Yesterday, I wrote a post about a really great DIY Green Wall Vertical Garden Thingy that I ran across while chasing down a photo that caught my eye. This is that photo:

This space really caught my eye because my family and I live in a tiny house of just under 1000sf, having downsized from about three times that size. Anytime I see a small space design that really works great, I have to write about it!

Glass, Glass, and More Glass

One of the most effective tools in small space design is light and this room has plenty of that! The floor-to-ceiling windows and glass doors create an almost seamless integration with the adjoining deck.

This much glass is hard to use in larger spaces because of heating and cooling challenges, but in a small space it’s much easier and less costly to keep the inside comfortable.

Color, Color, and Less Color

I really love the color of this wall and the way it goes against white. In fact, I think it’s almost the exact same colors as in (one of) my dream kitchen(s). The bright yellow tables add a perfect accent and putting them on blue wheels makes the space flexible! Luvvvvv it!

Open Beam Ceilings of Pretty Wood

I limit my use of the word pretty to situations when I really want to get the point across. This is pretty wood. It looks like a natural fir but it could be one of umpteen other great species used for framing. What it is NOT however, is super-high-end-cost-you-a-fortune-and-then-some kind of wood. This is pretty normal stuff that has been hand selected for the best grain and the nicest arrangement of knots, etc.

I don’t think it’s been finished at all. Why wood you? (ha!)

Don’t Miss The Lighting

Gotta love the juxtaposition of the raw wood with the sleek modern lighting.

Bottom line.. love this room!

photo source: Sunset.com

Sure thing… take a look:

Chalkboard Pendant Light -- Cool!

I thought this was pretty sharp.  Looks like something you could make, but if you prefer to buy one, you can here.

For a whole post full of chalkboard paint projects, click here.

Bilardo Inline Three-Light in Aged Brass

I’m a fan of great looking light fixtures and this one really struck a chord with the part of me that loves mechanical things. I’ve not thought about it much, but when I do think about it, I realize that I’ve always been a sucker for pulleys. Who knew?

This light is made by Architects & Heroes who has a great selection of pulley lights. The best price I could find the fixture for online was $1195.00 at a site I’ve never been to, Pulley-Lights.com.

Here is the question:

Hi Tim,

We recently gave our kitchen a ‘makeover’ that involved new countertops and appliances. Soon we’ll have new flooring & now, thanks to you, I’m determined to have painted cabinets, too. The one thing that’s lacking is a great lighting solution. Due to the way our house is situated, the kitchen is fairly dark throughout the day. We had a giant (super ugly) plastic covered fluorescent that went out with the old laminate countertop and appliances. We currently have some pendant lights & a track…that don’t really offer enough wattage to light the entire kitchen sufficiently. We’ve talked about recessed lighting, but don’t want to get out of our league with a project that we can’t handle. As you talk about often, the budget is not exactly expansive. Is there something we could do ourselves that would illuminate our kitchen or shall we live like cave dwellers until we can afford a professional?

Thanks,

Jenn

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Hi Jenn!

Yes, there is something you can do yourself that will give you great light in your kitchen without breaking the bank. Exactly what that is depends on a number of things and as i started to write them out I found myself wishing I could just answer the question verbally, so that’s what I did!  The audio player and download link is at the bottom of this post.

I’ve also gone out and found a few links for you that might help.

The photo above is from the following post, which mentions lighting:

10 Kitchen Remodeling Ideas

DoItYourself.com has a whole category on electrical and there are thousands more resources online.

I also mentioned a new wire that is flat.  I’m not sure it’s really ready for widespread use yet, but here is the link:

http://www.flatwirestore.com/mm5/LVL.html

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And here is the audio of my answer:

Awhile back I took a picture of a pretty room and simply pointed out the details that I thought made a real difference. I enjoyed doing that, readers seemed to like it, and my friend and cohort, The Nester, loved it. She said I should do that every week. So I asked her to send me some pictures, and boy did she! Golly gee!

She sent so many, that for the foreseeable future I’ll take a close look at them one per week…

The Nester’s Pic of The Week!

A Beautiful Traditional Little Kitchen!

Wow! So, who has heard of a vision board? This might make a good addiction (er, I mean addition) to one! This kitchen is smokin’ hot!

Here are some of the details I love, that you can incorporate into a project of any scope (just in case you decide to scale back a tad…).

