Archives for 2013

How Your Father’s Music Indicates What You Listen To Today

June 15, 2013 By EmmanuelFonte Leave a Comment

Do dads really have an influence on the musical tastes of their offspring? This amusing flowchart, created for Father’s Day in honor of dads who rock, predicts the kind of music you prefer by the tunes your father listened to when you were growing up.

However, as a parent, I realize that many times my influence on my teenager has an opposite effect. So the music Dad listened to probably influenced your musical tastes, but if you’re a rebellious contrarian, that exposure might have convinced you to seek out music that’s exactly opposite.

If you’re lucky, your dad exposed you to a variety of music during your formative years, giving you instant familiarity with lots of the music you hear in today’s media-saturated environment. That musical prowess would be yet another blessing to thank your dear old dad for on Father’s Day.

source: Mashable

Filed Under: Blog, Music

Killer Kitchen: Pattern and Color Splashes in Seattle

June 15, 2013 By EmmanuelFonte Leave a Comment

Despite its modern patterned floor and bright orange backsplash, this kitchen has some surprisingly traditional roots. Built in 1917, this Seattle home previously had only one owner, who had done minimal updates over the years. Although the clients didn’t want to keep the rusted metal cabinetry or barely functioning stove, they still wanted to honor the home’s history. Designer Laura Zecke used salvaged materials, dressed up the original floors and framed found art to combine the past with the present in this warm and beautiful design.

Location: Ballard neighborhood of Seattle, Washington
Size: 200 square feet

The original kitchen had a massive 1950s-style stove, with the burners in a drawer. The clients weren’t able to salvage it, but they still wanted to honor the original kitchen in some way. During demolition, they found a bunch of old newspapers in the cabinets, and framed a few select clippings as wall art. The colors in the framed advertisement next to the stove inspired the bright orange of the new $3,000 Blue Star range and glass-painted backsplash.

The original fir floors have a beautiful honey color, but there were some very damaged sections. The homeowners liked the floor’s patina but wanted to distract from the ruined parts. After the first coat of finish, Zeck painted large stenciled sections onto the floor in the same light gray as the walls, then put on two more coats of finish.

See the entire kitchen on Houzz

Filed Under: Appliances, Architecture, Blog, Home Remodel

Decoding the Comparative Market Analysis

June 15, 2013 By EmmanuelFonte Leave a Comment

Moving is hard, and not a move anyone takes lightly. Your house is more than just an investment, it is your home. As you begin the process of distancing yourself from the place where you made so many lasting memories you will begin to think about what your home will be worth to someone else. When you are ready to meet with a real estate broker, you may already have an idea of what your home is worth. You may have seen what other homes in your neighborhood have sold for or kept an eye on local listings. Your broker will prepare a comparative market analysis (CMA) that is an in-depth version of any research you may have done on your own. The CMA is used to help evaluate how your home will fare against the competition. It takes a look at homes that are currently listed, pending (properties under contract) as well as those sold within the past 6 months. The purpose is to find the market value and help position your home on the open market.

A Picture Of Your Home And Its Surroundings

The CMA includes a fact-based portrait of the home including information such as number of bedrooms and baths, approximate square footage, size of major rooms, age of the home, property taxes, and desirable amenities such as fireplaces and pools. In most expert’s opinion, the floor plan or the architectural design of the home I crucial in comparing , since price per square foot is often consider and we need to compare apples to apples. A rambler should be compared to other rambler and a two-story to other two stories etc. an appraiser will do this in the financing process and we want to make sure that we have properly priced the home to appraise and make sure we can take the contract to completion. The range can also vary. Some will just cover a few streets around your home, CMAs can cover areas as narrow as one or two streets surrounding your home, or as broad as an entire subdivision.

Value Is In The Eye Of The Beholder (Or Potential Buyer)

Selling a home isn’t only about the facts. There are many pieces to the puzzle and it’s often the indefinable that impact a potential buyer’s perception of the home. A home purchase remains fundamentally personal. Most transactions are influenced by the buyer’s emotions versus rationalization. Perception can alter reality and so this is an important consideration when looking at a CMA. People make decisions based on curb appeal, light, design choices and many other factors. At the end of each home’s information on the CMA report there will be a brief statement provided by the listing agent that will address some of these subjective factors such as recent remodels, historic features, or things that might be of interest to the buyers. The agent will be marketing the home and is already thinking about how it will be presented as a product to tempt the public.

