EP14 – July 8, 2017: It’s Toilet Talk Time!

We know, it’s something people don’t normally talk about in social circles. It’s a topic left for the privacy of our own homes. But we’re breaking the mould and asking all the toilet questions you may have pondered. Mark DeVisser from The Plummer Is Here stops by to answer our questions and walk us through the options when buying a new toilet. The subject matter makes us uncomfortable, but the information is worth the discomfort!

Listen here:

Show notes for Episode 014:

Kitchens are the most commonly redone room in a house. They are also some of the most costly. And there are some things you can do to change the look, without spending a ton of money. We've all heard of painting the cabinets and replacing the hardware. But there is one more project that is often overlooked, but dramatically changes the look of your kitchen.

Painting a tile backsplash can really change the look and feel of your kitchen. It can make a dated kitchen feel current. And, with a little creativity, you can make your backsplash a one-of-a-kind. Check out our Backsplash Ideas Pinterest board to see what inspired us!

Figuring out the perfect lighting for your home can be a challenge. But it can be more difficult as we get older. Our eyes go through drastic changes as we age and most people will require more and different types of light.

Renee Huff from The Lighting Corner in Grandville stops by to discuss how eyes change as we age and some things that we can implement to help us, or our loved ones, see better as we gracefully age.

Outdoor living spaces are the fastest growing segment of home improvement. Everyone is trying create that backyard spaces that every neighbor wants. And all may be perfect until it comes to the furniture.

There are three general issues that come up when it comes to patio furniture:

  1. It looks terrible from sitting in the weather.
  2. It's the wrong style. You bought log furniture, but now hate it!
  3. It's an eclectic collection of yard sale finds.

When people find themselves in one of the above situations they generally do one of two things: they either live with it, or they toss it (for the eclectic collector to find!) and buy new. But there is a third option that we like a lot better! It will save you money over replacing and you can make it something the neighbors will envy! You can find amazing ideas on our Outdoor Furniture Pinterest board.

Yes, we have finally come to Dan's favorite segment of this episode! He has been dying to have all of his hard-hitting toilet questions answered by an expert plumber. And lucky for us, The Plumber Is Here!

Mark DeVisser from The Plumber Is Here! stops by to answer all Dan's questions and add a few laughs.

Mark DeVisser is a Master Plumber and Owner of  Great Lakes Plumbing Services, LLC (or, as it is more commonly known, The Plumber Is Here!). The plumber Is Here can take care of all your plumbing needs including water heaters, faucets, tubs and showers, water and sewer hookups, drain cleaning and so much more! They service residential, commercial and new construction in all areas around Saugatuck, Holland, Zeeland, Grand Haven, Grandville, Jenison, Hudsonville, and beyond. 

Color Me Home Episode 10: Inexpensive Kitchen Updates

On today’s episode, Betsy and Dan discuss some inexpensive projects you can tackle to update your kitchen! They discuss a quick way to make your old cabinets look new again, a way to cover up those old, dated tile backsplashes, and much more!

View our Pinterest Board for Episode 10!

Episode Outline

  • The Gel Stain Fix! (0:52)
  • Can I Lighten My Stained Cabinets With Stain? (5:49)
  • Painting Your Cabinets  (7:10)
  • Get Creative! (20:42)
  • How Do I Apply the Paint? Do I Spray It? Brush It? Roll It? (24:08)
  • Replace the Hardware! (27:01)
  • Update That Dated Tile Backsplash! (28:50)
  • What Finish Should I Use on the Cabinets or the Backsplash? (33:16)

The Gel Stain Fix

Betsy started the episode talking about an easy way to update old and scratched cabinets. Yes, it takes some work.  And yes, you need to do the right prep work . . . but if you do, this can be a great way to update your cabinets very quickly and for very little money. Here’s a blog post that explains the process in detail. And below are some of the photos sent to us by our customer who had such great results!

 Painting Your Cabinets

A second solution we discussed for updating your kitchen is a pretty basic one:  painting the cabinets. It’s not a complicated process, but it does take some time and it definitely requires that you do the proper amounts of prep work to make sure the finished product holds up well. Here are the steps we discussed in the podcast and a brief description. For more information, listen to the podcast and/or check out our blog post on painting kitchen cabinets!

STEP ONE:  Remove the hardware and hinges and label the doors with their location.

STEP TWO:  Clean the surfaces thoroughly using TSP.

STEP THREE:  Scuff-sand the surfaces you’re going to paint.

STEP FOUR:  Prime the cabinets with STIX Waterborne Primer.

STEP FIVE:  Topcoat with a Benjamin Moore’s Advance or RepcoLite’s Hallmark Ceramic.

Those are the basic steps we cover in the podcast. Again, listen to the episode for more details or check out our blog post on painting your cabinets! (Or, better yet, stop out at any RepcoLite, Port City Paints, or Snyder Paints location and we’ll walk you through the whole process!)

Painting An Old Tiled Backsplash

Another topic we discussed on the episode was painting an old, tiled backsplash. The backsplash in a kitchen can often look dated. And usually, people have no idea how to easily fix it. After all, ripping out the tile involves a lot of demolition, sweat, and (in my case) blood. But, there is a quick fix if you’re looking for an easy solution that will buy you some time. And of course, we’re talking about paint! Here are the basic steps. Again, if you’re looking for more detailed info, please check out our blog post on the topic!

STEP ONE:  Clean the surfaces thoroughly using TSP.

STEP TWO:  Prime the cabinets with STIX Waterborne Primer.

STEP THREE:  Topcoat with a Benjamin Moore’s Advance or RepcoLite’s Hallmark Ceramic.