Marble Countertops

Marble has been renowned for centuries for being one of the most luxurious stones. However, their reputation for being pricey and hard to maintain keeps most buyers away from this classic stone. Here are a few reasons why you should consider marble countertops for your kitchen, vanity, or bath.

One of the most obvious reasons marble countertops are so popular are their timeless beauty. Colors can range from pure, flawless white to gorgeous reds, blues, yellows, and greens. The color and swirled textures depend entirely on the type of minerals found in the stone.

If you’re looking for something a bit more unique than natural stone, there are many types of manmade marble countertops as well. This involves manufacturers creating marble-like slabs using mostly quartz, bonding agents, and natural stone to create realistic, lovely slabs that are more affordable than genuine marble.

An added advantage of choosing manmade marble countertops is that you can customize your marble to match any room in your house, resulting in marble that is literally any color you choose.

When it comes to caring for your marble countertops, maintenance is surprisingly easy. Contrary to popular belief, you won’t need anything more than gentle soap and warm water when it comes to cleaning your marble surfaces. In fact, it is typically unwise to consider using harsh cleaners or soaps on this surface, as acidic substances will bleach the stone.

Like granite and limestone, marble is a porous stone. This means that you will need to apply a sealer to your marble countertops at least once a year in order to prevent staining. Regular washing should help significantly in protecting your marble. To make doubly sure, make sure not to leave any standing liquids or food messes on your marble countertops for very long.

Unlike stronger stones, marble is not a stone meant for high traffic areas. If you are looking for a stone meant for busy kitchens or bathrooms, it’s best to consider something a bit more durable, such as granite or quartz. However, this doesn’t mean for a moment that marble countertops are unsuitable for kitchens or as kitchen islands. It’s not impossible to keep your marble in pristine conditions, even in active rooms. However, you may need to keep a closer eye on your marble than you would with other stone.

In the long run, it’s best to have marble installed in your home if you have aesthetics in mind rather than function. By sticking to low traffic areas and performing regular maintenance, you will be able to enjoy your marble for years to come.

Corian Countertop

Are you looking for a quartz manufacturing company that has quality customer service in mind? If this sounds like you, investing in a Corain countertop would be the perfect choice for you. Not only are they dedicated toward making the installation process as simple as possible, but their customer friendly website provides you with a wealth of information. However, they do more than just provide you with excellent customer service. Their manufacturing policies, wealth of vivid colors, and installation process are all desirable traits.

How does Corain make choosing your countertop a hassle free experience? For one, they have a variety of wonderful tools to help you visualize just how your new countertop would work. This aids immensely in helping you choose from the variety of colors, styles, and textures available.

One of these applications includes a room designer. You begin by choosing a room that has a shape and format to the one you plan to install your Corain countertop. Then you are free to choose from the variety of colors and styles presented to you until you find the perfect match. You can even choose the colors of the adjacent walls and cabinets to ensure that the style you choose suits the rest of your room perfectly.

Another convenient tool would have to be the price estimator. This allows you to tailor your choice based on a variety of factors, rather than just color. The application asks you a variety of questions regarding your Corain countertop. Once you’ve answered these, Corain then provides you with the exact brands and types of quartz slab that meet your needs, along with a handy price estimation.

Of course, there are some tasks that are best performed in your kitchen. If this sounds more to your liking, you can schedule an appointment with one of their designing experts. He or she will be more than happy to give you advice, product information, and price estimations regarding your Corain countertop.

Once you’ve made your decision, Corain is dedicated to providing you with the easiest installation possible. Their team of skilled professionals will install your Corain countertop and even get rid of your old countertop, all for prices that will fit within your budget. Best of all, installation is fast and easy—you should have your kitchen or bathroom in great shape again within a day or two.

When it comes to purchasing a beautiful, durable Corain countertop, Corain is dedicated to helping you make the best decision possible. However, in the event that a problem should arise, you can also find helpful information about their limited residential warrantee as well. Try one today and see how they benefit you!

