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Diane’s Thoughts

Remodeling Budget Discussions Are Difficult For Everyone

by Diane Plesset | Oct 14, 2015 | Archive, Additions and New Homes, Bathrooms and Kitchens, Building and Remodeling Plans, Remodeling Budget

A Remodeling Budget Can Be Hard To Determine Your remodeling budget will allow you to do everything you want, or it will limit you and require you to make serious tradeoffs. Every remodeling project is different, although there may be similarities. If you've never...

Multiple Microwave Ovens Can Improve The Function Of Your Kitchen

by Diane Plesset | Oct 13, 2015 | Archive, Accessibility, Function, Safety, Sustainability, Technology, Appliances and Plumbing, Bathrooms and Kitchens, Building and Remodeling Plans

Do You Want Multiple Microwave Ovens In Your Kitchen? Most of us have a microwave oven that we use regularly. So why would multiple microwave ovens help the function of our kitchen? If you're planning to remodel your kitchen, this article may help you think about and...

Bathroom Investment Is As Individual As Your Fingerprint

by Diane Plesset | Oct 12, 2015 | Archive, Accessibility, Function, Safety, Sustainability, Technology, Additions and New Homes, Bathrooms and Kitchens, Remodeling Budget

Bathroom Investment in Remodeling: How to Save Money Bathroom investment in remodeling is more expensive, per square foot, than kitchen remodeling! According to the 2016 Cost vs. Value Report for Portland, Oregon, the range of bathroom investments for remodeling is...

Remodeled Angular Kitchen Is Visually Interesting

by Diane Plesset | Oct 12, 2015 | Archive, Accessibility, Function, Safety, Sustainability, Technology, Bathrooms and Kitchens, Building and Remodeling Plans, Contractors

Remodeled Angular Kitchen Was A Big Challenge! The remodeled angular kitchen functions and looks great, but the original kitchen looked and felt like an after-thought. The function was impaired by multiple 45- and 90-degree angles. Homeowners wanted their remodeled...

Guest Bathroom For Multiple Users: Available And Maintainable

by Diane Plesset | Oct 10, 2015 | Archive, Accessibility, Function, Safety, Sustainability, Technology, Appliances and Plumbing, Bathrooms and Kitchens, Cabinets, Countertops, Lighting and Electrical, Tile

A Multiple-User Guest Bathroom For Everyone Is Challenging! A multiple-user guest bathroom should be easy to maintain, available to anyone at any time. Practice may be a different reality, especially if your guest bathroom is also a bathroom that family members use...

Bathroom Plumbing Can Have Hidden “Gotcha’s!”

by Diane Plesset | Oct 8, 2015 | Archive, Additions and New Homes, Appliances and Plumbing, Bathrooms and Kitchens, Remodeling Budget

Bathroom Plumbing Fixtures Are Designed To Save Water, BUT . . . . . . some bathroom plumbing fixtures may require a larger water heater, or an auxiliary on-demand water heater. This can seriously affect your investment in a bathroom remodeling project, adding as much...

Custom Kitchen Features Will Change Your Life

by Diane Plesset | Oct 7, 2015 | Archive, Accessibility, Function, Safety, Sustainability, Technology, Additions and New Homes, Appliances and Plumbing, Bathrooms and Kitchens, Building and Remodeling Plans, Cabinets, Countertops, Lighting and Electrical, Tile

Custom Kitchen Features Can (Will) Make a Big Difference! Bespoke and artisanal are fancy buzz-words for "custom," probably because the latter word has been overused to the point where custom-made anything is no longer special, in the same way that "full service"...

Kitchen Islands May Not Be Appropriate For Every Home

by Diane Plesset | Oct 5, 2015 | Archive, Accessibility, Function, Safety, Sustainability, Technology, Appliances and Plumbing, Bathrooms and Kitchens, Building and Remodeling Plans, Cabinets, Countertops, Lighting and Electrical, Tile

Kitchen Islands Are Great, But There Are Other Alternatives, Too Kitchen islands are the most frequently-requested features, according to statistics. The available space determines whether or not an island is appropriate. But there's more than just space. Islands do...

Choose Kitchen Appliances First!

by Diane Plesset | Oct 3, 2015 | Archive, Accessibility, Function, Safety, Sustainability, Technology, Appliances and Plumbing, Bathrooms and Kitchens, Building and Remodeling Plans

Choose Kitchen Appliances First For Best Function Why choose kitchen appliances first? It's human nature to focus on cabinets and countertops, when you're thinking about remodeling your kitchen, because you're concerned about how the new kitchen will look, unless a...

Bathroom Remodeling: Plumbing Is Selected First

by Diane Plesset | Oct 2, 2015 | Archive, Accessibility, Function, Safety, Sustainability, Technology, Appliances and Plumbing, Bathrooms and Kitchens, Building and Remodeling Plans

Bathroom Remodeling: Why Select Plumbing First? Bathroom remodeling involves hundreds of decisions, and at least 100 steps in the process. Everything in your bathroom is placed around the plumbing. Locations of a shower, tub, toilet, and sinks are important to...