How to Add a Touch of Warmth to Every Home: It’s as Easy as 1-2-3

It seams that as we spend more and more time in our homes we are always looking to make our quality of life better. We are constantly seeking new ideas that embody both form and function. It is no surprise that people remodeling and upgrading their homes look to the bathroom to add luxury. The bathroom is quickly becoming one of the most lived in rooms in your house. After all, everyone wants to have that warm feeling when they are spending time in their living space. With the right changes you can create a spa like feeling with products such as heated tile, impressive baths with multiple showerheads, and towel radiators. Here are some tips for warming up your bathroom -- literally.

Start with a wall full of showerheads, to provide a pampering, steam-filled, hot shower. These days you can find all of the luxuries that you could possibly want, from multiple massage settings to the water coverage area; you can specify everything right down to the size of the water drops. These products can be found at any of the major bath fixture companies or your local kitchen and bath showroom. They start at under $100 and can be an inexpensive way to make a big splash in your new spa-like space.

Second, beautiful tile floors can give you that instant spa feel, but no one likes to step onto cold tile when getting out of a warm shower. Heated tiles systems can change the entire feel of your floor and your room. They come in two systems, electric and hot water. Your kitchen and bath professionals can help you decide what would work best for your space. If you’re doing even the smallest renovations, a system like this can make a large impact in your comfort level.

Lastly, there is a new product reaching the American market that has been a staple in Europe for years. Towel radiators differ from towel warmers in that they actually heat up the bathroom, as well as offering the added luxury of warming and drying your towels. If you are short on heat in your bathroom, this is an easy way to take it up a notch. The best part is they fit anywhere that you would put up your normal towel bar. “If you have to have heat in your bathroom it might as well be pleasing to the eye and give you the added benefit of a warm towel,” says Kate Bosley of Zehnder, a towel radiator company.

These unique products even come with programmable controls that give you the ultimate in flexibility, convenience and efficiency. You can set the radiator to turn on before you get up in the morning and shut itself off so you don’t waste energy. Wake to a warm bath and towel with no worries, because it only costs pennies a day. On top of that there is the count down timer. “Say it’s been a stressful day and all you want is a long soak in the tub. Well, you hit the timer function before your bath and by the time you get out you have a wonderfully warm towel to wrap up in. After 1 ½ hours the unit shuts itself off and returns back to its original program,” says Bosley.

Homeowners can easily install a towel radiator themselves. They can be hung on the wall with four screws and the proper wall anchors. After that, they just plug right in to your standard bathroom outlet. Check with your local professionals or the manufacturer about the appropriate installations on the new showerheads and radiant under floor heating systems. It is always best to do your homework and purchase top quality products that will last a lifetime.

As winter sets in the trend is for people to start to retreat to their homes and these days the house is not just a place to live, it is our sanctuary. Just imagine a long hot shower, stepping out onto a heated tile floor into a room that is cozy and warm, and grabbing that fluffy towel. Could you ask for more?

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Posted in: Bathroom

Home Improvement Ideas

There are many home improvement projects that you can carry out to make your home a more comfortable space and to add to its value as property. These home improvement projects include remodeling the basement, kitchen, and bathrooms, and painting both the exteriors and interiors regularly.

Whenever most people think of home improvement projects, they think in terms of doing up the living areas, such as the bedrooms, drawing room, and dining room. However, there is just so much that you can do in a bedroom—maybe add a comfortable bed, a reading lamp, a table or ceiling fan, a bookshelf, and a study table. Most people seldom entertain formally, so areas such as the drawing room and dining room seldom get used. You can, however, put in some comfortable sofas, chairs, end tables, and coffee tables, and put in an expandable dining table, chairs, and breakfront in the dining room. You are most likely to use your kitchen as an area to not only prepare and cook food, and wash utensils and laundry, but also to serve family meals and entertain informally.

You can add electric floor warming systems for kitchens, bathrooms, and basements to make these areas of your home more comfortable. If you waterproof and ventilate your basement and use glass blocks to let in natural light, you can use it as a gym, study, home office, or home entertainment room. You will need to put in an intercom system so that you can not only make and receive calls in the basement, but also keep in touch with other family members.

To make your kitchen a visually appealing space, you can add countertops that complement or match the cabinetry, floor, or walls. Your countertops could be of granite, marble, wood, or stainless steel. To bring in more light into the kitchen, you can place a large ceiling fixture in the center of the kitchen, with track lights near the sink, range, and countertops. You can also use warm colors for the kitchen walls and floor, add recessed lights and dimmers, and highlight your cabinets. You can use tiles, laminates, and hardwoods as flooring. Your cabinets can complement or match the colors used in the walls and flooring. You can even use stained glass panels for kitchen cabinets.

