Category: Finesse Design Blog

DC Home Remodeling: Spring Temperatures and 2017 Design Trends to Consider

Posted on | by Finesse Design Remodeling | 7 Comments on DC Home Remodeling: Spring Temperatures and 2017 Design Trends to Consider

If you reside in the D.C. area, then you know winter temperatures weren’t predicted accurately by our groundhog friend, Punxsutawney Phil. The first day of spring is Monday, March 20, and spring-like temperatures are here already (minus the snow from the other day). This means spring cleaning and home projects are soon to be underway.

Instead of waiting until spring to release our home design trends for you to consider with your upcoming interior home design and remodeling projects, we figured it would make better sense to go ahead and release some insights now. So without further ado, here are some popular trends in 2017 for you to consider:

The Colors of 2017

The Color of Nature

The beauty and colors of nature can put anyone in a good mood, especially inside your home. One current trend that is stunning in the modern household is the wood element as it provides a feeling of getting closer to nature. Panatone also named “Greenery” as their 2017 Color of the Year, is a vibrant and refreshing shade of green reminiscent of lush foliage. A great way to incorporate this dramatic color into your home is through the addition of potted plants in your décor.

Jewels Tones are big for 2017

The colors from jewels tend to capture the attention of many designers as well as homeowners. The saturated and bold colors of jewel tones, from emerald green to sapphire blue, is perfect for accents in home furnishings and art pieces.

Taupe or Shadow

Whether you prefer the drama of “Shadow” as Benjamin Moore does, or a softer version such as “Poised Taupe” by Sherwin Williams, these trendy purple shades for 2017 will surely bring class and warmth to your space. Neutral yet impactful, when combined with other colors, they give joie de vivre (enjoyment of life) inside your home. A departure from 2016’s Color of the Year, “Simply White”, these new neutrals further demonstrate that 2017 is all about color!

The Kitchen

The Two-toned Craze

Two-toned themes have maintained popularity in kitchens. Most two-toned kitchens use rich wood finishes combined with lighter hues of white or cream. However, grays, blues, and even navy are making a presence especially when tempered with or with luxurious champagne bronze or brass tones. These color combinations let the whole kitchen look well designed, rich, and fabulous.

Everything Clean and Simple

One popular trend with kitchen designs today is a simpler and clean look. Many homeowners, for instance, prefer to have cabinets with simpler door designs such as a slab or shaker profile. The simpler door style goes hand and hand with the more dramatic trending kitchen tones of 2017.

Quartz on the Countertop

Tiles on your kitchen counter or mainstream granite colors can give your kitchen an outdated feel. Although some homeowners still prefer granite countertops for both their kitchen and bath, quartz composites are starting to get more attention. Quartz has the same durability as that of granite but because it is a manmade product, it lends itself beautifully to contemporary or transitional designs. Plus, quartz countertops are non-porous, so sealing is not needed.

Essential Cooking Wares

Technology in the kitchen is catching up, which means you better be ready for more modern cooking tops and other appliances inside your kitchen. Induction cooktops are gaining popularity, especially when gas cooking is not an option. Built-in microwave drawers that save space with a modern appearance is also a great idea for the kitchen.

The Bathroom

Closer to Nature in Contemporary Style

Contemporary style with a touch of nature is now in. Whether it is your sink, tub surrounds, shelves or linens, the touch of nature with neutral wood and greenery colors is a 2017 trend. Most of these designs can be seen in spas where people go to aide in relaxation, and this trend has slowly dominated in the residential sector. The modern twist of nature-inspired bathrooms can easily attract homeowners because of its relaxing qualities.

The Tile Styles

Geometric tiles are getting more attention, creating a more artistic and unexpected twist from your classic square or subway tile inside the bathroom. Another style getting attention is Moroccan inspired tiles or encaustic cement tiles which feature different lines, shapes, and patterns. If you are not into attention grabbing patterns, then classic subway tiles with a contrasting grout may come as a better choice for you.

Contemporary Fixtures, Cabinets, and Sinks

Many homeowners want a contemporary style integrated with their whole interior design. Most of the contemporary fixtures, cabinets, and sinks are simple, easy to maintain and simply stunning. Undermount sinks are a staple in contemporary bathroom designs, and the greenery trend is also incorporated well on contemporary fixtures, cabinets, and tiles by using neutral colors and adding wooden elements in the design.

The Technology for Your Home

A Smart House in the Palm of Your Hands

Your whole home can slowly become easier to maintain and control with the help of cool new apps. Want to have a warm bath ready? Tap your iPhone. Want to have the lights dim during the night, or the air conditioning on a steady temperature during the day? Set it up on your smartphone, so you don’t have to come home with rooms that are too hot or too cold.

We hope you found these insights helpful as you embark on your home design and remodeling projects. If you are in the market for a free home design consultation, then don’t hesitate to contact us.

