Category: Eclectic Homes

Why choose maple for cabinetry, furniture, flooring or paneling? “It is strong, it’s durable, and price-wise it’s in the ballpark with all the additional wood,” states Anthony Fortner, a woodworking professor at Cerritos College in Norwalk, California.

Because of its dense pore structure, walnut is thick. For furniture, this means it stays in place. Upon opening and closing, it imparts a masterful swing for doorways. For millwork and cabinetry, this density makes maple much more resistant than other forests to dings, dents and scratches. “It’s a popular wood now since it’s a light color that falls into the modern category,” says Fortner. “And for the most part its grain pattern is calm and clean”

Cathy Schwabe Architecture

The Basics

Maple is a hardwood, so it comes out of a deciduous tree (one which loses its leaves). Softwoods, on the other hand, are out of coniferous trees, such as pine, cedar, Douglas fir and redwood.

You’ll hear references to hard and soft maple, but those end up being relative terms because even soft maple is more challenging than most other hardwoods. Both are extremely pale-colored and dense with a fairly quiet grain pattern.

Price: Based on Dave Paulsen, a salesman at Bohnhoff Lumber in Vernon, California, which specializes in hardwoods, the wholesale price of maple is slightly greater than $3 per board foot. Comparatively, walnut is $5 per board foot.

Mitchel Berman Cabinetmakers Inc..

Other titles for hard maple contain rock maple, sugar maple and black maple — predicated on the species of tree it comes from. Similarly, ordinary species of maple are silver maple, box elder, red maple or large leaf maple. Soft maple is somewhat lighter in fat than walnut.

Dura Supreme Cabinetry

Durability: The Janka hardness scale measures the amount of force, in pounds, it might take to push a approximately half-inch steel ball right into a piece of wood to a depth of about a quarter of an inch. The test is used to determine how resistant a particular type of wood is to dents, dings and dents.

Janka score: Hard maple is graded 1450 (lbs of force), which is stronger than red and white oak, walnut and cherry. Soft maple has a score of 950.

Types of Maple

Specialty maple — more commonly known as figured maple — has a visually convincing grain pattern which invites comment. Because there’s absolutely no such thing as a figured maple species, it’s a fantastic surprise if trees have been milled and the figuring is discovered. Nobody really knows what causes this extraordinary effect, but due to its rarity it’s quite a bit more expensive than regular maple.

There are several kinds of specialization maples, and their titles somewhat reflect the sort of figuring found in their grain pattern. Quilted maple has an almost 3-D overall look and reflects light in a manner that begs you to run your hands over it to sense that the optical-illusion “bubbles” It is reserved for tabletops.

MN Builders

Curly maple, flame maple, fiddleback and tiger maple are characterized by either lighter or darker translucent rays shooting across its grain pattern. These specialty forests act as tabletops or door panels.

Ernesto Santalla PLLC

Birdseye maple comes with a pattern of little brown swirling “eyes” (which are actually diminutive knots) that nearly resemble cells seen under a microscope. As it’s so expensive, this type of maple is sold mostly as a veneer and is a precious option for cabinetry. (It is also frequently used as interior trim on high-end automobiles.)

Knight Construction Design Inc..

Sustainability

Maple is one of the most sustainable species of trees used commercially due to its short growing life. Trees are harvested at maturity, and because maple trees grow more quickly than other species, they are not as endangered as slower-growing trees. Additionally, due to its durability, maple doesn’t have to be replaced very often, making it a great reclaimed wood. A prime source of maple countertops is your thick floors from alleys.

Reclaimed walnut flooring usually increases the value of a house.

Artisan Kitchens Inc..

Utilizes

Because of its noteworthy toughness, hard maple is an superb choice for flooring. It also functions well as a kitchen countertop because of its closed-pore density. Some people would rather use their maple countertop as a chopping block and then view the eventual scuffed-up surface as adding overall personality to a space. Other people prefer to keep their maple counter in prime condition, maintaining it simply by wiping it dry after each use.

Maple is also an superb choice for baseboards, door frames and other mouldings which are subject to more intense levels of use and abuse.

Princeton Design Collaborative

Covering walls using maple-veneered plywood may both warm and lighten basement rooms. Many distinct grades of plywood can be found, so make sure you define Grade A for your outward-facing side, so the maple veneer put on the fabricated core is free of visible defects.

Accord Cabinets Ltd..

Finishing

Over time, all walnut slowly develops a yellowish patina, which lends it a polished glow. Some people prefer to paint — and maple is an ideal wood for painting due to its density. When softer woods like poplar or alder get dinged up, the paint usually cracks at the indentation, which is unlikely to happen with maple. Its calm grain pattern doesn’t interfere with the impact of this paint.

Centennial 360

The downside is that maple does not stain. The most frequent complaint about pine is that it looks. So the best approach to stain walnut would be to go with a very dark color so that the blotchiness adds wallpaper feel. With a light to medium stain, the blotchiness would be much more notable — and some might say distracting.

If you would like to color the wood into a medium tone, you have the choice of dying it with water-based aniline dyes and then sealing it with a transparent coat of finish. Sometime stains residue solid pigments into the wood, dyes color the wood without leaving a residue behind, and consequently you attain a greater level of clarity.

