“With busier lifestyles, growing families, gourmet kitchens, home offices, and diverse hobbies, consumers are purchasing more items than ever before. As a result, people are discovering more creative uses for cabinetry, such as lockers in mudrooms where kids can store ‘their valuables’ after school, sports, and other activities,” says Mindy Brooks, advertising and communications manager at HomeCrest Cabinetry.

Another popular trend is replacing old dressers and other unwieldy bedroom furniture with standard and custom cabinets that line walls or fit snugly into closets. Especially in smaller homes, closed-door cabinetry or open bookshelves placed strategically as room dividers between living and dining areas, and all along walls, can generate new space by increasing storage options.

Not only does cabinetry utilize space better than furniture throughout the home, it helps you get organized and stay that way. With cabinetry, everything has its own home so there’s less clutter and chaos in your life. For example, you can create a beautiful wood wall-hugging credenza to showcase everything from your family heirlooms and framed photos to knick-knacks using shelves and glass-door display cabinets, while organizing a multitude of items that would otherwise be clutter, inside credenza drawers and closed cabinet spaces. As a result, you’re much freer to relax and enjoy your time at home without feeling crowded by too much furniture or overwhelmed by belongings.

When using cabinetry instead of furniture, the design and storage possibilities are as rich as your imagination. To create a cozy country look and feel, you can choose closed cabinets and open bookshelves surrounding a mantel and fireplace in a den or living room. A window seat with built-in storage and marble-topped cabinetry on both sides creates a comfortable nook for reading and relaxing anyplace in the home where there’s a window with a view. You can even divide rooms using a beautiful wooden china hutch that combines closed solid-wood storage cabinets stretching floor-to-ceiling at one end with elegant glass-door china display cabinets lowered to kitchen island-height at the other end, achieving an airy, open feel between rooms that doesn’t block light or conversation.

You can find creative cabinetry solutions like these from HomeCrest Cabinetry, a premier manufacturer of home cabinetry. To provide even greater flexibility, HomeCrest offers Custom Choice, an innovative program that lets homeowners add modified options to standard cabinetry to achieve custom looks and functionality — without custom pricing. Using standard doors and drawer fronts, Custom Choice can accommodate wider cabinets, deeper drawers, additional panels or doors, and many other options for a perfect fit anywhere. It brings creative, custom-quality cabinetry to every corner of the home — dining and living areas, bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchens, pantries, offices, laundry and utility areas, and beyond.

For more information about HomeCrest Cabinetry, or to locate a dealer, visit www.homecrestcab.com.

Courtesy: ARAcontent

A cluttered garage becomes an elegant but kid-friendly family room.

Pink walls, toile and black wood create a great makeover for a young girl’s bedroom.

Did you know that the Environmental Protection Agency ranks poor indoor air quality as a top five environmental risk to public well-being? Less than 20 percent of Americans believe that indoor air can be as polluted as outdoor air. Yet a home’s indoor air quality can be five times worse.

With energy-efficiency savings in mind, today’s buildings and houses are designed to seal air inside. As a result, bacteria, dirt, mold and other allergens are trapped, contributing to symptoms such as sneezing, coughing, watery eyes and headaches. On average, Americans now spend about 90 percent of their time indoors.

The EPA lists air purifiers among the ways to improve indoor air quality. Using an air purifier will help remove airborne irritants and allergens such as dust, pet dander, germs, bacteria, mold, mildew, fungi, cigarette smoke and pollen.

Air purifiers with HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) filters effectively remove 99.97 percent of particulates such as dust and pollen. Better results are achieved by systems that combine HEPA air filtration with pre-filters for greater odor control and particulate-capture efficiency.

For example, Hunter Fan Co.’s QuietFlo True HEPA system incorporates an activated carbon pre-filter to reduce odors and remove larger particles such as lint and pet hair, reserving the HEPA filter for smaller, more invasive airborne irritants.

Clean Air Delivery Rate is the industry’s standard rating system set by the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers. This rate certifies performance and effectiveness by measuring the amount of clean air a unit delivers into a room.

