There are so many different grout color choices available that it is hard to choose one from another. So what is one to do? This question has no easy answer nor does it have a right or a wrong answer. Whichever direction you ultimately choose will certainly have an impact on your tile project, but rest assured that with a little thought and proper planning your tile project will come out fabulous.

There generally are two schools of thought in choosing grout colors and either one has its pros and cons. When choosing grout one can either select a grout which BLENDS in with the tile or you can select a grout which contrasts with the tile. Selecting a grout color that blends in with the tile is probably more common and in our opinion does a better job at spotlighting the tile and the beauty in the material which you selected. After all, you probably spent months comparing tile samples from different manufacturers so why not choose a grout color that spotlights the tile rather than the grout. Selecting a grout color that blends in with the tile also allows the eye to see the tiled area as one continuous space rather than a checkerboard of individual tiles.

That being said, there are instances where choosing a contrasting grout color might be a wise choice to bring in a unique look to the tiled area. For example, when working with a black and white retro area in order to match other décor in the room it might be a nice idea to use dark or even black grout together with a white tile. In cases like this is where a contrasting grout color would be a wise choice.

When selecting a grout color, get “grout sticks” from your local tile retailer or home improvement center and bring these to your home to put the grout samples next to your tile right in the area or space to be tiled. Doing so will give you a clear picture of what the grout and tile will look like in the room under the lighting that will be there when the project is done.

From time to time we sit down and talk with local professionals in our area about issues relating to your home. We recently spent some time talking with Jennifer Ponzo of Hunt Real Estate in Chandler, Arizona about what fixes homeowners should undertake before selling their home in order to provide the biggest impact at the lowest cost. Below are some suggestions from Jennifer that apply to any homeowner in any market.

1 No doubt, curb appeal counts. Clean, Power wash, Paint and do whatever it takes to make a strong first impression and make prospective buyers want to see beyond your front door. Clean up the front and backyards and plant new flowers to add color whenever possible. Clean the front entry area and remove any chipped paint from around and above the door. This means cleaning the door itself including the hardware and polishing the house number. Add a flower pot or antique bench to your entryway to add a visual clue for potential buyers to remember your house from the next one.

2. Painting is everything. A fresh coat of paint to select areas of the house is an inexpensive and easy item to tackle on the to-do list. Get rid of the maroon accent wall that looked great with your furniture but will be an eyesore when the seller’s furniture is gone. Stick to calming and welcoming neutral colors that will draw a buyer in and will coordinate with most any furnishings.

3. Caulking is easy. A potential buyer hates to see old and dirty caulking in the shower since it might be a sign of mold and other problems lurking behind the shower walls. A tube of caulk is less than $5 at most home centers and a clean coat of caulk in the right areas will do wonders to add sparkle to what may have been a dingy shower.

4. Clutter be gone. This one always amazes me. We are all busy and counters are a great area to accumulate “stuff” from our hectic lives. When you are trying to sell your home however get rid of the clutter on the kitchen and bathroom counters to start. Follow that by removing most of your personal photos and any unnecessary furnishings. Buyers want to see themselves living in your home and this is hard to do and it makes a home appear smaller when your things are cluttering and taking over the home.

5. Upgrade the Kitchen and Bathroom. These are the make or break rooms for any home and this is especially true in this tough home sales market. Depending on your budget there are multiple things a homeowner can do to make high impact improvements to the Kitchen and the Bath. Upgrade the drawer pulls as a start and continue with the faucets if the budget allows it. Tiling a backsplash or a bathroom vanity area is an inexpensive and effective means to add an impressive design upgrade to the kitchen or bathroom area.

6. Fix stains and remove odors. Have the carpets or tile cleaned if it has been awhile since you last did this. If there are stains caused by water damage then don’t try to cover them, take the time to make the necessary repairs since most home inspectors will find the problem. Smoke or Pet odors turn off buyers instantly and are normally grounds to ask for a drastically lower price on a property if a buyer remains interested at all. Perform the work necessary to remove smoke or pet odors before placing a home on the market.

7. Update any old or outdated window treatments. Buyers want light and views, not dated, fancy drapes that darken. To reduce light and add privacy, consider energy efficient shades and blinds.

8. Hire a home inspector. Be proactive to eliminate any potential problems once under contract. Hire a home inspector to identify and fix any problems before you list the home and keep all receipts to prove that the work has been done. Home owners will feel safe and comfortable to buy a home from such responsible homeowners whose goal is to turn over a turn-key and maintenance free (at least in the beginning) home.

Happy Labor Day everyone! The temperatures in many parts of the country are still warm like summer making this Labor Day weekend a great time to entertain outdoors in the garden or by the pool. With fall approaching it is also a good time to think about cleaning and freshening up the appearance of your home.

