Aflatbed truck pulling out of Hayward lumberyard in Salinas, California, carries familiar-looking building materials--siding, insulation, studs, and beams--destined for a home construction site. But something is different. The siding is wood-textured fiber cement, the insulation is made of salvaged cotton blue jeans, and the studs are certified to be from a sustainably harvested forest. Resource- and environmentally friendly building--also known as green building--is gaining popularity in the West. Now even the commonest materials such as carpet and paint have green options and are being competitively priced.
Green building is about reducing environmental impact, whether in remodeling a home or planning a community. It's everything from energy-efficient and health-conscious design to using salvaged materials. There's no "green" architectural style, either, so you can still follow your personal taste when it comes to creating your home's look. Here's our guide to using earth-friendly materials.
Respectful remodel
Resourceful
The story of Kristin and Kenan Block's renovation of a 1904 Seattle home is one of research, road trips, and recycling. Their goal was to add a master bedroom on a new third floor and to extend and remodel the kitchen on the first. They wanted to keep all of the new features in character with the age of the house and specified that the remodel be as green as possible.
From the front, the new third floor is simply a gabled extension of the dormer. Serendipity and a collector's eye were key elements in outfitting the interior. The Blocks found the long kitchen sink at a salvage shop during a vacation in Vermont, and they lugged back the folding train-compartment sink--the highlight of the guest bathroom--from a Portland store called Rejuvenation, which specializes in salvage, house parts, and reproduction lighting.
Most of the interior and exterior materials are recycled or salvaged, including the beams, fir flooring (which was remilled), siding, cabinets, sinks, bathtubs, decorative sash windows, antique leaded glass, and interior doors.
Kristin sums up: "I think we saved money buying recycled products, but we sometimes spent more trying to get them installed."
DESIGN: J.A.S. Design-Build, Seattle (www.jasdesignbuild.com or 206/547-6242)
Building a new home
9. Hydronic radiant floor heater
Energy-wise
When visitors walk down the driveway to the front door of Marilee Rasmussen's two-story 1,500-square-foot house in Palo Alto, California, they also stride over the home's heat source. Beneath the payers is a geothermal heating system: its four 200-foot-deep wells contain a loop of pipes to circulate water heated by the low-grade warmth of the earth. The water, which is warmed to about 550, returns to a series of heat pumps that extract and boost heat and distribute it to a hydronic radiant floor-heating system, a water heater, and the heater for a narrow lap pool.
After losing its heat, the water recirculates within the in-ground pipes to be warmed by the mass of the earth. Going geothermal required a significant investment, but a local government incentive on heat pumps, along with the system's ability to serve both house and pool, made the installation worthwhile.
With the exception of a small guest bathroom, the main floor is one open living and cooking space that pivots around a central stairway. The radiant-heated floor works especially well in tall spaces like this because it heats objects and does not rely on forced air. Two bedrooms are upstairs.
DESIGN: Cartmell/Tam Architects, Los Altos Hills, GA (650/948-6930)
Anatomy of green
Earth-friendly home
This idealized house doesn't trumpet its greenness to the neighborhood. Regardless of architectural style or size, it's the shell of a house--the foundation, walls, windows, and roof--that provides the greatest energy and resource savings. The surprise is that in terms of energy efficiency, there's nothing wrong with wood-framed houses. They just have to be built correctly.
Alternative building systems such as straw bales, rammed earth, and structural insulated panels (SIPs) offer resource and energy efficiency. However, they are slightly more expensive than conventional wood-framed systems and are less utilized by mainstream builders.
Natural materials are often better for the environment, but not always: for example, fiber-cement siding uses minimal wood fiber, is more durable, and offers lower maintenance costs than real wood siding.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Make Your Room More Cooler
Ever hear of color-blocking? It's a technique that uses squares of color to pack some punch. It can be a cheap and easy way to give your room a whole lotta WOW!
The Wall
Head on out to the home improvement store because you're on the prowl for paint. But no need to mull over a million mind-boggling tiny color swatches. Most paint departments, like at The Home Depot, have "Oops" racks stocked with cans of already-mixed paint that picky people rejected. And they're practically giving them away: $5 per gallon, $1 per liter. The colors can be funky, but that's what you're going for here. Pick out half a dozen or so contrasting colors--just go for the luck of the draw. As long as it's an interior flat latex, you're good to go. Our color combo? We went for a pumpkin orange, sage green, lovely lavender, pretty pink and periwinkle blue. Five colors, five liters ... five dollars. That's a five-spot to paint the whole room!
Next up? Mark off the areas you're going to paint. Grab a pencil and a yardstick, and draw away. Rather than going for uniformity, make blocks of varying sizes--squares, rectangles and L shapes. Figure out which colors you want where, put on your coveralls, and break out the rollers. Dropcloth, please!
