Clik here to view.
Door Dilemma
This standard sized door leaves plenty of room for a larger crown moulding where the wall meets the ceiling. I recently received a question about how to decide the correct height for an interior door....
View ArticleClik here to view.
Pocket or Swinging Door for Bathroom?
The master bedroom suite usually includes a master bathroom area. It is likely that you will want to be able to close off the bathroom area for privacy at times. People often think that a pocket or...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Wood flooring in Older Homes
Renovating an old house can have its challenges, but it can be very rewarding. In many cases, the usual rules about the way to do things is not always the best solution. One thing I have learned is...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Choose the Right Countertop Height with Vessel Sinks
Here’s a mistake I often see: placing a vessel sink on top of a cabinet with a standard countertop height. Vessel sinks have become a very popular choice of bathroom sinks lately. The bowl-shaped sink...
View ArticleClik here to view.
A “Magic Corner” Makes Kitchen Corners More Usable
Ugh! I hate wasting that space in the corner base cabinets in kitchens. The term “base cabinet” is the term the kitchen industry uses when referring to the cabinets below the counter top. When base...
View ArticleClik here to view.
News Flash! A 2×4 Is Not 2 inches by 4 inches!
Just How Big Is a 2×4? Typically, houses are framed using 2X4’s. Apparently a California Superior Court judge did not know the answer to this basic construction question. And you may not know. That’s...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Baluster – Our Word of the Week
This is a good example of wooden balusters supporting a handrail. Baluster – You and nearly everyone has seen a baluster before, even if you might not have known what it was called. But rest assured,...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Our Word of the Week – Ogee
Ogee – Ogee, pronounced like saying the letters O.G., refers to a shape seen often in architecture and woodworking. An ogee shape is a curved shape that resembles an “s” shape (on its side). It has two...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Microwaves Are the Most Awkward Appliances
Microwave ovens are the most difficult appliances to place in a kitchen. They are a peculiar size. While upper wall cabinets are typically 12 inches deep and lower base cabinets are 24 inches deep,...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Newel – Our Word of the Week
Newel, or Newel Post – a newel, or newel post is the post at the bottom of a flight of stairs, or at turning points in the stair, that supports the handrail. It’s usually larger and more detailed than...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Our Word of the Week: Wainscot
Wainscot – Properly pronounced “wainscoat” – Wainscot is not the jacket belonging to a guy named Wayne. But that is how it’s pronounced. It refers to any type of wall paneling put on the walls of a...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Our Word of the Week: Soffit
Soffit (Exterior and Interior) – simply put, a soffit (exterior) is the space or ceiling between the side of the building and the overhang of the roof. It’s the visible part of the underside of the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Our Word of the Week: Threshold
Threshold – When a groom carries his bride over the threshold, he’s bringing her symbolically into his house and starting their partnership. Literally he has carried her over a strip wood or metal...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Our Word of the Week-Jamb
Jamb- Think of a doorway. The two vertical pieces (of wood) on either side of the opening are the door jambs. It’s as if this jamb was jammed between the door and the wall. Other places you can find a...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Understand Your House Plans (Karen’s Method)
I think it is always a challenge for my clients to thoroughly understand the architectural drawings, or house plans, for their new house. Floor plans and elevations are a new language to most people...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Strike – Our Word of the Week
Strike – ‘Strike’ is a word that can be used in many different ways and situations. In the language of construction and architecture, a strike is the hole in a doorjamb that the lock’s bolt or latch...
View ArticleClik here to view.
LED Light – Our Word of the Week
LED Light – LED light is not the light above your Led Zeppelin poster. That is a black light. LED stands for “light emitting diode.” An LED light bulb is the next generation light bulb. It has a...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Yes, You Do Want a Pressure-Balancing Mixing Valve in Your Shower
My family and I just spent the holiday weekend in a very nice cabin in the mountains. Everything about it was great. But I was reminded about how nice it is to have a pressure-balancing mixing valve in...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Double-Hung Window: Our Word of the Week
Double-Hung Window- a double-hung window is one of two main types of operable windows you’ll generally find. A double-hung window has two sashes, an upper and a lower sash, that slide vertically past...
View ArticleClik here to view.
French Drain – Our Word of the Week
French Drain – Although you may want to attribute this invention to the good citizens of France, the french drain actually gets its name from it’s creator, Henry F. French. In 1859, the Massachusetts...
View Article
