apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

I need a new counter top - what should I use? And where should I go? I don't want to overspend, but I am also interested in going as green as possible - recycled or salvaged sources would be awesome too. Ideas?

What about sources for cheap tiles for my backsplash?

I'm in the same boat, about to buy a place with a terrible kitchen and after getting into a mortgage for the first, won't exactly be able to afford a new kitchen right now. This will be a temporary thing so I can live with it, until I can afford a new one.
I'm thinking of painting my bench tops, has anyone had any experience with this?

Ikea butcherblock is cheap, an easy DIY, and renewable. Can do most kitchen's for a couple hundred.

I'm not convinced that the recycled glass tops have any gread environmental impact (thogh they do look cool)-- I'd focus on appliances, lights (and food!) in your kitchen to get green.

For tiles, Home Depot has very cheap basic black/white squares or subway. For something fancier locally, I'd try Tile Outlet (on Fullerton, near the Kennedy). Lots of online sources, but they don't make sense on the cheaper end because of shipping.

I just got granite slabs at Tile Outlet on Fullerton. They are "islands". Nto sure if they are left over or what, but a good deal. I also looked into paperstone, which is a recycled paper counter top, you could google that.

I also have a question, any recommendations for tile installers? I have people coming to do the counters and stink and faucet, but they can't do the subway tile back splash. Know of anyone? I'll post pics when it's finished, in a couple weeks.

X-post w/ NY

I am retiling my bathroom with these tiles:

http://www.modwalls.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=161

and putting drak grey slate-like tiles on the floor.

I'm torn as to what to paint the walls. Pewter? Silver? Blue? Orange?

Anyone have any ideas?

I am doing a kitchen renovation and I am trying to do as much work myself as possible to keep costs down. Right now I have a tank water heater that vents to a chimney taking up an entire corner of my kitchen. It will be removed and replaced by a tankless, which will be located in the attic. I want to put in a vented range hood and I want to vent it to the hole in the chimney formerly occupied by the tank heater, since it will no longer be there. I would rather not hire an HVAC guy for just this task, since I've blown most of my budget on the plumber and electrician. Has anyone ever vented a range hood this way before? Anyone know any reason why this wouldn't work? I have never installed ducting before so any general tips would be welcome too.

Has anyone used the "2 guys and a van" service off craigslist?

Oh, hi! Thanks for saying hello!

Why not just use laminate? I concluded that by the time I sell my place, whatever expensive stone or concrete countertop I chose would be out of fashion anyway. So I just went with inexpensive laminate in a color I liked (black with specks of gray). One thing that can make a difference is the front edge. I like what Menard's calls a "European" edge, with a bullnose curve. It looks pretty sleek and I think I did the whole kitchen for about $400.