January 2019 – a l t a i r – f i n a n c i a l – A s s o c i a t i o n

Jumbled Style Goes Vintage Chic in a D.C. Bathroom Makeover

By Therneavin1978 | January 31, 2019

Beneath this toilet’s previous painted subway tile, purple vinyl floors and dark red walls lurked a mishmash of plumbing and electrical problems, and a rotted joist below the bathroom. With the help of local professionals, Megan Adams and her husband gutted this outdated bathroom in their Washington, D.C., row house and started from scratch. Approximately $10,000 and a month of construction resulted in a clean, timeless and effective layout.

Job at a Glance
What: Complete bathroom remodel
Location: Petworth neighborhood of Washington, D.C.
Size: 40 square feet
Budget: About $10,000

Urban Tastes Furnishings & Home

The bathroom doesn’t get a lot of natural lighting, therefore Adams needed a light wall color. She started out with yellowish, but the bright color didn’t feel right in the room. She finished up with a cool, neutral grey instead.

Wall paint: Twilight, Behr; sink, tub: vintage, Second Chance; bathroom: Highline, Kohler

Before Photo

Urban Tastes Furnishings & Home

BEFORE: The bathroom looked extra little because of the dark red hue. The painted-over subway tile, purple vinyl floor tiles and sloppy-looking ceiling might have called for a complete overhaul by themselves, but more harmful structural issues demanded immediate and skilled care. The beam beneath the bathroom had rotted to the point at which the bathroom had started to sink underneath the floor. Electrical complications from the walls and the necessity to replace the main water heater also cut into the budget.

Urban Tastes Furnishings & Home

AFTER: From the toilet’s new design, the awkward half wall is gone, allowing for a full wall of glossy white subway tile. Adams and her husband originally chose white grout, but “it somehow made the tile look plasticky and not too interesting,” she states. “We went using a charcoal grout.”

She wished to use a lot of subway tile in the shower and hex tile on the floor, so she stuck with regular but durable stock tile to keep within budget.

Shower fixtures: Moen Banbury; shower curtain: Belgian Linen, Restoration Hardware; step stool, rug: Ikea

Urban Tastes Furnishings & Home

The 40-square-foot upstairs bathroom is the house’s main bath.

Urban Tastes Furnishings & Home

Over the bathroom a Woolly Pocket retains moisture- and shade-loving ferns for a splash of greenery.

Before Photo

Urban Tastes Furnishings & Home

BEFORE: Dim sconces, a part of the toilet’s previous remodel, barely provided enough light for the couple to prepare in the mornings. The mirror ended space but didn’t provide storage.

Before Photo

Urban Tastes Furnishings & Home

Instead of taking up wall space, each one the toilet’s storage was in a vanity wrapped with faux marble, which meant it was an extra-bulky feature.

Urban Tastes Furnishings & Home

AFTER: A simple wall hung sink ties in with the remainder of the property’s vintage vibe and uses minimal square footage. From the get-go Adams wanted to salvage an old tub and sink. She and her husband found both items for a total of less than $200 at Second Chance, a salvage store in nearby Baltimore. The mirror involves a drug cupboard.

Adams also found classic, vintage-inspired lighting fixtures to tie in with the remainder of the house. But she is already itching for a brand new, more contemporary lights.

Light fixture: Rejuvenation; picture: 20×200

Urban Tastes Furnishings & Home

Vintage accessories from local shops and Adams’ own homewares store give the timeless bathroom additional character. “It makes for a more interesting area,” she states.

Urban Tastes Furnishings & Home

Blinds, textured glass and a curtain after obstructed the toilet’s only use of the outside. Now a simple, sheer fabric supplies provides privacy as well as a flood of sunlight.

Urban Tastes Furnishings & Home

Adams had her contractor build two little niches into the new drywall, including more storage space.

Urban Tastes Furnishings & Home

Custom black paint and shelving made of leftover cedar planks create the niches stick out. “While it is still a pretty bit of storage, it works for us,” she states. “We do not have lots of stuff.”

Animal hooks: View From Here, Anthropologie; paint colour to nooks: custom; art: framed poster manipulation

The Way to Pick Your Kitchen Appliances

By Therneavin1978 | January 29, 2019

Kitchen appliances are all investments, so it is important to keep with care. You may have your heart set on a huge stainless steel range, but be prepared for an equally massive price tag to go with it. Decide on your budget ahead and then investigate which appliance shapes, sizes, styles and setups will function for your kitchen. All these kitchen appliance guides will allow you to sort it all out.

Stewart Thomas Design-Build

Ranges

This traditional oven-cooktop combination suits most kitchens in both style and function. Determine your budget, open space and style beforehand That Will Help You decide between a standard slide-in freestanding range, a stainless steel commercial-style range, a classic cast iron range and much more

Guide: Locate the Right Range for Your Kitchen

Eck | MacNeely Architects inc..

Ovens

If you have opted from the standard range arrangement, you ought to locate a separate oven and cooktop for your kitchen. This may be a fantastic factor for wannabe chefs, because it opens up a universe of possibilities: Double ovens, wall ovens, warming drawers and steam ovens may all potentially locate a place on your kitchen.

Guide: Locate the Right Oven Arrangement for Your Kitchen

Glenvale Kitchens

Cooktops

Having a separate cooktop allows for more flexibility in design and cooking. If you love wall ovens or only want to maintain your cooking and baking area independent, you’ll want to discover an individual electric or gas range.

