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Creatively add space with purpose
Read More: Creatively add space with purposeBy Ann Robinson and Annie Schwemmer Meet the Schwartzes: A family of eight with six children ranging from one in the crib to junior high. They live in an East Millcreek neighborhood that is close to work and to extended family. The kids are involved in their schools and the community. They love it there.…
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Choose your architect wisely
Read More: Choose your architect wiselyBy Ann Robinson and Annie Schwemmer We have often touted the value of working with an architect on your home remodeling project. However, before you can pick an architect, you have to know where to find one. You can begin by asking your family members, friends, co-workers and acquaintances for recommendations. Many architects work primarily…
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Gather plenty of information to prepare for your remodel
Read More: Gather plenty of information to prepare for your remodelBy Ann Robinson and Annie Schwemmer Our most efficient clients are the ones who come in knowing what they want. With so many options available for residential design and remodeling today, smart clients do their part to formulate an idea of what they want before they come into our office. Read books, magazines and articles…
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Send in your renovation questions
Read More: Send in your renovation questionsBy Ann Robinson and Annie Schwemmer We started writing this renovation column back in April 2005. With our five-year anniversary, we wanted to turn our attention to our readers. First of all, thank you for reading. And to the Deseret News, thank you for giving us a place to write every week. This family had…
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Before remodeling, get professional plan and real budget
Read More: Before remodeling, get professional plan and real budgetBy Ann Robinson and Annie Schwemmer It seems the economy is finally on the mend. Though concerns and worries still abound, things are looking more positive. A master plan is especially crucial before remodeling project is started. The worst thing a homeowner can do is plunge in and see how far money will go. While…
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Plan for future, efficiency with your bathroom design
Read More: Plan for future, efficiency with your bathroom designBy Ann Robinson and Annie Schwemmer American consumers are choosing a little bit of luxury mixed with practicality and efficiency when it comes to bathroom remodels. That is according to The American Institute of Architects (AIA) Design Trends Survey, compiled from surveying 500 architects to find the most popular design features across the country. Changing…
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Recycling centers, pantries among top kitchen upgrades
Read More: Recycling centers, pantries among top kitchen upgradesBy Ann Robinson and Annie Schwemmer Every quarter, the American Institute of Architects (AIA) surveys 500 architects across the country to discover the latest design trends in kitchen and bath remodels. According to the 2009 survey for the fourth quarter, the five most popular upgrades for kitchens are more practical than ever. Changing the lighting…
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Solar water heaters add to home’s energy efficiency
Read More: Solar water heaters add to home’s energy efficiencyBy Ann Robinson and Annie Schwemmer Recently, we wrote about tankless water heaters. Following its publication, we were contacted by a nice gentleman named Larry Wilkins. Wilkins has been in the tankless water heater business for many years, and operates a company called Envirotherm. Tankless water heaters can help cut back on environmental waste. They…
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7 steps to a net-zero home — start with conservation
Read More: 7 steps to a net-zero home — start with conservationBy Ann Robinson and Annie Schwemmer One of our favorite home-improvement publications is Fine Homebuilding magazine, published by Taunton Press. It is the largest residential construction magazine with informative how-to articles written by the “guys who swing the hammers.” The April 2008 issue features excellent article by Betsy Pettit on “Remodeling for Energy Efficiency.” Changing…
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3 tips on house remodeling, to ease the pain
Read More: 3 tips on house remodeling, to ease the painBy Ann Robinson and Annie Schwemmer While experience may be the best teacher, remodeling a house is not an experience that most (sane) people undertake repeatedly in their lifetimes. Therefore, it becomes critical that you benefit from others” experience, both by working with architects, contractors and subcontractors who specialize in residential remodeling and by seeking…
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New EPA rules affect renovations
Read More: New EPA rules affect renovationsBy Ann Robinson and Annie Schwemmer Starting April 22, the Environmental Protection Agency is mandating all renovation contractors who work on pre-1978 homes be certified to properly handle lead-based paint to avoid environmental contamination. Lead-based paint was used in more than 38 million homes before it was banned from residential use in 1978. Lead has…
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Finding your own design style is a revealing process
Read More: Finding your own design style is a revealing processBy Ann Robinson and Annie Schwemmer A person going through the process of finding a design style may be surprised at the types of items selected — people tend to be eclectic. A person’s design style is as unique as his or her own personality. It may not be what is advertised on the billboards…
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Tankless water heater nice for Earth and you
Read More: Tankless water heater nice for Earth and youBy Ann Robinson and Annie Schwemmer Having hot water available at our fingertips has to be one of the great inventions of the past few centuries. Credit goes to Edwin Ruud, a Norwegian mechanical engineer, as the inventor of the automatic storage water heater in 1889. Ruud later emigrated to Pittsburgh where he pioneered the…