The Door
We confess--we're not perfect-circle creators. That's where Wall Candy comes in. The company makes easy-to-apply decorative adhesives (eyespyteen.com), and the beauty is that if you don't like where you've stuck 'em, they peel right off. Yep, peel and stick! And while we love the Dotti-Licious line, we won't be held responsible for flashbacks to your Colorforms days!
The blue-floral squares to the right of the door? More Wall Candy. The shiny pink-meal squares to the left of the door? Vinyl placemats! We hit the discount store, picked up a couple two-packs at $2.50 a pop and stuck them to the wall with double-backed adhesive squares.
The Decor
After you're done devouring your box of vitamin-fortified whole grain, save the box. You're turning it into a super-inexpensive wall-hanging! We filled eight empty cereal boxes with styrofoam peanuts for sturdiness, then covered the boxes in colorful fabrics (from a clearance rack at only $1 per yard). To make your own, just lay the box on a piece of fabric large enough to cover the box, then wrap it up like a birthday present. Carefully secure the edges with a hot-glue gun (don't bother with Scotch tape--it won't hold!). Stick your creations to the wall with more squares of double-backed adhesive (one to each corner and one centered), and walls are a bore no more.
We also needed to hide some unsightly shelving. So we simply stitched a hunch of bandannas together, folded them over in pleats and tacked them to the wall above the shelf. Fast, colorful and easy!
The Floor
Keeping in line with the color-blocking theme, we went with colorful carpet tiles. It's called Toy Poodle, and you can get it at interfaceflor.com. What we love about it? It's peel-and-stick, and might as well be called floor candy. It's not cheap ($14 per square), but it's a total do-it-yourself project. If you don't have the cash to do a whole floor, just order a few tiles for an area-rug effect.
The Wall
Head on out to the home improvement store because you're on the prowl for paint. But no need to mull over a million mind-boggling tiny color swatches. Most paint departments, like at The Home Depot, have "Oops" racks stocked with cans of already-mixed paint that picky people rejected. And they're practically giving them away: $5 per gallon, $1 per liter. The colors can be funky, but that's what you're going for here. Pick out half a dozen or so contrasting colors--just go for the luck of the draw. As long as it's an interior flat latex, you're good to go. Our color combo? We went for a pumpkin orange, sage green, lovely lavender, pretty pink and periwinkle blue. Five colors, five liters ... five dollars. That's a five-spot to paint the whole room!
Next up? Mark off the areas you're going to paint. Grab a pencil and a yardstick, and draw away. Rather than going for uniformity, make blocks of varying sizes--squares, rectangles and L shapes. Figure out which colors you want where, put on your coveralls, and break out the rollers. Dropcloth, please!
The Door
We confess--we're not perfect-circle creators. That's where Wall Candy comes in. The company makes easy-to-apply decorative adhesives (eyespyteen.com), and the beauty is that if you don't like where you've stuck 'em, they peel right off. Yep, peel and stick! And while we love the Dotti-Licious line, we won't be held responsible for flashbacks to your Colorforms days!
The blue-floral squares to the right of the door? More Wall Candy. The shiny pink-meal squares to the left of the door? Vinyl placemats! We hit the discount store, picked up a couple two-packs at $2.50 a pop and stuck them to the wall with double-backed adhesive squares.
The Decor
After you're done devouring your box of vitamin-fortified whole grain, save the box. You're turning it into a super-inexpensive wall-hanging! We filled eight empty cereal boxes with styrofoam peanuts for sturdiness, then covered the boxes in colorful fabrics (from a clearance rack at only $1 per yard). To make your own, just lay the box on a piece of fabric large enough to cover the box, then wrap it up like a birthday present. Carefully secure the edges with a hot-glue gun (don't bother with Scotch tape--it won't hold!). Stick your creations to the wall with more squares of double-backed adhesive (one to each corner and one centered), and walls are a bore no more.
We also needed to hide some unsightly shelving. So we simply stitched a hunch of bandannas together, folded them over in pleats and tacked them to the wall above the shelf. Fast, colorful and easy!
The Floor
Keeping in line with the color-blocking theme, we went with colorful carpet tiles. It's called Toy Poodle, and you can get it at interfaceflor.com. What we love about it? It's peel-and-stick, and might as well be called floor candy. It's not cheap ($14 per square), but it's a total do-it-yourself project. If you don't have the cash to do a whole floor, just order a few tiles for an area-rug effect.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Baby Boy Gift
Finding baby boy gifts has definitely gotten easier. There was a time when the only baby gift items you could find had a ladybird or princess plastered all over them. Now, everything from nappies to cots is catered to boys as well as girls. However, when looking for the perfect baby boy gift why not get the expecting parents something they will see nowhere else? Yes finding baby boy gifts is simple - but for those who truly want to find something unique and unusual check out some of these great newborn baby boy gift ideas.