Guide: Locate the Right Cooktop for Your Kitchen

Fivecat Studio | Architecture

Refrigerators

Refrigerators can occupy a great deal of visual space. Think carefully about how much room you’ll really need for storing food before you begin shopping. ‘s refrigerator guide can help you pick between counter-depth, full-depth and built-in refrigerator versions.

Guide: Stay Cool About Picking the Right Refrigerator

Sophisticated Construction Inc..

Microwaves

Once you eventually have the kitchen of your dreams, you ought to be certain every tiny thing appears right — including the microwave. As soon as it is not the most glamorous appliance, it is a requirement for many. Some prefer to up the ante with built-in versions, while others are content with countertop versions. Check out our guide to learn which version is right for you.

Guide: Get Cookin’ With the Right Microwave

Tracey Stephens Interior Design Inc

Universally Designed Appliances

Even if your kitchen isn’t on your”forever home,” it is important to take different mobility demands into account. Mature visitors, young kids or others with limited mobility should feel comfortable on your kitchen. Part of that means choosing appliances that everybody can use and be safe about.

Guide: How to Select Kitchen Appliances for Universal Design

Camber Construction

Ecofriendly Appliances

So many kitchen appliances now include some type of eco-friendly or sustainability warranty slapped to the front of the box. But what really makes a difference to the environment and your energy bill? Paying close attention to the size and energy output prior to purchasing a new appliance can help you to save money in the long run.

Guide: How to Choose and Use Ecofriendly Kitchen Appliances

Energy-Saving Ideas From 3 Cheap Green-Built Homes

By Therneavin1978 | January 27, 2019

A 2012 publication named In the Ground Up: Sophisticated Green Homes, edited by Peggy Tully, files a 2008 design competition of the exact same name. Contest entrants were asked to envision affordable, green single-family houses for the Near Westside area of Syracuse, New York.

Seven finalists were chosen from the greater than 50 entries obtained, and also three of the finalists’ designs were realized. This ideabook concentrates on these three houses, which are 1,100 square feet and $150,000 each, and the lessons they offer about green residential buildings.

Princeton Architectural Press

The competition targeted at the Near Westside area of Syracuse for more reasons than proximity to Syracuse University. As Mark Robbins, dean of the university’s College of Architecture describes it, the”From the Ground Up competition seeks to provide another version for disinvested urban residential neighborhoods located throughout the United States through the introduction of affordable green houses.” Yet, as could be seen, as Michael Sorkin picks up on in his article in the book, the winning houses are highly individual forms that have a scale similar to existing houses in the area but stand out strongly from them.

Princeton Architectural Press

The R-House

Architect: Architecture Research Office and Della Valle Bernheimer
Enforcement engineer: Transsolar
Who lives here: Maggie Maurer, a single mother of 3
That’s intriguing: The home is built to stringent Passive House standards.

Princeton Architectural Press

The R-House (shown beside the orange TED House, arriving next) takes its name from”R-value,” a component of thermal resistance which measures the thickness of the material divided by its thermal conductivity.

This is an apt moniker, considering the way the architects made the house to meet Germany’s Passivhaus (Passive House) fundamentals: It’s airtight, superinsulated exteriors with minimal thermal bridging, highly insulated windows and heat-recovery ventilators.

Princeton Architectural Press

Following Passive House fundamentals, the architects made the consequent exterior envelope 16 inches thick, using a worth of R-70. From inside to outside, there is 2-by-6 wood framing (2-by-12 framing at the roof) using blown-in fiberglass insulation (drywall is mounted on the inside face of the studs, plywood on the outside side), then EPS (polyurethane ) insulation and eventually corrugated metal siding mounted on furring strips.

Uniquely, rather than using wood studs, the walls and roof are framed with truss joists (TJI members) that are normally used as beams. Triple-glazed windows with argon filling would be the last ingredient in developing a superinsulated exterior.

Princeton Architectural Press

Windows are minimized, such that joints between window and wall assemblies are reduced. The windows are also located to take advantage of sunlight (south west is up on the ground plan, for reference, so the street elevation faces north), bringing as much light as you can into the double-height space that contains nearly half the house.

The architects boast that”a single mechanical unit… quietly circulates air throughout the house,” thereby reducing”electrical consumption by roughly 70 percent in comparison with the standard Syracuse home.”

Princeton Architectural Press

A blower door test was conducted to determine the levels of air infiltration at the outside. In the test a fan is attached to the front doorway to differentiate between indoor and outdoor pressure, and an assessor walks round the building using a smoke adhere to see where any gaps happen. (It is good to see such low-tech testing at one time of highly technological green building.)

The group then made repairs toward gaining Passive House certification — thus far just 52 projects in the U.S. are certified, and just two in New York state.

Princeton Architectural Press

The two-bedroom, two-bath house was purchased by Maggie Maurer (displayed here) and her boyfriend Peter Waack. Maurer, a mom of three, is really a Building Performance Institute–accredited building adviser, meaning she is residing in one of the greatest examples of exactly what she devotes her working hours .

Princeton Architectural Press

The TED House

Architect: Onion Flats
Energy consulting: MaGrann Associates
Who lives here: Steven Morris and Sara O’Mahoney, a young couple who owns a bicycle shop in the city
That’s intriguing: Onion Flats won the competition, then entirely redesigned the house after taking a Passive House certification training Program.

