The Home Design Blog

Welcome to the Blog page, a "mini-blog" of sorts that provides you with updates on this site as well as information about what's new and interesting in the world of home products. I might even throw in a personal perspective on some of these products from time to time.

If you'd like an easy way to stay tuned-in to the ever-changing world of home products, just subscribe to this blog using the orange RSS button located under the navbar on the lower left of this page. Click the button and then paste the URL into your RSS reader.

If this sounds a bit too technical and you're not sure what an RSS feed is, just click here to find out more about it. It's pretty quick and easy and it's a convenient way to bring the Web to you (rather than having to chase down the information you want).

Thanks for visiting.

Robert Levesque
Publisher/Editor

Radon In Granite Countertops - Understanding It and What You Can Do

There's no doubt that granite countertops have become much more popular and mainstream in the last decade. What was once limited to higher end custom homes is now more affordable and available, made possible by better technologies in the extraction and processing of the stone.

Along with that popularity however have come charges that granite countertops emit radon gas, a harmful gas that results from the decay of naturally occurring radioactive elements in the stone.

A recent article in the New York Times added new energy to the issue prompting questions from people who already have granite in their home to prospective buyers looking at upgrading their kitchen.

So just what are the facts behind the issue and what can you do to get more informed?

Decorative Bathroom Wall Mirrors On The Cheap

Do you have a bathroom with one of those large mirrors mounted on the wall? You know, the kind that's held in place with those small silver clips? Well, my bathroom does. It's a nice mirror, giving the bathroom a larger feel while at the same time being low and wide enough to provide a reflective distraction for my 3 young sons as they make funny faces instead of brushing their teeth.

Admittedly however, it doesn't do much for the bathroom's overall decor. It sort of just blends into the wall.

If that scenario sounds familiar to you and you're looking to add some style and refinement to your bathroom, think about framing your mirror. There are some products out there that can turn your existing bathroom mirror into something a bit grander. They're easy to install, and better yet, not too expensive.

Five Options For A Green Kitchen

Getting involved in the green movement is as easy as making a few choices when it comes to upgrading your home. More and more products are becoming available that have some sort of eco-friendly aspect, giving us more opportunities to go green.

If you're thinking of remodeling your kitchen and want to incorporate some green decisions, here are five areas where you can make it happen.

Kids Carpets - Carpeting With Imagination

Having three young boys has shown me how imaginative and uninhibited a child's world is. All three of my kids love to draw and over the years their sketches have been filled with bright colors. When it came time to paint their bedrooms we got rid of the bland beige and covered the walls in bold colors.

One large surface area we neglected however was the floor. We went with.... you guessed it...beige carpet. What I didn't know at the time was that there's a whole host of kids carpets and rugs out there. They have color, style and imagination, just right for kids. Want to liven up your child's room? Click the permalink to read the article.

Lyptus Cabinets - Another Eco-Friendly Cabinet Choice

When it comes to choosing the type of wood for your cabinets, there's no shortage of options. Oak, maple and hickory have been the standard bearers of hardwood cabinetry since the beginning of time.

But what if you're looking for something a little different -- something a bit more exotic? And what if you could have it knowing that you weren't harming the planet? Click the permalink to read the article.

Choosing Cabinets Using Merillat's Website Tools

Choosing kitchen cabinets isn't something you do every day and the process can be a bit intimidating. Some of the cabinet manufacturers understand this and offer features on their website to help make the process easier.

Merillat Cabinets is one of them and provides some tools and other features to help you define your style and make the process of choosing cabinets a bit easier. How do these online features fare? Click the permalink to read the article.

Laminate Flooring by Abet Laminati

Among the many producers of laminate flooring, Abet Laminati stands out as one that tries to take a different approach with their products. Their laminate lineup naturally includes the wood-look products that we're all familiar with. But they also look to the design community for new and innovative approaches for laminate flooring. Their experience with making laminates for the commercial market also gives them an understanding of what it takes to make a durable floor for the residential market too.

Click on the permalink to read the article.

Kitchen Cabinet Organizing Solutions from HomeCrest Cabinetry

Cabinet organizers are getting noticed by the major cabinet manufacturers. More of them are adding organizational features to their lineup of options that you can choose from when buying new cabinets.

HomeCrest Cabinetry's offering is their Complements storage solutions line. See the new article about HomeCrest's organizers by clicking on the permalink.

Fixing an "Oops" And Getting You To The Right Information

This is just a quick fix for a blunder I made with the previous blog post. It originally pointed to the wrong article but now that's all fixed. You can check out the article on Mr. Bamboo cabinets by clicking on the permalink below or under the previous post.

My apologies for leading anyone astray.

'Mr. Bamboo' Cabinets Spotlight Article

There's a new article in the "Articles" section about Mr. Bamboo cabinetry. Not surprisingly, Mr. Bamboo makes bamboo cabinets and vanities and offers them in the RTA or Ready-To-Assemble format. You can read more about Mr. Bamboo's products by clicking on the permalink.

Bamboo Cabinets Offer A Green Choice For Cabinetry

There's no denying the wave (or tsunami as it sometimes seems to me) of information regarding the green movement we're experiencing lately. It seems no matter where you turn there's something or someone that's "going green". Case in point, the new 24-hour eco-lifestyle television network called "Planet Green", a Discovery Channel network.