Little Man Gift Set - This awesome set includes an adorable striped hat, a pair of trousers, matching t-shirt, all made from 100% cotton for a baby boy’s comfort. Also, it includes a wonderful mini photo album so Mum and Dad can brag about their little one. All of these delightful gifts are packaged in a handsome blue keepsake box with a magnetic lid that’s just perfect for preserving memories as the little one grows.
New Baby Boy Hamper - What a great way to welcome a little boy! The set includes Baby Boy Luxury Soap, Designer Baby Bib, Peter Rabbit Soft Toy, My Little Boy Glass Photo Frame, Baby Boy Name Tooth and Curl Boxes, and what set would be complete without Luxury Bubble Bath. It also includes a personalised greeting card that adds that special something to your gift.
Luxury Knitted Blanket - From the Lollipop Lane Collection, no nursery would be complete without this adorable pick which features sweet little fish and chips and a cute little puppy. Every baby boy needs his special blanket and this soft number will baby to feel secure for sure.
Funky Romper Suit - Now if you’re looking for a more bold statement then perhaps this little romper from Nappy Head is the gift you’ve been looking for. Stylish and cute and boasting the slogan “sleep is for the weak”. Mum and Dad will soon find out just how true it really is!
Personalised Sailboat - All new parents love custom made items with their new addition’s name on it. This little painting by Chichiboulie is simple and modern and just shouts “we’ve got a little boy!” Whether the nursery is decorated in a nautical theme or not this individually designed item will be greatly appreciated and adored.
With any of these fab and unusual baby boy gifts you won’t have to worry that you have gotten him the same gift that someone else picked up at the local baby store.
It’s wonderful to be able to find and give baby boy gifts that are quality made with a designer style to say “welcome” to a little boy coming into the world.
Little Man Gift Set - This awesome set includes an adorable striped hat, a pair of trousers, matching t-shirt, all made from 100% cotton for a baby boy’s comfort. Also, it includes a wonderful mini photo album so Mum and Dad can brag about their little one. All of these delightful gifts are packaged in a handsome blue keepsake box with a magnetic lid that’s just perfect for preserving memories as the little one grows.
New Baby Boy Hamper - What a great way to welcome a little boy! The set includes Baby Boy Luxury Soap, Designer Baby Bib, Peter Rabbit Soft Toy, My Little Boy Glass Photo Frame, Baby Boy Name Tooth and Curl Boxes, and what set would be complete without Luxury Bubble Bath. It also includes a personalised greeting card that adds that special something to your gift.
Luxury Knitted Blanket - From the Lollipop Lane Collection, no nursery would be complete without this adorable pick which features sweet little fish and chips and a cute little puppy. Every baby boy needs his special blanket and this soft number will baby to feel secure for sure.
Funky Romper Suit - Now if you’re looking for a more bold statement then perhaps this little romper from Nappy Head is the gift you’ve been looking for. Stylish and cute and boasting the slogan “sleep is for the weak”. Mum and Dad will soon find out just how true it really is!
Personalised Sailboat - All new parents love custom made items with their new addition’s name on it. This little painting by Chichiboulie is simple and modern and just shouts “we’ve got a little boy!” Whether the nursery is decorated in a nautical theme or not this individually designed item will be greatly appreciated and adored.
With any of these fab and unusual baby boy gifts you won’t have to worry that you have gotten him the same gift that someone else picked up at the local baby store.
It’s wonderful to be able to find and give baby boy gifts that are quality made with a designer style to say “welcome” to a little boy coming into the world.
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Pet Medication
The development of medications for pets has increased rapidly in recent years. Pets are becoming a part of the family, and general advancements are being made in medicine. It makes sense that more resources are being devoted to pets. The advances in medications have increased the quality of life for many pets, and made life more pleasant for owners as well. For instance, the development of Frontline, one of the top selling pet medications, has greatly reduced the hassles associated with fleas. Before the development of the topical spot-on treatment, fleas were a major problem for many pet owners. While there were a myriad of sprays, collars, dips and shampoos available to treat one's pet, these were only temporary relief measures.
Carpet powders and sprays could reduce the flea population in the home for a time, but flea eggs can remain dormant, and the fleas always came back. Frontline eliminated the need for ineffective flea treatments. Frontline is a very beneficial medication for your pet because it kills fleas and ticks that are on your pet while helping to kill those in your house. Another medication that has improved the lives of one's pet is the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory, Rimadyl. Rimadyl is a highly effective pain reliever, which also helps reduce inflammation. This medication is used to treat temporary pain, such as post surgery, or chronic pain, such as that associated with osteoarthritis. The pain relief is dramatic, and for many pets that have suffered from osteoarthritis, the difference in the animals behavior and activity level is dramatic.
