To Clear or Not to Clear?

Whether we are fortunate enough to have a generous expanse of kitchen counters, or are faced with a postage-stamp sized work surface, the eternal debate seems to be: keep the counter clear, or keep appliances handy? Rachel Meeks from the Small Notebook blog contends that counters are a work space and should be kept clear. (Read the post) Others, of course, would argue that the kitchen counter is the perfect place for spices, cooking utensils, and other daily-use items.


 While clear counters sound like a great concept, how realistic are they in your home? From appliances, homework and mail to toys, tools and "I'll deal with it later" items, it can be hard to keep such a tempting expanse clear! A great idea is to add one or more appliance garages in strategic areas of the kitchen. A garage for the coffee maker near the sink, another near the desk area for homework, and one at the end of the peninsula for the "miscellaneous" stuff can help keep everything handy-and clear!

How Well Are You Using Your Space?

How efficiently are you using the square footage of your home? Are you making use of a wide hallway to showcase art, or using the space under the staircase for a cozy reading nook? Is the placement of furniture making the room seem larger, or causing an awkward traffic flow?

If the answer to any of these questions is "no" or "I'm not sure," it may be a good idea to bring in an interior designer to take an objective look at your home. He or she can suggest different ways to use the space, create storage, or add color for a whole new look and feel. We found an article from the Las Vegas Review-Journal that advocates just that...

Living Large In A Small House

Could you live in a 983 square foot house? Easy, right? After all, that was the average size of a home in 1950. (By 2007, the average was over 2,000 square feet!) What about 750, 600, or even fewer than 100 square feet? That might be a bit more challenging for most of us, but the "small house" movement is gaining steam, driven by the desire to live a more simple life and use fewer resources.

The house pictured at left, by Tumbleweed Houses, measures 130 square feet and includes a kitchen, living room and sleeping loft. In Salem Oregon, Ideabox is building a "micro neighborhood" of five mini homes averaging 600 - 750 square feet (read more). Architect Sarah Susanka has written a number of books on the "Not So Big" theme, and blogs, forums and "how-to" sites are popping up with advice for buying, building, and living small.

So what do you think? Is a small house or cozy condo in your future?

A Victorian Facelift

When you think of San Francisco and architecture, you generally picture one of the city's famed Victorian style homes. We found a great article about a pair of homeowners who transformed a crumbling Victorian into the bright, contemporary home pictured at left. The redesigned house features solar panels, a garden roof, and a steel exoskeleton that acts as a necessary seismic upgrade. Creative re-use of existing materials kept some of the Victorian flavor intact. Read more

DIY Trend: Upcycled Pallets!

We're seeing all kinds of DIY projects pop up on the internet that involve shipping pallets - search "pallets" on Pinterest and you'll find everything from pet beds and garden planters to the day bed pictured here.

The Houzz blog recently featured an article on reinventing pallets that included headboards, coffee tables and a seriously cool jewelry organizer, and YouTube is full of how-to videos for homes (seriously!) and more.

Have you been bit by the pallet bug? We'd love to hear what you've created out of this "basic" building material...

Detail, Craftsmanship and Creativity

When we're entering orders, purchasing materials, and cutting parts, attention to detail matters. When we're assembling cabinets, applying finish enhancements by hand or building special product requests, craftsmanship is required. Creativity–in planning, engineering, product development, marketing and more–is also important to our success as a manufacturer.

When we see detail, craftsmanship and creativity being employed in another field, we take notice. When we saw the cut-paper art created by Calvin Nicholls, we were blown away by the level of craftsmanship, creativity and attention to detail his intricate pieces require, and felt compelled to share his art...

Great Laundry Room Ideas

As we head into a new year with all of our resolutions to make life better, healthier, easier, or more organized, we don't necessarily think of the laundry room as a place to start. Houzz.com did though, and compiled their reader's 20 most popular laundry rooms into one list.

Even if you don't have a large room dedicated to the laundry, there are plenty of ideas that can make your space easier to use – check out the hanging rods, hidden ironing boards, shelves and cubbies. Sometimes just painting the walls a bright, fun color can give you a reason to smile while doing chores – we can all use that sort of pick-me-up!