Miyerkules, Setyembre 30, 2015

2 Crucial Reasons Why You Should Hire A General Contractor To Manage Your Interior Design Project

My kitchen demo 2.jpg

I have had some clients who want to manage their remodel or construction job themselves. And, well…

Ever since the onset of HGTV, everyone thinks they can DIY their own projects.

if so, subscribe to DESIGN REFRESH, my bi-weekly newsletter featuring design tips & tools that will have your home looking fresh and new in no time! Thank you!

I’ve written about this before. DIY-ing your own interior design project is not as easy as it looks.

I’ve even done it myself. And trust me... It usually costs you more time, more money, and a tremendous amount of hair and sleep loss, too. Of course though, many go ahead and do it anyway. That’s why, today, I’m sharing two tips for you on things that General Contractors do as part of their job that Homeowners tend to forget about, or don’t realize is important, until it’s too late.

  • Btw: This article is written in appreciation of contractors everywhere. A good one is worth their weight in gold.
  • Btw x2: This is also written while I am currently undergoing my own full-gut kitchen remodel. And yes... I decided to use a contractor instead of doing everything myself. I don’t need that headache, that risk, that frustration. I’ll gladly pay to have someone take that off me.
Kitchen demo | General Contractor: Tony Knepper

REASON #1: One of the biggest telltale signs that you have a good contractor is, in my opinion, the look of the job site at the end of the day.

Part of a contractor’s job is keeping a tidy work space. It helps with organization, keeps tools and equipment from disappearing, and makes homeowners feel like everyone is on top of their project.

This is not an easy task. Some subs are sloppier than others, and making time to tidy up at the end of every work day can result in time being taken away from the real work that needs to be done. However, if you have homeowners living in the house while you’re working on it, it is especially important for safety reasons, as well as maintaining an overall positive impression of how the job is being handled.

This past week at my house was all about demo and framing. This is how the project looked after the second day. I posted this pic on facebook and someone commented that a broom and shopvac were always good items for a contractor to bring on a job — and you know what… That’s right! I commented to my contractor, Tony Knepper of Knepper Enterprises, that it appeared that someone had come in and sucked all the cabinets, countertops, and sheetrock out of my house and walked away. It was so nice and tidy. :-)

One day last year I went to Houston for a paint consultation. I’ll never forget that jobsite. The homeowners had me meet them at their house, which was new and under construction. It had been under construction for two years. (That, right there, is a sign that a homeowner is contracting the job.)

When I walked up to the site it had just rained pretty hard. There was almost no possible way for me to get to the house. There were boards — some with nails sticking out upwards — and construction materials all over the yard. Sinking mud was everywhere. There were a few thin boards someone had strategically laid down that I had to hop onto and walk over in order to get to the front door. And wouldn’t you know it… I still somehow managed to lose my balance at one point, causing me to step into squishy mud that was at least a foot deep. Once I reached the porch I then had to remove my shoe and scrape it all off. :-(

I knew before I made it to the porch that the homeowner was contracting this job and didn’t realize the importance of job safety, tidiness, and how that affects the actual work and schedule of the job. How could any worker get any materials up to the house after a rain like that if there was not a safe, direct path?

Plastic wall
Plastic wall Zipper
Zipper

REASON #2: Another item that homeowners don’t often think about that a general contractor is always conscious of is the protection of the property.

The last thing a contractor wants to do at the end of a job is go in and fix something one of his guys has accidently destroyed in the process. Sure, it might happen; and that’s part of the risk they take on and they realize that. However, sometimes simple protection procedures are all it takes to prevent accidents from happening.

Here is the plastic wall my contractor created for my kitchen remodel. There’s no way to keep all the dust out, but minimizing it with a system like this is great. It even has a zipper, so you can get in and out without tearing half of it down.

Masonite on the floor | General Contractor: Tony Knepper

They used masonite on my beautiful wood floors to protect them. The workers aren’t on the living space side of my house much, but they are using the bathroom in here since I don’t have another one that is accessible close to the kitchen. So, to protect the floors, they laid down a path of masonite. You see, paper just tears up. Also, if something is dropped on flooring protected by paper, you risk it getting dinged. Also, you don’t need tape to hold the masonite down like you do with paper. There’s always the risk of tape residue sticking to the flooring and ruining it, especially if it is left down for two months or so. (I’ve got a story for that too. An expensive one. It involved a sticky residue from regular masking tape that was put down on my own studio’s concrete floor finish by the building owner/contractor after he was told he had to use masonite and that tape would ruin the floors. Grr.)

