Image: ![]() We'll warn you now: these kitchen floor tile ideas aren't for the faint of heart. Tile isn't something you can easily change out, and making a bold commitment isn't for everyone. If you want to create a unique, eye-catching look in your kitchen, though, tile will make a major statement. Here are 3 ways to go bold with kitchen floor tiles, with real-life examples.Go BigBig tile? Big impact. If you go in this direction, however, limit your color choices-- the size already makes a statement, so keep it to larger patterns and a maximum of two colors for a look that's bold without being overwhelming. If you aren't sure how much of an impact the flooring makes, check out these images-- one with the kitchen flooring in place, another with the floor edited out, so you can truly see how the tile changes the entire feel of the kitchen. Without the bold flooring, these kitchens don't stand out. It's the floor tile that sets them apart. Photo Credit: Theartofdoingstuff.com Choose small but powerfulThe opposite is true for smaller tiles-- you can go with two or more colors, or choose more intricate kitchen floor tile patterns. Photo Credit: CountryLiving.com Get a real feel for the impact of small but mighty floor tile by comparing these images: Take inspiration from natureThe natural grooves and wave patterns in natural stone creates a unique texture that can soften the look of your kitchen while still giving it a unique vibe. Photo Credit: futuristarchitecture.com See the difference in the feeling of the space by comparing these images: Photo Credit: futuristarchitecture.com
Every detail in a kitchen combines to create the overall impact, but when choosing standout features, many homeowners often overlook the floor. So if you want to go bold, beautiful and unique, explore your flooring options. Do you have a unique kitchen floor tile pattern? Share it with us over on Facebook! Category:
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Hi everyone! Happy New Year! We closed the shop for the week between Christmas until just after the new year. I have to tell you, it was pretty amazing. I ate a ton of food. My family and I put together a brand new puzzle, only to discover it was missing one piece at the end (insert mad face here.), and just hung around. I did sneak out one day to the closed shop, to nurture my creative side, and work on a new pine forest acrylic painting. Even though I love design, sculpture,ceramics, and just plain making stuff, paint has always played a part in all of those. It's probably why when I got back into creating, I was painting furniture, and murals. In the very beginning, I was making the most horrible looking mason jars, picture frames, and a few stuffed, felted snowmen ever. Don't believe me? Here is a picture from one of my first craft shows : Well, you gotta start somewhere, right? So, if you are reading this now, and you want to dive into creating something, but are worried its going to be bad… That's ok. Just start making things. The more you make, the better you get. Remember: we all start at the beginning. I really love putting paint to canvas, and working in acrylics and gouache. One of my main goals for this year is to dive back into canvas work, and start offering my paintings for sale again in the shop.I decided to paint my pine forest acrylic painting over a simple picture I did for my holiday housewalk over my faux mantel. It was such a big canvas, I thought it was better to reuse it, rather than buy a new one. I started by adding a layer of white acrylic paint over the top of the old painting. The hardest part is waiting for it to dry, so I can add more paint! After I did a cover coat on the old painting, I did a quick layout painting over the top in my colors. I wanted to get my valley, and my tree positioning correct. I know there is a whole rule of thirds, but as someone who was never formally trained in art, I just kind of go with what is pleasing to the eye for me. I I decided I wanted to use shades of black, green, blues and grays for my canvas to give it a wintery feel. I used DecoArt Premium Acrylic Art paints for my canvas, but this is not a sponsored post. After I did my initial layout, I added my pine trees using under-painting. It's a technique I use a lot. I like how it gives me a good, dark base to lay my lighter colors over. I feel like it enriches the colors painted over the top. This works well in acrylics, but not so much in other mediums like watercolor, or gouache. I don't work in oil paint, so I am not sure if it's used in that kind of painting at all. Maybe some of you more versed in oils would know? I added snowy branches by using a round brush, touching the tip fill of white paint, and adding gentle pressure downwards. After the snow, I added some simple shading to the bottom of the trees. I have a tutorial in this post on how to paint a winter scene, which includes a basic pine tree. You can also see how to paint a birch tree here, and an agate pattern here. Once it was dry, I added it to my winter mantel decor. I kept my deer up, and my felt garland from Anthropologie, and added a few birch logs and candles. The snowy canvas looks nice above our faux fireplace. It gave me such joy to take the time to really create! I hope to have a pillow or two of it available in the shop soon, I just need to photograph it with my big girl camera, so I get a good resolution for prints! The post New Year New Pine Forest Acrylic Painting appeared first on Jennifer Rizzo. No Sugar Challenge: Fit for Good
1/10/2019
Are you ready to give your body a break from sugar? Many people resolve to get fit in the new year and joining the No Sugar Challenge is a great way to drop a few extra pounds and inches.
