Home owners love their pets and they also love great design with modern function.

So its no surprise that home builders and designers increasingly are being asked to consider pets when developing floor plans and custom amenities.

Builders are responding to this demand by offering homes with pet-friendly design in the kitchen, laundry room/mud room and even outdoor spaces. Condos and apartment buildings now feature amenities like rooftop dog parks and self-serve grooming stations.

Whether youre in the market for a new home, will soon be remodeling or just need some inspiration for how to use your current space, here are a few ideas to get started.

Kitchen: If you have a small- or medium-sized pet, consider finding a spot in your kitchen to create a built-in eating area. It can be as simple as using free floor space under an island to create a stylish spot for the food and water bowls.

Or, declutter a large lower eeeeeee cabinet, remove the door and create a convenient feeding spot. You also can add a comfortable cushion instead of a pet bed.

If a bottom drawer is all you can spare, put a built-in food bowl that easily slides in and out.

The water bowl should be accessible to your pet all the time though.

If your pet is a messy eater, keep the feeding station away from most of the foot traffic. Water spills can be especially hazardous in the kitchen. Thats why feeding bowls for larger pets may be better suited for the laundry room or mud room.

Laundry room/mud room: If you have a separate laundry room and/or mud room, there are many ways to utilize this space for your pets. A feeding station for your larger pet can be conveniently located beneath a boot bench. This also makes a great spot for a pet bed.

Link:
Pet features get more attention in home designs

Living room remodeling part 4

By: Baytowncowboy85

Excerpt from:
Living room remodeling part 4 - Video

I've got nothing that pretty to show you at the end of this post, just a blank slate and a demonstration that DIY can be a slippery slope. Once you begin it can be hard to stop and it's probably best to have at least an idea of where you are going! I think I do.

It started with this one single cabinet hanging up there all alone on the wall. I have a thing about single cabinets somewhat randomly placed in a kitchen, they bug me. So I took it down. It was a bit tricky at first figuring out exactly how it was hung and how to take it down without damaging it, (perhaps it can be used elsewhere, in the garage or even sold or donated) but once I got the hang of it (no pun intended) the job was pretty easy!

And I was crushing on the after. The kitchen felt immediately more open and light.

So naturally, over the next couple of days I kept eyeing this one in the corner every time I passed through the kitchen.

So down it went.

Okay. That was easy. I like it. I'm just going for it!

(And for a little background info so this doesn't seem completely random and crazy stupid, when we moved in I purposely put nothing in all the upper cabinets just to see if we needed them or not, exploring the idea that maybe the uppers could go. So there is a plan. This is the upside of getting rid of so much junk. In the previous house, when I packed up the kitchen, I can't tell you how much stuff I came across tucked into all those cabinets that hadn't even been touched since placing it into the recesses when moving in 6 years prior. All that went bye, bye. And when you don't have extra stuff... you have design options!)

First I took off the doors. Yep, I can see this... they are coming down!

The only hiccup I ran into was some 20 plus feet of wiring tucked behind and running along the top of this wall of cabinetry. Obviously not installed when the house was built, apparently the previous owner had tied in additional wiring to two existing outlets and tucked it away to add under cabinet lighting. It was easy to remove; all I did was turn off the power, open up two switch plates and remove the extensions, afterwards pulling yard upon yard of wiring out from behind the walls. Actually I felt relieved having that wiring gone, who knows if this was even up to code, right?!

Once the wiring was gone it was breeze to remove the remaining cabinets, with the exception of the microwave and cabinet above hiding venting to the outside. I had intended to leave these up until I found the wall hood that would be installed in its place. Oh, what the heck. That looks silly. They're gone too.

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Isabella & Max Rooms

In this March 9, 2013 file photo, people walk through the booths at the annual Home & Garden Show at the O'Connell Center in Gainesville. The show returns this weekend.

After months of cold weather, Gainesville is finally getting a hint of spring. With the new season comes a recovering economy and rebounding housing market.

Local residents eyeing ways to improve their homes and gardens can get some ideas at this weekend's 16th annual North Central Florida Home & Garden Show.

Organized by The Gainesville Sun and the Builders Association of North Central Florida, the event will highlight home improvement, landscaping, remodeling, and decorating ideas from vendors across 180 booths.

The theme of this year's Home Show is contemporary design, according to local home designer Lory Willis. The director of sales at Robinshore Inc., Willis says that homeowners are looking to break down room divisions in their homes, and opting to create more interactive spaces.

People want a break from their busy lifestyles, and they want spaces in which they interact with and entertain each other, Willis said.