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Building home a big task, but you get what you want
Read More: Building home a big task, but you get what you wantBy Ann Robinson and Annie Schwemmer Very rarely can a family find everything they want in a house on the market ready for them to buy. Families usually have to remodel or build new in order to get their dream house in the right location. The Corey family decided that for them, building this new…
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Renovating? Upgrade home’s earthquake resistance
Read More: Renovating? Upgrade home’s earthquake resistanceBy Ann Robinson and Annie Schwemmer Architecture is an interesting combination of art and science. In this column we usually feature the more visual side of our profession, but physics also has a lot to do with a remodeling project. How a house is constructed and what makes it structurally sound is every bit as…
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Remodel fireplace to enhance its charm and safety
Read More: Remodel fireplace to enhance its charm and safetyBy Ann Robinson and Annie Schwemmer A fireplace is one of the most satisfying, romantic and rewarding aspects of a home, especially this time of year. It should be the focal point of a room and reflect the style of the whole house. Aesthetically, some fireplaces are timeless classics, while others are eyesores in need…
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Consider future when remodeling (not-so) empty nest
Read More: Consider future when remodeling (not-so) empty nestBy Ann Robinson and Annie Schwemmer One of our clients recently referred to his remodeling project as transforming his “home for raising kids” into “a place for gathering.” “We are entering a new phase in our family,” he said. “Our five kids are young adults now. We already have a fairly large extended family nearby,…
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Building from ground up has plusses, minuses
Read More: Building from ground up has plusses, minusesEven our most experienced homeowners find a challenge when they choose to tear down their home and rebuild from the ground up. Just ask Chris Burckle and her family. This was their third remodeling project on three houses in Salt Lake City’s historic Avenues district. The interior of the Burckles’ home has a modern kitchen…
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Architect provides solid foundation for remodel project
Read More: Architect provides solid foundation for remodel projectBy Ann Robinson and Annie Schwemmer There is no getting around it: If you are remodeling your home, you are going to need a set of plans. Plans will be required for municipal review prior to issuing a building permit, for contractors to provide you with a bid on your project, and for enabling them…
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Strive for year-round functionality in holiday remodels
Read More: Strive for year-round functionality in holiday remodelsBy Ann Robinson and Annie Schwemmer The 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. This is when you learn (or remember) you really could use that extra bedroom for Grandma, your dining room isn’t quite big enough…
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Remodeling now could save homeowners a bundle
Read More: Remodeling now could save homeowners a bundleBy Ann Robinson and Annie Schwemmer Notice we did not say a “fond” farewell. Frankly, we are glad to see it go. It seems everyone has struggled through, both professionally and personally. Here’s hoping for better things in 2010! We know many of your remodeling plans have been placed on the proverbial back burner this…
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Move, build or remodel? Each has pluses, drawbacks
Read More: Move, build or remodel? Each has pluses, drawbacksBy Ann Robinson and Annie Schwemmer There is no ignoring the fact: Your house is just not working for you anymore. Either your circumstances have changed (more people in the family, fewer people at home, more money coming in, less money coming in, etc.) or you have changed (frankly, you are no longer willing to…
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Family’s new garage finally functions like a garage
Read More: Family’s new garage finally functions like a garageBy Ann Robinson and Annie Schwemmer The Ashworth family came to us needing two things from their garage: a place to park their cars and some much-needed additional storage space. Though the existing 1920s garage was large, the doors were so narrow that getting 21st century cars in was a chore. In addition, the leaky,…
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Architect can be valuable in bidding process
Read More: Architect can be valuable in bidding processBy Ann Robinson and Annie Schwemmer Unfortunately, many homeowners think undertaking a remodeling project means picking up the phone and calling a contractor. If you have read any of our columns over the past several years, we hope you have picked up on the principle of involving a design professional before calling a contractor. By…
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Be thorough when selecting a general contractor
Read More: Be thorough when selecting a general contractorBy Ann Robinson and Annie Schwemmer Choosing the right general contractor is a critical step in remodeling your home. No matter how well your architect designs the plans or how vividly you envision the project, the remodeling contractor can literally make or break the final outcome. Selecting a good general contractor is important because he…
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Keep your toes toasty with radiant heating in floors
Read More: Keep your toes toasty with radiant heating in floorsBy Ann Robinson and Annie Schwemmer There are few things worse in the winter than stepping on a cold tile floor. A heated floor is one of those luxuries that is becoming more common with the push for energy efficiency and better indoor air quality. Radiant heating is a more efficient option compared to electric…
