It's a guilty pleasure to some, a fact-finding mission for others, but wandering around someone else's newly upgraded home does draw a crowd.

Here's your chance to check out 10 polished, recently remodeled homes -- some with over-the-top features -- at the16th annual Tour of Remodeled Homes in Portland, Lake Oswego, Wilsonville and Tigard from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, March 14, and Sunday, March 15. Tickets, $22 for both days, are available at remodeltourportland.com; 503-684-1880.

Would you live here?

Cascade Restoration and Remodeling enhanced an outdated great room by removing a wall in the kitchen and opening up an isolated, unused dining room in a Tigard house.

The original family room had a sprawling red brick wall and wood stove that made the room feel small. In its place is a custom entertainment center with a linear gas fireplace. The carpet was replaced with new oak hardwood floors incorporated into the existing hardwoods.

The kitchen tile counters were updated with polished granite accented by a glass linear mosaic backsplash. Custom stained cabinetry encase top-of-the-line appliances including double ovens with a steam option that make cooking for family gatherings enjoyable.

-- Janet Eastman

jeastman@oregonian.com 503-799-8739 @janeteastman

See the article here:
Would you live here? Removing kitchen wall to make a great room even greater

Joanna Simmons, Houzz Contributor

Kitchens have to accommodate a great variety of stuff. All but the biggest kitchens are under pressure to store utensils, pans, crockery, the food we eat and the appliances we use to cook it, and everything we need to clean it up afterward. As most of us dont have banks of cupboards and acres of floor space in our kitchens, it can make fitting in that wine rack or finding a home for your new food processor tricky. Its time to get creative.

How to Properly Clean Out Your Pantry

Reuse a box. Old wooden boxes and crates are very useful when perched on a work surface, operating as both storage space and shelves.

Pick them up at garage sales and vintage stores. Fit hooks under the top edge and on the sides to make use of every surface.

Work a window. If your wall space is already groaning with shelves, racks and rails, look to the window. Fitting a couple of rails across it, with hooks for hanging pans, will create a nice amount of additional storage. This strategy also works if youd like a little more privacy or want to obscure a less-than-inspiring view.

Create your own spice storage. Spice jars take up huge amounts of space in a cupboard, often because we have so many, but they are not large or heavy, so consider other ways to store them. By simply gluing or nailing the lids of screw-top jars to the underside of a kitchen cabinet, you can store spices neatly and prevent them from cluttering a drawer, shelf or work surface. And youll always know where to find them.

Find Clever New Ways to Organize Your Spices

Exploit the sides. Make the most of the side of a cabinet by using it for extra storage. Add a rail or hooks for hanging dishtowels as shown on the end of this kitchen island, and you could use this space for storing bulky items such as chopping boards. Simply attach cord to create a simple loop, then suspend them from sturdy hooks.

Consider that space above the door. We typically fit shelves and cabinets on our kitchen walls but overlook the chunk of space above the door. The kitchen door on the left has storage recessed above the door for the households cookbook collection.

Read the original:
Kitchen Storage Ideas That Make Use Of Every Space

By Justin Pierce March 9 at 9:00 AM

Justin Pierce is a real estate investor who regularly writes about his experiences buying, renovating and selling houses in the Washington area.

Be sure to sit down when you meet with a designer in the kitchen department of a big home improvement store otherwise the price might knock you over.

According to Remodeling magazine, the national average for a full kitchen remodel is $54,909. I have never been able to get my mind wrapped around this, considering that the national median income is only around $51,000.

The average full kitchen remodel is defined as:

Update an outmoded 200-square-foot kitchen with a functional layout of 30 linear feet of semi-custom wood cabinets, including a 3-by-5-foot island; laminate countertops; and standard double-tub stainless-steel sink with standard single-lever faucet. Include energy-efficient wall oven, cooktop, ventilation system, built-in microwave, dishwasher, garbage disposal, and custom lighting. Add new resilient flooring. Finish with painted walls, trim, and ceiling.

Remodeling magazine also reports that a major kitchen remodel returns an average of $40,732. My average kitchen remodel usually comes in at less than half this national average cost. Heres how you can save money on your kitchen project and turn your effort into a positive gain in home equity without sacrificing quality:

Start with your design. Figure out the layout you want for your kitchen. A simple and sleek design will appeal to most buyers and help keep your costs down. Keeping your existing layout is always cheaper. Avoid moving plumbing and electrical items if possible at least try to keep your stove (especially gas stoves) and sink in the same location. Moving a gas stove will require relocating gas lines and moving your sink plumbing can create additional problems. They also require additional permits and time.

Try to pick an overall theme country, modern, rustic, etc. This will help you select materials and ensure everything comes together properly. Have a good idea of the look you want before you go into a design center or talk to contractors.

See more here:
How to get a high-quality kitchen remodel without the sticker shock

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