Posts
Tile Terrors...kind of like night terrors. It may sound funny but of all parts of my business the tile store seems to be the place where clients are the most confused and overwhelmed.
Fabric stores, most people have been in one or at least are been in enough clothing stores that they are used to sorting through fabric. Bath and kitchen faucets and fixtures seem to produce an immediate reaction. People have clearer preferences on whether they long deep sinks, knobs or levers, hand held showers etc. I find that it's easier for people to "connect" to a design but tile confounds people.
When a client walks in a tile store, they are bombarded with all kinds of colors and patterns and materials. Do I want stone? porcelain? ceramic? Does this tile have all the pieces I need? What kind of pieces do I need? There's a ton of questions before you even get to the color. How easy is it to clean, what kind of texture do you want? Do you want a solid color or stone look, glass or metal strips? What kind of pattern do you want? Do you want something that you can make a pattern or have it already set on mesh for you? The list goes on and on.
Then there's the issue of budget. You may fall in love with a trim but the cost is scary. Even your regular tile at $5/sq ft may seem innocuous. Most people aren't used to thinking in terms of sq ft and when doing bathrooms and kitchens you are often dealing with more than one surface. So while your floor may only be 60 sq ft, your bath surround is probably that as well when you add in countertops, backsplashes etc., it all adds up.
A good salesperson is a great asset in a tile place and a designer can help you even more. First you should outline what surfaces you need to cover. Find out if you need bullnose or quarter round. Some companies don't have all the pieces but you can often mix and match. If you want it to all be the same you need to make sure that the line you get has all the different pieces. I am not opposed to mixing and matching and sometimes you can actually get a more interesting design that way.
Once you know what you need now you can look at the rest of the decisions. I like to make good use of accent tiles. They are like jewelry. Just like the perfect necklace can make your outfit, the perfect accent tile will have the same affect. I find the accent tiles are easier to fall in or out of love with as well. It's ok to do a more expensive tile for accent. Like your jewelry, it may cost a little more but the impact is huge. You will also be looking at this every day so make sure you love it. Once you have the accent tile, you will find it a much easier job to get a tile to go with it. Remember to keep the tile thicknesses the same as it is difficult to install otherwise. Sometimes the pattern is the thing you fall in love with, which will dictate how you use accents. But if you fall in love a pattern, it will narrow your choices tremendously.
If you are going in a tile store yourself and experience the overwhelm, try to find the accent tiles first and start looking. Ask for a sales person to tell you the best place to look for what you want or better yet, ask a designer to go with you or save yourself some angst and just have them bring you a few selections. This can take a lot of the stress out of the process.
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
hiring a contractor
Found this article on hiring a contractor. I have heard horror stories about the contractor that took a ton of cash and then never did the job. I personally had an electrician who blew out my oven in my brand new kitchen and then said he didn't have the money to replace it. Of course, he presumed I did. Fortunately the contractor who hired him was responsible and found one for me. However, I have heard many stories where people weren't so lucky.
http://financiallyfit.yahoo.com/finance/article-109992-5811-2-tall-tales-your-contractor-tells?ywaad=ad0035
The article has some good points. But it missed a few. Ultimately, go with your gut.
If you don't feel like you can trust the person, you probably can't. Do some research, ask for references and see some of their work. I was recently called in on a job to select paint and help with the remaining decisions on the job. There were endless problems on this job and as the kitchen was almost in completion, the contractor admitted that it was the prettiest kitchen he had ever done. Now this is a lovely kitchen and a huge improvement to the client, however, it shouldn't have been his best. Look at the portfolio, ask questions about the pictures, what kind of budget did you have? Did you work within the client's budget? How long did the job take?
MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A CONTRACT! ohhh but it's a bother, doesn't matter. It protects you. A hint that you can put in your contracat is a bonus for the contractor if he finishes the job ahead of schedule.