Many homeowners aren't even having a formal dining space anymore. Homeowners want to close in those spaces, and they no longer want the formal or traditional styles.

Willis also says to look out for white cabinets, quartz countertops, flat island kitchens, porcelain tile and outdoor living spaces as hot items and concepts in the current housing market.

In addition to the booths, the Home Show will host three community seminars each day. Speakers from the Alachua Community Emergency Management team will present Preparing Your Home For Disasters, a seminar on preparing for hurricanes, tornadoes and other storms.

The second seminar, Florida-Friendly Landscaping: Saving Money in the Landscape, will be presented by Wendy Wilburn, an environmental horticulture agent for UF-IFAS. According to Margie Krpan, deputy executive vice president of the Builders Association, Wilburn will give tips on saving money using natural Florida landscaping.

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Home improvement ideas abound at Gainesville's Home & Garden Show

Roast House is remodeling its warehouse to accommodate an ultra-modern brewingsystem.

Its the same technology used in the new Starbucks Reserve Roastery and Tasting Room, which opened late last year in Seattle. Thats the closest Modbar has come to Spokane untilnow.

We are it. Nobody has it here, said Roast House owner Deborah Di Bernardo. The wow factor is going to be huge. This is what a high-end coffee bar lookslike.

Roast House is installing the only Modbar in Eastern Washington. The award-winning boutique coffee roaster and wholesaler will showcase as well as sell the

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Artist rendition of Roast Houses new tasting bar, featuring its new customizable, modular, high-tech Modbar brewingsystem. (Full-size photo)

Roast House is remodeling its warehouse to accommodate an ultra-modern brewingsystem.

Its the same technology used in the new Starbucks Reserve Roastery and Tasting Room, which opened late last year in Seattle. Thats the closest Modbar has come to Spokane untilnow.

We are it. Nobody has it here, said Roast House owner Deborah Di Bernardo. The wow factor is going to be huge. This is what a high-end coffee bar lookslike.

Continued here:
Roast House to unveil Modbar - Wed, 04 Mar 2015 PST

TOPEKA The transformation of the homes for the annual Child Care Aware of Eastern Kansas Designers Showhouse has involved many moving parts, including the budget that is set for the design of the house.

Reva Wywadis, executive director of Child Care Aware, has been involved in the annual grassroots fundraiser for several years and said its a continuous process to educate the public about how the designer showhouse comes about each year. She said its a common misconception that the homeowners get their house remodeled a no cost to them.

We work with the homeowner and they give the designer an allowance for each space, said Reva Wywadis, executive director of Child Care Aware. The homeowner is responsible for any plumbing, heating, electrical changes, etc. That investment is always made by the homeowner.

Another myth, Wywadis said, is that the designers have free reign who redecorate each room any way they want to and that the homeowner gets very little input in the design process.

The designer still has to get their plan (for each room) approved, she said. The homeowner is always in control of the designers plan. They approve or might ask for some changes but the homeowner is always in control of this process.

The homeowner will set a budget for each room that will be remodeled or redecorated, Wywadis said. From there, each designer then figures out what he or she can do in that space with the money they are given by the homeowner.

Because each rooms budget is usually lower than what the designer ends up doing with the space, the designer will ask other vendors to donate additional labor and materials and will often be recognized in the showhouses publicity pieces.

The goal is to stretch their budget, Wywadis said. They often do to a fabulous job of stretching that budget.

Wywadis said coordinating the design of the showhouse, including this years home, the Washburn University presidents residence, takes someone with knowledge and connections in the design community. She said for the past six years, Topeka interior designer Jan Hutt has filled that role so that Wywadis doesnt have to be as hands-on during the busy showhouse season each spring.

It was just so necessary because the showhouse took me out of my area of expertise, Wywadis said. Jan is on-site a lot, making sure everyone is on schedule. Shes our liaison between our agency and all of the designers.

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At Home Living: Showhouse makeover must meet owner's budget, vision

That ancient Roman architecture grew out of the influence of Greek and Etruscan styles is an indication of the closeness of interaction between cultures in the Mediterranean region and how civilizations adopted and evolved from each others influence. The Roman architectural style can be traced to Greek and Etruscan styles, the roots of these forming the basis of a style that would be adapted to reflect the aspirations and self awareness of the emerging Roman consciousness.

The Dorians and Ionians developed the architecture of classical Greece, hence the Doric and Ionic orders, which are systems of columnar design which formed the most striking feature of that architecture, and were mainly used to create an impressive exterior effect. It was the most important element in the temple architecture of the Greeks, and an almost indispensable adornment of their gateways, public squares, and temple enclosures. Each of the two types had its own special shaft, capital, entablature, mouldings, and ornaments, although considerable variation was allowed in the proportions and minor details. The general type, however, remained substantially unchanged from first to last.