There's a saying that you can't exercise away a bad diet and it's true! When I first started getting fit for good I ate poorly most of the time (especially soda!). It wasn't until I changed how I ate that I really saw changes in how I looked, and more importantly how I felt. Now, almost seven years later I can skip the gym for a few days or even a week and still feel great, as long as I'm eating well. However, even if I'm going to the gym several times a week, if my diet is full of sugar and processed foods I start to feel crummy very quickly. The No Sugar Challenge is simple. Stop eating sugar. You set the parameters, regarding whether you are going to try and substitute sugar with honey or agave or if you want to give up the sweet stuff altogether. My recommendation is that you give it up totally so that foods that are naturally sweet (mainly fruit) can serve as your sweet treats and you will be able to make better choices in the future. We've done many no sugar challenges in the past and I'm excited to be doing another one with you. For many people this is what it takes for them to give up their daily soda or candy habit. While we're doing this challenge together beginning January 7th. Just sign up below and you'll get daily reminders, helpful tips, encouragement and a free printable journal. ![]() How the No Sugar Challenge worksEnter your email below to join the challenge. Then, on January 7th you'll receive a series of emails from me with helpful tips, encouragement, and tactics to get rid of sugar. For 21 days we'll work together to rid our bodies of sugar. There will be bumps along the way, but we will do it together! This year, I'm also giving away a free Sugar Journal to help you keep track of your journey. Over the years I've found that writing things down keeps me accountable. I'm also able to back through my old journals when I need a boost of encouragement. Each day of the challenge you'll receive the next page of the journal for you to print out at home. Are you ready to take back your diet? Join us for the challenge below! We start on January 7th! Don't miss on your opportunity for accountability and a way to share your success with a community of people cheering you on. More Fit For Good![]() The post No Sugar Challenge: Fit for Good appeared first on The Happy Housewife ![]() Comments
Related StoriesThe post No Sugar Challenge: Fit for Good appeared first on The Happy Housewife™. ![]() ![]() The winter weather likely has your business hunkering down in your office – and also having more than a few uninvited guests. We're not talking about your in-laws here. During the winter, its common for your business properties in to be overrun needing a NJ rat control service to deal with rodents infestations. Why these Furry Fiends are a Winter Worry Like you, rodents like to be warm and have easy access to food and water, which is scarce in wintertime. This makes your office like the Taj Mahal to unwelcome rats and mice: Your faucets, sinks and tubs an oasis; pantry and crumb-laden break room floors an all-you-can eat buffet; and old boxes, insulation, and more are prime fodder for nesting materials. How You Can Fight the Invasion To evict these tiny, unwelcome guests can require gargantuan effort. Even seemingly insignificant cracks offer easy access to rodents, whose nimble bones can squeeze down to nearly nothing. Gaps around doors and windows, holes where cable, phone, and electrical lines are run, split screens, attic and crawlspace holes and cracks that offer access to interior walls and ventilation can turn youroffice into 'public domain' for these trespassing masterminds. Professional assistance ferreting out these popular access points is key to addressing the root causes of infiltration. Ready for rodents to hit the road? Schedule a office inspection with the NJ rat control service experts at Stern Environmental and evict unwanted rodent guests today. The post Winter Weather – Does It Impact NJ and NYC Rats? appeared first on Sterns Chatter. Ryobi Garage Door Opener Review
1/5/2019
There was a time that all I expected from my garage door opener (GDO) was to raise and lower my garage door. That time is gone. Ryboi has made the garage door opener so much more with innovative features and mix-and-match accessories. If you're in the market for a new GDO, consider the Ryobi 2 HP Belt Drive Garage Door Opener. It has the features you'd expect – LED light, wireless keypads, safety sensors, and car remotes. But wait there's more! This GDO also includes wifi capabilities and corresponding app, battery backup and up to seven accessories. The accessories are what really sets the Ryobi GDO apart. You can choose from a retractable power cord, shop fan, air inflator, bluetooth speaker, and more. Ryobi sent us a test unit to