Kitchen Backsplash Ideas

Choosing from a variety of kitchen back splash ideas can be an enjoyable and visually rewarding experience. From natural stone tile to mosaic marvels to photo-printed glass, the possibilities for your kitchen are virtually endless.

Miles of Tile

From man-made ceramic tile to quarried natural stone tiles such as travertine, marble, limestone, and slate, tile back-splashes are by far the most popular option for today's kitchens. For extra character and dimension, consider a tumbled travertine or tumbled marble backsplash in which the tiles are worn down with sand to create a softened, less uniform appearance.

Stone Slab Fab

For a perfectly smooth surface that can practically be hosed down when cleaning, a full granite backsplash is a top choice. In this case, the backsplash is cut from the same slab as the countertop so the pattern flows continuously from the counter on up. Silestone and quartz are also common, while slabs of marble, soapstone, and onyx are more exotic backsplash choices.

Classy Glass

If you're looking for fresh, cutting-edge kitchen backsplash ideas, look no further. Glass tile and glass mosaic backsplashes have skyrocketed in popularity in recent years, either as accents in a mixed-material backsplash or occasionally as the entire surface. For modern kitchens, an easy-to-clean solid glass backsplash can be custom shaped to the wall. The pane can be mirrored or back-painted glass, or even printed with a photo or mural!

Majestic Metal

For the pro chef, nothing tops a stainless steel backsplash behind the range. It's fireproof, sanitary, and easy-to-clean. Decorative metal is also a growing trend in today's backsplashes, with copper, tin, and metal tile picking up steam. Decorative metal backsplashes often come with pressed patterns or in a dramatic patina, so it's advisable to step back and consider the overall effect to keep them from visually overpowering the room.

                                                               

Plastic Perfection

For kitchens with solid surface countertops (Corian) or laminate (Formica), a matching Corian or laminate backsplash is an option. Vinyl tiles, available at home stores, mimic the look of stone and ceramic tiles and are often self-adhesive for DIY installations. For a faux metal backsplash, look for thermoplastic products that resemble pressed tin and copper.

Knock on Wood

While wood is not fire safe to use behind a cooking surface, there are often other areas in a kitchen where a wood backsplash can provide a warmer appearance. For country and cottage style kitchens, a beadboard backsplash looks terrific behind a built-in hutch or open cabinetry. Even a painted backsplash can work for any area away from sinks or cooktops.

Rustic Renaissance

In a timber frame, log home, or rustic kitchen, sometimes a "normal" backsplash just won't cut it. Depending on the desired look, a brick or stone kitchen backsplash can add serious impact. For an "outdoor" ambiance, a cobblestone or stacked stone backsplash can be installed on an entire wall or along the back of a kitchen island or peninsula.

How To Master Social Media

Social media isn’t going anywhere. Oh wait, yes it is… it’s going everywhere! Social media is one of the fastest and most cost effective ways to share your brand with a large audience. Data suggests that a rising number of real estate agents are leveraging the power of social media to connect with their clients and
expand their professional networks.

In fact, the California Association of REALTORS® found that agents cited the following reasons for using social media in an effort to grow their real estate businesses:
67 percent staying in touch with clients
54 percent be more accessible to myclients
50 percent respond to clients faster
44 percent market my business to a younger demographic
The study also found that while 66 percent of California REALTORS® consider social media an “integral tool in a marketing plan,” a full 62 percent of respondents deem themselves social media beginners. So let’s change that, shall we? Today we’ve rounded up a handful
of social media dos and don’ts for real estate that will have you socializing (and building
your brand) like a pro in no time at all.

