Blog

When going over the rooms of your house, it’s hard to find one more important than the bedroom. It’s the room that’s supposed to make you feel comfortable and relaxed, so it makes sense that you would want to personalize it as much as possible. Here’s a list of home remodel ideas to spruce up the place where you lay your head at night and wake up to in the morning:
 
1. Personalized Displays
Few things show off your personality in your bedroom more than what you display ...

The time for picnics and barbeques is just around the corner. That’s right – we’re talking about summer. With the heat comes warmer soil in your garden, the perfect time to plant fruits and vegetables and stock your outdoor kitchen with lots of summer treats. In Portland, we’re all about fresh and local produce, and it doesn’t get any more fresh or local than in your own garden. Here are some examples of the best fruits and veggies to plant in the May-June season:
 
Tomatoes
This ...

You’re doing a remodeling project on your Porltand home and you’re feeling a little stressed out by the upcoming process. Okay, a lot stressed out. Don’t panic; it happens to the best of us. It’s a big deal; your home is a significant investment and an important part of you. You both deserve the best. Here are two important tips to help you make it through a home remodel and spare you a lot of time and stress:
 
Lay out a plan.
Know what you want done and when you want ...

As we sneak our way out of a rainy Northwest Winter it's easy to consider potential flooring changes in the home. Two of the most common flooring options are carpet and hardwood flooring. But is one truly better than the other?
 
Generally the first thought on our minds is cost, and that's where it can be difficult to distinguish between the one-time sticker price of carpet vs. the savings-over-time cost of hardwood flooring. Carpet does tend to be significantly cheaper at purchase price (around ...

We’re well into spring here in Portland, and now is the perfect time to start cleaning and preparing your outdoor deck for summer. Many homeowners think that sprucing up your outdoor deck simply means cleaning it and maybe, just maybe, giving it a fresh layer of finish. While these methods are all fine and dandy, there are many different ways you can add a creative flair to your deck that goes above and beyond the old clean-and-finish. Here are four of our favorite ways you can spruce ...

Now that spring is here, many Portland homeowners are making plans to build new outdoor kitchens or fix up their existing ones. While a pizza oven, roasting spit, or some other big installation may be exciting, there are a few other Portland-specific projects that too often get overlooked. Here are five smaller projects that are essential to any Portland outdoor kitchen.
 
1. Include a shelter or covered area.
 
Let’s face it – Portland sees its fair share of rain. In fact, ...

Painting a room is one of the easiest and most cost-effective home improvement projects you can tackle. However, for a lot of Portland homeowners painting a room or multiple rooms can be a real time-suck. Well never fear, dear readers! Improvement Remodeling is here with six tips for painting a room in no time. Enjoy!
 
1. Clean first, ask questions later.
It's important to start with a clean wall if you want your paint to dry quickly and evenly. We recommend using a plain sponge and trisodium ...

For most renters, major home improvement projects are out of the question. There might be budget restrictions, or the landlord simply might not allow tenants to make major changes. This can prove frustrating to the DIY-inclined renter. Well never fear, dear tenants! Here are eight simple and fun ways you can dramatically change the look and feel of your rental space. Enjoy!
 
1. Add Mirrors
A few strategically placed mirrors can reflect light and really brighten a room as well as give the ...

Let's face it — completely remodeling your bathroom can be an incredibly expensive, time-consuming project. Unlike other rooms in your home, a complete bathroom remodel requires a lot of expensive work, like replacing or rerouting plumbing and electricity and buying brand new fixtures and tile. But never fear, budget-minded Portland homeowner! Here are six simple ways you can add some life to your lavatory without breaking the bank. 
 
1. Paint!
A fresh coat of paint can work ...

Valentine’s Day is tomorrow – do you have anything picked out for your significant other yet? No? Tsk tsk. Not to worry - we’re firm believers in the power of a romantic Valentine’s Day flower bouquet. And because we’re spoiled Portlanders we have a plethora of wonderful locally owned florists to choose from. Here are five of our favorites. Enjoy!
 
Sammy’s Flowers
 
If you’re looking for stunning arrangements of locally grown, seasonal flowers, ...

Valentine’s Day is only a week away, and if you’re like many Portland homeowners you’re probably scrambling around for a last-minute gift that encapsulates all those warm, squishy feelings you have for your significant other.  While some people are foolishly meandering the mall looking for boxes of sub-par chocolate and silky undergarments that will be never worn, why not plan a Valentine’s Day gift that will really make an impression? Why are, of course, talking about ...

