By Mylene Thomas

A man designed my bathroom. He didn’t realize that in order to achieve the Victoria’s Secret model bed head sexpot hair it required an arsenal of curling irons, brushes and hair products with names that sound like they belong in a romance novel. This man didn’t realize the amount of creams specified for daytime protection ONLY to fight off the signs of aging from the cleaning up after 3 children, the dog and his muddy boots. These daytime creams will do absolutely NOTHING for the insomnia, and, so, I need the night time creams to ward off the bags and wrinkles. So, I will NOT apologize for the bathroom counter covered in my beauty war zone.

If you choose to enter the battle zone then come prepared.

Remodel my bathroom with Medallion’s Simplicity Storage Solutions. Save me from the counter burns from my curling irons for each perfectly sized curl and buy the salon styling cabinet with the various shaped salon grade metal canisters.

Help me organize the many shades of pink blush designed to adapt to each season and shade of white or tan I may be and get the custom drawer inserts.

 I forever promise to cherish you and do my best to keep my girlish glow for you and for my sake, but please for the love of God give me the bathroom to do it and I promise I will not infiltrate your garage for my storage solutions.

Email Jessica and she will take the work out of it. Don’t worry; you can still take credit for it and the thank you for it afterwards.

I bought a townhouse 8 years ago and rented it out for a couple of years. When I decided to sell it I knew that it would need a serious facelift. Once I got into it, however, I realized this was going to be a lot more than my diy-er wanted to handle. $20,000, 2 months of daily work for 2 people with full time jobs and families, new tools, forfeiting summer vacations… and oh by the way did I mention I was very pregnant?

So, when do you know what to do on your own and when it’s time to call in the experts? Can’t you take credit for the beautiful new home even when you stroked the pen instead of swinging the hammer? Or is it like Thanksgiving dinner when your in-laws compliment you on the fabulous apple crumb pie that you totally bought in the frozen section and you technically baked so you reply with a somewhat guilty “thanks”? Where’s the line between I can do this myself and I don’t need to have my own show about this because I have a full time life already?

Come talk to me at the Fairfax Community Home Show March 10-11, and then listen to Nicole Curtis, DIY’s “The Rehab Addict”.

Home remodeling can be a big step in improving both your living environment and the value of your home. A lot of people remodel their homes to compliment the home owner’s desires, wants, and needs, but it is also a great option for increasing the value of your home if you are planning on selling. Many studies today show that people would rather buy a house that needs minimal repairs and updates compared to buying a “fixer upper.” Remodeling your home can be an over whelming task if you are not sure where to start. I found some great tips to help point you in the right direction for the remodeling process.

A great place to start is deciding on a budget that you can both afford and be happy with the results. Having a budget will give you guidelines to help maintain costs. If you are remodeling multiple areas of the home, give yourself an allowance for each separate area. It has been my experience as both a designer and a consumer that unexpected costs often do arise and you must be prepared financially and emotionally for these possible setbacks.

Begin your remodeling plan by making a list of what currently does not please you about space as it is. Then make a list of features you would like to add and any changes you would like to make in its arrangement when you begin the remodeling.

Kitchens and bathrooms have the most dramatic impact on the overall appearance and impression of your home. The kitchen has become a major focal point for entertaining. The new trend people follow is spending more time in the kitchen entertaining than anywhere else in the home. There are so many elements involved when remodeling a kitchen. Due to the wiring and plumbing that usually need to be done, it may not be an ideal do it yourself project. The cabinetry and countertops are two very important areas of the kitchen. If new cabinetry isn’t within your budget, try updating them with some new distinctive and decorative cabinetry hardware. Choose a style and type of finish that complements not only your cabinets but the age of your home. Try to avoid trendy finishes that will scream “time warp” in a few years. Countertops are one product in which esthetics and practicality can coexist. Prices of granite and other natural stone materials continue to drop, while manufactured materials such as laminate and engineered stone are mimicking the real thing better than ever.  Take the time do research all available options and rule out which countertop will work best for you, and your home. Faucets can be a simple and effective upgrade that adds style and functionality. Stainless steel appliances are currently all the rage. It’s neutral and sleek while offering a commercial and sophisticated feel. Nothing brightens a kitchen more than great new lighting fixtures. Try putting accent pendant lighting over an island or a larger scale pendant over the dining room table. Under cabinet lighting is also another great option to add to the ambiance of the kitchen.

