Let’s face it – family friendly homes are meant to be lived in! But just because you have an active family does not mean you need to throw in the towel when it comes to home design.  Instead, strive for a comfortable and attractive space able to hold up to your family and all the loving fun your brood can dish out!  The best place to start?  Choose family friendly foundations:

Walls: Walls often see the brunt of family beatings.  Whether its sports gear being tossed against the baseboards or white walls serving as your young artist’s newest palette, walls have to stand up to a lot!  Above all, opt for wipeable paint such as eggshell, satin, or semigloss.  Another great option – designate an art acceptable zone by painting one wall with chalkboard paint.  Just be sure to install a frame around your application to ensure the designations are clear!

Furniture: Opt for heavy furniture fabric – the better to protect your seating.  Safe, stain-friendly bets include vinyl, leather, or ultrasuede.  Still, invest in a stain-resistant finish for your all custom ordered pieces and take the time to scotchguard those that come right from your local big box store.  When possible, invest in a slip cover or cushion covers that can be removed, washed, and replaced as need.

Also, invest in the best quality furniture pieces that you can afford.  While your instinct might be to purchase cheap items that can be easily broken, disposed of and replaced, a high quality couch or chair should be able to withstand some beatings and carry your family through more easily than lightweight disposables.

Flooring: Choose floors that can be easily wiped clean with a damp mop.  Family friendly choices include tile, wood, laminate, or linoleum.  If you are looking for a carpeted option – perhaps for a new crawler – opt for an area rug as opposed to wall to wall carpet.  Not only can it be more easily replaced, it can also be sent to the cleaners for a quick fix.  Choose one with easy to clean low pile for simple maintenance.

In Minnesota, sometimes referred to as the land of two seasons – winter and road repair, that slim window in between known as summer is all the more precious.  Don’t waste your summer working in the backyard.  Instead, enjoy the season to its fullest while still making the most of your backyard with these simple fix-ups you can start on now, before summer is in full swing.

Stain The Fence: Spring is the perfect time to stain your fence in anticipation of the summer season.  Sunlight can degrade the lignin that bonds woods fibers, allowing water to penetrate and causing your fence surface to gray.  To avoid discoloration, stain your fence with a semitransparent stain fortified with UV blockers.

Create An Inviting Space: Invite family and friends alike to linger in your backyard for lazy afternoons or long conversations by creating a welcoming environment.  Create mood lighting by utilizing candle lanterns hung on shepard’s hooks, placed on railings, or hung from decking.  Not only do they require no wiring – they are also easy to move when the party heads in a different direction.  Also invest in seating.  Whether you choose to install an inviting swing or an intimate bistro table, seating encourages guests to stay a bit longer.

Go Green: Plants can bring your backyard from a bare terrain to a green oasis.  Lacking a green thumb?  Invest in pre-planted container plants or hanging baskets.  For maximum impact, select baskets that include lush and trailing plants.

Sound Selections: Transform a birdbath, a pot, or jug into a bubbling fountain.  Simply install a water pump inside your chosen vessel, plug it in and place a basin (to catch the water and recirculate) and listen to the soothing sounds of summer.

Storage Solutions: Just like indoors, storage can pose a problem outdoors as well.  Need a neat place to put your gardening tools or sandbox toys?  Install a custom-built outdoor cabinet under the deck or alongside the patio to create a simple storage solution.

How do you decorate when your child’s taste seems to change with the wind? While we unfortunately can’t help you get them to give up their love of Dora the Explorer, we do have some tips on creating a bedroom that will age with your child!

Avoid Themes: While your child might love Thomas the Tank right now, he might not be quite as enthusiastic of a fan in a few years. Instead of decorating with a specific character in mind, choose a few colors, textures, or prints from the desired trend to convey your child’s passions in a less permanent way. For example, instead of a themed wall mural, bold stripes in a primary color could provide the perfect background for themed prints and bedding, yet still be neutral enough to carry over into a teen’s room with different accessories and styling. When choosing paint for a child’s room, we recommend a washable finish – like a pearl or eggshell – that will hold up to any necessary wipe-downs but won’t show flaws like semi-gloss or high-gloss finishes will.

