A small kitchen in Valencia, Spain is what one author calls an ideal space. She has this viewpoint due to the use of unique wallpaper.  All the tools and fixtures of a kitchen being in just the right location and not hidden, as well as the fact that it’s not a cookie-cutter modern design and unique by itself.

Key Takeaways:

• Even just a hint of pattern, like the vintage-looking floral over Adela’s cabinetry, adds instant charm (and looks like it could have been there for decades…in fact, I’m not entirely sure it hasn’t been!).
• Flour, sugar, etc. ready to go on the counter? When kept in clear canisters, they blend into the environment.
• And overall, nothing in this kitchen, besides maybe a few modern appliances, dates it in any way.

“The kitchen isn’t usually the first spot you think to put up decorative wallcoverings, but that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be.”

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/3-reasons-why-this-trend-resistant-kitchen-works-245392

Kids can make a home messy so what you have needs to be able to stand up to them. They play and are sometimes rough about it even though they might not mean to be. It’s important to remember this when redoing your home so you choose things kids won’t hurt. This gives good options for tiles.

Key Takeaways:

• -Ceramic tile flooring is a functional and lowest-cost option for homeowners. Easy to clean and exceptionally versatile, ceramic is perfect for kitchen and bathroom spaces
• -Porcelain tile is engineered specifically for toughness, so it’s a great option for high-traffic areas or families with multiple children. Especially resistant to scratches and spills, porcelain’s hard surface will continue looking great year after year.
• -Natural stone tile floors are also naturally resistant to wear and spills—especially harder materials such as granite. Natural stone is a stylish choice for almost anywhere in the home.

“Tile’s durability, stain resistance, and versatile design qualities make it an excellent choice for parents looking to increase the longevity of their floors.”

http://qns.com/story/2017/05/22/tile-options-consider-kids/

Microfiber is a great cleaning tool that many people use and love. If you want the best cleaning tool, then do not buy the cheapest brand you can find. In the end, you will like what they have to offer and all of your cleaning needs will be met by it. It is a really great tool that will help many people.

Key Takeaways:

• Microfiber can be utilized for cleaning and can clean a variety of household surfaces.
• Price does make a difference when it comes to microfiber, paying a little more could mean better quality microfiber.
• Microfiber is eco-friendly and using water plus a microfiber cloth can go a long ways when it comes to cleaning.

“These microfibers are up to 50-100 times thinner than a human hair – hence the name microfibers.”

http://www.cleanmama.net/2017/05/cleaning-with-microfiber.html

Pedestal sinks don’t have to be the bland, white things that normally sit in your powder rooms anymore. Instead, manufacturers are experimenting with making these fixtures much more creative and vibrant in style. They can be made out of rock, brass or other metals and have an aesthetic property that will brighten up your house. With so many styles available, there’s one that will please your taste and go outside of what you perceive to be a boring centerpiece.

Key Takeaways:

• Some pedestal sinks resemble works of art, with elaborate painted motifs, or sculptural silhouettes.
• The totem shape is emerging as a trend. In some, the sink and base become one, so the fixture resembles a ceramic bongo drum
• Customize your bath by selecting slim or curvy glass, nickel or brass legs, and then adding an interesting sink

“In Stone Forest’s organic contemporary collection, columns of basalt are honed or left natural, and vessels are mounted atop.”

http://tucson.com/lifestyles/new-pedestal-sinks-are-perches-with-panache/article_18a5f1c4-ea02-5c26-b4e3-179f38b860dc.html

Cherie and Rick wanted to give the public spaces in their house a facelift, focusing on updating the cottage’s dated kitchen, with its mustard-yellow walls and ceiling, brown tile countertops, builder’s grade oak cabinets, white appliances and ceramic tile floor. Revamp Your Kitchen Countertops Today. But just before the kitchen project was finished, Rick was diagnosed with cancer. He had to have surgery and chemotherapy almost immediately. The couple asked their designer, Karen Wirrig of Karen Cole Designs, to help them quickly organize a backyard wedding so they could celebrate their love in their newly renovated home.

Key Takeaways:

• In addition to removing the peninsula and wall between the kitchen and living room, they raised the kitchen ceiling 13 inches to really open things up.
• The dining room blends with the kitchen. The chandelier chimneys over the dining room table have the same seeded glass seen in the kitchen.
• The buffet was placed between the dining table and dishwasher to make cleaning up and entertaining easy.

“The updated kitchen and home were something the couple created together, and Cherie views it as somewhat of a memorial to their time together.”

https://timesofsandiego.com/life/2017/05/13/weekend-design-carlsbad-kitchen-is-a-memorial-of-a-beautiful-love-story/

These trends will allow you to pep up your bathroom. They’re fresh new ideas. This will give your home the bright, new look you have been wanting without too much hassle or hard work. Remodeling is never that easy but these aren’t as hard as some other options but still give a good affect.

