February 22, 2012   1-877-631-2845

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A Tribute To the Toilet

February 8, 2012 By 1 Comment
Toilets over the years small

The humble toilet is the unsung hero of the house. It's taken for granted now, but it was once a game-changing addition to the modern home, and to the modern bathroom specifically. But, the toilet, the throne, commode, thundermug, porcelain bus driver's seat, etc, didn't come to the civilized world fully formed. It has changed along with the rest of what we've come to view as the modern home. As such, we thought it was a good idea to review some of the popular models down through the centuries, … [Read more...]

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Rocking Interior Design: Rock n Roll Imagery In Your Space

February 6, 2012 By 1 Comment
God Save the Queen Mural

In my other life (everyone needs more than one) I write a music blog, being something of a lifelong music geek. So, in my wonderings (there are a lot of those, too) I mused on the possibility of the two worlds of design and home decor and the world of pop music colliding in a wonderful big bang, as it were. The danger of course is that such a collision would end up being a Frankenstein's monster - lots of cheese, and none of the subtle style that characterizes 21st century design. But, what … [Read more...]

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How Granite Ends Up On Your Countertop

February 1, 2012 By 5 Comments
FromMountainToSink

A stalwart stone surface that civilizations all over the world have turned to for thousands of years has been granite. This is of no surprise, given that granite is highly decorative, as well as being one of the hardest materials on earth.  But, how does it get from the mountain quarry to your kitchen and bathroom? To help to answer that question, here's a graphic timeline of that tells the story of how granite is formed in the earth, and then processed into the building materials that help you … [Read more...]

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Design Tips for Going Vintage With Your Home Décor

January 25, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Retro design area rug

Although we are well into the 21st Century, the latest trend in interior design seems to be going vintage. If you have a modern home that you’d like to see travel back in time to the golden days of mid-to-late 20th Century vintage design, we’ve compiled this list for you – 9 design tips for going vintage with your home décor. *** Vintage design colors Whether we realize it or not, the color palette of any room both subtly and not so subtly sets the ultimate tone. If you’re trying to … [Read more...]

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Decorative Stencil Painting: What Your Design Says About You

January 18, 2012 By Leave a Comment
wall stencil

There’s a booming new trend in interior design and that is wall patterns by way of stenciling. Whether they’re hard geometric shapes or flowing organic tapestries, one thing is for sure, they all say something about you. That said, below is a gallery of 10 fabulous stencil designs and a guess at what they might say about the designer. You’re a bold contemporary… This bright green geometric pattern on top of a stark off-white background screams contemporary. The clean lines and the surrounding … [Read more...]

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BuildDirect Blog Retrospective 2011

December 30, 2011 By Leave a Comment
BD-2011

Two-thousand and eleven was a heck of a year on this humble blog of ours.  We talked about flooring and building materials, sure. But, we also welcomed a bevvy of experts writing on subjects close to their hearts and at the center of their expertise for the benefit of you, the reader. Interior design, lighting, art history, design history, architecture, money-saving tips, homeowning and Real Estate, and other useful areas of interest for the savvy, modern homeowner were all covered, thanks to them. To … [Read more...]

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Merry Christmas From BuildDirect 2011!

December 25, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Santas boots chimney

Well, it's Christmas! We hope that some of the articles here on our blog have helped you to craft the right seasonal atmosphere to your space. and have inspired a few ideas for the upcoming New Year, too. In any case, we here at BuildDirect wish all of you a happy, safe, and pleasantly memorable yuletide season with your friends and family. Merry Christmas! Cheers, Rob ( and everyone else at BuildDirect!). … [Read more...]

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10 Houses That Christmas Threw-Up On

December 23, 2011 By 4 Comments
Christmas decoration upchuck

Now that Christmas is right around the corner, we’ve seen holiday decorations popping up left and right – some in good taste and some just plain tacky. Of course, to make it interesting, we’ve compiled a gallery of over-the-top seasonal décor and highlighted a number of homes that can only be described as houses that Christmas threw-up on! 1. The Christmas Junk Yard It looks more like the hodgepodge junkyard of Christmas Past than a suburban residence but you have to appreciate the spirit … [Read more...]

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History of Santa Claus

December 21, 2011 By Leave a Comment
History of Santa

As many of us are struggling with our last minute Christmas shopping, and with much of that shopping done in the name of one Kris Kringle, many of us are wondering why we're busting our humps all for the benefit of Jolly Old St. Nick. Well, to perhaps put this into perspective, we here at BuildDirect figured that a little history was in order. After all, just who is this Santa Claus anyhow? Where did he come from? How has his image and mythical standing in our culture developed over the decades … [Read more...]

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Happy Chanukah From BuildDirect

December 20, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Menorah

Happy Chanukah! For those who don't know the nature of the holiday, Chanukah (or 'Hanukkah', meaning 'dedicate') is the Jewish Festival of Lights, as symbolized by the menorah. Eight nights long, each night is represented by a candle on the menorah, not including the ninth 'helper' candle that lights the others. Here's the story. The Hebrew temple was restored and rededicated after a period of rule under the religiously-repressive Syrian empire in 165 B.C.E.  There was only enough oil to … [Read more...]

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