A plain concrete floor is cold and unappealing, but colored concrete tiles can bring new life to the material. Maxx Architectural Concrete Tiles come in a wide variety of colors and are available in sizes ranging from 12″ x 12″ to 24″ x 48″ and in different thicknesses. After installation, the tiles can be finished with a low or high sheen.
I don’t know about you, but I’m looking forward to the day when we can chuck keys completely and just go around starting our cars with our voices or opening the front door with a touch of our fingers. Well, that day is at least partially here for those willing to spend a little extra for the convenience (all you people out there who lose your house keys, repeatedly, this post is for you). The Biocav Fingerprint Recognition Deadbolt is a lock for your front door (any door actually) that only opens when you press your finger to the reader or enter your unique access number. Keyed to your fingerprint, it allows you to throw away your house key forever. The Biocav lock holds up to 50 users and runs on battery power so there’s no need to worry about being locked out during a power outage (a low battery warning alerts you in advance when it’s time to change the batteries). The MSRP is $499, but Smarthome has it for $399 at the time of this posting: Biometric Fingerprint Door Lock
Those of you old enough to remember farmhouse sinks from the days of yore probably never guessed they’d come back in style, but they’re hitting today’s modern kitchens with fresh new looks. One example is this double basin farmhouse sink from Stone Forest. The sink is handcrafted from your choice of gray/blue granite, beige granite, or black granite. Expect to pay about $1,600 for this durable piece.
Ok, grout isn’t the most exciting topic, but if you’ve ever tried to clean grout in the bathroom or between the kitchen counter tiles, you now how impossible it is to get the stuff back to white after time has taken its toll. If you’re a do-it-yourselfer thinking about retiling a floor, backsplash, shower, or other area, you might appreciate Spectra Lock Grout. According to the manufacturers, this grout is always cleanable to the original color and doesn’t require sealing. It also has Microban (antimicrobial product protection) in it to inhibit the growth of stain causing bacteria, mildew, and mold.
Sirius Hoods from Italy, specializes in handsome modern-looking range hoods. The model SU39 hood is available in stainless steel or glass finishes, has four speed settings, 10 minutes delay off, and touch controls. The dimensions are 90cm x 50cm (35.4″ x 19.7″). You can find this sleek range hood online for a little over $1,500.
A number of people have stumbled onto this site by searching for pictures of kitchen backsplashes (we do have a few here and there), so I thought I would accomodate future surfers by poking around the web and finding links to some interesting backsplashes. Without further ado…
Pictures of Concrete, Stone, and Metal Backsplashes at HGTV.
Custom Stainless Steel & Copper Backsplashes
A handsome ceramic tile inlay backsplash from Jose Diaz Tile
A picture of a tile backsplash with mural from the same company.
Green River Stone can put their fossilized stone into backsplashes and countertops.
Here’s an Australian company doing backsplash murals on glass.
This picture from Eco Flooring uses recycled glass tile.
And lastly, here’s an interesting backsplash mosaic.
The Polara Refrigerated Range from Whirlpool is designed to make meal preperation simpler for people with busy schedules. You put your roast in before you leave for work, the oven enters refrigeration mode to keep it fresh all day, and then at a preset time, the oven kicks in and cooks the meal. If it finishes cooking before you’re home, the range goes into a warming mode for up to two hours. If you’re really late, it will then go back into refrigeration mode to keep the food from going bad. The MSRP is $1,399-$1,599 depending on finish.
If solar deck lights aren’t your cup of tea, or you’re just looking to add some unique accent lighting, De-Kor’s LED Perfect Panel might be of interest. According to the manufacturer, “These solid cast aluminum panels offer a distinctive and classy look. With the addition of two LED lights we have created a unique living environment by providing safe, natural light to compliment your deck or indoor area.” The low-voltage LEDs come with a 30 year warranty, and the panels are available in 20 different coating colors. The Perfect Panels (including lights) start at $74.95.
It seems like those ubiquitous portable spas with the faux wood paneling are all over the place now, and there’s nothing wrong with them, but for those who prefer inground hot tubs, check out Bradford Products, LLC. They combine stainless steel with tiles to create a number of different colors and patterns for their tubs. According to the company, they use stainless steel because it’s “already one of the most durable materials used in architecture and construction today and is widely referred to as a ‘green’ product. This means it is safe for the environment and 100% recyclable.” Bradford has ready-made hot tubs, but they can also customize size, shape, tiles, etc.
The Purist Wet Surface Lavatory isn’t the first flat sink I’ve seen, but it’s a classy looking one. Both faucet and sink are made by Kohler. “The flat surface and surrounding channel of the Purist wet surface lavatory highlight unique water delivery. This fireclay lavatory offers versatile installation options and is without faucet hole drillings. This lavatory is part of the Purist Suite, which helps transform your bathroom into a luxurious home spa environment.” The price for this unique bathroom sink? It starts at $569.95 (faucet not included).
