Maison Mass • Page 10 of 19 • Ideas, Information & Inspiration for Today's Homeowners

Planning Your Kitchen Remodel – Choosing A Backsplash

After cabinetry and countertops, you should breathe easy. Though there are many functional assessments around those decisions, the backsplash is a bit more form than function. One thing to keep in mind: though the kitchen segments are ordered, these decisions should be made in tandem if possible. Each decision does impact the other. A backsplash can serve to unify your cabinets and countertop or it can be the focal point, the wow factor. Consider what path you’ll choose as you look at various options. White subway tile, though clean and classic, is not the be all, end all. There are many alternatives.

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8 Ways to Fix a Home with Low Ceilings

Decor, Design, Interiors, Lighting, Lists

This post is in response to a reader who wrote in asking for tips on what to do with the low ceilings in her home without having to undertake a major remodel. Frustrated by the beauty shots on home & garden sites and shows where the rooms all have impossibly high ceilings, she wondered how she could update the look in her 1970’s Colonial. So we turned to the real estate listings to suss out real homes of the same vintage that effectively used some design tricks to create envy inducing spaces despite being vertically challenged.

If you live in a home built in New England between 1940 and 1990-ish you may be dealing with one of the more unfortunate building practices of the time: the low ceiling. But fear not, we’ve got some tips that will have you raising the roof – figuratively, if not literally. (more…)

Office Overhaul Part III – Industrial Shelving, File Cabinet Facelift

Color & Paint, Design, DIY, Office

This is the third piece in the Office Overhaul Series. This is what the office looked like after we dumped the old rug and removed a ton of clutter, but before we started the overhaul.

Office Overhaul - before

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Planning Your Kitchen Remodel: Choosing Countertops

Countertops, Design, Kitchens, Lists, Products

A major design decision when planning your kitchen remodel is choosing countertops. Second only in my mind to cabinet selection, choosing the perfect countertop to complement your cabinetry and lifestyle requires a little bit of knowledge and some in-person visits. In this post we look at the pros and cons of the different materials available for today’s kitchens so you can make the best choice for you! (more…)

Pool Patio Makeover

Decks & Patios, DIY, Exteriors, Furniture, Landscaping, Pools

We tackled a project last summer that I was loathe to do, but after years of praying to the Yard Crasher gods to no avail, we plunged into the pool patio project. Our inground pool is surrounded by a paver patio that pre-project resembled an animal pen. By that, I mean the metal fence that runs the perimeter was very, very close, allowing just enough space for two people to pass but certainly not to comfortably seat anyone. I don’t know how it is that I cannot locate a photo of the before, to illustrate how tight it was. However, here is a photo taken afterward, where the measuring tape denotes the end of the former pool patio. Tight, right?

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