Category: Tips

Let’s say you’re looking to change things up in your kitchen but don’t know where to begin? or maybe you’re not sure how to communicate your ideas to a contractor. Finding your own style isn’t all that hard and you can create a style board o that  Well you’re in luck, we’ll be discussing how to find your own personal style for your kitchen, but this process can be used for virtually any.

Start collecting inspiration

When you’re first starting out we suggest collecting anything and everything that catches your eye. Whether digitally, physically or a combination of the two, add freely to this collection- don’t think about it. Editing happens later, right now we are building a collection of elements that call to you. Some of these images may not end up being used at all and that’s fine. By collecting different images and ideas without editing yourself, you’ll end up finding a pattern or common thread that you naturally gravitate to.

Categorize

Now that you have a collection of inspiration for your kitchen it’s time to start breaking these images down into categories. The categories that you chose to use are up to you and your collection. A few example categories could be – “Kitchen Islands”, “Back Splashes”, “Lighting” and  “Color Palettes”. Again, don’t edit yourself in this stage, that comes next.

Refine your collection

In the beginning of this process your collection of inspirational images consisted of anything and everything that caught your eye. Now it’s time to go through and look at everything you’ve saved. Some images may have lost their appeal to you, and that’s fine, put these images aside and keep going.

Define your collection
Once your collection has been edited down it’s time to look at the images and define what elements of the photo that you like, and anything that you might not like. For example “I really like the shape of these tiles used in this backsplash” or “I like the style of the cabinet doors, but I would prefer to see it in a different finish”. Write down your thoughts as you go through the images and hold onto it for the next step.

Bring it to your contractor

Take your curated collection of images and your notes on the specifics of what you like to your contractor. With a clearly defined picture of what you want, communicating your vision with your contractor should be a breeze.  

It may not feel quite like Spring yet in the capital region, but don’t let that fool you. Now is the time to start looking around the exterior of your home for any damage that may have happened during the Winter. We’re welcoming the arrival of spring by clearing and checking the foundation vents around your home.

If your home has a crawl space there are vents in your foundation. Vents allow air to circulate in the crawlspace, helping to avoid the buildup of excess moisture which could lead to mold growth.

When inspecting the vents in your foundation you first want to clear the vent of any debris that may have accumulated during the winter, after all, air can’t circulate if the vent is obstructed.

After clearing your vent check to ensure that the screen on your vent is still intact. Wild animals think that your crawlspace is the ideal place to set up camp for the winter. The screen on your vents SHOULD deter the little critters, but a damaged screen will do you very little good. Small animals, such as mice, can fit through holes as small as the diameter of a pencil, so make sure to do a thorough inspection.

Ever wonder how you can ensure a long and beautiful life from your cabinets? Well even if you haven’t we’re going to share with you a few do’s and don’ts for taking care of your cabinets.

DON’T

• Drape wet hand towels on your cabinets – The prolonged exposure to moisture will damage the finish of your cabinets over time.
• Apply a finish on dirty cabinets – Remove dust and dirt prior to application.
• Spray glass cleaner directly onto glass doors – It overspray can damage the cabinet finish. Also make sure to to use a glass cleaner that is ammonia free.
• Neglect to care for scratches and gouges – Cover up and protect surface areas that have been damaged using a touch up kit.

DO

• Clean up spills and food residue immediately – Use a lint free cloth and a mild cleaner, dry the surface after cleaning.
• Use your cabinet hardware – Protect your cabinets from dirt and oil that are on your hands by using the hardware on your cabinet doors. If you don’t have any cabinet hardware, consider adding your own.
• Regularly dust cabinet surfaces – Use a dry lint free cloth or microfiber towel and dust in the direction of the wood grain.
• Protect your cabinets from direct uv light by using window coverings – Prolonged exposure to UV light over time can lead to discoloration and dried our surfaces.

With these tips you can keep your cabinets looking great for years to come.

Winters are rough here in upstate New York, and with those winters comes snow, slush and salt. Tracking in those wintry elements can dull the finish on wooden floors and even lead to warping. Luckily damage to your hardwood floors can be avoided with some preventative measures and proper cleaning.

Ideally everyone would take the time to knock off as much snow and ice from their shoes before entering the home. Even if that actually happened there will still be some snow and salt tracked inside. First, you want to create a space at the entryways to your home where people can come in and change out of wet clothing and shoes.

As you enter your home you should have a floor mat inside of the doorway as your first defense against tracked in snow and slush.  Have an extra mat on hand so you can always have a dry mat ready, and an extra towel near the doorway to clean up any water that is not caught by the floor mat. Do not let a wet floor mat stay on your floor as it will most definitely damage your hardwood floor over time.

Right next to your floor mat have a tray for wet footwear to go. You can pick up trays that are specially made for footwear, but you can always improvise with a dish drain with an absorbent towel placed underneath. Consider adding a coat rack for guest coats or extra snowy gear.

Now that you have a dedicated area for your winter gear, make sure that everyone in your household makes it a habit to use it when entering the home. Even the family dog can be trained to wait at the door to have their paws wiped down, just make sure to reward their patience with a treat and some ear scratches.

During the winter season make sure to sweep and clean the the entrance way to remove salt particles and residues.The salt we use on roadways has a high PH level which can eat away at your floor’s finish. You’ll want to clean your entrance areas with a floor cleaner that has been formulated to remove salt from your floors safely and effectively. Sweeping your entrance way on a daily basis will prevent loose pieces of rock salt from scratching up hard floors.

We hope this has been helpful and informative, check back for more winter home care tips in the weeks to come.