Photo by Lori Hamilton

Lori Hamilton Photography The grand salon in the Bay Colony condominium remodeled by BCB Homes now offers a casual elegance perfectly suited to a luxurious beachfront lifestyle.

For homebuyers intent on having Southwest Floridas renowned beaches just outside their door, two realities may be cause for pause. First, available prime beachfront properties are in short supply. Second, because the overwhelming majority of the areas true beachfront communities were built-out 15 years ago or more, that dream home on the beach may require serious updating that can in some cases involve stripping things down, moving walls, and essentially starting over.

When the areas most desirable beach-front residences were originally built, they reflected the luxury architectural and interior design styles of the time, said Greg Brisson, vice president of BCB Homes Renovations, Alterations & Service Maintenance Division. Obviously, those styles have evolved tremendously over the past 15-20 years. Todays homebuyer wants an open, flexible floor plan rather than the smaller rooms of the past that were limited to specific functions. They also want the finishes and conveniences that reflect their personal vision of what beach-front living can be like. Remodeling a dated residence can bring that vision to life and create an environment that better reflects the homeowners lifestyle.

BCB Homes recently completed the total remodeling of a condominium in a beach-front high-rise in Pelican Bays Bay Colony neighborhood. Working in tandem with Collins & DuPont Interior Design, BCBs remodeling specialists transformed the 3,645-square-foot, three bedroom, three-and-a-half bath residence into an elegantly appointed, flowing environment that is suited to the casual, beach-front lifestyle preferred by the owners and their children.

The condominium was built 15-18 years ago and had not been updated, said Brisson. The existing finishes were 80s vanilla and included whitewashed oak flooring that dated to 1984. We started the transformation by literally removing almost everything the flooring, the bathrooms, the kitchen, over half of the walls and ceilings. We worked with Collins & DuPont to create an entirely new floor plan. Once the demolition work was completed, we started to put the interior structure back together per the new plan. We touched every room in the home. The air conditioning, electrical and lighting systems were also completely replaced.

The impact of the remodeling is evident the moment one enters the residence. The old flooring has been replaced by marble flooring in the foyer and medium-toned walnut hardwood in the living areas. The new color palette mixes neutral creams and light sea foam green. Custom, multicolored LED lightening panels flank the entry to a grand salon that features a teardrop shaped full wet bar in a dark cherry tone. A ceiling detail directly above the bar matches the teardrop shape and is presented with the same dark cherry finish. The bar and back-bar counter tops are finished with granite. A large rectangular mirror on the back-bar wall is accented with glass tiles and surrounded by a tall cherry built-in with shelves for displaying sculptures and glass art pieces.

The built-in cabinetry extends into the living area of the grand salon and incorporates a flush-mounted large screen television. Dark wood moldings are used to create niches on the television wall for displaying large art pieces. Below the niches, inset panels offer a bit of contrast to the dark wood. Per the newly designed floor plan, the wall covers what had been an entrance to an outdoor terrace, thereby creating a private terrace off the master bedroom. The salon and breakfast area open to a separate outdoor terrace overlooking the Gulf.

Dark-toned cherry island, peninsula, and perimeter cabinetry contrasts beautifully with the kitchens new light-colored marble flooring and white granite counter tops. The peninsulas counter top features a deep waterfall edge. New lighting has been installed in the ceiling, over the island, over the perimeter counter tops, and around the cook tops glass tile backsplash. The appliances are fully built-in and faced with wood matching the cabinetry. A newly designed recessed coffered ceiling was re-proportioned to suit the new kitchen plan. Storage is provided by a large hidden pantry that includes an ice machine.

A formal dining space incorporated into the grand salon features a tall wraparound banquette, an oval glass dining table, and three arm chairs in a neutral fabric with nail head trim. A mirrored ceiling detail with a decorative lighting fixture is positioned above the table. The sea foam wall tones of the dining space are accented by a glass art piece.

Continue reading here:
Create a new beach retreat by remodeling

RemodelDC.com TV Tiny Powder Room Remodeling - former closet!
Fabulous designer Leslie King hosts the conversion of an ugly closet to a gorgeous powder room in a older Cape Cod style home in Arlington, Virginia, just ou...

