Sunday, May 13th, 2012
A home doesn’t need to be modern to be green, but I like the modern ones. I’d love to see entire neighborhoods of modern green homes. I like the idea of changing the way we perceive the single-family home, too. Denser neighborhoods ? Sure. Residential wind turbines? Definitely. Solar on the roof? You bet. But right now, we’re still in the early stages of recognizing legitimate green homes. And as far as certified green homes are concerned, there’s only SEVEN LEED Platinum homes right now. That’s changing though. I think it’s important to study green homes and their lighter footprint, so I’ve put together my list of the Top 5 Super Green Modern Homes. They’re ultra-stylish and ultra-green. Two have obtained the Platinum certification, two are aiming for it, and one is super green no certifications needed. They’re listed below in no particular order.
PROJECT7TEN – Venice, CA (under construction)
This home was designed by Melinda Gray, founder of GRAYmatter Architecture, and is currently under construction. Upon completion in the fall, there will be an open house for everyone to take a peek. You may even be able to buy it, if you’re interested. Located at 710 Milwood Avenue in Venice, California, this home is shooting for LEED Platinum certification. Some planned green features include a rainwater reclamation system and grey water recycling, locally-sourced sustainable materials, recycled content countertops and insulation, FSC-certified lumber, rooftop solar panels, native landscaping for shading, Energy Star appliances, and Kohler water-efficient fixtures. Visit the Project7ten website.
MKLOTUS – San Francisco, CA (under construction) 
Designed by Michelle Kaufmann Designs and built by ExtremeHomes, mkLotus will be unveiled at West Coast Green in San Francisco from September 20-22, 2007. Some planned green features include a green living roof, rooftop solar power (100% powered by solar), rain and groundwater catchment system, grey water system, FSC-certified wood for framing, SIP wall assembly, open cell foam insulation by Icynene, Noritz on-demand water heater, folding glass door walls by Nanawall, bamboo flooring, no-VOC paints by Yolo, LED lighting throughout, EcoResin interior sliding door panels by 3form, Energy Star appliances, countertops by Concreteworks, FSC-certified cabinets over Roseburg Skyblend particleboard, floor and wall recycled glass tiles by Terra Green, and water-efficient fixtures by Kohler. Visit the mkLotus website.
5IVE – Minneapolis, MN (under construction)
John Dwyer, professor at University of Minnesota and founder of Shelter Architecture, designed this home for Jeff and Saleno Gallo. 5IVE is built with precast concrete walls with an r-value in the 30s, has one of the most efficient heating and cooling systems on the market, and will use the greenest possible materials, products, appliances, and fixtures. I like reading 5IVE’s blog called “Diary of a LEED Platinum Home,” which shares with us decisions, events, and thoughts en route to completion. Visit the 5IVE website.
LIVINGHOMES RK1 – Santa Monica, CA (completed)
This is the first residential building to receive the USGBC’s Platinum LEED-H rating, and due to the media frenzy associated with this home, it has raised the bar for what’s possible in residential construction: zero energy, zero water, zero waste, zero carbon, and zero emissions. LivingHomes received a total of 91 out of a total possible 108 points required to obtain the Platinum rating. It will be 80% more efficient than similar sized home and was constructed with 75% less waste than a traditional one. Some green features of this house include a rooftop photovoltaic system, radiant heating system within the floor, grey water system for irrigation, LED lighting, EnviroGlas recycled glass countertops, and the use of low-VOC paints and FSC-certified lumber. Visit the LivingHomes website.
HEATHER’S HOME – Weatherford, TX (completed)
Designed by Gary Olp of GGO Architects, this home is the first home in Texas to receive LEED-H Platinum certification. Heather’s Home is 2,038 sf and was built for about $117 psf. But what’s more incredible is the heating and cooling bill, which averages from $20-30 per month — pretty incredible for Texas! Some green features of this house include a rainwater collection system with 3,000 gallon holding tank, low-flush toilets, native landscaping, 20 SEER Daikin HVAC system, tankless water heater powered by rooftop solar panels, Green Guard certified Formica kitchen counters, and InterFLOR modular carpet. Visit the Heather’s Home website.
sources : http://freshome.com/2007/09/12/top-5-green-homes-with-a-modern-look/
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Wednesday, May 2nd, 2012
Are you moving into a new home? It’s probably an exciting time for you and your family. You’ll be moving into a new place that has new sights and sounds. Unfortunately, there’s a lot of packing that needs to be done in a short amount of time.