“CADR is the single most important piece of information needed to make a comparison of air purifiers,” says Gary Feder, vice president of home comfort at Hunter Fan Co. “It gauges real-world performance, taking into account filter efficiency, airflow and room size.”

For more on HEPA air purifiers, visit www.hunterfan.com.

To protect your family from illness, you must disinfect all areas to destroy germs and prevent them from spreading. Your kitchen sink and counters should be cleaned with antibacterial solutions after each use. Bacteria left from meats and vegetables can get on your hands, utensils or other foods.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, some viruses and bacteria can live two hours or longer on surfaces like telephones, doorknobs and tables. Cleaning and disinfecting these “hot spots” regularly is key to keeping a healthy home.

Poor indoor air quality also is to blame for a variety of health effects. Americans spend more than 90 percent of their time indoors, where air pollution levels can be two to five times higher than outdoor levels.

“Homeowners often complain about poor indoor air quality leading to headaches, dry eyes and fatigue, as well as asthma and allergy attacks,” said home improvement expert Lou Manfredini.

But you can breathe easier by following these strategies for reducing air pollution in your home:

• Control the source. Reduce or remove as many asthma or allergy triggers from your home as possible. Keep pets outside whenever possible; wash all bedding weekly in hot water; and don’t allow anyone to smoke indoors.
• Invest in an air purifier. Equip your home with a high-efficiency whole-home air purifier like the new Infinity Air Purifier from Carrier Corp. (Carrier.com). It captures and kills airborne allergens, bacteria, mold spores and viruses.”You will notice a significant change in your breathing and overall well-being, and recognize the worth of this investment immediately,” said Manfredini.
• Check and replace. Maintain your heating and air conditioning systems by changing the filters frequently. This includes gas appliances, wood stoves and fireplaces. Good maintenance and ventilation are important for keeping indoor air pollution under control.

Courtesy: NewsUSA

Watch this HGTV video to learn how to strike a perfect balance of fun and function to please mother and daughter in this teenager’s bedroom.

According to Consumer Reports, replacing inefficient windows can cut heating and cooling bills up to 25 percent. But replacing all of a home’s windows can set homeowners back $7,000 to $20,000 – energy-efficient windows might take 20 years to pay for themselves. If old windows cannot be repaired through weather stripping or caulking, homeowners should consider an upgrade, but if windows still function, homeowners should look to make their existing windows more energy-efficient.

Here are some tips to keep heat inside your home this winter:

• Weatherstrip your windows and doors. Airtight windows and doors will do wonders for your heating bills. If you notice cold drafts by doors or windows, you need weatherstripping. If you’re unsure, ask a volunteer to stand on the other side of the wall, then blow hot hair from a hand dryer at the window or door.
• If you find drafts, make sure that the window or door fits properly in its frame. If the door or window is crooked, weather stripping won’t fit on every side and may make the door or window impossible to close. If the window fits but still proves drafty, look into buying a weatherstripping kit. Weatherstripping comes in many forms, so you might want to ask a professional for recommendations.
• Add insulating blinds. In using energy-efficient blinds, homeowners help control light and will save money. One company, Comfortex Window Fashions (www.comfortex.com), makes Odysee Insulating Blinds, which work like wooden blinds but boast high-energy-efficient performance. Odysee Insulating Blinds provide year-round insulation up to 71 percent more than an uncovered window. Odysee also provides complete privacy and decorating options, including 800 colors in two fabric options.

Courtesy: NewsUSA

Unbeatable Performance

Today’s laminates feature the realistic characteristics of wood in both texture and grain while providing durability that is unmatched by real wood. Laminate wears much better than wood and requires far less maintenance, so homeowners can enjoy living their active lifestyles without worrying about how their floors are going to hold up to everyday wear and tear.

Scratching and indentations can easily mar the beauty of real wood, but laminate resists scratches and nicks. Because it’s so durable, laminate flooring requires no waxing or varnishing and is much easier to clean than traditional wood floors. In addition, laminate doesn’t need costly and time-consuming refinishing like real wood does. As an example of this exceptional durability, all products in Tarkett Residential’s new North American Laminate Collection feature a high-performance layering system and offer a lifetime warranty against wear, fading and staining.

