It’s understandable if you want to add pizzazz to your kitchen and make it look great. However, designers have pointed out that while it is advisable to add your own personal touches on the decoration, it is still best to know when to crank those creative juices up, and also, know when to stop.

• Do: Have one, fun element. Designer Nick De Giulio says, “The best kitchens have a soul or spirit that’s warm, inviting and personal.” Adding a personal touch is one way of maintaining a friendly, inviting atmosphere.
  
  
• Don’t: Overdo. Know when to stop. Let’s say you want an oriental, Asian-inspired kitchen: it is enough to adorn it with the accepted color palette of red, gold or yellow and paper-shroud lamps, but adding some dragon-inspired accents or even an antique suit of armor is just too much.
  
  
• Do: Use vertical space. For small kitchens, it is advised to stack up cabinets and keep the floor area usable for people to move about easily.
  
  
• Don’t: Use poor quality furnishings. No one would like their kitchen counter’s doors coming off the hinges after being installed only for a week.
  
  
• Do: Leave space to breathe. People often tend to clog their floor spaces by overdoing on storage, which is wrong. A kitchen you can move in is what matters most.
  
  

Thinking of a full-scale renovation? Keeping these simple tips in mind is a great start for a balanced, functional and livable kitchen space.

Homes are more than just structures that protect you from the elements. They hold history, the effort you and your family put into its existence and stand as a reflection of who you are. This is why many people in Washington, DC devote their time to finding the right roofing materials for their home.

There is a wide array of roof options to choose from, but one’s decision should not be solely based on the aesthetic of the material. Here are other factors to consider when choosing a new roof.

CLIMATE

Washington, DC experiences humid summers, pleasant springs and unpredictable winters, so base your choice on the state’s climate. It is important to choose one that is durable and resistant to the applicable weather conditions.

COST

The cost is highly dependent on the material being used. You home’s condition is also a factor. Installing roofs in homes with a lot of fixtures will require more complicated procedures as the contractors must account for the extra structures.

MATERIALS

It all boils down to which roofing material your home is most compatible with. Not every home can have the same roof installed. Asphalt shingles are usually the most common ones since they require minimum skill to install and are also the least expensive. Wood is also another material that is commonly used. Metal, aluminum and steel are very durable, yet costly. Slate is the most durable type, but runs the risk of being too heavy for most homes to take.

There is more to windows than being able to see what is outside and let some daylight into the house. While your current windows may still look okay from an aesthetic standpoint, if it is an older variety, it is likely not helping your home save on energy.

Apart from not being made with materials with high insulation properties, older windows often have unseen cracks and opening which allow conditioned air to easily escape the home. This results in you air conditioning or thermostat having to consume more energy in an effort to maintain the comfortable temperature indoors.

By having a professional provider of window replacement in Baltimore assess your home, you can easily find out if your current windows’ energy efficiency is not up to par. In the event that you choose to have them replaced, professional contractors can have a variety of options for you to choose from.

By working with a professional, you will be assisted in choosing energy-efficient windows that will also suit the look and style of your home. Having your windows designed and installed by a certified professional also ensures that you receive products which will perform to its highest capacity and work for a very long time.

Mold is one of the more pervading issues that arise when remodeling a bathroom. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, sufficient evidence links mold to coughing and other respiratory problems in people who are otherwise healthy.

Mold is sure to be present since bathrooms are often exposed to moisture because of the presence of water fixtures. It often appears as black spots on a wall above the baseboard, or as a patch of drywall that appears wet – even when the bathroom is not in use. Although mold is mostly black, it can also be colored green or white with the appearance of a fuzzy carpet.

Usually, mold gives off a musty odor even when it is not readily visible anywhere in the bathroom. A way to check for mold growth is to open up the drywall – which might become part of the remodeling work anyway. It grows by using any semblance of water nearby and the paper fibers on the drywall for food.

Unchecked, mold can grow at increased rates given its moist environment. Before proceeding with the bathroom remodeling, a mold remediation company should step in to eliminate the growth. Otherwise, the growth can spread to other parts of the home.

The sooner mold growth is found, the sooner it can be eliminated, and the sooner the remodeling work can start or resume.

For many people, there’s nothing quite like the classics. These people are typically the ones with homes that look like time portals – plain and modern from the outside, but full of nostalgia and wonders of history inside. If you are one of these people, you definitely need to check out these ways to turn your kitchen vintage.

What is Vintage?

First, a little definition – essentially, vintage is defined in contemporary design as those prevalent in the period between the 1930s to the 1950s. Essentially, this entails WWII and post-war decorations and building styles.

Kitchen Accessories

You won’t really have a hard time finding vintage kitchen accessories like cookwares, coffee makers, and silverware, among others. You can typically recognize vintage accessories like this thanks to their “ 50s space age” design and flashy, bright colors like yellow, orange, and red.

Art

What better way to transport your kitchen to the future than by using traditional vintage paintings, sculptures, and other artworks within that time period? The 50s was typically known for impressionistic art and vintage newspaper advertising and political posters that became dominant throughout WWII.

Wallpaper

Two words: polka dots. Of all the vintage pattern design, this is perhaps the most popular, and will surely take your family and guests back into a simpler time where multi-colored spots were all the rage in everything from walls to clothes.

Reroofing is a procedure of restoring the roof of one's house to its proper function. Leaks, holes, damages, lifecycle, and many more criteria determine if a house needs reroofing. This building process requires much communication and planning in order to successfully reestablish the entire roof system of the house.