Rimadyl has provided an alternative treatment for many pets whose owners would previously have had little choice other than euthanasia to relieve their pet's pain. Another way to treat arthritic conditions is through supplementation. While supplements such as Dasuquin do not provide pain relief in the traditional way, they contain ingredients that help lessen the pain of osteoarthritis. For instance, Dasuquin contains glucosamine, chondroitin, avocado and soybean unsaponifiables, tea polyphenols and other ingredients that have been shown to improve joint health. Dasuquin has a chicken and tuna flavor that most pets readily accept. Many pets today suffer from various digestive ailments. Whether from allergies or disease, problems with the digestive tract are no fun. A pet that cannot properly absorb nutrients will not have a strong immune system, will have trouble maintaining weight, and may develop other problems as well. Denamarin is a liver supplement that can help with these issues. Denamarin provides support for liver function, and helps bile flow through the liver.
This improves digestion and helps your pet absorb nutrients from his diet. If your pet has problems with his skin and coat, you may be interested in Douxo Calm, an emulsion spray that is used in the treatment of seborrhea. The spray improves the quality of the coat, moisturizes and relieves your pet's itching. If you believe that your pet could benefit from one of these pet medications, it is important to talk to your veterinarian. Some medications, such as Frontline, are available without a prescription, but others require a prescription to be dispensed. These medications can put a strain on your budget, but there are ways to make them more affordable. One way is to purchase the medications online. Even medications that require a prescription can be purchased online; you simply fax or ask your veterinarian to fax a copy of the prescription to the online store where you found a better price. While some veterinarians may prefer to sell you the medication themselves, but if you explain the financial realities of your situation, many veterinarians may provide you with a prescription or offer to match the price of the online pharmacy. Occasionally veterinarians are unwilling to provide a prescription for various medications. Often, prescription medications make up a large percentage of the profit that is generated by a veterinary hospital. Particularly with medications such as Rimadyl that are taken for chronic conditions. A medication for a chronic condition could become quite expensive, and purchasing online may be the best choice for your budget.
If your veterinarian is reluctant to provide you with a prescription, you have two remedies. The first is to shop around for a different veterinarian. If you are otherwise happy with your pet's care, you may not want to switch hospitals over this issue. The other choice is to have a frank discussion with your veterinarian about the expense. In some states, the veterinarian is required to provide you with a prescription of any prescribed drug, but if the veterinarian is strongly opposed to you purchasing the prescription online, this can create conflict in your relationship and they may also charge you a fee for writing the prescription. It is best to be honest about your budget concerns in order to convince your pet's health care provider that you need the option of ordering online.
Carpet powders and sprays could reduce the flea population in the home for a time, but flea eggs can remain dormant, and the fleas always came back. Frontline eliminated the need for ineffective flea treatments. Frontline is a very beneficial medication for your pet because it kills fleas and ticks that are on your pet while helping to kill those in your house. Another medication that has improved the lives of one's pet is the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory, Rimadyl. Rimadyl is a highly effective pain reliever, which also helps reduce inflammation. This medication is used to treat temporary pain, such as post surgery, or chronic pain, such as that associated with osteoarthritis. The pain relief is dramatic, and for many pets that have suffered from osteoarthritis, the difference in the animals behavior and activity level is dramatic.
Rimadyl has provided an alternative treatment for many pets whose owners would previously have had little choice other than euthanasia to relieve their pet's pain. Another way to treat arthritic conditions is through supplementation. While supplements such as Dasuquin do not provide pain relief in the traditional way, they contain ingredients that help lessen the pain of osteoarthritis. For instance, Dasuquin contains glucosamine, chondroitin, avocado and soybean unsaponifiables, tea polyphenols and other ingredients that have been shown to improve joint health. Dasuquin has a chicken and tuna flavor that most pets readily accept. Many pets today suffer from various digestive ailments. Whether from allergies or disease, problems with the digestive tract are no fun. A pet that cannot properly absorb nutrients will not have a strong immune system, will have trouble maintaining weight, and may develop other problems as well. Denamarin is a liver supplement that can help with these issues. Denamarin provides support for liver function, and helps bile flow through the liver.
