A great feature has launched recently on my go-to source for everything decorating, remodeling and DIY – HGTV.com. Their new page called Designer Portfolios has just that – a slew of over 2,000 different rooms from contemporary kitchens to…
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Timothy Dahl
You may have heard this term before. It’s also been called “the new urbanism” or “agrarian urbanism”. The idea is that city neighborhoods could be built and restructured in order to be self-sustainable, a harmonious blend of urban and…
It’s the classic dilemma. You have a beautiful border garden around your patio or foundation. Bright blooms and neatly mulched beds compliment your lush green lawn. All is right with the world. But there is one major problem involving…
Last month we got word that WGBH will be producing a new show focused on woodworking called Rough Cut with Tommy Mac. We’re fortunate to score an interview with Tommy Mac and had an opportunity to ask him some…
What is a soffit, you say? It is the drywall or plaster ‘box’ above your short upper cabinets that connects to the ceiling creating typically a dead space of six to twelve inches. Most soffits were placed in homes…
In a response to the amount of waste that many job sites create either through demolition of perfectly good materials or ending up with surplus, the founders of DiggersList wanted to create a free marketplace where people could exchange…
RIDGID recently introduced the RIDGID JobMax tool system that they’ve touted as the master of all trades. It’s definitely unique to the market and offers two attachments, the oscillating multi-tool and auto-hammer, that we haven’t seen in a multi-functional…
Treehouses have come a long way since the days of Little Rascals. There are now firms that specialize in designing luxury treehouses, many of which are built using sustainable materials and are of minimal impact to the environment. The…
Our friends at Fixr have been busy building this very comprehensive remodeling cost guide. We can’t vouch for its accuracy and any cost guide is always just a ballpark figure as all projects are different mainly due to materials…
The new lead paint rule instituted by the EPA that requires special handling when remodeling all pre-1978 homes has now been slightly altered. Beginning today, all contractors performing renovation, repair or painting work in homes built before 1978 must…
When designing a kitchen, it’s so important to think out of the box. Literally, your cabinetry arrives in a box. The cabinetry body is of boxes and doors but what can you do with that? Plenty! A kitchen designer…
As technology and software keeps advancing the sophistication in 3D virtual room planning tools continues to grow. This list will help you find an online design tool that works best for you. All of these are free with so…
If offering a chance to win Justin Bieber tickets wasn’t enough motivation to tour a new home development, more home builders are now touting “green” features in some of their models. According to the Wall Street Journal these home…
Installing your own home security system no longer requires the expertise of a skilled technician. You can still invest in a full-featured system from one of the leading home security firms but you now have more choices when it…
The Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard has announced that in 2010 remodeling will increase 5% over 2009. This would mark the first increase since 2006. Great news for all of us in the home improvement business. But…
Home Builders are always seeking fresh new ideas when it comes to promoting and selling homes so why not latch onto the hottest thing on the planet which is, Justin Bieber. KB Home offered visitors to any Las Vegas-area…
Now that summer is officially here, we’ve got 5 projects that anyone can do that will improve your quality of summer living. Build a wooden trellis Install a screened in porch Make a glass ball chandelier…
Among the new tools introduced at the DeWALT 12V MAX launch we attended last week, the inspection camera was the most fun from a tech/gadget perspective. It’s used to inspect behind walls into pipes and really anywhere that is…
A lot of design in green homes often raises the question – how much space do we really need? Architect Michael Katz and designer Janet Corne offer the L41 (“all for one”) that squeezes everything you need into 220…
So you spent your hard earned cash on Trex or one of the other big name composite decking brands. You were sold on the idea that this product was low maintenance. No need for staining and the deck will…
The Dwell on Design tradeshow was fun but what we were really looking forward to was the Dwell Home Tours. Dwell sets up an Eastside and Westside tour of 6 homes each that are all built in a Modern…
I have luckily (knock on wood) haven’t had to buy any major appliances yet. I know, I know. I’ve always been able to get great hand-me-downs or move into a place that was properly outfitted. But now that my…
While in Maui we had the pleasure of visiting designer Xorin Balbes latest project he’s named, Ke-Ao Lanihuli which translates to “The light from the heavens to overturn old conditions bringing enlightenment.” The name is certainly fitting for this…
To help consumers add years to the life of their air conditioning system, Bill Cunningham, a home cooling and energy efficiency expert with Lennox – a leading manufacturer of heating and cooling products – suggests the following tips for…
For the most part anything that Disney touches turns to gold so we won’t bet against their plan to build luxury homes. According to the Wall Street Journal: Walt Disney Co. plans to unveil Wednesday its first foray into…
We just returned from Black & Decker University in Towson, MD where we were invited to attend the official launch of the DeWALT 12V* MAX Lithium-Ion Cordless power tool system. There were presentations from the design build team and…
Paslode is now offering a tool decal or graffiti or “Skin” for its Cordless Framing Nailer that promotes Breast Cancer Awareness. Called Let’s Nail The Cure, the decal fits on the millions of Paslode Cordless Framing nailers in use…