The CMA Evolution

The CMA is evolving since the Internet era, partly because the potential seller does some homework ahead of time and access to information is no longer just the purview of the real estate professional. It has increased the amount of avenues now available to display more accurate and precise information ranging from short sales, foreclosures and arm-length sales data. While sellers have access to data, an objective professional that is both objective and up to date on contractual nuances, is an asset to a seller in achieving their goal to sell at the highest possible price.

Filed Under: Architecture, Blog, marketing, Real Estate

Stunning Manhattan Loft Makes Genius Use of Tiny Space

June 15, 2013 By EmmanuelFonte Leave a Comment

small space manhattan apartment overview

When it comes to apartments in Manhattan, you’ve often got to be creative with the space you’ve got. Specht Harpman transformed a claustrophobic, dark micro-loft in Manhattan into a four-level living space that looks far larger than it actually is.

The first level features a small bathroom and a space-saving kitchen with wrap-around counters that extend around into the living space.

The living room occupies the home’s second level and makes clever use of the staircase by incorporating multiple storage cubbies and drawers. This solution keeps the space uncluttered and open, while the open staircase with cables running from the stairs to the very top of the apartment provide a sense of continuity.

The third level of the home is occupied by a serene sleeping area. The lofted bed nook looks out over the living room below. Another staircase offers even more under-stair storage compartments and leads up to the fourth level: a grassy rooftop terrace.

The micro-loft makes exceptionally smart use of the very little space it occupies, balancing wide open spaces – like a couple of tall, blank walls – with compact details. The light walls and dark floors give the apartment a timeless, classic look while the unique layout is thoroughly modern.

Filed Under: Architecture, Blog

Building a New Music Room Part 6

June 14, 2013 By EmmanuelFonte Leave a Comment

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Th last installment in the series. Here are part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4 & part 5.

Filed Under: Architecture, Blog, Music, Technology

6 Ways a Home May Turn Off Buyers

June 13, 2013 By EmmanuelFonte Leave a Comment

Bankrate.com recently featured a list of the top ways buyers back away from a home listed for sale. Its list includes these items, among others:

1. Dirt: “The No. 1 biggest mistake is not getting the home in the best possible condition. That’s huge,” says Chad Goldwasser of Goldwasser Real Estate in Austin, Texas. “I won’t even represent sellers at this point unless they are fully aware of how important it is to get their home in the absolute best condition that they’ve ever had it in.” Goldwasser suggests also steam-cleaning tile and grout and carpets and replacing carpets if necessary.

2. Odors: “Odors are a big one, especially kitchen odors,” says Julie Dana, co-author of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Staging Your Home to Sell. “I advise my clients not to cook fried food, fish, or greasy food while the house is on the market. … Interestingly, next to the kitchen, the smelliest room in the house is actually the living room. That’s typically the room that has the most fabric, so that is where odors get absorbed.” She recommends having curtains and upholstery cleaned, particularly if someone in the home is a smoker, and taking steps to eliminate any pet odors.

3. Old fixtures: “You need to change out old fixtures in your house,” Goldwasser says, adding outdated ceiling fans and light fixtures should be replaced prior to listing a home. “New cabinet hardware and doorknobs will probably cost all of $400 or $500, but it makes a huge difference.”

4. Wallpaper: When buyers see wallpaper, they think of another thing to add to their to-do list, says Dana. “Wallpaper is extremely personalized. You’ve spent hours looking over books to pick out the wallpaper you want,” she says. “What are the odds that the person walking in the door will also like that wallpaper that you picked out?”

5. Popcorn acoustic ceilings: These ceiling were popular in the 1960s and 1970s but now can date a home. Still, it can be a mess and costly to remove, so real estate professionals say sellers may need to be prepared to credit a buyer in certain markets if they decide to keep the popcorn ceiling when selling a home.

6. Too many personal items: Cluttered homes make it difficult for buyers to see past the home owner’s belongings and start envisioning themselves there. “Anything that makes your house scream ‘you’ is what you don’t want,” Dana says. “I tell all my clients that how we decorate to live and how we decorate to sell are different, and right now, we’re decorating to sell.”

