Mud room in your home

Having a mud room in your home may not be the first item on your long list of "Wants" but it is very convenient.

We have all seen the pictures of a separate room with enough space for coats, muddy boots and/or shoes, kids backpacks and a washer and dryer.  All tucked away and organized from the rest of the house.

Well, most homes may not have the luxury of a separate room that could be the "Mud Room", but with some creativity, there is no excuse that the family's coats, shoes, backpacks and all other items can not be organized and still blend well with your home.

Here is a great idea of how to organize coats, shoes with very little space.

When you have limited space, you will have to plan to have access to seasonal clothing. Off season clothing can be stored in plastic bins.  

In this picture the upper cabinet is a basic kitchen cabinet, the shoe holder can be easily made and the bottom cabinet is a kitchen drawer.  Add the coat hooks, paint or stain to your decor and you can have storage for the whole family.

If you have some carpentry skills, this is a good weekend project or find a reputable contractor to build this for you.

Look around your home and find that little nook that can be converted in to your own "Mud Room" and maybe (just maybe) you may get your kids to hang up their coats.

Green Decor

Let's celebrate "The Luck of the Irish" with Green Decor. Welcome the month of March by refreshing your home with green.

Green can be intimidating, but with so many shades it is a beautiful color and very easy to coordinate with your current decor.  Whether you go Bold and really embrace the green or choose a more subtle route and add a few touches here and there - the splash of green will help liven up your space.

Here are some ideas I have found that let you experiment with the Color Green.

ADD A GREEN PLANT TO A NEUTRAL DECOR.                                                                             

ADD A FEW DECORATIVE VASES TO YOUR BOOKSHELVES- EASY TO CHANGE OUT WHEN YOU ARE DONE WITH THE COLOR GREEN

PILLOWS IN DIFFERENT SHADES TO ADD A PUNCH OF COLOR

















ONE PICTURE AND ONE PILLOW.  GREAT FOR THE PERSON WHO DOES NOT REALLY WANT TO COMMIT.

EMBRACE GREEN AND PAINT AN ACCENT WALL - ADD GREEN ACCESSORIES

WHAT DOES THE COLOR GREEN MEAN..........................

Symbolism Green stands for balance, nature, spring, and rebirth. It’s the symbol of prosperity, freshness, and progress


Positive Associations We associate green with vitality, fresh growth, and wealth.   We generally think of it as a balanced, healthy, and youthful. We use green in design for spaces intended to foster creativity and productivity, and we associate green with progress – think about giving a project the “green light.”

HAPPY MARCH

ZODIAQ QUARTZ SURFACES

Zodiaq has a new collection - Natura Collection
 http://www.ovsco.com/2015_Zodiaq_Color_Launch_Sell_Sheet.pdf

Their six new colors have an "Old World" feel, yet will complement today's modern home.  Deciding on a counter top is a commitment.  With this collection, you can choose what you like today and be confident that it will stand the test of time.  

Quartz is a great material for your kitchen, bathroom, or on a custom piece of furniture and these colors will help you achieve your vision.

Kitchen Design - Your Sink

When you think of kitchen design, do you think to add color to your sink?  Well Houzer has.  Their porcelain enamel sinks come in a variety of colors and styles.

Here are a few colors and their styles:

These under-mount sinks are part of the Porcela series and are double baked at 1500 degrees F.                     

Their non-porous surface can resist chips, stains and scratches.

Choosing a sink other than White or Stainless may seem

"not practical", but Why Not?  Most kitchen designs are too neutral and need color desperately.  Having an all white kitchen and installing a turquoise sink would be beautiful and unique.   So Why Not - add some color to your sink:)                  

COLOR TRENDS

Trends, Trends, Trends - It seems there is always an article on what trend is "In".  It can be a kitchen trend, color trend, furniture trend, etc.  Just when you think you have your home the way you like it, you read an article about a trend which may lead you to second guess yourself.

I personally try not to follow trends.  I am a firm believer that "If You Like It" that is all that matters.  You live in your home, not other people and their opinion.

With that said, being the in the business of home remodeling, I do have to keep up with the trends for knowledge and when a client asks the question "What is considered in style"  I will tell them what is trendy, but always follow up with "What are your likes and how you function in your home".

I was on the Sherwin Williams website with their color of the year for 2015.  I am currently in the middle of a major overhaul in my own home.  I am painting all my stained trim white (I have always had stained trim, and really wanted a change - not trying to be trendy).  The color I had picked for my walls is Sherwin Williams Rye Grass which happens to be a "trend" color to coordinate with Sherwin Williams color ot the year Coral Reef .  I had planned on using a coral color as accent with accessories.  One may think I am following the paint trends - I picked out these colors last spring.  

I picked colors that I liked, not what some article told me I should like.   I am carefully choosing fabric and accessories that I know I will like for a long time because frankly when I am done with this home project - I Am Done!

Sherwin Williams Rye Grass Color - my wall color

 Sherwin WillIams Coral Reef - not sure yet but will use for accessories

Open Shelves in your Kitchen

Open shelves in your kitchen - do you love it or hate it?
The trend for kitchens is getting rid of upper cabinets and having open shelves for dishes, pots, pans and any kitchen gadget you have. 

 Looking on the web for pictures, I have found that all these kitchens are "staged" very well and the open shelves look Great!  How would these shelves look in the real life of a kitchen?  Most people do not have perfect coordinating dishes, pots and pans.  Would you have the time to make sure the shelves look good each and every day?  What happens to these dishes out in the open with dust, kitchen grease or any other airborne particle?  

Here are some pictures I found on Google.

PERFECT COORDINATION WITH THESE SHELVES

SOME OPEN SHELVES CAN APPEAR MESSY

There is a place for open shelves in a kitchen, I am just not sure if they should replace all your upper cabinetry.

A GOOD BALANCE BETWEEN OPEN SHELVES AND UPPER CABINETRY

KITCHEN REMODEL - SOUTH ROCKWOOD

In this kitchen, cabinetry was mixed light and dark.  This created interest that would otherwise be too "light" or too "dark".  White kitchens have been the norm for some time, but it is time to bring back the stained cabinets.  The counters are also two different colors.  Kitchens do not have to be "matchy-matchy".  Go ahead and mix it up.

Overall View of Kitchen

Glass cabinets with interior lights to display dishes

Farm-style sink, glass drawer fronts 

 

  Added wainscoting and shelf supports to dress up back of island

  

 Pot filler for convenience, white subway tile with a metal deco strip to add interest.

Kitchen Remodel - Brighton

The function of this kitchen worked for our client, but it was in desperate need of a remodel.  We took out the soffits, "Lots" of wall paper and gutted the entire space.
The cabinetry heights are standard, but we added a 6" wood soffit along with crown moulding painted the same as the cabinetry.  This creates the illusion of height using stock cabinets.  All new fixtures and finishes gave this couple a kitchen that fits their life style.

Products used were "Merillat" Cabinetry - Spring Valley Maple Cabinets painted in Chiffon with Tuscan Accent.  Counters are Quartz in Dakota Color.  "Delta" Leland Faucet in Stainless Steel and 4" x 4" travertine tile with glass accents.

 

The Added Details:  We added wood to give back of cabinets a recessed panel appearance

Under cabinet lighting always a must in a kitchen

Mixing up the tile to add interest over the range top

 

Added a wood 6" wood soffit and crown moulding - both painted to match cabinetry