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LED Lighting

Arlene Stanley — 2010-05-24T23:05:19-07:00

As this market continues to grow however, the prices are starting to drop due to the larger demand and manufacturing streamlining, which means that they will continue to become a more affordable option for home owners. ...Did you know that the applications for LED lighting have grown to include undercabinet, curio, recessed lighting, and several types of bulbs, including regular lamps, chandeliers and even replacements for office/ closet type fluorescents? ... Second, you can choose from a variety of different colors (temperatures) to suit your tastes and/ or tasks; from warm to cool and even full spectrum light (think grow lights or light therapy). The color rendering of LED's has become so good that you can use it for both ambient and task lighting, and with as much as a 60,000 hour lifespan, it will outlast even CFL's by many years. ...The new LED's are well positioned to replace all our lighting needs, even the Halogen and Xenon lighting that we're all accustomed to using for undercabinet, curio and rail lighting. As well as the obvious energy savings, another major benefit of replacing these fixtures with LED's is that they do not get hot like the Halogens and Xenons do, (think chocolate on the bottom shelf of a cabinet with traditional undercabinet lighting). Halogen and Xenon lighting have been the best choice of light for task lighting in the kitchen for many years, however LED light technology has caught up and as manufacturing increases, the initial cost will continue to come down, eventually replacing these with this green, super energy efficient, long lasting, non-toxic alternative. Because the investment upfront is still quite costly, one thought to consider is converting your bulbs in stages or a few at a time rather than all at once. Also, remember that with the investment and life span of these bulbs, you’ll want to add them to your “packing” list if, and or when, you are planning a move. ...v=250&pub=stanclan" onmouseover="return addthis_open(this, '', '[URL]', '[TITLE]')" onmouseout="addthis_close()" onclick="return addthis_sendto()">

Spring Home & Garden Show

Arlene Stanley — 2010-02-23T08:39:00-08:00

Well, the daffodils are blooming, the grass is growing and soon it'll be time to tackle all those projects around the house. In that spirit, the Spring Home and Garden Show at the Expo starts tomorrow and runs through Sunday and as always, we'll be there to help with inspiration, ideas and all your remodeling questions. Stop by and see us at booth 942. Click here to get a coupon for $3 off admission during the week.

PCC Intern

Arlene Stanley — 2010-02-08T23:48:43-08:00

SHRD welcomes Raymond Chan, our intern from PCC! Raymond is a student of PCC's Building Construction Technology course; Design/Build Remodeling. He will be working/studying with us for the next several months as part of his course work in Design/Build Remodeling. We're happy to have you here Raymond!

Delta's new Faucet with "Touch ₂0 Technology"

Arlene Stanley — 2009-11-28T11:49:34-08:00

I can't even begin to tell you how many times in a week I go to my faucet after having had my hands in ground beef making hamburger patties, or having just cut up a chicken or roast and I cringe as I reach for the faucet to turn it on with my messy hands or try to contort my arms and hands in such a way as to not transfer the mess to my faucet handle. Well, here is a great idea to fix that issue! Not only is this a convenient solution to an age old problem, but it's green too since you can easily stop the flow of water when you don't need it. The only thing that would make this better is if the soap dispenser worked the same way! To learn more about this new faucet, visit Delta's website here. ...

Kitchen Sinks

Arlene Stanley — 2009-08-17T14:34:00-07:00

The “Apron” or “Farmhouse" sink in our kitchen display is made by Shaw. It is made the old fashioned way using Fireclay along with a state of the art kiln. Shaw sinks can last over 100 years with simple care and maintenance and come with a 25 year guarantee against fading and staining. You can also purchase a repair kit in case you were to accidently damage the glaze. For more information about these sinks visit Rohl's website. ... ...

Stanley Home Renovation on CNN

Arlene Stanley — 2009-04-23T20:01:09-07:00

The Economy has been a hot topic for many media outlets these days and one day last March, we received a phone call from Tom Foreman of CNN. He found us on the web and called us to talk about how the remodeling industry is fairing in this economic roller coaster. While new home sales have declined dramatically, interest in remodeling and renovations has increased as people decide that they are better off to stay where they are and update their existing homes now. Low mortgage rates, tax credits and incentives for first time home buyers as well as a significant drop in material costs from major suppliers makes for a really good value for homeowners looking to update and expand. ...

Energy Tax Credits Summary

Arlene Stanley — 2009-06-04T14:57:00-07:00

The 2009 stimulus bill (The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009) made significant changes to the energy efficiency tax credits. ...The tax credits that were previously effective only for 2009 have been extended to 2010. ...The tax credits that were for a specific dollar amount (ex $300 for a CAC) have been converted to 30% of the cost. The maximum credit has been raised from $500 to $1500 for 2009 and 2010. However, some improvements such as geothermal heat pumps, solar water heaters, and solar panels are not subject to the $1,500 maximum credit and are in effect through 2016. ...Home improvement tax credits are available for home improvements "placed in service" from January 1, 2009 through December 31, 2010. Any qualified home improvements made in 2008 are not eligible for the tax credit. ...Improvements made in 2009 will be claimed on your 2009 taxes (filed by April 15, 2010) — use IRS Tax Form 5695 (2009 version) — it will be available late 2009 or early 2010 If you are building a new home, you can qualify for the tax credit for geothermal heat pumps, photovoltaics, solar water heaters, small wind systems and fuel cells, but not the tax credits for windows, doors, insulation, roofs, HVAC, or non-solar water heaters. ...v=250&pub=stanclan" onmouseover="return addthis_open(this, '', '[URL]', '[TITLE]')" onmouseout="addthis_close()" onclick="return addthis_sendto()">

