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Remodeling Your Basement to Include a Guest Suite
- Lighting: The lack of natural light often leads basements to feel cavelike. Add a variety of lighting fixtures and focus on warm lighting tones to brighten the space.
- Flooring: Laminate flooring or tile is usually the best choice for a basement space rather than wood due to flooding risks. Layer area rugs or install radiant floor heating to combat cold feet.
- Bathroom: The perfect basement guest suite should feel like a private residence, which means it should include a full bathroom so guests do not need to go upstairs to shower or use the restroom.
- Kitchenette: A kitchenette will make guests feel at ease and offer a private space where they can fix a snack or drink, rather than feeling awkward in the main kitchen.
- Finishes: Focus on finishes that add elegant touches to the space so your guest will feel special when staying with you.
Kitchen Countertop Trends
Design Tips for Planning a Family Kitchen
Preparing for Your Kitchen Remodel
Age-in-Place Remodeling
- Kitchens: Bringing countertops and cabinets down from 34 inches off the floor to a more accessible 30 inches off the floor creates a mores accessible space for wheelchair or scooter users.
- Bathrooms: Heavy bath bars and grab bars are easy additions that can help prevent falls throughout a bathroom. Step-through tubs, curdles showers, and comfort-height toilets provide additional layers of safety and convenience.
- Flooring: Slick, hard stone floors can be replaced with more slip-resistant flooring materials, such as vinyl and linoleum.
- Lighting: Lighted switches and motion-activated lighting are two convenient safety features preferred by residents as their ability to see at night and in darkened areas deteriorates.
- Doorways: Widening doorways beyond 32 inches allows users full access, even if they are using a wheelchair or scooter
- Functional details: Small details like switching out round doorknobs for easy-grip levers that don’t require a twisting motion is especially helpful for people with arthritis and other mobility issues.
Bathroom Sink Mounting Options
Choosing a bathroom sink may seem like an easy task at first but can quickly become overwhelming. Last month we discussed factors to consider when selecting your sinks, such as style and lifestyle, storage options, available space and configuration, size and shape, and faucet compatibility. This month we will be showcasing the variety of mounting options available:
- Undermount: A great choice for busy family bathrooms, the lack of rim on an undermount sink makes it easy to clean while offering a seamless look.
- Top-mount: Generally less expensive than undermount sinks and the easiest type of sink to install, a top-mount (also called self-rimming or drop-in) sink is designed to allow most of the sink to sit below the counter, with just the rim sitting on top.
- Wall-mount: Wall-mounted sinks attach directly to the wall with visible plumbing beneath. The lack of cabinets beneath a wall-mounted sink offers a clean, open look but does not offer an area for storage.
- Pedestal: Like wall-mounted sinks, a pedestal sink basin is also attached to the wall but it rests on a pedestal that supports it from underneath. These sinks work well in small bathrooms and powder rooms where storage and counter space are not priorities.
- Vessel: A vessel sink is a large, free-standing bowl that sits on top of the vanity. These dramatic sinks are best suited for master baths and powder rooms where you want to add striking focal point.
- Integrated: Integrated sinks provide a clean, sleek, all-in-one answer by combining a countertop and bathroom sink together. This type of sink is easy to clean due to its lack of ridges and seams, making it a great choice for busy family bathrooms.
- Semirecessed: Semirecessed sinks have a basin that extends beyond a narrow ledge or vanity allowing users to get closer to the sink to reach the faucet without the obstruction of a countertop and cabinets. This type of sink is a good choice for children’s bathrooms and tight spaces.
- Washplane: Slim, streamlined washplane sinks feature a trough under the sink to catch water before it runs into the waste pipe. These shallow sinks do not have plug options so they are best suited for powder rooms where they will be used only for hand washing.
- Console: Similar to a wall mounted sink, a traditional console sink is supported by two “legs” mounted at the front of the sink. Console sinks typically have generous counter space and open shelving below.
- Corner: If bathroom space is tight, consider using a triangular corner sink. These small sinks easily fit in an empty corner and are available in both pedestal and wall-mount options.
Let Green Help You Choose the Right Sink for Your Bathroom
We would love to help you choose the sink that works best for your space. Call us (678) 736-6335, contact us through our online form, or visit our new 10,000 square foot showroom and design center to collaborate with a member of our design staff today. In addition to bathroom sinks, the showroom is a one-stop shopping experience for all your home needs, including a wide selection of cabinets, countertops, tile, LVT, hardwoods, carpet, plumbing fixtures, and lighting.
Concerned About COVID-19?
Green Basements & Remodeling takes the health and well being of our customers and employees very seriously as we move forward in these unprecedented conditions. Read our COVID-19 Announcement here.
Choosing the Right Bathroom Sink
The available options among bathroom sinks can make the selection process a bit overwhelming. Here are a few factors you need to consider when choosing the correct one for you and your space.
Style and Lifestyle
Consider which bathroom you are shopping for and ask yourself who will use the room. By determining who will be using the sink and how, you can narrow down your choices. For example, you may want a sleek sink in a bathroom used only by adults (such as your master bathroom), a durable sink in a kids’ or family bathroom, or a stylish sink in a guest bathroom or powder room.
Storage Options
Consider how much storage space you need under, around, or adjacent to your bathroom sink. Wall-mounted or pedestal bathroom sinks do not have a surrounding countertop to provide storage, but options like cabinet mounted sinks will give your bathroom a finished look while providing underneath storage.
Available Space and Configuration
Determine how much area is truly available for your new sink by taking exact measurements of your potential sink space. Are you needing to configure a sink into an existing space? It is crucial to measure the existing cut-out in order to choose a new sink that will perfectly fit the countertop opening and mount in the same way.
