Displaying posts labeled "Support"

Did you know that Kitchen remodeling ranks as the number one most popular renovation space in the USA and Canada? So when you decide to renovate your home, and you’re not quite sure where to begin – the kitchen is it. It will create an enhanced lifestyle and uplift the asset value simultaneously.

• 

Kitchen renovations can range from around $50,000 to over a hundred thousand, depending on your vision, location, and complexity. Indeed, numerous enticing options embrace space-age metals, exotic marbles, startlingly beautiful synthetic materials, sleek cabinetry, and appliances from built-in coffee makers to sub-zero refrigerators. And that’s only half of it.

The architecture of the space enters the equation in a significant way. For example, do you knock down walls, shift things around, steal footage from an adjacent area? Or are you okay with the structure as is? These decisions are vital because they inevitably impact electricals, plumbing, and lifestyle disruption.

This article aims at helping you navigate this project seamlessly, with minimum hassle and maximum final satisfaction.

What are the primary kitchen remodeling considerations?

The best way of tackling any renovation, most notably the kitchen, is to focus on three things:

1. Your budget
2. Making sure you don’t over-capitalize
3. Getting a specialist kitchen remodeler into your corner

The above three factors integrate because one influences the others, and vice versa. For example, contracting the wrong construction partner can quickly jettison the budget you had in mind and create a showpiece that may look amazing but is overpriced for the neighborhood. So, it’s a balancing act, and choosing a skilled kitchen remodeler near you to partner with your family in this venture can make all the difference.

• 

The right kitchen remodeling contractor for you

We want to start with this because it can pave the way for everything else. Renovation professionals should be licensed and insured as a minimum qualification. Unfortunately, that’s not nearly enough. There’s no substitute for doing your due diligence, and the best place to begin is by scanning reviews of the company’s past clients. When you hire someone for a project reflecting many options, it’s imperative to ensure that experience and undoubted competence are in the mix.

1. First, access entities near your community. You want to work with experts who know your demographics’ ins and outs and have connections to suppliers that can deliver materials quickly.
2. The best way is to identify a marketplace that has secured the membership of:
   1. Remodelers
   2. Roofers
   3. Window installers
   4. HVAC contractors
3. In other words, home improvement platforms across a broad spectrum that deliver recommended specialists.
   1. Companies like Home Advisors, Angie, and Directorii are reputable in this arena.
   2. The mentioned ones above back up their referrals with monetary guarantees and underline that they’ve already completed the heavy lifting due diligence.
   3. It should save you substantial frustration and aggravation.

Here’s the checklist for your shortlist

The quotes should come rolling once you press the start button. Then, you have to select the one to take you on the remodeling journey. Here are some pointers to assist in settling on your ideal renovation partner:

• You must get a sense that they try to save you money, not push you to spend more.
• At the same time, if the contractors believe your budget is too low, hear them out. Determine whether or not their points are valid or just trying to squeeze more out of a job.
• A negative signal is when the initial suggestions surround complicated space configurations. Severe architectural adjustments are frequently unnecessary and can cost thousands before you even begin on the upgrades and aesthetics. Let alone that it will disrupt your routine with dust and debris for perhaps weeks.
• We find that prudent remodelers begin by making the best of what they have. It may mean accepting a little less than perfection, but that can get lost in the added features if they’re compelling enough.
• Discuss the remodeler’s supplier contacts. Many of them have preferential buying status that can work to your benefit. Moreover, ascertain they will not restrict you in selecting brands and materials.
• Spend substantial time on lighting. Kitchens, of all places, need to look bright when you want it that way or mood-centric at the appropriate moments. When remodeling, emphasize the placement of concealed lights and contemporary light fittings suitable for the space. Pay attention to how your referees respond to that and the ideas they put forward.
• After a kitchen remodel, there’s nothing more devastating to a homeowner than discovering that odors linger after a heavy cooking session. After all, aside from the room functioning as a social center for friends and family, food preparation is the main show. Bring ventilation into the conversation early on because it’s one of the most vital functional aspects of the project.
• Once the build-out is in motion, things will come streaming into your home – tiles for the floor, cabinets, slabs, faucets, and appliances (only some examples):
  • Who’s taking an inventory to ensure what’s delivered matches the quantities and specs?
  • Secondly, address the same going into safe storage and remaining secure from theft.
• Talk about schedules and time horizons, and ask what happens if completion extends from the original deadline. Professionals in the renovation arena have these issues covered and all those mentioned above.

The important thing about interviewing recommended contractors is letting them know you’re not a pushover or ill-informed. Any building project is a two-way thing, balancing the views of the client and the artisan without unnecessary conflict to arrive at mutually acceptable solutions.

