While cool white Carrara marble shaped into monolithic forms and accents is still ubiquitous, lamps with strongly veined colored stone, like the Liguria, and backlit light-toned stone, like Wildwood’s Barletta, represent refreshing evolutions of the trend.
Many homeowners choose to integrate an island with seating into their kitchens to provide a casual spot to relax, dine and converse with the cook. But there are many ways to arrange seating at an island. You can opt to have guests face each other, the action in the kitchen or a mix of both. You can set up seating at countertop height, bar height, table height or a combination. Here, six pros share how they created special island seating.
Designer: Olga Adler
Location: Delray Beach, Florida
Size: 510 square feet (47 square meters)
Homeowners’ request. “This kitchen is part of a brand-new addition to an existing residence,” designer Olga Adler says. “Working with a clean slate gave us freedom to design an ideal space — a spacious, open-floor-plan kitchen that is a part of a large living and kitchen area.”
Island seating. “I used one of my favorite tricks in this kitchen, dropping the eating portion of the island counter to the table height — 30 inches — as opposed to a raised bar height or standard island height,” Adler says. “It’s a house that’s designed for entertaining and for informal meals shared in the kitchen either sitting or standing around the island, which is the main prep area, and while watching and conversing with the chef at work. So it was not important for family members to be able to face each other while seated at the island. They have a formal dining space for that.”
Other special features. Zebra wood island veneer. Oversize woven rattan pendant lights. Frosted glass backsplash tile. The island features a 40-inch workstation sink with built-in cutting board and a set of removable accessories. White base cabinets, no upper cabinets and 11-foot ceilings create an airy feel. “Dark wood accents — island, floating shelves, hood border — are consistent with the color scheme of the rest of the house, which is based on light-dark contrast so typical of the Spanish style,” Adler says.
Aging homeowners and millennials entering the housing market are removing bathtubs, but for different reasons.
That’s one of the predictions for bathroom design from a survey of over 700 designers, architects, contractors, and showroom managers. And all the findings are in the National Kitchen & Bath Association’s latest annual report. Sweeten has seen these same design decisions from renovating homeowners.
Sweeten matches home renovation projects with vetted general contractors, offering advice, support, and secure payments—for free.
Millennial renovators are removing bathtubs to increase the size of their showers. Spa amenities such as steam showers and multiple showerheads are in demand.
(Above) Sweeten homeowners Ylia and Andre removed their bathtub for a shower making room for a double trough vanity sink
Written in partnership with homeowner Allison. “After” photos by Kate Glicksberg.
We live in our 1,200-square-foot condo with my partner, Tim, myself, and our children, Vivienne and Nicholas. After putting any renovations on hold for a couple of years, we couldn’t wait any longer when our master shower started leaking on to our neighbors below. Luckily, this gave us the opportunity to also upgrade our kitchen.
There were many reasons to overhaul our master bathroom. The shower door leaked constantly and the tile had lost its integrity too. Style-wise, the decor was entirely dated with traditional light fixtures, beige tiles, and mustard color on the walls. In the kitchen, the existing layout completely closed it in as a galley. We saw that the space had much more potential. For example, its builder-grade cabinets were falling apart and ready to be replaced. We wanted to start over and focus on maximizing storage and establishing more functionality.
We were thrilled that our contractor was able to fit a full-sized closet in the bathroom alongside extra shelves for linens. The floors are marble and for the walls we chose subway tile for the timeless and sophisticated look we wanted. In fact, getting rid of all that ugly beige tile in one day was one of our favorite parts of the renovation. A bonus feature for us: a ledge for shaving and a shampoo niche!
The one hiccup we encountered was with our shower system delivery, which we had ordered with a special modern brass finish. It was backordered and ended up taking eight months to ship. As a result, the plumber had to return months later after the renovation was done to put in the final trim pieces.
Growing your garden, whether indoors or outdoors is a fascinating experience. But if you are worried about getting a little dirt under the nails, some surprising benefits are waiting to go green. It’s true that gardening is an activity keeping you on the toes but do you know that it is one of the ways to escape from the humdrum of life and keep stress at bay? No wonder some people spend an enormous amount of time in the garden.
Before you start making your gardening plans and push yourself to work, here are 8 surprising health benefits of gardening you are yet to know.
