The Walk-In Shower: Practical and Luxurious

For many homeowners, the appeal of a bathroom remodeling project is the opportunity to streamline the bathroom design. A streamlined design might include unobstructed floor space, mirrors and shelves built into the wall, or wall-hung fixtures, like the toilet or vanity. One frequent request we see at MKBD is a walk-in shower.

A walk-in shower  can replace both the traditional bath and shower units with a slim, attractive fixture that is, at once, more accessible and easy-to-clean. To many of our clients, this is the essence of streamlining. Indeed, the walk-in shower simplifies life, yet not at the expense of luxury. As the projects below reveal, a walk-in shower can be both efficient and luxurious.

A walk-in shower can save space

Walk-in Showers: Perfect for Tight Spaces

If designed correctly, a walk-in shower can save valuable space. This is why walk-in showers so often occupy a corner space. Unlike a bathtub, which is built without your specific measurements in mind, a remodeling company can build a walk-in from scratch, shifting dimensions to fit your square footage needs.

In the project above, the shower pan--the floor of the shower, designed with a slope to allow the water to run to the drain--was custom-built to exacting dimensions: 5 feet x 4 feet. To facilitate the streamlined design, we also custom-built the frameless glass enclosure. Even then, despite the space limitations, the shower is equipped with a bench for easy storage or sitting (perfect for shaving those legs, ladies!)

Whatever your space requirements, a walk-in can certainly be made to fit the bill. Just make sure you work with a bathroom remodeling company with walk-in experience.

A corner walk-in shower saves space without sacrificing luxury

Glass Enclosed Showers: Streamlined Design

Streamlined design is not merely about saving space. A streamlined design is about the visual feel of a room. A streamlined room, for example, removes barriers between fixtures--or, at least, appears to do so. Most walk-in showers come equipped with glass doors, which create the impression of a seamless environment.

A seamless walk-in shower design

In the project above, space was not an issue, but our clients nevertheless desired a simple, streamlined design. Note how the walk-in shower feels like part of the room. And, of course, the glass shower door provides easy access--just step in and out!

Luxurious Walk-in Shower Features

Walk-in showers are the height of utility, yet they're also the perfect venue for luxurious features like multiple showerheads (including hand-held) or body jets.

For many MKBD clients, the rain showerhead is the height of luxury

At MKBD, we're big fans of the rain shower head: a flat and wide showerhead that duplicates the feeling of a soft wain shower. Rain showers are perfect for those who want to feel immersed in a shower of water. For a more direct approach, however, a hand-held showerhead is the height of utility. Instead of choosing between the two, the client above chose both.

Body jets with temperature controls

We're also big fans of body jets, which we believe to be the next best thing to a professional masseuse--at a fraction of the price. In the project above, the walk-in shower comes equipped with four (usually the limit) jets with temperature controls. Just imagine yourself enveloped in soothing water from all sides.


Free In-Home Remodeling Estimate

If you have any questions about your next remodeling project, please feel free to call MKBD for an individualized consultation. Let's talk bathroom design and more! Call now! 215-355-4747. Better yet, check out our Free In-Home Remodeling Estimate on this very blog!

How to Use Mosaic Tiles in the Bathroom

A mosaic tile is a popular choice for a kitchen backsplash, yet many homeowners hesitate to use mosaic for other rooms in the house. Recently, however, MKBD has noticed a remodeling trend: mosaic tiles in new bathroom remodels. We've even installed some beautiful mosaics in a few recent remodeling projects. We have to say: we're quite proud of the results.

Mosaic refers to a design made of many smaller pieces of material--like porcelain or glass. The process can be time-consuming and tedious, yet the results are often sublime. Just take a look at the mosaics from the San Vitale Basilica in Ravenna, Italy. This work dates back to the 6th century, to the Byzantine period.

The extraordinary ceiling mosaic of the San Vitale Basilica 

Traditionally, mosaics were illustrious and bright, yet today's mosaic is often muted--colorful, yet subdued. Even so, we love mosaic for the color and texture. If you're looking for a unique visual contrast to your everyday paint, you can't beat mosaic. For some mosaic inspiration, take a look at our recent projects below.

A Bathroom Backsplash

In the kitchen, mosaic tile is often limited to the kitchen backsplash. In the bathroom, mosaic tile is now being used on walls, floors, and the shower. That said, the "bathroom backsplash" is a perfect place for mosaic. If you're considering mosaic for your bathroom, look to the kitchen for inspiration: start with the backsplash.

