Ways to finish a room

I used to look to model homes for inspiration.  There are so many of them in Charlotte.  There were even an abundance of home shows where incredibly high end homes would be open for viewing.  Those were my very favorite.  This girl loves to dream.  And what I noticed is that there are a number of ways to truly finish a room.

While I hate painting, I believe it is still far superior to wallpaper...which is a nightmare to remove and hang...as I understand.  I have only been on the wrong side of the removal process.  And because of that...no wallpaper...ever.

What I have discovered, between the model homes and my own personal experiences, is that trimming out a room makes a huge difference.  Yes, the answer is in the trim choice and installation.

1. In the bathroom.  We decided upon a bull nose trim to top off the edge of the chair rail height tile.  It truly separates and finishes off the room.  It costs a little more to go that route, but in the end it's so worth it.
2. In the great room.  We went with a double layer chair rail.  This would be entirely too much for some rooms, but since we have a vaulted ceiling in the room that peaks at about fifteen feet we can get away with it.  In other homes, the single layer chair rail would be enough.
3. Using baseboard.  The baseboard in the home is being entirely replaced with wider base.  There are a variety of styles available that will better match other style homes, like Craftsman, Colonial, and contemporary.
4. Crown molding.  Nothing finishes a ceiling of a room better than the use of crown molding around the top of the room.  It gives such a finished look.  And depending upon the size of the room, the crown can vary, too.  In the bedrooms, we use a triple layer crown.  It gives a very distinctive look and makes an otherwise boring room have a lot of character.
5. Picture molding.  Again, this molding works really well in certain rooms.  Try it in the study, or the great room, or especially in the formal living room.  You will love the end result.

These projects aren't for the amateur remodeler.  Investing in trim is expensive.  You should definitely hire a trim carpenter to get the desired results and save money in the long run.  Bad cuts cost way too much money.

5 things I hate about painting...

In all honesty, there are probably way more than five things I hate about painting.  But for the sake of this post, I will limit myself to 5.  It's a nice number...enough to get my point across, but not so many as to bore you. 

We are currently working on our umpteenth painting project.  Yes, umpteenth.  It's an industry term.  To date, we have painted the kids' rooms, the hall bathroom, the master bedroom has an accent wall and will soon have an entire remodel.  We painted the garage, ceiling and all, as we turned it into a man cave/neighborhood hang out.  We painted the living room...twice.  That is the project we are currently working on.  Third time is the charm.  And that red had to go.

So, I think I had had adequate experience to talk about all the things I truly hate about painting.

1. Picking the color.  It never looks the same on the walls as it does on the paint key.  Oh, and as the lighting changes throughout the day, my feeling toward the color changes.  I love this new yellow in the natural light and with no light, but shine the light on it...not a fan.  It looks less peach tea and more goldenrod.  Yuck.
2. Picking the paint.  We tend to go with the paints with the built in primer.  That is he way forward.  Even though they cost a bit more, the coverage is so much better that it saves money and time in the long run.
3. Preparing the walls.  I highly recommend taking the time to clean all the cobwebs off the walls and dust them down thoroughly.  And then there are areas that are bound to need mudding and repair.  Don't forget to remove all the outlet and switch covers.  It is time consuming, but when it is done right, the walls and room will look spectacular.
4. Taping.  There is something to be said for taking the time to tape off the door frames and window casings.  It means that you don't have to be as careful when painting.  The area will also look crisper.  Just don't pull off the tape until the paint is completely dry.
5. Edging.  It is so important because the roller can't get up against the wall near corners, door and window frames, baseboards, and the ceiling.  There is a balance between creating a thick even coat and loading the wall with so much paint that it drips.  Drips will ruin a wall.  Edging requires a steady hand.  And patience.  And time.  It takes way longer to edge a room than it does to paint it.  

I'm a project girl.  I'm just dying for the room to be finished.  And once it is...pictures!

And another reason you should leave vinyl to the professionals

There is a lot to consider when installing new windows.  For example, today Sam is working with the crew to complete a lead job.  Didn't think about that, did you?

Some homes are old enough to have lead paint on the windows.  And that means major fines if the work is not completed to code.  And by code, I mean someone on the job must be lead certified.  Failure to complete said job using the appropriate methods of removal and disposal...including respirators, suits, plastic wrapping the windows and covering all ground for trace lead chips...results in a $33,000 fine.  Yes.  That's a lot of zeros.

