Kitchen & Bathroom,Wardrobe & Closet Design Plans

How to Create a Mosaic Countertop

You have been planning your kitchen redesign. You have looked through magazines and watched the home improvement and home decorating shows on television. You saw a simply fabulous kitchen redesign using mosaic tiles to create a pattern on a countertop. You want to do the same. You can do it yourself in a few easy steps.Mosaic Countertop

A mosaic is a decorative design created by setting small colored pieces of tile into a setting such as a countertop. The first thing you want to do is visit a tile shop and look at the tiles and colors that are available. Take some time to research what you want to do. You can find books in the library on creating tile countertops with mosaics. Since you are using tiles for your entire countertop, you will want to buy tiles in the size you need for the major area and complementary colored tiles for the mosaic area. Sketch your idea on a piece of paper before you go shopping. Measure your countertop. The salesperson as the tile store can help to determine how many tiles you will need for your major surface and how much you should purchase to create your mosaic.Mosaic Countertop

Mosaic Countertop

Sketch your pattern onto the surface where you will lay the tiles. Since you are creating a mosaic you want to break up the tiles you will use for it. The easy way to do this is to wrap the tiles in a towel and hit them with a hammer.

You will need small pieces for your mosaic and larger pieces for your border. You can use a tile nibbler to break the tiles into the size you need.Mosaic Countertop

Place the tiles on top of the sketch to make sure you are pleased with the pattern and the colors you have selected. Mark the location of the tiles with a magic marker. When laying the tiles on your countertop, you should start from the center and work outward.Mosaic Countertop

The steps in creating your mosaic are:

1. Prepare the surface by scoring it with a utility knife and then coating the surface with a mixture of watered down white glue.

2. Spread a thin coat of tile cement (thin set or mortar), about one-eighth of an inch, over the surface.

3. Score your mortar with a trowel.

4. Place your tiles in the cement according to the pattern you drew.

5. After the cement has set, apply tile grout over all the tiles.

6. Apply the grout with a trowel. Smooth it over all of the seams between the individual tiles.

7. Wipe away the excess grout with a sponge.

8. Let it dry overnight.

You can purchase grout in a variety of colors, not just white, to match the decor of your kitchen.

Modern Kitchen With Luxury Wooden and Marble Finishes – Yara Vip by Cesar

Big Italian producer of contemporary kitchens, Cesar, has presented its top model Yara in new luxury finishes. It is named Yara Vip and created for the most evolved and sophisticated public. From now on this kitchen is available in very expensive and exclusive wood types such as olive, palisander, ebony and eucalyptus. This wooden finish can be combined with dark glass or magnificent marble. In both versions it looks amazing. Although the first of them is more modern and distinguishes by super slim glass top. Mocha glass and brown aluminium perfectly fit to these wooden finishes. Marble model in opposite looks more traditional and natural. Besides luxury finish Yara Vip stands out by functional design and excellent quality. If you want an additional information about this wooden kitchen cabinets then you could find it on Cesar site by KBC. [via luxury olive kitchen cabinets]

Modern homes need to have kitchens that are both spacious and practical. Contertops have an enormous impact on the look and feel of your kitchen design, helping set the style and tone for the heart of your home. Today while I was surfing on KBC Design, I’ve noticed in their residential works, a few interesting kitchen designs, and I’ve decided to make a small inspirational collection here on Freshome, for those of you who look for a little inspiration for their kitchen design. Finally here are 9 pictures with a few beautiful kitchen designs, that might give you an idea or two.

Contertops have an enormous impact on the look and feel of your kitchen design, helping set the style and tone for the heart of your home. Countertops these days appear in a wide variety of materials and finishes. Granite, limestone, concrete, butcher block… these are all popular countertop choices these days. Each piece of granite used for your countertop is unique in texture and veining, and enhances your kitchen like a piece of fine art. Granite is a beautiful, quarried stone composed of quartz, mica, feldspar, and other minerals which give it a crystalline appearance and feel. With all of the modern trends in kitchen design and decor, you really should consider remodeling your old kitchen.

One of the things that some people do not consider when they are shopping for bathroom vanity countertops is the cost of the sink. This is something that needs to be considered if you are working on a middle class income. Cultured marble tops generally have the sinks molded into the tops form already. Of the three, granite, Formica or cultured marble having the sink already formed into the top, which one is a less expensive route to take.
Obviously, there really is no comparison with the cost of a granite countertop in relation to a plastic laminate Formica counter. The granite top is generally going to cost more unless you find a steel of a deal at Home Depot or from a stone countertop manufacture.
Sometimes by getting on the phone and calling around town to local top suppliers, a defective one can be found for a great price. The biggest disadvantage to this is that you have to work with the design and make your cabinets fit the top.

Here’s the countertop cost breakdown
1) Plastic laminate tops with sinks are more expensive than cultured marble ones with a sink. This calculation takes into consideration the costs associated with hiring a plumber to install the sink into the Formica top.

2) The cost of granite with a sink is going to be more than Formica or cultured marble.

Bathroom vanity tops come in many selections and price ranges. What the final cost turns out to be will be directly related to the cost of the sinks and hiring a professional plumber to install them.

There are plenty of styles of countertops on the market, so find out which one works best for your home. Here are some options.
Granite
Granite can be expensive, but it holds up to heat very well.
Stone
Stone is easy to take care of and looks great, but it’s also usually pricey.
Tile
Tile is also heat resistant, and you can find any color you choose. Watch out for chipping, though.
Laminates
Laminate counters are affordable, but they’re easily damaged and impossible to repair.
Stainless Steel
If you like the futuristic look of stainless steel, you’ll be pleased with the little maintenance they require. Still, watch out for a high price tag and easy denting.