Invest In Items That Will Survive The Test Of Time: If chosen wisely, your child’s furniture can carry them through several room transformations. Invest in pieces that can age with your child. We recommend multifunctional furniture – cribs that convert into toddler beds or changing tables that evolve into dressers. Bookcases and storage units are also timeless features that can be used in the rooms of children young and old. If your child simply must have something themed on a large-scale, check out this furniture line from Nickelodeon Rooms. Featuring beds, dressers, mirrors, and desks, all the furniture in this line comes with interchangeable panels that can age with your child. Options range from fun characters and funky patterns to plain white.

Avoid Permanent Features: Another great way to play to your child’s interests while still avoiding permanently altering your space, is with the use of removable wall art. Easily taken on and off as your child’s taste change, vinyl decals are available in variety of styles.

Choose Easy To Alter Add-Ons: One thing that will surely change over the years is your child’s style. Take your kid’s bedroom easily from toddler to teen with easy add-ons. For example, festive and kid -friendly drawer pulls can easily doll up a young child’s space. These same drawer pulls can just as easily be replaced with modern, more stylish alternatives when your child is ready for an upgrade. Create the perfect drawing area for you little one today by painting a square of chalkboard or dry erase paint on the wall and framing it in a bright, bold frame (all the better to keep the crafting to the designated area!). That same creation station can easily be converted into your  teen’s to-do list or football practice calendar area with a different, more grown-up frame.

We build our homes to live in and enjoy with our families – every member of our families, including the four-legged ones.  In recognition of this, more and more homeowners are designing their spaces with their pets in mind.  In fact, a whopping 24% of Americans have invested in pet remodeling.  If you consider your pet part of the family tree, you may want to consider one of these tips for remodeling with your pet in mind.

Landscaping: Pets can wreak havoc on our lawns.  To make your landscaping more pet-friendly, line areas that you would like to keep pets out of – flower beds, gardens, etc. – with decorative trim or wood.  Also consider the materials being used in your yard.  For example, soft paws will prefer smooth flagstones and mulch as opposed to gravel or rocks.  Finally, if your yard is bare of shade, be sure to plant a large tree to provide a reprieve from the sun, when your pet is outdoors playing.

Flooring: Homeowners shouldn’t have to choose between a well maintained home and pet ownership.  However, they do need to choose flooring that holds up well to their animals.  While “hard flooring” such as laminate, wood, or tile will fare better than carpet, some of these harder materials can be prone to scratching.  Bamboo – the hardest of all the wood floors – fares great in high traffic situations as does stone, porcelain or ceramic tile.  If you do decide to go with hardwood or laminate floors, apply a few coats of industrial-strength polyurethane wood floor finish. Also, apply a protective wax to the floor. These products will help to make the floor scratch-resistant.  Color is also key – solid flooring colors will easily display any hair and dirt that your pet tracks in.  Choose flooring with a subtle pattern or mottled effect to best cover tracking.

Spare Your Bathroom: Nothing dirties the family washroom faster than a muddy dog or stinky cat in need of a bath.  To take these troubles out of the family’s space, consider using the plumbing in your laundry room to install a walk-in pet shower.  Not only are pet showers less intimidating to your animals, they’ll also save your back as your dog or cat will not need to be lifted in and out of the tub.

Custom Cabinetry: Whether you want to showcase your favorite furry friend or hide some of their day-to-day supplies, custom cabinets can be used for either option.  House a litter box out of the way in a cabinet with an open interior and easy floor entrance.  Modify a standard kitchen base cabinet to house a dog bed.  Install a shallow floor level drawer that pulls out like a tray, complete with feed bowls for an easy feeding solution.  Simply close the drawer when your dog is done with dinner for a tucked away finish!

In our last post we revealed one of our favorite products – Cambria Countertops!  This week we wanted to explain exactly what you need to do to get your own Cambria Countertop installed.

Find A Location: While we like big box hardware stores like Home Depot and Lowe’s as much as the next person, you won’t find Cambria products at those retailers.  The Cambria company prides itself on establishing long-lasting relationships with a limited group of retail partners.  Our personal favorite such retailer is The Cabinet Store located in Apple Valley.  We love working with The Cabinet Store and our clients to create custom solutions.

