Posts filed under ‘Budget Friendly’
POWDERING THE POWDER ROOM
Half bathrooms can be a challenge for any homeowner, how to add style and organization along with functionality! Powder rooms typically will serve not only your family but also any guests that arrive to your home. With a few simple tips and ideas you can take your powder room from boring to amazing!
ORGANIZATION
A small space DEMANDS organization in order for it to function as the space it needs to be. Organization comes in many forms, but in the powder room one of the most under-utilized space is above the toilet. Use the vertical space for storage and you will be able to maintain organization in a small area. There are large variety of bathroom accessories such as towel racks, towel bars and rings, towel shelves and racks and even robe hooks that can make organization and functionality work in a powder room.
BE BOLD
This small space can handle a variety of colors and textures. Choose carefully but have fun. Wallpaper or dark colors tiles will go in small spaces. If you choose a patterned wall paper, ensure that the rest of the items in the bathroom are simple with clean lines. While the pattern will look fabulous, overwhelming this small space with too much character can happen quickly.
HARDWARE
Choose funky or sleek but this is an area where you can splurge and really bring some style and flash into the powder room. Since the only hardware you will be installing is on the sink like toilet paper, toothbrush holders, and soap dishes be creative! Using bold drawer knobs and handles can also be worked in your small powder room to give you more sylish effects.
LIGHTING
Instead of a boring flush overhead light, choose something daring. Flank the mirror with two lights or choose a small chandelier to add style. Lighting will make or break your space so take your time in this choice!
SPACE SAVING SINK AND FUN MIRROR
www,hgtv.com
One of the most important items in the powder room is going to be the sink and mirror. Choosing a sink that fits the space correctly is important. Storage space can also be found in the sink if you choose a vanity over a pedestal sink. A funky mirror can also really make the space unique and one of a kind. A pedestal sink will add the illusion of space due to the fact that it is not bulky like a full vanity. The mirror in this picture also adds some style and charm to the small space.
Powder rooms can add charm and uniqueness to your home with a few simple steps! Explore ideas and be bold in your choices, for a couple hundred of dollars your powder room can be completely revamped andreinvented to fit your individual style.
Choosing Your Kitchen Countertop Tile
Kitchen countertops are the pride and joy of any great kitchen, which means picking the right countertop material, is an important task. Asking yourself (or the cook of the family) some important questions will help in the search for the perfect countertop. What is the priority in the kitchen; style, durability, usability, green factor or maintenance. All of these items should go into choosing the correct countertop for your new kitchen.
Let’s start with the “green” options for kitchen countertops. While no material is completely green due to the energy factor, there are better choices when it comes to countertops. Recycled paper countertops are one of the cheaper options for green countertops. Starting at around $30/sq. ft. and a savings of close to 80% on install, the paper and resin countertops are not only stylish but help to reduce the use of non-renewable sources such as granite or marble. The resin mixed with the paper makes the countertop extremely strong with very little maintenance for the future.
Photo credit: Paper Stone
Reclaimed wood is another option for a green choice. Everyone loves the butcher block look, so why not achieve that look with reclaimed wood? The cost starts at $40/sq. ft. and does require upkeep. The wood must be sealed periodically to ensure that it maintains it durability. These countertops will last a life time meaning money is well spent, however, wood should not be close to the sink or dishwasher meaning that you will have to have multiple countertop types within your kitchen. Recycled glass is a stylish way to add color and depth to your kitchen but comes at a steep cost of $50/sq. ft. Recycled glass runs relative to granite countertops in price, but because of the recycled glass makes this a better option than granite when searching for green products.
Photo Credit: http://www.hgtv.com/
Not interested in going green?? There are many options to meet your needs and desires. Granite is a durable surface that is heat and scratch resistant making it a great option for a family who uses and loves their kitchen. With relatively low maintenance (sealing once a year) granite is a great option starting at $50/sq. ft. Marble is another stone material that can be used in the kitchen. While marble is a bakers dream due to the kneading of dough, it can be a nightmare in the kitchen. Marble stains and chips easily and needs to be sealed more often than granite. One option for someone who is desperate for marble is to simply have only one area that has marble while the rest of the kitchen is a different material, such as butcher block.