Take some of the stress out of moving by having a plan to avoid problems that may pop up. Once you have a solid plan in place, the transition from your old home to your new one can be easier and will be more enjoyable for everyone.
Deciding What Stays and What Goes
Do you really need to take that beat-up couch in the basement to your new home? What about those garbage bags full of stuffed animals your teenage kids no longer play with? These are serious things to consider, because you can waste valuable time and money moving stuff you don’t need. Take the time before you pack to decide what things you’ll take with you and what things will be donated, put up for sale or given away to other family members or friends.
Be ruthless in your decisions. If you haven’t used something or looked at it for 12 months or more, it’s a safe bet that you don’t need it anymore. Try to base your decisions on several factors, such as:
• Will the item fit into your new decor plans?
• Do you have numerous similar items, and can you part with a few of them?
• Will large furniture pieces fit through the door openings or windows of your new home?
• Are the items run-down to the point where buying new items will be better?
If you truly can’t get rid of things, like that eight-track collection that’s been sitting in an attic box, consider putting it into storage. Place the items into durable containers that are airtight and waterproof. This will guarantee them to be in good condition when you want to dig them up again.
Taking Care of Money Matters
Don’t forget about taking care of your bills and finances while you’re packing. If you have bills due during the week of your move, make sure to pay them a week ahead of time. Call utility companies and schedule the day you want all your utilities turned on.
Also, have emergency cash on hand in case anything unexpected happens during the move. You’ll also want to have a bit of spending cash during the first couple of days of your move to order take-out or eat at a restaurant since cookware won’t be unpacked yet or you’ll be too tired to cook.
Moving Yourself or Having Helpers
The most important thing you have to decide is whether you’ll be moving all the items yourself, have family and friends help or hire a moving company. The most cost-effective approach is to move the items yourself, but you may not be able to do this because of the number of items you have or any health problems that hinder you.
Enlisting your family and friends is another option — just make sure to compensate them for all the hard work and time they took to help you out. If conflicting work schedules prevent friends from helping out, and you can’t get family members to lend a hand, consider hiring a moving company.
Moving companies are ideal if you’re involved in a long distance move. A moving company can ensure your items will be moved safely to your new place. Always research moving companies you’re interested in so you hire a legitimate business. Always check with the Better Business Bureau to see how many complaints were issued against the company.
Enjoy Your Move
Moving can be stressful, but if you give yourself enough time to plan and pack, you can enjoy it more. Don’t hesitate to ask for help from family and friends or hire a moving company to do the work. Try to make your move as easy as possible so you can start relaxing in your new home.
Jessica is interested in organization and DIY projects. She enjoys reading and spending time outdoors.
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Friday, April 27th, 2012
A building inspection is not the first thing that comes to a lot of peoples’ minds. Building inspections can serve a number of different purposes. They make sure the house you are occupying is safe for friends and family and a building inspection can also significantly alter the value of a house or building you are looking to buy or trying to sell. The report generated by the building inspection can tell you a great deal about where you are living or would like to live. A building inspection is a complicated process, but not for the person who is requesting the inspection. When I was buying a property in Brisbane, it was heavily infested and I didn’t know. I wish I had done a pre-purchase building and pest inspection by these guys
Hrte’s what the inspectors do:
After placing a call to the inspectors office and setting up an appointment, a Building Inspector will come to the property. Their job is to check on everything that makes the building what it is. They will inspect the walls, the foundation, the roof and the floors. This is a major thing since any of these not being in great condition could reduce the safety of the dwelling. The inspector will examine the electrical lines running through out the building as bad or faulty wiring is the cause of many fires. It is the job of the inspector to go over the entire property with a fine toothed comb to find any flaws the building may have. They even go into such detail that they will check the pipes and smoke detectors to assure they are all in working order. After checking over the building, they will go on to inspect the rest of the property including the lawn.
For the seller, a good inspection result can mean an increase in the value of a home. Although it is costly to have an inspector come to the property, it can be well worth it in the end. For a home buyer, having a house inspected before purchasing it is a good idea. It will allow them to know what flaws can be found in and outside of the building. With a detailed inspection report, the buyer can then know if the house is worth purchasing or if there is too much money needed to get it in good shape. The buyer and seller can then further negotiate what repairs they would need to see done before signing the papers and finalizing the deal.
