Prepare for Spring with a New Bathroom

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Craftsmen Home Improvements, Inc.As lives become more hectic, a relaxing retreat holds tremendous appeal for our customers. One of the biggest trends for 2014 is remodeling the bathroom to create an in-home spa experience. Designs open out the bathroom space and feature clean, streamlined contemporary elements. Large walk in showers with multiple shower heads and frameless enclosures create the look of an upscale resort. Glass tiles sparkle and make your bath appear larger. Custom storage is used to maintain a clutter-free look and enhance the overall design. Radiant heated floors can provide additional warmth and add a touch of luxury. Throughout, rich textures and neutral earth tones help create an experience of serenity and peace in your own home. The following are great tips for remodeling your bathroom.

Planning for your spa

To help you get the beauty of a spa-style bathroom, Cincinnati and Dayton consultants can help you plan your remodeling project from start to finish. You can look through a wide array of fixtures and materials. We have years of experience and will help you think through the process of what you want so your fixtures and finishes will work together to create a good functional flow as well as a beautiful environment. We can work with you to create a spa bathroom in Cincinnati or Dayton that will be an oasis of tranquility for you and your family.

Showers – elegant and open

Walk in showers are a big trend for the spa bathroom, and many of our customers have eliminated tubs from at least one bathroom in Cincinnati or Dayton homes. These newer walk in showers are spacious and often feature sparkling glass tiles. With frameless enclosures and curbless walk in features, even a larger shower can continue the streamlined, clean look of your bathroom design. Imagine enjoying multiple shower heads in your spacious walk-in shower then stepping out and picking up a towel off your heated towel rack. Designs often use the same natural stone for walls and floors as well as countertops, which adds to the feel that the bathroom is one continuous space. Using this feature, even smaller bathrooms will feel larger and more open.

Standalone tubs

As the popularity of walk in showers increases, so does the use of standalone tubs. You might think a standalone tub would be less expensive, but many of our customers find that these high end tubs do not substantially lower remodel costs for a bathroom in Cincinnati or Dayton. But standalones can use less space than a tiled in tub deck. And if you choose a large jetted tub, which can hold 75 gallons or more, you may also want to consider a dedicated hot water heater. A dedicated hot heater will ensure you don’t overextend your main water heater.

At Craftsmen, we love helping you create the spa bath you want in your home. To see all that we offer, you can visit us online at Craftsmen Home Improvement Inc. Or, for your free in-home consultation to remodel your bathroom in Cincinnati or Dayton, call us at 513-942-6300513-942-6300.

4 Easy Ways to Update your Bathroom

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At Craftsmen, we can do a major bathroom remodel which will completely overhaul the entire room. But you may want to plan your bathroom remodel so you can do a few easy things right now and do more extensive updating down the road. The key is to do things that will create dramatic impact, but not interfere with your later remodeling. Feel free to call Craftsmen for advice. In the meantime, here are a few suggestions.

Change your Color Palette

For a quick bathroom remodel, we find that changing the wall color can have an immediate impact. You need to be careful with your color palette, though. Newer palettes are trending towards whites, grays and charcoal greens with a pop of accent color. Overall, neutrals help enlarge a space, while your accent color, if carefully applied, can be changed later. Using too much or too bold of an accent color may overwhelm your bathroom.

Cabinets and Vanities

When we design a bathroom remodel, a quick fix can be to add freestanding and hovering cabinets and vanities. Since they are space-saving, they are often preferred for smaller bathrooms and can make the space seem larger. With their rise in popularity, there is a wider range of styles available, and some of the new stand-alone vanities have excellent storage capacities.

High Quality Faucets

Another quick fix is to update your faucets. Faucets come in an amazing variety of finishes including stainless, chrome, and bronze. Although faucets may seem a small detail, they can add a design accent that will update your look. Touch-less faucets continue to be popular in any bathroom remodel, since they are convenient for young and old alike and are eco-friendly. Since they conserve water, our customers say they notice savings in their water bills.

Light Fixtures and Mirrors

Improving your lighting can brighten your bathroom right away. The important thing to remember is to choose quality fixtures that will add a design focus while still harmonizing with other elements in your space. Above all, lighting has to be functional, so make sure the areas around your mirror are well lit. And if you want to make a temporary change on the way to your major bathroom remodel, we are seeing a wide variety of mirrors being used as accent pieces in bathroom décor, so come in and look at what we have to offer. At Craftsmen, we are happy to help you plan your bathroom remodel in Cincinnati or Dayton. To see all that we offer, you can visit us online at Craftsmen Home Improvement Inc. Or, for your free in-home consultation to remodel your bathroom in Cincinnati or Dayton, call us at 513-942-6300513-942-6300.

