Travis Fowler

Ways to Make a Small Kitchen Look Beautiful

Just because your kitchen is small doesn’t mean it can’t look fabulous. Start by decluttering your kitchen since it gives you a blank space upon which you can decorate to your heart’s content. Think about which themes inspire you the most and narrow the list down to one beautiful theme for your small kitchen. Look through home decor magazines and see which styles you might like. Here are additional ways to upgrade your small kitchen and have fun with your home improvement project.

Go Light on the Paint Colors

The goal is to make a small kitchen appear spacious, so in this case, you want to stay away from dark colored paints. Instead, you want to use white or pastel colored paints for the walls. Visit the local paint stores and request palettes to get an idea of what certain colours would like on your kitchen walls.

Pendant Lights Work Well in Small Kitchens

Instead of using bulky recessed lighting or chandeliers for a small kitchen, pendant lighting might be better. You can hang two or three medium sized ones over your kitchen island and there are diverse styles of pendant lights to choose from. For example, if you have a bohemian style kitchen, some farmhouse pendant lights might work for you.

Consider Glass Top Cabinets

If you want to give a small kitchen that sleek and contemporary look, upper glass cabinets are excellent for this. These cabinets are easy to clean, and they make it easier for you to see and find pantry items you use each day. Frosted glass cabinets, in particular, are nice for small kitchens.

Purchase Smaller Appliances

If you live alone and have a small kitchen, small appliances can be used. Portable refrigerators, medium sized convection ovens or microwaves, and toasters can reduce clutter in the kitchen.

Use a Tile Backsplash

Tile backsplashes are fabulous for small kitchens, and there are so many to choose from. Mirror backsplash resembles mirrors and add a classy touch to your small kitchen. There are also the diagonal patterned tiles, and these work well for a country themed small kitchens. Herringbone tile backsplashes are becoming more popular, and some people like to use beautiful mosaic tile backsplashes.

Install Over the Range Microwave

Small kitchens can have more space and functionality when you install an over the range microwave in it. There are so many designs to choose from, and you can pick a colour that goes best with your kitchen’s theme. When choosing an over the range microwave, it is important to measure the space where you’ll install it so that the microwave will fit just right. You should also consider the features that offer the best functionality for you. You might want a microwave with a defrost feature or with buttons that are designed to cook certain foods such as popcorn or a baked potato.

Accessorize the Kitchen

You don’t want to clutter your kitchen with knick knacks, but accessories complement a small kitchen well. Caliber West Renovations has the saying: “Function over beauty. Function and beauty when they work well together.” You can place colored mason jars on top of your refrigerator and fill them with your most important pantry staples such as rice, beans and sugar. Or you can put a huge ceramic vase in the middle of your dinette table in the kitchen.

Have Fun With Patterned Wallpaper

If your small kitchen doesn’t accommodate a new paint job, a low-cost alternative would be to use patterned wallpaper along the kitchen walls. For example, bold colored or neutral toned paisley wallpaper is a cool option if you’re going to a cottage themed small kitchen. Black and white striped wall paper adds a sophisticated look if your kitchen has an urban classy theme.

Get to the Art of It

Small kitchens benefit from pieces of quirky artwork that speak to how you view your kitchen. You might hang up a piece that has a funny poem about what life is like for a homemaker. Or you might decide on a homemade paper collage that is made up of recipes you collected from the local newspaper over the years.

Use Plate and Cup Racks

Another cool way to decorate a small kitchen is to install a plate and up rack or shelf on the wall. This gives you easier access to the plates and cups you use the most, and this adds inexpensive decor to your small kitchen. Wrought iron, copper or brass tracks all make for excellent flair in a small kitchen.

Corner Drawers for Efficient Storage

Make better use of your kitchen’s corners by turning them into corner drawers. Corner drawers can be used to store utensils, small containers of coffee creamers, dishrags, spices and restaurant menus you use to order food on days when you don’t want to cook.

Colorful Area Rugs

Kiss drab goodbye in your small kitchen with one or two colorful area rugs. Area rugs help the kitchen look beautiful, but they serve as a way to collect food and debris that often fall on the floor during cooking and eating. These rugs are also inexpensive and can be found at most discount home decor stores.