Up-to-Date Designs

The newest laminates offer both traditional and contemporary designs, from natural oaks to exotic wood patterns. Colors range from dark wood grains to warm and light tones that will complement any room of the house in need of a fashion update. Tarkett’s Laminates, like its New Frontiers collection, also feature high-gloss finishes to lend the look of exceptional elegance. In addition to a wide assortment of colors, grain designs and textures, it’s available in realistic 6-inch wide planks. Other laminate products are also available in a variety of plank widths – from narrow four-inch boards to wide 8-inch planks.

Today’s laminate flooring not only comes in wood grain patterns but can also replicate the look of tile, natural stone and metallic. The tile and stone laminates provide an upscale appearance but without all the fuss – cold floors, grout to scrub and cracking tiles.

Do-It-Yourself

You don’t need to be a pro to install a new laminate floor. Laminate floors come in easy-to-install planks that snap together, with no need for messy glue or nails to pound. Laminate can also be used over many types of existing flooring, including concrete and real wood, so often new subfloor installation is not necessary.

Cost Benefit

In nearly every case, laminate flooring simply costs less than traditional wood flooring. Today’s laminates have the realistic look of authentic wood, but without the high price tag. Laminate flooring can cost less than half the expense of real wood products. Because it’s so simple to install you can do it yourself, or if you use a contractor, typical installation costs should run far less than installing real wood planks.

So for the great look and warmth of wood, the strength to stand up to most anything your home dishes out, and a great price, consider laminate for your next flooring choice.

For more information on laminate flooring, go to www.tarkett.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Architectural elements are the unique details that form the architectural style of houses and buildings. These include anything from stairways and fireplace mantels to columns and ornaments. Examples of architectural details are found in every design style from intricate Victorian gables to modern clean-lined ceiling domes.

Here are a few easy design tips that use architectural elements to bring your kitchen, bath or master bedroom from ordinary to extraordinary.

Kitchen – From Lackluster to Luxury

• Stock cabinets can be plain and boring. Add decorative corbels (an architectural support bracket), panel and crown mouldings to create a high-end, customized appearance.
• Add a ceiling medallion above the breakfast bar or table. Whether simple or elegantly embellished, a medallion will enhance any light fixture and create a focal point.
• Build an “oven nook.” Using a shelf or fireplace mantel and some decorative corbels, you can create the look of a custom built-in cooking station found in model homes.

Bathroom – From So-so to Spa

• Switch out the simple wood trim around doors for elegant casings and add a chair rail at mid-wall height. For a look featured in four-star hotels, paint the wall below the chair rail a muted, relaxing color and use a slightly lighter shade of the same color above the chair rail.
• Add a decorative shelf or mantel for display of art, plants or your favorite fragrance bottles.
• Add to the height of the bathroom by installing a round or elliptical dome. A dome will allow for a larger, more dramatic light fixture while adding depth like a tray ceiling.

Master Bedroom – From Routine to Relaxing

• Trimming the bedroom with crown moulding shows attention to detail and complements rooms of any style.
• Add a niche to your wall for dramatic display space. Highlight special photos, keepsakes or a piece of art.
• Create a custom headboard using architectural plaques, ornate corbels and decorative swags. A custom headboard allows you to show your style and offers an elegant space to frame the room’s largest piece of furniture.

Adding architectural elements to customize the spaces in your home doesn’t have to be difficult or expensive. Lightweight, decorative mouldings and other elements are available through companies like Focal Point Architectural Products, which specializes in closed-cell polyurethane products that won’t rot or mildew. The pieces look like plaster and wood, but offer a cost-effective and time-saving alternative to traditional materials.

For more information or design inspiration, visit www.FocalPointProducts.com or call (800) 662-5550 to find a dealer near you.

Courtesy: ARAcontent

Remove stale air filled with grease, odors and moisture from the kitchen with the newest designs in range hoods that reflect the latest technology and kitchen decor trends.

Revolutionary in design, the latest pro-style cooktops emphasize versatility and precision.