Gardening may take a lot of your energy and is a hard workout that may take an entire day. But working in the garden for three to four hours also burns calories. Even the basic gardening tasks, such as raking leaves, trimming the branches, and mowing the lawn are calorie-burning activities. If you don’t prefer going to the gym, gardening provides the opportunity for low-intensity workouts.
You may not be a born gardener but the activities to grow and harvesting plants make you a different person. Growing plants is a positive activity and accomplishing new tasks provide an impetus to your self-esteem.
Gardening is a form of exercise, so it releases endorphins allowing you to feel relaxed and satisfied and relief from stress. Many people suffer from seasonal depression during the winter months when sunlight is severely restricted. Research reveals that gardening reduces cortisol, a stress hormone in the brain that may affect a person’s learning abilities and memory.
Whether you have a big or a small budget, the cost of home renovation escalates quickly. Apart from lending your home a new look, remodeling also makes your house more functional and accessible. From changing the doors, repainting the tiles, replacing the tiles, and installing modular kitchens, there is a lot you may have to undertake during a home renovation. But the universal truth about home improvement is that little things add up too soon. If you have a shoestring budget to follow, you need to decide how to get ahead with the remodeling task.
Here are 5 effective tips to follow to save money on home renovation.
Before you know how to save money on home renovation, it is essential to understand that budgeted remodeling does not mean cheap. Whenever you spend money, keep track of how much of your total income can be used for the purpose. When preparing the budget for your renovation project, it’s a good idea to keep some money for unexpected expenses. Keeping about 10% of the budget for flexible expenses is what can serve your home modeling requirements within a shoestring budget.
It might sound a bit naïve but paying in cash will save you a significant amount of money compared to paying interest, if you take out a loan. Taking a loan makes sense only if you can get a significant return on investment and the loan can be paid off quickly. If you cannot afford to pay off the loan now, you may need to trim the budget and pay with cash. Paying in cash also helps you keep track of your expenses more easily than using other modes of payment.
Usually, people tend to renovate the entire home in one go but it can turn too expensive sometimes. If you aim to save money for renovation, try to complete the work in different phases and spread out the expenditure. When remodeling the home in one go, you may fall short of money and your expectations may go haywire. That is why you need to calculate the amount to be allotted for the renovation and streamline the planning.
The lure of owning a home for the first time is hard to resist and your focus needs to be on creating wealth for generations. No matter what the reasons are for buying a house, there are a few quick steps you need to follow from the moment you are bit by the bug of purchasing a house. However, buying the first home comes with several different responsibilities, such as understanding the budget, deciding on location, property, amenities, and the reputation of the builder, and arranging the loan amount.
Just like your first date, you may also feel jittery when purchasing a house for the first time. Here are the tips to follow.
The first step to follow is fixing a budget. Prices of homes vary depending on location and the type of home you choose. So, you need to get a clear idea about the budget. If you want a high-end property in a posh location, prepare to spend more. Similarly, figure out the cost of a medium-sized house in a not-so-posh property.
What kind of property would you like to invest in? While the people living in big cities prefer apartments, those residing off the city limits are more inclined to buy independent houses. Again a lot depends on your budget and the size of the family. Besides, you need to determine the reasons for buying a new home, whether you are planning to live there or merely investing your hard-earned money. When buying a house for investment, keep in mind to make it tenant-friendly.
When evaluating the mortgage application, lenders check the credit score. They also review the credit report to evaluate your payment habits and financial health before approving the mortgage. Make sure your credit report and credit score are good enough to make you eligible for loans. The better the credit score, lower is the rate of interest.
Do you know how to unlock the bedroom door? If you don't, then you're not yet level-headed. In this blog post, I'll give you a clear and concise guide on how to unlock the bedroom door. I'm going to tell you step-by-step how to unlock the bedroom door so that you can get your life together and safe. first, you need a key. then, you need a key card, code book, and code hidden in your key. Then, you need a lock picker and security locks. once you've got all the necessary tools, it's time to start working on the area's stronghold.
It's not easy to open the bedroom door, but it's as simple as knowing how to pick the lock.
To open the bedroom door, you need a key card, code book, and code hidden in your key. After picking the lock, you will need a key picker and security locks. You can use these tools to get into the home if necessary. First, you need a key card. Once you have your key card, code book, and code hidden in your key, you can pick the lock with it. Second, you need a key picker and security locks. You will need to use these tools to get into the home if you want to open the bedroom door. Once you have these tools, it's time to start working on getting into the home if you want to open the bedroom door.
