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Five Uses for Ceramic Tile in Your Home

August 30th, 2010

The bathroom is a natural location for ceramic tiles.

Ceramic tiles have long been loved for their beauty and durability. In fact, people have been using ceramic tiles for millennia. For instance, the Romans were famous for installing intricate mosaic ceramic tile designs on their floors, which are often excavated perfectly intact thousands of years later. Talk about a long-lasting material! The Egyptian Pharaohs were probably the first to use ceramic tiles—they decorated their tombs with ceramic tile designs. Today, ceramic tile installation is a great way to revive any room in your home, as tile is available in a wide variety of styles, and may be used in multiple applications. Depending on their size, color, and texture, ceramic tiles can lend a modern air or create a classic ancient feel—the creative possibilities are endless! This article will get your creative juices flowing by offering five uses for ceramic tile.

Flooring. Unlike wood, ceramic tile floors will never show wear from foot trafffic. Moreover, ceramic tile can conduct heat, which is perfect for modern heating and cooling radiation systems. (The Romans used this technology as well; they ran hot water underneath the floors of their baths to heat the ceramic tile floors.) Finally, aside from the grout, ceramic tiling is easy to clean, making it a great flooring material. For additional traction in wet areas, install small tiles; the grout will create a non-slip surface. Floor tile installation is a big job, so bring in a trustworthy contractor. If you don’t, moisture could seep through and weaken your home’s supports.

Decoration. Ceramic tiles are a wonderful way to bring beauty into your home. From decorative borders to murals of painted tiles, there are numerous ways to use ceramic tile as a decorative element. Plus, you can often place ceramic tile designs where no other decoration will fit. For instance, why not install patterned ceramic tiles on the risers of your staircase?

Countertops. Tile is a wonderful material for kitchen and bathroom countertops, as it is heat-resistant and able to stand up to spills. In years past, small ceramic tiles were used on kitchen countertops. Now, the vogue is to use large ceramic tiles. This cuts down on cleaning time, since there is less grout where grime can stick. To accentuate the color of your tiles, consider using a colored grout. Additionally, colored grout hides dirt. Bathroom tile installation is especially tricky, since bathroom countertop surfaces are often small enough to require cutting tiles. Again, find an expert contractor to help you with ceramic tile installation.

Backsplashes. The backsplash behind the kitchen stove is one area that demands high durability, and ceramic tile is the perfect solution. It is easy to wipe off with soap and water, and it won’t crack or fade, even after years of splattered sauce. Moreover, the backsplash is a wonderful place to create a unique ceramic tile design. To unify the entire kitchen, extend the backsplash design on surrounding walls, like a ribbon tying the room together.

Walls and Wainscotting. Shower walls are a great place for tiles, because tile is not affected by moisture. Actually, people install tiles on a variety of walls. For instance, because ceramic tile will never need to be refinished, it’s a great way to protect that new paint job. Tiling a wall up to the chair rail will help keep your home renovation looking new for years to come. It’s much easier to clean tile than it is to repaint an entire room.

Whatever application you choose, find a knowledgeable local contractor to help with the ceramic tile installation. That way your ceramic tile design will look like new for decades to come.

Photo: Andre Chinn

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Oregon Home Remodeling: 3 Trends in Northwest Renovation

August 27th, 2010

Natural light fills this addition built by Sitka Projects.

The recession has lead many people to seek simplicity and efficiency. Rather than the extravagant additions and opulent materials of the ‘nineties, home remodelers in the Pacific Northwest are reporting a thirst for soothing, simple designs. Portland home remodeling styles reflect this broader bent toward a simpler life. This article presents three major remodeling trends in the Pacific Northwest. As you plan your Oregon home remodel, perhaps you will choose to incorporate what is currently in vogue.

