The homeowners wanted the bathroom to exude a Zen-like atmosphere, so dRemodeling undertook several measures to ensure that they would get exactly (and beyond) what they wanted. The room was stripped down to the bare lath and then completely rebuilt and refinished into a modern bathroom. The process involved replacing the dingy old bathtub with a modern frameless glass-enclosed shower whose floors and walls were covered with pebble-like tiles to add a naturalistic flair to the modernist bathroom






An old bathroom need to remodel in order to keep it's modernity while still keeping the basic architecture, here are the project of dRemodeling that renovate and remodel the old bathroom of a historic 1894 home in the University City neighborhood of Philadelphia. You can see the picture of before and after remodeling process. here are the pictures. dRemodeling undertook much more than a mere cosmetic makeover - They undertook a complete structural renovation to bring the bathroom up to the most modern codes and standards and to ensure the bathroom would last for decades to come. Simply put, the homeowners wanted a guest bathroom that was built as solidly and as elegantly as a master bathroom.

Post and Beam - Embed Posts in the Bales or Not?

I have been recieving quite a few emails lately about the relationship between the straw bales and the posts in a post and beam or timber framed design.


If doing a timber frame it is sometimes appealing to expose the posts on the inside in order to show the structure of the building. The bales in this case are just insulation and wall material. This could save time because you will not have to notch around the posts, you just stack them, prep them for plaster, and then plaster. If you choose this route be aware that since your bales will not be in the same plane as the structure you will still need to design a system that keeps them elevated above the grade and interior floor system.

I usually embed the posts inside the exterior face of the straw bales. My main reason for this is to simplify the foundation design and finsh of the the wall. Having the posts embedded gives you an unobstructed exterior and interior when plastering as opposed to having to work around the posts. Also if there are temperature changes, the posts, assuming that they are wood, will expand and contract, causing potential problems at the joint where it meets the plaster skin.

Hope this helps!

Crocodile Leather Desk Elegant Design

Crocodile leather desk design from simple. Design of a desk into an elegant leather.
Design a simple desk, Gabriel Taxidermy designed the Level Desk for Spanish company AG Land 14. Contemporary forms were created through traditional craftsmanship, making this desk a jewel for a strong individual.

Green House Plans Gone Wild!

Green is the big thing now in the design world and the house plans business.  I recently ran across these images of Icelandic houses that definitely take green to the next level of meaning.  Check them out below.

                                                          

What Does Boston Mean To You?

Last night I attended a fabulous Christofle event celebrating the opening of their store on Boylston Street. Positioned across from Boston Common and in between the eye-catching turquoise canopies that provide entry for some of the most luxurious boutiques Boston has to offer, Christofle is certainly one store you don't want to miss. Upon entering, I was met with a stunning collection of sterling silver jewelry, flatware, serving platters, and an assortment of decadent home accessories that would add Parisian elegance to any space. The event was complete with a number of charismatic guests and a brilliantly designed champagne cooler at the center of it all.

One of the guests I spoke with plans to launch a magazine that hones in on Boston's high-end fashion for women to remind out-of-towners that the city is known for more than our sports teams and historic streets. Between the loyal Red Sox fans and our distinguished Freedom Trail tours, high-end fashion appears to be an afterthought which is why I'm dedicating this post to highlighting some of the luxurious places I've come across while living here. Maintaining it's historic charm, Boston has managed to produce a number of wonderful boutiques along the sidewalks of Beacon Hill, Newbury Street, and the North End, among others, for all visitors to enjoy!

Phone A Friend

All of the cell phones I've owned have experienced some form of abuse whether it has been dropped in water, on a brick road, or stolen from my purse during a New Year's Eve celebration. My replacement phones always end up being a dorky, Zach Morris (Saved By The Bell) type phone that never leaves me with a good feeling.

If you're anything like me and have a hard time staying on the go without losing or ruining everyday essentials, it's time to invest in a phone that lives in a more permanent and safer location: your home. The VTech LS6245 phone system offers a supportive base and handheld phone complete with a touch-sensitive surface for easy dialing and checking new messages.

One of the most interesting facts I learned about this item is that the VTech phone is the first to offer both landline and mobile telephone service. After a quick and easy Bluetooth setup with your cell phone (and up to seven other cell phones), you'll be able to make calls in no time. While cell service can come and go throughout different parts in your home, calls from VTech will come out clear every time. I wasn't able to make landline calls because I didn't have a DSL filter which is an item you'll need to buy on your own if you have high-speed cable service in your home.

