Tile

Whether you confine it to the floor or cover every available square inch of your bathroom, tile is the cornerstone of bathroom design.  It is also one of the easiest ways to balance your budget.  Ceramic and porcelain tiles are durable, low maintenance, and reasonably priced.  They now are available in several different sizes, shapes, textures, colors, and patterns. Higher end stone tiles, such as marble and granite are great accent pieces that work seamlessly with their less expensive counterparts.  For example, tile your entire floor with ceramic tile and add a marble tile inlay accent in the center of the floor.  Your eye will be instantly drawn to the decorative inlay, while the ceramic serves a supporting role.

Vanity

Choosing a vanity on a budget doesn’t mean it has to be boring.  Shop the special order returns section of your local big box hardware store.  Chances are you will find returned special order vanities at a fraction of the cost, and often they are returned simply because they did not fit a space, not because of defect.  Or you can get a pre-fabricated vanity in wood or white, and paint or stain it according to your style.  Remnant granite or stone from your local countertop dealer can easily be cut down to fit your vanity top.  Add custom hardware to create a unique and finished look.

Bathtub

Do you have an avocado green or periwinkle blue bathtub?  Think twice before you pay to have it ripped out and replaced.  You can buy kits online or pay a professional to refinish the surface of your tub to a clean, bright white.  Then replace the faucet and drain and you won’t even recognize your old tub.  Add decorative tile or paint around the enclosure if it does not already exist.

Toilet

Instead of splurging on a custom color or design for your toilet, choice a classic look that won’t feel dated in ten years.  Why pay double and triple for a functional piece that tends to have a long life span anyway? Toilets can continue to save you money too – toilets designed to conserve water based on the waste that is being flushed can drastically reduce your water bill.

Lighting

Lighting is a great way to give your bathroom a new look.  Get rid of those movie light globes above your vanity and opt for something more intricate.  Brushed nickel and antique copper are great alternatives to the traditional brass and chrome, and tend to be reasonably priced.  If you have a light over your bathtub, a simple chandelier can add character without becoming too fussy.  Probably the cheapest way to update your bathroom lighting is to add lamps; people tend to under utilize lamps in their bathrooms.  It adds just the right amount of light and texture to a space to create a cozy feel.

Walls

In any remodel scenario, paint will always give you the best bang for your buck.  A can of paint changes the entire look and feel of any space.  Be sure to use a bathroom friendly sheen, such as a semi-gloss.

Labor

Do what you can yourself!  If it is your first bathroom remodel, you don’t need to become an expert in plumbing, tiling, painting, and electricity all at once.  Pick the project (or two) that intimidate you the least.  You have abundant resources at your disposal – “how-to” books and internet videos, education classes at your hardware store or community center, and the experience of your friends and family.  The pride and sense of accomplishment from completing a portion of your remodel on your own may inspire you to tackle more of the labor on your next remodel.

Here are some of the current top trends in lighting:

1. Texturize – In the old days, lamps and light fixtures were typically, brass, brass, and more brass with the occasional assembly line-style glass and resin.  Nowadays, fixtures and lamps are available in a wide array of mediums.  Brushed nickel and antique copper are particularly popular, but more rustic irons and architectural stone and faux stones are a great way to turn a light fixture into a statement piece. Fixtures that mimic sculpture also let you explore your creative side.  Don’t worry about every light fixture matching the previous; design isn’t about matching – it’s about complements. Combine a clean, hand blown colored glass lamp with an iron pendant light for the ultimate eclectic look.  You can be hip and pay homage to the past all at once.
2. Shade it in – Shades aren’t just for lamps anymore.  Pendant drum shades add elegance and bring the eye up.  If you’re really ready for your light to pack a punch, check out chandeliers with transparent or translucent drum shades – they provide the intricacy of a chandelier while toning down the formality. Shades are also much more versatile as they are popping up more and more in a variety of textures, shapes, and colors.  Again, you can set the tone for your entire room by simply varying the style of shade you choose and which fixtures you affix them to.
3. Explore - Don’t be afraid to use lighting in places your average lamps and pendants may neglect.  Undermount lights for kitchen cabinets create a warm glow.  Back lighting behind a piece of art or your entertainment system will achieve a similar affect.  Small lamps with personality can make your laundry room or bathroom a haven from the usual glare of harsh fluorescent lights. Rope lighting mounted above tall shelving or book cases creates a quiet ambience for relaxation.
4. Get the green light – More and more light fixtures are equipped for compatibility with LED bulbs.  The LED bulbs themselves also come in a variety of palettes, so you’re not stuck with a sterile look.  Not only are they better for the environment for the energy efficiency, but they also have a significantly longer life than the average bulb, so less maintenance for you.

