The Right Remodel

Tips & examples of the right way to remodel your home, and the things that inspire designers and homeowners alike. CallMosby.com

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7 Kitchen Island Design Ideas to Whet Your Appetite

Kitchen islands are practically a must-have because they take care of so many needs. But one size does not fit all. Good kitchen island design takes into consideration how you use your kitchen. This determines what functions the island will handle, which then inspires the form it will take. To whet your kitchen island appetite, let’s look at 7 different kitchen island designs that are part of St. Louis kitchen remodels by Mosby Building Arts.

The island above is part of an open floor plan where the kitchen and family room share one great space. Dark stained oak with a Silestone countertop in Coffee Brown, this is the part of the kitchen triangle work zone where the kitchen sink and roll-out trash receptacle reside. It also has bar-height seating for three.

SEE 6 more custom kitchen islands in St. Louis homes.

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3 SURPRISING REASONS FOR WAITING TO REMODEL YOUR NEW HOME

Becky Trent and her family just moved into a new home. She works as a home remodeling designer for Mosby Building Arts. But she is NOT currently remodeling their new home.

Why?

She realized there are 3 wise reasons to refrain. Here’s what she learned.

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Five Secrets to Kitchen Storage

Few wonders match a beautiful kitchen tailored to your needs, but beauty’s only skin-deep, as the cliché reminds us.

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How to Breathe Easy During a Remodel

We are all for protecting our St. Louis home remodeling clients from up to 90% of the construction dust we create. Here’s how we do it.

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DESIGNER TALK: 5 Trends That Should Never Return

By Jake Spurgeon, Mosby Home Designer & Consultant

As a designer, I stay in tune with current design trends, because using them in remodeled spaces can add a nice jolt of contemporary to a classic look. I also keep up with past trends making a comeback, as taste seems to be cyclical; for example, every generation has a brief romance with wallpaper, which is why it’s “out” one decade and “in” the next.

But over the years I have noticed there are certain trends that will most likely never make a comeback because they consistently make people ask, “What were they thinking?”  

Here is my top 5 list of the trends that should never return

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The Top 7 Remodeling Trends (so far) in 2017

Designers love to make design predictions for the coming year. But at the halfway point of 2017, we want to summarize the emerging trends we’ve seen so far this year in the homes of our St. Louis remodeling clients. Both inside and out, here are some projects trending as most desirable.

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DESIGNER TALK: When Fashion Becomes Furniture

By Laura Powderly, Mosby Building Arts Designer

Do you have that one piece of furniture that you are obsessed with? A lot of times furniture can start or even drive the design process of a space. When you find something you love, whether it be a lounge chair covered in a jewel toned velour or a graphic painting with contrasting brushstrokes, it can influence your design decisions.

Next time you stand in front of your closet to pick out your next ensemble, take note of any reoccurring themes or perhaps your favorite item. Then find your favorite piece of furniture you own, are they similar? What do both pieces say about your design style?

Read more of DESIGNER TALK: When Fashion Becomes Furniture.

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Beware the Culture of Remodeling Change Orders

This “culture of change orders” has created a legitimate reason for consumers to expect needing 30% – 40% more money beyond what they signed for on a fixed-priced contract. Paying more than initially quoted is not a remodeling industry standard; this is a tactic used by only a small portion of contractors.

So, how can you protect yourself from this change order ploy? There are 4 key signs to look for. Read more of Beware the Culture of Remodeling Change Orders.

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HOW TO HAVE A GREAT CAREER WITHOUT THE COLLEGE DEBT

Job security with good pay is the goal, but you do not necessarily have to incur years of higher-education debt to make a career happen.

Carpentry is a career you can be paid to learn on the job and your earning potential increases with experience. Because the construction industry needs new recruits, the competition for these jobs is not as fierce, so you have a genuine chance to create your dream job.

For recent high-school graduates, or anyone 18 – 25 years old looking to move into a more rewarding and secure career, check out the Mosby Apprenticeship, a #Tradeswork program offered by Mosby Building Arts.

The Mosby apprenticeship is a year-long intensive on-the-job training program that pays Missouri state minimum wage as you learn carpentry skills from the Mosby production crew. After successful completion of the program, each apprentice will have the opportunity to apply for a full-time position with Mosby Building Arts or have the qualifications to work elsewhere in the construction industry.

Mosby accepts up to 5 apprentices each year. No previous construction experience is required. We will train each apprentice to Mosby standards, with a $1,000 completion award at the end of the year-long program.

Click here to learn more and apply for the Mosby Apprenticeship program.

Read the rest of the story of Danny & Manny successfully completing their year-long apprenticeship and becoming full-time Mosby production crew members.

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Designer Tips on How to Create a Perfect Party Patio

JAKE SPURGEON: A fire pit (or fireplace) is a great addition to any outdoor space.  The flicker of firelight can be mesmerizing, and guests will flock to it.  It will warm up those individuals that are a little chilly in the evenings and is also perfect for children and adults alike to make fun desserts like smores or roasted strawberries.