try out. Keep reading for the full review. InstallationThe Ryobi garage door opener installs much like any other GDO, and I highly recommend checking out Ryobi's installation video. It walks you through the process, and it's easier to see someone installing the unit rather than reading about it (at least for me). After you remove the old GDO, you assemble the rail and attach to the power head. Next, you secure the rail to the wall above your garage door and the power head to the mounting straps. The safety sensors are hardwired as usual. The indoor keypad uses an IR receiver which requires a line of sight. The outdoor keypad uses RF so just test it out before installing. Programming the travel limits and connecting car remotes was easy. All the accessories are plug-n-play which means you install them and they are ready to go. I had no issues getting the Ryobi GDO connected to wifi. The app takes you through each step. Altogether it took me most of a day to install. I took my time, ensuring everything was dialed-in before continuing to the next step. QualityI mentioned earlier that this GDO features a 2 HP motor which is actually quite good. The idea is that a more powerful motor doesn't have to work as hard and will last longer. If you check out the competition, you'll often see motors with 1-1/4 HP or less. I can't speak to the longevity as I've only just installed the opener. All the parts and materials seemed good quality. The Ryobi GDO also includes a steel-reinforced belt instead of a direct drive or screw drive. On top of it all, the warranty is very good. Ryobi covers the power head, gearbox, rails, door arms, sensors, remotes, and keypads for three years. The belt and motor have a lifetime warranty. OperatingThis GDO works much as you'd expect with a few additional bells and whistles. The outdoor keypad is wireless and will open or close the door after you punch in a four-digit keycode. You can also set a temporary pin that will remain in effect until the next time you use your regular code. This is nice to give someone access while you're away. The indoor keypad has a button to raise or lower the door, and it has numbers for operating accessories. This GDO is HomeLink compatible. For us, that means we can use the built-in remote in our Ford (unlike our last opener). Ryobi opted for a belt-drive instead of a direct-drive or screw-drive, and the belt drive is much quieter. Even if the power is out, the Ryobi opener can operate off 18-volt battery backup for about 100 openings! The one and only thing I would have Ryobi change is that when the door is closing, the unit beeps and the light flashes a few times. This is probably some arcane legal requirement. However, it's just annoying for the end user. Built-In FeaturesYou already know about the 2HP motor. I also wanted to point out the LED light. This is a nice bright light, and no more replacing light bulbs. There's even a motion sensor to automatically turn it on. No more fumbling around for the recycling can in the dark! The duration can be adjusted anywhere between 3 and 10 minutes (in 1 minute increments). The battery backup also acts as a charger to keep the battery ready in case you lose power. AccessoriesOK. This is the really exciting part of the Ryobi GDO. You can use the 7 accessory ports for specialized, plug-n-play modules like a shop fan, bluetooth speaker, retractable power cord, inflator, laser parking assist, security camera, and CO detector (coming soon). How cool is that?! Just note that some accessories require two ports. I opted for the speaker, power cord, fan and inflator, and so far I'm very pleased with each. The accessories can be controlled from the indoor keypad or from the Ryobi GDO app (App Store, Google Play). The speaker is great for listening to music while I work, and it includes a microphone for hands-free calling. The 30′, retractable power cord may sound basic, but I love it. It gives me three power connections in the middle of the garage and keeps cords off the ground. Ryobi claims the high-power inflator can handle car tires. I haven't tested that yet. However, I like it for bike tires, balls, and other toys. This accessory saves me the trouble of setting up my compressor when the kids tires get low. Lastly, I have the shop fan. You can pivot the head in any direction and control the speed with the app or indoor keypad. Where to BuyThe Ryobi garage door opener and all the Ryobi GDO accessories are available at the Home Depot. The opener will set you back $250 and each accessory ranges from $44 to $100. However, there are some sweet bundles available. For example, you can get the cord reel, speaker, fan and laser parking assist bundle for $175 or the GDO and the speaker for $292. Here are a few links. Be sure to check out all the options!
