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Bathroom Remodel: Bathroom Shower Options

September 4, 2012 by ·


Before starting a Bathroom Remodel involving a Bathroom shower, you must first identify the maximum amount of space you have for the bathroom shower. Are you staying within the existing bathroom footprint?  Are you opening or moving walls to increase the bathroom size? Do you need to relocate plumbing lines or electrical wiring to be code compliant for your bathroom remodel?

Don’t get scared?  These are simple questions that you will be discussing with your Bathroom Remodel Contractor. It is important to first allocate the space so that your bathroom plans can be designed accordingly.

A new trend in condos is to convert a bathtub into a shower only. It is not uncommon for couples to go back and forth on whether they use the bathtub. If you have the space, it is always nice to have the separate shower and bathtub, however, many Pompano Beach Condos or Pompano Beach homes do not lend this option, without extensive increase in the bathroom footprint.

          

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Filed Under: Bathroom Design, Bathroom Remodel, Blog Posts, Home Improvement · Tagged: , , , ,

Port Royale Condo Bathroom Remodel

June 15, 2012 by ·

We recently started a new bathroom remodel in the The Tower at Port Royale Condominium in Fort Lauderdale. As always the Donco Designs Team is excited about working with a new client. The new project was able to start without a hitch after securing all the necessary permits from the city of Ft. Lauderdale and completing the necessary paperwork with the Tower at Port Royale Condo Association.  This provided the homeowner confidence that the remodel is being performed according to code for the Florida Buillding Code and the Comdo Association. 

I must mention that if you are considering a Pompano Beach Bathroom remodel or a Fort Lauderdale Bathroom Remodel project make sure that your contractor is licensed and insured.  Request references and to see actual samples of their work.  Inquire about necesary permits for your home improvement project.

If a potential contractor tries to convince you that a permit is not necessary for you to save money, be very wary of this contractor. In Florida, Building Permits are very important in home remodel projects. We have seen instances where a homeowner hired an unlicensed remodel contractor that did not usepermits and resulted in serious nightmares for the homeowner.

Take care of your investment and properly plan and budget for your home remodel expenditures. Use an experienced Home Remodel Contractor for your remodeling needs.

In our new bathroom remodel project in the Tower at Port Royale condo the homeowner hired us to do the following:

  • New Bathtub – A Kohler Bathtub was chosen
  • New Toilet – Kohler – A Kohler Toilet was chosen
  • New Bathroom Shower Diverter – Kohler
  • New 8 inch spread – Lavatory Faucet – Kohler
  • New Porcelain Tile
  • New Ceramic Tile
  • New Granite Vanity
  • New Frameless Shower Door
  • New Vanity Mirror
  • New Paint

I will be sharing photos of before, during and after on the blog with our readers, so that you can get a feel of the bathroom remodel. Checkback during the week to see more photos of the bathroom remodel.

Port Royale Condo Bathroom Remodel

Filed Under: Bathroom Design, Bathroom Remodel, Blog Posts, Home Improvement · Tagged: , , , ,

Nature Inspired Designs – Adds flair to Interiors

June 2, 2012 by ·

Nature has inspired many great artists to achieve work that seems other worldly. The colors, the images and sounds all seem to evoke an emotion when one stops and enjoys the beauty of nature.

One of my favorite quotes on nature is by Lao Tzu:

While reading my e-zine by Home Portfolio, I came across a brilliant slideshow, Lush Interiors Inspired by Nature.  The author Sharon Johnson, selected several fascinating nature inspired designs from talented interior designers that used touches from nature for client designs.

The following ones really inspired me:

1. Visions of the Sea

2. Elegant Earth Tones and Texture

3. Oceanside Oasis

This really inspired me to find other designs inspired by nature, so I went to Houzz..com to see if I could find more nature inspired designs.

I was blown away with all of the magnificent designs.  However I am sure that most of these designs came with large design budgets.  The homeowner that wants to do a Pompano Beach home remodel project, can take ideas from these photos and incorporate them into their design on a smaller scale. Things such as colors, textures, lighting can be implemented with careful planning and a smaller design budget. One should never be afraid to try new ideas when considering a home remodel project design.

