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Wednesday, August 22nd, 2018
Whether you’re doing a guest bedroom, bathroom or a kitchen remodel, it pays to be a good neighbor throughout. Featured in this photo is the upcoming Hooker Furniture Bedroom Beaumont King Upholstered Bed.
The remodel or renovation of a home can have a huge impact on any homeowner’s life. The stress could come from the anticipation of the project or it could be because your neighbors aren’t as cooperative as you wanted them to be. These are your neighbors and so it is, of course, crucial that you build a positive relationship with them. So what could you do to still be the perfect neighbor when you’re about to remodel?
Okay, remodeling a home entails loud noises, debris, and lots of mess. There could also be a time when the street becomes less spacious because the parking could be eaten up by the goings-on during the renovation.
Whether you’re planning to remodel the bathroom or the roof, this type of extensive project could literally change your lifestyle as well as your neighbors’. You might just think of the immediate impact to your family but there are, inevitably, effects to your neighbors, too.
Be kind and here are some ways that you can be nice to them during the construction phase –
Get Necessary Permits
It is a courtesy to your neighbors to get all the necessary papers for the remodel. This will ensure everyone in your neighborhood that you are abiding by the local building codes. This becomes doubly important when you have plans of selling your house someday.
Your neighbors will also be ascertained that your safety and theirs have been considered. Just make sure that you display the permit on the window where your neighbors can best see it. This is to deter any possible questions that they may have if this piece of paper is absent.
Inform the Neighbors
As a part of the neighborhood, it is your responsibility to inform the nearby homes of the upcoming remodeling project. You don’t have to knock from one door to the next, though. You can just write a letter detailing the part that’s going to be remodeled in your home, why you’re remodeling, and the timeline for this project.
You should also include your contact information. You could also thank them by sending some baked goods (yes, these are very effective in mitigating concerns). There are also communities that have their own regulations on whom to notify when you will remodel.
Notify two to three houses down.
Emphasize the Work Hours
One of the most important parts of your letter is that section where you write the work hours as well as the project timeline.
Will the workers do the construction tasks during the morning? Normally, the construction hours take about 12 hours each day so, ideally, it should be between 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM. The contractor must be informed of your preferred work hours so that they do not end up annoying your neighbors who are expecting that the noise would stop at a certain time.
Contain the Mess
Deck or roofing installations could create a huge mess. These projects involve demolishing parts of your home and some scraps building up in your yard. Some of this debris could get to your neighbor’s lawn – this is what you would not want to happen.
Tell your contractors to be respectful of the nearby properties. Check on your shortlisted contractors’ cleanup processes so that you get to choose the one that creates the least impact on other people’s homes.
Be Gentle and Considerate
Even when you prepared amply, there could be complaints from neighbors who will not be happy with the ongoing remodeling project. Instead of reacting straightaway, you could sit down with your neighbor and come up with a solution. Have your neighbor speak to the contractor who would be able to explain to them what’s going on and for how long.
Be sure to thank your neighbor for bearing with the inconveniences.
Tags: home remodeling, home renovation, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings, reconstruction, remodeling, renovation
Posted in Interior Design 101, Interior Design Elements | Comments Off on Remodeling Around Not-So-Sweet Neighbors? 5 To-Do’s During Renovation
Thursday, August 24th, 2017
Hooker Furniture Dining Room Auberose 52in Round Pedestal Table: Do you need help achieving this look? Find the best team members to help you achieve this.
Does your home now have a tired look to it? Or are you simply tired of the old furnishings that you see day in and day out? Wanting a new look should always begin with a dream.
Plot Your Dream
Way before you even sit down and consult an architect, you must start by sketching your design ideas. Imagine the layout, the new furnishings, and the reasons behind your remodeling project. If this project is for room expansion, just think about how space can be used and how the traffic patterns will be altered.
Consider also whether you would build something from scratch and how that can affect the overall construction of your home. Think about how an oversized addition can overwhelm small square footage.
Make use of a home design software so that you can visualize your project.
Ask Around
Why go through the same mistakes that your friends or neighbors have gone through? It is best to learn from others who have renovated their homes before you did. There are many websites that show the developments of home improvement projects.
Plan Ahead
You may be dreaming of a more spacious home this time but hold your horses first. This renovation project may not be sensible if you decide to sell your property in a year or two. That luxury bathroom may even make your home valued above most of the properties in your neighborhood, thus, making it more difficult to sell.
There are even some home improvement projects that can lower the value of your home. Learn about Queen Anne, Victorian, and vinyl siding.
See also how your family’s plans might vary in the coming years. Every remodeling project has its corresponding budget requirement. Calculate yours before the first nail is even driven. Before you nod to that bronzite countertop, why not settle for the equally durable but less pricey one?