With so many options in lighting today, the most important thing to remember is to pick a lighting concept that speaks to you and your style.  Regardless of your design aesthetic, the right lighting can help you achieve your most harmonious space.

Multi-functional Furniture. Take a hint from colonial craftsmen and choose furniture that multitasks. For example, choose an ottoman with storage space under the seat rather than selecting a mere single-purpose footstool. Shop for a dining room table that expands or collapses according to your needs. You can find tables with additional built-in storage space for flatware and linens incorporated into the central portion of the dining surface.

Door Space. You can install short shelves above doors to take advantage of a couple of feet of unused space. Store small, lightweight items on them to avoid headaches or concussions–in case someone closes a door with too much vigor.

Under the Bed. When your bedroom is only 10 feet square, you have to use under-the-bed storage space like a professional. Bed risers are one of the best-kept secrets of apartment living. These small, heavy-duty, plastic pieces fit under the legs of your bed to give you an additional four to eight inches of storage space. Invest in several under-the-bed storage boxes to occupy that space. You can store off-season clothing, extra bedding or canned goods there.

Ceiling Storage. If you’ve already exhausted the storage nooks under your bed, the ceiling is ripe with unused space. With just a few wood boards and some elbow grease, you can bolt some storage containers to the ceiling of your garage. If you’re garage-less but have some rafters at your disposal, you can hide your storage bins in between them and the ceiling.

Over-the-Door. Over-the-door shoe organizers can be multifunctional, and are perfect for organizing small items such as school/office supplies, mail, hair bands/bows, baby socks, etc. Store them on the back of a door for out-of-sight, yet accessible solution.

A Whole New Level. In a multipurpose garage that serves as both a home office and a recreation room, an elevated loft doubles the space and defines the work area from the recreation area.

Window Seat. A space saving window seat storage bench is an attractive and low-cost way to boost your home’s storage space. A window seat can add as much as 12 cubic feet of valuable storage space that doubles as attractive usable seating for your home. If you are remodeling an attic bedroom that has a dormer with a window or any other room where you need additional storage space a window seat may be the right option to use.

Storage space is at a premium for nearly everyone these days. Since 87% of Americans live in small or medium-size homes, finding additional storage has become a hot topic. The good news is that every home, no matter its size, has potential storage space that goes unnoticed. Look around your home and discover the storage within.

Formulate a plan. Don’t start without a plan or you’ll end up jumping from room to room and never finishing one completely. Focus on one room at a time to avoid getting distracted and overwhelmed and distracted. Also, use a process as you clean. First dust ceilings with a broom or dust mop, then clean light fixtures, then furnishings, then windows and finally the floors.

Cleaning Supply Inventory. There is nothing more frustrating than to start cleaning only to find out that you’re out of supplies. Stock up on everything that you might possible need before you start the big clean.

Involve Your Children (if you can). Even young children can help with spring cleaning chores.  For example, your pre-schooler can help you to gather pine cones or rake up leaves from the yard.  Inside, your toddler can help you as you put winter clothing into storage and get out the clothing for warmer weather.

