Home Improvement Blog

Create a larger bathroom with custom built home plans.

Massachusetts Contractors Can Help You Make Small Bathrooms Appear Larger

June 25, 20150

Enlarge your bathroom without home additions.

Home additions aren’t always necessary to enlarge a bathroom.

As the saying goes, nobody’s perfect, and no home is perfect either. Even if your home is your “dream home,” odds are good there are things you would change about it if you could. One common complaint, especially among homeowners who live in older residences, is their homes’ bathrooms are far from luxurious. If you suffer from small bathroom syndrome , specially when it comes to the master, don’t worry. Help is available in the form of a custom built home plan designed to maximize the square footage you do have and create the illusion of space.

Small Isn’t Always a Bad Quality in a Bathroom

Before you automatically assume you must upgrade your small bathroom, consider its location and traffic patterns. Powder rooms are actually better when they are small. There’s simply no need for a large room when those who use it will probably spend only minutes, maybe even seconds, in the space. All you really need in a powder room is a toilet, small sink, mirror, hand towel, toilet paper holder and a small trash can. In this case, small is ideal! Similarly, guest bathrooms don’t necessarily need to be or feel large, unless you frequently have guests who stay with you for an extended period of time.

If your problem bathroom is your main bathroom, though, no one can blame you for seeking out contractors who perform room additions in MA. Before you start interviewing Hingham home additions contractors, consider the following tips that can help create the illusion of space and make the bathroom you have more functional. You may not need a full room addition. Instead, you may be able to achieve the results you dream of by strategic remodeling. Here are three tips for making a small bathroom seem bigger:

Your custom built home plan can create a larger bathroom.

Use Color Wisely

Choose one cohesive color scheme and use it throughout the space. Varying colors or shades break up a space and make it appear smaller. Paint your walls and ceiling the same color and match your tile and paint colors.

Retile Your Shower Strategically

Redo your shower tile, but this time have your contractor tile all the way to the ceiling rather than trimming with crown molding or bull-nosed edge tiles. Again, this approach is seamless. Fewer seams and transitions make a space appear larger. As you’re redoing your shower tile, ask your contractor to install recessed shampoo and toiletry shelves. You’ll have a clutter-free place to keep your essentials because clutter makes any room feel smaller.

Mirrors, Mirrors on the Wall

Maximize your mirrors! The bigger the mirrors, the better. Floor-to-ceiling and wall-to-wall mirrors create a seamless look. Avoid his-and-her mirrors over his-and-her sinks. That just chops up the wall and creates a claustrophobic feeling.

Whether you need a custom built home plan, Hingham home additions or a remodeling specialist, contact us. Colony Home Improvement specializes in home additions and renovations, and we’ve got plenty of great ideas that will help transform your tiny master bathroom.

Choose the Perfect Patio Surface for Your Custom Built Home Plan

June 23, 20150

Design your own home with a stone patio.

When you design your own home, consider a stone patio.

One of the best things about being able to design your own home is you can build in extras like curb appeal that builders don’t have a major interest in providing. Builders know buyers are focused on things like price per square foot, quality of the kitchen and bathrooms, size of the bedrooms and luxurious upgrades throughout a home’s interior. Understandably, they focus on what’s inside a home’s walls because that’s primarily what determines a home’s selling price. The outside, unfortunately, is relegated to a minor afterthought. Unless, that is, you design your own home!

In Spring and Summer the Patio Is the Heart of the Home in Massachusetts

Are you putting the finishing touches on your ranch style house plans in MA? Just starting the process of outlining your custom built home plan in Duxbury? Do not underestimate the importance of the patio. Cool summer evenings and warm spring days are best spent outdoors. Make sure your custom home plans do justice to this important part of your home.

Consider different patio materials in your custom built home plan.

Your custom built home plan should consider patio materials.

What Is the Best Patio Surface?

When choosing the makeup of your patio, there are some definite things to consider. First and foremost, if you plan to entertain often, make sure the surface is safe. The last thing you want is for you guests to slip and injure themselves. Safety is paramount, but cosmetics are a close second. Sure you could do as most builders of spec homes do and pour a simple concrete slab, but where is the character in that? More aesthetically enticing options include:

Wood. A wood patio blends in beautifully with the trees and landscaping in your yard. You can stain it to achieve a hue that complements your home’s exterior. In addition, one great trait of wood is when the mercury rises, it does not absorb heat like concrete does.
Tile. Tile allows you to experiment with a variety of textures and materials. Just keep in mind the slip factor. There is gritty anti-slip coating you can apply to make a tile patio less risky. Just ask your contractor and he can fill you in.
Brick, rock or stone. These natural materials are inherently anti-slip, beautiful, durable and easy to clean. Because they are rough and porous, they don’t show dirt and mask stains.