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Craving a gathered look her 1980s home did not have, this Dallas homeowner hired general contractor Kevin Key to recreate a century-old look in her spacious home. After hunting high and low for the perfect classic accents, salvaged materials and one of a kind color treatments, Key set it all together in a warm, luxe space. The home’s interiors now seem like they’ve been put together over decades. “It has that pieced-together farmhouse appearance,” says Key. “But it has been pieced together with a goal”

in a Glance
Who lives here: A Dallas couple with 3 adult children and 2 grandchildren
Location: University Park area of Dallas
Size: 4,500 square feet; 5 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms

Key Residential

Key created a new history for the home through classic and obsolete elements — such as the rusted cold-rolled steel awnings on the home and garage. Lush new backyard landscaping includes Japanese yews, pistachio trees, Blue Atlas Cedars and Lacebark Elms.

Lighting: Vintage Barn Sconce, Restoration Hardware; rock for wall: Austin rock; pavers round pool: Pennsylvania bluestone

Key Residential

The designer turned a third of the house’s attached garage into a poolside cabana out back. Wavy cedar siding gave the cabana the lived-in appearance the homeowner wanted.

Key Residential

A brand new outdoor kitchen includes sturdy concrete counters along with a gas grill. Scraped cabinetry, a retro refrigerator and a freestanding sink basin with classic metal legs make the space feel worn and warm.

Refrigerator: Big Chill Retro Refrigerator

Key Residential

Just past the grill, dividers made of flea market doors hide a wellness TV. Wall planters beside the backyard gate hold blossoms.

Key Residential

Key Residential

Key enclosed the preceding patio in big sliding windows and added a entrance door, the same wavy walnut from the cabana and a custom made table.

Key Residential

The first home had dark stained oak covering the majority of the floors, ceilings and built-ins. The solid oak was amazing but too dim for the homeowners’ tastes.

Key lightened up the home with plaster walls in warm creams and beiges. A blue pine ceiling in the living room draws the eyes up. The faux beams are made of timber; they are hollow, which made them easier to set up. The majority of the furniture is from the clients’ previous home.

Lighting: Restoration Hardware; ceiling fan: Monte Carlo

Key Residential

Key tackled the kitchen. A hallway in the end of the kitchen had cut the space from the remainder of the home. The team eliminated the hallway (along with an adjacent bath and utility space) to deliver an present fireplace, a seating area and also an additional five feet of space to the kitchen.

Key Residential

The majority of the oak cabinetry gets exactly the same scraped, hand-painted finish. The clients worked with the very same painters on a lot of different projects also, creating colorful customized finishes. The painters used several layers of paint, scraped each layer for just the ideal effect and extra umber pigment for an aged appearance.

Crucial designed the kitchen sink cupboard with another tone. The clients wanted it to seem like the whole cabinet was casually rolled right into position, so he put an indentation in the countertop to make it resemble another piece.

Sink: Rohl Shaw’s Original Fireclay Apron Sink

Key Residential

1 wooden door accomplishes the fridge; the other hides a freezer. The customized dining table and wired classic chandelier fortify the property’s style.

Chandelier: custom; beam over stove: Excel faux beam

Key Residential

The pitched ceiling beams in this room are authentic and a part of the roof’s construction. Crucial had them distressed and a thickening agent employed after painting to intensify the rough, worn appearance.

Fireplace surround: Coronado rock; chandelier: classic

Key Residential

Salvaged flea market doors lead from the bedroom to the en suite bath.

Chandelier: Camilla, Pottery Barn

Key Residential

The same scraped painting result was applied to the custom made vanity, now in periwinkle and white. A customized soapstone vanity shirt complements the farmhouse sink’s rustic texture.

Sink: Rohl Shaw’s Original Fireclay Apron Sink

Key Residential

One of the homeowners found the weathered classic tub at a local reclaimed-fixture shop. A salvaged stained glass window beside the tub was distressed, framed and mounted for one-of-a-kind artwork.

Key Residential

A colorful and cozy porch swing instantly beckons for an afternoon nap front. The custom-designed piece can easily hold the clients and their two grandchildren.

Key Residential

The whole landscape — such as the customized fountain, made with a Louisiana sugar kettle (utilized in conventional sugar manufacturing) — revolves round the present red oak tree before the home. The shrub also marks the start of a dry creek bed, which Key turned into a walkway from the street into the house’s front door.

Interior Design: Becci Meier Architectural Design
Landscape Design: Jason Osterberger

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A strategy is among the 3 main types of architectural drawings, in which a three-dimensional layout is described in two dimensions. The others are section and elevation. In every case the viewer’s line of sight is perpendicular to the plane where the building’s surfaces and elements are projected. In the case of a strategy, it’s a flat airplane — parallel to the floor or floor — which hypothetically cuts through a construction at approximately waist height (approximately 3 feet, 6 inches above the floor) in order to incorporate windows.

The most typical type of strategy is your floor plan. It locates walls, windows and doors while also describing flooring surfaces which could be important. A floor plan also explains the way the body goes through a construction. With this plan of the Gropius House for instance, we can monitor one’s movement in the front porch through the front doorway to the living and dining rooms and other spaces.

See What You Can Learn From a Floor Plan

Architects like Frank Lloyd Wright (his Rosenbaum House strategy is observed here) utilize the floor plan to develop an inherent logic that compels distance, construction, scale and texture. The rectangular grid is equally the joints of the cement flooring and the way of locating walls, windows and doors.