Granite Countertops

Are you thinking of redecorating? If you haven’t considered granite countertops, you really should give some consideration to this material choice. Not only are these surfaces long lasting, but they’re attractive and easy to maintain too. Here are a few reasons you should choose granite countertops.

To begin, granite countertops are actually very colorful. Don’t think for a moment that you’re limited to dull grays, blacks, and whites. Granite is actually full of different colors, hues, textures, and patterns, all depending on the veins of minerals running through them. You can find granite surfaces ranging from pale yellows to gorgeous reds, all for prices that won’t hurt your budget. Furthermore, you can customize your surface even more by having it flamed, fatigued, or glossed. This way you can enjoy a smooth, silky surface or a charmingly rustic pitted countertop.

Granite is wonderful for busy kitchens, bathrooms, hallways, bedrooms, and more. Along with countertops, many also use granite for their tile flooring, showers, bathtubs, and more. While it isn’t nonporous the way soapstone or quartz is, a simple application of a first-rate sealer will keep your stone from absorbing liquids or food stains.

As for performing maintenance on your granite, it’s a simple matter of scrubbing the surface regularly with soap and water. Aside from applying your sealer, you don’t need to invest in special cleaners. You can also buff away scratches with a rough sponge or piece of sandpaper.

You can also keep your granite looking spectacular by taking certain preventive measures. For example, don’t let puddles or messes sit overnight, as you run the risk of staining your stone. Furthermore, this increases your chances of creating bacteria and mold, especially in already damp places such as bathrooms. You can also keep scratches at bay by rubbing them away the moment you notice them.

Best of all, regular maintenance will result in your granite lasting you for years to come. This hard, durable stone is wonderfully resistant toward heat, scratches, and sunlight. You do not need to apply any surfaces to preserve its color or texture, as the sealer will be more than adequate in preventing stains. Granite does not fade over time, nor does it age the way wood or copper surfaces do.

With this in mind, it’s easy to see why granite countertops are an ideal choice for any home. Their durability, timeless elegance, and low price make them a beautiful, reliable addition to any room.

Walk in Closet Organizers

Everyone loves a walk in closet, they are large and roomy, but once you start collecting cloting, they can become cluttered and unattractive very quickly.  The solution?  Walk in closet organizers.

If your clothes are wrinkled or attracting lint, or your shoes regularly get mangled or crushed, walk in closet organizers can help alleviate these problems.  Simply by organizing your walk in closet in a professional manner will keep your clothing looking better, and will help you maintain your once roomy closet.

Walk in closet organizers are not only a great way to stay orgainized and keep your closet feeling roomy, but they can also be very stylish.  There are many walk in closet organizers, from kits you can buy to custom built and installed organizers.  The great thing about these walk in closet organizers is that there is one to fit every budget.

Walk in closet organizers can also be a great solution for smaller or shared closets.  Keeping an organized and neat closet will not only keep your clothing looking good, but it can also improve your relationship!  Being able to maintain seperate space in a shared closet is important, and staying orgainized is the best way to accomplish that. 

There are numerous types of walk in closet organizers available on the market.  Some of the most popular organizers are wood.  These closet organizers are not only durable, but also provide a warm and natural feel that many people enjoy.  Another popular type of closet organizer includes shelves, cubbies and racks.  These types of organizers may not impress with their looks, but are very functional, and often times very ecconomic.  In addition, these are great organizers for apartments, dorm rooms or other smaller spaces where you may not have the luxury of choosing from the large walk in closet organizers.

Depending on your budget, you may want to hire a consultant to help in your selection from the many walk in closet organizers on the market.  These consultants will take into consideration the size of your closet, wardrobe, your taste in styles and more.  Often times, you end up with a much different end product than if you took on the decision with no help.