Choosing the right roofing company is the first step for general reroofing. A customer must first research on a dependable roofing company that will help in the overall course. Details must be noted. Ensure that the contractor is well-informed and prepared before entering into an agreement.

Gathering supplies is the next procedure. Oftentimes, the contractor already has an idea on the best materials and equipment needed for the reroofing. The owner does not really need to gather it himself; he must simply have an idea on what shingles are going to be used along with the quality of the materials that will be employed in the reroofing process. After a homeowner approves the materials, the company will begin the reroofing proper.

Overall, it is the contractor's job to reroof the house for the convenience of the client. In turn, the client must be aware of what he paid for: The people, the product, and the work done for him.

If you’re thinking of replacing windows in your home, you should consider the type, energy efficiency and frame material before you decide which window is best for you.

Midrange vinyl is a kind of window that has a vinyl frame. Midrange wood windows have wooden frames with a vinyl- or aluminum-clad exterior. Upscale vinyl windows are simulated mullions with wood grain interior, custom-color exterior and low-E coated glass. Upscale wood is simulated mullions with hardwood interior, custom colored aluminum clad exterior, and low-E glass.

There are two critical ratios in comparing the energy efficiency of all window types, regardless of differing components U-factor and solar heat gain coefficient. U-factor usually ranges from 0.25 to 1.25—the lower the number means better window insulation, and more energy savings produced during cold climates when heating needs dominate home-energy bills. SHGC is the amount of heat the window blocks from sunlight. Lower SHGC—typically 0.25 to 0.8—means more savings in warmer climates due to reduced cooling system use.

Usual window frame materials include vinyl, which are maintenance-free frames that provide good insulation. They swell and shrink less compared to other window frame materials. Composite are window frames made of wood and polymer which resembles wood in terms of strength and insulating value, but resists moisture and decay. Wood frames are stable and naturally insulating. Fiberglass are strong frames. They are durable, and can be painted to simulate wood.

Consider these factors before deciding which window to choose.

Deciding to remodel an old bathroom may add significant value to your home. However, you might find yourself surrounded by unexpected costs and anticipated problems if you don’t find ways to avoid common bathroom remodeling mistakes.

Budgeting too little can be unwise. Especially if you’re doing a remodeling job on an older home, it is best to budget more than what’s recommended since you’ll likely have more to replace.

Going trendy with a bathroom remodeling job may backfire. Pink tile that was trendy during the 50s, avocado green sinks that were popular in the 70s, or Jacuzzi tubs that were the fad in the 80s may not fit in a modern home. The best way to redesign a bathroom is to stick with the classic styles.

Ignoring distance clearances are also a common mistake, when you want to make your bathroom the exact way you wanted it, you must never forget that function should come before form.

While it is important to stay within the budget and not spend too much, cheaping out on materials should also be avoided. Cheap, low quality materials used to remodel your bathroom may pose more problems in the future.

Unless you have sufficient background in bathroom remodeling, you might want to think twice before doing your own project. Without professional experience, you might end up facing unnecessary expenses if you decide to go at it alone.

The efficiency of a home can be increased by remodeling at least its major parts. Maximizing available space for the new design is one way to achieve this. With most remodeling companies’ comprehensive approach, they conduct consultations with their clients to find out their specific needs and requirements for their kitchen. They also ensure that every detail agreed upon in the planning stage will be met and delivered.

As proof of how upgrading kitchens can increase the overall value of houses, the 2009-10 Remodeling Cost vs Value Report by a reliable remodeling company gives an example of mid-range homes that benefited from such a remodeling project. The report features upgrades for a 200-square-foot kitchen, where old cabinet boxes were retained, even if their fronts were replaced with raised-panel wood doors and drawers. Moreover, new energy-efficient ovens and cook tops, mid-priced sinks and faucets, and repainted trims and flooring were also included.

Meanwhile, work on an upscale kitchen of the same size, which had 30 linear feet of semi-custom wood cabinets, 3-by-5-foot island additions, laminated countertops, and double-tub stainless steel sinks, was estimated to cost around $111,818. It also had a resale value of $74,054, yielding a 66.2% recoup rate.

Since renovating kitchens entails a significant amount of money, it is vital for homeowners to find an experienced contractor who can facilitate the upgrades accordingly. Local contractors combine their expertise in home improvement with the use of quality products and materials to provide top-notch kitchen remodeling.

Reselling a home can be a difficult task, especially since many Americans try to sell their homes at a profit, or at least the same amount they paid for the house. After all, who would want to sell their home at a loss? Fortunately, there are many ways to increase the resale value of a home.

Based on the 2009-10 Remodeling Cost vs Value Report by Hanley Wood, LLC, a roofing upgrade for mid-range houses can yield impressive returns. For a certain type of project, the report pegged the replacement cost at $20,284 but pointed out that work offered a resale value of $14,867 and a recouping rate of 73.3%. A roofing project for an upscale house, which involved fiberglass asphalt shingles and mill-finished aluminum flashing, among other materials, cost $39,561 and earned a resale value of $23,549 and a 59.5% cost recoup rate. Overall, the report shows the great potential of increasing the value of houses through quality roof installations.

Roofing systems in different types of houses all share the same function of protecting the homeowners from rain, extreme heat, and other elements. Furthermore, they increase the aesthetic value of houses. A trusted roofing contractor can help homeowners select the right systems that will prove durable and therefore yield exceptional results and returns on investment.