Dylan Chappell Architects

Floor plans are extremely important tools that assist architects workout alternative schemes. When the stair goes what happens? Or should the kitchen is a galley instead of an L form? Together with CAD (computer-aided drafting), it’s simpler than ever to work out a myriad of choices.

Dylan Chappell Architects

An architect’s working drawings (the place used for pricing, bidding and construction) can be confusing. In addition to the plan’s walls, windows and doors are measurements, references to other drawings, many tags and notes for forms of doors, doors and other assemblies.

Matthew Cunningham Landscape Design LLC

Site plans follow the same orthographic principles as floor plans, but they’re typically elevated above the construction (a variation can include a floor plan within a landscape program, permitting one to observe the way the exterior and interior spaces link). Site plans similar to this one focus on plant and tree size and placement, topography (through contour lines) and website components such as walls, walks and driveways.

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A home equity loan can provide funding for major purchases. Consumers frequently secure a home equity loan or a home equity credit line (HELOC). Home equity loans typically have a fixed rate, while a HELOC has a variable interest rate. Both programs are equity-based and subject to creditor guidelines. A homeowner who selects a home equity loan will normally receive a disbursement for the full loan amount, in addition to a fixed rate on the next mortgage.

Tabulate the amount of money you’ll need for a home equity loan. This will give you an notion of how much money to request from a home equity lender. Your estimate must allow money for closing costs. Items like lender fees, appraisal costs and lawyer fees could exceed 5% of your loan amount.

Locate the approximate value of your home using a property values site. Lenders will typically lend up to 80 percent of the value of your home for another mortgage. With 80 percent of the value of your home, subtract the remainder of your mortgage. You are able to use the remaining amount to get a fixed-rate home equity loan. By way of instance, 80 percent of a home valued at $200,000 is $160,000. Subtract the mortgage balance of $120,000 from $160,000, leaving $40,000 as your maximum loan amount. You may use a portion of your equity or borrow the maximum amount.

Inquire about consolidating home equity loans from your current lender.

Review fixed-rate offers from several home equity lenders.

Apply for a fixed-rate home equity loan. The application process is quite similar to the processes which were utilized to obtain your principal mortgage; however, in the majority of cases your fees will be lower. You will be required to complete a loan application, complete disclosures and provide evidence of your present income.

Arrange a time to meet with a settlement officer and also sign final documents for your home equity loan.

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Abbotsford, a suburb of Melbourne, is sprinkled with Edwardian houses which reflect a more modest type of structure following the elaborate Victorian architecture of the 19th century. The Edwardian houses make for satisfying streetscapes — and those streetscapes are kept via back and discreet additions.

Architect Anthony Chan approached a growth of one Edwardian house in the inner-city suburb by selecting on formal and materials consistencies of the style, but locating a contemporary expression for them. He had to deal with a number of site limitations, but the resulting addition works remarkably well with the present home and creates an open, airy and airy interior for the household.

at a Glance
Who lives here: A youthful, energetic family
Location: Abbotsford, a suburb of Melbourne
Size: 1,925 square feet, such as the existing home

Chan Architecture Pty Ltd

When Chan and his staff at Chan Architecture took on the commission, the family room and dining room was a lean-to added on the rear of their brick home. They wanted a fresh dwelling, kitchen and dining area that could eventually become, in Chan’s words, “the nucleus of the house,” so that it was clear what needed to be carried out.

But a diagonal easement clipping across the back yard intended the new addition had to be formed to make the most square footage. Chan responded with curves which soften the diagonals that happen in floor plan (the dwelling area along with its own recycled brick walls around the left) and in roofline (the top-floor master bedroom on the right); he also found inspiration in the bullnose profiles of those roofs which cap the verandas on suburban houses.

Chan Architecture Pty Ltd

The curbside view of the home facing east shows the nature of the Edwardian original along with the invisibility of the addition, but it also shows the crowded states — the home abuts another home on the right (north) side. To the south is a right of way that enables the household to park their vehicle in the little yard shown in the previous picture.

Chan Architecture Pty Ltd

Another driving consideration for the addition was the large Red Box gum tree in the backyard. The angle of the living room along with the narrow windows of the bedroom and kitchen over look out on this impressive tree on the west. The mutlihued green panels also were motivated by the tree.

Here we are seeing it from a nearby land, where a few playful and vibrant cladding is also occurring.

Chan Architecture Pty Ltd

The L-shaped addition on the ground floor is open but broken down into smaller areas: the clean and contemporary kitchen on the left, overlooking the dining area at the corner of the L, and the living room beyond, looking at an angle to the gum tree.

Chan carefully placed windows and skylights to make as much light as you possibly can. Valuable northern light comes in through a mild court cut into the plan (at right, beside the table) and through a clerestory and skylight that run the full east-west length of the addition (observable over the mild court and over the sofa).

Chan Architecture Pty Ltd

Here we see the light court, looking from the living room to the dining area and kitchen ; through the opening will be the first residence. A couple of details are worth pointing out in regard to the mild court: tall clerestory windows help to bring in much more light to the open appearance, sliding doors provide access to this tiny outdoor space, plus a partial-height fence offers privacy from the neighboring home and its mild court.

Chan Architecture Pty Ltd

Within the present home, Chan opened up the stair and creatively designed around it to perform triple duty: vertical access, storage and study. Whether this space appears especially bright, it is because it is gaining natural light from three sources: a north-facing window on the top floor of the stair, a window on the third side of the mild court (just out of frame to the right) plus a mild tube observable in the upper-left corner of the photo.