Don't Let Your Goals Fizzle Out! – 5 Reasons Goals Fail, and What You Can Do To Make Yours Succeed
1/5/2019
It's become a yearly ritual for many: Set ambitious goals for the New Year, tackle them enthusiastically for a few weeks, and then give up on them completely by March. This is a vicious cycle that encourages you to feel bad about yourself, and feel as though you'll never get out of your rut. Whether you are setting goals for your finances, or whether you are attempting to substantially improve your life, the yearly attempt (and subsequent failure) associated with resolutions can be frustrating. If you're ready to break the cycle, it helps to understand why you fail, and what you can do to create success in your life. Here are 5 Reasons Goals Fail - and What You Can Do to Overcome the Pitfalls of Resolution-Setting and Succeed This Year:1. Your Goal Ignores RealityToo often, we have high-flown ideas of what we can become with just the right goal. Unfortunately, this often leads to setting unrealistic goals. While it would be great to pay off $35,000 in debt this year, the reality is that you aren't likely to accomplish that goal if you make $40,000 a year. You're going to need to make major sacrifices in terms of what you spend on, and you're going to have to come up with ways to make more money. The same is true of losing weight, going back to school, or any number of goals that you might set. Your goals need to be grounded in the reality of where you are right now and what you can reasonably hope to accomplish by the end of the year. Honestly evaluate the situation, and figure out what you can actually do. You can still set stretch goals that require you to push yourself a little bit, but you still need to be realistic. Your resolutions need to be achievable. Without achievable goals, you eventually give up when you realize the futility of your efforts. You don't want that to happen, so create realistic goals, and set realistic benchmarks that you can use to measure progress throughout the year. You'll be more likely to stay motivated to reach your goal. 2. Your Goal Focuses on a Process, Rather than a ResultIn the past, my fitness goals have included things like, “swim for 30 minutes three times a week” or “kickbox for 20 minutes a day.” While those are specific goals that are, in fact, achievable, they focus on a process instead of a result. What if I don't feel like kickboxing today? What if my son is sick and I have to stay home instead of driving to the pool? It's easy to be defeated by the process, whether I stop swimming after 15 minutes, I only go twice a week, or I don't go at all. The same is true of money goals or any other goals. If you focus too much on some sort of process that you have to complete to be successful, you are less likely to follow through with your resolution for a sustained period of time. Instead of focusing on the process, focus on the end result. What result are you trying to achieve? Maybe I want to reduce my waist size by three inches or lose 10 pounds. That result doesn't rely on a specific process. Maybe I change my eating habits so that I have less junk food in my diet. Or, instead of getting hung up on whether or not I made it to the pool, I ride the stationary bike if I can't get out of the house. When you focus on a result, and what it takes to achieved that desired objective, you are more likely to stick with your resolutions. You can substitute different actions and behaviors that can offer the same result over time. This works with money, as well. Instead of saying that you want to put $458.33 each month into your retirement account, you can say that you want to be in a position to max out your IRA by the end of the year. This doesn't require that you put $458.33 each month without fail from the beginning; it means that you build up to that over the course of the year. At the end of the year, you'll have a result: You'll be set up to max out your IRA. However, you do this by making gradual changes, either spending less or earning more (or doing both) and gradually increasing what you set aside. Focus on the end result, and break it down so that you are looking at the big picture, rather fretting about the process. 3. Your Goals are Too VagueOne of the main pieces of advice that goal-setting gurus offer is that you should be specific. If your goal is to “get healthy” or “save money,” chances are that you are going to fail at some point. What, specifically, would make you healthier? Do you want to bring your cholesterol down to a certain (realistic) level? Would you like to increase your lean muscle mass by a specific amount? What are you saving money for? Do you want to save up $5,000 for a family vacation? Are you planning to save up $15,000 for a down payment on a house? Really think about what you want to accomplish with your goals. Be specific. Without some sort of specific goal, you have no way of knowing how much progress you have made, or how to tell when you've accomplished your objective. Don't forget, though, that you do want to keep the overall result in mind. If you haven't quite reached the exact and specific goal you have set, but you are still in line with the general result you want by the end of the year, that's still a win. You can keep working on it moving forward. Set realistically specific goals, and make sure to break your goals down into smaller, bite-sized chunks that can be digested by you as you move forward. That way, you can measure your progress along the way and stay excited about what you've achieved. Being able to see your progress can create good feelings that encourage you to do even more to reach your goals in the future. 