For most Portland homeowners, home remodeling projects aren’t just a way to liven up a stale living space, they’re also a great way to add to your home’s overall resale value. But not all home improvement projects pay off in the long-run. Some projects recoup so little of the job cost that they might not be worth the initial investment. With all the different improvement projects out there, how are Portland homeowners to know which ones are worth the investment?
 
Luckily ...

Admit it: When you were a kid you would have killed for a secret passageway in your home. The mystery! The secrecy! The passagewayness!
 
Well, you might not have the space to build a full-blown secret passageway, but as this great video shows, you can have the next best thing – a secret door!
 
As you can see, the secret door in the video is made out of pretty simple material, like foam board and insulation tape, and installed on an existing doorframe. It might not be the most ...

Here's a little humor to start 2013 off right. Have a great new year!

It’s everyone’s favorite time of year – New Year’s resolution time! All your friends are probably picking self-improvement resolutions – lose weight, drink less, exercise more, etc. Why not try something a little different? Here are Improvement Remodeling, we think home improvement resolutions can be just as good as self-improvement ones, and often much easier to stick with! Here are five our of our favorite home improvement resolutions for 2013. Enjoy!
 
Get a ...

Even though we're right in the middle of the holiday season, some homeowners are still in the process of decking their halls. Whether your having family over for a visit or hosting a holiday party, decorating your home in a non-traditional style can really wow your guests. Here are five great ways you can turn the traditional Christmas decorating scheme on its head. 
 
 
Get a different type of tree.
Everyone loves a tall, fat pine, but sometimes less is more. Try substituting a bonsai ...

Remodeling your home can be an exciting venture, and if done well, the payoff can be enormous. Unfortunately, many homeowners find themselves smack dab in the middle of a project when they realize that they’ve hired THE CONTRACTOR FROM HELL!!! The guy or gal is unskilled, unmotivated, or just plain creepy, yet many people continue working with THE CONTRACTOR FROM HELL!!! because they think it will be easier than starting their home remodeling contractor search all over again. Luckily, avoiding ...

Many homeowners think the best way to cut down on their costs-of-living is to cut back on consumption – use less water, turn off lights when you leave the room, etc. While these are all great ways to lower utility bills and reduce your impact on the environment, there are larger, more long-term changes you can make to your home to help you cut back your energy consumption and save money. The following are five of the most common and most effective money-saving home improvement projects you ...

If you’re one of the 77 million baby boomers approaching retirement age, you are probably starting to think about updating your homestead to better accommodate the exciting next stage of your life. You’re planning on staying active, working, and having fun, and you’ll need a house that meets your needs. That’s why it’s a good idea to start thinking about and starting your home improvement projects now. At Improvement Remodeling, we have extensive experience helping ...

Many Portland homeowners dread fall because they think it means the end of decorative plants and shrubbery. While spring and summer do feature some nice foliage, fall and winter offer some great opportunities to bust out the old pots and containers and fill them with the wonderful seasonal plants Portland has to offer. Not sure how to create an attractive fall container? Don’t worry! We’ve got some great tips on making the most of your potted plantings. Enjoy!
 
Pick A Focal Point
It’s ...

Using reclaimed building materials in home improvement projects isn’t new, especially in recycling-minded Portland. But it seems that lately homeowners are turning to reclaimed building materials in more and more interesting and creative home improvement projects. The following are five of our favorite uses for reclaimed building materials
 
1. Hardwood Floors
Probably the easiest way to use reclaimed building materials in a home remodeling project is to install reclaimed or salvaged ...

Portlanders are all about the three RRRs – reducing, reusing, and recycling. (You thought we were going to talk about book learnin’, didn’t you?). But when it comes to home improvement projects in Portland, many homeowners think the only option they have is to buy brand new building materials. Au contraire, dear reader! Using reclaimed building materials has a ton of benefits, including reducing the amount of materials in landfills, saving the energy required to manufacture new ...

Fall may have just began here in Portland, but now’s the time to start preparing your yard for winter! The winter weather in the Pacific Northwest isn’t terrible, but it can still wreak havoc on an unprepared yard or garden. To help you prepare, we’ve put together a list of five important pre-winter yard preparations you should make before the cold, rainy weather finally hits. Enjoy!
 
Winterize Your Deck
This is especially important for Portland homeowners with hardwood decking. ...

When it comes to home improvement projects, Portland homeowners are a hands-on group. Do-it-yourself home remodeling projects have never been more popular, and many Portlanders have great success completing a project they start themselves. However, not all DIY projects are a good idea. There are many different reasons why attempting an improvement project yourself could end up being more costly, more time-consuming, and more dangerous than calling a professional. Here are five:
 
1. You’ve ...

We’re excited to announce that Improvement Remodeling is now an active member of the Houzz community!
 
