Home Remodeling: Kitchen, Bath, & Living Room

Creative home remodeling can be a fun and fulfilling venture. By working on these projects now, you and your family will truly enjoy all the comfort and convenience of a brand new home.

We recently worked in partnership with Orlando Construction, Inc. for this project in Vancouver. See how the renovation team transformed the family room, kitchen, and bathroom. Head over to their Facebook page for more photos.

Living Room

Before -- Needs a new fireplace façade

After -- A perfect spot to gather with family and friends.

Kitchen

Before -- Pristinely white kitchen

After -- The stunning semi-gloss floor provides just enough sheen to reflect light around the kitchen

It’s amazing how a new countertop can give the kitchen a fresh new look!

One of the kitchen trends today is making the kitchen island highly functional. In this case, the stove is integrated into the work station.

With this kitchen island, the wonderful homeowners can enjoy a clutter-free space.

Laundry Room

Gone are the days of unfinished loads in the dark basement. Who wouldn’t love doing laundry in this space?

Bathroom

 

Before -- Needs a little bit of color accent to revamp this bathroom

After -- A cozy retreat to enjoy each time you walk through the door

     

Improved lighting, updated fixtures.

       

Classic yet functional. The renovation is perfect for this home!

The vanity paired with crisp stylish accents gives the room a good contrast of vibrancy and classic simplicity.

As you can see from the photos, the remodeling project turned out beautiful which is always an exciting part of our job! We can help you plan and customize your dream kitchen, bath, or living room. Our extensive network of professional contractors will come in on time and on budget. Learn how by visiting our website at www.milanstoneworks.com

2014 Kitchen Trend: Open Shelving, Glass-Front Cabinets

Kitchen cabinets used to be a place to tuck away dishes and hide boxes behind solid doors. But this year, the latest kitchen trend is open shelving, according to the Zillow Digs Home Design Trend Report for 2014. If you don’t want to be left out, here are some tips from Kerrie Kelly, the principal designer and owner of Kerrie Kelly Design Lab in Sacramento.

Match your kitchen style

The glass-front cabinets aren’t just for modern spaces; they work well in any kitchen style. According to Kelly, you should focus on using only one or two materials and be creative in your installation with whatever materials you choose. Painted cabinets with glass fronts and statement knobs would look great in traditional or country-style kitchen, while sleek, flat-front cabinets will make a contemporary space stand out.

Display kitchen items

Aside from picking cabinets to match your kitchen, choose accessories and kitchenware that will go with the overall look. Since glass-front cabinets will showcase your items, Kelly suggests you curate statement pieces and let your collection grow with you and your space. Try spices, olive oil, cookbooks, and glass jars filled with oatmeal or dried fruits.

Try experimenting with DIY shelving

Updating your cabinets to match these trends could be an easy do-it-yourself project that can be done over the weekend and provides great versatility. Kelly recommends removing doors on one of your cabinets, and painting or adding wallpaper inside the open-shelf walls to create a unique touch.

Add the look elsewhere

Open shelving is not exclusive for the kitchen; you can have this throughout the entire home especially in the bathroom vanities. Kelly reminds homeowners to get creative with shelving units and try incorporating vintage pieces with sleek colors for a chic storage solution in any living space.

Would you try this out in your own kitchen? We’d love to know!

New Year’s Resolutions for Your Home

At this point, you’re probably exercising daily and eating lots of fruits and vegetables as part of your New Year’s resolutions. But did you know you can resolve to keep your home in shape, too? 

Here are some resolutions to welcome a brand new year:

• Cut down energy use. Start by sealing and insulating your HVAC ductwork and make sure you maintain the system and change furnace filters regularly.

• Conserve water. Reducing water consumption can also add to your energy savings. Get a low-flow showerhead and toilet so you won’t have to flush away a huge amount of money on water costs.

• This is also the perfect time to get organized and stash some of your old stuff. Clean your shelves and utilize under-space storage.

• If you have a spare time, use your DIY skills to do routine maintenance and repairs such as caulking windows and doors, cleaning gutters, or mowing the lawn. Learn something new and invest in a hobby, like gardening and get your kids involved as well. You can teach them how to plant. This will allow you to spend more time with them while doing home improvement projects.

• If your resolutions include having a beautiful kitchen this year, consider remodeling to improve the value of your home. Come up with a plan and think of the areas to be remodeled. Take a look around your kitchen: Do you need to update your appliances, replace your countertop or worn-out cabinets and flooring? Once you have listed the things to add in your remodeling project, check your budget and hire a professional to do the job.

We hope you have a beautiful, efficient, and clean home this year. What are your home improvement resolutions and how will you achieve them? Share it with us!

