5 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE RENOVATING YOUR KITCHEN

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The kitchen is the heart of any home but it can also be the messiest. You don't need a degree to keep your kitchen organized – you just need a bit of time and these five tips.

The kitchen is typically the heart of the home, so you want it to be just right. Sometimes, that involves a little paint and new appliances, but it could also turn into a full-scale renovation, complete with an architect, contractor, new plumbing, and custom cabinetry. Contemplating your very own kitchen revamp? Here’s what you need to know before you start:

1. Figure Out a Budget and Timeframe

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First things first—figure out how much you’re willing to spend on this project and factor in a bit of wiggle room in case of emergencies. Then, do your research about how much different kitchen projects cost. Be realistic about what you’re able to tackle during this renovation. It’s also smart to bring in an expert to give you an estimated time frame, but know that it can take twice as long as that to get done.

2. Get The Right Permits

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Depending on the level of renovation, some cities require special permits for a kitchen overhaul, so it’s important to find out exactly what you need before you start. This will also come in handy if you sell your place. Buyers will want to make sure that the whole house is up to code.

3. Ensure You Have Enough Storage

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What’s the point of completely gutting your kitchen if you don’t have enough space to stash your spices and collection of embroidered tea towels when it’s finished? Map out a place for everything in your new design plans.

4. Check Out The Plumbing & Venting Requirements

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Moving plumbing can be an expensive proposition, so talk with your contractor about what it will really take to get that special pot-filling faucet over your stove. Also, depending on your windows, you’ll probably want a hood vent to get rid of cooking smells. Talk to your contractor about where that will snake through, too.

5. Make Sure It’s Functional

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In your new kitchen plans, will your drawers bump into the dishwasher when they’re open? Does your microwave get in the way of your storage? Think through all of the possible scenarios before you sign off on a design—it will save you so many headaches later.

There! Now you’re ready to start your kitchen demolition — shake that sledgehammer, and good luck!

TIPS TO CHOOSING THE RIGHT RUG SIZE

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Buying a rug is like buying a dress for your grandma  –  it can be kinda overwhelming, there are a lot of factors to consider, and if you buy one that is too small she just might wear it out of obligation and then you’ll have to live with yourself as the weird guy that bought their grandma a tube dress, that she wore to your cousin’s baptism.

How to choose the right rug size for your space is difficult, especially when rugs are notoriously kinda expensive and therefore intimidating. In general people buy rugs that are too small because 5×7 and 6x9s are so much cheaper than 8x10s or 9x12s, but its often going to make the whole space look chopped up and accidental so in a way you’ve just wasted that money. Tough love, folks.

Here are some tips that you can follow to help you decide:

1. Measure the size of your SEATING AREA before shopping and get the closest size up from that. If your budget is tight and your room is small you can have a smaller rug that floats in front of all the furniture – this is especially ok if your sofa is backed up against the wall – you don’t need to waste the rug real estate under the sofa if you can’t even see that its there. But if your furniture is floating or if your room is big, get a larger rug or else it will make the room look smaller, chopped up and totally out of proportion. One of the main functions of a rug is to pull the room together, not chop it up.

Here it looks fine to have them floating because its a smaller room, sofa against the wall. (Scott’s house, shot by me).

But here, in my house its way too small because the room is a lot bigger and the furniture is floating:

2. Orient the rug to the room – If you have a long rug, orient it length – wise. If you have more of a chubby fat room, orient it horizontally.  This is not always the case so its a very nuanced situation. Often if you have a really long and skinny room then you might have two different seating areas and two rugs that are oriented with those seating areas, but the rugs need to cover up a certain amount of real estate on the floor in proportion to the room, so if you are orienting the rug to your sofa, not your room then often you are cutting off huge portions of the room and again, making it look smaller.  So when in doubt, go with the orientation of the room.

3. Legs on or off? This is a question i get ALL the time and my best tip is BE CONSISTENT. If you don’t have a massive rug that fits all your furniture (because yes, that is ideal) then make sure that you are at least consistent with how you handle the legs; if your sofa legs are off, have the chair legs off the rug  as well. If your sofa is all on, then you can’t have the chairs all off or it will really chop up the conversation area.  So I say, ALL ON, or ALL OFF or if its slightly too small to be all on, then try to have them all pretty evenly on the rug. Is that confusing? Just be consistent so it looks as intentional as possible.