Princeton Architectural Press

Like the R-House next doorway, the TED House is designed per Passive House standards, but that did not occur until later Onion Flats won the competition, right before the project was moving in for permits, in fact.

As the architects put it,”Following our Passive House trainingwe had been embarrassed by such a wimpy shell” of R-19 in the walls and R-30 in the roof. They changed from batt insulation and R-1 windows to closed-cell spray foam, densely packed cellulose, a zip-panel air barrier, 4-inch EPS insulation, a metal panel rain screen and R-10 windows.

Princeton Architectural Press

The house did superbly in the blower door test, far better than the LEED Platinum residence they recently finished within their hometown. While the cost for the shell went up over their competition entry, it led to reduced mechanical needs. Or, as they describe it,”TED has the equivalent of a fur jacket, rather than a windbreaker, standing between it and the unpleasant Syracuse winter” This keeps the cold out but also keeps the heat in, requiring hardly any heat to be produced.

The floor plans illustrate 1 way that Onion Flats sees the house being added to — a bedroom off the stair could reverse the two-bedroom, two-bath into a three-bedroom residence.

Princeton Architectural Press

As the photograph above attests, the house is striking for the dramatic three-story space that extends from the kitchen to the loft below the solar chimney which covers the house. Warm atmosphere and humidity are exhausted on peak of the house, taking care of the inner’s cooling needs in the summer.

Princeton Architectural Press

Steven Morris and Sara O’Mahoney, who own a bicycle shop in the city, bought the house with the support of Home HeadQuarters, a home provider that gave them down payment assistance and tax incentives. They say their house is”cheaper than our apartment was — and it is a million times simpler.” Notice the trays over the kitchen doors, in which the couple is developing some food via the help of the glass transom.

Princeton Architectural Press

Live/Work/Home

Architect: Coookfox Architects
Environmental consultant: Terrapin Bright Green
Who lives here: John and Kathy Miranda, a semiretired couple
That’s intriguing: The Residence is pictured as a mixed-use version for integrating work into urban and suburban houses.

Princeton Architectural Press

While lots of modern and modern residential buildings is criticized for not looking homelike, the architects of the Live/Work/Home made the conscious decision to design a house that could be mistaken for a commercial building. In their decision to incorporate work into the home program, they expect , as they say,”entice new residents and utilizes, helping to repopulate the urban neighborhood.”

The retractable front screen shown here can preserve privacy and filter sunlight, but it might also serve as a way of signaling once the work part is available for business.

Princeton Architectural Press

Rather than blending parcels, as done on similar projects, the architects worked with one lot, meaning the consequent single-story plan is a linear one. They found inspiration in vernacular longhouses, specifically the Haudenosaunee one in the Syracuse area. An outside corridor goes from the front porch (previous photograph ) to the rear porch. Hinged panels, perforated in tree-like patterns such as front facade, can be opened and closed to let in light and preserve privacy.

The plan is explained by the architects as a loft, such that the main open space could be opened up entirely or, as is shown here, partitioned with casework for bedrooms.

Princeton Architectural Press

Keeping with the $150,000 budget, the house is completed simply. A wall confronted in oriented strand board divides the loft space in the service regions — kitchen, storage, bathroom, laundry. Added all-natural light enters the house through solar tubes. Their orientation across the ceiling echoes the perforated panels of the outside.

The outside walls supporting the walls are made from structurally insulated panels which combine with the insulated glass and reflective roof to make an efficient envelope, even if not as tight or superinsulated as another two houses.

Princeton Architectural Press

The flexible zone at the rear of the loft is accommodated by sliding panels which also replicate the outside retina display. Notice the paths on the ground and the ceiling which allow for as much area to be open or closed as the owners desire.

Princeton Architectural Press

John and Kathy Miranda, shown here, are semiretired. They purchased the Live/Work/Home after living in an apartment in downtown Syracuse and love its design.

Princeton Architectural Press

In addition to the three houses discussed here, the handsome publication — a part of the New City Books series — gifts another four finalists, and it comprises essays by Mark Robbins and Michael Sorkin, said previously, and by architectural historian Susan Henderson.

What’s valuable about the book is the way it goes from the competition in 2008 to the current occupancy of the houses; it does not restrict itself to one facet of the process. This big-picture demonstration goes together with the large idea of realizing houses from a design competition whose timing coincided with the housing crisis and the doubt it generated.

Great Design Plant: Vine Maple

By Therneavin1978 | January 24, 2019

Whether you are interested in a well-behaved, smaller-size ornamental tree, wish to add some height to some native planting place, want to inject some fantastic fall color and winter attention in your garden or simply love something distinct, the Pacific Northwest indigenous vine maple (Acer circinatum) may be the solution.

Pendleton Design Management

Botanical name: Acer circinatum
Common name: Vine maple
Origin: Native from southwest British Columbia to Northern California, generally within 200 miles of the Pacific Ocean.
USDA zones: 6 to 9 (find your zone)
Water requirement: Drought tolerant once established but prefers a moisture-retentive dirt
Light requirement: Morning sun and afternoon shade or dappled light daily
Mature size: Rarely exceeds 30 feet in its own natural habitat; garden size is generally 12 to 14 feet tall and wide
Benefits and tolerances: The seeds and buds provide food for squirrels, chipmunks and numerous birds.
Seasonal curiosity: Year-round
When to plant: Spring or fall is the ideal planting time.

Photo by Walter Siegmund

Le jardinet

Distinguishing attributes. In their natural surroundings, vine maples develop as a understory little tree or large shrub under much taller forestry trees, such as Douglas fir and western red cedar.