5 Secrets to a Great Bathroom Design

When it comes to planning your bath, focusing on function will help you simplify and carry out the most basic daily routines. These efficient ideas will allow you to create a beautiful and useful grooming space tailored to your needs:

• Cosmetics and personal items should be placed where you need it without having to stoop or strain. This will make it easier for you to get everything in a single area and move around the room to complete your morning routine.

• Select high-quality fixtures and accessories for your bath. Moisture can create permanent rust spots on cabinet shelves so make sure you invest on a rust-free aluminum material for your grooming station.

• Think about the space you have and get the right size of mirror to fit in your space. Position it properly where you can see yourself without having to lean or bend. A mirrored medicine cabinet is a great space saver as well. Aside from the functional mirror, you can place all the items you need, keep toiletries organized, and cut down on visual clutter. Consider installing a locking compartment for your prescription medications to keep them out of reach of children.  There are also medicine cabinets with adjustable shelves for a more customized and organized storage. You can even find one that is customized for left-handers.

• Proper lighting is important in your grooming station. Multiple light sources at different angles are recommended for better illumination. Choose bulbs that give off soft light from the middle of the color spectrum and use a combination of ambient and task lighting to help balance light intensity.

• Bathroom vanities come in different styles and sizes but the most important thing is to choose the right one that fits your space perfectly. Whether you wish to sit or stand as you groom, your vanity should be able to offer convenience.

Thinking of upgrading your bathroom and refreshing it with a new vanity? Let Milan Stoneworks install it for you! We can design custom bathroom vanities that suit your space, style, and taste. Call us today at 503.232.6206 or visit www.milanstoneworks.com for more details.

Fall Maintenance Tips for Your Home

As the leaves change and the days get shorter, you have to make sure your home is ready to handle the cold weather. In order to keep your home running smoothly and to avoid costly repairs later, it’s time to start thinking about seasonal maintenance.

Schedule a tune up with a technician. Just as a tune-up for your car can improve your gas mileage, a scheduled tune-up for your heating system can provide efficiency and comfort. They will ensure there’s no leakage so you’re not stuck with a broken heater.

Reverse the air. This is also the time to reverse ceiling fans. Doing this will help to circulate the hot air, distributing the heat more evenly and cutting down the need to turn up the heater.

Change the filters in your home. If you have a central air conditioning system, make sure you have changed your air filter. For a wall air conditioning unit, you can place a waterproof cover over it to prevent damage.

Fill in the gaps: Check your windows for any leaks that may compromise heating efficiency and ensure the seal and caulking around the frame is in good condition. Purchase a plastic sealing from the hardware store if you feel cold air coming in and place it around the window to keep the heat from escaping. Don’t forget to check your doors too, and fix their weather-stripping.

Prepare your fireplace. Some people prefer to use their fireplace than the central heater during fall and winter days. To allow the air to move freely through the chimney, discard old ashes and make sure the damper is open. If you feel the air is becoming cold, close the damper immediately after cleaning. The handle and springs should be working properly. If necessary, you can hire a professional chimney sweep.

Check the roof for leaks and clean the gutters. Carefully inspect your roof for any missing or broken tiles to prevent damage when it rains. The flashing around your chimney and any openings in the roof should be free from any leakage problems. Make sure to clear gutters from leaves, dirt, and pine needles and check downspouts for damage or loose pieces.

Yard maintenance. Trim trees and bushes away from the house. Rake the leaves into piles and dispose them properly. Drain outdoor faucets, garden hoses and sprinkler systems.

Are there other tasks you incorporate into your fall schedule? Share it with us below!

4 Easy Household Fixes Anyone Can Do

There’s nothing worse than waking up to a room with ceiling leaks or some other home catastrophe. You end up thinking that it could have been prevented. If your next step is calling a handyman, think again. Taking a few tweaks all by yourself can save you from unnecessary expenses on minor home repairs.

Little fixes can keep things in best condition. Thomas Mollidor, owner and president of UpKeepers, tackles the most common household problems and how to address them before they become more of a hassle.

Clogged garbage disposal. While there are many reasons for a garbage disposal breaking, a simple reset can fix it. The reset button is located underneath the disposal. If the blades of your garbage disposer won’t turn, you can manually turn the blades with the tool supplied by the manufacturer. If you look closely, it resembles a hex wrench.

HVAC, air conditioner, and furnace malfunction. When a heating or cooling system malfunctions, the heat/cold source, distribution system, or thermostat may be causing the problem. The easiest thing you can do is to flip back the breaker if you noticed that it has thrown on your electrical panel.

You can also turn off your thermostat and HVAC unit. Wait for three minutes and then switch your thermostat back to heat or cool and also flip the switch on your HVAC unit to “on.” This resets the system.

Broken electrical outlet. First, see if other outlets are dead. Check the circuit breakers, GFCIs, and loose outlets. The fix for a dead outlet is usually simpler than you think. Just hit the reset button located on the outlet. This can save the cost of a service call.