Turn to the Pros for a Pretty Home or Patio Makeover

Nothing says relaxation like entertaining friends and family on your durable, functional and pretty patio. If your patio needs some work, contact us. Whether you are about to design your own home from scratch or simply want a patio makeover, Colony Home Improvement is at your service. We have proudly served Massachusetts homeowners for more than four decades. We look forward to putting our expertise and patio passion to work for you!

Should You Reface or Replace Your Kitchen Cabinets?

June 18, 20150

Optimize your space with the help of a kitchen remodeling contractor.

A kitchen remodeling contractor can help you choose efficient options.

Regardless of your income, if you are working on home additions floor plans in Weston or any other community, you probably have at least a ballpark budget you’d like to stick to. Especially when you are remodeling a kitchen, one of the most important and expensive rooms in your house, there are many things competing for your remodeling dollars. Can you salvage your existing kitchen cabinets? Should you?

What Does It Mean to Reface Cabinets?

When you reface cabinets, essentially you retain the existing framework, or bones, of the cabinets. The old doors and drawer fronts are replaced with new ones and any visible cabinet face frames are covered with a complementary veneer. People who advocate refacing say it’s a quick way to upgrade an outdated kitchen and create a fresh and modern kitchen design. The refacing process can take anywhere from a weekend to a week, depending on how big the kitchen is.

If you are on an extremely tight budget and will be replacing your appliances, countertops and flooring, you might be tempted to consider refacing your cabinets instead of replacing them. However, make sure you weigh all of the considerations before you go that route. Refacing is cheaper in the short run, but ask yourself if it really makes sense to redo your kitchen halfway. Essentially, that is what refacing is, replacing part but not all of your cabinets. Any real estate agent will confirm when you are ready to sell your home, the quality of its kitchen is paramount to how much you will be able to recoup on your investment. Saving a bit of money upfront isn’t helpful if you jeopardize your resale value by doing an incomplete kitchen renovation job.

Implement new cabinets into modern kitchen design.

Modern kitchen design requires new cabinets.

When You Should Rip Them Out and Start from Scratch

Regardless of budget, if your existing kitchen layout is not user-friendly, making it look better won’t solve any of your problems. Ask yourself these questions:

Are your cabinets so deep and dark you’re not able to see what’s in them?
Are your uppers so high you don’t use them?
Do you have so many cabinets your kitchen feels crowded?
Are your kitchen cabinets cracked or suffering from water damage?
Do you want to change the location of your kitchen appliances or exterior door?

Some issues simply can’t be overcome with a shiny new façade. If this is the case, you’ll spend more time and money upfront, but those sacrifices will be worth it when you have a more user-friendly kitchen.

A Pro Will Help You Weigh Your Options and Make a Smart Decision

If you are contemplating home additions floor plans in Weston that involve a kitchen remodel, contact us. Colony Home Improvement is an experienced MA kitchen remodeling contractor. Our team of experts will make sure you understand your options, as well as help you evaluate your lifestyle and your budget, as you’re making important decisions about your remodeling project. The appearance and functionality of any home’s kitchen has a major impact on resale value down the line. We’ll help you make smart decisions that work well now and will continue to make sense well into the future.

How to Make Your Home Addition Green and Earth-Friendly

June 16, 20150

A home addition can be eco-friendly.

If you’re planning a home addition, making sure it is environmentally friendly and sustainable may not be on your non-negotiables list. It should be, though. There’s only one earth; we all should be good stewards of our limited, finite natural resources. If that moral argument isn’t enough to convince you to go green, how does the prospect of saving green sound? That’s right: eco-friendly home plans can actually save you money.

How You Can Integrate Green Practices into Your Home Addition

Thanks to the growing demand for environmentally sound practices and products, the cost to go green is now more affordable than ever. The practice that once was trendy and reserved mostly for the wealthy is now mainstream, thanks to better education and readily accessible eco-friendly products. In a recent survey of home builders and remodelers, the most common eco-friendly practices requested by clients were:

Installing high-efficiency HVAC or water heaters, energy-efficient lighting and appliances and insulation exceeding minimum building code requirements.
Using engineered or prefabricated materials that are longer-lasting than wood.
Enhancing the quality of indoor air by using materials low in volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
Installing appliances and fixtures that reduce water use.
Xeriscaping (choosing a landscaping approach that needs no or minimal supplemental water).
Reducing the amount of waste generated during the construction process.
Sourcing construction materials that are reused or reclaimed.

