Five Tips for Kitchen Remodeling on a Budget
September 25, 2008 by Shawn Van Dyke · Leave a Comment
From the NARI website.
This article also ran in the Houston Chronicle, Earthtimes.org, FinanzNachrichten.de, Yahoo! Canada, Business Wire and Forbes.
It’s the height of remodeling season during a weak economy, which is a tough combination for homeowners needing to make upgrades to their kitchen. This summer, things are heating up as people debate a costly home improvement that also offers one of the best returns on investment.
DreamMaker Bath & Kitchen offers these five tips for kitchen updates that look good and also make ‘cents.’
Latest Trends for Home Improvement
September 24, 2008 by Shawn Van Dyke · Leave a Comment
What’s Hot and What’s Not for Home Improvements
From Lakehartwellrealestate blog, Julie Haley with All Hart Realty, discusses what to do and what not to do in order to get your home ready for a high return sale.
“The American house of 2008 will be smarter, greener and sleeker than before. But here’s the trick: Homeowners want a home that will work now–and 10 years from now.”
Here’s a run down of what’s hot — and what’s not — for your home in 2008.
What’s In
The destination bathroom
The huge bathroom getaways tempt you to linger and are outfitted with everything from wine chillers and espresso machines.
The smart house, operated by phone
“One tend that I think is pretty clear is that we are finally moving towards more tightly intergrated systems in the home that do allow for greater automation of certain functions, whether that’s controlling the temperature or lighting,” says Kurt Schrf, vice president and principle analyst of Parks Associates, a market research and consulting company that studies emerging consumer technologies.
Turning the house inside out
The trend of bringing the indoors outdoors is accelerating dramatically. People are often extending radiant-heat floors outside, under patio flagstones. The goal is to extend those shoulder seasons in order to sit longer by the giant fireplace that have become even more popular, or to cook in the extensive kitchens that anchor many of these outdoor spaces.
The return of glamour in furniture and decor
The whole idea of glamour is a little bit of a reaction to what is now still a very strong trend toward an appreciation of fabrics that have what you might call imperfections in them,” says Davis Remignanti, lead design consultant at Furniture.com. Remignanti refers to rougher fabrics that have sprung from the green movement, and to wood finishes with knots and grain.
Concealed appliances
More homeowners are opting to hide kitchen appliances such as the dishwasher and refrigerator. Some people think that appliances are ugly. What’s making it possible to hide a fridge behind cabinet doors is technology, which allows a big appliance today to be “broken apart” into separate, smaller pieces. The kitchen is evolvingand is becoming an aesthetic room.
Home elevators
Elevators are starting to appear–and will only proliferate–as baby boomers age.
Bold fabrics
Smaller-scale furniture is in, and as furniture gets smaller, “it can sustain a larger and lager pattern without looking ridiculous, says Furniture.com‘s Remignanti. So a hot trend for 2008 is using large-scale patterns on fabrics and floors and wall coverings. “If you’re choosing a pattern over solid colors, make it big and bold,” he says.
What’s out
Living rooms
Dark and heavy
…the trend is moving toward a little more modern, a little fresher, lighter, brighter, open, use of new materials.
Mosaic tile
The tile is such a personalized design statement that it scares off would-be home buyers who may not have the same taste. The cost and waste to remove intricate mosaic is overwhelming to buyers, especially if it has been recently installed. Even the most expensive but not agreeable tile could kill an otherwise acceptable property.
The Taj Ma-ceiling
For years, tall ceilings inparted gradeur to a home and were a signal that the homeowners had really made it. Those soaring ceilings don’t impress prospective home buyers the way they use to.
Read the full article here.
CONTACT REDBUD Construction Services at 865-250-9172 to discuss the trends that will maximize the re-sale vaule of your home.
Water Heater: Tank or Tankless?
August 27, 2008 by Shawn Van Dyke · Leave a Comment
This article, posted on the NKBA website, summarizes the differences between the standard tank and tankless water heaters. The article is authored by the folks at Rheem. In the article, Rheem is unveiling a new website “to provide straight talk on tankless vs. tank water heaters, aimed at helping construction professionals advise their customers which system is best for different circumstances.”
Also from the article:
Rheem summarizes some of the differences:
* Product Cost: Tank water heaters typically range in cost from $350 to $550, while tankless water heaters are roughly double that amount.
* Operating Cost: Average annual operating costs for tank water heaters are in the $230 to $285 range. Average annual operating costs for tankless water heaters are about half of that, at $165 to $170.
* Installation Cost: In new construction, installing any type of water heater includes running fuel lines or electrical connections and allowing for adequate venting, so there is little difference in costs between a tankless water and a tank water heater. In remodeling, however, it will cost more to replace a tank water heater with a tankless unit. Installed costs to replace a tank water heater with a tankless unit are typically between $1,200 and $3,000, compared with a range of $500 to $800 to replace a tank with another tank.
* Size: Tank water heaters are typically four to six feet in height, and up to two and a half feet in diameter. Because of their size, tank water heaters are usually located in the garage or basement, which sometimes places the hot water far from the point of use. Tankless water heaters, about the size of a medicine cabinet, can be wall-mounted indoors or even outdoors.
* Experience: Tankless water heaters never run out of hot water. A properly sized unit allows for use of multiple fixtures and appliances at the same time. Tankless is especially ideal for luxury spa bathrooms, where one large whirlpool tub can empty a 40-gallon tank-type water heater before the tub is even filled.
While the site is open for all, including homeowners, Rheem offers a white paper and bi-monthly newsletter that is strictly limited to professionals. For more information, visit www.smarterhotwater.com.
Is a tankless water heater right for your project? Contact REDBUD CONSTRCUTION SERVICES at 865.250.9172 and we would be happy to discuss the possibilities for your project.
