Kitchen Remodeling Costs -

by: Ken Marlborough

It is important to prepare a budget for your kitchen remodeling plan before you start implementing it. Without a complete and detailed budget prepared before the kitchen renovation begins, you may get swept into a spending spiral of unbudgeted extras. Limit spending on the kitchen remodeling to about 15-percent of your home's value. Be well informed about the cost of each component in your remodeling plan. Surf the Internet, gather product literature, bug friends who've remodeled, read, ask questions and make phone calls. Do everything you can to be informed. The more you know, the better you'll be able to make wise choices. The cost of appliances, countertops, cabinets, flooring, and so on, will add up to one-half to two-thirds of the total cost of remodeling. Find out the prices for these items and plug those figures into the budget. Similarly, make provisions for the cost of labor, design, contracting services, and permit fees. The best way to list the items required for remodeling is to write down everything that's installed in your existing kitchen. Visit appliance stores and ask questions to the sales staff. Meet local kitchen design centers, and ask them for samples of work they've done and inquire about the cost. A professional will be able to give out details that you might forget. For a kitchen measuring about 10x12 feet, a cosmetic kitchen upgrade can cost around $2,750 in products, which include new cabinet doors, laminate countertops, vinyl flooring, a stainless-steel sink and a chrome faucet. If you want to go for higher-grade hardwood cabinets, ceramic tile countertops and flooring, a coated-steel sink, a faucet with pullout head, new appliances and track lighting, the cost might be in the range of $7,000 to $7,500. A kitchen with semi-custom cabinets, laminate or ceramic tile flooring, a cast-iron sink, a designer faucet, better appliances, canister lighting and granite or solid-surfacing countertops could cost up to $16,500. About the author: Kitchen Remodeling Info provides detailed information about kitchen remodeling ideas and costs, including small kitchen remodeling ideas, kitchen cabinet remodeling, and more. Kitchen Remodeling Info is the sister site of Bathroom Remodeling Web. Circulated by Article Emporium

Key Bathroom Remodeling Ideas -

by: Ken Marlborough

One of the simplest ways to start planning your bathroom remodeling is to tour other bathrooms to get bathroom remodeling ideas. Pay attention to what you like and don't like. Scoop out friends' bathrooms when you visit, tour houses for sale, check out design magazines, and cruise the Internet for inspiration. Ask yourself questions to generate your own bathroom remodeling ideas. Do you want a soothing bathroom for relaxation or a practical, functional bathroom for busy mornings? If relaxation is your goal, try separating the space into areas to pamper you. Have soft lighting near your tub, a cozy dressing area with plenty of space to try on outfits, and a bench in between two vanities so you can sit while getting ready. If you want a more utilitarian space, use different types of storage to keep everything in its place and at arm's reach. Use simple, elegant containers to group your supplies. Keep hair care tools in one area, shower supplies in another. Pay attention to how you get ready in the morning and design your bathroom remodeling about how you operate. For a clean look, line the storage containers flush with the wall. If you share the bathroom in the mornings, add special features to help control the space. If you put your makeup on over the bathroom sink, add a separate sink and mirror for you to put on your make-up while your partner brushes his or her teeth at the other sink with no bumping into each other. Also avoid recessed lights. These lights may set the right mood, but they will put your mirror in shadows. You want clear, bright light for applying makeup or shaving. Put the shower and toilet in a separate area so one person can groom while the other bathes. Alternatively, move the prep center into the bathroom. It will free bathroom space and cost a fraction of a bathroom remodel. If space is at a premium, then storage is your answer. Build up with cabinets -- even kitchen cabinets -- or shelves. Put the things you use all the time at eyelevel, and the extra towels above. Put your things in their place with different, stylish storage containers either on shelves or on the ground. In a small room, make sure to keep only the things you actually need. Useless clutter will make the bathroom seem smaller. Mount cabinets to the wall so that they open up floor space. Use a sliding pocket door to tuck your bathroom door away. Keeping your color scheme neutral will quiet the space. Use different shades of the same color all over the bathroom, and use brighter colors and accents. Also use different textures like wooden baskets, smooth tile, and soft towels to add interest, and mirrors to stretch the space. If the bathroom is dark, don't be afraid to add windows or skylights to brighten the space. But don't block the windows with fancy curtains. Keep the windows simple to keep a small bathroom neat and bright. Don't limit yourself to only fixtures in the bathroom section. Check out cabinets, faucets, and tiles for the kitchen or outdoors. You never know what bathroom remodeling ideas will inspire you. About the author: Bathroom Remodeling Info provides detailed information on bathroom remodeling ideas, costs, plans, and checklists. Bathroom Remodeling Info is the sister site of Kitchen Remodeling Web. Circulated by Article Emporium