This improves digestion and helps your pet absorb nutrients from his diet. If your pet has problems with his skin and coat, you may be interested in Douxo Calm, an emulsion spray that is used in the treatment of seborrhea. The spray improves the quality of the coat, moisturizes and relieves your pet's itching. If you believe that your pet could benefit from one of these pet medications, it is important to talk to your veterinarian. Some medications, such as Frontline, are available without a prescription, but others require a prescription to be dispensed. These medications can put a strain on your budget, but there are ways to make them more affordable. One way is to purchase the medications online. Even medications that require a prescription can be purchased online; you simply fax or ask your veterinarian to fax a copy of the prescription to the online store where you found a better price. While some veterinarians may prefer to sell you the medication themselves, but if you explain the financial realities of your situation, many veterinarians may provide you with a prescription or offer to match the price of the online pharmacy. Occasionally veterinarians are unwilling to provide a prescription for various medications. Often, prescription medications make up a large percentage of the profit that is generated by a veterinary hospital. Particularly with medications such as Rimadyl that are taken for chronic conditions. A medication for a chronic condition could become quite expensive, and purchasing online may be the best choice for your budget.
If your veterinarian is reluctant to provide you with a prescription, you have two remedies. The first is to shop around for a different veterinarian. If you are otherwise happy with your pet's care, you may not want to switch hospitals over this issue. The other choice is to have a frank discussion with your veterinarian about the expense. In some states, the veterinarian is required to provide you with a prescription of any prescribed drug, but if the veterinarian is strongly opposed to you purchasing the prescription online, this can create conflict in your relationship and they may also charge you a fee for writing the prescription. It is best to be honest about your budget concerns in order to convince your pet's health care provider that you need the option of ordering online.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Lawn Care
Tips On Lawn Care Service Keeping one’s lawn lush and green is a source of joy for the homeowner. If any home has a beautiful and well-maintained lawn, family recreation, parties, summer fun and picnics could be held there. To achieve greener lawns, one can follow the following seven tips on lawn care service. One of the important points to remember in lawn caring is to use fertilizer at the right time to keep the lawn healthy and green. If there is possibility of rain or you have the irrigation system, make use of granular fertilizer. However, it is advisable not to use fertilizer just before any heavy storm is predicted. This is because the rain water will make the fertilizer to run off along with it.
The first requirement for caring your lawns is to water deeply and carefully. By doing this way, the root of the grass of the lawn grows deeper inside. This is mainly to be done during drought periods. Grasses of the warm season require one inch water to completely water twelve inches of soil. It is wiser to water the lawn with one inch of water in every three days time instead of watering for some minutes daily. The next step in lawn caring is to find the irrigation system. It is done by putting five straight side pans like casserole dishes around the lawn. Then turn the watering system and note the time taken for an inch of water to build up in the pan. Also one should see that all the pans get the same water amount. To get this, one might need to adjust the distance of the sprinklers head. Also remember for better landscaping, one should not remove over one-third of grass blade while mowing. Otherwise, the lawn will look burned out as the grass plants make extra effort to make enough food with smaller surface area for itself.
You should also keep the blades of the mower sharp so that the grass is cut clean and also the recovery of the grass is quick. This way, you also lose the money spend on buying the fertilizer and also make the waterways polluted. Test your soil before using fertilizer to find the different needs of the grass. Check the fertilizer amounts that are used on the lawn and the way it is applied for the particular grass species that you are growing on the lawn. You must keep a check for insects and the fungal pests that attack the grass frequently.
This could be done while you are walking around the lawn. If the lawn has large brown circles or dry patches in it, the grass of the lawn probable is affected by fungal diseases. This fugal disease is the reason behind large circles of dry grass areas called brownouts. There could be tracts of insect paths around the dead grass patches. If you are unable to determine the exact cause of the problem, it is better to talk with the lawn care professional. The last important advice on lawn caring is to maintain the height of the particular grass to the highest possible level. The higher the level, the deeper are the roots of the grass plant. If the roots are deep, the grasses can survive drought season better and also resist itself from external pests and diseases.
The first requirement for caring your lawns is to water deeply and carefully. By doing this way, the root of the grass of the lawn grows deeper inside. This is mainly to be done during drought periods. Grasses of the warm season require one inch water to completely water twelve inches of soil. It is wiser to water the lawn with one inch of water in every three days time instead of watering for some minutes daily. The next step in lawn caring is to find the irrigation system. It is done by putting five straight side pans like casserole dishes around the lawn. Then turn the watering system and note the time taken for an inch of water to build up in the pan. Also one should see that all the pans get the same water amount. To get this, one might need to adjust the distance of the sprinklers head. Also remember for better landscaping, one should not remove over one-third of grass blade while mowing. Otherwise, the lawn will look burned out as the grass plants make extra effort to make enough food with smaller surface area for itself.