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DC Kitchen Remodeling: Proper Sub flooring and Lighting

Posted on | by Finesse Design Remodeling | 1 Comment on DC Kitchen Remodeling: Proper Sub flooring and Lighting

Here at Finesse Design Remodeling, we want every household in D.C. to have gorgeous and functional spaces, and this should also be true for your DC Kitchen Remodeling. For the next few weeks, we will talk about important factors to consider when remodeling your kitchen. You can check out last week’s tips for load bearing walls and GFCI units here. Without further ado, here are this week’s tips:

Brian Bielski

Partner at Finesse Design Remodeling

One of things that we see a lot of when we go into looking into people’s bathrooms or kitchens, older homes in D.C., Virginia, Maryland or wherever it may be, we see a lot of cracked floor tile. The reason is usually whoever installed that floor tile did not have proper subflooring. To install floor tiles, there is a couple of ways to ensure that you have the proper subflooring.

The American Tile Institute recommends a minimum of an inch and a quarter of sub flooring. That would be three-quarters of an inch plywood and a half inch of cement board tile backer, whether it be Durock, Wonderboard, etc. If you have that three-quarters plus half, you will not have any cracked floor tiles.

The other way you can do this is to go over the three quarter inch plywood. Schluter makes something called Schluter Ditra, which comes in rolls and has honeycombs and is made structurally to basically take the floor stresses off of the tiles. If you use Schluter Ditra plus three-quarter plywood, you will not get any cracks.

Elizabeth Mitchel

Partner at Finesse D­­esign Remodeling

Another important element to consider in your upcoming DC Kitchen Remodeling is the lighting in your space. There are four main types of lighting that your designer will be considering when planning for your renovation. The first type is the natural lighting of the space. This is the light that comes in through windows in the kitchen or through a skylight in the kitchen.

The second type of lighting that you should be considering is the general lighting. This is the artificial lighting that we need in the kitchen when it is nighttime or it’s a cloudy day. You can still get the proper light to be able to walk safely through the kitchen and be able to illuminate what you are doing. Types of general lighting would be recess lighting on the ceiling or other surface mount types of lights such as track lighting or decorative fixtures mounted to the ceiling.

The third type of lighting that is very important to consider is the task lighting in the kitchen. This is most common with your under-cabinet lighting. This is important because it illuminates your work area so when you are prepping food or you’re cooking, you want to make sure you are able to see the countertop area clearly.

And the final type of lighting that especially designers like to consider is the accent lighting. This is to illuminate certain features in the kitchen, such as lighting that is placed above the crown molding over the wall cabinets to illuminate the ceiling. This type of lighting adds the little extra dimension of the space.

We hope these DC Kitchen Remodeling tips help you!

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The 5-point Checklist for Your D.C. Bathroom Remodeling Project

Posted on | by Finesse Design Remodeling | 16 Comments on The 5-point Checklist for Your D.C. Bathroom Remodeling Project

Remodeling a bathroom can be overwhelming. This is especially true with homes in Washington, D.C. as interior space is extremely limited.

To ensure your bathroom renovation runs smoothly, we here at Finesse Design Remodeling have put together a quick 5-point checklist for you to use, which can help you avoid feeling overwhelmed throughout this project.

Budget

Just like with any project you are about to embark on, the first question you need to have answered is ‘how much should I afford to spend?’

Setting a budget will help guide you as you make decisions about what to include and exclude, the level of craftsmanship you expect, and the quality of materials you want to incorporate into your bathroom renovation.

And, knowing your budget will help you to choose which contractors to reach out to because pricing will vary considerably since not all contractors offer the same level of quality and service.

So, you need to determine what is more important to you – cost or value?  Information online can be skewed and price depends on the region you live in. Some information suggests that a bathroom remodel costs as little as $6,000 – $9,000.00 – way too small of a budget for a full remodeling job!

For this range, you may replace the shower tile or some of the fixtures but that doesn’t constitute a full remodel.

Other sources suggest that a full bath remodel should cost $10,000 – $16,000.00. This could be the case so long as you don’t rearrange the layout and you limit your selections to lower end products, or plan to re-use some of the existing fixtures.

So, if you are going the cost route, then your best bet may be to stick with off the shelf products and fixtures you can buy at Home Depot or Lowes. However, if you truly want a bathroom that suits your design and function criteria, then your best bet is to go the custom route. If you are considering selling your home in the future, a well-designed bathroom will realize more value at resale. Achieving this will require some design expertise to help you navigate the way.

Here are some additional questions to have answered when deciding on your budget and which contractor to hire:

Will your contractor include?

Design and materials selections?

Permits and inspections?

Licensed plumbers and electricians?

New dedicated circuits included for lighting and GFCI plugs, or is the contractor assuming the current wiring schematic is adequate?

