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Granite Home Innovations: 6 Classy and Simple Home Transformation Ideas

Tuesday, June 19th, 2012

Whether you own a single family home, townhouse, villa, or condo, the appearance of your residence is something that you probably take pride in. Nobody wants to walk into their kitchen and see old cabinets and countertops. Or head into the bathroom and see a grimy shower area. But there are plenty of things you can do to improve the look of your home. Here are 6 classy and simple home transformation ideas.

1. Engineered Granite Kitchen Countertops

One of the best ways to transform the look of your home is by installing engineered granite kitchen countertops. These beautiful counters come in all colors to fit any look and feel that you could imagine for your home. They are resistant to wear and tear, can handle heat and cold, are almost impossible to scratch, and are virtually maintenance free. And the beauty is, installing engineered granite countertops will actually add value to your home!

Why engineered granite? There are a few reasons. First and foremost, it is extremely quick and clean to install. It fits right over your existing countertops, so there is no need for any demolition in your home. The counters are measured specifically for your kitchen, but manufactured off site and brought to your home to install. This means that a standard installation only takes one day, which saves you a lot of money. Another advantage of engineered granite is that it does not have the flaws of regular granite, while still having all the beauty.

 

 

2. Engineered Granite Bathroom Countertops

Everyone wants their bathroom to be clean and sterile, while still feeling sleek and stylish. There is no better way to accomplish these goals than to remodel your bathroom by installing engineered granite countertops. Whether you want to modernize your vanity counters or the area around your bath tub, engineered granite will give you everything you need. These countertops are heat, mold, stain, mildew, and scratch resistant. And again, the ease of installation and lack of demolition needed to install engineered granite countertops will save you both time and money, with the added convenience that your bathroom will only take one day to remodel.

3. Recycled Glass Countertops

Do you consider yourself a “green” person? If so, recycled glass countertops are the perfect way to give your home the sleek, smooth, and modern feel that you are looking for. The product is called Trend Glass, and it combines post-consumer recycled glass, tempered glass, and man-made stones to give you a perfect countertop finish. It is resistant to heat, cold, stains, and scratches. It is also very easy to clean, and comes in all different colors, matching your home perfectly.

Just like with the engineered granite, the installation of recycled glass countertops does not require any demolition in your home, saving you a lot of money and offering you the convenience you deserve.

4. Mosaic Tiles

These beautiful tiles can be used to remodel many areas in your home. Your kitchen counter. Your kitchen backsplash. The area around your bath tub. Your bathroom vanity mirror. All of these places are perfect fit for mosaic tiles, which give you the added benefits of a surface that is stain resistant, will never crack, and will never need sealing. They come in many colors and patterns to match the design and color of your home. Also, the ability to install them over existing surfaces will cut down on the installation time significantly, while still offering you the craftsmanship you desire.

5. Acrylic Bath Surfaces

Is your bath tub or shower getting old? Are you tired of the little bits of grime between the tiles? If so, then acrylic bath surfaces are the perfect way to remodel your bathroom. Just like with the engineered granite, acrylic bath surfaces are installed directly over your old bathroom surfaces, which makes installation much quicker and easier than other bathroom remodeling jobs. You will have almost no down time. These acrylic surfaces are easy to clean and do not allow mold or mildew to grow on them, which is perfect for your shower or bath tub. They are also very strong, and will not chip or crack. You can even cover your walls with this product!

6. Cabinet Refacing

Why deal with ripping out and replacing your cabinets when you can reface them and make them look completely new? With traditional cabinet replacement, you could be without the use of your kitchen for a month. But refacing can take as little as two days, and for a fraction of the cost. There are many styles and colors to choose from, and when the refacing job is complete, you won’t even be able to tell that they are the same cabinets. They will look completely new!

 

Aileen Pablo is part of the team behind Open Colleges, one of Australia’s leading providers of TAFE courses equivalent and interior design courses. When not working, Aileen blogs about travel, lifestyle, home improvement, and beauty tips. She is also often invited as a speaker in Personality Development Seminars in the Philippines.

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Posted in Bathroom Remodeling, Home Improvement, Kitchen Remodeling, Remodeling

Kitchen Maintenance: Green tips, Heat, and Surfaces

Monday, April 23rd, 2012

Kitchen Maintenance: Green tips, Heat, and Surfaces

Your kitchen is one of the busiest places of your home, which means a lot of mess comes along after preparing scrumptious meals for your family. It’s where you cook, wash dishes, and even eat. This food lab deserves the best so you can enjoy making delicious and healthy dishes.

granite kitchen island

So, do you go the extra mile to keep you kitchen spotless? What do you do with that charred and grimy oven door? How about the sticky sink tiles and the greasy floor? How do you take care of countertops and kitchen cabinets?

For starters, washing kitchenware and appliances every after use is a must. Just use running water and water-soluble detergents specifically for kitchen surfaces or appliances. The sooner you clean it, the easier stains are removed. Use soft cloth that won’t scratch your appliances and remember to wipe them dry after washing. And when not in use, cover your toaster, microwave, or coffee maker with light fabric to keep dust from accumulating.

Going green and clean. Sometimes, your trusted dish washing detergent just doesn’t do it. If you want your appliances spic and span, you can use some of the things you can find right in your kitchen that’s natural and safe. To get rid of grease build-up on ovens and pans, you can use vinegar or lemon. Just leave it on for at least fifteen minutes, the acid will break down the grease until it softens. This eco-friendly tip will help save you a few extra bucks all while cleaning out charred oven doors to keep them looking good as new.

Lemon and vinegar is actually an old-school cleaning practice long before strong detergents were available in the market. You can use vinegar diluted with water to scrub out soap scum on sink tiles or even to mop out that greasy floor. Set aside a weekend for general kitchen cleaning, it would be good if you can do this once a month, and more frequently if you’re quite a busy chef.

To make cleaning more convenient, you can mix your own green cleaning solution in a spray bottle so it’s ready for use. Just mix water, baking soda, and white vinegar in a bottle, and you’re good to go.

Can’t stand the heat. The kitchen is also one of the hottest places in your house, and it just keeps steamin’ hot the longer your cook. So it’s always a wise idea to keep even ventilation. Open windows while cooking and have an extractor fan installed to keep vapors from condensing into wooden countertops and kitchen cabinets. Vapors leave a lot of moisture on wooden cabinets, potentially damaging them as it seeps in. Another way to lessen vapors is to avoid opening your dishwasher before twenty minutes has passed after it has cleaned your plates. Open it when the vapors have condensed inside the dishwasher. Also, don’t put a coffee maker underneath wall-mounted cabinets because the heat will damage the wood. You should also place a mat before putting a hot pan on your laminate countertop to avoid burn rings. Lastly, be sure to clean up  water or other liquids that spill  on wooden surfaces.

Sturdy surfaces. It’s not advisable to cut directly on your worktop. However, if you have a granite surface that’s stain and scratch resistant, you can actually cut on your counter’s surface provided that you keep it sanitary at all times. These engineered granite countertops are a wise investment for your kitchen—it’s practical and can last a lifetime. It resists heat and cold and requires almost no maintenance unlike wooden countertops.

These simple tips keep your kitchen running smoothly, helps make sure your appliances last longer, and ensure you have a sanitary space to prepare healthy meals for your family.

Author Bio: George is an advertising consultant for several online businesses such as JAF Gifts, a vendor of wedding centerpieces and table settings. He has also done some work in the home improvement and construction industry in the past years.

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Posted in Home Improvement, Kitchen Remodeling