Interior Design Projects for Every Season of the Year

by Milcarsky's Staff | Jul 19, 2019 | How To's

When should you renovate your home? The fact is, most remodeling projects and the costs associated with them tend to be seasonal. Here’s the best time of the year to invest in materials to save money on design projects. 

Spring: Outdoor Kitchen

Springtime is ripe with deals for outdoor kitchen remodels. As you gear up for backyard BBQs, consider equipping your outdoor space with the essentials to make al fresco dining more enjoyable. Keep in mind that the idea is to bring the entire dining experience outside. Accordingly, an outdoor kitchen should have all the conveniences of its indoor companion, including a stove and a refrigerator. Milcarsky’s Appliance Centre’ offers everything you need to design a fully functional outdoor kitchen. Prices for these luxury appliances start around $1,500 but the cost will depend heavily on the item and the number of pieces. 

Summer: Bathroom

Take advantage of the bright sun and long daylight hours. In the summer, you can open the windows for ventilation and get more work done in natural light. On average, it costs between $1,250 and $3,500 to remodel a small bathroom. Look for deals for projects you can complete in less than a day or weekend. Simple projects like painting, replacing fixtures, and installing a new door cost significantly less while improving the look and feel of the space. If you are looking to change up the feel of your bathroom, changing your shower enclosure can provide a new aesthetic.

Fall: Indoor Kitchen

Cooking holiday meals can be downright chaotic if you have limited space, subpar appliances, or cabinet doors falling off the hinges. Fortunately, you will find fairly inexpensive kitchen furniture, cabinetry, and appliances when the leaves start to change colors. According to Fixr, most kitchen remodels run between $75 to $250 per square foot. You can cut these costs by taking an assessment of the space to determine what needs an immediate upgrade. The last thing you need is for appliances to malfunction in the middle of preparing your signature dish. 

Winter: Laundry Room

Often laundry rooms come as an afterthought in home design. For this reason, they may lack the brightness and organizational space found in other rooms. Mills Custom Homes says that adding shelves, paint, or wallpaper can breathe fresh life into a laundry room, giving it character and additional utility for under $500. You can also change up your laundry sink if you are looking to improve the utility of your laundry room. If you tackle laundry room renovation in the winter, you’ll be ready in time for spring cleaning. Avoid sticker shock and plan ahead. Otherwise you may put off renovations, which could lead to costly repairs.

Some Ideas for Remodeling Your Kitchen on a Budget

by Milcarsky's Staff | Jun 29, 2019 | How To's

Many homeowners would like to upgrade their kitchens but believe they do not possess the funds necessary to do so. However, the kitchen you envision for your home won’t necessarily require a second mortgage on that home. The following ideas will allow you to update your kitchen without causing yourself financial strain.

Refinish the Walls

Sometimes all that is required to make your kitchen look brand-new and beautiful is a fresh coat of paint. You will need to scrub the walls of your kitchen to make sure all grease and food particles have been removed before trying to add paint to the surface. It would probably also be a good idea to do a little sanding before applying the primer. Don’t forget to tape around the perimeter of the area you wish to paint. In this case, you don’t want to color outside the lines.

Replace Your Countertops

If your kitchen countertops no longer match your vision for the space, they’ve become a problem to maintain or they’re too badly damaged, it’s probably time to replace them. Upgrading your countertops can wildly transform the look of your kitchen and even affect your home’s resale value. When comparing materials for your new countertops, consider not only their beauty and attributes but also how much effort it will take to maintain them. For example, marble or granite countertops will need to be polished from time to time. These materials also tend to be more expensive. Look into laminate, ceramic tile, engineered stone, or even wood instead.

Replace the Flooring

You can purchase many kitchen flooring materials such as vinyl, ceramic tile, cork, or laminate without breaking the budget you set for your renovation project. All of these options perform well in kitchens and are available in a variety of styles. Vinyl is particularly easy to install, and in many cases, it constitutes the most economical choice. Laminate is also a cheap option, but it’s not as durable as some other materials.

Refinish the Cabinets

Your kitchen can sometimes be upgraded substantially by simply refinishing the drawer fronts and cupboards. You can put the finishing touches on the project with new pulls and knobs. If the cupboards are not in very bad shape, you will only need a little paint or stain and some elbow grease. If they are in good shape but need a little more work, you can also reface them, which is much cheaper than replacing them entirely. Cabinets and drawers with more damage will require more attention. Homeowners often put off the kitchen upgrades they desire for fear that they won’t have enough money to complete the renovation. The four kitchen remodeling projects we’ve outlined here will provide you with a significant upgrade to your cooking space without breaking the bank. If you really want to make a practical and lasting impact on the functionality of your kitchen, it’s definitely worth it to invest in quality appliances. Visit Milcarsky’s Appliance Centre’ for ranges, cook-tops, and more! Milcarsky’s has been a Central Florida staple in the appliance business since 1985. We serve the Orlando, Tampa, Melbourne metro areas areas and beyond … There is no substitute for experience!

Tips for Protecting Your Furniture While Moving

by Milcarsky's Staff | Nov 26, 2018 | How To's

Own an Open-Plan Home? Here Are Three Ways to Improve the Experience

by Milcarsky's Staff | Nov 18, 2018 | How To's

Open floor plans are increasing in popularity for good reason. These styles of homes naturally lend themselves to togetherness and family bonding while encouraging the use of natural light. Although there are a vast number of positive aspects of living in a home with an open floor plan, there are also some drawbacks that need to be addressed. Here are a few ways to improve the open floor plan experience in three key rooms of the house.

Living Area 

As the centerpiece of an open floor plan, the living area must be inviting and welcoming to all guests. However, sometimes you want to create a little privacy within the space. This can be hard to do without the usual walls to separate it from other areas of the open floor plan. To create defining boundaries, consider the use of area rugs or room dividers. Even a large picture collage strategically placed can set the boundary between the living room and the eating area.

Kitchen

With no closed doors to seal off the hustle and bustle of the kitchen area, the noise will naturally overflow to other areas of the home. While it is sometimes advantageous to be able to hear what is going on in the kitchen from the living area, having an open floor plan can also be intrusive. Especially if you are trying to watch a movie in the living room or study in the office, you want to minimize the amount of noise coming out of the kitchen. One of the biggest tips in creating an optimal open floor plan is to consider kitchen appliances that are quiet. By choosing appliances with this feature, you can reduce the extraneous noise that comes out of many kitchens. 

Office Space

Noise can often be a problem when residents need to use the office space for silent work or studying. Investing in a pair of noise-canceling headphones is an easy solution to this problem. To further reduce the chance of distraction while working, you can use big houseplants as a divider between the office and the rest of the open floor plan. Not only do these create a separation, incorporating plants has plenty of mental health benefits. The key is to create privacy for the office area so that it remains a ace of focus and concentration.

A little creativity goes a long way when tackling the challenges that come with utilizing an open floor plan to its maximum potential.

For some great, modern (and quiet) kitchen appliances, check out our store! We highly recommend doing your research for your dishwasher as it tends to be the loudest of the appliances.