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Renovation Solutions: Converting your garage to living space
Read More: Renovation Solutions: Converting your garage to living spaceFinding existing space in your home to repurpose, convert into living space or reconfigure may take some creativity. We started our series on creatively remodeling existing space by discussing attic conversions. This week we are going to consider converting the garage into living space. By moving the garage into the basement, this family was able…
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Renovation Solutions: Basements can be remodeled, no matter how scary
Read More: Renovation Solutions: Basements can be remodeled, no matter how scaryFor the past few weeks, we have been discussing how to creatively use or repurpose existing space in your home. Whether it be the attic or your garage, there may be space within your home just waiting to be used. One common space that may be waiting for its turn is the basement. Basements are…
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Renovation Solutions: Find more space in the attic to enhance your house
Read More: Renovation Solutions: Find more space in the attic to enhance your houseSpace is like the wind: You can’t see it, but you can feel it. People tend to look at the space in a home in terms of quantity — either there is too much space or, more likely, not enough. Architects, on the other hand, see space as a way of creating an experience in…
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Exterior remodels continued: Gutters
Read More: Exterior remodels continued: GuttersAh, autumn. ’Tis the season for pumpkin shakes, cozy sweaters, the first fire of the season, and — oh, yeah — raking leaves and cleaning out your gutters. No one likes climbing on the roof to clean out the leaves and debris from the gutters, but a neglected gutter system can cause considerable damage with…
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Remodeling for curb appeal
Read More: Remodeling for curb appealA lot of our clients come to us with requests for more curb appeal. Even if the remodel is staying within the home’s original footprint, many clients want to see what they can do to enhance their home’s exterior. Exterior remodels naturally happen in combination with other remodeling projects; however, there are also the projects…
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Remodel to better multitask your space
Read More: Remodel to better multitask your spaceRemodeling doesn’t have to mean expensive additions; it can be more about creatively using the space you have. Multitasking rooms is a great way to use your existing space to its full potential. How do you multitask rooms? Well, you are already doing it. You just need to recognize it and make sure each room…
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Renovation Solutions: Roofing material choice impacts a remodel
Read More: Renovation Solutions: Roofing material choice impacts a remodelEveryone has seen a bad remodel. You’ve seen the house where the new addition looks like a big shed bumped up against the house, or the second story that looks as if it could have fallen from space and just happened to land on that particular house. The key to achieving a seamless blend of…
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Renovation Solutions: Laundry made easier with redesign
Read More: Renovation Solutions: Laundry made easier with redesignBy Ann Robinson & Annie V. Schwemmer Does it seem like your laundry piles are more like mountains than molehills? Is getting family members to pitch in and do laundry harder than getting out grape juice stains? If so, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you or your family members are lazy. It might simply mean…
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Renovation Solutions: As school nears, it may be time to remodel kids’ bedrooms
Read More: Renovation Solutions: As school nears, it may be time to remodel kids’ bedroomsBy Ann Robinson & Annie V. Schwemmer For a child’s bedroom remodel, consider the lighting, shelving and bed choices carefully. Kevin Bunnell, Renovation Solutions Summer is winding down, and it is almost time to send those little darlings back to school. With just weeks or days remaining before the first day of school, you might…
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Renovation Solutions: Quick makeover for your home
Read More: Renovation Solutions: Quick makeover for your homeEven small changes to your house (a quick off-the-street makeover) can make your home more beautiful. Often when you work to create or uncover extra space and functionality in your home, you will find more beauty, too. What makes someone beautiful? How much of that beauty is attributed to good genes and how much is…
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Renovation Solutions: Liven up your home with color
Read More: Renovation Solutions: Liven up your home with colorThe sea of ivory-colored homes with white walls and beige carpet is evidence that people are generally afraid of color. But really they shouldn’t be — at least not for architecture’s sake. The soothing and relaxing tones in this room tie in the furniture and art with slight variances in wall, ceiling and trim colors.…
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Carefully consider design for bathroom remodel
Read More: Carefully consider design for bathroom remodelClearly, if you survive the stress and strain of a home remodeling project, the results should enhance your life. Your home should be easier to live in. A bathroom addition or remodel is a project that will have a definite daily impact on your personal or family lifestyle: If you have teenagers or young children…
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Renovation Solutions: Well-detailed remodeling project will pay off
Read More: Renovation Solutions: Well-detailed remodeling project will pay offArchitect Mies van der Rohe said, “God is in the details.” Others have said, “The devil is in the details.” We suppose it’s all in the perspective. Certainly when it comes to a home renovation, you can feel very inspired or very tormented by all the details to which you must attend. If you are…
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Renovation Solutions: Remodeling opens up possibilities
Read More: Renovation Solutions: Remodeling opens up possibilitiesWith the Fourth of July, we’ve got freedom on our minds. A very different kind of freedom is found in the process of remodeling when clients become aware that there are many options available to address their particular issues. For instance, needing more space in a family room does not have to mean an addition.…
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The question: Remodel or move?
