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4 Pinterest Trends to Skip In Your Orange County Home Remodel

Pinterest serves up design trends based on popularity. But something that looks great on Pinterest doesn’t always translate well to the home. Here are four hot Pinterest trends to skip when planning your Orange County home remodel. 

Open Kitchen Shelving

Pinterest loves open shelving in every style of kitchen imaginable. Sure, replacing a run of upper cabinets with open shelves genuinely saves money. But then must live and cook with those open shelves. The design above foolishly places the open shelving directly above the cook area.  With every meal prepared on that stovetop, the items on the shelf above get a light coating of steam, grease, and food particles. When you’re done, dust sticks to the mix. It might look good in a photo, but in a working kitchen this is a disaster. Either it’s a horror to keep clean or gross if you ignore it.  Take a hard pass, either way.

Orange County home remodel adds Teal and white custom cabinets in kitchen with white countertops and backsplash

Instead, put open shelves in their place. Notice how this kitchen includes open shelves above the sink, away from the cook area. They work beautifully and save money, as they are placed correctly.

Dark Cottagecore

Dark cottagecore fills Pinterest boards with moody vibes. Dark colors and finishes certainly add drama to any home remodel, whether it’s in Orange County or not. But a little goes a very long way, especially with the OC aesthetic.

Black marble backsplashes add a wow factor; green cabinets certainly add depth and richness. But when you put the two together in a room with little light, it’s not moody. It is depressing.

Pick one or the other, add designer touches, and your home remodel becomes a dream, not a nightmare. 

Dark cottagecore, when used in any room, creates spaces that show every speck of dust and creates a challenge for lighting.  This is another hard pass in Orange County.

Orange County home remodel adds bar under stairs

Inspired Remodels uses dark colors to add drama and set a mood that is anything but depressing. This bar incorporates white and rich gold tones and ample natural light that’s a far cry from moody.

This look lasts long after dark cottage core exits the design scene.

TV Over the Fireplace

If you’ve seen it once, you’ve seen it at least a thousand times.  Take a feature wall, add a fireplace, then mount the TV above the mantle.  In the image above, the television and gas fireplace look great. That is until someone decides to watch the TV. Not only is the seating at the wrong angle, but the TV is at the wrong height. 

Hanging your television above the fireplace makes watching TV a literal pain in the neck. The angle is wrong. Generally, the bottom of the TV ends up at eye level.

In addition, warm air rises. Any heat generated by the fireplace rises up and fries the electronics.

The better approach moves the TV away from the fireplace. Inspired Remodels created a feature wall with a fireplace and TV. But notice how the TV sits lower on the wall for easier viewing. In addition, the heat from the gas fireplace stays away from the electronics. 

vessel sink on a wood counter

Vessel Sink on Wood Countertop

Bet you’ve seen something very similar to this on Pinterest. Vessel sinks perched atop wood cabinets and countertops bring warmth to bathrooms and powder rooms.

They also bring real problems.  Face it, water splashes all over vessel sinks. Some of it runs down the side of the vessel.  Then it pools.  Water pooling on a wooden counter or cabinet equals water destroying the wood finish.

 

bathroom contractor creates a stunning bath

If your Orange County home remodel includes a vessel sink, mount the sink on an impervious surface. Sealed stone, such as marble or granite, or quartzite makes a better perch for your vessel sink than any wood surface. This stunning red vessel sink looks fabulous and will not harm the countertop. 

Orange County Home Remodel Beyond Pinterest

If you want a home remodel with timeless appeal, go beyond Pinterest. Sit down with the designers at Inspired Remodels. You’ll get the modern features you want and style that lasts for ages.

 

 

How A Home Remodel Contractor Manages the Domino Effect

By / Bathroom Remodel, Home Improvement, Kitchen Remodel / Comments Off on How A Home Remodel Contractor Manages the Domino Effect

Move a wall, and suddenly the flooring needs changing. Make changes to the kitchen sink, and now your plumbing must change. Open the ceiling, and the existing lighting must change. An experienced home remodel contractor understands how remodeling decisions in the design change trigger other changes.

Managing the domino effect represents a key part of a whole-home renovation. Big changes rarely happen in isolation. Understanding how one decision triggers other decisions keeps the design cohesive and minimizes surprises.

after home remodel contractor installs grey flooring in living area

Home Remodel Contractor Sees the Big Picture

Imagine opening a kitchen to the family room. The designer creates a plan that removes walls to create the open layout you crave. Easy right? After all, the design shows on TV feature homeowners gleefully blasting out walls with a shop hammer. Looks fun. Can’t wait!

Not so fast. Better consult a home remodel contractor to determine if that is a load bearing wall. Removing a load-bearing wall requires careful planning. These walls transfer weight through the home. Improper removal threatens the structural integrity of the home.

Working with a design/build home remodel contractor makes sure the designer, architect, and general contractor understand the broader impact of changes involved in the remodel.

For example, if the removed wall contains electrical wiring, plumbing, or ductwork, it must be relocated. Flooring must be cohesive, and lighting may need to be changed.

Just removing one wall creates a surprisingly long to-do list.

home remodel  contractors blue prints

Moving Plumbing Moves More Than Pipes

Relocating sinks, showers, tubs, and toilets gives homeowners a blank slate to redesign dream kitchens and bathrooms.

However, changing plumbing impacts more than pipes. Often, walls, floors, and ceilings may need changing too.

Often moving a second-floor bathroom fixture requires access from the room below.  Now two separate floors and rooms are involved in the change. Relocating the kitchen sink may change water supply and drain routes. Moving appliances may require new electrical or gas connections.

A home remodel contractor understands the proper sequence and coordinates these trades accordingly.

