I'm @ the 2010 House Beautiful Kitchen of the Year

In addition to it being a cool location to update my blog, I’m here taking in the scene at the 2010 House Beautiful Kitchen of the Year. I’m here beginning at 10:00AM today, so please stop by if you are in the area!

This design is truly masterful. It was designed by Jeff Lewis of Bravo TV’s “Flipping Out” and Jeff even used Mohawk Hardwood flooring in his design to provide his kitchen with a functional yet attractive foundation. The Mohawk Hardwood you see in the photo below is an antique natural elm that has a light finish to contrast the darker cherrywood cabinets that Jeff picked out.

In addition to my blog, make sure to follow my Twitter timeline @chipwade for even more happenings and tips. I’ll be tweeting about this event while I’m here as well!

The 2010 House Beautiful Kitchen of the Year

·         Extira panels resist moisture, rot and termites and offer excellent performance in exterior environments.

·         Extira panels can be used in any non-structural paint-grade exterior application. They also work well for high-moisture interior environments.

·         Extira panels have a 5-year warranty, unprecedented in the product category.

In addition to being user-friendly and durable, Extira panels are made with sustainable materials that provide amazing green building benefits! Check out the product for yourself on the CMI website. And, if any of you have used Extira panels for your projects, let me know what you think about the product.

• Unique Design & Build
• Design Consulting
• Home Inspections
• Energy Audits
• Home Staging

We’re eager to take on more projects, so click on “Contact Chip” if you’re interested in learning more about any of our services!

How is this achieved? Mohawk uses more than 200 different visuals of natural slate to create an endless array of patterns and color shifts to make a distinctive look. This look is the perfect product for kitchens and living rooms as well as covered exterior patios and walkways.

One of the greatest benefits of this flooring is that you get the beauty of slate without the maintenance of porous natural stone. Particularly for kitchens, your easy clean-up saves time and stress – something we can all appreciate!

Mohawk offers this tile in a variety of large format sizes for easy patterning and even mosaics to finish out the product line.

Your local Mohawk authorized retailer will have a number of decorative tile options to help you achieve that perfect style for your home.

For starters, it has tons of accessories from sanding sheets to saw blades that transform it instantly into the application you need. The QuickIN rapid change system makes the MultiMaster extremely user-friendly as well.

The SoftGrip feature also helps make this tool safe whether you’re working on interior fittings and renovations to boat building and vehicle repairs. Versatility makes your equipment more effective- and saves money in the process.

The FEIN Power Tools website is chock full of information and more technology facts. Check it out and continue to keep the handyman spirit alive!

But thanks to the newest technology from Mohawk, installing a gorgeous new hardwood floor is a snap. Although Mohawk UniClic may look a little like laminate, it’s all hardwood with natural woodgrain in the top and the bottom for a very durable finish.

Between the top and bottom layers are cross-ply’s of wood that provide stability and strength. What makes Mohawk Hardwood unique is how it all clicks together; with UniClic technology, the hardwood planks easily click together making installation fast and easy.

Plus, Mohawk UniClic has this ingenious in-joint feature called a “drop-lock” system. The drop-lock system secures the joints together allowing room for the planks to contract and expand. Ask your Mohawk dealer about the hardwood that’s a snap to install- or should I say a click!

Products such as the Magswitch Pro 30mm Table Featherboard use permanent, switchable magnets to hold with an exponentially greater weight than other featherboards.

In addition to being extremely fast to setup and precise when using, the Magswitch featherboard has a compact size that makes storing and transporting a painless process. Check it out for yourself on the Magswitch website and see how it works at a retailer that carries this line.

Let me know what you think and keep up the great work on your home improvements!

Check out this video that was sent to me from Jeremiah Schutz of Vacaville, CA. Jeremiah recently used some vacation time to transform his overgrown, unused backyard into a great play area for his two kids with some fantastic landscaping work:

This is great stuff! By clearing out the overgrowth and unnecessary clutter, Jeremiah opened up the space and made it appear almost twice as big. He has not only improved his home value, but more importantly the quality of living for spending time with his family.

I give this home project a big thumbs up and encourage you to apply the same can-do attitude to your home. Make sure to send me your stories, pictures, and videos so I can keep up with all the great work!

The producers at HGTV do an amazing job of helping us find great homes and families to work with. If it was up to me, I’d visit every home I could but of course that’s not very feasible!

To get started, go to hgtv.com and you can submit your written request in the “Contact Us” section. You’ll have the option to direct your message to the “How Do I Get My Home On HGTV” department by selecting from the drop-down menu. You’ll receive a confirmation email and producers will everything they need to get in touch with you!

Keep in mind that filming Curb Appeal revolves around front yards so take that into consideration when submitting your request. How cool would that be if I got to work on transforming your curb’s appeal? Good luck and make sure to watch Curb Appeal: The Block every Saturday at 9:30PM EST on HGTV!