“Refocusing on what you do want
will take you in the direction of what you want.”
— Joe Vitale
Archives for January 2014
SONOS Home Theater
January 23, 2014 By Leave a Comment
Sonos has been making great iPhone- and iPad-controlled smart, connected speakers for years. Recently they’ve moved into the home theater space as well. Now, not only can you get all your audio anywhere in your house, but you can get up to 5.1 surround sound in your living room. Easily. But how does is work with iOS 7 and Apple TV, and more importantly, how well?
While I’ve been aware of Sonos for a long time, it wasn’t until recently that I became really interested in it. That’s mainly because Kevin Michaluk wouldn’t shut up about it. Kevin loved that Sonos integrated with the services he already used, like Songza on the ‘net and his iTunes library on his Mac. Not only that, he said Songza provided a better experience through Sonos than it did through its own web site or app. He also loved that his fiancee could easily use the Sonos app to control all the music in their house. Being able to scale from super geek to regular person and back was the killer feature for Kevin. But for me, someone who rarely listens to music, it wasn’t that enticing. The home theater was.
read the rest here.
How to Make Your Garage a Storage Powerhouse
January 21, 2014 By Leave a Comment
New project for a new year: Add shelving and containers to get your stuff off the garage floor — and still have room for the car
Garages often turn into repositories for everything from sports equipment to holiday decorations. But with planning you can turn your garage into a harmonious space with room to actually — wait for it — park the car.
Project: Get professionally designed garage storage.
Why: “The garage is definitely the most underutilized space in the house,” says Amanda Le Blanc, a professional organizer (she owns The Amandas in Birmingham, Alabama) and spokesperson for Organized Living. “I prefer the garage to the attic for storage, because a garage actually has less temperature fluctuation.”
Where to Splurge, Where to Save in Your Remodel
January 20, 2014 By Leave a Comment
Learn how to balance your budget and set priorities to get the home features you want with the least compromise
Planning a remodel is always a financial balancing act, no matter the budget. Chances are, you’ll need to scrimp a little (or a lot) to make room in the budget for the things that are most important to you. But how do you make those decisions?
While setting a remodeling budget is a very personal endeavor, it can help to get a big-picture view from someone who does this stuff for a living. We caught up with the Best of Houzz pros at Bill Fry Construction for their take on the subject.
History of Interior Design
January 19, 2014 By Leave a Comment
Everyone wants their homes to look nice. From the cavemen to the Egyptians and the Baroque to Regency, people across the ages have witnessed a remarkable transformation of daily life and domestic decoration. Indulging in lavish décor and rich colors, interior design has seen a fine array of styles as homeowners look to transform the look in their homes. This infographic from Terrys Fabrics looks back in time and explores the history of interior design according to the trends at the time.
Real Estate Prices vs. Super Bowl Appearances
January 19, 2014 By Leave a Comment
Guest post from Andy Fulton
Fact: Seven of the 10 NFL teams that have gone to the Super Bowl the most (five times or more) are from cities with HIGH median home prices, when compared to the average median home price of cities with NFL teams.
Fact: Nine of the 13 NFL teams that have gone to the Super Bowl the least (one time or less) are from cities with LOW median home prices, when compared to the average median home price of cities with NFL teams.
These two facts beg the following question: Is there somehow a correlation between the number of times a professional football team has gone to the Super Bowl and the real estate prices found in their home city? Keep reading to find out!
Upgrade Your House With New Interior Doors
January 18, 2014 By Leave a Comment
New project for a new year: Enhance your home’s architecture with new interior doors you’ll love to live with every day
Interior doors play a more important role than you might realize. While they are minor elements in the grand scheme, they add architectural detail and style to a house. As something we use every day, doors create a tactile experience that leaves a significant impression. Closing a solid wood door, for example, feels very different than closing a hollow door made of synthetic materials.
For a house with modest detail, beautiful doors may add enough interest to make the spaces feel more stylistically specific. Even if your house has significant architecture, upgraded doors can complement and complete your design. For example, gilt, intricate details and the best stained wood finish make this Italian door remarkable. (We’ll get into looks for modern and other home styles soon.)