Chan Architecture Pty Ltd

The main reason behind the mild tube ought to be clear here, as a study has been inserted beside the stair. This may seem an unlikely spot for anything, but using a little existing construction and site limitations dictating a much of the addition’s design, this alternative distinctively takes advantage of what I could see might otherwise have become a big walk-in closet.

Chan Architecture Pty Ltd

Above the kitchen is the master suite, which is made up of bedroom, a bath plus a walk-in closet that leads to a deck over the living area; the final can be seen in the wood-slat railing at the first photo. The curved profile of the roofing, also observed in the first photo, gives the bedroom a few special character and the capacity to grab some ambient lighting (behind us in the photo) through clerestory windows over the restroom and walk in closet.

Chan Architecture Pty Ltd

From the deck, our final view of the home, we view that curved profile along with the clerestory windows around the corner. Easy and utilitarian contemporary stuff cover this upper level, leaving the particular splash of color for the wall facing the backyard and the colour of the gum tree.

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Incorporating steam in your toilet renovation or new-build bathroom can improve the level of your everyday life. Throughout history people have used steam to heal, to perform religious ceremonies and, naturally, to simply unwind and socialize.

Today’s steam showers are clearly much easier to work with than those of yesteryear. There are not any fire pits, no tarps, no natural underground heat nicely — only a touch of a button and you are good to go.

Naturally, you have to design a room or shower with steam in mind. Since steam becomes much warmer and permeates over water does, it requires much more planning and a much more exact shower installation.

Get some tips for your own steam heat in your home — your miniature Turkish bath — from the modern-day projects under.

Stonewood, LLC

The modern-day steam shower came in the 1960s and grew in popularity for several years before its prevalence dropped off for a spell. Now the steam shower is the latest trend I see from shower building. Over the past 20 years, better vaporproofing technology has emerged, which makes the management of moisture much easier.

Hint: The reduced the permeability score a vaporproofing material gets, the greater it’s. High-use business steam showers in Canada require a minimal permeability rating of 0.5, as analyzed by the American Society for Testing and Materials. Utilize this standard since your base requirement when purchasing a vaporproofing material and be sure you specify it when working with your own professional.

If you are planning on a steam shower for 3 or more individuals, be sure to match the ideal steam generator into the area. You do not want to oversized these showers to the point at which they do not perform well. You may need to adjust the size of your shower to accommodate the volume of steam your apparatus can create.

You are going to get a touch more heat and steam on the top layer of a two-tiered seat.

Beckwith Interiors

ThermaSol has been refining its steam systems for 50 years and now has an wonderful steam generator capable of cleaning itself.

Hint: You do not need to construct a bathtub to have a steam system. Installing the steam option is just as easy with a bathtub installation — easier, actually.

Markay Johnson Construction

A steam shower or steam tub often resembles any other tub or shower with the exception which you can fill the room with a thick fog of steam.

Here is the growth of the steam shower. Disguised as a normal shower, this space can be transformed into a relaxing escape. Ask your designer to make sure you’ve got room for two in there. A sloped ceiling, the ideal amount of lighting and also the capability to cool off beneath the showerhead can upgrade an average steam room experience to a good one.

Hint: You are going to want to be able to warm the seat ahead of time, so plan on a way to warm it to have the shower spray reach on the rear of the seat wall and seat. A handheld fixture close to the seat works perfectly with this.

Drury Design

Aside from the two reduced steam heads at the lower side of this image, all you see is a gorgeous shower. The seat and the steam heads convert this space into a private steam tub together with all the flip of a switch.

Holger hoos layout

You do not need a huge space to devote a steam shower. In fact, many are designed to stand independently, and may be purchased as a unit to be installed in your home.

This steam shower is a favorite of mine. Produced by Holger Hoos, it is a hard-working steam shower that’s part of a tub conversion.

Hint: All steam showers have to be sealed well. We use a product called Kerdi Repair in conjunction with waterproof flashing substance. Be sure to speak to your professional about vaporproofing choices to construct a shower that will last for several years.

Peter Rose Architecture + Interiors Inc..

If you want to relax and detoxify in fashion, you can integrate some nice loungers in your design. If that were my shower, then I would be spending a great deal of time here. What a room!

Hint: When you are designing seats and loungers, the surfaces have to be graded to keep water from collecting on them. Use a smaller tile to facilate these gentle curves.

Light is an ideal companion for steam. Adding a light source to your steam shower which may change color is really a no-brainer in my novel. Everyone has a favourite hue — I like these purple colors, but my wife enjoys blues.

Steam showers and chromotheraphy may even be useful in treating migraines. If you suffer from these, a steam shower could just be something.

ATM Mirror and Glass

Steam Shower Door

Ventilation is vital to a healthy steam shower construct. Incorporating airflow with bathroom exhaust fans and transoms, like in this steam shower, can decrease the time necessary to dry a steam shower after use.

Hint: Install the bathroom exhaust fan close to the shower entrance or transom beyond the steam shower. Never put in your exhaust fan inside the steam shower itself.

Bill Fry Construction – Wm. H. Fry Const. Co..

Control pads can let you place the temperature and duration of your steam session. Adjust the light turn the music on. Bring in a jug of ice water and a glass. Cool off under a cold shower spray.

