5 Things to Consider for Your Home Remodelling Project

Home remodelling projects often seem very exciting yet intimidating at the same time. Indeed, without careful planning, you might end up busting your budget or worse, getting bad quality designs and workmanship. However, this does not always have to be the case. With good preparations and considerations, you can achieve significant improvements without breaking the bank. Here are 5 things to consider before you start renovating your home: 

Façade

The façade of your house will set the first impression of your home for anyone who pulls up to your property. Therefore, it is crucial that you do not forget to maintain its appearance and even improve it as it can greatly increase the value of your home. It is important that you keep the façade clean and without too many different styles as this could make your house seem cluttered. Improving your house's façade can be as easy as just adding a fresh coat of paint. Small changes or additions like letter boxes and street numerals can also go a long way without being expensive. The key is to keep it neat, tidy, and stick to one theme.

Kitchens and Bathrooms

by Jennifer Gilmer Kitchen & Bath

In the real estate industry, the kitchen and bathroom are often the deciding factors for someone making an offer. Hence, you should always consider a new kitchen and bathroom for your next house upgrade.

The rule of thumb for the budget on your kitchen is to keep it at 2% or less of the total value of your property. If you spend more, you will be at risk of over-capitalising on your sales margin. There are many things that you can do to your kitchen, for example, installing new cabinets and replacing fixtures like handles and lights. You should also replace all your appliances in a bundle simultaneously because not only is this more cost-effective, matching appliances could also enhance the appearance of the kitchen.

Similarly, you should not spend more than 2% of your total property value on your bathroom. If you have a small bathroom, there are many ways to heighten the spaciousness of the room. You can install your shower over the bathtub, increasing more space yet maintaining functionality. Another trick is to use light colored, large-sized tiles and lay them horizontally. This way, not only does it look more expensive, but also creates the illusion of spaciousness even in small bathrooms.

Ceiling

by Brian Watford Interiors

The ceiling is often an overlooked element in home remodelling projects even though it is a great area to elevate the interior appearance of your rooms without giving up space for functionality. There are a variety of creative ceiling designs and materials to choose from. You can add character and style to your living by installing a coffered ceiling paired with recessed lightings. Modelhome makeover shared great images on home renovation designs if you want to get ideas.  

A well-designed coffered ceiling can create a wow factor and be an aesthetic feature in your room. If you want to amplify the sense of spaciousness and brightness, you may want to consider installing skylights. Skylights can transform even an old looking room into a modern and sophisticated looking one.

Flooring

by Margot Hartford Photography

Flooring is also one of the biggest surfaces of your property and if your flooring does not look good, it might put off potential buyers if they assume that they will have to undergo an expensive project to replace the flooring. On the other hand, if your flooring fits the theme of your home and looks new, it can improve the appearance of your home significantly. Tiled floorings are great as they are durable and can bring in aesthetic value to the room. They also come in many colors and patterns. Dark colored tiles create a cozy and stylish ambiance while light colored ones can make your room seem larger.

With good planning and smart designs, home improvements can be fun and not daunting at all. You can choose inexpensive alterations that yield great improvements or splurge a bit to make your home even more impressive to both guests and potential buyers.

2015 Kitchen Trends In Custom Homes

2015 trends - Kitchens

Even though the year is young there are many trends that are already emerging, trends in kitchens are one of them. Some of the trends started in the years previous and area considered longer running trends and some are trends that have started more recently. These trends are new; sometimes these trends have been around for years but are finally gaining in popularity.
Kitchens
Here is a list of the trends that have stayed the same over the last several years;

• Large kitchen taps with pull out sprayers are common in all new kitchens.

• Viking and Wolfs are the most popular ovens and cook tops in high end kitchens.

• Granite that waterfalls over the end of islands and cabinets have become very popular. This has waned a little recently as there is a high cost to it.

• Under mount stainless steel sinks are still the most popular option.

• Painted kitchen cupboards are still the most popular choice over stained wood.

• White is a colour that is back in for kitchens, it has rapidly replaced the darker bolder colours of the last couple of years, you can’t open a magazine or watch's a television show without seeing one.

• Stainless steel is still the most popular for appliances.

• Islands are still the most popular way to create counter space in kitchens. The size of islands continues grow as larger homes have larger areas to fill.

• Custom panels covering fume hoods is a common site in most new kitchens. The exposed stainless steel fume hood is not seen as often as before.

• The main sink is now placed in the island instead of on a wall under a window. The main sink in the island faces toward the living room so that people working in the kitchen can interact with their guests. This goes along with the kitchen being the hub of the home.

• Multiple sinks are still popular, usually a large main sink and then a small separate sink that is used to wash fruit. But with larger kitchens two larger sinks are growing in popularity.

• Multiple ovens are still popular.

• Multiple wall ovens even with their increased cost are now a staple in large kitchens.