Make Wall Space Vertical

Another thing you can do is use your wall space and make it vertical. Install decorative wall sconces to provide adequate lighting in the kitchen, or you can install shelving for your food prep essentials such as a chef’s knife, wooden spoons, whisks, and spatulas.

Use Fun Themes

You can also incorporate fun themes into your small kitchen’s decor. Some neat ideas include 50s diner style, bohemian minimalist style, Parisian style or even country western theme. Consider your personality and influences when choosing a theme.In conclusion, small kitchens don’t have to be boring. With these tips, you will have a kitchen that looks fabulous and organized. Be sure not to have too much clutter in the kitchen and use a variety of storage options to keep the pantry organized. Flea markets and thrift stores especially have affordable decorative items that make the kitchen appear cozy and quirky.

Travis Fowler

Garage Door Home Renovation Maintenance Tips

A garage door is the biggest part of your house that moves and is often used throughout the day in all seasons and at any time. To keep garage doors operating the right way for decades, it is very imperative to perform maintenance and regular care. Albeit, there are some professionals that can offer great tips to homeowners on how to fix their homes. Today, the professionals at Red Deer Doors, a local Red Deer business specializing in service for repairing garage doors will go through some of the best tips for maintaining and repairing your garage door. Here are ten things that homeowners can implement:

1. Listen and Look

The most imperative step you should take is to look at your garage door every time it opens and closes. Is it jerking in certain places or is it moving too slow? Does it work quietly or does it make a scraping or grinding noise? Are the cables, springs, and pulleys symmetrical on both sides?

2. Make the Hardware Tight

All garage doors work by moving up and down more than a thousand times each year. That is a lot of vibrations and movement, and it can cause the hardware to loosen. Tighten and Examine all bolts and roller brackets with a tool such as a socket wrench.

3. Test the Balance of the Garage Door

When your garage door is not balanced correctly, the opener has to work a lot harder, and in result, it will not last long.
After the opener is detached by pulling a red cord, you should move the door half-way up. If the door does not stay put the springs are most likely balanced improperly. Garage door adjustments should be handled by a professional garage door technician service.

4. Replace and Inspect the Rollers

Regardless if the rollers are nylon and steel, they need to be looked at twice a year for problems and should be replaced about every seven years. If you use your garage door often, it should be replaced for more than seven years.
If you have chipped, cracked or worn rollers, they should be replaced as quickly as possible. You can do this by reinstalling and removing all roller brackets that are not connected to a cable system.

5. Get Rid of the Weatherstripping

To keep the elements out of your home, replace the weather seal strip if it appears to be brittle or cracked. Weatherstripping is sold at hardware and home improvement stores by the foot. Simply cut to size and insert it into the grooves of the wide angle in the flange of the door.

6. Lubricate the Parts That Move

Keeping the parts of a garage door greased up will increase the longevity of seamless operation to your garage door, and it takes only ten minutes a year. You should use some white lithium grease on the open part of the screw or chain, and then you should spray a lubricant, that is available from a garage door service specialist to cover the springs.

7. Take a Look at the Cables

You should not mess with high tension cables that lift your garage door because they can kill and maim. It is good to check the condition of the cables, so you know when to hire a technician. Check for damage and broken strands located near the bottom of the roller bracket.

8. Test the Automatic Reverse Safety Features

There are two different mechanisms which are photocell and mechanical. To test the mechanical part, place a piece of brick or wood on the ground where the door is. When the door comes down, it should touch the object then reverse and go back up into the same direction. To test the photoelectric system with beams shut your door and move your leg by the path of the door. Your garage door should reverse.

If you have an opener that is more than twenty years old, it may lack the common safety feature, so you should buy a new opener for your garage door.

9. Clear All of the Tracks

You should make sure that the tracks that are on both sides of the garage door are free from rubbish. You should also check the plumb by using a level. If you have any significant adjustments to tracks that need to be done a garage door technician service has to take care of it.

10. Take Care of Your Garage

Don’t forget to look at your garage door itself. Wooden doors will need to be looked at for warp and water damage, as well as peel and chipped paint. Steel doors may sometimes have some rusty parts that need to be primed, painted and sanded. Wash garage doors regularly with an all-purpose cleaner that is mild when you was your car.