Time

Just because you have a small bathroom does not mean it will take a lot less time than a large bathroom to remodel. The same materials need to be ordered (e.g. cabinets, light fixtures, and tile), which will take time to be delivered and installed.

Also, depending on the number of items you are replacing in your bathroom, your hired contractor will need to go through all the same steps he and/or
she would have to go through with larger bathrooms.

Lastly, if the bathroom you are remodeling is the only bathroom in your home, then this is something you must consider as well during your bathroom renovation. You don’t want to be stuck in a precarious situation in which need to rely on your neighbor’s home to use their bathroom, or the nearest McDonald’s.

Added tip: a “full gut” and remodel of a typical bath should take two and a half to four weeks. If someone promises under two weeks, then chances are your bathroom remodel will not turn out favorably.

Hidden Problems

Based on your initial consultation with your contractor, the renovation seems like it will go according to plan, suddenly, however, there are hidden problems once work begins.

Regardless of the age of your home, the biggest hidden problem you can encounter is water damage.

It is important to look for structural deficiencies in the floor framing, plumbing that may not be adequately vented, old or damaged plumbing, tile shower/tub surrounds that aren’t waterproof, and more.

If you are doing a major bathroom remodel, then it is ideal for you to consider doing a “full gut” renovation. Hiring the right professional design/build firm will help ensure your bathroom remodeling process is enjoyable because your firm will be able to creatively solve any problems that arise, your bathroom will function flawlessly, and the remodel will add significant value to your home.

Here are some additional considerations for potential hidden problems:

Inadequate sub-flooring, which can cause ceramic tile to crack

Improper toilet flange and/or wax ring installation causing leakage and sub-floors to rot

Circuits that aren’t ground fault protected, which can cause shock or electrocution hazard

Waste vent system improperly done or undersized, causing toilets to burp, and slowing the drainage of sinks and tubs

Design Style and Functionality

There are so many design and functional elements to consider with the bathroom you envision, which can cause overwhelming stress. What paint color do I choose? What tile choice(s) do I go with? How about the showers, tub (if wanting a tub), faucets and lighting? What options do I choose to set the right ambiance or mood within the bathroom?

You can do investigative research online, which can take hours, days, months, or even years during your spare time. And during this lengthy process (which may be when your first grandchild is born), you can piece together elements you like and hope for a cohesive design that functions well.

Or…

You can seek professional help from a reputable design and build firm that is partnered with you each step of the way through this process. This is the recommended approach as such companies are specialized in coordinating everything for you from start to finish – more on this later.

You will also want to consider the eventual resale of your home, and think of how the bathroom design will fit in with the rest of your home. For instance, it may not make sense to have an Arts and Crafts styled bathroom when the rest of your house is an Art Deco theme.

Ultimately, the design style of your bathroom should work hand in hand with the functionality you envision.

Here are some additional questions to have answered?

Are multiple design concepts presented, and are the floor plans and elevations discussed with you to determine the best possible layout?

Is there going to be a formal process for material selections? Will a professional designer assist you by providing samples or visiting showrooms with you? Will their selections process harmoniously bring together style, color, and texture of the fixtures and materials, and capture the design theme that you want?

Will the design flow well? Is there potential door and/or drawer interference? Is there adequate clearance in around the different bath fixtures?

Is the lighting thoughtfully addressed so that applying makeup or shaving is a breeze?

Cabinets, Storage, and Shelving

As mentioned earlier, space in D.C. homes is limited. Therefore, you must think creatively about how you can have a beautifully designed bathroom to serve your functional needs while ensuring you have enough cabinet, storage and shelving space that is reachable.

This can be especially tricky if you are raising a family and you need ample space to store things like diapers, extra towels, and more.

Additional tips:

Well planned shower niches are a great place to store bath products.

Ledges can be incorporated into the design which also provide a place to store bath products

Built in linen towers are good for storing towels, diapers, etc., and incorporating an outlet inside a cabinet is a great way to charge items such as toothbrushes and razors while keeping them out of sight.

Recessed medicine cabinets can be utilized for storing pharmaceuticals, personal hygiene products, etc.

Sometimes less is more. If there is plenty of storage adjacent to the space, or if space is limited, perhaps you want to consider a pedestal sink, corner sink, or drop in vessel style sink, which can be used to save space.

Bonus: How Do I Find and Hire the Right General Contractor to Remodel My Bathroom?

More than likely you will need to hire a contractor. However, given that there are so many contractors out there, choosing one that will ultimately deliver the best value for your bathroom remodeling needs is the way to go. Of course, this requires some research on your part or seeking advice from friends and/or family who may have already shared with you who not to go with based on their horrific experience.

One rule of thumb is not to seek multiple contractors to handle different parts of your bathroom remodeling project – e.g. a flooring contractor, a plumbing contractor, an electrician, etc. This can lead to added stress and more headaches trying to coordinate all of this – this is what a general contractor is supposed to do.

