SENSIBLE STYLE – TIPS INSPIRED BY WRITING MY FIRST BOOK

My first book, New Kitchen Ideas That Work, (Taunton Press, 2012) is currently available for pre-order on Amazon.com and will hit store shelves the first week of December. (You know all of those kitchen books at the front of your neighborhood Home Depot and Lowe’s store? Mine will be among them!) 

New Kitchen Ideas That Work - Look for it at a Home Depot or Lowe's near you
(Photo:  Taunton Press)

Here are some Sensible Style tips that you can find handsomely illustrated and explained in this full-sized, full-color volume. 

Layout enhancements 

It’s much more affordable to improve an existing layout than it is to change it entirely. Moving vents, electrical and plumbing often require permits, demolition and skilled trades persons. You can increase your storage potential, improve your appliance performance and update your style, all while keeping everything in its current place.     

• Increase your storage potential with cabinet accessories and backsplash organizers.
• Update your style with new hardware, refacing, paint and lights, all while keeping everything in its current place. 

A backsplash organizer adds storage without remodeling
(Photo: IKEA)

Fixture enhancements 

Do you have a builder grade kitchen sink and faucet? These are fairly easy to upgrade, unless your sink is under-mounted in stone tops. As so many older homes still have laminate counters, there’s a good chance you have those, too, and can easily upgrade your fixtures. 

• Improve your prep and clean-up efficiency with a modular, accessory-equipped sink. 
• Add convenience and reduce germ spread with a hands-free, sensor faucet. Multiple spray functions improve its usability, too. 

Enhance your clean-up zone with a hands-free faucet
(Photo: Moen)

Appliance enhancements 

Everyone wants performance appliances, but you probably don’t have the space for a 48 inch pro range. The good news is, you don’t need one to get better cooking capability. 

• Add another oven to your kitchen with a microwave that does more than reheat and defrost; it brings convection, warming and speed cook features to your home.
• Replace an inefficient radiant cooktop with an induction model. It will give you professional class performance with amazingly easy clean up and improved safety. 

Improve cooking performance with an induction cooktop
(Photo:  Bosch)

More enhancements 

New Kitchen Ideas That Work covers the entire kitchen, from ceiling light fixtures to flooring options. Here are some additional Sensible Style tips to consider for your home.

• Replace outdated incandescent track lights with LED-equipped versions for better style and energy savings. 
• Replace a worn, stained rug with an outdoor-rated version that will freshen the kitchen’s style and be a breeze to clean. 

Add style and low maintenance with an outdoor-friendly rug
(Photo:  Ballard Designs)

I'm proud to share that my first book has 224 pages of Sensible Style-inspired tips, 370 photos and 14 case studies of real kitchen projects around the country to educate and inspire you.

Four Favorite Eco-Friendly Plumbing Innovations - 3 Mountains Plumbing

One of the benefits of being a blogger is hearing from insightful industry folks around the world.  Today's Bath Week Four Favorites guest post comes from 3 Mountains Plumbing, a fully-licensed and bonded plumbing contractor in Oregon.  I love their suggested products for greening your bathroom.  I know I'll be looking at these for my next home.


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When you talk about plumbing, words like “groundbreaking” and “cutting edge” probably don’t leap to mind. Yet modern plumbing is indeed innovative – manufacturers are constantly working to develop products that make home plumbing more efficient and earth friendly. 


Toilet/Sink Combos 


Your average toilet flushes pure water – i.e., drinking water – which 11 percent of the world’s population can’t access. Toilet/sink combos conserve by using the same water twice; first, the fresh water is sent through the faucet, and then it is stored to flush the toilet later. Unfortunately, the “ick factor,” as one Nashville manufacturer put it, has limited demand and hampered elegant design for this plumbing innovation. Caroma’s Profile Smart 305 Round Front Plus is the exception, saving both space and water in style. 

Perfect for a smaller powder room and smaller water bill
(Photo Courtesy:   Caroma )

Hybrid Hot Water Heaters 


Tankless water heaters are already a buzz item among green-minded designers, builders and consumers. But the next best thing – the hybrid water heater – is already here. Hybrid heaters are even more energy efficient, so they save the average family $320 per year, as opposed to $100 per year savings with a tankless water heater. Plus, you can get a $480 federal tax credit for a hybrid heater, such as GE’s new hybrid model. 