You should also keep the blades of the mower sharp so that the grass is cut clean and also the recovery of the grass is quick. This way, you also lose the money spend on buying the fertilizer and also make the waterways polluted. Test your soil before using fertilizer to find the different needs of the grass. Check the fertilizer amounts that are used on the lawn and the way it is applied for the particular grass species that you are growing on the lawn. You must keep a check for insects and the fungal pests that attack the grass frequently.
This could be done while you are walking around the lawn. If the lawn has large brown circles or dry patches in it, the grass of the lawn probable is affected by fungal diseases. This fugal disease is the reason behind large circles of dry grass areas called brownouts. There could be tracts of insect paths around the dead grass patches. If you are unable to determine the exact cause of the problem, it is better to talk with the lawn care professional. The last important advice on lawn caring is to maintain the height of the particular grass to the highest possible level. The higher the level, the deeper are the roots of the grass plant. If the roots are deep, the grasses can survive drought season better and also resist itself from external pests and diseases.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
The Coolest room
Ever hear of color-blocking? It's a technique that uses squares of color to pack some punch. It can be a cheap and easy way to give your room a whole lotta WOW!
The Wall
Head on out to the home improvement store because you're on the prowl for paint. But no need to mull over a million mind-boggling tiny color swatches. Most paint departments, like at The Home Depot, have "Oops" racks stocked with cans of already-mixed paint that picky people rejected. And they're practically giving them away: $5 per gallon, $1 per liter. The colors can be funky, but that's what you're going for here. Pick out half a dozen or so contrasting colors--just go for the luck of the draw. As long as it's an interior flat latex, you're good to go. Our color combo? We went for a pumpkin orange, sage green, lovely lavender, pretty pink and periwinkle blue. Five colors, five liters ... five dollars. That's a five-spot to paint the whole room!
Next up? Mark off the areas you're going to paint. Grab a pencil and a yardstick, and draw away. Rather than going for uniformity, make blocks of varying sizes--squares, rectangles and L shapes. Figure out which colors you want where, put on your coveralls, and break out the rollers. Dropcloth, please!
The Door
We confess--we're not perfect-circle creators. That's where Wall Candy comes in. The company makes easy-to-apply decorative adhesives (eyespyteen.com), and the beauty is that if you don't like where you've stuck 'em, they peel right off. Yep, peel and stick! And while we love the Dotti-Licious line, we won't be held responsible for flashbacks to your Colorforms days!
The blue-floral squares to the right of the door? More Wall Candy. The shiny pink-meal squares to the left of the door? Vinyl placemats! We hit the discount store, picked up a couple two-packs at $2.50 a pop and stuck them to the wall with double-backed adhesive squares.
The Decor
After you're done devouring your box of vitamin-fortified whole grain, save the box. You're turning it into a super-inexpensive wall-hanging! We filled eight empty cereal boxes with styrofoam peanuts for sturdiness, then covered the boxes in colorful fabrics (from a clearance rack at only $1 per yard). To make your own, just lay the box on a piece of fabric large enough to cover the box, then wrap it up like a birthday present. Carefully secure the edges with a hot-glue gun (don't bother with Scotch tape--it won't hold!). Stick your creations to the wall with more squares of double-backed adhesive (one to each corner and one centered), and walls are a bore no more.
We also needed to hide some unsightly shelving. So we simply stitched a hunch of bandannas together, folded them over in pleats and tacked them to the wall above the shelf. Fast, colorful and easy!
The Floor
Keeping in line with the color-blocking theme, we went with colorful carpet tiles. It's called Toy Poodle, and you can get it at interfaceflor.com. What we love about it? It's peel-and-stick, and might as well be called floor candy. It's not cheap ($14 per square), but it's a total do-it-yourself project. If you don't have the cash to do a whole floor, just order a few tiles for an area-rug effect.
And More
Going for the splurge? We love, love, love Pottery Barn Teen's locker-look pieces (pbteen.com) for back-to-school cool. That's where we got our bedding, too, and the everyone-loves-it lime phone. We filled the rest of the room with accessories from Wal-Mart. For around $50, we scored lamps, a clock, a bouncy ball and a bright-red mascot. He's pretty happy in his new home....
The Wall
Head on out to the home improvement store because you're on the prowl for paint. But no need to mull over a million mind-boggling tiny color swatches. Most paint departments, like at The Home Depot, have "Oops" racks stocked with cans of already-mixed paint that picky people rejected. And they're practically giving them away: $5 per gallon, $1 per liter. The colors can be funky, but that's what you're going for here. Pick out half a dozen or so contrasting colors--just go for the luck of the draw. As long as it's an interior flat latex, you're good to go. Our color combo? We went for a pumpkin orange, sage green, lovely lavender, pretty pink and periwinkle blue. Five colors, five liters ... five dollars. That's a five-spot to paint the whole room!
