hawaii renovation - 18 july 2010

INSIDEELIMINATING

GERMS FROMYOUR BATHROOM

CHEAP TRICKS TOBEAUTIFY YOUR

KITCHEN

AN ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT PUBLISHED BY OAHU PUBLICATIONS, INC.

HAW

AII

The Heat is OnWhen it comes to meeting customers’

solar energy needs, Pacific Islands

Construction is the one to call

JULY 18, 2010

www.hansgrohe-usa.com

Customers needto be familiar withpanels, invertersprior to installation

HAWAIIRENOVATION

JULY 16, 2010 | HAWAII RENOVATION |

Letting the light shine on

Photovoltaic (PV) solar energysystems consist of numerouscomponents. The solar panels

and the inverters are the two basiccomponents that consumers needto know more about prior to makinga purchase, since they are the back-bone of the solar energy system.

Inverters are the component ofthe system that changes the directcurrent (DC) produced by the solarpanels or modules to alternatingcurrent (AC), which is compatiblewith the electricity used in the homeor business.

The two types of inverters on themarket today are Centralized In-verters and Micro Inverters. Eachtype has positive and negative as-pects, including:

� Centralized inverters are eitherground- or wall-mounted, taking allthe DC power collected on the roofand converting it to AC through onebox for consumption. Advantagesinclude: long track record on relia-bility in the industry (very reliabletechnology); equipment is locatedin a protected area away from envi-ronmental exposure; and the largerthe system, the lower the cost point

for the consumer.

These inverters are easy to serv-ice, provide excellent performancewith tracking information throughthe Internet, as well as not having asmany exclusions on warranties, andare very quiet. The disadvantagesinclude: a single point of failure mayaffect the whole system; a veryslight loss of power in the conver-sion process; the need for a loca-tion to set the inverters in place;and the system designed based on

power produced, needs to be config-ured up front. Centralized invertersare very well understood and reli-able.

� Micro Inverters are small in-verters that are placed on the under-side of individual panels convert-ing DC to AC directly at the panel.Advantages include having slightlyless loss of power consumption incomparison to Centralized panels.

2 | HAWAII RENOVATION | JULY 18, 2010 AN ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT PUBLISHED BY OAHU PUBLICATIONS, INC. | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

SEE PAGE 4

Solar Energy SystemsStay cool.

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JULY 18, 2010 | HAWAII RENOVATION | 3

HK Construction Updating yourhome or buildinga new one is

about to get a whole loteasier.

Oahu homeowners andlandlords can get an-swers to all of their reno-vation questions at eitherof two “Building to YourLifestyle” seminars beingpresented by HK Con-struction.

If you’re thinking ofbuilding or remodelingfor the first time, thisseminar will help you un-derstand the processes ahomeowner will gothrough from start to fin-ish.”

These informativeseminars are free, funand open to the public,”says company vice presi-dent, Alan Twu. “Ifyou’re thinking of build-

ing or remodeling forthe first time, thisseminar will helpyou understand theprocesses a home-owner will gothrough from startto finish,”

The “Building toYour Lifestyle” sem-

inars will take place atPearl Country Club, onThursday, July 22, from 6to 8 p.m.; and at WardWarehouse on Friday,July 23, from 6 to 8 p.m.

Many frequently askedquestions or concernswill be covered, saysTwu, including adviceon the latest industrymaterials and designchoices, do-it-yourselfprojects, how to workwith a contractor, localbuilding codes, and “se-crets of the trade” thatcan save you time, mon-ey and a lot of needlessfrustration.

“Most of all, we’ll getpeople one step closer tohaving the home they’vealways dreamed of fortheir family,” says Twu.

At the end of the semi-nar, participants will beinvited to meet one-on-one with HK Construc-tion design consultantsfor advice.

“HK Construction is akamaaina company thathas built hundreds ofquality homes and homeimprovements through-out Oahu,” says Twu.

“We have more than 35years of experience inthe construction indus-try. Our staff offers a fullrange of services withthe knowledge and de-signing capabilities tobuild to your uniquelifestyle.”

Twu is the fourth gen-eration of builders in hisfamily.

HK Construction staffmembers have honedand refined their skills todesign and build qualityhomes and home im-provements to meet theneeds of Hawaii home-owners.

HK Construction tack-les projects ranging fromnew home constructionand major additions tocomplete interior reno-vations. Team membersguide and inspire home-owners throughout thedesign and buildingprocess.

