Mixed-Use Oregon Home Serves and Charms

Dayna McErlean’s seven-year remodeling project changed a debilitated Portland, Oregon, building to a lively multiuse project. Drawing on her childhood and inspired by her hands on, inventive family, McErlean made four lively spaces — the Yakuza Lounge (a food enthusiast’s Japanese bar), a upstairs living room, a stunning backyard and deck space, and a cabin for rent. Working with a carefully selected team of building consultants, McErlean also integrated a green roof and a water reclamation system. Now, almost a decade later, her converted home in town’s Alberta Arts District, is at the core of a thriving community.

at a Glance
Who lives here: Dayna McErlean and son Bishop
Location: Portland, Oregon
Size: 1,200-square-foot inside and 1,500-square-foot outside deck; two bedrooms, 1 bath
That’s intriguing: McErlean lives over a restaurant she owns, and lifts out a cabin at the gardens below.

Louise Lakier

The Yakuza Lounge occupies the whole first floor of the contemporary multiuse building. Upstairs is McErlean’s and Bishop’s house, which can be obtained by a metal side terrace. The building is located in Galvalum, along with the street scene is welcoming to pedestrians, with inviting boutique storefronts, trees, bike parking and potted plants.

McErlean worked with a team of consultants — such as an engineer, a contractor, an excavator and a sculptor — to make her dream house. Implementing them individually allowed her the freedom to provide her own suppliers and investigate alternate building strategies.

Metallic gate: made by David Hurley, fabricated by Rob Roy, Recychedelic

Louise Lakier

The kitchen island is set on wheels. The countertops are black granite, along with the kitchen cabinets are made of Plyboo which McErlean scored at a reduction as a result of minor defects. The corner post was salvaged in the first building, and the cupboard pulls are custom. The stove backsplash and surround are steel panels fabricated and set up by David Bertman. McErlean’s clay mug and teapot collection is set from the steel board.

Casters: John W. Negus

Louise Lakier

Louise Lakier: What or who inspires your own personality?
Dayna McErlean: My late mother and father and also the way they led their lives. I grew up at a huge 15,000-square-feet open house built by my father and brothers. I watched them build the nine-bedroom, nine-bathroom house from the age of 3 and remember running around on long, steep boards of wood until the stairs were built. My father built it so all his seven children can each have their own bed and toilet. My mother decorated the whole home herself and that I remember she used fabric as background.

A 30-foot bridge split the boys’ rooms in the girls’ rooms, along with my parents’ room situated at the head of the bridge like a toll house. My father moved to Staten Island from Brooklyn in the early ’60s when they building the bridge, therefore I always wondered if the Verrazano Narrows Bridge inspired the bridge in our property. It was just an amazing, magical place to grow up, and that I believe my parents would be pleased to see what I have created today.

Living furniture: Era Classic

Louise Lakier

The curved metal walls attract you in on top of the entry stairs. A coat closet is supporting the chalkboard-painted plywood panels. The cove lighting system at the back part of the house was conceived by Andee Hess of Osmose Design and installed by “Sandy” Alexander Mills along the ceiling truss joists to make a beautiful amber glow.

LL: What was your biggest splurge?
DM: The carpets. I have a passion of fibers and weaving, and also to me the carpets were a huge functional indulgence of art which would create comfort that surrounds both of us.

Louise Lakier

Works Architecture made the shelving and custom built desk in the living room, and Rob Roy of Recychedelic made and installed it. The lamp is out of Mexico and belonged to McErlean’s parents.

The furniture is also an eclectic mixture of contemporary pieces and family heirlooms from her childhood home in Staten Island. She recently splurged on reupholstering the couch.

LL: Inform me about the art onto the fireplace.
DM: The publish onto the fireplace is a lifetime drawing/collagraph publish that I created when I was studying at the Glasgow School of Art in Scotland in 1991. The printing plate is made of cardboard, coated with flooring tile glue and drawn into with a chopstick as it was drying. I covered it with matte medium to seal it up it, then handed it through the press.

Louise Lakier

LL: What is your decorating philosophy?
DM: Clean lines, soft tones and beautiful textures. Warm indirect lighting in addition to plenty of natural plants and light.

LL: Is there a story behind the bedspread you created for Bishop?
DM: My childhood friend Alex Bush had these duvet covers in her homemade by her “big grandma” in Hungary when we were growing up. The duvets had a big opening at the center to match the comforter in, and that I remembered them fondly. I looked around but couldn’t find them so I asked Sara at Whipstitch to custom make you. She made all my draperies.

Light fixtures: Frank Gehry, from Era Classic

Louise Lakier

In the master bath, a freestanding bathtub sits on a custom made base constructed from glulam beams and metal.

The shoji panels were a collaborative project. McErlean sourced the paper from neighborhood lamp manufacturer Lam Quang, along with the metalwork was custom made by Kenneth Wright of Rocketworks Design. The French doors open wide for indoor-outdoor dressing table.

LL: Do you have a favourite designer?
DM:
I have two — R.M. Schindler and Shigeru Ban. I love Schindler’s inventiveness of lifestyle and space — his furniture, bed baskets, fireplaces, sliding panel doors which open up whole rooms to backyard living rooms. His tilt-up concrete construction and the simplicity of design, scale of chambers and notion of studio living where married couples live communally but have their own creative living area is brilliant!

I have a fantastic love for fibers and paper, therefore Ban’s work fascinates me. The vast openness and resourcefulness of the temporary housing he creates out of his paper tubs is amazing.

