Circulation Allow clear pathways of at least 36 inches (92 centimeters) for circulation throughout your space. It is best to allow at least 42 inches (107 centimeters) in front of sinks, so that if you share your bath, someone passing won’t bump into you while you brush your teeth. It should go without saying that you can have as much space as you like, but in most cases square footage will be limited. The cutaway plan below shows dimensions for functions and fixtures in the layout. Consider whether you need to cross your bath to reach your closet, or if your space needs to accommodate one or two people. Give yourself some extra room where possible to help make the space feel generous. The tub surround in the plan has extra space for towels, candles and baskets on its platform. Note: Metric dimensions are given throughout this ideabook as translations of standard U.S. dimensions. Your area may have specific standards and code requirements, so be sure to use metric dimensions that are appropriate for your locale.
Red on exteriors. Red has a long history as an exterior color. Think of red barns, red doors and red temples. A bright, clear red trim can look splendid against weathered wood siding or shingles, or make a bold statement on a white house. To go with red as an allover exterior color, try a slightly dulled, warm cranberry; it tends to be more pleasing to the eye than a too-bright red.
Keeping those two kinds of systems in mind, let’s take a look at some questions you should ask yourself before choosing a radiant system. What is the thermal efficiency of your house? Let’s say there are three answers to this question: 1.Poor or standard: Your house was not designed with energy efficiency in mind. The building envelope has some leaks and is not particularly efficient. It meets the standard of most other houses. 2.Good: Your house has above-average energy efficiency. It has either been remodeled or designed with certain energy consumption goals in mind, and performs fairly well. 3.Excellent: Your house is highly sustainable. It is a certified Passive House, has received a high rating on the energy section of LEED or has met the high energy requirements of a state or local certification scheme. Your energy consumption rates are low relative to most other houses.
Though system prices vary per brand, Ortega says to plan to spend $900 to $1,500 to install a heating system in a 100-square-foot area, the average bathroom size. As far as utility costs go, if you keep your floor's thermostat programmed to go on only first thing in the morning, you may find that your overall heating bill will drop, Ortega says. Ceramic, porcelain and natural stone tiles retain heat for a long time, resulting in warmth well after the system is turned off.
Tinted Widows......didn't think of that.... Using UV window film. If you really don't want coverage but find the room too bright, UV film is a great option. It acts like sunglasses for your windows, cutting down on glare. It enhances thermal properties and protects your furnishings from fading and deterioration. Silk, for example, is susceptible to sun rot. UV window film helps protect silk drapes.
Pendant lights above an island. The size of pendants themselves may vary according to ceiling height, but typically I like to see pendants 40 to 43 inches above the finished counter. I prefer a slightly higher pendant for no overhead distractions. The number of pendants will vary according to the size of your island, but two to four is typical.
Kitchen hoods. These are tricky, because hood heights can vary by manufacturer. The standard hood height is 30 to 33 inches, but consider your own height. If you are a very tall person and need extra room to avoid head bonks, then consider a streamlined design without bulky details. The primary function of the hood is to eliminate odors and food particles in the air. Therefore, the hood must be mounted at a height that maximizes its effectiveness.
Dining tables. Dining tables and even casual eating tables are standard at 30 inches. Some older, vintage tables are 29 to 29½ inches. I think 30 inches is best, even for tall people. Dining chair seat height is typically 17 to 19 inches. If you would like armchairs, make sure you check any apron details on the table to ensure the chairs fit comfortably under the table
Counter and bar stools. Counter stools are standard at 24 inches. Bar stools are typically 30 inches. These two dimensions refer to the top of the seat to the floor. Counter and bar stools can be backless or have a seat back. Swivels are also available. If you opt for a counter or bar stool with arms, make sure the arm fits underneath the counter and clears any cabinet details, like corbels.
Circulation. In a dining room, make sure there’s at least 48 inches between each edge of the table and the nearest wall or piece of furniture. If traffic doesn’t pass behind the chairs on one side of the table, 36 inches should suffice. In bedrooms allow at least 24 inches between the side of the bed and a wall, and at least 36 inches between the bed and a swinging door.
Good tips for using wood in the bathroom. When you're remodeling a bathroom, there are many materials you can use for the walls that'll help battle ever-present moisture. Water-resistant drywall (often called green board) and cement board are popular, but they're not necessary or any more durable than natural softwood planks like eastern white pine. Bare wood will stain, but coating it with a water-based urethane will help keep all that natural wood grain vibrant. And having different-colored wood cabinets and storage is a nice touch, with clean, horizontal lines drywall can't touch. I recommend tongue and groove stock, as opposed to planks, to create a continuous barrier to minimize moisture migration into the walls.
