My all-time favorite song – done a little different than usual. I hope you enjoy!
Archives for April 2012
Thinking About Remodeling? Coolest Home Upgrades
April 7, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Many homeowners are opting for home renovations – you know, just to spice things up a little.
Maybe you turn your bathroom into a high-tech spa or get some smart appliances in the kitchen. Maybe you do some green upgrades or maybe you do something purely for luxury.
So, what’s the new rain showerhead, the new infinity pool?
We talked to contractors, designers and developers all over the country and here are the 10 Coolest Home Upgrades.
Hidden, Wall-mounted TV
Photo: Electronichouse.com
It’s go big or go home with televisions these days – but when you bring one of these drive-in movie-sized screens home, it can often wreck the design of the room. When a guest walks in, they won’t say, "Wow, what a nice house," but rather, "Wow, what a big TV you have!"
Well now, you can have it all – a big screen and big style. Designers are increasingly choosing to hide gigantic televisions in the wall and cover them with a mirror or artwork so when they’re not in use, you don’t even know they’re there!
When it’s above the fireplace, it can be a framed mirror or piece of art. In the photo at left, this Samsung 37-inch LCD is mounted in the closet behind the mirror, hidden by a removable panel in the closet.
You probably want a pro to do this – TVs require proper ventilation.
Water Feature With Fire
Photo: MerchantCircle.com
Fountains aren’t new and fire pits aren’t new but put them together – maybe even add some LED lighting – and shazam! Welcome to the future.
A water feature with fire shooting out of the middle can instantly remind you of that Hawaiian vacation (maybe pump some hula music into the outdoor speakers) or just ensure that you not only keep up with the Joneses but knock their socks off when they come over for a barbeque.
They can be rectangular trough-like structures with broken glass in the middle where the fire shoots out, or circular like this one in the picture at left. They can be freestanding, attached to a pool or create a big ridge of fire in a stoned wall. Have a seat because you can control it all by remote control!
OK, who wants toasted marshmallows?
Home Golf Simulator
Photo: Truegolf.com
Golfers have been practicing their swing at home for years but not quite like this – a floor-to-ceiling golf simulator with a massive screen to let you "play" on some of the coolest courses in the world from Hawaii to England.
A golf simulator like the one from Trugolf at left is the ultimate addition to your game room next to the pool table and pinball machine.
Not only do you really feel like you’re on the course but it helps you with your game, with sonic ball-tracking sensors and a program that gives you valuable feedback on your swing. They run from $20,000 to $60,000 or more.
She winds up the swing, good form and… Four!
Glass Rooms on the Patio
Photo: Cotton & Co.
Outdoor patios with full kitchens are getting even huger these days, with some nearing 10,000 square feet, said Stephann Cotton, owner of the real-estate sales and marketing firm Cotton & Co.
They’ve got the Rolls Royce of grills, outdoor wine fridges, fireplaces, sweeping views — you name it. But guess what else they’ve got? Bugs.
Cotton said his high-end clients with penthouses in Boca Raton, Fla., are increasingly asking for these glass structures, out at the end of the patio where the best views are. They’re turning them into everything from outdoor dining areas and zen gardens to man caves and music studios.
A four-sided glass structure means there aren’t just northern views or southern views, Cotton says, there are north, south, east and west views!
Exotic Landscape Lighting
Photo: Robert Davie
So you’ve got spotlights and those little solar path lights but this is taking your backyard to the next level and doing exotic landscape lighting.
Maybe it’s uplighting on the palm trees, Cotton explained, or in the waterfall that spills over into the pool.
The cool thing is, Cotton said, you can even use solar lights – so it won’t cost you an arm and a leg in electricity! Take a solar light, put it in a spotlight and turn it upside down shooting up into your landscaping or water feature like a fountain or koi pond.
"Landscape lighting in the water is fairly easy to do," Cotton said. "You get that constant reflection – It’s very romantic mood light. It produces a romantic and flickering light – just like a fire does."
Check out more ideas, like the one at left, from Robert Davies landscape design.
Outdoor Shower
Photo: Karmasamui.com
No, we’re not talking about the kind you put next to the pool so the kids can wash off the sand, dirt or chlorine.
These are luxurious showers, usually off of the master bath, made of high-end stone and other natural materials, with lush foliage that create your own personal Eden.
You’ll already find this type of outdoor shower in resorts in Bali, Fiji and the Caribbean, but now, homeowners are bringing the resort home.
"It’s a very sexy thing," said Walid Wahab, president of Wahab Construction in south Florida. "It’s your private shower — you can get completely naked and take a shower outside in your private garden."
Wahab said the construction is getting very creative – things like a shower head coming out of a tree.
