10 Of The Best Looking Bathroom Grab Bars For Your Bathroom Remodel

Interior Designer: Carla Aston

June was National Safety Month! I somehow missed it, but it's never too late to share one of the most helpful safety items you can include in a bathroom remodel:

Grab bars.

The humble grab bar could be the one thing that saves you from a nasty fall on your wet, slippery shower floor.

If you're getting on up into your boomer years, you really should always keep safety and your future ease of living in your home in mind. 

I'm not talking about people in their 80s here; I'm talking about 50 year olds. 

I know, from being around the older people in my family, from taking courses on Aging in Place, and from being in that boomer demographic myself, that the one thing that keeps people from taking safety measures into consideration when doing a remodel or outfitting a bathroom is that they think falling or...well...aging isn't going to happen to them. 

Here's one of my projects where we used grab bars and they didn't take away from the beautifully zen ambience, at all.

I recently listened to a podcast and the conversation included a discussion about what age people really view themselves.

You can guess...it isn't their actual age. It's a younger, healthier, more-fit version of themselves. And yes, we're all guilty of it.

Time sneaks up on us and, before we know it, safety features like grab bars installed in our bathrooms really need to become part of our home's design. Or, if you absolutely aren't ready yet, installing blocking for future installation is always a good idea. 

Better safe than sorry, right?

I know that everyone I've ever designed a bathroom for, as well as everyone in the future that I ever will design for, does not want to have a clinical, hospital-like bathroom in their home. That's why, today, I'm sharing some links for some nice looking grab bars. 

They can be a useful and beautiful addition to any bathroom, especially if it means it might prevent a fall.

Check these links out below. Most of these come in many different sizes and finishes. 

Be safe!

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Disclaimer: The following images contain affiliate links, which means I receive a very small percentage if you make a purchase using the links provided, at no additional cost to you.

Elevance 17" Curved Grab Bar available @ Wayfair.com

Designer Grab Bar available @ Wayfair.com

Grab Bar with Corner Shelf available @ Wayfair.com

Essence 16" Grab Bar available @ Wayfair.com

Traditional grab bar available @ Wayfair.com

Designer Grab Bar available @ Wayfair.com

Curve Style Concealed Screw Grab Bar available @ Wayfair.com

U Shaped Shower Faucet Bar available @ Wayfair.com

Traditional 18" Grab Bar available @ Wayfair.com

Axor Urquiola Grab Bar available @ Wayfair.com

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Is Laminate Flooring Durable with Pets?

Dear Bob and Betsy,

I love my pets like family members, but they scratch up my hardwood floors. I'm getting ready to install new flooring and want to know – is laminate flooring durable with pets?

– Adrienne L.

Dear Adrienne,

As a pet owner, you know that it takes a special kind of flooring to withstand all of the potty accidents, tipping over of the water bowls, scratches of the claws, and shedding of the hair. To give your dog a happy home life without ruining your floors, you need a strong material that withstands all of the excitement from your pets.

So, Is Laminate Flooring Durable with Pets?

Yes, laminate flooring is one of the best options available to meet this need. Here's why:

• Scratch Resistance – The materials used in laminate flooring are highly durable. They do not scratch, ding, or dent easily. No matter what your pet knocks over or how fast your pet bolts through the door, excited to see you when you come home, the flooring will stand up to the test.


• Water Resistance – Laminate flooring is not waterproof, but it is water resistant. If you clean up spills in a timely manner, you reduce the risk of warping your floor or causing your floor damage.


• Easy To Clean – Pets often leave the home with a distinct smell. Minimize these odors with easy-to-clean laminate flooring. Simply take a damp (not soaking) mop and glide it over the floors to clean. For an extra deep clean, use a vinegar and water solution. Unlike carpets, laminate flooring will not leave your home smelling unusually bad.

Although laminate flooring can withstand your pet's accidents and spills, it's important to remember that laminate flooring is still a hard floor. Use area rugs and beds to provide your pet a soft place to lie down after an exciting day of play and fun.

Do you have any other questions about pets and flooring? Ask us in the comments below! We would love to answer any questions you have!

Learn More:

• Advantages of Laminate Flooring


• Scratch Resistance and Laminate Flooring


• Top Threats to Laminate Flooring

*This post was updated from 2014 to give you a better reading experience!

The post Is Laminate Flooring Durable with Pets? appeared first on Passion for Home - Bestlaminate Blog.