Whether you're looking to add a new modern flair or have been seeking the latest in technology, a VTech LS6245 phone will certainly fill your craving! It's a beautiful addition to the home or personal office that your family and friends will enjoy using on a regular basis.

Reading and Relaxing

It is a bit of a Christmas tradition here at the farmhouse that we give each other books to read over the holidays. This week I have enjoyed lazing around reading about gardens in the Australian countryside and the latest biography on the most famous fashion icon of last century.

I have the movie starring Audrey Tatou and read many books on Chanel before but the new biography, Coco Chanel: The Legend and the Life

by former British Voguette Justine Picardie, leads your further inside her life than any other that has come before. You do get the sense that Picardie really immersed herself in the research for the book, even visiting the convent in a remote French village where Chanel grew up and seeking out her closest confidentes. She even wrote some of the book in Chanel’s private quarters on the Rue Cambon. Have a look at Justine Picardie talk about researching the book here and falling under the spell of the legend here.

My daughter usually gives me the latest inspirational garden book. This year I pointed her in the direction of landscape designer Myles Baldwin’s Rural Australian Gardens, a journal of this accomplished gardener's travels from the tropics to the alpine regions of Australia to find the best and most unusual gardens.

It is his enthusiastic, chatty and candid commentary on other designers’ gardens which I find quite refreshing. He visits minimalist David Katon’s Southern Highlands garden but one suspects it’s manicured perfection is not his bag.

The beauty of interior designer Stuart Rattle’s decorative garden in Musk, one of my own favourites, obviously took him by surprise. You really see how non-professional gardeners like Stuart Rattle and his partner become bewitched by their gardens and how they become a real labour of love. (No doubt it helps having a friend like internationally celebrated garden designer, Paul Bangay up the road.)

Baldwin presents gardens owned by real country Australians who are passionate gardeners, exactly as they are - rambling, quirky and honest. I like the fact that some of the gardens he chose are not too perfect as many of them them survive in pretty harsh landscapes.

In The Vegetable Garden

What better way to start a new year than in the garden. For me, at this time of year the beaches have less appeal down here due to the influx of summer holiday makers. (Apologies -this must seem far fetched if you are shivering in blizzards somewhere in the northern hemisphere.)

I have mentioned in previous posts that my vegetable garden had turned "feral" in the last few months because of the huge rainfall and warm weather, not to mention my busy schedule... Well I'm pleased to say that it has now been tamed. The giant, matted wild rocket, jurassic weeds and towering silver beets have been yanked out and new seedlings bought at the Berry markets today are about to go in.

Months of compost my husband has been diligently turning has been spread on top and I'm trying to follow organic principles and rotate the sort of crops that will go into each garden bed. Does anyone have a fool-proof guide?

My seven year old daughter helped choose the eclectic range of plants - a strawberry seedling, watermelon, butternut pumpkin, broccoli, sweet basil, yellow egg tomatoes, various types of lettuce and more wild rocket, amongst other things!

I am secretly hoping this will enthuse her to wanting to actually eat all of the above, fingers crossed.

I'll also be putting in some decorative elements in the vegie patch to dress it up. Too often people treat their kitchen gardens as a messy "work area" when they can be quite attractive.

I have an old victorian gate, a set of obelisks and some gorgeous Italian terracotta stake toppers (from Heaven In Earth). Jane Campsie's vegie garden in Hampshire, above, is one of my inspirations and a great example of a decorative garden.

Modern Retail Design

The “crowded house” mentality of retail design is a thing of the past. Moving forward, retailers want to offer environments that are less distracting for consumers. As a result, say leading designers, “streamlined,” “tidy” and “uncomplicated” are among the buzzwords that will define design in coming years. “Some of the largest design issues are centered on simplicity and clarity,” says Bob Welty, vice president and creative director at Chute Gerdeman, the Columbus, Ohio-based retail design, planning and branding firm.
Even before Sept. 11, consumers in all segments of retail felt somewhat overwhelmed by various burdens — from tough economic pressures to busy schedules to information overload. In response to these increasingly stressed-out shoppers, many retailers now want to simplify their business models from top to bottom. They're changing product mixes, marketing strategies, store layouts — anything to reduce clutter and clarify the message. “I think the issue is not about less inventory, but about simplifying the story retailers are trying to tell,” Welty says. “The customer can only comprehend so much. And if retailers want a product to come through, then they need to scale back.”
For starters, Welty advises retailers to reduce the amount of merchandise in displays and to use more white space as a rest for the eye. Wider aisles, better site lines and more flexible fixtures are all givens.

