Showing posts with label countertop. Show all posts
Showing posts with label countertop. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
(Up)Date Night Part II: Tammy Tours L.E. Smith
Tami has a kitchen makeover, including Wilsonart HD countertop in the Deepstar Bronze pattern (1814). She even gets a tour of L.E. Smith Company's fabrication shop to see her countertop being made. Click here for more information about Wilsonart HD Laminate.
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
(Up)Date Night Part 1: Meet the Roushias
The (Up)Date Night crew made a stop to Bryan, Ohio for our next installment. Tami Roushia and her children recently moved and wanted to make the 'new to them' house their home! Tami is a Personalizer, looking to make her kitchen reflect her likes and style; the kitchen was nice, but just not her taste.
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
More than a coat of paint
By Gale
If you are contemplating buying your first home, with all the enthusiasm and nervousness that comes with that decision, then you can better appreciate the challenges of my friends who are upgrading from a tiny condo to their first “real” house. The price was right, the neighborhood older and established with good schools nearby - perfect for a couple expecting their first child.
When they fell in love with the house, they did not clearly see all of its flaws. It was indeed a surprise to discover the cabinet doors that would not close, the chipped kitchen sink and the badly worn countertop. They relegated the other rooms to a “coat of paint change”, while the kitchen needed real help.
I gave them advice about how to fix the non-closing doors without too much effort and focused their attention on the sink and countertop. The dreams of granite vanished when they priced it out. We discussed how to get the best deal for their tiny budget. And the answer is a new high definition laminate countertop and an integral sink. Both are meant for hard wear and tear, a factor of life with a small child and even busier schedules.
A visit from the countertop fabricator gave them the confidence that this could be done in a short time, while they were handling the painted facelift in another room. Within two weeks, they have a new kitchen without the agony of tearing everything out. The countertop gives them a whole new look and there is a little leftover to buy those bar stools that they saw on sale.
The moral of this story is to shop wisely, understand what your budget will give you, and then find the best person to help you accomplish this change.
If you are contemplating buying your first home, with all the enthusiasm and nervousness that comes with that decision, then you can better appreciate the challenges of my friends who are upgrading from a tiny condo to their first “real” house. The price was right, the neighborhood older and established with good schools nearby - perfect for a couple expecting their first child.
When they fell in love with the house, they did not clearly see all of its flaws. It was indeed a surprise to discover the cabinet doors that would not close, the chipped kitchen sink and the badly worn countertop. They relegated the other rooms to a “coat of paint change”, while the kitchen needed real help.
I gave them advice about how to fix the non-closing doors without too much effort and focused their attention on the sink and countertop. The dreams of granite vanished when they priced it out. We discussed how to get the best deal for their tiny budget. And the answer is a new high definition laminate countertop and an integral sink. Both are meant for hard wear and tear, a factor of life with a small child and even busier schedules.
A visit from the countertop fabricator gave them the confidence that this could be done in a short time, while they were handling the painted facelift in another room. Within two weeks, they have a new kitchen without the agony of tearing everything out. The countertop gives them a whole new look and there is a little leftover to buy those bar stools that they saw on sale.
The moral of this story is to shop wisely, understand what your budget will give you, and then find the best person to help you accomplish this change.
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Reactions from KBIS 2011
By Gale
Trade shows can be intimidating for many of us. There are the rows upon rows of exhibits, the commotion of the music and of course the crowds of people. However, I have just braved the 2011 Kitchen & Bath Industry Show in Las Vegas and returned home with my head filled with ideas to share with you.
There was the big theme of the show and naturally, the smaller emerging themes as well. Water, water, water was the big theme, with most of the plumbing companies sporting WaterSense tags on their new merchandise…that is water-saving, in case you did not guess. And from toilets to showerheads, that label was everywhere. It is a good reminder for most of us that like Energy Smart, this is a program that will save money as well as water.
The smaller themes were equally intriguing: Universal Design appeared inside cabinets, outside cabinets, on backsplashes, on countertops, and inside drawers. This is recognition that we need to make our storage of all kinds more accessible. This trend is not just for the physically challenged – it is for everyone – the young, the young at heart, and those in-between who are looking for convenience. Clever cabinet inserts means the contents stay organized, and who would not want that?
New countertop designs were another theme at the show: great new looks in laminate, quartz, recycled materials for easier living. They include marble and stone look-alikes without the fuss of maintenance as well as bolder patterns that differentiate an island countertop. What a way to make a statement without a major investment!
Lighting is going through major changes with 100 watt incandescent light bulbs heading off the market in 2012. New options in compact fluorescent, LED and halogen are appearing, and the more the merrier so that the price heads down to a more reasonable range. Keep an eye out for these energy-efficient alternatives.
Trade shows can be intimidating for many of us. There are the rows upon rows of exhibits, the commotion of the music and of course the crowds of people. However, I have just braved the 2011 Kitchen & Bath Industry Show in Las Vegas and returned home with my head filled with ideas to share with you.
There was the big theme of the show and naturally, the smaller emerging themes as well. Water, water, water was the big theme, with most of the plumbing companies sporting WaterSense tags on their new merchandise…that is water-saving, in case you did not guess. And from toilets to showerheads, that label was everywhere. It is a good reminder for most of us that like Energy Smart, this is a program that will save money as well as water.
The smaller themes were equally intriguing: Universal Design appeared inside cabinets, outside cabinets, on backsplashes, on countertops, and inside drawers. This is recognition that we need to make our storage of all kinds more accessible. This trend is not just for the physically challenged – it is for everyone – the young, the young at heart, and those in-between who are looking for convenience. Clever cabinet inserts means the contents stay organized, and who would not want that?
New countertop designs were another theme at the show: great new looks in laminate, quartz, recycled materials for easier living. They include marble and stone look-alikes without the fuss of maintenance as well as bolder patterns that differentiate an island countertop. What a way to make a statement without a major investment!
Lighting is going through major changes with 100 watt incandescent light bulbs heading off the market in 2012. New options in compact fluorescent, LED and halogen are appearing, and the more the merrier so that the price heads down to a more reasonable range. Keep an eye out for these energy-efficient alternatives.
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