If that is not in your budget, you can also get numerous ideas from simply browsing online.  Pictures are worth a thousand words, look at as many pictures as you can.  Print them out and bring them with you into your walk in closet.  You will want to combine both an attractive walk in closet organizer with the functionality you need for your particular lifestyle. 

Walk in closet organizer

Walk in closet organizer

Here is one of the walk in closet organizers that looks nice, is functional and also ecconomic.  Notice the space created by this organizer, it keeps everything off the floor, and is sectional in nature.  This helps to create space, which in turn gives a more roomy feel.

Deciding between the walk in organizers on the market today can seem like a daunting task, but if you decide on a budget, you should have no problem finding the perfect fit for you.

Bathroom Remodel Plans

Before you are able to successfully remodel your bathroom, you must first have bathroom remodel plans. These bathroom remodel plans are your blueprint to the remodel of your new bathroom. All aspects of your bathroom remodel should be addressed in your bathroom remodel plans.

When sitting down to draw out your bathroom remodel plans, you need to first measure your existing bathroom, as well as note the location and size of the existing fixtures and items in it. This is your blueprint, and should be drawn to scale.  Using graph paper for this can help. From here, you will be able to determine how much floor space you will have to work with, and will be able to create your bathroom remodel plans properly.

Once you have drawn a “to scale” version of the room, you have the template for your bathroom remodel plans. Next you should sketch out your ideal bathroom, then scale it back to realistic proportions as you figure out what is necessary and what is not. While you will not draw each of the individual tiles or other floor coverings onto your bathroom remodel plans, you will need to know exactly how much space you have to cover so you know what size and how many tiles or other floor covering to order.

Your bathtub and toilet should be planned out first. These are hard to move, and should be kept in their current locations, unless you are performing a complete overhaul of the plumbing in your bathroom. If this is the case, you will need to locate exactly where the pipes are in your bathroom and label them on your master copy of the bathroom remodel plans.

If you are hiring a construction company to do your bathroom remodel, be sure that you see the bathroom remodel plans before they start any of the construction. This will give you a better idea of what exactly you will be getting. These plans, combined with selecting the cabinets, vanity, mirrors, fixtures, bathtub and toilet, will help you visualize the final product.

You will not usually find ready made bathroom remodel plans or bathroom remodel templates. This is because every bathroom is different. There is no standard placement for the bathtub, the sinks, the toilet, etc. This means that while you can have a standard sized bathroom, your piping and furniture will differ from everyone else’s.  It is best to draw out your own bathroom remodel plans.

If you want to use bathroom remodel plans that you have seen on TV or have downloaded from the internet, you will need to modify them to suit your bathroom. In many cases, this is easier than drawing the plans from scratch. We suggest, however, drawing your own bathroom to scale, then incorporating the bathroom remodel plans you have downloaded into your “to scale” blueprint.  This will ensure that everything fits properly.

A Simple Guide To Drop Ceiling Installation

A simple guide to drop ceiling installation

Installing a drop ceiling in your home is one of the easiest remodeling projects that you can handle yourself without spending much on materials and labor. There are many types of drop ceiling panels/tiles that are available in the market today to suit your preferences and home décor. Drop ceiling installation is becoming more and more popular among homeowners who want to remodel their homes. They are cost-efficient, convenient and allow easy access to overhead materials such as plumbing pipes and electric cords and cables.

Drop ceiling installation can be done in a step-by-step manner without using specialized tools and enlisting professional help. You can get various ceiling packages from different manufacturers. They also come with installation instructions which may vary from manufacturer to manufacturer but not significantly as installing a drop ceiling is a pretty basic procedure.  Using a simple guide to drop ceiling installation will make the process painless.

Drop ceiling installation is composed of two things; metal grids and panels. Once you have taken the exact measurement of your ceiling you will know how many panels you need to install a drop ceiling in your home. You can either get this information from the store clerk or you can calculate it yourself.  You can also find out from an online drop ceiling tile calculator.