Photo Credit: http://www.hgtv.com
Concrete countertops are both stylish and eco-friendly; being poured on location makes this source of material a low impact on the environment. Concrete can also be dyed any color which allows for a unique and custom kitchen. Concrete is a porous material and does require more maintenance than other countertops, it needs to be sealed periodically and waxed every 2-3 months. Quartz is another material that is stylish but durable as well as more consistent compared to granite and marble because it is an engineered material. The color options are wider than a natural stone as well as being more resistant to stains and needing to be sealed only once year.
Kitchen countertops define the style and feel that you wish to portray not only in your kitchen but your home. With the kitchen being the heart of your home, choice of countertop is vastly important. Remember to decide what the priorities for your kitchen are and then get to work choosing your countertop! Enjoy!!
How to Repair a Tile Backsplash
After months and months of searching, you have finally found your dream home. You’re walking through the kitchen, and you’re thinking of all the wonderful dinner parties you will have, in your new, beautiful kitchen.
As you’re walking around the kitchen you see three broken tiles near the base of the wall. You think to yourself, “I can fix that”, nothing is going to stand between you and your dream home.
The first thing on your ‘to do’ list, after you purchase your home, is to fix those three broken tiles. Now where to start, how to get them out, without breaking any other tile? Follow these simple steps, and before long you will be having your first dinner party.
Steps to Repair Tile Backsplash:
1 Pull a grout saw along the edge of the joint to remove damaged grout, but do not mar the tiles. Cut into the good grout slightly so the new grout can bind to a solid surface. These devices either have serrated teeth that you use like a saw or abrasive-textured blades.
2 Place painter’s tape along the edges of tiles you don’t plan to remove. This helps protect their edges as you remove adjacent tiles.
3 Insert the tip of a small chisel into the joint with the tip facing the broken tile you need to remove from the backsplash. Tap gently on the chisel with a hammer to loosen and remove the tile. If you have multiple tiles to remove, pop them all out in this manner. Some may break as you remove them.
4 Continue using the chisel to remove any thin-set mortar that remains on the substrate behind the tile. Wipe the substrate clean with a damp sponge.
5 Dry fit the new tiles into the openings. If the new tiles have spacers, you may need to remove them, using tile nippers, to get the tiles to fit. Smooth rough edges with a sanding stone.
6 Mix thin set mortar with latex additive until the thin set resembles mashed potatoes. Let the mortar set for a few minutes for any air bubbles to dissipate.
7 Apply the thin set mortar to the substrate with a trowel. Butter the back of each tile with the mortar as well, placing more thin set in the center of the tile’s back. Reset tile into position on the wall, taking care to keep joint lines straight and even. The tiles should be level with adjacent tiles as well. Allow the thin set to dry for 30 minutes before proceeding. Remove the painter’s tape.
8 Mix un-sanded grout with enough water to make the grout resemble mashed potatoes. Wipe the grout into the joints diagonally with a grout float. If you can’t push the grout into the joint with the float, push it in with your finger. Smooth the joints so they resemble the existing joints. Wipe off excess grout with the float. Allow the grout to dry for 10 minutes.
9 Wipe the tiles with a clean, damp sponge. If a haze develops, polish it off with a soft, dry cloth.
If completely replacing your backsplash tile is not in the budget, these repair steps will get you by!
How to install A Tile Backsplash
For a homeowner, there is nothing more satisfying then to walk in to a room, and see a beautiful finished home improvement project. A project, that you, the homeowner, completed yourself.
Fed up with looking at that same old tired paint on the wall? Want something beautiful; elegant that’s also easy to clean? Install a tile backsplash, a backsplash that makes your kitchen or bathroom look fresh and new.
Plumbtile.com: Interstyle Arctiglass Glass Tile
Follow these simple steps to achieve the desired effects, without paying a professional to do it.
If your countertop is tiled, plan the layout so the backsplash grout veins line up with the countertop grout veins. If you don’t have a tiled countertop, start the first tile in the center of the base of the backsplash.
Step 1
Turn off the power to electrical outlets in the area where you’re working. Remove electrical outlet covers.