Louise Lakier

The flat lateral support ribs of the curved metal wall serve a double purpose as shelving. Containers, artwork and jewelry are saved and hang out of the wall on magnets.

LL: What can’t you live without?
DM: My bathtub. My favourite thing to do in the home is dance with Bishop and take bathrooms.

Louise Lakier

McErlean’s closet was what is now Bishop’s room. When Bishop was born, she built her closet to her bedroom. She lined the walls of the bedroom with built-ins, additional closet rods and shelving, and covered the walls with fairly damask fabric curtains. The chandeliers were salvaged from a nearby pub. “It feels like I’m sleeping in a boat’s berth,” she says.

LL: What would you call your own style?
DM: My style is “it-is-ness” — it’s the finessing of space. I get really inspired by what is there and how it can be improved. I’m affected by the project at hand, space and what resources I have to work with. It is what I make it.

I consider my house my sculpture, and I have pushed and pulled it into its current form and will keep doing so. So long as I own it, it will always be a work in progress.

Louise Lakier

The deck railing is custom made out of frosted glass panels closed out of shower doors.

Louise Lakier

The outside decks provide an additional 1,500 square feet of space. McErlean made outdoor play areas for Bishop by covering segments with turf grass.

Louise Lakier

Granite implanted in stainless steel containers provides privacy from the street. The containers are from Coastal Farm.

Louise Lakier

A synopsis of the cabin along with also the gardens from the top deck.

LL: Do you have any nicknames for the building/garden compound, like “The Bishop Building”?
DM: I always called it “The Lynch” through evolution. I’ve noticed that the staff calls it “The Kuz,” and it is sort of stuck.

Louise Lakier

Outdoor seating in the backyard on a bed of oyster shells. The slanted roof over is a green roof.

LL: What advice would you offer to other homeowners?
DM: Construct your dreams and don’t listen to the naysayers. People thought I was mad. They couldn’t see my vision until it was eventually implemented, and then they were inspired. But till then they said things like, “I don’t envy you” and “Why are you building this here on the 72 bus line the moment it goes on the California coastline?”

Louise Lakier

Ann Baker has been the the original landscape architect, also Anne Cullerton provides ongoing maintenance and layout.

LL: What do you want to do with your house next?
DM: Build cantilevered plant holders off the structural steel columns in the living room. David Bertman is designing them and they will stretch out, sort of like trees.

LL: What are you currently working on today?
DM: A small commissary kitchen for hire named Dash. It is about 12 blocks away on Northeast 42nd.

Louise Lakier

McErlean received two separate grants in the city of Portland to construct her green roof and water reclamation system. The rain reclamation tank resides beneath the bamboo forest at the conclusion of the entrance walkway and holds up to 2,500 gallons of water. Overflow runs into a giant trench drain along the bottom of the restaurant chairs, concealed with river stone. The toilets, hose bibs and sprinkler system all function with graywater.

Louise Lakier

The outside bathing area includes an outside shower, a spa and a chilly soaking bathtub. Both tubs are produced with embedded river stone which provides a pure foot massage and mixes well into the backyard.

Louise Lakier

The Kuza Garden Cabin blends beautifully into its surroundings with an ivy-covered exterior. Available for short distance remains, the cabin was initially a drop. The walls, roof, concrete flooring and carriage doors are first to the 1920s construction.

Louise Lakier

McErlean along with her son Bishop up onto a roof. What started as a remodeling project in 1999 has contributed to the community with its vibrant restaurants and restaurant, where McErlean hosts a myriad of events, like children’ happy hours and neighborhood dinners benefiting homeless youths at de:ear.

LL: What was your proudest homeowner second?
DM: The day that I brought my newborn son Bishop Valentine, home from the hospital and walked around our property. Talking to him and showing him around, I realized I’d built this house for both of us just like my father had done for me and all my siblings. It was a magical moment when I could see my dream had come true. I wish my parents could have been there to talk about it with me.

Can you reside in a multiuse building? Share it with us!

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A Country-Style Loft Comes Alive With DIY

Salvaged materials, handmade furniture and attractively renovated antiques decorate this enchanting Canadian residence, the top floor of a historic building that Gillian Mitchell and Paul LeClair have spent the previous two years converting. Their retail store, The Pine Sampler, occupies the lower amount.

An idyllic backyard garden and walnut furniture constructed and designed by local Mennonites and LeClair himself add unparalleled warmth into this couple’s home. With a layout mantra that ordered repurposing, reusing, restoring and reinventing old items, the pair has produced a special space that highlights their artistic abilities.

at a Glance
Who lives here: Gillian Mitchell and Paul LeClair, along with their Westie, Maude
Location: Hensall, Ontario, Canada
Size: 1,400 square feet; 1 bedroom, 1 bath
That’s intriguing: The couple’s peaceful, lush backyard was a parking lot.

LeClair constructed and put in the sliding barn door to separate the bathroom from the bedroom. He also created this charming headboard working with an outdated architectural summit and a pair of columns. Mitchell dressed the bed with an range of French-style linens.

LeClair is very pleased with the stone wall that they made from the bedroom addition. The couple along with a buddy installed plywood onto the wall and adhered stones (horizontal on the back) into the plywood.

Stone: Rustic Rubble, Tri-County Brick

A cozy reading nook in the corner of the bedroom shows Mennonite children’s clothes and signs together with the titles of cows from Mitchell’s youth farm.