By: Jim Gardiner

More:
RemodelDC.com TV Tiny Powder Room Remodeling - former closet! - Video

Before: This true split-level home has some shortcomings in curb appeal, but nothing an exterior remodel couldn't fix.

Daniel Barton

Owners of split-level homes often have a love/hate relationship with their house. They love the amount of living space provided and the privacy the house design offers.

They appreciate that teens can be alone in their bedrooms on the top level of the house or in their lower-level family room, while Mom and Dad can relax in the main-level living room.

Owners also love how they get the feel of a multilevel house without having to trudge up full flights of stairs.

On the flip side, this type of layout divides a home into several distinct "boxes" or areas that make it difficult to connect spaces to each other. In addition, the entries are often cramped and challenging for today's modern homeowners.

Split-level homes actually had a prestigious origin historians credit Frank Lloyd Wright as the inventor of this style around the turn of the 20th century. He believed split-level homes could be an affordable option for the average American family. However, it was not until the housing boom following World War II that this style began to be built in virtually every area of the nation and became the mainstay of mid-level residential marketing through most of the 1950s and 60s.

A split-level home is essentially a non-traditional multistory home. These homes are often modest and always efficient in their use of space. There are two types of splits: The classic split-level home generally includes a one-story side and a two-story side. You enter into the single story, where you will typically find a living room, kitchen and dining area. On the two-story side, you usually have bedrooms and bathrooms upstairs and a family room, laundry room and garage downstairs. Half-flights of stairs connect each level. This is the true split-level house.

All true split-levels have at least three levels, but many have a fourth level below the formal living room/entry level.

The other type of split-level design is the split entry. This is basically a two-story house with an entry located halfway between the upper and lower floors. When you enter a split-entry house, you walk onto a landing between two half-flights of stairs. You have to go up or down to get to any part of the house.

Read the original here:
Renovation Solutions: 3 common problems and tips to remodeling the split-level home

The first-ever Cleveland Home + Remodeling Expo, presented by Carrier, will take place today through Sunday at the new Cleveland Convention Center.

If you're planning a spring renovation project, it's the perfect opportunity to see the latest trends and products as well as speak with home building and remodeling experts.

This three-day home improvement expo, which begins at noon today, will showcase new and innovative trends and products in home remodeling and design in a state-of-the-art venue, making it the ideal show for Northeast Ohio consumers looking to make some updates around the house. Attendees will find everything they need to take their renovation project from start-to-finish and be able to shop for home builders, home improvement contractors, home dcor and other products and services all in one place.

Features and attractions include:

n Fully-constructed Perrino Vignettes built by Perrino Builders & Furniture will feature an audio visual theater from Xtend Technologies and inspire visitors with ideas for remodeling and decorating. Get inspiration for remodeling kitchens, creating a pub and wine bar and designing a home theater.

n Step into the Ultimate Garage, created by EncoreGarage of Ohio, and see how you can reclaim your space and make it your own. Featuring a high-performance epoxy flooring system that is stain-resistant, easy-to-maintain with a stunning granite-like appearance; wall-mounted custom cabinets that provide flexible storage, transforming your garage into an organized and efficient space plus durable all-steel organization products to store tools, bikes, sporting equipment, gardening supplies and more.

n Relive your childhood dreams and sleep under the stars in a CasaBubble! The inflatable structure has no framework and uses a self-adjusting turbine which keeps the structure in shape by light air pressure, renews the air volume, and controls humidity. This dream hut leaves mosquitoes, pollen and other allergens outside. The CasaBubble is an ideal outdoor living space and can be equipped with furniture, heaters, and even a shower! Furnishings will be provided by Levin Furniture.

n Kids can have fun in Kauffman Lawn Furniture's KidsZone, which features slides, swings, gliders, rock climbing walls and more! Parents can watch their kids from the comfort of 100 percent maintenance free lawn furniture surrounding the KidsZone.

n Relax and enjoy a bite to eat or a beverage at Club Cambria.

n Enter the expo through an Outdoor Living Oasis designed and constructed by premier landscaper GreenSource LLC. Visitors will be able to envision what's possible for their own backyard as they walk through the Oasis, featuring a children's discovery den, sunken seating and fire pit area, sheer descent water feature and an outdoor bar and cooktop.

