Water Damage, Unwelcome Winter Surprise

Last week we were up in the 50's. Next week, they say we will have some days in the 30's again! REALLY? If you are like us, I think you will wholeheartedly declare, ENOUGH! The beauty of spring announcing her arrival with crocus, daffodils and tulips is near. How happy we will all be to welcome warmer weather! 

Many of us have received an unwelcome wake up call to Spring. The warmer weather melts Ice Dams. We are here to help our customers asking for help with interior water damage. The challenge of melting ice is a reality check. The winter of 2014 - 2015 has been the coldest and snowiest winter in decades. We made it! We SURVIVED!  Perhaps, your homes did not make it through unscathed. We are here to help!

I have to admit, during my commute home from the showroom, I wanted to capture pictures of some pretty amazing roof lines encapsulated in thick reflective ice. The beauty of snow covered roofs and long icicles refracting golden glowing light pouring out of windows or winter sunsets reminded me of Thomas Kincaid  paintings. In those moments I forgot the harsh reality of the damage ice dams cause to our homes.

What is an ice dam? An Ice Dam is a hump of ice that forms at the edge of a roof under certain wintertime conditions. An ice dam can damage both your roof and the inside of your home. It will put gutters and downspouts at risk too. 


How do they form? An ice dam forms when the roof over the attic gets warm enough to melt the underside of the layer of snow on the roof. The water trickles down between the layer of snow and the shingles until it reaches the eave of the roof, which stays cold because it extends beyond the side of the house. There, the water freezes, gradually growing into a mound of ice. The flatter the pitch of the roof, the easier it is for an ice dam to get a grip. Gutters at the eaves can also trap snow and ice.

Some people were able to rake snow off which helped them avoid damage. Storm after storm made that process difficult. Many of us just could not keep up. Now we have water damage issues. Give us a call.  We are here to help you address any damage with understanding, skill, and experience. 

There are also preventative measures available to help minimize or eliminate future Ice Dam problems too that we would be happy to discuss with you in preparation for next winter.

Spring is on its way ......

I am happy today. I was greeted with singing birds this morning! Ok, it was late morning, but still!
What a joyful reminder that spring is REALLY coming. It is nearly five pm now and the sun is shining bright. I think I may make it home tonight before dark. I love that! Oh, that reminds me, be sure to set your clocks forward next Sunday morning (3/8) for daylight savings time.

Even though we have three to five foot piles of plowed snow everywhere we look, the cold will leave
and new life will begin soon. I noticed the temperature was a little higher too. When I arrived at our
showroom, the parking lot and sidewalks had less snow and ice. They were wet from the roof’s long
icicles melting. 

Saturday welcomed delightful couples stopping in to talk over their dream projects with me. That is
always a good sign. Business picks up with the promise of warmer weather. If you are considering a
project please come discuss your ideas and wish list with us soon. I think we are going to be very busy making your neighbors homes more beautiful and functional.

We have completed more In Law projects in 2014 and the beginning of this year than ever before. Just this weekend a realtor shared “It used to be buyers considered an in law unit in a listed home as
undesirable. Now, the opposite is true. Due to the economy forcing two or three generations to share
houses, in law suites are adding value to homes.”

There are so many options to make your home exactly what you envision. We are here to help! Come
see us. Bring in your Design Folder and show us all the ideas you collected all cooped up on these snowy winter days.

Heart of your Home - February 11, 2015

Here we are still shoveling and plowing our way out of Sunday and Mondays storm. Another is on the way Thursday! There is light in the tunnel though. By April 15 all this snow should be melted! Yay!

If you are ready, your new kitchen or bath design process can be completed. The first steps of research and selections to actually making that happen can be behind you. The new cabinets can be ordered so your new state of the art "heart of your home" begins to take shape. Demolition of the old cabinets, counters, and fixtures will begin to bring your dream into reality.

It is beautiful and peaceful to watch snow fall if you have the luxury of staying all cozy and warm inside. I think we are all  ready for Spring! Why not use this time while you are cooped up to leisurely  look through magazines, clip pictures and ideas out and  start your project folder?

The stores will be packed again Wednesday with every New England resident stocking up on supplies. I have something fun to add to your list. While there grab a few home design magazines to
enjoy and stir up your imagination. Going through your old magazines or on line is good too.

Last week on Feb 5 I wrote about noting your thoughts every time you are in your kitchen or bath.
If you have not read that post, please do. The suggestion will help you achieve the most success
prioritizing every feature and function important to you within your budget. As you journal your ideas, questions, and thoughts: place them in your folder as well.