The Floor

These tile floors that are made up of various sizes always get my attention (there is a word for it, but it escapes me… modular?). But in this kitchen the colors and textures go perfectly with one another.

I’m relatively certain that this is natural stone, but the fact the even I can’t say for sure is a testament to the quality of some of the manufactured products available. If you can afford it though, I would splurge on real natural stone! It’s my favorite… or one of them!

The Window

Like, the picture says is at all man!

But seriously, you can come up with ways to get abundant natural light into your kitchen. (see recent post on Bump-Out Additions)

The Island

I’m seriously in love with kitchen islands. But not just any island, I have standards.

For me to give my heart to an island it must offer one very important thing to me: A place to sit. I love islands that you can sit around.

The feel of sitting right in the kitchen and hanging out while a meal is prepared, eating casual meals there, just laughing and enjoying time with family and friends. That’s what this island says to me.

A couple of points:

• Notice the height. It’s at standard counter height (36″) or maybe a little higher. Again, we’re talking feel, but I prefer to sit at a higher table for casual meals. And of-course, it makes the whole surface a usable workspace.
• See how they used a different counter? I wish I could see this closer because I can’t tell if this is a concrete counter, a wood counter, or a stone counter? Anybody have a counter-opinion? I just think it sets the island apart and gives cool contrast to the kitchen using different surfaces. And I like the edge treatment.
• Take a look at the detailed work under the counter on the face of the cabinet. It isn’t hard to add a little detail here when doing a whole kitchen over, and it makes a really significant difference!
• See this post for more islands (Hooked On Islands)

The Ceiling

Hang on while I gather my thoughts… this kind of thing stuns me a little bit! I’m a wood nut and I love lots of woodwork in a house. I’m a ceiling nut too! Did you know that was a thing? Neither did my wife until she started to realize that one of the first things I notice about rooms is the ceiling! Ceilings are huge canvasses, so often left blank!

This kind of thing can be done on your ceiling. Any ceiling really. I wrote a post about it. (see Beam Me Up!)

This ceiling in particular has some great detail to it. Look closely and you’ll see.

One final thought about the ceiling…see how the lights are NOT symmetrical. People argue about this stuff. Some say that you should just put the recessed cans where you need them for task lighting, others (like me) say that it should be even. Same number per square, same location in each square… Who cares, right? Just thinking out loud.

A Beautiful Kitchen Overall

So, overall, if you want to set yourself some lofty goals for a traditional kitchen, this might be a great place to start!

• great cabinets
• great flooring
• great lighting
• great details
• beautiful colors
• abundant light
• plenty of work surface
• a place to sit
• and a cute little stool!

And with that we wrap-up this first edition of The Nester’s Pic of The Week. Stay tuned and see what else she sent me!

And here is my question to you…

What are your thoughts? What do you like? Any questions for me?

Just let me know in the comments!

Raise your hand if you’re confused.You’re not a loone, er, I mean, alone. I think most people who are ready or are planning to remodel are asking themselves the same question… how much should we spend?

And since I’m immensely intelligent, I have the answer. No, not really. But I do have some thoughts on the subject. Lets start at the beginning…

Manufacturers Offer Consumer Rebates

I got an email last week from the folks at Danze. If you’ve not heard of them, Danze is an Illinois company that “manufactures and distributes fine furnishings for the kitchen and bath”, and they’re having a sale… sort of. Along with the email, I received a photo…

Nice…

Two things caught my eye more than anything else. First, it was the light fixtures which I think are purrdy sharp. Then it was the vanity, which I thought was unique and nice looking. The press release said that they were offering a rebate of up to $125 on vanities. I wonder how much that vanity is… I started thinking.  Ready?… about $1,000.00, give or take.

That’s how I got to thinking about the question “How does one determine a budget in tough times?”

What Kind of Investment Are We Talking?

I’ve seen some husbands choke over the years. (it’s funny and sad at the same time)  A $1,000 little vanity would usually do it. But I’ve also seen $40,000 worth of Onyx in one master bathroom. That makes this vanity look very affordable. It all depends on perspective.

But the times changed dramatically with regard to investment. The days when you could quantifiably say…”we ought to get most of this back in resale value.” or better yet…”we’ll profit from this choice.” … well, let’s just say that option is “temporarily unavailable.”

