This Ikea hacks will have your home looking like a million bucks. 1. Storage bench

This Ikea book cabinet turned storage bench is the perfect example of re-purposing. Turn stock cabinets and MDF into a stylish bench suitable for under a window, at the end of a bed, or in an entryway.

2. Chic work desk

This ultra chic desk went from Ikea table to luxe work space. Add paint and decorative touches in between the table legs to get this fab decor item in your home.

3.  Hide-a-way Vanity

Tight on space? Turn an Ikea Laptop Station into a sleek vanity, and hang anywhere you need a space saving makeup station. This would be great for a college dorm room or guest bedroom!

4. Luxe Entryway Table

This Ikea Svalbo got a facelift with  peachy paint and gold dipped legs. This goes to show you how far paint can save a piece of furniture!

5. Malm dresser overhaul

Ikea's Malm dresser series is anything but luxe. After some paint and new hardware, you would have guessed it was from a high end furniture store. Try adding brass pull bars and black paint for that vintage look.

Ikea is amazing, but it is even better if you know these hacks!

For more Ikea hacks and other design advice, check out our blog.

Rental Property Remodel for under $1000 Taking the time to renovate a rental property, a landlord can increase both the property’s overall value and their rental income. An upgraded rental has the ability to have an increased rent, and is proven to have a lower vacancy rate.

Unfortunately it is not always easy to know where to begin with renovations on a rental property and not many have the funds to dump into a rental. You want to make income with a rental, and not lose it. Luckily there are some things you can do to have your property looking good in no time at all. If you are a landlord looking to spruce up a rental property, the following tips can help.

1. Start with the exterior, making sure the curb appeal is there is very important as it’s the first impression for potential tenants. Use native plants to the area to give the rental property yard a more eye catching look. If you want something that won’t call for watering, have gravel or river rocks poured in a decorative fashion. This will save your tenants water and maintenance.

2. Update the small stuff. Fresh paint is always a must have, look into the trending interior colors and go with something that can look good with any possible furniture. Baseboards and ceiling molding also add that wow factor most rentals are missing.  Outdated light fixtures and lack of ceiling fans can be killers so don’t forget to upgrade or paint them.  The small details do matter, start looking around at the little things first.

3. Most of your budget should go toward the kitchen and the bathroom renovation. Imagine that all the other rental houses have white appliances and plastic tub surrounds. You offer black appliances and 4×6 faux marble ceramic tile around the tub with a glass door enclosure. The added cost is there, but it allows you to charge an extra $25 per month on rent.

Flooring: Update the flooring to something that will last and that looks better. A lot of rentals have cheap laminate flooring in the kitchen and bathroom – get rid of it and install laminate wood planks or peel and stick tiles. A new floor will change the whole look of the property without a huge hassle. Laminate flooring will run you around 59 cents – 1.29/sq ft and can be installed by any one with handy skills.

Countertops: I have seen some of the worst counter tops in rentals, if the rental property is old enough to have that ghastly yellow counter tops – hurry and fix that eye sore right away. If you can’t replace them with stone or concrete, simple faux marble or granite contact paper does the trick and looks amazing. Contact paper will run you around $30-60 depending on the quality, anything less than that will lose its luster and the color will be wiped off within a few months.

These are just a few simple tips to remodel your rental property for under $1000. For this and other remodel tips, follow us on social media.

Marble Looking Flooring for Less Are you in love with marble flooring? Are you able to afford the chunk of change it is going to cost you? Not everyone can spend an unlimited budget on flooring for their remodel, in a perfect world we all could – but in reality sometimes you have to make sacrifices. I know, I know, adulting can be a drag. But…Lucky for us in current times, we have so many options and alternatives to get that same look for less.

For those of you who picture their home with marble flooring throughout, and just don’t have the remodel budget for it – there is hope!

We have come across many inquiring calls and emails raving about the Carrera Marble they see in a lot of our kitchen and bathroom remodels. It’s no wonder why, Carrera Marble is one of the most sought after marbles for Los Angeles remodels. Those calls and emails not only rave, but a lot of them ask us what can they do to get the Marble looking flooring for less. So here we will spill everything we know about how you can achieve the look of marble in your remodel, without actually paying for marble.

The number one remodel trick we have found to get the marble flooring look for less is with the use of porcelain or ceramic tiles that resemble marble. They have many different patterns and colors, shapes and sizes – they even come glossy to perfectly fake out marble fans. No one will know that it isn’t marble, unless of course you tell them! When installed correctly the flooring will mock that of a real marble floor and make your remodel look elegant and grand.

For those of you sitting there thinking to yourself that even ceramic tile is out of your budget or your home just needs a DIY pick me up until you can budget for a Los Angeles remodel company to take over, there is another option.

Peel and Stick Faux Carrera Marble tiles are available at the local hardware store. This is not the best alternative to the marble flooring you dream of, but it works for the time being.  Peel and Stick tile is great way to fix up a rental or income property without spending an arm and a leg. There is even a a brand of Peel and Stick tiles that can be grouted, which gives the look of a real floor versus old school vinyl. Stay tuned for our Blog on Rental Property Remodel for under $1000.