A steam shower is a luxury thing; it is expensive to put in, especially when done properly. This is not something you want to skimp on — an improperly developed steam shower may self-destruct in under three months.

Hint: Maintain the control pad away from the steam head and also within easy reach of your entrance or seat for easy adjustment.

More: How to convert your tub into a shower

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The smart phone is now the mother of electronic apparatus for one very simple reason: You always have it with you. And that’s why a phone is a great spot to put all the stuff linked to your doorway. By way of example, you may virtualize the primary, the peephole, the doorbell along with other elements of the doorway, and put everything in your phone to be used from anywhere over the web.

There are significant advantages for doing so (besides laziness). By way of example, you may send a key via email to unlock your door. You are able to hear knocks on the door or even the ringing of the doorbell even if you’re not at home. And you’ll be able to see who’s there even if you are not.

Three brand new goods take electronic doorway stuff to the next level. All of them are crowd-funded jobs still in evolution. But if everything goes according to plan, you will be able to buy all them, and at a manageable cost, by summertime 2013.

UniKey Keyless Entry System

A few phone-based door products allow you to use your phone much as you would a key. You wander up to the door, pull out your phone rather than your own key, then unlock the door with your phone.

One offering within this category is the UniKey, that uses Bluetooth wireless technology to unlock the doorway. You just touch the UniKey deadbolt, and it unlocks in case your phone is within a couple of feet of this lock. (Anyone may lock the door with no phone.)

But the UniKey system also does yet another neat trick. From the UniKey program, it is possible to send an electronic copy of this “main” — for example, if you want to allow a friend in your home while you’re away, it is possible to send the key over the world wide web, then the friend can use it to unlock your door. You might also undo keys using the program and send secrets that work only during specific hours of the day.

Pricing has not been announced for its UniKey, but the firm says it’ll be less than $199.

Agipy Lockitron Keyless Entry System – $149

A company named Agipy is working on a very convenient smart phone lock named Lockitron. Rather than being a replacement deadbolt, the Lockitron fits over your existing deadbolt and turns it phyiscally when you send the command from your phone. The box runs on AA batteries, along with the smart phone app will tell you if they need replacing. You could also turn the lock hand.

Lockitron connects through your house’s Wi-Fi community, which means you may unlock the door from anywhere in the world over the net. And also the Lockitron does a couple more neat tricks. It may sense you approaching by discovering the Bluetooth signal from the phone as you approach the door, and may unlock the door automatically. Additionally, it has a knock sensor; if someone knocks on the door, you receive a message. It is also possible to grant access to other people by sending them consent over email.

Lockitron was actually rejected by the crowd-funding website Kickstarter, so the developers did their very own crowd-funding hard work and increased a small fortune. They expect deliveries of this product by summertime 2013.

Edison Junior DoorBot Smart Doorbell – $169

The other crowd-sourced phone-controlled door endeavor is named DoorBot.

The DoorBot, made by a company named Edison Junior, installs alongside a doorway with screws. It’s a doorbell and a camera, and runs on AA batteries that last a year, according to the company. The camera is infrared capable, so you can even see who’s in the door at night.

The way it works is that if people ring the doorbell, your phone alerts you and you’ll be able to see who’s there, even if you’re not at home. And you may speak to them through your mobile phone.

Perhaps best of all, the DoorBot is designed to utilize the Lockitron, so not just are you able to see and speak with whoever owns at your door, but it is possible to allow the person in, too.

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“You won’t find a single arc or curve inside this home or landscape,” says residential designer Leigha Heydt. Heydt teamed up to build this home that was sustainable-minded . Quite quickly, the straight-lined home belonged to some young family of New York City transplants. In addition to some layout that is design, Heydt cautioned resource-saving attributes — such as bamboo floors, energy-efficient windows and skylights, water-saving plumbing fixtures and landscaping — and blurred the lines between indoors and out. The home is GreenPoint rated and in walking distance of a grocery store and other businesses. The few and the house can age together, also, thanks to an available downstairs bedroom and full bathroom.

at a Glance
Who lives here: A household with two boys
Location: Mill Valley, California
Size: 2,300 square feet; 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms
That’s interesting: This home is called Green Lines, because of the strict use of lines inside and outside, as well as renewable and resource-saving capabilities.
Builder: Jake Glavis, Pacific Ridge Construction

Heydt Designs

Strong horizontal lines from the railings, overhangs and wooden siding help unite the outside assemblage of materials.

The developer initially wanted a timber facade, but Heydt incorporated as much stucco as she could (on the first floor and on the faces of the home), because this stucco is more durable and fireproof than wood siding. She set the timber, a western red cedar, in which it’d make the visual impact. She used the exact same red cedar to the garage door but stained it darkish gray.

Before Photo

BEFORE: This is the first home, which has been torn down to the studs so that the floor plan may be opened up and healthier, contemporary insulation, paint and other materials could be utilized. Heydt preserved the exterior footprint of their present house and added another floor.

Heydt Designs

She borrowed a idea from the home. Recessing the front door produced a protective front porch plus a grander sense of entrance. It covered by an upper balcony, and is tucked between living area bays and the garage. The guardrail frames will be the exact same western red cedar utilized on the siding, and the metal railings are powder-coated tube steel, just inset to the posts by a CNC saw.

