39th Annual Times Union Home Expo

 

 

39th Annual Times Union Home Expo

Albany Capital Center
55 Eagle Street
Albany, NY 12207

Live in a home you love…

 

Bring your visions, floor plans, questions…and your family!!

At the Times Union Home Expo, our goal is to inspire, motivate and educate you for your next home improvement project. Whether it is a minor project or major renovation we invite you to come meet industry experts who can help guide and inspire you.  Our show will feature approximately 100 home improvement professionals in an informal interactive environment, unlike any other Home Show you may have attended. You will find something of valuable no matter what stage of renovating you are in, alongside family-friendly activities, raffles and giveaways.

 

Why attend our Home Expo?

Our Home Show is designed for homeowners in all stages of remodeling. By remodeling we mean anything from landscaping, full home renovation and decorating.

If you have ever been involved in any home renovation project, you know the process can become overwhelming. By attending the Times Union Home Expo you can meet multiple vendors in one day, learn about new products to enhance your home, get expert advice, and most importantly get excited about your project!

I look forward to seeing you there!!

 

Stay tuned for more Adventures in Styleland…

 

Sweetly,

Michele Conti

Designs by Michele

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The Value of the BBB

For more than 75 years, Better Business Bureaus have kept tabs on the trustworthiness of businesses and charities. Consumers consult BBB reliability reports, now completely online, a whopping 54 million times a year. And nearly a million American and Canadian consumers file complaints through their local BBB annually to get help when things didn’t go quite right in a goods or services transactions.

For example, suppose you go down to the local hom­e and garden store to buy a new lawnmower and the salesman talks you into a four wheel drive riding mower with a money-back guarantee.

When the blade falls off a month later, you take the faulty mower back and ask for a refund. The salesman says you must have heard him wrong. The store doesn’t offer money-back guarantees. “Maybe you should get a new hearing aid,” he jokes. Should you call the Better Business Bureau (BBB) YES! When asked whom they would contact if they had a problem with a major purchase, 40 percent of Americans said the Better Business Bureau.

Another service the BBB offers is research; Before you hire a company for that big project, don’t forget to do your research at BBB.org!

For over 100 years, people have turned to Better Business Bureau for unbiased information about businesses. Businesses use their BBB Accreditation as a way to show customers that they are trustworthy businesses.

For over 100 years, Better Business Bureau has helped people find businesses and charities they can trust. There are thousands of free and subscription websites that offer a range of information, but BBB is the one place you can find it all. We offer consumers Business Reviews, Customer Reviews, Request a Quote service, and dispute resolution, to name a few. Visit us at bbb.org for more information!

Stop in at The Time Union Home Expo and visit their booth, we’ll see you there!

 

Sweetly,
Michele Conti

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Organic Fusion-Takes Neutrals by Surprise!

One common thread has been evident in all home design trends for 2018; homeowners are looking for ways to break from the mold and be different. In the bathroom, they are relying on tech, tiles and bold accents to make their shower time more interesting. Neutral decors are still popular, homeowners are in love with whites, creams, blues and light browns making a space look modern and elegant. In 2018, neutral bathrooms will still be very much in vogue but with a bit of an organic infusion. With over 100 years of experience in the Albany area,  Bennett Contracting chose a dark vanity in this transitional space to balance the cooler colors with the warmth of real wood.

Fixer Upper, the hit HGTV show uses quite a bit of wood in their designs, introducing warm tones into otherwise neutral color schemes. Natural wood is making a comeback in design, from wood floors to barn beam ceilings and everywhere in between. Whether to create a slightly natural vibe, a modern transitional theme or Urban Industrial, wood is showing up in all the right places.

Bennett Contracting used a mix of different wood species to create a beautiful centerpiece in this kitchen. Just make sure there’s enough contrast to show you mean it, near misses don’t make it. The idea is to create visual contrast between the work island and the perimeter cabinets. If the perimeter cabinets differ from the work island, we might put the same countertop material on both as Bennett did in this newly renovated space.

Are you itching to breathe new life into an outdated or poorly-functioning kitchen or bath?  Before you decide to meet with a contractor gather ideas for what styles, colors and substrates you like. While looking through magazines, tear out photos of kitchens that appeal to you and write what you like about the room in the margin. Then slip the page into a clear sheet protector and insert that into a three-ring binder to create a stylebook.

The Internet is another source for kitchen and bath inspiration. As your stylebook grows, a clear picture of your desired style of kitchen or bath will begin to emerge. That’s helpful for you, but it’s also helpful for the remodeling professionals at Bennett Contracting. Bring your storybook to the Home Expo this year and introduce your ideas to Bennett’s designer Justina! She will go through your ideas with you and get a blush of what you’re after, so that together you can create your ideal space.

Bennett Contracting is located on the second level, at booth 305 at the Times Union Home Expo this year. Kevin Gutman will be there to guide you through your next step, making sure that your next project will be a huge success!

Stay tuned for more ideas, information and design tips with Adventures in Styleland…

 

XOXO

Michele Conti

 

Posted by TU-Michele Furniture and Design Home Design

Super Bowl LI

I wanted to do a quick little post with some great ideas I found online for decorating your Super Bowl football party! Okay, admittedly, if you’re not already Houston-bound (because there’s this really huge sports event happening there this weekend) or setting up the solo cups and crock pot full of Velveeta and Rotel, at this point you’re going to have to work with what you have when it comes to creating the perfect media room for watching Super Bowl 51 today. Loving all of these ideas for things you can do at your Super Bowl party this weekend!  They are super creative and the food looks so yummy.  They’ve definitely given me some great inspiration.  Who will you be cheering for this weekend??!!
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Appliance Trends 2017 and Beyond..

 

I always get asked by those who are thinking about updating or renovating their kitchen, “what are the latest trends?” “What do I need to include in my project so that my project will last and be current for many years to come?” While most people don’t want to be too trendy in an area as expensive and as permanent as a kitchen, everyone does want to have the latest and greatest appliances that will keep their kitchen looking fresh and up to date for many years to come. At Adirondack Appliance they have been selling appliances since 1929. Technology, innovation, design and performance are all key factors for them when selecting their brands and they are careful to choose products tailored to the needs of their customers.

My recommendation for 2017…

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The Story of Soapstone

As the granite countertop trend continues to slowly ebb in high-end homes, other alternatives are starting to pick up in popularity. Soapstone is a natural material, a metamorphic rock that is composed primarily of talc with varying amounts of chlorite, micas, amphiboles, carbonates and other minerals. It has been known for centuries for its ability to retain heat (for example, all of our original hearthstones in the farmhouse are made of soapstone). At Green Mountain Soapstone they are unsurpassed in quality, and the largest soapstone supplier to the USA and Canada. They are at booth 133A at the Times Union to help with more information about Soapstone in your home.

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