4 Cool, Sleek Bathroom Remodel Ideas You Need Now

In case you haven’t noticed, spring has finally sprung here in Utah. When the weather starts turning warm, most people turn to remodel projects to give the inside of their home a new look. To help provide some inspiration, here are four cool, sleek bathroom remodeling ideas every home-owner should check out.

#1 – Stylish Modern Tub Surrounds

This tub surround gives a very modern, elegant look to any bathroom. You can achieve this look using glass tiles, combined with a cultured marble surround. The clean lines and the modern shape of the tiles will breathe new life into any bathroom design. You’ll also enjoy that the tub surround is completely grout-free and easy to maintain.

#2 – Walk-in Waterfall Showers

The trend of walk-in showers isn’t going away any time soon! In fact, it seems this trend is on the rise right now. Can you imagine a fully enclosed shower with no door? You just walk-in and enjoy a nice, relaxing shower. This shower features our black quartz finish with polished nickel fixtures.

#3 – Walk-in Bathtubs

It’s nice to know that as we age, we don’t have to give up on style as well. This photo features a beautiful walk-in bathtub with a white cultured marble surround with an accent of glass and mosaic tiles above. The most beautiful part of this tub is that it’s as easy to clean as it is to get in and out of.

#4 – All-in-one Countertop Sinks

Having an all-in-one countertop and sink is a beautifully simple way to give your bathroom a quick update. This stunning example is a soft cream marble top with bronzed fixtures. The Backsplash is also a textured cultured marble making this sink a worry-free, easy-clean alternative to other natural stone surfaces.

Conclusion

If you are wanting to get more amazing ideas for a bathroom remodeling project in your future, come on into our amazing showroom at Sand and Swirl! You will find many different examples of color, texture, and style for your bathroom needs. Our team can also provide amazing ideas with some of the new trends in bathroom design, giving you a completely customizable look your friends and neighbors will be jealous of.

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Should you put off your bathroom renovation because of COVID-19?

With spring right around the corner, many home-owners would be jumping into doing a remodel project in their home. However, with the COVID-19 pandemic, many are wondering if they should put that bathroom remodel project off. While I cannot answer for everyone what they should do, there are a few reasons to consider moving forward with your bathroom remodel.

A change in the home can brighten the mood

With most of us being asked to stay indoors for a while, our mood and emotions are being affected. By doing a simple update of the bathroom counter or tub surround can bring a change to how you feel about being inside. You will feel refreshed and have a brighter mood. The only challenge is you might have to wait to invite people over to have a look.

A cultured marble surface can be easier to keep germ free

Let’s be honest, you’ve probably been worried about keeping your home clean to prevent the spread of any viruses. This can be challenging when you are trying to clean tile, stone, or other porous surfaces. With a cultured marble countertop or tub surround, cleaning is made simple with our 100% sealed surfaces. Simply apply soapy water to the surface and then squeegee it dry. That’s it! A simple solution to a germ-free home.

Our Installers can keep you safe

The most important reason why now would be a great time to complete your remodel project is that our installers are trained to keep you safe. Your safety and the safety of our employees are the most important point to consider. Our team can work with you to ensure that your health is protected. For information on what our team is doing, we’ve prepared this video to help ease your concerns:

Of course, we understand if you are concerned with us entering your home. We will do all we can to work with your comfort level, even if that means waiting until things clear up.

Supporting the local economy

One final reason that now is a good time to start a bathroom remodel project is that you will be supporting our local economy. All of our cultured marble products are made right here in Ogden, Utah and support local families.

Conclusion

We know that these are different times we are in. We hope that everyone stays safe and together we will get through this crisis together. Thank you to all of our wonderful customers for your amazing support of our business!

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Take a seat – A guide to shower benches

This month I want to invite you to “take a seat” – quite literally. One of the hot trends in showers is installing a seat or bench in the shower. This is not only helpful for showering as we get older, it can also be helpful for simple everyday tasks, such as shaving legs – am I right ladies? No matter your reason for installing a seat in your shower, here are some seating options for you to consider:

Standard Corner Shower Seat

A standard corner shower seat is decorative and functional with a minimalist look and feel. The bottom of the seat is open, giving it a modern look and feel. The only disadvantage of this type of shower seat is the weight rating. A standard corner shower seat is only able to hold up to 200 lbs.

Custom Framed Corner Shower Seat

A custom framed corner shower seat is another option to consider for your shower. Because this type of shower seat is framed in, it is much more sturdy and can hold a lot more weight. The weight rating of this type of seat is 250 lbs and more.

