Kitchen & Bathroom Remodeling Blog

Learn How to Redo Kitchens on a Fixed Income

admin — Sun, 20 May 2012 03:46:11 +0000

To Redo Kitchens on a Fixed Income, you have to pick out a theme for your kitchen area if you do not already have one in mind. After that, Shop at garage sales, thrift stores and discount or dollar stores to find new accessories to go with your kitchen theme. Then, buy a paint color that coordinates well with your theme and the new-to-you accessories. You need to provide the walls a coat or two of the paint color to change the look of the kitchen. Next, cover the dining room table with an inexpensive tablecloth if you cannot afford new furniture.

Forth, recycle rugs from other areas of your home to place in front of the kitchen sink or underneath the table. Last, Create an inexpensive centerpiece for your kitchen island or table with filling a wood or pottery bowl with faux or real fruit and vegetables, pine cones, nuts or other decorative items.

Learn How to Remodel a Kitchen in a Townhouse

admin — Thu, 17 May 2012 05:26:18 +0000

To Remodel a Kitchen in a Townhouse, you have to Measure the existing kitchen space. You need to Sketch the existing footprint layout to see if you can use it. You must find ways to expand the usual small kitchen of most townhouses if needed. You should look for room in a nearby hallway or back entrance. You can Plan to knock out a wall between the kitchen and living room as another option because gaining bedroom space is usually not an option in a townhouse.

After that, Look at many kitchen designs and define a plan. You have to do your homework by reviewing layouts created for townhouses or condos. You need to Figure out how to create an efficient space for cooking with ample elbow room for dining or socializing. You must Plan to build an island bar to create a food preparation area with mobility around it on all four sides. You should make notes about cabinets, appliances, flooring and counter tops you want to include in the makeover.

You can create a plan, a budget and a time-line for remodeling. Then, Disconnect all electricity and plumbing in the kitchen. You have to hang plastic sheeting over doorways to prevent construction dust from penetrating the rest of the house. You need to secure plastic over the stairwell in the townhouse to keep dust from rising to the second floor of a townhouse. You must remove old cabinets and appliances to strip the room down for the remodel.

You should Take up old flooring, but try not to damage underlying sub-flooring. Next, Haul off old materials and clean up the space. You can Move dismantled materials away from the townhouse backyard or side yard area. You have to vacuum up all drywall dust and debris. You need to Prepare walls and framing for new cabinets and counter tops.

You must Screw furring strips along walls and do all preparatory work for new plumbing and drains plus light fixtures. You should install drywall, if needed. You can Secure new cabinets and counter tops in place next. Forth, install appliances and flooring. You have to Move a new dishwasher, refrigerator and stove top into place.

You need to add flooring last so that you will not scratch it once moving appliances. You must lay tile or hardwood flooring and finish with new baseboard materials. You should install flooring that complements the living space flooring, so consider using the exact same color of wood or tile to make both areas flow together.

Learn How to decorate your Kitchen to a Colonial Style

admin — Tue, 15 May 2012 05:45:30 +0000

To decorate your Kitchen to a Colonial Style, you have to Paint the kitchen in muted colors. You need to select a colonial blue for the cupboards and soft green for the window trim or paint the cabinets red and bring in antique or reproduction pieces in shades of blue or mustard milk paint. You must Use cream paint on wainscoting and finish the wall with using sage green. Besides, decorate a kitchen fireplace if available. You should draw a rocking chair up to the hearth to give a cozy spot to take a break from food preparation.

You can set large cast iron pots and crocks on the hearth. You have to Substitute a stove situated in an alcove with a mantel above it. You need to Place antique kitchen implements, small crocks and pottery bowls on the mantel. In addition, serve meals on a rustic farm table. You must surround it with mismatched wooden ladder back chairs sporting rushed or caned seats.

You should choose bow back Windsor chairs either antique or aged to look worn and weathered or basic wooden chairs with plank seats. You can give extra seating with weathered benches. You have to set the table with a homespun or nubby linen tablecloth as well as pottery dishes. Other than that, hang plain cupboards in a Shaker- or Amish-style or cupboards fashioned from bead board. You need to select black iron hinges and pulls or opt for plain wooden knobs.

You must Use open wooden shelves in order to display a collection of wooden bowls, crocks or cutting boards. You should bring in antique or reproduction pie safes and canning cupboards for storage. Moreover, select butcher block countertops. Furthermore, lay wooden floors. You can select wide pine planks, distress them before you finish and seal them.

You have to Dot the floor with using braided or rag rugs. You need to Paint the floor in a checkerboard design or stencil the border. Otherwise, illuminate your kitchen with punched tin or cast iron fixtures. You must highlight the walls with tin or metal sconces. Additionally, Dress the windows with plain cotton or muslin curtains.

