Gil Olachea, owner of Ceramica in Scottsdale, joins Nancy today to chat about the world of tile design and innovation!  We will  explore the exciting trends shaping the tile industry in 2024. Whether you’re a designer, architect, home renovator, or tile enthusiast, this episode is packed with insights to inspire your next project. This year, we’re seeing incredible advancements in technology and sustainability, alongside a resurgence of artisanal craftsmanship that’s revitalizing traditional aesthetics. We’ll discuss everything from the emerging color palettes and textures to cutting ..read more

Today Maegan Blau, owner of Blue Copper Designs, joined Nancy for this 3rd and final podcast on barrier-free designs.  General barrier-free designs and kitchens were covered in the last 2 podcasts.  Barrier-free designs are not only relegated to people with physical challenges, but for everyone living in the home no matter the age of the residents.   The concept of independence and safety are emphasized when designing the areas of the home.  This podcast will cover bathroom designs.   Subjects covered in this podcast: Showers Curb less showers Grab bars – ba ..read more

Maegan Blau, owner of Blue Copper Designs, was Nancy’s guest last week. She explained what barrier-free designs are and described some ideas that she has implemented in her designs.  Maegan is back to talk about accessibility and universal and barrier-free designs in the kitchen. This is an important subject for everyone who has challenges in using the kitchen or knows someone who finds it difficult to work in this space. Maegan will talk about the following points: Countertop heights Appliances Smart home features Storage solutions How to make it beautiful This podcast sponsored by ⁠⁠M ..read more

A few weeks ago I attended a seminar on Barrier-free Designs presented by Maegan Blau, owner of Blue Copper Designs.  Maegan was friendly, outgoing and very knowledgeable on the subject.  And why not?  She has lived with a physical challenge for the past several years and has decided to design for people with disabilities both in the residential and commercial field. There is so much information for designing for Living in Place, Aging in Place, Universal Design or simply put, designs for everyone, so it made sense to record 3 podcasts covering these issues. This is the first of ..read more

A few weeks ago I attended a seminar on Barrier-free Designs presented by Maegan Blau, owner of Blue Copper Designs.  Maegan was friendly, outgoing and very knowledgeable on the subject.  And why not?  She has lived with a physical challenge for the past several years and has decided to design for people with disabilities both in the residential and commercial field. There is so much information for designing for Living in Place, Aging in Place, Universal Design or simply put, designs for everyone, so it made sense to record 3 podcasts covering these issues. This is the first of ..read more

The newest kitchen and bath ideas are always introduced at the Kitchen & Bath Industry Show that was combined with the International Builders Show which was held in Las Vegas.   The combined attendance for both shows was over 117,000 people who viewed more than 2,400 exhibits and walked 678,000 square feet.  Whew!  That is a lot of walking.   Jason Miller, current president of the National Kitchen & Bath Association's Arizona North Chapter, is back with us to talk about the new trends and ideas that impressed him and will most likely be available in 2024. Susta ..read more

Styles come and go constantly!  Bell bottoms and crop tops are back and so is wallpaper, terrazzo flooring and floral patterns.  When it comes to remodeling your kitchen and bath, there are certain ideas that builders incorporated into their houses should never be brought back.   Why did builders think putting a desk in a kitchen was a great idea.  Those wet bars from years ago were not functional.  I never saw 2 sinks in the kitchen when I was called in to remodel and update the space.   Bathrooms designed with tubs in the ground and then later put in ..read more

Several years ago I had the horrific misfortune of being scammed.  I wrote about this experience and published it to all of my social media platforms in addition to sending it out to everyone I knew. I didn't want anyone to go through what I did.  Many people has experienced this same scam all over the country and have been interviewed on news programs and for news articles. I have been asked to talk about it in an interview but chose not to relive it. As I said on the podcast, if you want to know more about how I was scammed, email me at Nancy@nancyhugo.com and I will send you a cop ..read more

Many times designers and homeowners want unique items that sets their project apart from the norm.  The difficulty is to find the craftsman that can make their design a reality.  Nancy's guest,  Steve Appolloni, owner of EuroFe Remodeling, is just that person.  His background is very interesting and his creativity and knowledge of kitchen design and remodeling makes him a valuable asset to the projects. EuroFe Remodeling is located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, although their cabinets have been installed throughout the country.  Steve has patented an indestructible line ..read more

Trends are trends…they come and go.  You might like some and you might not like others. Most trends aren't new. They just pop up every few years.  Some trends like carrara marble and navy blue cabinets are timeless but not every designer agrees. Listen to find out if our guest, Jan Rutgers, owner and founder of Vestubal School of Design, and Nancy agrees with what the designers have to say. Curved Cabinets are back Windows for backsplashes Omit the upper cabinets Natural Stone is popular, but Quartzite will dominate Earthy tones Hidden Kitchens Bottom line:  It’s your kitchen ..read more