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Top 3 Basement Renovation Ideas That Will Make The Basement Your Favorite Place In The World

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Is your basement a dark, dingy, and damp area which is used only as a utility room or a storage dump? Is it a shady neglected area where the only occasional visitor is a solitary spider and where the only resident according to your children, is a three-eyed monster who looks more like a mix between SpongeBob SquarePants and an amoeba? No, this is not happening at all. Its time you rolled up your socks and considered transforming your abandoned basement into something fun, constructive and entertaining. There are plenty of remodeling concepts and ideas that you could implement on your basement. Here are a few:

Pool table

Gaming Zone

Probably the most exciting thing you could do to your basement is to convert it into a game room – the perfect get-away from stress, homework, nagging girlfriends and other worldly issues. It can be a place where you can just chill with your mates after work or school. You can adorn the game room with a cozy sofa and a television set for video gaming and watching movies. The other portion of the room could have a pool table or a table-tennis table, or both, depending on the space available and your budget. You could also include other games like darts, foosball, and some table games like Monopoly, chess, checkers and backgammon. So why spend money every time going to the mall or the gaming zone when you can have your very own game room in your basement!

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Basement Bar

Why not charm all your friends and guests with an attractive and wonderful basement bar? Turning your basement into a cozy drinks bar can be an amazing idea. A fantastic way to unwind with your favorite drink after a long day at work, a basement bar will also come in handy to host small parties and fun gatherings with friends and family members. You can choose from a variety of incredible bar designs and exclusive bench-tops to give your bar that classy and elegant look. You could also add to the charm by putting a billiards table and a television set where you can enjoy a few beers with your mate over a game of football. So if you’re looking to give your basement a splendid makeover, an awesome basement bar might just be what you’re looking for!

Home Library/Study

My Game Collection

Is reading your favorite way to spend time? After a long day at work, do you like unwinding with your favorite novel and a glass of wine? Well why not consider turning your basement into a library? With the perfect lighting, study lamps and comfortable sofas, you could create just the right cozy ambience of a library. You could arrange racks and built-in shelves to accommodate your mounting collection of books which currently seem to be scattered all over your house. Your personal library could also station a couple of computers with internet access to help you with your research work and basic surfing or for your kids to do their school projects and other study work. Having a basement library is an awesome way to read all your favorites in your own personal haven of knowledge.

There are so many more such incredible remodeling ideas that your basement could offer, such as a home gym, kids play area/nursery, a home theatre etc. So what are you waiting for? Get into action and start working on your basement’s cracking makeover.

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Patrick Hugo is an interior designer by profession and whenever he finds time, he writes to help people improve their lifestyle by unconventional yet cost-effective methods. His designs mainly include bar design, basement renovation, pool design and others.

The Ins and Outs of Hiring a Kitchen Designer

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According to recent trends, more people are deciding to stay in their homes and explore kitchen-remodeling options. Often do-it-yourselfers undertake this project, but many folks are interested in learning about using the services of kitchen designers for professional results.


Scope of the Project

Homeowners that are handy with tools and have the skills and time for remodeling may decide to tackle smaller jobs for themselves. However, if the remodeling job requires major modifications to the kitchen, you may need the services of a professional kitchen designer with the necessary skills.

Large kitchen projects are often benefitted by using designers that know how to utilize every square foot of kitchen space efficiently. Experienced designers specialize in kitchen remodeling and stay current on new trends while offering their experience and services.

Benefits of Hiring Kitchen Designers

Professional kitchen designers are trained and ready to take on the smallest to the most complicated of kitchen remodeling jobs. Often homeowners create a vivid picture of the features they want without understanding the physical space requirements in addition to the plumbing and electrical needs involved in the remodeling process. Kitchen designers take in all aspects of the job.

Kitchen designers can spot problem areas and alert homeowners of new options for resolving problems. They can also discuss improvements and enhancements while recommending energy saving products and desirable kitchen concepts.

The Role of Kitchen Designers

The role of a kitchen designer is to listen to the homeowners wishes for remodeling their kitchen. The designer may discuss specific types of hardware, cabinetry, trendy new flooring, designer stoves, lighting alternatives and other enhancements that could be included in the remodeling job.

After discussing remodeling ideas, the kitchen designer takes detailed measurements and draws up plans. It is common for homeowners and designers to visit showrooms and view catalogs for the final selection of cabinetry, tile, countertops and appliances.

Finalized plans are then submitted for bids to several contractors to perform the work. Some designers may continue to act as a project manager during the installation phase with contractors.

Hiring Designers

Check the qualifications of kitchen designers before hiring. Ask each designer you are considering about his or her experience, education, qualifications and skills.

Ask kitchen designers for references. References from previous customers can offer a wealth of information about the qualifications and services provided by the designer.

When interviewing designers, you should obtain a price quote in addition to an estimate for completing the kitchen design plan.

Before hiring kitchen designers, you should confirm whether they are creating the design plans in addition to overseeing the contractors as well. Some designers take responsibility for designing kitchen plans, while others stay involved through the entire project.