4. You Get Hung Up on Time Limits for Your GoalsOne of the big reasons that your New Year's resolutions are likely to fail is that you get too hung up on time limits. While a brand new year is a great time for reflection, and a good time to set goals, the reality is that you don't have to limit yourself to a year to reach your goals. The idea behind setting goals is to make a true improvement in your life, not create some mad dash to a finish line. If you get hung up on time limits for the accomplishment of your goals, you are more likely to make sweeping changes that last for only a short time before you revert. In order for goals to truly improve your life, you have to be able to assimilate them into your lifestyle. Even if your goal is to run a half-marathon in a certain period of time, the reality is that, as you work toward achieving that goal, you make changes in your life that are likely to “stick,” as long as you approach it as a long-term journey, rather than something you have to accomplish by a certain date. Once you achieve a goal like that, you can tweak it for the next goal. Your goal-setting should be more about improving your life so that you create long-term habits, rather than encouraging you to do something and then stop once the goal is reached. Don't get hung up on having something done by the end of the year. Instead, focus on the result, and work toward it consistently. It might take you two years to save up your desired down payment for a home, but that's ok. And, once you do reach your specific goal, make sure you have another goal to replace it with and take advantage of the good habits you have been building up. Once you have enough for a down payment, you can set a new goal to build up your emergency fund, contribute to a retirement account, or set up a college fund for your children. The idea is to keep improving, so you want to build on your successes for the next big goal. 5. You Set Too Many GoalsOne of the biggest reasons that you fail at your goals is that you set too many. Just as you aren't likely to see solid results from multi-tasking, you are unlikely to see the results you want if you set too many goals at once. This ties into number four. Instead of setting a whole bunch of goals, pick one or two major goals to be working toward at a time. Once you have achieved one of your goals, have something else to be working toward. You should be focusing on bigger goals that can be broken down into manageable and measurable steps. That way, you are actually improving your life and creating habits that result in long-term life success and satisfaction. Don't overwhelm yourself with all of the things you should be doing. Instead, think of the most important one or two things you want to accomplish first, and then create plans to tackle those items. Then, move on to a new goal. Don't limit yourself by time, either. If you finish a goal in August, start working on a new goal - even though it isn't a new year. View it as a journey, and you'll be more likely to make steady progress. Here's what Leo Babauta, author of the popular blog zenhabits.net says about forming one habit at a time:
Other Tips for Succeeding with Your GoalsAs you work on overcoming the stumbling blocks often associated with goal setting, there are a few other tips to keep in mind. Staying motivated can be difficult, even if you can see the positive changes and progress that you are making in your life. Here are some other strategies you can employ to help you succeed at your goals:
Glen's note on Goals: One thing I find critical in setting successful goals is to make doing the goal as easy as possible. Back in 2007 I set a goal to run the NYC Marathon. As part of my training I had to do one long run every week. This meant waking up early on the weekends to get my run in. There was no way I was going to wake up early and start bumbling around getting ready to run. I had to have a plan before-hand or I'd be lazy and not go. So by Friday afternoon every week I made sure to map out my miles for my long run. I'd chart a course to make sure I'd get the required distance in. This gave me a specific direction for my runs and it eliminated the decision of where to run when I woke up. To further help me in my groggy morning state I also made sure to have my running clothes set aside as well as my water bottle(s) for the run. This way I could wake up, get ready, and get out of the house. If I left myself with too much thinking and preparation in the morning I KNOW I would have gotten too lazy to head out. We can make financial goals easier too. Tools like Quicken can help you plan