Wouldn't it be nice to be able to get away and treat ourselves to a spa day, like every day of the week?  Well, if that dream is a bit out of your reach for financial or practical reasons, there are a few things you can do to your current bathroom to give it that spa feel. Most Los Angeles remodeling contractors will tell you the same thing, creating a spa bathroom of your dreams are practical and more affordable than daily trips to the local spa.

Modern design and technology makes getting your own spa bathroom very possible. Here are the basic must haves in order to really have the spa bathroom you desire.

1. Extra-large soaking tub.

Many tubs are made deeper than previous models for prolonged soaking and resting. If this idea catches your attention, consider adding a stylish grab bar preventing unnecessary slips when entering or exiting. Along with these separate soaking tubs comes a growing request for shelves and spaces to place candles, decorative plants and handy baskets of towels and pampering lotions. Incorporating a TV in the bathroom for viewing from the tub is another amenity that is well liked and asked for more and more.

2. Steam room and Luxury Shower.

No more quick showers with this spa-like feature in your master bath.  With added space and multiple shower heads and built in bench, this becomes the ultimate way to pamper you.  Also, adding in glass panels and doors will help create an open and more spacious feel to the space.

3. Entertainment system with TV.

With the other features of your spa-like bathroom, it is obvious that you will be spending more time in the space.  Adding flat screen TVs and stereos in bathrooms is becoming more and more popular as homeowners are creating their ultimate oasis to soak away the day.  We’ve even seen small refrigeration units installed to have cold beverages readily available!

4. The right color!

Spas use neutral shades to keep the feeling of the room peaceful and relaxing. When introducing new colors, stick to neutral and earthy tones. Try using whites and light blue shades for a modern feel and light greens and wood for an earthier vibe.

5. Heated floors and a heated towel rack.

Every spa has those warm, cozy robes and towels – why not mock the idea and have a heated towel rack installed so that you never have to endure a cold towel again. And why go through the inconvenience of stepping onto cold bathroom tile floors when you can have heated floors?  Not only do they welcome bare feet but they make it easy to step out of the shower without getting chilled after you relaxed.

Top 10 Reasons to Remodel a Kitchen Remodeling the kitchen can be a major undertaking if you don’t hire the correct design company or if you try the DIY approach.

It is not just the expense, but also the inconvenience to the household that gives many homeowners pause when considering such an undertaking. In spite of this, homeowners continue to find good reasons to proceed with a kitchen remodel. Here are the top 10 reasons homeowners gave us when asked why they wanted a new kitchen remodel.

Deterioration

The kitchen might simply be falling apart, or slowly breaking down to the point of no return. Cracked tiles, peeling countertops, broken or missing cabinet doors and outdated appliances don’t inspire gourmet cooking or family gatherings, and rather make you less inclined to have people over. The deteriorated kitchen has simply outlived its usefulness and needs a remodel. According to an article on Personal Finance, your home appliances should be replaced every 10 years and updated before that if they are not energy efficient.

Value

Many kitchen remodels begin from the need or idea to increase the property value. Most home buyers will avoid purchasing a home that will need a remodel in the near future; this is not something you may have the finances to do after such a purchase. Not only due to finances, but a newly renovated kitchen may sell before a home with an outdated one for the same selling price.

Energy Savings

Energy savings might be the prime motivation for a kitchen remodel. Outdated appliances and dinosaur water heaters could be killing your utility bills. Green remodels are easily financed through the HERO Program and save you money.  Adding skylights brings in more sunshine, reducing the need for artificial light. Energy-efficient appliances and solar water heaters cut the utility bill and place less stress on the environment.

Modernity

The kitchen can be pristine yet outdated. The kitchen is usually the last room in the home to get remodeled and the room that needs it the most. Homeowners noted the reason for the kitchen remodel was that the rest of their house was updated, yet the kitchen was stuck in the 50’s.

Lifestyle

The kitchen layout may have worked great for the previous homeowner, but not for you. Perhaps it lacks a breakfast bar, and your family wants to gather informally in the kitchen to enjoy coffee or grab a quick meal without going to the dining room table. Whatever the reason, one motivation for a kitchen remodel is to arrange the room to best suit the family’s needs.

Special Circumstances

It is sometimes necessary to remodel the kitchen to better accommodate the needs of disabled or aging family members. Or your family could be growing in size and the need for a kitchen remodel to accommodate them.

Financial Incentives

The prime motivation behind a remodel might simply be financial incentives, such as energy-saving rebates offered by government entities or vendors. Financial incentives include sales at home improvement centers, cash rebates for trading in outdated appliances, remodeling grants and low- or no-interest loans.

Change

Some homeowners simply want change. The current kitchen might be functional, updated and attractive, yet no longer appeal to the homeowner.

Home Improvement TV

Watching home improvement shows on cable television inspires many homeowners to remodel their kitchens. They may never have considered such a project until a home improvement program showed them the possibilities for their kitchen.

Gourmet Kitchen

For a homeowner who enjoys preparing fancy meals and considers himself a gourmet cook, the prime reason for a remodel is the desire to create a dream kitchen. A gourmet kitchen with fancier amenities than most accommodates the cook’s needs.