Eco-friendly home plans use green materials.

Incorporate green materials in your eco-friendly home plans.

Green Products to Incorporate into Your Home

In addition to working closely with your builder to develop eco-friendly home plans that maximize energy efficiency, minimize water consumption and cut down on hazardous chemicals, there are a vast array of green products you can incorporate into your new home addition. Here are a few examples:

Java-Logs: clean-burning fireplace logs made out of recycled coffee grounds.
BioBags: biodegradable trash bags.
Aerators: inexpensive faucet attachments mix air into the water that comes out of the sink or shower faucet, reducing water consumption.
Hot water recirculator: a pump installed beneath sinks that supplies hot water instantly so there is no need to run the water in the faucet waiting for it to heat up.

Little Changes Can Mean Big Savings

Once your new green addition is complete, you can also make small behavioral changes to be more eco-friendly and to save money. Did you know using a programmable thermostat or manually adjusting the temperature setting to 68 degrees in winter and 78 degrees in summer can reduce your electricity costs by 10 percent? Reducing your water heater’s temperature setting to 120 degrees and covering its pipes with insulation will also significantly cut costs. Odds are, you won’t even notice these small changes until you go to pay your utility bills.

If you’re in the market for custom built home plans in Dover and the surrounding areas, contact us. Colony Home Improvement specializes in home additions and renovations, and can suggest eco-friendly building improvements that will save you money. Regardless of the size or scope of your project, we will get the job done right and on time!

Bring the Comforts of the Indoors Out with Outdoor Fireplaces

June 11, 20150

Bring the inside out with outdoor living designs.

Outdoor living designs bring the inside out.

Even in the heart of Massachusetts summer, the evenings can turn chilly. Consider upgrading your outdoor living space with an addition that not only adds ambiance and centers your space, but is truly functional year-round: an outdoor fireplace. People naturally are drawn to the warmth and pleasing glow of a fireplace. Bringing this element outdoors will encourage you, your family and your guests to spend time dining and spending time al fresco. If you’re considering outdoor living designs that include a fireplace, read on for some tips before you draw up your fireplace plans.

Is It Legal?

Before you do anything, check your local ordinances and HOA rules to make sure outdoor fireplaces aren’t prohibited. In some fire-prone areas, they’re not allowed.

Where Should You Place It?

The placement of your fireplace is key because it will affect the flow of your space and your seating options. You can opt for a stand-alone unit or one that is built into a wall or a fence. If you have an outdoor kitchen, placing a fireplace near your grilling area will tie the atmosphere together and create a cohesive space for entertaining. Always take into consideration the direction of the prevailing wind in your yard. Ideally, the chimney will cut into the wind to prevent embers from being picked up and deposited.

What Will You Construct It With?

Brick, stucco, concrete and stone are all popular fireplace exterior options. Choose a material that complements the exterior of your house. If your home is a rustic style, the natural earthy look of stone is a good choice. If your home is sleek and modern, stained concrete might be the best option. Southwestern style house? Consider cost-effective stucco. Ranch style? You can’t go wrong with the timeless look of brick.

When you are entertaining, you need outdoor living areas.

Outdoor living areas are great for entertaining.

Wood or Gas?

Essentially, this choice comes down to personal preference. Wood is more authentic and provides the best ambiance. However, it also generates smoke. Gas burns cleanly and requires no chimney. However, unless you have an existing gas line running to your backyard, you will have to install one.

Incorporate a Storage Compartment?

Especially if you opt to go with a wood-burning fireplace, consider including a wood storage area in the outdoor living designs plans for your fireplace. You’ll probably want to stockpile wood. A storage compartment keeps it out of sight and keeps it dry in the event of rain or snow.

How Will You Accessorize Your Fireplace?

To make your fireplace really pop, make sure it includes a well thought out mantel. An outdoor fireplace looks amazing when it’s flanked by plants so make sure the mantel is wide enough to hold pots. And don’t forget about accent lighting — plus the fact you’ll need to run electricity and incorporate electrical outlets into the fireplace design plans.

If you’re ready to embrace the great outdoors and create a truly inviting outdoor living space, contact us. Colony Home Improvement specializes in creating amazing outdoor living areas in Brookline and the surrounding areas. Check out the many custom built floor plans in MA we have created for happy clients. We’d like to put our skills to work for you!