One thing I don't like about this article is that it says you shouldn't have to pay for product up front. While many trades do offer credit, many do not. Some contractors may be trying to pay past bills and if you suspect that, then offer to pay the resource directly. The problem is that credit is hard to come by today as well and many contractors don't have the capital built up to front the money for you. I have seen contractors do exactly as this article says though so it is something to beware of, I just don't see it as a sure sign of a bad contractor. The contractors are cautious as well, they can't do a $10,000 job for $1,000 and then have the client suddenly not be happy at the end and refuse to pay it all. It is important to work WITH your contractor. Be clear on the decisions made and when they will be implemented.
http://financiallyfit.yahoo.com/finance/article-109992-5811-2-tall-tales-your-contractor-tells?ywaad=ad0035
The article has some good points. But it missed a few. Ultimately, go with your gut.
If you don't feel like you can trust the person, you probably can't. Do some research, ask for references and see some of their work. I was recently called in on a job to select paint and help with the remaining decisions on the job. There were endless problems on this job and as the kitchen was almost in completion, the contractor admitted that it was the prettiest kitchen he had ever done. Now this is a lovely kitchen and a huge improvement to the client, however, it shouldn't have been his best. Look at the portfolio, ask questions about the pictures, what kind of budget did you have? Did you work within the client's budget? How long did the job take?
MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A CONTRACT! ohhh but it's a bother, doesn't matter. It protects you. A hint that you can put in your contracat is a bonus for the contractor if he finishes the job ahead of schedule.
One thing I don't like about this article is that it says you shouldn't have to pay for product up front. While many trades do offer credit, many do not. Some contractors may be trying to pay past bills and if you suspect that, then offer to pay the resource directly. The problem is that credit is hard to come by today as well and many contractors don't have the capital built up to front the money for you. I have seen contractors do exactly as this article says though so it is something to beware of, I just don't see it as a sure sign of a bad contractor. The contractors are cautious as well, they can't do a $10,000 job for $1,000 and then have the client suddenly not be happy at the end and refuse to pay it all. It is important to work WITH your contractor. Be clear on the decisions made and when they will be implemented.
Friday, July 2, 2010
The sound of color
Yes, I am talking about color again. Several things have happened this week that really intrigued me.
I was driving the other day to the airport - had about an hour on the road. Sometimes I listen to a lesson, sometimes I just listen to the radio, and other times I find an old CD, an old friend, and sing along to songs that inspire me.
So anyway, driving down the freeway and suddenly there's a Pier One commercial. Now if you know me, ads are wasted on me, I can tune them out very easily, and most don't get any attention. For an ad to grab me, it had to really stand out. Pier One did an ad that was the sound of color...they said the word pink and then played the music to go with it, and it instantly brought to mind a pink room. Then Green, then Blue. It was interesting that each piece of music not only brought up a color but even a shade of color. I could see the color they were talking about. Very brave to do that on a commercial I thought, and very effective. It really made me think, not so much about Pier One but about the effects that colors have on us and the fact that you could hear it. I began thinking of how music would describe other shades and how I would communicate it. It reminded me of a class in college on the study of imagination and creativity. We had to make up some music for it, if I could go back, this would be my song, my rainbow song. Create a rainbow of music. Doesn't that sound enticing? It intrigues 2 senses instead of one.
As I was thinking all this, Spandau Ballet's "True" came on the radio. There's a line that just isn't sung, it's sung from the bottom of the heart. "This is the SOOOOOOOOOOUNNNNNNND of my soul". With that one word I connect to my own soul and feel it's uncaged depths. I see a rainbow with that song - the rainbow of my soul.
And while we are singing "it's red and gold and green and" ok, but humor is good right? For this musician, sound is his art form and how he connects to the world so this is very powerful for him. Music is powerful for me but I have not been blessed in that area, music may speak to me, but my communication to the world is through color and design. Creating a story with a home, making it YOUR story and making it a story that has all the exciting things you need, a great hero or heroine, a challenge and the great reveal which makes it all make sense. It's a story that discovers a deeper part of who you are and helps propel you to who you want to be.
Do you know how you communicate to the world? What colors are in your rainbow? What speaks to you, music, the written word, a picture - a little bit of all? How do you show your colors?
Here's a fun exercise, choose the colors and it will tell you a bit about your career path. Don't think a color could say that much about you - give it a try, a color speaks volumes. http://www.careerpath.com/career-tests/color-test/
I was driving the other day to the airport - had about an hour on the road. Sometimes I listen to a lesson, sometimes I just listen to the radio, and other times I find an old CD, an old friend, and sing along to songs that inspire me.