Adults Only Tip: For even more fun dip the roasted marshmallows in Bailey’s liquor.

Read the rest of his tips on How to Create a Perfect Party Patio

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Is Your Deck Safe?

With the outdoor living season in full swing, we’re bound to hear more stories about deck collapses. In the past 10 years, there have been more than 800 reported injuries at an average rate of 21% per year. In many cases, the failing decks were built incorrectly, not properly maintained, or were beyond their lifespan of approximately 10-15 years. This information comes courtesy of the North American Deck and Railing Association (nadra.org).

With every deck collapse that makes the news, Mosby Home Consultants are called out to evaluate existing deck conditions and analyze problems often overlooked by less experienced carpenters. 

In ascending order, these are the 9 most common deck mistakes Mosby Consultants see.

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Mosby Building Arts Wins 1 Chrysalis & 2 HBA Awards

Multiple honors for the universal design and marketing efforts of the St. Louis design-build remodeling firm

Mosby Building Arts has been honored with a national Chrysalis Award in the Residential Universal Design category, plus two awards from the Home Builders’ Association (HBA) of St. Louis for home remodeling marketing campaigns.

• Chrysalis Award for Residential Universal Design

The Chrysalis Award-winning project is a Kirkwood, MO master bathroom that easily accommodates the wife and her husband in a wheelchair. This nod marks the second time Mosby has won in the Residential Universal Design category (

see the previous winner – an accessible kitchen

), and underscores the remodeling firm’s commitment to making life easier for everyone of all capabilities.

Jake Spurgeon, the Mosby designer of the accessible bathroom, said, “We made the couple so happy with a handsome bathroom that caters to all of their needs and desires. To also earn a Chrysalis Award for our efforts is a nice bonus. We thank the Chrysalis Award judges for once again recognizing our accessibility remodeling efforts.”

See more photos of the award-winning accessible bathroom.

Continuing to set new standards of professionalism, the 2017 Chrysalis Awards program honored 80 remodeling companies from across the nation. The entries were judged on overall design, the creative use of space and materials, and the degree to which the project enhance the original structure. “Mosby has won 12 Chrysalis Awards in the past 16 years, demonstrating their ongoing commitment to professionalism and excellence,” says Ken Kanline, director of the Chrysalis program. All of the 2017 award-winning projects can be seen on the Chrysalis website beginning in late June.

• HBA Awards The St. Louis HBA’s annual Sales, Marketing and Construction (SMAC) Awards honored Mosby for two campaigns in the Marketing & Advertising category. The winning items are:

• Best Print Ad, Remodeler: St. Louis Blues 50th Anniversary Yearbook

• Best Specialty Niche, Remodeler: Billiken Club elevator at Chaifetz Arena (pictured above)

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What is the cost of new siding in St. Louis? Want a ballpark figure of the cost of new windows and doors? Read this informative article about the realistic prices of St. Louis exterior design projects:

What is the Cost of St. Louis Curb Appeal?

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Take a look at St. Louis home remodeling projects in the new issue of CHOICE, a digital magazine covering home remodeling and design tips, tricks and photos.

Read the Spring 2017 issue of CHOICE.

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BEFORE & AFTER: Remodeling a Crestwood Ranch Home

With the kids off to college, a couple wanted to make their 1960s ranch home in Crestwood, MO more inviting, and have amenities they’d always longed for. On their list of desires: a large master bathroom; designing a new kitchen with a breakfast nook and fireplace; bringing the laundry up from the basement; a covered and enlarged patio for outdoor entertaining.

Because they love their community, they plan to stay in the home for a lifetime, so why not transform a home that has served them well into the home they always wanted?

Let’s take a detailed photo tour of the changes made to this home, inside and out.

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What is a Smart Home and Why Do You Want One?

Technology. Smart Home. Home Automation. You hear these words all the time and may desire to have them in your home, but what do they really mean? And how do they benefit you and your lifestyle?

Having teamed with them on countless St. Louis home automation remodeling projects, we talked with our trade partners at The Sound Room for some clarification. Tony Pratte, their Director of Builder Relations, shares these insights:

Learn more about smart homes here.

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Investing in Your Home vs. the Stock Market

In response to a client debating whether to remodel their home or put those funds in the stock market, Mosby Building Arts designer Jake Spurgeon, AKBD, shared these great points.

Home ownership remains the American dream.  For generations, parents have raised children to leave the nest as adults, and with hopes of a safe and secure future for them they pass on this advice: “Buy a home.”

We naturally want what’s best for our children, for them to do better than the previous generation. So why do we continually advise they invest in buying a home rather than investing in the stock market? Let’s examine the reasons why purchasing a home may be a better investment than Wall Street.

Where should you invest your money? Investing in Your Home vs. the Stock Market.