A mosaic bathroom backsplash

Just like a kitchen backsplash, the bathroom backsplash helps protect the wall from damage. Generally placed above the sink, the bathroom backsplash shields the wall from the effects of excessive moisture (or toothpaste).

We love the warm color of this mosaic bathroom backsplash

Of course, too, the bathroom backsplash creates an interesting visual contrast to the vanity countertop. In both of the projects above, the appeal of the mosaic tile is how it contrasts with the granite countertops.

Mosaics in the Shower

Traditionally, of course, mosaic tiles were made piece-by-piece (just imagine the construction of the ceiling mosaic above!) Although this method is still used, many of today's mosaics are mounted on sheets. Mosaics can be "face-mounted" (with paper, usually) or clear-film faced (with plastic adhesive) or back-and-edge mounted (with any number of materials).

In the shower, paper-face-mounted or clear-film-faced mosaics are the easiest to align. Installation can be a challenge, but the result is always dramatic.

A stunning shower mosaic

Part of the appeal of mosaics is their flexibility: they can be made to fit nooks and crannies as well as curved or uneven surfaces. Beyond their beauty, mosaics present a practical solution to installing tile on walls and floors.

Shower mosaics on the wall and floor

Visual Contrast

As noted above, a prime value of mosaics is visual contrast. Mosaics add unique color and texture to a bathroom's visual landscape. The intricacy of mosaic design draws the eye. They're a perfect counterpoint to an otherwise simple color palette.

The mosaic tiles here add visual contrast to a simple landscape,
highlighting the elegant bath.

Free In-Home Remodeling Estimate

If you have any questions about your next remodeling project, please feel free to call MKBD for an individualized consultation. Let's talk bathroom design and more! Call now! 215-355-4747. Better yet, check out our Free In-Home Remodeling Estimate on this very blog!

A Handy Kitchen Style Primer

In the kitchen remodeling industry, we talk about design in terms of certain "styles." Although these styles are not clearly defined by the industry itself, we nevertheless associate loose themes with each respective style.

Traditionally, kitchens were separated from the rest of the home. The room's purpose was explicit: a place to cook and clean. In today's homes, the kitchen is not merely a place to cook and clean: it is a meeting space, too, an entertainment venue, the center of the action.

To speak about a specific kitchen "style" in this context is to also admit that the kitchen itself can (and often should) simply match the style of the home. That said, it does help to understand a few industry-specific terms.

A Handy Kitchen Style Primer

Traditional styles do not necessarily equate to a country or Old World theme. Instead, a traditional kitchen will likely emphasize warm, down-to-earth elements.

A traditional kitchen design creates a cozy ambiance with ornamentation and detail. Think decorative design and vintage-inspired elements. A traditional kitchen is not necessarily "simple"; on the contrary, a traditional kitchen often utilizes elaborate design features.

In this kitchen, a fireplace is merely one element of a cozy, traditional design. 
Note the warm cabinet color; the ornate woodwork; the vintage pieces (like the copper kettle and vintage plates): all hallmarks of the traditional style.

If the traditional style is not your thing, you might be a candidate for a contemporary style. While a traditional style populates a kitchen with elaborate details, a contemporary kitchen strips away all but the most essential elements.

Think light and airy, like a spa. Think clean lines, a simple color palette. If you prefer a minimalist design, you would do best with a contemporary kitchen. In a contemporary kitchen, uncluttered simplicity is the name of the game.

Clean lines and a simple, two-tone color palette make this Shaker-inspired kitchen "contemporary," although our clients simply desired, "a simple, streamlined space."

As the project above proves, a style can borrow elements from any time period to achieve the desired effect. Shaker-inspired cabinets are anything but "contemporary," yet their simple, timeless appeal works well with the contemporary style. That said, the contemporary style only borrows from elements that match the aesthetic.

If you like to mix and match aesthetics, you might prefer the transitional style, which combines both traditional and contemporary elements. A transitional kitchen streamlines the traditional style. Put another way: it "complicates" the contemporary style with a few, carefully-selected traditional elements.

Most transitional kitchens maintain the clean lines of the contemporary kitchen, yet add certain details to create a more "homey" feel.

In this transitional kitchen, the contemporary elements (the clean lines are black and white palette) are softened by the green accent wall and the traditional elements: the pendant light and glass-paneled cabinets.