The one shown here is tucked away over the forest at the edge of the property. Its wonderful sinewy branches are concealed each branch, in moss wrapping around its neighbor like a vine.

Spring highlights. Each pleated glowing green foliage slowly unfurls in spring such as a butterfly emerging from its chrysalis. Dark reddish and butter-yellow flowers mature to two winged, scarlet seedpods called samara.

Photo by Walter Siegmund

Beautiful bones and rocks

Autumnal shades. Hillsides all across the Pacific Northwest region ignite in fall with the fiery color of vine maples. Adding these ornamental natives to your garden brings that same drama, together with the daring shades of tangerine, gold and scarlet persisting for many months.

Ross NW Watergardens

Winter silhouette. The smooth, olive-green bark is as beautiful as that found on any of the specimen Japanese maples and brings color to the winter landscape.

How to use it :
• As a transitional shrub involving the ornamental garden and the natural landscape outside
• At a native plant layout
• Within an ornamental shade garden, in which it will partner beautifully with ferns, hosta and bleeding heart(Dicentra spectabiis)
• As a specimen tree in the garden; it is especially suited to small spaces.

Vine maples are usually have several trunks, even though you can occasionally find single-trunked trees. Pick a shape and shape which will work best for the space. Avoid planting wide-spreading multitrunked vine maples near paths in which their mature spread may be an issue.

Le jardinet

Dwarf cultivars. There are a few smaller cultivars of cherry walnut, such as ‘Little Gem’, shown here. This looks spectacular in container houses, especially where the orange fall color and red winter stems can take center stage in the color scheme.

Le jardinet

The foliage of ‘Little Gem’ is a miniature version of its big brother — perfectly in scale with the petite tree.

Planting notes. Dig a hole as deep as the root ball but twice as wide. Backfill around the tree using the indigenous soil mixed with some well rotted compost. Sprinkling bonemeal in the planting hole can encourage root growth. Keep the tree well watered until it’s established.

So whether you are searching for a little tree in order to add interest to some thoughtful shade garden, to help indicate the transition from garden to the wilder landscape outside or to have something different in your container garden this year, a vine maple might be the perfect answer. I can guarantee that in the event you include one, you’ll quickly be searching for an excuse to buy another.

More: 5 Amazing Small Maple Trees

Frame a Garden View for Intrigue and Abundance

By Therneavin1978 | January 20, 2019

Superior photographers learn how to harvest the extraneous details from the outside edges of a photo to improve its quality. Similarly, you can improve the general image of your backyard when you impose a frame around its views.

The classic elements of style, such as line, form, texture and color, are useful tools when composing and editing the desired scene. Try for simplicity, because an uncomplicated selection of crops, a cohesive bloom and foliage palette, and constructions that are relevant to your house’s architecture are key.

The frame through which you observe and enjoy near and distant views may have vertical parts — characterized by doorways, tall plants or an opening in a fence. Arches and arbors overhead or pathways and stepping stones under form the horizontal plane. Consider each as a significant piece of that general image because you direct the viewer’s eye toward specific scenes.

A gratifying view offers an area of the landscape to be seen — it commands attention when framed by decorative trees, arbors or trellises. A gratifying vista is usually savored from a distance, letting you borrow character’s beauty as a backdrop for your own garden.

Listed below are a few of my favourite pictures that catch the spirit of this idea. Your backyard will feel magnanimous once you open it up to normal or cultivated landscapes.

ROOMS & BLOOMS

Portals, admissions and transitions. Whenever there’s no remote or territorial view to love, you can conjure an interior view. Garden designers use visual techniques to draw and direct the eye — and you’re able to adopt a similar strategy in your own backyard. Here, a full-scale doorway was inserted right into a fence. When open, it reveals a beautiful scene inside.

With thoughtful preparation and positioning of crops, the designer has created a spectacular visual treat that invites further exploration. The fence and door may be entirely functional, however they define and frame how one observes the garden.

Outside Landscape Group

Emphasize character. Peer through this vine-clad arbor and observe layer upon layer of shape, form, texture and color. Each plant is highlighted in sharp relief due to the way sunlight dances across its own form.

If you plan an island bed, then lay a perennial border or place a specimen tree, think about the method by which the sun rises or sets in your own landscape. Backlighting — character’s wonderful gift of illumination — can thoroughly change the disposition of a backyard view. Similarly, the light at dusk or dawn may magnify the seriousness of a vignette, which makes it more alluring in that special moment once the daylight changes.

Sutton Suzuki Architects

Open up views. Thoughtful pruning or editing may make room for a gorgeous distant scene. Rather than cutting down a large tree that may be obstructing your view, invest in the experience of a certified arborist who can open up view zones with targeted branch elimination, letting you enjoy both the tree and the view beyond.

Here, the preserved tree is essential to the success of this design. Not only does it protect and color the outdoor patio area, but it also deemphasizes the powerful architecture of the house and brings one’s eye toward the meadow and hills in the distance. Sublime!

Studio William Hefner

Boost sight lines. If your eye travels via a window or door into the backyard, follow the direct axis. Where does your gaze rest? How does your eye move around the backyard when it’s framed by an open shutter or a divided windowpane?

Emphasize the significance of these viewpoints by displaying furniture plants or ornamentation to make a well-defined scene. While it may be minor in the grand scheme of your own landscape, that little point outside your window is a precious piece of property in the backyard.