From global warming to the BP oil spill, there are plenty of reasons for our first trend: eco-friendly renovation.  Many homeowners are reducing their energy bills by embracing smaller building footprints and installing solar tube skylights to bring in more natural light.  Others are seeking out recycled materials, such as blue-jean insulation and reused ceramic or glass tiles. Eco-friendly, low-VOC flooring materials including cork and bamboo are also popular, although Pacific Northwest designers predict more and more Oregon home remodels will elect for indigenous woods, such as cherry. That’s because bamboo flooring is typically shipped thousands of miles from China, meaning lots of fuel must be used. Incorporating building materials from demolished buildings is also popular, as is refinishing second-hand furniture. When they want to be distinctive, today’s homeowners may contract for custom cabinetry made of post-consumer materials.

Another general trend is adding onto current structures, rather than buying new, larger homes. In particular, outdoor living spaces have seen a surge in popularity in the last few years. This trend makes good economic sense; on average, decks bring the highest ROI of any home additions. Manufacturers have responded to this trend by producing outdoor fabrics to delineate al fresco living rooms. In general, homeowners are reorganizing and re-envisioning their current homes. Along these lines, many Portland remodeling projects involve making changes to facilitate “aging in-place.” Instead of assuming they will buy a new retirement nest, Oregon home remodelers are choosing to alter their current homes, perhaps with the addition of a sunroom or game room. Universal fixtures, such as touch faucets, are increasingly common on Oregon homes.

The final trend on the horizon for every home remodeler in Oregon is toward multiple-use rooms. This falls under the same desire for a smaller environmental footprint.  For instance, the living room may double as an office space thanks to a rolling laptop desk. When guests drop by, a modular couch may be moved around into a full bed. Designs that incorporate gadgets fall into this category as well. No longer is the computer relegated to the home office; now, one may spy a fold-out desk in the kitchen, in order to facilitate looking up online recipes. Accordingly, docking stations and spaces for flat-screen TVs are the vogue.

A final overall trend is to take care of repairs before embarking on other projects. This makes sense from a real estate perspective. The cost of necessary repairs is usually deducted from a home’s selling price, so it’s smart to take care of anything that’s broken. Many projects, such as electrical and plumbing repairs, are beyond the scope of the average homeowner; in such cases, you should contact a licensed, bonded, and insured contractor who has received high ratings from the BBB and consumers on Angie’s List.

Photo: Sitka Projects LLC

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Three Lighting Ideas to Make Your Kitchen Pop

August 25th, 2010

This remodeled kitchen in Seattle has many layers of light.

These days, the kitchen is the social hub of any home—party guests congregate there, and families share details of daily life there. To provide a warm, inviting atmosphere for social engagement, kitchen lighting fixtures should “pop out” as unique. Yet the kitchen must provide utility as well as beauty. There must be sufficient lighting for preparing food and reading recipes.  For the best results in kitchen remodeling, it’s important to carefully consider the best lighting setup. This article will suggest three remodeling kitchen lighting ideas to make your remodeled kitchen pop.

Interior designers divide lighting into different categories: Task Lighting (to see what you’re doing), Ambient Lighting (which provides an overall glow), Accent Lighting (which shows off artwork or other eye-catching features) and Decorative Lighting (lights that are decorative in and of themselves).  The best-lit rooms feature all four types of lighting. Below, we provide a remodeling kitchen lighting idea for each of the first categories types of lighting.

Task Lighting—Under-cabinet lighting is a wonderful way to ensure sufficient task lighting while adding visual appeal to any kitchen. By installing small, bright lights underneath your kitchen cabinets, you can guarantee enough light to prepare food. Additionally, designers love under-cabinet lighting because it brightens up the normally cave-like space at the back of the kitchen counter. Although they might not consciously know why, your guests will be drawn into your kitchen by the under-cabinet lighting.

Ambient lighting— Really, ambient lighting is not meant to show off—it provides overall light for the room. Recessed lighting is a common method of providing ambient light in custom kitchen remodels. Recessed lights are sleek and classy—they fit snugly into the ceiling. Kitchens may also have hanging fixtures overhead to provide general light.

