Thinking Green Design – Flooring Series vol 1. Cork Floors

Renewable resources are a hot topic in design these days which is why we are dedicating a series of articles to exploring options in green design.  Our first installation is on flooring.  One of the most dramatic ways to affect a room’s design is with flooring. In recent years flooring options have changed from the standards of wood, carpet and tile to include a variety of materials including cork. Now, most people think of cork as something they see on their bulletin board or perhaps with their favorite bottle of wine but the truth is that it’s a wonderful and versatile choice in flooring as well.

The Benefits:

Beauty: Cork floors come in a variety of colors shapes and patterns from dramatic to subtle to compliment any style

Health: The natural properties of cork make it resistant to insects, fire and mold resistant AND for all of you allergy sufferers out there, it’s naturally anti-allergenic. Cork is a great choice for flooring that is friendly for pets and babies!
Comfort: It’s soft. Because it’s structure is cellular and spongy, cork is very comfortable to walk and stand on. Think of it as a floor with shock absorbers. We were talking about floors on Twitter and someone shared that they put cork floors in their kitchen and loved it because it was so soft and comfortable to walk on!  Another benefit is that cork helps to reduce noise and if you drop something on it, it’s less likely to shatter or break as it would on traditional hardwoods or tile flooring.
Environmentally Friendly: Unlike hardwood flooring, the cork tree is not cut down then replanted when the cork is harvested. There are strict regulations regarding cork harvesting and the health of the trees. The trees must be 25 years old and in good health and the bark that is harvested is gathered by hand and in cycles of once every 9 years.  It is a flooring choice you can definitely feel good about with regard to how it will impact the environment. Expanko has a great video you can watch that shows how cork is harvested, CLICK HERE to view.

We love cork floors and invite you to participate and share with us your experience with cork floors and pictures too! If you’re looking to explore the world of flooring and are interested in cork, let us know.  We’d love to help you make that Design Connection and have a floor that is not only beautiful but one you can enjoy and appreciate for years to come!

Clean and Chic, Cork Flooring is a Green Choice

Did you see the article about cork flooring in the Sunday House and Home section of the Kansas City Star? My opinion on cork is that it is a wonderful green alternative material. But… it must be used in the right room with the right conditions. Cork is perfect for a fun playroom because it is soft and durable. However, if you have a traditional kitchen, the casual look of cork would probably not work. It works best with transitional or modern designs. I suggest consulting an interior designer before you make major home improvement decisions. You might be focusing on the qualities of the material, while we can see how it will impact the look of your home. www.designconnectioninc.com

Design Tip: Cork is a flexible material and can be cut into a variety of sizes. We can create interesting borders or patterns just like we would with tile or wood.

What is a Kitchen Face Lift?

I am getting requests for kitchen face lifts. Many of my clients are choosing to darker their cabinets, change hardware, update their appliances, change countertops and back splash. This could easily make the budget around $15,000 or higher. To gut a kitchen and reinstall all of the above will run $35,000 to over $100,000. It is clearly less expensive to have the face lift.

I am of the opinion that when my client’s go to sell their homes they will get their money back from a kitchen face lift. With the market as competitive as it is, home buyers are optioning for the homes that have updated kitchens and are willing to pay a higher dollar for them.

I tell my perspective clients be aware. There are very few faux painters that can repaint kitchens cabinets and have them look nice after a year or two. They are not willing to take the time to strip and sand the cabinets back to the original surface. I am hooked up with painters that I personally over see to  make sure that the prep work is done and completed correctly before the paint or stain is applied.

I have more to do now. Design Connection, Inc. is now on Face book. I will continue to blog on my website for I think that is really important, but also catch us on Facebook for news, photos of projects, and other happenings.

Arlene’s thought for the day. “Do your homework before you have any work done on your home”.

Arlene Ladegaard IIDA

Allied ASID

www.designconnectioninc.com

Freshening up with a budget!

There are many ways to freshen up areas throughout your home without having a large budget. One area in particular is the kitchen, typically a high traffic area where everyone spends part of their day. As a general rule I would recommend making a list of the things that must go and other things that can be worked with. This is where a professional opinion will always be useful and will allow you to look at your kitchen from a different point of view. Some focus areas to consider updating are: paint color, cabinetry, countertops, backsplash, and appliances. A simple coat of paint can change the feeling of a room, and can guide the color palette of the rest of the area. Cabinets can be given a lift by replacing some traditional doors with seeded glass inserts and adding a small amount of accent lighting. The largest impact will be made by new countertops, whether you select granite or solid surface the color selection is endless. If your countertops are in good condition but you need a little color around your cabinetry the backsplash area can accent any kitchen beautifully. Natural stone or porcelain tile will add texture to and depth to the area. In updating your kitchen not all appliances may need to be replaced, choose the appliances that would make the most impact, such a refrigerator and dishwasher, the wall oven may be updated at a later date. A personal touch can be added to your cabinetry by selecting hardware that fits the style of, your new kitchen.

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Natural Stone Countertops

Natural stone countertops are an investment and also beautiful to look at. Do you know that a minor kitchen remodel gives you an 83% percent return while a major kitchen remodel may give you only 78% percent return? I suggest to many of my clients to change their countertops to granite because they are a selling tool in today’s market when selling a home.

There are three types of natural stone. They is granite, marble and onyx. Granite is a natural stone, and is strong durable and easy to clean. It is heat, chemical and water resistant. Marble is from shells and is considered soft and can scratch and stain. Onyx, another beautiful stone can be used as an accent to create an edge design.

I feel it is important to select and see your slabs in person. It is best to look for cracks, pits or possible areas where the stone has been filled. You can suggest that the fabricator cut around these areas if you have enough stone to work with.

Wholesalers try to sell stones that have been dyed. If this occurs, sunlight will fade the stone in a matter of months. A reliable stone dealer will make sure that their stones are without color enhancements. There are no deals in natural stones. I believe that it is best to purchase your stone tops through a company that is reputable and not selling cost as the bottom line. Stone is a large investment and to pay a little more for quality is the best in the long run.

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Arlene Ladegaard IIDA

Allied Member ASID

Certified Interior Designer

Design Connection, Inc.

www.designconnectioninc.com

Office  913 851 8776

Inexpensive tips to remodel your home

Countertops can make a huge difference in updating your kitchen. There are many materials besides granite that still give a rich look. When you change out the countertops you will also be required to replace the sink to an under mount style and often change out the faucet. You may use a tile backsplash or like I choose to do in my office a solid slab backsplash to give a more integrated look.

Another instant upgrade is to change out the appliances. I love stainless appliances and I have them in my own home, but they are a lot of upkeep. I still specify black appliances, but I have not used white in about eight years. The new colored appliances are fun, but are they going to look like the avocado and harvest gold of the the seventies.

Paint is about the least expensive of the remodeling and redecorating tips I can recommend. I am always amazed when we change the trim color and the wall color to deeper tones how cozy and wonderful my client’s home will feel. We have also been refinishing the floors to a much deeper tone and that sets off the new deep tones on the walls,

What I love most about my job is that each client’s home is different and every new decorating challenge is fun and certainly not like the last project. Our client’s have all sized budgets and we can accomplish a new look using many of these decorating tips.

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Arlene

Arlene Ladegaard IIDA

Allied Member ASID

Certified Interior Designer

Design Connection, Inc.

www.designconnectioninc.com

Office  913 851 8776

Mobile 913 593 6919