Home Improvement Tips from Cassandra Lavalle

Thank you to Waterpik for providing a complimentary prize pack for us to base this review upon and for providing an additional prize pack for our contest prize. All opinions expressed are my own.

Did you know that May is Home Improvement Month? We were excited to be able to participate in a Q&A with home expert Cassandra Lavalle, founder of Coco+Kelley, to pick her brain about home improvement projects we have been wanting to tackle in our own home.

One home improvement project that is often overlooked, also happens to be one of the cheapest, easiest, and sometimes most impactful on your family. Upgrading your shower head takes mere moments and can be enjoyed right away. Will upgrading your shower head increase your homes value? Not significantly in dollars, but it can certainly lift your families spirits immediately!

I recently upgraded our shower head to a Waterpik 14-mode Riata Nickel handheld. With 14 different nozzle settings each member of my family can customize their shower experience depending what they are in the mood for. If you like a low pressure drizzle it can do that, or if you want a high velocity jet it can do that too, and pretty much everything in between.

Installing the Waterpik could not have been easier. In fact, the entire installation took a few minutes and did not require any tools at all. All kidding aside, I think it took me longer to remove my Waterpik from the clamshell packaging than it did for me to install it.

Although it is not required, some Thread Sealing Tape ($2 available anyplace that sells plumbing supplies) is a good idea. I had some on my threads already so I did not need to do anything at all prior to installation.

Even though I always recommend reading instructions, if you are at all handy you can probably install the Waterpik without them because the process is so obvious. There are only a few parts and, to be quite honest, they only go together one way.

Upgrading your shower head is an easy way to improve your families comfort in a few minutes and for not a lot of money. The Waterpik we have can be purchased from many retailers for about $60. You can find other Waterpik handheld shower heads on www.waterpik.com from $30 on up, so there is a model to fit any budget. Be sure to checkout Waterpik’s popular line of RainFall+ shower heads, which includes their water-saving EcoRain model.


Our Waterpik Prize Pack includes a Rainfall+ Shower Head, a set of 2 unscented pillar candles, and a $25 Home Depot gift card!

Photo courtesy of Payton & Company

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How to Renovate a Small Bathroom for Home Improvement Project

Well-designed home improvement projects such as renovating a small bathroom can potentially add comfort, convenience and value to a home. The first step is to determine the size of the project and set a budget. When major fixtures are in good condition and just a bit of redecorating and updating the bathroom is needed, it should not be very expensive. The cost will depend largely on the materials selected and whether the homeowner can do some of the work without hiring professional help.


Walls and Ceiling
The most important factor in any project is to begin with a plan. Know exactly what will change and what will remain the same. Start by completely emptying the room of everything that can be moved. Give everything a good cleaning and then assess the condition of the room. If walls are tight and smooth, perhaps they will just need a coat of paint or textured wallpaper. A small bathroom is a good place to experiment with color. It would not be a disaster to repaint if the color does not look right after painting one wall. Many stores will exchange paint if the color is not as envisioned.

Also consider wallpapering one wall and painting the other three. Another idea is to panel the top half of the walls and install wainscoting on the lower half. Manufacturers are constantly improving materials and the newer ones resist color fade and moisture. Painting the walls and ceiling in a monochromatic color such as all white or light tones also works well in a really small bathroom and makes it appear larger. Splashes of color can be added with accessories and towels.


Flooring
Safety should also be a consideration when choosing flooring. A shiny floor can be appealing but some materials such as glossy tile and polished stone may be slippery and unsafe. These floors would be much more expensive as well. Carpeting is not the best choice for a bathroom floor since it may retain moisture and develop mold. An excellent material for the bathroom is linoleum flooring which is popular for its durability, ease of cleaning, and availability of styles and colors. It is easy to install and is always a good choice.


Lighting
When the lighting is updated in any room it can make a big difference in appearance, ambiance, and the way color displays. However, it is essential to have proper lighting in a bathroom for safety issues as well. Good ceiling lighting is important and there should be no dark areas in any bathroom, especially near the shower and bathtub. Wall sconces or light bars can be added or updated with new fixtures on either side or above the mirror over the sink. Many choices exist in lighting fixtures in various styles and finishes to match or complement any décor.