 

If I haven’t yet convinced you to hire a reputable general contractor — or “GC” for short — to manage a big project, then...

At least remember these two important tips for increasing productivity and satisfaction, and decreasing the likelihood of damage and further expense.

Follow me on Instagram to see the latest pics from my remodel, as well as bits and pieces from all my latest projects. I’m posting job site pics of my kitchen remodel keyed with this hashtag: #carlaskitchenremodel

Martes, Setyembre 29, 2015

[Hardwood Flooring] Embracing the Beauty of Fall

If you love the colors of fall, consider how hardwood flooring embraces this season’s hues! From the changing leaves and autumn produce, colors ranging from golden to deep, dark brown are popping up everywhere. One of the most natural places to find these beautiful hues year-round is the foundation of your home: your hardwood floors.

Embracing the Beauty of Fall with Hardwood Flooring

Hardwood floors are available in a wide spectrum of hues. The variety of golden to brown stains can really help enhance the fall color scheme.

It doesn’t end there, though! Once you find the perfect shade for your hardwood flooring, blend in other common fall colors, like yellows, reds and oranges. For example, in the home below, they use orange pendant lights, red and yellow fruits and bulbs with a yellow glow to subtly add fall colors that complement the floor.

Create a rustic style in your home. Fall brings images of barns, woods and nature to mind. By opting for rustic hardwood floors, you’re giving your home a foundation with a natural look and feel. Plus, you can wrap in other earthy materials, like the stone fireplace below, to carry the fall theme throughout the rest of the home.

Rustic Bedroom by Dallas General Contractors Key Residential

Do you want more ideas for embracing the beauty of fall with your hardwood flooring? Come to our showroom and talk to our experts! They can give you ideas about species, styles and stains to consider as you choose the best fit for your family and lifestyle. Remember to contact us for a free in-home estimate, too!

Visit Our Showroom > Request a Quote >

Top photo courtesy of Key Residential and Lair Photography

Brother’s Bedroom Upgrades

Saturday I took a trip to San Francisco to spend the day doing a little dining and shopping and I stopped in to see my two nephews, the newest little guy is six weeks old and he has that baby smell (you mom’s know the one I mean) that only lasts for a few months and is so intoxicating and you wish you could bottle it up and sniff it everyday for the rest of your life. So I was there to get my baby smell fix and also give their bed a mini makeover with new linens.

The one thing any mom of a newborn wants is a good night’s sleep. I was approached by Leesa to see if I was interested in trying out one of their mattresses, but I knew my brother and SIL could use one so I offered it to them. They gladly accepted since their existing pillow top mattress was rather old, we replaced it with a new Leesa luxury foam mattress and upgraded the linens too.

gray linens master bed

Nate and Liz moved away from brown tones to modern monochromatic grays, instead making the bed with textiles I picked out for them in a sophisticated yet subtle palette. The mattress arrived at their home a few days ago and they waited for me to unpack it.

My brother Nate can always make me laugh with his facial expressions and off the cuff quotes. He says to me in his perfect Yoda voice, “How you get so big shipping in a box of this kind, hmmm?”

nate look

It’s pretty shocking to me that they can suck all the air out of the mattress and roll it up so tight inside a box – once it’s released it expands like those magic capsule toys my kids used to love to play with – shaping itself in minutes into a queen sized mattress. (There’s no shortage of drama going on here too…)

nate pulling plastic

We cut open the plastic and within 20 minutes it had expanded into its full shape. The mattress is crafted with three foam layers, including 2” of memory foam and 2” of latex-like foam that’s perforated to keep you cool while you sleep. It set up easily and right on top of their old box spring.

After sleeping on it for one night, my brother provided me with this hilarious review:

“After one night of sleep on our new Leesa mattress, Liz is angry. Perturbed. Agitated. This is not because the mattress is uncomfortable. Quite the contrary. No, Liz is angry because the mattress rendered me unable to fulfill my fatherly duties. Because I was so enveloped in the snug warmth and form fitting comfort of the Leesa mattress, I slept solidly and blissfully through our newborn infant’s cries, and was unable to get up for “my shifts”.

And while I dozed away in a cloudy dreamland, Liz was out in the living room on our stiff sectional couch, tossing and turning on the (non-Leesa) foam, her sparse slumber interrupted every couple of hours to tend to our newborn.

The next morning, I rolled out of bed with a long stretch and a satisfying yawn, and shuffled out into the living room to face the consequences. Thankfully I was rested enough to deal with them. Thank you, Leesa. You have both saved and ruined my life.”