Ceiling leak. Small roof leaks can be tough to locate. You can track down and fix the common types of leaks with a tissue paper. Tape two to three sections of tissue paper lightly to the ceiling then observe when the tissue gets wet and when it happened. Most of the time water runs to openings in the vapor barrier, such as at ceiling light fixtures. You may have to stop using one of these fixtures temporarily and see which one is causing the leak.

Remember to follow safety precautions when performing any repairs. Do you have a story of do-it-yourself success? Share it with us!

Big Ideas for Small Baths

Home baths these days have nearly doubled in size, although some still keep their old 5- by 8-feet home bathrooms due to lack of space for remodeling. If you have a small bath, don’t fret as the makeover possibilities are just as enticing for your space. With the right colors, chic fixtures, décor, and glamorous finishes you can create the illusion of a roomy bath even without a big budget.

Maximize the corner. Put unused space into work by adding corner storage unit or shelving. You'll be surprised to see that you have just the right storage and more space to store the essentials, with no room left over for clutter.

Downsize the toilet. Replace your old toilet with a compact elongated model. Aside from the familiar comfort it gives, newer toilets use less water making them friendlier to the environment.

Use solid colors. Instead of busy patterns, go for light, natural tones. You’ll eventually notice the open, spacious feel. For a more creative look, play with textures and keep prints to a minimum. The powder room is a better choice to showcase your style.

Look for a bathtub designed for small spaces. Open up sight lines and make your bathroom look bigger with a lower-walled model bathtub. It’s perfect for either taking a shower or a pleasant dip.

Opt for a smaller faucet. Some faucets may just be too large for the sink. You’ll be happier with a space-saving, single-hole faucet.

Streamline the shower. A sliding shower door or screen come well-recommended for small bathrooms as it doesn't require space for door clearance. The clear glass creates an illusion of size and stretches the visual length of any bathroom.

Downsize the vanity. A wall-mounted sink is a real space saver and makes your bath look like there’s an added square footage. The best part about it is that you don’t even have to compromise your style. Add an extra dash of elegance by changing your standard mirror with a decorative frame that complements the style of your vanity.

Adjust your view. Keep this light and airy. Hang your cabinet at a more comfortable height to avoid unnecessary bending. Use niche shelving and a mirrored medicine cabinet to replace bulky furniture if necessary.

Choose the right countertop. Save on expensive cabinetry and give your bath an unrivaled, classic look by splurging on a marble countertop. It gives room for towels and toiletries under the sink. You can also use simple cotton skirting instead of traditional doors.

Just because a bathroom is small doesn’t mean it has to be short in style. Remodeling a bathroom, no matter what the size, doesn't have to limit your creativity. Use your imagination to transform your confined bathroom into a serene master bath.

Get a free quote for your countertop of choice and gain inspiration for remodeling your bath. Contact Milan Stoneworks today!

Call us today at 503.232.6206 - or visit our website to view our portfolio: www.MilanStoneworks.com

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Milan Stoneworks - Fabricating and Installing Eco-Friendly Quartz

As a naturally occurring material, quartz is a very Eco-friendly a material chosen for countertops mostly because of its strength, durability and low maintenance.

Only a few other materials found on the Earth are considered harder than quartz. But like anything used in building projects, quartz has advantages and disadvantages.

Quartz is a heavy material that is extremely scratch-resistant and resistant to stain, mold and bacteria growth. Unlike many other materials, quartz is also extremely low maintenance making it the perfect material for kitchen and bathroom remodels.

At Milan Stoneworks, we care about the environment while at the same time caring for installing only the best products in your home. These are a few examples of quartz products that we are proud to carry:

CaesarStone Quartz
Comprised of 93% natural quartz, with its stain, scratch, and heat-resistant properties, CaesarStone is the ideal choice for care-free countertops.

CaesarStone introduces the first of its kind lifetime warranty - the only warranty that covers your surface for as long as you own your home.

Staron Quartz Surfaces
Staron® quartz is a non-porous product. It is highly resistant to bacterial growth and stains such as red wine, cooking oil, and other spills. Thus, making the product virtually maintenance free, since, it doesn't require sealing or periodic polishing.

PentalQuartz
Achieve a look to last forever with PentalQuartz. Its timeless beauty is suitable for every room in your home- from kitchen countertops and bathroom vanities to bar tops and tub surrounds. PentaQuartz will complement your home décor for years to come.

PentalQuartz is easy to care for and requires little maintenance. Highly heat, stain, and scratch resistant, PentalQuartz is designed to withstand whatever life throws its way.

PentalQuartz is naturally nonpourus which prevents mold and other microbes from growing, without harmful chemical treatments.

Ask us to view samples. We can also show you how we've used quartz in projects with other customers so you can get ideas on the possibilities!
503.232.6206 or www.milanstoneworks.com