There are three Greek orders in classical architecture, Doric, Ionian, and Corinthian, and two Latin orders, Tuscan and Composite, although the Romans also used the Greek orders with detail changes. The first and simplest of the three Greek orders, the Doric, has a plain bell-shaped capital, and was intended by the ancient Greeks to convey masculine form and dignity, basing its proportion on the average mans foot compared to his height. The Ionic order is characterized by the two large volutes of the capital, and compared to the ruder, masculine Doric, the order was seen as feminine, depicting a mature woman in its design and proportions. The third of the Grecian orders, the Corinthian, is recognized by a bell shaped capital adorned with rows of acanthus leaves transforming into helices and volutes. Compared to the other Greek orders , the Corinthian is a riot of decoration, and reflected the Corinthians, who were wealthy and liked to flaunt their wealth through their surroundings.

The Tuscan order is the simplest and most basic of the five orders, and is similar to Doric but without decoration. This style was developed by the Etruscans, who lived in what is now Tuscany, and in an ancient example of ethnic cleansing the Etruscan civilization was obliterated by the Romans, together with its language, with only Etruscan architecture and their engineering achievements such as the invention of the arch, being adopted by the Romans. It is characterized by its simplicity in comparison with the other orders, leading Ruskin to complain that Tuscan.is no order at all, but a spoiled Doric.

The Composite order was a mixture of Ionian and Corinthian, which literally means to put together. Vitruvius did not recognize the Composite order, but Sebastiano Serlio diffidently proposed its inclusion in 1537 as almost a fifth style, a mixture of the said pure ones, and it has since been universally accepted. Serlio argued that since the Greek columns had represented men (Doric), women (Ionic), and virgins (Corinthian), and since Rome had triumphed over the rest of the known world, it could rightly create its own order as a combination of the classic orders.

The Greek employed strict rules regarding the way their buildings were to be constructed, and allowed only minor variations of the orders to be used in any construction. The main philosophy behind Greek architecture dealt with reflecting the honesty or trueness of forms, as are displayed in life and the natural world. This is evidenced clearly by the Greeks refusal to deviate from traditional forms in construction even when using new construction methods with different materials. The triglyph and metope which were carved into marble or stone construction were intended to imitate the rafter ends and spacings of wooden beams of earlier wooden construction techniques. Rather than developing a different style they chose to repeat the visual representation of traditional buildings in their true form. The ancient Greeks placed great importance on building temples to their gods, and endeavoured to bring a sense of humanity and art to their architectural forms.

Ancient Greek interior decoration may have looked like this.

The Romans were more concerned with developing new technological and engineering techniques rather than creating buildings for any philosophical or solely artistic reasons. By invading and conquering different territories they literally took from other cultures their greatest achievements and adapted them for their own use for the benefit and glory of advancing the Roman empire. Although the Romans, like the Greeks built temples to their gods, the Romans were far more interested in building amphitheatres, aqueducts, bathhouses, and were generally more secular in their mindset. Building impressive monuments, basilicas, palaces, and feats of engineering that would pay homage to the greatness of Rome and its emperor was far more important to the Romans than fawning to the metaphysical or the divine.

Dwellings were constructed in Roman cities and towns to suit the occupation of the owner, to reflect their social status, and to facilitate their trade. The Roman architect and engineer Vitruvius makes this intention clear when he states that the buildings will be arranged with convenience and perfection to suit every purpose. He further states that:

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History of Interior Design in Five Posts Part 1 ...

Kate Burt, Houzz Contributor

One effect of the recent recession is the rise in live-in landlords. Perhaps youre one of them, or are considering taking in a housemate. Its something I did for years, and the experience taught me theres a knack to planning an interior for adults leading separate lives but living together.

So how do you divvy up a modern home in style to make sure everyone has the space they need, as well as enough privacy? Both are key considerations for domestic comfort, so try these practical but beautiful ideas to help you and your new roommate live in stylish synchronicity.

Create a Chic First Apartment on a Dorm Room Budget

Create zones. In an age of open-plan living, it may not be immediately obvious how to accommodate a new person with their own timetable and social life. Clever zoning is key. Consider how you could rearrange your communal space so it will comfortably accommodate multiple activities and inhabitants working, resting, eating or cooking in harmony.

Look out for small-scale furniture if space is tight lots of brands now have a dedicated range of compact or flexible pieces. And shop creatively a small round metal garden table can easily double as an affordable dining or laptop spot for one. Comfy armchairs are good, too, since you may not always feel like sharing the sofa.

