Five easy tricks to modernize your bathroom and kitchen

Is your bathroom or kitchen looking drab and outdated? You don’t need to spend a fortune to design and remodeling Portland bathrooms and kitchens. A more modern design is easy to achieve with the addition of some simple elements. Here are five simple tricks to ramp up these rooms and give them a more modern look.

1

Install some subtle accent lights over glossy surfaces such as countertops, vanity tables and sinks. The light will reflect off the surface and give the entire room a more modern look. When choosing among different accent lights, go for edgy but simple designs. Metallic frames look great when paired with soft white light and glazed glass.

2

Get rid of old ceramic fixtures in your bathroom and replace them with metallic ones. You can find many great bathroom fixtures such as metal sinks and bathtubs in sleek designs that are both comfortable and pleasing to look at. Metal countertops also look great in kitchens, especially when accompanied with low-lying accent lights. When choosing a new set of metallic fixtures for your bathroom or kitchen, always stick to a general style and make sure that your fixtures fit well with one another.

3

Throw out the clutter. One trick to modern design and remodeling Portland kitchens and bathrooms is to enlarge your space by keeping the floor area clear of unnecessary fixtures and clutter. Wide open spaces mark a modern design and this can be easily achieved by selecting and installing fixtures that do not take up floor space such as wall-mounted sinks, shelves, and vanities. Remove floor items such as magazine racks, potted plants, clothes bin, and floor cabinets.

4

Replace your wooden shelves with custom-made glass or metal cabinets and shelves. Wood works great for rustic and shabby-chic designs but doesn’t fit well with a modern kitchen or bathroom design. You can find many wall-mounted glass or metal shelves that will work better with the modern design that you have in mind. Also replace wooden frames such as those used for wall décor and mirrors with metallic frames that fit well with the design of your fixtures. When it comes to shelves, you can experiment with non-traditional placements such as a diagonal row or alternating shelves to make the room even more interesting.

5

Avoid using printed designs, especially country florals, for details such as tiles, wall decor and curtains. Instead, stick to monotones of neutral colors such as black, white or beige. When choosing a modern design and remodeling Portland bathrooms or kitchens, simplicity is always given importance. If the monotone is too plain for you, you can experiment with a splash of contrasting color or a recurring design element such as stripes or cubes.

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Simple tips to maximize small kitchen designs

With today’s real estate prices, a large floor area has become an expensive feature afforded only by a few. A booming population has further led to the construction of high-rise residential condominiums with limited floor area. These considerations have thus led to an insurgence of small kitchen design Portland and elsewhere. Small kitchen designs have become possible with the advent of innovative and space-saving ideas that focus on multi-functionality and small spaces. A kitchen island now functions both as a table and as storage space, and sometimes even comes fitted with sliding or hidden stools.

If you’ve just moved in to a new home with a small kitchen, or have been living in one for some time, there’s certainly no need to hang the apron and settle for take-out dinners each night. You can enjoy all the benefits and joys of a full-sized kitchen within the confines of your small kitchen area. All it takes is some smarts and an ounce of creativity to maximize small kitchen designs. Read on for a few simple tips that’ll get you started. 

First and foremost, de-clutter. Rein in your inner pack rat and do away with clutter and bulky décor. Keep your kitchen bare of unessential items such as decorative floor fixtures and excess kitchenware. Go through your kitchen items and get rid of kitchen items that you haven’t used for the past year. If we’re talking of heirloom silverware that are only used for special occasions, consider storing them in another room. Clutter can become a big problem in kitchens, and will effectively limit the amount of working space that you can use when cooking or baking.

Second, opt for a minimalist design. Keeping your kitchen bare of the unessential doesn’t have to result in a bland or sterile room. Complement the bare look of your kitchen with a minimalist kitchen design Portland. This design scheme fits perfectly with small kitchens because it emphasizes simple fixtures and bare spaces. One trick is to stick to a basic color for everything while playing up the drama with various textures and materials.

Lastly, expand the visual space. We sometimes forget that space is just a matter of perception, one that we could alter with a few visual tricks. Light, neutral colors will help your small kitchen seem more breezy and spacious. A large wall mirror is also a good way of tricking the eye and can be mounted on a kitchen wall to make the room seem bigger than it actually is.

Tile Success or Failure

Tile is a beautiful and long lasting solution to almost any surface.  The key to successful tile is preparation.  Just about anyone can lay tile but not anyone can lay tile correctly.

In laying tile floor we often see tile cracking or breaking free from the subfloor.  This can be caused by a couple of different things.  First suspect is the base floor.  This is what the subfloor sits on.  For best results the base floor (also called decking) needs to be of sufficient thickness and must be fastened in a manner as to stop any movement.  Usually tongue a groove 2x6 flooring works well if installed properly. 

The next consideration is the subfloor.  We like Hardi Backer for flooring because it adds structural stiffness to the floor.  It is a cement based product producing a great bond with thin-set mortar.  All seams need to be taped with appropriate fiberglass tape ( not sheetrock tape ).  Finally all seams need to be skimmed with thin-set to create one surface. 

For showers and tub walls we are 100% sold on Wedi products.  They are more waterproof than other tile backing systems.  They are also about four times more expensive per sheet.  This is not the time to pinch pennies as you want your tub or shower walls to remain water proof for years to come.

The trowel and mortar mix are not to be overlooked.  For most tile applications a 1/4 x 1/4 notched trowel is used.  The mortar is applied holding the trowel at a 45 degree to the tile backing.  The mortar, or thin-set as it is often called, needs to be fortified with acrylic additive.  We like to mix our mortar with acrylic instead of water.  The acrylic gives the tile more bonding strength.

Once the tile is down apply roughly 10 lbs of mechanical pressure then do not touch again for 24 hrs.

Best of luck and happy send pictures of your best work.