These are some helpful tips and guidelines to follow to make the process of remodeling your home a more enjoyable and a less stressful process.

To add on to the last post about remodeling your kitchen, I thought why not give some helpful advice on remodeling your bathroom as well! Like the kitchen, your remodeling ideas should start with a rough plan. Again, make a list of what displeases you and what you want to change or add. Evaluate how you use your bathroom and how you want it to accommodate your needs. In the morning, do you want to get in and out of the bathroom as quick as possible, or would you rather have a more relaxing bathroom and spend more of your time in there. It’s all about how you as the user, wishes the bathroom to be according to your needs and wants!

Bathrooms are a popular home remodeling project. It involves a lot of similar decisions to the kitchen. Remodeling a bathroom is a great way to add comfort and value to your home. Bathrooms have gained an important status within the household, and instead of just being a functional room they are now as interesting and decorative as the other rooms within a household. Evaluate your space, do some research online and in magazines, to help you develop your new bathroom design. Think about which fixtures you will want, and what style pleases you. Choosing brushed nickel bath fixtures and accessories will give your bathroom a fresh modern look. Bath fixtures and accessories are widely available in this popular finish. You’ll not only find faucets and shower heads in this nickel finish, but, lighting fixtures, knobs and drawer pulls for cabinetry, towel bars and racks, tissue holders and all the typical bathroom accessories that are needed to furnish a bath. Adding tile in the bathroom can also help increase value, and looks great! Building a decorative boarder around the shower, or putting in a backsplash can really help accentuate the room. For a bath that is looking out of touch with the times, and a little worn around the edges, a fresh coat of stain and new knobs and handles on your cabinetry in this brushed finish will give an even newer appearance. Sometimes selecting a darker stain is a good option, and the darker stains are very trendy these days, in both flooring and cabinetry. A newly stained vanity with fresh new hardware will often pass as a new fixture to friends and guests in your home. Remodeling a bathroom will increase the dollar value of your home, and this is one home improvement that will be a good investment. Aside from the pleasure your new bath will give you, if in the future you sell your home, having remodeled your bathroom will both increase your home’s value and its selling appeal.

Remodeling kitchens and bathrooms are collaborative efforts. Although you get inspirations from magazines, you do not get a kitchen or bathroom out of them. Depending on your space, needs, budget and taste, your kitchen or bathroom should be a reflection of a collaborative effort to ensure that you will have a great remodeling experience!

A new lavatory faucet/bathroom faucet has caught my eye. American Standard has developed a faucet for the bathroom that has a pull-out faucet/head…exactly like a kitchen faucet. The “outreach” faucet looks like a typical 4” center-set faucet at first glance, at second glance; this faucet is far from typical.  It is a pretty simple concept, we use pull-out faucets all the time in the kitchen, but this is the first time I have seen a pull-out for the bathroom.  Kudos to American Standard for this well designed and functional faucet.  I started out designing bathrooms 7 years ago, I’ve seen a lot of faucets in my time, but never one where the functionality of a faucet took precedence over the design….why didn’t someone think this up earlier? It makes sense…kitchen pull-faucets are very popular, why not a bathroom pull-out faucet?

I was faucet shopping online for one of my clients and came across this fabulously functional faucet. I took some time to really think about this faucet before writing this, beginning with a look at my own lavatory faucet and sink.  What I found, embarrassingly, on the sink was toothpaste, makeup, mouthwash, and hair…yuck.  If I had the “outreach” faucet, would my bathroom sink be cleaner?  While examining my sink, my cat Scarlett leapt onto the countertop and snuggled her way into the sink….more hair.  Then the light bulb went on…if I had the “outreach” faucet, I could bathe Scarlett in the bathroom sink, instead of the kitchen sink! Genius!

Consider these ideas that would make life just a little more simple and more fun:  men shaving (and cleaning little hairs in sink), washing your hair in sink, hand-washing delicate laundry, filling a vase with water, cleaning up sink and countertop, getting stains out of clothing (spot cleaning)….the list could go on and on, but I will stop it here.

Just a note that this is not a true review of this faucet, I have not used this product…but I hope to soon in one of my next bathroom designs (any takers???)

The pull-out of the “outreach” faucet extends 24” and is available in two finishes: chrome and brushed nickel.  It appears to me that this product is available exclusively through The Home Depot. The chrome finish faucet retails for $98.00 and the brushed nickel for $118.00.  This price is fantastic, especially considering that the faucet has a ceramic disc valve cartridge (a must in my book for a faucet) and cast brass construction.  The faucet also has a lifetime warranty on function and finish….what else could you want?

