A Good New Year’s Resolution

By Gale

It’s that time again when you make promises to yourself for 2011. I find that I always include my home somewhere on the list of “to-do.” What I am going to ask you is to really take a really good look at your kitchen before the resolutions are firm in your mind.

What do you see? If you have not remodeled your most heavily-used room in years, then I will bet that what you see is outdated cabinets, faded or chipped countertops, tired appliances, stained flooring, and more. Is it time for a complete makeover or just a facelift? Much depends on your budget. The bad news is that a total re-do can be very costly. The good news is that you can replace just the countertop and feel as though you have a new kitchen.

The truth is your countertop is your most visible source of color in the kitchen. If your cabinets are white or wood, then what catches your eye is the color of the countertop. Think of a nice piece of jewelry on a plain dress; it becomes an attention-getting accessory. The same is true of your countertop.

Think of how often colors go in- and out-of fashion in your clothes. This is true of kitchen colors as well.
Take a good look at what’s available, and you will be amazed at not only the selection of colors but textures and finishes, too.

Your goal will be to find a durable, stain resistant, and easy-to-clean surface material. There is nothing to say that it could not be good-looking as well. Laminate answers all those needs. Its smooth exterior finish can be easily maintained; nothing else is as hard-working. The bonus is that it is a great bargain when compared to alternatives in stone or solid surface materials.

Make a big difference with a new laminate countertop and have money left over to pursue those other resolutions you listed.

No Place Like Home for the Holidays

By Tammy

There’s no place like home when you’re getting ready for the holidays. My husband and I are replacing our floors. Little did I know how disruptive it would be. Okay, slight fib, I kinda knew how disruptive it would be… I was just kidding myself – it is a remodeling project. Wood dust, banging, sawing, sleeping on my mattress in the living room, just to name a few. But through the hard work, I’m pleased to present the completed checklist thus far:

master bedroom and walk-in closet

formal dining room

daughter’s room and mini walk-in closet

Through the remodel process, I made every effort to get the Christmas tree, stockings, and interior holiday decorations up (at least for the most part). Oh, and my super sweet sister Kimberly gifted “The Elf on the Shelf: A Christmas Tradition” to my daughter Sterling. She named him “Herbie,” and he’s just hanging with us through the holidays. If you do not have one, you don’t know what fun you and the kiddos are missing out on. Seriously!

My New Year’s resolution: finish the flooring project (goodbye carpet)! Perhaps then, I’ll move on to sanding my breakfast nook table. It just needs an (Up)Date. A pop of color will do the trick – I’m loving turquoise at the moment. Thanks to Design*Sponge for the lesson on Before and After Basics: Painting Furniture! It will come in handy.

If you have a remodel New Year’s resolution, we’d love to hear them. Drop us a note.

Happy Holidays!

It is said that
the most powerful place to be
is satisfied in the moment,
with pleasant expectations
about the future.

As the year nears its end,
it is the perfect time
to reflect on the previous year
and to appreciate what we have:
our loved ones, security and opportunities.

With the New Year comes a celebration
of possibility and increasing light.
This holiday season
I wish you and yours
excellent health, happiness
and the excitement for what’s to come.

Cheers!

See You in Salt Lake City!

By Heidi

We're excited to announce that Wilsonart is a proud sponsor of the Altitude Design Summit! Tammy and I will be flying out to Utah this January to meet with some of the greatest design bloggers in the country. From graphic designers to photographers, this conference is our chance to introduce ourselves to a great group of creative minds.

In addition to simply attending the conference, we'll even be joining some extremely talented panelists to show attendees how to make the most of their creativity. Our hands-on session will ensure you have the tools to create a fully thought-out design plan. We'll keep you updated as our session develops, so check back later for more details!

As for you other conference-goers, any advice for Tammy and I? This will be our first time in Salt Lake City, so do you have any travel tips for us? We need all the help we can get!