Remember when your mom told you to brush your teeth, brush your hair, and wear clean clothes since you never know who you might run in to? Well, mom’s are always right and first impressions are so important not only in our own personal appearance but in your home’s curbside appeal. Maintaining the appearance of your home reflects your pride of ownership and helps to maintain the quality of your neighborhood.

Here are some tips for sprucing up your home that can easily be done in a weekend and will go a long way to freshening your home’s appearance.

* Clean up the front yard: pull any weeds and remove any dead plants from the garden. Mow the grass and fertilize and edge the front lawn as needed. Consider adding mulch to garden areas and plant in season plants and vegetables.

* Update and clean the front door area: remove any cobwebs from above and around the front door area. Trees will be loosing leaves and changing color soon so keep the front door area swept and clean and remove any bird droppings that may still be evident. Re-stain or repaint the door as needed (especially if selling the home) and add a new front door mat if the old one is showing its age. When done, complete the front door transformation by polishing the door hardware so the handles and knockers are sparkling clean.

* Add a colorful potted plant to the front door area to give your entryway a “homey” feel.

* Power-wash any brick or stone entryways as an inexpensive way to clean and improve material that may have been neglected for years.

* Make sure the porch light is working and sufficiently illuminates the front door area. House numbers should be recognizable and clean and the doorbell should be in good working order.

* Spruce up the garage door: make sure it works, is clean and painted, and the glass is clean

* Backyard should be cleaned much as the front yard has been attended to. Mow lawns, trim trees and plants, clean any outdoor furniture and cover (or store) as appropriate for changing weather conditions.

For additional information related to cleaning up a home to improve your homes curb appeal, there is additional information at landscaping.about.com

Times are tough for everyone right now but for those who have some extra pocket change lying around, there are some very good deals to be had on certain items we use daily. Merchants in every product category are discounting to attract consumers and smart and savvy shoppers are taking advantage of deals in the right areas.

Some of the categories are obvious like food through weekly coupons that local stores place in local newspapers, travel due to the slower fall travel season now upon us, and homes because of the large number of foreclosures available, attractive financing rates, and an expiring (up to) $8,000 tax credit available for first time homeowners and those that have not owned a home in the past three years. A category offering great deals that might not be so obvious to consumers is the Remodeling industry together with the products that consumers need to upgrade and improve their homes.

Building materials and home decoration products have not seen such attractive pricing trades members say in more than twenty years. For installation of many of these products, we always advocate for homeowners who have moderate to good repair skills to take on the smaller projects themselves. However, for more detailed and involved projects requiring special skills, the use of a contractor is recommended and the services of most trade professionals are priced very competitively in today’s marketplace.

Upgrade now to lock in lower materials prices. We hear from some readers that a year ago where Granite for example was $50 per square foot it is now $30. Higher end travertine and marble was $8 – $10 per square foot and now it is $5 – $6. Appliance retailers in some areas of the country are offering a dishwasher or a microwave oven for free for those who purchase three or more appliances in the same transaction. There are deals everywhere for savvy shoppers and we encourage our readers to send in any great finds to us so we can share your deal sleuthing with other readers of our blog.

Check back with us from time to time where we hope to offer more coupons and discounts on our quality decorative tile products to readers of our blog.

This topic was covered recently in the Chicago Tribune Home & Garden section which offered some good tips on what it takes to set up a home workshop. Some of the suggestions are intuitive while others offer nice suggestions to our DIY readers. Without further delay:

* Lighting: proper lighting in a workshop is critical to prevent injuries. 200-watt bulbs or double banks of fluorescents are always a nice starting point. Lighting is important both for safety and for work quality since good lighting, for example, will allow you to cut up to but not over a thin pencil line. Clamp lights are handy because they can be clipped most anywhere and moved around your shop as necessary to see your work clearly.

* Have sufficient outlets and power to accommodate and support power tools that are in your work area. For smaller power tools or battery operated tools you can often make due with a fused plug strip that can handle several plug in items at once. Once again, for larger tools like saws and planers, you might want to add an extra circuit with its own breaker.

* Ventilation: when working with chemicals of any kind, open windows to provide adequate ventilation to protect yourself in the work area. If there is only one window in your work area, install an exhaust fan in that window and set up the work so fumes carry away from you to the outside.

* Storage: for convenient storage of nails and screws try an empty tackle box or even an empty egg container if only a small amount of items need to be stored.

* Safety: besides following normal safety guidelines when operating any equipment in your new shop, it’s wise to childproof the area by controlling access to your workspace. Place a lock on the entrance to your work area and store power tools up and away out of the reach of any children. Lock saws and stationary power tools that come with a lock mechanism. If you store chemicals in your work area, keep them in a locked cabinet.

Some of the pointers are basic common sense but it doesn’t hurt to review the basics every now and then. Ok, now get to work!