Travis Fowler

Considerations Before Remodelling Your Bathroom

If you are considering to remodel your bathroom, there are some fundamental tips which could make it more successful. For your bathroom to gain more storage, improve lighting and drainage, follow the following tips:

1. Plumbing

You should consider changing your drain pipes because most pipes used in residential places are 1.5 inches and they clog easily. In a normal household, bathroom pipes take in a lot of hair and other sediments, and they easily clog leading to more maintenance or repair costs. You can prevent all this from happening by upgrading to a 2-inch drain pipe which is less likely to clog. However, if your framing does not allow the update, you can look for an alternative solution to facilitate drainage. Additionally, if you live in cold areas where water freezes during winter, your plumbing pipes should not be routed through an exterior wall to prevent them from freezing and consequently clogging.

2. Lighting

To brighten up your bathroom, you can consider installing recessed light fixtures on your ceiling. With a proper shower trim, you can also include one or two recessed light fixtures in your shower to light up the place. Additionally, you can install a dimmer switch in your bathroom to be able to adjust the lights from time to time. Proper lighting in a bathroom is essential to improve the mood and visibility in your bathroom while shaving or applying make-up. You can only meet this objective by installing bright light fixtures when remodeling your bathroom.

3. Medicine cabinets

Amazing advice from IPC at http://www.ipcrenocrew.ca/bathrooms.asp says: “If you don’t have enough space to have medical cabinets, you can recess them in your bathroom to save space. Since medical cabinets protrude 4-5 inches, they may end up utilizing a lot of space in your bathroom, and you should, therefore, economize as much as possible.”

4. Wall-hung toilets

Wall hung toilets have become very popular with homeowners because they are affordable and they are economical on space as the tank is hidden behind the wall. They are effective, and if you are looking forward to remodeling your bathroom, this should be a consideration. However, because of their drainage, you will have to rework the supply of your toilet if you change your mind to have the floor mounted the unit in future.

5. Installing a window in the shower

If done properly, installing a window in your shower can be a great way of remodeling your bathroom because it improves lighting, aeration among other benefits. However, to successfully install a bathroom window, you should consider the following:
• Choosing a frosted-glass panel to enhance privacy
• Get a window which opens to facilitate aeration
• To ensure that the area is water tight, you should have stone jambs along the entire installation
• Slope down the sill to allow proper drainage
• Get tilt and turn windows because they have a screen located on the outside of the window, have privacy even when tilted open and have plastic handles which can’t rust

6. Shower sills

Just like window sills, they should be sloped into the shower due to drainage. When choosing shower sills, a solid material e.g. stone or quartz are preferred to avoid water seepage.

7. Shower floors

Ideally, large tiles are mainly slippery unless they are textured because grout tiles are further apart. On the other hand, smaller tiles have more traction and hence ideal for your shower floors. You can choose your floor tiles as per your preferences and choices.

8. Shower bases

There are numerous modern shower bases made from porcelain or acrylic which you can choose from to make your bathroom stand out.

9. Drawer storage

Since drawers are easier to access and organize, you should consider installing a vanity with a drawer storage rather than using doors. You can choose the drawer size depending on the size of items you want to accommodate.

10. Install a shower or a bathtub

Even though preference plays a role in choosing between installing a bathtub or a shower, how often you bathe is another factor which should be considered. The main objective behind bathroom remodeling is to improve the conditions of your bathroom for a better life, and you should not limit yourself to renovate your home for a future buyer!

extremeditor

Do It Yourself Plumbing Repair And Maintenance

Occasionally, you will find that there is the need for you take care of some necessary repair and maintenance of parts in your home. These parts may involve fixing, repairing and maintaining your plumbing system. While it is true that you may need the services of a professional plumber, you can handle some basic things by yourself. This will save you from incurring extra costs. Plumbing services can be quite costly, check commercial plumbing companies in Red Deer. In that case and by learning to do some of these plumbing duties by yourself; you stand a better chance of dealing with small emergencies without panicking.

What are the benefits of doing it yourself?

By learning to do the necessary plumbing repair and maintenance, you put yourself in a better position. You get to enjoy benefits such as:

Avoid extra expenses

Hiring plumbing services will cost you anytime even if the plumber does nothing at all. In that case, learning to check for leakages and repairing petty ones such as unclogging a sink will save you from this cost. Any activity that will help you save some extra cash is welcome, and this one is one of them.

