Inspiration - it's not stealing

The best way to get what you want out of a new home or a remodel is to do research on stuff already done. You'll find as you weed through magazines certain things will pop out, whether it's the trim style, color on the walls, tile, or whatever. Some of the best ideas have already been done and all you have to do is do a little digging. It's funny where we find some of our ideas. My wife found our yellow/gold paint that we used in our kitchen in a Pottery Barn magazine (although they don't look the same in these pictures). And it happen to be one of the colors in their Benjamin Moore Collection, and they even give you the color.

TV shows and movies are full of cool houses. Movie/TV makers pick cool locations to do their filming cause it's more interesting. I'm sad to admit that I've seen a couple episodes of Desperate Housewives with my wife because of the traditional style homes, it's not like I'm addicted. Also, I like "You, Me and Dupree" because it's funny and I like their little bungalow house they live in. Reminds me of a home in Sugarhouse. Unfortunately, I couldn't find pictures of the kitchen and the bedroom picture was too scandalious. But notice the colors and moldings.



For our basement bathroom we have been looking around for inspiration and again found something in Pottery Barn, but nothing they were actually selling. the hex tile floor. I love the old school tile and I even found some closer up images of an octagon and dot tile on this Fixer Upper web site. Although we'd prefer the hex tiles, the oct and dot are only $2.50 sqft at the Home Depot, you can't beat that price for vintage.


We next found the paint color for bathroom when we went to a friend's birthday party at Noah's in Draper - thanks Preston. And although it can be tempting (but sometimes necessary) to try to color match by looking at 2 inch square paint chips, it's rarely the color you expect when it's on an entire wall. Whenever possible get the exact color by asking for the paint code or color. I've knocked on some doors asking homeowners for the paint color of their homes and I've even gotten samples from a few. Anyway, I called Noah's for the color they used in these hallways and sitting areas and I've even ended up using it in a basement we are currently finishing and it looks great! The color is "Meditative" by Sherwin Williams, it rocks...if you want blue. By the way, when doing a paint color like this a flat sheen looks by far the best. Yes, it's harder to paint and it's a bit more high maintenece, but you'll achieve the look you want from the magizine or movie you found it in. It's all about the sheen.

Bathroom Remodel

One of my recent personal projects is our basement bathroom. It had some mold problems that could not be ignored. Although there are a few possible cosmetic fixes like just replaces the dry wall or taking out the shower and replacing it with a shower insert, they just aren't worth the cost. If we are going to put any money into it, we wanted to make it right. So we gutted it and have plans to completely rearrange the bath. There will be a tub along the back wall, the toilet will go where the shower was, and the vanity will replace the washer (and the washer/dryer will find a place in the garage).

This will obviously require a lot of work when it comes to the rough plumbing but it will be worth it. I will post additional pictures as I continue the project and I will also include costs.





The bottom piece of wood really shows how bad the mold had really gotten.

There is Hope

I was driving to a job in Midvale and passed by this little gem and luckily I had my camera.
Homes like this inspire me cause they remind me that it doesn't take a large home to
look amazing. I'm a huge fan of homes that have a more quaint and symmetrical look. Many homes are now built with a lot of wasted space. It's time to rethink floorplans
and be more efficient in our home designs. Besides think of all the energy you'll save...

Something Other Than Granite

I like granite countertops and so do the masses. In fact you can take a crappy house slap granite in the kitchen and all of a sudden people will take an interest in it. Granite is, however, not the only way to "put lipstick on a pig." I tried concrete and am happy with how it turned out. Like granite it's interesting, dramatic, and custom. Unlike granite, concrete can be industrial, contemporary, and you can do so much more with it. Also, concrete can be much less expensive than granite if you're willing to put in the time.


Concrete can be poured and then set, or poured in place. Keep in mind
that concrete is HEAVY.





Concrete can be colored by adding color as you mix or acid staining it
after it dries. There are advantages and disadvantages to both, it just
depends on the look you want to achieve.





There a so many awsome things you can do with concrete. Check out
Concrete Exchange for some pics.

Opening up your kitchen

This is like that crazy kitchen on Seinfeld, where it got so awkward leaning over and talking under the cabinets that they stopped hanging out at Jerry's. Taking out the middle suspended cabinets really opened up the space between the kitchen and dinning room. This made the kitchen less awkward and better for entertaining.

Kitchens have gotten a lot bigger in the last few years. That means for the older houses something relatively dramatic has to be done to open up the space. This can sometimes be done without tearing out and redoing a lot of cabinets, however, this is a great time to rearrange and do new cabinets. Don't let this intimidate you, cabinets really don't have to be that expensive. I'm not talking about those cheap Home Depot cabinets with the doors that never seem to sit straight, you can get solid alder or maple cabinets installed for about the same price. Also, you'd be amazed at what $.20 tile for a backsplash and under cabinet lights do.

The Vances:

The Wards: