It's refreshing to note that gone are days that countertops and backsplashes have to match. There are no decorating rules. The focal point in your kitchen, wine cellar, bathroom, etc evolves with adding personal touches that are close to your heart.

Nothing sets stage for Vintage comfort like a vintage marble tile mural or marble tile wall display in images and labels borrowed from past. A new and personalized way to showcase a collection of memorabilia, ephemera, or images.

A marble backsplash mural or wall display makes perfect complement for antiques, beautiful china, flea market finds, vintage furnishings, garage sales, ephemera, trade show collections, or bottles of your favorite wine or brew.

The images are baked into marble so quality of marble with its shading, nicks, crannies and rounded edges become part of old world, vintage and European effect .

You will undoubtedly want to visit building site from time to time during construction to check progress of your home. Professional builders welcome your participation and enthusiasm; however, for safety reasons you should not enter actual construction site unless by special appointment-an unauthorized site visit may also contravene local labour code with respect to construction safety and builder's liability.

Questions or concerns arising from a site visit or a drive-by should be addressed directly to builder. The tradespeople on site each have their own area of expertise and will not be able to discuss your home's progress with you. Nor are they able to make changes without approval of builder.

Before you take possession of your new home, builder will invite you to "walk through" house to conduct a pre-occupancy inspection. Three to five days before closing is best-when construction is substantially complete but there is still time for builder to remedy any minor imperfections. Anything that is not to your satisfaction should be noted for a pre-delivery inspection report. Minor items such as scratches and incomplete paint work will be rectified before your move-in day. Other items will be corrected after you are settled.

The following checklist will help you to inspect your new home.

Exterior

• Grading-should be sloping gently away from house.
• Sod-was it rolled when laid?
• Wood, vinyl or aluminum siding-should be even and nailed securely to walls.
• Brick-should be evenly laid and clean, with weep holes intact.
• Caulking-check around windows, doors, garage door, electrical outlets and fixtures.
• Paint and stains-inspect for even coverage and proper colour.
• Trim, shutters, fascia and soffit-must be proper colour, of good quality and securely fastened.
• Shingles-are they clean, of proper colour and with no lifting corners?
• Garage-should feature non-combustible materials on wall adjoining house (for instance, gypsum board with sealed joints); garage door should open and close properly.