Make a Statement With Tile Patterns

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A statement tile floor in a historic home bathroom has taken my breath away a time or two before. But that statement floor could also easily be a disaster discussion amongst the neighborhood gals. Less is more, though a clique is one I do find to be true in certain aspects.

Choosing a tile you absolutely love can be spiced up just by the way you have our skilled craftsmen lay it. Here I chose to focus on the top two tile pattern layouts we have been installing and are unquestionably here to stay!

Herringbone Tile Pattern

We are seeing a lot of this pattern being showcased on our clients bathroom backsplash and shower walls. This innovative pattern gives your tile choice flare. The kitchen backsplash is another location where it’s a big hit!

Hexagon Tile Pattern

Kitchen and bathroom floors are being hexed by the minute. It may have something to do with the compatibility it seems to have with all styles of interiors. Whether it’s classic, urban, modern, or even contemporary.

Call on CQC Home to help you decide how to make a statement with your tile patterns today!

Kohler Smart Divide Apron Front Sink

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Want a kitchen sink that is elegant yet warm, functional yet durable? Consider the Kohler Whitehaven Self-Trimming Smart Divide apron front sink. With your sink being one of the most visible and used items in your kitchen, requiring that it be tenacious but stylish is a request we hear a lot from our homeowners during design phase. When we suggest this particular sink, this is where the search usually ends.

Style

With it’s farmhouse style, this sink is the finishing touch to any color scheme. The self-trimming design allows a single rough cut to lap over the face of the cabinet, resulting in a streamlined look. The crafted enameled cast iron is another remarkably appealing feature.

Versatility

The larger basin on one side allows for easy cleaning of larger pots and pans. It has been constructed to fit in most standard 36-inch apron-front cabinetry.

Durability

Resistance to chipping, burning and cracking can all be checked off your list with this beauty. The cast iron is not only aesthetically pleasing, it gives years of dependable performance.

Touch base with CQC Home to get this basin implemented into your kitchen renovation now!

Explore the Doors

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Renovating and or remodeling spaces in your home is a very exciting time! More so when the project is completed and your vision is revealed before you. The first thing many of us want to do is to invite everyone over to check out our home transformation. Not long after the paint dries, a Facebook event, Save the Date, and an Evites are created to coordinate the showing! Generally, your doors aren’t a focal point, but we say why not make them, even if they are only the warm-up to the big reveal?

Going Dutch

For a more relaxed approach, dutch doors have been prevailing. This unique architecture dates back to the 1700s and has withstood the test of time. There are many reasons this door style is appealing. Dutch doors are a great option whether your focus is allowing the sunlight and a cool breeze to pour into your home, to cook while watching the kids play outside, or greet your guests as they arrive.

 

Crystal Clear

Full light doors are a great choice for patios, workshops, even home offices. These doors give you the opportunity to enjoy natural light and nature, but avoid the pesky elements and insects!

Pick Pocket

Pocket doors are favored and very functional in multi-entry, back-to-back areas or small spaces like a guest bedroom that leads into a bathroom. We can’t forget to mention they save space and give you more usage options. Opting for a pocket door can give you the freedom to mount cabinets on the wall or place a bed or dresser where you couldn’t before.

Some good questions to ask yourself are how much privacy versus natural light do you want? How can you maximize this space? Also consider doors facing south or west take a lot of weather beating. Call CQC Home and rely on our knowledge or to ask any questions about the various door styles out there. As always, we are here to help!

Finding You Design Style: Kitchen Trends of 2017

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Whether you’re designing your kitchen to match the decor of other rooms, or planning your whole home’s look around the kitchen, you can make it a beautiful reflection of your personal style. Even if you aren’t interested in gutting your kitchen and starting from scratch with a new design and layout, there are a few options that have become increasingly popular in 2017.

Gray is the New White

Thanks to shows on HGTV like “Property Brothers” and “Rehab Addict”, our cabinet manufacturers say that white cabinets continue to be #1 selling cabinet. But gray is the new color they’re betting on to break white’s top spot. This kitchen using Cabico pairs soft gray cabinets with charcoal brush stroke and bronze stained upper cabinets, showcasing yet another kitchen trend — combining cabinet colors is a trendy look, and it’s holding strong.