All the good stuff

• 

The steps outlined above shouldn’t detract from your vision of a modern kitchen with all the latest innovations on the market. Of course, budget plays into this, but once agreed, request an overview of the fixtures, appliances, and materials that qualify. There’s no point in wasting time visiting supplier showrooms if their inventory is too expensive.

Sometimes you have to stay with existing appliances or repaint cabinets instead of replacement. On the other hand, some fantastic synthetics upgrade the kitchen at a fraction of the price of imported exotics. Even the very wealthy are opting for the latter these days. Here are the main categories that come under the spotlight, offering alternatives across a broad spectrum:

Appliances and conveniences

• Microwaves
• Ovens
• Hoods
• Refrigerator/ Freezers
• Dishwashers
• Instant purified hot water
• Automatic garbage disposal
• Built-in coffee-makers and espresso machines
• Double sinks
• Multi-purpose faucets
• Toaster ovens

Materials

• For floors
  • Hardwood (often not waterproof but great aesthetics and colors)
  • Tile (also great aesthetics and colors but can be slippery when wet)
  • Vinyl and laminate – an excellent mimic of hardwood; challenging to tell the difference in the upper price range.
  • Cork – A definite aesthetic appeal, relatively inexpensive. Not as durable as other materials described.
  • Concrete is trendy these days for that retro look. Also inexpensive, but it doesn’t suit all styles.
  • Travertine and marbles – A classic look that never dates. A classic look that never dates. A genuinely luxurious feel but is an expensive option based on exotic imports from Italian material suppliers.
• For countertops and splashbacks:
  • In massive demand for new and remodeled kitchens, Quartz doesn’t need sealing. Expensive.
  • Granite – offered in thousands of natural colors and ingrained patterns, shiny or matte finishes. Generally more porous than Quartz but not significantly so. A wide price range, depending on how exotic you go.
  • Marble – same comments as above for flooring. It has a timeless look, is softer than granite and Quartz, and is quite porous. It is susceptible to scratches and stains, but some people are happy to live with it as a trade-off for aesthetics.
  • Porcelain is probably the fastest growing in popularity. The beautiful finishes and color variations are stunning, alongside unsurpassed durability. Affordability slots in at a much higher rating than the natural materials mentioned above.
  • Wood (cherry, maple, hickory, walnut, teak, or mahogany) – A great looker that lends warmth to the room (versus the colder feel of granite). You must be ready to accept cuts and indentations on the surface if designed for cutting and chopping.
• Appliances:
  • Slate – provides a low-gloss, matte finish for the sleekest appearance you can imagine. It’s also fingerprint-resistant, durable, and easy to clean.
  • Stainless steel – prevalent, modern, integrates with any design. Easy to maintain and a sturdy material from every angle. Also available in black steel to give the room that extra edge.
  • Miscellaneous – offering less expensive options in a range of colors and creating different moods (depending on the design of the remodel).
• Lighting
  • Ambient lights merge with natural light to create a room ambiance, mostly recessed into the ceiling.
  • Task lighting for brightness where you really need it and dispel shadows cast by the recessed installations.
  • Under Cabinet and Accent Lighting brightens dark corners and adds to the room’s overall feel.

Conclusion

To reiterate, your remodeling partner should be by your side every step of the way in this journey. Experienced pros have seen it all and dealt with reputable supply sources. If you have an architect involved, they should fit in like a hand in a glove. Still, many renovators have enough architectural skills to cover all the bases as a one-stop solution. Start with a credible marketplace as the best avenue to get referrals that resonate with you in an arrangement embracing all the above.

• 

Several new books have popped up in my mailbox lately from Rizzoli. I have since devoured them and let me tell you, they are all eye candy at its finest. I adored these books and they are definitively keepers for the coffee table.

First up is The French Royal Wardrobe: The Hôtel de la Marine Restored by author Jérôme Hanover and Gabriel Bauret, with photographs by Ambroise Tézenas. This volume goes behind the scenes to reveal the history and metamorphosis of the Hôtel de la Marine, a treasure of Parisian heritage. An extensive four-year restoration was completed in 2021; the building reopened to the public and features a museum, conserved apartments that highlight the tastes of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, an exhibition hall, a bookshop, and three restaurants. Previously unpublished photography captures the splendor and majesty of the monument. What made this book really special were all of the photos of what went on during the renovations. Typically books would feature the end result of the renovation, not photos during the work being done. It make for some really hauntingly beautiful captures that are quite magical.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