Only a licensed electrician should install new lighting or update wiring. In most areas wiring must be inspected when finished and pass local code requirements. This is a very important safety issue and cannot be stressed enough, especially in a bathroom or any area where water is involved.

Image by Bentley Smith

My Dream Bathroom

When we purchased our home, my husband and I swore that the first thing we would redo, after we removed the many layers of wallpaper both upstairs and downstairs, would be the upstairs bathroom.  It has a dark brown tub with a matching toilet and sink topped off with bright gold hardware.  The walls and the vanity are laminated with a beige/cream colored marble design.  Notice I am using the present tense and not the past.  Yes, we still have what my husband has not-so-fondly labeled "1970's cruise decor" in our upstairs bathroom.

Someday, when we actually get around to remodeling, I am hoping for a modern bathroom, but something that is still warm and homey and not too sterile and severe.  What really makes a bathroom is the vanity and the bathtub.  I have looked at many bathroom vanities over the past few years and have determined that a modern shaker style would be my favorite.  In fact, I would love to furnish my entire home the same way.  I have always liked dark walnut with chrome hardware.  My dream bathroom would have the vanity above with a framed mirror the full length of the vanity.

What would your dream bathroom look like?

Installing Earthscapes Vinyl Flooring From Home

Earthscapes vinyl flooring is an exciting new type of resilient flooring that appears poised to change the face of home flooring forever. Earthscapes is a far cry from the vinyl flooring that once adorned virtually every kitchen and bathroom floor in America. This new generation of vinyl flooring is made of PVC to create a moppable, scrubbable surface that resists tears and punctures.

Earthscapes flooring features designs that closely mimic natural surfaces such as wood, cork, stone and tile. Unlike wood or cork floors, however, this new type of vinyl flooring is easy to maintain and highly resistant to stains and damage. It can even stand up to pets. Unlike stone or tile flooring, Earthscapes is soft and warm to walk on. It provides insulation to help keep your heating and cooling from escaping through the concrete or wood subfloor beneath your flooring. Best of all, Earthscapes is easy to install yourself.

Traditional vinyl flooring is awkward to handle and is easily damaged, making installation tricky. It also must be cut precisely to fit in order to avoid bubbles or creases and then glued tightly to the floor decking. Because traditional vinyl adheres so closely to the surface beneath it, even relatively minor defects in the subfloor will cause irregular wear patterns in the vinyl after installation. Therefore, it is necessary to install an approved underlayment before you install the vinyl. Toilets, pedestal sinks and baseboards must be removed before installation and reinstalled after the vinyl installation is complete.

Earthscapes vinyl flooring, on the other hand, handles much like carpet, and can be rolled, bunched or draped without damage. It is loose-laid on any smooth floor, and does not have to be cut quite as precisely as traditional vinyl. Bubbles are not an issue because the flooring is not glued down, and creasing is less of a problem with a loose-lay installation.

Minor defects in the floor beneath the vinyl are not as critical as they are with traditional vinyl because the flooring rides atop the floor rather than adhering to it. However, unless the existing floor is relatively smooth and seamless, as in an existing vinyl or other smooth-surface floor, underlayment should be installed.

Earthscapes vinyl is cut to fit around toilet and pedestal sink bases, eliminating the need to remove and reinstall them. Baseboards can also be left in place. Special double-sided installation tape is applied in the center of the room, as well as at HVAC register openings, thresholds and around the bases of toilets and sinks in order to prevent slippage or tears. Areas that abut cabinet toe-kicks and plumbing fixtures are then caulked.

Perhaps the most exciting aspect of this new flooring is that installation is not permanent and does not impact the room's structure. As a result, it does not violate most rental agreements and can be installed nearly anywhere. As an added bonus, Earthscapes vinyl can be taken up and used in a different room or even taken along to your new home when you move.


