Remodeling Tips & Advice
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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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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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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…
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Defining space with ceiling design
Read More: Defining space with ceiling designOne of the main goals of architecture is to clearly and beautifully define and differentiate space in a home. While adding a wall is one way to do that, it is not the only way. Today’s families want houses that accommodate their lifestyles, which tend to be less formal than they were in the past.…
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Tips for designing a welcoming home
Read More: Tips for designing a welcoming homeIt is difficult to put into words what it feels like to come home. “Home” looks and feels different for everyone. However, there are similarities in the elements of architecture that create that welcoming feeling of “Ahh, we’re home.” Before: while tiling an entry area helps, it is still awkward to walk directly into a…
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Designing the perfect ‘away room’
Read More: Designing the perfect ‘away room’Because our homes are filled with electronics, televisions, computers, appliances and people, our homes are filled with noise. When a majority of the public space in a home is open, it is helpful to maintain a small space that can be closed off to contain or seal out noise. (Brent Murray, Renovation Design Group) Noise…
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Remodeling should focus on comfort, not size
Read More: Remodeling should focus on comfort, not sizeSo many times, clients come to us asking for more space. However, most of the time it is not more space that they actually need. It is better space. Do you use every room of your house every day? How are you using those rooms? Are feeling cramped in your current house? Is there wasted…
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Renovation Solutions: How to survive a renovation
Read More: Renovation Solutions: How to survive a renovationMany of those who remodel choose to stay in their home while it is being renovated. In terms of saving money, this isn’t a bad idea. It is definitely more cost-effective than renting a place for the few months your house will be torn up. However, this decision is not an easy one to live…
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Tips on making remodeling less stressful
Read More: Tips on making remodeling less stressfulAs difficult as remodeling is under the best of circumstances, imagine trying to complete a project on a house in a different city or state. For instance, a Utah family was transferred to Arizona. The family flew to the new city for a few days and found a house that would do, but with some…
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Renovation Solutions: Remodeling lessons learned from office renovation
Read More: Renovation Solutions: Remodeling lessons learned from office renovationWe recently renovated a space and moved our office. This has been a good experience in the same way that a surgeon should occasionally have an operation. We are in the business of uprooting people’s lives, temporarily, and telling them that the pain and stress are all worth it. We assure them that they will…
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The key to successful remodeling, even if you do it yourself; Simple secret to a successful home remodel
Read More: The key to successful remodeling, even if you do it yourself; Simple secret to a successful home remodelWe would like to preface this column by saying that we are not automatically opposed to do-it-yourself remodels. We have seen some beautiful homes remodeled by homeowners as the contractor and/or laborer. Granted, the homeowner who successfully does it himself is usually experienced with construction or handier than the average homeowner, but putting some sweat…
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How architecture can change lives
Read More: How architecture can change livesHappy clients are the measure of our success. We enjoy having our work published and earning design awards, but we get our most direct rewards from our happy clients. Nothing is more rewarding than to hear how our work has truly improved our clients’ lives. Before: In this project, we removed a wall to open…
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Bringing light inside the home with skylights
Read More: Bringing light inside the home with skylightsStudies show that when people live and work in a well-lit environment, they are happier, healthier and more productive. Natural lighting can also be another way to save on electricity, since it provides free light and warmth. This design technique is called daylighting. A solar tube skylight was added in a mudroom as part of…
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Doing a kitchen remodel in phases takes planning
Read More: Doing a kitchen remodel in phases takes planningLast week, we began a discussion of how to tackle a major kitchen overhaul in several stages to try to defray some of the cost of such a major undertaking. As we noted, according to Remodeling magazine’s 2011 Cost vs. Value Report, a major, 200-square-foot kitchen remodel costs about $58,000, with a 65 percent return…
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Renovation Solutions: Navigating technical aspects of a remodel
Read More: Renovation Solutions: Navigating technical aspects of a remodelLast week we discussed what is involved in removing structural walls. But there are more aspects of construction that you need to deal with in a more major remodel. Believe it or not, the technical aspects of the remodel impact the final look, flow, function and design of your project. These aspects fall into three…
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Removing a structural wall is tricky but not impossible
Read More: Removing a structural wall is tricky but not impossibleOne of the most common requests we hear these days is to create an open floor concept to create a kitchen/great room. This request requires removing walls. How simple this process is depends on whether or not the wall is “structural,” which means it is part of the structural design of the home and is…
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Renovation Solutions: Repurposing a home’s underused space
Read More: Renovation Solutions: Repurposing a home’s underused spaceYour house has a finite number of square feet, and it is incumbent upon each of us to make sure we are using that space to our greatest advantage. A spare bedroom was an underused space that has been transformed into a music room. (Annie V. Schwemmer) Many people come to us thinking they…
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Renovation Solutions: Expert advice on creatively maximizing your space
Read More: Renovation Solutions: Expert advice on creatively maximizing your spaceMultitasking: the performance of multiple tasks at one time, describes a lot of our lives. From the dubious practice of talking on our cellphones while driving to the mom trying to feed the baby while getting the other children out the door to school, we are trying to accomplish more in one day than the…
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Spring is the perfect time to give your ugly patio a face-lift
Read More: Spring is the perfect time to give your ugly patio a face-liftBy Ann Robinson and Annie V. Schwemmer Published: Saturday, March 17 2012 4:00 p.m. MDT Today we are going to talk about patios. 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. ‘Tis the season for…
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Tips to designing seamless outdoor spaces
