Plan Every Kitchen Remodel Detail
This dated kitchen is a candidate for a total makeover – what will it take?
A kitchen remodel is one of the most rewarding home improvement projects you can undertake in your Madison WI home. It is also one of the most complexed. And, it can be one of the most frustrating.
Family activities center in the kitchen. The day’s events are planned and the day recapped. Creating an efficient, welcoming kitchen is a lofty goal, but one well worth the effort. Tearing out the heart of family organization requires planning and foresight. It disrupts all aspects of daily life. Is your family ready to do without the kitchen for weeks, maybe months? Now’s the time to think about it. Continue reading
Kitchen Cabinet Trends – Put Your Style On Display
Custom installations of all kinds are available to meet your needs. Design a kitchen that fits your style.
Many aspects of your kitchen are subject to the whims of fads and fashions. Fortunately, kitchen cabinet trends are more stable than most. No matter what you want for your Madison WI home, there’s a cabinet style to fit your personal taste. Trends in countertops, tile selections and overall floor plans come and go – look the rise and decline of the “farmhouse kitchen” in recent years. Fortunately, kitchen cabinet selections are a steadying influence.
Consider these common threads in kitchen design: Continue reading
The Bump-out – Small Additions Add Big Value
Adding great space to the inside doesn’t mean detracting from the outside of your home.
When you need a few extra square feet of living area without the rigors of a major remodeling plan, a bump-out addition is just the thing. Many Madison WI area homeowners want a more space but their lot size and budget won’t permit it. Adding a small addition that “bumps out” from the existing structure adds usable floor space anywhere in the house.
Consider adding space to your kitchen without knocking down interior walls. Or would you like to expand your master bath for a spa-like walk-in shower? Maybe your children are growing and need more closet space in bedrooms? Would extra space for an office or laundry room be worthwhile? Continue reading
Prepare To Remodel – Advanced Planning Guides The Process
Be prepared – your home life will be disrupted by noise, dust and people coming and going for weeks, maybe months. The results are worth it… if you can hang on.
So, you think it’s time to renovate your home. Do you know what it takes to remodel a single room much less an entire floor? When you prepare to remodel your Madison WI area home, be ready for a significant disruption in your daily routine. The first thing to understand is: Reality TV is NOT REAL. The wonderful remodeling programs compress weeks and months of intense work into 60-minute episodes. Don’t create a remodeling plan expecting a quick fix.
Homeowners planning for their new dream kitchen or bathroom have a short, but detailed list of expectations: Continue reading
An Open Floorplan Design Is Not For Everyone
This older home has incorporated an open floorplan but is it making the best use of valuable space?
In all the popular places – TV, video and magazines – the concept of an open floorplan is a hot topic. Before you plan to knock down a wall in your Madison WI home, consider how – and if – it will really work in your daily routine.
Home buyers, especially first-time buyers, put the “open concept” high on their must have list. At the same time, owners of older homes consider opening up the floorplan a way to modernize. With the wide variety of architectural styles available throughout the Madison area there are plenty of options. Continue reading
Estimates vs Bids – Quotes From A Remodeling Contractor
Adding a sunroom to your home is an ideal renovation for Madison WI. It’s another example of how detailed project planning creates exceptional results.
How much does a remodeling project cost? That’s the first big question homeowners have for a remodeling contractor. It’s a question with as many different answers as Madison WI has home styles. When homeowners meet with a contractor they want three things: ideas, a plan and a quote. In today’s remodeling market the old saying, “you get what you pay for” applies more than ever.
The building industry is constantly evolving thanks to advances in technology and materials. These changes, plus the cost of skilled labor keeps remodeling professionals on their toes. It also puts a strain on their resources. In today’s environment they cannot provide free services that were once common. Free estimates or free quotes on potential jobs are now fee for service options. Continue reading
Using Texture Adds Visual Interest, Personality To Any Room
Different shades of brick on the walls, a massive wall clock, whicker tables and area rugs over wood-look tile all project different textures in this contemporary space.
There are dozens of ways to make a home renovation unique and personal. Using texture as a design element is increasingly popular. Textures add to the liveliness of any space and make you Madison WI home remodel stand out.
There are times when even the most complete renovation plan just doesn’t “pop.” All the creative components are there – color scheme, décor items, furnishings, cabinetry, lighting. Yet the combination feels “flat.” What can add the sizzle? Applying texture to the walls, ceiling of floor. Continue reading
Undercabinet Lighting Boosts Kitchen Efficiency
Hardwired LED fixtures illuminate backsplash and countertops.
When light in the kitchen is at a premium, undercabinet lighting makes a huge difference. Seldom does a Madison WI homeowner say “I have too much light on my kitchen counters.” More likely it’s “I hate working in the shadows. Overhead cabinets, shelves and kitchen helpers all cast shadows on the work space. Traditional light fixtures don’t cover all the nooks.
Kitchen lights come in three basic categories: task lighting, accent lights and decorative fixtures. Continue reading
Designing For Wellness – Your Home Impacts Your Health
Multiple level shower heads, a comfortable seat and no lip to stumble on make this an excellent example of designing for wellness.
Your home has a huge influence on your well-being and designing for wellness makes sense. Everything from the materials you choose in your Madison WI home remodel to the layout of rooms, lighting and colors plays a role in family health and happiness.
Scientific study shows that spaces where we spend a lot of time – like our homes – have a big influence on our lives. Homeowners and remodelers are realizing how they change structures and space can either enhance or hinder healthy lifestyles.
There are two spaces in every home that deserve top priority – and get the most requests for renovations: the kitchen and the master bathroom. These rooms are centers of attention every day. Family activities focus on them and so should you. Continue reading
How Long For A Home Renovation – An Honest Appraisal
The more detailed and complex the project, the more time it takes … but this kitchen proves it’s worth it!
How long does a home renovation take? The immediate, honest answers are:
- “That depends…” Installing hardwood floors and painting walls takes far less time than creating an open concept within a period home.
- “Longer than you think…” TV shows and how-to videos make even elaborate projects look easier and quicker than they are. From planning to finishing takes time to insure a great result. Dozens of factors come into play from how soon your municipality issues permits to how long it takes to get custom-ordered materials.