Now that you know how to unlock the bedroom door without a key, it's time to start working on getting your life together. That's what we're going to do in this blog post: open the bedroom door.
To open the bedroom door, you need a key card, code book, and code hidden in your key. After picking the lock, you will need a key picker and security locks. You can use these tools to get into the home if necessary. First, you need a key card. Once you have your key card, code book, and code hidden in your key, you can pick the lock
If you're looking to give your kitchen a makeover, one of the quickest and most effective ways to do so is to decorate your cabinets. In this article, we’ll share some tips for how to decorate cabinets in the kitchen. This can be a daunting task, but with these tips, you'll be able to achieve a professional look that will transform your kitchen.
When choosing cabinets for your kitchen, it is important to consider both your budget and your style. There are a variety of cabinet materials and styles available, so you should be able to find something that fits both your needs and your taste. Here are a few things to keep in mind when choosing cabinets for your kitchen:
First, decide what material you would like your cabinets to be made out of. There are many options available including wood, laminate, and metal.
Second, consider what style of cabinet you would like. Take a good look at your cabinets and decide what style you want to create. Do you want a modern kitchen with sleek lines and minimal decoration, or a cozy space with rustic charm?
Third, think about the color of your cabinets. Would you like a natural wood finish or would you like to paint them?
Written in partnership with Sweeten homeowner Tiffany. “After” photos by Kate Glicksberg for Sweeten.
Chad and I love Brooklyn, particularly Park Slope. When our relationship became serious and each of us knew we’d be together for the long haul, we purchased our one-bedroom condo. Interest rates were super low due to the pandemic, so it was a good time to buy. (We just got married in this apartment earlier this year!) We share our home with our two pups, Freddie and Georgie Weasley.
Prior to moving in, the space had been rented to many tenants since 2006. As a result, the kitchen and bathroom felt grimy. I am a super clean freak and just wanted to design something we loved for our first home together.
The original kitchen was tucked in the corner. We would open it up to the living space but also elongate it across one wall. Chad and I like different styles so we chose to mix them—traditional/country with a Brooklyn/industrial accent. It has a ton of personality.
In an effort to save money, we decided to be the project managers for our own renovation. We found our designer, cabinet supplier, and general contractor each separately—and we were the go-betweens for each one.
Many enjoy the sleek lines of a shower without a tub. It’s no surprise then that homeowners are taking it up a notch and exploring doorless walk-in showers. With an open entry, benefits include greater accessibility, fewer panels and hardware, and a greater open-air look. Below are doorless walk-in shower ideas from Sweeten homeowners.
There are a few requirements to note so that a doorless shower can be functional. Typical walk-in showers are surrounded by at least one glass panel. A stationary glass panel needs to be wide enough to keep water from splashing out into the bathroom. On the other hand, it should be shallow enough for an arm to reach the shower controls to turn the water on without getting wet.
TIP: Some homeowners have installed the controls on the wall opposite the showerhead. This provides easier access to turn the shower on.
Sweeten matches home renovation projects with vetted general contractors, offering advice, support, and secure payments—for free.
Not all glass panels need to be clear. For example, a master bathroom in a city apartment featured a frosted divider for an effusive light effect. The Sweeten homeowners preferred the softened natural light streaming in. In addition, doorless walk-in bathroom ideas work well in small spaces. For example, without a door, a large trough sink for two doesn’t feel like a squeeze.
Today, kitchens are being built to require less maintenance while prioritizing the eco kitchen. That’s why easy-to-clean flooring and sanitary countertops are in demand, according to National Kitchen & Bath Association‘s annual report.
The report draws on insight from over 700 designers, architects, contractors, and showroom managers. With the help of new materials and clever design, Sweeten highlights what’s trending to make it a reality.
Sweeten matches home renovation projects with vetted general contractors, offering advice, support, and secure payments—for free.
Flooring such as engineered wood and ceramic tiles are popular easy-clean options. Vinyl is a low-cost alternative. These materials are also durable. They can withstand dropped knives and the splatter of hot liquid for years.
When it comes to low-maintenance countertops, choosing something non-porous is crucial. Quartz is in demand because it is durable and non-porous, so there’s no place for bacteria to gather. Laminate countertops are an economical option for a minimal maintenance kitchen.