The antique pine armoire was built into a wall in their former 1867 heritage home.

French doors to the left of the bed bring about morning light and a fresh breeze. A blue finish brightens an antique desk from the bed.

A gas fireplace at the foot of the bed has space on either side for narrow built-in storage. The decorative piece over the mantel is an antique wooden apple dryer.

Ieteke

The French doors open to a romantic balcony with bistro chairs overlooking the backyard.

The entrance to the loft is visible to the right of the blue armoire. A timber post-and-beam structure separates the kitchen from the dining room. Mitchell’s son, Alex Oke, of Okewood Timberworks in Brussels, constructed the post-and-beam unit without nails or screws using just mortise and tenon joinery methods.

To the left of the blue armoire, a salvaged door with a transom and its own first hardware leads to the toilet. Mitchell attached a hemp curtain secured with classic clothespins into the interior.

An inside window which was originally on an outside wall — attracts light plus a cross breeze into this upper landing. Mitchell shows a stacked collection of classic suitcases and old pilasters here.

Mitchell and LeClair desired to create spaces in this area for lounging, cooking and eating without putting up walls. The timber frame post and beam dividers define each part of the wonderful room. “Our proudest homeowner instant arrived when the beams were up. We absolutely loved the effect,” Mitchell says.

On the far right, a fireplace is nestled between the two first windows overlooking the road. The blue-gray dining cupboard is another one of LeClair’s first bits. Leaning from the corner is a classic apple orchard ladder that comes in handy when lightbulbs need to be changed.

The homeowners made a welcoming entrance area by putting an old arched window mirror over a table. Old books cradled by corbels in addition to a bust formed by LeClair’s mother sit. Mitchell’s son built the wooden seat for a teenager.

Ieteke

The couple enjoys drawing and painting together. Mitchell draws her own ideas, and LeClair puts them in proper perspective. The few bought a pair of incredible antique doors, with no notion of how they’d use them. They just waited for inspiration, and then LeClair completed this watercolor painting of their strategy.

LeClair installed the antique doors on this kitchen pantry cupboard. The doors retain their original paint, old screens and just a bell. The cupboard is flanked with a new fridge from Elmira Stoveworks along with an old but functional electric stove. The antique doors open to reveal a carefully curated screen of classic dishes and serving pieces.

The island was constructed from old home doors. LeClair added a glistening walnut top and a stainless sink. A pair of industrial-style stools from Pine Sampler complete the image.

On the left of the dining space, Mitchell produced a vignette with a rustic settee adorned with pillows in classic fabrics. Old architectural pieces and wooden signs hang wall art, and also a brand new lampshade was softened with Rit dye. (Click photo to see complete view.)

As soon as they removed the plaster, the couple chose to keep the lath on this wall because they liked the colour and feel. Mitchell’s brother found the old blanket box, now employed as a coffee table, in a Toronto ravine. “It’s my favorite bit, and it got me hooked on antiques,” she says.

A wing seat with ticking and linen cushions sits comfortably in front of the old cupboard, painted by Mitchell. Both of the homeowners have mastered powerful methods for applying gentle, distressed finishes to wooden bits.

Ieteke

Above the new tub of the bathroom, Mitchell adorned a shelf supported by antique corbels using items that were collected.

Ieteke

Beadboard partitions are utilized to separate the bathroom into zones to get a tub, a shower, a commode and a sink. Here, an antique hanger creatively holds the hand towel.

Ieteke

LeClair was reluctant to talk about his drawings for the design of the fantastic room and the backyard. But it’s apparent that the few turned these two sketches to fact.

Ieteke

This previous parking lot was converted into a restful retreat. The timber frame post-and-beam construction by Okewood Timberworks is repeated in the garden’s pergola. The homeowners put the stone border donated by a friend, installed the pebble route and planted the trees, shrubbery and flowers.

The bedroom balcony overlooks the now-completed backyard. LeClaire and Mitchell are patiently waiting for the timber on the accession to weather and soften to gray.

Ieteke

This historic Odd Fellows Hall has put this couple’s thriving business for the previous eight years. More recently, it has provided a chance for LeClair and Mitchell to create a workshop, a backyard and a house.

Ieteke

LeClair and Mitchell using their Westie, Maude. The couple’s next project is to design and decorate a holiday escape with period furniture to get a friend.

telephone: Discuss your country-style house with us. It might be featured on !

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Kitchen of the Week: Midcentury Style, Chalkboard and Light

This kitchen at Seattle’s Blue Ridge area was in dire need of a makeover, and the owners needed to maintain the feel of the midcentury home while adding storage, new appliances and a fresh appearance.

Geoff Piper, direct designer Stephanie Ingram along with the staff at Fivedot Design Build opened up the 100-square-foot kitchen into the adjacent rooms for a combined cooking, entertaining and living space. Ecofriendly cabinetry, salvaged chalkboard countertops and stainless steel appliances have been set up for a classic and practical appearance that blends with the remainder of the home’s layout.

Fivedot

Three walls of windows open up the kitchen into natural light. Piper replaced the house’s first single-pane windows to assist the kitchen maintain a more constant temperature in Seattle’s cold winters.

At first, the window walls presented some challenges into the electrical function. The house’s midcentury roof structure meant there wasn’t any obvious means to run wiring to the ceiling, along with the windows prevented using the walls. “We had to do some very creative wiring and then use some exposed conduit to find the lights and switches at which we needed them,” says Piper.

