Hancock Park Remodel

MOST people crave homes that have character, but filmmaker John August wanted a house to be a character. Four years ago, the screenwriter of Tim Burton's "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" and "Big Fish" and Doug Liman's "Go" attended a Hancock Park open house and found not only a new residence, but also the inspiration and the principal setting for "The Nines," his feature-length directorial debut opening Friday.

"I immediately thought about shooting a film here," says August, 37, sitting in a shaft of afternoon sun that filters through a stained-glass window and onto the wrought-iron staircase of his 1924 Spanish Mediterranean manse.
"The house is a character in the movie, a guy who is brawny, forthright and friendly but not effusive. He'll offer you a drink but doesn't want you to stay past 11."

Few directors would surrender their personal living space to a crew of 40, let alone reveal it to the general public exactly as it is in real life, not one room disguised with props or other fakery. But it is August's unaltered interior design -- finishes, furnishings and all -- that lends intimacy and emotional veracity to the story. He wouldn't have it any other way, especially when scenes were conceived with particular rooms in mind. Read the LA Times Story.

Tips for an Earth Friendly bathroom remodel

You want your new bathroom to be easy on the eyes and the environment, but it’s tough to know which materials pass the green test. Follow these simple guidelines to earn an A from Mother Nature:

Do…

Help reduce air pollution by choosing the right paint. Look for labels that say low or zero VOC (volatile organic compounds) as you search for the perfect color.

Pick materials with a classic look. “You might want to think, ‘Can I pick a style that’s not super trendy?’” says Jennifer Roberts, author of “Good Green Homes” (Bibbs Smith, 2003). “So the next people who live in this house aren’t going to go ‘Yuck’ and rip it out.”

Choose FSC lumber. It’s certified by the Forest Stewardship Council as being harvested in a way that’s sustainable.... Read the rest.

The Outdoor Kitchen Cabinets

In Orange County, its amazing to see the amount of outdoor kitchens going up in new construction and even in remodeled homes. I was in Shady Canyon in Irvine the other day and witnessed an outside kitchen that would make Wolfgang Puck blush. Here is another basic article on the rise in quality and popularity.
The evolution of new materials in recent years has separated outdoor kitchen cabinets into their own product scene. As with any industry, the demand for new and better products is driving the research and development divisions of companies who produce outdoor kitchen cabinets. The outdoor kitchen trend is growing quickly and as the manufacturers race to keep up with the demand, the quality and selection of the products that they are producing is growing with it. The frustrations and concerns that consumers once had in regards to limited selection and product availability are no longer an issue. The current material used in the construction of outdoor kitchen cabinets is different. Full Article.

Black Cabinets in the Kitchen?

While I have seen many attempts at pulling off black kitchen cabinets, the execution is rarely flawless. I came across a blog attempting to answer this very question.

I'm doing some labor intensive, cost sensitive kitchen remodeling, starting with my cabinets. Do you think it's too much to have black cabinets in a "real life" kitchen? Do you think it's too much to have black cabinets in a "real life" kitchen? I have a typical Chicago kitchen (eat-in with one wall of cabinets and a heinous soffit) and the cabinets are now white. Do you think I could do black at the bottom and white on top? I'd really appreciate the feedback. See the Answer

Got a kitchen layout problem?

Design challenges come in all shapes and sizes, much like client wishlists do. Whether the problem is a lack of storage, lack of light or lack of aesthetic appeal, a kitchen undergoing renovation is going through the process for a specific reason. It’s the designer’s job to interpret the client, interpret the problem, and make a miracle happen…a stylish miracle.

Decorá Cabinets’ 2007 “Design with Decorá” contest encouraged designers to enter their brightest moments of creative problem solving using Decorá semi-custom cabinetry and a dose of good design sense for a chance to win cash prizes. Brightest moments is an understatement as, coincidentally, each of the winning projects played dark and light against each other for a different effect.

Judged by design experts Ellen Cheever, CKD, ASID, Penny Chin, CID, ASID, IIDA and Mary Jo Peterson, CKD, CBD, CAPS Real Full Story here.

Small Business Owner makes This Old House

“Three Kitchens, Three Budgets,” the cover story in the current issue of This Old House Magazine, chose a kitchen in a New Canaan house, designed by New Canaan’s Matt Giardina of Norwalk-based Front Row Kitchens, as its “Custom Design, Top of the Line” dream room.