Read more here:
Cleveland Home + Remodeling Expo set for this weekend

Provided by Networx.com

Baby on the way? Congratulations, whether it's your first or any number beyond that! Bringing new life into the world can be a really amazing experience, but there's also a lot to think about, from the mundane to the serious and life-changing. Handling the nursery setup and decoration falls somewhere along that scale, although where exactly is up to you: you need a space that's safe, warm, and comfortable for Baby, as well as functional for you to use in those critical first few years where your child will be dependent on you for everything.

You should think ahead and design a room that will evolve with your baby as she grows, but it's also worth thinking about how to add a little nice decor to the nursery for yourself and the baby now. After all, both of you will be spending a lot of time there, so you might as well have a nice view; and your aesthetics might not match those of an infant and young child! (You, for example, might be more inclined to enjoy neutral colors and restrained crown molding, while infants respond best to bright colors and bold shapes.)

Luckily, both of you can be satisfied in a nursery with a view. Like, speaking of ceilings, check out this built-up coffered ceiling a couple built in their nursery. The ceiling fits in with the decor of the rest of the house so the nursery blends aesthetically, it provides something calming and beautiful for parents and baby to look at, and it's just plain pretty! With colorful artwork on the walls, it can bridge the competing needs of parents who need a little visual relief and an infant who needs some serious stimulus to develop important neurological connections.

This roundup at Style Estate has some amazing ideas. I love the rooms done in charcoal walls with bright, sunny artwork, for example, adding a note of chic and combining it with baby-friendly art. The French country-inspired room is great too, for parents who love the French aesthetic but want a practical, fun take on it for living with a new infant.

Here's a fun, funky wall collage of things for a nursery that can stimulate a baby and add some interesting visuals for grownups, too. The author suggests this is for boys, but I say any gender can enjoy fun things on the wall!

Have a limited budget? You can still have a totally great space; no need to sacrifice when it comes to home decor with a nursery on a budget. There are tons of fantastic design options that won't cost you a ton, and many contractors understand that new parents are often stressed about money matters, so they're happy to work with you on creating your dream nursery, within your dream budget.

And hey -- while you're remodeling your nursery, remember that safety is key. Make sure that your crib and other products haven't been subjected to recalls, and be sure to use nontoxic fabrics, furniture, paints, and other components, right down to the Orlando flooring. Infants and young children are extremely sensitive to environmental toxins, so give your baby's brain a good start in life!

Katie Marks writes for Networx.com.

View original post.

Read the rest here:
Taking pride in the nursery

By Scott Murfey, Murfey Construction

Your home has been good to you. Its provided you with a place to sleep, eat, and entertain friends. Maybe its even given you a place to raise a family. But you have to ask yourself: has my home really given me everything it can? Most likely it hasnt. Chances are theres still a lot of untapped potential in those walls, that ceiling, and underneath that staircase. Here are some creative remodeling techniques that can do everything from increasing storage space to decreasing cleaning time to really upping your homes coolness factor.

Most likely theres an avid reader, a wine connoisseur, or someone with a shoe fetish in your householdor maybe theres all three. In other words, you could really use more storage space! If you have a two-story home, the solution might be right under your feet. Why not turn the space underneath your staircase into a bookshelf or a wine rack? Or if you are a dog lover, why not build Fido his own little dog house under therethat way you wont wake up your household with a squeak when you trip over his toy on the way to your midnight snack. Other creative ways to maximize storage space are building a platform into your guestroom where you can store your things while keeping it usable and installing baseboard drawers in the bathroom and kitchen. And speaking of kitchens, a kitchen island with drawers or an extra refrigerator can also create a lot of storage opportunities.

Weve made room to store everything; now wouldnt it be nice to also cut down on cleaning time? Lets start with the kitchen. If you have a big family, most likely you feel like youre constantly loading and unloading the dishwasher and taking out the trash. Now that you have the space, why not think about installing another dishwasher? And how about installing chutes in your kitchen for trash and recycling that funnel straight into the garage? On to the bathroom: One of the hardest things to do is remove that soap residue from the glass wall of your shower. Well, its not hard at all if you build a walk-in shower without a glass wall. And I want to leave you with two words: baseboard vacuum.