Custom Framed Shower Benches

Another seating option is a full shower bench. The framed bench provides much more seating room in the shower and is a great option if you are a care-giver of an elderly person. Because the bench is fully framed, it also has a durable weight-rating and hold at least 250 lbs and more. These benches are also a great option if you are planning a complete walk-in shower.

Portable Shower Seat

The final seat option to consider is a portable shower chair. This option can be very convenient, especially if you need to be able to move the seat position of the chair making it more convenient for use in the shower.

Conclusion

The possibility of seats and benches can be endless. I invite you to come into our showroom and check out the various seat and bench options we can help install in your next shower!

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Aging in your Home

There are many questions that come to your mind as you get older. One of those questions may be whether or not to stay in the place you have called home for so many years. We cannot answer that question for you, but if you decide to age in your home there are some things we can help with.

Do I keep my bath tub or not?

I know it sounds crazy now, but the question of keeping your bath tub will depend on whether you can get in and out of the tub in your later years. Many people decide to get rid of their bath tub and install a large shower, making it easier to get in and out of each day.

Won’t I slip though?

Slipping is another major concern as we age. Our cultured marble showers have a slip-resistant floor, making it easier to make the decision to change that old tub/shower combo into a beautiful shower.

Slip Resistant floors

What if I need to sit down?

Sitting down in the shower is no problem at all. With our cultured marble showers we can include a built-in seat or bench, or you can elect to go with a portable chair to make it easier to position yourself in the shower.

Portable or built-in benches to help you sit down

What if I need help getting in and out of the shower?

That’s a simple solution as well. We can install handles and railings in your shower to make it easy to get in and out of the shower. There are also different color and style options to make your shower fashionable as well. We also have the option of installing a low threshold making it easier than ever to step in and out of the shower.

Stylish hand bars and rails to make your shower stand out

Conclusion

If you are thinking of staying in your home as you age, let us help you come up with the perfect option for your bathroom. We have some amazing options and ideas in our showroom. Come in and see how we can help you age with grace and style in your own home.

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Christmas Box House Donation Drive

Giving back during the holidays is very important to us here at Sand and Swirl. We feel that we have been blessed in so many ways and we truly have. Our clients are the most incredible people we know, we have amazing employees and associates, and we live in one of the most caring communities in the nation. Will you join us in helping to give back?

The Christmas Box House Charity

This year we are focusing on the Christmas Box House charity for our annual holiday donation drive. For those of you not familiar with the Christmas Box House charity, this is a place where children who are victims of abuse, neglect, or homelessness can go to seek help. If you would like more information about their important mission, I invite you to visit their website thechristmasbox.org.

How can I help?

The Christmas Box House is always seeking donations from caring citizens for normal everyday items, such as clothing, underwear, etc. After speaking with the representatives of the local Christmas Box House in Ogden, we found that it is easier to give them gift cards that they can use to obtain the specific items they need. That is what we are focusing on for our drive.

If you donate a $25 gift card we will give you $75 off of our services. If you donate a $75 gift card, we will give you $200 off of our services. If you don’t need our services, we can create a gift certificate that you could give to someone who does.

Where can I donate?

You can bring your gift card directly to our showroom in Ogden. The address to our showroom is 2620 Wadman Dr, Ogden, UT 84401. We are also doing a fundraiser for the Christmas Box House on our Facebook page.

Conclusion

Christmas is a time for celebration, especially those children who are going through hard times. I want to thank you in advance for your generosity in helping us with this charity drive. From all of us at Sand and Swirl, may you and your family have a wonderful and very Merry Christmas.

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Youth Futures Drive

During the month of November, we are looking to give back to our community and those in need. We have decided to do a drive for Youth Futures of Ogden. They are a community shelter for homeless, unaccompanied, run-away, and at-risk youth. You can find out more about their powerful mission by visiting their website www.youthfuturesutah.org

Our youth truly are our future and we feel we need to do all we can to help them succeed in life. Many of the youth that receive help at Youth Futures lack many of the basics of life. That is why we are making November our Youth Futures of Ogden drive. All donations will go directly to the Youth Futures organization and will help youth in our area.

Donate and receive a gift

We know many of you do not need a reason to donate, but we are giving back to those who give during the month of November. Here’s what we would like you to do:

  • Bring in a $25 gift card, or any item listed below, and receive a $50 discount on our services.
  • Bring in a $50 gift card, or any item listed below in bulk, and receive $150 discount on our services.

It’s a win-win for everyone involved. If you are looking to upgrade your bathroom, bring in a donation and you can save hundreds of dollars on your remodel.

Even if you are not considering upgrading your bathroom, we invite you to donate. You can even claim a gift certificate that you could give to someone who is thinking about remodeling their bathroom. You will look like a hero to both the youth receiving your gift and the person you give the gift certificate to.