Pick Your Team Members
It is impossible to take on a whole renovation project by yourself. Of course, you will need some professionals to help you on this task. Naturally, you should look for the ones who are properly insured and licensed. Home remodeling jobs are risky so you have to do your part to protect yourself from any shocking expenses.
Looking for the best team is not all about doing a basic reference check. Consider the fact that the top architect may not share your vision for your home. An older house requires a professional who knows how to deal with period homes.
Discuss the Contract
Whether you are renovating full-scale or are just going to do some carpentry basics, this project will require the services of both an architect and one general contractor. Any misunderstanding with either of these guys can spiral into a disaster.
To avoid such scenarios, you need to have a written contract that will cover both parties. Make sure that every team member signs and agrees to the said contract. Above anything else, you have to be certain about the types of materials that will be used, the duration of the project, etc.
Don’t agree to any verbal agreement. It is always safe to have everything written even if you trust the architect, general contractor, and the interior designer.
Do the Paperwork
Interior design reboots also require a lot of paperwork. You’ll need a permit so your renovation project can legally push through. A building permit may just be a piece of paper but it’s a piece of paper that assures you that the structure to be built will meet codes as well as all safety regulations.
Always Have a Plan B
Small or big, your remodeling project must come with a backup plan. Make room for delays, miscommunications, shortage of supplies, and equipment breakdown. Set some rules for your team members so that the project can run more smoothly.
Tags: home remodeling, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings, remodeling, remodeling project, remodeling requirements, remodeling your home, remodeling your house
Posted in Interior Design 101, Interior Design Elements, Interior Design Themes | Comments Off on Interior Design Reboot
Tuesday, March 7th, 2017
Cynthia Rowley for Hooker Furniture Varick 2 Over 2 Sofa spells modern at every angle.
Homeowners could spend hours talking about things that one could add to home remodeling such as what tiles to use on the shower floor, what furniture to use and where to properly place them. Are you going to use wallpaper or paint? There are so many things to consider that can make remodeling projects a real pain to deal with most of the time.
If you want to remodel minus the headaches, then you have to learn some fundamentals.
Begin by Knowing Your Tastes
A remodeling project is all about you. If you want this project to become a noteworthy experience, then you should be able to tell a story about yourself. This is about how you present your preferences and tastes using interior design.
Let’s pretend for a moment that budget is not an issue. So now you’re free to take in any design element that you want. You can begin by decorating with your culture (or at least your preferred culture). Express your lifestyle and beliefs with culturally specific stuff like rustic elements for people who come from the South. Asians can embrace Japanese, Chinese or Indian design elements.
Or you can choose to go astray and just embrace a Nordic interior design even if you’re a Caucasian.
Add decorative elements like tapestries, rugs and wall accents. If you’re an artist, then create a home that celebrates your artistry.
Be More Patient
Home remodeling projects will surely test your patience – it’s inevitable. There will be unforeseen issues that you need to deal with, even busy schedules to manage, so you should learn to keep your sanity during the renovation project.
You might want to take a timely vacation, too. Rather than mope inside the same place where workers are rushing in and out, why not take that much-needed family vacay? If you don’t want to temporarily reside elsewhere, then you must be amenable to stay at a different space, say, the guest room while the rest of the home is being renovated.
Still about the downside of remodeling, if you can’t live without a kitchen even for just a single day, then learn to minimize the inconvenience. Set up a temporary food preparation area which includes a microwave oven and a mini refrigerator so you can still prepare light meals during the renovation project.
If you want to keep the traditional look of your home, then this Hooker Furniture Bedroom True Vintage Chest can surely help.
Learn to Adapt
Apart from patience, you must also learn a little adaptability. Most kitchen and bathroom remodels are not needful. If truth be told, who really needs a full kitchen? Most of the time, all you need is a little adjustment here and there to meet your growing needs.
Plan for the Long-term
Think about energy loss, long-term maintenance and eventual repairs. Be sure to include these during the time that you calculate probable renovation expenses. If you want your home to last through the years, then you must be ready to hire remodelers who have design experience of no less than three years. More importantly, this remodeler must be someone that you fully trust.
Be sure to visit the past projects of your shortlisted remodeling candidates. The best ones keep an organized work site, have a safety-conscious team, and know how to keep a low profile while finishing the remodeling project.
Mind the Papers
Every remodeling project requires some legal papers. A remodeler must be able to provide a contract that contains the right address, start and completion dates, as well as the details of the renovation project.
Remain Calm
While you are encouraged to be fearless in your designs, you must learn to manage stress. Just think that at the end of this project, you and your loved ones will finally live at a home that’s customized to meet your needs.
Relax and wait for the project to unfold.