Master Control for Energy Consumption
Photo: Control4.com
You know you can control your entire house now from a laptop, iPhone or iPad. Everything from the lights and thermostat to the stereo – and even the pool. Here’s taking it to the next level – a master control for energy consumption.
"This is very, very new – people are just experimenting with it," said Ron Rimawi, who co-owns Digital Interiors in Atlanta. "It helps make you more aware and more conscious of your energy usage, so you don’t waste energy."
Basically, they’re small digital panels that connect with the utilities and track various appliances and systems in your home. They can tell you everything from your usage to the temperature and how much it’s all costing you!
"We have long held the belief that the promise of the Smart Grid can only be realized if the consumer is front-and-center in the design of demand-response systems," said Control4, which makes the master control for energy consumption pictured at left.
Pop-up Ventilation for the Kitchen
Photo: Dacor.com
No one wants the lingering smell of smoke and cooking fumes in the kitchen – particularly with how hot the open-concept kitchen-living area is right now. But hoods, no matter what high-end materials you use, can be clunky, not to mention they get greasy and dirty.
Enter the pop-up hood vent – You can sink it into an island or other countertop (of course, with an underground vent to the outside) and then at the press of a button, it comes up, sucks all the smoke and fumes out and then press the button again and – poof! – it vanishes again.
This is not only great for kitchen design, but also to lure other members of the family into the kitchen to help.
Make it high-tech – and they will come!
Cooling Drawer
Photo: Electronichouse.com
Let’s face it – kitchens are getting cool. From sleek granite to smart appliances, this isn’t your grandma’s kitchen.
One of the places where the most innovation is taking place is in the refrigerator. Maybe they have double French doors or are hidden by paneling that makes them blend in with the cabinets.
One of the coolest things – literally – is a cooling drawer, like the one shown left from Fisher Paykel. These are drawers with several different temperature settings, so you can store soda, wine, snacks for the kids – even ice cream.
They’re individual drawers, so you can have any number of them scattered around the house.
FAMILY’S HOUSE IN A HILL
April 6, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Can you imagine living in the house that looks like a hill, like some hobbit or Teletubby? Look at the Hill House built by Tasmanian architect Andrew Maynard in Melbourne, Australia.
A family from Melbourne wanted to renovate their house, but instead of dismantling the place they decided to build some absolutely new construction in the backyard of the old one. That’s how they got this modern-looking building with minimalistic design and an artificial hill slope in front.
The old house was poorly planned which made it too dark, so the new building fully utilizes the solar power – it is located in a way that allows it to get as much sunlight as possible, and the protruding box on its top cuts out the hot sun rays in the summer and accumulates the sun heat in winter.
Source: maynardarchitects.com
The U.S. Census: 1940 VS. 2010 [infographic]
April 6, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Click for more information
ONE OF A KIND SPECTACULAR VILLA
April 6, 2012 By Leave a Comment
This is a truly remarkable private retreat on the beach in the village of Faro Jose Ignacio, Uruguay. The house is 20 miles from Punta del Este, it was designed by Uruguayan architect Carlos Ott, who has designed some of the world´s most famous structures, including the Paris Opera House. The Playa Vik is one of his rare residential projects, besides the amazing views overlooking the South Atlantic, the house combines contemporary decor with an artistic touch. The site has six individual houses for guests who want total exclusivity.
Consumer Attitudes Stabilize, Positivity Spreads
April 6, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Americans’ concerns about key economic and housing issues are beginning to subside, according to results from Fannie Mae’s February 2012 National Housing Survey.
Consumers’ attitudes have stabilized across most indicators—including personal finances, housing, and employment—demonstrating their sense that downside risks have abated somewhat compared to late summer and fall of 2011.
While Americans’ confidence in the direction of the economy has been the most pronounced (35 percent think that the economy is on the right track, up 19 percentage points since November, and 57 percent think the economy is on the wrong track, down 18 percentage points since November), their confidence about personal financial situations, household income, and household expenses, as well as attitudes about homeownership and renting is holding at steady levels.
At the same time, Americans’ concern about losing their job in the next 12 months has stabilized since the late fall, with 76 percent of Americans saying they are not concerned in February 2012, compared to 70 percent in November 2011.
“The pickup in the pace of hiring over the past few months has helped soothe consumer concerns, lifting their moods regarding their personal finances, the direction of the economy, and their views on the housing market,” says Doug Duncan, vice president and chief economist of Fannie Mae. “As a result, we’ve seen more potential for economic upside, creating a more balanced near-term outlook.”
Survey Highlights
The Economy and Household Finances
The rise in confidence in the economy’s direction continued this month, with 35 percent responding that they think the economy is on the right track, a 5 percentage point increase from January. The percentage of respondents who say the economy is on the wrong track dropped to 57 percent, a decline of 6 percentage points.