Basement Remodeling

How to Determine the Perfect Flooring

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Beginning a remodeling project for a new kitchen in your home is by far one of the most exciting steps you will take as a homeowner. While you carefully plan the layout, the purchase of new accessories, and the look of your kitchen, it’s important to remember that you need a new floor as well! After all, it isn’t considered a new kitchen unless it comes with a matching brand new floor.

But with so many flooring options available, it can be a challenge to know how to floor your kitchen. The reality is that kitchen floors experience heavy traffic, so you want to find a balance between durability, style, and convenience.

Popular options for flooring your brand new kitchen include:

1. Solid wood: Wood flooring in a kitchen is a beautiful way to add warmth to the heart of your home. It will immediately add an earthy, natural look that will give your kitchen a rich, classic feel. Because of the nature of wood flooring, you can rest assured that it will never go out of style and remain an asset in your new kitchen.

2. Natural stone: From limestone to granite, there are many natural stone floor options for a new kitchen. Aside from the durability that stone provides, you will enjoy the visual depth and elegant look that immediately adds value to your home.

3. Tile: Do you have young children who are involved in sports? Tile makes it easy to clean up those muddy footprints and accidental spills that can happen in a new kitchen. Ceramic tile is another classic option that is sleek and embraces a contemporary look.

Deciding on the flooring isn’t a choice that you have to face alone. Contact our experts at Craftsmen to find the perfect solution for your new kitchen.

Tips for Lighting Your Kitchen Effectively

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As you remodel your kitchen, it’s important to remember to consider how you’re going to light the room. After all, lighting can make a big difference in highlighting focal points and key features. To ensure that you get the most out of renovating your kitchen , it’s crucial to create the perfect lighting plan as well.

To do this, be sure to follow these guidelines:

1. Layer your lighting: The light in any kitchen should come from a variety of sources, including windows. Too often, homeowners make the mistake of assuming that a single overhead light will serve as a beacon to illuminate the entire kitchen. This results in a glaring light that overpowers everything in the vicinity.

2. Consider task lighting: As you prepare meals in your kitchen, chances are that you could utilize task lighting to make your preparation easier. Whether it’s for chopping fruits and vegetables or checking the progress of your food, lighting plays a major role in every kitchen.

3. Remember ambient lighting: Ambient lighting ensures that your kitchen imputes a warmer, more inviting glow for your home. It will also ensure that key appliances and features are showcased in the best light.

As you plan to renovate your kitchen, it is critical to work with trusted and experienced craftsmen who have the best interests of your project in mind. Contact Craftsmen today for a free in-home consultation!

Is it Time to Remodel your Kitchen?

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Craftsmen Home Improvements, Inc.When we visit a kitchen for our free in-home consultation, it was probably designed decades ago. While the old wooden cabinets and fussy pastel wallpapers were fashionable in their day, our customers want a newer look. Designs for a remodeled kitchen are trending towards white or gray cabinets and stainless steel appliances, with an overall cleaner, more minimalist feel. Countertops will be simple and apron and farmhouse sinks are popular. One of the top cost saving options for a kitchen is to reface the cabinets rather than replace them. You can save a lot of money and create a new look with refaced cabinets, and our consultants at Craftsmen can help you figure out your best options. Here are a few suggestions.

Appliance Finishes: Most homeowners prefer stainless steel appliances. You can now get appliances with less metallic sheen, rounded handles and rounded edges. The clean, minimalist look is still there, but somewhat softened. Some customers want their kitchen to have appliances integrated into cabinetry for an even more streamlined effect, especially in open kitchens where appliances can be seen from a distance. The most important consideration is that the appliances blend seamlessly into your overall design concept within your entire space. Our consultants can help you create the look you love.

Countertop Finishes: Most homeowners remodeling kitchens want new countertops, with 50% of homeowners choosing granite, and 36% choosing quartz. When we design a new kitchen, it may also have a mixture of different countertop treatments. For example, a butcher block may be incorporated into the workspace. Waterfall countertops, where the counter flows over the side, are increasingly used. Our customers are choosing fewer patterns and more black counters in both granite and quartz – the top two countertop materials we see today.

Apron and Farmhouse Sinks: Apron and farmhouse sinks have a very traditional style. And yet, this is a trend we see on the rise in kitchen design. The new trend is that homeowners mix styles within one kitchen. While a farmhouse sink may seem rustic, there are now many designs with sleeker lines and flat fronts that mesh well with the clean lines our kitchen customers are looking for. Your sink can be a focal point, so be sure to look at our wide variety of styles to choose the features that meet your needs.

