Inspiration for a contemporary master medium tone wood floor and brown floor bedroom remodel in Toronto with white walls

Inspiration for a mid-sized transitional 3/4 white tile and porcelain tile porcelain tile and beige floor alcove shower remodel in Dallas with gray walls and a hinged shower door

Example of a large classic u-shaped dark wood floor eat-in kitchen design in Minneapolis with a double-bowl sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, white backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and black countertops

This tower style linen cabinet, was commissioned by a customer looking to finish off their bathroom renovation with a custom made-to-fit linen cabinet that would match with their vanity. We designed and built this nearly 7 foot tall cabinet for the customer using traditional joinery methods, using rabbets and dados to hold the shelves in place for a very solid finished piece. Decorative molding and trim was added to the bottom of the cabinet and the legs provide a pleasing negative space under the tall cabinet. Prefabricated molding, that matched the customer's vanity, was added to the top of the piece for added effect. The piece was sealed and then finished with a white cabinet enamel. Decorative knobs were added to also match the vanity in the bathroom.

Mid-sized urban 3/4 white tile and subway tile porcelain tile and black floor corner shower photo with open cabinets

Regent Victorian tiles are a lovely choice for Victorian hall tiles or for creating bathrooms or kitchens in an original style. These are versatile decor floor tiles with borders and angles to facilitate individual designs. Please be aware there are 9 variations for the corner tiles (please see below). Orders will be made up with a mix of corners tiles and we cannot guarantee which tiles will be delivered.

This article is posted here with the consent of the author. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy, position, view, or opinion of Crestron Electronics, Inc., or of any of its employees. Crestron Electronics is not responsible for, and does not verify the accuracy of, any of the information contained in this article. By Jeff Singer The “smart” revolution began several years ago with smartphones (a.k.a phones) and has extended in recent years to thermostats, doorbells, alarm systems, and kitchen appliances. Smart devices are so ubiquitous that the term “smart” is overused to the point that it is almost meaningless. Companies are eager to jump on the bandwagon and claim their products are “smart,” and consumers proudly claim they have a smart home because they have lighting control. Misconceptions about smart homes are prevalent and create confusion in the marketplace. This can have deleterious effects on businesses and underserve consumers. Here are seven of the most popular misconceptions about smart homes: 1. Apps are smart Apps are convenient and easy to use. Yes, it seems there’s an app for everything. People expect to be able to download an app and do just about anything. App developers and many companies do not disavow consumers of this myth. On the contrary, they promote this idea with carefully worded descriptions. The promise of having the world at your fingertips for $1.99 is very enticing. Although it sounds too good to be true, it is also too good to pass up for many people. This leads to undervaluing home control and disappointment when the apps don’t work, which undermines confidence in our industry. The fact is that apps are not smart. They do not control anything. They must connect to and communicate with a control system or cloud service that processes, prioritizes, and executes commands. That’s the real magic and what most people do not understand. 2. Smart devices work together With so many smart appliances and devices on the market today, it’s understandable that the average consumer might think that they actually communicate and work together. This is simply not the case. Smart devices are not that smart. They are designed and manufactured by different, often competing, companies. There are no national or industry standards governing these products. Even if they all operate using Wi-Fi® communications, that doesn’t mean they work together. Some companies promote a home control platform, which unites different devices from different companies – in theory. The platform is yet another third-party software totally dependent on other companies developing APIs and writing control modules for their hardware to run on that piece of software. The devices are not independently compatible. Also, when updates are made to either the hardware or the software, functionality may be affected for some period. That’s a nice way of saying the device or system won’t work and there’s no way of knowing for how long. 3. It’s a DIY project Which brings us to the next myth, which is that the average person can do it themselves. Unless you are a skilled professional, I would not advise taking on a smart home project. You want to make a light turn on and off with your Alexa® or Google Assistant™ virtual assistant software, go for it. A smart home takes much more planning and expertise. I have no problem changing a light bulb or hanging a light fixture in my dining room; however, I am not going to rewire my house. I may change the flush valve in my toilet, but I’m not going to replace the pipes in my house. You get it. Integrating devices and systems, establishing different zones, creating scenes, designing the UI with a balance between control, feedback, and simplicity – all takes experience and skill. 4. Need a programmer to make changes Early adopters may have experienced the pain of trying to make a simple change or update to their home control system. Years ago, if the cable provider changed the channel line-up, the homeowner would have to call the dealer or programmer to make an appointment for them to come out to the house to reprogram the system. The system wouldn’t work as expected until it was updated, which often took several days and beaucoup bucks. Not anymore. Technology has evolved so now it’s easy for system owners to change favorite channels, create scenes, rename buttons, update images, and more. While a professional is needed for the initial installation and setup, the system is easy to manage once it’s up and running. This makes life so much easier for both dealer and customer. 5. Tech becomes obsolete quickly Similar to updating the UI, updating firmware or hardware used to be a stressful process. A smart home should be intelligent enough to update itself. Apps don’t become obsolete. Updates are constantly pushed out from the cloud, making them better all the time. The same is true for a good smart home system. New features, functions, and device support gets added in the background consistently, so the system you installed (or purchased) yesterday gets better over time. Swapping out decorative elements, such as keypads, dimmers, and touch screens is also seamless. When a new device is added, all the settings are pulled down from the cloud and it just works. No system interruptions. No sunk costs. No imposing house calls. No surprise bills. 6. Lighting control saves energy and money Lighting control is one of the most popular smart systems, but it takes more than just one system to make a home smart. On the surface, it makes sense that if you dim the lights ten percent, then you save ten percent of energy costs. If the shades are raised during the day to take advantage of sunlight so the lights don’t need to be on (or at least not 100%), but that causes the room temperature to rise a few degrees, which triggers the air conditioner to run longer and more often, was energy usage (or cost) reduced? A smart home integrates all the various systems and technology to optimize comfort, convenience, safety, and sometimes energy. 7. Home technology is easy to hack Security is at the forefront of people’s minds these days. Personal identities are stolen; email accounts hacked; private photos publicized; and more. A smart home must outsmart those who don’t respect privacy. Crestron control systems adhere to the strictest security standards. The same Crestron control system that goes into a home is also installed in secure government and military facilities, global banking institutions, hospitals, and other mission critical applications. When installed correctly by a trained professional, a Crestron smart home is the gold standard for security, comfort, and convenience.