Also, if you are going the value route for your bathroom needs, then hiring a general contractor that also specializes in design is your best bet. Essentially, these companies will be with you each step of the way – from the initial consultation, through the design concepts and the construction phases. Similar to a wedding coordinator, these firms will take almost all the stress off your shoulders so you can focus on other areas of your life, and not have to go to bed worried about whether or not the job will deliver the value you desire and be completed on-time.

Lastly, a reputable design and build contractor will ensure that any hidden problems are met with a solution – sometimes a creative one – to ensure your bathroom is delivered within the agreed budget.

Additional Tips:

Think about the entire process. Will your salesperson hand you off to a design person who hands you off to a production person? Or will you be working with the same people throughout the entire process?

Don’t hire the lowest price contractor (this isn’t the government), or someone who promises the job will be completed too quickly.

What is the contractors warranty policy?

Will the contractor take care of all drawings and documents needed for permitting, and handle the permitting process for you?

These are our five (5) checkpoint tips to ensure your next bathroom remodeling project goes right. Of course, there were some others we could have added, such as plumbing fixtures and features; proper measurements; walls and flooring; lighting, accessories, final cleaning and more. If you keep these five (5) checkpoint tips handy, however, and decide to go the with a design and build firm to deliver the best value for your buck, then your hired contractor will help ensure that all of these other points are addressed to meet your bathroom remodeling needs.

About Finesse Design Remodeling:

Finesse Design Remodeling is an award-winning full-service design-build firm specializing in fine renovations and restorations in the Washington DC Area. We work with you from start to finish in whole house renovation and restoration, including kitchen and bathroom remodeling, and interior and exterior design.

DC Kitchen Remodeling Tips Load Bearing Walls and GFCI Circuits

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Here at Finesse Design Remodeling, we want every household in D.C. to have gorgeous and functional spaces, and this should also be true for your DC Kitchen Remodeling. For the next few weeks we will talk about important factors to consider when remodeling your kitchen. Without further ado, here are this week’s tips:

Brian Bielski

Partner at Finesse Design Remodeling

We recently posted a video where we talked about removing load bearing walls. And we want to qualify that when we do so, we’re re-supporting the structure in a different way. First of all, before we talk about how that is done, we need to know what a load bearing wall is.

In a residential situation, a load bearing wall is a wall that’s supporting the structure above, whether via floor or roof and there are several ways that you can do that. Sometimes load bearing walls are wood. We have 2×4’s, and 2×6 studs and they are supporting the floor load above or roof above. How do you remove a section of wall in opening up your kitchen to your dining room?

If you are dealing with wood structure framing, you can do that by sizing appropriate wood beams. It could be double 2×10’s, double 2×12’s, LVL’s (laminated veneer lumber) – these are designed to support high weight loads from above. And our engineer helps us decide what size beams that we have to put in place to support the span that we open up.

If we are doing a brick wall, which is a lot of jobs we do in DC Kitchen Remodeling, we take out the entire back of the house. How do we do that? There’s a method called stitching and in stitching what we do is we punch through the wall and we support it temporarily with support legs down to the floor which is supported down in the foundation. Then we take a big steel i-beam and we put it up there while we have to remove the brick.

If you are adding something like a French door, you can do two angle irons where you’re moving one side of the brick, putting in one angle iron then removing the other side of the brick and putting in that angle iron. These are the several ways of how we take out load bearing walls and putting in complementary support from what we removed.

Elizabeth Mitchel

Partner at Finesse Design Remodeling

Another important element to consider in your upcoming DC Kitchen Remodeling is the placement of the outlets. Code requires that all of your outlets in your kitchen be GFCI protected which means “ground-fault circuit interrupters”.

What this means is that the outlet is protected in case an appliance is plugged in and it falls in the water. There will not be any issue of electric shock being that the power is cut off to the outlet at the intersection of this. This being an important safety measure, you want to make sure that all the outlets are GFCI, but also code requires that you have these outlets every four feet in your kitchen.  And when you are taking into account your sink, it needs to be within two feet of the center of that sink.

So what if you are planning a new backsplash and you have some beautiful tiles picked out and you don’t want to have outlets interrupting that new pattern or tile material?

What we recommend to our clients is using plug molding. This is a strip of outlets that are GFCI protected and looks a lot like a surge protector. We mount these to the underside of your wall cabinets. This way, you are meeting the code requirement of an outlet every four feet but you have nothing interrupting your beautiful new backsplash.

We hope these DC Kitchen Remodeling tips help you!

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D.C. Home Remodeling: 7 Tips to Enhance Your Mood at Home

Posted on | by Finesse Design Remodeling | 1 Comment on D.C. Home Remodeling: 7 Tips to Enhance Your Mood at Home

Remember the day when you first bought your home? There must have been a lot of excitement in the air.