• Multiple dishwashers which were only a novelty and an excess in years previous are now the norm in large kitchens that plan to see a lot of traffic.

• Specially designed cabinets are common now to help fit things easier in your kitchen such as pot drawers, spice racks, custom dish racks and small speciality drawers that hold your wash cloths and dish soup.

• Granite had been the most popular choice in kitchens for a long time. But with the invention of new manufactured products for counter tops that are comparative in price with the traditional granite, you are seeing a lot more home owners choosing Caesar stone, Quartz and Corian. These products have a lot of the same characteristics as granite, some of them are also cheaper and they come in a variety of colours and styles. Trends right now is to do a mix of manufactured and granite. This adds a little variety to the kitchen and can also solve the problem in large kitchens of trying to find enough granite that matches for every surface in the ever expanding surface area.

• There isn’t a dominant choose in the fridge manufactures, in previous years it was always a sub zero fridge in high-end kitchens, this has ended because of the high cost of the fridges and also from endless problems and warranty issues. Samsung looked to be the manufacture that would take over that mantle but that seems to have stalled and now no fridge manufacture has stepped up to take the title yet.

• Kitchens continue to grow in size, as houses are growing again over the last couple of years so are the kitchens in the homes. With the amount of conveniences rising in homes it is forcing the kitchen to become larger to accommodate them as all the modern machines require their own spaces.

• The microwave has returned to a prominent place in the kitchen after years of it being placed under counters or in pantries, with the increased size in kitchens the possible positions that microwaves can be placed has also grown. This is allowing people to easily find space for their microwaves.

• Leathering of granite counter tops has become the best way to have a “non shiny” surface but still have granite.

• Wall ovens with microwaves that share the same trim are common; these then look to be one appliance instead of two different ones.

• Glass in upper cabinet doors that are backlit are common in high end kitchens.

• Two or three hanging pendants are the norm now over every island in kitchens.

• Having kitchens that have different coloured islands compared to the cabinets on the walls. Usually the colours are dramatically different to create contrast.

• Chrome or polished nickel is what almost always installed in kitchens.

Here are the new trends in kitchens;

• Dark stained wood cabinets are coming back into style as the stark white kitchens that have been all the rage for the last couple of years are leaving some people less inspired.

• The biggest trend change is the growing popularity of soapstone counter tops. These give a completely different look to the surface of the kitchen, a much more rustic look to the kitchen surface.

• The multi level island has come back with not only a higher bar section but islands also being made with a lower section that can be sat at with a normal dining room chair instead of a bar stool.

• Windows have taking a giant step forward as kitchens in custom homes are being designed around as many windows as possible bringing as much natural light as possible.

• A hot trend these days is the buying of IKEA kitchens and having them installed by the general contractor to try and lower the cost of kitchens. Homeowners are sacrificing overall quality and longevity for a lower bill upfront.

• New sinks with holders for knifes and speciality items are growing in popularity. Blanco is one of the most popular in this category.

• Drain boards that are built right into the counter tops are becoming more popular, this allows
you to place wet dishes right on top of the counter next to the sink and have it drain away.

• Modern kitchens are really starting to become more popular. There flat doors and clean lines are really appealing to homeowners.

• In smaller kitchens there is now a fill-in piece for the sink to allow you to work right over the sink.

• People are trying new materials on their kitchen backsplashes instead of the traditional tile. Some of the materials are natural stone, back painted glass and hammered copper.

Something that you should remember when you are planning out a new kitchen whether it is in a new custom home or it is part of a renovation in your home you should be putting the maximum amount of effort into the design. The kitchen is one of the most used rooms in any home and will take the most amount of abuse as well. Paying a little more for quality items will usually always pay off in the end.

Rob Abbott
Village Builders Inc.

The kitchen in the modern home

Modern Day Construction for custom homes Part 11

In today’s modern world of construction things are changing year to year faster than they did decade to decade in any other previous time period. In this multi part series I will traverse through an entire house starting with the foundation and working my way up to the roof and then to the finishing’s. I will explain what has changed in the last twenty years in custom home building.

One thing that you should be able to take away from this is how important it is to not just hire the right general contractor to build your custom home but how important it is to hire one that is up on today’s building methods.

Kitchens

Twenty years ago most kitchens were made out of plywood or press board. They had laminate or tile counter tops and golden oak cabinet doors where all the rage. As long as the kitchen functioned for the preparer of the meals then the kitchen was well designed.

Today kitchen’s are considered the heart of the home. Kitchen’s today are getting larger and more open to the rest of the house. Kitchen’s today routinely flow right into the main living area or have a large eating area in them.

Design of kitchens is a major business with so many new ideas that a lot of contractors have trouble keeping up with the latest and greatest trends. Here are some examples of the big trends now days compared to

twenty years ago;

• Multiple ovens. Gone are the days when you had one stove or a wall oven and a cook top. Today’s kitchens have multiple ovens, warming drawers to keep cooked food hot, gas burners on the cook top and electric ovens beneath. Also there are in wall ovens that have a steam cooking function.