Next up? Mark off the areas you're going to paint. Grab a pencil and a yardstick, and draw away. Rather than going for uniformity, make blocks of varying sizes--squares, rectangles and L shapes. Figure out which colors you want where, put on your coveralls, and break out the rollers. Dropcloth, please!
The Door
We confess--we're not perfect-circle creators. That's where Wall Candy comes in. The company makes easy-to-apply decorative adhesives (eyespyteen.com), and the beauty is that if you don't like where you've stuck 'em, they peel right off. Yep, peel and stick! And while we love the Dotti-Licious line, we won't be held responsible for flashbacks to your Colorforms days!
The blue-floral squares to the right of the door? More Wall Candy. The shiny pink-meal squares to the left of the door? Vinyl placemats! We hit the discount store, picked up a couple two-packs at $2.50 a pop and stuck them to the wall with double-backed adhesive squares.
The Decor
After you're done devouring your box of vitamin-fortified whole grain, save the box. You're turning it into a super-inexpensive wall-hanging! We filled eight empty cereal boxes with styrofoam peanuts for sturdiness, then covered the boxes in colorful fabrics (from a clearance rack at only $1 per yard). To make your own, just lay the box on a piece of fabric large enough to cover the box, then wrap it up like a birthday present. Carefully secure the edges with a hot-glue gun (don't bother with Scotch tape--it won't hold!). Stick your creations to the wall with more squares of double-backed adhesive (one to each corner and one centered), and walls are a bore no more.
We also needed to hide some unsightly shelving. So we simply stitched a hunch of bandannas together, folded them over in pleats and tacked them to the wall above the shelf. Fast, colorful and easy!
The Floor
Keeping in line with the color-blocking theme, we went with colorful carpet tiles. It's called Toy Poodle, and you can get it at interfaceflor.com. What we love about it? It's peel-and-stick, and might as well be called floor candy. It's not cheap ($14 per square), but it's a total do-it-yourself project. If you don't have the cash to do a whole floor, just order a few tiles for an area-rug effect.
And More
Going for the splurge? We love, love, love Pottery Barn Teen's locker-look pieces (pbteen.com) for back-to-school cool. That's where we got our bedding, too, and the everyone-loves-it lime phone. We filled the rest of the room with accessories from Wal-Mart. For around $50, we scored lamps, a clock, a bouncy ball and a bright-red mascot. He's pretty happy in his new home....
Monday, September 1, 2008
Reused it
Aflatbed truck pulling out of Hayward lumberyard in Salinas, California, carries familiar-looking building materials--siding, insulation, studs, and beams--destined for a home construction site. But something is different. The siding is wood-textured fiber cement, the insulation is made of salvaged cotton blue jeans, and the studs are certified to be from a sustainably harvested forest. Resource- and environmentally friendly building--also known as green building--is gaining popularity in the West. Now even the commonest materials such as carpet and paint have green options and are being competitively priced.
Green building is about reducing environmental impact, whether in remodeling a home or planning a community. It's everything from energy-efficient and health-conscious design to using salvaged materials. There's no "green" architectural style, either, so you can still follow your personal taste when it comes to creating your home's look. Here's our guide to using earth-friendly materials.
Respectful remodel
Resourceful
The story of Kristin and Kenan Block's renovation of a 1904 Seattle home is one of research, road trips, and recycling. Their goal was to add a master bedroom on a new third floor and to extend and remodel the kitchen on the first. They wanted to keep all of the new features in character with the age of the house and specified that the remodel be as green as possible.
From the front, the new third floor is simply a gabled extension of the dormer. Serendipity and a collector's eye were key elements in outfitting the interior. The Blocks found the long kitchen sink at a salvage shop during a vacation in Vermont, and they lugged back the folding train-compartment sink--the highlight of the guest bathroom--from a Portland store called Rejuvenation, which specializes in salvage, house parts, and reproduction lighting.
Most of the interior and exterior materials are recycled or salvaged, including the beams, fir flooring (which was remilled), siding, cabinets, sinks, bathtubs, decorative sash windows, antique leaded glass, and interior doors.
Kristin sums up: "I think we saved money buying recycled products, but we sometimes spent more trying to get them installed."
DESIGN: J.A.S. Design-Build, Seattle (www.jasdesignbuild.com or 206/547-6242)
Building a new home
9. Hydronic radiant floor heater
Energy-wise
When visitors walk down the driveway to the front door of Marilee Rasmussen's two-story 1,500-square-foot house in Palo Alto, California, they also stride over the home's heat source. Beneath the payers is a geothermal heating system: its four 200-foot-deep wells contain a loop of pipes to circulate water heated by the low-grade warmth of the earth. The water, which is warmed to about 550, returns to a series of heat pumps that extract and boost heat and distribute it to a hydronic radiant floor-heating system, a water heater, and the heater for a narrow lap pool.
