'Finding A New Home For An Old Dresser"

Whether you are perusing your attic or the local resale shop, you will always see a vast array of dressers. If you are looking for something to freshen up an area in you home, a dresser might be just what you need. Dressers are super versatile pieces and they don't have to be relegated to just holding clothes.

Used in the kitchen, they can store napkins, tablecloths and candles.

Your family room can use a dresser for storage of dvd's and family board games.

In a hallway, you can store linens.

In a home office it can be used to store paper and office supplies.

A dresser can become a buffet or bar when placed in a dining room.

Be creative and paint the whole piece or maybe just the drawer fronts. Cover blemished tops with table runners, pictures, vases and/or other objects that reflect the mood of the room. Lean a mirror on top to create a more spacious feeling. 

Beyond the added style to your home, these simple ideas may help you gain much needed storage!

Hey, Your Barn Door's Open!

This might be a new phrase you hear around the house. There's a new trend that I'm seeing a lot of and if you are planing a new build or remodel you may want to incorporate it into your design.

Barn doors have been used in the past in small spaces that could not accommodate a swinging door like this laundry area we put in recently for a customer.

What started out as just a hallway to the upstairs turned into such a focal point in the condo. It almost makes me want to do laundry! (almost)

Barn doors are really trending right now and there are so many ways that you can incorporate them into a space. They are being used for functionality, but you will also see them being used strictly for decorative purposes. The door choices are endless, especially when you have your builder design the door to your specifications. The door design you choose is very important, but I personally think the hardware you choose is what makes the statement. It's kind of like picking out the right piece of jewelry-it's an accent to your decor.

There are such an array of hardware choices on the market from rustic to urban, chunky iron to sleek chrome. 

Let me show you some examples of how barn doors are being used.

If you are thinking of using a barn door in your home, you need to make sure that you have enough room for the door to slide. You need wall space that is equal to the size of the door that will be installed. Get creative, paint it an accent color to match pillows or bedding. If you don't need them for privacy, use glass to allow natural lighting to flow through.
The door hardware can be shockingly expensive, but shop your local farm store and you might find some affordable 'rustic' barn door track.
All that matters is that you love it-and as always, "There's No Place Like Home"
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"Color My World"

As I journey through remodeling projects and new home construction with our customers, I continually see a struggle with decisions on paint colors. I have always loved color in my home and use it as a design tool to change a space and create a mood.

Deciding on colors for your home can be overwhelming, but if you use the right tools it can be enjoyable. 

Through online research and your local paint store, you can find paint collections with a cohesive color palette.  I suggest you go to   www.houzz.com to look for decorating inspiration, then be creative and express your own style.

My inspiration for the color palette that I used in my home came during the framing stage of the house. A wall was stood up and through the framed opening of  window were maple trees showing off their fall magnificence! I dove head first into my paint fan deck and found exactly what I was looking for . 

Here is the view I used for my inspiration:

Here are a sampling of the  Benjamin Moore colors I used:
**realize the color chips do not render exact, but you get the idea........

Guest Bathroom: Georgian Brick

Sporting Room: Whitall Brown

Exercise Room: Venetian Gold

Laundry Room: Roasted Sesame Seed

Mud Room: Richmond Gold

Guest Room: Merlot Red

Kitchen Cabinets: Weathersfield Moss
**As you can see, do not be afraid to mix and match your cabinet colors. My galley kitchen as shown below would seem much more 'closed in' if  we had painted the island cabinets. I was fortunate to have my husband Steve (www.sweetwatercontracting.com) build and finish all my cabinets to my specifications. I do not want you to think I am spoiled, our business takes priority and our house does get put on the 'back burner' so please realize that I wait (very patiently) for these completed projects!

Remember-"The cobbler's children have no shoes" Ha!

Color inspiration can come from anywhere. A recent customer designed her color palette from a delightful wall hanging that she planned on being a focal point in the main living area of her condo. 

Here are some photos showing how perfectly her decision worked!

Color can alter your experience as you travel from room to room in you home. 

You need to ask yourself how you want to feel in each particular space. Painting a den in a warm color can make it feel cozy. A narrow space can feel wider by painting different colors on opposing walls. A small bathroom can feel larger by painting the walls and ceiling with the same 'cool' color, like Benjamin Moore : Wish

 You can paint each room in a different color, but use your local paint store to help you pair together colors that are cohesive so that they will have an eye pleasing flow. 