According to the article, the kitchen was its top choice among the rooms in the highest budget category because of its “Made-to-measure cabinets, pro-style appliances, and plenty of personal touches (that) make this handsome kitchen a comfortable place for hanging out 24/7.”


Full Story.

This Old House, Resurrects Bland Kitchen

I came across this story on CNN Money's website, a fantastic look on redoing your entire kitchen if you have some basic remodeling skills at your disposal already.

Painting cabinets, especially if you do the job yourself, costs far less than outright replacement.

Bargain-basement cabinets for a 10x12-foot kitchen can easily top $5,000, not including the cost of installation or new counters, and your new cabinets may be of lower quality than the ones you're getting rid of.

Refacing cabinets, a process of veneering existing cabinet boxes and replacing doors and drawer fronts, is another option, but a top-notch refacing job starts at $3,500. This Old House: Refacing cabinets

The materials for painting (brushes, primer, paint) will cost about $200. Having a pro do the work will run at least $1,000, more if the painter insists on stripping all cabinets.

Be aware that even the highest-quality paint job can't cure the evils of poor kitchen design or hide fundamental structural flaws in cabinets. Full Story.

Walnut Cabinets.... Not So Much

I have never ever ever ever been a fan of walnut cabinets, but I love to eat walnuts, go figure! But for those that can see the value in wallnut cabinetry, this buds for you,

When Erik Andersen and Shelley Balanko started thinking about remodeling the kitchen in their 1965 rambler in Everett, they were somewhat split.

He was learning toward white or light-colored cabinets.

She definitely wanted dark.

Balanko, a market researcher with an eye for design and trends, specifically wanted walnut, a rich, high-end wood she remembered from the kitchen of her childhood home. More

Now thats what I call a remodel

I have seen my fair share of luxury remodels, but never have I seen a single remodel of a room go over $400,000 let a alone the big seven figures. Chriss Street knows how to stretch a buck and design on more than a dime.

Treasurer-Tax Collector Chriss Street, in the middle of a federal investigation and criticism over a nearly $1 million office remodel says despite critics' calls for his resignation he's staying put.

"I'm here for the duration," Street said.

Thursday, the boss of the county's largest public workers union called for Street's resignation saying Street's personal legal problems could affect the county's $7 billion investment portfolio.

Read the full story...

Mixing Materials for Best Kitchen Design Results

When considering a design that is both unique and upscale of course budget comes into play. But don't allow a budgetless project lose its sense of style. Below is a great piece featuring the importance that designers place on style.

There’s no question that today’s clients want their new kitchens and bathrooms to be highly personalized spaces – rooms that don’t look like anyone else’s space. At the same time, another trend is growing in popularity: contemporary rooms that celebrate minimal design, as well as the preference for more tailored traditional spaces. What a challenge! Designers are asked to create very personalized rooms that are also “simple” in design.

One design technique that kitchen and bath specialists can use to create “simple” yet highly personalized rooms is to add style uniqueness by combining various materials in the major surfacing areas.

At all levels of the marketplace, kitchen and bath designers have demonstrated great talent in combining different finishes on cabinets. Let’s move beyond the casework of the room and think through intriguing ways to combine other surfacing materials.

Areas that lend themselves well to mixing and matching include pattern combinations on the floor, countertop and backsplash areas. Rather than studying the attributes of different materials (any good designer can “Google” a category or a manufacturer to get the performance details or the finishing specifications), this month’s article will focus on how various materials are joined together, highlighting design and engineering concerns. Full Article

Dual Islands in the Kitchen

Kitchen and Bath News recently featured an insight where designers completed a kitchen with two kitchen islands, a look that has recently picked up steam in Orange County.

AUSTIN, TX - We all know that two heads are better than one, but in the case of this new construction kitchen, designed by Winn Wittman, AIA, it was two islands that gave the space its functional and design edge.

The two islands were part of a plan to create a kitchen that would be both eye catching and easy to work in, while taking advantage of the stunning views.

Wittman, of Austin, TX-based Winn Wittman Architecture, explains: “Originally, the kitchen was intended for a different location in the house. They were starting to run the rough plumbing, and it wasn’t going well, because there were some beams in the way. I took a second look at the plans and realized the kitchen would be better in its current location. We made this change, and it really freed up the living room area, which would have been broken in two.” Full Article

Moen presents 4th annual Show Us Your Style contest

NORTH OLMSTED, Ohio, August 1 /PRNewswire/ -- New cabinets. Bright paint. An elegant faucet. When remodeling your kitchen and bath, we want to know your elements of style. Moen Incorporated, the number one brand of faucets in North America, announces the start of the fourth annual "Show Us Your Style" contest, where thousands of do-it-yourselfers are submitting their kitchen and bath remodeling stories and pictures for a chance to win up to $10,000.