Now that all the practical stuff is taken care of, here are some remodels that will do more than help you keep up with the Joneses; they will help you run laps around them. First of all, do you have an attic? Why not turn it into a pillow room where your kids can have the best slumber parties ever, and you can use as a refuge to meditate, watch a movie, or curl up with one of the books from your stairway bookshelf. Speaking of bookshelves, if you install bookshelves on the door to one of your rooms, it will look like you have a hidden room. And if you have a really tall ceiling, you can stretch a hammock across it and swap out the ceiling above for a star-gazing sunroof.

Murfey Construction would love to help make your house more spacious, easier to maintain, and more enjoyable. For years we have built lifestyles. For more information on how we can help you with creative remodeling ideas to enhance yours, log onto http://MurfeyConstruction.com.

*These and more creative remodeling ideas can be found here.

Related posts:

Short URL: http://www.lajollalight.com/?p=121910

Read more from the original source:
Creative Remodeling Ideas: Untap Your Homes Full Potential

Photo by FREY

Photos by Katherine Frey/Washington Post Slava Lazebnikov, shown with his wife, Margarita, bought and installed the latest high-tech bathroom products in the couples home himself. Illustrates DESIGN-BATHS (category l), by Audrey Hoffer, special to The Washington Post. Moved Monday, March 10, 2014. (MUST CREDIT: Washington Post photo by Katherine Frey.)

Photo by FREY

A cast-concrete sink in the powder room has a piece of onyx lit from below. Illustrates DESIGN-BATHS (category l), by Audrey Hoffer, special to The Washington Post. Moved Monday, March 10, 2014. (MUST CREDIT: Washington Post photo by Katherine Frey.)

Homeowners giving bathrooms a 21st century update

WASHINGTON Slava Lazebnikov can set the water temperature of the shower from the living room, program a shower playlist while having dinner and lift the toilet lid while lying in bed.

After 15 years in his Rockville, Md., home, Lazebnikov said the bathrooms were outdated and needed something, well, a little splashy.

Now showering in the upstairs bathroom is a digital spa experience. Its really like in a carwash, he said.

Technology has become commonplace in many American homes particularly in the rooms where families consume their media, with devices that allow them to program their music and TV from their smartphones, and in the kitchen, with refrigerators that tell them when theyre low on milk.

But now its starting to catch on in the bathroom.

Go here to see the original:
Homeowners giving bathrooms a 21st century update

The Mountrail County Health Center in Stanley will soon have a new emergency room.

The building's expansion and renovation will be a three phase project aimed at handling the town's recent population surge.

Bonnie Campo has more.

Just like other expanding hospitals in the state-- the Stanley health center has seen a dramatic increase in the number of patients in its waiting room, and phase one is almost complete.

(Sue Weston, Hospital Financial Officer) "The first phase has to do with remodeling the emergency room. Our service to the emergency room population has probably grown by fifty to sixty percent, and with that need comes the dramatic need for space. We have enclosed the ambulance bay for the convenience of the patients in the Fall weather conditions. We are adding a C-T scanner currently on site to help diagnose patients."

To help reach those goals--American Bank Center will donate $25-thousand each year over the next decade-- until their total dollar amount reaches of $250-thousand.

(Heath Hetzel, American Bank Center) "You know the hospital has really expanded with the population and the growth in western North Dakota. The things that are going on in the area with the medical needs. With the donation of the $250-thousand dollars we're very excited to partner with the hospital, and I think it's a very worthwhile cause, and look forward to seeing the expansion complete."

The banks donation will go towards the hospitals end goal of $6.25 million. Which will fund the next steps in the project.

(Sue Weston, Hospital Financial Officer) "The phase two expansion if for the clinic. It's to add exam rooms for the physicians, and the final phase has to do with their nursing home portion of the facility, and that last phase we have been waiting on for a number of years and that is just as important as the first two."

The completion of the project has yet to be confirmed until phase two is finished. In Stanley, Bonnie Campo, KX News.

See original here:
Stanley Hospital Expansion

Remodeling trends come and go, which is a good thing if you're talking about shag carpet or avocado-colored Formica. But some trends have both staying power and universal appeal, such as the strengthening movement toward homes that are more energy efficient and eco-friendly.

"Demand is high for homes that are not only attractive and comfortable, but also that perform well," says Patrick L. O'Toole, editorial director and publisher of Professional Rebuilder magazine. "Today's homeowners are looking for remodeling options that make their homes more energy-efficient. Cost-savings over the long-term and minimizing a home's environmental footprint make energy- efficient remodeling very appealing to homeowners. At the same time, they're not willing to sacrifice quality design and beauty."