You should select tab curtains and hang them on a wooden rod. You can Use thumbtacks or small nails in order to attach curtains directly to the window trim. Apart from that, Dry bunches of flowers and herbs from ceiling beams. You have to hang baskets on the beams. You need to suspend a wrought iron pot rack over the island and use it to display copper as well as cast iron pots and pans.

Learn How to Remodel a Kitchen Peninsula

admin — Sat, 12 May 2012 04:57:06 +0000

To Remodel a Kitchen Peninsula, you have to draw the existing kitchen floor plan. You need to Transfer the plan to graph paper to find out how foot traffic flows. You must Plan to increase or reduce the size of the peninsula depends on how people will move around it. After that, develop cooking space at the peninsula. You should Design a cook top stove to fit the end of the bar so that you can walk around three sides.

You can Install a stove hood over the space with a vent or duct work reaching the ceiling. You have to vent the cooking area into the attic or install a filter system whereby the hood area is just for looks only. Then, Build an eating bar on one side. You need to Install a wider counter top so that bar stools will fit underneath the eating bar space once not in use. You must install the eating portion of the bar a few inches below the main counter top.

You should Use material for this lower bar that matches the counter top. As an alternative, you can select a counter top for the peninsula made of granite tiles with a lower eating bar top covered in black tiles. You have to Use black stools to match the tile. Next, Build storage space under the bar. You need to install cabinets on the side opposite the bar stool area.

You must add the cabinets to fit under a slightly lower bar than the main counter space. You should Use the cabinets or shelves to store dry good or pots and pans. Forth, Design an artistic-looking storage area where the peninsula joins the wall.

Learn How to Repaint a Kitchen

admin — Thu, 10 May 2012 09:01:22 +0000

To Repaint a Kitchen, you have to Visit a library and look through books with big and glossy photographs focused on kitchen decor. You need to make notes about color schemes you like that you think will work well in your kitchen. After that, look through books that show a range of faux finishes that you can create on your kitchen walls. You must note ideas that you like and that you feel you would be able to execute. Then, Peruse books that focus just on cabinets.

To gain a good sense of what your options are, you should look through books that show stained wood cabinets, metal cabinets and painted cabinets. Next, Place your favorite images from these books side-by-side and note which colors look best together. You can write down the paint colors used in the pictures if the information is available. Forth, Visit kitchen showrooms designed by professionals in your city and note the color schemes they used.

Learn How to Remodel a Kitchen Corridor

admin — Tue, 08 May 2012 07:53:14 +0000

To Remodel a Kitchen Corridor, you have to Measure the entire space and transfer dimensions to graph paper. You need to Plan the kitchen as a galley kitchen with two parallel areas with a walkway between them. You must Figure out the sink and dishwasher space first. You should Plan the refrigerator and stove with the sink space as a work triangle. You can define the exact measurements you will let the work triangle on the graph paper template.

Besides, install deep storage drawers. You have to Store pots and pans in an organized way with installing drawers in the lower wall spaces. You need to Store cereals and dry goods for cooking in deep drawers as well. You must Design these drawers with smooth flat fronts and streamlined drawer pulls so that they blend well with cabinetry in this typically small galley-type space. In addition, Use lighter cabinets in upper-wall areas.

You should install walnut or cherry cabinetry in the bottom sections of the room, but use light maple or painted beige-colored cabinets overhead. You can combine colors that look visually appealing and keep upper walls light in every regard to make the room seem bigger. You have to install a few cabinet doors with wire fronts to give the kitchen an artistic look and feel. Other than that, install a couple of florescent lights overhead. You need to create the space to be well-lit at all times to avoid a cramped feeling.

You must add light tiles in the backsplash areas and use light-colored counter tops to reflect more light as well. You should open an exterior wall to add a large window if possible. You can install a wall mirror in a backsplash area as another option to make a small corridor kitchen seem bigger. Moreover, Add strong accent colors in various places. You have to prevent the kitchen from looking boring by adding a few purple tiles in the back splash area or floor space.

You need to install shelves to hold bright yellow canisters or lime green folded towels as another choice. You must Use red, purple, lime green or yellow throughout the small space to add a sense of cheerfulness as a corridor can seem uninviting with only one or two colors used in the space.

Learn How to Remodel a Bath Floor

admin — Mon, 07 May 2012 04:15:47 +0000

To Remodel a Bath Floor, you have to Measure the floor. You need to Change the measurements to accommodate new cabinetry if your remodel includes them. After that, go over your flooring options. You must select a color that works with everything else in the room. You should select something that will look good for at least five years.