I have seen it where the sofa is all on and the rugs are 1/2 and vice versa and it can look fine, but ideally all the legs would be on the rug.  If you have to choose which legs should be on, then choose the ones that are the least obvious. AKA, if your sofa is low and closer to the wall then you are less likely to see under it and reveal the fact that its not fully on the rug.  See, i told you… nuanced.

4. Square rugs are for square rooms.  That is all.  Round rugs are for foyers/entries or kids room/family rooms that are more playful (or round shaped rooms in case you live in a Yurt).

5. If you have a rug that is too small but you love it, then buy a large sisal that fits the whole seating area and layer your favorite rug on top – I do this ALL THE TIME. Sisal, jutes, seagrass rugs are cheapish so buying a 9×12 is more doable than a 9×12 antique kilim.

6.  Make sure that your rug is has at least 6-10″ on either side of the sofa. This is crucial. If the width of the rug is the same as the width of the sofa then you are in trouble – it will look too small and create a bowling alley effect.

And now a video to demonstrate some of these tips, for your viewing pleasure.

Don’t forget to subscribe to my youtube channel by clicking HERE. NOTHING really happens except when you log on to youtube. No nagging, just a ‘hey, wanna watch a new video about how to styled Bearcat’s hair?’ ‘n such….

As you can see I went with a hearty sized 9×12 Souk rug from West Elm that fits all the rules perfectly, made the room feel so much bigger (because its light and bright) and of course added a ton of texture, warmth and depth.

Alright, any other rug questions? There’s a lot to talk about here and a lot of info out there, so ask away and i’ll get to all of your questions.

5 Tips On Choosing Clothes For A Baby

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Buying clothes for oneself can be hard, but buying them for another person is sometimes more difficult for most people. What we noticed though, is that it’s really difficult to buy clothes for other people. For adults it is harder because taste is so subjective, but it’s easier because you can ask, and for children and babies it’s easier because they won’t comment, but it’s hard because you might not know what to buy for the same reason, you’re not getting any feedback (until a certain age).

Any baby will likely spend their first few months in comfy romper suits, super soft baby grows and cute little vests. While you may want to dress your new born baby in the most adorable of outfits, it is always a good idea to have a few practical outfits ready at hand – that way you can easily change baby when those favorite outfits are in the wash.

At many times, people who raise babies learn  what to look for after a “trial and error” process, so our tips today will make you have more ‘trials’ and less errors.  Also, many people, both men and women often find themselves in the situation where they need to buy baby clothes as a gift (because what can you get a baby?) and have no idea what to get and what to look for.

To help pick the best baby clothes for your little one, here are a few tips on what to look out for when choosing baby clothes.

Look out for Lightweight MaterialsSoft cotton vests and romper suits are ideal for filling your baby’s wardrobe with. The lightweight materials ensure that you can easily dress baby for the changing seasons – adding extra layers such as a cardigan when it is cold or simply letting baby roam around in one layer during the warmer months. Lightweight materials are also preferable as they can be easily packed away into your changing bag for when you and baby are on the go.

Choose Accessible Clothing
Baby grows and romper suits are some of the most popular types of baby girls designer clothing that you can buy, and the reason for this is that they offer easy access for changing baby’s nappy. When buying your baby clothing, go for clothes that offer handy press studs that can be opened and closed quickly and easily when dressing and undressing baby for nappy changes.

Keep it Comfy
You will soon hear about it if your baby isn’t comfortable in their baby clothes. Choosing stretchy clothing that allows for plenty of movement as well as soft materials will easily keep your baby comfy and happy.

Are the Clothes Easy to Wash?Babies need changing regularly, so it comes to no surprise that your washing machine will always be on the go. When choosing baby clothes opt for easy to wash materials over hand wash only garments – this will save you time and effort when getting the next batch of clothing ready for your little one.

When buying from sales, also buy bigger clothesIf you want to take advantage of baby clothes sales, buy clothes that will not only be good this season, but that will come in handy a few months later, when your baby is bigger. Small children don’t need tons of clothes, but they do need them to be appropriate for season and their size.

What are your tips for choosing baby clothes?

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