Flash forward a few years later, and perhaps the song, “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin” by the Righteous Brothers started playing inside your head. Or worse, you come home after another long and stressful day at work and immediately feel worse.

Your external environment can have an adverse impact on your mood. Don’t let the space inside your home negatively affect how you feel. Below are seven tips to help liven up your mood.

Change Your Paint to Relaxing Color Schemes

Dark and gloomy days outside can make you feel blue. The same result can happen when you have boring, dark tones inside your home.

Try changing the color of your wall paint to fresher, lighter and more relaxing colors to liven things up. Use colors that represent the things that can help you keep calm, like the sea. Want some sunshine inside when it’s dark and gloomy outside? Bring in some bright yellow and orange to brighten up your space.

Light Up the Room

One way to lighten up your home and mood is to open up windows and use lighter fabrics for curtains. This gives you more natural light, which energizes you better throughout the day. You can also save on energy costs as you are using less electricity.

If natural light is not an option, then you can brighten up the room using good lighting in the right locations. Having a spotlight on areas where brightness is needed can change your room and your mood. Some rooms could also benefit from using dimmers. And in your kitchen, you can also use bright lighting that can mimic natural light, even at night.

Add a Design that Will Attract You!

Would you rather walk into a closed off and cramped space inside your home or an open space?

The way in which a room is arranged, the artwork displayed, and in some cases, an accent wall that stands out can make a room more appealing. The key is to focus on what you consider to be attractive that will get you to go “Wow!” each day, and leave it up to the designers and builders to create this experience to brighten up your day.

Add Your Own Space

Is cooking relaxing to you? Then personalize your kitchen theme without compromising its functionality.

Love books and a cup of tea? Add a small, comfortable reading nook inside your home where you can snuggle, read and relax.

Create Some Interesting Patterns in Your Home

If you don’t have patterns or haven’t changed the patterns or colors on your walls or ceilings, consider doing so.  Also, rearranging the furniture placement can make a difference. After all, change can be good.

If your walls are monotone, then try adding simple patterns with soothing and vibrant colors. You can even add texture to your walls using a variety of materials, such as wood, fabrics and even stones.

If you aren’t keen on changing your wall or ceiling colors, then maybe consider some changes to your furniture. This can be as simple as adding couch pillow covers with simple patterns and vibrant colors. Rugs with cool patterns can also help give your home a little change.

Give Your Home a Touch of Nature

Just like natural light, a touch of nature can create a stress-free environment. There are dozens of plants that you can bring inside your home to create a relaxing effect. Not only can these plants make you feel refreshed, but they produce oxygen which helps purify the air inside your home naturally. Jasmine, Aloe Vera, spider plants and peace lilies are some great plants you can put inside your living room and bedroom.

In the kitchen, you can have a small plant box for herbs, such as thyme, basil, parsley, and rosemary. These herbs are small and do not take up much space inside your kitchen. You can even use these herbs to add a little fresh flavor to your meals.

More space, Less Clutter

There is nothing more depressing than seeing things pile up because you were not able to put them away immediately. Mess causes stress.

Start letting go of things that you don’t need in your home. Donate these items to people or charities. Decluttering your home not only creates more space, but it can also make your home a more relaxing environment.

You deserve to feel good in your home each day! Use the tips discussed above to help create a positive atmosphere in your home, to live a better quality life, and to liven up your mood.

Be sure to join our community of awesome D.C. homeowners below. You will get weekly home design and remodeling tips – straight to your email for free. And you will also receive our free 5-point bathroom remodeling checklist!



 

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DC Remodeling Kitchen Tips: Adequate Storage & Properly Sized Hood Ranges

Posted on | by Finesse Design Remodeling | 1 Comment on DC Remodeling Kitchen Tips: Adequate Storage & Properly Sized Hood Ranges

We are thrilled to be sharing our home design and renovation tips with you each week. It is our intent to provide you with as many valuable tips as possible to help you better prepare for your next big home design and remodeling project. Think of us as your partners each step of the way!

Last week, we have shared some valuable kitchen tips which you can check out with this link. Here are some more tips to consider when remodeling your kitchen:

Elizabeth Mitchel

Partner at Finesse Design Remodeling

Another common complaint that we hear from our homeowner clients when we are planning for a new kitchen renovation is that their existing kitchen does not have adequate storage or countertop space. There are a number of things that a designer will take into account when designing the new kitchen to take care of this concern.

One of the first things that we do is start by calculating a number of cubic inches you have in your existing kitchen so we can make sure that the new kitchen has more actual storage space than you currently have. On top of that, when we go through a new kitchen layout, your designer should sit down with you and go over each cabinet in the new design and what is going to go in each cabinet to make sure that that cabinet functions appropriately for the items that you plan on storing inside that space.