So anyway, driving down the freeway and suddenly there's a Pier One commercial. Now if you know me, ads are wasted on me, I can tune them out very easily, and most don't get any attention. For an ad to grab me, it had to really stand out. Pier One did an ad that was the sound of color...they said the word pink and then played the music to go with it, and it instantly brought to mind a pink room. Then Green, then Blue. It was interesting that each piece of music not only brought up a color but even a shade of color. I could see the color they were talking about. Very brave to do that on a commercial I thought, and very effective. It really made me think, not so much about Pier One but about the effects that colors have on us and the fact that you could hear it. I began thinking of how music would describe other shades and how I would communicate it. It reminded me of a class in college on the study of imagination and creativity. We had to make up some music for it, if I could go back, this would be my song, my rainbow song. Create a rainbow of music. Doesn't that sound enticing? It intrigues 2 senses instead of one.
As I was thinking all this, Spandau Ballet's "True" came on the radio. There's a line that just isn't sung, it's sung from the bottom of the heart. "This is the SOOOOOOOOOOUNNNNNNND of my soul". With that one word I connect to my own soul and feel it's uncaged depths. I see a rainbow with that song - the rainbow of my soul.
And while we are singing "it's red and gold and green and" ok, but humor is good right? For this musician, sound is his art form and how he connects to the world so this is very powerful for him. Music is powerful for me but I have not been blessed in that area, music may speak to me, but my communication to the world is through color and design. Creating a story with a home, making it YOUR story and making it a story that has all the exciting things you need, a great hero or heroine, a challenge and the great reveal which makes it all make sense. It's a story that discovers a deeper part of who you are and helps propel you to who you want to be.
Do you know how you communicate to the world? What colors are in your rainbow? What speaks to you, music, the written word, a picture - a little bit of all? How do you show your colors?
Here's a fun exercise, choose the colors and it will tell you a bit about your career path. Don't think a color could say that much about you - give it a try, a color speaks volumes. http://www.careerpath.com/career-tests/color-test/
Friday, June 18, 2010
kitchen counter top decisions
I saw this article today on the popularity of granite.
http://finance.yahoo.com/family-home/article/109831/whats-the-most-popular-countertop-for-kitchens?mod=family-love_money
No matter what surface you choose there are advantages and disadvantages.
Granite is a great staple and will be around for a long time. From a design standpoint, it has become a bit "ordinary" and as designers we are always looking for new things. The nice thing is that each piece of granite is unique and there is a large array of colors and textures.
The quartz is becoming more popular. While we have been having a lot of fun with texture, clean lines, less texture, and more drama are becoming more popular. Quartz also allows for a solid color with limited texture that you don't get in granite.
Concrete is also slowly gaining popularity. One of the great advantages of concrete is that you can mold it to be whatever you want. You can have a continuous sink, like you can with Corian without the disadvantages of Corian or other manmande solid surface products. Concrete can be stained and creates either a very rustic look or a very modern look depending on what you do with the color and texture.
Some people really love the look of marble. While it's pretty, it is porous so if you cook a lot, you need to be aware that it will get damaged. However if you like to bake, it is ideal. Rolling dough on marble is much easier than the other surfaces.
The "Green" movement is also gaining in popularity and it's influence is seen in kitchen countertops. There are several environmentally friendly materials that are made of recycled glass or plastic.
Stainless Steel countertops are also popular as people want "restaurant quality kitchens". It also provides a very sleek modern look.
Another fun option that I have seen at designer showrooms for that special island. It is slate with fossils embedded in the counter. Always a conversation starter.
This is a more expanded list of your choices. There are more....Whenever you do something in your home, don't do it because that's what you saw at the local home DIY center. Many of these other options cost the same as granite and give you many more options as far as the look and function that you want to achieve. Do your homework, ask some questions and decide on what the best product for YOU is, not what is easiest for your store or contractor. Ask a designer to help you with this part if you need it. Counters are very expensive and not something you want to replace very often. Better to be more informed.
http://finance.yahoo.com/family-home/article/109831/whats-the-most-popular-countertop-for-kitchens?mod=family-love_money
No matter what surface you choose there are advantages and disadvantages.