The most common kitchen styles are traditional, contemporary, and transitional, but you're also bound to hear any number of other "styles," most notably the modern style which is defined by the hallmarks of modern art: geometric shapes or patterns and neutral colors. A modern design will also take advantage of any number of eclectic fixtures. Modern styles might include artistic elements, like sculptures or paintings, or glass tables, or intriguing cabinetry.

A modern style kitchen can celebrate unique or quirky design--like this custom backsplash.

Free In-Home Remodeling Estimate

If you have any questions about your next remodeling project, please feel free to call MKBD for an individualized consultation. Let's talk bathroom design and more! Call now! 215-355-4747. Better yet, check out our Free In-Home Remodeling Estimate on this very blog!

The Top Three Benefits of the Open Floor Plan

In many of today's homes, the kitchen is the central room, the place where the family congregates to talk and relax--and, of course, eat. To accommodate this new role, many homeowners choose to increase the kitchen size by combining the room with a dining room and/or living room.

Traditionally known as the "great room," today this combination is more often called, simply, an "open floor" plan. The open floor plan is a mainstay of today's remodeling industry.

As John Petrie, of the National Kitchen and Bath Association, says, "The kitchen was really a closed-off spot for a long time. Now people want the kitchen to be an active part of the family home." [Source].

Below we offer the top three benefits of the open floor plan.

More Room for the Cook

In its most basic sense, an open floor plan refers to a combination of several rooms, most often achieved by eliminating impeding walls or other obstructions.

The most obvious advantage of an open floor plan is increased space. Many cooks complain about crowding in the kitchen; by opening the space, family and/or guests can hang around the kitchen, in the adjoining dining room, without getting in the way.

An open floor plan also gives you the option of enlarging the kitchen itself, creating more counter space and/or room for additional appliances.

 In this Bucks County MKBD project--the open floor plan created space for the cook. Note the dining room table in the foreground, close enough (but not too close) to the hustle and bustle of the kitchen.

More Room to Hang Out 

By creating more room in the kitchen, an open floor plan can accommodate a kitchen island, the perfect spot for hanging out.

Fit your kitchen island with cozy chair for your guests to hang out.

The island can be practical, too. Most notably (for cooks, at least), the kitchen island creates a barrier between the entertainment and cooking areas. Also, the island top can be used for prep work; some cooks even enlist the help of a few industrious helpers.

You likely know the type of antsy mother-in-law who just can't help but ask, "What can I do?" Well, just sit her away from the action, at the kitchen island, and give her a small task: chop the nuts, make the salad dressing, pluck the thyme!

In this Fort Washington MKBD project, the kitchen island separates the kitchen from the dining area. It also creates a space for prep work--for the cook and his helpers! 

The Eat-in Kitchen

Instead of maintaining the relative relation between the kitchen and dining room, some open floor plans combine the two, creating a tremendous kitchen space with eat-in facilities.

The great advantage of an "eat-in" kitchen is the ease of serving and cleaning. The distance from oven to table is reduced; likewise the distance from table to sink.

This Richboro area family really took the idea of "eat-in" to heart. Here the island is really a dining room table right in the middle of the kitchen. Happily the open floor created more than enough space to accommodate the diners and the cook.

In this MKBD remodeling wonder, the dine-in area is an elegant 
addition to a stylish kitchen. 

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If you have any questions about your next remodeling project, please feel free to call MKBD for an individualized consultation. Let's talk bathroom design and more! Call now! 215-355-4747. Better yet, check out our Free In-Home Remodeling Estimate on this very blog!

Six Key Questions for Your Remodeling Company

When working with a professional remodeling company, communication is the key to a successful project. A good remodeling company knows how to ask the right questions; a good company, too, will set appropriate expectations for each project.

Of course, communication is a two-way street. A homeowner should also ask the right questions; and even before the work begins, a homeowner should state his expectations explicitly.

Bad communication leads to unclear (or unfair) expectations. The distance between a remodeling company's and client's expectations can create scheduling chaos, price disputes, and disappointment about the finished project.

There is a danger in choosing a inexperienced or unproven company. To stick around in this business is a sign of success. By nature, an experienced company will communicate successfully.

MKBD is proud of its experience: we've served the Greater Philadelphia area since 1982. We're proud of our work, too. We refer all potential clients to our previous customers for feedback. We want to make sure a client feels good about hiring our company.

Our formula for success is simple: tedious planning and a studious devotion to detail. If you're thinking about your own kitchen remodeling project, we urge you to embrace this formula. To facilitate a communication that will achieve this goal we suggest asking your remodeling company the following key questions.

