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Remember the days when all your finishes had to match? Not too long ago, if you had satin nickel door and drawer pulls you had to have satin nickel faucets and lighting fixtures. Today, things are getting more interesting and mixing metal finishes is actually accepted and popular!

As we close another year of working with great clients and completing lots of remodeling projects, we thought it might be fun to create our own list of the top 5 remodeling selections we saw this year. All the magazines do their own "Best of" or "Top Trend" lists, so we thought why shouldn't the Thompson Remodeling team get in on the fun too. So, without further ado, here's our list of the Top 5 Remodeling Selections for 2015!

Summer is nearly over and the school year is about to start. Is your home ready? Every year families with children prepare for the oncoming year by making annual back to school shopping trips. Parents gear up for the change in schedules and get the kids ready for the big switch from summer vacation to school mode. And this time of year can really wreak havoc on your home if you aren’t prepared. There are backpacks, books, uniforms, sports equipment, and lunches to think about. Where’s all that stuff going to go? We’ve got a few tips to help you get your home back to school ready and it’s all about setting up zones.

Large, spacious dining rooms simply don't exist in every home. In fact, some families prefer a cozier spot for meals. When we work with homeowners remodeling small dining areas, the two biggest design challenges are how to accommodate more seating and storage. Fortunately, our creative design team is proficient at listening to each family's needs and determining how to get the most out of every inch of space.

Kitchens top the list as the space homeowners would most like to remodel, particularly with empty nesters that are planning to stay in their homes after retirement. An aging in place remodel maximizes the functionality of a kitchen by creating a safe and comfortable environment for its users. Layout, fixtures, appliances and finishes are carefully selected to provide ease of use for aging homeowners and for those with existing or potential future handicaps.

It’s a fact that as we get older and our needs change, certain areas of our homes may become difficult to navigate and cumbersome to use. The last thing many homeowners want to do is move out of the homes and neighborhoods that they love. The great news is that you don’t have to. Instead of moving, you can remodel your home for aging in place by modifying it for better safety, comfort and functionality.

Wait, are you telling me that a kitchen with dirty dishes in the sink is now the latest design trend? Not exactly. We too were a bit surprised by the term, but once we explain, we think it will make sense.

This week we are dedicating our blog to a common remodeling question: Should my kitchen and bathroom cabinets match? Our recommendation is to have them either match or compliment one another in style or finish. Read on for our explanation.

Families with children know how messy bathrooms can get. Towels on the floor, water everywhere, toothpaste on the walls. Hey, let’s be honest, this can happen with just adults in the household too, but there are ways to tame the mess by making smart design decisions. And we know a thing or two about designing functional family bathrooms.

When you think about healthy living, the first things that come to mind are eating well and maintaining a regular exercise routine. There are also many things you can do to promote your personal wellness like going to the spa, taking a hike in the mountains, or meditating. Today, the popular concept and practice of promoting and maintaining wellness is expanding into our homes. When you think about it, it’s a no-brainer.

Regardless of size, designing a kitchen takes careful thought and planning in order to meet the needs of each family. If your home has a small kitchen don’t despair, there are creative ways to maximize space and make the most out of every inch. At Thompson Remodeling, we’ve remodeled kitchens of all shapes and sizes over the years, so we’ve got a few design tips to share with you that will help to maximize space and functionality in a small kitchen.

Bathrooms may be the smallest rooms in your home, but they’re also the most used by both your family and your guests. This is why bathroom remodels top the list of many homeowners’ wish lists. Designing small spaces can be challenging. Bathrooms in particular require a layout that maximizes functionality and careful selection of materials and finishes the best suit the owner’s preferences. Focal points are an important part of every renovation design, especially in bathrooms. They are the details that create visual interest and anchor points for your aesthetic choices.

There’s just something about the sights and sounds of the outdoors that is very relaxing. Connecting with nature is good for the soul whether you are enjoying it through a picture window, sitting outside in the fresh air, or going on a hike with the family. That’s why many homeowners have decided to invest in creating outdoor spaces that provide the perfect spot to unwind and entertain. We encourage our clients to imagine outdoor spaces as natural extensions of their home and love to offer them options on how to remodel based on their individual family’s needs and functional preferences. For some it may be a deck, while another family may be better suited with a screened or enclosed porch, or sunroom.

Last week in our blog, we talked about how to set and stick to a remodeling budget. One of the tips was to consider phasing your remodel when you are considering large, multi-faceted projects such as a whole house remodel. Today, we are going to discuss four of the benefits of a phased remodel and situations where it is a good choice.