Here are some ideas and suggestions for the contents of your Project Design Folder:

Tear out pictures of the following items you like:
Floors and Flooring Products
Lighting
Faucets
Sinks
Cabinets - Door Style, Finishes, Stains
Back Splashes
Cabinet Hardware
Appliances - Basic and Specialty (Such as Wine Refrigerators or Ice Makers)
Islands
Counter Tops

Do not edit yourself in this process. Just have fun, let your imagination run wild! Rip out those pictures and put them all in your folder. The next step will be to organize to discover what your heart keeps confirming is your dream kitchen or bath. Enjoy the journey! You will be living in this space for a longtime. Listen to your heart! Next week I will write some more ideas and hints to make this as fun as possible! Happy clipping and tearing!

New Year, New Beginnings - February 5, 2015

How did it get to be February already? I cannot believe January has already flown by. Can you?
I am happy, we are beginning to enjoy the days getting a little longer. What a pleasant awareness it was to still see daylight yesterday, when I locked the Showroom door at 5:00 PM!

Soon the crocus will appear. Glorious colors will begin to brighten our world. The winter storms will become more survival stories as we share about the record snowfall from the Blizzard of 2015.
It is almost time for Spring cleaning. Before we know it, summer will be flying by. Half of our new year will be behind us. It is NOT too early to start investing in increasing the value and beauty of your home.

 Now is the perfect time to begin planning your home improvement projects! Where are the pictures of ideas you cut out of magazines or pinned on Pinterest? It is time to dust them off. Start dreaming again. Make this the year you accomplish your goals to design your dream home and improve how  your biggest investment, your home functions to support your family lifestyle.

Where do you start?  Time to play!  It is so fun to let your imagination run free! May I suggest a colorful folder or two for different projects? Put any images you found in magazines or printed from websites in it. Keep adding more. In addition, it is key for our clients to write down notes and comments. What do I mean? OK, here goes the psychology lesson.

Every time we walk into a room, especially our kitchen, there is a subconscious dialogue going on with ourselves. It goes like this. " Why did I put the sink so far away from the trash area? I wish I had an extra oven just for holiday baking. I want a walk in pantry. We use so much ice, I need an ice maker! This peninsula is so inconvenient to walk around. I want an island like my friends.............." and on and on. When you begin to pay attention it will become easier to add  what ever you notice and think about. It will probably surprise you to discover what you love, hate, and dream of.  Just tune into your thoughts. See yourself cooking, baking, cleaning, eating, entertaining in your space. Note what you like and do not want to give up. Also, what you want to change if you could have anything you desired. Do not edit yourself. Do not get hung up about cost yet. Dream big and write down everything you would do if money was no object. Brainstorming like this results in saving time, money, frustrations, and regrets that forgetting something important to you can cause. It seems a little foolish. It is not. You will be living, working, and sharing this space for years. None of us can have everything we want. If we prioritize what matters most to us, we can usually have more success achieving our desired result within our budget.  Let's begin!

Let me ask you, how were your family celebrations and festive holiday parties in your current kitchen, dining room, and living space in 2014? Did entertaining for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years bring joy and fun?  Did you realize the holidays made your brain aware of what functioned well , or not so well in your current space?  Holidays and the guests we share them with remind us of the fact that updating our home will organize and improve our lives. The festive gift entertaining is helps us enjoy everyone we love more as we make memories that will last a lifetime.

Yes, we all are aware of changes we hoped to make throughout the past last years. It is hard to follow through, so we keep procrastinating. We typically vow , " by next fall, I am going to remodel................"  Setting up guest bedrooms, baths, and preparing big family dinners every year makes use face again what  needs to be updated. The beauty and creativity of Christmas also inspires many ideas.

Here is where the folders come in. Write all your ideas, questions, comments, and observations down. Put them in your folder. The pictures you cut out will help you see the door style, stains or painted cabinets, flooring, lighting, and appliances you prefer. Your taste will naturally emerge as you see the similarity in pictures you select. You will find you navigate towards a particular design style.  When you follow your heart, you will be pleased with the result as you refresh your home.

Before we know it Fall of 2015,Thanksgiving, and Christmas will arrive. Make it more peaceful and beautiful than ever! We can help you enjoy the journey. Let us help you accomplish your goal. You can be enjoying a completely new canvas and masterpiece before Fall rolls around. We are here to help you discover possibilities. Give us a call or stop in to dream together!

 Next, I will outline the Plan and questions to ponder that will help you discover what your dream project looks like. Happy dreaming!

The Joy of a New Kitchen for the Holidays!

Hi,
Here we are again, imagining the wonderful feast we all look forward to on Thanksgiving! Wow, it is next week! How did the months fly by so quickly? Christmas parties and family gatherings are right around the corner! Wasn't it last year, you vowed the next holiday meal you cooked would be created in your beautifully remodeled new kitchen?

