February 22, 2012   1-877-631-2845

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3 Ways to Save Money on Your Outdoor Living Space Design

February 6, 2012 By Leave a Comment
outdoor living space patio furniture

Summer is the perfect time to enjoy your outdoor living space, but winter and spring are the best times to start planning it. If you are thinking about redesigning your outdoor area, you will quickly come to find that your dreams and expectations may not be in line with your realistic budget.  Thankfully, there are some easy ways that you can cut expenses and save money while still creating the outdoor patio area of your dreams. Do-it-yourself outdoor spaces One of the biggest expenses of any … [Read more...]

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Creating a Masculine Bathroom

January 30, 2012 By 1 Comment
masculine bathroom

A man may be the king of his castle (ed: or think he is!), but he also has very different decorating and design needs than a woman.  Creating a masculine bathroom is a great place to start, design-wise.  The bathroom has to combine form and function with style to create a space that reflects his personality and lifestyle. Conservative colors in the masculine bathroom It is important to understand the man’s style.  Is he conservative and traditional, laid back, or modern and sophisticated?  … [Read more...]

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Designing a Bathroom for Children

January 26, 2012 By 1 Comment
Bathroom for kids little girl brushing

Pink polka dots and hopping frogs are great themes for a child’s bathroom, but there is a lot more to designing a kid-friendly space than the theme.  The placement of tubs, sinks, and toilets is just as important as what type of item is selected to go in the space. If you are tasked with designing a bathroom that meets the needs of children, check out the ideas below to give you some starting points for addressing your pint-sized client’s issues. Bathroom design for children: think about … [Read more...]

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Carving Out a Kids’ Spot in the Kitchen

January 3, 2012 By 1 Comment
kids in the kitchen

Let’s face it, busy moms like us need to multi-task and a lot of that multi-tasking time is spent in the kitchen.  Between planning and cooking meals, making grocery lists, packing lunches, and doing dishes, it can sometimes feel like there is no escape.  Since we are in the kitchen so often, it is important to carve out a space where the kids can play safely while we do our mom-thing. Kids spots in kitchens: think about activities When trying to decide how to carve out a corner of the kitchen … [Read more...]

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Create a Moveable Landscape Design with Container Gardening

December 27, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Container Garden

My first house was a charming condominium in the heart of the Sonoran desert.  The front was beautifully landscaped by the development with native plants and colorful flowers. My back patio/yard area, however was anything but beautiful.  It consisted of two concrete slabs for patios and rocks.  Let me assure you that rocks and concrete do not make for an attractive landscape design.  Instead of hauling tons of rocks off the property, I decided to landscape with containers. Selecting containers … [Read more...]

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3 Teen Girl Bathroom Ideas

December 20, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Teen girls

When I was asked to design a teen bathroom for two sisters, I admit that I wondered if there was anything more challenging.  Generally, teens are finicky, opinionated, and uninterested in just about every interior design that traditional society sees as attractive.  I was not optimistic. After talking with the girls, I decided to present them with three different bathroom ideas that incorporated their love of color and their style.  Since they had a hard time choosing one, I am confident that … [Read more...]

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Weatherstripping For Energy Savings This Winter

October 28, 2011 By 1 Comment
autumn window closed

They say that simple is best. And this certainly applies to maintaining the interior temperatures of your home with weatherstripping.  But, how much difference does weatherstripping actually make, and are some types better than others. Writer Alyssa Davis expounds on this simple, yet very effective way of preserving your home's thermal envelope as Winter approaches. *** If you live in a newer home, chances are good that you never need to think about weather stripping. But for those of us … [Read more...]

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Bed Bugs: Good Night, Sleep Tight

October 18, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Bed bugs

We all like to keep our homes orderly and clean. But, we still share a planet with other species, including the six-legged variety that seek to assert their place on the food chain. Cleanliness in a home often has no bearing on that situation, and no reflection on us. I'm referring specifically to bed bugs, a common pest in the home that can be a tenacious opponent. How do you deal with these invasive, and uninvited band of blood-suckers? Homeowner and writer Alyssa Davis is here to touch upon … [Read more...]

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Choosing a Fire Pit For Fall Get-Togethers In The Backyard

October 6, 2011 By 2 Comments
Fire pit

As summer fades into shorter days and longer evenings, and as the cooler presence of autumn descends, your outdoor living social schedule need not change. All you need to do is to think about accentuating the sweet melancholy of fall by casting a little light (and warmth) on the subject. How do you do that? Guest writer Alyssa Davis talks about what she added to her outdoor space to make her enjoyment of the great outdoors last well into the fall season.  She added a fire pit. Find out how to … [Read more...]

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6 Ways To Create a Pet-Friendly Home

October 4, 2011 By Leave a Comment
A big dog sleeping on a cosy carpet

Your pet is an important part of your life at home.  Sometimes, integrating your pet into your home can be a challenge, especially when it comes to keeping  him/her away from danger areas while you're in the process of pet training.  Creating a pet-friendly home is a major priority. So, where do you start? Homeowner, designer, and recurring contributing writer on the BuildDirect blog Alyssa Davis is here to cover 6 ways to keep your pet happy and healthy, with a thought to the kinds of surfaces … [Read more...]

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