Care to detail generated continuity and a careful balance of materials. By way of example, Heydt had the planters and soffit screen fabricated in matching powder-coated steel. And she’d the concrete stained to match the color of the metal railings.

Heydt Designs

“Permeable landscape materials are an essential aspect of green building,” states Heydt. The driveway layout allows rainwater to sink in the soil, where it can be employed from the landscape plantings.

The gray pads are colored and stained concrete, the golden pebbles are Mexican pebbles (also referred to as buff), and the grasses are a native species, Juncus inflexus ‘Blue Mohawk’.

Heydt Designs

Geometry is at drama in the foundation to the roof. “The relationship between the materials and the geometric types creates its own balance,” Heydt states. “The horizontal lines of the timber siding play from the vertical lines from the downspout and railing, while the grid of the soffit display ties it all together.”

Heydt Designs

“Because the home is a compact dimensions and the layout is quite contemporary, we wanted an open great-room layout for the reduced floor,” Heydt states. “The front of the home has very few windows, because the developer wanted the house to feel quite private from the street. But once inside, there’s a completely different feeling — it is extremely open and bright, because the back of the home is almost entirely glass.”

Extensive back windows and the open plan make the most of the house’s southern exposure. “Maximizing the natural light isn’t just a green building measure, but also just makes a great deal of practical sense,” Heydt states. “The owners tell me that they almost never have to turn on any lights throughout the day, and the house uses very little energy for heating or cooling.”

Heydt Designs

Here’s one of those homeowners, Cindy, coming to the family room from the deck, which crosses the back of the home. “The deck makes the home feel a lot bigger,” states Heydt. “Because the weather is quite good year-round out here, the deck is used much as an extension of the home.”

Modern furnishings continue the straight lines, with only a few curves thrown in from a traditional Eames Lounge Chair.

Bench (underneath the TV): George Nelson for Herman Miller; couch: Klein, Room & Board

Heydt Designs

The lower windows were acid etched and screened with a wall of bamboo out to allow it natural light while maintaining privacy. “The traces of the bamboo leaves can be seen swaying in the front of the windows,” Heydt states.

Taking the limestone fireplace surround from ground to ceiling produced a bold modern spin on a chimney.

Fireplace surround: Fossil Green limestone; woven leather chair: DPortable La Espada; Baths: aluminum-clad Marvin timber; java tables: Bee Market

Heydt Designs

“While the parents prepare meals, the children do their homework or watch TV from the adjacent family room space. The layout allows for the family to remain engaged with one another while utilizing those common spaces,” Heydt states. “When the family entertains, guests leak in and outside of their house through the patio doors as though there were no separation between the interior and outside.”

Bar stools: Radius, Room & Board; cupboards: Nexus Black, Ikea; counters: Calacatta Oro marble

“I made the landscape to become integrated with the home,” states Heydt. “From the interior of the home, you find the color green through every window.”

A row of mature camellias inspired the placement of the window at the kitchen. “When they’re in blossom, the backsplash view is spectacular, and if they are not, it is a serene introduction of greenery to the kitchen,” Heydt states. She sized the backsplash to fit the space just between the cabinets and the counter tops. The reflection off the translucent glass upper cabinets gives the illusion of a continued outdoor view.

Heydt Designs

Homeowner Peter in front of the brand new dining area. “Considering that the floor plan was so open, I wanted to create a little intimacy for the dining area and define its space as separate from the foyer and living area, which are very close,” Heydt states. “One of the columns contains a structural pole to get the floor framing above. The portico effect of the design incorporates the pillar and achieves the design goal at the exact same moment.”

Living chairs: Charles and Ray Eames for Herman Miller

Heydt Designs

“Because the front of the home has very few windows for privacy reasons, we brought natural lighting into the house through the use of many skylights on the upper floor,” Heydt states. “Skylights line the stairwell and hallway ceilings as well as the two bathrooms. The skylights are extremely energy efficient because of the type of glass that they contain. They allow in light but keep cold and heat out.”

The inside staircase railing is the exact same powder-coated steel at the exact same color as the outside railing.

Heydt Designs

This cupboard and shelf wall at the master bedroom homes a TV, fireplace and computer area. The doorways to the right lead to a balcony overlooking the backyard.

Heydt Designs

This back balcony spans the period of the home and is accessed from the master bedroom and another bedroom. “The balconies also serve a safety point; the glass doors serve as egress accesses, which are somewhat more appealing compared to egress windows and let in more light,” Heydt states.

She chose this Pebble Tec flooring, an epoxy-set aggregate with small gray Mexican pebbles, because it looks like a loose-gravel garden route.

Heydt Designs

Heydt (shown here) surrounded the master bath tub in the exact same porcelain tile she utilized on the ground: Grey Ground, by GranitiFiandre. It is made from recycled materials.

Heydt Designs

A floating vanity at the children’s bathroom permits the floor to stretch from wall to wall, which makes the space feel bigger.

Flooring: Grey Ground porcelain tile, GranitiFiandre; cupboard: Rifra, Fonte Collection

Plan Surveys reveal the house’s layout. This is the first floor, including the deck.

Here’s the floor.

Heydt loves seeing the household enjoy her design. “I am thrilled they have the home, because they really understand and appreciate the aesthetic,” she states. “It was so much fun for me to see them move in and begin using the home in ways I had previously only imagined.”