Upgrading a few key systems can help homeowners involved in remodeling projects improve their homes' energy efficiency and operate their households in a more environmentally conscious way. If you're planning some remodeling in the coming year, O'Toole suggests keeping these "green" points in mind:

Energy-efficient appliances

Household appliances account for nearly 35 percent of a home's energy consumption, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration'sResidential Energy Consumption Survey. Reducing the amount of energy appliances consume can help homeowners lower utility bills and save hundreds of dollars over the lifetime of an appliance. The federal ENERGY STAR program provides consumers with a valuable reference when shopping for energy efficient appliances. A newer designation called "ENERGY STAR Most Efficient" recognizes the top products in their category for efficiency, across categories like appliances, TVs and electronics from leading brands like LG. This new classification can be especially helpful to environmentally- conscious consumers when they're renovating, according to O'Toole.

"Increased awareness of the value of energy efficiency has made an ENERGY STAR rating a 'must' for many homeowners when they're shopping for new appliances," he says. "Replacing older, less efficient appliances with newer, ENERGY STAR-rated ones can both transform the look of a kitchen and ensure long-term cost savings while addressing climate change."

Many remodelers today are seeking premium built-in design and innovative technology along with enhanced efficiency, all of which can be found in LG Studio appliances. This high-end suite of appliances, from refrigerators to cooktops, and wall ovens to dishwashers emphasizes savvy, state-of-the art design that is as user-friendly as they are efficient. For example, the 42-inch side- by-side refrigerator/freezer is ENERGY STAR-qualified and offers 26.5 cubic feet of capacity, and the SpacePlus Ice System that frees up valuable top-shelf space by moving the icemaker into the refrigerator door. Also, the counter-depth Door-in-Door Refrigerator provides a built-in and seamless look while the unique, Door-in- Door feature offers convenience and easy organization as well as keeping the cool air from escaping the refrigerator by not opening the main door.

Solar options

Solar energy is becoming increasingly practical and affordable for residential use. Currently, the most common uses for solar power in homes are in heating water and generating electricity.

Water heating accounts for nearly 18 percent of a home's energy consumption, according to the Energy Information Administration survey. Replacing an older, less efficient electric water heater with an ENERGY STAR-qualified solar water heating system can reduce hot water costs by 50 percent, EnergyStar.gov says. These heaters also reduce a home's carbon dioxide emissions by half and can last as long as 20 years.

Read the original:
Energy Efficiency, a Remodeling Trend That's Here to Stay

WILLMAR - TPI Hospitality, owner of the Holiday Inn Hotel and Conference Center in New Ulm, is announcing the start of a multi-million dollar major reconstruction project of the facility.

In addition to an extensive renovation of the hotel guest rooms, a reconfiguration and remodel of the hotel public spaces will include the addition of two elevators to allow guests easy access to all hotel facilities, a new larger fitness room, and expanded lobby area offering a full hot complimentary breakfast to guests daily.

Exterior upgrades to the parking lot and landscaping, an expansion and remodeling of the New Ulm Conference Center. The current restaurant will be expanded to include an extensive outdoor patio and fireplace.

Staff photo by Steve Muscatello The Holiday Inn in New Ulm will undergo a multi-million dollar reconstruction project, according to owner TPI Hospitality. When completed the hotel will become a Best Western Plus.

The project will be completed in five phases.

"We take great pride in the fact that we have been a member of this community for 35 years," said Mitch Peterson, President of TPI Hospitality.

When the project is completed, the newly renovated hotel will become a Best Western Plus facility.

Preliminary work on the first phase of construction began this week. The renovation of the hotel's public areas is expected to be completed by late spring, followed by the exterior upgrades in June and the hotel room renovation in late summer.

The final stages of the project will include the restaurant and conference center, both of which are expected to be completed in late summer or early fall, in time for Oktoberfest.

Company spokesperson Dee Anne Osborne said the hotel would continue to operate throughout the construction phase. The restaurant renovations will require that it be shut down sometime in the summer for about a week, but not until the lobby has been completed and is serving breakfasts.

View post:
Extensive remodeling planned at Holiday Inn