Kitchen Design & Remodeling
Opening Up a Small Kitchen
by Jerri Holan
Remodeling a small kitchen without adding square footage can be frustrating: too many tasks to fit into a limited space. However, a small kitchen can function well and include interesting elements if you open the kitchen to larger spaces and keep the layout simple.
Small Kitchen Goes from Cramped to Comfortable
by Warren Lloyd
A few years ago, our family of four moved back to Utah from Seattle for, among other reasons, affordable housing. We found a 1920s brick bungalow on a tree-lined street in a quiet Salt Lake City neighborhood. With only two bedrooms and one bath, the house was small, but the deep lot and big backyard would give us the space to expand the house eventually. When our third child arrived in 2002, the time had come to make some changes.
The Right Kitchen For You
by Joe Carter
More than any other room in the house, the kitchen should be a reflection of our personal preferences—not just of the way we cook but also of the way we live. For some, it's the hub for the family. For others, it's all about no-fuss efficiency. Either way, chances are that the kitchen you have, with its awkward layout, tired appliances, and outdated style, isn't the one you dream about. Remodeling offers a chance to finally right those wrongs and get the kitchen that's truly meant for you.
All About Stone Countertops
by Josh Garskof
The countertop makes the kitchen. It's the work surface where you prepare food, eat casual family meals, perhaps even pay bills and help Junior with his homework. And of all the countertop materials you can buy, stone is the gold standard for both durability and character.
Buyer's Guide to Kitchen Sinks
by Fran J. Donegan
The kitchen may be the heart of the home, but the sink handles most of the daily chores. That's because it's the only working area used to both prepare meals and clean up after them. Although quality sinks can last 15 years or more, they do wear out. Finishes start to dull or chip, and annoying leaks appear mysteriously around the rim and drain. And if you're planning a kitchen remodel, it makes sense to replace your sink and faucet.
Bathroom Design & Remodeling
Bathroom Layouts that Work
by Scott Gibson
A bathroom remodel can range from something as simple as upgrading a vanity or replacing a toilet to a complete overhaul, which includes the relocation of plumbing and electrical lines or even enlarging the room. Layout is a key consideration, not only because it has a major impact on what the remodeled space will be like, but also because it affects the overall scope and cost of the project.
A Decisive Bathroom Remodel
by Paul Waterloo
About two years ago, my fiancée, Kimberly Keslin, and I bought a 1915 bungalow in Forest Park, Ill. The first-floor bathroom had not had a makeover for many years. Immediately after we took possession, the floor-tile grout that was “fixed” just before we moved in started to fall apart. Other problems included a glass-block window vent that wouldn’t seal during winter months, a light switch placed 5 ft. inside the room, and the seven coats of paint on everything, which did not allow either door to latch properly.
How to Design Small Baths So They Feel Roomier
by Elaine Martin Petrowski
A small bathroom must contain all the elements of a large bath in less space. That's why planning a new one or remodeling your existing one is so challenging. You have to think about function, appearance, fixtures and storage, along with how much room you have—and how much you can afford to spend on the project.
The Seven Sins of Bathroom Design
by Patrick Sutton
Bathrooms are botched more than any other room in the house. The big problem is water. It’s central to the room’s function, but it’s a protean source of damage. And designers unduly focus on cosmetics at the expense of critically important construction basics. Broadly speaking, the two causes of botched bathrooms are an unwillingness to spend the time and money it takes to construct a bathroom properly, and inept or inexperienced people handling the work. After 10 years of remodeling bathrooms, I’ve torn out a lot of other people’s mistakes. Here is my list of the seven sins of bathroom design.
Living Spaces
Your Basement: Why Add on When You Can Add Under?
by Scott Gibson
Most basements are little more than a place to cultivate cobwebs and store cans of paint. But fixing up a full-height basement can dramatically increase the usable living space in your house at a far lower cost than adding on.
Make a Mudroom That Works for You
by Stan Williams
Prized for organizing all manner of gear, from backpacks to tennis rackets, mudrooms also double as spaces for chores as diverse as doing laundry and potting plants. What’s more, they act as an intermediary between the dirt and germs that reside outside the house and the freshly swept and dusted surfaces inside.
Setting Up a Home Theater
by David Seiter
There are no hard-and-fast rules for what turns a room with a TV into a full-fledged "home theater." At the very least it's a bigger, better picture with bigger, better sound. But it isn't just electronics junkies and lottery winners who are going in for home theater systems. Families who want a more engaging cinema experience — minus the overpriced popcorn — are upgrading as well, thanks to affordable options for nearly every budget.
Green Building
Green Tax Credits Mean More Cash in Your Pocket
by Ed Pirnik
Who says it's not easy being green? The federal government is currently hosting more green tax-saving programs than ever before. With housing starts as unstable as a pineapple on a pinhead, it's time for builders to get creative. Learn how to load your toolbox with a host of energy and money-saving tips that will make you more marketable to potential clients.
Greener by Design
by Michael McDonough
Montford, a neighborhood of about 300 acres, sits a country mile away from the hustle and bustle Asheville, N.C.'s once-again thriving downtown. Originally developed around the turn of the last century, Montford is home to more than 600 structures, most built between 1890 and 1920. Although the trolley line that allowed neighborhood residents to "commute" downtown is now buried under asphalt, the neighborhood still accommodates pedestrians, bicyclists, and buses. It was spared significant loss of its architectural fabric after becoming a nationally registered historic district in 1977. Restrictions slowed demolition and guided renovation, and more recently, new construction.
Products & Finishes
Factory-Finished Siding
by John Ross
Is it possible for the paint job on a house to last for 25 or even 50 years? If the paint is applied to siding in a climate-controlled factory setting, it's quite possible. Fine Homebuilding associate editor John Ross takes a look at the world of factory-finished siding: the materials used for this type of siding (western red cedar and fiber cement), the process of applying paint to the siding, and the proper installation techniques to ensure longevity and to keep warranties valid. This article includes a couple of sidebars, one by green-building expert Alex Wilson, who compares the greenness of wood and fiber cement; and one about solid PVC clapboard.
Great Carpeting Makes the Room
by Empire Carpet
Installing carpeting can be a substantial investment, but quality can pay dividends in the form of years of beautiful life. Maintaining that beauty can be a challenge unto itself, which is why Empire Today offers a variety of tips for maintaining that beautiful carpet.
