You may have seen the delightful sunroom above if you read Home magazine, where this picture appeared on the cover. If not, I’d like to introduce you to this wonderfully economic makeover. The house is in Miami Lakes, Fla., and is owned by interior stylist Maria Fernanda Molinari and her husband, Rafael R. Lopez. You…
This bathroom remodel is a little different than most because homeowner Cindy Fitzgerald just happened to have a good friend who happened to be an interior designer who happened to have just redone her own upscale bathroom and who happened to have some upscale materials left over, which she offered to Cindy. We won't all…
How Don and Gigi Maurizio spent the money on their Rosarito Beach remodel: Construction Demolition: $3,000 Scraping textured plaster walls: $500 (labor) Staining beams: $500 (labor) Cabinets: $7,200 (materials) Tankless hot-water system and connections: $1,800 (materials) Tile for floor, patio, shower and bath countertop, including grout: $7,700 (materials) Granite countertop in kitchen: $2,000 (materials and…
There are many creative ways to pull together a remodel. For this recent Hollywood Hills kitchen renovation, homeowners Renata Kanclerz and Lisa Coleman bought appliances and other materials on their own and then paid their contractor a flat fee for all labor and installation. Here’s how much the homeowners paid for various features in this…
Here’s where the money went for Carl Balton’s Mar Vista remodel, featured in a previous post: Electrician: $1,060 Plumber: $550 (plus one snake aquarium) Wood floor refinishing: $1,300 Trash hauling: $270 Friends’ labor: $3,734 Bathroom fixtures, vanity: $2,000 Tile and countertop: $1,260 Tile setter: $660 Bathroom counter: $800 Shower curtain and track: $295 Bathroom materials:…
While showing off her new kitchen/dining room addition one evening, Lily Richards explained to me why she and her husband, Arnie, never considered hiring a contractor to oversee the project. “We’re kind of conservative financially. . . ,” Lily began. “We’re cheap,” Arnie broke in. And, he added, “We’re too egocentric.” What’s more, the couple…
When Chantal Dussouchaud and Harry Dolman bought this Hollywood Hills home, they had one major objection to it: the massive driveway that dominated the entire front of the house. Part of the couple’s reaction stemmed from the fact that they had been living in Paris (they are both European natives), where the car culture is…
When Chantal Dussouchaud and Harry Dolman bought this Hollywood Hills home, they had one major objection to it: the massive driveway that dominated the entire front of the house. Part of the couple’s reaction stemmed from the fact that they had been living in Paris (they are both European natives), where the car culture is…
Charles Chang struggled with opposing desires when he set out to become a first-time homeowner: to save money by buying a fixer-upper and maintain his tranquil lifestyle. “I’m in sales, so I’m always looking for a deal,” said Chang, 30, a district manager for a computer company. On the other hand, he said: “I’m a…
When David Kean set out to buy his first home, he was looking for two things: old and charming. He envisioned thick crown molding and hardwood floors. But there was a glitch in his plan. “Old and charming was too expensive,” said Kean, 36, who works as a real estate agent. Plus, he explained, he…