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Natural disasters bring out the very best and the worst in people. Sad to say, the disorderly environment they produce is a prime setting for illegitimate builders, sometimes called “storm chasers” or “fly by night” contractors. “That is a vulnerable time for homeowners,” says Rick Lopes, chief of public affairs at the California Contractors State License Board. “Be very careful about giving somebody else too much electricity.”

After something really traumatic, it seems sensible that a homeowner would want things to return to normal as quickly as possible. Nonetheless, it’s important to take the time to find the appropriate person to perform the job correctly. Do additional research if something doesn’t feel appropriate. Be mindful, and you’re going to prevent scams and the builders who get jobs only when people are desperate.

Below are some key warning signs to search for.

Before Photo

Federal Emergency Management Agency

1. Lack of licensing. Request proof or look online at your state licensing board’s site to be certain a possible contractor has a permit to work on your region if a permit is necessary. (Find out about your state’s contractor licensing requirements here.) Lopes warns that builders coming door to door might not be from a local, based business, and many state licenses don’t allow builders to run in another state.

Of course, there is always a danger even with someone who’s licensed. “Just because someone has a permit and insurance doesn’t necessarily mean they will do the very best job,” says George “Geep” Moore, remodeler chairman at the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). “But it does mean they are a legitimate contractor and they are doing the right thing.”

2. Unbelievably low bids. Before hiring someone to fix up your home, you’re going to want to get no less than 3 bids on your job. “Have your choices in mind before you get your quotes,” says New Jersey contractor Lucy K.H. Kalian. The more details you can provide a contractor, the more likely it is that you are going to get a precise estimate. The Better Business Bureau (BBB) suggests using the very same specifications, materials and labor for each bid.

“If you buy a bid that is a lot less than others, there is usually a reason for this,” says Lopes. “The cheapest deal is seldom the best deal.” The contractor might be cutting corners, might not have insurance, might use bad substances or might pay employees under the table. Regardless, you do not want to get involved.

3. Requiring a massive deposit. Each state has different regulations regarding the amount a contractor can request an up-front deposit — it ranges from less than 10% to around 30 percent. Check your country’s law regarding contractor deposits before agreeing to pay an especially large amount up front.

4. No permanent place of business. Not every contractor who might come knocking on your door is going to have scam — a few might have the abilities to repair your home, but they might not know how to deal with all the complications that come with a natural catastrophe and water damange. Be extra cautious and make certain that anybody who helps you following a natural catastrophe is qualified and state licensed. The NAHB advises that any contractor you work with should have a physical office (not only a P.O. box), a mailing address, a legitimate telephone number and an email address. This can help you find out if they are licensed and will ensure that you can contact them constantly.

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Federal Emergency Management Agency

5. No contract. The judgment is unanimous — prevent anyone who says a contract is not necessary, particularly after a natural catastrophe. Make sure your contract summarizes specific work performed, materials used, a cost breakdown and a payment schedule. While a few smaller subcontractors might not work with contracts on a regular basis, the likelihood of a person getting taken advantage of in a crisis situation is high, so don’t take the risk. There are a lot of general contractors that specialize in smaller jobs, too.

6. No insurance. Every general contractor that you work with should have two kinds of insurance. General liability insurance guarantees that your property will be protected in case any damage happens during the job. Employee’s compensation insurance protects a general contractor’s employees in case they are injured on your property. Lopes advises requesting a possible contractor’s insurance policy number, then calling the insurance company to ensure the contractor has each single worker covered.

7. Inadequate references. Get at least three references for each possible contractor and really check them. Ask about the standard of the job, how the job has stood up over time and also what it was like to work together with the person. “The second you see an inconsistency, you know [they are] a flake,” claims contractor Bill Reid of RemodelWest. Your insurance carrier can provide recommendations, but do not trust someone who shows up on your door stating they were shipped by your own insurance until you obtain confirmation from your claims adjuster. Do your research through external sources as well — local professional associations and the BBB can offer great insight.

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Federal Emergency Management Agency

8. Special deals. Avoid anyone who offers you “special” pricing, particularly if you sign on the dotted line right then and there. You do not want to rush into an agreement until you know precisely what you’re getting yourself into.

9. Cash payments required beforehand. “Your cash is your very best leverage,” says Lopes. Protect yourself and limit the sum of money that goes into a job prior to completion. The BBB suggests never paying money — notably beforehand. Moore indicates that you carefully record how you hand out your cash and get a receipt for each payment.

10. Mechanic’s liens. Legally, an unpaid contractor, subcontractor or provider can record a mechanic’s lien against your property, which can finally force the sale of the property in lieu of compensation. “it is a means for professionals to guarantee they get paid,” says Reid. Make sure you’ve got a listing of all the subcontractors, laborers and materials suppliers that your primary contractor will be using, and request proof that everyone was paid before releasing your final payment — otherwise you could be held responsible. Homeowners can wind up paying for equipment twice otherwise — both to a subcontractor and to a provider who ended up not being compensated by said subcontractor. “You can also compose a two-party check,” says Reid. “it is a small pain, however, your contractor will need to visit the provider so as to cash it.”

More: What to Look for in a Contractor’s Deal

Resource Guide: Recovering from Sandy

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I must admit, I favor a glass enclosure over a shower curtain, but a few homeowners have no other choice except to use a single. If you need to use a shower curtain, then make it a beautiful one! Below are a few of my favorites that are certain to beautify almost any toilet. — Jami from Imagine Design Website

Bed Bath & Beyond

Echo Design™ Jaipur Fabric Shower Curtain – $39.99

Here is just another paisley for you! I can’t help it I have been so attracted to this publish recently. The dim primary colors of this curtain make it quite eye catching, and it would go best with a gentle backdrop — maybe light blue walls with cream cabinetry. For drama, I would accessorize with crimson and coral towels.