Tags: McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings, remodeling, remodeling guidelines, remodeling project, remodeling tips
Posted in Interior Design 101, Interior Design Elements | Comments Off on 6 Indispensable Home Remodeling Lessons
Monday, February 13th, 2017
Hooker Furniture Dining Room Eastridge 54 inch Round Pedestal Dining Table w -20in Leaf
Home remodeling is not a walk in the park. You are bound to have headaches with schedules un-followed and material quality being sub-standard. Creating a home that’s fabulous takes a lot of effort, planning, and time. Here are some designer tips that you can mimic so you can add a little pizazz to your home –
Yes to Bigger Furniture
Contrary to common notion, having large furniture inside a small room is actually a step up in terms of remodeling. Huge pieces can actually make a room appear a tad bigger (e.g. a spacious bed with a lovely headboard in an average-sized room).
Just remember to scale your furniture so that you’re still able to leave ample space wherein you can move around with ease.
Yes to Wallpaper
Don’t automatically think of wallpaper as boring. These days, there are lots of designs, patterns and textures to choose from. Imagine feature walls right behind your headboard or inside the cozy dining room.
You can also wallpaper up the walls on your stairways and above the fireplace. Take interest in this exciting material and you will soon realize the overabundance of designs at your disposal.
Yes to the Floating Floor
Altering the flooring of a home is a major makeover. Use floating floors installed over tiles so that you won’t have to deal with noise. You could use a jack hammer to uninstall the old tiles.
Yes to Correct Lighting
Consider the lighting in your home. This has the power to change the feeling, colors and the overall ambience so choose well. Find out what task, general or accent lighting you need to use in different areas.
Yes to Storage Units
Always store materials in dry and cool places. Keep your tools inside a container while make sure that your valuables are also stored inside sturdy cabinets.
No to Mess
This doesn’t mean that you will turn into a minimalist overnight. Decluttering simply means you learn to let go of stuff that you no longer use. This also means being creative enough that you free up some space where there used to be a lot of unused stuff.
Less to zero clutter means you are able to simplify your life and eventually your surroundings. You must also make an effort to create a coherent design that will aid you in de-stressing.
No to Inaccurate Measurement
Another thing that you need to say no to is erroneous measurement. Even ¼ of an inch can make a huge difference. Dimensions that are off, non-symmetrical or unequal won’t give you the design impact that you want. In essence, measurements can make or break the look of your home.
If you’re not too confident in measuring architecture and how to place decorative elements, then ask for help. Friends or family members can help you take more accurate measurements.
No to Skipping Prep Work
You just have to do this the right way. Avoiding prep work is tantamount to embracing design failure. Take your time in doing it right from the onset. This may be a tedious process but it can save you a lot of time, money and effort later.
No to Gutting Every Little Thing
It is better to rely on a well-set plan than to begin renovating by clearing out everything. With correct planning, you should be able to work around certain areas. This can, again, save you a lot of time and effort.
No to the Wrong Tools
This is another problem that you wouldn’t want to encounter. Using the wrong tool could end up with a wrecked project, a damage on the tool itself, or worse, an accident. Again, you wouldn’t want this to happen.
Tags: home redesign, home redmodeling, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings, redesigning a home, redesigning homes, remodel, remodeling, remodeling a home
Posted in Interior Design 101 | Comments Off on Home Remodeling Triumphs and Mistakes
Friday, January 27th, 2017
Hooker Furniture Dining Room Blanco 46in Foyer Dining Table
Marrying your remodeling dreams with your pocketful of dollars can be a challenge. At least this is the case with most homeowners. But there are a lot of things that you can do in your home if you know how to manage your expenditure. What you need are a few tips that will help you get the hands that you need at the initial budget that you have set.
Today, you will focus on working with professionals that will help you realize your remodeling vision and understand the realistic cost behind it. You will also refine your plans so that your budget for the remodeling project will be commensurate to your visualization. You will, in essence, be acting like your own general contractor though you are expected to hire a team of professionals in the end.
Concocting the Dream Plan
Once you have chosen which experts to hire, it is time to sit down and discuss your renovation plan and budget with them. They are the professionals so expect to hear suggestions.
Make a list of all the things that drive you crazy in your home (excluding your mother-in-law). Show also a collection of home images which inspire you; this way, the pros will have an idea on what to begin with. Also, they will have an idea on what materials as well as styles you prefer.
Are you the eclectic type? Or do you prefer the stark yet elegant look that Scandinavian style offers? This will soon be clearly defined.
Have a measured drawing of your current home often referred to by architects as the as-built. This will come as a useful tool on the duration of the project.
Check the Budget
As the initial dimensions are set, it’s time for the rough order of magnitude. This is the cost comparison when you send the first plans to contractors for a quote. This is not similar to bidding so reasonable ballpark figures would do.