Tips on Kitchen Lighting Design
August 23, 2008 by Shawn Van Dyke · Leave a Comment
How to Properly Illuminate the Kitchen:
Pendants are often used in addition to recessed and under cabinet lighting to add character and ambience to a kitchen. The recent trend toward open floor plans has also pushed the mini pendant into prominence since they leave more open space than traditional island fixtures.
- High style pendants provide functional task lighting for kitchen work spaces. They do double duty as a designer look and a practical necessity.
- The ideal hanging height for a pendant varies with the environment and the height of the home owners but make sure to position the pendants low enough to avoid glare.
- Add a dimmer switch to increase the versatility of the pendant lights. They can provide either task or mood lighting.
- Top designer brands that offer kitchen pendants are Tech Lighting, Murray Feiss, and Kichler.
- Maintain design continuity by matching pendant finishes with the kitchen hardware and other surface materials.
Call REDBUD Construction Services and speak with our designers about how to incorporate these lighting ideas into your project…865-250-9172.
ICESTONE – Concrete and Glass Surfaces
August 22, 2008 by Shawn Van Dyke · Leave a Comment
Are you looking for that unique surface top for your kitchen or bath, or do you want to have a stylish and durable ‘GREEN’ product…then look no further than IceStone. This product has appeared in This Old House, The New York Post, and Building Design + Construction.
From their website:
IceStone durable surfaces are made from 100% recycled glass and concrete. IceStone® products are the ideal choice for green kitchen countertops. They’re also a great option for backsplashes, bathrooms, vanities, bathroom dividers, tabletops, interior walls, and commercial flooring applications. Beautiful shower surrounds and bathtubs could be made with IceStone durable surface material. It can be shaped, cut water jet, inlaid, mounted vertically or horizontally. While there are 27 standard colors available, the color palette is infinite….IceStone durable surfaces are strong like granite, not as porous as marble and heat-resistant like stone. The chemical composition is benign and 99.5% inorganic making it a very safe material from the standpoint of toxicity and fire resistance. The fabrication, installation and maintenance of IceStone surfaces follow essentially the same process as used with natural stone. Due to its high recycled content and Cradle to Cradle Certification, IceStone materials can be used towards LEED points.
The cost of IceStone surfaces is dependent on the color selection, size and scope of project and it is available only to distributors and fabricators. You can find showrooms for this product at their website.
If in the Knoxville area: G & L Marble carries the IceStone product line.
Call REDBUD Construction Services and speak with our designers about how to incorporate these and other GREEN products into your project…865-250-9172.
Latest Trends in Kitchen Design
August 21, 2008 by Shawn Van Dyke · Leave a Comment
From MarketWatch:
When it comes to kitchen design today, cherry and maple cabinets are hot, as are quartzite countertops and custom paneled appliances. So says a recent national survey of kitchen designers conducted by the National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) and luxury appliance manufacturer Thermador. With 206 participants – all of whom are NKBA certified designers – the online survey identifies several trends influencing today’s kitchen design – from popular colors and finishes used in designs, to new materials, and even new technologies being incorporated by designers.
And here’s a summary of the Survey:
Kitchen Type (design): Traditional
Cabinetry Finishes: Cherry and Maple
Color Scheme: Stainless Steel followed by beiges/bones
Appliances: Stainless steel and custom paneling/modular refrigeration
Countertops and Backsplashes: Granite and quartzite/tile, granite, or glass backsplashes
Functionality and Layout: multiple cooking stations and prep sinks
These trends have well established themselves and will continue to be used in kitchens for years to come.
Read the full article here.
When Do You Hire A Professional
August 21, 2008 by Shawn Van Dyke · Leave a Comment
This recent article from the NARI website discusses when is the right time to hire a professional for your remodeling or construction project. Here are a few great points:
A kitchen designer or interior designer can create a functional and attractive layout for your kitchen cabinets and appliances. But if you want to start knocking down walls to increase floor space or change the traffic flow, it’s best to have the advice of someone who understands the ramifications of doing so.
Even seemingly innocuous projects can lead to unforeseen consequences. Creating an extra bedroom in a basement is a great way to maximize the space within your home. But if it doesn’t have an appropriate escape route, you could be building what amounts to a death trap.
If you’re uncertain whether your remodeling project requires professional advice, one way to be sure is to ask. …After all, not every project is as easy to manage as HGTV might have you believe.
REDBUD Construction Services does not give out free estimates, but we do offer a one hour consultation to determine the scope of your project and the level of design that would be required to price your project. To schedule a consultation, call 865-250-9172.
REDBUD Construction Services is a member of NARI and active in the Knoxville chapter.
Master Bath Remodel – Shower for Two
August 17, 2008 by Shawn Van Dyke · 1 Comment
Before: Masterbath
This is where we started. What we refer to as a ‘CONTRACTOR SPECIAL’…meaning the contractor that built the house probably received a special discount on every item in this bathroom because he/she bought everything in bulk. Nothing special at all, really.
The homeowners called REDBUD Construction Services and said, “We want to update our bathroom, but we don’t know what we want. We just know we don’t want this anymore.” Read more
Kitchen and Bath Planning Standards
August 13, 2008 by Shawn Van Dyke · Leave a Comment
The National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA) has published a very useful tool for all of you that are trying to plan your upcoming project.
If you have ever asked yourself, “How much space do I need for that?”, then these kitchen and bath planning guidelines should help answer most of your questions.
So get a pencil, a big eraser, and some graph paper…if you don’t have any graph paper just print this out…and have fun laying out that new project. (Use each square to represent 3″ or 6″…that will give you a scalable drawing.)
Please remember, before beginning any construction you should consult a professional in the building industry in your local area to make yourself aware of the local building codes and requirements for your project.
And contact RCS with any questions you may have about your upcoming project.