Maximizing Cabinet Storage

Kraftmaid cabinetry offers a wide variety of storage options. Upper cabinet options include spice racks, reverse-a-shelf kits and tiered shelving. Not to be forgotten, the ever growing number of options for base cabinets include trashcan pullouts, rollout trays, cutlery dividers, even an old fashioned bread box. By using cabinet inserts like these, it maximizes the storage capacity without compromising aesthetics.

Adding a Bit of Flair

Looking at 2017 as a whole (so far), it has been a year of accessories. We often recognize that people design with trends while maintaining something neutral enough for the masses to love, keeping in mind the “resale”.

But, this year, that is all out the window! Literally.

As seen here, modifying the window to be a pass through to the exterior living space it a bold move. But, boy does it pay off. It is both a functional piece with a hang over bar for holding refreshments, as well as dirty dishes that need to be sent back inside.

Whatever your style is, we are here to help pull it all together.

Beast Mode – Houzz 5 Star Review for CQC Home

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We are a company that thrives on creativity, on sharing of skill sets, on being leaders when necessary and followers when the time calls for it. It’s an awesome thing to witness when a client recognizes not one or two members of the team, but when 8+ people are mentioned. What a true testament to the hard work and dedication to their careers, and to making their company the best. Yup, we can say the best! Thank you to Durham, Chapel Hill, Wake & Orange County for voting us Best Kitchen Designer, Contractor, and Business.

 

It is often said in our showroom “the rising tide raises all ships”or that “teamwork makes the dream work”. We are company that focuses on trust, training and education. We just happen to do a bang-up job at interior and exterior residential remodeling, as well. Thank you to all of our clients, now part of the CQC Home family for trusting us with your most valuable asset. We love what we do! Making our city great, one home at a time!

“Ken, from design to punch list, we could not be more pleased. The transformation in our home and how we live in our new space is what I envisioned. Creating an all-season sunroom that looks as if it was original to the house is truly great craftsmanship. Changes, re-considerations and recommendations were met with professionalism and responded to quickly. Communication was excellent. Kudos to George, Wesley, Matt, Mike, Justin, Kevin and Teague. Thanks also to Brad for the care to our stonework during the foundation building of the project. To a person, every friend or family member who as come through the door is momentarily at a loss for words as they take in the light and view that our new space reveals. Thank you!” — Anderson Family 2017

Retro Renovations – Antique Vintage Farmhouse Kitchen Sink

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It’s not uncommon to hear “Modern Farmhouse” these days. Thanks to shows like “Fixer Upper” with Joanna Gaines, we all want shabby chic, farmhouse, shiplap everywhere!

A vintage farmhouse sink — it needed some love, but had great lines and was such a statement piece for the time period of this home from the 1920’s.

According to Forbes magazine, to decorate and design your older home you should do one of ten things. For us, we only needed #8 “Mix Traditional and Modern Pieces” using the old traditional style of the sink with the modern glass work in the upper cabinets. By incorporating dark countertops, we were able to design the kitchen around the sink, keeping it the focal point of the space. Not an easy task when kitchen counter tops these days are trying to steal the show!

To see a few more “After” photos of the space and some other rooms we worked on in the house, please follow us on Facebook, Houzz, Pinterest or right here on the CQC Home Blog!

Mirror, mirror, on the wall…. Who is the Fairest of Them All?

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Choosing a bathroom vanity mirror can be a daunting task. After all, you have already picked out the vanity cabinets, hardware, faucets, shower head, lighting, toilet, towel bars, tile on the floors and walls… and now mirrors!

Bathroom mirrors come in all shapes, sizes, frames (or with no frames), can be beveled or tilting. Who has the time to think of all these details? We just want to see ourselves; get our perfect quaff and move on with the day!