• Range exhaust hoods. Every year exhaust hooks get more elaborate and larger. They are ultra efficient at removing the gases and smoke from the cooking area, but they have become so powerful at venting to the outside that they can depressurize the house. Fresh air sometimes needs to be feed to the range hood and dampers installed in the HRV pipes to help regulate house pressure. Range hoods now have lights and can be made to look more like art and less like a piece of exhaust equipment.

• Microwaves. Microwaves have changes a lot in the last two decades. They have become bigger, quieter and more efficient. Microwaves now can be mounted above your stove and used as an exhaust hood. They have a built in venting and exhaust hood motor that when piped properly will vent everything outside. They can also have lights built into the bottom just like range hoods. Microwaves also can be mounted under the counter out of sight. They are then used by top loading with a power drawer that comes out at the touch of a button.

• Dishwashers. Twenty years ago everyone had there one dishwasher that was either installed under the counter or was on wheels and rolled out of the corner and attached to the kitchen sink. Today kitchens still have the dishwasher mounted under the counter but gone are the days of the roll out model. A lot of kitchens now have multiple dishwashers. Also there are multi level dishwashers to help save on water and power. There are even dishwashers that are built into the drawers of the cabinets. So you put your dirty dishes back in the cabinet where they always go and then you turn on that drawer or cabinet. Then all the dishes in that draw get washed at the same time and you never have to worry about pulling out that seldom used pot with dust in it.

• Today kitchens are mostly built out of press board and not real wood or plywood. There is less shrinkage and it also allows designers to do more elaborate designs while keeping the costs down.

• Cabinet doors are not golden oak anymore. There is such a wide verity of colours and stains today. Cherry is popular and so is fir. A big look in custom homes is the distressed look in kitchens. It is when they paint the kitchen with multi layers of paint, every layer with a different colour. Then they take a sander and at certain spots in the kitchen they sand wear spots into it. This reveals the next layer of paint and gives the kitchen a lived in and aged look.

• Islands have become the norm in kitchens. Kitchen islands are now designed to be completely functional. They have sinks installed in them to help with food preparation. Islands are now built in multi levels so that there can be a food preparation on one side and on the other side it is a bar area for people to sit on stools to eat, drink and socialize with the cook. Storage is a big thing in islands too with more drawers and cabinets being built into the underside of the island. The island has been transformed into a gathering area for the house.

• Twenty years ago there was the one sink in the kitchen, it was usually placed under or near a window. Today the big kitchen sink is still placed near a window, but there can be two or three other sinks in the kitchen depending on the size of the kitchen. Sinks are now coming in all shapes and sizes depending on style and what you want to do with it. Smaller sinks are placed in islands for washing of fruit and vegetables. Larger main kitchen sinks can come with side sinks to help dry dishes and there are even corner sinks to help maximize space and help save on counter top usability.

• Today laminate is barely ever used in custom homes in the kitchen. The trend for the past decade is granite. But there are a lot more options then there was before depending on your budget. Butcher block tops are becoming popular again. Recycled glass with a painted finish underneath is a popular trend and manufactured counter tops like ceaser stone are really taking hold. The manufactured stone is very durable and comes with a great warranty, it is easier to maintain then granite and doesn’t need to be sealed annually. A lot of kitchens these days have one type of counter top material underneath the cabinets and a different one on the island. Or if its black granite on one then it’s a white granite on the other.

• Drawer design and hardware have come a long way in two decades. Gone are the days when you would have lazy suzans in the corners. They have corner drawers that are hinged so that when you open the corner door the shelving is hinged to come forward into your view so that you can see everything in the cabinet. There is now cabinet door hardware that allows the door to go straight up out of the way instead of opening to the side. Little specialty drawers are now placed everywhere in kitchens to maximize the space. Drawers like a small drawer 4 inches high by the width of the kitchen sink and only 2 inches deep to hold your scrubbing brushes and steel wool abrasive pads. Vertical spice drawers have become popular because they can be installed anywhere you need them to be and they are a great way to fill in that empty space between two appliances.

• Fridges have changes a lot in the last 2 decades. They still do what they were originally designed to do which is keep things cold, but they also do so much more. Fridges now make ice, dispence water, have LED screens in them for controls or if you want to watch television. They are also bigger then they have ever been, with some models having built in wine chillers on one side. There are also fridges with no freezer in them, the freezer unit which can be just as big as the fridge can be installed standing next to it or in another room.

• There are other specialty things that have become popular in kitchens. Things such as instant hot water taps, so that you can have tea without boiling water in a kettle. This requires you to install what we call a “little butler” water heater under the counter. Then you install a separate tap next to the normal kitchen taps at the sink.

Look for part 12 coming soon....

Rob Abbott
Operations Manager
Village Builders Inc.