To reserve a spot atthis week’s free “Build toYour Lifestyle” seminars,call HK Construction at348-3111. Or to learn moreabout the company, logon to hkchawaii.com.

HAWAIIRENOVATION

SeminarsFree Offers

Local professionals provide tips, advice at two “Building to Your Lifestyle” events

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JULY 16, 2010 | HAWAII RENOVATION |

A failure in one panel or shadingoccurring on a panel will not af-fect the power produced byeach individual panel. It is easyto add more panels to your sys-tem since you will not be limit-ed by system capacity of a Cen-tralized inverter. System track-ing information is available overthe Internet as well. Disadvan-tages of micro inverters include:no long-term track record of re-liability; the inverters are ex-posed to the weather, whichmeans salt, heat, rain and biolog-ical factors can affect long-termsystem performance.

There also are many pointsof failure since each panel isequipped with an inverter. Ac-cess to repair may require re-moving panels of a failed invert-er in the middle of configura-tion. The warranty also is verylimited and is disconcertingwhen reviewed. Customers areresponsible for labor to re-move/replace the panel(s) butnot the inverter cost. Labor costcould amount to a couple hun-dred dollars with each replace-ment. The warranty also doesnot cover damage when they aresubject to fire, water, general-ized corrosion, biological infes-tations, acts of Mother Nature,

or input voltage that creates op-erating conditions beyond thelimits of the inverter’s specifica-tions.

Modules or solar panels arethe component in the systemthat generates the DC that in-verters convert to AC. Solarpanels have no moving parts butare subject to the weather’swear and tear.

The consumer should knowthat the energy produced by themodule decreases over time.Most manufacturers warrantthat the energy efficiency willbe at least 80 percent after 20years. This is the energy effi-ciency warranty most vendorswill boast of. Interestingly theynever mention a second warran-ty given by the manufacturersthat covers the construction partof the modules, which is usual-ly only five years.

Don’t be fooled by these war-ranties. The better manufactur-ers like Kyocera have provenperformance where modules de-preciated by less than 10 per-cent over 25 years.

The fact of the matter is thebetter manufacturers havemade the greatest improve-ments in module performanceand reliability. The modules arestronger and the solar cells aremore protected, extending thelife and performance expectan-

cy. Module construction that isfree of micro cracks, is whatmanufacturers desire. Microcracks in modules become hotspots in the module, producingless energy. Micro cracks willeventually spread throughoutthe module. The best modulescome from the manufacturersthat have the best quality con-trol.

Finally, keep in mind thatfalse or misleading claims are

for marketing purposes. Long-term warranties are statementslimiting manufacturers’ liabili-ties, not guarantees. Somehomeowners have been toldthey can put on a new roof andthe cost can be put on the samebill as the solar system, allowingfor a tax credit on the new roof.That’s false. Caveat emptor says,“Let the buyer beware.”

Pacific Islands Constructionhas a license in general con-

struction and also has licenses inroofing and waterproofing. Thecompany is committed to in-stalling the best system at thebest price, and providing peaceof mind to customers that theirroof will not have leaks.

If you’re in need of informa-tion and/or a free quote on SolarEnergy (PV), and other roofingmatters, call Pacific Islands Con-struction at 841-7756 office, ore-mail [email protected].

FROM PAGE 2

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HAWAIIRENOVATION


Isn’t it ironic that the bathroomis one of the most germ-infest-ed areas in your house?

When the surfaces of a tub, wallsurrounds or counter top begin tolook stained, worn, cracked oreven rusted, they start to collectdirt and germs that begin to de-posit on these porous surfaces.

All Island Bath Remodeling(AIBR) specializes in the restora-tion of these surfaces and can re-store them to a smooth syntheticporcelain surface that is easilycleaned and chemically resistant.

Thanks to the many years of ex-perience using state-of-the-artrestoration technology, there is noneed to tear out old bathtubs andwall surrounds that are stained,cracked, rusty or just worn. AIBR

can restore them to look like new.Reglazing is also the most cost-

effective way to restore your oldbathtub. Over the years, AIBR hasworked with hotels and propertymanagers, who use glazing as away to provide a clean new-look-ing bathroom at a reasonableprice.

Restoring your tub and wallsurround instead of tearing themout and replacing the featurescould be a great way you can helpto save our environment.

AIBR has done more than30,000 tubs during the past 20years. If you were to stack themup one on another, it would beover five and a half miles high,and that’s kept a lot of waste fromOahu landfills.