So, many homeowners turn to professionals.  Luckily, I already married one.  It's very handy.

When it comes time for us to change out our windows in the next year or so, we already mostly know what we want.  We selected a lovely Atrium window.  It's vinyl, which means low maintenance.  It will be trimmed out in Hardie because that's what we're using on the entire house.  And it will be double hung, for easy cleaning, in case I ever get the urge or have the time.  Right.  (I have dreams about being able to hire a weekly cleaning woman.  Seriously.)

Though I would love to have the windows with interior grids on the top in a vertical cottage pattern, Sam assures me that it would ruin the integrity of the house and completely destroy the look of the neighborhood.  And?  I still would love to do it anyway.
 
We are, after all, changing the look of the house entirely by hanging the Hardie horizontal instead of the standard angled eighties look.  We are, after all, adding some Hardie cedar looking shingles to the front over the garage with some decorative frieze board.  I don't see what the problem is with a new window style.

Obviously there is a lot to consider with new windows.

• Grids or no grids.  There are a lot of grid options.  Explore.  And may I suggest interior grids.  
• Hardware.  The newer windows come with a variety of hardware options.  They can match the brushed nickel interior of the home or even the antique bronze.
• Double hung or single hung.  Double hung means the top and bottom can go up and down.  Single hung means that the top is stationary and only the bottom can go up and down.  There are also casement windows and others too numerous to mention, but the most popular...double hung.
• Vinyl or wood.  Obviously I'm simplifying here.  Ah, but these are the most popular options, once again.  Vinyl windows are low maintenance.  And while the purists love a good wood window, they may not be prepared to maintain it like they should.  It involves a lot of work.

When in doubt, turn to a professional.  Carolina Home Enhancements can help.

'Tis the season for new windows!

Every fall and every spring there is a great influx of window remodeling projects.  There is good reason for this.

No one wants their home open to the elements in summer...bugs, heat, humidity...and no one wants their homes open to snow and cold in the winter.

It makes perfect sense.  Luckily many window companies are aware of this trend and try to make installing new windows even more appealing during these prime months by offering specials.  Our company is no different.

What may be different, however, is the quality of work done, the quality of the product installed, and the price tag that accompanies it.  These are the areas that most homeowners need to consider when selecting a company to work with.

Let me begin by saying that while most people think that they can install windows, this is one of the tasks that is better left to the professionals.

1. Professionals are insured.  This is a big deal.  The last thing you want is for your homeowners insurance rates to increase, along with your deductible, simply because you decided to take on a larger project than you were qualified to handle.  Only work with companies that carry both workman's comp and liability.
2. Most homeowners don't have the skills to do the job.  Windows seem simple.  Take one out, put one in.  Oh, but there is so much more to it than that.  Measuring the window to order the right size is a skill most homeowners simply don't have.  
3. Most homeowners don't have the equipment to do the job.  There are a host of tools that the professionals carry with them that the average homeowner doesn't own.  For example, I don't suppose you have a metal break around to bend the metal to trim out the windows?  Oh, and do you know how to bend the metal to trim out the windows?

While I support DIY projects, windows are not among them.  Please leave that to the professionals.  If only gets more expensive when they have to be called to step in and fix the mistakes an overzealous homeowner made.

Come back to read about vinyl window options.  At Carolina Home Enhancements, we love educated homeowners.

It's officially fall!

That's what I think every Labor Day.  When I lived in New York, Labor Day was the last hurrah before we had to get back in the swing of things and get the kids off to school.  Now, here in Charlotte, the kids go back to school in August, so we have been at this for a few weeks now.  We're almost good at it again.

With fall comes our concerns about readying the home for the winter.  We look at what we can do to make the home more energy efficient.  We do what we can to save on our heating and cooling costs.  This year, we made a decision to install a new exterior door from the house to the garage.  Ever since we've owned the home, we have had an interior door there.

At one point, we went so far as to update the door to a new interior door as we changed the look of the house.  Yeah, that's not the same.  And the reason that it isn't the same is that looking good isn't the same as being truly functional.  So, we took a trip to Lowe's to purchase a new exterior door to keep the air conditioning in and the heat out.  In the winter, it will do just the opposite, keeping the heat in and the cold air out.

