Fast Fixes To......

Spruce Up Your Kitchen And Bath For The Holidays

With little time left before the holidays, here are a few easy and relatively quick tips to make your holiday kitchen and guest baths ready for family and friends:

KITCHEN:

COLOR – pick something you love. Make that the theme for your update. Go around the house and find accessories and artworks that have that color and move them into the kitchen. Purchase some brand new kitchen towels (and purge the frayed ones in the drawer) in that same color family. Stick with solid colors. Right before the big gathering go to your local supermarket produce department and purchase all you can find in that color. Green think apples, avocados, peppers, herbs, etc. and fill large glass containers you placenon the counter tops.
FAUCET - replace your kitchen faucet with a brand new polished nickel fitting. Here is a trick. Take a picture of the existing sink on your smart phone and take it to your local plumbing showroom. From the picture they can be sure the new one will work with the existing holes. Tell them your time frame and ask for their favorite plumber to install. The advantage of a showroom vs. a big box retailer is that they will know what can be had in time and will also know the plumber who is familiar with the brand he will be installing. The kitchen looks so clean with sparkling new fixtures.
FREESTANDING SOAP DISPENSER - purchase one to sit on the counter in a metal finish to match your kitchen faucet. Get rid of that awful plastic bottle on the sink.
PET ART -if your pets eat in the kitchen, why not buy a tiny little piece of art and hang it their eye level? Pet food stations can look pretty off putting, but with the little art piece and perhaps some new rubber place mats (remember your color), it can fit in nicely.
CABINET HARDWARE - n,ever ever think of replacing your kitchen cabinets just months before the holidays. Instead, replace the cabinet hardware to change the look entirely. Remember, take one of each kind with you to your local showroom so they can be sure the new ones will fit “without” drilling. Take a count of each size so the order won’t be held up.
POT RACK - are the cabinets that hold your pots and pans embarrassing for guests to see? Install a pot rack in your kitchen. They come in so many sizes and colors. Hang only your best pots. It does not matter that it looks used; a sign of a real cook. Now go buy the 2 or 3 pots or pans you’ve always wanted. Consider it a holiday gift to yourself, and use them freely over the next few months.
KITCHEN SCALE - finally, holiday baking can be overwhelming at this time of year. Successful bakers always measure by weight, not volume. Why not invest in a scale to make the job go smoother? Franke Kitchen Systems makes one. It is an investment but well worth it. It can be cut into the counter top so you have a flush installation and simply lifted out for cleaning. You may not get it cut in before December so use it now and schedule the handyman for after December 31^st. Check it out at www.frankeksd.com

BATH:

FLOWERS - no one ever buys flowers for their own bathroom, so why not buy some for your guests? There is no need to spend a fortune. Simply locate a great old family mixing bowl or crock pot and drop in a potted plant. The flowers will stay fresh for their entire stay.
SHOWER HEAD - get a new shower head. Get the best one you can afford. Look for one that has a self-cleaning face so you never have to deal with clogged openings due to infrequent use. No plumber needed to install.
SHOWER SCREEN - is your shower curtain looking, well, awful? Why not get a new European shower screen installed? It is a simple three to five bolt installation. No more shower curtains. You must check out Cesana. WWW.CESANAUSA.COM and click on products, then shower screens.
TOWELS - how about some brand new white towels? They look clean and fresh. Always, always launder them before you use them. Towels come with a fabric coating to prevent damage while in the store. Wash and dry with NO fabric softener. Fabric softener or dryer sheets will put a film on the towels and they won’t be as absorbent as you hoped.
BATH FAUCET - a brand new faucet on the sink changes everything. Dont' forget, take a picture of what currently exists to your local showroom. That way there will be no mistake of what you need and when.