AIBR’s goal is to give kamaainacost-effective alternatives that cansave money, including:

� Bathtub and wall surroundresurfacing that make worn orstained bathtubs look like new.Using an exclusive, non-porousformula, AIBR technicians cangive “new life” to tubs and tilewalls. The finished product willnot mildew or mold — even in thegrout lines.

� Bathtub and wall surround lin-ers. Only one day is needed to re-model a bathroom tub or bath-room walls with a new acrylic sur-face.

� Walk-through tub conversion.It’s the most cost-efficient way toconvert your tub to a shower.

Cut-aways make life easier forseniors and the disabled who mayhave difficulty stepping over thetub to get in.

� Illisionite simulated stone.Transform your counters to looklike stone at a fraction of the cost.

The family-style staff at AIBRcan provide free advice and job es-timates. Call 358-7780, send an e-mail to [email protected] log on to Allislandbath.com.

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Restoring your tub and wall surround could bea great way to save the environment

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The


Ceramic tile has held a hal-lowed place in bathroomrenovations for genera-

tions. Durable, easy to clean, andavailable in a wide range of color,format and design, tile just makessense in a bath. But some enter-prising designers and homeown-ers are finding a new spot in thehome where tile not only workswell, but can take center stage -the master bedroom.

Homeowners are choosing toincorporate ceramic tiles intomaster bedrooms for many of thesame reasons the material hasbeen popular in bathrooms andkitchens:

• Tile is more durable than oth-er materials, lasting up to fourtimes longer than carpet or wood.Unlike wood, it will never needrefinishing, restaining or sanding.It holds its luster better than

vinyl, and requires no specialchemical treatments, the waymany natural stone products do.Because of this easy maintenanceand durability, consumers can re-alize lower costs over the life ofthe product.

• It’s naturally hypoallergenicand releases no volatile organiccompounds (VOCs) into the at-mosphere. It doesn’t collect dust,dust mites, pet dander or other ir-ritants and microbes.

• Tile is readily available in awide range of colors, sizes, shapesand design themes. In fact, youcan now find ceramic tile thateven mimics the look of otherpopular, more costly or lessdurable materials like wood, glassor even metal.

So how can you use tile in yourmaster bedroom? Tile of Spainbranded manufacturers cite sev-

eral trends in ceramictile’s use in master bed-rooms:

Too createe aa headboardFabric, wood or metal

headboards can make apowerful design state-ment, and solidify a bed’sstance as the centerpieceof a room. Ceramic tile,now available in large for-mats and in designs thatmimic the look of othermaterials, is a sensible, cost-ef-fective and healthier alternativeto some popular headboard mate-rials. Creating a fabric headboard,for example, can be a costly, time-consuming process, yet you canget virtually the same look withceramic tile made to look like fab-ric. And this is fabric that won’tharbor germs and microbes.

Generall designn touchesIf you love the look of wain-

scoting, wood paneling or beadboard, but prefer a more durable,hypoallergenic material, ceramictile can offer the same look with-out the disadvantages of wooddecorator touches. Several Tileof Spain branded manufacturersproduce tiles that look like wood

design elements.

Extendingg thee lifee off aa paintt jobbPaint is one of the easiest things

to change in a room and can beone of the most difficult to cleanand preserve. One way to extendthe life of a paint job is to tilewalls to the level of the chair rail

Master Material: Unexpected uses for ceramic

tile in the master suite

SEE PAGE 12

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Kitchens and baths get all the buzzas the best rooms to renovate,whether you’re selling your house or

planning to stay in it. But don't overlookthe power of a great master bedroom — af-ter all, it’s among the most frequently usedrooms in your home.

Whether you're renovating to attractpotential buyers, or to improve your enjoy-ment of your house, sprucing up the mas-ter bedroom has multiple benefits. Buy-ers will likely pass through your bedroomto reach the master bath, so a great masterbedroom helps set the tone for your mas-ter bath. And since most of us spend abouteight hours a day (or night) in the bed-room, refurbishing the room can help usget better rest and feel better about ourhome.

Investing just a few extra dollars to in-stall luxury designer touches like good

linens or an eye-catching wallpaper muralcan ensure you get the most bang for yourrenovation buck in the bedroom. Whetheryou have a few hundred dollars or a fewthousand to spend, you can make the mostof your money by adding high-quality,high-impact touches like these:

Designerr (orr att leastt designer-look)linens.. The bed should be a focal point fora well-designed bedroom. The easiest wayto make yours look fresh and powerful,even if it's the same frame you've had for10 years, is to dress it up with great linens.Go for the whole enchilada here — skirt,accent pillows, duvet and shams. Linendesigners have made it very easy to createa pulled-together, luxury look by providingensembles that work together.