Countertop and pub top: ReStore; pub stools: Modernica Case Study Dowel Barstool

Fivedot

Using substances that are kind to the environment, and the household’s wellbeing, was important to Piper. The black countertop consists of repurposed school chalkboards from a local salvage source store. After being cut to size and their edges, they have been finished with mineral oil for an easy-to-clean surface.

Ecofriendly cabinetry made out of plywood certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and formaldehyde-free glue is topped with a gorgeous walnut veneer. Piper had the cabinets completed with a UV-cured substance that eliminates most of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Vibrant turquoise and orange accents inside a few of the shelving include a playful touch without becoming overpowering.

Read more about ecofriendly kitchen cabinets

Cabinetry, shelving: Kerf Design; refrigerator: KitchenAid

Fivedot

BEFORE: Outdated cabinetry took up visual space from the kitchen but did not provide enough storage to the household. Piper and his staff carefully planned the new space around the household storage and space needs.

“We spent quite a little time thinking about where each small thing goes, but ended up deciding that it had been better to look for a great, basic kitchen with storage that could be flexible,” says Piper. “Too many special storage options would have led to a small disjointed layout” Instead, the group chosen for large drawers that may be divided as needed.

Fivedot

AFTER: Among the team’s major problems was figuring out the height location for the cabinetry within the counter. It needed to be reduced enough to be accessible, but if too low would obstruct the view into the kitchen. In the end, they put little-used and display items within this cabinet and left up it to fully open up the space.

Dishwasher: Bosch; array: Bluestar 36-inch; hood: Vent-A-Hood; dining table: proprietor

Photos courtesy of Kerf Design

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Texas Gardener: Things to Do in July

By this period in a Texas summer, we are in the middle of 100-plus degree days, rain is irregular, and the atmosphere is heavy. Should you really feel like slipping under these conditions, your garden probably feels exactly the same. But we Texans (zones 8a, 8b, 9a) are a tough audience, and so are our gardens. Take a little extra attention, along with your summer garden may stay lush, green and fit throughout the growing season.

jenny_hardgrave

Plant heat-loving flowers: there are lots of vibrant flowers that will take our Texas heat and laugh it off. To add a refreshing color to your summer garden, plant zinnias, ageratum, Blue daze, periwinkle, wax begonia, portulaca, purslane and torenia. Make sure you plant them in locations where they are going to get the appropriate quantity of sun or shade, and water them well after planting to get them established.

Gaulhofer Windows

Watch out for garden bugs: Summer is celebration season for many garden pests and diseases like spider mites, leaf rollers, aphids, chinch bugs, fleas, ticks, chiggers, grubs, scale, powdery mildew and webworms. Some ornamental crops, like roses, are particularly susceptible to aphids and powdery mildew, so keep ahead of these problems before they take their toll in your garden.

To manage pests, start with the least invasive methods possible — handpicking them or hitting them with a hard spray of water. If they are not causing too much harm, you might opt to make them, but if they start ravaging your berries or ruining your lawn, be sure you identify the pest or disease you are dealing with before you treat with any chemicals. The local county extension office or trustworthy nursery will have the ability to help you determine the problem and choose a suitable treatment.

J. Peterson Garden Design

Plant vegetables and fruits: Strategy for your harvest garden by planting pumpkins and sweet potatoes from early to mid July, and planting corn, eggplant and peppers from mid to late July. If you are sowing seeds, be sure to check the back of the seed packet for advice regarding the number of times it takes for this particular plant to reach adulthood and start producing produce. Basil, oregano and thyme are bulletproof herbaceous plants to plant from 4-inch nursery transplants. Try a few more unusual varieties such as spicy globe basil, cinnamon basil, Thai basil, lemon thyme, coconut thyme, pink lemonade thyme, hot and hot lavender, and Greek oregano.

J. Peterson Garden Design

Protect yourself from the heat: If you are planning to work outside in the garden, remember to protect yourself in the heat and sun. Drink a lot of water, apply sunscreen, wear gloves and don a wide-brimmed coat to shield your face and neck. Shades are also valuable in protecting your eyes from the Texas sun that is powerful.

J. Peterson Garden Design

Entire a garden project: Build an arbor for your garden entryway, build a trellis to showcase a climbing rose, lay a pathway to create walking through the garden easier or create some decorative plant markers. Have one long-term and many short-term jobs going to keep your energy and interest level high in July — your garden will thank you in the end of the season.

Jeffrey Gordon Smith Landscape Architecture

Plan your fall garden: It is not too early to get a head start in your fall garden. Plot it out on graph paper, produce plant lists, remove perennial weeds prior to tilling the new bed, and include compost or fertilizer to enhance your soil. Step beyond the anticipated and mix your edible plants such as vegetables and herbs, along with your decorative crops and flowers.

Milieu Design

Practice great lawn maintenance: Mow your lawn in the suggested height for your grass type which you have, and never remove more than a third of the total height of your lawn in one mowing. Be sure your lawn mower blade is sharp so as to make clean cuts, and also keep your mower in good working condition throughout the season when it is used the maximum.

Water less frequently but more deeply to encourage deep grass roots; they will be convenient throughout our generally dry summers. Always stick to any water constraints or watering instructions for your area, but think about adding a rain detector to your automatic irrigation system. It is going to automatically turn your system off if you have had rain so your lawn is not overwatered.