Cost of Designer Services

In some cases, people may shy away from working with kitchen designers fearing the costs associated with their services. However, in reality there are many reputable kitchen designers with affordable prices ranging from five to 10 percent of the total project cost.

Each designer may set his or her own prices accordingly. Some kitchen designers may charge a minimum fee based on the project size or others charge hourly. High-end designers may charge $150/hour and the low-end of the spectrum could be $40 to $50 an hour.

Hiring a talented kitchen designer and paying for services, may far outweigh the costs you incur with poor planning, mistakes and poor quality construction. Save time, money and frustration by consulting with a kitchen designer to receive expert services.

Image by Arizona Prestige, and licensed through Creative Commons.

Bath & Kitchen Studio stocks beautiful vitreous china sinks and other kitchen fixtures at some of the lowest prices you will find anywhere. Visit www.bathandkitchenstudio.com and start saving on your kitchen remodel.

Easy Ways to Make Your Kitchen Look Like New

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Completely remodeling your kitchen is not a cheap undertaking. It’s not just the expense, either, but the amount of time it takes to complete. In addition, there are lots of possibilities for things to go wrong. Therefore, the amount you end up paying might be considerably higher than what you anticipated.

But you can make a dramatic difference in the appearance of your kitchen for much less time and money with the right kitchen remodeling ideas. All it takes is a modest amount of cash and some time and effort on your part. Here are some ideas that can update the look of your kitchen, and you can do them yourself.

1. Add some light. You might find it incredible that a new lighting unit could make such a big difference to the look and feel of your kitchen. Be creative in your choice and choose something truly eye catching. A fixture that incorporates a fan will be both practical and a focal point of the kitchen.

2. Grab a bucket and a brush. Your kitchen will seem like new if you give it a new layer of paint. The look of the room will be livened up considerably with a change in color. By selecting the color carefully, you can also enlarge the appearance of the room.

3. Add some tiles. You can find tiles in a huge assortment of patterns, colors and materials that will add instant style to your kitchen. Try adding some tiles on the wall around the countertops. You can also use tiling on your floor. It’s not that difficult to install flooring tiles yourself if you follow the directions.

4. Spruce up your cabinets. Many people simply can’t afford to replace their kitchen cabinets; it’s just too expensive. However, you can achieve a similar effect and shell out less money if you just refinish what you already have. Your cupboards will look like new with a coat of paint and some new handles. Be certain that the paint you’re using is appropriate for the type of cabinets you have.

5. Buy a fridge. Buying brand new appliances may not be cheap. But it’s amazing how much of a difference it can make to the appearance of your kitchen, at much less expense than a total makeover. Also, if you purchase energy efficient appliances, you might recover some of your money through lower utility bills. Try a completely different finish, like stainless steel. Simply changing the color can also make a big difference.

A few simple changes like these can make a remarkable difference in the appearance of your kitchen. Only you will know just how easy and cost effective your DIY home improvement project actually was.

Home Improvement Services – DIY

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Home improvement services aren’t always found by hiring professional improvement contractors. These kinds of services can be a do-it-yourself type of project, with the help of family and friends, or a local store or warehouse that specializes in exactly the type of project you are trying to accomplish. The various projects that are encompassed by these services include, but are not limited to, repairs, remodeling and additions to the home you have loved for years. No matter what budget or what project, improvement services are always at hand to help you reach your goals.

The cost of quality home improvement services vary greatly. How much money you spend depends on a number of factors, such as how simple the project is, if you have the time to do it yourself and whether there are bylaws that may prohibit you from just getting it done. There are one or two questions you should ask yourself when preparing to build on room additions, before starting a basement remodel, a kitchen remodel, a bath remodel or any repair work to any part of your home. First, is it a project you can handle on your own for sure? If not, then hiring a pro and having the work done under a building contract will be your best option. If you try to tackle something that you aren’t sure about, then you could end up creating a big headache for yourself.

The second question is, “What kind of project are you undertaking that requires home improvement services? Simple projects you can most likely do on your own. Your local hardware or warehouse store usually holds classes in several “how to” projects that are really quite simple, such as “how to remodel.” This includes the knowledge of which supplies are needed and where you can get free or cheap instructions on how to complete the project properly. The third question relates to whether or not hiring a company is an absolute must. What kind of company should I hire for the service repair, remodel or addition?

Home improvement services can be acquired by hiring improvement contractors. The cost of any service depends on a number of factors. The popularity of a company can mean they charge more than one that is not as well known. Experience is something you want, but the more experience they have, the higher the price tag will likely be. Professionalism isn’t always a must in getting a solid job done by a company, but it helps when problems and issues arise with the project at hand. It is always helpful to get some reviews from previous customers before hiring.

If someone were to walk into your kitchen, what would they see? Would they see outdated cabinets and appliances or would your kitchen be a baker’s dream come true? Remodeling any area of your home adds value to your property but the kitchen is where the greatest impact is had. If you are like most people on a budget, this remodel is going to be one you have to handle yourself. Do not panic because there are lots of resources to help you have the kitchen of your dreams. For more information: Click Here.

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