With little fanfare, there has been a revolution-taking place! Over the last three years more and more residential customers and new homebuyers have chosen to include thermo- massage bathing systems rather than the traditional jetted whirlpool tubs for their new bath environments.

Invented in the late 70’s by a Canadian therapist, they have gained wide commercial acceptance as the fixture of choice in many day spas and better quality hotels and inns.

Using forced air delivered to the bath water by as many as 60 small jets that surround the body, they offer a myriad of important advantages over traditional jetted tubs.

• Ability to use therapeutic aids like Epsom salts, sea salts and essential oils without risking damage to the tub.
• Ability to use its therapeutic massage for up to 30 minutes without the risk of overexposure. (Whirlpools are designed for roughly 10 to 12 minutes of exposure with the pump running)
• Since there is no chance that a past bathers water can be left in a pump or plumbing, it’s substantially more sanitary.

To learn more about this new type of bathing system for your home log onto www.ultrabath.com or visit our beautiful design center for a demonstration of our functioning display.

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Here are just five of many ways to impress your guests (and yourself) while actually adding convenience and resale value to the design of your kitchen.

1. Place your dishwasher diagonally into a convenient corner. It looks great and saves the cost of an expensive and inconveniently accessible cabinet.
2. Step your sink cabinet forward (at least 3”) to add interest and reduce the amount of water that ends up on your window or window treatments.
3. Place a 13” television into the top of a diagonal corner cabinet. It’s a great place to let the whole family view without the screen being blocked, (not to mention the savings in counter space).
4. Place your range or cooktop diagonally into a convenient corner. With proper planning, it can reallocate counter space for better function and provide better space for pot and pan storage.
5. Adequate lighting is a must, but it’s rarely specified. Consider strategically placing recessed and/or under-wall cabinet lighting to accent the beauty while allowing you to actually see what you are creating!

These are just a few of the techniques used by an experienced kitchen designer to enhance the functionally and esthetic appeal of your home. We can show you many more ideas to make your kitchen the envy of your neighborhood.

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As you begin your journey to a beautiful new kitchen or bath, you will probably visit stores that showcase a wide variety of products and services. Some will offer “free design or layout services” while many will offer a combination of free and fee based consultation and design services. Other firms will seek a project retainer before making a serious commitment to your project. Should you consider an up front payment for services that can be had for free. To provide an analogy to fee based vs. free services, I would like to use the comparison of free “over the air” television to cable or satellite service. If you can satisfy your needs with fewer choices and limited services often providing a less than appealing experience, you may be able to save an up-front fee. It’s rare to find a short-order cook that can provide the same culinary delight as an experienced and well-educated chef. You will find the same difference between the lumberyard employee and the seasoned interior designer that is connected to an experienced group of decorators and installation professionals. But, lets be fair, sometimes all we’re looking for is a good hot dog!

Rule of thumb! If your just looking to replace what you have – in roughly the same location that it now exists and you are armed with plans, measurements and component sizes, you probably do not need to pay a fee. You will probably want to take advantage of the “super savings” on our moderately priced products. But, if you are looking to make a real difference in the way your home looks and performs, you really need an in-home consultation with a professional. Given the amount of time expended in face-to-face visits, design work and research, fees and retainers insure that those services are not squandered. More often than not, the upfront fee will be applied against the final cost of your purchase.

Before paying an up front fee, it may be wise to interview different designers to insure an ideological “fit”. Find a firm that features products and services compatible with your taste and needs. You will know it, when the feeling is right. And more often than not, you will get out of the relationship what you invest!

KITCHEN & BATH WORLD, INC. provides many fee and non-fee services, we will be happy to consult with you concerning the type that may suit your needs most appropriately.

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It’s really a lot of fun to design and decorate your new kitchen. Never have there been so many beautiful colors, great accessories and appointments, and appliance that truly offer advanced functionality combined with built-in good looks.

So what’s happening in today’s well-dressed kitchen?

Natural Materials - Be it granite counter tops, ceramic floors and backsplashes designed to simulate stone, Stucco, and darker natural woods. The feeling is textures and colors found in nature.

Stainless Steel - Following that rich “natural” feel, today’s appliances will feel just as at- home in your kitchen as they do in a commercial restaurant. Commercial style ranges, ovens, refrigerators and dishwashers offer features once reserved only for professional chefs. Prices often reflect their awesome features.

Cabinets that Simulate Fine Furniture, beautiful door styles, flutes, cabinets on decorative legs, and moldings, moldings, moldings!!! You can share your kitchen with your living room furniture.

Open Floor Plans - More and more homes are combining their living areas with their kitchens, providing the ultimate in entertaining and convenience. What a great way to achieve a feeling of spaciousness and togetherness.

Emphasis on Design - There is a strong trend toward sensible and efficient design. People are spending more time planning their environment, incorporating non-traditional ideas, materials and methods to achieve a workspace that truly fits their unique lifestyle. They are also seeking the assistance of professional designers and decorators to insure compatibility.

Stop into our beautiful new design center to see the latest in these and other kitchen and bath trends!

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You’ve decided that its time for a change. But, what will you do next.
Here are a few thoughts about how to proceed from concept to completion!

Determine the scope - How far must you go to make your home more compatible with your changing lifestyle.

Gather Ideas - Clip interesting magazine articles and photos, visit local builders model homes to see today’s design trends. Visit area showrooms and home centers. Speak with professionals about products, services and costs.

Set a realistic budget And don’t be afraid to share it with your family, and those providing components and services. If you don’t know how much to budget, you will get a wealth of information from friends and neighbors with past experience, local retailers, the internet and local contractors engaging in similar projects.

Determine how much work you are willing to tackle yourself and how much should be left to the pros. Labor often represents up to 60% of the total cost of a remodeling project. There is savings to reap and enjoyment in completing tasks on your own. But, a word of advice, don’t compromise the health of your family, your pride or future resale value by trying to tackle tasks that are beyond your ability to achieve a professional quality result.

Find talented professionals that you feel comfortable working with. Hopefully you will have found possible candidates as you visited area showrooms gathering ideas. Another good way is to check out referrals made by friends and neighbors with similar experiences.

Get references - Check out those you plan to contract with. If at all possible, visit a project or two that they were involved with. How well did they complete the project? How long did it take. How many days past without work being performed. How do they handle problems. How did the actual price compare with the original contracted price. How often did the contractor seek moneys for unanticipated extras., How is the fit and finish? In hind site, what would the referral have done differently?

Be Flexible - Expect the project to take longer than planned. Expect the unexpected. Expect additional costs for add-ons and changes that you will want to make as the project progresses. Expect inconvenience and stress as the project progresses. Plan for stress reduction by scheduling dinners out, setting up a temporary kitchen or living area, taking a long vacation weekend, etc.

Don’t pay the final payment until you are satisfied! A truly professional firm will never ask for total payment, until they have completed the project to your satisfaction.

A little preparation can go a long way to achieving a truly successful and worthwhile project.

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