Starting August 1, 2007 and ending October 31, 2007, those interested can join homeowners from all across the United States posting their home remodeling photos and stories to http://www.showusyourstyle.com. Every two weeks, Moen will choose a new $500 Visa gift card winner whose story and pictures will be posted on the Web site, along with other homeowners' projects. In addition, a "$10,000 Grand Prize Giveaway" winner will be chosen in a random drawing in November.

"This contest continues to be an exciting and interactive way for Moen to reach out to a generation of technologically savvy do-it-yourselfers," said Becky Ross, Director of Marketing Communications, Moen. "Last year, hundreds of homeowners submitted their projects and hundreds of thousands visited the site, sharing great ideas, advice and inspiring photos."

Moen created the Show Us Your Style contest in 2004 as a way to help homeowners come up with creative and affordable ways to renovate their kitchens and bathrooms. Now in its fourth year, the contest has grown increasingly more exciting and lucrative. In fact, this is the second year the sweepstakes grand prize has topped out at $10,000!

In addition to this exciting contest, Show Us Your Style also includes kitchen and bath style tips, trends and information on exciting new products. During the contest, remember to keep checking the site to see new remodeling pictures and stories.

For more information on the 4th annual Show Us Your Style contest, contact Moen Incorporated at 25300 Al Moen Drive, North Olmsted, Ohio 44070-8022, call 1-800-BUY-MOEN (1-800-289-6636) or visit http://www.showusyourstyle.com.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Timeless designs that reflect good taste. Faucets and fixtures that are livable and enduring. These are just some of the reasons why Moen Incorporated is the #1 faucet brand in North America. In addition to stylish and affordable faucets, Moen also offers residential and commercial sinks and a full range of tub and showering packages. Moen brands include ShowHouse(TM) by Moen and the Cleveland Faucet Group(R). ShowHouse by Moen offers high-end, luxury faucets and accessories to consumers with discriminating tastes. The Cleveland Faucet Group manufactures affordable, durable sinks and faucets for the multi-family housing market. Creative Specialties International(R), a division of Moen, offers complete suites of decorative bath accessories including innovative bath safety products that are fashionable - not institutional.

Moen is part of Fortune Brands(R), Inc. http://www.fortunebrands.com, Home and Hardware group - a leading consumer brands company that includes leading cabinetry, door and lock manufacturers such as Therma-Tru(R), Masterbrand Cabinets(R), Inc., Aristokraft(R) Cabinetry and Master Lock(R).

With Moen, you'll always find the perfect balance between styles you'll love and innovation you can live with. Buy it for looks. Buy it for life(R).

Remodeling and Home Décor Show September 21-23, 2007 in Chantilly, VA
08/01/2007
The Remodeling and Home Décor Show will take place September 21-23, 2007 at the Dulles Expo Center. This is your opportunity to speak with any of the 500 or so experts that will be present at the show, and see all the great ideas for your home. Buy your tickets online now and save money too! For more information, visit: http://www.capitalhomeshow.com/ME2/Sites/Default.asp? SiteID=D357C743A188437F87C8A183B5CA58DA

Remodeling Consultants in Los Angeles

What a great concept! Instead of going over to HD or Lowes, why not consult someone about the do it yourself prospects first. In Culver City such a business was born, Iin Entrepreneurs recent article Monica Higgins is introduced to the world.

What: Home remodeling management
Who: Monica D. Higgins of Renovation Planners
Where: Culver City, California
When: Started in 2006
Startup costs: $20,000

As much as shows like Trading Spaces and Extreme Makeover: Home Edition have tried to educate us about the complexities of home renovations, many homeowners still fall victim to The Money Pit-style blunders: bathtubs falling through ceilings, staircases crashing to the floor. The deceptively difficult process of hiring reliable architects and painters becomes evident only after the carpet is covered in plaster and the walls look like slabs of Swiss cheese.

In 2006, noticing that many homeowners were destined for remodeling failure, Monica Higgins started Renovation Planners to help others complete the complicated and often costly process of redesigning their homes.