You can Use white tiles with pale gray grout. Then, Sketch out a pattern for your floor. You have to draw especially intriguing designs if you do not mind spending extra time on the project. You need to Plan a diamond-pattern floor with a diamond shape of white tiles in the center of the room as well as pale green tiles surrounding it. Besides, you must consider a border of pale gray ceramic tiles around salmon-colored tiles for a Tuscany look.

Next, purchase materials, and prepare the floor. You should Disconnect plumbing and remove the toilet temporarily. You can take out cabinets or main fixtures that will be replaced. You have to Tear out old flooring and repair sub-flooring. You need to put new fixtures and cabinets in place. You must Install tar paper over the floor if you will lay a vinyl.

Forth, install tile. You should add tile after you have painted the walls and the ceiling. You can Spread the tile adhesive on the floor and put the tiles in place via spacers. You have to Fill with grout and smooth all seams. You need to install vinyl flooring with cutting a paper pattern first. You must trace the precise bath layout on the vinyl sheeting to cut it.

You should apply adhesive. You can Seat the toilet on top of finished flooring. You have to complete the room with baseboards that will cover small gaps around the edges.

Learn How to Remodel Bathroom Floor and Tile

admin — Sat, 05 May 2012 16:28:30 +0000

To Remodel Bathroom Floor and Tile, you have to Measure the bathroom space. You need to Figure out any fixtures that you need to replace. You must Plan to seat a new commode on top of new flooring. You should draw the bathroom footprint layout with precise measurements. You can Figure the square footage of floor tiles you will need to purchase.

After that, draw a tile pattern for flooring and walls. You have to Use graph paper to design the pattern for all areas. You need to Plan to install a floor section six feet by nine feet made of gold 9-inch square tiles. You must add a 2-foot border of 12-inch square black tiles around this as one option. You should turn some of the tiles on a diamond pattern in your drawings to see if this works.

You can choose grout that will match tiles or contrast with tile colors. Then, Remove old materials and install the tile. You have to take out a sink vanity or toilet. You need to remove old flooring from the room. You must install new tile flooring tile under a sink vanity or where the commode will sit.

You should put tiles to the edge of a shower-tub unit depend on the design. You can add tile work to wall areas. Next, Grout carefully. You have to Use white grout with black tiles. You need to have the retail store tint white grout to a pink color so that it will match pink flowers in wallpaper.

You must Use white tiles with pink grout and one wall of white and pink wallpaper as one option. You should Design the grout work for every tile project with as much detailing as the tile work. You can let grout to dry twenty four hours before seating new fixtures or cabinets on top of it. Forth, install baseboards to cover small gaps around the perimeter of the room. You have to caulk all appropriate areas.

You need to install wood or metal trim along a boarder to hide gaps that may occur.

Learn How to Wallpaper a Small Bathroom

admin — Thu, 03 May 2012 10:13:48 +0000

To Wallpaper a Small Bathroom, you have to choose a wallpaper design that features light colors to create a sense of openness. After that, create an accent wall in the bathroom with papering only one focal wall. To complement the accent wall, you need to paint the other walls a coordinating solid color. Then, Wallpaper only the upper half of the walls to make a wainscoting effect. Next, Use wallpaper with a heavy or graphic pattern to give the bathroom a great amount of character.

Learn How to Remodel an Aqua and Pink Tile Bathroom

admin — Wed, 02 May 2012 14:40:05 +0000

To Remodel an Aqua and Pink Tile Bathroom, you have to replace any pink-colored bathroom fixtures with white, off-white or almond. If you have to replace the commode or toilet, you need to choose one that is low-water usage. You must avoid replacing the tub and shower. After that, reglaze the tub. You should Read the package directions.

You can remove the grout from around the tub. You have to apply a white or almond glaze to the tub. You need to hide a pink and aqua-tiled shower with using shower curtains. You must put a cream-colored background aqua shower curtain on either side of the shower. You should add a valance over the top.

You can keep the shower curtains drawn to hide the tile. Then, Cover the tiling on the floor with squares of self-adhesive carpet in a sandy color for a beach theme that plays up the aqua. Next, Scrub the wall tile with a cleaner that removes soap scum and hard water deposits. If there are just a few pink tiles in the pattern, you have to paint over those tiles or glue decorative tiles that have a shell pattern over the pink tiles. Forth, Tape around each pink tile.

You need to cover the pink tiles with white thinset. You must Press seashells into the thinset as closely together as possible. You should cover as much of the thinset as you can. After that, Tile over the walls if there are as many pink tiles as aqua or the pink is bright. You have to ensure that you do not align the new tile with the old tile so the grout lines match.

Then, Use window treatments of bamboo to complete the beach theme. You need to Use ocean shells as accessories. You must fill glass jars with using various shades of aqua, white and cream-colored bath salts. You should attach sconces to the walls to either side of the vanity mirror over the sink and place aqua candles in the sconces.