Top 5 Current Bathroom Products

With more and more focus in new home design turning to bathrooms, I thought that discussing the top 5 current trends for bathrooms would be appropriate.  New home bathrooms are getting larger in size and also more stylish.  Homeowners are realizing that at the end of a long day, a sanctuary can be created in their own home within their bathrooms.  Even through remodeling an existing bathroom in your current home your sanctuary can be made!  Here are 5 things that you really must include in your new home or remodel bathroom project!

1. Multi-jet shower systems.  Your morning shower will never be the same!

 

 

2. Heated bathroom tiles.  Keep your feet nice and warm, especially through those cold winter months.

3. Steam shower.  Have your own personal spa day in the comfort of your own home.

4. LED lighting.  Lighting is crucial in any space, but LED lighting can create drama in your bathroom.  Initial costs are high, but long term the cost is worth it!

5. Mirror defoggers.  Electric bathroom mirror defoggers can be installed inexpensively and turn on with the flip of a switch.

2014 Trends in Kitchen Cabinetry

Cabinetry is what makes your kitchen shine! Choosing the right cabinetry is a crucial part of your homes design. Not only the look or style of the cabinetry but also the functions of the drawers and doors!

Here are 5 trends for 2014 Cabinetry Styles:

1. Natural finishes instead of dark colors

2. Concealed Appliances

 

3. Glass Doors with decorative accents

 




4. Open Shelving



 
 



5. Floor to ceiling cabinets

Here are 5 trends for 2014 Cabinetry Functions:

(Pictures all courtesy of kraftmaid.com)

1. Conceal your garbage cans and cleaning supplies

2. Smart storage with roll out trays and rotating shelves

3. Work surfaces

4.Storage for tablemats, potholders and flat items

5.Storage for cookware

 

Redesigning a Lamp!

A recent project of mine was to find an old lamp and redesign it! I took a trip to Goodwill in town and found a lamp with no shade for $6.38. What a deal! It was a hammered black metal. With luck it would hopefully still work! I took it home and plugged her in and she worked!

Next, I stopped at Hobby Lobby in Davenport, and decided I wanted to spray paint the black metal base silver and add some gold colored webbing spray paint on top of the silver. The silver spray paint was free to me, leftover from another project. The gold webbing spray paint was $5.99. It took 3 coats of silver spray paint and three coats of the gold webbing paint.

I made a quick trip to Home Depot and found a new 10" harp which cost $3.65. That too I spray painted silver.

I also had a new shade that was free to me left over from a broken lamp from our store, Feather Your Nest Interiors. Lastly, I added some fringe or BLING to the bottom of the shade. It cost $4.19.

So this NEW lamp cost me a TOTAL of $20.21 + Tax.

I really like how the lamp turned out!!! A great inexpensive gift idea for a friend or loved one. It took me 3 hours total to complete once I had all the supplies. Cheers and enjoy.

BEFORE PICTURE

AFTER PICTURE

HVAC and Carpet Cleaning Tips For Your Home

I just finished reading an article "Breathe Easier In Your Home" out of a local magazine called Women's Edition, October 2013 issue.  This article is all about finding and setting a time to clean your ducts and other system components along with your carpets twice a year.  It recommends once in the spring and once in the fall to have your carpets professionally cleaned to get rid of all the dirt, dust and mites that may be trapped in the fibers of your carpet.  The EPA doesn't offer any guidelines on how often you should have your ducts cleaned, but it should be done as needed. 

"When choosing a professional duct or carpet cleaning service, it is important to do your homework.  Look for industry designations such as CRI and the National Air Duct Cleaners Association (NADCA).  And, as with any professional service provider, be sure to ask for an estimate, but don't let price be your only consideration."