Another hybrid for your garage!
(Photo Courtesy:   GE )

Programmable Showers 


A 10-minute shower sends, on average, 25 gallons of water down the drain. One way for homeowners to reduce their water usage is to install a programmable shower faucet. These devices allow precise control over temperature as well as the amount of water used, offering a luxury spa-like experience without the wastefulness. If this sounds too good to be true, keep in mind that the StyleTherm from California Faucets has been found to comply with the California Green Building Standards Code, the nation’s first statewide green building code. 

Programmable shower delivers eco-luxury
(Photo Courtesy: California Faucets)

Flow-Optimized Faucet Aerators 


The key to an eco-friendly bathroom faucet is to decrease water waste without sacrificing pressure. The solution: a flow-optimized aerator, which injects air into the water stream. This helps maintain water pressure while cutting down the flow rate from 2.2 gallons per minute to 1.5. Moen bathroom faucets with flow-optimized aerators, for example, can cut the water that comes from your bathroom tap by 32 percent.

Save water stylishly with a flow-optimized faucet
(Photo Courtesy:   Moen )

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3 Mountains Plumbing  specializes in plumbing services and remodeling for both homes and businesses in Portland, Tigard, Lake Oswego, Wilsonville, Dundee and surrounding communities. 

2012 Trends Post: Faucets and Fixtures (Guest Post by The Home Depot)

What new faucets and fixtures might your kitchen and bath be wearing this year? I asked my former colleagues at The Home Depot, one of the country's largest decorative plumbing retailers, for their insights.

Given their size and market share, what THD buys is a pretty good indicator of mass market trends. No, they're not trendsetters the way a luxury showroom could be -- the way their high-end Expo Design Center once was... sigh.

What they are about is what's here, what's now and what's likeliest to show up in a home near you. Sarah Fishburne, the company's Director of Trend & Design, shared these forecasts for 2012.

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STYLE TRENDS

Rustic and Country

The rustic look is anything but, and it doesn’t have to be limited to country houses. This farmhouse feel gives that nice “down home” look and warms up a kitchen or bathroom. Oil rubbed bronze, chrome and brushed nickel will continue to be popular in the new year.

Larger, bridge style faucets add an interesting, yet professional look to the room, and also look very proportional when put in kitchens with many appliances.

Clean-lined Bridgeford faucet by Grohe is on trend for 2012

Transitional Lines

While this style never really went away, it is finding its way into many more design trends lately. This look, like the rustic country, is all about subtlety. Streamlined and clean lines are the forefront of this trend, and unique shapes such as modified squares help add a soft touch to the room.

Pfister's Pasadena in new Midnight Chrome finish exemplifies affordable transitional style
(FYI, they dropped the Price from their name)

In addition to adding new looks to your house, consider function. A few simple changes can go a long way toward making your life easier.


FUNCTIONALITY TRENDS

Spot Resist Technology

Nothing worse than fingerprints all over your new faucets! Moen’s new Spot Resist technology makes it so that your faucets stay looking new by resisting water spots or fingerprints, and wipes down easy for simple maintenance.

Moen's pull-down Solidad faucet sports contemporary style and a new Spot Resist finish

One Touch Technology

For those with sanitation in mind, this trend is for you. The last thing you want your fixture to become is a breeding ground for bacteria and germs. Delta's Touch 2O technology only requires a quick tap of the wrist or forearm to activate.

Turn on Delta's sleek Pilar pull-down faucet with just a tap

WaterSense

WaterSense technology helps you save up to 32 percent water use without taking any hits to performance. All bathroom sink faucets carried at The Home Depot are now WaterSense certified.

Kohler's high performance Cimmaron now comes in a WaterSense-rated 1.28 GPF model

[JG Note: WaterSense is a government program much like EnergyStar. When a major retailer like THD embraces it, you know a trend has taken hold! WaterSense is also available in select showerheads and 1.28 gallons per flush (GPF) toilets that go even further than the current 1.6 GPF standard.]

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You might also enjoy the 2012 Trends Color guest post by Sherwin-Williams.

Details #5 - Finishing Touches

This is the final installment of a five-part, first week of the month series with The Decorating Diva. Each focuses on a single room detail that can make a huge difference in the success of that space's style.

Last month we looked at hardware. (See links for the full series at the end of this post.) This segment focuses on those last little details that sometimes go unfunded or get overlooked. Think about the last time you walked into a darling powder room, only to notice plastic clips on the mirror or an ugly white switch plate. Or try to imagine this bathroom with plastic towel holders? (As its designer, I try not to!)

Master bath by Jamie Goldberg Kitchen and Bath Design, LLC

Design is in the details. So this edition of Details focuses on finishing touches.