But there is another entire side of the budget decision. There is an investment in “lifestyle”. There is a heartfelt pursuit of a great environment that changes the way we feel, which of course changes everything. It’s these parameters that drive the high-end market in a tough economy. It’s an investment in emotion, not an IRA.

Permanent Shifts In Thinking

Green. Small. Do more with less. Footprint. Impact.

All of these words are in people’s mind when it comes to the homes they want to create.  These factors can play heavily on the budget for an item… such as a cool light fixture.

You might be willing to spend a little more on the perfect light if you only need one or two special fixtures than if you need a dozen.

Scale can increase item-by-item budget.

Authenticity and Individuality

I’ve been reading a ton about the new wave of design consciousness. People are less apt to accept the same as the neighbors. They want unique and they want it to be uniquely them. Two different things. Both can impact budget.

The Bottom Line

I’m trying to say that while I think overall budgets may go down as people build smaller homes and banks change lending practices, I think there will be more instances of “truly special” items in peoples homes.

So, let me ask you a question… when your overall budget goes down, do you feel like you want at least one splurge item? Like one special part? Or no? I’d love to hear your answer in the comments!

Are you looking to spruce up your bathroom? Personally, I think it’s one of the best places to start remodeling. Let’s see how many ideas we can get from one picture! Here is the picture:

Nice Huh?

Well, I say you don’t have to do ALL of this to rock your bathroom into a new realm of spa-at-home bliss! Just start small and do one thing at a time.

Try these in no particular order:

1.

Frame the mirror!

You can either buy a framed mirror and hang it up, or you can frame the mirror you already have! Everybody is all into black right now, right? How about this: just make the mirror frame black. It works in this picture, maybe it can work for you!

2.

Get new light fixtures!

This makes a huge, ginormous difference with very little effort. You can watch a hundred videos online on how to do this and then you can totally DO-IT-YOURSELF!

3.

Get some new hardware!

Not only is this easy, but shopping for bath hardware is, like, totally fun.

4.

Paint!

I don’t think a single remodeling project can compete with paint for the proverbial “bang for your buck”. So paint! I really like a marked contrast between the trim and the walls, even if the colors remain soft, like this.

5.

Install Some Bead-Board!

Paint and fixtures not enough? Want to get into some woodwork? Then we think alike, you and I. I’m totally into the woodwork in this bathroom! How about doing some wainscot paneling like this picture shows! or…

6.

Trim the door!

How hot is this door trim? This job has all the bells and whistles. At the base of the casing you can see the “plinth blocks”. And the top of this doorway is done beautifully! I say copy it exactly! and then…

7.

Install some crown!

One of the most common things I’ve heard over the years of construction, even after doing hundreds of thousands of dollars in work, are:

“I can’t belive what a difference the crown molding made.”

8.

Tile the floor!

This picture shows about as simple of a tile project as you can find. But look at it… it looks great! Tile is as much about color and texture as it is about material, feel, and pattern. Sometimes you can get a great look with sale pile, El Cheapo, tile. Go for it!

9.

Get a Rockin’ Vanity!

Many people would be totally shocked at how inexpensively things like this can be found online! I’ve seen vanities just like this one with the stone top and all for $500.00 or so. I often wonder how they do it! One thing is for sure, this looks great. Especially in this particular bath!

But if you can only do one thing…

10.

Get a new faucet!

It’s simple, it’s cheap, it’s effective, it’s REMODELING!!!

And it is certainly a start!

When you do this, make sure you take pictures, write a post, and bring your post back here on May 1st for the Remodeling Guy Round-Up!

If you’re interested in these projects, you should use that internal search box up at the top of the first sidebar, just to the left of the little green guy with the bullhorn! There is much more here about most of these projects.

I sure hope you go for it! The bathroom is the first place most people go in the morning It should be a nice place to go, don’t you think?

I’ve seen the light!

This is one of the light fixtures the electricians were installing on one of my jobs today.

This is the PH Artichoke by Louis Poulsen. It’s an amazing work of functional art!

Is it for everyone? No, probably not. Not in terms of style, size or price point!

I won’t even say how much this thing cost…its one of those situations where “if you have to ask”…!!

Light up My Life!

Yesterday we talked about painting being a great winter project because it can be done indoors and out of that biting cold. (They are forecasting SNOW IN FLORIDA!! tonight)

The best paint job in the world, the best architecture, the best interiors, the best furniture…all looks the same in the dark!