Attend to emergencies

We all know that hiring professionals may take them some time before they finally arrive at your place. By learning to do some simple things by yourself, you will be able to attend to some simple emergencies by yourself. For instance, if your sink clogs, you will not have to wait for hours for a plumber to arrive. Instead, you will unclog it yourself and be able to do your dishes and other activities that demand the use of a sink.

Leaning to do simple plumbing repair and maintenance will work to your greater good as you will get to learn more. As each day passes, you discover things that you did not know and may be helpful in solving some fundamental issues in future.

 

What are some of the plumbing repair and maintenance practices that you can do it yourself?

It is important to note that you can only do some basic plumbing repair and maintenance practices. However, when the damage is significant, there is always need for you to acquire the services of a professional plumber. Below are some of the activities that you can do them yourself:

  • Unblocking traps- this can be done by either using snakes or dismantling the whole sink to remove the blockage
  • Unclogging the sink drain- clogs in the bathroom are common, and if you keep calling a plumber each time they jammed, you will suffer the risk of incurring unnecessary extra costs.
  • It is better to do it.
  • Fixing water pressure in the shower
  • Clearing stopped-up toilets

Conclusion
While it is true that you may need to acquire the services of a professional plumber occasionally, you can do most of the small plumbing repair and maintenance practices. This will help you cut on the costs of plumbing services and attend to minor emergencies. Doing it yourself also helps you acquire new skills and knowledge.

extremeditor

7 Tips for Getting Rid of Household Molds

Are you searching for the best mold removal tips? One way to improve your family’s health is by dealing with mold. The reason is that mold causes several health issues, for example, skin irritation, coughing, nasal congestions and property damage. It means as a homeowner in Edmonton, Canada; you need to know what to do to get rid of mold. This post gives you seven tips for mold removal Edmonton.
• Proper Ventilation

One effective way of getting rid of mold is through excellent ventilation. The reason is that adequate ventilation enables you to draw out moisture from your home’s indoors.
This tactic kills the mold. The best way is by opening your windows and turning on your ventilation fan. Consider installing a Central Heating and Air Conditioning System for the best results.
• Air Purifiers

An air purifier gets rid of air contaminants such as dust, smoke, pet dander and pollen from your indoor air. The best ones to install are the high-end ones that have the ability to get rid of mold. However, they don’t stop the growth of mold.
• Sunlight

Another mold removal tactic is by exposing mold to the direct sunlight. That’s by opening your windows and letting the sunlight come inside. It leads to the moisture evaporating, reducing the chances of mold thriving.

Take out any objects containing mold outside for them to dry. Use a vacuum or a broom to remove the dry mold.
• Dehumidifier

Consider buying a dehumidifier that enables you to remove excess moisture in the air. Bear in mind that moisture is one condition that it requires for growth.

One advantage of using these devices is that they reduce moisture levels naturally. That ensure you get to live in humidity levels you are comfortable.
• Vinegar

Another effective mold removal Edmonton tactic is vinegar. For the best results, pour white vinegar into a bottle spray, direct and spray it to the area of mold growth. If the vinegar smell is strong, consider adding essential oil to reduce it.
• Chlorine Bleach

Consider applying chlorine bleach to surfaces or fabrics with mold growth. Make sure you spray the solution on the moldy surface area with two quarts water, two tablespoons of liquid detergent without ammonia, and mix them with a half a cup of bleach. You should then leave it for five minutes.

Wipe the surface using a clean rug with warm water. If you are dealing with moldy fabrics, add a cup of bleach to your washing machine dispenser. Make sure you only bleach white fabrics.
• Baking Soda

Baking soda is another substance you should use when carrying out mold removal. If you’re dealing with surfaces, put a mixture of baking soda, warm water, and mild dish-washing liquid.

You should then scrub the surface with a soft brush or sponge, then rinse the towel and dry. For carpets, sprinkle the baking soda and let it work for 20-30 minutes. You should then vacuum.

Carrying out mold removal should be easier using the above informative post. Consider carrying out an indoor air quality inspection for the best results when dealing with mold removal.

Travis Fowler

Why You Shouldn’t DIY Your Roof

A roof is a vital structure in a building. It protects not only the overall structure of your house but also your family possessions. So, it is crucial to take all task related to it very seriously. You might be a great DIYer but trying to install your roof without professional assistance should not be one of the do-it-yourself projects. You might not agree to this, but there several reasons why you should concur owing that your roof is a paramount investment both to you and your family. Therefore, what are the reasons that make it necessary to hire a professional roofing contractor? Covered below are some of the reasons.