Add to ideabookby Andrea Swan - Swan Architecture 7. Enjoy your new home. You've worked hard and spent more than a few dollars to create your new home, so enjoy it to the max. Revel in the way the light falls across a room and how it changes with the seasons. Find unexpected places to talk with family members. Discover how this place gives shape to your life and allows you to become the person you want to be. In the end you'll be amazed that your new house is so much more than the sum of just its three bedrooms, living room and so on. It's the place you get to call home and make uniquely yours. More: Tell a Story With Design for a More Meaningful Home
6. Accept the inevitable. You've made the plans, gotten the permits and secured the money; now the only thing left to do is build your house. You've accounted for everything, so it should all come together as smooth as silk. Easy, right? Oddly enough, stuff happens. That's a given. How you and your team react to these hiccups will be important. My advice is to stay calm, keep your sense of humor and work with your team to address the issue. This is where having the right team in place can pay dividends. An architect, a builder and others who can work together and share ideas without criticizing one another will go a long way to helping you keep your sanity. Some tips for staying sane during construction: •Don't change your mind. Early on make all of the decisions you have to, select all of your finishes and don't change your mind. Yes, you'll be enticed by that new thing that comes along. Just remember that once construction starts, it'll cost you time, money and perhaps a trip or two to a therapist if you change your mind. •Turn a deaf ear to the goings-on. Every construction site is filled with workers complaining. After all, who doesn't complain about his or her job?...
5. Plan, plan and plan some more. Every large project I've ever worked on has had this one thing in common. The owner, whether a private developer, government agency or corporate entity, knew the importance of planning the project in detail before starting to build. These owners knew that moving walls on paper is a whole lot cheaper than moving walls after they're built. So embark on a robust planning and design phase. •Play the "what if?" game. Sometimes the first answer is the right answer, sometimes it's the 31st. Just remember not to settle until you've explored all the possibilities; you don't want to say after the project has been built, "We should have done ..." •Go big or go home. And I don't mean big as in size (that's a whole separate discussion), but big as in big ideas. Building a home, be it from scratch or a renovation, is an exercise in making something that's yours. So dream big and have grand plans. There will be time enough to deal with the realities of budget, zoning and codes. Don't sweat the small stuff for now. •Sweat the small stuff. Decisions, decisions, decisions. You'll be asked to make many — more than you can imagine. Just remember that God is...
4. Assemble a team. While you might think you can go it alone, assembling a team of tried and true professionals is the better approach. After all, you wouldn't represent yourself in court. So why wouldn't you entrust your single largest investment to an experienced team that won't be learning on your dime? An architect and a builder (if not one and the same) are going to be your most important team members. These people will act as guide, therapist, advocate and counselor throughout the journey that creating your home is. And, as with all good professionals, the right guide can ensure that the journey is all the more enjoyable. As you embark on this journey, you will likely want to add team members. A kitchen and bath designer, perhaps; maybe an interior designer, too. Certainly a landscape architect, who shouldn't be the last person hired when all the money is gone; you want to create a beautiful yard that will complement the house.
I have this step already, but still saving. 3. Find some land. Where do you want to be? How do you want to live? What are you looking for? Maybe you want that house in the mountains or with the ocean view, but it's not in the cards right now, for economic or other reasons. No matter; you'll likely be able to reinvent yourself later. For now, it's the burbs with the good schools or some other place. The point is, find a spot on the globe that you can claim as your own and build what will be a home. And maybe that land isn't a few acres that's never been trampled on. Maybe it's an existing house that's just old and tired and has suffered some neglect. The house whispers to you that it really does want to shed those avocado-colored appliances, that shag carpeting and those single-pane windows, and you know you're the person to do that. So take heart if you decide to transform that sow's ear into a silk purse. You'll be amazed at the transformation that can take place.
2. Establish a budget. While a budget should be in any goal statement, it's such an important piece that it's included here as a separate task. When making your budget, of course you'll begin with what you can afford, and how the cost of your house fits in with your overall plans for the future. When you're ready to get down to details, include everything that will go into the project: the cost of the land, local fees and taxes, design and engineering fees, construction of not just the home but the landscape, plus furniture and decorating. And don't forget a healthy contingency. As with any complex project, things will happen, and the road from point A to point B will have a detour or two. Make sure that these little side trips won't send you over the edge. A spreadsheet program such as Excel is a good tool to use for developing a budget, as you can continuously update and modify it as you work your way through the project. 8 ways to stick to your budget
1. Set goals. Creating a new home for yourself is all about setting goals and taking the steps to achieve those goals. You'll want to establish the answers to a whole host of questions so that you can set these goals. Goal setting requires satisfying both left- and right-brain activities. So your list of goals will include two sides: a practical, meat-and-potatoes side and an emotional, ice-cream-and-pie side. Each is important, and each needs to be recognized so that the end result will reflect a totality. Questions to ask: • What do you want to achieve? • Where do you want to be? • What will this cost? • Can it really be achieved? • Does plan A make sense? • What's plan B? By the way, a goals statement is what architects refer to as a program. So when your architect says "program," just think "goals."
Placement Tips Sinks. Position sinks so that they are readily accessible upon entering the room and from closets. The most common configuration aligns two sinks within a cabinet, while more luxurious and larger spaces may be arranged with independent cabinets, giving each person a personal countertop. Tubs. Place beautiful tubs where they can be featured as focal points if possible. Whether they are used frequently or not, they remain desirable for and even essential to the design of a large bath. Leave as much open floor space as possible in front of tubs so that entering and exiting are not hindered. Showers. Showers must be positioned so that moisture and overspray are contained to water-resistant areas. Consider whether you want your shower to be more open to the space and mostly enclosed with glass, for example, or more enclosed and private, as in the plan here. Placement depends on these factors, but you want to have devoted floor space immediately in front of the shower door where being wet is not a problem. Toilets. Place water closets where they are out of sight lines, whether or not they have their own small rooms. Windows in these rooms are desirable, but i...
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