Other online sources for information are:

www.epa.gov
www.nadca.com
www.carpet-rug.org
www.iicrc.org

Below is a link from NADCA's website on Energy Savings in your home.  Take the time to view as it's important to keep your HVAC systems working properly.

http://youtu.be/hImvxVyZvQE

In California, a Midcentury House in the Redwoods

In The New York City Times article "In California, a Midcentury House in the Redwoods" I was introduced to the intriguing idea of living in a tree house. This article shows a couple, The Todd's, that purchased a home built in 1958 by Daniel J. Liebermann, an architect who had apprenticed with Frank Lloyd Wright, and he was just 28 when he designed it for himself and his wife. This small home is just 1,100 sq ft and was purchased in 2006 for $1,125,000 by the Todd's. Many updates were needed as the house was in need of repairs when purchased in 2006. The couple combined the three small bedrooms into one large master suite and bath. They also upgraded the house’s 19 skylights, kitchen and radianting heating system. New lighting was installed throughout the house; the wood rafters and the ceiling were wire-brushed and waxed; the concrete floors were restained and polished; and the exposed brick walls were coated with plaster to create a more modern look. All to the tune of $350 a sq ft. The end result is amazing as you can see in the following pictures.


http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2010/06/17/garden/20100617-location-slideshow.html

Decorating with Color!

Get Creative with Color: 10 Enviable (and Totally Attainable) Rooms.

This article from Good Housekeeping has great pictures of rooms done by designers to show how you can use color in rooms!

Don't be afraid of color. I think that color is what makes your house your home! Show us how much you love your home by expressing yourself! Be creative, be energetic, be inventive! Don't go for safe...

go BOLD!

These pictures are from www.goodhousekeeping.com.





Read more: Colorful Home Decor - How to Add Color to Your Room - Good Housekeeping
Follow us: @goodhousemag on Twitter | GOODHOUSEKEEPING on Facebook
Visit us at GoodHouseKeeping.com

High-Wire Act

I just read the article High-Wire Act by Dana Thomas from Elle Decor Magazine.  This article features the Parisian loft apartment of French Fashion Designer Yvan Mispelaere that was once a school for acrobats.  This loft is 1700 sq ft of luxury and a mixture of  vintage and modern time periods.  He has incorporated pieces and design inspiration anywhere from an Italian 1950s dining table to the guest room's custom-made cabinetry that was inspired by Giorgio de Chirico, a 1970s plaster speaker.   Below you will see the pictures taken from the loft and the great mix of time periods.

It goes without saying, that interior design in the 21st century,  has become an eclectic mix of decades of furniture and accessories that inspire and seduce the senses.

Read more: Yvan Mispelaere Design - Parisian Loft - ELLE DECOR
Follow us: @elledecor on Twitter | ELLEDECORmag on Facebook
Visit us at ELLEDECOR.com

Mispelaere designed the bedcover in the master bedroom, the floor is paved with custom-made painted wood tiles, and a two-way mirror on the back wall offers a view of the dining area below.

www.ELLEDECOR.com

 

The living room of fashion designer Yvan Mispelaere's Paris apartment, which he designed with architect Stéphane Ghestem, the sofas are by Zanotta, the 1970s light fixtures were found in Florence and costomized with brass accents, the Art Deco mirror screen came from a paris flea market, the brass-and-glass cocktail tables are vintage, and the marble sculpture by Venske & Spänle was purchased at the Hong Kong International Art Fair.

www.ELLEDECOR.com

The staircase is painted concrete, the glassware collection is vintage, and the brass chair is from the 1960s; Mispelaere designed both the Brancusi-inspired hand-carved stacked stools and the trompe l'oeil "tile" wood-and-cork inspiration board in the office beyond.

www.ELLEDECOR.com

The guest room's custom-made cabinetry was inspired by Giorgio de Chirico, a 1970s plaster speaker adds another Surrealist element, and the wall is painted in a blue by Dulux Valentine.

 

www.ELLEDECOR.com

The tilework in the master bath is a mix of standard white squares and Mispelaere's Peep Show tiles.

www.ELLEDECOR.com

The kitchen is hidden behind a black-walled, three-sided cube, and Ross Lovegrove Landscape chairs surround an Italian 1950s dining table expanded with Corian; the brass vases were made from unused World War I mortar shells.

www.ELLEDECOR.com