Granite is a great staple and will be around for a long time. From a design standpoint, it has become a bit "ordinary" and as designers we are always looking for new things. The nice thing is that each piece of granite is unique and there is a large array of colors and textures.
The quartz is becoming more popular. While we have been having a lot of fun with texture, clean lines, less texture, and more drama are becoming more popular. Quartz also allows for a solid color with limited texture that you don't get in granite.
Concrete is also slowly gaining popularity. One of the great advantages of concrete is that you can mold it to be whatever you want. You can have a continuous sink, like you can with Corian without the disadvantages of Corian or other manmande solid surface products. Concrete can be stained and creates either a very rustic look or a very modern look depending on what you do with the color and texture.
Some people really love the look of marble. While it's pretty, it is porous so if you cook a lot, you need to be aware that it will get damaged. However if you like to bake, it is ideal. Rolling dough on marble is much easier than the other surfaces.
The "Green" movement is also gaining in popularity and it's influence is seen in kitchen countertops. There are several environmentally friendly materials that are made of recycled glass or plastic.
Stainless Steel countertops are also popular as people want "restaurant quality kitchens". It also provides a very sleek modern look.
Another fun option that I have seen at designer showrooms for that special island. It is slate with fossils embedded in the counter. Always a conversation starter.
This is a more expanded list of your choices. There are more....Whenever you do something in your home, don't do it because that's what you saw at the local home DIY center. Many of these other options cost the same as granite and give you many more options as far as the look and function that you want to achieve. Do your homework, ask some questions and decide on what the best product for YOU is, not what is easiest for your store or contractor. Ask a designer to help you with this part if you need it. Counters are very expensive and not something you want to replace very often. Better to be more informed.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
color impact
I love color! I know this is far from a secret but it is incredible.
Thought I would tell a favorite story of the impact that color can have.
I walked into a client's home and she gave me a tour through the home. When we got to the master bedroom, I noticed that there was an extra bed in there for the youngest child who was 7 years old. I asked her about that and she said that kid was too scared to sleep in her room, too many nightmares over the twin towers falling on 9-11.
While that was a day none of us will ever forget, it had been several years since it had happened and I found it odd that a child watching it on tv and no relatives involved would be so impacted by it.
We continued the tour and talking about the daughter. Apparently the daughter had a bit of dyslexia and it was hard for her to study. When I saw her room, I knew what the problem was immediately. Mom had wanted to do something wonderful for her, painted her room fun and girly and wanted to create a fun kids room. She had painted wide stripes and thin stripes on the wall in alternating colors, pink and purple. While it did look like a fun little girl's room it was the worst possible thing for this little girl. First of all, because of her dyslexia, the stripes were always shaking. So in her world, the big purple stripes were a constant recreation of the towers falling. No wonder she couldn't get it out of her head.
The dynamic, bright colors created a lot of contrast and energy in the room that made it even harder for her to think straight. Many studies have been done to prove that yellow can actually enhance learning abilities. So I suggested that we select a yellow that would be helpful to her. Mom then mentioned that she had another room that was yellow and that was where the child spent all of her time.
They painted the room, the child's grades improved, the parents got their master bedroom back and life was improved for all.
It's truly amazing what a can of paint and a weekend can do!
Thought I would tell a favorite story of the impact that color can have.
I walked into a client's home and she gave me a tour through the home. When we got to the master bedroom, I noticed that there was an extra bed in there for the youngest child who was 7 years old. I asked her about that and she said that kid was too scared to sleep in her room, too many nightmares over the twin towers falling on 9-11.
While that was a day none of us will ever forget, it had been several years since it had happened and I found it odd that a child watching it on tv and no relatives involved would be so impacted by it.
We continued the tour and talking about the daughter. Apparently the daughter had a bit of dyslexia and it was hard for her to study. When I saw her room, I knew what the problem was immediately. Mom had wanted to do something wonderful for her, painted her room fun and girly and wanted to create a fun kids room. She had painted wide stripes and thin stripes on the wall in alternating colors, pink and purple. While it did look like a fun little girl's room it was the worst possible thing for this little girl. First of all, because of her dyslexia, the stripes were always shaking. So in her world, the big purple stripes were a constant recreation of the towers falling. No wonder she couldn't get it out of her head.