Coordination compounds when the remodeling involves several rooms at once.

Flooring contractor after picture: Hardwood flooring on stairs and landing

Stair flooring is not a DIY project

New Flooring Connects the Remodel

Flooring changes create another domino effect.

Change the flooring material and the finished floor height might change. The different height affects transitions, doors, baseboards, cabinetry, and stairs.

Whole-home remodeling also creates an opportunity for continuity. Running one flooring material through connected spaces can visually unite the home.

Decide early, and the design team can coordinate surrounding materials and finishes accordingly.

home remodel contractor after photo: Wood-toned cabinets with custom white hood and seating at island with Boho feel

Today’s Decisions Affect Tomorrow’s Work

Some remodeling choices disappear as soon as the drywall is hung.  Timing is important.

Electrical wiring, plumbing lines, insulation, structural supports, and other components must be in the proper place to support the design before the first drywall nail goes in.

Want a television mounted without visible wires? Plan before drywall installation.

Want sconces beside a bathroom mirror? Determine their locations early and make sure the proper wiring is in place.

Thinking ahead prevents crews from reopening finished surfaces to perform work that should have been done previously.

kitchen remodel incorporates open concept for kitchen and dining areas

Whole-Home Remodeling Requires Coordination

The larger the remodel, the more each decision connects.

When considering extensive renovations, you must look beyond the individual rooms. Inspired Remodels approaches whole-home remodels as coordinated projects. The team works with architects and structural engineers when needed and manages city permitting.

Their design/build approach creates kitchens, bathrooms, and living areas where everything from lighting to architectural details work together. Rooms flow, and the home has a cohesive feel.

home remodel contractor Joe Mueller headshot of a General Contractor

Controlling the Dominoes

A major renovation involves hundreds of decisions and relies on each being made in the proper order.

An experienced home remodel contractor anticipates those connections. The contractor coordinates the trades, catches conflicts early, and keeps the entire home in view.

Change one thing during a remodel and something else often follows.

The trick isn’t stopping the domino effect. It’s knowing exactly where those dominoes lead.

 

Choose Flooring Early: Flooring Contractor Explains Why

By / Home Improvement / Comments Off on Choose Flooring Early: Flooring Contractor Explains Why

Flooring looks like a finishing touch, but an experienced flooring contractor knows it is an integral part of the remodeling process. The flooring choice you make affects decisions made during the process. Wait to decide and end up with potential awkward transitions, acclimation delays, and additional work.

Select flooring early, and the design and remodel teams know its thickness, installation requirements, color, and direction from the start.

after interior remodeling bedroom in coastal Orange County

Flooring Contractor Plans for More Than Flooring

Different flooring materials offer different finished heights.

Hardwood, engineered wood, luxury vinyl plank, and tile each require specific installation methods. Some floors also require underlayment or other preparation.

Those differences matter when flooring meets cabinetry, doors, stairs, fireplaces, and other materials.

For example, changing floor height can affect door clearance. It can also create obvious transitions between rooms. Even baseboards may be affected.

Early selection allows the remodeling contractor to plan for these details instead of solving problems later.

after flooring contractor installs Hartco engineered flooring

Flooring Influences the Entire Color Palette

Flooring occupies most of the visual space in a room. That makes it one of the largest design elements in your home.

Select flooring before finalizing paint, cabinetry, countertops, and other finishes.

For example, some oak, cherry, walnut, and maple provide warm undertones of gold or red. Birch, ash, white oak, and some bamboo floors offer cooler brown or gray undertones.

These subtle differences completely change how other elements like cabinets and countertops look with the floor.

The open concept so popular in Orange County homes requires several rooms to share one flooring material. With an open concept, flooring establishes the palette for the whole space.

flooring contractors after pic laguna niguel remodel

Plan Sightlines

Decide plank direction early in the design process.

Walk through the front door and look across the room. What do you see?

Long, uninterrupted flooring lines can draw your eye toward a fireplace, windows, or outdoor living area. Place the planks in the wrong direction and disrupt the visual flow.

Room dimensions matter too. Running planks strategically can make the room appear longer or wider.

Talk to your Orange County flooring contractor about sightlines before installation begins.

Floor Choice Determines Transitions and Subfloors

Custom remodeling depends on attention to detail, such as flooring transitions and subfloors. Consider these elements along with the flooring for the best results.

Identify where the floor meets other flooring materials (like tile or carpet), exterior doors, stairs, or another hard surface. Poorly planned transitions ruin even the most polished designs. When you select the flooring early, the contractor has plenty of time to plan for transitions.

Different flooring types require different subfloor preparation. The subfloor and subfloor prep create the foundation for quality installation.  A clean, dry, level subfloor matters, no matter what type of flooring you pick.

Orange county flooring contractor after picture with Walnut color Floors with step

Different Floors Have Different Availability

Good things come to those who wait. Getting that perfect floor may require a lengthy lead time.

Specialty wood, imported ceramics, particular finishes, and premium flooring lines may require you to order well in advance. Contractors should plan for installation when they have a good idea of when the flooring will be available.

In addition, wood and bamboo flooring require acclimation before installation. Knowing you are using one of these materials allows the contractor to get the acclimation time onto the work plan.

flooring contractor installed herringbone pattern wood planks in home entrywayFlooring as Part of the Design

Don’t treat flooring as the surface you pick after making the important decisions.

The floor is an important decision.

Inspired Remodels considers flooring as part of the complete design. The team coordinates materials, sightlines, transitions, and architectural details throughout the remodeling process.

Choose your flooring early. Your flooring contractor can then make sure everything that meets the floor looks like it belongs there.