3 Lite Iron Door with Satin Glass
Front door - modern front door idea in Dallas with a brown front door

Tile is 6" x 24" Running Bond Lay Berkshire Hickory with Summer Wheat Grout Color
Inspiration for a mid-sized coastal bathroom remodel in Milwaukee

Example of a small mountain style single-wall laminate floor and brown floor wet bar design with an undermount sink, beaded inset cabinets, green cabinets, quartz countertops, multicolored backsplash, terra-cotta backsplash and gray countertops

Minimalist home office photo in Miami

Minimal grout lines at well-aligned fixtures create a sense of continuity at 24x24 rectified wall tiles. The dimensional tiles add a playful design element to the modern geometry of the mid century home.

Example of a transitional kitchen design in Miami

A contemporary roof top pool with grand views of some of AZ most iconic mountains. The outer edge is constructed with large acrylic panels installed by Hammerhead International, and the tile is a Bisazza Blend. Photos are by Michael Duerinckx.

Custom Surface Solutions (www.css-tile.com) - Owner Craig Thompson (512) 430-1215. This project shows the remodel of a master bathroom with before and after pictures of the project. 32" x 16" tile was used on the walls and 32 x 8" tile on the floor. The accent and shower pan tile is flat pebble stones. The faucets are Delta.

Home design - craftsman home design idea in Tokyo

Mid-sized eclectic carpeted straight wood railing staircase photo in New York with carpeted risers

Boardwalk Burgers - Huntington Beach, CA Queue Line, hardwood floors, and TV enclosures.

Shower tile installation by Motawi Tileworks featuring warm earth tones and Owl relief tile
Inspiration for a craftsman bathroom remodel in Detroit