NORTHJERSEY.COM ❚ THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2020 ❚ 3H
HOMESCAPE / ADVERTISING SECTION
Choosing the right products for the project
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1H
THE SHOPPING EXPERIENCE
“Shopping with our clients is
fun,” says Gockeler. “People have
a great time. A remodeling project
should not be a nightmare. We try
to remove the fear. I think it is one
of the most important reasons
why people pick us.”
“People are exposed to product
reviews more than ever before,”
adds Maffia. “The contractor
gives them personal verification
of those views. It’s validation of
their ideas. The contractor might
say yes this is great, I have it in
my own house. Or, I’ve put it in
customers’ homes and they never
had a problem with it.”
Guiding a client through the
shopping experience means the
contractor must have some knowl-
edge of the products available.
Knowledgeable contractors attend
trade shows and training sessions
PHOTO COURTESY OF KRAFTMASTER
When shopping for remodeling
materials, rely on the expertise of
your suppliers and bring photos.
hosted by product manufacturers.
But there are literally thousands of
products available and to get the
full story on any particular product,
contractors often rely on supplier
and showroom experts.
“An architect might have a design
for a new kitchen, but they might
not know the specifics of what is
necessary” says Lorraine Sterl
of Sterl Kitchens Co. Inc. in North
Bergen. “They may not know
that their design requires an
extra support panel, for example.
We provide the specific product
knowledge to make sure the piec-
es are put together correctly so
that they function and have the
appearance the client wants.”
In this scenario everyone on
the team has an important part to
play. Homeowners bring inspira-
tion; designers and contractors
provide creativity and installation
expertise; and suppliers are the
product experts.
WHEN YOU GO IT ALONE
Of course, not all projects
work that way. Sometimes, the
homeowner has to make product
decisions without the expertise of
a designer or contractor. In those
cases, the homeowner must do a
great amount of research on
their own, and they should learn
to work with the supplier.
One area is sorting out the
products because of the amount
of advertising and promotion
that consumers face every day.
“People may come in looking for
a specific product because of the
advertising they’ve seen,” says
Sterl. “But they often see some-
thing else that they like, and we
can explain the product to them.”
When dealing directly with sup-
pliers be sure to do your homework
before visiting the showroom. The
most important thing to bring are
the measurements of the room,
ideally measurements supplied by
a contractor, especially for kitch-
ens and baths. “There are hun-
dreds of thousands of products,”
says Maffia, “and the initial way to
chisel that number down is based
on size. If you only have a five-foot
space for a tub and shower, we don’t
need to look at larger sizes.”
Some suppliers can take those
measurements and work with you
to create layouts for the project.
This is common with kitchen and
bathroom suppliers.
It is also important to bring pho-
tos. “Photos of what they now have
and what they would like to have,”
explains Sterl. “It is good to see the
photos because people often talk
in terms of what they now have,
whether they want something simi-
lar or something different.”
Another thing to be sure to
mention to the supplier or the
designer is the purpose of the
remodel. “We can recommend
products based on the purpose of
the redo,” says Sterl. “Are they flip-
ping the house? Is it for a rental?
Do they want to sell the house? Or
is the remodel for them and they
want an upgrade in quality. We can
recommend products based on the
purpose of the project.”
Hardwood Floors: Trends
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2H
make the plywood harder. Once that is
done, in effect, we have eliminated all the
squeaks, all the nails — then we are ready to
install the wood floor.”
EVOLVING TRENDS
Having a vintage home is not the only
way to have a beautiful hardwood floor.
Today, homeowners have a wide range of
options when installing a new floor.
“Wide planks are very popular now, espe-
cially in pastel colors or the fumed or smoked
look,” says Civiletti. “For example, a floor
might have a blue or grey base. You start with
that and then put a white chalk paint over it
and buff it out, giving it a two-tone look.”
“Today, there is a demand for reclaimed
white oak,“ says Horvath “Architects and
designers in Manhattan, Chicago and LA,
for example, are using a lot of white oak
in the last decade. Previously, they were
using heart pine.”
Another recent trend is installing
hardwood flooring in the kitchen.
“If the kitchen is not being totally reno-
vated, we can come in and take off all floor
layers — tile and linoleum for example — to
the original subfloor and then we install a
hardwood floor on top,” explains Horvath.
“Then we are able to keep the same height
between the kitchen and adjacent rooms
and hallways. There is really no drawback
to wood floors in the kitchen as long as you
maintain them properly.”
For a room that sees heavy traffic, it is
prudent to select a floor that can handle
wear and tear. “The best wood for high
traffic areas are either red or white oak,”
says Civiletti.
MAINTAINING FLOOR’S BEAUTY
Both Civiletti and Horvath use water-
based finishes and recommend using water-
based cleaners to keep hardwood floors
looking their best.
One of the worst mistakes people make
is over-cleaning their wood floors or using a
polish or wax,” says Civiletti. “Wax buildup
should always be remediated professionally.”
“In inclement weather make sure to
place mats outside and just inside your
front door, and a runner in the front hall-
way” advises Horvath. “Also put mats in
front of the kitchen sink and refrigerator,
and if you have a pet, under their food and
water bowls. These simple tips will help pro-
tect your floors from daily wear and tear.”
Hovarth also suggests putting protec-
tive tips on chair and table legs to avoid
scratching the floors.
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