With this plan, it is possible (and desirable) that each room of your home will offer those inside a gorgeous vignette to observe.

Shirley Bovshow

Balance the composition. Use symmetry or asymmetry to frame a view that’s near or distant, providing the viewer a restful (living) picture to relish.

You can get a formal impact with symmetrical plantings, such as a pair of columnar conifers that indicate an opening to a garden route. Or use an arbor or trellis, centered over a pathway, as can be done so beautifully here.

Suggest asymmetrical balance with man-made or natural sentinels of equal visual weight. For instance, you can cancel a large tree on one side of this view using a group of garden furniture on the other hand. The things may be different, but together they produce an appealing balance.

Kathleen Shaeffer Design, Exterior Spaces

Beckon with passageways. Highlight your garden’s best views by creating areas to look and places to pursue, allowing the delightful destination beyond to be viewed as an impactful expansion of the backyard’s visual reach.

Employ techniques that frame and define An introduction in a compact hedge ignites curiosity about what is beyond. Here, two such openings at a wall — a door and a “window” — are attention-grabbing devices. The remote garden is half concealed, but it’s endowed with heightened drama.

The programmer has created a view in what was once an unnoticed field of the landscape.

Make it decorative. This portal emphsizes the remote vista, but it is itself a sculptural object to look at and love. Even in the winter season, once the blossoms have faded, leaves have dropped from deciduous trees and perennials have expired, this incredible rock moon gate is an essential design element of this landscape.

Nicolock Paving Stones and Retaining Walls

An unforgettable vista. An enthralling remote scene is incorporated into this beautiful landscape using a light hand. Nothing here is contrived, but each aspect of the domestic landscape feels in harmony with all the water, hills and naturalized plantings from the distance.

This layout works due to the positioning and execution of this rock patio, which defines the outdoor gathering place. The plantings during its border are intentionally kept low so they don’t obscure the view of this water. The older trees on either side are lightly pruned to keep low-hanging branches from the sight of these magnificent hills.

More: 10 Elements of an Exuberantly Abundant Garden

Guest Groups: Orange Fabrics for Year-Round Fanfare

By Therneavin1978 | January 17, 2019

Right around October and November, the Colour orange comes into the spotlight. This hot, natural hue gets a whole lot of autumnal fanfare, but it appears to fade in popularity once winter hits. But orange appears to be my favorite color, and I think it is the best color to add to your house year-round, in either smallish doses or large statements. It is joyful, vibrant and eye catching. One of my favorite ways to incorporate orange into the house is through cloth. Check out some of my favorites! — Daniela from Aesthetic Oiseau

Fabric.com

Richloom Solarium Santaeo Tangerine Fabric – $8.98

Orange really wakes up an ikat, don’t you believe? Beautifully rich and bold, this cloth is great in a tiny doses.

Fabric.com

Dena Designs Sunshine Linen Blend Ornament Orange Fabric – $14.98

I am just waiting for the ideal place to utilize this cloth. I’m in love with all the boho chic pattern, and the tangerine hue is lovely.

Inside cloth

Singapore Sienna Fabric – $33.95

Orange can be sophisticated and elegant. A set of bar chairs upholstered in this Jacobean floral paired with dusty blues and mustard yellows would result in a gorgeous space.

Inside cloth

Diamond Orange Fabric – $29.40

This small-scale pattern is delicate and pretty. For gutsy folks, this would seem disgusting as the cloth for a sofa.

Fabric.com

Premier Prints Sprinkles Gumdrop Orange/Natural Fabric – $7.48

Fun and punchy, this orange cloth would be perfect for a kid-friendly space. The pattern reminds me of falling novels or a match of sticks.

Fabric.com

Premier Prints Twill Towers Sherbet Orange Fabric – $7.48

For the prep fans, what’s a better mix than the color orange and the beloved Greek key? This fabric would have a million uses in a preppy house.

Online Fabric Shop

Pindler & Pindler Ikat Dot Citrus Fabric

Another small-scale pattern, this cloth almost appears to have a texture to it. I enjoy using small-scale patterns in vibrant colors for upholstery.

Fabric.com

Bryant Indoor/Outdoor Landry Stripe Pumpkin Spice Fabric – $8.98

This traditional stripe gets an update with spice tones. This would be gorgeous for curtains or accent cushions.

Online Fabric Shop

Duralee Jungle Boogie Bubblegum

Here’s a fantastic fabric for those kiddos. I love the jungle creatures mixed in with cheery tones of orange, green and pink.

Fabric.com

Covington Sadie Floral Aqua/Orange Fabric – $11.98

Orange isn’t the primary color here, but it would be the color that I would pull out from the surrounding furnishings to truly make this gorgeous pattern soda.

Inside cloth

Floral Fabric, Large Tangerine – $205.80

This large-scale floral almost has a suzani texture for this. Again, I love the mixture of orange, green and pink, and that time it’s in an upscale, eye-catching pattern.

Fabric.com

Dena Designs Sunshine Linen Blend Medallion Orange Fabric – $14.98

Here’s another bohemian chic option. The rich orange background of the fabric looks so amazing contrary to shades of light and dark pink.

Online Fabric Shop

GiRobert Kaufman Orange Carolina Gingham Fabric

A gingham print is indeed timeless, yet within an orange colorway it takes on a modern and slightly more preppy feel. I love it!