Read More: The question: Remodel or move?By Annie Schwemmer and Ann Robinson For the Deseret News If there is something about your location like a great view that would be hard to duplicate, then remodeling may be the right solution for you. Deciding to remodel does not happen overnight. The decision usually takes a lot of deliberation. We discussed last…
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Renovation Solutions: How to solve common remodeling problems
Read More: Renovation Solutions: How to solve common remodeling problemsBy Ann Robinson & Annie V. Schwemmer Adding more curb appeal to a house is one of the top client requests when they are considering a remodel. While some issues of deferred maintenance need to be addressed on a practical level, changing the look of their home is often more of a psychological need…
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Renovation Solutions: Finding the best remodeling contractors for your project
Read More: Renovation Solutions: Finding the best remodeling contractors for your projectBy Ann Robinson & Annie V. Schwemmer This entry remodel shows the dramatic impact a remodel can have on a house with the help of a well-selected group of professionals. (Annie Schwemmer, Renovation Design Group) Many of our clients come to us wondering how they can ever find a contractor who can get their job…
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Kitchens serve as the life of the family, home
Read More: Kitchens serve as the life of the family, homeBy Annie Schwemmer and Ann Robinson For the Deseret News We recently heard a statement from a woman who was planning a new custom home, and something she said resonated with us: “The kitchen to me is the life of the family.” We think this is true for so many families. The kitchen is the…
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Renovating the mother-in-law suite
Read More: Renovating the mother-in-law suiteBy Annie Schwemmer and Ann Robinson For the Deseret News Thinking of moms recently, this week we will discuss a mother-inspired renovation: the mother-in-law suite. The number of multi-generational households is growing in the U.S. The Census Bureau says they were up 30 percent between 2000 and 2010, making nearly one in six households a…
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Tips for surviving home remodeling
Read More: Tips for surviving home remodelingBy Annie Schwemmer and Ann Robinson For the Deseret News “Renovating is an intense personal experience shared with large numbers of total strangers — not much different than surviving a plane crash.” — an anonymous homeowner Even with the grim reference, this quote made us smile for its honesty. Renovating truly is an intense personal…
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Remodeling for seismic upgrades
Read More: Remodeling for seismic upgradesLast time we introduced you to Bob and Char Nelson’s remodeled 1927 Tudor-style home in the Harvard-Yale area of Salt Lake City. The remodel stayed within the floor plan of the historic home and was initially focused on energy efficiency and updating the exterior facade. The exterior of the home was in rocky shape: The…
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Remodeling for energy efficiency
Read More: Remodeling for energy efficiencyWhen Bob and Char Nelson relocated from Provo to the Harvard-Yale area in Salt Lake City, they knew it was only a matter of time before they would remodel their new, old house. Right after they moved in, they finished the basement, but the main floor, upstairs and exterior needed some work, too. Before: (Annie…
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Outdoor kitchens are gaining popularity
Read More: Outdoor kitchens are gaining popularityPeople enjoy a good old-fashioned barbecue. On a beautiful sunny day, people just love to cook and eat outside. For some reason, food cooked outside just tastes better. It might have something to do with the mouth-watering scent filling the air for miles or the chef escaping from the walls of the kitchen and becoming…
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Renovation Solutions: Planning the details of your patio design
Read More: Renovation Solutions: Planning the details of your patio designBy Ann Robinson & Annie V. Schwemmer Last week we discussed planning a patio remodel. Now that the basics of function, location and size are out of the way, it’s time to talk about details. The more attention you give to the details of your outdoor living space, the more you will use it.…
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Time to plan the patio project
Read More: Time to plan the patio projectBy Annie Schwemmer and Ann Robinson For the Deseret News We are sure your spring project priority list is filling up fast. No doubt many of your lists include some overhaul to or addition of an outdoor space. Though Mother Nature may still throw us a snow storm or two, now is the time to…
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Tricks to front porch additions
Read More: Tricks to front porch additionsIf you follow this column, you know that for the past month we have been covering house styles. We broke down the history, traditional elements, remodeling challenges and solutions for the Craftsman Bungalow, the Tudor Revival, the Cape Cod and the California Ranch. While this was just a sampling of house styles, we made the…
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Remodeling the California Ranch
Read More: Remodeling the California RanchFor the past few weeks we have been discussing home styles in our column. Last we talked about the challenges and solutions in remodeling the Cape Cod-style house. This week we are focusing on another favorite house style from the opposite coast: the California Ranch. The California Ranch home style often referred to as a…
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Ways to enhance your Cape Cod-style home
Read More: Ways to enhance your Cape Cod-style homeUnderstanding the history, style and architecture of your home — and the other homes in your neighborhood — is crucial in designing an addition or renovation. Ignore this principle, and you’ll end up spending a lot of money to decrease the value of your home, not to mention those of your neighbors. Over the past…