On several recent trips to my local hardware store I have been noticing a trend that many of the customers who were there shopping for bits and pieces for their homes were women. I wondered if this was just dumb luck when I happened to be shopping or was I on to something bigger happening in the DIY market. I was pleasantly surprised at some of the statistics I learned when I performed some research on the topic.

Fannie Mae noted in a previous study that they project by 2010 there will be 32 million female homeowners compared with the more than 20 million today. In addition, 9% of homeowners in 2005 were single men, and 21% were single women. This fact no doubt has contributed to an entire industry of companies producing women-friendly tools, books, television shows, and women focused DIY websites.

A 2004 study by Sears Roebuck and Co found that three out of five women would prefer advice from Bob Vila, the home improvement expert, rather than talk show host Dr. Phil. Hmmm, this is more than a trend – it is a full fledged movement!

If you are in search of women friendly DIY products, tools, and advise one of the more prominent companies operating in this area is TomboyTools at www.TomboyTools.com
They have been creating and selling tools for women since 2000 and their motto Learn Today, Teach Tomorrow, Build Forever almost defines a starting point for budding women DIY’ers everywhere. Grab your favorite tool kit and we would love to hear from our female readers what their DIY participation is in their own homes.

I am referring to Glass Tile Blades for use on a wet saw of course. You knew exactly what I was talking about, didn’t you? You see, we have been getting this question more and more lately about the life span of a tile blade made specifically for cutting glass tiles. We wanted to expand a bit about glass tile blades for the benefit of any readers taking on a glass tile installation project.

Glass Tile Diamond Blades have higher diamond counts and are thinner than a ceramic or porcelain tile blade. The 7” glass tile blade which we sell at AnchorBayTile.com will run on a wet saw at a higher speed than a ceramic or porcelain blade which is necessary to cut through very hard glass tile material. Glass tile blades made specifically for cutting glass tiles will cut glass with no chipping or shredding and are “must haves” when installing glass tile in a large area.

The life span of a glass tile blade is often shorter however than a ceramic or porcelain tile blade. Because the diamonds are much smaller and finer on a blade made for glass tile than on other tile blades the diamonds wear much quicker, especially when cutting thick 8mm glass tile such as our Solana Glass Subway Tile. There is no rule of thumb for how many cuts you will get from one blade but expect that the thicker the glass material, the fewer cuts you can expect. Most blades should be sufficient for the typical kitchen backsplash project though for a sizable bathroom shower you might want to purchase two blades just in case. Keep this in mind when taking on any glass tile installation project that will require any cutting of the material.

We hear often from our customers in these tough times about locating beautiful tile products that offer a good value for homeowners. With our new Coastal Blends glass mosaic tile we believe we have over delivered for our customers by stocking a tile that is very competitively priced and comes in ten beautiful contemporary glass tile blends colors which are suitable for most any interior or exterior project.

We find that our customers are using the Coastal Blends tiles as an affordable glass mosaic tile choice for showers, tub surrounds, kitchen backsplashes, and entire swimming pools. Given the incredible pricing of only $8.50 per sheet this makes upgrading one’s home using decorative glass tile in reach of most anyone considering a home improvement project.

Consider that a standard backsplash varies between 15 and 20 square feet. Using the Coastal Blends tile makes that backsplash materials cost well under $200, falling somewhere between $127.50 and $170.00 depending on actual square feet needed. Throw in one bag of mortar and one small bag of grout and the entire materials cost for a DIY’er installing our Coastal Blends tile is less than $200. Not bad at all.
Go to www.AnchorBayTile.com and click Glass Tile to learn more about how the Coastal Blends collection is a great choice for a contemporary upgrade to any home or commercial location.

With the tough economy taking it’s toll on most American households because of either losing a job or facing reduced hours at work, many families find they have more time to spend at home nowadays. That is creating a whole new “movement of DIYers” who are improving and repairing every area of the home.

Most DIYers are taking on projects to save money and both men and women are taking on home improvement of their homes in equal numbers. Painting is the most common DIY project though tile, carpet and window coverings not far behind. People can save quite a bit of money on labor when they can do the work themselves. Before taking on a project, make sure you have the right tools and installation materials, read as much as you can in books or online about the installation procedures for your project, and call in a friend or family member who may be handy with home improvement projects to help you through the process.

HomeVestors of America is holding a contest to find the ugliest home in America. Ugly does not mean the avacado appliances and rooster wallpaper borders though, ugly means the dirtiest, most disgusting, I don’t think I could even walk in there home.

There is no description for some of these places.

Oh my word, the ugly houses. Thankfully my house was never, EVER, in the condition of most of these houses. Maybe I should stop calling my house ugly and refer to it as tacky.

Go on over and have a look. I can almost guarantee that you will feel better about your renovation project. From now through November 15 you can vote daily for the house you think deserves the title of ugliest house. Personally, I couldn’t decide.