One Cart, Three Ways

Greetings friends! I hope you enjoyed your Fourth of July weekend, it's one of my favorite holidays! Today I'm headed back from Vegas to California, I've got to finish up some last minute packing for my trip to Paris!

I signed up as an IKEA Brand Ambassadör this year, and was issued a challenge to look for a quality product that I love and feature it here on the blog. For anyone familiar with IKEA that's a big challenge to pick one product but it was a challenge I welcomed!

The only difficulty was narrowing it down to a product that I needed and one that would prove useful around the house. I finally settled on the MOLGER cart. It's simple, small, and solid wood, what's not to love? So I set off to style it around my house and show you just how versatile it can be. The challenge was “one cart, three ways” and here they are!

carcart

In the bathroom, the MOLGER cart holds towels and toiletries for use next to the bath, so convenient for a bath lover like me.

 

 

In the study where I keep all the kid related games and toys, it makes a great place to stash homework supplies during the school year.

 

And finally, in the laundry room, the MOLGER cart corrals detergents and stain treatments, lint rollers and linen sprays.

 

Now the only choice that remains is where will it end up? Likely in the kids' study room, I could use the extra storage in there for pencils, papers, etc. But think of the possibilities in your home! It can hold office supplies, cleaning supplies, beauty supplies, the list goes on. That's what I love about so many IKEA products, they're quality but also affordable.

This little MOLGER cart runs $49 and will work hard anywhere. It's always fun to play with IKEA products and make them work for your lifestyle! Today IKEA is giving away one MOLGER cart to three lucky winners, enter via the Rafflecopter widget below.

(To be eligible, enter with your answer in Rafflecopter widget not in blog post comments please.)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks so much IKEA for inviting me to be a Brand Ambassadör this year!

*This post brought to you in partnership with IKEA. All opinions are my own.

Projects That WOW With Standard 4x4 Or 6x6 Square Tiles

As an interior designer, using exquisite tiles in my many bathroom and kitchen projects feels a lot like playing with my favorite toys, because...

I LOVE tile! The more of it on the entire walls of my many of my projects the better. 

Here are some examples of what I've done with tile that WOWs:

When you come to a designer for a bathroom or kitchen design, chances are they will want to use some extraordinary tile to cover the walls and floors of your project. 

They want to provide some WOW and make your project special with products that are unique and hand-picked for your particular wants and needs.

You know, kind of like this:

Interior Designer: Carla Aston

However, many times budgets aren't that big; and, when you're covering a wall and you get into cost per square foot, then, well...there goes your money.

Now don't get me wrong, I don't want my clients thinking we can always get away with ordinary tile and have a WOW bathroom or kitchen, but… You can have a great bathroom, for less money, IF you aren't that interested in making a statement with your tile.

IF, perhaps, you focus on something else, like interesting wall finishes, unique mirrors, lighting, cabinetry, etc. OR you focus on the overall drama of having a wall of tile and the pattern created with the grout lines, then a less expensive material, like a plain square tile, can be successfully used to create impact.

I have been noticing more and more projects out there where the tile itself is not really the focus or design star of the room. I've noticed some projects that use an ordinary 4 x 4 or 6 x 6 white tile and have turned out quite remarkable.

So - and I can't believe I'm saying this - if you have to leave the 4 x 4 or 6 x 6 tiles in your bathroom remodel, or if you need budget friendly tile walls in your kitchen, you can create interest and still turn out a beautiful space. You can capitalize on the overall pattern and drama created by doing a single finish all over the place. OR you can focus the drama and the WOW factor elsewhere. 

 

I've got some projects to share today that have used a very basic 4 x 4 or 6 x 6 tile and also have dynamic and powerful design.

Here they are:

Architect: Lauren Wegel | Image via: Remodelista

Designer: Denai Kulcsar

Designer: Grant K. Gibson | Image via: House Beautiful

Designer: Carla Karsakis, Etica Studio

Image via: Dust Jacket Attic | Photo by: Anders Bergstedt

Want to see how I used standard tiles in an interesting random pattern to create a WOW factor in a local deli?

Then check this out: 

BEFORE & AFTER: A Honey Bee Ham Restaurant Goes From Tired & Dated To Fresh & Delicious!

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The Boy's New Bed

Boys are so funny. When you ask them if they want to change anything in their room (decoratively speaking) they look at you with a frown and say “Why?” At least mine did. He is ten years old and several years ago I took the time to add new paint, a new rug, a new dresser and a DIY board and batten treatment to his room, and his bedroom space has stayed the same ever since. It's a place that makes him happy so for all these years there was no reason to change it.