out goals and track them. Setting up automatic savings and investing takes the thought out of putting money away for your goals. Know your tendencies and build plans into your goals to make sure you stay on top of your intentions. Final Word On Making Your Goals SucceedThere's no reason to let goal-setting get you down. Change the way you approach your resolutions, and there is a good chance that you will see more success this year - and in the years to come. Where have you failed at goals? Where have you succeeded? Share your stories in the comments!Bonus to help you with your goals and habits: Here's Google's Matt Cutts talking about trying new things for 30 days. And here's Jerry Seinfeld's “Don't break the chain” motivation and productivity technique (via Lifehacker): Jerry Seinfeld's Productivity Secret Copyright © Free From Broke - A Personal Finance Blog Please visit for more great content! Don't Let Your Goals Fizzle Out! – 5 Reasons Goals Fail, and What You Can Do To Make Yours Succeed The new year is a great time to take on new projects. Maybe your goal is to make it to the gym more, budget more responsibly, or take on new endeavors around the house. The new year is also a great time to start thinking about remodeling your bathroom. Here are some things to consider if you are thinking about remodeling in the new year: A Great Seasonal GiftThe holidays are the perfect time for a bathroom remodel because they make a great gift. A brand new, luxury bathroom is the perfect present not just for yourself, but for your entire family. If you are looking for a last minute gift idea that everyone can enjoy, you should consider a bathroom remodel. Your family bathroom is a place that everybody benefits from. Whether it's relaxing in a long bath after a hard day at work or primping in front of a beautiful new vanity as you prepare to take on the day, your bathroom is a crucial part of your regular routine. A new bathroom will give your entire family a space to enjoy and will help to improve the overall aesthetics of your home. Accommodate Your FamilyAs your family grows over the years and your kids start to get older, you are going to need more space and storage to accommodate everybody's schedules and needs. When you take the time to create a brand new bathroom in your home, you should account for every member of your household and customize your design around your family's needs. Do your kids need more places for toiletries? Add some cabinets! Do you need a place to relax and unwind? Add a brand new luxury tub for soaking! When you do a bathroom remodel with Luxury Bath, you will be able to customize every detail of your space to make it work for you. You'll love having the extra space and accommodations, and your family will be so thankful that you made the change. Increase Your Home ValueOne of the benefits of adding in a brand new, luxury bathroom is that it can greatly increase the value of your home. Whether you are looking to sell in the near future or thinking about it a few years down the line, the addition of a beautiful bathroom space is a big selling point among potential buyers. A luxury bathroom is a great asset to have and is a wise investment that can pay off in the future. It Only Takes One DayOne of the best parts of a bathroom remodel with your experts here at Luxury Bath is that it only takes one day. Yes, that's right. In just one day you can have a brand new bathroom. This means that you and your family will not be inconvenienced or cut off from your bathroom space for weeks at a time while renovations are being done. Our team of experts will help you map out exactly what you want for your space and execute the design and remodel quickly, neatly, and efficiently. When you decide to upgrade with our company, we will have your brand new space ready in no time at all. New Year, New BathroomOne of the best parts about a bathroom remodel for the new year is that it gives you a brand new space and a fresh start. One of the best parts of New Year's is that you get a clean slate and a new beginning. This new space will add a fun spin and change of scenery to your home and is a great way to kick off the new year. This year, take the time to tackle new projects and start new endeavors to better yourself and your home. If you are interested in a free, in-home estimate or simply want to learn more about your remodeling options, contact us today. We can help create a plan to get the bathroom that you have always wanted and can help you get a brand new space for the new year. Give us a call today at 614-475-7700. The post Remodeling Your Bathroom for the New Year appeared first on Luxury Bathroom Remodeling - One Day Bath Remodels - Onyx Collection. ![]() A kitchen with white cabinets is timeless statement to make with your home design. It's clean and bright. But how do you select countertops for a white kitchen? We asked CliqStudios kitchen designer, Dyani Elkins for her insight on the role countertops have to play in a white kitchen and for a better understanding into “How do I get the best kitchen design ideas?”