Well, call me a lemming as I follow the wave and roll out a page on bamboo cabinets. Bamboo is often associated with flooring but it's also a viable material for cabinets too. It's a quickly renewable and sustainable resource which puts it in the green category and also offers an interesting and diverse cabinetry choice. Click on the permalink to read more.

New Article - Custom Cabinet Organizers from Shelf Conversions

Arguably the largest expense associated with a new kitchen is new cabinetry. But the cabinet boxes are only part of the equation. What makes nice cabinets really great are terrific organizational features.

I currently live with my home's original cabinetry, which must have been designed by cave dwellers. Some of those cabinet boxes are just too large and deep.

There's one cabinet in particular that sits above my oven that's about 3 feet deep. Sure I can store a lot of stuff in there but getting to that stuff is a chore. If I was smart, I'd install a slide-out shelf so I could easily get to the items that get lost back there. (So since I haven't done that yet that must mean....).

I may be too dumb (or lazy) to install one of these organizational gadgets myself but I'm smart enough to tell you about a nifty system that can help make cabinets much more efficient.

Click the permalink below to check out the new article on custom made cabinet organizers by Shelf Conversions. They work with new or existing cabinets.

Glass Countertops - A Style Choice to Set Your Kitchen Apart

I'll bet one type of countertop you haven't really given much thought to is a glass countertop. Sure, it just may not be your style. But I thought the same thing. Until I really took a look at what's available. They can really offer some sizzle and flair that's just not available with the more common countertop materials.

What I find fascinating about them is their close relationship to the art world, similar in a way to concrete countertops. If you've ever been to the studio of a glass artisan, you'll understand that glass can be formed and colored in endless ways. In much the same way, glass countertops can be fashioned with the same level of artistry for a truly special countertop.

On the other hand, they can also be made with less flair for a simple but modern look.

Yes, they can be expensive, but what they offer is a level of distinction that can definitely set your kitchen apart from the Joneses. Are they right for you? Check out the new page on Glass Countertops by clicking on the permalink below. Once you're there, you can also hop over to the new Glass Countertops Sources page to find out where to get them and visit their websites to take a closer look at what they have to offer.

Wood Countertops Page Updated and New Sources Added

The Wood Countertops page has been updated to refresh the information there. I've also added a new Wood Countertop Sources page, with new entries and fabricators to help you in your search for the right wood countertop.

Click on the permalink below to get to the Wood Countertops page and from there you can link to the new "Sources" page (look for the link "Where To Get Them"). Or if you want to go right to the Wood Countertop Sources page, just click here.

Outdoor Kitchen Cabinets - Handy Storage For Your Outdoor Kitchen

You see a lot of information in home magazines and remodeling articles dealing with kitchen cabinets. What you don't hear a lot about however is that there are also outdoor kitchen cabinets.

Yes, the Hibachi is slowly being replaced and outdoor kitchens are increasing in popularity. But as the outdoor kitchen grows, where do you store your 'outdoor' pots and pans? Regular 'indoor' cabinets won't take the punishment of sun, wind and rain. What's a burgeoning outdoor chef to do?

Click on the link to find out what there is to know about outdoor kitchen cabinets.

Shop At Home For Carpet And Flooring

Shopping for new flooring, whether it's carpeting or hardwood, isn't the most convenient process. Driving around to various showrooms to browse and pick up samples, only to have to return them again, can be aggravating. However, shop-at-home flooring services can make the process easier.

Harmonics Laminate Flooring

I'm a member of the Costco warehouse club primarily so I can buy sufficient volumes of food stuffs to feed 3 growing sons. While in my local warehouse the other day I came across a display of Harmonics laminate flooring products. Harmonics is Costco's brand of laminate flooring.

From a distance the product looked good, and surprisingly, as I moved closer, it still looked quite convincing. So, I decided to check it out more thoroughly.

Carpet Cleaning Tips For Dummies

I'm sure most of you have seen or heard of the "Dummies" series of books. They're a clever means of distributing "how to" information for those of us who most likely know nothing about a particular subject that we either need or want to know more about.

The Carpet And Rug Institute is the trade organization that represents the carpet manufacturers and their suppliers. They've recently come out with a new booklet called Carpet Cleaning Tips For Dummies. Categorizing myself as one of those 'types', I went ahead and purchased the book to see what it had to offer.

Check it out with me by clicking on the permalink below.

Buying Bathroom Vanities Online

If you thought you were limited to buying your next bathroom vanity at one of the big-box home centers, guess again. There's a plethora of choices available online. You just need to make sure you're up to speed on the ins and outs of buying online.

New Concrete Countertop Source

There's a new source for concrete countertops listed on the concrete countertops page. The Slab-Lab Concrete Studio is a small shop located near Boston Massachusetts. Currently they only serve eastern Massachusetts and the surrounding area but if you're in that locale and are looking for a unique countertop surface, they're worth looking into.

Keep in mind that a concrete countertop can incorporate inlaid designs and items of interest like seashells or whatever decorative items you can conjure up. Examples of what the Slab-Lab Concrete Studio can do are shown on the concrete c'tops page. Just click on the link below. (Now I wonder if I could get them to incorporate a Red Sox logo.......).