Summer means cooking out on the deck, vacations, and lots of outdoor activities. To ensure that you get your maximum summertime fun, hire a reliable contractor to get those projects done for you. Power wash the deck, driveway, and exterior of the house. Re-stain the deck and fence. (Especially here in the Pacific Northwest, our…

Age really has nothing to do with adding grab bars and designing your home to accommodate a wheelchair. The most active homeowner can break a leg skiing, or have some other accident. When remodeling your bath, it is especially important to consider how difficult it would be to shower and use the fixtures if you…

All the studies tell us that the upgrade with the number one return on investment, is the kitchen. Since we all spend so much time in the kitchen, this totally makes sense. It also is oftentimes one of the largest rooms in the home, next to the living and dining rooms. So much space will…

Whether you are planning to have a new kitchen tile backsplash installed or having your entire kitchen re-made, arm yourself with all the information you need to make the right choices. One of the great benefits of kitchen backsplash tile – apart from the very useful job of protecting your kitchen’s walls from food spatter…

If the kitchen needs some work, decide just how much needs to be done. Replacing cabinet hardware can make a big difference; updating the sink and faucet have a large impact as well. In any case, stop and think about what needs replacing and what can be repainted or refinished. Bathrooms are next on the…

Family members spend a lot of time in the kitchen – and they’ll be there more with an upgrade that fits your families needs. Want to be able to help the kids with homework while preparing dinner? Have a countertop seating area added to the kitchen. A 12 inch overhang and some designer stools and…

Whatcom County residents love our small community; show your support by making your holiday season purchases from local small businesses. It’s the right thing to do! Have you heard of Small Business Saturday? Saturday, November 28 is The Day; (Small Business Saturday). It’s a day to celebrate and support small businesses and all they do…

Here are some options in homes that baby boomers are reported to consider desirable or even essential, do they fit into your ideal concept of the perfect home? Bathroom: Non-slip floors (who wouldn’t like this?) A grab bar or two in the shower Full bath on the first floor Kitchen: Easy to reach upper cabinets.…

Bellinghamsters are remodeling their kitchens at a fast pace these days. Kitchens, and specifically, kitchen cabinets, are a prime focus. If you have nice, solid wood cabinets that are arranged to your liking, you can keep them, but have them refinished. New hardware will really update their appearance. Some cabinets weren’t much to start with,…

It doesn’t have to be elaborate to be luxurious; simplicity and minimalist design can be soothing and elegant. A simple spa shower may feature a hand-held and wall mount shower heads, a tiled niche for toiletries. Built-in cabinets can be custom-designed to suit your master bath. Windows can be located to let in lots of…

It’s the smallest room in the house! This little gem of a space doesn’t have to be a utilitarian closet; with a little imagination and not a whole lot of money, it can be turned into the most glamorous room in the house. No, really. It has become popular to go all-out for this little…

You may not have found your dream home, but purchased a nice house with lots of potential. Now it is time to start the journey to turn it into your dream home. First, establish a budget and know how you will finance your project. Will you be hiring an interior designer? If so, this should…

Selecting a contractor for the renovation of any part of your home is an important decision and requires you to ask the right questions. Some self-education is required! Research as much as you can; what qualities and qualifications do you want in a contractor? Here are some things to consider when searching for the right contractor…

Veterans Day is a tradition that began in commemoration of the formal end to WWI.  Ninety seven years ago an armistice ended World War I, which was then the greatest conflict the world had ever seen. Armistice Day became Veterans Day in the 1950’s, and now honors all U.S. military members. There are numerous events…

Large or small, bathrooms nearly always seem to suffer from lack of storage space. Here are a few ideas that will work anywhere. Space between studs of interior walls is ideal for recessed niches (we’re talking shower walls) about 14 inches wide. They’re right-sized for shower storage that keeps soaps and shampoos handy without taking…

Solid surface countertops are constructed of durable, man-made acrylic to provide years of low maintenance, beauty and service. DuPont Corian and Hi-Macs by LG Hausys are companies providing a hundreds of colors and patterns to choose from. These countertops are virtually seamless, high performance surfaces. They are non porous, and do not require any special…

What’s more important, style or storage? Why not have both? Vanities can provide much needed storage in the bath, but they are equally important for their contribution to the bath style. A clean design with some textured touches is popular in bathrooms today. Subdued colors and clean lines are being incorporated into vanity designs, whether…

If you are considering remodeling your kitchen, don’t forget to have the floor done! Oftentimes it needs to be done, due to a slight change in the area of floor that the lower cabinets, refrigerator and stove cover. You don’t want even an inch of the grubby, non-flooring covered floor exposed! Take this opportunity to…

Could you really enjoy getting up before dawn on cold winter mornings? Yes you can, and I’ll tell you how! Have heated flooring installed in your master bath, put it on a timer, to warm up before you get up. Have an entire wall tiled in your favorite color glass tile to brighten up the…

Why be practical when determining the design for one of the most used rooms in your house? Yes, new fixtures, flooring, and a great paint job are important for a successful bathroom remodel, but why not consider granite countertops, a solid glass sink, heated towel warmer, and a luxury shower spa or steam shower, to…

How are your kitchen cabinets? Are you happy with them? Cabinets are an expensive replacement project, so many put up with their old cabinets far longer than they really want to. Everyone would love to have easily accessible cabinets; flexibility in storage odd-sized items, the right amount of light where it is needed, soft open…

A Bellingham kitchen that was dated, dark and cluttered became a pleasant, friendly family space after this make-over by our skilled master carpenters.   This photo shows the kitchen before remodel.       The updated kitchen has a Coretec vinyl floating floor, custom laminate countertops, full height tile backsplash, new light fixtures, and new,…

Do you love your kitchen cabinets, but are tired of the color? Oak cabinets were popular several decades ago, but today homeowners are more likely to choose a light, painted cabinet finish. If your cabinets have become tiresome but are sturdy, well-built and solid, consider having them refinished instead of replaced. It will save thousands…

Have the new cabinets built right up to the ceiling. If you have a high ceiling, put items you don’t use very often on the top shelves. Have some of the cabinet doors built with glass fronts; it will make a small kitchen feel larger, and you can easily find things stored behind glass! Have…

Bathrooms need renovating pretty frequently, in comparison to the rest of the house. The causes are the hard use they get and moisture issues. You can’t go wrong with a bath remodel; upgrading this room will improve the sale-ability of the house when that time comes and makes the home more desirable. Not to mention…