Corian FAQ

Corian for kitchen countertops used to be the “it” thing a few years back, before granite countertops became so popular. There are still a lot of reasons to choose Corian as a material, such as the fact that it can be molded, allowing you to have a seamless sink. As we evaluate different materials for our kitchen, I thought I would share with you some frequently asked questions about Corian for kitchen countertops. What is Corian? Corian is a manufactured material made by the chemical company DuPont. The material itself consists of a natural mineral Aluminum Tri-Hydrate that is the … Continue reading

Silestone FAQ

In our quest for the perfect, well at least the updated kitchen, we have been examining various materials to use. One of the areas that is giving us the most agony is the kitchen countertops. We currently have laminate in an old 60’s funky yellow pattern. I am hoping for granite, my husband likes the low cost and practicality of laminate, and somewhere in all that is our perfect solution. Here is another material that we have heard so much about lately, Silestone. It has one very interesting feature that I think you’ll applaud. What is Silestone? Silestone is a … Continue reading

Granite Countertops May Be Dangerous to Your Health

Granite countertops are definitely a major trend in kitchen design in the last few years. Granite countertops are strong, stain resistant, scratch resistant and look beautiful. Nowadays, if you are going to sell a home, you are at a disadvantage if you don’t have granite countertops. One of the issues with granite countertops that has been in the news lately is that these countertops may pose a health hazard to your family in the form of radon gas. Radon gas is basically a form a radiation that can leach into your home. It can expose individuals to as much radiation … Continue reading

Turning a Small Kitchen into an Eat-in Kitchen

Just last week I visited a home that had the most amazing Tuscan-inspired kitchen, complete with the designer tile. The thing that struck me most, after I stopped drooling over the above tile, the dark hardwood floors and the smooth black granite countertops, was the way that the kitchen was more of an entertaining kitchen. Our own kitchen in comparison, while larger than what we had before, is still more of a place to prepare food, rather than to hang out. These days, large entertaining kitchens sell houses, not to mention the fact that they are fun and welcoming to … Continue reading

Inexpensive Kitchen Makeovers

As you may know, we are exploring our options with a kitchen makeover. We don’t want to spend the time or money for a complete redesign, but we do need an update. If you are in the same situation or you just want a mini update, check out these inexpensive kitchen make over ideas. Remove the doors from upper corner cabinets or the cabinet above the stove to create a new look. Having some open cabinets can add to the feeling of more space and a larger kitchen. If your cabinets are like mine, old and lined with floral stuck-hard … Continue reading

Laminate Countertops

Ask someone about laminate kitchen countertops and you may get a variety of reactions. At one time, laminate countertops were king, and everyone had to have them. Then Corian and other engineered stones came into vogue, followed by the natural stone, such as granite, of today. Laminate countertops have been pushed back as choice of yesteryear. You can imagine laminate countertops in your parents or grandparents kitchens. But the tide may be turning a little bit for laminate. Home owners are starting to see once again the benefits of laminate, from its relatively low cost to its thousands of style … Continue reading

Home Week in Review: Jan. 28 – Feb. 3

Tips for Moving Day Well, it is finally approaching! It’s going to be moving day. If you are planning a move, you have got to be both excited and overwhelmed. We made a move last year, and I thought I would never get done with everything. And of course, there are things that I wish we would have done differently. With my mistakes in mind (and also the things that did work well), here are some tips for moving day… Adventures in Carpeting Last week, we decided to head over to a local flooring store to take a look at … Continue reading

Prepping the Family Room

One of my tasks today is to pack up my books from the shelves in the family room. This is because we are going to do some quick updates in the family room in the next couple of weeks. We haven’t abandoned the kitchen by any means. But while we are still reviewing our options, we can take advantage of the time to get some work done elsewhere. The motivation behind going ahead with the family room is the carpet that will be installed in a few weeks. To save money, we are going to pull out the old vinyl … Continue reading