Next you need to choose the pattern in which you want to lay your panels. A reverse pattern will give a completely different look than the standard pattern. The package will have an L-shaped perimeter, bracket or molding which needs to be setup against the walls. Then you need to install the long stringers hanging from the molding. Install them every 4 ft across the room. The ends of these stringers are attached to the moldings on the wall and everything in between is suspended with wires that are attached to the joists.

After this procedure is done you will secure the cross tees that are installed every two feet. This will form the right sized grid needed to fit the 2×4 ceiling panels. If you want to fit 2×2 panels, an additional set of connectors can be installed to divide each of the 2×4 areas.

Once you are done installing the grid, all you need to do is fit in the panels in the grid. These panels fit in perfectly so this job is pretty quick and easy.

If you plan to have lighting fixtures above the ceiling then make sure you fix them before you start your work with drop ceiling installation. Leave at least a 6 inch space between the suspended and the original ceiling.

That’s all there is to it, a simple guide to drop ceiling installation.

Bathroom Remodel Ideas

For those who have never done a bathroom remodel, bathroom remodel ideas are the most important thing you can have. The basic idea for your remodel is what will guide you on color choices, vanity choices, and tile choices. When you are considering a bathroom remodel, consider all of the ideas you have had for the project, make a list of them, and take the time and effort to think about each idea for a few days. Often, your initial bathroom remodel ideas will change as a part of the process. What seems like a good idea is often reconsidered after several days. However, if you keep returning to the same idea, then chances are it is something that you would be happy with later down the road.

If you are in need of bathroom remodel ideas and you are not sure of what exactly you want, there are many galleries that you can look at for inspiration. Many people will showcase bathroom remodels, as a well designed bathroom is a work of art. As bathrooms are so expensive to remodel, many remodeling companies will showcase previous projects to entice customers to purchase their services. You can use these project showcases as references and inspiration for your own designs.

When coming up with bathroom remodel ideas, there are several components that you need to consider. First, you need a scheme. This can be the theme of your bathroom, including style of vanity, bathtub and toilet, as well as the colors that you use. The colors and theme of the bathroom are vital to ensuring that you get the most enjoyment of your bathroom. This is the heart and soul of the bathroom, with the other elements, such as materials, tile choices and sizing, fitting to meet your idea of good style.

Do not be surprised if your initial bathroom remodel ideas are reconsidered due to price. Often, the more interesting an idea, the more expensive it is to execute that idea. As soon as you go off the beaten path of plain vanities and tile choices, you enter the realm of the exotics. Exotics, be it hardwood vanities or Italian ceramic tile, can greatly increase the cost of your remodeling project. Try to price out your ideas as you refine them so you do not get any nasty surprises later. Then, add another twenty percent to the cost for elements you may not have accounted for, such as knobs and hinges.

If you take your time, you will be able to refine your bathroom remodel ideas into a project that you will be happy with for years to come.

Small Bathroom Remodel

Small Bathroom Remodel

Although undertaking a small bathroom remodel may sound simpler than a large remodel, there are many items that you will want to take under consideration. Number one, a small bathroom remodel will need much more planning than a similar bathroom remodel in a bigger room. In a small bathroom, everything you do is important because space is at a premium. In the small area of a little bathroom, using items you might use in a larger bathroom can make the room feel very small and uncomfortable.  One example would be using large vanities.  The flip side to this delima is that if you use vanities that are too small, you can easily render a small bathroom unsitable for use as your primary bathroom.  This calls into play a delicate balancing act between space available to use and what you choose to put in that space.

Another thing to consider in detail when undertaking a small bathroom remodel is your color choice.  This is vital to the overall look and feel of the bathroom. Unlike larger bathrooms, color choice is of extreme importance, allowing you to create the illusion that your bathroom is more roomy than it really is. Cool, pale colors with a dark accent color will give the room a longer and wider feel than it really is. If you use the dark color on your shorter walls, or as trim, you can create this illusion. Combine this this with a vanity of the proper size to create a larger, more comfortable feel. 

