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2020 Recap: The Grand Rapids Remodeling and New Homes Show Part I | Blog

Another year, another incredible event! The show may be over, but the insights and takeaways will be valuable for years to come. Every year, Rich and Jen go into this event to share their knowledge and empower you to feel confident about buying a brand new Heartland Builders home. We hope you had as much fun as we did!

 

If you didn’t make it this year, we can’t wait to share some of what Jen, our interior designer, discussed with attendees. Here’s a few of the items from the Grand Rapids Remodeling and New Homes Show:

How do you suggest incorporating a bold color (i.e. mustard yellow) into home design?

Unless you’re 100% unafraid of bold, bright colors like mustard, start with smaller items like pillows, vases, artwork, curtains, and rugs.

Granite or quartz?

Granite has been around for a long time and will continue to be. Quartz, while the newest countertop option of the two, is not perfect. It depends on what your living situation is and how you would use, clean, and live with either. The number one concern I hear is “granite is porous.” Yes, but it has an option for a 25-year seal now (and it works, I’ve sealed with it myself)! 

Granite is also heat safe, whereas quartz is only heat tolerant and cannot withstand higher temperatures (every brand has its own tolerance in degrees, but they are not always known). I always say it’s hot pads and trivets for life with quartz. 

Now, if you love white or marble countertops, or another solid color like black or gray, quartz may be the better option for you because it’s man-made and can offer the solids and marble look without the marble worries. Granite offers a natural pattern or movement (unless it’s a uniform pattern) whereas again, quartz is man-made and usually each slab varies very little lot to lot.

White cabinets: in or out?

The handout I put together states that the 2020 prediction is that white cabinets (along with grays) will be out, when in fact, white is absolutely timeless. It will always be a safe or neutral color for a cabinet.

Flooring: luxury vinyl plank or laminate?

Laminate is not the material it once was — it has improved vastly! It can offer a waterproof, pet-safe, livable option (allowing it to go in every room of the house, including baths), that it never could before. Luxury Vinyl Plank, also a newer product, has been found to scratch, and while completely waterproof and with some awesome options and longer board lengths (for those wide-open rooms in the middle of the home), it is something that should be considered. Each product offers something different and both are great options for today’s active lifestyles, but you need to understand the differences and decide which is right for you.

Do you have questions that we didn’t cover? We’d love to hear from you! You can contact us at any time to discuss exactly what it’s like to build a brand new Heartland Builders home in Grand Rapids!