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Remodeler in Residence
Allison
Beatty
I'm an avid rehabber who has been remodeling houses for the past 10 years. I enjoy talking about everything related to the home, from kitchen and bathroom remodeling to working with contractors and landscaping.
Counter Culture Home
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1. I am interested in:
New Cabinets
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Previous Posts
Fencing Materials
Countertop Edges
Looking For Landscaping Ideas?
Cool Kitchen Countertop Site!
Kitchen Countertop Dilemma
Check Out These Cabinet Hardware Options
Kitchen Sink Tips
Bathroom Planning Tools
Considering a Farm Sink
Everything and the Kitchen Sink
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March 2007
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Useful Links
National Kitchen & Bath Association
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National Association of the Remodeling Industry
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1902 Victorian
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Fencing Materials |
Monday, March 05, 2007 |
As part of our landscaping plans, we are looking for a fence to go around the yard. We want some privacy, but are unsure about the style. Here is an interesting home improvement link that shows a variety of fences. I like this style at the back.
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Countertop Edges |
Saturday, March 03, 2007 |
As we look around for a countertop for the breakfast room, I am hearing a lot about decorative edges. They can really dress up a countertop, but the names get pretty confusing. Here is a home improvement site that shows profile pictures so you can see what the bevel and bullnose and all the others are all about. There also are some full kitchen shots, which help put it in perspective.
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Looking For Landscaping Ideas? |
Friday, March 02, 2007 |
Well, March might seem like a weird time to talk about landscaping, but that is exactly what we are doing. Our yard needs a complete overhaul, as the previous owners were not exactly master gardners. The tricky thing is that they are building a new house next door and, until they are done, we are not sure how things will look. A local landscaping place is having free design appointments tomorrow, so I am jumping at the chance to at least get some ideas. Here is a good landscaping link with lots of photos.
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Cool Kitchen Countertop Site! |
Wednesday, February 28, 2007 |
I found a really cool home improvement site that makes wooden countertops. Wow. There are some very upscale woods and designs here. We will not be able to do a rich mahogany or mesquite countertop, but it does give me a few ideas about how to take a basic wood and stain it. Maybe we can do a beveled edge to dress it up. Fun to browse through, however. The image is from www.devoswoodworking.com.
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Kitchen Countertop Dilemma |
Tuesday, February 27, 2007 |
The saga over our breakfast room continues. This breakfast bar looks like a good idea, but the countertop was installed about four inches too high. We talked with our contractor about moving the counter down and he said it would be fairly easy. But, of course. while we are changing, why not get rid of the narrow white laminate countertop with scratches all over it and get a wider, more functional one made of a nicer material? Love granite, but how much will it cost? This is a quick fix until we remodel the kitchen, so cost is important. Maybe a wood counter we can stain? Stay tuned!
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Check Out These Cabinet Hardware Options |
Saturday, February 24, 2007 |
Hardware. Hardware. Hardware. We are on the hunt for old looking hardware for our built in hutch. We have stripped paint on the hutch and stained it, so it is ready to go except for the hardware. Many of the hardware pieces I have seen are too new looking, so I am checking out restoration type places. Here is an interesting home improvement link for hardware. I like the antique brass finish. This could work on kitchen or bath cabinets, too.
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Kitchen Sink Tips |
Thursday, February 22, 2007 |
I talked with a kitchen designer who had a great home improvement tip about caring for sinks. Do not use even the "soft" liquid cleansers, as they still are abrasive and can eventually wear down the finish on a cast iron sink (like the one shown). He suggested just liquid cleaners that are not abrasive. Makes a lot of sense.
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Bathroom Planning Tools |
Wednesday, February 21, 2007 |
Planning a bathroom can be tricky. There never seems to be enough room for a large tub, a good size vanity and some basic storage. I found a cool bathroom planning tool that gives you sample room layouts. If anyone is planning a bathroom (as I am starting to think about!), take a peak. Here is the home improvement link!
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Considering a Farm Sink |
Sunday, February 18, 2007 |
I love farm sinks for all the nostalgia they bring to a house. As I look ahead to a future kitchen remodeling, I am wondering if a farm sink would work. We have an old house, but it is not a farm house style, so who knows? There are so many styles and materials, out there, but I prefer the traditional cast iron or porcelain look. This is one purchase you have to plan for, however, as the cabinet has to be adjusted for the wide sink front. If you are interested in farm sinks, here is an interesting home improvement link! (Image from American Standard)
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Everything and the Kitchen Sink |
Thursday, February 15, 2007 |
Has anyone bought a new kitchen sink lately? We have an old stainless steel single bowl sink and it is a mess. It has scratches and just has seen better days. Anyway, I am not sure whether to replace it now or wait until we remodel the kitchen. I just found this cool sink by Kohler that is a double bowl sink, but the divider section is lower so it almost feels like a single bowl sink. Sort of takes away that great debate over single or double bowl sink. Here is that home improvement link!
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More Fun Painting Links |
Tuesday, February 13, 2007 |
While we are on the painting an old house theme, here is an interesting home improvement article from HGTV. It talks about how to paint a 100 year old house. The article is interesting even if you have a newer house, as some of the painting techniques are relevant for any painting project.
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Great Resource For Paint Colors |
Tuesday, February 13, 2007 |
A friend passed along a great home improvement link for historic paint colors. It notes common colors used during various periods in time. One interesting tidbit is that our current standard of painting the main body of a house one color, the trim a second color and the doors and windows (moveable parts) a third evolved during the Victorian era. We take for granted that this is the standard way to paint, but before that time painting was more sporadic. That is our quick history lesson for today! (Image from hgtv.com)
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Painting Over Dark Colors |
Sunday, February 11, 2007 |
As part of our breakfast room makeover we are painting over the bright blue and yellow walls. (Blue on 2 walls, yellow on 2 walls). This is almost as bad as a former house we bought that had the kitchen sponge painted red, white and blue. Anyway, the breakfast room paint colors were so dark and bright that it is taking two heavy coats of primer to cover it. What a pain. I found an interesting home improvement link, however, with lots of painting advice. One good one is to have the primer tinted the color you are going to paint. (Unfortunately, I found this out too far into my priming).
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When 2 Rooms Collide...Or, When To Stop Remodeling |
Saturday, February 10, 2007 |
We are in the throws of remodeling out breakfast room and have encountered a dilemma. We are stripping paint from all the woodwork and plan to stain it. But, where do we stop? We do not have time to also do the kitchen woodwork now, so how do we deal with areas where the trim meets? Do we just assume that there will be repair work when we go to stain wood against painted wood? When we go back later to strip paint from the kitchen we probably will mess up some of the staining where it meets. We are thinking of stopping in the door jambs. Do not worry, we will be painting over the neon blue and yellow.
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Heat Loss? Out the Window and Door! |
Thursday, February 08, 2007 |
Boy, the cold weather is really taking its toll on those of us in the Midwest. Another day of 25 below zero. I am glad we replaced our back door, as the old one leaked air like crazy. Our kitchen is still a little drafty, but nothing like before. We are considering a new door, but dread the whole process of looking. I am amazed, however, at how far doors and windows have come! A big step forward for home improvement in terms of insulating values, etc.
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