To make your bathroom a truly relaxing space, you can always add a steam shower, a body spa, or a comfortable bathtub where you can soak for hours and allow the tensions of the day to flow away from you. See that your bathroom is well-lit. If you are interested in chromatherapy, you will find several products, such as bathtubs, shower systems, and sinks, which feature chromatherapy options. You can also install multiple showerheads and a waterfall in the bathroom to get a spa-like experience. You can also include a large bathtub, fog-free mirrors, and a towel warmer for more comfort. The tiles and walls in your bathroom should be in warm colors. You can also put plants and pictures in the bathroom to give a lived-in feel, and replace the sink sunk in a counter top with a pedestal sink. Nowadays, sinks come in a variety of materials, such as glass, stainless steel, stone, and copper—you can select a material that suits you. Your vanity cabinet could be of stone, wood, or glass. You can select from a wide variety of faucets, including single-hole and single-lever, widespread, centerset, and wall-mounted faucets.

At Total Remodeling, we can help you with home improvement ideas and projects. We can improve your home in line with modern trends, thus adding to its comfort and value.

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Here's what a Jacuzzi will do for you!

Jacuzzi's are a great recreational and health benefit for a home. Having some idea what type and what uses you will have for it, are keys to purchasing the right one for you.

There's nothing like going to a hotel and finding out you are in the jacuzzi suites! Of course, many people request this when traveling. Jacuzzis can take away a lot of stress and worry just in a few minutes time. Jacuzzi tubs can be added to your home as well giving you a great place to unwind after a long day. A jacuzzi tub is normally larger then the average bathtub and requires a lot more knowledge to install. Obviously, the wiring and power to the jacuzzi is important and should be handled by a professional.

So, where to start? Start by knowing what you can afford and how much room is available to you. Jacuzzi's come in many different shapes and also in different qualities. Some often fit the corner of a bathroom as opposed to along a single wall like most bathtubs. This can give you added space in a small bathroom. Finding the right jacuzzi isn't all that hard. Most major home improvement stores will have a selection to start to look at. If, you are not satisfied with the selection there or would like more options, check into specialty stores for more choices. Often times, these places will also offer installation as well. Beware of the extra costs for installation though. Home improvement stores also offer jacuzzi parts if the need arises as well. But, make sure to keep your warranty and guarantees safe since these parts will undoubtedly be expensive if they are not covered by your policy.

Jacuzzi's aren't just found in your local jacuzzi spas anymore. Jacuzzi's have long been known for the way the relax and help us unwind. Having one at home will not only help you unwind from a long day, but it gives you an extra measure of privacy not found in jacuzzi spas. While this investment can be costly, it can have great long term benefits for the owner. It is an investment in your home as well as your health. And the process is not that difficult in finding one that suits your needs.

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Posted in: Bathroom

Have you been looking for the latest opinion regarding bathroom shower

When you're seeking better information about bathroom shower, you'll find it's complex separating quality information from foolish bathroom shower proposals and help so it is wise to know how to judge the advice that is offered.

Now we'd like to give you some advice that we believe you should consider using when you are trying to find information about bathroom shower. Understand that the guidance we put forward is only appropriate to internet info about bathroom shower. We can't give you any assistance or guidance for conducting research offline.

A great tip to follow when offered information and advice about a bathroom shower webpage is to research who is behind the website. Doing this could reveal the owners bathroom shower credibility The quickest way to work out who owns the bathroom shower web site is to find the sites 'about' page.

Any worthwhile website providing information on bathroom shower, will always have contact information which will list the owner's details. The particulars should reveal a number of indications about the website owner's expertise. This means you can conduct an appraisal about the webmaster's training and understanding, to advise you on the topic of bathroom shower.

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Posted in: Bathroom

Glass Sinks - 4 Unbreakable Rules of Buying a Glass Vessel Sink

Their intriguing varieties of colors, shapes and designs can make you pull out credit card quicker than you can say crackled glass. But WAIT! You should:

1. Know your sinks
How durable are these sinks? These sinks are tempered. Tempered glass is regular glass that has been heated to a very high temperature, and then quickly cooled. This procedure strengthens the glass, making it 5-7 times stronger than regular glass.

Sink glass is fairly thick. Typical thicknesses range from ½ inch to ¾ inch. You can go about your normal grooming habits such as brushing your teeth, combing your hair, shaving, applying make-up, etc without worrying about breakage.

Like the look of these above the counter glass sinks, but don’t want glass? Consider a porcelain vessel sink. You’ll get the look without the worry.


2. Know your space
The most popular glass sinks are 15-20 inches in diameter, about the width of your keyboard. They’re about 5-8 inches deep, about the length from the base of your wrist to ring or middle finger.

Make sure that you have the appropriate amount of space to accommodate the sink and accessories, plus maintain ample space away from the edge of the counter and the wall so that the “fear of leaning on it” factor is no longer a factor. 12-15 inches around the entire sink will do.