It's all about little changes. 

If you decide you want to change out doors around your home, here are some tips:

• Purchase a pre-hung door.  Sure, it can be a little more costly to purchase a pre-hung door, but it will save so much time and aggravation in the long run.  Spend the money to do it right the first time.
• Pay attention to the hinge and the door swing.  This makes a huge difference.  I didn't understand it.  It matters.  
• Measure measure measure.  Even if the door measures the right size, there can still be issues with the install.  What fit with new construction doesn't always fit the sam with replacement.  The walls settle.  It can be challenging.
• The job isn't done until the paint is on.  The door comes primed and once the door is in place, it is only going to get dirty.  Take the time to paint it.  We like high gloss white.  It cleans up really nicely and it looks so great with any paint color.

Don't be afraid of asking for help.  It's far worse to get in over your head.  For help, contact us: Carolina Home Enhancements.

Some remodels are a ripple effect

And another layer, and another...

So, while we were improving upon the bedroom, we removed the overhead fixture.  It was a black and brushed nickel ceiling fan.  And there was some question as to what we should do with it.

Well, I'm all about re-purposing, reusing, and recycling.

And that's why the ceiling fan was moved to the great room.  And that's what started the ripple effect.

*sigh*

I was accustomed to the ripple effect.  It' was how I had started the remodel of the master bathroom in my own house just down the road.  I had lived in it for a month or so.  I was completely dissatisfied with the lack of storage.  And the room was really dated.  I pretty much hated everything about it, except for the tub, which had a lovely tile shelf around the outside.

Here's where I began...

Ever so tentatively, I pulled on a piece of the wallpaper that was behind the door.  It was the master bathroom, so I figured that it wouldn't be so bad.  There should only be two people truly bothered by whatever was underneath and needing fixing.

The wallpaper came off so easily.  It was like slicing through butter.  And bolstered by my success, I continued around the room.  The rest of the room was more like performing surgery with that same butter knife.  Oh, the pain and aggravation.

I had to rent a steamer from Sunbelt.  I spent twelve hours on a ladder removing three layers of wallpaper and two layers of paint only to discover that the sheet rock had never been primed and now was in need of repair.  It was a good lesson. 

These are the things I learned...

• Hope for the best and prepare for the worst.  It is phrase that can be applied to every aspect of your life.
• Tools tools tools.  Remodeling is all about having the right tools to work with.  Luckily with stores like Lowe's, Home Depot, and Sunbelt around, projects for the DIYer can be more affordable.
• Ask as expert.  I was proud.  I believed that I could do anything.  At the same time, I was smart.  It didn't scare me to ask someone who knew more than I did...still do.  The guys at these home improvement stores know what they are talking about.  They can give great advice.
• Do the research.  It's always best to know what you are getting into.  Despite all the home improvement shows, I really had no idea.
• Have a plan.  Yeah, when I started, I really hadn't thought much past...the wallpaper had to go.  I hadn't priced out bathroom cabinets or new toilets or tile floors or light fixtures.  Big mistake.  Don't make the same one.

Oh, and come back tomorrow for more remodeling tales from our experiences.  My remodels have gone much more smoothly since I started involving Sam and our company: Carolina Home Enhancements.

Some remodels are out of necessity

And let me tell you what necessities are...

• functionality that can't be worked around
• privacy
• healing

Some of our remodels were a product of a need for all of those reasons.

The first remodel of any scale was the master bedroom.  The room was ruined for us early on.  Not only was I dealing with the ghosts of girlfriends past. Oh, and we had a peeping Tom.  Okay, it was a peeping ex-husband.  Still, it ruined the room.  Nothing will kill the romance like worrying that someone is watching.

Something had to be done.

We were going to get rid of the existing cornice that while designed to look like drapes functioned more like a window frame.  It conveyed with the house.  It was ugly and it smelled.  (This was before I had discovered Febreeze...of course, even if I had...it still would have had to go.)

The blinds were the old skinny metal ones.  You know the ones I'm talking about.  These were the blinds that even when closed still allowed someone to peek through...hence the need for the remodel.

