I get you. It is going to be a really big mess if you decide to demolish the original tile flooring. And you might do some research work and find out that it is possible to install tile over tile. Well, based on the guideline of ANSI A108 — the Installation Standard Specification for Ceramic Tile, the general requirements for tile installations, A108.02 4.1.1 states:
“All surfaces shall be structurally sound, clean, dry and free of oily or waxy films and all foreign matter. Concrete surfaces shall be free of form oil, curing compound laitance, and cracks.”
That said, there are still conditions that you are able install tile over tile, but here are 5 questions you need to answer before you take this strategy:
Did the old installation fail?
If so, what was the cause of failure?
Was it an installation or structural problem?
If it was properly installed, is the membrane still well adhered and able to perform its job to support the new installation?
When we just came back KBIS a week ago, we were really blown away by some of the innovations in the show. After all, the kitchen is the fastest growing sections among the whole home improvement industry. We always see some of the coolest things in kitchen from pro cooking appliances, range hoods, to refrigerators, faucets, countertop, smart technologies, lightings, etc… Although I am still working on the blog of KBIS 2019 (hope soon I can publish it), we were invited to a local trade kitchen showroom industry event several days ago, and actually were able to see some newer trends and technologies in the showroom that resonate what we saw from KBIS2019. This kitchen showroom is not that big but quite modern, neat and sleek even with a luxury walk-in closet and some cool technologies. Ladies, who doesn’t love a stylish, open and airy walk-in closet with a lot of bells and whistles?!!! And last but not the least, we had professional chefs working in the kitchen and making some yummy gourmet foods. Here are some of our wonderful moments from this beautiful night!
Fresh flowers always make guests feel so welcoming! I just love these saturated colors! They create a cheerful mood and beautiful moments. It is always such a good idea to have some fresh plants and flowers in kitchens. They make everyone happy and enhance the appetites!Hospitality! A stylish cheese platter is always a great idea to host a party in kitchens.What an eye-candy!Floral art
Here comes our pro chef! One of the things when we cook at home is that we can always use fresh veggies and other ingredients…
Yummy and beautiful!The kitchen is quite modern and sleek. Yet I like how the showroom styled the food with wood trays –very organic, warm and welcoming ..
Pretty and organic!
Here are some cool things in the kitchen area:
Touch-to-open sliding cabinet door! How cool it is! specially when you have a tight space, this type of doors can be a great idea!Miele Coffee machine—How neat it is! The coffee station incorporating a compact coffee machine in the kitchen is quite trendy in 2019. It’s convenient and very handy. Who wouldn’t love the coffee aroma in the earlier morning in our own kitchens?Here is my espresso just made from Miele coffee machine!
Time for some desserts
Yummy and pretty!
Well, after being through all of those above kitchen experiences, I think everyone just cannot wait to create a pretty live-in kitchen for ourselves or host a family/friends get-tother event soon in the already-pretty kitchens. After all, it is a life style!
Ok, let’s continue our beautiful evening by walking to the rear of the showroom. Wow, here is the large walk-in closet:
Love the central island and above chandelier and of course the lovely tufted leather bench.What a nice touch to be able to see your jewelries on the top island surface.Here is the overview walk-throughObviously, I don’t have any problem to just chill out here for the whole day!
Often time, when we try to furnish the room, we just cannot find that right piece to fit the space, match the current interiors, add piece of personality and have all of the bells and whistles clients want. This, then, will be the perfect moment to customize whatever the pieces we need. Sometimes, the process can be really tedious since we have to make prototypes and get approvals from the clients. And of course, the clients usually have their budgets. For the following project we did, the client has dark brown wood cabinets in her kitchen—kind of cookie-cutter style. . We had a very hard time to find the right bar chairs for the island. She wants something light, elegant yet very cool. So we decided to customize the chairs for her. We have two purposes on our minds before we started the jobs: 1) Light up the dark brown kitchen cabinets 2) Add a touch feminity. We tackle the issues by focusing on creating the shape of bar chairs and searching the right fabric. we chose sky-blue performance velvet for the chair fronts and rose embriodery silk for the back. The clients really like the end result.
We are creating the bar chair prototype. The shape of the bar chair is cute and playful, which ease off the seriousness of the dark brown wood cabinets create in the kitchen. The chair can be rotated and the large seat area offer extra comfy.Whimsical rose emboidery blue silk adds a touch of elegance to the dark kitchen.The end result that the client falls in love with. Yes, we do the floral arrangement too.
There are 5 take-aways from tones of the projects we did to streamline the whole furniture customization process:
Always keep eye on vendors’ offers and options to simplify the custom-made work.
Understand exactly what clients want and their top priorities.
