Remodel Tips

People all over the world are making better use of their homes by creatively using spaces for more than one purpose. Renewal Remodels & Additions encourages you to envision your home in new ways. Instead of using your kitchen only for making food, consider doubling it up as a home office area. Would you like a dedicated game room, but you don’t have the space? We’ve got ideas for you! Are your children going to be schooling at home this year? Find innovative ways to incorporate study areas into your home.

Home Office in the Kitchen

With more companies offering work-from-home options, you may find yourself needing a place to set up your laptop, documents, and other work necessities. A spacious, well-lit kitchen may be the right spot! With a few tweaks here and there, you can use your kitchen for cooking and working. Consider these adjustments to create a kitchen home office:

A built-in desk in the corner of a farmhouse kitchen looks like a part of the kitchen furniture and can offer plenty of storage space, especially if you mount a cabinet above the desk.
Remodel an awkward space into a tiny desk with floating shelves above it. Use the same color as the rest of the kitchen to blend it in seamlessly.
Built-in kitchen cabinets can be used for office supplies just as well as kitchen supplies. Use part of your long kitchen counter as an office desk and conceal outlets inside the cabinets.

Workplace in the Guest Bedroom

Does your guest bedroom sit empty most of the time? Transform your guest bedroom into a dual functioning space by adding office space.

Make better use of it by installing a work center into the room. Your friends and family will still have a lovely room to relax in when they visit, and you have a private space to work when they leave.
Will you have clients coming to your home? Build an outside door into your guest bedroom/home office. When guests stay, they will enjoy the private entrance. When clients come, you’ll appreciate that they don’t have to walk through the rest of your house.

Homeschooling Central in the Living Room

Whether you are a brand-new homeschooler or a veteran, you can always use new ideas to fit school areas into your home. You don’t need an entire room dedicated to desks, maps, and books. Instead, make your living room multifunctional.

Frame your television with built-in shelves for storing books and media. Cabinets beneath the TV serve as great places to keep school projects. Add a ladder for an easy way to reach the shelves above your head.
A coffee table may be your hardest-working piece of furniture when your kids use it for doing their schoolwork. Need a low chair? Try a footstool or a beanbag chair!
If your living room area includes a large window, build a comfortable window seat beneath it for a fun reading spot and extra storage space.

Study Space in Your Child’s Bedroom

Encourage quiet study with a private retreat for your child right in his or her own bedroom.

Build a combination study table and dressing table complete with a ceiling-height mirror for the illusion of extra space.
Wall-mounted desks and cabinets save space and can easily be tucked into the corner of a small room.
Build a loft for your child to sleep in. Personalize the space beneath the loft with a desk, chair, lamp, and storage baskets for a cozy study area.

One Converted Garage = Game room + Home theater + Music Nook

Need more square footage, and you don’t want to move? Converting your garage into a livable, multifunctional room is a great way to add value to your home and your life. What do you put in your converted garage? Let your imagination soar! These ideas might help you flesh out the details.

One large room can be lined with many built-in shelves and storage cabinets to hold games, movies, books, and other collections.
Be fun and creative with the design of your game room. Create a theme around your favorite sports team or video game.
Do you have a musician in the family? Keep one section of the room dedicated to music practice.
Encourage family togetherness with oversized couches and an awesome home theater center built into one wall.
A bar and mini-kitchen would not be out-of-place in this type of multifunctional room.

Bump-out Home Gym and Reading Corner

A bump-out is a small room added onto your home. Bump-outs work great for opening up a large living area or creating a separate space for working out or studying.

Make sure your bump-out room has lots of windows for natural light.
Make a home gym area that won’t intrude on the activities of the rest of your family.
Build bookshelves into a wall, add a cozy bench, and you’ve got yourself a small reading nook that is a little more private than the rest of your house.

How Can We Make Your Rooms Work Harder?

Now that you’re thinking about all the different ways you can use the rooms in your home, let us know how we can help. Renewal Remodels & Additions will listen carefully to your needs and create a multifunctional space that makes each inch of your home more usable. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation with one of our design experts.

Our service areas include Bellevue, Seattle, West Seattle, Sammamish, Kirkland, Renton, Issaquah, Covington, Pierce County, Thurston County, Puyallup, and surrounding cities.

We were recently featured in an article by Redfin!

You can read the article below or check it out on the Redfin blog here.

Are you considering attempting a “do it yourself” project for your home? Professionals are in high demand for these types of projects because often time’s homeowners get in over their head, or forget important steps before or during DIY remodeling projects. Looking to update your bathroom or kitchen, or maybe knock walls down to create more space but don’t know where to start? We asked experts from New York to California to name the most common mistakes homeowners make when attempting DIY projects, and how to avoid them.