The next book was packed with delicious spaces I could not get enough of. At Home with Designers and Tastemakers: Creating Beautiful and Personal Interiors by author Susanna Salk, with photographs by Stacey Bewkes. This one features some gorgeous homes I absolutely fell in love with, and included one of my favourites – Stony Ford, the Hudson Valley home of Susan and Will Brinson of @houseofbrinson. Susanna Salk visits incredible homes of designers and other creatives, experiencing how they live and how they decorate when it’s for themselves, not for a client. Whether it’s the Connecticut weekend retreat of textile designer John Robshaw, or photographer Pieter Estersohn’s restored Hudson Valley home full of his work and inspiration, or the cozy garden retreat of chef Lulu Powers in West Hollywood, Salk has gathered decorating tips and secrets from some of the most stylish and savvy people.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

And lastly, Presidential Residences in France by author Adrien Goetz, with photographs by Ambroise Tézenas. This volume offers a visit to the presidential residences of France: the Élysée Palace and its neighboring Hôtel de Marigny, the Lantern Pavilion hidden away in the park of Versailles, and the Brégançon Fort. These are the places where one can discover the excellence of French artisans, its art conservators and restaurateurs, and its famed gardeners. These sites of political theater and residences of the French president showcase France’s exceptional artistic heri­tage and present the great treasures of “French taste,” in perpetual reinvention from the eighteenth century through today, to diplomatic visitors from all over the world. I really loved this book because it really took me by surprise how much modern elements had been added in the past and how spectacular they look against exceptionally elegant and ornate architecture.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Bringing home a newborn child can be both an exciting and a heartwarming experience for any new parent. And though you’ll likely want to keep your child by your side in the beginning, eventually, they’ll need a space of their own. And this is where the nursery comes in.

Across the country, you can find a plethora of creative and nurturing nursery themes. And many of these are actually inexpensive to implement. But where do you start and how do you create a nursery that you (and your child) will love?

The truth is, you can use some basic and affordable elements to craft your nursery. And with a bit of time and little innovation, this can actually become a rewarding DIY project in itself.

There’s nothing like building your own nursery from scratch. And if you already have an existing room, you’ll be able to remodel it to your liking using inexpensive elements.

Here, we’ll explore a few nursery ideas that anyone can enjoy putting together.

Repurposing Old Furniture

As a new parent, you’ve probably already purchased a crib or a bassinet for your child. But your child’s room will need a few other elements to tie it all together. And you can easily utilize older pieces of furniture that aren’t serving any purpose around your home.

For example, some items to consider are listed below:

• Old dressers
• Small bookshelves
• Worn end-tables
• Old trunks
• Coffee tables

In any child’s room, you’re going to need a space for the assortment of clothing and diapers that you’ll likely be going through each day. And older dressers are perfect for a nursery project. You can sand these down and paint them however you like such as with soft pastel colors, or any theme that you feel is soothing and will make your child’s nursery comforting.

Additionally, old bookshelves can serve as spaces for children’s books, toys, stuffed animals, or anything else that you’d like to keep in your child’s room.

• 

Space-Saving Designs

In recent years, many brands of furniture have been recalled due to the possibility of toppling over. And this has caused many parents to remove items such as tall dressers and bookshelves from their children’s rooms. And if you’re worried about this happening, using a space-saving approach can be a great alternative.

Perhaps all you want in your child’s room is a crib and a space for toys. If eliminating the dressers or any other furniture item which could topple and hurt your child is important to you, modifying your child’s closet is a great option.

• 

For example, you could secure all of your child’s belongings inside an interior closet, or even place a dresser inside the closet and anchor it to the wall. Or, you could build a cubby storage system along the closet wall for storing toys, clothes, diapers, and the like.

Additionally, open trunks are great items that sit on the floor, perfect for toys or clothes that you’ll likely need to access often. And you won’t have to worry about toppling over.

Themed Nursery Rooms

When it comes to themes, parents could easily spend a fortune on buying accent pieces and furniture simply to create the perfect theme. But the truth is, most of the time you can do this all yourself for half of the cost.

For example, maybe you want a Bohemian theme in your child’s room. If this is the case, there’s no need to go out and buy hundreds of dollars worth of Bohemian accent pieces. Because at the end of the day, you can make all of this yourself.

If you want to create a theme, or add color to your nursery, put your own creativity to work. You can even design your own artwork such as framed sketches of your child, or even make handprints using your child’s hands as border trim for the nursery.

The possibilities are only limited by your imagination when it comes to the themes that you choose to implement in your nursery. But you’ll find that no matter what theme you choose, you’ll likely be able to do this all on your own without having to drain your savings account.

Though you’re probably more excited about having a new child to care for, creating your child’s nursery can be a fun project that you can truly sink into and make your own. And as you begin thinking of designs, remember that many designs and themes are actually very simple and affordable to do on your own.

