This house combines the sideways front door with a decorative privacy screen — a solution that’s pure genius in my book. The slats were placed farther apart at the top of the screen, filtering views in a way that’s much friendlier than equidistant slats — or a solid fence. It also establishes a nice transition zone between the street and the front door.
Guide your visitors to where you want them. Your guests are now in your home, where do you want them to go? I've noticed in my own home (which is long and narrow), that people almost immediately travel to the back of the home where the kitchen is located. Use the architecture of the home as the route markers. In this home, smart design shows visitors where the real story is: The view out the back of the house. Visitors can make a quick stop to take their coats off and then go back to viewing the natural artwork.
Soften the entrance for a nice transition from outside to inside. There's nothing more uninviting than a completely bare front entrance. To really welcome your visitors use some decoration around the front door. A simple bench or some type of greenery like flowers is a small statement on how you feel about your home and your visitors.
They’re good at making things disappear. Got a door you want to downplay? Black is great at disguising shortcomings (like a large slab door, if that’s not your style) so you don’t notice them. Black doors work well in an open space like this, but avoid using them in a confined area with a confluence of doorways, as they can look chaotic.
Translucent Walls Entire walls of translucent materials can be used to dramatic effect. Used in this space to illuminate an otherwise dark entry at the center of the building mass, a translucent wall also enlarges the perceived size of small spaces. Translucency creates depth by exploiting the natural assumption of a destination beyond and behind the surface. The pattern on this etched glass wall was abstracted from an image of water and cut into a stainless steel screen in the adjacent room. The entry space shown here is shielded from the main bedroom on the opposite side by the glazed surface, preserving privacy and bringing light into the arrival zone.
Keep a well-lit porch. There is something so inviting about a porch lit with warm, glowing light; you almost can't help but sit down and relax for a spell. Aim to have at least three sources of light — a pair of sconces plus an overhead fixture, for instance. But you can also borrow light from inside your house by way of transom windows over the door, and by keeping indoor shades up while you are out sitting.
Front door. Of course your house already has a front door, but consider making it stand out with color. Many houses have side entrances or long front facades, making visitors guess where they are to enter. Give them a strong hint by painting your door in a color that stands out but coordinates with the rest of your house's color scheme. Doors painted in a different color from the house's trim are welcoming and make for a much more visually interesting front yard.
Software for Windows Windows computer users have multiple options for software that detects motion and uploads evidence, including a lot of free software. Two popular options are iSpy and YawCam. These can be downloaded free, and both will work with whatever camera you have attached to your computer. They’ll capture motion and upload photos to your email account. ISpy has more features, but the more features you use, the more you’ll pay. YawCam is free.
Gadgets Watch While You're Away Another possibility is the use of old and otherwise discarded smart phones or tablets. These can be put to permanent use recording anything that moves in your home when you’re away. No matter how you go about it, the goal is motion detection, which starts a camera, then uploads the evidence to "the cloud": a data-storage location on the Internet. This gives you access to the evidence, even if the crook steals the computer and erases the hard drive. Most laptops come with a built-in camera. But for both desktop computers and laptops, I recommend a webcam called the Logitech HD Pro Webcam C920. The advantages of this camera are twofold: It’s got a wider-angle lens than built-in laptop cameras, covering more of the room. And it’s super high-definition for capturing high-quality details that may help police identify the crook. Note that some solutions take video while motion is detected, then upload it after it stops. However, there’s a chance that a crook can sever the Internet connection or remove power from the computer before the upload can take place.
Green Door With Warm Terra-Cotta Here's another light exterior palette that's perfect for a home in a hot climate. Terra-cotta pavers can be tricky to work with because of their intense pinkish-orange color. A warm yellow siding color and a light jade-green door work well with the terra-cotta.
If you live in a hot climate, it's a good idea to keep the exterior of your home light in color to limit solar heat gain. But lighter hues don't have to be boring. Liven up beige and white with a pretty grass-green front door
In a transitional room, such as a hallway or an entryway, don't feel the need to go big with color; just a hint of your palette can be enough. The artwork near this staircase gives a hint of the home's palette.
Moving inside, the rest of this ideabook focuses on sliding doors and barn doors, because of the way they depart from typical hinged doors. What you won't find are pocket doors, which lose their presence when open and are much harder to incorporate into an existing house. This sliding door hung from above sits at the top of a stair. It allows the stair to be closed off when the children are playing, and opening the door does not impact walking into the room at left.
A good way to think about the design of a door is to see it as part of its larger wall. This front door is set into a wall that is well composed with a sidelight, transom and side panel with matching wood and random horizontal bands of translucent glass. Even the mail slot follows the design, cut into a horizontal band of wood.
Paint Your Rooms Deep Colors The inclination with dark rooms is to paint them light to try and brighten things up, but sometimes the best thing to do is to embrace the shadows and go for deeper, moody colors that make a dark room feel cozy. Warm green is a perfect color for this space. The black doors and brass hardware add to the feeling of richness and warmth. The double French doors open to the light and bright kitchen. Try this for dark initeriors.
needed light.
wood bench and post
Concrete or stamped concrete also offers good contact for wheelchairs and walkers. It can be less expensive than traditional flagstone and can be colored to complement your exterior colors. Stamped concrete also comes in a variety of shapes and patterns to mimic flagstone, slate, bluestone or pavers.
Composite decking material, as shown on this ramp, is another popular choice. This material is best used on a covered area in climates with snow and ice, as it could get slippery. Take care when shoveling not to damage the surface.
The Taunton Press, Inc SaveEmail Remember that details matter. Lights can create ambiance as well as create a safe environment for you and your guests. The right materials and design can allow lighting fixtures to enhance built elements, as this garden by AJ Miller Landscape Architecture shows.
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