Accent Lighting—Ambient lighting is the most dramatic type of lighting; it is used to highlight an art piece or sculpture, or otherwise draw the eye to a certain part of the room. Right now, the trendiest type of ambient kitchen lighting is track lighting. Track lighting uses rows of small, extremely bright lights to direct attention to certain parts of the room. It is a great way to show off your culinary treasures and other artwork. Use accent lighting to highlight your kitchen’s focal point.

Finally, hanging pendant lights are a popular choice for remodeling kitchen lighting, since they fulfill both the task lighting and accent lighting roles. Moreover, because hanging pendant shades are available in hundreds of tones and patterns, you can find just the right ones to create the mood you’re looking for in your custom kitchen remodel.

Whatever lights you end up choosing, don’t install them yourself unless you’re a professional electrician. Otherwise, it’s best to bring in a dependable local remodeling contractor to ensure the job is done right the first time.

Photo: Daryn Nakhuda

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15 Home Remodeling Don’ts

August 20th, 2010

Looking to improve your home with some creative home remodeling? Thinking about bringing in a contractor? Be careful. According to the Better Business Bureau, home improvement businesses are one of the highest consumer complaint areas. BBB president David Polino reports that, many contractors earn great ratings, “stand behind honest ethical standards, and are committed to arbitration if something goes sour.” Other contractors “completely fail to meet basic obligations” and some have an F rating with the BBB. For most people, their home is their most valuable asset. Don’t let yours be tarnished with poor home remodeling. Follow these tips to ensure your remodeling project will be a success.

1. Don’t rush in. If you remember nothing else from this article, remember this tip. It’s a biggie. Make “Don’t rush in” your remodeling mantra. Carefully plan, organize, and budget any remodeling project. Doing so will save you money over the long term. According to a recent study from the BBB, “of the 2,000 readers who remodeled a kitchen in the three years prior to the survey, nearly 25 percent said they wished they had done more research or chosen a pro more carefully.” Take your time when it comes to planning a remodel.

2. Don’t expect returns on luxury items such as swimming pools and tennis courts. These items will be fun for you, and they will add a “high end” feel to your home listing if you ever decide to sell. But keep in mind that such remodeling projects don’t earn a significant return on investment for your remodeling dollars.

3. Don’t let price or beauty overshadow performance. Of course you want your finished remodel to be dazzlingly beautiful. But if you ignore hardware performance, you won’t enjoy using your new space. Hidden aspects of remodels are often the most important from a utility standpoint. One example: cabinetry. Many people are wowed by how cabinets look, or they are fooled into thinking that a high price automatically brings high quality. Ask your contractor or material provider about opportunities to upgrade cabinet gliders and other hidden hardware features.

4. Don’t change your mind. Do your homework ahead of time—changing your mind part way through the remodeling process will only add to your budget.

5. Don’t overcrowd. Carefully consider space issues. The bathroom is one area where many people overcrowd. Check measurements twice to ensure there is comfortable space between the toilet and sink, shower door and wall, etc. It may also be helpful to lay out a mock-up of the remodeling plan somewhere outside, where you can use tape, chalk, or string to outline the location of various elements in your custom home remodeling plan.

6. Don’t ignore your gut reactions. If the contractor’s personality irritates you, don’t ignore it. You’ll be sharing space with this person for a long time. Listen to your intuition as far as trusting home remodeling contractors is concerned.

7. Don’t avoid communicating with your contractor. Absent homeowners miss important details. Meet up with your contractor once a week, and communicate with him or her daily by phone or email.

8. Don’t micromanage workers. Doing so only irritates the foreman and the workers alike. Instead, meet with the foreman once a week to discuss progress.

9. Don’t hide your budget. Be upfront and include everything in the contract. That way you can be sure that you’ll actually be able to complete your custom home remodeling.

10. Don’t hesitate to ask for samples. Your imagination isn’t enough—live with paint swatches and samples for a bit before settling on your final materials.

11. Don’t be a victim. Education is key in avoiding shady contractors. A few red flags: They solicit door to door. They use high-pressure, limited time, on the spot, “special” offers. They don’t have a business listing. Their license plate is from out of state. Finally, they give you a queasy feeling in your stomach.