A helpful tip would be to carry an anchor color thought some of your rooms. I used Turret Stair by Ralph Lauren liberally throughout my house on built-in's, french doors and my entrance door.  It is a perfect accent to my color palette.

Now if neutral walls are your thing, go for it and make it yours! But if you are neutral due to fear, please give color a try. Remember it's just paint-it's easy to change!!
And as always, "There's No Place Like Home"

Customer Appreciation

While Steve is out building a house I am deeply involved in building our website. As I pour over my customer list and my jobsite photos, I really feel like I am taking a trip down memory lane. I guess we have been very fortunate with the customers that have come into our lives. When we contract a project with someone we really end up having more than a business relationship. We have morning coffee together, sometimes an evening glass of wine. We learn about extended family members, weddings, new grandchildren and sometimes help to welcome the new family dog!! Oh the stories we could tell......
I receive letters and emails from our customers about various jobsite activities that make me proud of what Steve does on a day to day basis. I came across this email from 2012 from Gil Wheeler of Lake Leelanau. This one really brightened my day (and cracked me up!).

LOCAL CONTRACTOR TAKES AGGRESSIVE ACTION TO STAY ON SCHEDULE

Dateline April 13, Leelanau County Michigan

Today local contractor Steve Cuson was unexpectedly seen cruising on the shores of Lake Leelanau in a large bulldozer, a task he does not normally handle.
Steve noted to this reporter that he needed to move some dirt fast to make room for foundation stakes and was pleased to find out that a dozer on the site had the keys in it. "When you have a problem, you need a solution, and this one was obvious" said Mr. Cuson '"Our firm will do anything to keep on schedule."

See the three photos of this interesting episode. 

So yes, Steve will do what it takes to keep things on schedule (in case you're wondering, our excavator gave him permission to drive the dozer!). I couldn't imagine what it would be like to 'not' have the relationships and trust we have with our customers. Spending these recent days reviewing our 16 year history in Leelanau County has undoubtedly confirmed to me that we couldn't have chosen a better place to establish SweetWater Contracting.


I'm just going to end with a big shout out -you all know who you are!

THANK YOU!

How to Choose Your Contractor

You finally have that piece of property to build your dream home or you are ready to make the move to remodel the kitchen, but how do you begin the process of hiring a professional for your project? I will give you some guidelines to follow that should help you with your hiring process.

Typically, if your job requires more than three subcontractors, a general contractor may be a good idea. A general contractor can free you from such burdens as maintaining a work schedule, obtaining necessary permits, and resolving disputes with suppliers. He or she will have more leverage than you do with subcontractors, since you're only a one-time job. In a tight labor market, that could be important. With that being said, the best place to start is by getting recommendations from friends and family. Talk with the local building inspector to see which contractors routinely meet code requirements. Visit the lumberyard and talk to the salesmen about contractors that buy quality materials and pay their bills on time.
Once you've assembled a list, I recommend that you make a quick call to each of your prospects and ask them the following questions:

•  Do they take on projects of your size?

•  Can they give you a list of previous clients?
•  How many other projects would they have going at the same time?
• 
 How long have they worked with their subcontractors?

The answers to these questions will reveal the company's availability, reliability, how much attention they'll be able to give your project and how smoothly the work will go.

At this point you should choose a few contractors to meet with face to face. The contractor should be able to answer your questions satisfactorily and in a manner that puts you at ease. When you feel like you have narrowed down your list, it is time to take that list of previous clients and give them a call.Here are some questions to ask:

• Would you hire this contractor again?
• Were you satisfied with the quality of the work?
• How did the contractor handle cleanup each day?
• Was the contractor easy to talk to?
• How did the contractor handle differences and work changes?
• Was the job completed on time and at the bid? If not, why not?

You should now have a short list of contractors whose track records seem clean and whose work ethic looks responsible. It's time to now introduce your project. Most contractors will want a full set of drawings and a sense of  your decorating style and what you plan to spend. Having the contractor break out the cost of materials, labor & profit will help you to compare your bids 'apples to apples'. If you receive a bid that is considerably lower than the rest, throw it out! This contractor is either cutting corners or desperate for work and you will probably see additional costs on the back end of your project. 

Now that you came to a decision and shook hands, you need to make sure a contract is in place.

The contract should contain details on every step of your project, payment schedules, proof of insurance, specific materials/products to be used and start and completion dates.

You are hiring someone that will be in your home for a period of time and beyond technical competence, comfort should play an equal or greater role in your decision. 
Applying these tips to contractor selection should guide you in the proper direction of a successful project and beautiful new space-remember "There's No Place Like Home".