Mirrors

We look at them every morning when we comb our hair, but when was the last time you really looked at yours? Are the edges chipped or rusting? Does your mirror lack a frame? Mirrors glued to the wall are tricky and hazardous to remove, but can be framed for a richer look. Clip-on mirrors or builder grade medicine cabinet mirrors can be more easily replaced. For a couple of hundred dollars or less, you can give your bathroom a much, much better look!

For a great splurge, check out this beauty. (I want one in my next home!)

It's a mirror. It's a television. It's a stylistic and engineering marvel. It's a Seura!

I can see this Crate & Barrel Largo mirror really enhancing a bath with cinnamon cherry cabinets.

Pottery Barn's Kensington Mirror creates an instant bathroom upgrade

Installed Accessories

Chances are, your home has some permanently-installed accessories in one or more room that are taking away from their appeal. Examples include dime store kitchen paper towel holders, plastic flush levers on your toilets, plastic towel bars in your bathroom and builder basic switchplate covers. These are easy DIY upgrade opportunities on their own, or should be factored into any larger remodel plans you're making.

Flush out ugly tank levers with coordinating versions, like this Brantford model from Moen

Vent your home fashion frustrations with a stylish register cover, like this Scroll model from Restoration Hardware.

Switch to better-looking outlet covers, like these Porcelain beauties from Rejuvenation... Perfect for a retro bath!

Countertop Accessories

This is the easiest, most affordable, no tools or handyman required, update you can make to a kitchen or bath. If your canisters or drinking glasses are looking dated, visit your favorite home goods store or web site for an instant upgrade. They tend to be smaller, lower cost items, so changing out every few years isn't a budget buster. (Donate your old set to a charity, please!) They're also a great way to add color, texture and a new style component to your space.

Give your bath modern, international flair with Jonathan Adler's Berlin accessories

Add pared-down elegance to your bath with Pottery Barn's Quinn Beaded bath accessories.

Form meets function in these stainless steel canisters at The Container Store.

Countertop Appliances

What is your toaster or coffee maker saying about your kitchen? I'm tired... I'm old... I'm bargain basement? Countertop appliances are also easy upgrades, albeit a little more expensive. The first principle of countertop appliances, however, is store the ones you don't use daily. The only appliances that should sit out are part of your morning or dinner routine. If the food processor or stand mixer only gets used once a month or so, it doesn't need to take up room on your countertops. For those essentials you do use daily, consider models that add functionality and style to your kitchen.

Give your kitchen coffee bar style and flexibility with this Cuisinart Coffee on Demand machine at Williams-Sonoma.

Think of it as a toaster on steroids! This Breville Countertop Convection Oven, also at Williams-Sonoma, is so much more. I want one of these, too!

Breville also makes a top-rated, darned good looking juicer! Available through Amazon.com.

Enjoy the entire Details series!

Details #1 - The Lighting Edition
Details #2 - The Faucet Edition
Details #3 - Fabrics and Fibers
Details #4 - The Hardware Edition
Details #5 - Finishing Touches

AGING IN PLACE: BATHROOM SAFETY WITH STYLE

Many adults are doing their best to help parents remain safely and independently in their own homes as they age. Others are moving parents into their houses, both for safety and economic reasons.

If you’re facing either of these issues, here are some ways to be proactive on safety in one of the most accident-intensive rooms in the house – the bathroom.

* Replace a standard toilet with a comfort-height version.
* Add grab bars in the shower, tub and toilet areas. (Moen Kingsley Oil-Rubbed Bronze shown here.)
* Replace knob-style faucets with lever-handled faucets.
* If your parent is in a wheelchair, replace a standard vanity with one specifically designed for this user’s needs.
* Replace counter tops in the bathroom with rounded-cornered versions that contrast sharply with the vanity color beneath it.
* Increase the bathroom’s lighting.
* Replace a pre-code shower valve with a non-scald version.
* Replace a wall-mounted shower head with one on a slide bar. If there are two shower users, and only one has a disability, it is ideal to add a second valve attached to a slide bar shower head for the seated user and keep the original one for the standing user.
* Add a bench to the shower stall.
* Replace a tub with a shower and make it curb-less if the user is wheelchair-bound.
* Check that the vent fan is working properly to help avoid mold hazards.
* Replace smooth, slick flooring with a less slippery textured tile. If this isn’t possible, have a slip-resistant treatment applied to the existing floor.

If your parent is under medical care, it is crucial to involve his or her medical team before making any living arrangement changes.

For more ideas on increasing your home's accessibility, please read my whole-house article published online at BobVila.com.