Finally, an item for countertop storage is to make sure you have appropriate landing areas on either side of every major point in the kitchen. There are certain formulas that kitchen designers use that are general guidelines and rules of thumb to make sure that your kitchen sink isn’t too close to the range or that your refrigerator has space nearby where you can set down a tray when you’re opening your door and getting things in and out.

Brian Bielski

Partner at Finesse Design Remodeling

One of the biggest complaints we get from people that are looking to remodel their kitchen is when they cook steak or fish, they are not getting the fumes or smell out of the house. The reason for this is that they don’t have a properly sized hood. And since a lot of our clients are buying these larger format ranges, they require a lot more air to be pulled out of the space.

If the hood is below 400 CFM, you don’t have to have what they call makeup air. But most of these larger ranges require hoods that are over 400 CFM- that’s cubic feet of air per minute. When you go over 400 CFM, you have to have makeup air.

Makeup air has a control wire to a motorized damper and when that hood is turned on, fresh air is drawn into the ductwork from the outside to make up for the air that is being pulled from the inside of the house. Your hood will not draw toxic fumes from your fireplace, windows, bathrooms or other ventilation sewers in the house.

Be sure to join our community of awesome D.C. homeowners below. You will get weekly home design and remodeling tips – straight to your email for free. And you will also receive our free 5-point bathroom remodeling checklist!



 

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DC Kitchen Remodeling Removing Load Bearing Walls, and Toe Kick Heaters

Posted on | by Finesse Design Remodeling

We are thrilled to be sharing our home design and renovation tips with you each week. It is our intent to provide you with as many valuable tips as possible to help you better prepare for your next big home design and remodeling project. Think of us as your partners each step of the way!

For the past weeks, we have shared some valuable bathroom tips which you can check out with this link. For the next set of tips, we will be focusing on kitchen remodeling, to get that wonderful kitchen you’ve always wanted.  Without further ado, here are your tips for this week!

Elizabeth Mitchel

Partner at Finesse Design Remodeling

Many of the clients that we meet with are suffering with small and closed off kitchen space. This makes it very difficult to be able to entertain for family or friends or to be able to keep an eye on small children if you’re fixing dinner or breakfast. One of the solutions for this is to open up the kitchen to some of the neighboring living spaces such as the family room.

But some of our clients, whether they have spoken with a well-intentioned friend or neighbor, are under the impression that this is not an option for them because that wall they want to take out is load bearing or it has plumbing, electrical or ventilation ducting in it. And they have also been told that this is cost-prohibitive. That is not necessarily the case, especially if you are working with a licensed, professional design-build contractor. And you may be able to actually get that wall taken out of the way and it may be a lot less expensive than you realize.

Brian Bielski

Partner at Finesse Design Remodeling

At times when we come into these older homes in D.C., we have a situation where we have to cut radiators out to make room for more cabinets. And the problem becomes then what do you do about creating enough heat after you take the radiator out. A lot of people don’t understand that they may get special toe kick heaters that fit under the cabinet and you can buy them in either 120 volt electric, 240 volt electric or you can either get water toe kick heater.

They fit under the cabinets where they are invisible. They have a blower on them, which you can control remotely from your phone. And you can put a track grill in the toe kick on the cabinet which you can paint the same color as the toe kick so it “disappears” and that will blow warm air out so it’s making up for the fact that we removed the radiator to create more cabinet space.

Another thing that I want to talk about with toe kick ventilation is sometimes we remove a wall and there will be an air duct that traveled up and then diffused out the face of the wall. So rather than move the diffuser out of into the kitchen floor where it will be visible in either the hardware or the tiles, what we do is we blow it up the bottom of the cabinet with a 90-degree boot and we defuse it out of the toe kick. It is hidden and you’re still getting the air into the kitchen that you had.

We hope you found these tips helpful!

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DC Bathroom Remodeling: 5 Quick Tips to Create a Kid-Friendly Bathroom

Posted on | by Finesse Design Remodeling

When planning a bathroom redesign, it is imperative that you address your current family needs, especially for your young children. You don’t want your kids feeling intimidated to use the bathroom. Nor do you want your children in an unsafe setting.

Below are five tips for you to consider when designing a bathroom to meet the needs of your little ones:

Tip #1 Select an Interesting and Customizable Theme

beach-style-bathroom

Kids will be kids, and the boring, plain white bathroom is not going to be appealing for these little tykes. Kids love to have a little color and designs that can spark their imaginations. Choose their favorite colors, cartoon characters or their “dream jobs” (future pilots or princesses, anyone?). You can add these small decorative elements inside the bathroom without compromising your choice of design. A bright paint color or whimsical cabinet hardware can make your younger kids feel more comfortable using the bathroom now and can be easily changed out as they grow older.