Jason Lambert, NARI: Pay attention to building codes and best practices even if you’re not pulling a permit or having the project inspected. When it comes time to sell your house, you don’t want a home inspector to raise questions about your work that could derail your sale, or worse, require after-the-fact permits/demolition. It should go without saying that if you need a permit for the work, pull one, even if you’re doing the work yourself.

HDR Remodeling: Underestimating the time it takes to complete a project, which often results in headaches, rushed work that produces less than optimal outcomes, dealing with unforeseen issues, and costly last-minute appeals to a professional to make it right. When estimating a DIY project, get a time reference from an experienced professional and allow yourself twice the allotted time. For example, if it takes an expert two days to tile a kitchen backsplash, allocate four days to complete the project yourself; your stress level and your budget will feel the difference.

Jim Kabel, Next Stage Design: Avoid biting off more than you can chew. There’s a reason why maintenance experts like design/build firms, plumbers, HVAC specialists, and electricians are in such high demand — what they do requires an incredibly specialized skillset that likely taken years of education and training to attain. Attempting these as a homeowner (without the proper training) may seem like a way to save money in the short run, but in the big picture, it could cost you even more money and most importantly, your personal safety. If you have any doubts about whether you can handle something, it’s best to give your local home remodeling company or maintenance specialist a call.

Patch of Land: Understand the permits involved. Often local city ordinances require a building permit before work can be started. The best way to know whether you need a building permit is to contact your local building department to determine whether or not you need a permit. The process of obtaining a building permit can be annoying and expensive, but remember that building codes are enforced to safeguard life, health, and public welfare. Rehabbing with a building permit helps protect your investment, future families, and your community. Not to mention it’s the law!

Top Contractors: Hiring unlicensed contractors (friends) who can “save you a lot of money.” Hiring unlicensed contractors to save money, usually ends up costing the homeowners more overall. This commonly happens because the projects are either not fully completed, or homeowners are unhappy with the final results. Resulting in the homeowners having to hire a licensed contractor to come and fix or replace the work previously completed.

Palm Beach Premier Remodeling: Having the mindset of “anyone can do it” but there is a way a professional tradesman can do it so that it will last a lifetime. And at the end of the day, what makes a project complete is ALL in the details!

Renewal Construction: Where there is a bathroom there is water and if that water makes its way below tile flooring and showers, it can cause a lot of damage (and cost a lot of extra money)! Consider hiring a professional tile installer to be sure that the subsurface, tile, and grout are correctly installed in order to protect your bathroom from water damage down the road. If hiring a professional is out of the question, take the time to research subsurfaces and grout (we recommend epoxy-based grout for shower pans and silicone-based grout for the walls) to be sure that you are able to install a quality tile surface that will last.

LetsBuild: Going cheap on the materials. Trying to keep your budget under control during a DIY project is understandable. However, you don’t want to be stingy when it comes to the materials you are planning to use. Make sure that you prioritize quality otherwise you will end up paying twice as much for maintenance in the long run.

Drafting Cafe Architects: To avoid hefty change orders during construction, homeowners should select their finish materials before requesting bids from contractors. Cabinet, flooring, and tile costs can vary greatly and many architects don’t specify those materials in their drawings. If a contractor is left to make assumptions, they could underbid (or overbid) and make it hard for the homeowner to compare bids or prepare themselves financially.

Kevin Knobles, KMK Contracting: “Jack of all, master of none.” Very few homeowners have the necessary skills to handle all of the different components of a remodel correctly so that the finished product is one your family and friends will be jealous of. However, some homeowners have some very useful skills that can and should be put to work. Know your boundaries and stick to them and get the help of professionals where you lack the skills or experience. That way you can still be part of the project but not end up with something that you regret in the long run.

Leo Lantz, Leo Lantz Construction: The project’s timelines to complete is grossly underestimated. My Dad always said, “Son, you can’t beat a man at his trade.” Well, if you don’t do it all the time, you can’t be as fast as he is…

Novel Remodeling: Not measuring properly. Let’s assume you are replacing a few windows in your home. As a licensed general contractor, we measure the windows from opening to opening. Often times homeowners that are DIY and just want windows because they believe they can replace them themselves. Many times they measure incorrectly and then have huge delays when windows arrive and do not fit in the opening.

Building Advisor: Poor space planning. This can be clashing doors, uneven floor transitions, or inadequate clearances in kitchens and baths. Take the time to plan your project with accurate scale drawings, models, or full-size mock-ups. Problems are easy to fix now, but nearly impossible after the fact.