Since you’ll spend several hours a day incontact with your linens, it's probablyworth spending a bit more for comfort as

well as great looks. Look for all-cottonsheets that have a high thread count. Gen-erally, the higher the thread count the soft-er and more comfortable they’ll feel.Thanks to designers' partnerships withpopular retail chains, it's possible to scorea good-looking, good-quality ensemble for

a couple hundred dollars. Throw in a fewhundred more and you can buy namebrand linens in a top-of-the-line depart-ment store.

Wallpaperr murals.. Designers have been

Renovation BuckGet more bang for your

in the bedroom

SEE PAGE 12

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Do you love the idea of entertaining,but feel like getting your home readyfor a social event requires too much

time and attention? Not to worry, thereare a few easy things you can do to makesure your home is always ready to hostguests, and they may not be as difficult toaccomplish as you think.

First and foremost, decide what type ofambiance your event needs and embrace it.If you are having an evening party, indulgein deep colors, soft lighting and upbeat mu-sic to keep your company awake! If it’s adaytime event, go bold and bright withyour color scheme. “I love to target my au-dience and add things to my table settings

that inspire my guests,” says Angela Gi-annopoulos, a premier New York eventstylist and owner of SC3 Group who hasworked with brands such as Estee Lauder,Donna Karan and Missoni. “I recently dec-orated a birthday table for a group of gradeschool children. I used oversized Legosand bright candy to entertain them.”

For unique ideas such as these, Gi-annopoulos has offered several tips foreasy at-home entertaining.

� Versatility is key. Make considerationswhen stocking your kitchen cabinets —consider cookware and serving dishes thatcan be used both for smaller and larger oc-

casions, as well as casual and formal ones.I also love expandable kitchen tables be-cause you can accommodate a house full ofguests and break it down for breakfast fortwo the morning after. My last bit of adviceis to choose dinnerware that is versatile.Consider something that is durable enoughfor daily use and chic enough for eveningoccasions, such as Oneida’s Chef’s TableCollection. This mix and match collectionwas designed with a modern look and craft-ed in all white porcelain to complementany table setting.

� Accessorize your home. I often hangon to things that I shouldn’t, but have

learned that any little knick-knack can comeinto play when decorating for events. I’vemade candle holders out of Mason jars, amenu with a chalkboard and centerpiecesusing old pitchers. I’m not encouragingclutter- just keep a stash of items that couldbe useful when entertaining and it maysave you that extra trip to the store.

� Use nature to your advantage. Whendecorating, use sprigs and blooms grownnear your home to add life to your table set-tings. Various shades of colors found inwildflowers often create an organic energymaking a table setting more inviting forguests. Also, arranging flowers in differ-ent sized vases can be visually appealing ona long table while single, tall flowers workwell with a table for two.

� Accumulate a beverage collection.Nothing makes your visitors feel welcomelike offering them a drink when they walkin the door. Rather than going out andstocking up on wine, liquor or soft drinksbefore you host, gradually accumulate acollection. Your guests will be impressedby your selection when you have an as-sortment to offer. Also, consider outfittingyour home with drinkware for every occa-sion. Oneida.com offers affordable itemssuch as their Angelina stemware that gofrom every day to every type of soiree.

� Be prepared for overnight visitors. Al-ways keep clean sheets on your guest bedand be sure it is made, as you never knowwhen someone might stop by for anovernight visit. If you really want to makeyour guests feel welcome, impress themwith soothing products in the bathroomor on their nightstand along with a sweettreat on their pillow.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

HAWAIIRENOVATION


Shape Up Your HomeEasy Entertaining Tips to

for Any Occasion

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You know that moving into anew home can be one of life’sbiggest stressors — the pack-

ing, the paperwork, the unpacking,finding the nearest coffee shop, etc.Still,there are many ways to makeyour new house feel like homesooner than later, according to inte-rior design faculty at The Art In-stitutes.

“Incorporating items with per-sonal meaning, such as memorabil-ia or a special collection, can makeyour new place feel less like astranger’s house and more like yourhome,” says Annette Lawrence, ac-ademic director of the Interior De-sign program at The Art Institute ofOhio-Cincinnati. Lawrence de-scribes the concept of “adaptive re-use,” an easy, inexpensive way tocreate a “sense of place” — in oth-er words, making your new housethe place in which you feel mostcomfortable.