This Abington area kitchen remodeling project was a testament to good communication: only by asking the right questions, did MKBD learn that the family desired maple cabinets. For your project, take the initiative: ask the key questions below.

How Will We Communicate Once the Project Starts?

Remodeling companies are usually accessible for clients before the project begins. Unfortunately, many clients complain that this accessibility ends during the project. The trouble is the varying roles at most remodeling companies. The project designer is often not the same person who will visit your house to perform the work each day.

At MKBD, we urge our clients to communicate with the project lead at any stage of the project. Our project lead is the owner of MKBD, who is often part of the work; if not, he is keeping daily tabs on the work. Of course, too, he is easily accessible by phone.

We suggest you ask for the same accessibility from your remodeling company. At the very beginning, ask if your project will have a dedicated project lead from start to finish. And of course, ask about his or her accessibility.

Questions about the work itself: When will the project begin? What are the worker's daily hours?  And what is the estimated completion date? 

A kitchen remodeling project can disrupt your family's routine. It is crucial that you appropriately schedule.

Working with your kitchen remodeling company, schedule a specific date for your project's start date. Also note the worker's daily hours, and, of course, the estimated completion date.
One important caveat here. The completion date is always an estimate; the date might change once the project begins. This is one area where flexibility is crucial.

For this two-tone kitchen, MKBD removed the wall between the dining room and living room. Major changes like this often present unanticipated complications (see below). For this reason, it's best to be flexible about the completion date.

How Can Confirm the Project Will Meet my Expectations?

In some ways, this is the most important question. A bad remodeling company will dodge this question. For a good remodeling company, however, this question is the very essence of the work. From planning to design to the actual remodeling, confirming and meeting expectations is the key to success.

Before your project, your designer should provide you with a layout of your new kitchen. Scrutinize this layout; ask questions. Confirm the details--twice. You want to make sure that your vision matches your designer's vision precisely.

In the end, if you've confirmed all the details, the project should meet your exact expectations. If not, you can return to the original layout and ask, "What happened?"

Do you Expect any Complications?

Complications are a necessary part of all remodeling work. Once you get into the guts of a house, you might begin to discover unforeseen challenges. All good remodeling companies account for potential complications. The goal is not to avoid complications entirely, but to minimize the impact--in time and money-- of any complication.

Again, the key is proper planning and attention to detail!

In this Fort Washington, PA kitchen, MKBD removed the entire kitchen, down to the studs, and built the new kitchen from scratch. Such work can create unforeseen complications. The key to minimizing complications is proper planning!

Free In-Home Remodeling Estimate

If you have any questions about your next remodeling project, please feel free to call MKBD for an individualized consultation. Let's talk bathroom design and more! Call now! 215-355-4747. Better yet, check out our Free In-Home Remodeling Estimate on this very blog!

How to Preserve the Charm of an Old Kitchen

Older homes have their charms: sturdy construction, vintage details, and original hardwood floors, to name a few. People who buy older homes love these details.For all the vintage allure, however, older homes also present certain remodeling challenges.

The difference between vintage and outdated is subtle, yet important. "Vintage" is timelessly appealing, but "outdated" just feels stodgy and tired. Sadly, the latter is often the case with the kitchens in older homes.

Today the kitchen is the center of the home, a place for the family to meet and eat. In the past, the kitchen was the provenance of the family chef, the space designed for a specific duty: to cook.

Old kitchens are smaller; and without the benefit of any serious remodeling, these kitchens often display outdated materials and appliances. Old kitchens also often share the charm of the home--even if its buried under laminate. A good remodeling project transforms an outdated space to new without losing the vintage charm.

Over the years, MKBD has remodeled more than a few outdated kitchens. For pictures and remodeling tips, read below.

 In this Fort Washington MKBD project, we refinished the original hardwood floors. 

New Floors or Refinish old Floors? 

Some older kitchen benefit from timeless materials; some do not. In the project above, we discovered beautiful hardwood floors--a perfect option for refinishing. Whether to refinish or replace is personal preference, but timeless materials like wood can often be refinished with relatively little hassle.

Beyond wood, most other old materials, like linoleum or tiles, are best replaced. Old linoleum can look stodgy, and most tile floors suffer from cracks. Ceramic tiles are prone to cracking when the floor below has structural movement. For some kitchen updates, then, we recommend replacing the subfloor, too.

A tri-color tile floor, imported from Italy, is a perfect addition to this older kitchen

New Cabinets or Refinish old Cabinets?