Online Fabric Shop

Robert Kaufman Orange Seersucker Stripe Fabric

How about a traditional seersucker in a sherbert hue? You can not go wrong with the mix.

Inside cloth

Burlington Tangerine Fabric – $57.33

Orange doesn’t have to be bright, and I love this modern floral which uses the color in a washed-out tone to create something easy on the eyes.

Online Fabric Shop

Portfolio Capparis Spice Fabric

This modern floral additionally uses a faded orange paired using shades of gray for a lovely subtle appearance.

Online Fabric Shop

Waverly Cashmere Ruby Fabric

This rich autumnal paisley would be right at home in an upscale library or even a man’s office. I love the mixture of colours and the elegant design.

Inside cloth

Conical-Caliente Fabric – $38.50

This cloth caught my attention for its worn appearance, its mixture of soft colours and its interesting leaf-like design. What’s not to love?

Inside cloth

Tropical Fabric – $23.45

Orange is often used in whimsical fabrics like this cute fighter pattern which may be either casual and fun, or elaborate and upscale.

Inside cloth

Le Faisan Chinoiserie Spice Fabric – $155.40

I’d pull the orange within this cloth with upholstery or pillows. Imagine a sofa accomplished in a small-scale rust-colored cloth with this avian pattern for accent cushions — gorgeous!

Next: Zest for Orange Stays Strong in Fall 2012

When to Paint Your Home Gray

By Therneavin1978 | January 14, 2019

Gray paint — whether a warm gray or a trendy one — is the perfect selection for a home of just about any style, age and place. Additionally, with this color’s wide range of colors, two or more shades can be united to make subtle distinctions between architectural elements, eliminating jarring contrasts to make a more silent outside.

And gray can be implemented in several types, from a good paint to a semitransparent stain. As a paint, the colour gives a uniform and continuous color, ideally suited to some substance like stucco. As a semitransparent stain, gray let the complexity and beauty of wood to come through.

So if you’re thinking about a gray exterior, proceed beyond design and battleship gray to really investigate this neutral colour’s richness and variety.

Related: Things to Paint Your Front Door

A warmer-hued gray helps a larger, rambling home, such as this one, nestle to its environment. It can make the home appear less massive in scale and warmer on the landscape.

NC Designs

On the flip side, a trendy, nearly white gray provides a home’s structure a real existence, particularly when compared with all the blues of the sky and water.

Gelotte Hommas Architecture

In its initial configuration, the shingle-style house was covered in wood shingles that took on a lovely gray patina as they aged. Now, whether with timber or a fiber-cement substance, the colour gray suits this traditional American home style.

Klopf Architecture

An excellent quality of the colour gray is how with just the smallest amount of tint, the colour can be transformed. You are able to take gray to a completely new place with just a hint of green or any other color.

Gardner Architects LLC

Look at using a semitransparent stain to allow the beauty of the timber come through. This can work particularly well with a modern-style home like this one, in which the character of the timber siding softens the crude geometry.

LDa Interiors & Architecture

Using gray on gray creates a subtle differentiation between trim and body, such as a gray pin-striped match with gray piping. These darker window frames in a deep blue-gray contrast with the adjacent lighter gray trim.

TEA2 Architects

Stucco is obviously suited for gray. The only real caveat is that a darker gray can be a bit overwhelming. Consider instead a stucco in a hot French gray. This can be very inviting, particularly when teamed up with more colorful window frames and trim, in addition to a roof that’s permitted to weather to a natural gray.

Julie Ranee Photography

With all of that gray siding, you’ll really wish to make front door announce itself. So use a bold and cheerful color, such as a vibrant red, to make that strong focus.

When to Paint Your Door Bright Red

Britannia Joinery

Consider a gray trim color when you have a stone or brick home. Find a gray that’s already in the rock mix or is the colour of the mortar and utilize that to blend the look together.

Read exterior colour palettes

To Do: Your Holiday Organizing Checklist

By Therneavin1978 | January 11, 2019

Holiday parties can be a curse and a blessing . By handling this list begin now. Obtaining your infrastructure organized prior to all the activity begins will ease party prep afterwards, and you might even start off the New Year organized, too.

Charmean Neithart Interiors

1. Organize your pantry. Whether you are hosting a party or with family remain for a few days, then it’s easy to invest a lot of time at the kitchen. Make cooking easier for everybody with a spic-and-span pantry. Clean out all those random boxes and cans, and arrange items by kind to make them easy to discover.

How to arrange your pantry

Lowe’s Home Improvement

2. Clean out the linen cupboard. Be sure to get a neat and tidy space for guests to access towels, extra sheets and other necessary supplies. If you don’t have a committed linen cupboard, clear out a space in a little closet or bathroom cupboard where overnighters can catch an extra towel or pillow without needing to knock on your bedroom door.

How to set up your linen cupboard

COASTROAD Hearth & Patio

3. Get your fireplace ready. For those fortunate enough to have a fireplace, then you’ll need to make sure it’s in tip-top shape for winter nights. Clean your glass out or louvers, and make sure a skilled services your gas or wood fireplace before you get a roaring blaze going.

How to get your fireplace ready for winter

4. Declutter your junk drawer. Despite your efforts to keep your junk drawer concealed, the drawer’s often prominent placement (near front door or at the kitchen) means guests are likely to happen upon it at any point. Save yourself a little embarrassment and keep essentials at hand by getting your favorite junk drawer into shape.