 
Just what is Houzz, you ask? It’s great! It’s a vibrant new online community for homeowners and home remodeling/design professionals. According to their website, Houzz aims to bring homeowners together with interior designers, landscape architects, general contractors, and others.
 
How do I use Houzz?
Houzz is simple to use. First, create a profile. Second, ...

Time to put that newly installed outdoor kitchen to good use - it's Independence Day! Fire up the grill, invite your friends over, and have a safe and fun holiday!

The professionals at Improvement Remodeling have been helping Portland homeowners transform their outdoor spaces for years. From outdoor kitchens to decks and patios, there isn’t an outdoor home improvement project we can’t handle. That being said, there are landscaping and garden professionals in Portland with green thumbs far better than ours. We may be able to build you an amazing outdoor kitchen, but if you’re looking to plant a native flowerbed, talking with a landscaping ...

Not all Portland homeowners have thousands of dollars to spend on completely remodeling their backyard spaces. Luckily for those of use on a more limited budget, there are a number of fun, affordable improvements you can make to your outdoor property that can breathe some new life into an outdated yard, deck, or patio. Here are a few of our favorite Portland deck and patio improvement projects. Enjoy!
 
 
1. Add a Kitchen
Improvement Remodeling has been building outdoor kitchens in Portland ...

Even in Portland, kitchen remodeling can often end up costing a pretty penny. A full kitchen overhaul can include tearing out and replacing old cabinets, countertops, sinks, flooring, lights, and appliances, and all that work can really start to add up. If you’re like most Portland homeowners, you want the best value for your money, and you don’t want to sacrifice quality just because you’re on a budget. We understand, and that’s why we’ve put together a list of kitchen ...

It’s official: the warm weather is finally here. If you’re like most Portlanders, you’ve probably been trying to soak up as much of the sunny start of summer as possible. You may have even decided to build an outdoor deck or patio. Great! Portland deck and patio construction is pretty straightforward (we’ve been doing it for years), but there is still one important question you must answer before the project can begin: “What type of building material should I choose?”
 
Currentl...

For most of Oregon’s history, Portland home improvement professionals have had one option for giving color to a hardwood floor: staining it. Even today, many Portland home remodeling companies have staining as the only weapon in their color-finishing arsenal. But there is another method for applying color to wood floors that opens up a whole new world of design possibilities: aniline dyes.
 
 
Unlike conventional stains, aniline dyes are available in, literally, any color you can ...

Exterior decking can really take a beating during the wet Portland winters. Come spring, many homeowners are excited to dust off the old deck and start enjoying the sun, but where to start? The following are five simple steps you can take to make sure your outdoor deck is ready for the nice Portland weather:
 
 
1. Clear it off.
This part’s easy – simply clear off any furniture, barbeques, pots, and planters. A lot of deck furnishings and pottery can rot or break during the ...

According to data released today from the U.S. Commerce Department, new-home construction fell 5.8 percent last month, with the seasonally adjusted annual rate coming in at only 654,000 new construction projects getting underway. While this number is still a 10.3 percent increase over projects in March 2011, it is a strong indicator that the new-home construction market is still struggling.
 
At Improvement Remodeling, we completely understand the trend. Why build an entirely new house when ...

Accessory dwelling units (ADUs) are quickly becoming one of the most popular home improvement projects in Portland. Improvement Remodeling has built accessory dwelling units for homeowners throughout the Portland-Metro area, with many ADUs popping up in the Belmont and Hawthorne area. We handle every aspect of Portland accessory dwelling units, from design to construction to detailing. But what is an accessory dwelling unit, exactly? And why are they so popular? Why, we thought you’d never ...

With spring here and summer just around the corner, Portland homeowners are starting to look for any reason to spend time outside in the sun. Garden parties, barbeques, and pool parties are just a few of fair-weather activities that Portlanders get excited about. In Portland, outdoor kitchens can turn an ordinary backyard get-together into an event your friends will be talking about for a long time. The following are just a few of the benefits of installing an outdoor kitchen in your backyard:
 
 
Better ...

Knowing you want to remodel or renovate your home is one thing; knowing where to start, however, is another story. Homeowners often get stuck at the very first stage of the home remodeling process: the design stage. With so many home improvement projects available, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by all the choices. Well, fret no more! We’ve compiled the top five hottest home improvement design trends for 2012. We hope these tips provide some inspiration for your next big Portland home ...

Welcome to our brand new blog! Stay tuned for informative posts on a whole slew of home improvement related topics, such as kitchen remodling, second story additions, decks and patios, and more! We'll post regularly, so make sure to come back often!