DO

Pick Your Poison
Be wary of spreading yourself too thin. There are literally hundreds of social media
platforms out there. It’s better to be good at a few than to be bad at all, so choose one or
two places to start and focus on posting consistently. You can always expand your presence
later. Facebook, Google+, Twitter and LinkedIn are great options for real estate because
they have a critical mass of users and a good mind share of the general public.
Stay Positive
No one wants to follow a Negative Nancy. We all have bad days and tricky clients from time
to time, but it’s important to project a positive image of yourself and your business. Instead
of sharing what’s going wrong for you, focus on what’s working in your favor. Share good
news, inspiring photos and helpful tips. And never miss an opportunity to publicly say ‘thank
you’ via social.
Interact
Interaction is key to creating a social media personality that attracts connections and
referrals. If someone tweets you, reply promptly. If you like a post, let the author know by
taking the time to share it or leave a thoughtful comment. What goes around comes around
in the world of social media. The more you reach out to others now, the more likely they are
to reach out to you in the future.

DON’T

Only Post Listings
Many agents see Twitter and Facebook as exciting new avenues for sharing listings – and
they’re right to a degree – but don’t forget the bigger picture. If you only post listings, you’re
not being social, you’re being a salesman, or even worse, a bulletin board. And, like all
other obvious advertising, it won’t be long before your intended audience tunes you out.
Overshare
On the other end of the social media spectrum is the agent who overshares – broadcasting
every moment of his or her day, whether it’s real estate related or not. Remember that you
are communicating with potential clients every time you post. The topics of your public
posts, and the language you use, should be similar to what you would say in the workplace.
Give Up
Even if you follow all of these pointers, if you’re charming and consistent and you share
useful content, you probably won’t gain thousands of followers in the first week. But don’t
quit! Slow and steady growth builds a strong and loyal network. Review your history to see
which posts on which platforms created the most engagement and tweak your future social
media actions accordingly.
Geneva Ives is the marketing writer for Point2

Celebrating Earth Day

Happy Earth Day!
What does this mean for you and your household. It can simply mean turning off the lights when there not in use, or don't keep the water running when not being used. Today you can make the decision to go a little more green and save money along the way, here are some household tips to achieve that: 

Power off

• The screensaver on your computer uses the same amount of power as when it's on and being used. Switch your PC off if you're going to be away for a while.
• Turn down your water heater. By lowering the temperature on your water heater from 140 to 120 degrees will reduce your water heating costs by 6-10%
• 50-70% of a household energy costs come from heating & cooling according to the Department of Energy.
• Installing a programmable thermostat will save you approximetly $150 a year.
• Aim for 78 degrees of higher when you are at home while reducing your cooling loads 10-20%. When you are away from home make it 85 degrees, and save an additional 5-12%.
• In cold weather for every degree you lower the thermostat you will save between 1 and 3% of your heating bill. 

Unplug

• Unplug unused chargers, plugged in cellphones, laptops or anything for that matter. Americans throw away about 8% of our annual electric bill from having objects just simply plugged in.

• The easiest way to save is to buy a surge protector that can plug in multiple units, that way you can turn off more than one charger in one switch.

Light Fixtures

• Install CFL's, the spiral-shaped bulbs known as compact fluorescents use less than a third of the energy regular bulbs use and last 10x longer. 
• If every household in the U.S. replaced just on regular bulb with a CFL, the amount of energy saved could light 2.5 million homes for a year.

Water Fixtures

• Buy low-flow toilets, they use less than a gallon of water, brands such as American Standard, Toto and Kohler. Toilets used to use about 5 gallons per flush, so if your toilet is outdated it may be time to make this change.
• Buy low-flow shower heads, which can decrease water usage by 50-70%. They only cost about $8
•  install low-flow faucets.
• Wash clothes in cold water whenever possible. As much as 85 percent of the energy used to machine-wash clothes goes to heating the water.
• Use a drying rack or clothesline to save the energy otherwise used during machine drying.

Upgrade to Energy Star Appliances

• Look for the blue and white label which means the item uses at least 10-50% more efficient than standard models. more than 18,000 products have the Energy Star design.

Other

• Use a water filter to purify tap water instead of buying bottled water. It will save you money & help you live a more green lifestyle.
• Bring a reusable water bottle, preferably aluminum rather than plastic, with you when traveling or at work.

By making these small changes you can save money & make for a cleaner earth one household at a time