Designing the Perfect Fireplace Surround

In any room, a fireplace stands out as a focal point. Taking that into account, it's important to plan properly so your fireplace complements the space and existing furnishings. Choose the design, materials, and mantel carefully so they command attention but don't look out of place.

These Tualatin homeowners wanted a clean, traditional classic mantel with surround to tone down the brick of their existing fireplace. We demo’d the top portion of the brick mantel, and in coordination with the homeowner’s, designed the surround to fit the existing structure. Because of the existing window on the right and shelving cabinet to the left, the surround design had some confinements. The custom built recessed panels and layers of trim moldings make this fireplace exude casual elegance. The stately profile of the mantel is eye-catching and because it’s now wider and can house personal treasures. The brick adds texture, but the light color helps maintain the clean look. The new TV mounted above the fireplace signals that the room is suited for relaxing.

 

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Do I Need A Contingency Fund?

While creating a strict budget is helpful, homeowners should also have an emergency fund prepared if the remodeling job goes over budget. It is common for remodeling jobs to go over schedule and rack up additional costs, so having extra cash stored away can help homeowners get out of this jam. Contingency funds are for these unexpected items that present themselves during the course of the project.

 

The guideline is to set aside between five to twenty percent of the quoted estimate for contingencies. The actual percentage depends upon the complexity of the project and the age of the house. For instance, a new roof generally does not require other ancillary items be repaired or altered in order to install the roof. Therefore the minimum contingency of five percent is usually sufficient. On the other hand, a large addition to your home involves many more trades and materials that likely require the maximum contingency of twenty percent. For example, relocating one load-bearing wall could likely involve re-engineering; demo subcontractor; concrete subcontractor; framing subcontractor; structural connection supplier; steel supplier; architect; general contractor; lumber supplier; etc. As a rule if any portion of your existing walls, floors, or ceilings must be demolished or opened up in order to install the new materials you need a contingency towards the maximum. Although a contractor may have vast knowledge of the construction process he does not have X-ray vision. Often times there are situations that complicate construction contained within these areas that cannot possibly be known about until the area is opened.

Therefore, it’s advisable to thoroughly ‘live thru’ the plans in a patient and comprehensive manner, so that when one is confronted with the real world reality, it’s no surprise.

Storing Christmas Decorations

The holidays have come and gone, but the reminders they leave behind are all over your house… literally. Christmas lights are still clinging to your roof and tied around your hedges. The cardboard candy-cane still greets the mailman, weeks after Christmas morning, and Lucy wearing a Santa hat is still tricking Charlie Brown on your front lawn. It is time to pull the decorations down and store them until Black Friday rolls around later on in the year. Here are a few tips that can help you feel less stress with the pulling down and storage of your decorations.

Sometimes you can find yourself in a hurry while putting away your Christmas decorations, and damage them in the process. Whether you decide to just yank the lights down off of their staples or holders, or drag the big wooden cut outs up the driveway because you don’t want to wait for someone to help you bring them back into the garage, always take your time when pulling down your decorations to prevent them from being damaged. Having to buy new decorations during the holidays is the last thing you want to add to your budget when you are already worried about buying presents for everyone.

When taking down lights, do it in an organized fashion. Unhook each bulb from its plastic hook, if that’s what you used to hang the lights with. If you stapled the lights to your house (which I don’t recommend doing), be careful not to tear the wire when pulling it free of each staple. Go ahead and wrap the string of lights around your elbow and palm as you take it down to prevent it from knotting and to keep it organized. As far as storing lights goes, the boxes they come in are often times difficult to fit the strands back into, so I recommend using a Rubbermaid storage tub with a lid. Be sure to label your tubs before you stack them into your garage or attic. This will save you an abundance of time when looking for your lights next year. If any of your Christmas lights went out during the holiday season, don’t put them away broken. You will forget the strand needs to be replaced and waste a lot of time troubleshooting next year. Go ahead and fix your lights as they go out to save yourself a lot of time.

As far as the bigger decorations go, don’t toss them into your garage uncovered. I recommend using thick plastic covering to wrap them in before you store, as this will prevent the paint from being scratched out and help keep spiders and other nasties from making nests in them. Go ahead and place the bigger decorations out of the way in your garage or attic, otherwise you’ll be tripping on them all year. Don’t let your decorations eat up space that’s better suited for commonly used items, such as bicycle or tools. If you have kids, you’ll definitely want them put up out of the way, because let’s face it: kids break things.

Smaller, indoor decorations should be wrapped in an organized fashion that will prevent them from being broken. I always recommend keeping the boxes to Christmas ornaments, as they are well-suited for storing them during the off-seasons. Stackable Rubbermaid tubs come in handy here, as well. If you put away your Christmas decorations in an organized fashion, you should be able to fit everything into just a couple tubs. If you have an artificial tree, keep its box for storage. Typically, it’s not too difficult to fit a Christmas tree back into its box, but if you have trouble, use two thick trash bags to store it in. Be gentle when placing it into storage, especially if it’s a pre-lit tree.

The holidays can be a stressful time, so being organized with your decorations can alleviate some of the stress. Remember to take your time when storing your decorations so you will not feel overburdened during the next holiday season, nor will you have the added financial stress of replacing broken decorations that were stepped on or broken due to poor storage.

Open Layouts & Aesthetic Improvements Drive Kitchen Projects

 

When it comes to kitchens, bigger isn't necessarily better – at least according to a new survey conducted by Houzz.com. The Fall Houzz Kitchen Remodeling Survey, which polled more than 7,500 consumers about their kitchen remodeling plans and progress, showed that while the majority of consumers aren't expanding their kitchens, they are favoring open kitchen plans.

In fact, while only one-third say they plan to expand their kitchen square footage, a whopping 77% of those polled say their kitchen remodel involves opening up the space to other rooms of the house. Consistent with the open-space design, some 61% of survey respondents note that they are incorporating an island into their kitchen design.

As far as their remodeling motivation, reasons cited were all over the map, from major life changes to natural disasters to a simple desire for an updated look. However, when asked about their primary reason for remodeling, aesthetics still topped the list, with 79% of those polled citing "an improved look and feel" as a key motivator behind their remodel (see Graph 1). However, functionality was also a strong factor, with 59% of survey respondents citing "improved function" as a primary reason for the remodel, 52% noting updated appliances and 48% saying improved storage was key.

Other factors cited as key motivators for remodeling included increasing the home's value (38%), creating an open floor plan (36%), improving the entertaining space (33%) and adapting to a changing lifestyle (23%). Less critical, yet still cited by 12% of those polled, was the desire to increase energy efficiency.

Additionally, what consumers are giving up in added size they seem to be putting into getting their dream kitchen just right, with an increasing number of homeowners choosing to do a complete remodel from the inside out. In fact, 49% of those polled say they are gutting their kitchen and starting from scratch, compared to 42% who are merely updating an existing kitchen.
By Janice Costa, writer for Kitchen and Bath Design News Magazine, December 2013