• 

I have always loved rugs around my home, to add a graphic element and another dose of colour to liven up my floors. Also, cats love ’em 🙂 This winter I became particularly obsessed with hunting down vintage rugs and using them anywhere and everywhere to add coziness to my house since I’m spending 99% of my time at home working. When the folks at Revival Rugs reached out and offered to gift me one of their insanely gorgeous, vintage one-of-a-kind rugs, I nearly fell out of my chair and was so stoked to agree to a partnership. It was particularly easy when I learned their goal is to offer affordable vintage rugs directly from talented artisans and partners across Turkey. Their rugs are premium quality, handmade and the selection is epic. I spent HOURS scouring their vintage collection trying to decide on a rug for my living room. It was an agonizing process let me tell you.

• 

After much deliberation between bold and graphic vs classic and timeless I ended up letting the folks at Revival choose for me and they went with Jelisava, a 6.6′ x 10.7′ vintage wool kilim rug, flatwoven in Konya, Turkey. Also agonizing was my worry it would not match with my mustard-ish yellow sofa but AMEN it works! Their photos were pretty dead-on in showing the colours as they appear IRL so luckily the peach tones work with the yellow. And it arrived in about a week or so which was AMAZING since it came from Turkey. Phoebe was obsessed the moment I took the rug out of the box and with each section unfolded she kept climbing right back on. Luckily the novelty soon wore off.

• 

I could not love my new rug more. It is so meticulously made and the details are exquisite. Revival is now at the top of my list for go-to rug sources, and if you’re in the market for a new rug I highly suggest heading over to their shop and having a looksie. I because I have no doubt you will find your perfect rug, use code 10OFF-KIMDTI to receive 10% off your purchase (valid until March 17) or click through this link and the discount will be applied at checkout. Happy rug shopping!

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

It is the last call for entries for the A’ Design Award and Competition! The deadline for entries is fast approaching and now is the time to submit your best work. You can nominate your design here. With over 100 categories the A’ Design Award and Competition is the worlds’ largest design competition. But it is not just an award. It is an indicator of quality and perfection in design, recognized worldwide, your design front and centre before design companies and professionals.

• 

From the Good Industrial Design Award to the Good Architecture Design Award. The Good Product Design Award to the Good Communication Design Award. The Good Service Design Award to the Good Fashion Design Award and soooo many more! (You can find all the design categories listed here.) Winning A’ Design Award & Competition, which is an independent and expert appraisal for design, contributes to corporate reputation and brand image. Taking part in the A’ Design Award & Competition provides valuable feedback and experience. With the competition highlighting advertising & advocating good design, taking part will provide recognition, publicity and international peer review. Entries will be judged by an international jury panel of scholars, professionals and media members. The benefits to the winners are really inspiring. The trophy, of course, an invitation to the gala night, a certificate of quality, inclusion in the prestigious A’ Design Award and Competition exhibition and the yearly ResultBook but even more importantly press, PR, introduction to industry professionals and companies and international exposure. The fame, the prestige, the recognition and so much more.

• 

• 

• 

Are you inspired? Excited? Believe you’ve got what it takes to take on the best of the best design from around the world? You can register for the A’ Design Award and Competition 2021 – 2022 here. But you better be quick. The deadline for submission is on February 28. Results will be announced to the public on April 15 and you will find full coverage of the results here on Desire to Inspire. We can’t wait!

In the meantime here are some inspiring past winners …

• 

Transparent Chair by Wei Jingye and Li Yingyi

• 

Ring Bookshelf by Rama Akel

• 

Mubic Modular Table by Katalin Brigitta Csiki

• 

Grille Bookcase by Wei Huang

• 

Elytra Space Saver Coffee Table by Radhika Dhumal

• 

Shell Sofa by Alexey Danilin

• 

Yakamoz Rug Collection by Fulden Topaloglu

• 

Dress Your Chair Removable Upholstery by Yumeng Gai

• 

Pagoda Cabinet by Pandi Li

• 

Axel Chair by Helle Nielsen

• 

House in Repino Residential by Shamsudin Kerimov

• 

Monolithic House Private Villa by Ahmed Habib

• 

Aurora Lodge Chalet by Snorre Stinessen

• 

Time Holiday Mobile Home by Chester Goh

• 

The Bridge House Private Residential by Soheil Afshar Mohammadian

• 

House On The Cliff Residential Building by Shamsudin Kerimov

• 

Hacienda Summer House by Hany Saad

• 

Villa Antioquia House by Dante Luna

• 

S90 Residence Residential Dwelling by Daisuke Nagatomo

• 

Sustainable Single Family Residence by Nahian Bin Mahbub

• 

Sista House Housing by Junghee Lee

Don’t forget to nominate your designs for award consideration here. Submission deadline is 28 February 2021.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This post is brought to you in collaboration with A’ Design Award and Competition