The Advantages of Radiant Floor Heat

It’s hard enough to get out of a warm bed in the morning, but when you know your feet will hit a cold floor, it’s enough to make you pull the covers over your head. Make your first trip to the bathroom, or your morning coffee-making ritual in the kitchen, more pleasant by stepping onto a heated floor.

Radiant-heat flooring is fast becoming a standard in today’s kitchen and bath construction projects. Not only can it be more efficient than other heating methods, it provides a luxurious feature for homeowners. Plus, its hidden nature means kitchen and bath design doesn’t need to be compromised for comfort.

Check out the radiant heat flooring options—as well as wall applications—on the market.


Nuheat’s Custom-Mat Electric Floor Heat System

For rooms with angled or curved walls, Nuheat’s custom mats can provide optimal coverage. Send the room’s dimensions and specifications, and within a week Nuheat manufactures a custom mat designed to fit the space exactly, resulting in easy installation and no cold spots. Nuheat custom mats are 1/8 in. thick—sandwiching heating wire between durable, porous fabric—and run off a standard household circuit. The mats can be rolled out and installed under tile, stone, marble, slate, laminate and engineered wood floors. The mats can also be used in shower pans. The heating level can be controlled with a thermostat, such as the flush-mounted Harmony programmable thermostat, which can sit behind a double faceplate for a streamlined appearance. For more information, visit Nuheat.com.

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Radiant floor heating can greatly increase the comfort levels in your home, but it is best to have this work done by experts, if possible as part of a remodeling project. To know more about radiant floor heating options and installation or other home remodeling work, contact Mediterraneo Design and Build (MDB) of Menlo Park, CA. The phone number and email address are (650) 368-1361 and info@mediterraneodesignbuild.com.

Are Your Windows Outdated?

Windows are not just for light and ventilation but are an expression of your home’s personality. At some point in time your windows might become outdated and require replacement. Replacing windows can be a bewildering task with an overwhelming selection of styles and designs offer. When looking at window replacements a homeowner should consider the design which must be in keeping with the existing style of the home, and they should be easy to maintain. The most popular styles are bay windows, single-hung, double-hung, bow, sliding, casement and garden windows.

Window styles can also be customized with specialty-shapes. One suggestion is to replace flat windows with bow or bay windows which create an illusion of space. The additional natural light that these windows provide adds to the texture and dimension of the house. These windows come in a range of styles, the most common being the angled bay window which angles outwards at a 30° to 45° angle. A 90° angle would make it a box bay which could be fitted with a glass roof to make it a garden window. Most bay windows allow for a window seat, as an added attraction. A window seat is a great place to sit and watch the world go by.

Specialist Advice

A remodeling specialist can offer suggestions on window replacements compatible with your existing structural style. One such company is Mediterraneo Design and Build (MDB), a Menlo Park, design and build company. They undertake all residential building projects including home remodeling. MDB is well staffed with specialist personnel which includes designers, builders and interior decorators. A homeowner gets the benefit of diverse expertise in one company. To contact MDB, please call (650) 368-1361 or email info@mediterraneodesignbuild.com.

Planning a Kitchen Remodel

Kitchens are the hub of the home and as is commonly known, kitchens and baths sell the home. Kitchens on average are remodeled every 12-15 years.

A kitchen remodel requires careful planning and foresight. This space, more than any other room in the home, is often the most expensive per square foot and the remodel construction phase has the potential to temporarily disrupt the family’s routines.

Homeowners should start the process by defining the scope of the kitchen remodel, often with the help of a professional kitchen designer, to determine a practical budget and a time frame for completion.

For example, if you are planning to expand the kitchen to include a breakfast nook or design an open concept kitchen with great room, change out windows or add garden access doors, the cost and timeline will reflect the structural changes and/or the new square footage added.

A successful kitchen remodel demands careful consideration of functionality in the space, efficient layouts for the work zones, aisles and traffic paths, and , proper dimensioning for locating plumbing, electrical and ventilation systems.

The development of new technologies to conserve natural resources is evident in kitchen showrooms and local home improvement centers. Energy star appliances from refrigerator/freezers to dishwashers, and low wattage fluorescent and LED under cabinet task lighting and decorative interior cabinet lighting are standard in today’s kitchens. The offerings are diverse for other design elements such as cabinetry, counter surface materials, decorative backsplash wall tiles and flooring.

Professional Remodeling

A kitchen remodeled by a professional, experienced residential construction contractor has significant advantages over the “Do It Yourself” (DIY) handyman approach.

A residential design and build company experienced in remodeling projects, offers a range of valuable services that include design development, finish selections, the permit process, project management and quality construction. One such company that serves Bay Area homeowners is Mediterraneo Design and Build (MDB) of Menlo Park, CA.

MDB has over nineteen years of experience with residential building projects including kitchen remodels. A variety of completed projects can be viewed at www.mediterraneodesignbuild.com. To contact MDB, please call (650) 368-1361 or email info@mediterraneodesignbuild.com.

A Central Vacuum System

There’s no better time to install a Central Vacuum Unit (CVU) than during the remodel of a home. This system has a number of advantages over the traditional vacuum cleaner, the most obvious being one doesn’t have to transport the unit around the house, especially if the house is on split levels. The central unit itself is located in a remote location like a garage, basement or attic. During remodeling, inlet points can be carefully selected and the necessary tubing can be fitted behind walls in such a manner as to be strategically concealed. Some of the other advantages in a CVU are:

Assurance of healthy air with each cleaning since collected dust is sent to a remotely located unit.

The unit is driven by a more powerful motor than the traditional portable model leading to more efficient suction.

No inconvenience of cord length and cords tangling with furniture or becoming a potential tripping hazard. Only the brush unit and hose is plugged into a conveniently located wall inlet.

Quieter operation since the central unit is remotely located where the walls insulate the sound of the motor.

A Central Vacuum System enhances the value of a house.

Mediterraneo Design and Build is a design and build firm located in Menlo Park, CA which specializes in remodeling of homes. This firm advises its clients on those installations and modifications that are best undertaken during a home remodeling. The firm can provide complete information on Central Vacuum Units, the costs and other advantages. For home remodeling or building additions, please call MDB at (650) 368-1361 or email info@mediterraneodesignbuild.com.

The firm’s website www.mediterraneodesignbuild.com has more on the design and construction services available and the various projects it has completed.