Neal's Home Remodeling and Design Blog

With "always-on" mobile technology already helping us organize our time and entertain ourselves, it makes sense that we should look to our homes to provide the same kind of on-demand possibilities. We might still be a few decades away from the types of high-tech, futuristic home technology portrayed in the movies these days, but smart home technology has certainly come into its own in the past few years. The ability to control the way our homes operate through intuitive and innovative apps or interfaces can have a positive impact on many areas of our lives and the ways in which we use our houses. Keep reading for some of the ways smart home automation can be added to your home.

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Over the past decade, we've seen a major shift in the way kitchen designers and homeowners consider color options for cabinets and countertops. In the past, the standard design choice was to select a single cabinet color and pair it with a single countertop color. Now, however, we're seeing the use of multiple cabinet door colors across the kitchen paired often with two different counter materials as a common design style. By using two or more cabinetry colors, homeowners are also able to include more than one cabinet style or play with different preferences, which gives the kitchen a more unique personality. Mixing colors creates a design story that is more complex even as all the elements mix together for a seamless look. Here, we review the most common combinations seen in our Cincinnati kitchen remodels.

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While we all like a good amount of sun, a western-facing back yard without shade can be a bit of a hassle to enjoy on the brightest summer days. That was the case for this Loveland home and it's existing deck. In order to improve the backyard's functionality, a two-story deck and patio was designed that increased the homeowner's outdoor options in a more comfortable arrangement.

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Tile is a versatile element in bathroom design. It can be used in the shower, as a backsplash at the vanity, flooring, and as a wall covering. With such a wide variety of uses, the options for tile in the bathroom are equally as far ranging. New tile products are coming out each year, in new types of color, finishes and shapes, and these options make it easier than ever to create a stylish and unique space. To help you envision what's possible for the tile in your bath remodel, we're taking a look at some of the most popular current bathroom tile trends below.

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