Between Naps on the Porch

Feed the birds: And while you’re at it, home them and them, also. Add birdbaths to your garden, and make sure they are kept clean and full of clean water. Bird seed can be saved in feeders, and birdhouses are great places for birds to nest and raise their own young. If you have pets such as cats and dogs, keep an eye on them when they are outside in the yard to safeguard your garden birds’ security.

See more Southwest garden manuals

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Decorate With Intention: 12 Remodeling Sanity Savers

It’s easy to get excited about a home job at the start, when the work looks theoretical and you hear yourself saying things like, “Oh, we could just knock each one these walls out, no problem!” Then reality sets in. The workers your budget is disregarded and you can’t locate your shoes under the pile of scrap wood and duct tape. It is time to take a deep breath and make a plan. Keep reading to get a dozen ways to stay sane when you are creating your dream home, no matter how long it takes.

Richard Bubnowski Design LLC

1. Have a strategy A … plus also a plan B and C too. Even when you set what seem like perfectly reasonable goals, things have a way of coming up suddenly to bulge your project end date further and further back. Having a backup plan (or 2) is key.

I find it helps immensely to think your target in three components. There is the perfect target — when everything went right and there were not any snafus, this is what you’d need done by a certain date. Then there’s your strategy B, where you pare down your list to the fundamentals. To earn a plan C, pick just 1 thing that if you have done would still make you feel somewhat accomplished.

Before Photo

Soorikian Architecture

2. Take “before” photos. In fact, take lots of photos throughout the procedure. If you feel inspiration starting to falter, take a look at images from early in the procedure to remind yourself how far you have come.

Young House Love

3. Start a site. Just like most diet and exercise programs advocate sharing your plans with supportive family and friends members, I advocate starting a site as a way of holding yourself accountable through the renovation procedure. After a rough day, when nothing went as planned, at least you can vent your frustrations in a blog post and receive kind words of support in return from subscribers all over the world.

They did it : Sherry and John started their site Young House Love while they have been fixing up their first home, and it became a wildly popular and award-winning site that attracts many people every day. Realistically, most of us will not turn into the following Young House Love, however starting a blog can still be a worthwhile job and documentation of your home progress.

4. Focus on making it livable first. This may seem obvious, but it is so simple in the start of a job to take on a lot of. By conserving some of those cosmetic changes (such as decorative tilework) for later and opting to concentrate on essentials (such as pipes) now, you’ll make your life far easier.

Richard Bubnowski Design LLC

5. Schedule your renovation. During an extensive renovation, be smart about the sequence you work on matters if you are staying in the home at the same time. Work to finish bedrooms plus a bathroom, and that means you can have a cozy area to dwell in while other changes are moving on.

Architecture & Community Design, Union Studio

6. Set a small, attainable target each week. Tasks such as setting up new home numbers, ordering whatever you need online, or patching holes in a wall do not take very long, yet being able to cross something off your record — and see visible improvement– can help you stay motivated.

Holly Marder

7. Help the experts by doing your project: Be critical. Yes, contractors, architects and designers can at times go beyond the first program, but every time you change your mind or put off key conclusions, know the procedure will require that much longer. The very best thing you can do to speed progress would be to keep a clear vision of what you need and convey it clearly to all those involved from the project.

MuseInteriors

8. Stay busy during downtime. It is inevitable that there will be times it appears that nothing is occurring. Whether because of a small budget, workers vanishing midproject or simply a stretch of bad weather, it is crucial to keep your spirits up when work stalls out.

Try keeping a record of simple tasks that you can do anytime. Afterward, when you start feeling antsy, pull out your record and then get to work. Cleaning, organizing, decluttering and doing small repairs are good places to start.

decordemon

9. Pitch in and do some work yourself. Even in the event that you’ve hired experts to do the majority of your renovation, consider taking on a small DIY job of your own. Using your own hands to pitch in and improve your home can be incredibly satisfying.

Aquidneck Properties

10. Make your bedroom a refuge. Even when outside your door is quite literally a disaster area, obtaining a serene, relaxing place to unwind and recharge can do wonders for your soul.

Mykonos Panormos Villas

11. Utilize your outdoor area. When the weather is great and your job is taking place indoors, setting up a comfortable outdoor living area is a fantastic way to get away from the noise and chaos of the renovation. I’ve heard of people setting up full outdoor kitchens to use while the indoor kitchen is being remodeled, and I think it’s an excellent idea.

See how to live a kitchen remodel

Smith & Vansant Architects PC

12. Remind yourself why you are doing this … Clicking through your inspiration photographs is a great way to get juiced up about your job around again. You can even try simply closing your eyes and visualizing your home project completed, vividly imagining every little detail, and how wonderful it will feel to have it all done.

… and know when to Escape town. Of course there are occasions when it is best to acknowledge it is time for a break. When the whole home in in complete disarray, taking a spontaneous weekend getaway can be just what the doctor ordered.

Want help with a home project? Ask the community

See more remodeling ideas and guides

More:
8 Ways to Stick to Your Budget
Diary of a Ranch Remodel

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Fluted

Fluted architecture components have curved grooves cut vertically into them. Fluted things are typically wood or stone and include columns, pilasters and furniture. This detail began with the removal of tree bark from tree trunks, which left grooves at the back. The appearance was later simulated in rock to make thinner, taller-appearing columns.

Cameo Kitchens, Inc..

This is a round tapered and fluted column, broader at the bottom and narrower towards the top.