Key Takeaways:

• The traditional bathroom suite has become outdated and there’s a desire for the space to become customized, with people seeing it as a room where they can display individual pieces, as they would art.
• A strong industrial trend is coming through, with steel-effect wall-hung cabinets complemented by sleek brassware and fresh white walls for an efficient, sleek look.
• The bathroom isn’t purely about functionality, or a clinical environment any more. It’s a sanctuary that needs as much design consideration as a living room.

“As designers become more adventurous, sophistication, glamour and individuality rule.”

http://www.hamhigh.co.uk/property/make-a-splash-the-three-bathroom-trends-you-need-to-know-about-1-5002797

Kitchens have become a more integral part of the American home design. More styles of counter tops and cabinets have been developed to accommodate. A list of suggestions for decorating one’s kitchen is included. These suggestions include how to select colors and which parts are most cost-effective to change. Brands of paint are also included, some that are more suited to kitchen-specific needs.

Key Takeaways:

• For many Americans, the kitchen is now the undisputed heart of the home and family life.
• As the most visible room in a home, and with the increasingly high price tag associated with its components, there’s understandable interest in getting it just right.
• With time-crunched families juggling more now than ever, a great kitchen can have tremendous power to not only transform your home but possibly your life as well.

“Today’s homeowners prefer their kitchens placed squarely in the middle, on full display, and void of constricting walls.”

http://www.dailyherald.com/entlife/20170507/with-the-kitchen-the-centerpiece-of-your-house-you-need-to-decorate-it-just-right

Vinegar is great for cleaning all sorts of things. It works well on many surfaces and doesn’t damage them the way harsh cleaners can. This talks about using it for your bathroom and gives eight ways. Vinegar is cheap and safe so you should at least try it over harsher things.

Key Takeaways:

• Deposits under the rim of your toilet bowl can be really hard to clean! To help dissolve the deposits and make them easier to scrub away, grab a few paper towels and your trusty bottle of white vinegar.
• It’s not exactly news that white vinegar is a great safe and natural cleaner for all kinds of surfaces. But today I wanted to talk about one place that vinegar is particularly useful – the bathroom!
• The high acidity level of vinegar helps loosen mineral deposits (such as lime & rust) and dissolve soap scum, making it perfect for bathroom cleaning! And because it is so acidic, it creates a “hostile” environment for many microorganisms, making it a powerful disinfect as well.

“The high acidity level of vinegar helps loosen mineral deposits (such as lime & rust) and dissolve soap scum, making it perfect for bathroom cleaning!”

http://www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com/best-ways-to-use-vinegar-to-clean-your-bathroom

There are many nightmare stories about horrible contractors out there which can make you afraid to hire one. It’s important to know what to do to avoid problems because a contractor can really help you with your project. You need to make sure your contractor is licensed and that they have the proper insurance. Check on this before hiring anyone to work on your home.

Key Takeaways:

• At a time when home improvement and renovations are on the rise, it’s important for homeowners to safeguard their investment by hiring a licensed, insured and bonded contractor to do the job.
• Unlicensed contractors generally offer lower quotes since they don’t pay licensing fees or obtain bonds to cover their work, and may not even have worker’s compensation insurance.
• Although it may seem more economical to choose the cheapest contractor, the reality is that it can be extremely costly and may even decrease the home’s value in the end.

“Unlicensed contractors generally offer lower quotes since they don’t pay licensing fees or obtain bonds to cover their work, and may not even have worker’s compensation insurance.”

http://www.prweb.com/releases/2017/04/prweb14267376.htm

Microfiber cloths are pretty popular now and are well known. Many companies are making them. They’re marketed on TV and are also in most stores. This talks about its uses for cleaning. Does it work well? Is it a good choice. Check this out and you can see if you should use these cloths or something else.

Key Takeaways:

• Why does microfiber work? Microfiber is composed of microscopic fibers made from polyester and polyamide (both are essentially fibers made from plastic). Because of these microscopic, teeny tiny fibers, they grab and hold dirt better than a conventional cleaning cloth, cleaning wipe, or paper towel.
• Wash only with other microfiber cloths – I keep a bucket on the back of our washing machine and toss dirty ones in there. I wash them weekly all together and then run a sanitize cycle on the washing machine.
• Dusting – use for dry dusting or with your favorite polish. I also use a microfiber dusting wand in lieu of a feather duster for quick dusting.

“I found that when I had a whole slew of cleaning cloths for different purposes I was only coming back to two.”

https://www.cleanmama.net/2017/05/cleaning-with-microfiber.html