The Fancy Painters are Here! :: What to Know about Faux Finishing & Decorative Painting
When asked What do you do? and I invariably answer I'm a faux finisher, I sometimes get a quizzical look. I may follow up with I'm an artist...a decorative painter but I...
Planning for Sinks and Faucets :: Inches Matter in Horseshoes and in Kitchens
Kitchen sinks and faucets have changed dramatically in the last decade. Sinks are deeper with more shapes than ever before; faucets have changed from three-piece units with separate hot-and-cold knobs to sleek...
What Does “Too Taste Specific” Mean Anyway? :: Your Home is Your Home
Your home is your home and by virtue of the fact that you're an adult, you get to do anything inside of it you want to do. Even if it's stuff I...
Testing Hardwood Floor Finishes in an Old House (Part 2)
The second floor at least has some wax on it, but applied only over a more original finish. I know this because in multiple locations when water is dripped upon it -...
Remodeling Rules :: A Few (House) Rules to Live By
As the daughter of an architect dad and a DIY queen of a mother, I think I truly had no choice but to become a home enthusiast. From growing up watching my...
Testing Hardwood Floor Finishes in an Old House (Part 1)
A few days later, Jeff hit me back; he had gathered some info from a couple places on the internet. He said, Well, I tried the water test like you suggested, and...
Do Your Part to Stop Bag Breakage :: On ReUsable Shopping Bags
I know for my family it has been difficult to remember our bags (purchased for 99c each) on food shopping trips. We try to work them into our regime; I mean --...
Renovate or Build? That is the Question :: What to Consider when Facing a Major Remodel
As a practicing architect, I have experienced my client's anxiety in deciding if they should do a construction renovation or build a new home. I have always advocated doing what one can...
Lead-Based Paint in Homes :: Don’t Eat the Paint Chips
And actually it's a fate not too dissimilar to that of at least one other building product that I can think of. Yes, another naturally occurring substance that in its day was...
Make a Wood Molding Library :: What to Do with Scrap from Trim Jobs
Jot down the Wood Molding Profile, aka WM#, number (if you have it), add the sample's species and/or construction too (if you know it): FJ for Finger Jointed, PP for Primed Pine,...
Installing a Solar Thermal Set-up :: Inside the Pro’s Home
While there are certainly systems that can get you off of the grid, Bill's isn't one of them. Virtually all thermal/hot water systems are supplemental only, and they work in tandem with...
Installing Window and Door Cap Flashing :: Sealing Out Water on Wood Siding
One of the biggest challenges with saving the original siding on an 1889 farmhouse (well, other than dealing with 13 decades of paint) is ensuring against water entry at the windows and...