Elizabeth Anne Star Interiors

These squared columns are fluted in the base to the capital.

Emily McCall

There’s a little part of fluting on the columns of this mantel, making it effortless to find the the ends are curved.

david phillips

The fluting at the center of this pilaster has a corbel (carved brace) and two arcades (the rectangular areas above and below).

Great Rooms Designers & Builders

The fluting on those kitchen cabinets is made with a router, which is a tool with a spinning piece that can make exact tiny cuts.

Browse more fluted photos

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30 Dream Decks for Lounge Lovers

I will never forget the first time my mother-in-law came to visit us at our new home in Sandy, Oregon. It was a beautiful, glowing week, and we had all kinds of plans for events and sightseeing in Portland. But we are blessed with a deck over the Sandy River with a fabulous view of rapids and a canopy of trees overhead. The afternoon after she came, we all sat out there using our coffee to enjoy the afternoon. Four days later we were still wearing our pajamas and all still sitting around the deck.

We call it”the deck impact .” It’s complete inertia caused by the realization that there just isn’t everywhere you’d rather be; it’s the complete inability to rip yourself away. What could be better than sitting there taking in the view, enjoying a soft breeze and pops up a little sun? Just being there is all the entertainment you need.

Here are 30 decks guaranteed to provide you with a serious case of the deck effect.

LKID

The deck does not need to be large. The view makes you feel like you have all the room on earth. This infinity-edge pool in Turks and Caicos looks as part of the ocean. I believe that you would feel like you’re floating over the water with hardly any deck to interrupt your view.

Whitten Architects

Framed by beautiful molding around the entrance, this lake is picture perfect. A simple dining table and chairs create a great picnic spot.

Gary Hutton Design

This deck hovers just over the lagoon’s surface. With no railing to block the view, it lets you feel the full expansiveness of the atmosphere.

Gary Hutton Design

Another deck at the exact same home is a little higher up and still gives unobstructed views via metal-framed glass railings. The minimalist styling of the chairs and table keeps the view the middle of attention.

Camens Architectural Group, LLC

This covered deck with architectural columns runs across the front of this home, forming an entryway flanked by living places. It contributes to an infinity pool that overlooks a marsh. A totally stunning view!

Siemasko + Verbridge

A simple rocking chair is a great selection for whiling away the hours gazing at the sea.

Integration Design Studio, Landscape Architects

The sleek lines of this modern deck and lounge chairs are a serene complement into the endless blue of the sky and remote ocean.

Robert Granoff

Since decks do not sit on the ground like patios do, they can be constructed high up to soar over the trees. This one does this admirably, featuring a bird’s-eye view high above the jungle in Belize. I believe I need to go there.

Smith & Vansant Architects PC

This deck overlooks Lake Fairlee in Vermont. It takes me back to happy thoughts of summer camp. I can almost hear the squawking of the bluejays and the lapping of the water around the shore. Makes me want to roll up the bottoms of my jeans and go back.

Dan Forer, Photographer

The rustic twig design of the railing is a wonderful touch around this deck with a lake view in North Carolina. Multiple groupings of chairs encourage quiet discussions or provide places to consider in your as the river rolls .

D-CRAIN Design and Construction

This contemporary multilevel deck has lights hanging over it at multiple levels. It seems to follow the varying heights of the trees, giving glimpses of their water from up high or down closer to the water.

McClellan Architects

This huge patio in Seattle provides lots of space to get a seating area and a dining table with a view of the lake.

Summerour Architects

This dramatic deck provides Mediterranean style and a luscious view of water via a gorgeous, mature tree.

This wraparound deck provides constant views of the mountains and the lake. I believe this must have been where they have the point about”purple mountain majesties” from the song”America the Beautiful.”

Whitten Architects

This is 1 part of a system of multicolored decks that join the cabins within this camp. I love the view of the forest with all the lake shining through the trees.

Living Stone Construction, Inc..

Rocking chairs and a ceiling fan offer lots of comfort for somebody enjoying the view that goes for miles from Black Mountain, North Carolina.

Urrutia Design

A deck built around a big, sprawling tree provides color, and the tree provides the focal point.

Urrutia Design

I have a soft spot in my heart for decks that preserve trees and are constructed around them. This is unusual because the stairs are also constructed around a tree. What a beautiful spot to enjoy the view of the swimming pool from.

Koch Architects, Inc.. Joanne Koch

I particularly enjoy the alternating squares of this decking, and I enjoy that you can see the view all the way throughout the home also.

Eva Hinds

This minimalist deck wraps a beautiful pool and gives a spot to walk across it and also delight in the giant palm trees. There’s a pleasant, broad seat, but sitting on the edge of the deck to dangle your toes in the water would not be a terrible idea.

Dumican Mosey Architects

If you do not have a view, then make your own. The architecture of the home, the ball sculptures as well as the pool are absolutely beautiful surroundings with this easy deck at a courtyard-style home.

Jeffrey Gordon Smith Landscape Architecture

The distinctive rolling hills of San Luis Obispo, California, will be the background for your bay. This deck provides loads of built-in chairs and a dining area. The flame is nice, also, if you’re able to tear your eyes away from your view.

DNM Architect

An opinion of a marina is a great selection for boat fans having an early-morning coffee prior to setting sail. Can’t you just hear the seagulls?

