Laid six years ago at a house in Farnham this Sandstone tiled kitchen floor was routinely trampled on by two teenagers, gardening parents and two large dogs. All of this had taken its toll of the sealer which had worn off and without its protection the Sandstone tile and grout had turned an indistinguishable sea of brown. The floor now needed a deep clean and reseal to restore it appearance and get it looking its best for which I had planned should take two days, the first day for cleaning and drying, the second for sealing and quoted accordingly. My client was happy with the quote and we scheduled a date to do the work. Farnham is a market town in Surrey and is largest town in the borough of Waverley. It is quite a historic town, with many old buildings, including a number of Georgian houses. With good access links to the A3 and London by train its popular with commuters and I often get requests to work here. I began by taping up the wooden skirting and the plinths in the kitchen to protect them from splashing during the work. Then armed with Tile Doctor Pro-Clean and a stiff brush I set about cleaning up the grout. The dirt released was removed with a wet vacuum before it had a chance to dry then using more Pro-Clean and a 17” buffing machine fitted with a rotating black nylon pad I cleaned the tiles. The unamused dogs had been banished to the garden. I love dogs but they were chasing my machine around, so I needed to keep them out of the way. The floor tiles were surprisingly dirty, and the client was quite shocked by the amount of dirt I manged to extract. Once finished I left the floor to dry off fully overnight, sealing a damp floor is never recommended and can result in a patchy appearance. Returning the next day, I first checked for areas that needed further attention and then took several moisture readings with a damp meter to check the floor was dry. Satisfied that it was, I was ready to apply the sealer. We had discussed choice of sealer previously and for this floor I had recommended a Tile Doctor sealer called Seal and Go Extra which would be ideal for her traffic heavy floor. Sealing is an important step as it protects the tiles and grout from dirt becoming ingrained in the stone and improves the look of the stone. Seal and Go Extra is also super tough and should last for years if cleaned with the right product. It sets with a subtle sheen but not a shine which she definitely didn’t want. Three coats of sealer were applied which takes around two hours to be dry to the touch but really needs 24 hours for it to cure. The sealer brought out the variety of colours in the stone floor and the family were happy with their new floor, now they just had to keep the dogs out of the way for 24 hours! For aftercare I recommended the use of Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner to keep the floor in great condition. Rupert Mcleod West Surrey Tile Doctor

Armando called us for a free estimate, we passed by and shortly got back to him with a quote. We had to remove a very old pre-existing wood fence. We installed a full privacy wood-with frame style fence made with PT wood. We added top crown wood caps to make it look pretty. For no additional cost we converted his double swing doors on the left side of the house into a rolling gate which I recommend since he mentioned buying a boat was next on his todo list (must be nice right haha). You can also see his entrance close to the concrete which is his pedestrian swing door. On the right side we added two 6 foot swing doors with heavy duty hinges. (I always highly recommend for longevity). Overall it was a success and Armando recommended his good friend Gladis which we will be starting next week. Stay posted for her project outcome. We thank you for your vote of confidence Armando.

Armando called us for a free estimate, we passed by and shortly got back to him with a quote. We had to remove a very old pre-existing wood fence. We installed a full privacy wood-with frame style fence made with PT wood. We added top crown wood caps to make it look pretty. For no additional cost we converted his double swing doors on the left side of the house into a rolling gate which I recommend since he mentioned buying a boat was next on his todo list (must be nice right haha). You can also see his entrance close to the concrete which is his pedestrian swing door. On the right side we added two 6 foot swing doors with heavy duty hinges. (I always highly recommend for longevity). Overall it was a success and Armando recommended his good friend Gladis which we will be starting next week. Stay posted for her project outcome. We thank you for your vote of confidence Armando.

Business Photo Pro / Klee Van Hamersveld
Example of a mid-sized transitional backyard stone patio kitchen design in Orange County with a pergola