Written in partnership with Sweeten homeowner Anthony. “After” photos by Kate Glicksberg for Sweeten.
Jeremiah and I bought our first home together one year ago in Boerum Hill, Brooklyn. We knew immediately the kitchen would be our first renovation project. The kitchen hadn’t had a true upgrade since the 1980s when the building was built and it was in serious need of some TLC.
Jeremiah and I both love cooking and baking. In fact, Jeremiah would consider it his favorite hobby. Before moving in, we had had a pretty great kitchen in our rental, so we had to bear it until we could renovate.
It wasn’t until we started the renovation that we uncovered the details of how things were connected in the kitchen—the previous owner had cut a lot of corners. Our washer was wired through tubes running inside the cabinets. We also discovered the floor tiles were set without any buffer on the subfloor, which caused them to crack.
Our plan was to incorporate as much working countertop and storage as possible. But to keep costs low, we’d have plumbing and electrical remain in place where we could. The plumbing for the washer and dryer did move slightly, however, and got plumbed into the wall so it was up to code. By stacking the units and moving the refrigerator, we gained a lot of new counter space.
White and light hues are the go-to’s when you’re looking for an airy and calm feeling for a kitchen. But going dark offers a bold look. Dark kitchen cabinets—dark browns, navy blues, dark green, or black—strike a nice balance with light tile and countertop materials.
It’s edgy and dramatic and can elicit the “wow” just as easily as a white kitchen can. Gold or brass hardware will also add some glow to a dark finish. Small space kitchens, in particular, can embrace the coziness that dark cabinets bring. Below is a gallery of Sweeten kitchens to spark ideas.
Sweeten matches home renovation projects with vetted general contractors, offering advice, support, and up to $50,000 in renovation financial protection—for free.
The sunny kitchen windows in Hannah and Henry’s new Tudor-style home were a feature they wanted to emphasize in their kitchen remodel. So, the couple chose a warm, saturated green for their cabinets. The lower cabinets were painted white to prevent the room from feeling closed in. And like bits of jewels, gold pulls and knobs light up against the hunter green. Their white granite countertops are a nice bright topper.
Photo courtesy of The White Arrow
(Above) Sweeten homeowner Bellamy + Zak’s renovation. Photos by Kate Glicksberg.
“Scope of work” or “scope” is construction lingo for the list of work that needs to be done in a remodeling project. When a contractor asks for your project scope, they’re really asking, “What are all the things you need me to do?” Sweeten breaks it all down below.
Sweeten matches home renovation projects with vetted general contractors, offering advice, support, and up to $50,000 in renovation financial protection—for free.
Early in your planning, like when you first post your project on the Sweeten platform or start talking to general contractors, your scope will likely be vague. For example, “I want to renovate the master bathroom, including retiling and replacing cabinets and fixtures.”
Later, when it comes time to ask general contractors for estimates, you’ll work with them to fill in the details. These important details make up the scope of work! The details will cover the exact work that needs to be done, including materials and fixture specifics, and plans drawn for any changes to the layout, pipes, or wiring (see “Renovation scope of work example” below).
If you’re looking for an instant “wow” factor in your bathroom, consider a graphic tile pattern. A bathroom floor in penny tile makes a visual impact and can easily be the main design feature. Yet, in a neutral color, it can be a supporting player to another focal point.
As one of the most popular tiles, it’s proven its staying power and has a delightful shape. Furthermore, this small tile requires a lot of grout. As a result, it provides more grip and is less slippery on a wet floor. Choose a matte finish for more texture and as an added safety measure.
Sweeten matches home renovation projects with vetted general contractors, offering advice, support, and up to $50,000 in renovation financial protection—for free.
A full apartment renovation meant there would be three remodeled bathrooms for a Manhattan family. Each designed with clean modern lines, one features a dark floor with black penny tile and dark gray grout. It emphasizes the ever-popular vertical running bond pattern on the walls. The penny mixes well with other tile shapes such as linear ones.
Katherine and Chris purchased a two-bedroom in Brooklyn that had formerly been rent-controlled. This meant the space would not have seen a renovation in decades. To make better use of the space, their bathroom received a layout change with the tub moving to the back of the room. Overall, the materials transformed it into a soothing space with a big dose of glamour. Their bathroom floor with penny tile echoed in the shower while mixing with large slabs of marble walls. As a result, the penny pattern breaks up the marble and adds subtle movement.