And since we were going to get all new window coverings, we might just as well get paint for an accent wall and a new light fixture and maybe some matching lamps for the nightstand.  It was all very exciting.  There's nothing like a bedroom remodel to bind a couple together.

Oh, that's right.  This is a remodeling blog.  You don't want to read about our budding romance.  You just want to know what we did, get ideas for your projects, and move on.

Say no more.

Lowe's carries a nice selection of white wooden blinds.  They are wider, with a larger overlap.  This is important, especially if the master bedroom is on the ground floor of the home and not enclosed by the privacy fence.

We added a new curtain rod, antiqued bronze, and some long brown micro suede curtains.  The accent wall was painted Rum Red.  (Well, it was a bright cheery red, nothing like...red rum...)

Some painting tips...

• If you are a bad painter working with your boyfriend who is a contractor, a little alcohol can go a long way.  (This is for him, not you.  You need a steady hand and all the focus and concentration you can manage, while he needs to lighten up and be less critical...hence the alcohol.)  PS. Make sure it doesn't wear off mid-project.  I'm just saying.
• Watch for drips.  Even them out.  Drips will ruin a wall.  And a ruined wall can ruin a relationship...unless you have a sense of humor.
• Prime.  If you don't prime, make sure it is because you have invested in a more expensive paint that has the primer built in.  It's worth it if you want the color to look like it does on the paint key.  At the same time...
• The color is never ever ever going to look exactly like it did on the paint key.  The lighting is always different in the store.  And when you bring home the paint key for the room, it's hard to tell from that itty bitty picture how an entire room is going to look.  Trust me.  It will always be different from what you expected.
• Don't be afraid to buy a sample jar or two or four.  This is as close as you are going to get to really getting a sense of how the room will look.  Paint a big two by two section, step back, wait for it to dry, and decide. 

The beauty of paint...it's not permanent.  If you hate it and have the time, money, and energy, you can simply repaint.

Just remember, this is supposed to be fun.  Wear a smile.  Joke.  Laugh. It's remodeling not neurosurgery.

And if you have any questions, visit Carolina Home Enhancements or check out our contact us page.

I've always fancied myself a do it yourselfer...

He loves his power tools...

When I was in high school, I already was in love with design.  I toyed with going into some aspect of the field in college, but took the easy way out.  I pondered career changes.  I even considered becoming a house flipper.

I watched all the shows and quite frankly, the challenges they faced seemed like rookie mistakes.  I figured I could do better.  I watched all the shows.  That was the same, right?

So, my ex-husband and I bought our first house.  It was a 1980s contemporary ranch.  I fell in love with the open floor plan.  All it needed was a little updating, and for the bathrooms to be remodeled, then it should be good to go.

Only, it didn't quite work out that way.  My ex husband was not...handy.  Handsy, but that is so not the same thing. 

I was on my own in the remodel department.  And I swore, after struggling with heavy lifting and removing not one but two antique tile floors that I would have a man to help me with future remodels. 

Enter my new almost husband.  (It will be official, 09/10/11!) 

Sam is a contractor.  He has been working on all aspects of home remodeling for roughly thirteen years.  He is a third generation remodeler.  And when I had projects, I sort of confided in him.  He was, after all, experienced and did conveniently live just down the street.  Poor, Sam.

He patiently helped me with projects.  And because I enjoyed doing projects with him, we started working on his home even before we were dating.  Our first project was a tiling project.

The original owners had remodeled the bathroom, sort of.  And they had taken a few shortcuts with the plumbing.  Sam hates that kind of thing.  So, he hauled out a jack hammer, drilled out the slab, and replaced the tiles. 

I came in for the grouting part.  We worked together.  I grouted, he  wiped.  We had the entire room knocked out in no time.  And soon feelings had developed.

The more I worked on the house, the more I wanted to share it with him.  And now, here we are, three years later, about to get married and have that life I imagined so long ago. 

We still love working on projects together.  We make a great team, the do it yourselfer and the professional.  What I lack in actual skill, I make up for in enthusiasm.  That's our joke.

Come back often to read our adventures in remodeling, see some of our projects, and get advice and help from the professionals.  We have our own company, Carolina Home Enhancements.

Follow us on Twitter and Like us on Facebook.  Connect with us and let us know how we can help.  All projects should run smoothly.  We can make it happen.