The Garden Route Company

The Golden Gate Bridge is one of my all-time favorite views in regards to man-made attractiveness. Together with the bridge as a background, what better color than orange to the lounge seats? I adore the green railing and snowy places against the shade of the bay.

The town view here just barely noticed from this angle is Chicago. The deck has wonderful lighting for nighttime, which is, in my opinion, the ideal time to enjoy a town view.

Aquascape

This deck just amazes me. It is constructed directly above a koi pond, with bridges letting you see down into the pond from several vantage points.

Eck | MacNeely Architects inc..

The pointed shape of this deck feels like the prow of a ship. Adirondack chairs are hard to beat for a couple hours of deck time.

Blue Sky Building Company

Imagine how great it is to have an entire day just to look at this scenery.

Incorporated

Many decks take advantage of spectacular all-natural settings. If you do not have this, then you can create the spectacular all-natural atmosphere with giant planter boxes such as this and fully mature trees. In any event, you get a superb place to unwind and enjoy the surroundings.

Colors Of Green Landscape Architecture

This deck enjoys the seclusion of trees as well as the beauty of contemporary landscaping. Such a serene spot for relaxing.

Inform usIf you might have a deck at any setting you wanted, what is it like?

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Dream Tubs for Bath Lovers

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Clerestory Windows Are Tops at Ushering in Light

My husband and I recently moved in the apartment which got no direct daylight into an apartment which has direct daylight for at least half the day, if not more. The difference is routine if not life altering.

Now I’m getting up with the sun early in the morning, obviously (no alarm clock), and that will help me go to bed at a decent hour. It’s also no more depressing to operate from home — we’re saving money by taking fewer trips to Starbucks just to escape the flat.

And although I have not noticed a new utility bill, I’m convinced we’re going to be saving money by using less electricity for lighting.

The advantages of organic lighting simply cannot be overstated, and there are lots of methods to get it in to your home. For one, CalFinder, a nationally remodeling company, states that if you put in enough clerestory windows — these shallow panes of glass near the top of a wall — your home might not require electricity during the day. And you may require less central air conditioning, especially in temperate climates which cool down in the evening.

Like all new or renovation construction jobs, it is very good to speak to the professionals prior to making any big conclusions, but here are a few examples of how clerestory windows work to get you started.

FINNE Architects

When you are considering incorporating clerestory windows for more natural daylight, then also consider how much warmth you want to include. Clerestory windows on the side of your house will create more heat from the sun in winter.

The clerestory windows with this escape by Finne Architects in the Cascade Mountains in southern Washington not just add light and warmth during the snowy season, but also visually raise the roof. This prevents the building from looking too top heavy, especially when it’s piled with snow.

Harry Braswell Inc..

A low-emissivity coating to also will reduce heat loss.

BMF CONSTRUCTION

If you want to reduce heat, do the reverse: Install clerestory windows on the north side of your home, which will allow natural light in through the cooler part of the day. You could even set up them wherever tree shade will filter direct sunlight.

Consider installing clerestory windows in unexpected locations for optimum natural daylight. For example, the clerestory windows on this garden shed by BMF Construction reduce the shed’s reliance on electrical light.

Furman + Keil Architects

Think about adding windows between rooms. Within this endeavor by Furman + Keil Architects, the windows move daylight from the bedroom to the adjacent room.

Tracy Stone AIA

Clerestory windows in a toilet can be installed rather than (or in addition to) tubular daylighting devices as a means to bring natural lighting in.

As just 1 part of a whole-house daylighting strategy, clerestory windows can save 75 percent of the electricity used for lighting.

RWA Architects

Clerestory windows set high on the walls are often protected by roof overhangs, which let sunlight in but protect the home from summer-sun warmth.

Retractable awnings can supply the best of both worlds, ” indicates the International Association of Certified Home Inspectors: When they’re retracted, the home receives more heat and light during the winter; whenever they’re out they protect the home from summer sun.

Bud Dietrich, AIA

With no windows, this kitchen would be dark, regardless of the white cupboards. Cabinet space would be lost if windows were inserted. Clerestory windows are the perfect solution here.

And when windows such as these are operable, they’re also able to save cooling costs in the summer by allowing hot air to rise and escape.

Sandrin Leung Architecture

Inform us : Do you have sufficient natural lighting in your home?

More:
Energy-Efficient Windows: Decipher the Ratings
Tubular Daylighting Devices Bring in More moderate
Energy-Efficient Windows: Understand the Parts
The High Life: Clerestory Windows
Bathe at the Light of Clerestory Windows

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Highlights In the 2012 Kitchen and Bath Industry Show

From a new, drop-in-style apron sink into an interchangeable backsplash layout, prepare for hundreds of exciting products coming soon to the local kitchen and bath center.

I had the opportunity to pop into the 2012 Kitchen and Bath Industry Show last week in Chicago. The screens dazzled me hours, and I found particularly interesting the innovations that may easily be integrated into existing houses.

My pick of this show: the U-Socket, bringing sequence — and USB charging stations — into an electrical outlet near you. Read on for more.

First up, Kohler’s new Top-Mount Self-Trimming Apron Front Sink. It can easily be retrofitted into existing cabinetry and countertops, providing a genuine farmhouse-style sink with minimal disruption. Most apron sinks require a special base cabinet built to sink specifications, so the cost savings to bring this specialty sink is likely important.

