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This award is FOR THE GURU. I couldn’t decide if this product was better suited more for the end user, retailer or the installer, but Custom Building Products has come up with a product that will make customers, retailers and installers all smile. They have taken their top 18 colors and created a product called Prism Sure Color Grout that eliminates some of the nagging problems with grout like shading and that chalky residue known as efflorescence. As a bonus, it is stain resistant right out of the bag. (which is now in a 17 pound bag instead of a 25 pound bag covering the same square footage) You can even walk on it in 4 hours rather than typically having to wait until the next day. For the retailer, it cuts down on your inventory eliminating the need for sanded and unsanded grout because it covers joints from 1/16” to ½” and obviously less call backs. So, the customer gets great results from their grout installation the first time and the installer doesn’t have to go back for service calls. It’s nice to see a great product being improved upon by a company that doesn’t stop with a good product, but continues to find new ways to improve their products to make them even better.

Most Homeowner Friendly Product:

This award goes to Moen’s Mirrorscapes. These guys have solved a problem that all designers run across at some point. When helping a remodel client or a client on a tight budget, one of the easiest suggestions to make in a bathroom is to replace the flat sheet of glass with a beautiful framed mirror. The problem is, it’s not as easy as it sounds. Typically, these mirrors are huge and glued directly to the wall with an adhesive like Liquid Nail. If you have ever tried removing one of these mirrors you know that it takes half of the sheet rock wall with it and generally ends up in a lot of unsafe pieces. This leaves the homeowner aggravated and with the unexpected costs of wall repair and new glass.

Moen has come up with “a custom look without cutting corners”. These quick and easy to install mirror frames give you a custom framed mirror look without expensive custom framing or carpentry. There are no miter cuts involved and your old mirror stays in place so you can upgrade your bathroom yourself! The adhesive mounting brackets glue right on top of your existing mirror providing a guide for the decorative corners and straight cuts. Then, all you have to do is apply to frame to theo mounting strips and you have a transformed vanity. Moen does a great job of offering a variety of styles and finishes such as metallic and wood that coordinate with today’s faucet finishes, accessories and cabinetry.