One At A Time. It’s exciting to get started cleaning and it’s easy to get distracted with various projects throughout the house. But it’s incredibly helpful and sanity-saving to work on one area at a time. Inadvertently, piles of stuff will migrate to other rooms in your house, but those can be tackled when you get to them.

Declutter Before Cleaning. How can you clean your home when there is no space to move around? Decluttering your home can be a pre-spring cleaning project. Take a few minutes out of your day and move a few things around. Do you have any bulky unused appliances or pieces of furniture? Think about storing it in a storage unit. Make a pile for things that you want to keep, and things you wouldn’t mind getting rid of. Store things that you would want to save in a storage unit while tossing unnecessary things away. The first step to cleaning your home is to open up your living environment. Make your home look less cramped and give yourself space to clean!

Open The Windows for Fresh Air. It’s spring! The weather has gotten milder and the wind carries a small breeze. Breathe in the fresh air and not the toxic fumes your cleaner may be releasing. While you’re at it, make sure that your blinds are clean as well. People tend to forget to clean their blinds because of the hassle. Remove the dust, clean your blinds, and feel the wonderful spring weather.

Top To Bottom. Start at the ceiling by dusting the ceiling fan or light fixture then dust the crown molding. Work your way down the walls, over the furniture, all the way to the baseboards and flooring.

Keep It Up. After all your hard work is done make sure that you have a good cleaning schedule in place. Whether you need to make one from scratch or update the one your have, set small daily tasks that will help keep your house in order.

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Insulation You probably won’t have your friends over to check out your new insulation, but you will notice a big difference in your monthly utility bills. Insulation is made from a variety of materials, and it usually comes in four types: rolls and batts, loose-fill, rigid foam, and foam-in-place.

Rolls and batts—or blankets—are flexible products made from mineral fibers, such as fiberglass and rock wool.

Loose-fill insulation is usually made of fiberglass, rock wool, or cellulose in the form of loose fibers or fiber pellets. It should be blown into spaces using special pneumatic equipment.

Rigid foam insulation (spray foam)  is typically more expensive than rolls and batts or loose-fill insulation, but it is very effective in exterior wall sheathing, interior sheathing for basement walls, attic surfaces, or under floors. It can also be used for special applications such as attic hatches. You can use the small pressurized cans of foam-in-place insulation to reduce air leakage in holes and cracks such as window and door frames, and electrical and plumbing penetrations.

Foam-in-place insulation can be injected into walls to insulate and reduce air leakage. Injectable foam insulation has become more popular because its non-intrusive installation, and meets the high demand to insulate older homes that have very little if any effective insulation. Injectable foam has very different qualities that that of the rigid spray foam that make it easier to install in existing homes without damage to the dry wall or interior of the house. Here is a video of a foam-in-place installation.

Kitchen Appliances Kitchens use a lot of energy. Focus your finances on quality appliances that are the right size for your needs. Buying an energy-efficient dishwasher, refrigerator, microwave and oven can save you up to 50% on your electric bills. Update your plumbing and add aerators to your faucets to save hundreds of gallons of water from being wasted – and paid for.

Windows As far as home improvements you can make, it is a very sound investment. If you take into account the federal tax credit, the increase to the value of your home and the savings from greater energy efficiency, home replacement windows can easily pay for themselves in 10 to 15 years time. It is estimated that up to one third of the heat loss or gain in a home occurs through the windows. Single pane windows are especially inefficient, and the problem of drafty windows sometimes just can’t be fixed without replacing them. You could save a lot of money on your heating and cooling bills by replacing your windows, and you could also beautify the exterior of your home.

Roof If you’ve ever stood on a roof on a hot summer day, you know how hot it can get. The heat from your roof makes your air conditioner work even harder to keep your home cool. If you are building a new home, decide during planning whether you want a cool roof, and if you want to convert an existing roof, you can:

• Retrofit the roof with specialized heat-reflective material, like radiant barrier.