Enjoy the breathtaking photos below: All of the designers maximized the use of the space and brought an element of nature into the room, using color, architecture, furnishings, and light, both natural and light fixtures.

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
Photo credit: Houzz.com – Tropical Living Room design by Other Metros Architect Max Gosslar
 
Photo credit: Houzz.com – Eclectic Basement design by Minneapolis General Contractor John Kraemer & Sons
 
Photo credit: Houzz.com – Contemporary Kitchen design by Hawaii Interior Designer Archipelago Hawaii, refined island designs
 
 
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Architecture and Design at it’s Finest

May 14, 2012 by ·

Juan Matiz of Matiz Architecture & Design

 

There is nothing better than great craftsmanship and synergy with great architecture and design.  Case in point is the brilliant Architect: Juan Matiz of Matiz Architecture & Design that is featured on Remodelista Daily's Blog.   I was captivated by the magnificent photos taken by Ty Cole of the masterpiece work created by Juan Matiz for a Tribeca apartment. Once again, Remodelista Daily and their masterful team gave us a captivating article in the featured section: Architect Visits & House Calls with Christine. I had to write a blog post on this inspiring article.

What captivated me the most in the photos is how Juan Matiz integrated the outdoors in his design but gave it a warm and cozy feeling.  This was done nicely with the metal staircase, with hidden storage underneath.  It was a touch of genius to use metal cables for the cantilevered stair, since they also serve as rails simultaneously.  It takes the traditional stairwell and transforms it into the homeowner's personal bridge to the outside.  How very clever!

One thing that is quite apparent in all of the photos is that the craftsmanship and details of all the work was done by true artisans. Take a look at the Zinc shingles that encase the stair enclosure and small openings of alabaster. This must be quite a sight to see at night while enjoying the moonlight on the breathtaking terrace.

I can't stress enough how important it is to hire professionals when doing a kitchen design or other home improvement remodel project.  From the architect, to the Interior Designer, to the Contractor, to the building permits are all essential in getting a brilliant masterpiece that you will enjoy for years to come.

Although we all can't have Tribeca apartments with outside terraces with views that are priceless, we can bring out unique qualities of our home and add personal style and flair with the assistance of a professionals that can masterfully transform architecture into a masterpiece.

Thanks to Juan Matiz of Matiz Architecture & Design and his fabulous team for inspiring us all not to accept mediocrity when it comes to Architecture and Design.  Take a look at some of their other projects on their website, they are truly a unique team. Design has many forms shapes and sizes. It is refreshing to see the integration so masterfully done.

Image Credit: Remodelista Daily – Photographer:Ty Cole

Click on the following to read more: The Architect is In: Juan Matiz of Matiz Architecture & Design – by Christine – Remodelista Daily -

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Homeowners Prefer Remodeling Over Moving

May 3, 2012 by ·

National Home Improvement Month

Did you know that May is National Home Improvement Month?

What home improvement project will you do to celebrate? There are so many that come to mind, such as

Did you know that most homeowners are choosing to personalize their homes with a remodel? According to a recent survey by the National Home  Association of Remodeling Industry (NARI),  26 percent of respondents indicated that they are planning to stay in their homes much longer,  due to decreased home values. 

The recession is no secret to anyone in this economy. In 2010, existing and new single-family home sales decreased 5 percent largely in part due to the recession. However, things seem to be getting brighter. I see more cars in the home improvent retailer parking lots and lots of activity in specialty stores. You can't help but notice all of the increased advertsing by stores like Lowes Home Improvement, Home Depot, Sherwin Williams, Ace Hardware and others on the airwaves. I am impressed with all of the sponsorships and contests these companies are doing to stay front and center in the minds of customers.