But my boy is growing up and he needed a desk in his room to store his personal things, the only place to add it was under the window which meant the Lego table had to be moved and that was so not happening since like so many American ten year old boys, Legos are his life. What to do? The only solution was a loft bed, one that allowed me to place his Lego table underneath it which would make room for a desk under the window. Problem solved.

I looked around for a good one but nothing came up in a green color so I bought him this loft bed in the natural finish knowing I could just paint it.

 

Which is exactly what I did.

 

Since I'm partnered with Glidden this year, they gave me the opportunity to try out a new paint called 'Complete' – one that had a built in stain blocking primer that would save me a step! With a built in primer I didn't have to take the time to prime, I could use this formula instead. Before assembly, I decided to paint it first, then assemble later and touch it up in place wherever necessary.

 

This Glidden Complete acrylic paint covers well and dries fast! I was able to paint the individual pieces in just a few hours so for this bed project this paint was perfect. It's “low odor” but not odorless, my only criticism was the mild odor which does dissipate after a few days as the paint fully cures.

 

Underneath the loft bed there is now plenty of room for storage for his Legos and other toys. It didn't take ten minutes before my boy was back playing with some favorites on his Lego table. Of all the projects I've ever featured here on the blog I can tell you this one has gotten the most mileage. Find the details on this Lego meets IKEA Lack table in this post from 2013.

 

 

I keep his linens basic white since there's a lot of art and color in this space but I did make him a new pillow with one of my new Summer 2016 fabric patterns – sneak peek! That brushstroke stripe will be available in 3 colorways later next week.

 

Right now my boy is happy chilling up in his new loft bed. Thanks so much to Glidden for supplying the paint! By the way, the color is 'Safari Green' and I love it!

 

*This post brought to you in partnership with Glidden paint. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that support this blog!

What Does an AC Rating Mean?

Dear Bob and Betsy,

I'm trying to find the right flooring for my home and I keep seeing “ac ratings” on each product. What does an ac rating mean and why is it important for my flooring?

– Joshua C.

Dear Joshua,

The flooring you choose for your home is an important decision. You want something that's affordable, but more importantly, you want something that will last for the long haul and stay looking great for years to come. The AC rating helps with that.

What Does an AC Rating Mean?

The European Producers of Laminate Flooring (EPLF) created standards for laminate flooring manufacturers. One of the standards was the Abrasion Rating System (AC rating). To determine the rating, each laminate flooring type, style and brand will go through a series of tests. From that, it will be marked with an AC rating.

This rating shows the quality of the flooring. Here is what each of the ratings mean:

• AC1 laminate flooring is perfect for areas without a lot of foot traffic, such as guest bedrooms or home offices.


• AC2 laminate flooring can take on a little bit more foot traffic, but not much. It's great in master bedrooms, living rooms, and dining rooms.


• AC3 laminate flooring is ideal for medium amounts of traffic including hallways or small offices with some, but not a lot of foot traffic.


• AC4 laminate flooring is tough enough to be used in small shops or offices. It can withstand quite a bit of abuse so it is often placed in areas with moderate foot traffic.


• AC5 laminate flooring is the strongest of the ratings making it ideal for areas with very heavy foot traffic, such as large stores and shopping centers.

For homeowners, the ideal type of laminate flooring is that with an AC3 rating. This will withstand quite a bit of abuse without dulling or getting damaged. If you have pets, children, or frequently host parties at your house, you might consider an AC4 rated floor. The higher quality of flooring in this rating will ensure that your busy home does not cause your new floors to get damaged and worn out too fast.

If you have more questions, please write them in the comments below or contact us at info@bestlaminate.com! We would love to hear from you!

Learn More:

• Laminate Flooring Thickness and Durability


• Is Laminate Flooring Wear Resistant? 


• Pros and Cons of Laminate Flooring

*This post was updated from 2014 to give you a better reading experience!

The post What Does an AC Rating Mean? appeared first on Passion for Home - Bestlaminate Blog.

We've Finished Our Driveway!*

After working on it on and off for months we have finally finished replacing our driveway! We love how it turned out and although it's taken us almost a year to complete it wasn't actually difficult or even that much work to do! Most projects that we take on tend to take longer than we... 

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The post We've Finished Our Driveway!* appeared first on Little House On The Corner.