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Here’s a flashback for you. Think back to the days when you had a “home ideas” folder that was just bursting with torn out pages from magazines. Well, nothing against your trusty folder, but we’re here to tell you that technology has just made the business of finding home inspiration a whole lot easier.
If you have been thinking about a home project, you may have heard people mention a website called Houzz. If you haven’t checked it out yet, you’re in for a treat. Houzz is a repository of millions of photos of homes and interiors, shared by designers, architects and builders from across the country. Think of it like Pinterest, except just for your home. With just a few clicks you can set up a free account and you’re on your way.
You go about creating idea books (digital versions of that handy folder you used to keep) and can create one for each project. Kitchen – check! Ethan’s bedroom – check! Powder rooms with pedestal sinks – check! You simply do a search for the things you’re looking for like “colorful boy’s bedroom” and a seemingly infinite number of pictures are available at your disposal. Just click on the ones you like and voila – they are added to your ideabook. Houzz is also great for collaboration since ideabooks can be shared with your spouse, your child, or even your designer. You can even put a note on each picture to remind you of your favorite element in the photo (like “love the stripes in this room”) or write notes to others you’re collaborating with (like “I don’t like this type of pedestal sink”).Houzz is available for your desktop computer, but there are also dedicated apps for your phone or tablet, which our designers actually find even easier to use than the desktop version.
Houzz is so easy, and with so many beautiful spaces, it’s easy to see how this can be pretty addicting.
If you’re looking for a good place to start, we recommend you check out Normandy’s Houzz profile. We have quite a few beautiful projects to get your inspiration flowing, after that – it’s all up to you!
Where there’s a whisk, there’s a way, and boy do we have a way to create a baker’s paradise in your very own kitchen. If you’re an avid baker, you know the everyday challenges of getting your bakes together: not enough counter space, bad lighting, hauling your mixer around, and having to find your utensils stashed around the kitchen, just to name a few. What if it was possible to create an island designed for baking, dare we call it… a baker’s island.
First and foremost, you need to start with a durable and spacious countertop. “We recommend using a heat resistant material that is smooth and easy to clean like quartzite,” Normandy Designer 
The layout of your kitchen is also extremely important, as easy-access to your oven and stovetop are essential. “Make sure to position your island so that it is directly across from your main oven. You may even opt to include a secondary oven like a steam oven in your island for specialty bakes like French bread or smaller batch items,” Laura notes.
If you really want to take your baker’s island to the next level, and you have enough space to make it work, a lift for your mixer can be a game changer,” says Laura. “It’s amazing how many people keep their heavy Kitchenaid mixer in a closet down the hall or even in the basement. They’re heavy, and awkward to carry to say the least. Not every island is big enough to have a dedicated cabinet for a mixer lift, but I’ve never put one in someone’s home that has regretted it.”