Tim Anderson Architect: Remodeling becomes remuddling when the original character and integrity of a house are lost in the renovation process. This happens when changes are inappropriate for the period and style. Misguided improvements confuse and diminish character, as will additions that overwhelm the original scale and features of the house.

Pathway Design and Construction: Planning ahead and making sure all materials and products have been selected, purchased, and double-checked for size, style, or content before the project begins. Time, frustration, and waste are minimized when you can get all of your supplies in (and make sure they are correct) before you start. You may run the risk of not getting enough of a product and it no longer being available when you’re only halfway through and discover you’re short.

Blue Diamond Remodeling: Thinking how easy the project is due to seeing it on TV, they don’t show the difficulties on TV with the jobs, they show it to be smooth and easy. When homeowners have failed with the DYI project they end up calling professionals for help.

Originally Published on Redfin

With so many different types of materials available for your surfaces, how do you choose? With everything from marble, quartz, or granite to more unique materials such as concrete and butcherblock, there is something for every style and budget on the market.

Today we want to talk about a high-end material that is making a big splash in the design world… Precious Stone Slabs. These slabs are custom designed with precious stones such as quartz, amethyst, and agate. These materials that used to appear mostly in jewelry can now be used on counters, backsplashes, showers, accent walls and more!

There is a lot that goes into the making of a precious stone slab. The stones have to be individually cut, hand assembled and glued together with a special kind of resin. This ensures that each slab is not only unique but is a one-of-a-kind work of art. Oh, did we mention that many varieties of precious stone slabs can be backlit? That’s right, backlit! So not only do you have a beautiful work of art on your counter or backsplash, but it is also perfectly lit to display every facet of each beautiful stone in the slab.

Here’s the best part… it’s super durable and easy to clean! Unlike many surface materials, it doesn’t require any sealants or waxes to maintain. These surfaces are truly artistic in nature, low maintenance and long-lasting. But here’s the catch, they aren’t cheap. They are a high-end surface with a high-end price tag. But with their unique beauty, original design, and practical use, it is well worth putting a bit more of your budget towards!

We are currently working on a project with one of the beautiful slabs and we are so excited to share it with you when it is all finished. But for now, here is a photo of the slab itself! Isn’t it beautiful?

Ready to start on your remodeling or addition project?

Let our expert designers help make your home dreams come true!

Click here to get started!

We always do our best throughout the remodeling process to keep the mess and noise to a minimum, but we aren’t going to tell you that remodels are not messy, noisy work. We will create dust and it will migrate to areas it shouldn’t. We do our best to control it but it seems to go where it wants. Even after our team finishes their deep cleaning, it may be found hiding here and there.

We like to compare the remodeling process to the process of having a baby. From start to finish, there are different “trimesters” if you will before your beautiful home is reborn.

When you choose us and your remodeling plan is finalized, you experience excitement and expectation similar to finding out you have a new baby on the way!

Then comes the morning sickness. This is the mess and noise that come with the reality of all the changes happening in your home. We liken this to the first trimester of pregnancy because many uncomfortable changes happen in this time and we know that no two women experience this process in the same way. This is true for remodeling as well. The experience is unique in each home and for each family.

Once demo is done, the dust begins to settle and rooms start to open up as walls are replaced with beams and you start to see your remodel coming together. This is what we refer to as your “second trimester”. The discomfort of the first trimester fades and a new wave of excitement starts as you experience the signs of life beginning to show!

Then comes the 3rd trimester, You have now reached the final stretch of the process and are probably very excited and anxious for the completion of your home remodel, just as you would be anxious for the birth of your baby. The waiting at this point might become more difficult as you are so close to seeing your dreams become reality. But it’s important to allow the process to come to full term even when you are anxious for us to put on the finishing touches and get out of your home.

Then, it happens as if a baby is being born. The months of waiting for this day is finally here! Your remodel is done and you’re living in it without any interruption. It’s beautiful and it’s all yours! And just like the process of having a baby, the wait and discomfort were completely worth it!

We know that home is a special place. That is why we feel so honored when our homeowners invite us into theirs. Our goal is to always value that trust by providing unparalleled service and integrity.

CLICK TO START YOUR HOME REMODEL

It’s not the house that makes a home. It is the people who live in the house that make a home. It’s the little details that make the house unique from any other. Those little details tell the story of the family within. Reflecting the values and passions of those who call it home. We are so honored to be invited to work with homeowners every day to help them turn their house into a home that reflects who they are. A home they can be proud of.

When Paul and his wife Becky reached out to us about remodeling their home we were thrilled with the vision they had to create a space that was classic, homey and one of a kind. They had purchased their home in 2001 and decided that after 17 years, it was time for an update to the home’s interior.

