If you’ve ever had to repair a door you know it can be challenging. Here’s a great video to show you how to easily do your own fix.
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Archives for 2013
Illegal to sell a new home without a charging station in one city
October 6, 2013 By Leave a Comment
An article I found on AGBeat caught my attention.
The City Council for Palo Alto, California unanimously adopted a new policy making it illegal to sell a new home without an electric car charging station, betting big on electric vehicles – perhaps as the city is home to luxury electric vehicle maker Tesla?
Read the entire article here.
Update Your Kitchen for Under $100
October 4, 2013 By Leave a Comment
If your kitchen could stand for some enhancements, but a full-scale remodel (and its hefty price tag) has you hoping the ‘80s will make a décor comeback, we have some ideas for you.
These five easy-but-impactful tweaks will give your galley an updated feel. No drills (or banks loans) required.
Swap out the knobs.
Are your knobs bringing you down? Very possibly.
Outdated or underwhelming drawer and cabinet knobs often present one of the biggest opportunities for kitchen improvement.
And luckily, it’s an easy fix!
To make a bold statement, look to bright colors, offbeat materials and the animal kingdom for inspiration.
Display like you mean it.
Kitchen clutter is just another term for décor that hasn’t reached its full potential. Really!
Replace brand-laden packaging with classic jars or canisters and arrange with an eye toward balance: store different food types among uniform containers.
Experiment with labeling, if you like, or keep it simple. Either way, this will add major polish on the cheap.
Deck the walls.
Kitchens are mostly about function, but they deserve a little fashion, too!
Hang a small shelf to artfully display cookbooks and quirky knickknacks like vintage scales or Japanese chef figurines.
Have fun with it!
The beauty of the shelf is that it lets you inject character into your kitchen without using up valuable countertop space.
Step up your textiles.
Kitchen towels and mats present an equally simple and fun way to step up your game.
If your kitchen is a little soft spoken, let the fabric do the talking.
There are countless finds out there, including these fantastic state pride towels from Fab.com.
If your kitchen already has a good color scheme going, opt for simpler textiles that complement the space.
Add nature.
Plants are a mindful decorator’s silver bullet.
Not only do they help clean your home’s air, they also add warmth to a room and don’t cost much.
Given your kitchen’s fluctuations in temperature, it’s best to display plants in a windowsill where they can thrive.
Go with a planter’s box or hanging baskets.
Tip:A few species that make good kitchen companions are: Aluminum Plant, Carex, Comb Flower and Desert Privet.
By BrightNest
BrightNest is a free site that provides tools and tips to homeowners to help them save money, get organized and keep their homes in great shape. Sign up for a free BrightNest account today!
Friday Inspiration
October 4, 2013 By Leave a Comment
“Change the way you look at things, and the things you look at change.” Wayne W. Dyer
High-Tech Home That Monitors Itself
October 3, 2013 By Leave a Comment
Not long ago a friend let us borrow her hybrid car so we could travel from Port Angeles, Washington, to Seattle. The car was amazingly energy efficient. A really cool feature was the dashboard display, which provided constant feedback on energy use and source. For example, when we were waiting at a drawbridge, we could see just when the gas engine provided power and when the car was in battery mode only. And while in motion, the display kept us informed as to how many miles per gallon we were getting. Sure enough, having that instant feedback altered the way I drove, going a little slower and not being, as my wife would say, Speed Racer all the time.
And the car was quite comfortable, even luxurious. It was a larger sedan that I could fit in comfortably, and it had a terrific sound system. Not once did we feel like we were giving up something in the name of efficiency. Which brings up the question: If we can build cars like this, why can’t we do the same for houses?
Well, the good news is we can. Here’s just one example: a home designed by Lake/Flato Architects, where some wonderful architecture is combined with energy efficiency for a truly special home.
Smart Kitchen Investment: Lighting for Function and Good Looks, Too
October 3, 2013 By Leave a Comment
Lighting tends to be one of the most overlooked and under-appreciated aspects of a kitchen during the design process. There is an art to lighting a kitchen, though lighting usually goes unnoticed unless it’s planned poorly. And that isn’t discovered until after the contractor is long gone.
Remember the days when kitchens were lit with a single fixture in the center of the ceiling and maybe some fluorescent accents that would constantly flicker? There’s no excuse for that anymore, thanks to the vast array of lighting options and industry experts available to devise a custom plan for your kitchen.
I spoke with two such experts, interior designer Katie Anderson and lighting designer Randall Whitehead, about the importance of investing time and money into a proper lighting plan, and how to design the best scheme for any kitchen.