Don’t have much space? Then try a pedestal sink. Pedestal sinks are sinks that are pre-mounted on a space saving pedestal. Don’t want to sacrifice floor space? Try a wall mounted glass sink countertop. Both options will give you an ultra modern sink while conserving space.

Have a large bathroom to fill? A glass vessel sink vanity can help consume some space. You’ll get a glass sink and a roomy counter that comes together.


3. Know your traffic
Since children have the uncanny ability to break things, you may want to rethink putting a glass vessel sink in a young child’s bathroom. Children over age 10 tend to be more conscientious of their surroundings, and your glass sink stands a greater chance of surviving. Likewise, your sink’s shelf-life will be greater with less foot traffic around it.

A guest bathroom or power room is well-suited for these sinks. You’ll be able express your style while impressing your neighbors, friends and family. And who doesn’t like to be respected for their exquisite taste? Most importantly, there will be less traffic and less worry.

If you have a large family, a family with young children or one bathroom and want the look of these glass sinks but realize that glass might not be the best option, then consider a porcelain or copper vessel sink.


4. Know your budget
Prices can start as low as $50 to as high as $10,000. There could be many reasons for the difference in pricing. Sinks can be factory made or custom made, blown glass or fused glass, single layer or double layered glass.

Custom made and/or blown glass sinks are more expensive due to the time and expertise involved in creating them. With custom made sinks, you’ll communicate one-on-one with the artist of your sink and you’ll receive expert knowledge about its creation and special maintenance requirements. The best part: no one else will ever have a sink exactly like yours. This comes with an upscale price of $1,000 or more.

Consider the sink’s quality. Whether quality, customer service or knowledge, sometimes you get what you pay for. Be careful of sinks that start at rock bottom prices. They sometimes come without warranties, the sellers are not knowledgeable about the sinks and they’re simply quantity discounters and have nothing more to offer than just a low price.

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Faux Wood Mini Blinds

Though wood blinds and shutters are the most popular window coverings sold in America, these two products are among the most expensive. Faux wood Blinds offer nature's rich, subtle colors and unique textures at a fraction of the cost of real wood shutters. Moreover, wood does not last long in high moisture areas. Manufacturers have introduced quality alternatives to wood blinds in the form of faux wood blinds.

Faux wood blinds are made of vinyl, vinyl compounds, and a combination of wood and vinyl. The wood look-alikes are either a wood-polymer mix or 100-percent polymer. Since these use vinyl for at least a portion of their slats they have two inherent advantages to wood blinds: they cost less, and they resist moisture.

All of the faux wood blinds require more ladders than wood blinds. The sturdier the blind, the farther apart the ladders can be placed and therefore will require fewer ladders.

Many interior designers favor faux wood blinds because they are easy to clean, an advantage in a kitchen, and they don’t warp, fade or crack, a great advantage in a room with high humidity such as a bathroom.

Faux wood blinds control light and privacy as effectively as wood blinds, yet they're made of polymer which makes them sturdy, resistant to moisture, easy to clean and impervious to warping, cracking or peeling. They're also energy efficient, to keep your home warmer in winter, cooler in summer.

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Discount Bathroom Vanities

Discount bathroom vanities can be found in many places, some more unusual than others. You first must decide what discount means to you and how far your budget will stretch.

Buying used from an individual is often the cheapest way to acquire a discount vanity, but the possibilities are endless. Large sellers of bathroom supplies often have popular clearance sales. These sales can be found in the newspaper, over the Internet or in the pages of home improvement magazines. It’s also worth looking for a less expensive bathroom vanity at larger chain stores that sell home improvement items. There is often a wide selection of complete bathroom vanities. Most of these vanity sets include a simple mirror, often attached to the vanity, a sink/top combination and a basic wood veneer finished cabinet, and some will include plumbing supplies as well. Almost all of these kinds of unites require assembly, so if you are not handy, you may want to pay the extra cost to have it done at the store.

It is also possible to piece together discount bathroom vanities separately. With a clear design concept and a realistic budget, anyone can shop successfully for a bathroom vanity mirror, lights, sink, top and cabinet. The least expensive option can often be to purchase used bathroom vanities from demolition companies, or from a company warehouse that specializes in used fixtures for the home and office. Used sinks, mirrors and cabinets are sometimes sold separately.

Just remember when assembling a bathroom vanity yourself that everything has to match. Bringing a picture of those items you have already purchased and their basic measurements is helpful when shopping for additional pieces. If you live near a manufacturer occasionally, you can go to the factory or warehouse and get a deal on discontinued models, seconds or damaged goods, but these opportunities are usually not advertised and will take more effort on the part of the homeowner. Finding the discount bathroom vanity is easy and can be a lot of fun so let your imagination be your guide and explore.

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Posted in: Bathroom