Step 2
Clean the area with warm water and allow to dry.
Step 3
Apply the manufacturer’s recommended adhesive with a notched trowel. Hold the trowel at a 45-degree angle and spread a very thin layer. Work in small 3-foot-by-3-foot areas to prevent the adhesive from drying out.
Step 4
Lay the first tile in the center at the base of the backsplash. Position the tile using a slight twisting motion. Use a level to make sure the tile is square. Place a spacer on each corner of the first tile. Cut one end of the spacers off in order to fit them between the countertop and the bottom of the tile. Push the spacers into the adhesive.
Step 5
Working out from the first tile, continue laying the tiles in a row, flush to the spacers. Wipe off any excess adhesive that oozes up between the tiles. Leave enough space to fill in with grout. Occasionally check to make sure the tiles are level. After one row is complete, begin with the next row and follow the same pattern. Apply adhesive as needed.
Step 6
If you need to cut tiles, score the tiles with a tile cutter. Don’t score the area of the tiles that will show. Use tile nippers or a saw to cut away the area carefully.
Step 7
When you place the tiles around an outlet, be sure the outlet cover hides the tile edges. Continue tiling as usual.
Step 8
When you’ve laid all the tiles, wipe off any excess adhesive with a damp cloth. Use a rounded stick to clean between the tiles.
Step 9
Allow the adhesive to set according to the manufacturer’s instructions. After the adhesive sets, remove the spacers.
Step 10
Mix the grout according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Since grout may irritate eyes and skin, wear safety goggles and latex gloves. Apply the grout using a rubber float. Spread the grout diagonally at a 45-degree angle across the tiles, packing the grout between the tiles. Wipe off the excess grout with a damp sponge when the grout becomes firm.
Step 11
Shape the grout joints using a rounded stick. Clean the tiles again and smooth the joints with a damp sponge.
Step 12
After the grout dries and a haze forms, wipe off the tiles and shine them with a clean cloth.
Step 13
Replace the electrical outlets and switches. You’ll need longer screws to replace the outlet covers. Use 1-1/4-inch to 1-5/8-inch screws with plastic washers behind the outlet to bring the outlet flush with the tile.
***If you have to cut tile, mark the proposed cut on the glazed side of the tile corners. Don’t mark on the clay side. The ink can be absorbed and bleed through to the other side.
Follow these tips for installing tile countertops or backsplash and your kitchen or bathroom will have a whole new look and appeal!
Plumbtile.com: Tile Showcase
Think Big With Your Small Bathroom
Dissatisfied with not having adequate storage in your small bathroom? Not happy with the dark lighting? Or just tired of feeling claustrophobic? Then it is time to create a functional and delightful bath even if it is small.
Creating an illusion that your bathroom is bigger starts with factors such as bathroom fixtures, colors, lighting, storage and accessories. You can make a splash with a few minor alterations.
Bathroom fixtures: One way to give your small bathroom room is to go with a wall-mounted washbasin with a wooden shelf underneath to hold supplies, and a towel bar. Or a petite vanity style sinks with a single drawer and a place where you can have baskets underneath to hold bathroom content. Even wall mounted toilets, can give you the extra space needed in your tiny bathroom. These compact commode tanks is hidden inside the 2×6 stud wall, allowing for 9 inches of extra space in the center of the room. Or get space in a small square bath by positioning the vanity sink in a corner.
Storage for your bathroom items: To store bathroom items without taking up much space is to install floor to ceiling cabinets, or built-in cabinets using open shelves, closed doors or both. Also the use of medicine cabinets for additional storage is a great way to store your essentials that can eliminate shelves or cabinet spaces.
Illumination : Use a glass shower wall or door to eliminate the visual barrier of a shower curtain or doors giving your compact bathroom look and feel more roomier. Other tricks you can do that will give a bigger impression is to use lighting around large bathroom mirrors illuminating any reflection. Mirrors reflect the style and substance of any room.
Lighting it up: Make your small bathroom light up! Using shower lights , wall mounted lights to overhead hanging lights will bring functionality and brightness to any size bathrooms. Also add skylights to bring in natural light if a window is not present in your bathroom.