• Re-cover the roof with a new waterproofing surface (such as tile coating).

• Replace the roof with a cool one. A cool roof uses material that is designed to reflect more sunlight and absorb less heat than a standard roof.

Landscaping This is a natural and beautiful way to keep your home cool in summer and reduce your energy bills. A well-placed tree, shrub, or vine can deliver effective shade, act as a windbreak, and reduce your energy bills. Carefully positioned trees can save up to 25% of the energy a typical household uses. Research shows that summer day-time air temperatures can be 3°-6° cooler in tree-shaded neighborhoods than in treeless areas.

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Kitchen:

• Cabinets. Paint cabinets instead of replacing them. Cabinets can be removed, repainted and then reinstalled to save tons of money getting them replaced.
• Granite countertops. Granite countertops make a stunning upgrade, but if a complete countertop overhaul is not in your budget, you can still select a feature area in your kitchen. Focusing on one specific spot, such as a kitchen island, to install granite tile can achieve an upscale look at a much more affordable price.
• Faucets & Fixtures. Decorative details, such as faucets and fixtures, go a long way in improving the style of your kitchen. Consider upgrading to a new kitchen faucet that improves both aesthetics and functionality.

Bathroom:

• Toilet. Replace your tired old toilet. Upgrading to a sleek, easy-to-clean one-piece toilet is a surprisingly simple way to update your bathroom, and it doesn’t have to cost a lot, either. Toilet installations are often viewed as a job for a professional, but some new toilets are being designed with the do-it-yourself homeowner in mind.
• Caulk. Clean up your caulk. If the caulk in your bathroom is grimy, prone to mildew, or cracked, replacing it is a great way to freshen up the look of your bathroom. Use a caulk softener, available at any hardware store, to soften the existing caulk and make it easier to remove. Then, a good scraping with a plastic putty knife will do the trick. After the caulk is removed, clean in between the tiles with a bleach and water solution, and allow to dry completely. Then you are ready to apply the new caulk.
• Faucets. Like the kitchen, the faucet can make a huge difference. Swapping out an out-of-date faucet is less expensive and time-consuming than replacing an entire pedestal sink or vanity, but can still have a big visual impact. Whether your style is clean and modern or romantic and ornate, updating your faucets can be easy and stress-free now that many manufacturers are offering easy-to-install bathroom faucets.
• Paint. Freshening up the color on the walls in your bathroom can be an easy afternoon project depending on the size and structure of your bathroom. Because they are typically the smallest rooms in the house, bathrooms are a great place to experiment with color – if you hate it or change your mind, it’s easy enough to change to something else. Want to keep it simple? Pure white walls, especially when accented with glass and dark woods, are a current design trend.

• Spend a few minutes visualizing the room. When decluttering, take a moment to take a look at a room, and think about how you want it to look. What are the most essential pieces of furniture? What doesn’t belong in the room but has just gravitated there? What is on the floor (hint: only furniture and rugs belong there) and what is on the other flat surfaces?