After losing its heat, the water recirculates within the in-ground pipes to be warmed by the mass of the earth. Going geothermal required a significant investment, but a local government incentive on heat pumps, along with the system's ability to serve both house and pool, made the installation worthwhile.
With the exception of a small guest bathroom, the main floor is one open living and cooking space that pivots around a central stairway. The radiant-heated floor works especially well in tall spaces like this because it heats objects and does not rely on forced air. Two bedrooms are upstairs.
DESIGN: Cartmell/Tam Architects, Los Altos Hills, GA (650/948-6930)
Anatomy of green
Earth-friendly home
This idealized house doesn't trumpet its greenness to the neighborhood. Regardless of architectural style or size, it's the shell of a house--the foundation, walls, windows, and roof--that provides the greatest energy and resource savings. The surprise is that in terms of energy efficiency, there's nothing wrong with wood-framed houses. They just have to be built correctly.
Alternative building systems such as straw bales, rammed earth, and structural insulated panels (SIPs) offer resource and energy efficiency. However, they are slightly more expensive than conventional wood-framed systems and are less utilized by mainstream builders.
Natural materials are often better for the environment, but not always: for example, fiber-cement siding uses minimal wood fiber, is more durable, and offers lower maintenance costs than real wood siding.
Green building is about reducing environmental impact, whether in remodeling a home or planning a community. It's everything from energy-efficient and health-conscious design to using salvaged materials. There's no "green" architectural style, either, so you can still follow your personal taste when it comes to creating your home's look. Here's our guide to using earth-friendly materials.
Respectful remodel
Resourceful
The story of Kristin and Kenan Block's renovation of a 1904 Seattle home is one of research, road trips, and recycling. Their goal was to add a master bedroom on a new third floor and to extend and remodel the kitchen on the first. They wanted to keep all of the new features in character with the age of the house and specified that the remodel be as green as possible.
From the front, the new third floor is simply a gabled extension of the dormer. Serendipity and a collector's eye were key elements in outfitting the interior. The Blocks found the long kitchen sink at a salvage shop during a vacation in Vermont, and they lugged back the folding train-compartment sink--the highlight of the guest bathroom--from a Portland store called Rejuvenation, which specializes in salvage, house parts, and reproduction lighting.
Most of the interior and exterior materials are recycled or salvaged, including the beams, fir flooring (which was remilled), siding, cabinets, sinks, bathtubs, decorative sash windows, antique leaded glass, and interior doors.
Kristin sums up: "I think we saved money buying recycled products, but we sometimes spent more trying to get them installed."
DESIGN: J.A.S. Design-Build, Seattle (www.jasdesignbuild.com or 206/547-6242)
Building a new home
9. Hydronic radiant floor heater
Energy-wise
When visitors walk down the driveway to the front door of Marilee Rasmussen's two-story 1,500-square-foot house in Palo Alto, California, they also stride over the home's heat source. Beneath the payers is a geothermal heating system: its four 200-foot-deep wells contain a loop of pipes to circulate water heated by the low-grade warmth of the earth. The water, which is warmed to about 550, returns to a series of heat pumps that extract and boost heat and distribute it to a hydronic radiant floor-heating system, a water heater, and the heater for a narrow lap pool.
After losing its heat, the water recirculates within the in-ground pipes to be warmed by the mass of the earth. Going geothermal required a significant investment, but a local government incentive on heat pumps, along with the system's ability to serve both house and pool, made the installation worthwhile.
With the exception of a small guest bathroom, the main floor is one open living and cooking space that pivots around a central stairway. The radiant-heated floor works especially well in tall spaces like this because it heats objects and does not rely on forced air. Two bedrooms are upstairs.
DESIGN: Cartmell/Tam Architects, Los Altos Hills, GA (650/948-6930)
Anatomy of green
Earth-friendly home
This idealized house doesn't trumpet its greenness to the neighborhood. Regardless of architectural style or size, it's the shell of a house--the foundation, walls, windows, and roof--that provides the greatest energy and resource savings. The surprise is that in terms of energy efficiency, there's nothing wrong with wood-framed houses. They just have to be built correctly.
Alternative building systems such as straw bales, rammed earth, and structural insulated panels (SIPs) offer resource and energy efficiency. However, they are slightly more expensive than conventional wood-framed systems and are less utilized by mainstream builders.
Natural materials are often better for the environment, but not always: for example, fiber-cement siding uses minimal wood fiber, is more durable, and offers lower maintenance costs than real wood siding.
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