Split your space. Room dividers can also help to create zones in larger rooms or open-plan spaces to allow different members of the household to do their own thing. These are especially useful if you each have friends over at the same time.

Boost living room storage. With that spare room full of your stuff gone, youll need to create additional storage in the rest of your home. High-level floating shelving that stretches from wall to wall looks great painted the same color as the walls, it creates an architectural detail. And it can stash heaps of books, magazine holders and good-looking storage boxes without compromising space.

Reorganize Your Space With New Storage Bins and Boxes

Seek out a shelf nook. Where else could you carve out space for more storage? Look beyond the obvious places to add bookshelves: the littlest room in the house can sometimes pack in a surprising amount of shelf space. This dinky-sized library looks cute, too.

Continued here:
Living With A Roommate: How To Make It Work

A ribbon-cutting will be held at 10 a.m., Thursday for the newly remodeled and rebranded, 133-room Best Western Plus El Paso Airport Hotel and Conference Center at Airway and Interstate 10 in East Central El Paso.

The hotel until late last year had operated as the Holiday Inn El Paso Airport Hotel.

Officials with Esperanto Developments, the El Paso company that owns and operates the hotel and several others, did not immediately divulge the cost of remodeling the hotel.

This is El Paso's only Best Western Plus branded hotel. The Best Western Plus brand is a full-service hotel and different from regular Best Western hotels, an Esperanto official said in the past.

Esperanto also is renovating the former Artisan Hotel building Downtown to be an upscale Hotel Indigo-franchised hotel. It is scheduled to be opened this year.

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Rebranding, remodeling of Best Western Plus hotel in El Paso to be celebrated

House hunters often are faced with the same compromise Wisconsin residents Patti Ann and Christopher Curtin considered when scouting Longboat Key for their ideal winter vacation home.

Two years ago, they discovered the neighborhood they loved, but an available villa in that neighborhood of Winding Oaks was far from a favorite. And yet, they bought the 2,700-square foot, three-bedroom, three-bath place without much hesitation, realizing that what was fixed (the location) trumped what could be altered with time and money.

Although they werent thrilled about committing to a major renovation project, they knew it was the sensible compromise.

The neighborhood is lovely, quiet and gated, said Patti Ann, so that we could lock and leave the house without worry. The villa style is more like a home to us than a high-rise, and this one came with a garage. The living space is on one level and the three bedrooms mean that our three adult sons and daughter-in-law can come and visit often. The exteriors of the homes in this neighborhood have a contemporary Cape Cod feel that appeals to us a lot. Everything about the outside of the place said home to us right away.

But then came the inside assessment of this 1991 villa. The entrance foyer was huge and just a major waste of space, continued Patti Ann. And the kitchen had a dysfunctional U-shape that I hated. The place was carpeted, and there was no color anywhere except for white and beige. The three bathrooms needed updating, and the all the lighting was insufficient. The fireplace in the living room wasnt our style, but the worst feature of the house was an atrium off the foyer that was nothing but a gloomy dungeon as far as I was concerned. On the good side, the place had been well maintained and it was in great shape.

The Curtins wisely decided to live in the house as it was last winter while compiling a list of plan changes and upgrades.

During this time they researched Sarasota designers online and ultimately hired Mark Dalton of Chic on the Cheap. He brought in designer Jessica Napoli and also Jeff Francola, owner of J&K Building and Remodeling, for a project that took six months. For all of that time, the Curtins were back in Wisconsin and communicated with the two designers by phone, photos and texts. They shared online sources and did some shopping that way. Patti Ann Curtin made two trips to Sarasota to select furniture, area carpets, tile patterns, and lighting with the designers at Robb & Stucky, Rugs as Art, Franklin Lighting and Ikea.

The biggest change we made was to take out three walls in the kitchen area, add a big center island and reconfigure the space so that now its open to the living area, has expansive views and functions for a family, explained Dalton. Its big, open, airy and white, with stainless appliances and vivid yellow walls. Since the house had very little color and the Curtins were eager to add some, we kept the Hawthorne Yellow, by Benjamin Moore, as the major wall color throughout the public places of the villa. Then the designers did a daring thing that Dalton is pretty sure no one else in the neighborhood has tried.

We took that long and wide, useless foyer and converted it into a roomy contemporary dining space, with a glass-and-chrome chandelier over a long wood-and-chrome table paired with Plexiglass chairs, continued the designer. The six sculptural chairs were the most expensive accessories the Curtins chose for the place, but the impact is worth it. And the chairs are quite comfortable.

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Sarasota home goes from showing its age to a glam makeover