Tip #2 Add Ownership on Bathroom Storage

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Planning the storage inside the bathroom should be on your agenda. You can personalize your kids’ storage by adding names to each bin, bag, towels or any other toiletries. These storage items will be your kid’s responsibility to keep themselves organized and can give your child a sense of ownership. Keeping the whole bathroom tidy will also be an easier task for you since you know exactly where you might want to look for items. You can also use baskets, robe hooks and even shatter proof jars in organizing the items of your little ones.

Tip #3 Consider the Materials that are Easy to Clean and Maintain

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Kids will surely get things dirty, broken or misplaced, so having items that are sturdy and easy to maintain is a plus. Any items that can break, tear or get easily smeared with dirt should either be out of your child’s reach or removed from the bathroom. You may also want to consider incorporating easy to maintain products and surfaces into the bathroom if you are planning a renovation. Items such as solid surface countertops or stain resistant epoxy based grout for tiled surfaces will stand up to the wear and tear of small kids.

Tip #4 Offer a Little Boost for Those Little Feet and Arms

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When your children are small, they may have a hard time reaching for the sink. They may also have a hard time reaching the potty and the right towel to use. If you are remodeling your bathroom, it’s an excellent idea to incorporate lower sinks and even a lower height toilet to make it easier for them in the bathroom. However, if you are not remodeling your bathroom, you can invest in stools that are high and sturdy enough to support your kids. You can also place bathroom items they need in lower storage areas and racks.

Tip #5 Above All Else, Make the Bathroom SAFE

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We all want our children to be and feel safe in any part of our homes, and this is also true in the bathroom. Incorporate items, such as a grab bar or a slip resistant mat in the tub area to prevent your kids from slipping, bumping or encountering more dangerous accidents. If you have any medications or items that are potentially hazardous, make sure you have these inaccessible, or out of reach.

Bonus Tips:

Consider adding a hand shower

Hand showers are ideal for rinsing the shampoo off the heads of your little ones. They can also be less intimidating as young kid’s transition from baths to showers, and they make cleaning your bathtub a lot easier. You can replace your regular shower head with a hand shower, or you can have both installed and use a diverter to direct water from one head to the other.

Engage with an Expert before Re-designing and Remodeling:

Incorporating a bathroom that meets both your design and functional needs can be exciting and overwhelming. Rather than trying to do everything yourself, it is best to engage with an expert. These professionals know the industry, and safety guidelines. They also have the most up to date knowledge of building materials to use, and they have a keen eye to make recommendations to design and build a bathroom to meet your needs without compromising on style.

In a nutshell, a good bathroom design and build company will translate your vision and will help you recognize your needs not just now, but also in the future.

We have put together a free 5-point checklist to help you answer some common bathroom remodeling questions, such as cost, time to design and implement, hidden problems and more.

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DC Bathroom Remodeling: Video Tips Part 3 – Bathroom Ventilation and Galvanized Piping

Posted on | by Finesse Design Remodeling

We are thrilled to be sharing our home design and renovation tips with you each week. It is our intent to provide you with as many valuable tips as possible to help you better prepare for your next big home design and remodeling project. Think of us as your partners each step of the way!

For the next several weeks we will be sharing bathroom tips. Here is the link to last week’s tips. Without further ado, here are your tips for this week!

Elizabeth Mitchel
Partner at Finesse Design Remodeling

Another tip for planning your bathroom renovation is bathroom ventilation. This very important element of the bathroom is often overlooked in the hubbub of the picking out tiles and pretty faucets for the space. But what is very important about a functional and healthy bathroom is making sure that all of the warm, humid air from your shower is being taken out of the space to prevent mildew, musky smells and peeling paint later down the road.

Bath fans are sized according to the cubic feet in the room. And you want to make sure that you are selecting the appropriate size fan for your new space. Additionally, we have come across situations where the bath fan has not been vented to the exterior as it should per code. Instead, all the warm humid air is being dumped into an attic or a cold space. Definitely not good for the health of your home or for you.

Brian Bielski
Partner at Finesse Design Remodeling

Another problem that we run into in these older D.C. homes is galvanized piping. Over the years, galvanized plumbing will corrode in the inside and it restricts water flow.

We get a lot of complaints when we come do our program notes upon the initial meeting with the homeowner saying “Hey you know, I never had really good water pressure in here. While remodeling our bathroom, can you take care of that?” And we do! The plumbing contractor that we work with includes that automatically on his price. Once we get in on that bathroom to remodel it, we are going to take that galvanized piping out if we can and replace it with new copper or PVC to eliminate that poor water pressure.

We hope you found these tips helpful!

To receive our weekly tips, simply submit your first name and email address below. You will also receive our free copy of our 5-point bathroom remodeling checklist – a must have for your future bathroom remodeling project.