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Filed Under: Blog Posts, Home Improvement, Interior Design, Kitchen Remodel · Tagged: , , ,

Kitchen Cabinets: SieMatic BeauxArts.02

May 2, 2012 by ·

Pompano Beach Kitchen Remodel - SieMatic BeauxArts.02
The SieMatic BeauxArts.02 lets you combine a range of seemingly opposites to create one happy Kitchen Design that works seemlessly together. Feature rich options such as the matte stainless steel fronts with faceted metal borders, glossy finish on the   doors – takes accents to "another level".

The stylish and updated BeauxArts.02 from SieMatic offers new elements, materials, colors, surfaces, and proportions for the kitchen. The BeauxArts 0.2 was designed by the mutli-talented talented Kitchen Designer Mick De Giulio. He is also an author of the well known book: Kitchen Centric, which is a hardcover 258 page book of brilliant kitchen designs. The book has everything you need to know for designing a dream kitchen, regardless of space. If you are into kitchen design or considering a new kitchen remodel, I suggest you grab a copy of Kitchen Centric.  Kitchen Design enthusiasts will definitely enjoy this book.

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Interior Design: Slideshow Coverings 2012

April 30, 2012 by ·

Interior Design Digital Library

Time flies when you are having fun! It has been a few weeks since the Coverings 2012 show in Orlando. A special thanks goes out to the Interior Design team for putting together a fabulous slideshow recap.  It brought back such beautiful memories of the Coverings 2012 Conference.

The slide show on the Interior Design magazine website is POV: Coverings 2012 slide show.   It is a great product roundup featuring 22 magnificent photos from the Coverings 2012 Orlando show.   I am impressed that some of my favs like SICIS and Lenny Kravitz for LEA Ceramiche were included in the Interior Design Slideshow. Please check out this slideshow and several others on the Interior Design website.

Interior Design Trend Tip: Digitally created graphic patterns and natural-inspired textures continue to be the strongest trend, per Interior Design.

Don't forget to check out the Digital Library while you are on the Interior Design website.  It provides a wealth of info on thousands of products conveniently at your fingertips. You don't have to go out searching for things, everything can be found in one place. See for yourself by visiting the Interior Design Digital Library.

A few of the highlighted selections featured in the Slideshow include:

POV: Coverings 2012 - 4f96bd6293b75-Antolinis-multi-layered-display-of-stone-surfacing-.jpg - 2012-04-24 14:49:07 UTC

Antolini's multi-layered display of stone surfacing.
 
 

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Designing for Kids can be Fun

April 29, 2012 by ·

Designing interesting homes and keeping them kid friendly is never an easy task for an interior designer. I totally enjoyed the well written article on blog Design Crisis, Team Wipeable – Designing for Kids, by the multi-talented Erin Williamson.  The article was fun to read, with Erin's great sense of humor and visually stimulating photos. I always enjoy reading the Design Crisis blog, which always provides vivid photos, drawings and witty commentary on interior design.

The Team Wipeable blog post, referenced an article from the amazing publication, TRAD Home – Spring 2012, Blogger Issue, written by Interior Designer, Naomi Stein of  Design Manifest. Naomi wrote the brilliant article "Classically Modern" featuring Mona Ross Berman. It was a real treat to read, especially with the photos that translated the design themes into living masterpieces. Congratulations to Mona Ross Berman and the other talented designers that made "10 Up-And-Coming Designers" named by the Editors of Traditional Home magazine for 2012.

One of my favorite photos from the Team Wipeable article was the banquette with the beautiful laminated fabrics from duralee covers. The colors are so rich and vibrant; It definintely sounds "Kid friendly" and "pet friendy", with this stain resistant material. I look forward to checking this laminated fabric out in person.

Banquette covered in Duralee Fabric - Mona Ross Berman

 

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Roche Bobois: Inspiring 2012 Spring Collection

March 25, 2012 by ·

The Roche Bobois Spring Summer 2012 collection is inspiring with a burst of spring flair!  The various shapes and colors makes you want to sink into one of their ultra comfortable sofas. The European design and quality is magnificent!!

Featured in the Bobois Spring Summer 2012 Brochure is the Perception Sectional in Leather. They offer over 40 colors to choose from to put this masterpiece in your home. The sofa design is by the ever so talented designer, Phillipe Bioux.

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