Take a a look at the more serious online reviews – also note this mattress is most certainly nephew approved :)

happy baby

In all seriousness it takes a while to really know whether a mattress is a good fit, so the good news is they can try it risk free for 100 days – this queen size retails for $890 plus free shipping which is so affordable compared to other mattresses on the market.

The one thing that impresses me is that Leesa donates 1 mattress to a shelter for every 10 they sell, and since I know the local shelter I work with is always looking for new mattresses, I applaud Leesa’s philanthropic efforts.

silver and gray bed linens

The coverlet and striped shams are both from West Elm (on clearance in stores), the luxe Ikat pillows are from Z Gallerie, and the silver lumbar is Home Goods, as is the geometric throw at the end of the bed.

I left my brother’s home feeling good that the two of them have a new mattress to sleep on and cuddle with my sweet nephew, and also some new more luxurious linens. I’m missing their happy home already, and my charismatic brother.

gray master bedroom linens

If you’re looking for a new mattress, why not give a Leesa mattress a try? You can for 100 days risk free which certainly gave my brother and SIL peace of mind. The first 50 readers to redeem promo code CENTSATIONAL at checkout to get $75 off your order.

*This post is sponsored by Leesa, all opinions are my own, except my brother’s opinion of course, that is purely his and it is brilliant :)

The post Brother’s Bedroom Upgrades appeared first on Centsational Girl.

Designer Review: David Bromstad

If you’ve searched in the world of interior designers, you’ve probably heard the name David Bromstad. This decorator seems to have it all: A home collection, a spot in Bed, Bath & Beyond, a role as host on HGTV, and an even more impressive background.

Bromstad started thinking creatively in his Minnesota hometown. When it came time to decide where to go to college, he flew south to Sarasota, Florida to study at the Ringling School of Art and Design. Shortly after graduation he found himself employed with one of the largest entertainment companies in the world – Walt Disney.

As his reputation grew, he started designing installations for big name amusement parks, including Walt Disney World in Orlando, Universal Studios, and Islands of Adventures.

With such a rich background in the entertainment world under his belt, he left to focus on the designs he loved the most. He formed his Miami design firm, David Bromstad Designs and now serves clients in all of North and Central America.

In 2006, he won HGTV’s first season of Design Star. Since then, Bromstad has become a prominent host on the channel. He gave HGTV a glimpse inside his home. Here are some of our favorite parts that you can use as inspiration when planning your next decorating project.

Don’t Shy Away From Color 

Bromstad filled his dining room table with fun black and white. He had patterns and dimension with the unique designs he chose, but one thing was missing – color. To resolve that, Bromstad added a bright red chandelier in the center of the room and a lime green cabinet. It’s not the likely combination most homeowners would choose but it works. Perhaps that’s why he’s the host of Color Splash.

RX-HGMAG004_Davids-True-Colors-105-a_s3x4.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.1280.1707

Photos by HGTV Magazine

Vintage Meets Modern 

Walk into his living room and you’ll be met with a mix of the ages.

Bromstad has modern chairs shaped with unique dimensions and clean lines. The chairs are bright yellow and hard to miss in his home.

Next to them is a retro marquee that reads “Open.” It’s this unique pairing that seems unthinkable until you see it blended together into one.

RX-HGMAG004_Davids-True-Colors-106-a_s4x3.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.1280.960

Photo by HGTV Magazine

Hardwood Floors 

Also in his living room, Bromstad has chosen to decorate using hardwood floors. HGTV quotes Bromstad saying, “Dark wood is really gorgeous, but when you have two dogs, you see a lot of hair, which means a lot of vacuuming. I’m about ready to say, ‘Give me some white floors, honey!” Take it from the designer and try out some white floors. They can really add a statement to a home full of colors and patterns.

RX-HGMAG004_Davids-True-Colors-106-b_s4x3.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.1280.960

Photo by HGTV Magazine

Bromstad isn’t hard to find. Check out his Facebook or Pinterest pages for even more inspiration.

More Designer Inspiration You’ll Love

The post Designer Review: David Bromstad appeared first on Passion for Home - Bestlaminate Blog.

Shhhh... Here's a Sneak Peek at My ASID Holiday Showhouse's Concept & Design Plan!

f9bab8fc69e82b361272baedc0e18be9.jpg

Last week all our design plans were due so the committee and homeowners could review them. And I’m happy to say…

They were all approved!

 

if so, subscribe to DESIGN REFRESH, my bi-weekly newsletter featuring design tips & tools that will have your home looking fresh and new in no time! Thank you!