Brought to you by Sam Peters

Holiday 2010 Giveaway: Channellock Tools 4-in-1 Ratcheting Wrench Set [CLOSED]

All of us need tools. Some of us need lots of professional grade tools and some of us need just enough basic tools to keep our homes in good order. But one type of tool set always seems only available in mega sized 75+ piece sets: The Ratcheting Socket Set. No matter what your actual wrench needs are, everybody I know owns a giant ratchet set (myself included). As nice as it is to be prepared for any size bolt or nut, metric or standard, I only ever use a handful of the sizes.

The box my mega ratcheting socket set comes in is the size of a brief case and I leave it in the basement, hardly convenient. What we all really need is a tool or small tool set that accommodates the most standard sizes and is small enough to keep handy. When I learned I had the opportunity to try out Channellock's 841S Ratcheting Wrenches I was very excited These wrenches had the potential to replace my giant socket set.

The 841S ratchet set includes just two ratcheting wrenches but replaces 8 of the most commonly used standard sizes. The set would easily fit into a kitchen utility drawer (try that with your socket set!).

The wrenches have hardened steel sockets and laminated steel shafts. The switches to change ratchet direction are easy to engage and intuitively placed. The ratcheting movement is tight and precise. This set is high quality and I should be able to count on years of use.

For less than $35 Channellock's 841S Ratcheting Wrench set is a must have in any home or shop. The ability to handle the majority of your standard size wrench needs out of your kitchen utility drawer is a no-brainer. The 841S Ratcheting Wrench set would fit very nicely in a stocking this holiday...

You can order this wrench set and other Channellock tools right on Channellock.com .

Thank you to Channellock for sending us a complimentary product sample to base this review upon and for providing a second product for our contest prize.

What you can win:
One lucky reader will receive a set of 2 Channellock Ratcheting Wrenches.

Limitations:

This giveaway is open to U.S. entries only. You do not need to be a blogger to enter, but you must have a valid email address and be age 18 years or older. If you enter anonymously and do not include a valid email address in your comment entries, I will not be able to notify you should you win this random drawing.

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Browse the selection of Channellock gift sets. Then leave a comment telling me which set would make a great gift for someone you know. You MUST do this to be eligible to win this contest.

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Random Drawing:

This contest will be closed on Thursday, December 16th, 2010 at 11:59pm EST. A random number drawing will be held shortly after. The winner will be announced here and will be contact via email or through their blog. If the winner does not respond within 48 hours, a new number will be drawn.

Good luck in the drawing!

Review: Moen Reed Chrome Bathroom Accessories

A few months ago, I had mentioned that we needed to start giving both our bathrooms a makeover and that the downstairs half bath would be the easiest to start with. I am not sure what the previous owners were thinking, but the bathroom has floral wallpaper with one chrome and glass shelf, a chrome medicine cabinet, two off-white painted shelves, a chrome and frosted glass hanging lamp, and a dark wood towel bar, toilet paper holder, and door (which has a brass door knob). Could it have been more mismatched? Well, we took the first step towards improving it by changing all the wooden bathroom accessories to these Moen Reed chrome bathroom accessories. We even added a few pieces we did not have before, but needed.

My husband was the one who installed these Moen accessories and he was extremely impressed. The installation process could not have been more easy and was essentially fool-proof. After handling these pieces and seeing them with my own eyes, I almost do not understand why some accessory sets cost a few hundred dollars. These pieces are heavy weight, attractive, and functional and only cost us approximately $90 (not including shipping) from CSN Stores for the 18" towel bar, towel ring, toilet paper holder, and 2 double robe hooks.

The pieces we added that we did not have before were the towel ring and the robe hooks. We added the towel ring next to the sink where our twin preschoolers would be able to reach it while standing on the step stool after washing their hands. We also added two robe hooks, which happen to be perfect for hanging a Disney Princess and a Disney Pixar Cars potty seat on each right next to the toilet.

We are saving tackling the wall paper for another day.

Thank you to CSN Stores for providing us with a gift card to shop after participating in a previous campaign.