New Carbon Fibre Articulating Faucet By Kohler

Arlene Stanley — 2009-03-26T10:05:06-07:00

Kohler has created a kitchen faucet that possesses the functionality and performance of a pull-down faucet, while also allowing the user to position and leave the sprayhead right where it’s needed, thereby freeing up both hands for kitchen prep and clean-up tasks. The use of a textured carbon fiber composite adds further appeal to a unique visual aesthetic that reinforces the contemporary nature of the design. Unlike other kitchen faucets, the Karbon faucet will maintain the exact position where a user places it within its allotted reach in or outside the sink, keeping the spray head and water flow exactly where it’s desired. ... An elaborate design detail is featured in the remote joystick valve that consists of two disks of identical size installed flush with the countertop to provide an unusually sleek look and offer easy cleaning. ...The logic behind the use of carbon fiber lies in its superior strength and light weight, allowing for tight movement tolerance and the exceptional functional performance of this faucet. The joints connecting the four sections of the faucet employ a novel patented technology that provides exceptional resistance to support the spout while allowing for smooth and effortless handling. ...

First Day of The Tour of Remodeled Homes

Arlene Stanley — 2009-03-14T18:34:04-07:00

The opening day of the Tour of Remodeled Homes today was great fun for us! While we always hope for good weather for the Tour of Remodeled Homes Event, we also realize that this is Oregon and we need to have a backup plan for RAIN. Our backup today was the garage of our Tour Home and it's a good thing we had it! Set up in the garage of our Tour home was the KEX Mr. ... Fix It, here this morning doing a live broadcast of the show. Mitch was able to sit in on the show this morning and answer questions from callers and talk about the Tour and our featured project. Mitch also was able to explain to listeners how a Design-Build Company such as ours works with clients from the design phase through to the building process creating a seamless process that ultimately results in a more controlled result in every aspect. Mitch really enjoyed his time with Dave as he is very knowledgeable and has a great sense of humor! ...Angela is part of our design team who is able to disseminate and capture the desires and tastes of our clients enabling her to create unique and personalized spaces that fit the clients tastes and home perfectly. ...v=250&pub=stanclan" onmouseover="return addthis_open(this, '', '[URL]', '[TITLE]')" onmouseout="addthis_close()" onclick="return addthis_sendto()"> ...

Portland Ranks #4 in Ten Best Housing Markets in the US!

Arlene Stanley — 2009-03-05T23:57:45-08:00

And now for some good news.................. As noted in a recent Forbes.com article, Portland ranks #4 in the 10 best housing markets in the U.S. with home values reflecting those of September 2005. The Top Ten Housing Markets in the U.S. are: ...To read the full article click HERE. ...

Do you have your tickets for the Tour yet?

Arlene Stanley — 2009-03-05T23:28:13-08:00

1190 KEX's Mr. Fixit will be broadcasting live from our Tour Home (#4) in West Linn on Saturday from 10:30 am to 12 pm. Get your tickets and come on down, we'd love to see you! ...

The Tour of Remodeled Homes is just a few weeks away!

Arlene Stanley — 2009-02-26T23:08:42-08:00

Win FREE Tickets to the Tour of Remodeled Homes, March 14 & 15, 2009

Arlene Stanley — 2009-02-23T11:10:04-08:00

Tickets for the Tour are $17.50. There are 18 homes on the tour this year which amounts to only about $1.00 per home if you manage to visit them all! If you would like a chance to win free tickets, just click here! All entrants will receive four weeks free of your community newspaper where applicable! ...

Spring Home & Garden Show

Arlene Stanley — 2009-02-16T08:08:00-08:00

Well, it’s that time of year again! Spring is right around the corner and that means so are all those projects around the house that have been waiting for us! Get creative ideas and inspiration at the biggest Home & Garden show of the year! We have redesigned our booth and will be introducing a totally new and extremely useful product next week, so Come on Down! ...

Our beautiful Island and kitchen display with the concrete countertop has been permanently retired to our showroom. Come see our new products and displays this week!

"Around The House With Handyman Bob", KXL 750

Arlene Stanley — 2009-01-21T09:42:30-08:00

We will be on Around the House with Handyman Bob on KXL, Saturday, January 31, from noon till 2pm with Angela Todd. We’ll be talking about upcoming events and everyones favorite subject............” ...Call in with your questions and comments. We’d love to hear from you! The above pictures are from the January 18th show - “Getting to know the HBA”. Mitch is the Chair of the HBA Remodelers Council. Gary Fox, (left most in both pictures) is the Chair of the HBA Building Green Council. And of course, Handyman Bob in red! If you missed the show and would like to hear what was discussed you can download the podcast here. ...

Is Radon an issue in Granite Countertops?

Arlene Stanley — 2009-01-04T11:02:35-08:00

Among the natural stone selections granites are the most popular because granite is the most durable, scratch and chip resistant and only requires sealing once every year or two. ... There was much buzz about it in the media for a while and now the studies are complete and the results are in! “ compared to other radiation sources in the home and outside, the risk to the home-owner from radioactivity emitted from a granite counter-top or tiles is practically non-existent.” If you’re unfamiliar with Radon, it is a heavy odorless and colorless gas that is emitted through the soil. ... These gasses can seep into your home through foundations and crawl spaces and depending on the ventilation inside the home, it can be cause for concern as Radon causes lung cancer. It has become a common practice for home buyers to have a radon test performed in a home they are considering purchasing. While Oregon generally has low levels of radon, I do know of a home in Eastmoreland that had very high levels of Radon and needed to mitigate. ... ... ...v=250&pub=stanclan" onmouseover="return addthis_open(this, '', '[URL]', '[TITLE]')" onmouseout="addthis_close()" onclick="return addthis_sendto()">