There are a variety of items that the shelter is asking for to help the youth. Here is their basic list:

Gift cards for:
– Walmart
– Grocery Store
– Maverick
– Restaurants
– Movies
– Bus passes or tokens
– Phone minutes
– Beauty
– salons/haircuts
– Shoe stores

Other Items:
– Lagoon passes
– Cash donations
– Printer paper
– Canned meat & jerky
– Scotch tape
– Bus tokens or passes
– Earbud headphones
– Cinch bags
– Batteries
– Sweat Pants
– Socks

– Kleenex – individuals
– Undershirts (S,M,L,XL)
– Garbage bags – 30 gallon
– Garbage sacks – small bathroom
– Lip balm
– Ziploc bags – quart and gallon
– Energy/Protien/Granola bars
– Heavy duty plastic storage bins (won’t melt if heated in shed)

Thank you for your donation

We know we have the best customers around and want to thank you in advance for supporting this drive. You can bring your donations into our store room any time during the month of November. We know your donation will greatly help those youth in our local area.

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Looking for Bathroom Design Tips? Visit Our Ogden Showroom

Coming up with a vision and plan is the most difficult part of any home remodeling project. If you are like me, you are mostly a visual person and can say, “I really like that look” when you see something you like. The problem that you most likely are facing is that there are very few places you can go to get ideas. That is why we have built our modern showroom: to help you get new ideas for your bathroom remodel project.

Amazing Build-out displays

Unlike many home improvement stores, our showroom is filled with modern displays of baths and showers to help you discover the vision for your home. Whether you are thinking of a beautiful, new waterfall shower, or you are thinking of a relaxing jetted tub, we have full scale samples to help the ideas start flowing.

Relaxing Jetted Tubs with white cultured marble surround
Beautiful Waterfall shower with blue marble walls and white shower base

Friendly and Knowledgeable Staff

In addition to our amazing displays, most people find it helpful to talk to someone about their ideas. Our friendly and knowledgeable staff are always on site to help you discover new ideas to make your bathroom perfect!

Our friendly and knowledgeable staff are here to help you

Whether you are at the stage of just getting ideas or you are ready to start your remodel project, be sure to stop in to our Ogden showroom. We have new, exciting products being added all of the time. Let us help inspire and create the perfect bathroom for you.

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Did Someone Say You Do Commercial Bathroom Remodeling?

Have you ever had one of those experiences where you find out something new about one of your friends that you never knew before? Well, today might be one of those days. Most of you know the work we do with residential bathrooms and showers. However, you probably didn’t know that we also install cultured marble in commercial bathrooms.

It’s more than bathroom remodeling to us.

We have been installing cultured marble in commercial settings for years. However, a couple of projects we have completed recently caused us to reflect on how we are being involved in the community we love. We thought we would tell you about these projects and why they mean something to us.

Ogden Union Station

There are few buildings in Ogden that are more recognizable than the Ogden Union Station. Leading up to the 150th celebration of the driving of the Golden Spike, we were hired to remodel the bathrooms in this historic structure. This meant a lot to us because we have family ties to people on the railroad. I’m sure many of you may have a tie to the railroad in some way too. So the next time you set foot in the grand, historic Ogden Union Station, be sure to go and check out the cultured marble in the main floor restrooms.

Layton Christian Academy

The Layton Christian Academy is another wonderful place that we were able to share our talents with. We love the Layton Christian Academy, not only for the good that they do in our community but for the way they bring people together. There are so many wonderful community events that happen at this facility and we were honored to be able to help beautify a couple of their school restroom facilities.

We have been able to help owners of various businesses along historic 25th street and elsewhere to remodel their restroom facilities as well. At Sand and Swirl, it is more than just a job or a work order. We truly feel that we are helping people be a part of this amazing community of Ogden that we call home.

Conclusion

For those of you who truly know us, it is all about community and the people in our lives. Community is about the good that brings us together. We feel honored to be a part of a community that is blessed with such a rich heritage and wonderful people. Thank you for allowing us to be a part of this wonderful community.

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Matching Cultured Granite Color With Complementary Accents

When it comes to bathroom countertops, vanity tops and similar needs, cultured granite is one of the top possible materials out there. Combining a beautiful aesthetic with durability and technology, cultured granite is extremely cost-efficient and long-lasting.

At Sand and Swirl, we’re proud to offer a wide variety of cultured granite products, available in numerous styles and colors. Color, in particular, is an interesting area to consider within the world of countertops and vanities – when choosing granite materials, the color of the initial design says a lot about how you’ll complement the remaining space. Let’s look at several granite color scheme options and give a few suggestions on the complementary colors you can use when designing your bathroom remodel.