When choosing the vanity, shape as well as size is important to consider.  If you are looking to stretch the room out, making it seem taller, choose a taller, thinner vanity.  By the same token, if you are looking to lenghten the feel of the room, a longer, shorter vanity can help accomplish that.

Once you have settled on the colors and vanities for your small bathroom remodel, you must decide whether or not you will hire a professional to help complete your small bathroom remodel. There are many reasons you may want to hire a professional, but also reasons you may want to go it alone. First and foremost, hiring a professional can be very expensive. Bathroom remodels are one of the more expensive remodel options.  You can figure to easily spend between $2,000 – $4,000 just for supplies and materials. The cost of labor can easily double, or even triple, the cost of the supplies for your small bathroom remodel. This is the reason many people decide to do it themselves, as it really is reasonable and possible to do a  small bathroom remodel on your own.

If you are patient and have some experience with other interior projects, going it alone could be a good choice.  If you have friends or family that are handy, that is another positive for attempting to do it yourself. If you are going to do it yourself, there is one solid piece of advice to always remember.  Each time you stop working on your bathroom, be sure you leave it functional until you are able to work on it once more.

The actual time it takes to complete a  small bathroom remodel can differ depending on the type of flooring and how many items like the bathtub and toilet must actually be moved. If you are just replacing the flooring, adding tile, etc. and exchanging the vanity or adding paint, a small bathroom remodel can be done in pretty short order. If you are taking it down to the studs and re-doing the entire layout, you will likely have your weekends planned for the next month.  If you need the job done fast and it is going to be a major overhaul, you really might consider hiring professionals.  They will cost you more money, but they will have the manpower and experience to get a small bathroom remodel done very quickly.  Wichever direction you decide to go, however, don’t overlook the importance of properly planning your small bathroom remodel.

Bathroom Remodels

Bathroom remodels are often-times very stressful for people who don’t have much experience with interior projects. However, if you can excercise a little patience, and are able to follow instructions, it is possible to do your own bathroom remodels and save a small fortune on the cost of a specialist.

There are a number of items that you will need to be mindful of when undertaking any and all bathroom remodels. First of all, design elements such as color and arrangement are of key importance. Unlike other rooms in your house, except for maybe the kitchen, the bathroom needs to be the most functional. Functionality is usually more important than visual appearance when dealing with bathroom remodels. However, there are many ways for the astute to make your bathroom remodels both functional and good looking.  This is the goal to strive for when undertaking this particular interior project.

The first step in reaching that goal starts with the selection of your color scheme and vanities that you want to use in your bathroom. A color scheme can help to make the bathroom look larger than it really is if you choose wisely. Pale colors on the longest walls with darker colors to accent them on the shorter walls can add width to your bathroom. Adding trim lines along the shorter walls can help give the room more sense of depth. When coosing your vanities, you want to make sure you select the proper sizes.  If your choice is too small, you will lack the storage space you need, leading to a cluttered bathroom down the line.  On the other hand, a vanity that is too large will work against any attempt to make the room look larger as it will dominate the decor.  Reaching a happy medium between these two basics will help you make the most of your bathroom size.

The location of your bathtub and toilet are also imortant in bathroom remodels. You need to achieve a state where your toilet has plenty of room around it without taking up too much space. You also will want plenty of room around your bathtub to keep it functional and create a more eye pleasing design. As baths are meant to be relaxing, having enought space around the bathtub will aid in both the functionalilty and the appearance. If your bathtub area is too crowded, you will likely be unhappy with your bathroom remodels once they are completed and you have had time to live in them.

After you have decided how you want to approach your bathroom remodels and what materials you will need, you have to buy all of the items to make your remodel a reality. Make sure you purchase everything you need ahead of time. The less often that you have to go to the hardware store, the less stressful your remodel will be. If you don’t have much experience with interior projects, there is no penalty for asking family and friends for help. Some parts of the remodel, such as installing your bathtub, are best done with help.