Kids Room Updates

Does it seem like you just went shopping for a nursery crib and now your teenager is growing out of their bed! Time flies, especially when you have children, and the ability to have furniture last longer than their clothes is often a challenge. Kid’s room decor should be versatile to adapt to their growing age, but also fun for them, as they have to live in the space. If you’re struggling to try and find furniture that doesn't have to be replaced every year, here are a few tips to grow up with your child.

Versatility goes far: One of the easiest ways to have your room grow with your child is to make their bedroom versatile. Use bunk and loft beds when kids are younger, as they grow, convert the floor area to desk and chair area. Even for college students, this is a great solution that allows you to buy one piece that is versatile for years to come. Convertible beds that convert from nursery cribs into toddler beds and then full size beds are other options to be versatile and cost effective.

Change colors with your child: One of the easiest ways to update your child’s room is with wall color. With a paint can and a paint brush, youthful children’s rooms can be updated with hip, teenage-friendly colors. If your son’s sky blue room is too youthful for him and his teenage friends, consider a modern taupe, or green palette to modernize the room and his spirits! The beauty of wall color is your child and you can quickly change the mood of the room, and decor as you both desire. Coordinate bedding, window treatments, and area rugs to bring the entire room together visually.

Create versatile activity areas: What once was the toy bin and activity table are now replaced with laptops and iPod docking stations! Other simple ways to update your kid’s room is to create activity areas that will accommodate their changing interests and hobbies. In younger children’s rooms use hanging wire systems to hang school art work. As children grow turn to playful bulletin boards, and creative organization wall systems from your favorite organization store. Find creative ways to store their school and art supplies, and adapt their look and color to coordinate with the decor as it changes.

Utilize modular furniture: Instead of buying a entire bedroom suite of nursery furniture that will have to be sold, or donated a few years later, consider using modular furniture. Modular furniture will enable you to keep a few key pieces, and swap out others as the child’s needs change. For example, a desk area can remain the same for many years, while a bed is ever changing with their size. Modular furniture also gives you the ability to mix and match colors and styles to give the room an updated look, without the pricey revamp of redoing the entire room.

Updating your kid’s rooms with their age just became easier. Look through kid’s organization catalogs from popular home furniture manufacturers to get ideas and inspiration for your home. Depending on your lifestyle and how many children share a room, and their ages will help dictate what pieces of decor can be changed the easiest. To save money, re-purpose furniture from other rooms of the home, and paint existing furniture to change with your child’s age. Life is too short to be stuck with the same decor, and your child will be an adult before you know it!

Source: Fresh Home

Kitchen and Dining Room

When considering your remodeling project, think about usable space and the nature of your family's lifestyle.

For instance, do you love to cook, but there are only 2 of you in the home? It may be smarter to open your kitchen up as shown in the photo above, giving you lots of counter space, but encroaching in what was your dining room. Get rid of the dining room table formality if you don't use it or don't need it, and utilize the space in a smarter way by putting in a bar and comfortable stools for every day use.

Remodeling Over Renovating

In this economy, remodeling is booming over renovating. Read what one contractor thinks of the challenges of this process:

Remodeling a home — a practice one building-industry official likened to a tailor altering a suit while someone is wearing it — poses some unique challenges. In an environment where new is combined with existing, care has to be taken to make sure the changes fit, physically and esthetically. Workers have to be supervised more carefully. Another consideration are the owners. If they remain in the house while it is under remodeling, work must be done around them, tailored to fit their schedule. Electricians, for example, like to work early, often beginning their day at 7 a.m. Few homeowners are equipped to have workers moving through their house as they have their morning coffee or get ready for work, he said.

There is also the question of cleanup. Everything has to be put away and cleaned up at the end of each day, a task that can add hours to a job. “Remodeling is much more work, it takes more time and pays less,” Edwards said.

Bill Huffstetler, operations manager for Master Builders and Remodelers, holds a different opinion. He said his company’s main focus is remodeling, with an emphasis on repairing storm-damaged homes. “It’s what’s kept us going in this economy,” he said. But Edwards’ situation is not unique. While home construction saw some rebound earlier in the year, June and July housing starts began to show a decline. A joint release by the Census Bureau and the

Department of Housing and Urban Development calculated July housing starts at 668,000, a decline of 1.1 percent. Completions for the month were 448,000, a decline of 5.9 percent from June. August housing figures will be released Wednesday.