Your final number depends hugely on the kinds of materials and finishes that you choose. Majority of contractors do the price comparison for free though there are some who already charge for a minimal fee so be sure to ask.
Redefine Your Vision
As you receive the cost estimates, your architect will be your best friend since he will help you scale back especially when the ideal budget does not suit the project. He will also suggest alternatives so that you will remain on budget. This is referred to as value engineering.
Even if you have cash to burn, it pays to create features that are only worth their price. Ask yourself this important question – does this really matter?
Reward Due Diligence
As you near the completion of your design plan, ask your contractor to find some trivial things such as rotting walls, which walls are load-bearing, which rooms have water damage, etc.
It is not good to set foot to a project with a handful of unanticipated issues. Remember that a single mistake could cost anywhere from hundreds to thousands of dollars.
A few contractors offer pre-construction due diligence as a part of the project. When you contractor does not go through this step prior to work commencement, you could always ask how much he would charge for it.
Minor research on which parts of the home will affect the overall remodeling budget could be as cheap as $200 or a bigger researc could cost as much as $12,000. The latter is for a full set of the architectural plans.
This is an effective step to take prior to signing off on your final plan with the general contractor. Remember that this research is all too important and could definitely affect the scope of the eventual work (as well as the price).
Tags: home remodeling, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings, remodeling, remodeling budget, renovation, renovation budget
Posted in Architectural Elements, Interior Design 101 | Comments Off on Match the Renovation Project With Your Budget
Monday, June 13th, 2016
This sample dining room set up by Hooker Furniture blends wood, metal and other materials beautifully.
Have you ever thought of renovation or the creation of a home as an exciting journey? Well, it should be an electrifying experience but in reality, most would-be homeowners dread having to take on such a huge project. Creating home from scratch – if done correctly – can help you discover who you are, what you actually want, and what environment you would like to live in. This is, essentially, your shot at defining your relationship to your family, your community and more so yourself.
So, are you ready to get down on your knees and begin this journey?
Every Journey Has a Plan
Just like any other journey, you must begin it with some planning and research. You would want to know what the end result would be and, of course, how much it is going to cost you. Don’t even begin to think that you’ll be able to finish this project alone because no has. A helping hand is not just a welcome idea but a needful aspect throughout the course of your building your home.
Planning requires goal setting. As a would-be homeowner or someone who wants a totally new look for his home, you must have goals. Effective goals are comprised of both functional and decorative elements. Each is crucial and must be recognized.
Make two plans for your project – Plans A and B. Should Plan A fail to make sense, then there’s always your backup plan.
The Cynthia Rowley 7064-011CR Windsor Tight Seat Sofa sits comfortably in a sea of like and complementary hues. The pop of color, now and then, is a fresh sight to behold.
Ask the Right Questions
Whoever thought that creating or designing home from scratch requires a series of questions? First, you need to know what you would want to achieve. This can be summed up in a theme for most people. Knowing your ultimate choice between contemporary and traditional makes a huge difference in the elements that will be bought and brought in.
It is also important to ask where you would want to be. This is that end result that you have been asked to envision. The layout should help give you a mental picture of what your home would look like when finished.
It is also vital to know the cost of the entire project. This is a good way to prevent scenes where you’d end up being cranky because the project turned out to be thousands of dollars costlier. Being realistic would help you plan a budget that works, else, you would be left to the mercy of unscrupulous individuals.
Make good use of an Excel sheet where you could have a bird’s eye view of what has been spent so far and where the cost is going.
Round Up Your Team
Remember, this is your project. Gather professionals who have proven their worth in terms of interior design. Just like a lawyer shouldn’t represent himself in court, then so should you take experts who will take on your project.
The team leader is you and your right hand should be the lead interior designer. This expert will be your guide, advocate, therapist and counselor throughout the project. It pays to find the best team from the onset. The right guide also ensures that the journey that you have embarked upon will be an enjoyable one.
You might also add some team members now and then. There are specialists among these experts (e.g. a kitchen and bath designer) that will be better able to help you. Every extra member will cost you more but it is an added guarantee on the success of the interior design project. Once you gather these experts and they are willing to help you out then, rest assured, that you will have a smooth-sailing journey ahead.
Tags: finding an interior designer, hiring an interior designer, hiring interior designer, home renovation projects, home renovation tips, how to hire an interior designer, interior designer interview, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings, redecorating, redesign, remodel, remodeling, remodeling a home, remodeling your home, remodeling your house, renovation and remodeling, renovation guidelines, renovation project, renovation tips
Posted in Interior Design 101, Interior Design Elements, The Interior Designer | No Comments »
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