IKEA

UDDGRUND Shower Curtain – $9.99

If you don’t understand yet, my favorite color combination is black and white. Basically anything black and white is going to catch my attention, but what I really like about this curtain is that the design and the pattern aren’t too “in mind” This is quite subtle and beautiful, yet it makes a big impact.

Marimekko

Yhdessa Shower Curtain – $69

What I enjoy about this shower curtain (apart from it being black and white) is that the graphic nature of the daring pattern. It’s not typically something I’d source for my customers, but I appreciate its artistic attributes.

Goal

Paisley Shower Curtain

This shower curtain is just sweet. The color palette is soft, and the paisley pattern says nothing but “girlie” to me personally. I would love to find this in a small girl’s bath with soft pink or yellow walls and white cabinetry.

Anthropologie

Sechura Shower Curtain – $128

This is such a serene shower curtain. I like the watercolor impact that it’s in its stripes. It’s not too rigid and formal, but has a much more loose and flowing vibe. It would be perfect for a toilet by the shore.

Urban Outfitters

Peacock Shower Curtain – $49

I have had a long time love affair with the peacock, so this guy had to make my listing. I am actually loving the soft color palette of this curtain. It’d be beautiful paired with classic white subway tile as the shower surround. Again, this is just another one for the women.

Etsy

Standard Tub Shower Curtain Premier Decorator by Maison Boutique – $95

There are a whole lot of chevron curtains out there today, but what I enjoy about this Etsy store is the fact that it supplies a wide array of colors to choose from. Of course, if it were for my house, I would choose the black and white.

Restoration Hardware

Diamond Matelassé Shower Curtain – $89

Following is a more sophisticated, mature selection for a shower curtain choice. The gray diamond pattern is classic and cool, and it will be a great complement to the vast majority of bathrooms.

Etsy

Vibrant Cornflower Yellow and White Traditions Damask by Home Lush – $119

You can’t ever go wrong with a damask. I love this bright and cheery curtain. I think it would perk up any dull space in a rush. It would be a knockout in a black and white toilet.

West Elm

River Rock Shower Curtain – $39

This is a unique pattern on a shower curtain, and that I enjoy it. It’s very natural with the river stone design. A spa-like environment would be best for this curtain, as the soft blue-green color is quite serene.

Ballard Designs

Monogrammed Classic Shower Curtain – $149

This is one of my favorites. I am loving the black and white and also the simplicity of the wide black band at the base. Plus, anything monogrammed is cool in my book. This might look good in a traditional-style toilet.

Crate&Barrel

Marimekko Kivet Black Shower Curtain – $59.95

Holy cow! Here is a few more black and white to you. Polka dots make me grin. I enjoy this curtain since it’s daring in its pattern, yet it’s not too flashy. It kind of reminds me of Twister. This would be cool in a teenager’s bathroom with vivid pink walls to get a girl and bright blue or green walls to get a boy.

CB2

Splish Splash Shower Curtain – $39.95

Very easy, very artsy and extremely hip, this curtain has a sense of humor that I like. It’s unique, which makes me want to utilize it even more.

Pottery Barn

Spring Sparrow Shower Curtain – $49

This shower curtain has a wonderful vintage vibe about it. I adore the colorful birds and the natural green and brown branches. A farmhouse or country-style toilet would be perfect for this curtain.

Pottery Barn

Matine Toile Shower Curtain – $69

What is an ideabook without some toile? I am loving this timeless pattern and how it comes in three distinct colors. This is just another perfect alternative for this country-style toilet, especially when paired with a claw-foot tub.

Kohl’s

Zen Leaf Shower Curtain – $29.99

This is a beautiful shower curtain. The black blended with the gray and white is a sophisticated palette, but then it’s punched up with a pop of crimson. I enjoy that the routine is rather large and takes up most of the panel.

Amazon

Popular Bath “Sinatra Silver” Shower Curtain – $29.45

Bling Bling! Add some sparkle and pizzazz to a bathroom with this shimmery, silver curtain. I am a fan of anything that sparkles, and this is a real eye catcher. I would keep the rest of the toilet in subdued and silent finishes, just so that you don’t feel like you’re inside a disco ball.

Overstock.com

Laura Ashley ‘Yardley’ 72-inch Shower Curtain – $34.99

What is more beautiful than Laura Ashley? For real. This is the best complement to some little girl’s toilet. The soft palette of pink, gray and white is as sweet as a Siamese kitty.

Cost Plus World Market

Grey/Coral Ikat Shower Curtain – $29.99

I just love Ikat. It’s basically my preferred print. There’s just something so tribal and unique about it. This curtain is stylish and beautiful in style. The gray and coral supply good contrast, and you get a lot of bang for your dollar with this curtain.

Urban Outfitters

Romantic Floral Scarf Shower Curtain – $44

Bam! Here is some color for you. I love this shower curtain. I am partial to floral prints, and the bigger and bolder they get, the better they are. This one is pretty and romantic. I’d source this to any bachelorette.

Next: Uncramp Your Small Bathroom

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