Ever been asked by a client what they should expect to spend on a kitchen or bathroom remodel? If you are like me, the answer is a resounding yes! However, what a project costs is not actually relevant. What is relevant is what resources the client can allocate for a remodel project – with a few constructive parameters. The following are some tips to share with clients to help them establish a realistic project budget.

The Decorative Plumbing and Hardware Association’s (DPHA) annual three-day summit took place at the Houston Hyatt Regency with 344 attendees and 48 exhibitors representing 62 manufacturers. The event was a fabulous mix of serious fun and serious business with a product awards ceremony; a dynamic keynote session with futurist Crystal Washington, who adeptly tailored her presentation to the attendees; and the Product Showcase where premium and luxury products, not frequently seen at other trade shows, were on display and accompanied by brand representatives and product designers.

The 42nd annual International Exhibition of Ceramic Tile show, Cersaie, was recently held at the Bolonga, Italy, Exhibition Center. This year’s show expanded to 16 halls comprising more than 1.5 million square feet of display space with 627 exhibitors from 30 countries representing tile, tile glazing and tile installation tool manufacturers. Almost 100,000 design, real estate, media and student visitors attended with approximately 52% of the total coming from Italy and the other 48% from around the world.

• Low maintenance and high durability (quality products) are always in your best interest. You can pay now or pay later — and paying later will cost more money and time. Most homeowners have better things to do with their time than clean and maintain their homes. It’s also becoming increasingly difficult to find local handy people to fix sticky doors, pressure-wash decks or clean tile grout, so investing in high-durability, low-maintenance materials can ensure that you derive more joy and less stress from home-improvement projects.

Drenching is an emerging trend gaining popularity in interior design. It’s the practice of saturating a space with a singular, dominant color or material, be it wood, stone or tile, which can create a pleasingly harmonious space. A singular-color palette reduces visual contrast, and eyes can glide over a space, taking it in as a whole. The effect can be calming, creating a refined and cohesive space.

A recently retired couple in Kingston, Washington, transformed their dated, cramped 1990s kitchen into a bright, functional, and elegant space with the help of designer Molly Erin McCabe. The original 280-square-foot kitchen featured basic maple cabinets, black appliances, and a bulky two-tier island that severely restricted circulation.

The full remodel addressed these issues and optimized the layout for the couple’s lifestyle. McCabe replaced the bulky island with a sleek, single-level island topped with light-colored Cambria quartz, significantly improving traffic flow and safety. Frameless cherry cabinets with a warm brown stain were extended to the ceiling to maximize storage, minimizing the need for trips to the pantry. This rich cabinetry beautifully complements the existing red oak floor and a soft blue backsplash of handcrafted picket tiles, which adds a subtle pop of color and ties into the home’s color scheme.