How to arrange your catch-all drawer

Cary Bernstein Architect

5. Tidy up children’ spaces. Even though it may not remain clean for long, it’s worthwhile to make the hard work and get your kids ‘ play space under control prior to the holidays. Using organization techniques that’ll encourage children to put things away may help the space remain tidy — until the close of the day.

5 ways to keep your children’s toys tidy

6. Clean out your coat cupboard. It’s time to eliminate those cable hangers and heaps of snow equipment to clear the way for people’ outerwear. Do not forget to wash the space, too — dust, sweep and give everything a good wipe down.

How to arrange your coat closet

Michelle Hinckley

7. Organize the bathroom. Obtaining your guest bathroom ready for the holidays means more than doing just a quick wipe down. Make sure it’s clean and organized so people can discover what they want without needing to dig through piles of outdated lotion bottles.

Utilize the holidays as an excuse to get your bathroom precisely how you would like it throw out old beauty products, wipe down shelves and drawers and place hand towels and other necessities where they’re easy to get to.

Get your bathroom ready for guests

Sarah Susanka, FAIA

8. Double-check security precautions. Keep first aid kits fully stocked, assess smoke and carbon monoxide alarms and make sure that your house is ready for weather. Guests will remain comfy, and you’ll have peace of mind.

5 ways to get your home ready for the New Year

From the Experts: How to Paint Kitchen Cabinets

By Therneavin1978 | January 8, 2019

The right cabinet color can transform your kitchen or bathroom’s appearance. And because replacing cabinetry can be costly, a new paint colour could be the best bet for your financial plan. However, before you start in on this seemingly simple DIY, maintain an integral thing in your mind. “The main issue is that with most woodwork — but kitchen cabinets — is that it’s finished with a shiny product designed to be wipeable, and the exact same land prevents paint from sticking with it,” says painter Alex Davidson.

Though it’s not quite as straightforward as painting your dining room, with the right prep, painting cabinets may be an affordable and lasting design solution. See what four painting professionals say about how to paint kitchen cabinets.

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Should you paint your own cabinetry? Before making any choices, figure out what the existing finish is in your own cabinet. If you’re not sure, look at taking a door or drawer to your community paint supplier — he or she can help you with everything you want to receive your cabinet ready for painting.

Depending on the degree of job, you might want to check into hiring an expert. “Think carefully before painting your chimney,” says Davidson. “It may be a DIY, but it needs a lot of care and care.”

“Constantly think about the cost of potentially refacing your cabinets or replacing them entirely, and how that coordinates with your brief- and long-term aims,” says Wade Thompson of ThomsonHoliday Painting.

Julie Smith

The best way to paint your kitchen cabinets.

1. Remove the hardware and hinges and clean the surfaces thoroughly. Bob Miano of DeGeorge Custom Cabinetry advocates having a clean, soft rag or T-shirt and mineral spirits or TSP (trisodium phosphate). Don’t just wipe down them — offer them a good scrub to remove old oils, waxes and dirt. This is a step that is important. “Paint is a really pliable substance, but the one thing it refuses to comply is a dirty, oily surface,” says Philip Storey of Redhill Painting.

2. Lightly sand the painting surfaces to start the finish surfaces. If there are any dents or grooves at the cabinetry, then you might want to fill them in with a good wood filler first. After sanding, use a clean cloth to remove any dust.

3. Prime the cupboards with a stain-blocking primer designed for glossy surfaces.

4. Finish the cupboards with at least 2 coats of the paint you’ve chosen. Let the paint dry thoroughly and gently sand between coats.

5. After everything has dried thoroughly, put your cabinets back together. “Be sure to keep everything organized,” says Thompson. “Have a method for remembering the positioning of your cabinet doors.”

Debra Toney

Choosing the best paint for cupboards. If you’re not working with a specialist, start looking for paint in a local, reputable paint supply shop, where the team can help you decide on the right product for your cabinets. Pick a paint which could stand up to repeated washing machine and can be nonblocking, therefore it will not stick to itself if the cabinet doors have been closed.

Also, know that dark colors tend to reveal imperfections in the paint and cabinetry much more than light colours do — and, contrary to popular belief, they usually highlight dirt more, too.

Having difficulty choosing a colour? Check out these kitchen cabinetry palettes.

Rachel Reider Interiors

Four experts’ beloved paints for kitchen cabinets.

Alex Davidson: Kelly Moore DuraPoxy paint line, or Benjamin Moore’s Regal Select line in a semigloss.

Wade Thompson: Benjamin Moore Advance — a new latex product which contrasts with the look of oil paint at the way it levels and performs.

Philip Storey: Fine Paints of Europe. Their durable paint items are available in both oil- and water-based paints, and so are fantastic for cupboards.

Bob Miano: Use the premium grade when using paint from leading paint manufacturers, since they are generally thicker and have more protection. Prevent flat finishes, since they’re much harder to clean.

Things to watch out for. Painting cabinetry might seem like a quick and easy kitchen solution, bit it’s a major job. Ensure to have the time, skills and patience for the job. Odds are, you are going to be looking at this cabinetry daily — so be sure you have the ability to make it look great.

If you’re feeling unsure, look into hiring an expert painter. While it may be more costly, these pros can probably get the job done in much less time and with a result of higher quality. “Always get a few opinions,” says Thomspon. “No matter your choice, talking to several companies are going to be a learning experience.” Many professionals will use spray applications to get the smoothest finish, which may make a massive difference.

Painting cabinetry may be a lot of work — but if you hire a pro or do the painting yourself, the results are worth it.