Develop good relationship with local workrooms and stay with ones who are able to understand and express your ideas better.
The finishes and fabric of custom-made pieces are always very important. They will either make or break the jobs. So the key thing is always to look for and learn the new fabric and finishes out there.
Be inspired all the time. the inspired mind can create magical.
TGIF! After a long week, I hope you are able to wind down for a relaxing Friday evening with a glass of red wine and enjoy some of the glamous interiors I am going going to share with you in this blog. They are either edgy on the color palettes, having one of the art collections or still keeping flawless classic charm:
“The chartreuse color in the dining room actually inspired the entire space.”vintage white
statement pendant
indoor-outdoor vibesmix-and-matchclassic English charm.
Wouldn’t be nice to have a cozy and intimate eat-in area in your kitchen. The built-in banquette solution, for sure, help achieve this kitchen goal while often providing neat looking and extra storage. Here are some of or favorites.
Better using the corner space while add a touch of chic style in the kitchen. Love those pillow throws and cute chairs!While the kitchen still keeps its traditional vibes, a eat-in area with marble dining table lend a hand of modern flair. A sunny day with a comfy seating.Buit-in bench with artwork above creates such a neat, open and clean looking.ElegantCozy and intimate
For some weired reason, I always have a mood for color of pink on Wednesday. What about you? What is your mood color on Wednesday? From hot pink, blush to muted pastel, pink always evokes feeling of romance, dream, elegance, feminism, sophistication and sweetness.
Roses in different shades of pink for a Spring garden high-tea time.
Pink flowers always look gorgeous with blue-and-white vase.The pink tablecloth pairing with pink florals is always such a romantic approach for a Valentine’s Day table decor.Pink flowers and birthday cake—my favorite!Pink and Pantone’s Ultra Violet means feminine and beautifulPink with neutrals.Pink flowers add freshness and modern flair to this traditional dining room.Muted pink is one of signature colors for Scandinavia design.Pink and red means nobel, elegant and fashionable.Hot pink means pay attention to me!Pink— a soft touch for your office.
Pink is spring color.Pink and brass—elegant yet modern.Pink walls and ceilingPink bathroomA romantic spot.
classic vibesA vintage pink print over the fireplacea traditional beauty
It looks like we do use a lot of pink in our design projects.
Hygge might have been the décor buzz word in the last couple of years. But this year, Lagom, a Swedish concept is set to change the way we decorate our homes and look after our health and well-being.
Unlike hygge—the Danish idea of “coziness” that promotes warmth and comfort—lagom is a life style. It means “just the right amount,” focusing on moderation and creating the perfect balance between not too much and not too little across everything from work/life balance to financial well-being.
Coming across a lot of recent designs and Instagram, I feel that lagom interiors may be on the way to become one of the design trends to watch in 2018! Here are 6 ways to adopt a little lagom into your interior today:
Efficient flow: Creating balance in a space is much more than just the aesthetics of the room, is also incorporates the way that the room flows and how it supports the way that you use it. Will the scale of the furniture fits the space or overwhelm the space? Can you comfortably move around the room without having to squeeze past furnishings? Meeting needs such as these, without overcomplicating the design is an important component of lagom interiors – take a practical approach to the design process for a space that offers everything you need.
Calm color palettes: The color of your home can have a profound impact on your mood and well-being. We all find that calm, soothing natural colors such as white gray, muted pastels and light earthy tones can absolutly relax us and provide a simple and fuss-free foundation for a beautifully balanced room.
Practicality and functionality: There is a purpose for each room and decor accessories in terms of functionality and the way it triggers your emotion.
Natural materials and craftsmanship: : Lagom promotes to make things less complicated and allow the natural beauty of materials and artisan craftsmanship to shine such as celebrating the grace of woven natural materials, the warmth of raw oak and the purity of soft cotton.
Layer effect: Tone-on-tone theme with various textures and materials to creat a warm yet sophisticated space.
Mix something new and something old to build up characters and personality: The antique, vintage pieces always add history, depth, story and charisma to the space, making it fun to live with and often spark a good conversation.
I know it is fall and it is truly getting chilly here in Los Angeles. But after all, it’s SoCal and people are just absolutely obsessed with indoor-outdoor living here. Wouldn’t be nice that your bedroom door opens out into the lush greenery garden with charming all-year-around blooms. It’s such a heaven. I can imagine it. What about you? Let’s check out Cindy Crawford and Rande Gerber’s new $11.6 million stunning Beverly Hills home in the luxurious Trousdale . The 5,386-square-foot residence includes five bedrooms and six bathrooms, with plenty of amenities to ensure the perfect balance of outdoor and indoor living, according to Trulia. I also fall in love with the large kitchen marble island .