Kitchen Remodeling Guide -

by: Ken Marlborough

A kitchen can make or ruin a family life. A badly designed, ill-equipped and cluttered kitchen is likely to affect the peace of mind of an otherwise happy couple. A functionally efficient kitchen makes cooking a pleasurable activity instead of drudgery. Kitchen remodeling improves the usefulness of the home and adds value and equity to both older and newer homes. Almost every kitchen has a design flaw or something that can be changed to make the space more workable. With kitchens increasingly becoming the center of social and functional activities, kitchen remodeling has gained importance in the life of many families. Kitchen remodeling becomes challenging if you are on a tight budget or faced with space restrictions. The findings of a recent research project sponsored by the National Kitchen and Bath Association throw significant light on the role of women and their spouse in the kitchen, which helps planners in charting workable models for modern kitchens. The survey revealed that most women now work outside the home, share the cooking, prepare very few foods from scratch and require storage space for 800 items. The NKBA has issued a 31-point guideline for industry professionals with minimum standards for kitchen efficiency, convenience, traffic spaces, distances between items, and countertop and cabinet space. There are three basic kitchen functions to consider and arrange to create an ideal kitchen: storage, preparation and cleanup. Counter space, storage, built-ins, rollout pantry and sinks are the important elements of a kitchen. The functionality of a kitchen depends largely on these elements. A well-thought-out, detailed plan is a must for any kitchen remodeling project. Formulating a plan is the first step, whether you design the kitchen yourself, work with a cabinet distributor or home center, or go to a kitchen designer. Without a complete and detailed plan developed before the kitchen renovation begins, you may get swept into a spending spiral of unbudgeted extras. About the author: Kitchen Remodeling Info provides detailed information about kitchen remodeling ideas and costs, including small kitchen remodeling ideas, kitchen cabinet remodeling, and more. Kitchen Remodeling Info is the sister site of Bathroom Remodeling Web. Circulated by Article Emporium

Innovative Kitchen Decorating Idea Brings the Look of Oil Paintings Into Your Kitchen

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Designer dishwasher panels are created from original oil paintings and reproduced on high quality vinyl. They will make a truly unique gift ideas for practically any occasion. Tilghman Island, MD April 26, 2004 –- The kitchen has long been the very core of any house. From your child’s birthday party with countless kids making their own ice cream sundaes to office holiday functions where entertaining the boss turns into a demonstration on the proper way to stuff a duck, the age-old saying holds true: “Everybody ends up in the kitchen.” So why then don’t we take the time to create a true living space within this all-important area of our house? Dishwasher Creations’ founder Kimberly Bushey asked herself that same question. “When I took a look at my dishwasher, it was just a white panel with a plain face. I believe the reverse side had an almond finish, but either way there was not much imagination at all. The dimensions of the dishwasher panel area seemed to be the perfect space for a work of art. So that’s exactly what I decided to put there: real artwork.” With the help of her mother-in-law, impressionistic artist Maureen Bannon, Bushey created several designer dishwasher panels that bring the look of oil paintings into the kitchen. From soothing beach scenes to sophisticated wine coolers to whimsical barnyard hens, these pieces of kitchen art are created from Bannon’s own actual oil painting compositions then transferred onto durable vinyl with such detail the brushstrokes are still visible. A light adhesive on the back allows the panels to be used and removed easily without damage to the appliance. Designer dishwasher panels clean up quickly with mild soap and water, and are UV protected to resist fading for up to three years. “A designer dishwasher panel is the perfect piece of kitchen art for any cook’s domain. They also make truly unique gift ideas for practically any occasion,” states Bushey. Dishwasher Creations can be found online at www.dishwashercreations.com. Each panel costs $79.95 plus shipping and any applicable sales tax. For additional information, please visit Dishwasher Creations’ website About the author: Press Release Circulated by Article Emporium