Here’s a peek at my plan and some of the selections I’ve made to fill out the room:

You know, it’s hard to design anything without a goal or a client in mind. That’s why, when I designed my last showhouse room, an upstairs bedroom and bath, I invented “Phoebe”, a teenaged girl who was getting ready to head off to college. This time, for this “woman’s retreat” or home office, I’m dreaming of a more glamorous and charming version of myself — you know, a designer; someone with a lot more money in the bank; someone who’s thin, pretty, and younger too.

Still brunette though.

Because, you see, I’ll be standing in this room...a lot. I’ll be smiling and dishing on the design for all who visit. That’s why this room has to look good on ME. And we’ve already talked about me being a winter and all…so we don’t have to go there again. (But I will say that high contrast and dramatic cool tones were a big part of my design plan because of that very reason. Click here if you don’t know what I’m talking about.)

 

Here was the concept statement I presented:

“This retreat is designed to be an elegant, rich, glamorous space for a woman who is a serious entrepreneur, a designer, who spends much of her time on-the-go. She comes here to be creative and dream; to pamper herself with a little luxury; to relax in the velvet chair or window seat; to flip through her stacks of design books and magazines for inspiration and respite; to cocoon herself in dark, rich swaths of her favorite navy color highlighted with silver, brass, crystal, and rich wood accents.

She protects her private closet, the one behind her desk, which is full of her “favorites”: baskets and bins of the best fabric, wallcovering, and trim samples to dig through when inspiration hits, because we all know that can occur in the middle of the night, right before bed, or in the early morning before one gets to the office for the day.

This is her favorite room in the house. It’s designed with only her in mind. And the color scheme she used makes a statement of not blending with the house...purposefully.

She designs a little tree for herself that’s full of breakable ornaments; it’s out of the way of the kids, the animals, the noise of the house. She loves live greens hanging as a wreath in the window, and with her little tree, so the pungent scent of the woods can be ever present during the holidays.

(Sorry, got a little carried away. :-)”

 

And here are the design boards we created:

2015 Woodlands Holiday Showhouse - A Woman's Retreat
2015 Woodlands Holiday Showhouse - A Woman's Retreat 2015 Woodlands Holiday Showhouse - A Woman's Retreat
2015 Woodlands Holiday Showhouse - A Woman's Retreat 2015 Woodlands Holiday Showhouse - A Woman's Retreat

20 Ways to Make a Bed

Over the weekend I popped in to see my new baby nephew and also help my brother and SIL upgrade the look of their bedding in their master bedroom, I’ll share a few pictures tomorrow. I prefer symmetry over eclectic styling on a bed, there’s something about order on a bed that brings calm to a bedroom space yet allows for creativity and randomness elsewhere in the room.

Pulling together a great look for bed linens can be a little foreboding when starting from scratch, but when you break it down into essential pieces and study they layering you can find a look you love that works for you. The layers should always make sense: lighter linens in summer and extra blankets in winter, after all comfort is key!

I like to pull together linens from various sources in complementary patterns and textures, also I’m a believer in restraint in the number of decorative pillows. Balance is affected by width as well, what looks good on a wider king may be too much for a slimmer queen. To follow are 20 stylish examples of both simple and bold bed linens demonstrating a variety of ways to layer linens on king and queen sized beds.

1) Matching white hotel linens (duvet, sheets, shams) with dark blanket for warmth in the same color as the thread, plus two high contrast lumbar accent pillows.

hotel linens with accent pillows

domino

2) White cotton hotel duvet, white pillowcases, three 24” decorative pillows in a bold pattern, graphic blanket at the end of the bed.

monochromatic black and white bedroom

rue mag

3) A trio of solid Euro shams hiding the pillowcases and one long patterned lumbar in front with a colorful blanket on the end of the bed.

euro sham decorative lumbar

krista salmon

4) White sheets and pillowcases, two Euro shams in the same fabric as the coverlet, one accent pillow reflecting the same gray and white palette.

gray and white bedding

solomon fergeson

5) Neutral with texture: white sheets and shams, a subtle geometric patterned accent pillows, and that an oh-so-cozy chunky knit throw blanket.

neutral layered bed linens

mark ashbee photography

   

6) Four white pillowcases and two decorative pillows, a colorful blanket playing off the color in the curtains and a folded white duvet on top.

blue and orange bedroom

smith brothers construction

7) White pillowcases and shams, a tucked coverlet, two graphic patterned lumbar pillows and a throw blanket, all in soft tone on tone neutrals.

