Emmanuel Fonte | Music | Art | Leadership
If music be the food of love, play on. Emmanuel Fonte website is about music, art, real estate, architecture, design and decor. Occasionally, I talk about my other passion, hockey.
Whether it’s a new layout, improved seating or clever storage, there are lots of way to make your kitchen work better. But sometimes you have to tear something down to help your kitchen reach its full potential. Check out the before-and-after photos of these three kitchen remodels where walls came down — and let us know if you see a sledgehammer in your own kitchen’s future.
A designer at a design-build firm helps a homeowner pull together her ideas and create a well-functioning space
The homeowner who uses this bathroom enjoys the design and remodeling process, and she was ready to embark on a full bathroom remodel when she visited The Kitchen Studio’s showroom in West Chester, Pennsylvania. “She has a great appreciation for design and high-functioning spaces,” designer Dana Bender says. “In our collaboration, we helped her refine and implement her ideas.” The homeowner’s preferred style is modern with warm organic touches. Bender helped the busy mom put the design together, and the construction arm of the business, Pine Street Carpenters, completed the work.
These pros help solve design problems, manage projects, build smarter homes and much more
Wondering if it’s time to hire an architect? Architects are highly trained, licensed professionals who design buildings and often oversee their construction. If you are thinking of remodeling, adding on or building from scratch, an architect might be the partner you need to see your project through. Here are 10 times it makes sense to invite an architect to bring their vision and creative problem solving to bear on your project
Chandeliers and grand staircases go together like wine and cheese, but the menu of ways to illuminate stairs has expanded dramatically in recent years. Designers now apply multilayered lighting approaches to most spaces, and stairs are no exception. Step lights, linear LED accents and other ingenious lighting tricks help to showcase staircases and make them safer to traverse. Read on to discover eight lighting strategies to make your staircases shine.
From guest writer: Patrick Young
Whether you have a disability, someone in your family does, or you will be caring for someone with mobility issues in the future, there are plenty of reasons why you may need an accessible home. Finding the right home for your needs right now could mean all the difference in determining the quality and quantity of your independent years. Here are some vital tips to remember when you’re searching for that perfect home.
The Perfect Home Probably Doesn’t Exist
This is a hard truth, but a truth nonetheless: More than likely, you’re not going to find a home that meets every single one of your needs. The sooner you realize this, the better off you’ll be. Homes can be modified, so your task is to find the home that best aligns with your accessibility needs, not the one that perfectly adheres to them.
Features You May Want to Consider
Having said that, some homes are much better than others when it comes to what you want as a starting point. Every disability is different, but here are some features and qualities of a potential new home that you may want to consider:
Work Your Modification Costs Into Your Homebuying Budget
If you can afford a $200,000 home and you find a home that costs $200,000 but will need some modifications, then you simply cannot afford that home. It’s important that you make a complete list of every single accessibility modification you’ll need to make to any prospective home and factor that into the cost. Start by checking out a mod cost estimator.
Let the Internet Make House Hunting Easier
Physical house hunting — scheduling in-person showings and spending long Saturdays at open houses — can be taxing, both mentally and physically. However, with apps and other online services that offer everything from photos to videos and virtual tours, you can comfortably hunt from your couch. This will help prevent the dreaded house hunting burnout.
Remember to Study Up on Your Rights and Aid Options
Unfortunately, it has to be addressed: You need to know your rights as a disabled homebuyer. The Fair Housing Act protects you from discrimination in the buying, selling, negotiating, and loan process. Hopefully, you won’t have to exert this knowledge, but it’s best to study up.
There is also assistance to be had — both private and governmental — depending on your income and disability status. You can receive special loans and even grants for home modifications and more if you know where to look.
An accessible home can be your ticket to a happier, healthier life. Finding the right home can seem stressful and overly challenging, but if you can stay under-budget and find a home that meets a majority of your clearly defined needs, you can tweak it to be the perfect fit. House hunting can be arduous, but taking the extra time to make sure you find the right home is well worth it in the long run.
Photo by Gustavo Zambelli on Unsplash
These spaces combine good looks with hardworking design featuresThere are stylish home offices and there are practical home offices. But a home office that’s stylish and practical? That’s a winning combination, and these 10 home offices hit the mark. See how the designers, architects and builders who helped create these rooms did it, and take away ideas for your home office remodel.
The measures will differ depending on the child’s age. For instance, you need to know that soft bedding in your infant’s crib is relatively dangerous because it can cause suffocation. Also, keep in mind that stairs can cause a lot of problems for both toddlers and preschoolers.
As your kids grow up, you’ll also have to remember to keep your front door locked or consider placing the lock higher so they can’t reach it and go out unattended.
I love watching home makeover shows. It’s fascinating to see before-and-afters, but I also enjoy seeing the existing design of a home. I sometimes wonder how architects and interior designers come up with home styles. Today, we’re going to look at 21 house styles from around the world thanks to research from the team at RubberBond.
source: http://rubberbond.co.uk