The dynamic, bright colors created a lot of contrast and energy in the room that made it even harder for her to think straight. Many studies have been done to prove that yellow can actually enhance learning abilities. So I suggested that we select a yellow that would be helpful to her. Mom then mentioned that she had another room that was yellow and that was where the child spent all of her time.
They painted the room, the child's grades improved, the parents got their master bedroom back and life was improved for all.
It's truly amazing what a can of paint and a weekend can do!
Friday, May 7, 2010
save money with aging in place
The theme this week is Aging in Place. We don't like to think of ourselves as aging but aging affects us in so many ways....
You may be healthy as a horse but tomorrow you could have an accident and be stuck in a wheelchair for awhile until you recover. It may be someone coming to visit. When I was a kid, we had concerts at our house and occasionally someone would come with a wheelchair. We were able to put in ramps rather easily to get over the front steps which were made low for my mother anyway. But the bathroom was another story. The wheelchair wouldn't fit in the bathroom. This made things difficult. Fortunately, she had limited movement and could get in the bathroom but couldn't close the door. there was a door in the hallway that could be closed to give some privacy.However, if we hadn't had that extra door, it would have been embarrassing for her.
If you had to be in a wheelchair, even temporarily, would you be able to get into your bathroom?
While undergoing major remodel may not be an option...there are some simple things you can do that make life easier and more accessible for everyone. Are you finally getting that dream bath or kitchen. By just adding a few simple things, you can have a space that is more convenient, functional and allow you to stay independent longer. Assisted living costs - can start at $3000/month. A small investment now could lead to a huge savings later.
You may be healthy as a horse but tomorrow you could have an accident and be stuck in a wheelchair for awhile until you recover. It may be someone coming to visit. When I was a kid, we had concerts at our house and occasionally someone would come with a wheelchair. We were able to put in ramps rather easily to get over the front steps which were made low for my mother anyway. But the bathroom was another story. The wheelchair wouldn't fit in the bathroom. This made things difficult. Fortunately, she had limited movement and could get in the bathroom but couldn't close the door. there was a door in the hallway that could be closed to give some privacy.However, if we hadn't had that extra door, it would have been embarrassing for her.
If you had to be in a wheelchair, even temporarily, would you be able to get into your bathroom?
While undergoing major remodel may not be an option...there are some simple things you can do that make life easier and more accessible for everyone. Are you finally getting that dream bath or kitchen. By just adding a few simple things, you can have a space that is more convenient, functional and allow you to stay independent longer. Assisted living costs - can start at $3000/month. A small investment now could lead to a huge savings later.
Monday, April 26, 2010
magical color
"What made me fall in love with color?"
There are many things but I will never forget the day I found a book at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising Bookstore. Tney always had tons of books and all of them were wonderful. I have never been trustworthy in a bookstore unless of course you trust me to buy books. I love books.
There was this one book that called to me and it was by Donald Kaufman and Taffy Dahl and it was called simply - Color. They have such a wonderful approach to color. Many times you see the magazines and the colors scream at you or they may all work together but something seems amiss. I opened this book and I saw none of that. They believe that color should evolve naturally from the environment. Color should blend in with the environment. The colors are magical. The rooms are so cozy and comfortable. I looked at this book for months. It is what I aspire to in my rooms.
There are many things but I will never forget the day I found a book at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising Bookstore. Tney always had tons of books and all of them were wonderful. I have never been trustworthy in a bookstore unless of course you trust me to buy books. I love books.
There was this one book that called to me and it was by Donald Kaufman and Taffy Dahl and it was called simply - Color. They have such a wonderful approach to color. Many times you see the magazines and the colors scream at you or they may all work together but something seems amiss. I opened this book and I saw none of that. They believe that color should evolve naturally from the environment. Color should blend in with the environment. The colors are magical. The rooms are so cozy and comfortable. I looked at this book for months. It is what I aspire to in my rooms.
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