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Renovation Solutions: Dealing with the challenges of remodeling Tudor style homes
Read More: Renovation Solutions: Dealing with the challenges of remodeling Tudor style homesSeveral predominant home styles have evolved over the past century in the United States. You’ve seen them as you drive the streets of Salt Lake City’s classic neighborhoods: the fairy-tale Tudor revival, the classic craftsman bungalow, the charming Cape Cod and the California ranch. With each style comes unique renovation challenges and opportunities. We hope…
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Homeowners dodge awkward basement remodel
Read More: Homeowners dodge awkward basement remodelFinishing the basement may not be a project that most people think would need an architect. Whether or not there is a “need” depends on a variety of factors. once dreaded, partially finished space in the house is now a beautiful, bright favorite area where a young family spends most of its time. (Kevin Bunnell,…
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10 years later, architects reflect on their story
Read More: 10 years later, architects reflect on their storyAnnie V. Schwemmer, Jared Bulloch, and Ann Robinson reflect back on the beginning of Renovation Design Group as they celebrate its 10-year anniversary this year. Daniel Barton, Renovation Design Group The year 2013 marks the 10-year anniversary of Renovation Design Group. It is a milestone year for us, and we’d like to share our…
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Renovation Solutions: Design tips: Remodeling your basement can lead to wonderful, usable spaces downstairs
Read More: Renovation Solutions: Design tips: Remodeling your basement can lead to wonderful, usable spaces downstairsFinishing your basement is a less-expensive and less-invasive alternative to a home addition, and it does not eat up yard space. With good architectural design, even shelf basements with low ceilings and small windows, or basements that have already been poorly “finished” can be transformed into wonderful, usable spaces. If you add a bedroom in…
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Holiday season tests your home the most and sparks remodeling discussions
Read More: Holiday season tests your home the most and sparks remodeling discussionsThe holiday season is often the busiest time of year for gatherings, so it is also the time when your home’s capacity and functionality are tested the most. This is when you learn (or remember) you really could use that extra bedroom for house guests, your dining room isn’t quite big enough when you add…
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Renovation Solutions: The problem of asbestos in home remodels
Read More: Renovation Solutions: The problem of asbestos in home remodelsWe recently had a reader ask us to highlight the problem of asbestos in private residences, so this is our topic of the week. Asbestos abatement workers contain the area and must where respirators to protect themselves from the harmful effects of working around disturbed asbestos. (DRL Enterprises, Inc., www.drlenterprisesinc.com) Even small areas need…
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Renovation Solutions: Adding insulation will combat high heating bills
Read More: Renovation Solutions: Adding insulation will combat high heating billsThe weather is getting colder and the energy bill is getting higher. If your heating bill is through the roof, then that may be exactly where your heat is escaping — through your roof and walls. There were three different types of insulation used in this residential remodel: Open-cell spray polyurethane foam used in the…
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New countertops are quick, painless upgrade
Read More: New countertops are quick, painless upgradeHere’s a quick and easy way to upgrade your home: Install new countertops. Installing new countertops does not require moving walls, making structural changes or imposing drastic disruptions to your life. The actual disruption can be limited to just one day of switching out the old and new. New counters can be considered for bathrooms…
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Built-in seating gets you more out of your kitchen
Read More: Built-in seating gets you more out of your kitchenLast week, we started our kitchen remodeling series in honor of Thanksgiving — the holiday with the most time spent in the kitchen. Beyond Thanksgiving and other holiday gatherings, modern families are actually spending more time in general in the kitchen. The kitchen has become command central. It is not only a place to store…
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Renovation Solutions: Carving out a better kitchen
Read More: Renovation Solutions: Carving out a better kitchenIt is hard to believe it is already November. Now that the election is over, everyone can all start thinking about the next big event in November: Thanksgiving. With its focus of a wonderful, home-cooked meal, there is no doubt that Thanksgiving wins as the holiday with the most time spent in the kitchen. What…
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Creative storage space ideas
Read More: Creative storage space ideasMore storage space is one of the top needs on our clients’ lists. What we help clients realize is that storage doesn’t necessarily have to come in the form of a closet. There are many ways to creatively add storage space to your homes. The first priority is to carefully look at your existing storage.…
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Renovation Solutions: An architect’s tale of the Frankenhouses
Read More: Renovation Solutions: An architect’s tale of the FrankenhousesIn honor of this ghoulish holiday, we want to resurrect a favorite scary tale: “The Story of the Frankenhouses.” Spooky decorations may add some Halloween flare to this recently remodeled porch, but nothing is scarier than An Architect’s Tale of the Frankenhouses. Daniel Barton, Renovation Design Group Frankenhouses are “renovated” homes that feature things…