Source: “10 Ways to Turn Off a Would-Be Homebuyer,” Bankrate.com

Filed Under: Blog, Housing Market, marketing, Real Estate

Top Reasons Renters Say They Want to Own

June 13, 2013 By EmmanuelFonte Leave a Comment

A recent study by mortgage giant Fannie Mae showed that 90 percent of renters aspire to be home owners one day, and the top reason behind that desire is for the sense of gaining greater control over their living arrangements.

The survey revealed the following top reasons why renters want to own:

“Control over what you do with your living space”: 84% of renters said this was their main desire for owning;
“Having a sense of privacy and security”: 80%
“Having the best investment plan”: 78%
“Having a good place for family or to raise your children”: 78%
“Living in a nicer home”: 71%
“Building wealth”: 70%
“Saving for retirement”: 69%

In the survey, renters identified the following reasons for why they are renting:

“Living within your budget”: 57%
“Having less stress”: 52%
“Making the best decision given the current economic climate”: 50%

Source: “Why It’s True: You Should Own, Not Rent,” TheStreet.com

Filed Under: Blog, Housing Market, real estate financing, Real Estate Investment, Real Estate Updates

How to Turn a Spare Closet Into a Home Office

June 13, 2013 By EmmanuelFonte Leave a Comment

A creatively used closet can serve many purposes in a home, and this closet-turned-workspace is one of the smartest (and coolest) uses we’ve seen. The DIY team at Family Handyman shows you how to build your own space-saving home office in this step-by-step tutorial.

Overview

In this tutorial, we’ll show you how to build and install wall shelf cabinets and a countertop and under-mount drawers, including how to adjust the dimensions to fit these projects in your closet. We’ll also show you an easy way to conceal all those cords that usually dangle down behind the desk. We’ve included a materials list, but you’ll have to adjust the quantities to fit your closet. The project shown here is constructed with birch plywood and boards and cost us about $400.

This is a great project for any intermediate to advanced DIYer. There’s no complicated joinery—the wall shelves and drawers are just wooden boxes that are screwed together. We used a table saw to cut the plywood, a narrow-crown staple gun to attach the shelf backs and drawer bottoms, and an 18-gauge nailer to attach the face frames. If you don’t have these tools, you can use a circular saw and straightedge guide to cut the plywood, and a good old-fashioned hammer and nails. It will just take a little longer.

Tools and Materials

Hammer
Miter saw
Narrow-crown staple gun
Tape measure
Circular saw
Drill/driver, cordless
Level
Impact driver
Framing square
Hearing protection
Hole saw kit
Hot melt glue gun
Safety glasses
Table saw
Wood glue

Step One: Measure Your Closet and Customize the Plan to Fit

Start by measuring the distance between the side walls. Keeping in mind that 32 in. is about the maximum width for a plywood shelf, decide how many shelf units you need. To figure out exactly how wide each cabinet should be, subtract 1-1/2 in. from the total measurement and divide the remainder by the number of cabinets. This will leave a 3/4-in. space between the cabinet and the wall at each end that you’ll cover with the face frame. This 3/4-in. space makes it easy to install the shelf cabinets in the closet without worrying about an exact fit.

We needed three 27-1/2-in.-wide cabinets to fit our 84-in.-wide closet. We built the cabinets 47-3/4 in. tall. If you have standard 8-ft.-tall walls, the cabinets will reach the ceiling. After you do the calculations, double-check your math by drawing lines on the closet wall. Draw a level line 28-1/2 in. from the floor to mark the bottom of the 1-1/2-in.-thick countertop. Then draw another line 47-1/2 in. from the floor for the bottom of the wall cabinets. Finally, draw vertical lines for the sides of the cabinets.

How to Turn a Spare Closet Into a Home Office

You’ll also have to decide how wide to make the drawers. You can use the technique we show here to build drawers in a size and configuration that will work best in your closet. The key is to build the frame and mount the drawer slides before you build the drawers. Then you can measure between the slides (photo 8) and build the drawers to fit.

Step Two: Mount the Countertop

The countertop is two layers of plywood that are glued and screwed together. It rests on cleats that are screwed to the wall studs. Start by measuring the closet interior at the level of the countertop. Use a framing square to check the corners. Deduct 1/4 in. from the length and depth to allow for the top to fit easily. You can cover any gaps with the backsplash. Transfer these measurements to your plywood and cut out the two pieces. Use less-expensive plywood for the bottom if you like. Screw 1×2 cleats to the back, side and front walls to support the top (Photo 1). Then drop the top into place and attach it from underneath with 2-1/2-in. screws (Photo 2). Finish the front edge with a 2-1/4-in.-wide board (Photo 3).

