You’ve heard the story over and over the past few years – homeowners are choosing to remodel the space they’re in rather than risking a loss on the stodgy housing market. No matter the inspiration, remodeling can completely revitalize a home. But there’s still risk to be considered. Not just financial risks, but health risks — especially if you’re planning on remodeling an older home.

With so many hazardous chemicals and materials to factor, Calfinder.com takes a look at the big five every homeowner should be aware of whether they’re completing a project on their own or hiring a team.

Lead
Commonly found in homes built before 1978, lead-based paint is particularly threatening to young children. Ingestion can cause  nervous system damage, stunted growth and delayed development. Why would any child eat lead paint? Because it tastes sweet like candy.

Asbestos
In older homes, asbestos can sometimes be found the pipes, ducts and furnace insulation, flooring, cement siding, and spackling compound. Exposure to asbestos can lead to mesothelioma, a devastating form of cancer.

Mold and Mildew
Anywhere there’s moisture and dark, warm surroundings, mold and mildew is likely to be found. Danger arises when sheltered mold and mildew are exposed to fresh air, releasing harmful toxins. Mold and mildew are common, but according to Calfinder.com, “If it’s black mold or it encompasses more than 10 square feet, a professional should be sought.”

Dust Build-up
Not as immediately hazardous as some material, large mounds of dust can form between walls and tucked away spaces. Goggles and painter’s masks are recommended during removal, along with fresh-flowing air.

High VOCs (volatile organic compounds)
A fancy acronym for fumes and contaminants, VOCs can show up in carpeting, paints, adhesives, coatings and other surfaces. They are marked by a strong odor. Removal is generally safe, but should be done with plenty of ventilation.

[Photo courtesy Merida Home Blog]

Welcome to 2012, MLuxe readers! It’s a new year and a fresh start. We want to know if you have any New Year’s Resolutions for your home. Here are a couple of ideas:

• Get organized! Getting rid of clutter will automatically make your home look better, and what better time to get motivated for organization than in the New Year?
• Tackle a DIY project. Just remember to take an honest look at what your capabilities are and start small. A good rule of thumb is that if you think you might need a pro, then you probably do.
• Start planning for a big remodel – a kitchen, a bathroom or even a new addition to your house. You might not get it done in 2012, but you’ll be on your way! Planning is an extraordinarily important part of the remodeling process. You need to think about what you want. You need time to get inspired. And of course, you need to figure out the practical financial aspects. Make 2012 the year to get your remodeling planning in place.

Need some more help with your home plans? Try out the Online Remodeling Planner.

Here’s to 2012 being the best year ever for you and your home!

We’ve written about Courteney Cox’s Malibu home before – and we’re not shy about writing about it again. Mostly because it’s gorgeous. But also because, via our friends at Curbly, we found another little slideshow of photos of the home from Elle Decor magazine. This slideshow, unlike the first one we shared, includes photos of the remodeling process more than the end result.

Most striking to us were the before and after photos. Quite a difference, which is what the team was going for, of course:

See this process slideshow here, and if you haven’t, read Elle Decor’s original article about the remodel here.

When homeowner Todd Noteboom began his recent remodeling project, architect Tom Ellison and his colleagues at TEA2 Architects saw an opportunity to add character and traditional detail to a home that had previously been steered a bit off the course of its classic Mediterranean style. According to Ellison:

The house had never been an especially good example of the genre, and what it did have had been downgraded over the years. At some time in the 1970s, a glass and aluminum-framed solarium had been added to the front, which was completely out of character. We could also see that many of the details traditionally found in such houses were not present, but the potential was there to re-create a more authentic design.

By reworking the front of the house, the finished home now presents a more attractive, stylish face to the neighborhood and passers-by, and the view from inside the home is dramatically improved as well. Part of the approach to staying true to the style of the home was accomplished with Marvin double-hung wood windows, replicating the look of the home’s original windows while providing the high level of performance the homeowner and architect demand.

Learn more about the project and see more photos at TrendsIdeas.com.

Photo by Brian Droege courtesy of TrendsIdeas.com

Is there EVER a good time to remodel your kitchen? No matter what, it means major disruption, dirt, dust, inconvenience and expense. The trade off for all this is a beautiful new kitchen at the end that will fit your lifestyle, add value to your house and maybe even save you some money with energy-efficient appliances. But in the meantime, there’s the pain.

Many people prefer to remodel their kitchens in the spring and summer. With the warm weather, it’s easy to grill out and dining out options become a little more numerous with restaurant patios. Plus, if you’re cooking, summer is the perfect time for low-prep salads and other no-heat food.

Winter can be a little bit more of a difficult time to tackle a kitchen remodeling project. Besides the reasons above, there’s the holidays. Coming right after Halloween is Thanksgiving and then Christmas and Hanukkah and New Year’s  and Valentine’s Day…

What do you do when your kitchen consists of a hot plate and a roll of paper towels? Luckily, our friends at CalFinder have a few tips to help you keep your sanity:

• The right contractor is key. Find someone who not only can work within your budget, but who will listen to you and find creative solutions to problems that will inevitably crop up.
• We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: Failure to plan is planning to fail. You can save yourself a lot of stress when remodeling you kitchen around the holidays if you have not only carefully planned what you want out of your kitchen, but also planned for the ways it will affect your life.