. What comes to mind when you hear about the discussion of how to select countertops for a white kitchen? DYANI: You would really want your client to determine if they are going for monochromatic or if the cabinets supposed to be white, so that you can then go dramatic. You're either going for real drama or monochromatic. There really isn't an in-between. ![]() Where do you begin with making your selection for countertops? DYANI: I feel like a lot of people already have a look that they are going for and that they already know what look they're going for. They usually have a pretty good sense. Sometimes they'll do it in reverse where the countertop was selected first to make a statement. They'll go white with their cabinets so that the countertops shine. I did a kitchen that has this stunningly beautiful soapstone and that was the real star of the kitchen. So, everything else had to play to that. It's about how you want to make your statement. Also, your backsplash is going to make a big impact on that too. If you have a real dramatic backsplash, you may want to go more neutral on your countertops so the tile work is the star. You have to decide what you want your kitchen's focal point to be. ![]() You don't want your design elements to fight each other. You don't want it to be combative and your eyes to go too many places. You have to decide if you want have a dramatic hood or tile, you want to go more neutral with your countertop. If you have a more dramatic countertop then you want to go more neutral. You don't want anything to compete. Also, if you're going white on white you really have to have that cabinet door or sample with your when you select your countertops. Because the worst thing would be to put in that countertop and then have your whites not match. At CliqStudios we offer three different white finishes: White, Cloud White, and Bright White. You can order two free samples from our website. In what ways do the theme or style of a kitchen influence the countertops you choose? DYANI: It's everything. First of all, it's a major price investment and then so much of the square footage is your countertops. So, it's everything. It's a concert with cabinetry and countertops being equal in how important they are. ![]() Contrast. When is best to go bold with your countertops choice and when should you be understated? DYANI: I think some of it is how long are you plan to stay in the home. If you're thinking about resale then you are probably not going as bold. But if it's your dream home and dream kitchen, then it doesn't matter as long as you're selecting something you're not going to get tired of. I think that's the biggest thing when you make a bold statement with anything. Because it's a major financial investment you don't want to go trendy. Useless money isn't an object for your and you can change it out in five years. But most people are going to live with it for a really long time so you don't want something you're going to get tired of. We talked previously about other design elements like your hood and backsplash. How do other materials like appliances, flooring, etc… effect making your countertop decision? DYANI: I think flooring can impact it, especially if you're going for a certain look. Typically, appliances and flooring are more of a neutral and they have less of an impact on that decision than tile and cabinet colors. ![]() Are there any basic tips and tricks homeowners can keep mind when they are going out to look for their countertops and thinking about the connection with their white kitchen? DYANI: Really think about how you're going to use the space. Because a lot of your countertop selection is going to be based on how you use your kitchen. Different materials respond differently. If this is a beautiful kitchen that is a showcase kitchen and that's it's only function you have a lot more options. If it's going to be used a lot you need a more durable finish. A quartz is going to hold up better to a professional kitchen. If you're a cook, a baker, you have a ton of kids those kinds of surfaces are going to hold up better compared to natural elements like marble. Both marble and granite can also crack. I think the function needs to be thought about before design. Then that leads you naturally into you design once you've made those decisions. Do Gutters Increase Home Value? Here's How Top Appraisers Assess the Water Shields of the House
1/3/2019
Gutters are the unsung heroes of real estate. They don't earn compliments like a property's gorgeous landscaping or the rustic tile selection of your master shower will. But without them, a home's structural integrity is at risk. Every day 14,000 homeowners face water emergencies while 37% have claimed losses due to water issues. Meanwhile, homeowners insurance companies pay out $2.5 billion in water damage losses every year. Gutters serve the critical role of pushing water where it needs to be: away from the house to avoid foundation erosion and roof leaks. “When I go out to appraise a property for a lender, they will almost never lend on a property that doesn't have gutters and downspouts that are functional,” said Jerin Harper, a home appraiser in Oregon with a decade of experience.