Adaptive re-use involves bring-ing items from your previous resi-dence to your new home, but withthe twist of adapting them for a dif-

ferent or new use. Adaptive re-useis affordable, ecologically responsi-ble and helps ease the psychologi-cal stresses that come with mov-ing into a new, unfamiliar space.Adaptive re-use also involves us-ing items from local design con-signment shops. Such establish-ments can now be found in mosttowns and carry items ranging fromfurniture to window treatments andaccessories.

Examples of adaptive re-use in-clude:

� Samee item,, samee use. The entryrug from your old house goes in theentryway of the new house.

� Samee item,, differentt location.Your living room furniture fromyour old home becomes your fami-ly room furniture in your new place.

� Samee item,, neww use. You use thefabric from a window treatment toupholster your dining room chairs.

“Mies van der Rohe’s old adage,‘less is more,’ certainly holds truehere,” says Jackie Barry, interior de-

sign instructor at The Art Instituteof Houston-North, a branch of TheArt Institute of Houston. “Selectsignificant pieces of furniture andart to move. You don’t need to haveor show everything you have all inone room.”

Barry also advises incorporatinga concept called biophilic design,which recognizes the inherent needof humans to interact and affiliatewith nature to achieve and main-tain optimum health and well-be-ing. “Bring the outside in; don’t neg-lect good views to the outside, ac-centuate them,” she says. “Let yourgarden and landscaping work foryou on the inside. Connecting withnature can also have a calming anda comforting effect.”

If all of this still feels too over-whelming to you, consider hiring aprofessional interior designer tohelp you out. Lawrence suggestsusing personal contacts and refer-ences to find a designer who is rightfor you.


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If you’ve looked into kitchen reno-vation at all, you’ve probably heardsome staggering numbers — it costs

$15,000 or more, on average, to updateone of the most important rooms in thehouse. In this economy, who has thatkind of budget? Yet don’t we all deserve

a kitchen we can love, not just live with?Updates that will help you love your

kitchen don’t have to come with a heart-stopping cost, or involve tearing out cab-inets and replacing countertops. In fact, it’spossible to seriously improve the livabil-ity and lovability of your kitchen withsome designer tricks that each cost $150or less.

Here are five do-it-yourself ways togive your kitchen a whole new look for

not a lot of money:

1.. Thee softerr sideNever underestimate the power of fab-

rics. The softer side of your kitchen decorcan have a big impact on its overall look.The right window treatment on that util-itarian window above the sink can reallymake it pop. New cushions can punch upthe appeal and comfort of mundanekitchen chairs. And the right tableclothand/or placemats can hide a multitude offlaws in your kitchen table.

Many budget-friendly discount storesnow offer curtains and kitchen accessoriesthat mimic much pricier designer ver-sions. To get the most for your money,avoid the specialty shops and big depart-

ment stores and head to your local dis-count retailer.

2.. Takee itt too thee walll Another powerful and budget-friendly

way to upgrade your kitchen is to give it afresh coat of paint and a designer-inspiredwallpaper mural. A gallon or two of paintwill cover most kitchens, and with somevery good brands selling for less than $30,that leaves you plenty of money left overfor a mural. You can find wallpaper muralsfor less than $100 at DecorPlace.com. Useyour mural to create a focal point in theroom, draw attention to an architecturalfeature or make a windowless space feelmore open and airy. Wallpaper muralsare easy enough to do it yourself, and save

money on installation.

3.. Metall magicNext, turn your attention to some of

the easy-to-replace metal accents in yourkitchen that might be looking worn or dat-ed. These could include cabinet knobs,drawer pulls, electrical faceplates, eventhe kitchen faucet. All are easy enough toswitch out for most do-it-yourselfers andyou can easily replace all these items — in-cluding the faucet — for less than $150 ifyou shop wisely. Remember, to improvethe look of a kitchen, these accents don’tneed to be pricey designer name-brands,they just need to be new. New items will

$150 tricksFive

to make your kitchen look new

SEE PAGE 11


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You water, fertilize and give yourlawn all the TLC it needs, yetcome late summer you still find

unsightly brown patches scattered acrossthe turf. If the turf in these spots caneasily be pulled away from the ground,you most likely have a grub problem.

To diagnose a grub problem, peel backa square foot of turf in a brown area. If itpeels easily and you see more than sixgrubs, you have a grub problem. Thebest time to protect your lawn fromgrubs is when Japanese beetles are layingtheir eggs, when you still see adult bee-tles flying around.