Tile it right: Create attention by setting focal points in compact spaces. Using glass tiles or marble mosaic tiles can create a shimmering backdrop behind sinks, Create a colorful pattern or use rich tones to add warmth and create balance. Make an illusion of a higher ceiling. Wood moldings,wallpaper borders, and tile designs placed where the walls and ceiling meet will also provide a splash of color and help naturally draw the eye upward.
Making a big splash in your tiny bath by treating it with chic fixtures and alluring finishes. Look to colorful fabrics like glass or mosaic tiles, updated fixtures with space saving ones, and storage spaces to help your tiny bath bubble with greatness.
Happy Weekend!
We at Plumbtile are thankful to our friends and all our loyal customers online. We have extended our Photo Contest promo to give everyone the chance to participate and win. The promo is now extended up to April 15, 2013.
If you haven’t heard about the contest yet, you will be pleased to hear that we are giving out $1000 worth of kitchen and bathroom products!
The rules are very simple. You just have to go to our Facebook fan page and upload a remodeling photo (past or present), and you will get the chance to win.
Tell all you friends! Share this article and spread the word!
Again, thank you from all of us at Plumbtile!
Clearance! 10 Bathroom Steals Under $50
We checked out the Plumbtile site to see what products are on clearance, and we were pleasantly surprised by the items we found. Here’s our first of a series, every month we are going to list down some products on clearance sale that you must check out.
For this month, we’ve listed down 10 accessories under $50 that can bring back life to your bathroom.
Sheffield Towel Ring – $22.28
This polished chrome 6″ towel ring from Ginger can bring back some shine and sparkle in your bathroom.
Double Garment Hook – $33.45
This garment hook from PlumbTrim comes in a Satin Nickel finish, so elegant yet so inexpensive for the current price.
Empire Robe Hook – $22.68
You need a place to hang your robe, and this is the perfect product from Ginger. Live the elegant life without spending too much.
Quattro Towel Hoop – $37.05
You can never have enough towel hooks. And you don’t want those cheap looking ones. Here’s something modern from Motive, a Satin Nickel finished hook.
Brass Lever Handle – $13.77
A brass lever handle under $15? Yes. Replace all your levers in the bathroom, by changing them to this awesome product from PlumbTrim.
Cross Handle – $12.68
But if you like those cross handle ones, make sure to check out this one too, also from PlumbTrim.
Body Spray – $38.50
Yay a body spray! Get this stainless steel Body Spray from KWC.
Vesuno Hand Shower Bracket – $30.38
And why bother buying that hand shower when you can’t pair it with a wonderful shower bracket. Match that shower with this stainless steel bracket, also from KWC.
London Terrace Shower Rod Brackets – $19.44
Why the fancy name for a rod bracket? We have no idea. All we know is you must grab them now, they are a steal under $20! These stainless steel shower rod brackets are from Motiv, you know they’re one of the best.
Quattro 9 Inch Tray With Hook – $38.48
This is a twofer, a 9″ tray with a towel hook! A product also by Motiv.
Do you know what else you have to do? Go here.
Kitchen Transformation on a Tight Budget
It doesn’t have to break the bank to bring new life to an outdated, dreary kitchen. Bright colors, fresh paint and jazzy latches and pulls paired with the willingness to jump in and do it yourself is an economical way to create a space that draws friends and family in to a warm, welcoming focal point of your home. Plumbtile carries a lot of great products to help you revamp your space and stay in budget.
Bathroom Remodel Made Simple
Home renovations can be very daunting. This is because any home remodel project has the potential to become a stress filled, overwhelming, money sucking task. But, if you carefully plan your remodel from start to finish, you will be better prepared to handle any issues that may come up. So take a moment to plan your project and you will soon be enjoying your transformed space with a sense of self satisfaction and pride. Plumbtile offers some great products to help make your renovation project go smoothly. (more…)
Affordable Shower Temperature Control is Within Reach
Plumbtile has always prided itself on offering affordable luxury, and now with the help of California Faucets, we can bring you the best in shower temperature control at an affordable price.
Continue Reading December 2, 2011 at 10:32 am plumbtile Leave a comment