As you dreamed, you smiled, visualizing family and friends gathering comfortably. Your heart warmed at the idea of all of you cooking together and enjoying all your favorite dishes prepared side by side in your bright new beautiful kitchen. In 2013, I bet you thought, "next year" I will have my new kitchen before the Holidays. Here it is 2014.

Time rushes by for all of us. American's are busy people. Priorities shift or change. Before we know it Spring and Summer fly by and another year has passed. Suddenly there is not enough time to have the project completed before November. We realize we are in the same space we were last year trying to make the best of it. If that is you, make a positive experience out of this. As you prepare for Thanksgiving and Christmas this year, pay attention to what you are thinking every time you walk into, cook, eat, or entertain in your kitchen.I bet you do not realize it , but every time you work in your current kitchen, you are assessing what you like, hate, want to change, or want to keep the same and improve. We all do!

Instead of being disappointed you do not have your new kitchen this year, be proactive! Now is the time to grab a folder and start your 2015 dream kitchen project. The process begins with you discovering what you really like and want. You will be living in and enjoying your new kitchen for years to come. Taking the time to truly consider your taste, needs, and special interests does pay off. It is a creative process. The more involved you are in thoughtful consideration, conception, planning, and selection of products, the more fun and satisfaction you will experience. Kitchens are the heart of the home. You have an amazing opportunity to truly discover what is most important to you and your family in this very special room in your home.

Pay attention to the subconscious thoughts perking up whenever you are preparing food and eating now.  Start a list. Write down what you really like about your current space. Also, write down what you really need or want that you don't have right now. Visualize yourself entertaining guests, preparing, and serving food for your family. Pay attention to how functional the space is now. What do you really like. What annoys you? What additions would make it better, more fun, and satisfying for your lifestyle.

This dream folder is the perfect place to keep pictures in magazines that catch your eye. Add pictures of cabinets, lighting, sinks, appliances, windows and accessories that attract you and make you happy. Write down or take pictures of ideas or products you see in other homes that you would like to consider a possibility in your project. Add them to your folder.

 Keep it up. It will not be long before you see a trend. You will notice naturally the style of cabinets you prefer. Soon you will discover your taste and preferences. All this helps you make the choices that will make you really love your new kitchen. It will dramatically simplify your process of making important selections. Being proactive in this adventure brings so much excitement  and joy.

By the time you come in to see us at Apple Wood  you will be ready to confidently select the cabinet line, door style, wood species, paint or stain, glaze, plumbing fixtures, sink, and lighting. We will help you decide the best design to check off as many of your hopes and dreams as possible in your new kitchen.

By Spring or Summer of 2015 Apple Wood Designers and Contractors will begin designing and building your dream. November 0f 2015 will fulfill everything you visualized for the perfect Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations with your loved ones for years to come! We look forward to taking a look at your folder of ideas!        

Kitchen Backsplash Options

The backsplash could be considered the most important part of your kitchen's design. No matter what material you choose, it's a focal point. Tile tends to be the most popular choice — for its flexibility in style, budget and application. Whether your backsplash goes up to the bottom of the upper cabinets, reaches all the way up to the ceiling or falls somewhere in between, using one of these inspiring and intriguing tiles can add to your kitchen's unique look.

Exquisite Kitchen Design

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Laser-cut tile. These tiles are intricately cut with lasers to produce elaborate designs that are pieced together like a puzzle, as shown here.

Beware of the price tag on these tiles, as many of them are made of precious materials like quartz and marble, or handmade gold- or silver-backed glass.

Bella Spazio

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Mirror tile. Tiny mirrored tiles all assembled into one design create a mirrored backsplash with texture. Something like this is perfect for that area in your kitchen that requires an extra-special touch — like a buffet area, serving station or butlers' pantry.

Blue Sky Building Company

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Diagonal tile. Give ordinary tile a spin by placing it on the diagonal. Keep in mind that a diagonal layout means you'll need to order about 10 percent more tiles to complete your backsplash. Diagonal tile layouts also tend to be more labor intensive — more cuts are required at the top and the bottom — so the installer may up the price a bit.

Buckminster Green LLC

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Large-pattern tile. Big, bold patterns are in vogue right now — try placing one on your kitchen walls.Many companies produce overscale patterns that can be customized to repeat, much like wallpaper. 

With a large-patterned tile, it's very important to lay out your wall space thoughtfully, so that your design ends up looking even throughout the installation.

Fiorella Design

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Subway tile. One of the most beloved tile designs to date is the timeless and classic subway tile — so named because this type of tile is often used in subway stations worldwide.