Choose Your Aesthetic: Cambria countertops are available in more than 100 designs.  Color options range from calm neutrals to bright modern styles, creating enough variety for any aesthetic.

In addition to your color choice, you will also need to choose an edge profile.  As with other countertop materials, a choice of square, bull-nose or ogee edges are available (plus many more).  However, keep in mind that an ogee edge will be slightly more prone to chipping than the alternatives.

Get Your Estimate: To order your countertop, you will need the dimensions of your cabinet layout, information regarding backsplash requirements, edge profile selections, and the location and dimension of your sink and stove. Which of course we can help you with!

If there is any additional questions that you have about Cambria either give us a call here at Shaeffer Contracting or feel free to visit Cambria’s excellent Common Questions webpage.

Are you ready to purchase the perfect countertop for you?  Give us a call, and we will help you get started!

As of March 20, spring has officially sprung!  With the advent of a new season comes a new home maintenance checklist.  Follow these simple steps to make sure that your home is as ready for the season change as you are!

Check Your Sump Pump: Spring is the season of rainfall and, as such, spring can also be the season of water damage if your home is not properly prepared.  To ward off water-related disasters, check to make sure that your sump pump is working correctly and consider installing a battery-operated backup pump that will kick into gear if the electricity goes out.

Give Your Exterior Some TLC: In the winter your home’s exterior takes a beating.  Inspect your sidewalk and driveway for cracks and crevices and make any necessary repairs.  Spring is also a great time of year to seal your driveway.

Inspect Your Deck and Patio: Power wash your deck and patio.  Inspect your deck for rotting wood or loose railings and make repairs as necessary.  Also check for discolorations and warping – both signs of water damage.  To verify that your sealant is working, pour water onto your dry deck and check to see if it beads.  If you have not done so in the past year, consider re-sealing your deck to help prevent against future damage.  Don’t yet have a deck or patio?  Spring is the perfect time of year to undertake an exterior home addition!

Gutters: Check your gutters for leaves or other debris that may have accumulated in your gutter throughout the fall and winter and clean accordingly.  Reposition gutter downspouts and add extensions as necessary in order to carry water at least 3 to 4 feet away from your home’s foundation.

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In this, the last of our storage series installments, we are going to be talking about solutions in the bedroom.  Organization in our bedrooms is key as research shows that we sleep better in clean, well put together rooms!  Get your sleeping space into gear with these easy ideas:

• Headboard Storage Space:  Take advantage of any and all nooks and crannies afforded within your room.  The headboard is an often overlooked storage opportunity.  For a truly unique statement piece, consider having a customized built-in bookcase headboard installed to house lamps, books, knick-knacks, or photos.

• Under Bed Stowaways: Utilize the space under your bed by packing it with storage bins filled with off-season clothing, extra linens, or other seldom needed items.  Use clear containers to keep items visible for future reference and attach casters or drawer pulls to make for easy access.

• Expand Your Closet:  If you lack the proper storage space, it is hard to stay organized no matter how hard you try!  Bedroom storage centers on the closet.  If yours is simply too small for your needs, consider expanding your closet with a bedroom renovation.

• A Place For Every Item: The key to organization (regardless of the room being organized) is to have a home for each and every wayward item, making cleanup and storage a breeze.  Consider those things that are most often found strewn about your room and designate a specific place for them.  For example, if your throw pillows can more often be found on your bedroom floor than the on the bed itself, place a large wicker basket in your room as a catchall for wayward bedding.  If your necklaces routinely end up tangled in a heap on your nightstand, place a few hooks just inside your closet door for an easy place to drop jewelry at the end of the day.

With this installment we are wrapping up our storage series, but stay tuned for more home improvement tips and renovation ideas in the weeks to come!  In the meantime, check-out our solutions regarding bathrooms, basements, and kitchens.

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In the past few weeks we have discussed storage solutions for both your kitchen and your bathroom.  Today we are heading downstairs to create storage solutions in the basement!  Too often our basements become dumping grounds for the clutter that we don’t want to deal with.  However, the key to tackling this versatile space is to ensure that everything in your basement has a proper place!  Start with these storage ideas:

• Nooks, Crannies, and Closets: Take advantage of underutilized basement closets by assigning specific storage items to each unused space.  Install simple shelving units in unused closets to hold and organize items, while taking advantage of your closet’s vertical space in addition to its horizontal space.  You can turn the unused closet in your home into the perfect secondary pantry; or the extra space in your spare bedroom could be the perfect place to store off-season clothes.