♦ Experience

Having background knowledge on roofing is important since no roofing job is similar to another. You might have been involved in a particular successful roof repair or replacement, but that doesn’t make you an expert in that field. Moreover, even the professionals who successfully deal with roof installation spend a lot of their time practicing before having the necessary knowledge and expertise that makes them experts in that field. So, do not take the chances trying to practice with your home’s roof installation, no matter how simple you might view the task. It might just cause more harm and costs than that you should have even paid to your a professional roofer. Such happens because, without knowledge about the variety of roofs available as well as the number of roofs needed for your job, you might end up purchasing low quality or lesser quantity that makes your visits to the roofs store endless. Therefore, if you want your roof installed at the lowest possible cost and with the right quality of roofing material, get a professional licensed roofer. Besides, he not only gets your roof successfully installed but also helps you stay within the limits of your budget.

♦ Save on time

You may view roofing as a simple task that would only consume a subtle percentage of your time. However, this is not the case. Roofing Maple Ridge says that roofing might be more complicated and time-consuming than what you presumed it to be. Most individuals tend to be more confused after starting the job especially if they do not have the necessary knowledge and experience to support the task. Therefore, this makes the job more challenging and more time-consuming than it should be after the slightest mistake. So, it is more beneficial leaving the job to the people with more knowledge than you. After all, everyone does what is best familiar with them in a very short time. Hence, to have more time to spend on tasks that need your presence, have a professional roofer to deal with your roof and save some time for your duties. You might not only save your time but also get more satisfaction from the results afterward.

♦ Safety

We all know that dealing with roofs is one risky chance to take. This is not only because of the make of the roofs but also having to deal with high heights and ladders. The risks get even worse if the one installing the roof has never done it before. So, why risk your life with a clear idea of the harm you are exposing yourself? It is best if you get an expert who has the right tools to deal with all issues that come up. Besides, these contractors face similar circumstances in their career meaning that they have a basic idea of dealing with high heights. Also, they always have in mind how dangerous their job is, and they, therefore, ensure a full-time concentration avoiding distractions that may result in harm. Therefore, always put the interest of your home members safety first, since, installing your roof without the expertise required could endanger not only you but also a family member in case of an accident. Quantum Roofing – Maple Ridge, an experienced roofing company, says that even their employees sometimes make mistakes while roofing which result in injuries. You can check them out here: http://quantumroofing.ca/areas-served/maple-ridge

Do not let the cost that comes with hiring a roofing contractor to be the drive-away to hiring a professional roofer. Remember that the benefits that go with their services outweigh their costs. Moreover, the safety of your home and your possessions should always be on the forefront of your priorities. So get an expert roofer for your roof’s repair or replacement and get the best results out of it.

Travis Fowler

Reasons to renovate your house

There are many reasons why you may desire to renovate your home. Renovating your home has a significant impact on many different factors such as atmosphere, storage as well as comfort. We have listed many various renovating examples as well as their intrinsic benefits:

When remodeling your bathroom or kitchen, it’s significant to comprehend the reasons behind selecting certain materials as well as metals over other materials.

Below is a list of materials you might desire to consider utilizing under various circumstances:

Bathroom Remodeling

The master bathroom is where you go when you require taking a breather and relaxing after a long day at work. There are several ways which a bathroom remodeling could enhance the relaxation elements of your bathroom, obtained from increased storage as well as improved atmosphere.

Storage

The requirement for bathroom storage is ever more popular in your bathroom design area. Having more storage helps in both enhancing the atmosphere as well as also making sure that everything is found easily.

Atmosphere

The Curtain Call gave us this advice: “Constructing the ultimate atmosphere in your master bathroom is important. It’s amazing how a bathroom renovating can importantly boost your ability to relax as well as stay comfortable.”

Kitchen Remodeling

Renovating your kitchen can lead to incredible outcomes as well as jaw-dropping responses from your guests. The purpose of remodeling your kitchen is to make your kitchen very elegant and efficient. Your family spends a lot of time in the kitchen.

