in your home; go to uoregon.edu and search for “Factoids: Home Energy Use.”

→ Leave a CommentCategories: Green Remodeling · Materials

A House By The Park

January 22, 2010 · Leave a Comment

 

I thought you might enjoy checking out this blog A House By The Park.  The homeowner is building his dream home 10 minutes from Seattle and in his words is “sustainable, energy-efficient, capturing the full potential of the property without spending an arm and a leg.”

I was especally excited to see this entry including pictures of his NanaWall System.  There were several of these glass walls on the Tour of Remodeled Homes last year.  The author of A House By The Park says…A NanaWall is essentially a sliding glass door that folds away like an accordion instead of sliding. The upshot of this is that the entire passageway can be opened, unlike a sliding door which is never really more than halfway open at any given time. Another nice feature of NanaWalls is that the first pane swings outward like a standard door so you can open and close it with ease. NanaWalls are especially good choices when you are trying to seamlessly connect outdoor space to indoor space, as I doing with my patio and north kitchen area.

The NanaWall website says…

NanaWall Systems’ opening glass walls provide flexible solutions to large architectural openings, from 6 feet to 320 feet. The panels of the NanaWall® can easily move away out of sight and are used to blur the line between indoors and outdoors in houses, condominiums, restaurants, stadiums, schools, hospitals, hotels and more.

When closed, the NanaWall provides optimum security and superior protection from outdoor elements. The NanaWall is unrivaled in the industry for exceeding standards for air infiltration, water penetration, structural performance, and forced entry. The NanaWall SL72 aluminum folding system has passed hurricane testing and is Miami-Dade County Hurricane Certified.

Depending on system and glazing selected, the NanaWall is also certified for energy-efficiency by Energy Star and the National Fenestration Rating Council. Architects and green builders across North America use the NanaWall opening glass walls for dual use of space, connections to the outdoors, natural daylighting, natural ventilation, passive solar, LEED points and quality, tested engineering. The NanaWall Systems have been included in award-winning and LEED-certified projects across North America – from schools and hotels to houses and hospitals. The aluminum-framed NanaWall uses recyclable aluminum with non-toxic, durable powder-coated finishes. The wood-framed NanaWall is available with wood from sustainable sources with water-based finishes. NanaWall Systems is a member of the U.S. Green Building Association.

→ Leave a CommentCategories: Materials

Find a Local Remodeler

January 22, 2010 · Leave a Comment

Bright Works Inc.
brightworks.us

Diamond Construction & Remodeling Inc.
www.diamondcrinc.net

Dual Purpose Construction
www.dualpurposeconst.com

Fouch Building & Remodeling
www.fouchbuilding.com

Rio Renovation
www.riorenovation.com

SLS Custom Homes Inc.
www.slshomes.com

→ Leave a CommentCategories: How To Find a Professional Remodeler

Lamps Plus January Sale

January 15, 2010 · Leave a Comment

The LAMPS PLUS January Sale is on now!  Browse the January Sale online now and save 10%-50% off 100’s of items.  Sale ends January 24th.

Sampling of some of the items on sale below…

Jardin du Jour Mission Hills 15" High Outdoor Wall Light

Deco Nickel Collection 23 1/2" Wide Bathroom Light Fixture

Natural Wool Collection Picnic Brown Area Rug

→ Leave a CommentCategories: Materials · Uncategorized

Link Roundup from CES 2009

January 15, 2010 · Leave a Comment

→ Leave a CommentCategories: Green Remodeling · Materials · Special Events

The Power Outlet of the Future Includes USB Ports

January 8, 2010 · 1 Comment

From mashable.com

Technology lovers are often faced with power outlet conundrums that kill our productivity, if not break our geeky hearts.

Rejoice, oh gadget junkies, for the power outlet of the future has come, hailing from True Power. It costs just under 10 bucks, and starts shipping in early 2010  — but you can pre-order now. So what makes this outlet so much greater than all the rest? Simple: two USB ports.

Now you can plug in USB-powered devices — think iPhones, iPods, PDAs and digital cameras — alongside your standard UCS powered devices.

→ 1 CommentCategories: Materials