Source: Loan Safe

Decorate like a Kitchen Designer

Kitchens aren't what they used to be. The space formerly known as the scullery is becoming the most popular part of the house. "The hierarchy of the home has changed to become more kitchen-centric," says interior designer Mick de Giulio. "Think of the kitchen not just as the kitchen, but a room to really live in." Follow these tips from House Beautiful Kitchens contributors de Giulio and Mark Leslie to turn your kitchen into your family's favorite hangout:

Make it comfy. For a homey feel, display personal photos as art work. "It can be framed family photos," Leslie says, "It doesn't have to be an oil painting by the Masters." Bring in elements from te living room, such as comfortable upholstered chairs and tabletop lamps for a cozier space.

Make it kid-safe. Even the most beautiful kitchen can withstand kids' messes if materials have durability, Leslie says. For upholstered seating, stay away from linen. He recommends leather and Naugahyde for a polished but low-maintenance look. Quartz and marble counter tops are easy to clean, and laminate cabinetry is the most durable, de Giulio says.

Make it light. To brighten a dark space or open up a small one, think about natural light. Try hanging a large mirror over your sink for a reflective focal point. Leslie recommends scoping out your local flea market for inexpensive, quirky finds.

Source: USA Weekend

Insurance Discounts and Coverage

When it comes time for a home renovation project, think beyond installing granite countertops or knocking down walls. Think about renovating your home insurance to protect your investment.

The insurance industry suggests reviewing your coverage with your agent annually, a recommendation roundly ignored by many homeowners. Keeping your agent informed especially makes sense if you're planning a makeover, simply because there's no magic formula to determine how much a project might affect your premium.

Ed Charlebois, vice president of personal insurance for Travelers Insurance, recommends talking to your agent if you're adding to the value of your home by 5 percent or more. Explain what work you're planning and get an estimate of how it will affect your premium.

Increase your insurance coverage before the work begins in case there is loss or damage. While you're at it, make sure the contractor and subcontractors are insured for liability and workers compensation.

The most popular renovation projects are redoing the kitchen or bath. Though these jobs can run into the thousands of dollars, they often offer high rates of returns on the investment.

Installing a fire alarm system can save on an insurance premium through discounts, said Charlebois.

Another safety-related project that could save money is replacing an old knob-and-tube electrical system.

"If you completely updated your wiring — modern wiring, circuit breakers — you're probably eligible for an upgraded program (that could result in a lower premium)," Charlebois said.

Smaller projects — replacing carpet with new hardwood floors or installing granite countertops, for example — aren't cheap, but the cost isn't enough to justify a call to your agent. Those things can be taken care of in your annual review.

When you first apply for insurance, prepare to answer questions about square footage, the style of the home, number of bathrooms, the quality of your kitchen and bath (basic builders grade or is it more?). The answers help the agent calculate the replacement cost or cost to rebuild. When you do an annual review, you and the agent can catch those little improvements that add up to a significant increase in cost to rebuild.

Charlebois also recommends taking a complete inventory of what's in your home. Anyone who has experienced theft, damage or loss knows how important this record is to expedite the claims process. (The Insurance Information Institute offers tips on taking a home inventory at knowyourstuff.org/iii/login.html.)

"Keep an inventory, and keep it off sight in case you suffer a total loss," he said. "That makes life much easier going forward."

To learn more about the costs of rebuilding your home, visit travelers.com and search for "home insurance cost to rebuild."

Source: Chicago Tribune

Ideal Shower

Today's inspiration: The shower.

Let's face it, you're in the shower every day. The hot water feels good on tired muscles - but wouldn't it be great if the shower did more than just clean you? What if it massaged you, lit up, changed colors, fell like a waterfall, fell like rain, was adjustable, was customize-able, or hit you in all the right places? Oh, that'd be really nice! Theses are all possibilities with the modern options available for your ideal shower.


Custom colors add ambiance

Custom jets hit you in all the right places

Rain heads provide the perfect level of pressure

Tile Types - Agglomerate Tile

Agglomerate Tile is made from bits of marble and other rock set in a base of epoxy. It is available in a wide variety of colors and designs. Because it's man-made, agglomerate tile has very precise, predictable measurements.

This type of tile is susceptible to ultra violet rays which can peel away the sealers on the tile, so it is better suited for indoor use. The recommended uses for Agglomerate Tile are countertops, backsplashes and walls. Beware though, this tile does have a tendency to chip and dull over time, so it will require high maintenance to keep it beautiful.

For more information on Agglomerate Tile, contact us at Benchmark Contracting!

Source: HGTV