Tile all the way to the ceiling to give this classic tile a fresh and more modern look.

Croma Design Inc

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Herringbone tile. Add loads of texture to your kitchen with tile in a herringbone pattern. Many tiles in the herringbone pattern can be purchased on a mesh backing (usually a 12- by 12-inch backing material on the underside of the tile that holds several pieces together), which means you won't have to lay out each and every individual piece.

Shirley Parks Design

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Specialty-shaped tile. Don't limit yourself to a square. Many manufactures take pride in offering unique shapes and colors. You should have no problem finding a manufacturer near you to get the color and shape you need.


The oval shape in this kitchen has a great retro feel.

Dayna Katlin Interiors

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Custom mosaic tile. If you have the budget for it, consider going with a design that is all your own. The design here was created with mosaic tiles, expertly trimmed piece by piece to create a stunning custom design. 

Some designs can be purchased directly from a tile manufacturer, and others can be designed and installed by an artist who specializes in custom mosaic tile design. It all depends on the look you're going for.

**Article taken from Houzz.com

Radiant floor heating

Heated bathroom flooring is not only a good investment, it’s a really nice feature to wake up to every morning. When temperatures outside drop, many of us start wishing we had such a feature. I spoke with Daniel Ortega, a heated-flooring expert at Siles Remodeling, about what homeowners need to know when discussing this option with a contractor.

There are two basic types of heated flooring:

• Electric radiant heat has an electrical current that’s applied to a heating element.
• Hydronic heating uses heated water that’s distributed through a complex tubing system.

“Both have pros and cons, depending on how many areas on your home you are planning to install the system on,” Ortega says. If you’re renovating the entire house, “a hydronic system is a good solution," he says, "but if you’re just adding this feature to a bathroom, the electrical system is the way to go, because it’s more cost effective and far less complex to install in a small space.”

We'll focus solely on electric radiant heat here.

Photo by Daniel Ortega

Installation. To install electric radiant heating, you’ll need an electrician and a tile installer. “They will work together to lay the heating cables, which are interlaced with mesh mats,” says Ortega. “The system gets sandwiched between layers of thinset and covered under ceramic, porcelain or natural stone tile. The cables are so thin that there is an indiscernible height difference between floors with the system and ones without.”


Photo by Daniel Ortega

Décoration et provence

Floor materials. Electric radiant heated systems are best covered by ceramic, porcelain or natural stone tiles, which are excellent temperature conductors. Wood doesn't respond as quickly to temperature changes, so it's not a good choice for this application, Ortega says.

HOUSEworks Design/Build General Contractor

Controlling the temperature. The heating system is connected to an electronic control, which includes a thermostat. The specific controls vary by brand. “Some offer features such as a programmable timer, which is a beneficial option during the cold months, when you can’t imagine getting out of your warm bed to step into a freezing bathroom,” he says.

Jennifer - Rambling Renovators

Safety. Ortega is quick to note that most heated floor systems in a bathroom need a dedicated 20-amp GFCI protected circuit because of the constant exposure to water. You don’t have to worry about burning your tootsies, though. Every heating system on the market has features that prevent the floor from overheating.

Megan Meyers Interiors

Cost. There are two types of costs to consider: the price of the system and your utility bill. Fortunately for consumers, new products are more cost effective in both areas. “Years ago radiant heated flooring was considered a luxury," Ortega says. Now, given the competition between manufacturers, prices have dropped substantially, he says.

Add to that the fact that you won’t need to blast your entire house in heat just to warm the bathroom. By limiting the heat to a single bathroom, you'll save on utility costs.

Esther Hershcovich

Though system prices vary per brand, Ortega says to plan to spend $900 to $1,500 to install a heating system in a 100-square-foot area, the average bathroom size.

As far as utility costs go, if you keep your floor's thermostat programmed to go on only first thing in the morning, you may find that your overall heating bill will drop, Ortega says. Ceramic, porcelain and natural stone tiles retain heat for a long time, resulting in warmth well after the system is turned off.

Katie Anderson Design Consultants - CCIDC #6679

Kerrie L. Kelly

Considerations. While a heated bathroom floor sounds ideal, it has its share of cons that you need to consider before making the investment. Ortega breaks them down:

• Installing a system will mean tearing out your existing floor; this may be painful in a recently built home.
• Older houses might need extensive electrical work to meet the manufacturer's requirements.
• If you need a repair down the line, you may be forced to remove sections of the floor to fix the problem.

Do you have floors with electric radiant heat? If so, what are your recommendations for others considering adding this feature?

**ARTICLE TAKEN FROM HOUZZ.COM