Great modern retail spaces by Found Associates. I grabbed photos from a few projects due to the diversity of styles. From Industrial Modern to Ultra Modern and then back to Natural Modern they do all of these very well. They have a very nice site too, more pics after the jump.

The Story

One of the neighbours knocked on our door the other day. No, it's not the very unfriendly one who keep throwing fallen twigs and branches over the fence just because the tree is on our side of the fence, it's one of the better ones and thank God most of them are like that in the neighbourhood...

They told us someone broke into their house on a windy Friday night. The couple were watching tele in the family room downstairs (from around 9 pm to 1 am) and their 2 school age kids were sleeping upstairs in their own room. The intruder somehow climbed up the roof of family room from the backyard undetected, removed the fly screen from the guest bedroom window, forced the "closed and locked" sliding window open, sneaked into the main bedroom, took some valuable stuffs, and left the house probably also using the same path. And they didn't even notice it until the husband found the fly screen on the floor in the backyard next morning.

We all thought it would be a disaster if the intruder enter either of the kids' room and accidentally woke up the kid - hope they would be smart enough not to scream or make any noise - this would be a very important thing to teach/remind your kids...

Why bother?
You might think most new houses have alarm installed and this shouldn't be a major issue. Don't forget that for situations like my neighbour's, the alarm isn't even on yet. Also, we all know that most alarms can be configured to only monitor downstairs while family members were sleeping in bedrooms upstairs, if intruder entered the house through upstairs windows, it's basically useless...

A few things I can think of...
Please note that I am NOT an expert on home security, you should always consult your builder or some security specialist for professional advice. This post is just to share some of my thoughts...

If you are still in design and planning phase, a reminder for you to think and check whether any of your upstairs windows can be easily accessed from outside (normally through roof of rooms downstairs), would suggest to change it if possible.

If you are way over that phase, a few things below might help too, please be patient and read on :-)

If you are using awning window, it should be safer as I think it's much more difficult to enter from outside for awning window (just guessing as I don't have awning windows, please correct me if you think this is incorrect). For sliding windows, there are quite a few options:

1) install window locks, google for "window locks" and you should be able to get lots of information.

One of the simplest ones are locks like below, personally I don't quite like it as I have seen windows been scratched and the paint came off due to this lock.

Sliding Doors

The NanaWall® sliding doors are designed for large glass openings. The elegant, precision, engineered NanaWall sliding doors meet the most challenging architectural specifications. The custom made NanaWall sliding doors are available in aluminum, wood or clad frames with a selection of over two hundred colors. Independent testing confirms that NanaWall sliding doors meet or exceed industry standards for air infiltration, water penetration, structural & thermal performance and forced entry. Enjoy the best of both worlds: a room with a view that opens to the outdoors yet gives you the peace of mind only weather resistant NanaWall sliding doors provide. NanaWall's are panels connected together in a train. Panels can be hinged off both side jambs to meet in a number of ways. When open, panels remain 90 degrees to the opening. Advantages of the NanaWall • With an odd number of panels stacking to one side, a single acting operable door is possible • Versatile functions with swing enter/exit panel(s) options and with flexibility to fully or partially open. • Ease of operation to quickly open or close wide openings • No auxiliary track support is needed as all structural loads are within the plane of the opening. • Both top supported and floor mounted systems are available • A multitude of stacking configurations, as well as inward or outward opening options, is available. Variations include paired panels and center pivot options. With NanaWall sliding doors you can choose from hundreds of configuration options. Shown below are some examples. The total number of panels in your wall opening depends on your design and the combination of panel height, width and glazing. With a limit of six hinged panels stacking to one side, a maximum width of about 36’ is recommended for exterior applications and about 40’ for interior applications. With top-hung systems—with additional unhinged paired panels—the maximum number of panels and width is virtually unlimited.

Selecting an Architect for Small Home Building

The planning of a small home building project can be very overwhelming. There is so many pieces that must factor into the puzzle that will be your new small home. One of the most important professionals needed in your project is an architect.

An architect will be the driving force in the practicality of your home. That’s what we are truly after, right?

We want a home that will be simple, energy efficient, cost efficient, and reliable. So, how do you find and select the right architect for your project?

The best way to find an architect is by referrals from friend or family. If you are referred to an architect, the referrers can give you great insight as for what you can expect of the architect’s professionalism. If your family and friends don’t know any architects, maybe you know a real estate broker, interior designer, or real estate appraiser who has a contact for you?