• Custom Cabinetry: Still short on storage?  Turn your boring basement into a custom storage unit with cabinets specifically designed for your room’s space specifications.

• Install An Island:  Islands aren’t just for the kitchen anymore!  Install an island in your basement for added in-unit storage as well as an additional workspace.  Islands can also have the added benefit of visually dividing a room and making clearer distinctions between spaces of purpose.

• Keep It Convenient: Make ongoing organization easy by designating specific bins for frequently used items.  Assign one (clearly labeled!) tub to your daughter’s outdoor play equipment, another to your son’s hockey gear, and a third to your spouse’s fishing tackle to make returning items to their proper place easier for all members of the family!

Next week we will be wrapping up our storage series, so check back for another week of home organization tips and tricks!

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In a continuation of the storage series we started two weeks ago, today we are going to tackle clutter in another room of your house!  We last talked about kitchen storage solutions.  This week, we are going to be taking our organizational skills into the bathroom.

• Add Storage: Many bathrooms lack a closet or other ample storage space making organization difficult.  If this is the case in your bathroom, place a repurposed cabinet, dresser or small armoire in your space to keep extra towels, linens or other supplies on hand.  Or, for the ultimate storage solution, contract a professional to install custom made cabinets perfect for any nook or cranny that you have available.

• Clear Your Counter Space: In a room as functional as the bathroom, some countertop clutter is inevitable.  However, this doesn’t necessarily have to equate into messiness.  Cotton swabs, q-tips or other bulk grooming items can look in-place on countertops when stored in pretty glass jars or other decorative containers.

• Shower Shelves:  Nothing is worse than trying to start your day with a warm shower only to be greeted by cluttered shelves along the rim of your tub.  Take your shower from a storage space to the sanctuary that it should be with in-shower shelving.

• Manage With Magnets: Mount a magnetic strip above your bathroom sink.  Store toothbrushes, razors, and other daily use items on the strip by mounting small magnets to each tool before hanging them.  A tiny screw or metal washer placed on the back of your toothbrush will work as well if you don’t have an adhesive magnet handy!

• Cabinet Cleaning: Make the most of under sink storage by keeping this space clean and useable.  Laying down squares of self-adhesive tile will not only brighten up an otherwise dull cubby; it will also create an easy, wipe-clean palette for future spills.

Next week we will be tackling the darkest of home organization dungeons – the basement!  Stop by next week for our basement solutions.

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This week we are going to kick off a month of posts on storage solutions!  Are you looking to cure cabin fever?  Start by clearing out your counters, corners, and crannies to give your home some more breathing room!  We’ve had kitchens on the brain lately with last week’s post on our recent kitchen project and the post the week previous on kitchen remodeling.  So what better place to start looking for storage solutions than in a favorite room of the house – the kitchen!

Everything In Its Place: One of the number one rules of home storage is to ensure that everything has a place and every item has a home.  With that in mind, make sure random items that typically get dropped on the counter or stuffed in a drawer have a specific place to be returned to.  For example, aprons can be hung on easily installed (and removable) Command Hooks or kitchen pegs.

Clear Your Counter Space: Counter space is always premium in kitchen.  Make good use of yours by only storing items that are used daily on your counter.  Small appliances that are rarely used can take up residency in a kitchen cabinet, pantry, or appliance garage.  Keep knives and other regularly-used utensils off of the counter by installing a magnetic strip on the wall above the stove to mount these regularly-used tools on.

Custom Cabinets: Do you need additional storage space?  Consider replacing your kitchen kickboard with custom made cabinets perfect for baking sheets or other flat objects.  Make your existing cabinet space work for you.  Arrange your cabinets by frequency of use, with everyday kitchenware on easy-to-reach lower shelves and rarely used pieces placed up above.  Install a Lazy Susan to help maximize space and ensure easy access to all cabinet contents.  A Lazy Susan is also great for containing any spills or drips from messy items or liquids.

Do you need some help beginning your kitchen reorganization?  Contact us for more information on how we can help you make your dream kitchen a reality!

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