In 2008, I posed this question in a poll: Is contemporary style on its way out? My theory was that hard economic times would propel people into the comfort of traditional styles. I used this June 2008 photo from Architectural Digest to illustrate the shift. Notice the farm style table and warm floors to balance…
Another winning piece by kitchen designer Susan Serra: Honestly? Sometimes, not always, but sometimes, finding a place for the microwave drives me crazy! It’s not always such an obvious, easy, appliance to place. In fact, I could write a book on placing the microwave alone. First, determine how “much” microwave you need, and by that…
The last time my sink clogged up, I tried muscle power and the force of a plunger to unclog the drain. When that failed miserably, I switched to liquid drain cleaner, then graduated to crystal drain cleaner and finally moved up to a thick gel. Nothing helped. At all. Finally, I called the plumber to…
If you want to bring natural light into a kitchen, you’ve usually got to sacrifice some upper cabinets. Typically, kitchens have one window: above the sink. And if you’re really daring, you can put in a skylight. But if you’re addicted to natural light, as I am, you look for other ways. This kitchen, by…
I'll tell a word that really annoys me: Neutral. Could there be anything more boring? Yet you'll see people walking through a boring house and remarking: "Love the neutral colors." And I'm like: "What's to love?" I guess I'm a little more radical than some. I like COLORS! This green kitchen rocks my world. And…
From HGTV's Front Door: #10: The kitchen is one room where upgrades almost always bring a large return on investment. However, you don't have to gut your kitchen and tackle a major remodel to add value. One way to improve your kitchen is to simply replace your old appliances. Stainless steel is the current standard,…
For lack of a kitchen sink, Darrell and Colleen Brandt wash their pots and pans in the bathtub. Sheets of cardboard and drywall serve as their countertop. It's exactly the situation the Golden Valley couple were trying to avoid when they chose a contractor for their kitchen remodel. In September, they hired the Home Depot…
Decorating the kitchen for the holidays is often overlooked as we go about decorating the rest of our home (and we have many big and small holidays in December not the least of which is Underdog Day on December 17)! We're probably in the kitchen even more during this period of time (National Brownie Day is…
An unlicensed Napa (Calif.) contractor has been ordered to pay full restitution to three customers he defrauded or he faces a six-year prison term, the Contractors State Licensing Board said this week. Ronald Russell Clawson, 27, pleaded no contest in Napa County Superior Court last week to elder abuse, identity theft, grand theft and fraudulent…