Some simple changes that can refresh your living space
By Matt Larson
Our surroundings have a greater impact on our psyche than we may ever realize. If a tidy person hosted a guest who cluttered up their apartment, it could impact their mood, increase stress, and create negative energy. If a typically cluttered person were to suddenly have their entire living space all cleaned up to perfection, they’d probably feel a huge weight lifted off their shoulders that they never even knew was there. Taking care of the space you live in is important, as it’s actually taking care of yourself.
Redesigning your home is often not a particularly easy process. From deciding what you need, to picking out what you want, to welcoming a crew of craftsmen into your home while you wait for things to get back to normal, you probably wouldn’t want to hire just anyone for such an involved, personal process. If you’re in need of a trusted company to help redesign your home’s interior in any way, Benicia Home Improvement Center has been establishing trust with their clients here in Solano County, and all throughout the Bay Area, for the past 20 years.
You may be happy with your current living space, or at least content with it, but it’s always good to change things up every now and then. There must be some small, easy improvements to be made that we non-craftsmen might not even consider, so we asked Jeff Laugen, president and founder of the Benicia Home Improvement Center, who also has 32 years of experience in the field, if he had any recommendations for some low-cost/high-reward home improvements.
“A lot of the small services we do today are countertop replacements to match newly painted cabinets, or in some cases clients love their countertops and cabinets but might need a simple backsplash; a lot of folks are going for a full-height, tile backsplash between their countertops and cabinets so it’s not just a painted wall. Even a simple hardware change on your cabinets can completely change the look,” he said, referring to the cabinet handles and doorknobs in your kitchen. “I really can’t stress that enough. There are certain door styles with cabinetry where a simple hardware change can make the biggest difference in a kitchen, going from a classic look to a very modern look. It’s a very low-dollar investment.”
Pretty much the same is possible for your bathrooms as well, from a simple vanity change out to new countertops to updated hardware. Bathrooms also tend to be much smaller than a kitchen, so changing the flooring is a relatively easy investment as well. “A simple flooring change with new tile, like some of the wood-look tiles, can create quite a difference in your bathroom,” Laugen said. “And what we’re starting to do a lot more of now are curbless shower systems.”
A curbless shower basically means that you can get in and out of your shower without having to step over anything; it’s all level to the ground. “It’s what they call ‘aging in place’ as this style was originally designed for older folks, so people hear that and say ‘hey I’m not that old yet!’, but the look has taken off,” Laugen said. “Right now about 50% of the showers we’re doing are curbless, and that will continue to grow.”
Altering your home may sound all fine and dandy until you actually start looking around online for what you can do, and are suddenly overwhelmed with an endless stream of options. If you have a general idea, or no idea at all, Laugen and his team can help you out. “We have on-staff design help,” he said. “We have people that are fantastic with colors, textures, tiles, and complementary products, so if you’re just walking in the store and looking around, someone can help you pick things out.”
Benicia Home Improvement goes that extra mile for their clients, striving to meet every demand as best they can. They’ve been in business long enough to know which products work and which don’t, so rest assured that when Laugen’s team comes and works on your home, they will leave you with lasting results.
“Cabinets, plumbing fixtures, you name it—these products are going to last you,” he said. “We get asked to use a lot of different products and if we’re not comfortable with them, we generally won’t use them, or we’ll find something that’s a good alternative. It’s all about quality of service, and quality of product.”
If you do require a larger renovation than a simple countertop or bathroom floor, Laugen wants you to know that his Benicia Home Improvement team does everything they can to provide you with an efficient and cleanly experience. “We cover any areas that our feet touch, during any demolition process we put up zip walls and cord off the area—we’ll try to make it as comfortable as possible,” he said. “That level of comfort is different for everybody so we have those conversations up front, discussing what to expect and making sure everything’s okay with the client. The majority of our customers breeze right through it.”
For a complete kitchen remodel, they can place your fridge in a separate area so you can still access it—and they’ve seen some pretty impressive barbecue setups as a makeshift kitchen in the backyard, which is why many of these kitchen remodels are requested in the summer/fall season when there’s a low chance of rain. In most cases, however, you won’t have to find a hotel while they’re working; they work in sections so your entire home won’t be under quarantine all at once, and they’ll take care of you every step of the way. “Our main objective is not to displace the customer,” Laugen said. “It’s their home!”
Stop on by the Benicia Home Improvement Center at 736 First Street in Benicia. Showroom hours are Monday from 9-3, Tuesday through Friday from 9-5, and Saturday from 10-4. Call them at (707) 745-8337 and check out some examples of their work at beniciahomeimp.com. Happy renovating!
Larson is an actor/comedian/director from Vallejo who lives a double life between the Bay and LA. When he’s not writing for Local Happenings Magazine he could be editing a short film or working on his next rap album—who knows!
Keep up with all things Larson at www.MarsLegstrong.com.