Consider Saving Money by Refacing your Cabinets: One way our customers save money remodeling a kitchen is by refacing their kitchen cabinets. This is a cost-effective way to save money, but it does have its limitations. When you completely replace cabinets, you can redesign their size, look and configuration within the space of your kitchen. But when you reface cabinets, the underlying cabinet remains the same. Only the front is updated. The savings are there, but the limitations are there as well.

We are Craftsmen Home Improvements, a Top 500 Remodeler nationwide. To see all that we offer, you can visit us online at Craftsmen Home Improvement Inc. Or, for your free in-home consultation to remodel your kitchen, call us at 513-942-6300513-942-6300.

Kitchen Remodeling your top priority this year

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The Kitchen is where the action will be this year. Our customers tell us kitchen remodeling is their number one priority and they are exploring the newest trends. Open kitchen design, coupled with new lighting options, can make your kitchen more airy and inviting, while kitchen islands can help you define zones in your floor plan. Floating shelves continue the trend of the open airy feeling and allow your wall treatments to shine through. Craftsmen Home Improvements can help so that everyone – your kids, your pets, your cooks and your cleanup crews – will all have the perfect place to hang out and enjoy themselves.

The kitchen is the heart of the home. Yet, our customers tell us their kitchens are cramped and separated from other rooms. Increasingly, homeowners want their kitchens open to other rooms, and the number one kitchen trend is open design. By creating a flow from the living room or family room into the kitchen, the lines of sight extend throughout your floor plan. Your formerly closed-in space expands and the kitchen is incorporated into a larger living area. Even though no rooms have been added on, your home feels larger immediately If you are thinking about remodeling your kitchen, here are a few of the top trends in Kitchen design.

1. Kitchen Islands: With an open design, your kitchen will flow seamlessly into your other rooms. But it’s important to establish defined areas as well. A kitchen island clearly sets the kitchen apart while still allowing the visual flow that makes your spaces expand. Our customers want their kitchen islands to be large enough to let the kids do schoolwork while the cook creates the perfect meal. You can also choose a kitchen island with striking design features to enhance your decor. At Craftsmen, we have hundreds of kitchen islands for you to choose from.

2. Kitchen Lighting: Everyone loves natural light. But the shorter hours of winter sunlight can make a kitchen seem a bit dark. While great lighting can help increase the sense of spaciousness in your new kitchen, careful planning ensures that your lighting functions well year round. LED lights used to be very expensive, but have come down in price and have become the go-to choice for under cabinet lighting. Since LED lights are energy efficient as well as low maintenance, they are a good option to keep your kitchen bright all year long.

3. Floating Shelves: A very attractive option we’re seeing in the kitchen this year is floating shelves. These shelves attach directly to the wall and are completely open. Since they are not closed and projecting into the room, floating shelves also help a kitchen appear larger. And they let you have more design options – you can choose a great wall treatment, and the wall behind your shelves will shine through.

Hopefully you have some new ideas about your kitchen remodel. To see all that we offer, you can visit us online at Craftsmen Home Improvement Inc. Or, for your free in-home consultation to remodel your  kitchen, call us at 513-942-6300513-942-6300.

New Cabinets Keep you Sane

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We have Dayton remodeling experts on hand to help you with your most pressing remodeling needs. Cabinets don’t often rush to the top or our customers’ planning agendas, but here’s some food for thought – can new cabinets keep you sane?

Think about it. Your morning started long ago. The kids are at least up and let the dog out. You ran downstairs and made some form of breakfast and set out lunches. Then you rushed back upstairs to get yourself ready for the day. You already organized the kids. Wouldn’t it be great if the cabinets in your personal space actually helped you move quickly into your own day? Look at the organizers in the pictures – you can have all your makeup and all your styling tools in one place, ready to go when you sit down. This shows a two drawer combo – with built-in makeup organizers in the top drawer and built in styling organization in the bottom drawer. What a great combination of beauty and practicality for your bedroom.

There are also kitchen cabinet organizers for your Dayton remodeling and Cincinnati remodeling needs. You can organize lunches, school supplies, pet supplies and much more with custom kitchen cabinets. There are cabinets specifically designed for storing your pots and pans, your household cleaners, and all your spices. There are rollout trays for everything from your recycling to your silverware, cookie sheets and much, much more. So if you can use a little more organization in your life, call or come in – we can find something that’s perfect for your needs.

Get ideas for cabinets and organization that you’ve never thought of. Call us for your Cincinnati and Dayton remodeling needs. We will come to you for a free in-home consultation. Call: Dayton: 937-299-5201937-299-5201; Cincinnati: 513-942-6300513-942-6300.