Paul works in the home construction industry and has a passion for quality work. He had heard about Renewal through George’s nephew Greg, a talented architect whom he had worked with on a recent project. He was thrilled to find that George’s passion for quality and service matched his own.

Paul and Becky chose a bright white color pallet but wanted to create a comfortable warm space within that. They did this by pulling in earth-toned and organic elements throughout the house. They decided that wooden beams would bring interest and the warm quality they were looking for.

This sent them on a journey to find the perfect beams. For Paul, this meant an opportunity to find unique and storied pieces that only reclaimed wood can provide. Although He knew that new wood can be processed and weathered to create a reclaimed look, he felt drawn to the opportunity to keep quality wood out of the landfill and to breath new life into some one-of-a-kind beams.

Paul and Becky chose a cool color palette, but pulled warm tones into their home using these beautiful reclaimed beams.

Paul worked with Rhine Reclaimed Wood to find beams that were full of character. The beams he chose were from a warehouse in Seattle that had been torn down. He looked for things that added character like the way the grain had weathered over time, any paint that was left, staples and nails. He also looked for colors in the wood that would bring out other elements in the home. He and Becky wanted to see a story when they looked at these beams and have a built-in conversation starter.

The process is not a simple one, but it is well worth it if you are on the hunt for the unique and reclaimed. Paul spent 3 hours picking beams out of the stacks of reclaimed wood that Rhine provides. Then the beams were power washed and sent to the home. Paul and Becky had originally planned to stain the beams, but once they got them into their home, they fell in love with the color and the raw, organic quality of the wood and decided to leave them unstained to preserve the weathered and storied feel.

From there we stepped in to plan and execute the arrangement and installation of the beams into the home. We are so happy with the way the beams flow through the home to create a consistently homey and welcoming feeling throughout. It was a special project throughout, and we have to say that we wholeheartedly agree with Paul and Becky, the beams bring warmth into the home and provide interest and story all while keeping some beautiful wood out of the landfill.

Ready to update your home? Let’s get started today!

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]We are seeing SO MUCH white subway tile these days! It seems like every kitchen or bathroom has it. There’s this very popular couple that lives in Waco, Texas, and remodel homes all day every day. You may have heard about them… They use subway tile in, oh, maybe 90% of their projects!? Looking at the white subway tile trend, we can certainly attribute a large part of the obsession to their show on HGTV.

We love subway tile. The other Renewal designers and I use it all the time in projects because it can be applied without a rift in anybody’s aesthetic vision. But we want to talk about NEW applications and ways to view subway tile that might inspire you to mix things up a bit. Sure, some of these ideas are a little gutsy. But they are totally attainable with just a quick turn of the wrist!

Let’s take a look…

This gorgeous shower has some of the most simply applied, classic white subway tiles. An upgrade from the standard horizontal laid tile, this is just as affordable. The vertical layout emphasizes the height of the wall, and provides a modern update. Bye-bye farmhouse. Hello modernist.

(Mim Design | Est Living)

Now we’re cooking with gas… Check this out! Such a simple layout. It could NOT get any more straightforward. What makes it interesting? The three colors, the modern basket weave pattern—it’s almost like the tile wall is doing a mic drop, then throwing its hands up like “BOOM!” You know what I’m saying.

(Sunset Idea House | CocoKelly)

This beveled, antique mirror subway tile is a local find, and the most glamorous we’ve seen in a long while. This particular application is used for a built-in bar. There are two details here that really make the tile shine: first, the antique mirror itself. It’s luxe and has an air of refinement and history. Second, the bevel of the tiles—the angles of the glass grabs the light from all sides and creates added depth; is three-dimensional and adds a complex and visual interest.

(Charleston Mirror | Oregon Tile & Marble)

Here’s another look we love! This tile was laid in a classic two-by-two basket weave pattern. With the white-on-white bathroom (yes, brass is back!), the tile adds just the right amount of texture. It’s another silly-simple application that will impress your friends. So standard, yet so custom. That’s a concept we can get behind!

(Caitlin Wilson | @CaitlinWisonDesign)

Are you seeing this? I mean, LOOK AT THAT. Yes, what you’re seeing is right! Turquoise grout. White tile. This is a trend we’re really excited about! The options really are endless. With colored grout, the emphasis is transformed and shifts your eye around the space. No longer is the tile the star; it’s the background that makes this look different and unexpected.

(Colored Grout | The Design Sheppard)

So what is your favorite new take on subway tile? Let us know your favorite in the comments below…we’re excited to see what our readers are drawn to![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]