Tired of the clutter caused by AC adapters clogging up all available wall outlets? The genius U-Socket AC Receptacle with built in USB ports simplifies the issue of too many chargers and not enough wall sockets.

fastmac.com

U-Socket – $24.95

Designed to decrease energy prices dramatically, the U-Socket includes a five-star energy-efficient layout that automatically senses the necessary wattage and outputs full power just if a thing is connected. It’s made in the USA and may be set up by do-it-yourselfers.

Ever wonder exactly what happens to all of that glass you painstakingly recycle? Glass Recycled, for one, converts recycled ceramic and glass bound for the landfill into elegant, sustainable and ecological hard surfaces to the kitchen and bathroom.

Comparable to granite in durability, easily resisting household stains and sporting like iron, this product requires practically no maintenance. No waxing or sealing is necessary and the colour options are endless. Pigmented epoxy resin forms the foundation and numerous aggregates are inserted to generate a product as distinctive as the kitchen.

Laminate counters also have come quite a way. Witness the 180fx Collection of Formica. With exotic granite and quartzite patterns in either a softly polished or a high-gloss complete, ease of maintenance and affordability are just part of the attraction.

A new treatment that removes horizontal advantages and brown pits, dubbed IdealEdge, duplicates the bullnose and ogee edges generally found in costlier options.

This display by Moen stood out to me as a fun alternative for a family bath, making a step stool unnecessary. It features the favorite Weymouth taps with ceramic inlays and “Hot” and “Cold” written in English or French script on the handles.

kitchenpalette.com

Kitchen Palette Interchangeable Backsplash

Ever thought about changing out your backsplash? Kitchen Palette has come up with a synonymous option that suits behind a normal cooktop or range; it’s a printed palette which may be changed out on a whim. Watch for new designs coming soon.

Next: High Point Market Trends

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Sourcebook: Industrial Style

Professional style is all of the rage at the moment. It used to take searching around antique shops and sales to locate industrial pieces, but today many breeding things are available at retail locations (and costs). Below are some of my favourite readily available pieces.

Related: So Your Design Is: Industrial

ROMABIO / Interior & Exterior Mineral Based Paints

Industrial style can be a mixture of mill bits, farm pieces, even school-style pieces. You don’t have to select only one. In fact, a mixture is more intriguing.

For authentic classic pieces, check out garage sales, the Craigslist listings on the city’s industrial neighborhood, a college or university surplus shop and junk shops. Figure out if your city has a Habitat for Humanity ReStore — the inventory changes all of the time.

Search conditions: “Industrial,” “farm,” “schoolhouse,” “rustic,” “rusty” and “science”

Browse industrial-style items in the Products section

Schoolhouse Electric

Princeton Senior – $199

Because good lighting is so crucial in schools and factories, industrial design has a ton of great lighting choices. Look for metal lamps, pendants and adjustable-arm pieces.

Resources
Find this one and a number of other classic school inspired pieces at Schoolhouse Electric.
Hudson Goods
Shades of Light has plentiful worker-style cage lights.

West Elm

Short Industrial Metal Bath Cabinet – $249

Few matters are more industrial than alloy furniture. A piece such as this was created for the tub, but that says you couldn’t use it from your living room?

Resources
Find this one at West Elm.
that I love the Tolix design for practicality; locate it at Design Within Reach.
Invest in a unique piece like this particular table out of Deskur + Deskur Design Collective.

Industrial Wood and Metal Aiden Coffee Table – $289.99

Wood, metal and a lot of brakes are features of industrial pieces.

Resources
Find this coffee table (along with other pieces in this group, such as shelving and a console) at World Market.
Crate and Barrel includes wood and metal pieces with blank lines.
Wisteria delivers distinct shapes.

Amazon

Lyon Adjustable-Height Industrial Stools, Dove Gray – $274

Metal stools like you’d find in a science laboratory are a great way to add only some factory style. You can locate them with springs such as these or simply use round padded stools (bonus points for finding one that is flexible). With the industrial tendency going powerful, these are cropping up everywhere.

Resources
Find a set of two on Amazon.
Crate and Barrel has flexible choices.
Barn Light Electric has stools in many colours.

Factory 20

Vintage Industrial Cart Coffee Table – $1,085

Part of the allure of industrial design is using a piece of machinery for a new function. This cart is the best size for a coffee table and much more interesting.

Resources
Find this and a Great Deal of classic pieces at Factory 20.
Arhaus includes a similar wheeled java table.
Hudson Goods offers repurposed-style furniture.

Restoration Hardware

Laundry Cart Rectangular Collection, Natural – $129

These cloth laundry bins show a softer side of industrial. Classic grain sacks or java sacks make great cushions, and a classic silk parachute might be sewn into a throw. I like to pair rustic pieces with luxurious velvet curtains.

Resources
Find these and many, many other industrial-style pieces at the hub of industrial style, Restoration Hardware.
Etsy has lots of grain sack pieces.

Clayton Gray Home

Vintage Wooden Hotel Essential Rack – $72

Accessorizing can be the simplest way to add industrial design to your home. Repurpose classic pieces which may be “junk” but are still interesting or beautiful. Or purchase the reproduction. I will not tell.

Resources
Find this hotel key rack at Clayton Gray Home.
Anthropologie frequently includes industrial or machinery-inspired accessories.

Emily Winters

More:
Vintage Meets Industrial in Ohio ‘Laboratory’
Light Your Home With Industrial-Style Power
Industrial Elements: Factory Style at Home

Tell us Is the style industrial? Share your best sources and photos of your house below!

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