White Granite

Granite is a natural stone, meaning it tends to work best with other colors you can find in nature. White countertops are some of the most common options here, often accompanied by black veins – this scheme goes very well with stone-gray backdrops and walls, plus potentially a few other muted colors as accents.

Some choose to use blue-green colorations for their cabinets and other features, while others prefer to leave them a semi-gloss white here. And if you have wood flooring in or near the bathroom, you might also consider basic plank flooring with a strong grain.

Browns, Beiges

If you’re looking more in the direction of variegated browns or beiges, tan walls and cabinets are often the best complement here. They bring texture and variation to the area, and can add ambiance if you infuse a bit of a rustic feel into minor accents. If you’re using white countertops with gray or beige veins, on the other hand, you can use cream and grayish accents – the paler the counter, the darker contrasts should be, and vice versa.

Black or Brown Granite

Many choose to go a bit darker with their granite, shooting for chocolate brown or even black. Darker browns tend to do very well with silver accents, perfect for cabinet handles or sink fixtures. Meanwhile, you could consider coloring bigger wall cabinets straight black, with salt and pepper accents that are often associated with granite in general. If you choose truly black granite, on the other hand, you might want to go lighter with your walls and ceiling, such as beige or even white considerations.

Golden Granite

Finally, if you’re looking for a brighter appearance, golden granite accompanied by a bright mustard yellow wall can be a great choice. Many choose to accompany this with cream cabinets and similarly golden accents, including handles and fixtures.

For more on choosing the best color schemes to complement your cultured granite choice, or to learn about any of our granite or marble bathroom materials and how we can help with your bathroom remodel, speak to the staff at Sand and Swirl today.

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How Long Does Cultured Marble Last Compared to Tile and Marble?

We have so many great questions that come from our clients.  A question we hear a lot around our showroom is, “How long does cultured marble last compared to tile and marble?”  That is a great question because many people are familiar with tile and stones like marble, but not as familiar with cultured marble. In this article we will do our best to give an unbiased comparison between our cultured marble products and tile and marble.

A Real World Durability Comparison of Tile, Marble and Cultured Marble

Here is a real world comparison between tile, marble and cultured marble. We have chosen to focus our comparison specifically for use in bathrooms, specifically for shower and tub surrounds. This comparison takes into consideration the damp environment of a bathroom and their durability characteristics.

As you can see, tile and marble fall short in many ways. Here is our complete break-down of how tile and marble fall short.

Water-resistant – Tile and marble are water resistant, meaning they can handle getting wet. However, because the tile or the grout can be porous, water can easily seep behind and create mold problems. Cultured marble is completely water-proof, meaning it creates a complete seal to keep the water where it belongs and preventing mold.

Low Maintenance – To keep the water from seeping behind the tile or marble requires constant maintenance to the stone and grout surfaces. Grout can especially be difficult to clean and keep looking nice. Our cultured marble surfaces are low maintenance because they clean up simply with soap, water, and a squeegee. There are also no grout lines to have to scrub and seal regularly.

Difficult to break or crack – The true test of durability of any surface is how difficult it is to break or crack. A ceramic or porcelain tile can easily crack if something is dropped on it. Marble, while a little stronger than tile, can also crack and is expensive to replace. Our cultured marble surfaces are built to handle the abuses of every day living and are difficult to break or crack.

Non-porous – Some ceramic tiles and most natural stone tiles, like marble, are porous. This means that they can etch or stain easily. This can lead to costly repairs or replacement. Our non-porous surfaces help resist staining and etching, keeping your bathroom looking like new.

A Long-term Price Comparison

We know that many home improvement projects are determined by price. I don’t mean that every person is looking to do whatever is the least expensive, but everyone is looking to find the best value. To accurately calculate the price of the project, you not only need to look at the installation cost, but also the ongoing costs.

Installation Costs (industry averages installed)

  • Tile ($5 to $15 per square foot)
  • Marble ($10 to $20 per square foot)
  • Cultured Marble ($30 per square foot)

Ongoing Tile costs

  • Sealing of grout ($250 per year)
  • Cleaning of Tile ($70 per year)

That is $320 per year to simply maintain a tile or marble shower. That means in as little as 5 years, the cost of installation and maintaining a tile or marble shower equals the cost of installing a cultured marble shower. If a tile or marble shower is not properly maintained and mold problems arise, the costs can be in the $10,000 range and is rarely covered by insurance. This is why cultured marble products, while more expensive to install, are actually a better value over the lifetime or your bathroom.

Conclusion

I invite you to come and let us show you the difference a cultured marble shower or tub surround can make in your home. Come visit our showroom and let us give you a personalized comparison for your project.

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