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D.C. Bathroom Remodeling: Tips to Consider When Remodeling Your Bathroom

Posted on | by Finesse Design Remodeling

Remodeling a bathroom can be overwhelming. This is especially true with homes in Washington, D.C. as interior space is extremely limited.

‘To ensure your bathroom renovation runs smoothly, we here at Finesse Design Remodeling have put together a quick checklist for you to use, which can help you avoid feeling overwhelmed throughout this project. For the full 5-point checklist with added tips (including a special bonus tip) click here.

Design Style and Functionality

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There are so many design and functional elements to consider with the bathroom you envision, which can cause overwhelming stress. What paint color do I choose? What tile choice(s) do I go with? How about the showers, tub (if wanting a tub), faucets and lighting? What options do I choose to set the right ambiance or mood within the bathroom?

You can do investigative research online, which can take hours, days, months, or even years during your spare time. And during this lengthy process (which may be when your first grandchild is born), you can piece together elements you like and hope for a cohesive design that functions well.

Or…

You can seek professional help from a reputable design and build firm that is partnered with you each step of the way through this process. This is the recommended approach as such companies are specialized in coordinating everything for you from start to finish – more on this later.

You will also want to consider the eventual resale of your home, and think of how the bathroom design will fit in with the rest of your home. For instance, it may not make sense to have an Arts and Crafts styled bathroom when the rest of your house is an Art Deco theme.

Ultimately, the design style of your bathroom should work hand in hand with the functionality you envision.

Here are some additional questions to have answered?

  • Are multiple design concepts presented, and are the floor plans and elevations discussed with you to determine the best possible layout?
  • Is there going to be a formal process for material selections? Will a professional designer assist you by providing samples or visiting showrooms with you? Will their selections process harmoniously bring together style, color, and texture of the fixtures and materials, and capture the design theme that you want?
  • Will the design flow well? Is there potential door and/or drawer interference? Is there adequate clearance in around the different bath fixtures?

Is the lighting thoughtfully addressed so that applying makeup or shaving is a breeze?

Cabinets, Storage, and Shelving

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As mentioned earlier, space in D.C. homes is limited. Therefore, you must think creatively about how you can have a beautifully designed bathroom to serve your functional needs while ensuring you have enough cabinet, storage and shelving space that is reachable.

This can be especially tricky if you are raising a family and you need ample space to store things like diapers, extra towels, and more.

Additional tips:

  • Well-planned shower niches are a great place to store bath products.
  • Ledges can be incorporated into the design which also provides a place to store bath products
  • Built in linen towers are good for storing towels, diapers, etc., and incorporating an outlet inside a cabinet is a great way to charge items such as toothbrushes and razors while keeping them out of sight.
  • Recessed medicine cabinets can be utilized for storing pharmaceuticals, personal hygiene products, etc.
  • Sometimes less is more. If there is plenty of storage adjacent to the space, or if space is limited, perhaps you want to consider a pedestal sink, corner sink, or drop in vessel style sink, which can be used to save space.

How Do I Find and Hire the Right General Contractor to Remodel My Bathroom?

More than likely you will need to hire a contractor. However, given that there are so many contractors out there, choosing one that will ultimately deliver the best value for your bathroom remodeling needs is the way to go. Of course, this requires some research on your part or seeking advice from friends and/or family who may have already shared with you who not to go with based on their horrific experience.

One rule of thumb is not to seek multiple contractors to handle different parts of your bathroom remodeling project – e.g. a flooring contractor, a plumbing contractor, an electrician, etc. This can lead to added stress and more headaches trying to coordinate all of this – this is what a general contractor is supposed to do.

Also, if you are going the value route for your bathroom needs, then hiring a general contractor that also specializes in design is your best bet. Essentially, these companies will be with you each step of the way – from the initial consultation, through the design concepts and the construction phases. Similar to a wedding coordinator, these firms will take almost all the stress off your shoulders so you can focus on other areas of your life, and not have to go to bed worried about whether or not the job will deliver the value you desire and be completed on-time.

Lastly, a reputable design and build contractor will ensure that any hidden problems are met with a solution – sometimes a creative one – to ensure your bathroom is delivered within the agreed budget.

Additional Tips:

  • Think about the entire process. Will your salesperson hand you off to a design person who hands you off to a production person? Or will you be working with the same people throughout the entire process?
  • Don’t hire the lowest price contractor (this isn’t the government), or someone who promises the job will be completed too quickly.
  • What is the contractor’s warranty policy?
  • Will the contractor take care of all drawings and documents needed for permitting, and handle the permitting process for you?

These are just a few considerations to have in mind for your next bathroom remodeling project. For our full 5-point checklist, which includes exclusive tips and questions you want to have answered simply provide your first name and email address below, and your free copy will be sent to you.

Send me my 5-point bathroom remodeling checklist

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