“Above all, have fun with the job,” says Miano. “Rememberthat it’s only paint.”

More: 3 Dark Kitchens, 6 Suggested Paint Palettes

Get Ready for Winter That the Chilled-Out Way

By Therneavin1978 | January 6, 2019

Brrrr. Even down here in Atlanta, our temperatures are falling into the 40s at night. Although it’s only October, it’s time to make sure we’re prepared for winter. Do you understand where your shovel is?

Here’s a listing of what you should do in order to get ready for colder temperatures, ice, snow and muddy boots. Accomplish these tasks every day and you should be ready in plenty of time.

John Maniscalco Architecture

Take snow-preparedness inventory. Many people are used to plenty of snow and ice; others in warmer climates are to get amazed by a freak storm or two every winter. Be prepared either way. Ensure that your snow shovel is in good form and that you have rock salt or sand to spread around when things get icy. Southerners, the regional hardware store will be sold from those things when you want them — trust me.

Mark Hickman Homes

Maintain snow substances handy. Speaking of shovels, find a fantastic area to stow your snow shovels that is available poststorm. Add some hooks into your garage or mudroom, or at least find a fantastic place on a covered porch for simple access. Locate a sterile place inside for stashing the rock salt.

Crate&Barrel

Scraper Doormat – $16.95

Get out the tough welcome mat. Welcome your friends in but ditch the snow. Replace this summery float-rope welcome mat for one that doubles as a boot scraper — it’s important to keep that sand and snow from getting into the home in the first location.

Smith & Vansant Architects PC

Add a milder mat inside the mudroom door to get a second swipe at these shoes and boots. Give a place where everyone can sit and eliminate footwear and skip over to a sterile floor in their stockinged feet. This unbelievable mudroom even provides a woodstove for heating up snowy boots.

It’s The Small Things…

Make room for chilly, wet coatings. Unless you’re fortunate enough to have a heating cabinet, you will need a place to hang damp coats at the open air.

Do the closet switcheroo. Pull out those sweaters, corduroys and outerwear from wherever you stashed them all summer. To make the most of prime real estate at the coat closet, pull out summer sports equipment, flip-flops, beach bags etc. and store them for winter. Swap in your winter coats, hats, mittens, boots and scarves.

Visbeen Architects

Prepare your doors and windows. Check for drafts in your doors and windows. If you have storm windows, it’s time to start using them. Weather-strip any doors or windows that have leaks.

Bed Bath & Beyond

Stay Place Draft Stopper – $14.99

Place on the draft stopper. Slides in the bottom of the doorway, a draft stopper is very effective in preventing drafts. This one is modern, but don’t hesitate to use a snake or Mrs. Claus doing a break.

Lowe’s

Frost King Water Heater Insulation Blanket – $21.57

Wrap your water heater. Enhance your water heater’s energy efficiency with an insulation blanket.

Urban Outfitters

Kaleidoscope Patchwork Quilt – $149

Add warmth to your bedding. If you’re in a cold climate, you’re going to want to save on energy bills by incorporating some layers into your bed so you’re going to have the ability to keep the thermostat lowered overnight. Replace cotton duvets for down duvets, put in a blanket and bring out the cozy quilts.

Likewise, keep throws and vases across the places where you like to sit and read or watch television.

Before Photo

Soorikian Architecture

Have your furnace serviced. Your service provider also needs to clear out spiderwebs, change the filters and assess all of your ductwork attentively — I had a massive hole in my insulated ductwork and have flashbacks about dollar bills flying from it. It’s also advisable to change your filters regularly. (Check the filter’s tag to find out the frequency; less costly filters will need to be changed monthly, whereas more costly filters last longer.)

Nest

The Nest Learning Thermostat

Get the best per-therm speed on gasoline. If you have gas heating, you should lock at a rate per therm today, as rates will only go up from here. Stuck in a contract? I find these contracts are not ironclad. They key is to collect enticing offers from the gas provider’s competitors, then call your gas supplier to see if it can perform for you.

Outdoor Furniture Plus

Enormous Crescent Firewood Rack

Get ready for some fires. This implies dividing that timber or ordering a cord, and figuring out where to pile it (under cover is preferable, to help keep it dry).

If you have a wood-burning fireplace, provide the chimney sweep a telephone. Check on your fireplace tools to be certain that they’re in good shape, get out the fireplace screen and stock up on fire starters. You may even do some furniture rearranging to make sure you’re maximizing your fireplace pleasure.

Amazon

Mallory 999CT 36-Inch Ultra Maxx Snow Brush – $13.99

Prep your vehicle. At minimum you want a ice scraper and a snow brush. I love the combination kinds, similar to this model. Notice to Southerners: You want to brush off the whole car, including the trunk, hood and roof; I understand this isn’t necessarily common knowledge.

If you reside someplace with extreme weather, it’s time to dig out those snow tires. You should also keep an emergency kit in the car, complete with bottled water, energy bars, blankets and a flashlight. Make sure you have your phone charged and with you when you’re traveling through the winter. A bag of sand at the trunk will be convenient if you get stuck.

If you can afford the luxury of getting your driveway plowed, phone your snowplow individual and make sure that you’re good to go for this storm.

Whitten Architects

This ought to be a fantastic beginning in your winter preparedness. Please help add to the listing by sharing another winter prep tips in the Opinions section.

More:
Get Ready for Winter’s Beautiful Ways