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
Create Your Dream Home With A Home Addition
An addition turned this traditional farm house into a larger more family-friendly home.
As families mature the definition of a “dream home” changes. Fortunately, you don’t always have to move to live the dream. A home addition offers a solution to a wide variety of challenges. There are as many renovation options as there are architectural styles in Madison WI – and that’s a lot.
When your family loves its community, the local schools and neighbors, an addition to your home can breathe new life into existing space. The decision to explore a new addition can be based on many factors, including: 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
Home Renovation For The ‘Empty Nest’
Planning ahead includes taking into account special needs as you age.
As our population ages more and more families plan a home renovation project to redo their “empty nest.” The Madison WI area features dozens of attractive, mature neighborhoods. They are home to many life-long residents. A common suggestion is “downsize” when a family lifestyle changes. An option growing faster all the time is to “right size.” People take the homes they love and remake them to accommodate a new daily routine. They make the most of the space they are comfortable in.
When the time comes there are plenty of questions on what to do – move, remodel or expand? And, of course, there is no right answer. One size does not fit all. Continue reading
A Unique Custom Ceiling Design Makes A Statement
Simple and elegant this ceiling combines creative lighting, architectural elements and a versatile ceiling fan.
A custom ceiling treatment is a sure way to make a statement when you update or expand your home. In fact, one of the latest architectural design and remodeling trends is a “statement ceiling.” Once an afterthought, the ceiling is now a blank canvas for creative expression. With homes in Madison WI representing decades of styles there are opportunities for transforming dated ceilings into showpieces.
Creating an expressive ceiling doesn’t mean tearing out existing structures or going overboard with accessories. While vaulted ceilings, exposed beams and tray treatments all qualify there are other ways to extend your personality above your head. Continue reading
Create An Open Concept In An Older Home
A classic bungle renovation opens up the space for an active family.
Two, three or four decades ago the “open concept” for home design was a radical idea. Walls and separate rooms for everything were the accepted style. The Madison WI area has a wealth of homes built in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, making it ideal for older home remodel plans to expand indoor horizons.
Modern design includes opening sightlines and taking down walls. Cape Cod, Craftsman and contemporary styles in local neighborhoods are ideal candidates to in interior makeover.
If your home has too many walls, too many nooks and hallways, consider the most popular alternative: Continue reading
Range Hood Styles Combines Form and Function
This farmhouse-style kitchen features a range hood that blends perfectly with cabinetry and décor.
No matter what the goal for your new kitchen, there’s a modern range hood style to compliment it. Range hoods that blend into the background so you hardly know they’re there, or exhaust hoods that are a focal point in your kitchen renovation. There’s a wide array of sizes, shapes and materials to fit for your Madison WI remodel.
If you’re restoring one of the area’s classic older homes, the original kitchen probably didn’t come with a range hood. Adding, or upgrading is an important step. When you cook, especially if you fry food, smoke, odors and particles are released into the air. They hang around long after food preparation is complete. An efficient range hood literally clears the air. Depending upon the range hood style you choose, this vital appliance also: Continue reading