Ace Hardware just shared with us a great discount that we wanted to pass along. This week you can receive $10 off your next order of $100 or more on AceHardware.com (see coupon above for additional details). Enter “HelpfulAce”…
We’re headed to Baltimore where we’ll be introduced to the latest offering from DeWALT at the Black & Decker University. You won’t believe how excited we are to be the first to check out DeWALT’s 12V MAX product platform…
Last week I had the opportunity to do an interview with HGTV designer Libby Langdon and home tech specialist David Gregg. I called in and could watch them answer my questions via a live feed on my computer. There…
It’s still granite! In a recent article from Consumer Reports, granite accounted for 56 percent of kitchen counter sales in the last year. This surface shows no signs of slowing in popularity. Quartz (Caesarstone and Silestone) and laminate (Formica),…
Buh, bye basic browns! Why stain that old adirondack chair in a basic wood when you can choose from colors like avocado and purple velvet? Olympic exterior stains has added to their wood tones with great colors for the…
If you’ve got a big enough lawn that requires a riding mower then the time is now to shop for some great new offerings. Manufacturers are now realizing the strength of the market and have developed some lawn mowers…
According to a recent report from CNN Money – home building is taking a break. They report that housing starts fell 10% last month. Forecasts may have originally been too optimistic. April was the last month in which first-time…
It was a dark and stormy night… Oh wait, no it wasn’t. It was darkish. And overcast. And really stormy. But it was the middle of the day. And it was the last day to enjoy my mature honeysuckle…
Life delivers plenty of bumps, chips, dents and scratches. To your walls, of course. Who are you calling dented? What I mean is that the walls of your house take a beating. Furniture gets bumped and pets scratch, leaving…
We’re in Maui this week checking out a few green building projects that will all meet various residential needs achieved in different ways. Hawaii has always been a leader in eco-friendly building projects and protecting the environment for future…
It’s on now! Our Father’s Day Tool Giveaway from SKIL. Check it out over at our Tools blog.…
Can’t decide on just one tool for Dad? Enter our giveaway and you’ll have a chance to make this his best Father’s Day ever by giving him four of his favorite cordless tools from SKIL. Starting today you can…
We just got note that the Sears Blue Crew has launched a new website. It looks like it’s straight out of Starship Enterprise! They are calling it the Sears Blue Crew HQ digital platform where “the Sears experts will…
The world is abuzz literally with World Cup fever. Despite the audio during the opening game that played an annoying buzzing sound emanating from the crowd, the first match started out well as host country South Africa and Mexico…
It’s nearly summer. And with skyrocketing temperatures come the chance for severe weather and power outages. In July 2006, we spent nearly a week sans power at This D*mn House in 100-degree heat following a series of back-to-back storms…
Designer Ashley Legg has come up with a Smart Fridge concept with one goal in mind: to keep track of what’s in your fridge and help you plan meals accordingly. Her idea is to develop a fridge that will…
How fun is it to scour through someone else’s junk looking for that perfect piece or vintage find? Sometimes you hit the jackpot and uncover a diamond in the rough (how’s that for cliches?). There’s plenty of good junk…
Great article in the New York Times about why appliance repairman are so expensive. It still doesn’t lessen the blow when you get the final bill but at least this helps explain some of the charges that are passed…
Head over to our Facebook page where we are giving away a DeWALT ToughCase. You’ve got two-days to enter and we pick our winner at Noon Pacific Time on Wednesday June 9th. The DeWALT ToughCase is the perfect companion…
Nowadays, people have been changing their lifestyles. They are now finding other ways to live healthily without hurting the environment. Over the years, companies and individuals started to make products that people can use just like the others but…
As builders and developers rush to attain LEED accreditation for their new homes, some wonder if the LEED certifications need to be amended to allow for testing of indoor air quality. Tom Silva of This Old house always stressed…
It’s amazing how versatile an $8 Ikea lack table can be. I spotted Kyle Freeman’s DIY kitchen island on Apartment Therapy last year and I still think about how clever he is. He used extra strong, double-sided foam adhesive…
Dremel has a unique distinction within the tool industry as being a undisputed leader in its class with no real challengers. When you need a Dremel you need a Dremel and sometimes its hard to imagine working without one.…
A great weekend project is making sure your home is clear of overgrown tree limbs. It may not be a pressing issue but cutting back these limbs can prevent issues down the road such as the branches and limbs…
Here are six questions you should ask yourself before deciding to buy a gun to protect your home.…
Maytag has voluntarily issued a huge recall of dishwashers that have been known to be a fire hazard. There are approximately 1.7 million units that are affected by this recall which includes the Whirlpool brands of Maytag, Jenn-Air, Amana,…
Maybe it’s just me. But I often get the urge for heavy duty water pressure in the kitchen sink. You know, the kind that will blast off that stuck on food. Or give your husband a shocking shower while…
At least this family has a roof over their head (albeit a very, very, thin one)…
We just came across this great journal of a kitchen remodel that the homeowners are trying to achieve in under $10k. They are almost complete and it looks like they’ll be just a tad over the budget which is…