Check out the rest of the post for more tips and here’s one from us: Make this the year you veer away from tradition. Maybe you always cook a big Thanksgiving dinner. Maybe this year you and your family could volunteer at a food shelter.

If you always host on Christmas Eve, find someone else to take the reins this year. And the Christmas Day turkey might end up being Chinese takeout. Whatever your solution, the holiday when the kitchen is being remodeled will be memorable!

The owner loves spending time in the kitchen. She is an adventurous cook of different cuisines and wanted a large, homey, yet practical working kitchen that would give her plenty of scope to pursue her culinary aspirations.

That’s how architect Neil Peoples explained his client’s needs in a recent piece on TrendsIdeas.com. The kitchen has been divided into distinct work stations, which lets more than one person comfortably and conveniently work at the same time while also allowing for guests to be a part of the action without being in the way.

There’s also a designated clean-up zone in the part of the kitchen nearest the dining room, a space that’s more easily and more quickly accessible than the rest of the kitchen.

Architect Peoples put his chosen Marvin windows to good use in the remodeled kitchen:

The kitchen is on the upper, entry level of the house, and has a commanding view of the surrounding vineyards. Ample windows provide abundant natural light and also place this view front and center. The rustic, Tuscan feel of the interior design lends itself perfectly to the bucolic character of the view.

Read the full feature at TrendsIdeas.com.

Photo via TrendsIdeas.com

It sits atop most houses, confined to a space for storage and cobwebs, dark and dreary. But if you have an attic, it’s a great way to add some extra space to your house.

Need an extra bedroom or two? How about a bathroom? Maybe an office or art studio? Or a playroom for the kids? Your old attic can be your salvation. But let’s face it, attics are often weirdly shaped spaces with little light. There are things you need to remember when remodeling.

Here are some of Re-Nest’s attic tips, and a few ideas of our own:

• Ceiling fans are your friends in an attic. They help regulate the temperature in both the winter and summer.
• Attic floors are notoriously noisy. Carpet is an easy solution, but Re-Nest also suggests “beefier floor joists” if you want hardwood flooring.
• Put bathrooms above lower-floor bathrooms. This might take a little design maneuvering, but can save money in the end.

Any kitchen remodeling project should start by weighing risks and rewards. A newly remodeled kitchen may satisfy your design needs, but what will it mean for your home’s resale value? Kitchen remodels can be the most costly considering appliances, cabinetry and flooring. While we often think of a remodeling project as a drastic overhaul, the kitchen is one space where subtle changes can have a big impact on its appearance while upping resale value.

To get you in the right frame of mind for a moderate kitchen remodeling project, Calfinder has a great list of thought-starters to keep you from a full-on catastrophe. Take notes:

• Keep your existing floor plan – You don’t have to knock down walls and remove islands to create space. (“Invest in features that make storage efficient and convenient, like dividers, pull-out trays, lazy Susans and “garage door” under-cabinet storage for small appliances.”)
• Keep major items in place – Moving appliances isn’t as simple as moving furniture. Factor the cost of moving electrical, plumbing and gas lines and relocating a stove or sink becomes a major undertaking. (“Reconfiguring any utility is labor intensive, and it’s the labor involved in a kitchen remodel that adds the most time to the whole renovation.”)
• Go semi-custom – Though factory-assembled, semi-customized cabinetry gives you a great variety of sizes, options and styles.
• Pick affordable countertops and flooring - This is where a project can quickly spiral out of control. Think practical. Can you add to your countertops instead of completely replacing them? Do you really want to start from scratch with floording?  (“Adding a stainless steel rim to simple laminate countertops gives them a sleek, modern look … [Choose] materials that can be applied over existing flooring, like vinyl or laminate.”)

[Photo from Houzz]

The kitchen is the heart of the home, says the description of this remodel case study video from Lou Manfredini’s HouseSmartsTV. And who’d argue?

In this segment, HouseSmartsTV talks with an interior designer about a recent remodel that gives a bland kitchen space back its soul. The most significant change was to remove a peninsula that unfortunately cut the space in half and to add a stylish stone island.

A drawer-style microwave and refrigerator (with panels to match other cabinetry) are a clever way save space that can be better used for other purposes. Other nice touches include under-cabinet lighting and glass decorated with gold leaf. Watch the video to see the before and after photos, and see more from HouseSmartsTV on YouTube.

For those constantly pursuing ways to improve their home’s curb appeal, one common feature is often overlooked — garage doors.

When it comes to garage door replacement, there’s no need to rest on just function and convenience. Garage doors come in many styles and materials, providing a practical way to give your home a facelift without requiring a crew of builders and designers.

What’s more, according to Remodeling magazine’s Cost vs. Value report for 2010-2011, garage door replacements earn back about 84 percent of initial costs in home resale value.

Popular home improvement site Charles & Hudson has some tips for picking the perfect garage door replacement:

• “If you want to replace your garage door but remain budget-conscious, consider a mid-range door, classified by Remodeling magazine as ‘uninsulated, single-layer, embossed steel with two coats of baked-on paint, galvanized steel hinges and nylon rollers.’ “
• “For a more traditional aesthetic, try a wood, carriage-like door. Glass and wrought-iron trim are available for a truly luxurious product.”
• “If you prefer something that’s more sustainable and eco-friendly, consider a door made of wood composite. You can easily change the color with a coat of primer and paint, making these a versatile option if you’d like the freedom to periodically change the color of your door.”

[Photo from Houzz]