Choosing the right treatment can meanyou enjoy a summer free of grub worries.Scotts GrubEx Season Long Grub Killerkills grubs for up to an entire season.An exclusive, patented active ingredi-ent offers improved grub-killing powerwith 60 percent less active ingredient.Best of all, there is no need to worryabout your summer fun being put onhold, as soon as the grass has driedeveryone can re-enter including kids andpets.

To learn more about lawn treatmentfor grubs, or to watch a video on thetopic, scotts.com.

look better than old andshabby, even if they don’tcost a lot.

4.. Furnituree fixIf your old kitchen set

just isn’t doing it for youanymore, there are a fewthings you can do to makethings better. If it’s a goodquality set that’s just seenbetter days, consider refin-ishing it yourself to removethe scratches, dents andscrapes of age. Or, hit usedfurniture stores, flea mar-kets and yard sales in

search of a newer set thatmay be in better condition,or of better quality, thanwhat you have. A third op-tion is to check out a bigbox store that sells new,unfinished furniture and dothe finishing yourself -which brings an addedbonus of allowing you tohave complete control overthe color and look of thefinished product.

5.. Appliancee magicYour old washer may do

its job just fine, but havesome scratches in its fin-

ish from heavy use. Con-sider painting it. Checkwith your local paint storeto find new, high-techpaints that bond perfectlywith the metal or enamelon appliances to makethem look like new. If yourold stove can still cook upa storm but has some stub-born stains and scratcheson the top, or has grills thathave seen better days, con-sider replacing grills anddrip pans, or adding deco-rative covers.


grub problems

Getting to the

of

$150-tricksFive

to make yourkitchen look new

FROM PAGE 10

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— the portion of thewalls that gets themost exposure tounsightly dirt, dingsand scuffs. Whilesome paints may re-quire special clean-ing solvents to re-move dirt withoutdamaging the finish,tile requires nothingmore than hot wa-ter and some elbowgrease.

Creatingg cohe-sionn betweenn rooms

In master suiteswith large, open floor plans, using tile inthe bedroom portion of the suite can helpcreate a seamless transition between thesleeping and bathing areas. Or, it can helpcreate cohesion between indoor and out-door spaces — tile is one of the few inte-rior design materials that can flow from in-side to outside.

Achievingg aa lookk withh addedd durabilityYou may love the look of hardwood, but

know that wood doesn’t hold up well inrooms where it’s exposed to a lot of mois-ture on a daily basis - such as in a bathroom— or to a lot of wear and tear, such as in a

bedroom. While wood that’s exposed towater will eventually warp and wear, ce-ramic tile designed to look like prized hard-woods will stand up to moisture and water— even if the bathtub overflows. And ce-ramic tile that looks like wood will neverdevelop the “worn path” appearance ofwood that bears heavy foot traffic.

When it comes to interior design, some-times the unexpected makes perfect sense— such as finding creative ways to useceramic tile in the master bedroom. Youcan learn more about ceramic tile and tiletrends at spaintiles.info.

FROM PAGE 6

TheMaster Material

using murals to make a majorimpact for centuries. You canachieve the power and appealof a hand-painted mural for alot less money and workwhen you opt for a wallpa-per mural like those found online at mural-syour way.com. In a bedroom, a muralcan be used as a subtle backdrop for agrand or posh bed and furnishings, or as afocal point to make a dramatic statement.You can create a soothing effect with apastoral or floral scene or rev up your de-sign with a modern, edgy black-and-whitegraphic. Or, personalize your mural bysubmitting your favorite photo to mural-syourway .com; they’ll turn it into a cus-tom mural to fit your size specifications.

Vinyl wallpaper murals are easy to in-stall - well within the abilities of most do-it-yourselfers. And now, you can reallymake a luxury touch by opting for a can-vas wallpaper mural.

Hidee thee high-def. When that massiveflat screen TV is in your living room, youwant it out there for everyone to see and

admire. In your bedroom, however, youmight want it to look less intrusive. A TVhas become a staple of bedroom furnish-ings, and more people are making themove to high-definition, flat-screen TVs.You could mount yours on the bedroomwall, but then it might draw attentionaway from other elements of the roomthat you want to emphasize.

Consider installing a cabinet that al-lows you to lower the TV inside it — andhide the high-def - when you're not usingit. Cabinets are available that look likehigh-end pieces of furniture, or even fire-places. Another option is to purchase amovable mirror or piece of art. Theseitems are specially designed to hang infront of the TV when it's not in use andmove easily out of the way when youwant to view it.

FROM PAGE 7

Renovation Buck

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hawaii renovation - 18 july 2010

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