Size and Shape
Unless you’re replacing an existing sink, size and shape are generally matters of personal preference. There are no standard sink sizes but basins are typically 5 to 8 inches deep, round sinks are usually 16-20 inches in diameter, and rectangular sinks are usually 19-24 inches wide and 16-23 inches front to back.
Faucet Compatibility
Make sure the size or shape of the sink works with your (new or existing) faucet choice. Most sinks have predrilled faucet holes to hold either a single-handle faucet or a faucet plus separate hot and cold water. Also pay attention the spacing of these holes. Most centerset faucets have holes spaced 4 inches apart but widespread faucets feature holes 8-16 inches apart. Some sinks (vessel and some undercount models) do not have faucet holes due to the fact the faucets are mounted on the wall above the sink or on the countertop behind the sink.
Let Green Help You Choose the Right Sink for Your Bathroom
We would love to help you choose the sink that works best for your space. Call us (678) 736-6335, contact us through our online form, or visit our new 10,000 square foot showroom and design center to collaborate with a member of our design staff today. In addition to bathroom sinks, the showroom is a one-stop shopping experience for all your home needs, including a wide selection of cabinets, countertops, tile, LVT, hardwoods, carpet, plumbing fixtures, and lighting.
Concerned About COVID-19?
Green Basements & Remodeling takes the health and well being of our customers and employees very seriously as we move forward in these unprecedented conditions. Read our COVID-19 Announcement here.
Splashy Kitchen Backsplashes
Kitchen backsplashes perform the functional duties of protecting your work spaces but they are also an important design element. They can seamlessly blend into an overall aesthetic or stand out as unique works of art. Beginning as small ceramic tile borders featuring fruits and vegetables and progressing through the prevalence of subway tile, the evolution of backsplashes is far from over.
Material: Classics & New Alternatives
Ceramic and porcelain tiles remain top material choices but metal, natural stone, glass, mirror, brick, and wood backslashes are being added to kitchens by homeowners looking to create a unique look. Homeowners interested in a more organic look are choosing handmade backsplash tiles to create depth and add variation.
Colors, Patterns, and Layouts
Neutrals (white, gray or beige) are top color choices but backsplash tiles are available in every possible color. Some upcoming trends include graphic prints and large patterned tiles. Tile layouts such as chevron, herringbone, Moroccan fish scale can also deliver big results. It is important to remember that the tiles will repeat (similar to wallpaper) meaning layout prior to installation is crucial to maintain a balanced look.
Finishes
Shiny finishes on porcelain and ceramic offer a classic look but when it comes to finishes, options are endless. The reflective quality of mirrored tile finishes can brighten your kitchen in the day (reflecting natural sunlight) and night (reflecting electric lighting). Metallic tiles can bring a glossy industrial feel to your space. Weathered and acid wash tile offer an aged, authentic look and tumbled tiles can be designed to resemble natural stone.
Heights: Take It to the Limit
A majority of homeowners are currently taking the backsplash up to the bottom of their kitchen cabinets or range hood, but full feature walls where the backsplash material is applied all the way up to the ceiling are rising in popularity. As more homeowners opt for open shelves or windows rather than upper wall cabinetry, these ceiling-height backsplashes become dynamic focal points.
Super Hot New Trend: Slabs
If you’re ready to break the mold and step out of the tile backsplash box, one of the hottest new trends is a slab backsplash. Slabs offer the appeal of a stunning, continuous surface, rather than smaller individual tiles divided by grout lines.
Partner with the Design Team at Green
Whether you are looking to incorporate traditional or contemporary backsplash designs into your kitchen, the team at Green Basements & Remodeling is ready to help you create the kitchen of your dreams. Call our office today to schedule your in home consultation and showroom meeting!
Your Green Home: Integrate Eco-Friendly Trends into Your Remodeling Project
Integrating green trends into your home remodeling project isn’t just better for the planet, it’s also better for your health and long-term finances. By incorporating sustainable and eco-friendly building and design trends, you can increase your home’s energy efficiency, improve its comfort, breathe healthier indoor air, and lower your overall maintenance costs.
VOC-Free Flooring and Paint
Carpets and synthetic (especially vinyl which is built from plastic) floor coverings may contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs) which discharge into the air of your home. Wood and stone flooring do not release VOCs and are easier to clean and maintain, making them well suited for homes with pets or allergy sufferers. Reclaimed wood floors are a very popular option. Recycled tile is also a great choice for areas of your home in need of a stronger surface, like bathrooms and kitchens. VOCs are also transported through wall paint. Look for “low-odor,” “low-VOC,” or water-based paints.
Correct Lighting
Choose energy-efficient windows and doors to maximize your home’s natural light during the day and add a low voltage lighting system with fluorescent bulbs for nighttime use. Fluorescent bulbs convert a majority of their energy into light compared to incandescent bulbs, which drain energy quickly.
Water-Saving Toilets
Most older toilets waste as much as 6 gallons of water per flush, but there’s a much better alternative. Water-saving options such as low-flow or dual-flush toilets can significantly contribute to reducing a household’s water consumption. Incorporating these toilets into a remodel is an easy and immediate way to save water and money.
Organic Textiles and Upholstery
The fire-retardants in many upholstery cloths, rugs, curtains, and carpeting contain formaldehyde, memory foam, dioxin, and brominated fire retardants. These additives can off-gas into the air causing lung and eye irritation. Consider organic cotton, wools, or silks when possible.
Green Knows About Green!
Green living can be incorporated into any remodeling project, but it’s important to partner with the best team. When you choose Green Basements and Remodeling, you are partnering with a general contractor and all-inclusive remodeling company. We are continually focused on successful outcomes for every client and project and we are always knowledgeable about industry trends and product technology advancements. Make your home a healthier place to live. Request an estimate or call us at 678-445-5533 to get started on your project today.