Read More: Tips to designing seamless outdoor spacesIs it spring yet? Well, the technical answer is no, but psychologically some of us need to push the issue a bit. One way to endure the winter doldrums is to focus on spring gardening. We’ll bet some of you are spending time with your Burpee catalog or wandering around your favorite garden center, watching…
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Ways do-it-yourselfers can save even more
Read More: Ways do-it-yourselfers can save even moreThe cost of labor is the largest portion of a remodeling budget. If you are a do-it-yourselfer with the time, energy, resources and know-how to do the construction yourself, then you can save thousands on labor costs. In preparation for a remodel, this homeowner sold almost everything shown in this photo — from the hardwood…
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Tips to cut remodeling costs without cutting any corners
Read More: Tips to cut remodeling costs without cutting any cornersBusting the budget is everyone’s biggest fear when it comes to home renovation, and with good reason. If funds are tight, consider hiring a contractor to build just the exterior “shell” of your addition and then you can complete the interior finishes as funds become available. (Brent Murray) Even if you follow the essential advice…
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Renovation Solutions: Specify products for remodeling project
Read More: Renovation Solutions: Specify products for remodeling projectThe decision to take the plunge into home remodeling may be difficult, but it will be just the first of many decisions you will have to make. Even after the majority of all the design decisions have been made, the average home remodel requires hundreds of additional decisions, ranging from small ones (selecting cabinet hardware)…
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Renovation Solutions: Removing chimney opens up myriad design possibilities
Read More: Renovation Solutions: Removing chimney opens up myriad design possibilitiesLast week we discussed adding fireplaces and fireplace remodels. Well, sometimes a fireplace needs to be relocated or removed all together in order to accomplish your design goals. Removing a masonry chimney can be done by a homeowner, but it can be an exhausting – as well as dirty – job. (Annie V. Schwemmer) If…
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Renovation Solutions: Changing ceiling gives feeling of more space in your home
Read More: Renovation Solutions: Changing ceiling gives feeling of more space in your homeWhen designing a room, don’t forget to look up. The tray ceiling in this master bedroom makes the room feel more spacious while adding drama to the room. (David T. Price) The ceiling represents a substantial portion of the finished area of a room and offers a lot of opportunity to add design and definition…
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Renovation Solutions: Survival tips for living while remodeling
Read More: Renovation Solutions: Survival tips for living while remodelingLast week we introduced you to the Smiths, a family of eight that just survived a fairly extensive renovation while living in their split-level home throughout the construction process. Their remodel included an addition of 400 square feet to both the main and lower levels, adding a great room (family room, dining area and kitchen)…
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Renovation Solutions: Time for fall cleaning, home maintenance
Read More: Renovation Solutions: Time for fall cleaning, home maintenanceThe term “Spring Cleaning” has become somewhat of a deep cleaning cliché. And it is rightfully named since most deep cleaning is tackled in the spring. However, there is an important Fall counterpart to cleaning that is often overlooked. Fall cleaning involves more than just tidying up around the house. There are important home maintenance…
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Renovation Solutions: Tips for saving money when remodeling
Read More: Renovation Solutions: Tips for saving money when remodelingAh, a budget. Most of us are all too familiar with living on a budget, especially these days. While this client did not have the budget for a large master suite addition, an architect was able to help them gain access to an updated bathroom from a reconfigured master bedroom. (David T. Price) Successfully living…
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Renovation Solutions: Remember to address air-quality issues inside your home
Read More: Renovation Solutions: Remember to address air-quality issues inside your homeEnergyStar has become a household term. Everyone knows that EnergyStar translates as energy efficient products or homes. Well, the EPA has taken the EnergyStar labeling program for homes a step further into the green. The EPA has developed a sister program called Indoor AirPLUS. As our homes become more energy efficient there is less air…
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Renovation Solutions: Remodeling? Here are some survival tips
Read More: Renovation Solutions: Remodeling? Here are some survival tips“Renovating is an intense personal experience shared with large numbers of total strangers — not much different than surviving a plane crash.” — An anonymous homeowner. Contractors Jason Runolfson, left, and Jeremy Jackson of Jackson & LeRoy Remodeling spend hours planning and working with clients on home remodeling projects. -Annie V. Schwemmer Even with…
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Renovation Solutions: Capitalize on views by updating windows
Read More: Renovation Solutions: Capitalize on views by updating windowsEveryone knows that curb appeal, or what you experience as you look at a house from the outside, is an important aspect of a home’s architecture. (See the past few columns for ideas about enhancing exterior curb appeal.) These windows were added to this room to create a focal point. The remodel also added a…
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Renovation Solutions: Adding curb appeal with exterior upgrades
Read More: Renovation Solutions: Adding curb appeal with exterior upgradesOne of the common requests we get these days is for exterior updates. Sometimes the interior space is working but the exterior lacks curb appeal. Ultimately, we have found clients who want an exterior update are just trying to love the homes they are in a little more. The economy has locked more people into…
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Renovation Solutions: Remodeling on the rise
Read More: Renovation Solutions: Remodeling on the riseWith the housing market still technically in the doldrums, it is nice to hear some positive housing news. It has been recently reported by BuildFax.com that home remodeling hit its highest level since May 2004, the year the tracking service started monitoring this portion of the construction market. Specifically, home remodeling was up 22 percent…
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Renovation Solutions: Make sure a remodel adds value to your home
Read More: Renovation Solutions: Make sure a remodel adds value to your homeMany homeowners wonder if a home remodeling project could possibly have a negative effect on the resale value of their home or if they will recoup their investment when it comes time to sell. This family’s kitchen was opened to the dining room and an adjacent bedroom (now a family room) to create a great…
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Renovation Solutions: Deciding to remodel or move
Read More: Renovation Solutions: Deciding to remodel or moveIt happens suddenly, over a cup of coffee and the morning newspaper, or perhaps as you make your way across the obstacle course of clutter that was once your living room. Your house doesn’t fit your needs, and you can’t deny it anymore. It’s time to make a hard decision, one that will undoubtedly involve…