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An early SketchUp of my kitchen plan |
Saturday, March 6, 2021
Free Kitchen Design Apps to Make Your Designs, Floor Plans, and Mood Boards
Monday, March 1, 2021
This First 3D-Printed Home Took Just 10 Days to Build
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via Zillow |
A home-building process that uses a 3D printer to produce cement walls may finally crack the code on affordable housing. Imagine a giant printer that squeezes out row after row of cement as it traces the footprint of the home, building out all the walls, both internal and external. A two-person crew is there to watch and troubleshoots errors as the skeleton of the structure goes up over a period of eight to nine days. Then the machine backfill walls, as the crew installs anchor bolts and assembles pre-built timber pieces for the roof. When the structure is complete, finishers come in to finish walls, paint, apply siding, and roof, while a third crew installs fixtures and appliances. The method is said to be stronger and more durable than wood-frame construction house at half the building cost.
Saturday, February 27, 2021
Is the Pink Bathroom Back?
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via Yellow Brick Home |
Anyone who has ever renovated an old home has likely encountered "the pink bathroom." It's often the first thing you see hit the dumpster in home renovation shows. The once-ubiquitous fixtures are lined up like pastel tombstones in architectural salvage yards everywhere and can be had for a relative pittance. But not for long! Savvy renovators are snapping them up. Repurposed in a more modern context, pink console sinks look especially fresh and new. Could we be on the cusp of a return of the pink bathroom?
Wednesday, February 24, 2021
Restoring Chipped Laminate on a Saarinen Pedestal Table
Tuesday, February 23, 2021
The Least Expensive "True" Counter-Depth Refrigerator Solutions
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via Bosch |
Friday, February 12, 2021
Why It's Nearly Impossible to "Flip" in New York City
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Photo: RedFin.com |
Several years ago a listing for a 900 sq ft two-bedroom in our neighborhood caught my eye. Back in September of that year the same unit on another floor sold for $230k. Why the giant price differential? The latter was a wreck, indeed, as these side-by-side photos show. Fast-forward a few years and a relisting caused a flurry of speculation in the real estate community of the Jackson Heights Life forum. Did someone "flip" that wreck? It brought up a good question: Can you even "flip" in New York? The answer is no, at least, not in the conventional sense.
Thursday, February 11, 2021
Drab Kitchen Colors: A British Invasion
Bespoke craftsman kitchens of DeVol and Plain English, and the latter's off-the-shelf brand British Standard, have been gradually weaning us off our white open kitchens in favor of neatly milled and kitted-out snugs. Leading the sensory seduction has been color: golden ochres, muddy pinks, green-y grays, and moody blues. They are hues that would have looked right at home in Great-Great Grammy's Victorian farmhouse, though this time around they feel fresh and modern. Let's call them "the drabs."
Wednesday, July 15, 2020
CottageCore: Hemp Sink Skirt (No-Sew)
Tuesday, July 14, 2020
CottageCore: Painting the Kitchen Cabinets Farrow & Ball "Pigeon"
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Tuesday, May 19, 2020
The Artful Home: Artwork in Interior Design
Friday, May 1, 2020
Kitchen Design: Think of Each Run as a Vignette
When I decided to open up some walls for our kitchen renovation, I knew I'd have to consider the design carefully from every angle. What would be the first impression when you entered our home? How much kitchen could you see from the entryway? Sitting on the sofa and gazing over at the kitchen, would I be looking at a sinkful of dishes? A hulking stainless steel appliance? On the wall of the sink elevation: Did I really need wall cabinets, which would block the line of sight to the window? It pays to consider every elevation as a vignette. These are the considerations that gave shape to my kitchen design.
Saturday, March 7, 2020
Spray-Painted Kitchen-Sink Faucet One Year Later
Sunday, February 23, 2020
Painting the Cottage Kitchen Cabinets a "Beachier" Color
Despite its modest size and lack of insulation, our 1925 beach cottage has its charms, and we spend nearly every weekend of summer there. Cabins of the era, even when not a primary residence, can be a source of endless projects. Every year it seems something needs repair or sprucing up. We renovated the kitchen 11 years ago using IKEA cabinets that we painted ourselves, and it's held up fairly well. I only just refinished the wood countertops last summer. This year I'm planning a cabinet-color refresh to something a bit more "beach-y." After considering dozens of possibilities, I've arrived at the perfect paint color. Let's take a look.
Saturday, February 1, 2020
My Honed Marble Bath - SIx Years Later
Friday, January 10, 2020
Fixer Upper Friday: 1 BR in Carlton House Converts to 2
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Via Streeteasy |
Thursday, December 12, 2019
Rudolf Reindeer Cookies
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Matthew Cohen |
Friday, November 29, 2019
Installing LED Accent Lighting Above a Run of Bookcases—Easy DIY
Saturday, October 12, 2019
Rope-Wrapped Exposed Steam Pipe—Four Years Later
Like most co-op homes in New York City that were built in the early 20th century, ours is heated by steam that runs up risers from a giant boiler in the basement and heats up radiators in each room. Love or hate it, steam heat is what it is, and so we deal. The two exposed pipes—one in the bathroom and one in the kitchen—get very hot. After scalding myself getting out of the shower our first winter here, I made wrapping the exposed heating pipes in rope my special project before the next cold wave. Many have asked how our rope-wrapped pipes are standing up to wear. Well, having just replaced the original manila rope in the bathroom with sisal rope, I thought I'd explain why.