Like wood floors, refinishing can be a good option for cabinets, too, which are often made of wood, yet have suffered from wear and tear over the years. Some wood cabinets can look "outdated"; often a simple refacing is all that is needed to revive the vintage appeal.

The timeless simplicity of wood Shaker cabinets, which are an excellent option for refinishing. On the other hand, new Shaker cabinets like these are an investment that will last for decades.

Many older cabinets are actually more durable than today's pre-built cabinets. (At MKBD, we build our cabinets from scratch, so this is not an issue).

In many older kitchens. however, the cabinets are beyond a simple refacing. If you plan on living in your home for more than five years, new wood cabinets will evoke vintage charm yet provide years of durability.

New wood cabinets, like these cherry cabinets, are a great investment. After years of wear and tear, they might be in need of a simple refinishing.

Replace Those old Countertops

Countertops are often the stodgiest part of old kitchens. Standard laminate counters can look worn after years of use, and are good candidates for replacement.

Here's what the National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA) has to say about laminate replacement:

"If your countertops are old and generally worn over a large area, the best repair is to recover them with new laminate. While the job is not particularly difficult, it does require a wide variety of skills new to most homeowners. You'll have to disconnect the plumbing, remove the sink, and cut, apply, and trim the laminate. Then the sink has to be replaced and reconnected, and some trim may be required."

Another option, of course, is replacing the laminate altogether with a durable material like granite.

In this MKBD project, we replaced the old laminate with beautiful granite.

Free In-Home Remodeling Estimate

If you have any questions about your next remodeling project, please feel free to call MKBD for an individualized consultation. Let's talk bathroom design and more! Call now! 215-355-4747. Better yet, check out our Free In-Home Remodeling Estimate on this very blog!

A Travertine Bathroom Remodeling Project

In bathroom remodeling, your choice of material should be guided by two factors: the material's visual appeal and durability. Of course, a good bathroom material should match your aesthetic vision, yet it should also withstand the elements--water, soap, and harsh cosmetics--and the daily wear and tear of the family. Porous materials, like soft wood, are not the best choice for a bathroom; ditto an easy-to-stain material, like marble.

Yes, despite its ubiquity, some believe marble is not the best bathroom material. Even so, many homeowners see marble as the best of all bathroom materials--and certainly the most beautiful. This is true. It is also true, marble can be porous. The key is to find a good, durable marble from a reputable supplier. At MKBD, we import most of our marble from Italy.

Another option that rivals marble's beauty, yet is also often cited as a "bad" bathroom material is travertine.  We love this simple, yet elegant stone. As with marble, however, quality matters. Travertine does not have to be porous. Depending on the quality of the finish and installation, travertine can be a perfectly suitable bathroom material.

We recently had the privilege of remodeling a bathroom with travertine floors, showers tiles, and countertops. If anything, this rustic project proves the point: travertine can be beautiful and durable.

Travertine tiles and countertops

Choose the Right Travertine Finish

The right finish protects travertine from the bathroom elements.When sourcing travertine, your best options will be hone-finished or tumble-finished.

Hone-finished creates a flat appearance that dulls the qualities of the stone. For homeowners who prefer uniformity of color, hone-finished travertine is the best option.

For this project, however, the homeowner chose a tumble-finished travertine.

The rustic look of tumble-finished travertine

As you can see in the photo above, tumble-finish enhances travertine's natural colors. This is why tumble-finished travertine is often said to have a rustic appearance--a perfect look for this former farm house.

Choose Experts to Install Travertine  

More than most materials, then, the installation of travertine should be performed by a remodeling expert. Travertine's rough edges can present some installation challenges--especially in the shower. The key is precision. When installing travertine in the shower, it is important, too that the tile is properly sealed.

Travertine tile for the shower walls and floors

In this project, we used travertine tiles of various sizes (yet similar colors) to create textural variation. All tiles were properly sealed and installed with the utmost care. Good news, too: properly sealed and installed travertine is an easy-to-clean shower material; better yet, the material rarely reveals soap spots.

Travertine Countertops

Travertine is a versatile material. In this project, we used tiles for the floors and shower as well as larger slabs for the vanity countertops.

Travertine countertops and brushed nickel faucets

Another view of the luxurious vanity with travertine countertops

Free In-Home Remodeling Estimate

If you have any questions about your next remodeling project, please feel free to call MKBD for an individualized consultation. Let's talk bathroom design and more! Call now! 215-355-4747. Better yet, check out our Free In-Home Remodeling Estimate on this very blog!