How to Turn a Spare Closet Into a Home Office

Photo 1: Draw level lines for the bottom of the countertop and cabinets. Draw vertical lines to indicated the sides of the cabinets. Then screw countertop supports to the studs at the back and sides of the closet.

How to Turn a Spare Closet Into a Home Office

Photo 2: Screw through the countertop supports into the countertop. Lay something heavy on top, or ask a helper to press down while you drive the screws.

How to Turn a Spare Closet Into a Home Office

Photo 3: Glue and nail a board to the front to cover the plywood and add strength. Wipe off glue squeeze-out with a damp rag.

Step Three: Build the Wall Shelf Cabinets

Start by cutting the parts from the 4 x 8-ft. sheets of plywood. If you’re using a table saw, keep the good side of the plywood facing up as you cut the parts. If you’re using a circular saw, face the good side down so that any splintering or chipping won’t show. We think it’s easier to finish the parts before you assemble them.

It’s also easier to install the shelf standards to the cabinet sides before you put the cabinet together. Make sure the shelf standards are oriented the right way. We put a piece of masking tape on the top of each side to keep track. Here’s a building tip you can use for the cabinet and drawer boxes: Nail the cabinet sides to the top and bottom before you drill pilot holes for the screws. The nails hold the parts in perfect alignment while you drill the holes and drive the 1-5/8-in. screws. Screw the sides to the top and bottom (Photo 4). Then nail on the back. If you were careful to cut the 1/4-in. plywood back accurately, you can square the cabinet by aligning it with the back before nailing it on (Photo 5). You’ll cover the front edge of the cabinets with a wood face frame after they’re mounted (Photo 7). Finish the front edge of the plywood shelves with iron-on edge banding. See this article for complete instructions on installing edge banding.

Start the cabinet installation by screwing a 1×2 ledger to the wall to support the wall cabinets. Align the top edge of the board with the 47-1/2-in.-high level line and drive a screw at each stud location. Next, measure from the vertical lines to the center of the wall studs, and transfer these measurements to the hanging strip at the top of each wall cabinet so you’ll know where to drive the cabinet installation screws. Hang the cabinets by resting the bottom edge on the ledger, tipping them up against the wall, and driving 3-in. screws through the hanging strip into the studs (Photo 6). Secure the bottom of the cabinets by driving a nail or screw down into the ledger. Connect the fronts of the cabinets by hiding 1-1/4-in. screws under the shelf standards. Complete the installation by nailing on the face frames (Photo 7). We used a 1×3 for the bottom face frame to hide the under-cabinet lighting.

How to Turn a Spare Closet Into a Home Office

Photo 4: Mount shelf standards on the cabinet sides before assembly. Then screw the sides to the bottom top with 1-5/8-in. screws. Drill pilot holes to prevent the plywood from splitting.

How to Turn a Spare Closet Into a Home Office

Photo 5: Use the plywood back as a guide for squaring the cabinet. Apply a bead of glue. Then nail one edge of the plywood back to the cabinet side. Then adjust the cabinet box as needed to align the remaining edges and nail these.

How to Turn a Spare Closet Into a Home Office

Photo 6: Rest the bottom of the cabinets on the ledger and tilt the cabinet up. Drive 3-in. screws through the hanging strip at the top of the cabinet into the studs.

How to Turn a Spare Closet Into a Home Office

Photo 7: Nail a 1×3 to the lower cabinet edge to create a valance for the under-cabinet lighting. Nail 1x2s to the cabinet top and sies to cover the raw plywood edges.

Step Four: Build the Drawers

You can buy drawer slides that mount directly to the underside of a desk or countertop, but we’ll show you another method that allows you to use high-quality, side-mounted drawer slides. We bought these full-extension ball-bearing slides at the local home center. They cost about $15 per drawer. But you can substitute less-expensive epoxy-coated slides to save some money. You’ll have to measure your closet to figure out the drawer sizes. Just make sure the drawers clear the open closet doors.

Building the drawer support frame is straightforward. Start by laying two of the stringers side by side and marking the location of the drawer dividers on them. Ball-bearing slides are not very forgiving, so measure and attach the drawer dividers carefully so the dividers are perfectly parallel when the frame is assembled.