layered neutral bedding

heather hilliard

8) A trio of dark Euro shams with decorative trim to hide the plain pillowcases, two accent pillows in front, a dark coverlet and bed skirt to match the Euro shams.

navy and cream bedroom

steven ford interiors

9) Stacked white pillowcases, Euro shams, striped accent pillows, tucked coverlet, blanket in complementary color, subtle striped bed skirt.

blue and white bedding

house and garden uk

10) Euro shams and duvet with colorful trim, graphic patterned pillows, soft throw blanket in complementary palette, bold bed skirt playing of color in headboard.

layered blue and white patterns

liz carrol interiors

11) Graphic print decorative throw pillows are spaced and propped up by matching hotel pillowcases and Euro shams, a bold velvet blanket repeats the color in the X base stools.

euro shams accent pillows

greg natale

12) White hotel linens with matching thread including Euro shams, complementary embroidered standard shams, and a white duvet.

white shams

domino

13) Colorful sheets, layered coverlet on top with wool striped blanket.

colorful sheets layered blankets

domino

14) Variety is the spice of this bedding arrangement, the sophisticated grays are punctuated with pops of orange found in graphic pillows, the navy shams add dramatic contrast to the pale headboard and sheets.

varied linens

better homes and gardens

15) Cotton pillowcases in simple white are layered here with patterned accent pillows for color plus a decorative fur pillow for texture. (Bonus points for the crushed velvet wingback headboard!)

velvet headboad layered pillows

domino

16) Euro shams and duvet cover in matching fabric, white pillowcases and sheets, two colorful lumbar pillows and a bolster in front.

brown and orange linens

monticello homes

17) Layered linens and pillows in a high contrast single hue including dark sheets, mid tone shams, white accent pillows and a decorative accent pillow; a white duvet with dark coverlet and mid tone blanket.

blue and white layered linens

domino

18) A controlled color palette allows for mixing textures and patterns, printed toile and woven geometrics are balanced by simpler sheets with a touch of color and a basic quilted coverlet.

mixed textured linens

better homes and gardens

19) Monochromatic and soft, this bedding includes three white Euro shams, pillowcases and a white duvet, and three silk pale blue decorative pillows.

white duvet blue accent pillows

20) Simplicity reigns with all white bedding, it’s just so cozy and clean looking.

all white bedding

domino

My go to formula for a full or queen is rather simple, it includes standard shams and two 20-24” decorative pillows + one lumbar accent pillow. For a king or California King, I prefer three Euro shams with two 24” decorative pillows and a lumbar pillow in front. I’ve used duvet cover + coverlet and coverlet + blanket variations in different bedrooms, it just depends on the style and the season.

20 ways to make a bed

What’s your favorite look from the list? Is there a particular layering of shams and pillows you prefer on your bed?  Do you have a bedroom pillow or linen pet peeve?

Pin It

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Lunes, Setyembre 28, 2015

BOTB 9.26.15

Weekend hellos! I celebrating my birthday this weekend and the weather couldn’t be more perfect, I just LOOOOOVE September! Today I’m off to spend the day in San Francisco, then Sunday I’m spending a few hours on projects around the house and also redecorating the shelves in the studio. Today brings another round of ‘Best of the Blogosphere’ – enjoy these favorite projects and spaces spied around the web!

Tour a beautiful girl’s bedroom reveal on Caitlin Wilson’s blog.

pink bedroom caitlin wilson

Enjoy the sweet simplicity of this monochromatic boy’s room redo at House of Hawks.

monochromatic boys room

See a beautiful kitchen transformation at Chris Loves Julia, love the black cabinets!

black and white kitchen makeover

I love this simple paint project transforming IKEA canisters with copper and chalkboard paint.

copper top canisters

This spooky skeleton hands wreath is so fun, project by Vanessa at Tried and True.

skeleton hands wreath

Why yes, oak can be chic! Follow Jenny’s technique on this cerused oak secretary to transform an old piece into a showstopper.

cerused oak

Use privacy film to create mirrored IKEA wardrobe doors with a how to at Hunted Interior.

privacy film mirrored doors

Build a multifunctional rolling island with sofa tables and a tutorial by BHG.

diy island

Make this charming beaded plant hanger with Rebecca from the Crafted Sparrow.

beaded plant hanger

Craft wrapped rope containers as pretty as this with Damask Love.

diy wrapped rope container

Nancy Meyers never disappoints with her movie interiors, get a peek at her latest set from The Intern with this tour on Houzz. That kitchen!

nancy meyers kitchen the intern

Enjoy your weekend!

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