Well, there is one other thing that I would like, and that would be to see this faucet in an 8” widespread version. I’m not a huge fan of a 4” center-set faucet….though this faucet might just change my mind about the 4” spread.

If you are considering using this faucet at a retro-fit (replacing your existing faucet and not the sink and/or countertop) – be sure that your current faucet is a 4” center-set faucet. If you have an existing 8” spread or single-hole faucet, this faucet will not be a good fit.

I always enjoy reading the posts our designers, Jessica and Jennifer, write, but I thought I’d like to contribute this time from a consumer’s perspective. I don’t have a background in design or construction, but I do have a lot of experience in the hospitality industry and certainly we are all experts as consumers on customer service. No matter what industry I’ve worked in the same expectations for customer service is there. What’s really crazy though is we all hold high standards for how we want to be treated, but not everyone seems to be on board about how to deliver those standards to the customer.

What I may think is clear communication of my intentions may not be heard and totally received by my clients. Who hasn’t hung up the phone or read through an email only to turn around to your cubby buddy and say this person is crazy! Maybe your side of the conversation sounded a little like mine have:  “I told them I was working on it. I told them this may happen. I told them I would get back to them on this issue and it’s only been 2 days and I’ve been working my tail off to get it resolved and they are still calling me non-stop!”

The best lesson I’ve learned so far, provide answers to questions that your client didn’t even know they would have. I’m a huge believer in constant communication even if it seems like it’s overdone or that I may be stating the seemingly obvious. It’s not a fool proof solution, but I feel like if I’m providing updates what may seem like every day to me but an emergency to my clients somehow brings some calm to a perceived storm.

Home improvement and remodeling is not only a financial investment but also a big emotional investment. I can only strive to improve the overall experience for my clients. I wouldn’t expect any less if the roles were reversed.

If you’re considering a remodeling project, check out our free online virtual estimate. We’ll help answer some of your questions and bring you some personalized advice on your project that you may not have considered. It’s one more tool we’ve created to help your customer service experience. Plus, if you’re considering a kitchen remodel and utilize the free online virtual estimate you’ll be entered to win a week’s worth of groceries (a value up to $500). I know I’m usually won over by a good meal!

When you are planning a home entertainment area it is important to not only make it a comfortable place for your family, but also a safe one.  It is common to use glass in cabinetry housing a television, game console, and home theatre system. Be aware that unless it is tempered glass, it can cause serious harm if broken.

Base cabinet doors are required to have tempered glass. I recommend that upper glass doors also receive this treatment so you can enjoy a safe happy home.

Plain glass breaks easily and shatters into sharp shards. Tempered breaks into tiny little bits that are much less dangerous (why it’s required in car windows). It is much stronger, but is also vulnerable to sharp taps. The higher price for tempered glass is because it has to be heated to almost melting then cooled after it has been cut to size.

FA Design Build carries 3 lines of kitchen cabinets: JSI, Wellborn Forest and Medallion.

jkaiser@fadesignbuild.com

Cork Flooring Reviews – What You Must Know Before Purchasing

Today, more and more people are becoming more aware of the environment, making them find more ways to take care of the nature. When it comes to choosing the right flooring, cork flooring reviews provide helpful points for eco-friendly floor installation. With the numerous modern manufacturing techniques, it may be useful to know about cork flooring reviews in order to be informed about this kind of improvement for homes.

Cork flooring reviews discuss about the reasons why natural cork flooring is a better choice. For one, cork flooring is known to be an eco-friendly floor. Cork oak tree is used in the manufacturing process of cork flooring and once it is harvested, the tree is milled and processed in order to create sheets. Afterwards, these are oven-baked to make flooring tiles. This kind of floor is usually used in houses, offices and other light commercial establishments.

Cork flooring reviews also point out that cork flooring production requires strict regulation. The cork tree must be at least twenty-five years old before harvesting. This way, the bark of the tree can still grow back, resulting to more sources for floorings. This is one of the many reasons why cork flooring is a better choice when planning to purchase materials for your floors.

According to cork flooring reviews, this material is durable and resilient and can endure different kinds of impacts. It has microscopic air pockets, creating a surface that can return to its original status even after pressure or impact. In addition, cork flooring is the perfect choice for people who have pets at home but it is essential to make sure that their nails are kept short in order to prevent floor damage.