• Work on decluttering 15 minutes a day. This will help work through what is there and prevent it from happening again.
• Start clearing a starting zone. What you want to do is clear one area. This is your no-clutter zone. It can be a counter, or your kitchen table, or the three-foot perimeter around your couch. Wherever you start, make a rule: nothing can be placed there that’s not actually in use. Everything must be put away. Once you have that clutter-free zone, keep it that way! Now, each day, slowly expand your no-clutter zone until it envelopes the whole house! Start at the corner by the door and move your way around the room. First do the superficial – surfaces, trash cans, etc., then go back and do more- open and empty cabinets, etc.
• Designate a spot for incoming papers. Papers often account for a lot of our clutter. This is because we put them in different spots — on the counter, on the table, on our desk, in a drawer, on top of our dresser, in our car. No wonder we can’t find anything! Designate an in-box tray or spot in your home and don’t put down papers anywhere but that spot. This one little change can really transform your paperwork.
• Clear off a counter. You want to get your house so that all flat spaces are clear of clutter. Maybe they have a toaster on them, maybe a decorative candle, but not a lot of clutter. So start with one counter. Clear off everything possible, except maybe one or two essential things.
• Pick a shelf. Now that you’ve done a counter, try a shelf. It doesn’t matter what shelf. Could be a shelf in a closet, or on a bookshelf. Don’t tackle the whole bookshelf — just one shelf. Clear all non-essential things and leave it looking neat and clutter-free.
• Use the “one in, two out” rule. The rule: whenever you bring in an item, you have to throw away two other items. First you cheat, by throwing out two pieces of paper, but soon you will have to move to big stuff.
• Schedule a decluttering weekend. Maybe you don’t feel like doing a huge decluttering session right now. But if you take the time to schedule it for later this month, you can clear your schedule, and if you have a family, get them involved too. The more hands pitching in, the better. Get boxes and trash bags ready, and plan a trip to a charity to drop off donated items. You might not get the entire house decluttered during the weekend, but you’ll probably make great progress.
• The One-Year Box. Take all your items that you unsure about getting rid of (e.g. “I might need this someday…”), put them in a box, seal it and date it for 1 year in the future. When the date comes, and you still didn’t need to open it to get anything, donate the box WITHOUT OPENING IT. You probably won’t even remember what there was in the box.

Now that you’ve been given the steps to declutter your home, all you have left is to find that motivation and make it happen! Are you lacking in that motivation? Just look around until you’ve spotted ten things that can be put away (or thrown away) and start with the first step of Visualizing your home clutter-free! Did that work?

Painting. Bedroom painting is generally thought to be easier than hanging wallpaper. You can achieve a great effect by painting the walls and ceiling in the same color. This works best if the color selected is not too deep, or the effect will be overpowering. Used with lighter colors it is a very effective idea for your bedroom painting. Or, instead of painting the whole wall in the same color, paint the bottom third in a darker color and the rest of the wall above in a lighter one. Paint the lighter color first, and then use masking tape to get a neat line where the darker color meets it. Another idea which is currently popular is to have one wall of your room decorated differently from the others, making it stand out.

Decorative Molding. Crown molding adds both scale and sophistication to an interior space. Decorative crown molding transforms a simple bedroom into an elegant living space. Though traditional crown molding is limited to simple profiles and neutral colors along the joint between the wall and ceiling, creative molding techniques introduce new arrangements and alternative color schemes to truly transform a bedroom.

Wallpaper. If using wallpaper there are some things to remember. Dark papers will usually make a room look smaller. Vertical stripes will make a room look taller. Horizontal strips will make a room look wider. Small patterned wallpaper can be a good choice in bedrooms. Linear prints, small florals, small stripes or geometric designs all work well. If you want something a little different, use a modern abstract paper, or a traditional French toile paper.

Headboard. The center of every bedroom is the bed. Like a statement piece of jewelry, a headboard for your bed can provide a fashionable anchor for your sleeping quarters.

Lighting. In a bedroom, it’s good to “layer” your lighting throughout the room. Ambient lighting to light the whole room, small lamps can focus light for reading and other activities, and accent light helps to wash the walls in soft illumination. To focus reading light where you need it, use a bedside lamp with a movable arm. Each light should be adjustable with a dimmer. Install a separate on/off switch for each light so that you can be selective and light only the area you want.

Window Treatments. Your bedroom window treatment can be anything from shutters or shades to full sets of curtains and drapes. A smaller room which is simply furnished may look best with just a simple treatment at the window – like Venetian shades, Roman shades or simple curtains. But if your bedroom has been designed to be more than just a place to sleep then you might want to make something more of your bedroom window treatment. One option for your bedroom window treatment is to use very light sheer curtains. These provide two advantages, in that they give a unique softness to the room and also give privacy. They are especially effective when used in large windows, where they provide elegance and style. Don’t forget that your bedroom window treatment may need to blend with other fabrics you use in the room.