A building inspection can tell you how long your house or building will last. Whether you are looking into repairs for your property, buying or selling a property, a building inspection is the best way to know what is right and wrong with the building in question.
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Thursday, April 19th, 2012
Many people have heaps of junk piled up in the corners of their houses, in cupboards, drawers, under the bed and some more places. This junk material mostly comprises of clothes, furniture, books, magazine and many other things that are difficult to place suitably. If you look at these things carefully, you will see many useful items that you can still utilize or give to someone else who needs them.
The best way is to first collect all the supposed junk in one place. Now, collect all clothes and garments in one bag and other items of the same category in individual bags. Doing so will let you get rid of them easily. Sometimes it can be very panicking for you to manage the junk you have collected over the years. While classifying items, just check if there?s something that you would need again or make something useful out of it. The rest of the things can be donated or sold.
If you think some things are better discarded, do it, but never throw away books. You can donate them to a library or an old house, for they will surely be better utilized than anywhere else. You also have the option to sell some classic books at garage sales held over the weekend for great prices. This way you will be able to get rid of them and generate some easy cash as well.
Also, a lot of junk items can be reused by your children, for example, your expensive clothing, shoes, jackets, etc. Do not give them away to anyone right away since old is gold! If your children are not interested, reuse them yourself. If you still want to give it away, ensure that the person who receives them would use them appropriately.
On the other hand, just like you can sell books, you can also sell your expensive clothing and classic jewelry pieces, ornaments, brooches, wall pieces, decorative items, etc over a website or even at a garage sale.
The left over items should be carefully kept in box cartons until you find suitable people to give them to. A lot of things that we wish to discard today can be really worthy after some years, for example, old watches from high-end brands, sunglasses, time-pieces etc. These things make their way back after long times and are then resold at shops at even greater prices. You keep such items safely so you can utilize them at appropriate times.
Many times what we think is junk is actually not and can be utilized very efficiently with a little care. This also can save you from throwing away a lot of worthy items just because you did not feel like using them at some point in your life.
Andrew has been working in the removal and storage industry specialising in interstate removals and office moves. As part of his daily job, he has learnt how to deal with junk.
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Wednesday, March 14th, 2012
Dining tables are among the most significant pieces of furniture. Food is served on the dining table, and it brings the whole family together. However, choosing the perfect dining table isn?t just about its use. You have to consider other things as well. For instance, the size of the room affects the choice you make. You cannot afford to buy a large table when the space to accommodate it is limited. Here is a brief guide on how to choose the ideal dining table:
How Many People
The size of the dining table is not just governed by the space of the dining room. The number of people who will use the table also matters. If you are five people in the family, buying a tiny square will leave one member out. Instead of going for a four edged table, buy a round dining table. If you have enough space in the house, you can get larger dining tables to accommodate six or even twelve people.
It Must Complement its Surroundings
The dining table cannot be ignored. It is the center piece of the dining area and has an impact on its surroundings. The table must complement other furniture around it. This includes light fixtures, shelves or cabinets in the dining area. The color of the dining table must match and contrast the theme of the house. It is always better to buy a dining table with a complete set of seats. If you are buying a table separately, make sure it matches with the chairs.
Curtains and Table
If the curtains in your home are dark, go for a light colored table. If both the curtains and table are dark, the area will look cluttered and dull. The table must look inviting and must stand out. The design on the dining table and chairs must match with the curtains in the dining area.
Shape is Important
You can buy a square, rectangular, oval shaped or round dining table. For larger dining areas, rectangular and oval shaped ones are recommended. They make the house look adorable and accommodating. On the other hand, for small apartments, round or square tables are recommended. They make the small area look spacious and beautiful. There are retractable ones available in every shape now.
Metal, Glass or Wood
Dining tables are available in metal, glass or wood. Sometimes you can find dining tables made from all three materials. Although, most people prefer buying wooden dining tables because they are elegant. Additionally, they last longer and are durable. Besides, wooden furniture becomes even more valuable with time. Similarly, people go for dining tables made from glass and metal because they are beautiful, sophisticated and classy.
Finding the ideal dining table requires a lot of time and thoughtfulness. Dining tables last a lifetime, so make sure you take your time to choose well.
Chris has been specialising in french provincial tables for several years. He is also an experienced french provincial furniture specialist.
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Wednesday, March 14th, 2012
The right heating/air conditioning system can be crucial for your quality and comfort of life. It is one of the biggest investments that you make on your home and therefore merits careful consideration. A right heating/air conditioning company can be the difference between years of smooth operation and uncomfortable living conditions plus thousands of wasted dollars.