Cork flooring is known to be resistant to moisture as it contains suberin, which is a waxy substance. Suberin is the reason why floating cork flooring is best when it comes to moisture resistant. However, it is still best to avoid spilling fluids on the floor and letting it stand for a long time. Make sure to clean the spills right away if you want to maintain the quality and beauty of your floor.

Aside from moisture resistance, cork flooring is also insect resistant due to the suberin substance. This waxy element makes the material tough against molds, mildew and insect infestation. With this in mind, if your children are experiencing allergies, it is recommended to change your carpet into cork flooring.

Aside from acting as a good protection, the cellular structure or air pockets of cork flooring can also help confine heat, making the floor warmer and more comfortable even in barefoot compared to other flooring materials such as vinyl or laminated floors.

Additionally, the cellular structure of the cork effectively absorbs sound. Compared to other flooring materials that produce hallow sound, cork flooring absorbs sound well and can be useful for hallways and certain areas where echoes can be a concern.

Cork flooring has low maintenance and everyday dirt can be removed with just a broom. It is recommended to wipe the floor with a slightly damp mop at least once a week. Make sure to clean any liquid spills at once using paper towel or sponge and then dry the cork flooring with a mop. Remember to avoid using abrasive or harsh cleaners with this kind of flooring.

Good home design is not just visual and functional; it is also an auditory experience. How does it sound as you walk into a room? This sound should be as pleasurable as the sight of your room. An echo in a room can make it feel cold. Soft furnishings, such as window treatments and area rugs, can reduce the level of the noise and create a warm inviting environment. Don’t be afraid to use an area rug in the kitchen. Stain resistant carpet fibers take the fear out of drips and spills. The type of flooring you choose can also help reduce the noise level. For example, a cork floor will absorb harsh sounds as well as provide a unique visual appeal.
Appliances play a big part in your auditory experience, too. If you are in the market for a new dishwasher, find the dBA rating (decibel rating). This will tell you how well insulated the dishwasher is, therefore how quiet it will be in operation. With a rating of 45 dBA’s you will have a difficult time knowing if the dishwasher is operating or not. Anything in the 50 dBA range will be comfortable to carry on a conversation and not feel as though you need to shout.
Balanced acoustics create a serene and comfortable home environment and will help you shake off the stresses of the day. Just one more way FA Design Build can help you turn your house into a home.

jkaiser@fadesignbuild.com

How do you renovate your bathroom when you only have one? Renovation in a one bathroom home, a situation that many of us here in the DC area encounter, can be a tricky situation and a major disruption to your usual lifestyle. It’s important to know what to expect prior to your contractor ripping your bathroom apart…instead of realizing after the fact that you don’t have a place to do your “business”.

As someone who has been in this position (renovating my one bedroom / one bathroom condo in Del Ray, Alexandria), I have some tips and tricks to share, many of which I wish I knew about prior to my renovation, but we live and learn so I thought I’d share this valuable info:

1. Plan ahead and talk with your contractor.

Make sure your contractor knows that this is your only bathroom and discuss how long the renovation will take. Not only will you not have a bathroom, but the contractor also will not have a bathroom on site. Remind your contractor of this so he can make other arrangements if necessary – - like a port-a-john or public facilities close by.

2. Talk to your friends, family, and neighbors about sharing their bathroom.

Many of us have friends, family, or neighbors that would be happy to share their facilities. This situation is ideal, but not always possible – - see below for more tips on how to make do with what you have…….

3. Don’t remove the toilet until you are ready to install the new one (if possible).

If you are doing tile work on the floor, your contractor will have to remove the toilet to install the new tile. Worst case scenario is you will be without a toilet for two days. The toilet is the most difficult convenience to do without, don’t try and get creative on this one, plan ahead and make sure you have somewhere to go.

4. Use the kitchen sink instead of your bathroom sink.

The kitchen sink is great for tooth brushing, face washing, and a general (showerless) clean up. I even used my pull-out kitchen faucet to wash my hair in the sink.

5. Do you belong to a gym or does your office have shower facilities?

Gyms or the office are often a good place to get cleaned up while your bathroom is under renovation. After a workout at the gym in the morning get showered and dressed for work. Or, if you dare, head into the office in your pajama’s and use the office’s shower facilities.

6. Make sure all materials/products needed for the install are onsite prior to demolition starting.

If all material is on site, there is less likely a chance that there will be issues or delays along the way. The quicker the install goes, the quicker you will be back to your normal routine.