Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Kitchen Remodeling Guide for Newbie Homeowners

Tip # 1 – Hire A Professional When You’re Having Your Kitchen Remodeled

I remember the first time I bought my home and saw the kitchen. The previous owner seriously doesn’t have any eye for aesthetic. All I saw was gray—gray cabinets, gray sink, gray everything! Thank God, I was actually there to help salvage the damage!

How did I manage to do this? Well, planning for the remodeling of a kitchen is tough but with a bit of help, it’s all a walk in the park! When you’re in this stage, you should definitely hire someone who knows their way around home improvement like a professional decorator. This way, you’ll have interior design guidance, as well as connections.

The first thing I spoke to about the professional I hired was about the budget. I told her what I had. To her, the allotted budget was small but still feasible to achieve what I wanted. I needed to have a kitchen that gave out inspiration, warmth and comfort. I wanted a kitchen that was beautiful yet functional at the same time. That’s when she had the idea of a kitchen with cabinets and counters with wood finishes and Santa Cecilia granite.

Tip # 2 – Use the Internet for Kitchen Bargains

Now that the plans for the materials and the design were set, all I needed was to find a contractor to fix everything. We used the net to purchase the materials we need. With her help, I was able to have a big storage space and stay within my budget. She did all the work and it was very convenient. At the end of the day, we focused on the extra furniture. With an island table in the middle, we focused on the kitchen island lighting. We filled the room with a kind of warm, yellow-orange light.

Buying the appliances was my thing. Browsing the internet for bargains was a cinch. Because the oven, stove and fridge were still operational, I didn’t need to replace them. This helped me a lot in the cash department. Hopefully, this story of mine helps new homeowners out there, who want their kitchens to look just fab.

Friday, May 21, 2010

What Makes Granite Tiles Good Countertops?

There are many people who believe that granite tiles are not as good as the original granite slabs. Unfortunately, this is not true. It may be that prefabricated granite tiles are not as durable as the original stone, but these still exhibit the qualities that the rock has.

If you were to choose between marble, limestone and granite tiles, you’re sure to get the best for your money if you get the third one. Granite is known to be highly durable. Next to diamonds, these are the second hardest stone in the world. Made from natural processes inside a volcano, a granite stone is a type of igneous rock that contains tons of minerals. It will be hard to break, let alone scratch.

Also, its properties suggest that these can withstand great weight as well as high temperatures. This makes it easier to be used in kitchens. Stains are no problem because these granite tiles are easy to clean. You may have to replace its sealant once a year but other than that, it’s fine.

Of course, who can deny the beautiful look that these stones have. Other than using them as countertops, a homeowner can also use these for kitchen island furniture surfaces. Tiles, compared to the slabs are cheaper—that is why a ton people prefer them. Compared to other types of tiles, granite tiles are definitely a homeowner’s ideal interior material.

Friday, May 7, 2010

How To Retain the Beauty of Your Granite Tile Countertops

Have you encountered a time when your granite tile countertops suddenly get a stain? Are you wondering why it doesn’t come off? Don’t worry fellow homeowner! That just means that you have to replace the sealant of your granite.

All granite stones have a sealant. This causes the stone to retain its natural look and is responsible for warding off the stains. However, this sealant is not permanent. You should be aware of how to replace it and when to do so.



Remember: if you want to retain the beauty of your granite countertops, you should take time to replace its sealant. It just take a matter or moments. This will also work for your kitchen island table if you used granite tiles on its surface.

Thursday, May 6, 2010

How Domino’s Pizza Menu Helped Me Escape Kitchen Cleaning Chores

How To Avoid Cooking and Cleaning After Guests Who Visit

If you’re one of those homeowners who hate preparing food for a lot of people because of all the cooking and cleaning you have to do, you can do something about this. I admit that even though I have granite tiles (which are easy to clean) and stainless steel pots and pans, I feel lazy at times. I remember one time when a group of friends came by to see my new home, I felt out of it. I had to improvise with something else.

Thankfully, there’s pizza. In this country pizza is one of those dishes you never get tired of and will save your neck when friends and relatives visit. Why? No one hates pizza. There are only a handful of people who do and most of them haven’t tried it yet—so their preference is still subject to change.

Use Domino’s Pizza Coupons for Discounted Pizza Prices

Thankfully, these pizza restaurants have their own sites. Through the internet I browsed my favorite pizza chain, Domino’s Pizza. Although this place is my favorite, I still haven’t memorized their menu. Though the establishment’s website, I was able to find a Dominos Pizza Menu. Lucky!

Of course, being the cost cutting freak that I am, I needed to make sure that I didn’t need to spend too much on pizza. Thanks to a Domino’s Pizza Coupon, I was able to resolve my problem. When my friends came, I took out a batch of paper plates and I didn’t have to clean anything! It’s very convenient!

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Granite Tile Countertops Price – How Much Does A Granite Tile Cost?

There are many people who ask me why I considered using granite. Most of them tell me that I made a costly choice. They really aren’t aware of the advantages that the material can bring you.
  • Granite is the second hardest stone in the world, next to diamond.
  • Granite is bacteria proof because it has a natural sealant that can prevent formation of dirt and other unwanted substances on its surface.
  • Granite is naturally beautiful.
  • Granite is very low maintenance.
However, I’m not really a fool to use real granite slabs. If you do research, these can cost at least $50 per square foot. Depending on the rarity of its design and color, the price can rise up to a hundred bucks. That’s when it’s not practical. But when you check out prefabricated granite countertops or granite tiles, then it’s another story.

Unless you’re a millionaire, you should try to afford granite slabs. By using tiles, you’ll have the almost the same quality but with a lower price. Usually the granite tile countertops price is between $4 and $10 per square foot. Because these are processed, these might not have the excellent qualities of granite slabs. But really, this is the closest thing you can get to the original natural stone.

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Rare Granite Countertop Colors

Besides using the usual black, white and brown based granite countertop colors, there are other hues, which will definitely give a home more life. Unfortunately, these other colors are considered as the rare ones of the bunch. With their rarity, they are often more expensive than others. Because of this, not many people are able to use the full potential of granite. Included in the rare ones are the Blue, Red and Green granite slabs. Usually people who use these, either have a contractor who can give them discounts or are just plain rich.





If you wish to stand out from the rest of the crowd, you can always use these colors. However, in order not to spend so much on kitchen granite countertops, you can always use a substitute. You can use granite tiles, which are much lighter on the wallet.