Here are some tips to help you choose the right heating/air conditioning company:
The Lowest Price Is Not the Best Price
It is generally a requirement to hire a qualified/licensed company to perform the installation of a heating/air conditioning company because of safety concerns and overall consequences involved. A properly functioning system should provide you with smooth operations, healthy air, cost efficiency, and comfort.
This is an important factor because consumers usually base their decision on prices. They will go with the company that offers the lowest price without considering that the company may not be licensed or may not provide adequate service. This will only increase your price in the end. Hence, the lowest price is not the best price if it is not providing the most value.
Finding a Reputable Company
Generally, it is a better option to select a company that promotes quality at a reasonable price. They may not be the cheapest but they certainly shouldn?t charge exorbitant prices. Furthermore, you should prefer experienced companies.
A rule of thumb to determine the professionalism of a company is to evaluate how they give a quote. If they give a quote without visiting your house, it is definitely a warning sign. An experienced and professional company will always give you a quote only after they?ve visited your house.
Get quotes from 4-5 reputable companies before you make the final decision.
Get Recommendation
You can get recommendations from friends and family about the companies that they have used.
Recommendation is the best form of marketing, as you will find that the best service provider will have considerable positive sentiment. Therefore, if you have a company that has several recommendations, you should get an estimate from them and include them to your decision pool.
Customer Service
Customer service is also an important aspect. The right company will have 24-hour emergency service available. Furthermore, good customer service will ensure that your system is operating at an optimum level. This means that the right company will ensure that your system is operating at the highest level of efficiency and the risk of malfunctions is low.
It may take considerable time and energy to find the right company for your heating/air conditioning system. However, if you consider how crucial this long-term investment is to your living comfort and future expenses, you will see that it is definitely worth the effort to find a suitable company.
Allan works as a air conditioner technician and loves blogging about his work.
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Thursday, March 1st, 2012
Wood flooring undoubtedly conjures up the impression of luxury, warmth and welcome. It can also be more suitable than carpeting for those who have allergies or asthma. Unlike carpet, wood flooring doesn’t accumulate soil, dirt, odor compounds and other allergens and so will not trigger allergies or asthma attacks.
Not only is wooden flooring great looking, it can be very long lasting and wears beautifully. The options for the types of wooden flooring are many, and with some amount of maintenance you can enjoy wooden flooring without any problems.
Today wood flooring can be a sustainable option, with fast growing materials such as bamboo being used in their construction. Repurposed wood can also be used to make flooring and wood harvesting is done in a largely responsible manner so that precious forest resources are not diminished in times to come.
Styles of wood floors
Wooden flooring can be made from solid wood; typically planks made from single large pieces of wood. Or they can be engineered wood flooring wherein two or more layers of wood are used as the top layer and another layer below to provide stability.
Engineered flooring is not the same as laminate or veneer or vinyl flooring. Laminate is nothing but an image of wood used on the surface of the material used, vinyl is actually plastic made to look like wood and veneer is, as the name suggests a thin outer surface of wood used usually over fiberboard. These can look like the real thing and can be very much cheaper.
There are various patterns that can be used to create wooden flooring: parquet wooden flooring uses smaller wooden pieces to create an even, attractive geometric pattern. Alternatively strips or planks of wood can be used to construct the wooden flooring. Strip flooring has lesser chances of being affected by moisture and because of the linear effect, can create an illusion of space.
Types of wood flooring
Various different types of wood can be used for flooring: maple wood, beech wood, oak wood, cherry wood, ash wood, bamboo (though bamboo is a grass and so not technically timber) and so many other types.
Hardwood flooring such as maple, oak, beech, cherry, red oak and ash offer durability and a beautifully warm look to the flooring. They can give a traditional and cozy look to any room. Even darker woods such as walnut can look beautiful when used for flooring.
Different hardwood flooring styles such as parquet, planks, and strips and so on can be used to create the kind of effect you want – the warm and rustic look, traditional look, contemporary look, modern look and so on.
Bamboo is becoming a very popular flooring option these days, because of its durability, great looks, cost effectiveness and also sustainability. Whereas wood from trees can take 15 to 20 years to harvest, bamboo is fast growing and can be harvested in 3 to 5 years. Bamboo is very versatile and can be made to look as traditional and as contemporary as you want it to be.