So do gutters increase home value? Not exactly, because they're like the tires of a car: buyers expect a property to have them in good working condition, or they'll pay less for it. We'll help you get up to speed on homeownership and gutters with insights from top appraisers around the country who explain:
Gutters as guardians of the house: Protecting against ice damming and foundation erosionImagine you're sitting in your living room on a chilly winter day watching television, when suddenly you feel a drop of water on your head. And then another, and another. You look up to find a wet patch spreading out on your ceiling just above you. Or, picture this: It's been a stormy few days with lots of rain. You go outside to clean up after the storm and to your horror, find that some of your foundation has washed away-but only in one spot that should have been difficult for the water to reach. The culprit in both situations? In most cases, bad gutters. Properly constructed and clean gutters are essential to preventing water damage to your home. The first scenario likely due to an issue called ice damming on the roof, where the water melting from a warmer part of your roof can't escape. This typically happens when gutters haven't been cleaned out properly, the water freezes, and then the ice accumulates under your shingles, melting and damaging the attic or ceiling in your home. The second scenario could be thanks to a broken gutter or a missing downspout-the water is dumping down onto your foundation instead of getting pushed away from the house. “You need to have gutters because you're going to start affecting your foundation significantly if you don't direct water away appropriately,” said Brett Young, a top-selling agent in Indianapolis. “It's not an option out here, honestly. If you're buying a house that doesn't have gutters on it, it's probably because it's a bank sale home and it's all beat up.” Granted, some locations don't need gutters as much as others-like Arizona, for example, where Young used to live. Some homes out there didn't have gutters and it wasn't a big deal, essentially because it's the desert and there's just not that much rain. But even in that situation, it's better to have them rather than not, just in case a storm comes through that is strong enough to damage your home. No gutters (or gutters in poor condition) will detract value from your houseNot only will a lack of gutters or ones with issues hurt your home and affect the sale, it could also actively lower your home's value. Whether you don't have any gutters or the ones you have are dirty, broken or improperly attached, you're compromising the longevity of the home by leaving it open to other problems. And those problems will have an effect on the appraisal when you're trying to sell. Harper notes gutters in poor condition could detract between $500 and $1,000 from the value of an average-sized house with a straightforward installation by a professional. “Gutters are part of the real estate, but there's not a specific adjustment line for gutters,” said Michael Keough, a 30-year residential home appraiser in New Jersey. “If the lack of gutters is ruining something, you'll detract from that item.” In some cases, the missing or damaged gutters can even end a sale before it begins. Good gutters will attract buyers but don't necessarily add valueAll that being said, gutters themselves typically won't increase the value of your home. They're standard, especially in areas with a lot of rain, and having them isn't anything special. “People don't just normally install gutters for the aesthetics of the gutters,” said Edmond (Buddy) Eslava, a nationally renowned appraiser with the Appraisal Consultant Group in the Mobile, Alabama. “If you needed them and didn't have them, it would detract value. But having them won't add value.” You can, though, add overall perceived value to your home based on the gutters themselves. Our experts shared some tips on what to do to make your gutters work for your home sale. Make sure your gutters are installed properly.There are two important pieces to this equation. Proper gutter installation means making sure the water is being diverted far away enough from the house so no damage is sustained around the foundation or on the siding. But you also have to make sure they're level-meaning no water is left to pool up in them with nowhere to drain. If that happens, they can start to draw an accumulation of mosquitos and other nasty bugs or cause ice damming. Match your gutters to your home.Just like any other part of your property, including outbuildings, shutters, garages, and even gazebos, you'll want to make sure the color and size of your gutters are appropriate for your home. For the color, typically the gutters will be the same color as the outdoor trim. As far as sizing, Young notes that the standard size used to be four inches, but now it's up to six inches-so get the larger ones. Eslava agrees, noting that eight-inch gutters are available too, and you should opt for those ones instead of the six-inch. But, if your house is a bit smaller and the large gutters would look out of place, then stay with a smaller size. It's also critical to have enough downspouts. The general rule is one downspout for every 35 or so feet of gutter. Stick with the standard gutter materials.Seams are out. If you want gutters that will bring value to your home, skip them and go for a seamless option. It looks tidier and more professional. Typically, gutters are metal or aluminum; the actual material doesn't matter much as long as the gutters are sturdy, functional, and match your house. Each material does have pluses and minuses, though. Aluminum: Metal, like copper or steel: Vinyl or plastic: Get gutter guards: They'll stop leaves and sticks from getting in, and will keep squirrels and their seeds out-so you don't have to worry about looking up one day to see a patch of sunflowers sprouting from the edge of your roof. As a plus, Young says having gutter guards could add value to a home appraisal. Skip the rain collection system: |