With these inspirational tips, and some creativity of your own, of course, your bedroom could soon be that aesthetic haven that you’ve always wanted! Don’t forget to add a little of your own personality and make all of your design projects in your home, truly your own.

Remodeling your home starts with preparing a realistic budget. Preparing the budget for remodeling is a lot like preparing a budget for a wedding. It’s important to know exactly how much money is allotted for the entire event so that if cost goes up in one area, it means you can save money in another area. You have to actively manage it.

• Plan Ahead. Go through a trial design process and choose everything you want to include in the new room(s), from paint to appliances. This will prevent hasty cost decisions from happening later. Also, allow for 10-20 percent of the budget to items that may need to be added to the project. Need help? Here’s a great starting point.
• Get Creative. Changing the look of a room doesn’t always have to include structural changes. Painting a room can revitalize it and is the easiest way to bring life to a room. Designing a room on a budget is easy, and you can use the changing of the season for inspiration.
• Finding Space. The biggest cost in a budget is adding square footage to a home. Ways to save in this area of the budget is by borrowing space from a neighboring room (space reconfiguration), or finding small spaces in between wall studs for small niches or built-in shelves. Here are some smart design ideas to save money.
• In The Kitchen. Where possible, reuse existing appliances and build new cabinets around them. This could save up to $5000 easily. Check out these great tips!
• In The Bathroom. If the tub is still in relatively good condition, consider re-glazing it instead of replacing it. This saves you money and minimizes dust at the same time. Need help on the how to?

December brings the joyful holiday season as well as the not as anticipated cold rainy and sometimes icy weather. These home maintenance tips for December involve regular upkeep as well as some preparation for the deep winter.

• Clean lint from clothes dryer vent and from the dryer drum, where the air is vented outdoors. Check out this video for a step by step instruction.
• Change the HVAC filter to improve the air quality in your home.
• Evaluate the amount of moisture in your home. Low moisture content in the air can cause excessive static electricity, dry coughs, and problems with your sinuses in the coldest parts of the winter. Consider purchasing a humidifier. (Old home remedy trick: hang a sheet or towel in the shower area and keep it wet and the shower curtain open. Moisture then evaporates and gets into the air. Swap out the sheet or towel at least every week. This trick may make the coldest, driest months more comfortable.)
• Disconnect the garage door opener to lubricate hardware. The springs on the overhead doors should be adjusted by a qualified service technician.
• Inspect and service your clothes dryer, cook top or stove, dishwasher, trash compactor, counter-top appliances, exhaust fans, etc. according to the manufacturers’ recommendations.
• Make certain your fireplace is clean and in good working order.
• Inspect toilets for any rocking motion.
• Check inside bathroom vanities and kitchen sink cabinets for moisture and other signs of leaks. Carefully inspect pipes for condensation or slow drips. Repair the plumbing system if necessary.
• Lubricate your bathroom exhaust fan to help it stay cooler and quieter.
• Reverse direction of your ceiling fans.  Since hot air rises, fans should rotate clockwise to push the air down making your heating system more efficient.
• Clean underside of range hood and clean or replace the filter.
• Check for water damage near your skylight windows. During the summer they bring in light but during the winter they can bring in water from melted snow if there are leaks.
• Moderate your indoor humidity during winter. If you have water condensation on your windows in winter, it may be that the house has too much humidity- not a problem with the windows.
• Test the alarms on your carbon monoxide detectors and make sure they are working so they will alert you and protect your family from carbon monoxide poisoning.
• A quick smoke detector cleaning and test can help keep your family safe.
• Clean the gutters outside.
• Clean and oil garden tools.
• Fertilize your lawn and shrubs now so melting snow (when it comes) can feed the deeper roots.
• Prune and mulch trees and shrubs.
• Apply your pre-emergent weed killer/crabgrass preventative.