Only 12 percent think that their personal financial situation will worsen in the next 12 months, a 3 percentage point drop from January and the lowest value in over a year.
Sixteen percent of respondents say their income is significantly lower than it was 12 months ago (down 1 percentage point since January), while 63 percent say it has stayed the same (up 1 percentage point since January).
Thirty-three percent say their expenses have increased significantly over the past 12 months, a 3 percentage point decrease from last month and the lowest level in the past 12 months.
Homeownership and Renting
On average, Americans expect home prices to increase by 0.8 percent over the next 12 months (down slightly since last month).
Twenty-eight percent of respondents expect home prices to increase over the next 12 months (consistent with last month), while 15 percent say they expect home prices to decline (down 1 percentage point since last month). Fifty-three percent say prices will stay the same.
Ten percent of Americans say that mortgage rates will go down in the next 12 months, a 2 percentage point increase from last month.
The percentage of respondents who say it is a good time to sell rose by 3 percentage points to 13 percent, the highest level in over a year, while the percentage of respondents who say it is a good time to buy dropped 1 percentage point to 70 percent this month.
On average, respondents expect home rental prices to increase by 3.5 percent over the next 12 months, a slight increase since January.
Forty-five percent of respondents think that home rental prices will go up, a 2 percentage point increase from last month, while 3 percent expect them to go down, a 2 percentage point decrease from last month and the lowest value in over a year.
Sixty-five percent of respondents say they would buy their next home if they were going to move, up 1 percentage point since last month, while 29 percent say they would rent, down 1 percentage point versus last month.
The most detailed consumer attitudinal survey of its kind, the Fannie Mae National Housing Survey polled 1,003 Americans via live telephone interview to assess their attitudes toward owning and renting a home, mortgage rates, homeownership distress, the economy, household finances, and overall consumer confidence. Homeowners and renters are asked more than 100 questions used to track attitudinal shifts (findings are compared to the same survey conducted monthly beginning June 2010). Fannie Mae conducts this survey and shares monthly and quarterly results so that we may help industry partners and market participants target our collective efforts to stabilize the housing market in the near-term, and provide support in the future.
For more information, visit www.fanniemae.com
Expanding Kitchen Prep Surface Supports Big or Small Meals
April 5, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Imagine a kitchen that stretches, recedes and contorts to your every whim. It gives you more surfaces when you need them and more floor space when you need that, and changing things around is as simple as scooting segments of the counter around.
The Accordion concept by Olga Kalugin could revolutionize the way we use our kitchens. It’s a food preparation surface that expands and contracts by simply pulling and pushing its segments. The spaces between the segments is occupied by wedge-shaped boxes, giving you plenty of room for all of the kitchen accouterments you need to make delicious meals…and keeping ingredients close at hand.
Covers fit over food drawers which are located on both ends of the surface. The covers can be turned over to act as preparation boards while the drawers below hold ingredients until they are needed.
The wedge-shaped drawers can be moved to either side of the surface, giving a distinctive curve in one direction or the other, or both if you so choose. The unique kitchen system exists only in the designer’s dreams right now, but it could easily become a staple in every busy kitchen.
Tim Geithner says housing financial reform is unfinished business
April 5, 2012 By Leave a Comment
As agencies and lawmakers fight over how to wind down the government’s involvement in propping up housing, Geithner comments that the job is behind schedule but signs of a consensus are evident.
Housing finance is “unfinished business”
Before the Chicago Economic Club today, U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner spoke1 on the topic of the economy, opining that the nation has a long way to go to reform and recover the housing finance system, where the government controlled Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac hold the majority of American home loans.
“The biggest source of unfinished business in the financial reform effort is in the housing finance area,” Geithner said. Much of his prepared speech focused on the major economic challenges, particularly noting that “President Obama inherited very large fiscal deficits, swollen to levels well beyond any experienced since World War II.”
Geithner added, “As we face the great political and economic choices ahead, remember how terrible the crisis was. Remember that Americans are still living with the damage that is the legacy of that crisis.”
The battle continues
Government infighting continues, however, regardless of any President’s legacy, as both sides of the aisle are tussling over how to wind down the government’s role in housing, particularly Fannie and Freddie whose conservator is the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA). Geithner said Fannie Freddie are not “a source of systemic risk now,” as taxpayers’ funds have propped up the mortgage giants.
“We are much further behind in laying out the future path of reform in the housing finance system and what should replace those institutions,” Geithner said, echoing the growing sentiment that there are signs of a bipartisan consensus for reforming the housing finance market.
“We have successfully navigated the most dangerous phase of the worst economic crisis in generations. We need to bring the same creativity and force and sense of national purpose to the challenges ahead. And that will require better choices from our political system. No economy can be stronger over time than the ability of its political leaders to come together to make tough decisions.”