For our 24-in.-deep countertop, we used 20-in. drawer slides. We cut the drawer dividers 20 in. long and built the drawer boxes 20 in. deep. If your closet is shallower, use shorter slides and adjust these dimensions to match. The drawer slides have two parts. One mounts to the dividers and the other to the drawer. Remove the part that attaches to the drawer according to the included instructions. Then screw the part of the slide with the ball bearings to the dividers, aligning the bottom edges. The center dividers will have drawer slides on both sides. Screw through the stringers into the drawer dividers to build the frame. Be careful to keep the front of the drawer slides facing forward. Then add the second layer of stringers. Check the frame against a framing square as you screw it together to make sure it’s square. When the frame is complete, measure between the slides to determine the drawer sizes (Photo 8).

Build the drawers by screwing through the sides into the fronts and backs, and then gluing and nailing on the plywood bottom. Nail one edge of the bottom to the drawer box. Then use a framing square to square the drawer box before nailing the other three edges. To attach the drawer slide to the drawers, we first drew lines 1-7/8 in. down from the top edges of the drawers (Photo 9). You may have to adjust this distance to match your drawer slides. The dimension isn’t critical as long as there’s about a 1/4-in. clearance between the drawer and the stringer when the drawer is mounted. Then sight through the screw holes in the slides to center them on the line before attaching them with the included screws.

Finish the drawer installation by attaching the frame to the underside of the countertop (Photo 10) and installing the fronts. Hold the drawer frame back 3/4 in. from the back of the countertop edging. Install the drawers by lining up the slides and pushing them in. Photo 11 shows a tip for aligning the drawer fronts. The hot-melt glue holds the fronts temporarily. Attach them permanently by opening the drawers and driving four 1-1/4-in. screws through the drawer box into the drawer front from the inside.

How to Turn a Spare Closet Into a Home Office

Photo 8: Make sure your drawers fit perfectly by building the drawer frame first. Then measure between the slides and build your drawers exactly this width.

How to Turn a Spare Closet Into a Home Office

Photo 9: Draw a line parallel to the top of the drawer to indicate the center of the drawer slide. Line up the slide by centering the line in screw holes. Attach the slide with the screws provided.

How to Turn a Spare Closet Into a Home Office

Photo 10: Make center marks on the frame and the underside of the counter and align them. Then use a spacer to set the frame 3/4 in. back from the countertop edging and drive the screws.

How to Turn a Spare Closet Into a Home Office

Photo 11: Starting with the center drawer front, dab on hotmelt glue and press it against the drawer. Quickly center the drawer front 1/4 in. below the countertop edge. Hold it still for about 10 seconds until the glue cools. Now position the other two drawer fronts. Drive screws from the inside.

Step Five: Finish it Off With a Cord-Concealing Backsplash

Here’s a handy method to hide cords and still have easy access to them: simply mount a backsplash board about 4 in. from the back wall to create a cord trough. Drill holes through the face and install cord grommets to allow cords to pass through. We found 2-in. cord grommets at the home center, but since they were a loose fit in the 2-in. hole, we held them in place with a dab of silicone caulk. Lay a multi-outlet power strip behind the backsplash for extra outlets. We drilled a hole through the countertop so that we could plug the power strip into a wall outlet. You can also nail backsplash boards to the end walls for a more finished look.

How to Turn a Spare Closet Into a Home Office

Photo 12: Attach the backsplash with cleats, holding it about 4 in. from the wall. Then drill holes where you’ll have cords and install cord grommets.

A Note on Lighting

We’re not showing how to wire your closet office here, but chances are you’ll want to add at least one electrical outlet and possibly cable, phone, or network wiring. We’ve got tons of how-to information to help you add an electrical outlet. Keep in mind that the new National Electrical Code requires that closet outlets be arc fault protected. This means you’ll have to either connect to or add a circuit that’s protected by an arc fault circuit interrupter (AFCI). While you’re adding wiring, check out this article on adding a light.

How to Turn a Closet Into an Office | The Family Handyman

Filed Under: Architecture, Blog, Furniture, Home Care, Home Remodel, Technology

The 2013 Stanley Cup Final

June 12, 2013 By EmmanuelFonte Leave a Comment

An in depth look at the two teams contending for the Stanley Cup, Chicago Blackhawks and Boston Bruins. Taking in account of their Playoffs and Regular Season standings as well.

Filed Under: Blog, Hockey