The importance of lighting is hard to over stress! It makes a difference!

Three Types of Light

When considering lighting, it has to be considered from three separate and independent sources. Each one will be utilized in different ways at different times. These are:

• Natural Light
• Permanent Fixtures
• Lamps, Candles, Fireplaces (alarm clocks)

Just kidding about the alarm clock, though there are times…

Natural Light

I wish I had a way to make this picture glow, as a message from on high! I can’t even remember what I’m writing about…I think this is going to bump off my wife and kids as my new desktop background.

Oh yes, natural light! Whether you live in a place like this one, or in any place anywhere (except maybe NORAD) you can take advantage of natural light! And you must!

In general, the biggest problem with natural light is simple: not enough of it!

Make A Hole

As a remodeler this is one of the most frequently encountered problems with a “stock plan”. In a perfect world, every house would be designed for the site on which it sits. It would take advantage of the sun, the views, the breezes (in season!), etc.

Since this is not the way it’s always done, there may be a huge opportunity here for you. Cutting a window into a wall isn’t as hard as you think it might be. You have a sledge hammer don’t you?

Wait…don’t do that just yet. Email me first and show me some pictures of where you want the window to go and lets discuss it a little bit. Wouldn’t want the second floor bathroom coming down on your head.

Look Up!

Is the wall too important? Maybe you need that wall for the bed or the dresser. Maybe the closet is even on the exterior wall, which is not an un-solvable problem by the way!

A skylight is a great way to get natural light where windows aren’t an option.

If you can get both, all the better!

Now these aren’t usually a D.I.Y. project. Unless you’re highly proficient with most construction trades, you want to bring in a pro here.

I could go on, and on, and on. Other options include glass block, transom windows, French Doors, glass in your existing doors. That closet I was talking about…go ahead and put a window in it and then change the closet doors out to something with frosted glass. The impact can be incredible! But alas, I must move on to:

Permanent Fixtures!

No, I’m not talking about the in-laws!

Light fixtures can make up for an otherwise bland design and there aren’t many easier quick projects!

We’ve all heard about the different uses for light fixtures, ie. general lighting, “task” lighting, etc.

I hate to beat a dead horse, but it’s important to consider what you need and where. Not only for functional purposes, but for the beauty of your design!

I found this chandelier to the right over at Hooked On Houses. It’s a Martha Stewart design and it’s clean and traditional. Much the opposite of the first fixture I showed at the top of the post!

Pendants are Hot!

The use of pendant lights can really liven up a design while doing a great job of providing light for a surface area such as a kitchen counter, a dining room table, or a bar.

The photo above has another type of fixture as well: wall mounted.

Wall mounted fixtures come in all shapes and sizes. They are among the easiest to replace (since you’re not working over your head), and anyone can run up to Home Depot or Lowe’s and get a great fixture for less than $50.00.

Case in point:

This fixture is available at Lowe’s for only $17 bucks!

You can take that old fixture off the wall in your hallway and put this one up in about ten minutes!

Ten minutes and $17 dollars and you’re stylin’ already!

As with natural light, I could go on, and on, and on like the energizer bunny. There are SOOO many things to talk about; ceiling fans, recessed cans, cabinet lighting, indirect lighting (way cool), and so much more. If anyone wants help with something specific, email me. The idea for this blog is to be interactive and real, so I want to hear about your project! But alas, I must move on before I:

Get Fired!

Whatever you do, don’t forget the oldest light source of all: Fire.

Fire, in the form of a candle, fireplace, firepit, match … whatever, is some of the most beautiful light you can get after dark.

Maybe some of you who have been feeding your fireplace for a couple of months now are a bit “over it”, but from a lighting perspective it’s huge!

If you want to stop messing with the wood pile, you could always go with gas, like this fireplace on the right.

I stole the picture from The Nester and she has a pretty funny story to go along with it. I mean, to me it was funny; she probably didn’t think so at the time!

Tommy Bahama

I can bring any subject matter back around to Tommy Bahama. It’s a gift. Last, but not least, don’t forget the candles! You can place them in a wall sconce, in a candelabra, even in those little floaty thingy-ma-bobs…what are they called? Tealites? Tiny candles.

The best, in my humble opinion, are:

Now THAT is a light fixture!