Author info:
Sarika Periwal writes interior design and decor articles. She promotes the use of hardwood furniture over particle board. Check out these beautiful long lasting oak wood dining room furniture sets.
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Tuesday, January 24th, 2012
the simple house design below are the masterpieces from japanese architect kimura kouichi, i like the design very much that design show the simpleness and elegance.
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Saturday, January 7th, 2012
Travelling is certainly a pleasant and rewarding endeavor, and can enrich your life more than many other pursuits. However there are a few things you should keep in mind when you do leave your home so that you don’t come back to unwanted or unexpected surprises. One of the foremost concerns regarding the safety of your home should be centered on pest issues such as aroach problemor rodents. There are many cases of people going off on vacation and coming home to find that their house has been overtaken by the menace of insects or rats. Luckily there are a few things you can do to keep yourself from facing this annoying and stressful situation.
Do A Pre-Trip Check
Before you leave your home, you should check the exterior of it to make sure there are no visible cracks or crevices in the façade of your home that can provide a quick route of access for any pests that might want to come in. If there are any such cracks, you would do well to fill them with a product such as copper mesh, which will keep out both rodents and some insects. Smaller cracks can be sealed with caulk or a similar product to provide complete protection against the incursion of problem species of animal. One last thing you might do to the exterior of your home is to spray it with a barrier insecticide such as talstar to kill anything that tries to get in.
Protect Your Home With The Right Products
Inside the home there are also some measures you should take to keep pests away during your absence. The most important measure by far is the removal of any foodstuffs from the premises, including garbage. There are numerous tales of someone forgetting to take the garbage out before setting off for a trip and returning to find that their kitchen or perhaps even their entire home has been overrun by cockroaches, ants or some similar species of insect. This sort of situation will necessitate the use of pest control products such as sticky mouse glue traps or pesticides so it’s best to try and prevent the problem in the first place.
And Finally…
Lastly, you shouldn’t be afraid to put down some traps, pesticides or both in and around the kitchen, garage and other areas of the house as a final and complete protection against these annoying critters. By doing all these things, you will be able to relax and enjoy your holiday free from any worries that you might be coming home to an unpleasant situation.
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Tuesday, December 27th, 2011
In a real estate market where a bungalow costs big bucks, small-space living is the norm. Instead of longing for more palatial digs, make your small space lovely and maximize every inch you have. Think of decorating a small house as filling a jewel box. Fill it only with gems–those things you really love–and tuck every item into its proper slot.
Considerations
Before you start decorating, make a list of each room and how you’ll live in them. Everyone eats, sleeps and sits. Beyond that, will any member of the household need a place for working, studying or hobbies? Do you entertain? Do you need book storage and a comfortable reading area? Allot space for your particular needs before you start adding the extras. It’s fine to decorate for the lifestyle you’d like to have, but designate space for the life you actually lead first.
Misconceptions
In small space decorating, the conventional advice is to paint the walls with white or light colors to make the space look larger. That’s good advice–if you like light-colored walls. If you long for intense color, go for it. It works as long as the color flows and you don’t chop up the space visually. If your rooms are visible to each other, contrasting colors will make them look smaller because abrupt color changes stop the eye. Instead, try graduating shades of the same color or colors next to each other on the color wheel. For example, your eye flows from pumpkin to rust to brick, but stops at each color change with red, yellow, and blue. If you want contrasting color, paint an accent wall at the end of the house on an outside wall, where the eye would naturally stop anyway.
Scale
Beware of pieces that are larger than they look in that spacious furniture showroom, but don’t fill your small home with a bunch of tiny furniture and accessories. A jumble of little stuff looks messy. Small spaces look and feel larger with fewer items of medium to large scale. Think of yourself as Goldilocks and look for the scale that’s just right: comfortable for your body but not too big for the space.
Arrangement
Make sure each room has a focal point and arrange your room around it. Place your largest pieces first. Bumping into the furniture makes a small house feel even smaller, so allow at least 3 feet for major pathways. Utilize your vertical space. Hang artwork in clusters that reach all the way to the ceiling. If your kitchen storage is limited, hang pots and pans on the wall.
Selection
Look for multipurpose furnishings to maximize the space you have. For example, choose a sofa table that doubles as a desk and an ottoman with hidden storage. Metallic and mirrored surfaces, in furniture and accessories, make a space look larger by reflecting light into the room. Glass-topped tables have less visual weight than wood–which makes a big difference when they’re placed in the middle of the room.
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