If all else fails, start with associations. Every profession has an association that members in that profession are involved in. Architects are no different. Contact the local office of The American Institute of Architects (AIA) and try to cross reference its local members with the Better Business Bureau. A large number of architects belong to AIA, and this is a great way to find an architect.

Here are some points to remember when selecting your architect:

1. Make sure to get a list of references you can contact (excluding friends and family).

2. Make sure you are comfortable with the architects fees.

3. Will your architect be available for on site consultations?

4. Does the architect know local building codes and regulations?

5. Does the architect have professional liability insurance called EEO (errors and omissions). This is to protect you, the client, if the architect is negligent.

Armed with these simple steps, finding an architect for your project should be a fairly simple process!

Great Start On My Own Tiny House

After hearing everybody else’s stories about building their own tiny houses I’ve been itching to jump in on it too. So, last spring my folks granted me permission to build a little structure on their farm.
Unfortunately, I haven’t gotten too far this summer (so far). But, my goal is to at least get the roof on and maybe a wall or 2 up before the snow flies.
The basic structure is 12 feet x 12 feet, built from a combination of salvaged and new building materials. Considering I might move the structure in the future (just around the property) I’m building it on 4×4 skids. But, to keep it from blowing over I’m planning to use some heavy duty “earth anchors” at each corner and chain the corners down. Not sure on the logistics of that yet.
So far the toughest challenge, apart from there not being electricity at the site, is dealing with warped and twisted boards. I’ve had to come up with many different ways to leverage a piece of lumber into position before attaching it into place.
I’ll keep you all posted as the work progresses.

Old vs. New Toilet Installation

There may come a time in every home owner’s life when they’re faced with the job of taking out a toilet. This can either be because the old toilet needs updating (better design, better color), or new flooring is being installed in a bathroom. There’s a couple things to consider when installing the toilet back into the old spot, whether you put the old one back or a nice, new one.
About a year ago I decided to replace the toilet in our downstairs bathroom to one that flushed better (a “super flusher”). There was new vinyl flooring going in anyway, so I figured a new commode was a nice upgrade to accompany the new flooring.
For a couple years I never gave any thought to the fact that the old toilet would ever so slightly move when you sat down on it. When the old toilet came out we found out the reason: a cracked toilet flange! This is the piece of PVC plumbing that connects the underside of the toilet bowl to the sewer line. This is a bad thing.

Click on pic to see a close up of the cracked flange.

Replacing the flange was a pain in the … posterior. Because the bathroom has a poured concrete floor below it the flange was permanently bolted to the floor. This required my Dad’s grinder to remove the heads of the bolts in order to get the flange out. Watching all the sparks fly was a bit entertaining, though.
After that the new toilet went in without another problem.
Just today I had another toilet installation job. Now the flooring in the upstairs bathroom has been replaced, so out came the old throne. After the flooring set for a few hours (per the installation guy the floor should not have anything heavy on it, like furniture or a toilet, for 3-4 hours) I set to putting the old toilet back into place. (Side note: The reason I do the toilets myself is because the flooring installer would charge almost $300 to take out and reinstall it. I really wanted to save that money; I figured it couldn’t be that tough to learn to do.)
Customarily, when you install a toilet, either old or new, you really should put in a new wax ring under it. Taking off the old wax and handling the new ring is a bit messy (I’d highly recommend disposable gloves as the stuff is very hard to get off with soap and water), but doable. But, it didn’t even cross my mind to replace the washers inside the tank. I should’ve known better.
Once everything was together I slowly turned on the water supply and watched very carefully for leaks. After a good 5 minutes of watching I felt fairly confident it was going to be ok, and went to fix lunch. Coming back to check on things about 20 minutes later sent me into a slight panic– there was a good amount of water beaded up around the foot of the toilet. Dang! Where was that water coming from?

As the tank is held up you can see the brass bolts sticking out underneath. This is what holds the tank to the bowl - and is a likely source of leaking!

I carefully checked all the bolts (that hold the tank to the bowl) and the water inlet pipe. The source was a very slow drip from one of the bolts. I was trying to cut corners by reinstalling the tank with the existing washers (“they never leaked before, why would they leak now?…”). But, I’m sure dislodging the 15+ year old washers was enough to get them to crack just enough to let water through.
So, off to the hardware store for new washers. If this happens to you make sure to get the specialty rubber washers made just for the bolts that hold on a toilet tank. As an extra precaution I also put in a small application of plumber’s putty both on top of and underneath the washer.