Modern Approach

Modernizing your kitchen is amongst the most famous methods with kitchen remodeling, as well as for a fine reason. Modern interior kitchen design offers off a superior appeal of a classy and organized ambiance, which feels more welcoming. Several modern designs have an amazing amount of storage areas. You will never have enough storage space in your kitchen.

Open Concept

Do you hate being stuck in the kitchen for hours as well as lacking fresh air as an outcome? No problem. Modern open concept kitchen designs can remove these issues, permitting you to breathe deep when cooking your preferred meals.

Other home remodeling

Many other generic renovations decisions are made while trying to spruce up the living space as well as add efficiencies. Below is a list of our preferred ways to create a very pleasant home:

Lighting

It is a major element while considering various home remodeling. It is significant to have an elegant, effective, and energy-efficient solution to your home lighting. Some areas in the home that enhance with lighting include closet lighting, showers/bathrooms, under cabinet lighting and main areas.

Flooring

Renovating your flooring is a hard job; however, finally, it has the ability to bring positive emotions to everybody. Custom Surrey Home Renovations Company recommends some alternatives to consider: cork, laminate, carpet as well as hardwood.
There are many ways your house can be remodeled to offer it a good charm. It is significant to understand the benefits you could get from every remodeling, and it will be worth to you finally. You can check out our bathroom and kitchen renovation so as to learn more regarding our quality work. You can contact us as well as we will gladly offer you a free consultation at your home.

Travis Fowler

Great Home Renovation Ideas

Introduction

Lots of people like to decorate their homes and remodel them for their own sake. However, better decorations and home improvements can genuinely add value to a home, making it that much easier for homeowners to make a sale and allowing them to make particularly profitable sales in the future. While home renovation and decoration might seem to be genuinely challenging for a lot of people, there are actually plenty of really easy options out there or at least options that aren’t as hard as people might think.

1. Curb appeal is everything.

This is the household equivalent of a first impression. People are going to need to make sure that they can impress people right away. Making the lawn look a lot nicer, planting some pretty flowers in the frontal parts of the lawn, and otherwise doing better landscaping can make a huge difference when it comes to the curb appeal of a house. Even something as simple as improving the look of the house numbers and getting a nicer mailbox can make a huge difference for the people who are trying to find a way to enhance the curb appeal of their homes.

2. Painting the house.

A fresh coat of paint can make all the difference in the world. Peeling paint is going to make a house look old and fragile, regardless of the actual age and stability of a house. People often come to the mistaken conclusion that peeling paint must also be old or toxic as well, and this is not the impression that anyone is going to want to create. Neutral and earth tones are really in style these days.

Lots of people are going to like beige, tans, browns, and whites on the walls, which will help make the house look very modern. A lot of people are also going to appreciate the fact that the homeowners took the time to paint. Peeling paint could be a sign of some internal household problems that should be fixed quickly, so house painting should be able to lead people to some other household issues.

3. Updating the household fixtures.

Light fixtures and bathroom fixtures are going to have a huge effect on the overall look of a house. If these are old, then the house is going to look old. Updating them can make the house look much more modern. It is important to make sure that a lot of these design themes are kept consistent. People who have homes that were designed with antique accents should try to get more antiques, for instance. Household fixtures form a strong part of the design theme of any house.

4. Update the floors.

A lot of people are going to eventually develop floors that are cracked and falling apart since the floors of a house are going to end up absorbing lots of stress as a matter of course. Hiring a contractor to fix the floors can make all the difference in the world for the people who are trying to improve the look and feel of their homes.

Getting several quotes from different contractors such as roofing and drywall contractors can help the people who are trying to make sure that they update their floors in the right way. Adding new carpets and rugs can make a huge difference for a lot of people as well. The look of the floor matters. It is something that people notice. The floor needs to be clean during an open house showing as well, and so people should try to make the floors look better in whatever way they can.

5. Updating the kitchen and the bathroom.

These are the two most important rooms of the house. They are also the kinds of rooms that are going to deteriorate more than most others. Some people might need new sinks, cabinets, worktops, and other essential accents for their kitchens and bathrooms. Other people are just going to need to make sure that they get everything cleaned and that they decorate both rooms appropriately just in time for an open house. Any renovation is vital for a room that is this crucial, and people need to make sure that they’ve given enough attention to detail to their kitchens and bathrooms.

Extrema Duraempresas offers great renovations, check us out here.