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Details important when remodeling older, boxy homes
Read More: Details important when remodeling older, boxy homesBy Ann Robinson and Annie Schwemmer We know the little boxy houses of yesterday do not meet the needs of the modern family — and they haven’t for decades. So, it wasn’t surprising to hear that Ty Robbins’ 1937 home had been remodeled four times over the years. When Ty Robbins remodeled his Murray home,…
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Green building’ tips for remodeling
Read More: Green building’ tips for remodelingBy Ann Robinson and Annie Schwemmer It is all the rage to talk about “green building” and “sustainable design,” but what do these buzz words really mean and what difference does it make to you? They essentially mean the same thing: design and construction that are sensitive to the environment today and in the future.…
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Home should be checked for radon
Read More: Home should be checked for radonBy Ann Robinson and Annie Schwemmer All of us face a variety of risks to our health as we go about our daily lives. Driving in cars, flying in planes and being exposed to environmental pollutants all pose varying degrees of risk. Some risks are unavoidable; others we accept so as to not restrict our…
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Easy ways to lower your heating bill
Read More: Easy ways to lower your heating billBy Ann Robinson and Annie Schwemmer The weather is starting to change, and winter chills and high energy bills are on their way. You are probably just turning the furnace on for the first time, but after the heating bills from last year you may be a little hesitant. If you saw high heating bills…
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Natural colors often best when choosing paint
Read More: Natural colors often best when choosing paintBy Ann Robinson and Annie Schwemmer A room with plain, white walls can be transformed by a simple coat of paint. You can create different feelings and moods in a room just by what wall colors you choose. Because color is powerful, you may feel indecisive and insecure about choosing color schemes. We’ve all experienced…
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Good design transforms home, lives
Read More: Good design transforms home, livesBy Ann Robinson and Annie Schwemmer In architecture, the basic building blocks of good design include space, light and order. Good design doesn’t have to be dramatic. It can be subtle and still have a huge impact on a house. For Tom and Maria Maloney, all it took was bumping out the house 2 feet,…
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A neighborhood-friendly remodeling project
Read More: A neighborhood-friendly remodeling projectIf you want to live in an established Salt Lake City neighborhood, the houses often are either too small or expensive fixer-uppers. The nature of a typical city neighborhood breeds remodeling. In Holly Morham’s neighborhood, she says she sees remodeling projects on almost every block. “But I see that as a good thing,” she says.…
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Practical, aesthetic details make home shine
Read More: Practical, aesthetic details make home shinePractical, aesthetic details make home shine By Ann Robinson and Annie Schwemmer Architect 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…
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Bungalow transformed into city-style loft
Read More: Bungalow transformed into city-style loftBy Ann Robinson and Annie Schwemmer The little bungalow in Salt Lake City, Utah looks like any other home in the neighborhood from the street. “It is very deceptive,” says Barbara, owner of the newly remodeled home. “On the outside it looks just like a Sugar House bungalow, but when you walk in, it looks…
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If design is right, outdoor areas can be living space, too
Read More: If design is right, outdoor areas can be living space, tooBy Ann Robinson and Annie Schwemmer People tend to look at homes from wall to wall, considering only the inside space as liveable area. Many often neglect to consider the outdoor spaces, never stepping foot in them let alone using them every day. A remodeled deck and added pergola gives homeowners an outdoor space that…
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The construction phase is critical
Read More: The construction phase is criticalBy Ann Robinson and Annie Schwemmer Last week we discussed Lucynthia Knudsen’s remodeling experience, but there’s another aspect of her project that we would like to discuss. Knudsen’s story is intriguing, but it was actually a record project for us in the area of construction observation — we logged more than 200 hours on site…
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Breaking remodeling job into phases helps budget
Read More: Breaking remodeling job into phases helps budgetBy Ann Robinson and Annie Schwemmer Last week, we discussed saving money on your renovation by being your own general contractor. Well, not everyone has the skill set, time or patience to do that. So this week, we have a few tips for saving money on your remodel that anyone can follow. Tip 1: Smart…
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Renovation turns ordinary house into something inspiring
Read More: Renovation turns ordinary house into something inspiringBy Ann Robinson and Annie Schwemmer The old family house on the east bench of the Salt Lake Valley turned 83 this year. When Lucynthia Robbins Lines Knudsen received the deed to the house, she couldn’t bear to sell it. This home was renovated with modern flair. It now has a metallic, see-through fireplace; clean,…
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Be remodel’s boss and save money
Read More: Be remodel’s boss and save moneyBy Ann Robinson and Annie Schwemmer Right now it seems frugality is back in fashion. Everyone is giving tips on how to save money and make your dollar stretch further. Even when it comes to remodeling there are ways to save and stretch your dollar. While we don’t necessarily recommend it to everyone, several of…