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Thursday, June 21, 2012

Before & After: Remodeling in Roosevelt



The summer is (pun totally intended) heating up and as it goes, this is looking to be a busy one around these parts. We’ve been working on projects all around the five boroughs, remodeling kitchens, replacing roofsand installing patios in some backyards. And then there’s this job, in Roosevelt, where we got to transform a bathroom from low end to luxury with new fixtures, retiling and some tear down. We opened up the shower to include a bar and a seat, put in a new sink, faucet and cabinet, a custom-made radiator cover, and a new toilet. The lighting is also new, giving a far more comforting ambiance, along with the new tiles. It turned out about as good as I could’ve hoped.  



BEFORE:





AFTER:







Friday, June 15, 2012

Updating Vanities Can Transform A Bathroom



























When renovating a home, time and attention is often paid to the most used rooms in the home - the kitchen and bathroom. The bathroom especially - because it is such a personal room and one that should inspire comfort and relaxation - is often renovated to reflect the individual style of the homeowner.

Bathroom vanities have become the hot new accessory in bathroom renovation; and the availability of styles and prices make bathroom transformation possible no matter what your taste or budget.

Bathroom vanities are considered a piece of bathroom furniture and include a sink, faucet, and countertop. Typically they also include drawers, cabinets, or a combination of both underneath the sink - offering a place in which to hold personal supplies.

Because they are available in such an extensive selection of styles, they have a versatility that makes them a popular tool in remodeling. The replacement literally means the changing of the overall tone and feel of a bathroom.

The styles of bathroom vanities range from the simple to the extravagant; choosing one depends solely on your personal style and budget.

If you have a certain look you're going for - such as Victorian or Country - you need only to choose the vanity that is designed within that style in order to complete your look.

Many newly built or newly renovated homes feature natural stone bathroom vanities of all colors and textures with sleek and contemporary drawers and cabinets below. Topping off the polished look are a myriad of knob and handle styles; everything from pewter and ceramic to brushed nickel and wrought iron.

For those striving for a more antique feel there are a variety of wood constructed bathroom vanities - carved ornately for a Victorian decor or left with simple lines for a more old-world European style.


























There are, of course, many styles of vanities that do not include any cabinets or drawers beneath but just offer a sink and small countertop. These types of vanities can either attach straight to the wall for a sleek, modern feel or include beautifully carved legs for a country or antique feel.

There are a multitude of bathroom vanities for sale on today's market. You need only visit your local home improvement store to find the style that best suites your taste.

Depending on your level of skill when it comes to do-it-yourself projects, you may want to tackle the job yourself instead of hiring a professional to do it for you.

In either case, the larger chain home improvement stores will allow you to purchase straight from their shelves or place an order and then decide how you wish to handle installation.







































It's no surprise that people who are looking to purchase a home often look to the kitchen and bathrooms first. They are the rooms in which much time is spent and in which a few chosen upgrades can make the most difference in terms of overall decor and feel of a home.

With this in mind, it's not surprising that homeowners spend so much time and money upgrading their bathroom; savvy renovators know that beautiful additions to a bathroom, such as bathroom vanities, can significantly pay off in the overall value of the home and enjoyment of the space.



Tuesday, June 12, 2012

A Day in the Life: James from Flash Exterminating




In Brooklyn, these days, it’s not hard to find what you need. There are shops that cater specifically to the art of meatballs and outlets designated merely for rock climbing, and this isn’t even discussing the gourmet dog treat stores and the organic liquor outpost. Still, when you hear about a winery being built on the outer terrain of Williamsburg, an eyebrow is bound to cock. But, as it turns out, that’s exactly what’s happening at The Noble Experiment, a new winery being built not all that far from borough institution Brooklyn Brewery. One of our providers, James of Flash Exterminating, is handling infestation detection, elimination and prevention in the space and was nice enough to let us tag along recently and explain what he was doing for The Noble Experiment.








James was quick to emphasize Flash’s use of eco-friendly pesticides and traps. Amongst them are EcoExempt, a mixture that includes rosemary and mint oil, amongst other facets, that is used to prevent spider infestations. For rodent prevention, he explained his three-step process of sealing off rodent access points and using tracking powder to get rid of any chance of infestation in the space, which has a beautiful backyard space. Both the wooden cabinet areas and the vats were treated with a broad eco-friendly spray, meant to target everything from millipedes to cockroaches, cutting off the chances of any bug issues in the area.






James did a great job but he stressed how extermination and infestation prevention is never a one-shot deal. He has already set-up two return visits, one two weeks from now and another a little over a month from now. We’ll be checking in with more of our providers in the future, seeing what they’re working on in Manhattan and the outer boroughs, and we look forward to seeing how awesome the Noble Experiment at its planned opening later this year.