Once the endless winter has finally subsided, it is time to start thinking about your spring tree care! Once the last of the snow and ice has finally melted away, your trees and garden will be released once again. It is finally time to prepare for your spring tree care. If you want to maximize your tree’s new growth, you are going to want to follow Five Star Tree Services spring checklist! You can also start planning for new trees as well. We are going to give you all the information you need to know in order to properly take care of your trees this spring. Inspect Your Trees When all the ice and snow has left your trees, this is a good time to inspect for any damage done from the harsh winter. There aren’t any leaves that will get in your way, making it easier to see anything amiss, like damage or diseases. If you hire an arborist to do this initial spring inspection, you can guarantee that they will analyze every tree on your property very carefully to make sure they can provide you with the most accurate report. This report will make you aware of any and all tree problems on your property. The arborist will also go over all possible ways that you can fix these problems and explain them to you. Preemptive Pruning In order to properly prepare your trees for their spring growth, you will need to prune them. A trained arborist will be able to identify dead branches and cut them off. They will also deal with damaged branches, weak branches, and any unsafe branches and make sure they remove them before they become a problem or hazard. We recommend that you prune or hire an arborist to prune your trees in the early spring. If you wait and prune your trees after their spring growth, they are more likely to be attacked by pests and diseases. When done properly, your spring pruning is going to have a major positive impact on the overall health of your trees. Cleanup the Gardens Part of your spring cleaning is not limited to your home. You also need to clean your gardens too! This is an important part of your checklist routine. When all the snow and ice melt away and exposes your gardens and lawn once again, it is important to clean up your yard from any and all fallen leaves, branches, and anything else that isn’t supposed to be there. Once you do this, the sunlight will be able to get to the ground and will aid in penetrating and warming up the ground faster below the surface. Developing tree roots will have a positive effect from the sunlight. Which results in better tree growth in the spring. Fertilization of Your Trees After the winter has subsided, it usually takes most of the nutrients out of the soil. Which is why you should be taking advantage of fertilizing your trees in the spring. It is important to feed your trees in order to provide them with the adequate nutrients they need in order for them to be healthy and grow during the spring. When trees are properly fertilized, this helps them fight off diseases and pests. Add Some Mulch There are many marvelous benefits to mulching in the spring. This improves the soil quality that’s around your tree. It also helps to keep the soil fertilized and moist. Mulch is also a fantastic way to prohibit weeds from developing and growing in your gardens. This is very important for newly planted and young trees. We recommend that you add 2-4 inches of mulch around each tree in the early spring. Plant Some New Trees! There are many reasons why people plant trees. One major reason is to combat deforestation and provide more oxygen. If you are looking for other reasons to plant some trees, consider planting shade trees. These trees allow you to take shelter under them in the summer from the glaring sun. But did you know that they can also benefit you by maximizing your energy savings during the winter? Making it so that you can actually increase the overall value of your home when you plant new trees. How Five Star Tree Services Can Help When you are looking to add more magnificent trees to your yard, you need to make sure they are planted properly. One of the first important steps is to pick the right placement for your new tree. You also need to consider what trees are right for your property. Without any experience planting trees, we highly recommend that you contact your local Toronto Tree Planting Services for assistance! Our team is highly knowledgeable and will be able to help you with anything you require for your trees, both new and pre-existing. Make sure to contact Five Star Tree Service for all your tree needs. Contact us at (416) 990-3355 or go to our website to learn more!

Business Photo Pro / Klee Van Hamersveld
Example of a mid-sized transitional backyard stone patio kitchen design in Orange County with a pergola

Business Photo Pro / Klee Van Hamersveld
Mid-sized transitional backyard stone patio kitchen photo in Orange County with a pergola

Business Photo Pro / Klee Van Hamersveld
Example of a mid-sized transitional backyard stone patio kitchen design in Orange County with a pergola

This kitchen update was a beautiful example of affordable design. It was dark and needed more pantry space. RR Redesign recommended adding a new wall of pantry cabinets and lantern back splash for much needed storage. We recommended not painting of the beautiful maple cabinets and recommended adding judges molding and a light gray color to the kitchen island. New light fixtures, fresh gray/green color to the walls, new larger handles and new tile back splash to the ceiling adds a modern look that my clients love. Didn't break the bank either.

Business Photo Pro / Klee Van Hamersveld
Patio kitchen - mid-sized transitional backyard stone patio kitchen idea in Orange County with a pergola

Business Photo Pro / Klee Van Hamersveld
Example of a mid-sized transitional backyard stone patio kitchen design in Orange County with a pergola

Business Photo Pro / Klee Van Hamersveld
Patio kitchen - mid-sized transitional backyard stone patio kitchen idea in Orange County with a pergola

Business Photo Pro / Klee Van Hamersveld
Mid-sized transitional backyard stone patio kitchen photo in Orange County with a pergola

Example of a laundry room design in San Francisco

Home theater - rustic home theater idea in Seattle

Business Photo Pro / Klee Van Hamersveld
Inspiration for a mid-sized transitional backyard stone patio kitchen remodel in Orange County with a pergola

Mid-sized mountain style open concept home theater photo in Seattle with beige walls and a projector screen

The kitchen was part of a much larger remodel that included 5 bathrooms, two laundry rooms, an office and a guest house all of which was driven by the ideals harmony and peace through the philosophy of Feng Shui. Every room in the house was altered in some way. Design and remodel by Design Studio West Brady Architectural Photography The homeowner, Pam , hired Melissa Main, a Feng Shui consultant to evaluate her home. Much of the design was driven by Melissa’s evaluation and principles of Feng Shui. Between the kitchen and breakfast nook, there are three Feng Shui zones. The cook top run is where abundance and prosperity is activated. The recommendation was to have Metal, Earth and Wood elements. The copper hood satisfied the metal. For the earth element, we used the stone counter top, and for the wood component we chose solid wood cabinets as well as the existing oak floor. The sink run activates fame and recognition and is activated by Fire. It was recommended to have fire elements that included the color red, candles and light. We choose Cherry cabinets in its natural red finish and the red tones of the marble counter tops to satisfy this recommendation. We planned on having a few candles sit on the counter top as a decorative and functional element of fire as well. The breakfast nook and part of the island activates marriage and partnership, which is represented by the Circle shape and Metals. We incorporated this by the curve of the island as well as the metal in the overhead light. We also choose the curved side panels to further integrate the flow of energy throughout the space. There are usually two cooks in the kitchen at a time so the prep sink was added in the island. The electric cook top was traded for a more efficient gas cook top set along the wall so that we could create a beautiful focal point for the kitchen with the use of the copper hood and of the hand crafted tile. The existing desk was stained to match the color of the cherry cabinets. The existing floor was patched and re-stained to blend better with the new cabinets.

This kitchen update was a beautiful example of affordable design. It was dark and needed more pantry space. RR Redesign recommended adding a new wall of pantry cabinets and lantern back splash for much needed storage. We recommended not painting of the beautiful maple cabinets and recommended adding judges molding and a light gray color to the kitchen island. New light fixtures, fresh gray/green color to the walls, new larger handles and new tile back splash to the ceiling adds a modern look that my clients love. Didn't break the bank either.