12. Don’t pay up-front. The BBB suggests that you pay in thirds: one third at the beginning, one third halfway through, and one third at completion. This keeps your contractor happy and productive.

13. Don’t pay cash—it’s harder to trace and doesn’t have any of the protection provided by banks (via personal checks) and credit cards.

14. Don’t assume anything. Ask to see your contractor’s insurance, permits, licenses, and certifications. It’s also smart to check out ratings with Angie’s List and the BBB.

15. Don’t try to do everything yourself. It may be tempting to try grouting that tile yourself, but if just one line is crooked, your home’s resale value could be decreased. Unless you are a confident, experienced DIY-type, hire a contractor to ensure that you obtain a high ROI.

By avoiding these don’ts, you can rest assured that your home remodeling project will come off without a hitch. Overall, your choice of contractor is the most important part of custom home remodeling. Pick a poor contractor, and the remodeling process will be hellish. Choose a competent, trusted local contractor, and your custom home remodeling experience will be heavenly. Sitka Projects is an award-winning, customer satisfying remodeling contractor in Portland, OR. To learn how we can help you turn your home into the relaxing haven you envision, contact us today for a free estimate.

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Tips for Designing a Home Office

August 18th, 2010

home office designThese days, a home office is the norm, not the exception. It’s not only entrepreneurs that need a work area at home. With the world shifting from a 9-5 mentality to a more flexible, individual perspective, many people are working from home. Even if your boss isn’t so progressive, it’s important to have a pleasing area to pay bills and take care of other personal business. When planning a home office addition or office renovation, your approach can make the difference between an inviting productivity powerhouse and a dismal, distracting productivity pit. Follow the tips below to optimize your home office design.

Measure and Sketch. Any successful home remodeling project begins with careful planning and extensive sketching, dreaming, imagining, and general mulling-over. Measure the space where your home office will go. Use graph paper to draw out the space. Then, cut out shapes to represent your desk, filing cabinets, and any other major features. That way, you can move around the various office elements until you find an arrangement that maximizes space and utility.

Design According to Use. The more you think about your needs, the more likely you’ll be to enjoy your home office design. Will your office double as a guest bedroom or a play room for your children? If so, think about how you can block off and protect your work, such as with a roll-down desk or an elegant screen. Will clients visit, requiring extra seating? Fold-up or roll-away seating that you can store in a closet is a space-saving option if so.

Technology Considerations. As you think about where to place your desk, printer, and other major pieces of technology, don’t forget to think about cords and electrical outlets. You’ll need to place your fax machine near a telephone jack. Same goes for any computer that requires USB connectivity. Be sure you have surge protectors so that you don’t lose any data in case of an electrical spike. Finally, a professional-looking office includes conduit material to hide any wiring.

Maintain Your Home’s Style. Home additions see the greatest return on investment when they match the look of the rest of the house, and home office additions are no exception. Future homebuyers will be less likely to buy if there’s a jarring difference between any room and the rest of the house. Strive for a seamless home office addition design, so that the average person can’t tell that the room was added onto the rest of the house.

Maximize Space. Many home offices feel cramped and cluttered, which limits productivity. As you design your home office, look for opportunities to double-up on space. For instance, you’ll probably need some cabinets to store supplies. Installing under-cabinet lighting can turn what was a dark, useless counter space into an inviting place to work.

Choose a Focal Point. A key concept in interior design is that there should be a special focus for every room. A fireplace, beautiful view, or stunning piece of artwork can take center stage in your office renovation. A focal point gives the eye a pleasing place to rest. Additionally, when you know what you want to highlight, it’s easy to choose accessories, colors, and furniture that accentuates that element.

By following these tips and taking the time to carefully plan your home office remodel or office addition, you can ensure that your personal work space is perfect for your needs. Like any other remodeling project, home office renovations shine when the owner prepares and plans well.

Photo: Louis Hall

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