White House ??????????????????

White House History

For more than 200 years, the White House has been more than just the home of the Presidents and their families. Throughout the world, it is recognized as the symbol of the President, of the President's administration, and of the United States.

About the Building

For two hundred years, the White House has stood as a symbol of the Presidency, the United States government, and the American people. Its history, and the history of the nation's capital, began when President George Washington signed an Act of Congress in December of 1790 declaring that the federal government would reside in a district "not exceeding ten miles square…on the river Potomac." President Washington, together with city planner Pierre L’Enfant, chose the site for the new residence, which is now 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. As preparations began for the new federal city, a competition was held to find a builder of the "President’s House." Nine proposals were submitted, and Irish-born architect James Hoban won a gold medal for his practical and handsome design.
Construction began when the first cornerstone was laid in October of 1792. Although President Washington oversaw the construction of the house, he never lived in it. It was not until 1800, when the White House was nearly completed, that its first residents, President John Adams and his wife, Abigail, moved in. Since that time, each President has made his own changes and additions. The White House is, after all, the President’s private home. It is also the only private residence of a head of state that is open to the public, free of charge.
The White House has a unique and fascinating history. It survived a fire at the hands of the British in 1814 (during the war of 1812) and another fire in the West Wing in 1929, while Herbert Hoover was President. Throughout much of Harry S. Truman’s presidency, the interior of the house, with the exception of the third floor, was completely gutted and renovated while the Trumans lived at Blair House, right across Pennsylvania Avenue. Nonetheless, the exterior stone walls are those first put in place when the White House was constructed two centuries ago.
Presidents can express their individual style in how they decorate some parts of the house and in how they receive the public during their stay. Thomas Jefferson held the first Inaugural open house in 1805. Many of those who attended the swearing-in ceremony at the U.S. Capitol simply followed him home, where he greeted them in the Blue Room. President Jefferson also opened the house for public tours, and it has remained open, except during wartime, ever since. In addition, he welcomed visitors to annual receptions on New Year’s Day and on the Fourth of July. In 1829, a horde of 20,000 Inaugural callers forced President Andrew Jackson to flee to the safety of a hotel while, on the lawn, aides filled washtubs with orange juice and whiskey to lure the mob out of the mud-tracked White House.
After Abraham Lincoln’s presidency, Inaugural crowds became far too large for the White House to accommodate them comfortably. However, not until Grover Cleveland’s first presidency did this unsafe practice change. He held a presidential review of the troops from a flag-draped grandstand built in front of the White House. This procession evolved into the official Inaugural parade we know today. Receptions on New Year’s Day and the Fourth of July continued to be held until the early 1930s.

• There are 132 rooms, 35 bathrooms, and 6 levels in the Residence. There are also 412 doors, 147 windows, 28 fireplaces, 8 staircases, and 3 elevators.
• At various times in history, the White House has been known as the "President's Palace," the "President's House," and the "Executive Mansion." President Theodore Roosevelt officially gave the White House its current name in 1901.
• Presidential Firsts while in office... President James Polk (1845-49) was the first President to have his photograph taken... President Theodore Roosevelt (1901-09) was not only the first President to ride in an automobile, but also the first President to travel outside the country when he visited Panama... President Franklin Roosevelt (1933-45) was the first President to ride in an airplane.
• With five full-time chefs, the White House kitchen is able to serve dinner to as many as 140 guests and hors d'oeuvres to more than 1,000.
• The White House requires 570 gallons of paint to cover its outside surface.
• For recreation, the White House has a variety of facilities available to its residents, including a tennis court, jogging track, swimming pool, movie theater, and bowling lane.

plinth deasign system

The Plinth Type Ballastless Track is a well proven design used in more than 10 metro train projects across the world and in different gauges. This design has been developed by Patil Group in co-ordination with leading international design consultants.
The continuous plinth track system is a continuously supported rail with discrete shoulders retained by rail clips.
The Plinth Solutions can be implemented in the following situations:

1. Elevated track
2. Depots
3. Tunnels & viaducts

Plinth system of Urban Metro is meant for speeds up to 80 kmph. Presently, the company is executing the construction and laying of Plinth Type Ballastless Track for the Mumbai Metro in partnership with national and international agencies of repute.
Our varied references in this product make us hopeful to aspire for further forthcoming urban metro projects in various cities.