Whether you have a big or small kitchen, you can never have enough storage in this busy room. This cooking space is always messy and because of the small essentials in this space, the counters are always covered in snack boxes, cutlery, or other things. All homeowners struggle with the lack of storage space in the kitchen.
Kitchen organizers like metal storage carts, wooden racks, portable trolleys, and cutlery holders can come in handy to organize the extra boxes and veggies. While storage boxes can help hide the products from the eyes, giving an illusion of much organized and empty space. You can also use serving trays in your drawers for organizing different things.
Here is a run-down of the best multifunctional kitchen storage accessories that can help you make the most of all the accessories commonly found in your cooking space.
You can also invest in cutlery trays online for this hack, but buying a serving tray will allow you to use it in other ways as well than just systematically arranging spoons and knives. We are sure you have an old worn-off tray in your home – lay it out in your drawer and reuse it as a Cutlery tray.
From organizing vegetables to weekly ration packs, storage baskets can be used for storing a lot of things. Different sized baskets can be used for accommodating deep and shallow storage. We recommend investing in metal baskets since they are more sturdy and durable. Also, always make sure to buy baskets in multi-tiered options as they maximize the storage space. Kitchen storage baskets are available in different shapes and designs, so select pieces that suit your space's design and aesthetic to make the most of these functional accessories.
Building a new home is no easy feat. When you are dreaming about having a house, you surely think of all the positive things that you can get in the new house. But when the construction starts and plans start taking shape, you start to realize that the road to the happy ending is not so smooth. That is why you need to partner with a trusted contractor.
Contractor for Luxury Custom Home Vancouver
You are building a luxurious home in the city of Vancouver and investing quite a lot of money for this. So, it is obvious that you have certain aims in mind. You want to have a futuristic property that will serve you and your family for the coming many years. That is why you need to hire a contractor for your luxury custom home Vancouver. Companies like Roadhouse Homes are experts in building any project that will be perfect for you. All you have to do is follow a few tips. Take a look.
Understand Your Role
When you are building a custom home, you need to understand what will be your role in it. If you think that the contractor and builders in Vancouver will take care of it all, then you are not right. How your home will be, only you can have this vision. What you need in and around your home, this only you can decide. So, make sure that you are involved with the construction. Even if you don’t understand all of the aspects, make sure you are asking questions and getting the answer from the contractor.
A Roanoke, Virginia, couple saw great potential in this foursquare house in the city’s historic square, but they knew they had their work cut out for them. They called upon Circle Design Studio, a design-build firm they’d hired to renovate their previous home, to help give this one a refresh that respected the 1925 architecture. Interior designer Emily Borg worked closely with the couple to preserve the home’s historic details while making the layout and style functional for them. The result is a fresh and personal mix of styles that works well with the traditional home.
Before Photo
House at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple and their young daughter
Location: Roanoke, Virginia
Size: 3,000 square feet (279 square meters); 5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms
Design and build: Theresa and John Dorlini of Circle Design Studio
Before: First a word about the condition of the house in the “before” photos. One of the homeowners is a real estate agent and snapped the home up before it hit the market. So the state of the house in these photos reflects the organizing and packing up of a lifetime’s worth of belongings that was underway when the design-build firm popped in to start its planning.
The home had undergone a few renovations and an addition over the decades, and at one point it had been a duplex. But the beautiful architectural details such as millwork and pocket doors were intact. It was these kinds of details and the location in the town square that drew the homeowners to the house.
Whether you’re setting up house for the first time or you just hope to streamline your setup, this guide to creating a welcoming front porch is a good place to begin. It helps to start with a clean slate, so when the weather permits, consider thoroughly tidying your porch as step one. Dust off cobwebs, sweep the floor and assess your furniture and accessories. When you’re ready to choose what to put back (or buy), consider the 10 elements on this list, and then share your own porch essentials in the Comments.
Even though they’re not on the porch itself, the plants you include in the landscape leading toward your front door can have a big impact on how your porch looks and feels. From the street, colorful plantings draw the eye — and for those sitting on the porch, a screen of plants provides a bit of privacy and a lovely view.
A tired doormat is one of the simplest things to replace — and making this small swap can instantly perk up your porch. For something a little different, try layering a traditional coir doormat atop a larger striped outdoor rug, as shown here.