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Choosing The Proper Flooring For Your Room

by: Jeff Slokum

When it comes to deciding on a flooring purchase the choices are staggering. There are carpets, hardwoods, vinyl, laminate and ceramic. The choice of flooring should be decided by room and use.

A lot of homes are carpeted. Carpeting eludes a warmth and softness that other floors don't. Some like the feel of carpeting underfoot. One of the first things to consider when purchasing a carpet is how much traffic will it receive? If you have a high traffic area, then nylon would be a good choice due to it's durability. A carpet of Olefin would also be a good choice for heavy traffic areas as it is strong and easy to clean. Polyester is also excellent in high traffic areas as it is easy to clean and resists water based stains. Another consideration would be the density of the carpet. You want a high number of fibers per square inch. The next consideration would be color and/or pattern of carpeting. Light carpeting colors create a spacious effect, making a room seem larger. Light color carpets of course show soil much more easily than dark. However, most stain and soil treatments put on carpeting today do help to prevent this problem. Dark or dull carpet colors will absorb light giving the room what some call a "cozy" feeling. Rugs with patterns will make a space seem smaller.

When choosing hardwood for your home price may be a factor. Generally hardwood floors come pre finished, this is when the manufacturer applies a finish at the factory. This finish is generally at least four coats of ultraviolet cured urethane resin. Hardwood floors are generally easy to clean with a simple sweep of a dust mop or vacuuming. A manufacturer finish on a hardwood floor will, with proper care, last up to fifteen years. You will want to choose a color of hardwood floor that will accent your home and home furnishings. As a rule lighter colors go with country, contemporary and casual settings. Darker colored wood floors are for formal or traditional interiors. Lighter wood would be a white ash, sugar maple or southern yellow pine. Darker colors are beech, birch, red oak, heart pine and mesquite.

Vinyl flooring has come a long way and remains the most popular choice for kitchens and foyers. Vinyl is very durable and water resistant. It comes in a wide range of colors and patterns and is very easy to install for a do-it-yourselfer and vinyl floors are very easy to maintain.

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How To Plan For Kitchen Remodeling
by: Johnathan Bakers

Kitchen remodeling is one of the most desirable home improvement projects for many homeowners. A new kitchen increases the value of your home and makes your life easier. The first step to your new kitchen is to set a budget. Decide how much money you are willing to spend. This will help drive your other decisions. Be sure to leave a cushion in your budget for additional, unexpected expenses.

When determining your budget, consider how long you intend to stay in your home. If you are planning to sell in the next year or so, you may want to spend less money. Decide which features you must have in your new kitchen. You can cut corners in other areas by substituting less expensive materials for the counter tops, flooring or cabinet doors.

Research Kitchen Trends

Before you start planning your remodeling project, do some research on the current trends and designs being used in kitchens. Look for information on the internet or in home decorating magazines. Visit your local home improvement center for more ideas. Start a file for pictures of kitchens you love, furniture, appliances, fabric swatches or anything else you find interesting. This will help when you are ready to start purchasing items for your new room.

Options in Kitchen Remodeling

Cabinets are an expensive item in any remodeling project. They often take up half of the overall budget for the room. If you can�t afford the cost of brand new cabinets, there are cheaper alternatives. Consider cabinet refacing rather than replacing the entire cabinet. In refacing, the doors are replaced and exterior wood areas are covered. This is much less expensive since you are using the same cabinets. An even cheaper alternative is to paint your existing cabinets and buy new hardware.

If you must have new cabinets, consider adding some extra features. Features such as tilt out drawers, pull out garbage cans or a lazy Susan inside a corner cabinet are great space savers and make the room more functional. The doors can be either solid wood, clear glass or stained glass. Shop around to find out what is available before making a purchase.

You can save money on flooring and countertops as well. Substitute vinyl flooring in place of more expensive ceramic tile to save money. If you can install ceramic tiles yourself, you can have them for about the price you would pay a contractor to install vinyl flooring.

Countertops vary widely in price depending on the material that is used. Counters that are more durable are also more expensive. You may want this if you want to be able to cut food directly on the counter. For most people, this is an easy way to cut the overall cost of your kitchen. You can find less expensive material that gives the look of marble, butcher�s block or other expensive materials.

Once you have decided what you want, consider how much of the job you can do yourself. Contractors can eat up a large portion of your budget. The more you can do, the more you will save in the overall cost of the room. Use the savings for great new furniture.

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