Bathroom Accent Tile

Remodeling your bathroom allows you to choose a whole new feeling for the room, but it can be costly. One way to get the look and feel you desire without breaking the bank is to utilize accent tile in purposeful ways.

Accent tile is more expensive than standard tile, and come in about every color, pattern, and material you can think of. The most cost-effective way to use accent tile is to use a cheaper, plain tile all over the bathroom, and use the accent just in bits. The less you use, the less it will cost.

Make a visual waterfall with a thick swath of accent tile or make the room look wider with a horizontal stripe as a chair rail.

For more ideas, read this article at Houzz.

And the Kitchen Sink

Have you started thinking about replacing your kitchen sink? Replacing this one item can change the look of your kitchen, sprucing up your existing space. You have choices in material, with stainless steel being the most popular.

Under Mount Sink

Under Mount Sink
You may want to replace your counter top or leave it be. If you keep the existing counter top, you will want to use the same type of sink you currently have now: under mount, or top mount. With an under mount sink, you can see the finished inner edge of the counter top as it connects to the sink, which is literally mounted (or attached) underneath the counter top.

Top Mount Sink
If your counter top does not have an under mount sink currently, that edge is not finished as a standard, and you will need to use a top mount, or surface mount, sink. This means that the sink is sitting on top of the existing counter top and attaches from above.

Bar Sink

Top Mount Sink
with 2 holes

A bar sink is a shallow sink, usually 6 inches deep, as opposed to the more standard 8 inches of a kitchen sink, and is meant for rinsing and washing glassware, as in a bar or restaurant. You will want to avoid a bar sink for your home kitchen if it is your only sink. Larger kitchens may want to have both.


Price
The price difference between an under mount and top mount sink is minimal, but you can save a little money with a top mount sink as the counter top does not have to have that finished edge, or holes for your faucet, which carry an additional charge for labor.

Holes

When shopping for a top mount kitchen sink, the last factor you want to consider is the number of holes in the sink. You may want to look for a faucet you like (or examine the faucet you are putting back in) and see how many holes it requires for installation. Sinks come with 0-4 holes, which are used for the faucet, hot/cold knobs, and soap dispenser. The faucet you choose will specify how many holes it requires. Often, but not always, a plate can be installed to cover the extra holes. These are all factors to consider in your sink shopping comparisons.

Resolutions

This year, set a resolution you can accomplish: Resolve to finish your to-do list. Don't leave anything to roll over through December, like last year. Whenever you have little bits of money, put it toward a small project and kick it out; like adding those shrubs or repotting the flowers. Whenever you have a free afternoon, tighten those bolts and put a coat of paint where it needs to be.

Also, know your limits. If you have a bad back, a busy schedule, or just are not that good with a hammer, it is easy to ask your friendly local contractor for a helping hand.

If you feel you picked a project that you could do yourself, but you realize that you're in too deep, call me and I'll finish it up for you, no guilt, no questions asked.