Custom Interior Molding & Architectural Trimwork

(ARA) – A fireplace is a focal point in a home. Not only is it a visually appealing central gathering place, but it provides a backdrop for cherished memories. From family portraits to opening presents during the holidays, there is an emotional connection to fireplaces. If you are contemplating adding a fireplace to your home, there’s no need to feel overwhelmed by the process.

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By Anna Woodward

We all wish to have our dream home, but what we may not realize is that a dream home can be made with small changes in the details of our houses.

The very first step to creating an impression and making your dream home just the perfect place to seek solace starts with the front door.

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(ARA) - Getting a new kitchen may seem like heaven, but if you commit some common kitchen-planning sins, you may spend your remodeling project in you-know-where.

Kitchen designers may be trained to help customers avoid mistakes, but they all have war stories of being brought into projects only after big problems arise. What are the kitchen-planning gaffes they see most often?

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By TC Thorn

There is always a great need for more space no matter where you are looking in your home. From clothes, to shoes, to photographs and even collectibles there are plenty of items around the home that need more space as time goes on. Most people can’t afford to take on huge home improvement projects that double the square footage of their homes. Fortunately, you don’t need to do that in order to find more storage space.

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By Vera Sang

Granite bathroom counter tops continue to grow in popularity because they seem to pamper the senses. With dramatic veining, rich textures and colors choices that seem to literally cover the spectrum granite lends a elegant air to a powder room, bathroom or any room in the house. What is really astonishing is that its popularity is expanding even as more and more synthetic alternatives are becoming available. It is the rich appearance plus the durability of natural stone that continues to make granite the the homeowners material of choice for a bathroom and vanity countertops.

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By Mark Justice

One of the largest home improvement projects that many home owners will take on is that if redoing their kitchen. Why is it so costly to do this project? There are a number of reasons and they all start with the expense of labor. Hiring someone to come in and handle this project is a large cost factor. Yet, it may be necessary unless you have done this type of work before. In most cases, the cost of labor is well worth the investment, assuming that you know who you are working with and do your homework.

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(ARA) - When you think of a “contemporary” kitchen, what enters your mind? A sleek and contrasty Euro-style loft kitchen? A soothingly balanced Asian-inspired kitchen? What about a ‘50s throwback kitchen with colorful appliances, pastel walls and a starburst clock?

According to kitchen industry experts, all these kitchens could be called “contemporary” because of a 21st century desire to blend clean modern lines with a whole new world of influences.

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By Christopher Brown

Many people have a dream to include a home office in their home. But making it work takes some forethought. What will you be using your home office for? Do you plan to work full time out of it or do you just want a place to relax when you check your e-mail and surf the Internet?

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(ARA) - Relaxing comfortably in front of the fireplace is a time-honored way to spend a crisp autumn evening or a blustery winter day at home with the family. But that idyllic setting may not be realistic for those in condos, apartments or rooms within the home not accessible to chimney systems – until now.

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By Dan Fritschen

The appearance of the fireplace, often the focal point of a home, is important in many homes. Remodeling and updating a fireplace and mantel can make a room look and feel completely different. Compared to some other remodeling projects, a fireplace remodel is relatively inexpensive. Depending upon the choices you make about style, materials, installation and size, a fireplace remodel can cost as little as $150 for a simple pre-fabricated mantel and a change of color for the fireplace or as much as $3,000-4,000 for a more elaborate change in its appearance.

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