That is where we at CQC Home comes in. We are a design-build company. Key word “design”. We offer an in-house selection specialists and designers who work together to match your style, the period of the home, and keep to our pre-set budget.

Let us help you with all of those selections, coordinating the details. During the design phase we put everything selected into our project management system for costing, and we share 3D renderings with you so that you can get a feel for your new bathroom (or kitchen), before we commit to the build.

Give us a call to schedule your design consultation today.

Choosing a Kitchen Countertop

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Granite or Quartz? Get tips on how to find the right countertop for your kitchen remodel.

At CQC Home, our designers have noticed that about half our clients select a granite countertop, while the other half chooses a quartz countertop. Counters are one of the most hotly debated selection items. Don’t believe us? Just watch any episode on HGTV’s “Love It or List It”. The homeowners always LOVE a particular surface material, and they HATE the other. The key for our designers is to establish the wants vs. the needs, and keeping it all on budget.

So, is one really better than the other? Well, here are the facts. We’ll let you decide.

Granite Countertops

  • Granite is 100% natural. It is mined from quarries from all around the world, then cut and polished to a manageable size.
  • Granite can have so much movement and pattern, given that it was made from molten, pressurized rocks. So, no two granite slabs will ever be the exact same.
  • Granite is a more cost effective option, especially if the stone if from a local quarry.
  • Granite countertops should be cleaned daily with soap and water or a mild household cleaner.
  • To ensure the longevity of your investment, consider having your countertops resealed once a year.

Quartz Countertop

  • Quartz is a man-made product, using 95% ground natural quartz and 5% polymer resins.
  • Quartz can be made to look the same with much more consistency.
  • Quartz, because it is man-made, is more labor intensive than just polishing a natural stone and can cost up to twice as much as granite.
  • Quartz countertops should be cleaned daily with soap and water or a mild household cleaner.
  • The solid surface of quartz means there is no need to have your countertops resealed, resulting in less maintenance.

Countertops set the tone for your kitchen. Our in-house kitchen designer and our selections specialist is here to help you choose the materials and a look that not only reflect your style, but also are in line with how you use your kitchen. Did we mention they are the “Best of Durham” award winning designers? Give us a call to set up a design consultation today!

CQC Home Earns “Best of Durham” Award

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The 7th Annual “Best of Durham” was recently announced, and we are honored to share that CQC Home won the top spot in not one but two categories – Best Kitchen Designer and Best Builder!

If you are new to the area, Durham Magazine is a great publication that highlights some great local spots that are a must-add to the bucket list. From Duke Gardens, to the Museum of Life and Science, to the many restaurants all area foodies need to experience, Durham is quickly becoming one of the top 10 towns in the country to live in.

And every year, Durham Magazine sends a ballot to its readers to vote for their “best of” in several categories. These include everything from gyms and flower shops, to law offices and coffee house – and, of course, contractors.

A saying often heard around our Kitchen & Bath Showroom is “the rising tide raises all ships”. We feel the CQC team is that tide – a strong force of trust, teamwork and integrity, who happen to remodel homes.

Thank you to all of the readers and online voters who nominated and voted for us to win the “Best of Durham”. And a very special thank you to our entire CQC Home team.

Year-Round Sunroom Oasis

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Love the outdoors but not the North Carolina humidity? If so, then adding a sunroom to your home will be perfect!

Decor

When furnishing your sunroom keep in mind that the sun will be beaming down on your brand new furniture. This can result in your furniture being damaged. To avoid this, consider purchasing outdoor furniture which is designed to better withstand the effects of the sun.

Climate

Contrary to popular belief, sunrooms can be used year-round. During the colder seasons, you can use any type of portable electric heating device to keep the room nice and warm.

Personalize It

Whether it is vaulting the ceilings in your new space or adding custom curtains, don’t be shy about sprucing it up! After all, you are going to be spending lots of time in this room.

Use of Space

Whether you use the sunroom as a book nook, a TV room or your second living room, it is sure to become the favorite room in your home!

Contact CQC Home today and let’s explore the many options for designing the perfect sunroom for your home.